Sb 41evelationofthe Apocalypfe. CA I% a: Sweet tau e ver finelling f f9 Partly armeth themowing neWcalamity, both byIlebi*- Smyrna, ing the Author, kind, end, andcontinuance of it , andalto bypromifzng them a CroWn, vert, 10. The Coxclufion path both the ufuallAccla- mation, andalfa afreedom from the fecunddeathfor a reward,verf, i i . THE EXPOSITION. S. O the Angel ofthe Sinyrneans. Wee have Paid that Smyrna was a Colony belonging to the ephelians, was alto fo cal-. led of Smyrna, one of the Amazons ; yet whofe notation notwith- ítanding of another meaning the Holy cjhofl refpeé}eth. For hence is fhe calledfweer-finelling Smyrna, that is , Myrrhe, or the that is farre more delightful!, then any pleafant and, tweet fpices, as it is evident by that , that he reproveth no fault inher, butfheweth her to be molt dear to himfelfe,howfoever there was nothing more con- temptible,and defpifed of the world at that time. Neithermuftwe think,that the fecond place was rafhlygiven to this Church after E- phefus.For the Holy Ghott doth not reckonup the Churches by leaps, without order, next after joyningd either Sardis, or Philadelphia, or any ocie of the reit,but in that order wherein they are laid down.- First of all then he goethon to the North, on which fide about a hundred and twenty fadoms, orfurlongs is Smyrna placed on the (bore. From whence Pergamus bendeth again further North- ward ; from Pergamus the reí} bend in their order Southward. And no doubt this order doth demonftrate the like proceeding of the Church. In that part of the world where we are , the further wee go NorthWarel, thefurther we go back from the funne , which is the fountain of light. Smyrna therefore after ephefus, teachethus, that after the Primitive Purity , the Church fhould daily.grow into, and proceeduntogreater darknefs, till at length it came toPergamtm,the Taft bound of it ; whence it fhould betake it felfe again toward the South, to heinlightned with a more plentiful! beam every day more and more. We (hall fee in thofe things that follow, that the event Both fo anfwer, that no equal( Iudge will corídemne there things, for vain fubtilties, but will rather admire with me the greatneffe of the rnyfterie. And if we will reform our judgements, till wee have throughly viewed the whole matter, we (hall be able to judge more fincerely, that which (hall be moil behooffull for our felves,and for the truth ; which thing alone is that which I propound to my felfe, (God is my witneffe) not any delre., either of fac}ion, or novelty. But
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