1

plication

stery o f
the leven

The ex- Divine, that lived & died in the beginning of
of the my- this age. According to him the Church of
Ephesus signifies the Primitive Church of the
Churches three first Ages. The Praises which the H.
by Forbes. Spirit gives it, I know thy works & thy labour,

& how thou canst not bear them which are evil,
&c. These praises I say may well agree to
the Church of the three first Ages. But those
which God gives to the Church of Thya-
tira afterwards are greater. Yet 'tis certain
that the fourth Period of the Church did not
come near the Church of the three first Ages
in fervency & purity. The Nicolaitans that
are spoken of in this Epistle to the Church
of Ephesus, may fignifie all the Hereticks,
all the kinds being meant by one. But feeing
the Church of all Ages hath had its Here-
ticks, this character can't diftinguish this Pe-
riod from the others.

The second Epistle is to the Church of
Smyrna, & Forbes would have this to be the
Period in which the Arrians, Macedonians,
Nestorians & Eutychians reigned. That
is to say, that this Period will comprehend
the fourth, & the fifth Age. But how can
these words be applied to those Ages, I
know thy works & thy Tribulation, & thy
poverty (but thou art rich) & I know the blas-
phemy of those that say they are fews but are
not, but are the Synagogue of Satan ? See here
are praises that are no whit inferiour to
those that were given to the Church of Ephe
fus. Yet 'tis certain that the Church, in these
Ages was corrupted, & loft all the beauty

LE

i

:

it had in the three first Ages of the Church. Its manners were corrupted, & its worship was marred by the invocation of Saints & the worship of Reliques. What will become of that Persecution of ten days that God predicts to this Church of Smyrna ? "Tis true the Church was perfecuted under the Arri an Emperours; but it doth not appear very well why this is described by number of ten days.

The third Epistle is directed to the Church of Pergamus, & according to Forbes this is the Period of the reign of Antichrift. The foregoing Periods were but of two or three hundred years; this must be above a thoufand years. Here is found something that is pretty like this Period. I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seatis. To which may be added that the martyr Antipas spoken of in this Epiftle signifies Anti-papa, an Enemy oppofing the Pope; & that this signifies all those that have opposed the tyranny of Antichrist. But the reft doth by no means agree to this Period. Iknow thy works, & that thou holdest fast my name, & haft not denied my faith. These praises do by no neans belong to a Church, so corrupt as was that of the third Period under the reign of Antichrist. Thou hast them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Ifrael, to eat things sacrificed unto Idols & to commit fornication. By this must be meant those evil Chriftians that joined in with the Antichrifti

an

:

i

an Idolatry. Now these people are not well defcribed by thou hast them; for this imports, that it was not the body of the Society. And on the contrary, under the Antichriftian Empire, the greatest part of men did partake of his abominations.

The fourth Epiftle is directed to the Church of Thyatira, to which the H. Spirit gives these great praises I know thy works, &Charity, & fervice, & Patience; & that thy last works are more than the first. Forbes would have this be that Period of the Church, in which the Church began to reform her felf, & in which the good feparated from the evil. i. e. the Church from the Albigenses to Luthers time. Now I leave every wife man to judge if a small number of Albigenfes & Waldenfes, that feparated from the Church of Rome, & that endured so short a time, could deferve from the whole Chriftian Church, fo generally corrupted, the fairest of all the praifes that the H. Spirit gives to the seven Chur

ches.

Thou suffereft that woman Jezabel that calleth her self a Prophetess, to teach & to seduce my servants to commit fornication. This Jezabel I confess very much resembles the Antichriftian Church. But Why should the At bigenfes be blamed for suffering the Roman Church? How could they destroy it, who were so weak? Did they not cry out upon her as Babylon as much as they were able?

Sardis, is the fifth Church to which the

H. Spirit writes, & according to Forbes'tis the

the Reformed Church, in which neither fezabel, nor Balaam, nor the Pope nor Popery are any longer tolerated, because she broke with the Roman Church. But why would we have the Ages of our Reformation fince Luther to be branded with fo black & fatal a Character, Thou hast a name to live, but art dead? Be watchful, & strengthen the things which remain, & are ready to dy; for I have not found thy works perfect before God. I think our Reformation deserved at least as much praise as that of the Albigenfes. The Zeal thereof was great, & the Doctrine pure.

Philadelphia is the fixth Church, & fignifies according to Forbes, the Church that shall carry the Reformation to its greatest height, that shall have but a small number of members, but they shall be very Zealous.

Laodicea is the last Church or the last Period. The Holy Spirit terribly blames it. Thou art neither hot nor cold. Thou faist I am rich, & have need of nothing, &c. & dost not know that thou art wretched, & miferable, & poor, & blind, & naked. According to Forbes this is those Churches that making all their glory to confift in their having quitted Baby. lan do fall back, & make Religion to con sist in nothing but duties purely external. This laft Period must be placed at the end of the World. Thus you have Forbes's system. Let us proceed to that of Cocceins. According to this later Author, the Church of Ephesus is the Apoftolical Church, i, e. that

plication

The Ex. that wherin the Apostles preached. So that of the my- this Period must be extended to the death of stery of the seven St. John. The Nicolaitans spoken of in this Churches first Epistle, are Hereticks in general. Niaccording colaos in Greek fignifies the Conquerour of the Bo Cocceins. People. 'Tis the Character of Hereticks to make themselves masters of the people by seducing them.

The Church of Smyrna signifies the Church fuffering in all places, & especially that of the three first Ages. The perfecution of ten Days according to this, must signify the ten Perfecutions, which the Church suffered during those three Ages under the Pagan Emperours. This doth not fallout ill; but I fear it was chance that made this hit; for the reft doth not fall out in the same manner. The holy Spirit faith, Some of you shall be caft into Prison, that ye may be tryed. This is very feebly to express the great number of Martyrs, and the cruel Sufferings to which the Church was exposed during these three first Ages of the Church. 'Tis much more probable, that this fignifies fome light Persecution that was to befal Smyrna, in which Persecution the Evil should not go beyond the imprisoning fome perticular Persons.

The Epistle to the Church of Pergamus is the third, & according to Cosseins, 'tis the Church From Constantine's time to the birth of Antichrift. Pergamus is the name of a famousfortress of Troy. Rome signifies strength or fortress. 'Tis in Rome that fsatan's feat is. But why should the feat of fatan be fixed in Rome

: