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St. Paul from St. John: John: but if you will confider and compare the paffages together, you will find fufficient reafon to be convinced, that St. Peter's and St. Paul's are the copies, and St. John's the original. Moreover it is to be obferved, that this Revelation was given on the Lord's day, when the apoftle's heart and affections, as we may reasonably suppose, were fublimed by the meditations and devotions of the day, and rendered more recipient of divine inspiration. The heavenly vifions were vouchfafed to St. John, as they were before to Da niel, (Dan. IX. X.) after fupplication and prayer and there being (9) two kinds of prophetic revelation in a vifion and a dream, the Jews accounted a vifion fuperior to a dream, as reprefenting things more perfectly and to the life.

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In the firft vifion Jefus Chrift, or his angel, fpeaking in his name, and acting in his perfon, appears amid the feven golden candlesticks, meaning the Seven churches. His clothing is fomewhat like the high-prieft's, and he is described much in the fame manner as the divine appearances in Daniel's vifions. (Dan. VII. 9.

X. 5,

(9) In iftis duabus partibus, nes prophetiæ gradus. Maifomnio et vifione, continentur om- mon. in More Nevoch. Part z.

Cap.

X. 5, &c.) St. John at the fight of so glorious a person fell down senseless before him, as Daniel did upon the fame occafion: and like Daniel too, he is graciously raised and encouraged, and commanded to write the things which he had feen, contained in this chapter, and the things which are, the prefent ftate of the feven churches represented in the two next chapters, and the things which shall be hereafter, the future events which begin to be exhibited in the fourth chapter, as it is there faid (ver. 1.) Come up hither, 'and I will show thee the things which must be hereafter.

CHA P. II.

UNTO the angel of the church of

Ephefus, write, These things faith

he that holdeth the feven stars in his right
hand, who walketh in the midst of the
seven golden candlesticks ;

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou haft tried them which fay they

are

Cap. 36. Smith's Difcourfe of Prophecy, Chap. 2. p. 174,

175,

C 2

(1) Tertull.

are apoftles, and are not; and hast found them liars:

3 And haft borne, and haft patience, and for my name's fake haft laboured, and haft not fainted.

4 Nevertheless, I have fomewhat against thee, because thou haft left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence, thou art fallen, and repent, and do the firft works or elfe I will come unto

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thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

6 But this thou haft, that thou hateft the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I alfo hate.

7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit faith unto the churches, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradife of God.

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna, write, Thefe things faith the first and the laft, which was dead, and is alive;

9

I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blafphemy of them which fay they

they are Jews, and are not, but are the fynagogue of Satan.

10 Fear none of thofe things which thou fhalt fuffer: behold, the devil fhall caft fome of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye fhall have tribulation ten days be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

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11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit faith unto the churches, He that overcometh, fhall not be hurt of the fecond death.

12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamus, write, Thefe things faith he, which hath the fharp fword with two edges;

13 I know thy works, and where thou dwelleft, even where Satan's feat is and thou holdeft faft my name, and haft not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was flain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou haft there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to caft a ftumbling-block before the children. of Ifrael, to eat things facrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. C 3

15 So

15 So haft thou alfo them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

16 Repent; or elfe I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit faith unto the churches, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white ftone, and in the ftone a new name written, which no man knoweth, faving he that receiveth it.

18 And unto the in Thyatira, write,

angel of the church

Thefe things faith

the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brafs;

19 I know thy works, and charity, and fervice, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the laft to be more than the firft.

20 Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou fuffereft that woman Jezebel, which calleth her felf a prophetess, to teach and to feduce my fervants to commit fornication, and to eat things facrificed unto idols.

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