Verse 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.

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Every person who hears this epiftle is called upon in a moft folemn manner to attend to its import. Whatever may be the conduct of others, no individual shall be hurt, as to his final state, by abad conduct but his own. Though others may not be faithful to the death; though others may yield to the temptations to which they are exposed; no one who overcomes the temptations by which he is furrounded, and continues faithful to the death, shall ever be hurt of the second death. In chap, xx, 12,-15. we have an account of the fecond death. It is that endless and hopeless mifery, to which the impenitently wicked shall be configned, immediately after the general judgement. It is a state directly oppofite to that crown of life promised, in the preceding verfe, to the faithful Christian. It is denominated the fecond death, to diftinguish it from that death which confists in the diffolution of the body, and thereby, in the feparation of foul and body, which is called the first death. Hence the import of the promise in this verfe is, that the Chriftian, by refifting temptation, may fometimes, be exposed to death, yet he shall be no lofer thereby; for he shall not be hurt by the fecond death. Wicked men VOL. I.

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and devils, when permitted by God, may inflict the first death upon the faithful fervants of Chrift; but none of them, nor all of them combined, can inflict upon them the fecond death. Chrift faith, Matth. x. 28. and 39. "Fear not them who kill "the body; but are not able to kill the foul. He "that findeth his life fhall lofe it; and he that lofeth his life, for my fake, fhall find it."

Verse 12. And unto the angel of the church in Pergamos, write, these things faith he, which hath the fharp fword, with the two edges.

This epiftle is addreffed to the minister of the Christian church in Pergamos, a famous city of Myfia Major in Afia Minor. It was for a long time the capital of a great state called the kingdom of Pergamus; and feveral cities were under its jurifdiction. About 132 years before the birth of Christ, Attalus Philometer, the last king of Pergamus, died; who, by his laft will, had made the people of Rome his heirs. That people, a few years after, took poffeffion of the kingdom by this title; and then Pergamus became the refidence of a Roman proconful.

In this epiftle, Christ designs himself “ him who hath the fharp fword with two edges." This fword of the Spirit, which proceeds out of the

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mouth of Chrift, is the word of God, thofe fcriptures which are given by inspiration of God. It is two edged, because facred fcripture is equally well formed for defending the Chrftian, and giving the deepest wounds to his enemies. Like a two-edged fword, every part of facred fcripture is fitted for use. The scriptures are equally calculated, to adminifter inftruction and reproof; and, as both are needed in this church, and both are administered in this epiftle, it was highly proper that the divine Author of it should defign himself as he does in this verse.

Verfe 13th-1 know thy works, and where thou dwelleft, even where Satan's feat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith; even in those days, wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was flain among you where Satan dwelleth.

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In this, as in all the other epiftles, Chrift informs the church that he knows their works. church is faid to dwell where Satan's feat is. As the devil is the author of all idolatry, and most commonly the object of it, wherever idolatry greatly prevails, there Satan may be faid to have his feat. On this account, as fhall appear in the courfe of this book, both Heathen and Papal Rome are faid to be the feat of the dragon, who is the devil.

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devil. In a particular manner, Satan's feat is faid to be at Pergamos, on account of the great number of heathen temples and idols in that city, and particularly on account of the temple of Afculapius, who was worshipped there under the figure of a ferpent. For, from the first temptation of mankind, by the devil in the form, or by the inftrumentality of a ferpent, the devil is still reprefented by, and even called a ferpent, In chap, xii. 9. 14, 15, he is called a ferpent no less than three times. Besides this great temple in which Æfculapius was worshipped in the form of a ferpent, there was a temple in Pergamos in honour of the city of Rome and the emperor Auguftus, and alfo a temple of Diana. In this fituation, peculiarly trying and dangerous, this church adhered to the profeffion of the Chriftian name, to the belief of the Chriftian faith, and to a correfpondent practice. The time when this epiftle was written to them was no lefs trying than their fituation was, for perfecution then raged to fuch a degree, that, in that city, Antipas, faithful martyr of Chrift, was flain.

Verse 14th.-But I have a few things against thee, because thou haft there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to caft a ftumbling block be

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fore the children of Ifrael, to eat things facrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.

Though this church was highly commendable for her fidelity to the Chriftian faith, in the most trying fituation and times, yet there were fome things in her character which deferved reproof and correction, She is reproved, in particular, for allowing fome to live in communion with her, who held the fame errors, which marked the cha racter and conduct of Balaam, when he advised Balak, the king of Moab, to caft a ftumbling block before the people of Ifrael, by which, as in Numb. XXV. I, 2. and xxxi. 16. they were led to eat things facrificed to idols, and to commit fornication,

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

She is alfo reproved for not cenfuring some of her members, who held the doctrines of the Nicolaitans. These were explained on the fixth verfe. Both in that place and this, Chrift declares that he hates thefe doctrines. Such a declaration, always repeated whenever they are mentioned, Atrongly marks them as highly criminal and o

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