A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

The particular commendation of this church is, for her constancy in maintaining the doctrine of the gospel, in these words, I know where thou dwellest, even in a place where Satan's throne is, and yet for all that thou keepest my name: that is, thou holdest still my true religion and doctrine. The throne of Satan is any place where superstition, idolatry, or profaneness is maintained without controlment, and from whence wickedness is conveyed to other places. For the devil is the God of the world▪ and he hath his thrones among men. Pergamus was a great city of the gentiles which maintained idolatry, and persecuted the gospel, from whence also iniquity was derived to other towns and places: therefore it is called the devils throne.

The particular commendation of this church is, for her constancie in maintaining the doctrine of the gospell, in these words, I know where thou dwellest, euen in a place where Sathans throne is, and yet for all that thou keepest my name: that is, thou holdest still my true religion and doctrine. The throne of Sathan is any place where superstition, idolatry, or profanenesse is maintained without controlement, and from whence wickednesse is conueyed to other places. For the diuell is the God of the world▪ and he hath his thrones among men. Pergamus was a great citie of the gentiles which maintained idolatry, and persecuted the gospell, from whence also iniquitie was deriued to other townes and places: therefore it is called the diuels throne.

Herein we may observe sundry points of great importance. First, the exceeding policy of Satan: he hath his kingdom in this world: and for the establishing thereof, he must have his thrones where wickedness and idolatry is maintained without controlment, and whence sin is derived to other places. In all ages it hath been thus, and will continue so to the end. In the old world he had his thrones among Cains posterity: in the church of the Jews, even in the days of the kings of Israel, the high places and groves▪ where the people sacrificed to their idols were the devils thrones: the oracles of the gentiles where the devils gave answer unto men were his chief thrones: in the days of popery, every church and chapel were thrones of Satan, wherein were erected images & holy roods for the worship of saints; whither the people came to worship from country to country. In most schools of learning for many hundred years the devil had his thrones; For therein was nothing taught but errors, heresies, and most abominable idolatries. In these our days the devil hath his thrones among us, where any wizard dwelleth, or cunning person (as they are called) for thither whole countries do flock for help and for counsel, and so yield homage to Satan. All dicing, & all brothel houses, wherein abominable wickedness is freely committed, are Satan's thrones. Yea all those families are the devils thrones, where men live without love or practise of religion, in blindness and ignorance, in blasphemy, drunkenness, whoredom, injustice, or any such impieties. And in reason it must needs be thus, for the devil being a prince of this world, will have his throne in some parts thereof.