A plain explanation of the whole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…A plaine explanation of the vvhole Revelation of Saint John Very necessary and comfortable…

Secondly, this is common to all, in that he either commendeth their good things they have, or discommendeth their evil, exhorting them to the good, and dehorting them from the evil, adjoining promises unto their good things, and threatening judgements against their evil.

Secondly, this is common to all, in that hee either commendeth their good things they haue, or discommendeth their euill, exhorting them to the good, and dehorting them from the euill, adioyning promises vnto their good things, and threatning iudgements against their euill.

Lastly, the attention unto the promises which he stirreth them up unto: and this he moveth diversly. In the three first Epistles, he seemeth more especially ⟨p. 9⟩to move them with care, by threatenings, in the four latter, he more expressly sets down their reward: and thereupon he sets down this exhortation unto attention, Let him that hath an ear, hear what the spirit saith to the Churches.

Lastly, the attention vnto the promises which hee stirreth them vp vnto: and this hee moueth diuersly. In the three first Epistles, he seemeth more especially ⟨p. 9⟩to moue them with care, by threatnings, in the foure latter, he more expresly sets downe their reward: and thereupon hee sets downe this exhortation vnto attention, Let him that hath an eare, heare what the spirit saith to the Churches.

To come to the Epistles particularly: In the first he writeth to the Church of Ephesus. Christ describeth himself by that, by which he is set down, Chap. 1. 13. 16. namely, to be he which hath the seven Stars in his hand: noting, that all good things whatsoever are in the Ministers, they come from him, and the praise thereof is due unto him. And secondly, in that he walketh in the midst of the Candlesticks, he noteth, that he seeth all their doings, and therefore he knoweth their works and their labours. And here he commends in them, first, their Patience, then their Impatience; the latter he handles first, as is the manner of the Scripture; namely, that they could not forbear those that feigned themselves to be Apostles, and yet were not, and therefore they proved them and tried, and found them to be liars: Secondly, their Patience, that they had borne much affliction, and many troubles for the truths sake, and did still bear in the maintenance thereof, and were not weary, which is required in true patience.