Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.

14. But I have a few things against thee, as thou hast there such as hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Israelites, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit whoredom.

15. So thou hast also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate. 16. Repent; or else I will come quickly, and fight against thee with the sword of my mouth, (the word of terror).

17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches; To him that overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, (the bread of life, John vi. 35.) I will also give him a white stone (a token of acceptance), and in the stone a new name written, (that of a child of God, a privilege) which no man knows, but he that receives it, (Col. iii. 3.)

18. And to the angel of the church of Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass; 19. I know thy works, and love, and service, and faith, and patience; and thy last works to be better than the first.

20. Yet I have somewhat against thee, as thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit whoredom, and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21. And I gave her space to repent of her whoredom, but she repented not. 22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed (of trouble), and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23. And I will kill her children (or followers) with the pestilence, and all the churches shall know that I search the dispositions and desires; and I will give to each of you according to your works.

24. But to you I say, even to the rest in Thyatira,

whoever hold not this doctrine, and have not known the depths of Satan, as they (proverbially) speak, I will put upon you none other burden, (than ye have). 25. But that (truth) which ye have already, hold fast till I come. 26. And to him that overcomes, and does my works unto the end, I will give authority over the wicked nations, (as assessor with me). 27. And thus he shall rule them as with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to pieces, even as I received from my Father. 28. And I will give him the (lustre of the) morning star.

29. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

CHAP. III. .

THE CHURCH IN SARDIS REPROVED.

AND to the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, (the Spirit of God with his manifold operations) and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name of being alive, but art dead. 2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things remaining, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

3. Remember, therefore, what thou hast heard and received, and hold fast and repent. For if thou watch not, I will come on thee (unawares) as a thief at an hour thou knowest not.

4. Yet thou hast a few persons even in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments, (or themselves with sin); and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy (of glory.) 5. He that overcomes, shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name from the book of life, but I will confess it before my Father and before his angels.

6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith the holy and true One, he that hath the key of David, (the power of life and death, as his antitype king of Zion) who opens, and no man shuts; and shuts and no man opens; 8. I know thy works; behold, I have set before thee an open door, which none can shut: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

9. Behold, I will give them of the synagogue of Satan, (into thy power), who say they are Jews, (God's own people), and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them come and worship before thy feet, and know that I have loved thee. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth.

11. Behold, I come quickly; hold fast what thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12. Him that overcomes will I make (to reside as a bright) pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out (by persecution :) and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the (church and) city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from him, and I will write upon him my new name (the conqueror of death.)

13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

14. And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Truth, the faithful and true Witness, the Prince of the crea tion of God; 15. I know thy works, thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. 16. So then, because thou art lukewarm, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17. Because thou

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sayest, I am rich, and increased in wealth, and need nothing; and knowest not that thou art (spiritually) wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold purified in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, (even to get true grace); and white raiment (of righteous. ness) to be clothed, that the shame of the nakedness (of thy mind) do not appear; and anoint thy (soul's) eyes with eye-salve (of grace), that thou mayest see (spiritually.) 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chastise; be zealous, therefore, and repent.

20. Behold, I stand at the door (of the heart), and knock (by the word): if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me, (by communion.)okte

21. To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and sit with my Father on his throne.

22. He that hath an ear, let him bear what the Spirit saith to the churches. !...

1

I

JOHN'S VISION OF GOD'S THRONE.

. AFTER these things I looked, and beheld (as it were) a door opened in heaven, and the first voice I heard was, as it were of a trumpet speaking to me, saying, Come up hither, and I will shew thee what shall be afterward. 2. And immediately I was in (a vision of) the Spirit; and I beheld a throne in heaven, and one sitting on it, 3. Who was (in lustre,) like a jasper and a sardine stone; and there was a rainbow (a token of a covenant of peace) around the throne, like an emerald. Around the throne also were twenty-four thrones, (as for the patriarchs and apostles;) and on them I saw twenty-four ancients sitting, clothed in white raiment, having on their heads crowns of gold. te

4.

5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices of terrors, and seven lamps of fire burned always before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God (the Spirit's virtues.) 6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass (1 Kings vii. 23.) like crystal; and in the midst of the space between the throne and the circle around it were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind, (to view the past and the future). 7. The first was like a lion, the second like a steer, and the third had a face as a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8. And each of them had six wings about him (covering his body, Isa. vi. 2.); and they were full of eyes (of knowledge around and) within; and they rest not day nor night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who wast, and art, and art to come. (Isa. vi. 3. Ezek. i. x.) 9. And when those (emblematic evangelic) living creatures give glory, honour, and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10. The twenty-four ancients fall down and worship him, casting their crowns before the throne, saying, 11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and according to thy will they exist and were created.

CHAP. V.

THE BOOK WITH THE SEVEN SEALS.

THEN I saw in his right hand who sat on the throne (a scroll of) a book (rolled up) written within and without, (on each side) and sealed with seven seals (each leaf having a seal). 2. Then I saw a mighty angel proclaiming aloud, Who is worthy to open the book, or to loose its seals? 3. But none in heaven, nor in earth, nor under the earth, was able to open it, nor to look thereon.