\\INTRODUCTION TO REVALATION 2\\

This chapter contains the epistles to the churches at Ephesus,
Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira. It begins with that to Ephesus, in
which the sender of it describes himself by some of his characters
mentioned in the preceding chapter; takes notice of some things
commendable in this church, \\#Re 2:1-3\\, reproves her for leaving her
first love; gives some advice upon it; threatens her in case of
non-repentance; yet notwithstanding commends her for her detestation
of some bad practices; and concludes the epistle with a phrase
exciting to attention to what is written, and with a promise to them
that are constant and conquering, \\#Re 2:4-7\\, next follows the
epistle to the church at Smyrna, in which the sender assumes some of
his former titles; takes notice of her works in general, and of her
afflictions in particular, and of the blasphemy of others, \\#Re 2:8,9\\,
fortifies her against a great affliction to be endured, described
by its author, kind, use, and duration; and exhorts to faithfulness
and constancy, with a promise of a crown of life, \\#Re 2:10\\, and
closes the epistle in the same form as the preceding, promising
security from the second death to the persevering and conquering
Christian, \\#Re 2:11\\, and next in order is the epistle to the church
at Pergamos, in which the sender takes to him one of the above
characters in the description of him; observes her works and place
of abode, and commends her faithfulness to him in the worst of times
and places, \\#Re 2:12,13\\, yet exhibits a complaint against her for
having, and conniving at persons of bad principles and practice,
called Balaamites and Nicolaitans, \\#Re 2:14,15\\, exhorts to
repentance, and in failure of it threatens to come and fight against
them; and closes the epistle in the same manner as the two former,
with a promise of hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name to him
that overcomes, \\#Re 2:16,17\\, and the last epistle in this chapter
is that to the church at Thyatira, in which the sender makes use of
some other titles and characters of his before mentioned; takes
notice of her good works, and yet signifies he had a controversy
with her, for permitting a false prophetess to teach in her, who
seduced men to fornication and idolatry, \\#Re 2:18-20\\, whose
impenitence is complained of, and which was aggravated by having
space for repentance given her, \\#Re 2:21\\, wherefore, in case of
continuance in impenitence, he threatens both her and her followers
with tribulation and death, whereby the omniscience and justice of
Christ would be manifest to all the churches, \\#Re 2:22,23\\, and then
another and better sort of men in this church are addressed, who are
described as not having imbibed the doctrine of the false
prophetess, and as not approving the depths of Satan, or her
doctrines of devils; and these are told that no other burden should
be laid on them than was, and are exhorted to hold fast what they
had, until the coming of Christ, \\#Re 2:24,25\\, and for their
encouragement to hold on to the end, many promises are made unto
them respecting their power and rule over their enemies, and the
happy days that they should enjoy, \\#Re 2:26-28\\, and the epistle is
concluded with the usual epiphonema, \\#Re 2:29\\.