William Perkins on Revelation 1:20

Vers. 20. The mysterie of the seuen starres which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seuen golden candlestickes is this: The seuen starres are the seuen Angels of the Churches, and the seuen candlesticks which thou sawest are the seuen Churches.

This is the third action of Christ: namely the interpretation of the Vision in the principall parts thereof; which he expoundeth for these causes: First, Iohn in this businesse was to shew himselfe a Prophet of God, by declaring the present and future estate of Gods church. Now the principall part of a Prophet is to expound visions or dreames reuealed either to himselfe or to others: as wee may see in Daniell and the rest of the prophets. Secondly, that Iohn might bee encouraged in the publishing of this booke and of the things reuealed vnto him: For Iohns calling respected the Church of God. And when he should perceiue these visions to concerne the Churches; this would stirre vp his diligence, in obseruing, and penning the things reuealed.

Now Christ expoundeth not the whole vision, but two principall things therein; namely, what was meant by the seuen starres; to wit, the seuen Angels, or the seuen ministers of the Churches. And what was meant by the seuen golden candlesticks: namely▪ The seuē Churches thēselues. The reasons why both were so called, wee haue showed before, with the vse therof. Here onely I will obserue these three points: First, why Christ in the interpretation of his vision doth not expound the whole, but onely two principall parts thereof: This he doth for these causes, First, because hee hath giuen vnto his church the gift of interpretation, which hee would haue them to exercise about this vision: For if hee had expounded euery part himselfe, then he had left herein no matter to his church, whereabout shee might exercise her gift. Secondly, to prouoke Gods ministers especially, with other members of his church, vnto all diligence in studying this and other parts of scripture. For if all things were easie and plaine, then men would grow carelesse in reading and searching out the knowledge of Gods word. Thirdly, to stir vp in euery Reader of this booke an earnest and hartie desire to vnderstand the same. Fourthly, to excite all his seruants to prayer and inuocation vpon God for his grace, that they may with reading the Scripture vnderstand the true meaning thereof.

II. point. Note here, the ministers of the churches are called Angels. What these Angels are, appeareth in the chapters following; to wit, the pastors and ministers of these seuen churches of Asia. So Mat. 11.10. Iohn Baptist is called Christs Angell or messenger, whereby wee haue good light for the expounding of a place in Paule, 1. Cor. 11.10. saying, That the woman ought to haue power ouer her head, that is, bee couered, because of the Angels. Where, by Angels may well bee vnderstood the preachers and ministers of the Gospell. And the reason of that precept may bee this: Among the Corinthians the couering of the head was not as it is with vs, a token of prelieminence and superioritie, but a signe of subiection. And therefore the Apostle would haue the women of Corinth, when they came into the congregation, to haue their heads couered according to the custome of their countrey in other assemblies, to signifie their submission and reuerence vnto the ministerie of the Gospell.

The Vse. Whereas Ministers are the Lords angels and embassadours: hence wee gather, that euery Minister of the Gospell must carry himselfe as the messenger of the Lord. Messengers haue regard of two things; of the matter of their message, and of their manner of deliuerie, that they speake all which they are commanded: and in such order as their Lord and master would haue it spoken, or speake it himselfe if hee were present: and he that faileth in either of these, may iustly bee chalenged of vnfaithfulnesse. The Minister therefore being Christs messenger, must deliuer the whole will of Christ alone vnto his people: as also in that manner which Christ approoueth, and would himselfe obserue, if hee were present. Now can we once imagine, that Christ would deliuer his will, partly in English, partly in Latine and other Languages, or intermingle with the testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles, the sentences of Fathers, of Philosophers, Poets, and other writers? Those therfore that in this sort dispence Christs gospel, doe hereby bewray vnfaithfulnesse in their deliuerie. Indeed this is counted the learned kind of preaching: But it is not that manner which Christ approoueth. And besides, if this kind of teaching may take place, it will bring in as great Barbarisme, in regard of true Diuinitie, as was among the Schoolemen, when Gods word was wholly turned vnto needlesse disputation, yea it would shortly banish the Gospell out of this land.

III. point. Note the phrase which the holy ghost vseth: he sayth not, The seuen starres signifie the seuen Angels, but Are the seuen Angels: and the seuen candlestickes Are the seuen churches; giuing to the signe the name of the thing signified. Wherein wee haue a good warrant for our exposition of that phrase in the Sacrament: This bread is my body: this cup is my bloud: Which the Papists vnderstand properly of the very bodie and bloud of Christ by reall transmutation. But as these seuen starres are sayd to bee seuen Ministers, because they did signifie the seuen Ministers: so is the bread called the body of Christ, because it signifieth and representeth his bodie, and the cup his bloud. And as it is absurd to say, the seuen ministers were indeed seuen starres, because they are so called: so it is absurd to hold the bread in the Sacraments to be really Christs body, or the wine his bloud, because it is so called. And thus much of the third action of Christ in the interpretation of this Vision.