William Perkins on Revelation 1:7

Verse 7. Behold, hee commeth with clouds, and euery eye shall see him: yea, euen they which pierced him through: and all kinreds of the earth shall wayle before him, Euen so, Amen.

These words are a declaration of the fourth action of our Sauiour Christ towards his church: and that is, his second comming to iudgement, to iudge both quicke and dead. Wherein wee are to consider sundry points: first, this note of attention, Behold: secondly, the action of Christs comming it selfe, Hee commeth: Thirdly, the manner how; with clouds, amplified by the manifestation therof, Euery eye shall see him, euen they that pierced him: fourthly, the effect of his comming: All tribes of the earth shall waile. Fiftly, the conclusion of this narration, with two notes of asseueration, Euen so, Amen, to confirme the second comming of Christ vnto all people.

I. point: Behold. First, Saint Iohn beginneth this narration with a note of attention. The spirit of God is accustomed, when any thing is of special weight and worth our carefull marking, to prefixe before it this note of attention: Behold, or such like. Hence then wee are taught this speciall dutie, namely, often and euery day earnestly and seriously to bethinke our selues of the second comming of Christ to iudgement. This consideration is a matter of great vse, for it is a notable meanes to begin and continue the conuersion of a sinner vnto God. When the Scribes and Pharises, obstinat enemies, came to the baptisme of S. Iohn, hee vsed this as a meanes to make them to turne, and beleeue in Christ, saying: Ob generation of vipers, who hath forewarned you, that you should flie from the vengeance to come? Matth. 3.7. So Peter vseth this same Argument, to bring the Iewes to repentance: exhorting them to turne, that their sinnes might be put away, when the day of refreshing (that is) the day of iudgement should come, Acts 3.19. Paule persuades the Athenians to repentance, Because there is a day appointed in which the Lord will iudge the world by Iesus Christ, Act. 17.30, 31.

Secondly, this note of attention serues to strike our hearts with a feare and reuerence of Christ Iesus: for it giues vs warning that hee shall come to bee our Iudge. We are touched with awe and reuerence toward earthly magistrats when we consider, that they haue authority to attach, apprehend, & to bring vs to their courts and assizes. How much more should this worke in vs a reuerend awe towards Christ, when wee consider, That one day wee must all bee brought before his Tribunall seat, and there bee iudged of him.

II. point: The comming of Christ himselfe, Hee comes▪ that is, Christ locally descendeth from the highest heauen, in his manhood, to that part of the world, where the clouds be, there to giue iudgement vpon all mankind quick and dead. Here marke in what manner Iohn propounds his comming: hee sayth nor, he shall come, but in the present time, hee commeth. Whereby hee would teach vs: First, that this second comming of Christ is as certaine, as if it were now present. Secondly, that it is not long to, or far off, but will be quickly. Thirdly, that our dutie is, to consider of the comming of Christ, as of a thing present. This Saint Iohn learned, and so should wee by his example, for it is a matter of great vse. For hence we[illegible: 1 letter] are taught, to desire and doe that euery day, which we would desire and doe in the day of iudgement, and blessed is hee that attaineth hereunto.

Now that we may come to the practise of this dutie, wee must dayly consider of the comming of Christ, not as a thing to be delayed or farre off, but as a thing present. Wee must euery day call our selues to a reckoning and account, and persuade our selues this may be the last day; and so shall we carry our selues euery day, as wee would in the last day. Now we would wish at the day of iudgment, that wee did repent and beleeue in Christ: and therefore euery day of our life, before the last iudgement come, we ought to repent and beleeue in Christ. If this dutie were practised, we should find lesse corruption, and more grace in our hearts, and lesse sinne, [illegible: 2 letters]d more obedience in our liues euery day than other: but grace is wanting, and sinne abounds, because this meditation takes no place in our hearts. Againe, in that hee sayth, Hee commeth, meaning in respect of his manhood; hence wee gather, hee is absent from vs, in regard of bodily presence; and the heauens must containe him vntill the day of iudgement: But if Christ were alwayes bodily present in the Sacrament, hee could not bee said to come, but onely to manifest himselfe, being before present. And therefore the opinion of those, which hold the body of Christ to be really the bread, to bee in or about the bread of the Sacrament, is most false and friuolous, flat against that article of our Faith, whereby wee hold, That he comes from heauen onely at the last day, in regard of his manhood.

III. point: The manner of Christs Christs comming, in two things▪ First, that he comes with clouds: Secondly, that his comming is open, and visible to euerie eye.

First, with clouds, here S. Iohn speaketh after the manner of the prophets, who to set out God in his maiestie and glory, say: he comes with clouds, Psa. 18. & 97. rides on the wings of the wind; as though he had sayd, he comes in exceeding maiestie and glorie. These words are added to make a distinction betweene the first and second comming of Christ. His first comming was in humilitie, borne of a poore virgin, entertained in a stable of an Inne: but his second comming is with glorie, maiestie, and dominion in the clouds. And the reason is because he came first to be a redeemer, and a sauiour by his suffering; and therefore came in the state of a seruant. But his second comming is to bee a Iudge of all men, yea of his enemies, and therfore he commeth with all might, maiestie and glory, to shew himselfe king and lord of all.

The vses of this his second comming are set downe in the 97 Psalme, to make the verie mountaines to tremble, to confound the wicked, and vngodly, and to comfort the godly in that day.

Secondly, for his open appearance; Euerie eye shall see him, he shall come in maiestie and glorie: not secretly, but in visible shew to all the world. All men shall see him with their owne eyes: All I say, which were since the world began to his comming.

In these words hee toucheth three points: First, he taketh it here for granted, that euerie man shall rise from death to life, though their death were neuer so strange, or neuer so long before. Secondly, that all men being raised againe, shall haue life, and motion, and their senses restored to them, as before they died. Thirdly, that all men, none excepted, shall come and stand before the tribunall seate of Christ, and there bee iudged of him in the clouds.

The consideration whereof is, First, an exceeding comfort to Gods children, in that they being dead, and rotten in their▪ graues, shall rise, and receiue their life, and motion, and see Christ their sauiour, and iudge of all men. If a man when hee layeth him downe to sleepe, should bee told that when hee rose hee should see his dead father and mother, or his dearest friends, whom he saw not of long before; this would bee a notable comfort to him, that now he should inioy them againe▪ [illegible: 1 word] how farre greater comfort shall this yeeld to all the godly, who haue beene dead and rotten in the graue, That they shall be raised vp, and not onely to meete with godly friends, but enioy Christ Iesus the sonne of God, which is the friend of friends; who shall giue them not onely life and motion, but eternall life with his owne maiestie. This was Iobs comfort, that though he died, yet he beleeued he should see his redeemer with his eyes. And this should be our comfort against the feare of death, and last iudgement.

Secondly, this is a terror to the wicked, and to all impenitent sinners, that they shall (will they, nill they) be brought to the barre of Christs iudgement seate, & there looke on him who is their iudge whom they have in their life contemned, and despised. And this consideration may serue to moue them to repentance which haue no[illegible: 1 letter] begunne to repent, and to labour to become the members of Christ; a[illegible: 1 letter] also to increase and further repentance in them, who haue by Gods grace begun the same. It may be some do thinke when they die▪ all is done, and there is no further account to follow: but though we lie rotten in our graues a thousand, or two thousand yeares; yet we shall rise and looke vpon our iudge with our owne eyes. And if we haue not in our life time repented, we shall heare him with our owne eares, giuing the dreadfull sentence against vs, Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire. And therefore it is best for vs in this day of grace to preuent this danger, and now repent, and beleeue in Christ: that then we may rise with ioy, and stand with hol[illegible: 1 letter]nesse before Christ Iesus. No doubt if we were persuaded that we should thus appeare, it would moue vs to repent.

Thirdly, Euerie eye shall see him▪ that is, all men with their owne eyes shall looke on him. Hence it may bee gathered, that those who wanted their fight in this life, shall haue it then restored. It is granted of all Diuines, that the elect shall haue all their senses, and other defects restored, wherein they were wanting in this life: And it may also bee added that the wicked shall then haue some of their senses restored▪ if they wanted the same in this life; as hearing, and seeing at the least: for the deafe shall heare, the blind shall see this Iudge. And this can be no glorie to them, seeing it is to increase their miserie: for the more senses they haue, the more punishment they shall feele, because by sense we apprehend miserie.

Euen th[illegible: 1 letter]se which peirced him. Here is added a further euidence of Christs manifestation of his comming, and that for three causes. First, to shewe that no power, or wisedome in the world, can free any one from his appearance. For if any could escape, in all likelihod it would be those Iewes and Gentiles who preuailed most against Christ, and put him to death. But none of those can escape his iudgement: for euen they which peirced him, they shall see this Iudge, and bee summoned before his maiestie: For though they had power to kill him, yet none of them shall haue power to absent themselues from before his bar of iudgement at the last day.

Secondly, to shew the case of all wicked men: namely, that such woe and miserie shall befall them as they neuer once thought of. The Iewes and Gentiles which crucified Christ, neuer dreamed of this; that he whom they then put to a temporall death, should one day be their Iudge, and condemne them to eternall death, vnlesse they had repented.

Thirdly, to shew the rufull and wofull estate of all impenitent sinners; they shall rise to iudgement, and haue the greatest enemie their Iudge, who will shew rigor vpon them, and iustice without all mercie: for this peircing of Christ is meant not onely of the Iew, which put him to death, but of all vngodly person[illegible: 1 letter]; because all such do by their sinnes, as with swords and speares wound him at the heart as the souldiers did. Impenitent sinners be as the Iewes which crucified Christ, as Iudas which betrayed him, and as the soldiers which goar[illegible: 2 letters] his side: and vnlesse they now repent, they shall one day be iudged as his enemies.

Euen they which peirced him. Out of these words some gather that the body of Christ hath still the wounds and scarres which were giuen him at his death, the print of the nailes in his hands and his feete, and that these shall be seene in him at the last day: adding withall, that it is no blemish to Christ to haue these, but rather an increase of his glorie. But this cannot be gathered hence, for though it be sayd, They shall see him whom they peirced; yet it followeth not, that they shall see him as he was peirced: what though they see the person whom they wounded, shal they therefore see his wounds? Manie shall see kings and queenes whom they crowned in this world, but it followeth not, that therefore they shall weare their crownes. So we shall see our fathers and mothers, but not as fathers and mothers.

IV. point. The fruite and effect of his comming, especially in the wicked in these words: And all tribes of the earth, shall waile before him. Where S. Iohn speakes of the whole world according to the condition of the land of Canaan: for only that part of the world was diuided into tribes. As in like case our Sauiour Christ setteth out the iudgement of the whole world, according to the state and manner of iudging the visible Church, Math. 25. So that his meaning is, that they which repented not, of what nation soeuer, of what state, or condition soeuer they haue bene, shall wayle, and mourne at that day. And hee addes a reason of this their mourning, in these words, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. for him, before him, or ouer him. That is, they shall wayle, and lament with exceeding lamentation, because they beleeued not his word, but contemned him, and his doctrine, and therefore now they want all help to free them from the punishmēt of their vnbeleefe▪ and contempt of the gospell: for this life is the only time of grace and mercie: afterward there is no worke, nor inuention that can alter mans estate.

Hence then we are admonished, first, that in this world we labour aboue all things to be reconciled to God in Christ, to get our sinnes pardoned, to beleeue and imbrace his holy word, and vnlesse we attaine hereunto in this life, we shall wayle eternallie; for when the last day is co[illegible: 1 letter]e, there is no hope of help, no way to escape, no time of grace to repe[illegible: 2 letters]. Remember the foolish virgins that sought for oyle, when it was too late, and knocked when the doores were shut, Math. 25. But if by Gods mercie we can in this life get his loue and fauour in Christ, then shall we enioy the same eternally: yea, at this dreadfull day to all the wicked, we shall lift vp our heads, and our harts, when wee shall see Christ comming to our full redemption, all teares shall bee wiped from our eyes, when the wicked shall crie and houle, woe and alas for euermore. The diuell knowing the worth of this admonition, will labour by all meanes to keepe it from our hearts. But this shall bee our wisedome, betime to sue for grace, and so shall wee defeat Sathan, and preuent eternall wailing.

Secondly, here see what an euill conscience is: It lieth asleep here while a man liues, and neuer troubleth him, and so it may do in death also: but in the last day when he shall see his Iudge with his eies, then it will stirre, it will torment him, it will attach, accuse, and condemne him, it will lay to his charge all his sinnes, his contempt of Christ and his word, his vnbeleefe in the time of grace; and then it will breake his heart, being as good as a thousand witnesses to condemne him.

This should cause all men to labour to get a good conscience, washed and purged in the bloud of Christ, which will not suffer vs to lie in any one sinne; and vpon our repentance will assure vs we be in the fauour of God: Which if it do in this life, then will it neuer make vs to waile at the last day, but it will excuse vs, and make vs looke vp to our redeemer, and to reioyce in him. But take heed when thy conscience lieth asleepe, and accuseth not for thy sinnes, no not at death; that is an euill conscience which will awake at the day of iudgement to torment and condemne thee.

V. point. The meanes whereby hee confirmeth the certaintie of the second comming of Christ; that is, by a double note of asseueration: Euen so, Amen. One of these is taken from the Greeks, Euen so, the second from the Hebrews, Amen: being both as much as Amen, Amen, or verily, verily. In which phrase Saint Iohn teacheth vs, how to confirme the things we auouch. There bee three wayes wherby a thing may be auouched: First, by a simple and bare affirmation, or negation: Secondly, by an earnest asseueration: Thirdly, by an oath. Now S. Iohn vseth these two notes of assuring in this weightie matter of Christs second comming, saying, He commeth, euen so, Amen; that is, certainly and without all doubt it is so. Hereby teaching vs, first, that an asseueration must not be vsed, but only when the matter in hand is of great weight and moment. Here then we see that wretched is their practise, who vse to bind euerie word with an oath; which is a degree aboue this asseueration. Yea, they also are here iustly reprooued, who in their ordinarie communication haue euer in their mouth some weightie asseueration. Our sauiour often vseth these words of asseueration, yet onely in matters of weight and moment, and when the hearers were to be moued to greater attention, and their hearts were to bee more fully setled in some truth of great importance.

Secondly, by these asseuerations Iohn would teach vs to hold against the practise of Atheists, that the comming of Christ is most certaine and vndoubted. Which thing we should more seriously obserue; because in our corrupt nature there is bred this false persuasion, That either wee shall not bee summoned to iudgement; or else, that Christs comming is farre off: like to the euill seruant, who saith, My maister deferres his comming: which euill seruant by nature is euerie one of vs.

Thirdly, hereby Iohn giues vs to vnderstand one speciall note and marke of the child of God: namely, to desire and long after vnfainedly the second comming of Christ to iudgement: for as these words be an asseueration, so withall they containe a most earnest desire: Euen so, Amen, as if he should say by way of answer to the proclaiming of his comming, Lord grant it be so, yea Lord, let it be so. Hence it is that Saint Paule describes all those, who must receiue the crowne of righteousnesse, by this propertie, that they loue his appearing, 2. Tim. 4.8. As for the vngodly it is not so with them, they (being not iustified nor sanctified, and so not reconciled to God in Christ) cannot loue this appearing. Nay they could wish with all their heart there were no hell, nor last iudgement. And by this one note we may well iudge of our estates; for if from our hearts we desire and long for this second comming to iudgement, and wish he would come Reuel 22.[illegible: 1 letter]0. quickly, then it is a certaine token and signe we bee reconciled to God in Christ, and shall receiue the crowne of righteousnesse. But if as yet wee feele not this longing and hungering desire in vs, then we must suspect our selues, and labour euery day to feele it: for it is the desire of the saints to say, Reue. 6.10▪ How long Lord. And with Iohn, Euen so, Amen.