William Perkins on Revelation 2:14

Verse 14. But I haue a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam, which taught Balac to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Israell, that they should eat of things sacrificed vnto Idols, and commit fornication.

Here followeth the reproofe of this Church of Pergamus, which is first generally propounded in these words, I haue a few things against thee: Secondly, in particular, for want of zeale, in suffering among them such as maintained the doctrine of Balam. Thirdly, hee setteth downe a reason or confirmation thereof in the end of the 14 verse, and in the 15.

The generall reproofe is the same which was giuen out against the Church of Ephesus, vers. 4. Whereby hee would teach vs a speciall dutie: namely, that euery man must seriously consider with himselfe what sinnes hee hath in him, which Christ may haue to lay vnto his charge. For this very cause doth Christ rehearse it vnto this Church. And therefore wee must call our selues to reckoning, and examine our selues not by our owne wits, but by the rule of Gods word, and search out all our thoughts, words, and actions; and see how many things Christ may haue against vs, that so making a forehand reckoning, and seeking to be cleared by true repentance we may not bee condemned for them at the last day: for if we would iudge our selues, we should not be iudged. This is a necessarie dutie, and the practise of it is the ground of all grace, and conscionable obedience: as on the other side, the want hereof is the cause why many that liue in the Church doe perish eternally. For a day of accounts will come, wherein wee shall neuer escape, vnlesse by a forehand reckoning in the practise of true repentance from dead workes, and by faith in Christ Iesus wee preuent the same. Lamentable and fearefull is the state of all those, that neuer call themselues to this account: it causeth them to goe on in sinne without remorse, Hos 7.2. Hereof Ieremie complained, Ier. 8.6. That no man sayd what haue I done. And for that cause hee denounceth fearefull iudgements against the people. This was the sinne of the old world: Mat. 24. men knew nothing till the floud came and destroyed them all. This securitie bringeth mens soules to hell, before they wot where they are: And therefore Dauid crieth out, Psal. 50. vers. 22. Oh consider this (meaning the account that God will take with them) least God teare them in pieces, and there bee none to deliuer them. The end of preaching and hearing Gods word, is to bring the soule to eternall life and saluation: but the want of this account maketh the holy ordinance of God to bee of none effect to many a one. For how should men embrace with comfort the word of reconciliation, till they feele in themselues their enmitie with God, and desert of condemnation.

II. point. Because thou hast them that maintaine the doctrine of Balaam, &c. Here is the particular reproofe of this Church for want of zeale, in that they entertained and suffered hereticall Ministers to liue among them which maintained the doctrine of Balaam. This shewed, that though they loued the gospell, and embraced it, yet it was very coldly, and without that feruent zeale which they ought to haue shewed against such heretickes.

The Vse. Here first Christ teacheth this church to shew forth zeale in excommunicating and casting out such heretickes as by damnable doctrine did trouble them. This place is a sufficient ground for the practise of that Ecclesiasticall censure. When men hold hereticall opinions, the Church after two or three admonitions is to excommunicate them and cast them out. So did Paule to Hymaeneus and Alexander, 1. Tim. 1.20▪ Secondly, Christ reprouing this Church for entertaining such heretickes and wicked men, doth giue vs to vnderstand, that euery member of Gods church should haue a great dislike of all persons, that hold not the doctrine of Christ in truth, but maintaine errours against the tenour of Scripture, and the profession of the Church. For this cause Paule chargeth Timothie to 1. Tim 6 3, 4, 5. separat himselfe from such a[illegible: 1 letter] teach otherwise than hee had giuen direct on, and consent not vnto the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse: being puffed vp and knowing nothing. This then must be our carefull practise: wee haue by Gods mercie true religion among vs, which wee must maintaine with zeale: and if any bring in other doctrine, wee must reiect it, and shew forth detestation to him that bringeth it, not bidding him God speed. 2. Iohn. 10. Wee must rather loose our liues, than suffer the truth of God to be defaced. Thirdly, that which Christ laieth to the charge of this church may in sundry respects be charged vpon our churches and congregations at this day; namely, want of zeale against sinne, and seueritie against sinners: for though the gouernours of our Church repell the heresies of Poperie, Anabaptists, and familie of Loue, and suppresse all doctrines that race the foundation, which are commendable things: yet in the middest of our congregations bee abundance of Atheists, who by deed and conuersation denie Christ Iesus▪ for many know nothing in the matters of religion, and moe be profane, who both thinke and speake most basely of religion, and of the teachers and professours thereof. Yea, wee haue flat epicures permitted to liue in our church, such as make their bellie their God: who giue themselues wholly vnto eating, drinking sports, and delights, without all regard either of the generall duties of Christianitie, or of the particular duties of their calling. Wee haue also among vs many cruell and mercilesse persons, that in their affaires abound in the practises of fraud, wrong, vsurie, and oppression, Amos 5.11 whose treading is vpon the poore in the pride of their couetousnesse, wherby also they eate the flesh of God[illegible: 1 letter] people, and flea off their skin from them, and breake their bones, and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and as flesh within the cauldron, Mich. 3.6. And yet all these, because they submit themselues to the ciuile authoritie, are permitted without controlment to be partakers of the priuiledges of Gods Church, euen to the receiuing of the seales of Gods couenant, being themselues flat enemies to the grace of God. Yea, many of these are greatly countenanced and graced for wisedome and reputation; when as such as feare God, and make conscience of their wayes, are counted vile. All which as it argueth exceeding want of zeale in seueritie against sinne: so it cannot chuse but prouoke the Lord to come against vs in iudgement, as hee did against this Church. The meanes whereby this euill is to bee reformed, doth follow afterward.

III. point. The reason or confirmation of the former reproofe, whereby the Lord would mooue this Church to detest these false teachers, is taken from the effect of their doctrine, and it is layed downe in this similitude. As Balaam the false Prophet taught Balac to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Israell, to cause them to eat of things sacrificed to Idols, and to commit fornication: so this Church maintained among them Nicholaitans, who taught, it was lawfull to eat things sacrificed to Idols, at Idols feasts, and to commit fornication. The first part of this similitude is in the end of this 14 verse: Which taught Balac to put a stumbling blocke, &c. The second part is in the 15 verse.

Touching the doctrine of Balaam we are to obserue three points: First, What a stumbling blocke, or an offence is. Secondly, what it is to cast or put a stumbling blocke. Thirdly, by what meanes king Balac did cast a stumbling block before the children of Israell. For the first, a stumbling block is properly any thing, as wood, or stone, or such like, that is cast in a mans way, to hinder him in his gate, and to cause him to trip or fall: And by rese[illegible: 1 letter]blance in this place, an offence is any thing that causeth a man to sinne against God, and so to slip or fall, or to go out of his way that leadeth to life. Further, an offence is twofold; either giuen or taken. An offence giuen, is any speech or deed, whereby a man is prouoked to sinne: and so was Peter an offence vnto Christ, though he tooke it not, Mat. 16.23. An offence taken, is when any man taketh occasion to fall and sinne, by that which is well done by others: so were the Pharisies offended at the sacred preaching of our Sauiour Christ. II. point. The casting or putting of a stumbling blocke, or giuing an offence, is the doing or saying of any thing, whereby a man is occasioned to sinne: and this is done, either about things euill in themselues, or in things indifferent. Things euill are such as Gods word forbiddeth: and they are twofold, either persuasions, or examples. Bad persuasions are false doctrine, and euill counsell. Bad example is also a giuing of offence, because it doth embolden euill men in their sinne, and draw the godly to euill. Againe, in things indifferent, as meate, drinke, apparrell, &c. may offence be giuen, when as they are vsed vnseasonably, not in fit time and place, and before fit persons. And of this Paule speaketh, saying: If I knew my eating did offend my brother, I would eat no flesh while the world standeth. The offence here spoken of, was an offence giuē in euil things, for it was an euill act done by Balaam, and accordingly receiued and taken of the Israelits, for he vsed outward prouocations to allure them vnto sinne. III. point. The meanes whereby king Balac did cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israell, is set downe in the end of the verse, by prouoking them to eat of things sacrificed to Idols, and to commit fornication. That we may vnderstand this fully, read Numbers 25. The summe of the historie is this: When Balaam had assayed sundry wayes to curse the children of Israell, and could not, he gaue Balac counsell to vse meanes to cause them to sinne. At his counsell Balac sent foorth the most beautifull women in his kingdome into the campe of Israell to entise them to the seruice of their idols, and to banquet with them at their idoll feasts, that so they might draw them to fornication: whereunto the Israelites condescended, and so sinned against God. Thus much of the meaning of the words.

First, The Vse. here obserue a speciall property of false teachers: namely, to cast offences before men, to cause them to fall in the way that leadeth to saluation. By this Christ intendeth to make knowne vnto this Church the false doctrine of Balaam. Paule in his Epistles 1 Tim. 6.[illegible: 1 letter]. Tit. 1.1. calleth the doctrin of the gospell a truth according to godlinesse: because the intent of the gospell is, to lead men to true godlinesse. On the contrarie, the doctrine of Antichrist is called 2. Thess. [illegible: 1 letter]. the mysterie of iniquitie; because the scope thereof is, to draw men to all iniquitie and abhomination. Here then wee haue a rule, whereby wee may iudge betweene true doctrine and false, euen by looking into the end and scope thereof: if it ayme at true pietie and syncere obedience, wee may iudge it to be good; but if it tend to draw men to idolatrie and sinne, then it is a false doctrine. Thus wee might scan all false religions, as the religion of the Turke and Iew at this day. But because wee are more troubled with the doctrine of Poperie among our common people, who call it The old Religion, therefore let vs a little examine the same by this rule.

The end of Poperie is to pull downe the kingdome of Christ, and to disanull his lawes; as will appeare by a short view in euery commaundement: and therfore it cannot bee the true religion. The first commaundement teacheth vs, To chuse and acknowledge the true God for our God alone. But the Church of Rome teacheth to make more gods than one, & to acknowledge the creature to be God: for by their doctrine men are to pray vnto Saints, wherby they make them gods, in giuing this diuine propertie vnto them to know the heart. Their doctrine also ascribeth vnto Saints power to merite; which is a propertie of God: for none can merite but he that is God. The humane nature of Christ [illegible: 1 letter]ould not haue merited any thing, vnlesse it had beene ioyned to the godhead. Yea they make the wood of the crosse to bee God, for in their masse booke at this day they call (not Christ crucified on the crosse) but the very crosse it selfe, our only hope: yea, the virgine Marie, who is but a creature, they place as a queene in heauē, giuing her power ouer Christ to commaund him in the matter of saluation, and so they disanull the first commaundement. The second commaundement they reuoke, in teaching it to bee lawfull to make images of the Trinitie, according as they shewed themselues in the old and new Testament: the father like an old man, the sonne as hee liued, and the holy ghost like a doue; and therein to worship them. Againe, they teach that men may adore the Images of Saints, which is flat against that commaundement. The third commaundement they disanull, in teaching it to bee lawfull to sweare by Saints, and not by God onely. The fourth they disanull, by making the feastiuall dayes of Saints equall with the Lords Sabbath, and to be kept holy vnto God as solemnly as the Lords day. Wherby also they take away the libertie of the church in the lawfull vse of the six dayes, for honest labour in a mans calling. The fift they disanull in giuing freedome and immunitie to their cleargie from subiection to ciuile authoritie: and in dispensing with subiects, for their loyaltie and allegeance to their lawfull princes: and with children and seruants from yeelding due helpe, seruice, and obedience, to their parents and masters. The sixt, by their houses of refuge which they call Sanctuarie, wherein murderers may be in safetie; and by maintaining ignorance in religion, through which they murder many a simple soule. The seuenth, by tollerating of stewes, and allowing of incest: for by their law it is lawfull for the great vncle to marry his neece, descending from his brother or sister, so it bee without the fourth degree, which is against nature. The eight, by making sale of all things, of heauen, hell, of earth, of pardons, & deliuering men from purgatorie: which is flat robberie, and most grosse deceit and cousenage. The ninth they disanull, by falsifying the canon of scripture, for they make that canonicall which is no Scripture: and besides in their doctrine practicall they defend a lye, for when a man hath confessed his sinnes to the priest, if the magistrat aske the priest what sinnes the man confessed, they teach the priest to say, I know not; that is (say they) to tell it to thee: which is a flat lye. And whereas they would defend this by an exposition of Christs words, when he sayth: Mat. 2 [illegible: 1 letter]. The day of iudgement is not knowne to the Sonne of man: that is (say they) to reueale it vnto others, they doe but deceiue the simple by an exposition which is not fit. The last commaundement they disanull, by holding concupiscence before consent to be no sinne, when as wee know by Gods word, that the first euill motions in vs bee sinnes. So that hereby wee may see, that Poperie is but a false religion, though it haue falsely among our common people the name of The old Religion, and therefore wee must abhorre the same, as vngodly.

Now, whereas some doe charge the doctrine of our Religion to bee sundry wayes scandalous, they may be easily answered: First they say, it is a doctrine of desperation: because it imports, that God created men so, as he will saue but a few, making them for this end, to cast the greatest number to hell. To this I answere two things: First, touching the number of them that are to bee saued: of which little is sayd in Scripture, & therefore I will not say much: yet this may be auerred, The number of the elect in it selfe is Reu. 7.9▪ a great companie, but being compared with them that shall bee damned, it is but small. Secondly, touching the end of mans creation, our doctrine is not, that God created mē for this end, to cast them to hell: but this we teach, that God created all men, to manifest his glory in them: in some, by their iust and deserued damnation for sinne. Wee teach not, that men are otherwayes condemned than for their sinnes, and therefore he that is condemned hath his iust reward. II. Charge, They say further our doctrine is a doctrine of blasphemie; for that wee teach God to haue decreed the fall of man, and so make God the author of mans sinne. Ans. We teach indeed that God decreed Adams fall, but thence it followeth not, that he is the author of mans sinne. For Gods will is twofold, generall, and speciall. Gods generall will is, to permit that which is euill, not simply, but because with God euill hath some respect of good, and in this respect wee say God decreed Adams fall. Gods speciall will, is his approouing will; whereby hee taketh pleasure and delight in that which is good: and in this regard God nilled Adams fall, and mans sinnes: And yet in some respect he may be sayd to will them. A magistrat, though he take no comfort or delight in the death and execution of a malefactour: yet hee decreeth and appointeth it, and so may bee sayd to will it. Euen so God, who out of light can bring darknes, permitteth euill because with him it hath some respect of good, and so may be sayd to will it. III. Charge. They say also that the doctrine of our church is a doctrine of securitie: because we teach, that a man may be certaine of his saluation, and of perseuerance in the faith vnto the end. Answ. This is not a doctrine of carnall securitie; because we do impose necessarily the vse of meanes to them that would bee certaine of their saluation, and perseuer vnto the end, as namely, deniall of themselues, & humbling thēselues in continuall prayer, with hearing & meditating in the word of God, and receiuing the Sacraments for the increase of faith, and renewing of their repentance: All which will rather make a man fearefull and carefull than secure. For with the meanes, is certainty of saluation, both atteined and preserued: so that our doctrine is not a doctrine of offences, but a true doctrine that beateth out the plaine way that [illegible: 1 letter]eadeth vnto life.

Secondly, Christ his detestation of this doctrine of Balaam, must admonish vs to be so carefull of our behauiour euerie way, that we giue no offence vnto anie, for if wee do, wee are Balaams schollers. This is a point of speciall obseruation, wee must looke to our communication that it be void of railing & bad speeches, and to our conuersation, that it bee holy and vnblameable. In euerie thing we must haue care not to hinder others in the way of life, Woe Mat. 18.6, 7. bee to them (saith Christ) that giue offences: it were better that a huge milstone (such as an asse can but turne about, as the word imports) were tied about his necke, and that he were cast into the sea. The reason is, because when a man by any means giueth his brother an offence: he doth as much as in him lieth, to plunge his brothers soule into the pit of destruction, and therefore we must flie offences as hell it selfe: yea rather on the contrary, we must helpe our brethren forward in the way of saluation, and remooue from them all stumbling blockes that cause them to fall. If this duty were practised, our church would abound with grace and godlines: but this duty is wanting, and hence it comes that we haue so small increase after long labour in preaching, for example and euill counsell do quench the graces of the spirit in mens hearts.

Thirdly, hereby wee must learne to haue speciall care against offences giuen by euill counsell, or bad example. For if it be the propertie of a false prophet to cast stumbling blocks before others, then is it a dangerous thing to fall vpon them when they are laid before vs. While we liue in this world wee shall see many offences giuen: but we must take heed we take them not. And therfore Christ biddeth vs, Ma[illegible: 1 letter]. 1[illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter] If thy foote offend thee, or thine ha[illegible: 1 letter]d, cut it off: or thine eye, plucke it out: Teaching vs to forgo the dearest thing that can be vnto vs, if it would cause vs to sin against God. And to mooue vs hereto, marke the Israelits example in the wildernesse: while they kept a good conscience, and obserued the true worship of God, all Balaams curses were turned into blessings: but when they fell to idolatrie & fornication with the Moabitish women: then was Gods wrath kindled against them, and his plague seized vpon them. Euen so, if our church be carefull to keep it selfe to the true religion, which by Gods mercie we enioy, and withall haue care to keepe good conscience in becomming a penitent and obedient people vnto God: then may Balaam curse, and al our enemies spit their venome, yet we shall be safe: But if we let go true religion and good conscience, and fall to sinne, then we must looke for [illegible: 1 letter]ods heauie iudgements to fall vpon vs in his wrath, as they did vpon his owne people. Fourthly, when Balaams cursing would not preuaile, then did faire women, and banqueting, draw them to idolatrie and fornication. Hence we learne, that temptations on the right hand, that is, taken from profits, pleasures, and preferments, are most dangerous, and soonest preuaile to draw men from God. The state of a christian, is like a besieged citie; when a huge armie cannot sacke it, than siluer and gold will open the gates hereof: euen so, when aduersitie cannot make a man to forsake religion & good conscience, then by prosperitie, ease, and pleasure hath the diuell stollen away his heart. Those therefore that haue ease, pleasures, and outward blessings at will, are in a farre more dangerous case in respect of sinne than others; vnlesse God vouchsafe vnto them speciall grace to watch against these pleasing temptations. This made godly Iob Iob. 1.5. To sanctifie his children euerie day when they feasted each other at their houses: lest any one then should haue blasphemed God in his hart. Because he knew the diuell by pleasures would soonest wind himselfe into their hearts.

Lastly, note the order of these sinnes: First, they are drawn to sit at idols feasts, and then to commit adulterie: where we see that these two sinnes goe together, Spirituall adulterie, that is, idolatry; and bodily adultery, one is the plague & punishment of the other: that people which giue themselues to idolatrie, will God giue vp to bodily adultery. As this was true in these Israeli[illegible: 1 letter]s, so is it to be seene among the Turkes, and with the Papists at this day, who maintaine▪ fornication▪ in tollerating stewes, and further it much by their vow of single life, wherewith they bind the conscience, though the partie want the gift of continence.