William Perkins on Revelation 2:18

Verse 18. And vnto the Angell which is at Thyatira write, These things sayth the sonne of God, which hath his eyes like to a flame of fire, and his feete like fine brasse.

Here followeth the fourth particular commaundement of Christ vnto Iohn, as also the fourth particular Epistle. The commaundement in these words: To the Angell which is at Thyatira write; of the substance of this commaundement I haue spoken before: onely remember the end thereof, which is to certifie this church of Thyatira, that Iohn had a calling and commaundement from God to write this Epistle vnto them: and further to certifie the whole Church of God, to the end of the world, of his calling to write this booke of the Reuelation.

The Epistle it selfe containeth three parts: a Preface, a Proposition, and a Conclusion. The Preface in these words: These things sayth the sonne of God▪ which hath his eyes like vnto a flame of fire, and his feete like fine brasse: all which things almost haue beene handled in the beginning of this chapter, and in the former,Ver 5.1[illegible: 1 letter].15. from whence they are borrowed. In the Preface, first is set downe in whose name the Epistle is written, to wit, in Christs name: the causes thereof we haue shewed before. Then Christ is described by three arguments: First, To be the sonne of God: Secondly, To haue eyes like a flame of fire: Thirdly, To haue feete like fine brasse. For the first, In the former chapter he was called The sonne of man: but here he is called The sonne of God; where by God wee must not absolutely vnderstand the godhead of the whole Trinitie, but the person of the father, who being opposed either to the sonne or to the holy ghost, is vsually called God: not that he is God more than the sonne, or than the holy ghost; but because he is the first in order, and because hee is that person from whom the godhead is communicated to the sonne and to the holy ghost. So that here Christ is called the sonne of the father: which mysterie wee cannot fully vnderstand, for the word hath not reuealed the same: neither can wee find it elsewhere out of the word. But yet for the better conceiuing thereof, remember these two rules. I. That Christ is the son of the father, not in respect of his godhead, but in respect of his person: For the godhead of the sonne is the same with the godhead of the father: The godhead of the father doth not beget, neither is the godhead of the sonne begotten. II. Rule. Christ is the sonne of the father, not by creation, as the Angels and Adam were; nor by adoption, as euery beleeuer is; but by nature, in that hee is begotten of the substance of his father before all worlds: for the father communicates from himselfe the whole godhead that is in himselfe vnto his sonne.

Christ is here called the sonne of God, The Vse. to stirre vp reuerence, attention, and care in this church, in marking and obeying the things that follow in this particular Epistle. And in their example Christ also teacheth vs, that when we heare the word of God preached or read vnto vs, wee should receiue it with fear, and trembling and reuerence: because he that speaketh vnto vs out of his word, is the sonne of God. When Pilate was about to condemne our Sauiour Christ, he heard it said, that Christ was the sonne of God. And thereupon hee trembled, and was the more afraid, Ioh. 19. verse. 8. shall a [illegible: 1 letter]illie heathen man that knowes not Christ tremble towards him when hee heares his name; and yet wee that professe our selues to beleeue in him bee nothing mooued with reuerence towards him, when hee speakes vnto vs in his word? At his presence the hils melt, and at his voyce the rockes cleaue in sunder: and therefore if our hearts shall not melt and cleaue asunder with a reuerent feare when he shall speake vnto vs, wee are worser than these sencelesse creatures.

Secondly, Christ is sayd, To haue eyes like a flame of fire: which we must not conceiue literally. The words are borrowed from the former chapter, vers. 14. where Christ is described not as hee is in truth, but as he appeared to Iohn in vision. We haue shewed before what is signified by these fierie eyes: namely, Christs infinite wisedome in himselfe, and vigilant zeale ouer his church. The end wherefore hee so describeth himselfe to this church, is, to giue them to vnderstand, that hee can see and discerne their very secret sinnes: for sundry among them were giuen to priuate offences, as to fornication and idolatrie, as we shall see afterward.

Here then wee haue an excellent remedie against secret sinnes: The Vse. shame and feare of punishment will restraine some men from open sinnes, but yet the same men when they are in secret, doe without fear commit priuie sinnes against the first and second table. But these men must remember, that being withdrawne from the presence of men, they are yet in the presence of Christ: for hee hath fierie eyes, wherewith he seeth their most secret sinnes, which they hide from the world. For though we may make faire weather with men, yet wee can neuer bleare the eyes of Christ. If fornicators, wantons, vsurers, and blasphemers would remember this, by Gods grace it would bee a notable meanes at least to restraine them from their secret sinnes, if not to mooue them vnto the practise of true repentance.

Thirdly, Christ is sayd to haue feete like fine brasse. Whereby is signified (as hath beene shewed) his infinit power and strength, whereby he doth subdue sinne, Sathan, and al his enemies, first vnto himselfe, and then vnto his members. And Christ is thus described vnto this church, to terrifie certaine wicked men among them, that gaue themselues to fornication, idolatrie, and other sinnes: as also to affright this whole church, who by their wicked companie were almost drawne away to the same sinnes.

Here wee haue a notable remedie against loosenesse of life: namely, The Vse. to consider that Christ, whom we call our Sauiour, walketh continually in his church with feet of brasse to tread Sathan and all his enemies vnder his feet: and such are all that will not submit themselues to the regiment of his word, Luk. 19.27. If the blasphemer could consider this, it would stop his mouth: and when the adulterer, the theefe, or any sinner goeth about his wicked deuices, this by Gods grace would be a notable means to make him breake off his wicked purpose. When Benhadad heard, that the king of Israel would come against him in battell, 2 King 20▪ [illegible: 1 letter]1. He sent his men with ropes about their necks to craue peace, and in them humbled himselfe. Shall men be thus afraid at the furie of man, and shall not wee tremble and feare at the fury of Christ, who hath these feet of brasse to trample in pieces all his enemies? The want of this consideration is one maine cause why sinne doth abound.