William Perkins on Revelation 2:19

Verse. 19. I know thy workes, and thy loue and seruice, and faith, and thy patience, and thy deeds, which are moe at the last than at the first.

Here begins the second part of this Epistle, to wit, the Proposition; which containeth the substance & matter thereof: and it hath two parts; a commendation of this church, and a rebuke thereof. The commendation in the 19 verse; the rebuke or dispraise in the 20 verse and those that follow, almost to the end of the chapter. The commendation is twofold: generall in these words, I know thy workes. This hath beene handled before, vers. 2. The particular commendation standeth in fiue notable workes: to wit, Loue, Seruice, Faith, Patience, and, Encrease in godlinesse.

For the first, by Loue wee must vnderstand Loue to men: for afterward they are cōmended for duties to God in faith and patience: but loue and seruice are duties of man to man. Touching Loue, note three points: What this loue is; What is the propertie of this loue; and how it is to be practised. First, Loue to man is a gift of the spirit of God, whereby a man is well affected to his neighbour for Gods sake. That loue is a gift of the Spirit, is plaine, Galat. 5. verse 22. where it is reckoned among the gifts of the spirit. Next I adde, That hereby a man is well affected to his neighbour. To bee well affected to another, is to reioyce at his good, and to desire and seeke the same; and withall to bee grieued at his miserie, and to [illegible: 1 letter]eare the bowels of compassion towards him, being readie to releeue and helpe him to our vttermost. By Neighbour, wee must not vnderstand only those that are neere vnto vs in habitation, but euen all those that are of the same nature with vs, euen any of mankind. Hee is thy neighbour that is a man as thou art, and so bearing the image of God as thou doest bee hee friend or foe, neere or stranger vnto thee; and to him must thou be well affected. Lastly, I say, For Gods sake: for God is first and principally to bee loued for himselfe, and man in God and for God, because hee is the creature of God, and beareth his image. The loue we beare to man, is a fruit of our loue vnto God: for this commaundement wee haue of him, That he that loueth God, should loue his brother also, 1. Iohn. 4.21.

II. point. The propertie of this loue is, To be feruent; and that for two causes: First, if need require, euery man is bound within his calling to testifie his loue 1. Ioh. 3.16. by giuing his life for his neighbour, though he be our enemie, or a stranger; which wee shall neuer doe, vnlesse our loue be feruent. Secondly, there is much ingratitude, hatred, emulation, and many iniuries in the world: Now the persons from whom these come, must be loued: the vnworthinesse of the partie must not quench our loue, but it must burne when the waters of mens iniuries and malice would quench the same.

III. point. The practise of our loue must be squared by this rule, The loue of our selues, as wee wish our owne good heartely, so we must wish our neighbours good. This is the law of Nature, To doe as a man would be done vnto: And it is the law of God, Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. Example: A man of some trade is to make a bargaine, and if hee will lye, or vse false weights and measures, he may aduantage himselfe. This the deuill and his owne corruption will suggest vnto him, while hee is about the bargaine: he therefore must call to mind this rule of loue, and examine his owne heart, whether hee would haue another man to deceiue him by lying, by false weights, &c. The same thing must men doe, when they are tempted to oppression or crueltie, let them thinke whether they would haue others to wrong or oppresse them; and so shew forth loue by this rule, doing as they would bee done vnto. It were to bee wished, that our Church might haue the deserued prayse of this vertue of loue: But Christ foretold of these our dayes, That loue should waxe cold, Matth. 24.12. And 2. Tim. 3.2. that men should be louers of themselues. And so it is: for euery man now is for himselfe, no man seekes anothers good. Goe through townes, markets, and fayres, and rare it is to find a man that in his affaires seeketh the common good, as well as his owne. For this is the common rule, May I not make of mine owne what I will? But he that hath the grace of loue, Seeketh not his owne onely, but the good of others also, 1. Corinth. 13.5.

Here then wee must learne to practise this vertue, The Vse. that wee may haue Christs commendations with this church. Euery man in the generall calling of a christian will make great shew of loue; as when he comes to the Lords table, & in praier: But in their particular affaires few shew forth true loue; nay many by lying, oppression, crueltie, Flea the skinne from the flesh, and the flesh from the bone of the poore, Micha 3.2, 3▪ and breake the bones within the flesh, and chop them as for the pot, as the Prophet speaketh. These little consider this rule, or that account which the Lord will take of them, who hath sworne neuer to forget these works, Amos. 8.7. Learne therefore in thy particular calling to shew forth loue, and imploy thy commodities, not for thy selfe alone, but for the good of those with whom thou liuest: herein is loue, and hereby shalt thou be known to be the seruant of Christ, Iohn. 13.35. and the child of God, Translated from death to life, 1. Iohn. 3. vers. 14.

The secōd thing for which this church is cōmended, is seruice, To omit the diuers significations of the word, here it betokeneth a worke of loue, whereby a man within the compasse of his calling becomes a seruant vnto euerie man for that mans good. Read Heb. 6.10, where this is both commended and described. Gal. 5.13. Do seruice one to another in loue. 1. Cor. 13.5. Loue seeketh not her owne, but maketh her selfe seruant to all, to do them good. And Christs commaundement is, Let him that would be chiefe among you, bee as the seruant, Luke. 22.26. Now the principall part of this seruice is, when a man is readie with h[illegible: 1 letter]s goods, according to his abilitie, to helpe the poore, especially those that be godly. This is a fruit of loue, and therefore it is here set after it, as also in the places before named, Hebr. 6. vers. 10. Gal. 5.13.

The Vse. It were to be wished that our church and people might haue the like praise for this vertue. But the richer sort spend their substance and wealth vpon haukes and hounds, buls, and beares, vpon costly attire, and banqueting: so as when the poore that are in need come for releefe, they haue nothing to spare; and if any thing bee giuen, it is drawne as hardly from them as a ribbe out of their side: Men wil giue frankly to delight themselues with playes and pastimes, and such like vanities; but the poore that be their owne flesh, may die in the streetes for want of that which men giue to their dogges. But if we respect the commendation of Christ Iesus, let vs abandon these vanities which hinder vs in the practise of this vertue of seruice for the good of our brethren. And to induce all men hereto, let them consider I. how the church of the Old testament was charged with giuing the first fruites of their wine, corne, and oyle: and likewise with many sacrifices and ceremonies which belonged to the temple: these things indeed be ceased, and yet wee may not mispend these good which hereby are spared; for in the New testament the poore are in steed of the altar, and they must haue that which the altar had among the Iewes. Againe, Isay. 58.18, He that powreth foorth his soule to the hungrie, that is, he that seeing the poore in miserie, hath the bowels of compassion mooued towards them, and from his pitifull hart releeueth their wants, according to his abilitie; his light shall neuer bee put out, but shall spring out of the darknesse, and his darknesse shall bee as the noone day. This is pure religion,Iam [illegible: 1 letter].27· and vndefiled before God, to visit the fatherlesse, and the widdow in their aduersitie. Remember this, He that hath mercie vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord, Prou. 19.17. So that when the poore come for releefe, God commeth to borrow of vs some of that which he hath giuen vs. The poore are the Lords collectors, now when the Lord would borrow of vs, shall we make deniall, & send him emptie away? Thirdly, consider that Christ himself comes in the persō of the poore that is hungrie, sicke, naked, or in any want; and therefore if wee would escape the fearefull sentence of condemnation at the last day, Away from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire, for I was an hungred, and ye gaue me no meate, &c. then we must haue regard vnto the poore, and shew our bountie in their releefe, who are our owne flesh: so shall wee make God our debtor, and bee commended with this church by Christ himselfe in this world, and at the day of iudgement heare that blessed voyce of his approbation, Come ye blessed, Math. 25.34.

The third vertue for which this church is commended, is their faith. By faith here we are to vnderstand Fidelitie; which is a vertue whereby a man is faithfull to God in keeping that vow and promise which hee made to him in his baptisme: which was to renounce and denie himselfe, and wholly to giue vp himselfe to acknowledge one God in three persons; and accordingly to beleeue in, to worship and obey the same God all his life long. In this sence is faith taken of Paule, 1. Tim. 5.12 when he sayth, That younger widdowes haue damnation, because they haue forsaken their first faith. And in the former Epistles of Christ vnto these churches, where hee commaunds them to be faithfull.

The Vse. It were to bee wished that our churches and congregations, might in like manner be commended for their fidelitie to God: but that cannot truly be done of vs generally. It is a common thing for men to sweare by their faith; but it is a rare thing to find a man to keepe his faith: as will appeare by this short suruey of our people: For first, the greatest part in all places are ignorant of God, of his word, and of their vow to him in baptisme; and also voide of care to attaine hereto: Now all these are vnfaithfull vnto God. Others, though they haue knowledge, yet they haue no loue, nor care of good things, which concerne the kingdome of heauen: but all their delight is in eating, drinking, gaming, and in pastimes and pleasures: Herein they spend their time and strength, and these also haue denied their first faith, & their case is dangerous: for as yet their belly and their pleasure is their god, and their end will be damnation. A third sort are termed the wise men of the world; but if we regard their fidelitie to God there is nothing in them; they are worldly persons and earthly minded, such as spend both wit and strength to get wealth; like vnto the mole, who is alwayes in the earth. These also are vnfaithfull vnto God, in regard of their vow in baptisme: For as they account gaine godlinesse, so gold is their god, and they say to the wedge of gold, Thou art my confidence. Seeing then all these be vnfaithfull vnto God, we must hereby be admonished to remember what wee haue promised in our baptisme: And withall haue care to performe the same as wee tender the saluation of our soules. For if we be vnfaithfull, as Paule said of the yonger widdows, damnation belongs vnto vs.

The fourth vertue for which this church is commended, is patience. Of this I haue spoken before verse. 2. Here onely note, that it is ioyned with loue to men, with fidelitie to God, and with seruice both to God and men in the duties of loue. Whereby Christ would signifie that no good thing can be done by any man, without patience. Loue is no loue without patience: neither is faith any faith without patiēce: for when a man loueth another, for his loue hee shall sometime receiue hatred. Now vnlesse hee haue patience to beare that hatred, his loue will surcease. And so if a man haue care to bee faithfull vnto God, in the world he shall be sure to haue much contempt: so that vnlesse he haue patience to beare the same, his faithfulnesse will faile, Patience bringeth forth experience, and experience hope, Rom. 5.4. & Rom. 15.4, No comfort of the Scriptures, nor hope without patience. And therefore in the parable of the sower, The good ground Luk. 8.15. bringeth forth fruit with patience: though a man haue neuer so good gifts, yet without patience he cannot put them in practise. This therefore we must ioyne with all the good graces wee haue: as Peter counselleth vs, 2. Peter. 1.6. When a man is in temptation, and apprehendeth the wrath of God, which is the sorest thing that can be, without patience he will dispaire: Without patience a man will bee wearie of well-doing, both in duties to God and man, and to his owne soule. Hence the Apostle saith, yee haue need of patience, Heb. 10.36.

And thy workes. Here Christ repeateth his generall cōmendation of this church, which we must not thinke to be done in vaine, but herby he would let vs see, how exceeding well hee did approue of their workes. The cause why he liked them so well, was their increase in well-doing: whereof we shall intreat afterward.

Christ repeateth his approbation of their workes after foure worthy vertues, The Vse. to shew vnto vs, what things are required in the doing of any worke that shall bee acceptable to God: Namely, these foure things, faith, loue, seruice, and patience. Faith is necessarie, because in well doing a man must testifie his fidelity to God, which hee shall best doe, if first hee learne out of the word, whether God haue commanded that worke to be done or not: that so hee may bee sure to do or not do that which God will haue him: for it is not sufficient to haue a good intent in the doing of our workes, as is cō monly thought, though falsly; but our workes must be done in faith, that is in a sure persuasiō out of Gods word, that the things we do are approued of God: for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne. Secondly, loue is necessarie in euery good worke we go about, For faith worketh by loue, Gal. 5.6. Hence the Apostle saith, 1. Cor. 13.3. If a man should giue his body to bee burned: and bestow all his goods in almes vpon the poore: yet if he did not these in loue it would not please God. Thirdly, seruice to man is required in our good workes. This must be carefully marked: for the end of mans life is in his calling to serue man, and by that to serue God. Col. 3.24. Seruants must obey their maisters, and in their persons doe seruice vnto Christ. And that which is there spoken of seruants, must bee referred to the works of euery man in his calling: they must be done for the good of men, so as God may bee serued in them. This ouerthrowes the foolish conceit of the Papistes, which thinke that the most excellent workes of all are fasting, pilgramage, wearing of rough attire, and whipping of their bodies: For good workes must bee done in faith and loue, to benefit men, either in soule or bodie: but these works of theirs are not done in faith, neither do they profit the doers nor any others; Fasting hath it place, yet it is no good worke but a thing indifferent in it selfe. Lastly, patience is necessarie in euery good worke, that men faint not in doing that which is good: for they that do any good thing shall be sure of many crosses, partly from men, and partly from Sathan, as also by Gods prouidēce: Now when these befal a man in well doing without patiēce they wil stay his proceeding: And therfore it is truly said, That be good ground bringeth forth fruit with patiēce.

The Vse. These being the vertues that make a worke acceptable to God: we must labour in euery action of our lawfull calling whatsoeuer it bee, to practise the same in faith, loue, seruice, and patience. We must not tie good workes to church matters onely, as hearing the word, and giuing almes; but the practise of any worke of a mans lawfull calling be it neuer so base, with these vertues is a good worke, and approued of God in it kind, as well as the best worke that is: not for the worke it selfe, but because therein doth appeare faith, loue, seruice, and patience: and because this church so performed their workes, therefore doth God double his approbation.

The last vertue for which this church is commended, is increase in godlinesse, in these words, And that they are moe at the last than at the first. The church of Ephesus was before reprooued for decay and losse of the graces of God; but this church did grow and increase in graces, and therfore are her works more approued, than the works of any other church.

It were to be wished that our congregations might bee commended for their increase in godlinesse, in faith, obedience, The Vse. and other good workes; but that cannot iustly bee done, for the number of our people is increased, but their growth in grace doth not appeare. Many liue in ignorance, and though they heare much, yet they profit little, so as it may be sayd of them, as the Author to the Hebrews saith, H[illegible: 1 letter]b. 5.12. Whereas concerning the time ye ought to be teachers, you haue need againe that we teach you the first principles of the word of God. And as Paul saith of certaine women, [illegible: 1 letter]. Tim. [illegible: 1 letter].7 They are alwayes learning, and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth. Others also, though they know something, yet they practise lesse than they which know nothing. And which is worst of all, many that heretofore haue [illegible: 1 letter]ad good beginning in them, by their bad conuersation, and the greedie cares of this world haue lost the same againe, and go backward in knowledge, in obedience, in faith, and loue. Rare it is to find those that are like to this church of Thyatira, whose workes are better at the last than at the first. A fearfull case it is, to be ignorant of Gods will, and a great iudgement of God, to decay in loue and other graces: and therefore that wee may preuent Gods iudgements, wee must haue care to get knowledge, and to increase therein, and with knowledge to ioyne obedience in all good duties to God and man. Some plead for themselues by reason of age, want of memorie, and capacity: but these must learne to shew foorth better affections, and more sincere obedience.

The yonger sort also must imploy their wit and strength to get knowledge, and with knowledge ioyne obedience, that they may increase in grace as they grow in dayes. Yea euery one that hath any good beginning, must indeuour to make it more: For to him that hath shall more giuen, and he shal haue abundance; but from him that hideth his gift, or abuseth the same, shall bee taken away that which he seemeth to haue, Luk. 8.18.