William Perkins on Revelation 2:21

Verse. 21. And I gaue her space to repent of her fornication, and shee repented not.

Here Christ reprooueth this woman for her obstinacie and hardnesse of heart, whereby shee went on in sinne without repentance. By space to repent, wee are to vnderstand, libertie to liue: for though by her sinnes she deserued present death, temporall and eternall; yet God of his mercy gaue her libertie to liue, that shee might repent.

The Vse. In her example we are taught what to iudge of that space of time which God giueth vs to liue in this world; namely, th[illegible: 2 letters] it is a time of repentance: for before a man be borne, and after this life, can none repent: but the time wee now liue▪ or haue liued, or shall liue, is the only time allotted for repentance. This point ought seriously to bee considered of all estates, for it doth plainely rebuke the shamefull practise of many at this day, who lead not their life as a time of repentance, but spend it wholly in another course: some in following their vaine pleasures, as carding, dicing, &c. some in heaping vp riches, seeking nothing but temporall profites: others in good fellowship (as they call it) that is, in companie keeping, in eating and drinking. God in iustice might haue cut off these men so soone as they were borne, and yet in mercie hee giues them time to repent, to some twentie, to others thirtie, fortie, or fiftie yeares▪ but they abuse this mercie of God, and in steed of repenting, imploy themselues in such workes as are contrarie thereunto. Their case is most fearefull, they treasure vp to themselues wrath against the day of wrath & declaration of the iust iudgement of God: like vnto a man that euery day for some certaine time, carrieth a faggot for his own burning in the end.

Secondly, from this end of life all that haue not repented, must learne not to deferre their repentance, but now begin, while it is called to day, and in the exercise thereof spend the whole time of their life. The end of all our endeauours while wee liue, should be this, to get a roome in the kingdome of God, which wee can neuer haue without repentance.

Next consider, who it is that giues this time of repentance: neither man nor Angell hath this time in his hands, but the power of appointing it belongs vnto Christ alone.

Hereby then all persons whatsoeuer are to bee admonished, without delay to repent. The young man will take his pleasure in his youth, and repent when he is old: but hereby he robbeth Christ of his honour, who onely hath power to point out the time of repentance. Vse therefore the time present while thou hast it, and deferre not repentance: for how knowest thou that thou shalt liue to bee old? And though thou doest, yet how canst thou tell whether God will giue thee repentance, considering thou diddest refuse, while he called for it? Men thinke, that if they die quietly and peaceably, all is well, they goe to heauen straight: but herewith many are deceiued; for vnlesse they haue truely repented, they goe straight to the deuill, let their manner of dying be what it will. A quiet death is a comfortable thing, but no sure signe of grace, because it may come by reason of some easie▪ lingering sickenesse. Considering therefore wee haue no title vnto this grace of repentance, to clayme it at our pleasure, it being the rare gift of God▪ nor any lea[illegible: 2 letters] of our life, but bee meere tenants at will▪ let vs seeke to turne to God with full purpose of heart, while [illegible: 1 word] is called to day: and if we haue begun, let vs dayly renew this grace to the end of our life▪

Thirdly, consider to whome God giues space of repentance: namely, to a wicked woman, as wicked as Iezabell. Wherein behold the endlesse mercie of God, that vnto such a wicked person, who blasphemed God, in fathering her sinnes vpon the spirit of grace, and dishonoured God by seducing his seruants, doth yet vouchsafe a time of repentance: This hath beene and is the dealing of God with most grieuous sinners. Manasses was one that sold himselfe to worke wickednesse, giuing himselfe to sorcerie and idolatrie; and yet vpon his heartie repentance God receiued him to mercie. And Salomon fell most fearefully, but yet before his death wee may persuade our selues hee repented and was receiued to mercie: for hee was a penman of Scripture, all which were holy men of God, as Peter sayth, 2. Pet. 1.20. The Israelites were Isa. 1.10. a people of Sodome and of Gomorrha, as bad as those who are condemned in hell, and yet mercie is offered vnto them vpon their true repentance and conuersion.

The Vse. Hereby no man must take occasion to liue in his sinnes: but those that feele themselues laden with the huge burden of their transgressions, haue here a comfort to keepe them from despaire: for if they can humble themselues, and turne vnto Christ, and pray for the pardon of their sinnes, there is yet with the Lord mercie in store, that they may bee saued.

Lastly, Christ saith, He gaue her space to repent of her fornication. No doubt she had many other sinnes whereof shee was to repent, for no sinne goeth alone, but euery capitall sinne draweth many with it: Christ his meaning therefore is not that she should let passe other sins without repentance: but he nameth this one sin of fornication, because it was a principall sinne in her: for she both practised it in her owne bodie, and so made her selfe the stable of the diuell, who should haue bene the temple of Gods holy spirit: and also maintained this sinne, and so drew others thereto. Now speciall and principall repentance must be of principall sinnes.

The Vse. Here then is a patterne for all sinners how to practise repentance. They must beginne with their capitall sinnes, which burden their conscience, and whereto they are most addicted, and repent of them. For the man that truly repenteth of one sinne, repenteth of all: for true repentance maketh the heart alike affected to all sinnes: And that heart which is brought to hate his speciall sinnes, will neuer approue of pettie sinnes. This lesson ought carefully to be learned & put in practise: For the repentance of most men is onely in generall, to say wee are all sinners, Lord haue mercie vpon me, or God forgiue me. But this confused repentance is not good, it stands with a purpose to sinne againe. In particular therefore we must search our consciences, and see wherein we haue most dishonored God, and what sinne hath neerest plunged our soules to the pit of hell; and with that we must beginne to bring our soules to heauen, by repenting truly for the same, and turning from it with all our hearts.

Hence the Papists gather that man hath free will to doe that which is truly good before God, as namely to repent: for say they, God gaue Iesabell space of time to repent, and therefore shee had power to repent, or else the giuing of that time vnto her had bene in vaine. Answ. Their reason is nought: it followeth not because God gaue her time to repent, therefore she had power of her selfe to repent: as will easily appeare, if wee consider the ends for which God giues men space & time of repentance, and commandement so to do. The ends are two. I. That in that time of repentance, which hee allotteth to men, hee may giue his children grace, whereby they may be enabled to obey his commandement and to repent: for the Lord vseth the commandements and threatnings of the law, and the promises of the gospell as outward meanes of giuing grace vnto men by the worke of his spirit. II. He giueth commaundement and time to repent, that men may see what they should doe, not what they can doe: and that the wicked may bee without excuse at the day of iudgement, and be ashamed of their slauerie & bondage vnto sinne in this life.

And shee repented not. Here the sinne of Iezabell is expressed, namely, her impenitencie and hardnesse of heart. Whereby without remorse shee liued in her fornication and idolatrie: For the vnderstanding of this her sinne, two points are to bee considered. I. Where this sinne of impenitencie is forbidden in Gods word. II. What is the greatnesse of this sinne: for the first, there bee two parts of Gods word, the Law, and the Gospell, which must not be confounded, but distinguished, or else wee shall ouerturne manie points of Christian religion. The law giues commandements touching things that were by nature in Adam before his fall, forbidding those things which are contrarie to those vertues which were in his perfect nature. But the gospell commands, & forbids things that are aboue nature, and in that part of Gods word is this sinne of impenitencie forbidden; for the law condemnes no more than it reuealeth, but it neuer reuealed repentance, and therefore it doth not forbid or condemne the want thereof. Secondly, for the greatnesse of this sinne, it may appeare, because hereby men heape sin vpon sinne, and Rom. 2.5[illegible: 1 letter]. Wrath vnto themselues against the day of wrath. Some to aggrauate the grieuousnesse of this sinne, say that impenitencie is the sinne against the holy ghost: and that opinion is antient, but yet false and erronious, for the sinne against the holy ghost is a blasphemie, Mat. 12.31. but this is not a blasphemy. Again the sinne against the holy ghost is in this life, but finall impenitencie is neuer before the end of this life.

The Vse. Hence also the Papistes gather free will to good by nature: shee did not repent, therefore she had freewill & power to repent if she would. Ans. This reason is not good: thus much may hence be gathered, that she had freewil not to repent, and to sinne: for euery man sinneth freely, but yet it followeth not, that they haue the same power to cease from sinne, or to repent without Gods special grace, without which no man can will or doe that which is truly good before God.

Againe, the same sinne which is reproued in this wicked woman, may bee layd to the charge of the greatest number in our churches and congregations. God hath giuen vnto men a long time of repentance, to some ten, to some twenty yeares, but they repent not, as their liues do plainly testifie: for some liue in irreligion and prophanenesse, some in Saboath breaking, some in fornication and adulterie, some in idlenesse, some in couetousnesse and extortion, giuing themselues wholly and spending all their time in seeking the things of this life, neuer regarding with reuerence th[illegible: 1 letter] things of God.