William Perkins on Revelation 2:24-25

Vers. 24. And to you I say, the rest of them of Thyatira, as many as haue not this learning, neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan (as they speake) I will put vpon you none other burden. 25. But that which you haue already hold fast till I come.

Here Christ commeth to a second part of his counsell, which concernes the Angell, and the better part of this Church of Thyatira: and first hee beginneth with the Preface of this counsell; wherein wee may obserue two points: First, who speaketh: Secondly, to whom hee speaketh. For the first, hee that speaketh is Christ. I say, hereby Christ challengeth vnto himselfe the absolute and all sufficient authoritie of the supreme Doctor of his Church, in that hee speaketh in his owne name. Whereby hee putteth a plaine difference betweene himselfe and all other his Ministers, either Prophets, Apostles, or ordinarie teachers: for they must not propound any thing vnto Gods people in their owne names, but in the name of Christ. But Christ teacheth in his owne name, being the fountaine of all diuine knowledge and vnderstanding, that i[illegible: 1 letter] reuealed in the word of God. And thus Christ himselfe speaketh in his owne name, to strike the hearts of the Angell of this Church and the better part thereof with reuerence, and to mooue them to receiue and obey the counsell following, considering it comes immediately from Christ, the Doctor of the Church.

II. point. The parties to whom he speaketh, To you: that is, the Angell and the better part of this Church: for so Christ expounds it in the words following, though first hee say in generall To you: that is, The rest of them of Thyatira.

When as Christ will behaue himselfe as the doctor and chiefe Angell of this Church, note, that he maketh a distinction of the persons in the Church, and also deuideth his counsell, giuing one doctrine and one iudgement to one part, and a diuers doctrine and iudgement to another.

The Vse. This giueth vs good direction for sundry actions: for some may aske, how must doctrine bee deliuered in a mixt congregation, where some are Papists, some Protestants, some are hardened, others despaire? Answ. The persons must bee distinguished after the example of Christ, and sutable doctrines deuided for them, that euery one may haue his due. Impenitent sinners must be terrified, and threatenings deliuered against them, with exception of them that repent: Comforts must be propounded and applied to them that despaire, with restraint from all impenitent persons that goe on in sinne.

If any demaund more particularly, who these bee whom Christ calleth The rest of them of Thyatyra, Christ answeres directly (as the words import) to as many as haue not this learning, neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan. Where Christ giueth two notes whereby to discerne who bee the rest of them of Thyatira: The first is, the not receiuing or maintaining of the false doctrine of Iezabell, whereof entreatie hath beene formerly made: The second note is, ignorance in the deepenesse of Sathan, neither haue knowne the deepenesse of Sathan: that is, neither haue acknowledged nor approoued the doctrine of Iezabell, which is the deepe and profound learning, as themselues doe iudge.

In this obserue a most wicked practise of Iezabell and her followers: they esteemed highly of their owne opinions, calling them profound and deepe learning: but for the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles in the Old and New Testaments, in it there was no such matter. This in all ages hath beene the practise of wicked persons, highly to esteeme their owne conceits, and basely to neglect the word of God. The teachers of the Iewes doe hold to this day, That the Lord gaue to Moses a most plain and easie law which he deliuered to his people; but the most secret and profound doctrine was vnwritten, shewed to Moses by reuelation, and by him deliuered to the Priests and Leuites, which they keepe still in their Cabbala. And of the like iudgement touching Scripture are the Popish Churches: The Word written is but an inkie word, a dead letter, or a nose of waxe: but the most perfect Scripture is vnwritten; which is, the consent of faith and of doctrine in the hearts of all Catholickes. And by such great tearmes the Anabaptists, Libertines, and Arrians, maintaine their doctrine, and abuse Scripture, calling the written Word milke for euery nouice: but the consent of heart among themselues, with reuelations, that is, the strong meates. Yea, this opinion hath crept in among vs in part: men thinke basely of Scripture, and preferre other mens writings before it. For let a man preach plainely the bare word of God, and deliuer doctrines and exhortations out of the same, this is but plaine preaching: But let another come and vtter his mind partly in Latine, and partly in Greeke, and other languages, alleadging withall the testimonies of Fathers, Counsels, and other Writers; that is the learned preaching. And thus doe most men abase Scripture, and exalt the writings of men aboue it. But seeing this is the practise of Iezabell and wicked men, let vs on the contrary learne to reuerence the written word, and giue place thereto aboue all the testimonies and sayings of men whatsoeuer.

The deepenesse of Sathan. As if he should say: They count it deepe learning; but it is the learning of the deuill, wherein you may see his profound craft and pollicie. Where note, that when Christ will alleadge the speech of Iezabell and her followers, hee doth it with disgrace vnto them: for they counted their doctrine deepe learning; but Christ repeating their opinion, calleth it the deepenesse of Sathan.

Hence I gather, The Vse. that Christians cannot safely act and play the Comedies of heathen men: for they are full of many blasphemous speeches and oathes flat against the word of God: which they ought not to repeat, but with disgrace vnto them. For Christs practise must bee a patterne for our imitation: hee would not repeat so much as one word of a wicked woman, without some note of disgrace. If it bee sayd, they repeat these speeches with disgrace and dislike: I answere, it is not so: for if they did, that would take away the whole Comedie, being full of such bad speeches. And this I take to bee the equitie of Gods word, thus to reason from Christs example.

As they speake. These words Christ addeth: First, to shew that the words going before were not his owne, but the words of Iezabels followers touching her doctrine. Secondly, to shew the proud and presumptuous minds of heretickes, in maintaining their wicked opinions. Thus haue false teachers vpheld their errours by proud and swelling words, as Iude the 16. and 2. Pet. 2.18. The pure word of God is not so maintained, but in the humilitie and lowlinesse of spirit, and in the practise of pietie from an humble heart: for God teacheth the lowly his wayes, and giueth grace to the humble, Psal. 25.14. And therefore this is a note of false doctrin, by swelling words to maintaine the same.

Hitherto we haue spoken of the Preface before Christs counsell: now followeth the counsell it selfe in this sentence: Though I lay no other burden vpon you, yet I would haue you to hold fast that which you haue alreadie, till I come. This sentence is a distinction, containing two parts: First, in these words, I will lay no other burden vpon you, than that which you haue alreadie: that is, howsoeuer I threaten my iudgements vnto Iezabell and her followers, yet I will lay none other punishment vpon you but my reproofe onely, for suffering Iezabell among you with her false doctrine and followers.

This braunch of this distinction containeth a most comfortable instruction: namely, that all those that giue themselues to maintaine puritie of doctrine and synceritie of life, shall be safely preserued in the time of common iudgements, vnder the blessed protection of God, so farre forth as is for Gods glorie and their good. And considering this mercie is offered to the godly, wee must hereby learne to become followers of this Church of Thyatira: that is, we must endeuour to maintaine the pure truth of Gods holy word, and withall haue care to shew foorth synceritie of manners, in making conscience of euery sinne, and endeuoring our selues to walke in all the wayes of Gods commaundements with cheerefulnesse. Hereby we shall get protection from common iudgements, when they are layed vpon the wicked: but if wee partake with the wicked in their sinnes, wee shall receiue part in their plagues.

The second part of this distinction is in these words:Vers. 25. But that which you haue alreadie, hold fast till I come: that is, mine Apostles haue deliuered vnto you the pure and sound doctrine of saluation; now I charge you that you hold that fast, and maintaine it vntill I come to iudgement. Here is a plaine and most excellent commaundement, containing speciall instruction mee[illegible: 1 letter] for this Church of Thyatira, and all Churches. Before, our Sauiour Christ had commended this Church for not approouing the doctrine of Iezabell and her companie: but here hee giueth them another commaundement, To hold fast the true doctrine of Christ, taught them by his Apostles. Wherby he would teach them, and in them all Churches, to content themselues with the pure doctrin of the Apostles, and not to affect or approoue any other doctrine besides whatsoeuer: According as Paule biddeth the Galatians Gal. 1.8. though wee, or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you any other doctrine than that which we haue preached vnto you, let him be accursed.

By the light of this commaundement wee are directed in sundry duties. First, The Vse. not to regard vnwritten traditions, which the church of Rome doth so highly magnifie, for it cannot bee prooued, that the Apostles euer taught them.

Secondly, not to regard the doctrines of men, which some bring vnto vs vnder colour of Reuelation from God since the Apostles times.

Thirdly, hereby wee learne what to thinke and iudge of the three great religions of the Turkes, the Iewes, and Papists at this day. The Turkish religion is not to bee regarded: for it had it beginning sixe hundred yeares after the Apostles time, with whose doctrine onely we must content our selues. Also the Iewish religion wee must not regard, for they reiect the doctrine of the Apostles. And the religion of the Papists we must renounce, because it is not of the Apostles teaching, but had it beginning by little and little long after their times. If this commaundement were safely kept, which is laid on this Church, men would not bee of so many religions: but all would bee of one religion, cleauing fast to the doctrine of the Apostles, and contenting themselues with it, which is the true rule for reformation of life, and the right way to attaine saluation.

Lastly, here is a rule and direction for those which will bee of no religion, because of the diuersitie of opinions touching the same. They must haue recourse to the doctrine of the Apostles, and content themselues therewith, nothing regarding new doctrines, bee they neuer so glorious.

Till I come. Here Christ sheweth how long the doctrine of the Apostles must bee held fast: namely, not for a short time, but till his second comming to iudgement. Whereby wee learne, that it is the dutie of Gods Church to preserue and maintaine the puritie of true religion vnto the end of the world. This is no small matter: but a most needfull dutie enioyned vnto vs by speciall commaundement, and withall a matter of great consequence: for the puritie of religion is the foundation and marke of the Church, and the right way to direct mens soules to eternall life. For this cause Paule chargeth Timothie, 2 Tim 1.1[illegible: 1 letter] & 3.14. To keepe the true patterne of wholesome words, and to continue in the things which hee had learned. And in regard of this dutie,1. Tim. 3.15. the Church is called, The pillar and ground of truth. And Christ for this cause gaue to his Church both Pastors and Teachers:Ephes. 4.[illegible: 1 letter]1. Pastors to instruct in righteousnesse, for the maintenance of puritie in manners: and Teachers to maintaine the puritie of doctrine in soundnesse of iudgement. This therefore must admonish vs, that we haue care not onely to learne religion in our owne persons, but also to convey the same to ages following, that the puritie thereof may bee preserued to the comming of Christ. This dutie especially concernes the preachers of the Gospell, they should teach the truth, and confute errours, and beat downe false doctrines, which poyson the truth of God. If in the night season a man set vp a false light in the hauen, all the ships that are comming to land are in danger of shipwrack. So in Gods Church, if the bright light of pure religion bee not set vp and aduaunced, the soules of men are cast into the gulfe of hell. The want of care in performing this dutie, is the cause why God sends heresies and Apostacies into his Church. Thus came in the Apostacie of Antichrist, 2. Thess. 2.10, 11, Because men loued not the truth. And I no doubt will the Lord deale with vs, if we haue not care to maintaine the puritie of Apostolicall doctrine.