William Perkins on Revelation 2:4

Verse. 4. Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first loue.

These words containe the second part of the proposition of this Epistle, to wit, a sharpe and seuere reproofe of this church for decay in grace; as will appeare in the opening of the words. Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee, Here Christ speaketh as a Iudge vnto this church, and to the minister thereof, and layeth this action vnto their charge: that they had left their first loue, that is, that loue which they bare to God, and his religion, and to their brethren, at that time whē they were first called vnto the profession of the gospell. This loue they are sayd to haue left, not as though they had quite lost it, but onely because they suffered it to decay, and to waxe cold in good workes. But some will say they are before commended for their zeale and labour for Gods glory; and for their seueritie against false teachers: how then had they left their first loue? Answ. At this time when Christ doth thus reproue them, their loue was commendable; but yet it was nothing in regard of that which they had at their first conuersion.

If Christ haue something against this church for leauing her first loue; The Vse. then no doubt he hath something against the church of England, and against vs at this day▪ howsoeuer wee may persuade our selues that we be high in his fauour, yet we are in the like, or a worse estate than this church now was: for a great part of the body of our church hath left off their first loue: and the greatest part hath no loue at all. That many haue left their first loue is too too euident. For such as in Queene Maries time were content to suffer much for the Gospell, as the histories of our church do shew, after they inioyed a little quietnesse became meere worldlings, as their liues haue testified afterward. And in such congregations where the word hath long bin preached, this is too apparant that men who for the space of twentie, of ten, or seuen yeares haue shewed feruent loue to Christ and his Gospell, and to their brethren, do now fall away and shew none at all. He that hath but halfe an eye, may see many for a yeare or two very forward and zealous in religion, who soone after suffer pleasures, profits, or preferments to drawe them quite away: some I confesse through the mercie of God are free from this decay. But there is yet a more grieuous fault among vs: for the greatest part of our people haue no loue at all. These are the dayes whereof Christ sayd Matth. 24.12.22. loue should waxe cold. And whereof Paul sayd, Men should be 2. Ti. 3.2. louers of themselues: for take the most congregations where the Gospell hath bene long preached, yet you shall find that the hearers are neither bettered for knowledge nor for obedience, but remaine still as ignorant and profane as euer they were. This argueth that they haue no loue of God in their hearts, though they haue a formall profession of his name in their mouth: For where the loue of God is, there most needs bee increase in knowledge, in grace, and in obedience. Againe, see how men generally walke in their callings, and therin behold a meere defect of loue. All the paines they take is for their priuat gaine and pleasure; no regard is had of Gods glory, of the maintenance of true religiō, and of the good of their brethren: herein their owne consciences shall be the witnesses. So that generally this may be said, We haue no loue at all. What an action then shall we thinke hath Christ against vs? It must needs bee grieuous; and so our case fearefull and dangerous. If an earthly prince and potentat had an action against vs, and his case were good, it would make vs looke about vs, yea to tremble and quake, and to be at our wits end. Behold, not a worldly prince but the king of heauen and earth hath a matter against vs, iust and grieuo[illegible: 3 letters] oh how should this moue vs to search our selues, to trie our estate, and to humble our selues vpon the knees of our heart before his maiestie. We may not imagine that this charge of Christ doth not concerne vs: the conclusion of this Epistle shewes it belongs to all that haue eares to heare. And therefore we should labour to preuent Gods iudgement, by iudging our selues for our decay and want of loue.

Againe, this rebuke of Christ for decay of loue, should teach vs to labour for increase in loue to God and to our brethren; adding grace to grace in our harts, as we adde day vnto day in our liues, that so our loue may obound: read 1. Thes. 4.1.9, 10, where Paule vrgeth this dutie at large: he confesseth they did loue one another, and yet beseecheth them to increase therein. Phil. 3.13.4. in Pauls person we haue a worthie president, which we must follow, if wee thinke to come whither he is gone before: though hee had gone farre in the loue of God, yet he laboured to perfection, and therefore considered not that which was past, as resting in it, but rather how farre hee was too short, that so he might vse meanes to increase in loue, and in all other good graces, till hee come to perfection. A christian mans life is a way that leadeth to heauen, wherein we once setting foot, must [illegible: 1 letter]uer go forward, and not stand still or turne backe, lest we neuer come there. The state of a christian is like vnto a child, which still groweth till it come to a perfect strength: and so must euerie child of God labour to grow in the graces of God, till they bee perfect men in Christ: For if they stand still, Christ hath something against them.

The Rhemists in their annotations abuse this place, to proue that a man may quite fall away from grace. Therefore to cleare this text, and to confirme our hearts in the truth of Gods word, thi[illegible: 1 letter] question must be scanned, Whether a man may quite fall away from grace? Answ. Grace in Scripture is taken two wayes: First, for that fauour of God whereby hee accepteth of some for his children in Christ. This is the first grace and the fountaine of all other: and taking grace in this sense, I say, that the signes of grace and the sense thereof in the heart, may be lost: But the f[illegible: 2 letters]our of God it selfe cannot bee lost of them that truly beleeue. When an earthly father is displeased with his child for some notorious crime, hee will turne the signes of his fauour into signes of displeasure, and shew the same partly by words, and partly by stripes: and yet he still continueth his father, and holdeth him for his sonne, without any purpose to disinherit him: Euen so God dealeth with his children; for their sins and corruptions, he will turne away his louing countenance from them, and change the signes of his fauour into anger and displeasure; when as yet the good purpose of their adoption is not altered, but remaineth firme for euer: and God is still their father, though an angrie father through the prouocation of their sinnes. Secondly, grace in Scripture is taken for the gifts of grace which are bestowed on them that beleeue in Christ. These gifts of grace be of two sorts, some more principall, of absolute necessitie vnto saluation, without which none can bee saued; as faith, and also hope, and loue, which proceed from faith. There be others also lesse principall, which be very profitable and requisit, yet not absolutly needfull vnto saluation: As the feeling of Gods fauor, alacritie in prayer, & sense of ioy and comfort in the holy Ghost. These lesse principal graces may quite be lost. The principall graces also may be decayed, lessened, and couered, in regard of operation, euen in Gods children: but quite extinguished they cannot be, for God vpholdeth them by perseuerance; where faith, hope, & loue are once truly wrought by Gods spirit, they are neuer wholly or finally taken away, but onely in part, and in sense and feeling for a time. This answer is agreeable to this text, for the church of Ephesus is here blamed, not for quite loosing her loue[illegible: 1 letter] but because she had left her first loue, suffering it to decay and waxelesse than it was at their first conuersion.

And because this doctrine is oppugned earnestly, not onely by the church of Rome, but also by some churches and schooles of the Protestants: I will first shew the truth hereof out of Gods word, and then scan the cheefe reasons that are brought against it. That grace cannot bee wholly and finally lost, these reasons proue: I. Matth. 16.18. The promise is made to Peter, and in him to all the faithfull: That vpon that faith which he professed, Christ would build his temple, and the gates of hell should not preuaile against it. Which last words must be marked, for they intimate, that the diuell with his adherents would shew much force and violence against the faith of the elect, but yet they should neuer get the victory, or ouercome it wholly. II. Matth. 24.24, Christ foretelling that false Prophets should come, sayth: They should seduce, if it were possible, the very elect. Where he taketh this for graunted, that the elect, albeit they may bee assaulted greeuously, yet they can neuer be wholly or finally drawne away from their faith. III. Iohn. 10.27, 28, My sheepe heare my voyce (sayth Christ) and I know them, and they follow me: and I giue vnto them eternall life, and they shall neuer perish. To this they answer: It is true, they shall neuer perish, so long as they remaine the sheepe of Christ. But that cauill is cut off in the next wordes: Neither shall any plucke them out of my hands, my father which gaue them me, is greater than all, and none is able to plucke them out of my fathers hands: And therefore neither the deuill, nor the world, nor the flesh, can by any temptation draw the sheep of Christ from their faith, and make them to be no sheepe. IV. Reason. Iohn. 3.36. Hee that beleeueth in Christ hath eternall life. They say hee hath it in hope, and no otherwise. I answere; if they haue it in hope, they shall neuer perish: Rom. 5.5. For hope maketh not ashamed. V. Reason. Rom. 8.30. Whom hee predestinat, them also he called: and whom hee called, them also be iustified: and whom hee iustified, them also be glorified. Those which are elected, called, and iustified by faith, must needs be glorified, and therefore cannot fall away finally: for such shall neuer be glorified. And in the end of the chapter, vers. 38. hee addeth; That neither death, nor life, Angels, principalities, nor powers, nor any thing els can separate vs, viz. the faithfull, from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But if the faithfull might fall away finally, then they might be seuered from the loue of God. VI. Reason. Rom. 11.29. The gifts of Gods calling (that is, the peculiar gifts that pertaine to saluation) are without repentance. They say it is true, God indeed neuer repenteth him of his gifts: but yet a man may perish and fall away, because he may refuse and reiect Gods grace giuen vnto him. This answere is friuolous, maintaining this absurditie, that the powerfull will of God should be broght vnder the silly will of the creature: if man could repell Gods grace giuen vnto him, then should mans will take place, and Gods will bee made frustrate and void. VII. Reason. 1. Iohn. 3.9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not, because his seede remaineth in him: neither can bee sinne, because he is borne of God. How is that true, for chap. 1.10, Hee that sayth he hath not sinned, maketh God a lyar, and his word is not in him? Answ. The place must bee vnderstood thus: He that is borne of God sinneth not, that is, with full consent, and with all his hart. Sinne doth not raigne in him: for the regenerate man consisteth of two parts; flesh and spirit: he sinneth not as hee is spirit, that is, regenerate; but as hee is flesh and sinfull. His will sinneth not as it is spirituall, but as it is carnall. The papists say, Indeed he sinneth not, so long as he continueth to be borne of God. But this shift is cut off by the wordes of the text, Neither can be sinne, because the seede of grace, euen the word of God abideth in him. This place plainely proueth, euen in the iudgement of the Papists, that the child of God cannot wholly or finally fall from grace. They say it is a hard place, and indeed they cannot answere to it. VIII. Reason. If a man may finally fall from grace, then may hee bee wholly cut off from Christ: for grace is neuer wholly lost, till a man bee quite cut off from Christ. But it cannot bee, that a member of Christ can be quite cut off: for then it should follow, that one and the same man must bee often ioyned to Christ; namely, so often as hee falleth by sinne, if he would be saued. Whereupon this would also follow, that one and the same man must be often baptized: for Baptisme is the Sacrament of incision, the meanes of admission into the church, and the seale of our vnion with Christ. But Rebaptization may not bee admitted. The church of God denieth it vpon this ground, because a man is onely once borne of God. IX. Reason. Christ teacheth vs to pray thus, Leade vs not into temptation: that is, suffer not Sathan and sinne wholly to preuaile against vs, and finally to vanquish vs. This petition being taught by Christ, must needes be lawfull, and according to Gods will: and therefore hereunto, as to euery lawfull petition, belong these two things: First, Gods commaund to make it: Secondly, his promise to assure vs, it shall bee graunted. Whereby this is euident: That there is in Gods word a promise, assuring euery child of God, that hee shall neuer wholly be conquered of the deuill: and therefore he can neuer wholly or finally fall from grace; for if hee might, then were he wholly ouercome in temptation.

The contrarie arguments be of three sorts; places of scripture, Examples, and Reasons: for the first, Exod. 32, 32. When the Israelits had sinned that great sinne of Idolatrie, Moses prayeth God to forgiue them; If not (sayth he) blot mee out of thy booke. Hence they gather, that a child of God may bee blotted out of Gods booke of life, and so finally perish. Answ. That place must be vnderstood with this condition: If is be possible; as in the like prayer it is expressed by Christ: Father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me. This condition must needs be added: for els wee must say, that Moses prayed for that which he knew was impossible; namely, that one priuate man should suffer eternall punishments for the sinnes of others, though in temporall punishments such a thing may be, yet in eternall, it is impossible. Againe, Moses in this prayer doth principally shew his exceeding affection and zeale for Gods glorie, and for the safetie of his brethren, both which hee preferred before his owne life; as if hee should say: Lord pardon them, and rather than thy name should loose glorie, blot me out of thy booke. The like affection was in Paule, when hee sayd, Rom. 9.3. He could wish himselfe to be separate from Christ for the loue of his brethren the Iewes. They further vrge the Lords answere to Moyses, vers. 33. Whosoeuer hath sinned against mee, I will put him out of my booke. But as the Lord therein answereth to Moses prayer, so must it bee vnderstood, with the like exception.

II. Obiect. Ezek. 18.24. If the righteous man turne away from his righteousnesse, and commit iniquitie, and doe according to all the abhominations that the wicked man doth, shall hee liue? All his righteousnesse that hee hath done shall not be mentioned: but hee shall die in his sinne. Here (say they) it is plaine, that a man may fall from grace? Answ. Righteousnesse is twofold: of the outward action, and of the person. So Paule distinguisheth, when he desireth to be sound Phi[illegible: 2 letters]p. 3.9 not in his owne righteousnesse, which is of the law; that is, such as was in him while hee was a Pharisee: but in the righteousnesse of Christ. The righteousnesse of the action is, when a man for outward actions keeps the law of God. The righteousnesse of the person is that, whereby a man is accepted righteous before God. And answerable hereunto, there be two kinds of righteous men: one that is outwardly righteous before men, thogh not indeed: The other, that is truly righteous before God. Now of the former of these two, must that place be vnderstood: for the Lord there pleadeth with such as did esteeme and auow themselues to be righteous, saying: Their fathers had eaten soure grapes; that is, had sinned, and they were punished for their fathers offences, though they were righteous: And the Holy ghost speaking according to their own conceit and opinion of themselues, calleth them righteous: and of such it is true they may turn from their righteousnesse.

III. Obiect. Luk. 8.13. Some beleeue for a time, and in time of temptation goe away. Answ. There be three kinds of faith: Historicall, Temporarie, and sauing faith. In Histo[illegible: 1 letter]icall faith, is knowledge of the word of God, with assent vnto it. In temporary faith are three things: knowledge of the Word, Assent, and Approbation also, with some ioy. In sauing faith, there are foure things: Knowledge, Assent, Approbation, and Apprehension: that is, an applying of the promises of God vnto a mans selfe; whence proceedeth some ioy. And answerably, there are three kinds of beleeuers. I. such as know the word of God, but yet haue no loue thereof. II. such as know it, assent vnto it, and reioyce in it also, for a time. The third are such as apprehend the promises, and apply them to themselues. Now the two first kinds of faith may bee left: and the two first kinds of beleeuers may fall away, whereof Saint Luke speaketh: But hence it followeth not, that sauing faith, may be lost; for he that is endued therewith, can neuer fall away. But faith (say they) is onely one, Ephes. 4.5. There is but one faith, one God, one hope, and one Baptisme. Answ. By one faith is there meant one religion, and doctrine of saluation: as elsewhere is vsuall, by the name of faith. 1. Tim. 1.19.

Their second kind of arguments are Examples: which are chiefely two: one of Adam, the other of Dauid, For Adam; they say he was created righteous, and yet hee fell wholly from grace: and therefore any beleeuer now, may much more fall away, who haue farre lesse grace than he had. Answ. This Argument is not good: for though Adam had a greater measure of grace than we now haue, yet our grace hath a greater priuiledge than his had: his grace came by creation; ours is by redemption and regeneration. Adam had the first grace, to bee able to obey; but he wanted the second, to be sure to perseuere: because God would permit his fall, to make a way both to manifest his iustice and mercie in our redemption by Christ. But the child of God after his conuersion, wherein hee hath the first grace to repent and beleeue, hath also an infallible promise, That he shall receiue the second grace, to abide in that faith. And therefore Paule sayth: I Philip 1.6. am persuaded, that hee which hath begun this good worke in you, will performe it vntill the day of the Lord Iesus Christ. And againe, 2. Thes. 3 3 The Lord is faithfull, who will stablish you, and keepe you from euill.

Secondly, Dauid (say they) by his two grieuous sinnes fell wholly from grace? Answ He fell indeed grieuously, but not wholly: for after his fall hee contemned not Gods word, he hated not God, nor despaired of mercie; which hee must haue done, if he had fallen wholly. And therefore he had remorse for his sinne, so soone as the Prophet Nathan come vnto him. But (say they) hee prayeth God to create a new heart in him, therefore hee had then no grace: For creation is a making of that which hath no being. Answ. Dauid then speeketh not as he was before God, but as hee was in his owne sence and feeling: for by his sinnes Gods graces were sore decayed. But (say they) hee repented not for the space of one whole yeare: Now where there is no repentance, there is no faith, and consequently no grace nor pardon. Answ. In repentance there be two things: the gift of repentance, and the act and practise thereof. The gift of repentance was in the heart of Dauid, when he yet lay in his sinnes: but the act thereof lay hid, and he wanted the renewing thereof all that time. Againe, Dauid had the pardon of his sinnes past, though hee had not the pardon of those two sinnes, till hee repented of them. Neither was his repentance lost but decayed onely, hee wanted not the power of it simply, but the practise of it onely in that act.

Their third kind of arguments are drawne from equitie and reason.

I. Hee that is a member of an harlot, and of the deuill, ceaseth wholly to bee a member of Christ: but a child of God truly beleeuing, may become the member of an harlot, and of Sathan, as Dauid did. Answ. There be three kinds of members; dead, decaied, and liuing members: a dead member is that which is onely in shew a member: as a legge of wood or of brasse in a mans bodie. A decayed member is a true member, though weak, as is a legge or arme that is taken with a palsie, or sore wounded. But a liuely member is that which doth moue, and do all it functions perfectly. So in the church there be some members dead, and onely in shew; others feeble and weake, that by reason of some grieuous sinnes are not able to doe their duties. And there bee liuely members, which serue God with an vpright and perfect heart. Now, though a member of an harlot cannot be a liuely member of Christ, because by his sinnes hee weakeneth and woundeth the graces of God (for euery adulterer and fornicator doth as much as in him lieth cut himselfe off from Christ) yet hee may bee a decayed member of Christ. And this may the rather stand, because a man is made the member of Christ one way, namely, spiritually; and the member of an harlot another way, namely, bodily.

II. Reason. If a man cannot fall from grace, then preaching, prayer, the sacraments, and all means of perseuerance are needlesse? Answ. Nothing lesse: for they haue all their good and necessarie vse vnto them which haue grace: euen to make them constant in grace. For where the Scripture teacheth the certaintie of saluation, it implieth the vse of the meanes of perseuerance. Paul in his iourney to Rome was certaine they should come all safe to land Act. [illegible: 1 letter]7.2[illegible: 1 letter] by the promise of God: yet when the marines would haue gone out of the ship, Hee telleth the Captaine, vnlesse Verse 31. these stay in, we cannot be saued: because they were the meanes to bring them to land. So when Isay had told Ezekias from the Lord that he should liue fifteene yeares longer, he was thereby assured of recouerie, and yet hee vsed Isa 38.21. a bunch of figges as a meanes thereof: as also food and rayment to preserue his life afterward.

III. Reason. This doctrine of certaine perseuerance maintaineth men in securitie? Answ. Securitie is twofold, carnall, and spirituall: carnall, when a man regardeth not at all the means of his saluation, but giueth himselfe wholly to the profits and pleasures of this world. Spirituall, when a man relieth on God for his saluation, by beleeuing his promises▪ and this securitie it maintaineth, but not the carnall securitie: For it teacheth the vse of the meanes of perseuerance, as prayer, hearing, and reading of the word, and receiuing the Sacraments. And thus I conclude this question, That the true child of God, who truly beleeueth, when he sinneth, doth neither wholly nor finally fall away, neither can doe.

Lastly, if this were true of this famous Church of Ephesus, which was founded and preserued by the Apostles, that shee suffered her first loue to decay; then how can it bee otherwise with vs, but that wee should suffer our first loue as well towards God as man, to lessen and diminish? and that this is so, our consciences will tell vs, if wee looke to that loue and zeale we had at our first calling: and though wee haue not felt this decay, yet we must know wee bee in danger of it continually. And therefore we must take heed that we suffer not our good affections in religion to diminish. Water that hath beene once hot, will afterward be most cold, and freese the hardest: euen so, when our hearts haue beene once heated with the fire of the Lords altar, as true loue, and other graces of the spirit, if we suffer them to decay, we shall become more frozen in iniquitie than any others. The hawke while shee is quicke to take her prey, is set vpon the hand of kings and nobles: but if shee wax weake and die, she is cast off to the dunghill. Euen so while we are hote and cheerefull in loue towards God and his church, wee are carried as it were on Gods owne hand: but if wee faint and decay in loue, we shall be cast lower than if wee had neuer beene so exalted. This loue of God in vs is like a little flame of fire, for the maintaining whereof wee must doe three things: First, take heed of all manner of sinne, which quencheth loue and other graces of the spirit, as water quencheth fire. In the old Testament the priests kept fire burning vpon the altar day and night, to be alwayes readie to sacrifice vnto the Lord: and so must we keep the flame of loue & other graces continually burning in our hearts, that thence we may offer vp acceptable sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing vnto the Lord. Secondly, we must stir vp the gifts of grace that are in vs, as Paule sayth to Timothie, 2. Tim. 1.6. vsing a comparison from the fire, which burneth more bright and cleare when it is stirred vp. Lastly, wee must exercise our selues in the duties of pietie, as faith, repentance, loue, and such like: & so shall they not decay. And thus much for the sinne of this church.