William Perkins on Revelation 2:9

Verse 9. I kn[illegible: 2 letters] thy workes, and [illegible: 2 letters]ibulation and [illegible: 1 word], (but th[illegible: 2 letters] ar[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 word]) and I know the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes [illegible: 1 span] but are the Synagogue of Satan.

Here beginneth the Proposition of this Epistle, containing the matter and substance of the whole Epistl[illegible: 1 letter]. This Proposition hath two parts▪ a commendation of this Church: and counsell how to behaue [illegible: 1 word] selfe▪ in the time to come. The commendation is in this ninth verse, wherewithall are mingled some comfort[illegible: 1 letter] vnto this Church, being in affliction.

I kn[illegible: 1 letter]w thy work[illegible: 2 letters]. These word[illegible: 1 letter] were handled in the former Epistle▪ The meaning breefely is this: I know all thy dealings, & thy waies, I know the whole tenor of thy life▪ and I doe withall well like and approoue of them. Here Christ setteth downe an excellent propertie touching himselfe: namely, that he seeth and knoweth all things whatsoeuer, nothing is hid from him: and that this Church might bee resolued hereof, hee repeateth this vnto them: I know thy workes. Neither is it any vaine repetition; being indeed the ground of all true pietie, and syncere obedience.

Wee therefore in a our affaires are here taught to labour, to bee fully resolued in our consciences, that Christ is with vs, and seeth vs, and knoweth the whole tenour of our wayes in thoughts▪ words, and [illegible: 2 letters]eds. Dauid had learned this, when as he sayd▪ Psal. [illegible: 1 span]. Thou knowest my sitting and my rising, thou vnderstandest my thoughts a farre off. Thou compassest my paths and my lying downe, and art accustomed vnto all my wayes: there is not a word in my toung, but thou knowest it wholly. This persuasion is very necessarie; for it will moue a man to make conscience of euery thought, word, and action, and of his whole behauiour: but where this persuasion is wanting, there is no religion in the heart, nor good behauior in the life. When this takes place, Religion beginneth and encreaseth with it; so doth good conscience and true obedience: for hee that hath the Lord alwayes before him, will not greatly fall, Psal. 16.8.

And tribulation. Marke here how workes, that is, a godly conuersation, and tribulation goe together. Hence we learne, that God will haue tribulations ioyned with his grace; where hee bestowes his graces, there also hee layeth tribulation: and that for weightie causes, as to humble them for their sinnes past, to make triall of their faith and other graces, and to preuent in them sinnes to come. The consideration wherof must mooue all Gods children in this our Church to looke for some tribulation: for God hath bestowed among vs plentie of his graces, with long peace, and many outward blessings: and his will is, that trouble and affliction should accompanie the same.

Further, Christ saying, I know thy tribulations, would hereby comfort this Church; as if hee should say, True it is thou art in great trouble, but it commeth not by chaunce, but by the speciall prouidence of my father; and I do know and regard the same. Psal. 113.6, 7, The raising vp of the poore and needie, is made a fruit of Gods beholding the things that are done vpon the earth. This is an excellent comfort for any church or people that be in affliction: for when they shall know, that beside the hand of God therein, Christ Iesus regardeth their sorrowes; this must needes arme them with long suffering and ioyfulnesse. We in this Church (as hath beene shewed) may persuade our selues, that God will send tribulations among vs; now when they come, what shall we doe? Shall wee sinke vnder them? No: but wee must now forecast to vse the meanes whereby we may stay our hearts vnder the smart and burden of them; that is, by setling our hearts in this persuasion, that Christ seeth our affliction, and withall hath speciall care to comfort or deliuer vs, as hee seeth most for his glory, and the good of our soule[illegible: 1 letter].

In the next words Christ setteth downe two kinds of tribulations in this church, Pouertie▪ and Repro[illegible: 1 letter]h: By Pouertie he meaneth want of temporall things, to maintaine this naturall life. Where obserue sundry things, I. That true religion and pietie will not free any from outward pouertie. The religion of this church was excellent, and yet they were in want: and therefore let no man think, because he is godly, he shall bee rich, or not fall into pouertie. If it be sayd:1. Tim. 4.[illegible: 1 letter]. Godlinesse hath the promise not onely of the life to come, but also of this life, that is, of earthly blessings and riches: I answere, it is true; but yet with difference: Eternall blessings onely are promised absolutely; and temporall blessings with restraint, namely, if they serue for Gods glory and the good of his children: otherwise they must want as this Church did. II. The Lord would comfort this Church in her pouertie, by saying that hee knew it and regarded it. Where wee see a meanes to comfort all those that be in want of outward blessings: They must consider, that Christ seeth & obserueth their want whatsoeuer; and if they be his seruants, he will free them from it, so it bee for his glory and the good of their soules; or els arme them with patience to beare it, if they pray vnto him. III. Christ here approueth of works, where he acknowledgeth pouertie: so that good workes and pouertie may stand together. And therefore good workes doe not consist onely in large a[illegible: 1 letter]mes, as the Church of Rome would haue it; though these haue due reward and prayse in their place. But euery worke of a mans lawfull calling, done in obedience to God, with an honest heart, from a good conscience, and for Gods glory, is a good worke, bee the calling neuer so base. Thus may the shepheard please God in his calling as well as the magistrate or minister. For it is not the matter of the worke that commends it vnto God; but the manner of doing.

But thou art rich. Here Christ intendeth both to prayse and to comfort this church: as if hee should say, Notwithstanding thy outward pouertie, yet thou art rich in God, [illegible: 1 word] Luke 12.21. Men are rich in God in two respects: I. when they are reconciled to God in the merites of Christ, 2 Cor. 8, 9. Christ became poore for our sakes, that we through his pouertie might be made rich: that is, that wee might haue the pardon of sinne, and bee receiued into Gods fauour. Hereupon Dauid cals the Lord his portion and his cup. And durable riches, and righteousnesse are with wisedome, Proverb. 8.18. II. When they receiue his grace, whereby they are enabled to bring forth good works, both in duties to God and man. Of this Paule speaketh, when he exhorteth rich men to be rich in good works, and to lay vp for themselues a good foundation against the time to come, 1. Tim. 6.16.

In this commendation sundry duties are to be learned: I. poore men are here taught, seeing God denieth vnto them earthly riches and wealth to labour to be rich in God, to bee reconciled vnto him in Christ, and to get such grace, that they may doe good duties both vnto God and man▪ in faith and with a good conscience. II. Rich men, on whom God bestoweth outward wealth, must hereby be admonished to embrace Paules charge, 1. Tim. 6.17, 18, Aboue all things seeke for true riches in the liuing God: and not suffer these outward blessings to puffe vp their minds; but vse them as meanes to make thē rich in God, by getting Gods grace, doing good workes, and distributing to the poore. This admonition is most necessarie, for though the promises of Gods grace be not denied vnto the rich; yet sure it is, riches doe choke the seede of grace in the heart, and hinder the care men ought to haue for spirituall riches. And hence it commeth, that moe of the poorer sort receiue and obey the gospell than of the rich. III. Herein behold the madnesse of the world. For the most mens greatest labour and care is after worldly wealth and honour: neuer regarding the true treasures of Gods grace which will commend them vnto God, when the other must perish, and the wicked owners thereof. Let vs therefore iudge as Christ doth of true riches, and accordingly labour to be rich in his [illegible: 1 letter]igh[illegible: 1 letter].

The second part of their tribulation is the reproch and blasphemie of their enemies, in these words: I kn[illegible: 1 letter]w the blasphemie of them which say they are Iewes, and are not, &c. that is, I know the greeuous slaunders and reuilings which thine enemies fasten vpon thee. For Blasphemie signifieth not onely speeches of disgrace against God, but also against men. As Na[illegible: 3 letters]b was accused, 1. King. 21.10, to [illegible: 1 word] blasphemed God and the king. And of this Paule sayth: When wee are re[illegible: 2 letters]led, wee blesse[illegible: 1 letter] when wee are blasphemed, wee pray, 1. Cor. 4.12, 13.

Hence wee learne, that all churches and men that desire truely to serue God, and to keepe good consciences, must looke for slaunders and reuilings: Neither must this seeme strange vnto them; for Christ hath sayd, it must bee so. Nay, rather they might maruell, if they should suffer no reproches for Christs sake, seeing hee hath sayd: Cursed are you, when all men speake well of you, Luke 6.26. It is indeed a greeuous thing, to bee so euill rewarded for well doing: but this must bee their comfort, and ground of patience, That Christ heareth and knoweth euery reproch, and will in his good time remedie the same.

The persons which blaspheme this Church are thus described: Which say they be Iewes, and are not, but are of the Synagogue of Sathan. As in other famous cities, so in Smyrna dwelt some of the Iewes, who had their Synagogues, that is, such places of assemblies, where they serued God after their manner: and though they denied Christ, yet they thought themselues to be the onely true worshippers of God in all the world; and therefore did blaspheme and raile vpon the Christians that beleeued in Christ. And of these Christ sayth, though by birth they were Iewes, yet indeed they were not the Israell of God, nor his true worshippers, as they accounted themselues. Whereby in generall we may see, from whom come railings and reproches on Gods seruants; namely, from those which say they are true worshippers of God, and are not: For he is not a Iew that is [illegible: 1 word] outwardpunc; Rom. 2.28. He therefore that slandereth the truth and the professors thereof is an enemie to Christ, as well as to his seruants: for no friend of Christ can possibly speake euill of his gospell and religion. This should be considered for the comfort of the godly, because they that endeuour to serue God in synceritie, are of all men most subiect to reproch: Hee that refraineth from euill, maketh himselfe a prey, Isay 59.1[illegible: 1 letter].

Touching these Iewes, two points are to bee considered: I. What they are in their owne opinion: II. What they are in the iudgement of Christ. For the first, because they were Iewes, by birth descending from Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, Gods auntient seruants, therefore they thought themselues the onely true worshippers of God, as their forefathers were. And this is the manner of all wicked men; to blesse Psal. 10.[illegible: 1 letter]. themselues in their wickednesse: and whatsoeuer they doe, yet still to say and thinke, God will blesse them. Take an heretick[illegible: 1 letter], who ouerthrowes the truth of God by his errors, and he will say he teacheth that which in conscience hee is persuaded is the truth, for which hee will shed his bloud, and whereto he would haue all men yeeld. So take a professed witch, man or woman, they will say, all that they doe is by the power of the good Angels, and by some speciall gifts giuen vnto them aboue others; but they will not bee brought to acknowledge, that they doe any thing by vertue of their league with the deuil, from whence indeed commeth all they can doe. And so the carnall protestants of our time, they looke for Gods blessings in this life, and for eternall life by Christ after death, and yet walke in the broad way to destruction, in sinne & profanesse. Thus they blesse themselues in their euill wayes, and make Christ a pack-horse for their iniquities. But in the example of these Iewes we must learn to lay downe all presumptuous thoughts of our owne goodnesse and vaine persuasions of gods fauor, without his true grace, and rather looke vnto our sinnes, and bee humbled for them, that God may lift vs vp. II. point. Christs iudgement of them is this: They are not Iewes, but a Synagogue of Sathan; that is, a companie of men that seemed to serue God after the Iewish maner, but did indeed worship the deuill. Herein are many things to be considered, I. How this could be true of any companie of the Iewes, who were the chosen people of God? Answ. Election is twofold: speciall, and generall. Gods speci[illegible: 1 letter]ll election is, when in his eternall couns[illegible: 1 letter]ll he chuseth a man to life eternall; and [illegible: 1 letter]his befell not all the Iewes, but some onely: Gods generall election is▪ [illegible: 1 letter]hē he [illegible: 1 letter]ouchsafeth any people to become his visible church, to haue and [illegible: 1 word] the outward signe[illegible: 1 letter] and [illegible: 1 span] his co[illegible: 1 letter]e[illegible: 1 letter]ant[illegible: 1 letter] & thus▪ was the [illegible: 1 word] of the Iews elected, and therefore were circumcised, and receiued the passeouer▪ From this generall election▪ a church and people may fall, as the Iewes did,Rom. 9. and so became the Synagogue of Sathan; being indeed neuer within the particular calling, from which a man cannot fall away: for Gods election remaineth s[illegible: 2 letters]e, 2. Tim. 2.19. his calling is without repentance, Rom. 11.[illegible: 1 letter]9.

II. point. At what time did the Iewes begin to be a synagogue of Sathan? Answ. Not at the crucifying of the Lord of life, (though that were a most heinous sinne) for though some therin sinned of malice, yet many did it of ignorance. This Peter confess[illegible: 1 letter]th, Acts. 3.17. And therfore in his first Sermon after Christs ascension telleth them, That the [illegible: 1 word] belonged to them and to [illegible: 1 span] that were a farre off, Act▪ [illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 2 letters]. But when the Apostles had a long time preached Christ vnto them, & conuinced their consciences out of the old testament that he was the true Messias, and yet they remained obstinate, reiecting and persecuting both them and their doctrine▪ then they ceased to bee a church of God, and became the synagogue of Sathan: for this cause Paule and Barnabas shooke off the dust of their feet against them, and turned to the G[illegible: 3 letters]ils, Act. 1[illegible: 1 letter].46.[illegible: 1 letter] Whereby we see when a church of God becommeth no church, namely, not so soone as they hold an heresie: for the church of the Galatians held iustification by workes, yet thereupon ceased not to be a church▪ but when they embrace an heresie against the foundation of religion, and be conuicted of it, not by priuate men, but by Apostolicall authority, or by publick iudiciall sentence of the church, from the authoritie of Gods word.

Hence we may learne, first, what we are to thinke and iudge of the church of the papists, of the Libertines and Anabaptists, familie of Loue, and such like: namely, that they are no churches of God: for they hold heresies against the foundation which the Church long agone condemned by Apostolicall and Iudiciall authoritie. Againe, here we learne what to iudge of this our church of England: many there be that say wee haue no church among vs, because some priuat men haue reprooued the same for some things that are amisse, and yet they are not reformed. But this is a fond and foolish reason: For first, the errour must be against the foundation, and yet that maketh not a church to bee no church, vnlesse it be obstinatly maintained after sufficient reproofe and iudiciall conuiction by the word of God: But no such thing can be affirmed of vs, and therfore we remaine the true church of God.

III. point. How became the Iewes a Sinagogue of Sathan? Answ. Through their vnbeleefe: as is plainely prooued, Roman. 11.20. Obiect. But they held the word of God and defended the bookes of the old Testament, for which we are beholding vnto them. Answ. Indeed they held the letter: but if we regard the true meaning of the Prophets, and the subiect of the old Testament, which is Iesus Christ, that they raced out and denied. And so though they held the letter, yet worshipping God out of Christ they worshipped an idoll, and not that God which would giue vnto them eternal life. For out of Christ there is no saluation. And so wee may say of the church of Rome: though they hold the bookes of the Old and New testament, with the Creed of the Apostles (whereupon some say wee ought not to depart from them,) yet the truth is, that indeed they hold them not. The Christ of the Papists is but a fained Christ: for they take from him both his nature (especially his humanitie) and his offices: and therefore wee haue iust cause to separat from them.

This example of the Iewes, that were once a most famous people, but are now become the Sinagogue of Sathan must be set before our eyes continually. For whē al the world were reiected, they stood high in Gods fauour: but now for their vnbeleefe they are cast off from God, and are become the Sinagogue of the diuell. Which must admonish vs, Not to be high minded but to feare, Ro. 11.20. For if God spared not the naturall branches, them that were his first chosen people, he will not spare vs that are but wild oliues graffed into the true vine. We must therefore take heed of vnbeleefe, and labour for true faith, which we must testifie by obedience in our liues & cōuersations.