William Perkins on Revelation 3:1

THE THIRD CHAPTER.

Verse. 1. And write vnto the Angel of the Church that is at Sardis, These things saith hee that hath the seuen Spirites of God, and the seuen Starres, I know thy workes, for thou hast a name that thou liuest, but thou art dead.

THese words containe the fift particular Commandement of our Sauiour Christ vnto Iohn, wherein he is inioyned to write & send a speciall Epistle to the Church of God in Sardis: of this commandement we haue spoken before. The Epistle it self, is contained in the sixe first Verses, & it hath three parts. A Preface, the matter of the Epistle, & the Conclusiō. The Preface in these words, These things saith he which hath the seuen Spirits of God, and the seuen Starres. In this Preface, first is set downe in whose name this Epistle is written, to procure authoritie vnto it: it is in Christs name, whose soueraigntie is described by two royalties: that is, by two prerogatiues or priuiledges belonging to him, as he is a soveraigne king of his Church: the first is, The hauing of the seuen spirits of God. The second, his hauing of the seuen Starres. For the first royaltie▪ In the first Chap. vers. 4. I shewed that by seuen spirits, were meant the holy Ghost; from whom proceed all the gifts and graces that any men enioy: and therefore whereas Christ is said to haue the seuen spirits of God: the meaning is, that he hath the holy ghost. And this is a royaltie of Christ, as he is the King and head of his Church. If it be said, that other seruants of God, as Dauid, Peter, and Paul, had the holy Ghost

Answ. It is true: but not in the same manner with Christ, for he hath the holy Ghost two wayes: in regard of his diuine nature, & of his manhood: as Christ is God, hee is the beginning of the holy Ghost: for the holy Ghost is a person in the Trinitie, proceeding from the sonne as well as from the Father; in regard of which proceeding, Christ is sayd to send the holy Ghost, and to doe whatsoeuer hee doth by the holy Ghost: as to ouercome death by the eternall spirite, and to rise from death to life.

Secondly, as Christ is man he hath the holy Ghost: because, the holy Ghost powred into him the perfection of all graces and giftes whatsoeuer. And for this cause, he is said to be Psal. 45.7. anoynted with the oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes, and to be inriched with the perfection of all graces, and that two wayes: both for number and degrees. For number: with men, some haue some graces, and some men others; but Christ hee hath the graces of all men, and all Angels: nay moe graces in number then all men and all Angels haue. And as they are in number perfect, so they are perfect in degree: for in measure they exceed the graces of all creatures, men or Angels: and therefore the Father is said, to haue giuen the spirit vnto his son, Iohn. 3.14. without measure: & thus much is meant by this first royaltie of Christ. Now the end why Christ is said to haue the holy Ghost is, to shewe that hee is a most liuely head of his Church, who is filled with plentie of all store of graces, whereby he is able to inrich his Church, and to reuiue the members thereof who are dead in their sinnes; and such indeed was the speciall state of this Church.

First hence we learne, The vse. no man can haue true fellowship with the holy Ghost but by Christ: it is manifest, that none can haue fellowship with the Father but by Christ. And here the same is verified touching fellowship with the holy ghost, especially for the obtaining of those graces that concerne eternall life. This serueth for our speciall instruction, for among the Papists there are many, that haue worthy and excellent gifts of God, as knowledge, memorie, &c. And yet in them be wanting the special giftes of the spirit, as faith which iustifieth, & regeneration: for touching assurance of these in themselues, they professe themselues to be ignorant. And whence cōmeth this, but onely from their want of Christ: for the Christ of the Papists, as they teach him, is an idoll Christ and therefore wee are not to maruell though wee see the most learned among them to scoffe and [illegible: 1 page] [illegible: 1 page] mock at our doctrin of assurance of Faith & certainty of electiō. Secondly, we haue many among vs that will say, they looke to be saued by Christ, & to haue their sins pardoned by him, and yet you shall perceiue in them no grace of knowledge or conscience of true obedience. But these things cānot stand together, to wit, loosnes of life, and forgiuenes of sins: & therfore these men deceiue themselues, for if they had Christ, they should haue his spirit, and the graces thereof purging their hearts, for Christ and his spirit are neuer seuered: he that hath the spirit of Christ working in him faith & good conscience, hath an infallible token that Iesus Christ is his. This must admonish vs to labour for [illegible: 1 word] vnion with Christ Iesus our head, to become flesh of his flesh, & bone of his bone: that in him we may haue fellowship with the father and with the holy Ghost, for till we be vnited vnto Christ we shall neuer haue the graces of saluation wrought effectually in our hearts.

The second royaltie of Christ is, that he hath the seuen starres: that is, the seuen Pastors of the seuen Churches of Asia, they are called starres, because in their ministerie they inlighten men in the way that leadeth vnto life. And Christ is said to haue them, because hee is a soueraigne Lord ouer them, & they bee his seruants. For he [illegible: 1 letter]ppointeth that person that shall be his minister among men, hee giueth him gifts meet for his calling, he prescribeth also vnto him his office and duties. But the Pastors of Churches (will some say) are made by the Church? Answ. The right of ordaining Pastors belongs to Christ, as his royaltie: the office of the Church is to testifie, ratifie, & according to the word of God to approoue of them whom Christ maketh and indueth with gifts: and for that cause is the Church said to call and ordaine Ministers.

The end why Christ is said to haue soveraigntie ouer the Ministers, is to strike the heart of the minister of this Church of Sardis with conscience of his former negligence, & to stir him vp to diligence and carefulnes in his place. And indeede, the consideration of Christs soueraigntie ouer them, is an excellent motiue to stir vp all Ministers to bee diligent in their place, and so likewise all Christians. For considering that they are Christs, and the gifts they haue come from him, this must mooue them to make conscience of all good duties, for being Christs they must giue themselues wholy to do the will of Christ, whose they are. If he would haue vs liue, we must be thankefull because he is Lord of life: if our death will glorifie him, we must be content, because wee are his. Thus much of the Preface.

The matter of this Epistle, containeth two parts. A reproofe of a vice, with the remedie thereof. Vers. 1.2.3. And a praise or commendation: vers. 4. The reproofe in these words, I know thy works, that is, I know all thy workes: they are all manifest vnto me, and I mislike of them. So must these wordes be vnderstood in this place, as may appeare by the reason of this reproofe in the wordes following, Thou hast a name that thou liuest, but thou art dead. Wherein is set downe the fault of this Church, namely, Hypocrisie: for that they pretended christian religion in outward profession, but yet wanted the life of christianitie, & the power of godlines: for the meaning of the reason is this: Thou hast a name that thou liuest: that is, Churches round about thee iudge and speak of thee, as of a church that is borne anew in Christ, and is guided by his spirit (for by life we must vnderstand spirituall life not corporall) but yet for all this thou art dead: that is, thou wantest true spirituall life by regeneration, and art indeed dead in thy sinnes: this is a great and a sharpe reproofe.

That which is here said of this Church of Sardis, may be truly verified of diuers churches in this age. As first, of the great church of Rome, who are guided by the Pope as by their head. That church hath a name to be aliue, & in their owne pretence it is the only true church of God in the world, but in truth and before God it is dead. Some say, it is as a body full of diseases, and whose throat is cut: but yet the heart panteth, & life remaineth therin. But we may say, it hath no manner of spirituall life, but lyeth starke dead as a carkasse in the graue. The reasons that some alledge for it, are of small moment: first, they say it hath the Sacramēt of baptisme, which is a note of a true Church: and therefore it hath some life? Ans. First, Baptisme is not alwayes a note of a true church: for circumcision, in whose stead commeth baptisme, was a sacrament vsed of the Samaritans when they were [illegible: 2 letters]se. 1.9. no people of God, and so no church of God. Againe, Baptisme without the true preaching of the Gospel, is no infallible signe of a church: it is but a seale pulled from the writing, or set to a bare paper to no vse: and further outward Baptisme without inward Baptisme, is no note of a church: but such is baptisme in the church of Rome; it hath not inward baptisme ioyned vnto it, neither the true preaching of the word; for the doctrine which they teach, is a quite ouerturning of Christ and his Gospel: and therefore outward baptisme may bee where there is no church. Secondly, I answer, that baptisme in the church of Rome, is a Sacrament not to their synagogue, but to the hiddē church of God among them. For God had his Church among them, euen in the midst of Poperie. There were alwayes some among them that renounced their religion, whom God called home vnto himself by the meanes which were among them; as the vse of this Sacrament▪ the Apostles Creed, and of other books of holy Scripture. For as God said to Elias in Ahabs time, [illegible: 1 letter]. Kin. 19.18. I haue reserued seuen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal: So may it bee sayd of many among the Papists; God hath there his secret Church, who neuer yeelded to the Popes gouernment, and doctrine.

Second reason, Antichrist (say they) sitteth in the 2. Thess. 2.4. Temple of God. Now the Temple of God, is Gods Church; & therfore the church of Rome is Gods church? Answ. He sitteth there, not as a member thereof, but as an vsurper and deceiuer. For in the Church of Poperie is the hidden church of God: they are therein mingled as a little wheat with much chaffe, and as little gold with much drosse. So that though the church of God be where Antichrist sitteth, yet the Church whereof hee is head, is no church of God: for whether we regard their doctrin, or worship of God, there is no meanes to beget or preserue spirituall life in their Church. Further, this which Christ sayth of Sardis, may be sayd not onely of the Papists, but of the churches of the Protestants, as of this our Church of ENGLAND, & of the most congregations in the great townes thereof, though not for doctrine, yet in regard of mens conuersations[illegible: 1 letter] for the body of our people seeme to be aliue by their outward profession, but indeed they are dead in respect of the power of godlinesse; for by occasion of outward peace these sins abound, fulnes of bread, pride both inward in heart, & outward in attyre: also cruelty, couetousnes, & carnal security; like as it was in Noahs time▪ Now where these sins raigne, there the power of godlines is wanting: men content thēselues with an outward profession, but the spiritual life of grace is not to be seen. And yet this doth not preiudice the state of our church, to nullifie it from being the church of God: for God hath his chosen among vs in all places, who liue indeed a spirituall life: thogh the body of our people be dead in [illegible: 1 word] & so will continue while peace abideth; the threatnings of the ministers▪ wil not awake mē out of the sleepe of sin; it must be the rod of correctiō that must put into them the power of religion. Men are like to little children, who besides admonition, must feele the smart of the rod to bring them to their dutie.

Further, in this Church of Sardis, whom Christ calleth dead, though they had a name to liue. Note the state of the Church of GOD, for this was a true Church of God, who among the rest was washed in the blood of Christ. Chap. 1. vers. 5. And yet Christ saith, it is dead in sinne: that is, in part, not wholly. And therfore a Church that is in a very corrupt state, both in regard of outward conuersation, and of sundry erronious opinions, may yet remaine the true Church of Christ, if so be they erre not in the foundation. Which serueth for answere to them, that thinke our Church to bee no Church, because it maintaineth not that out-ward order which they thinke should be in it. And therefore though wee must preferre Church before Church: yet we must not condemne a Church to bee no Church▪ for some corruptions that bee therein. A true body may haue some blemish, and a true Church some wants.

Againe, the Churches of God say, this is a Church▪ yet Christ saith, they are dead. How can these two stand? Answ. The Churches about Sardis iudged this to be aliue, according to the rule of charitie, because of their outward profession of true Religion: for as Infants are not indeede all holy, as experience sheweth, yet till wee see the same made manifest, wee are in charitie to iudge them to bee holy that are borne of f[illegible: 1 letter]ithfull parents: euen so ought the Minister and euery one in GODS Church, to thinke the best of euery one in Gods Church, till God make manifest what hee is. Paul following this rule, calleth whole Churches elect.

But thou art dead. Here are two iudgements, one of neighbour Churches, the other of Christ, and Christs iudgement is preferred. Wee must therefore regard specially the iudgement of Christ, and labor to approue our selues & our conuersations vnto Christ, rather then to men: for let men say what they will of vs, it is Christ that must saue and condemne▪ this made 1. Cor. 4.3.4. Paul to say, I passe little to bee iudged of you, or of mans iudgement: why so? for hee that iudgeth mee, is the Lord.

And indeed, without Christs commendation, the iudgement of men is nothing: for Christ may condemne vs, when men thinke well and speake well of vs: and therefore hee saith, Woe bee vnto you when all men speake well of you. Luke 6.26.