William Perkins on Revelation 3:14

Vers. 14. And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith Amen, that fathfull and true witnesse, that beginning of the creatures of God.

Heere followeth the seuenth and last Epistle, to the Church of the Laodiceans: whereto is prefixed a commaundement vnto Iohn, whereby hee is authorised to pen the same, in these words: And vnto the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans write, which hath beene handled before.

The Epistle it selfe hath three parts, A Preface: the substance or matter of the Epistle, and the conclusion. The Preface is this 14. verse, wherein is set downe, in whose name this Epistle is written; to wit, Christs: who is heere described by two arguments: I. hee is called Amen, which is that faithfull and true witnesse. II. He is the begining of the creatures of God.

For the first (Amen,) is an Hebrew Aduerbe of asseueration, signifying as much as verily, truely, or certainely. This title is giuen to Christ, & the reason thereof is expressed in the wordes following, which are a full exposition of the same. Amen, is that faithfull and true witnesse: So that Christ is called Amen, to testifie that hee is a witnesse, a faithfull witnesse, and a true witnesse; which title was giuen to Christ in the 5. verse of the first Chapter: where it was expounded, and reasons rendred why hee is so called. Vnto which title is heere added, that hee is a true witnesse; because hee speakes the truth, according as euerie thing is in it selfe, without errour, deceit, or falshood, for that which hee receiueth from his Father, is the will of his Father, which is the Rule of all truth.

That we may come to the right vse of this Argument; we must first search out the ends, for which Christ is here called Amen, that a faithfull and true witnesse, which by the contents of the Epistle, we may easily gesse to be these. First, to set forth himselfe vnto the Angell of this Church, an example, and patern of fidelitie in his Ministrie: in the duties wherof, hee had been slacke and negligent: Christ therefore by his owne example, would teach him without respect of persons, to instruct the Church of God truely, and faithfully. How this dutie is to bee performed, hath beene shewed before, Chap. 1.5, And not onely to the Angell of this Church of Laodicea, but also to all the Church, and to all them that professe themselues to be his members, doth Christ propound himselfe an example of two most worthy vertues: Faith and Truth. For the first: Faith is a vertue, whereby a man makes good all his lawful words, promises, oths, leagues, compacts, and bargaines whatsoeuer, so as his word is as sure as an obligation, as we vse to speake. Truth is another vertue, whereby a man without fraude, lye, or deceit, speaketh the truth from his heart, that is necessarie to be knowne for his owne good, the glorie of God, and the good of others.

Wee therefore must set before our eyes this president of our Sauiour Christ: As he is a witnesse, yea a faithfull and true witnesse, without any faming or falshood, so let vs labour to shew our selues faithfull in all lawfull promises: and true in all our speeches, that so by these vertues, we may be knowne to be like vnto Christ, through our whole liues and conuersations. Secondly, Christ is here called Amen, to induce this Church of Laodicia, to apply effectually vnto her selfe the word of God, whether threatnings or promises; This Church had beene negligent in the duties of Religion, which came for want of applying Gods word vnto the selues. The right maner of applying Gods word is this: In Gods word we are to consider the lawe, and the Gospell. In the lawe, there are Commaundements and threatnings: now a man must apply to his owne person and life Gods Commaundements particularly; that thereby he may come to know his particular sinnes: then hee must also apply the threatnings of God vnto himselfe, that thereby hee may bee humbled through the sight of his misery, and so made fit & capable of Gods grace. Thus the prodigall sonne applyed the law vnto himselfe, when he sayd, Luk. 15.21. I haue sinned against heauen and against thee, and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne. So did Dan. 9. Daniell, and [illegible: 1 letter]zra. 9. Ezrah, by applying the law vnto themselues, humble themselues, and their people: for this is the way to humble any man, & to make him fit to receue grace: for the law is our schoolmaster to bring vs to Christ. Gal, 3.24, and the want of this speciall application of the law, was a cause of the dulnesse of the Laodicians, and is also of our slacknesse in Religion at this day.

Secondly, the Gospel also must bee applyed: not onely by beleeing it to bee true, as the Papists teach: but also by applying vnto our selues particularly the promises of righteousnesse and life euerlasting by Christ. A[illegible: 1 letter]cording as Paul saith, Philip. 3.8.9 10. I desire to win Christ, & to be found in him, not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ. Vers. 15, Let vs (saith he) as many as bee perfect bee thus minded, teaching euery one this speciall dutie of particular application. For as saint Iohn saith, he that by faith doth not apply the promises of the Gospell particularly to himselfe 1. Ioh. 5.10 makes God a lyer. And the want of this application is the cause of negligence in Religion, and of so many luke-warme Gospellers as be at this day. For it is not sufficient to know the Gospel to be true, or to bee able to teach it vnto others, vnlesse we can thus apply it to our selues. This then serues to prooue that iustifying faith must not onely be a bare assent to the truth of the Gospel, but a speciall faith which doth apply particularly vnto a man, those promises which are propounded concerning righteousnes, and life euerlasting by Christ.

The second argument and title wherby Christ is described is this; that hee is the beginning of the creatures of God. The meaning whereof is, that Christ is he that is the Creator of all Gods creatures that were created: so it is sayd Col. 1.16. By him all things were created in heauen and in earth: and though this be true, yet I doubt not but that Christ is here called the beginning of the creatures of God, for a further respect; namely, because he is the beginning of the new creature in regeneration: so it is sayd, Ephe. 2.10 Wee are the workema[illegible: 1 letter]ship of God, created in Christ vnto good workes. So that euery regenerate person is a new creature; to which purpose it is said of Christ: Esai. 53.10. When he shall giue his soule an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, &c. Because Christ is the roote and seed of all that are borne againe. How is Christ (will some say) the beginning of a new creature? Answ. Two wayes: I. As he is the author of regeneration; for hee is the cause whereby a man is regenerate, in which respect he is called the father of eternitie. Esay, 9.6. And againe he saith: Behold, Esai. 8.18. I and the children whom thou hest giuen mee. Secondly, because hee is the matter and roote, out of which a new creature doth spring: and so the Church is called Ephe. 5.30 bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh: alluding vnto Adam and Eue, who were a type of Christ & his church. For as Eue was taken out of Adams side, so the Church and euery member thereof, sprang of the blood that issued out of Christs side, which was of infinite merit, being the blood of him that was God.

The end why Christ in this Epistle is called the beginning of Gods creatures (as we see by the contents thereof) is to meete with this common vice of this church; that they had more care to seeme to bee religious, then to bee religious indeed: now Ch[illegible: 1 letter]ist would by this his title giue them to vnderstand, that their chiefest ca[illegible: 1 letter]e must bee, to become new creatures indeed. And no doubt this is the fault of our dayes; our care is lesse for the power of godlinesse, then for the name thereof; wee more respect shew than substance, and shadow than truth it selfe. Which ought not to bee, for if wee would bee in Christ, we must become new creatures: to exercise our selues in the word and Sacraments, and Prayers are good in their kind; but without this new creation, they are not sufficient to saluation.

Secondly, hereby he would meet with this speciall pride of theirs, whereby they did boast themselues, to bee rich and to want nothing. But Christ tels them, that there was no dignitie in any thing out of this, whereby in Christ they are made newe creatures. We therefore must learne by them, not to bee puffed vp with outward priuiledges of nobili[illegible: 1 letter]ie, wealth, strength, or such like, as many doe: but hee that would reioyce must reioyce in this, that hee is a new creature in Christ Iesus.

Further, by calling himselfe, the beginning of the creatures of GOD, Christ would teach them and vs, that hee doth loue his Church, and preserue the same. Eue was created by the hand of God, not a part from Adam, but of his ribbe; for this end, that he might loue and protect her, & that she might reuerence and serue him: Euen so euery new creature springeth out of Christs heart blood, which God hath so wrought, that wee might know how Christ hath loued vs, and that wee ought to magnifie and honour him: Adam was not the author, but the matter onely, whereof Eue was made: but Christ is both the author, and the matter of our regeneration: wherin appereth his exceeding loue vnto vs. And looke as the root spends it selfe for the preseruation of the braunches: so did Ghrist spend his owne blood for the saluation of his Church.

Fourthly, whereas hee is called, The beginning of his Regeneration; hence wee may gather, that the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is erronious, which teach, that a man in his first conuersion, hat[illegible: 1 letter] vse of his naturall free-will, and can dispose himselfe in the act of his Regenera[illegible: 1 letter]iō. But the creature of God cannot dispose himselfe in his creation; now euerie man that is regenerate, is the new creature of God; and therefore hath no power to dispose himselfe in his new creation.