William Perkins on Revelation 3:18

Vers. 18. I counsell thee to buy of me gold tryed by the fire, that thou mayest bee made rich: and white rayment that thou mayst be clothed, and that thy filthy nakednesse doe not appeare: and annoint thy eye with eye-salue that thou mayest see.

Heere beginneth the counsell of Christ vnto this Church. Wherein, first he propoundeth a notable remedie for her miserie before noted. In this remedie, wee are to consider three things: the manner of prescribing it; the remedie it selfe; and the meanes whereby it is obtained.

For the first, this remedie is propounded; not in any sharpe commandement, but by a milde and gentle aduise, I counsell thee. And herein Christ doth take to himselfe the office of the Counseller of his Church. For as God hath his Church and people, so he hath his counsellers, by whom in mercie hee hath reuealed his counsell vnto his Church. The principale counseller is Christ; so he saith in the person of Wisedom, Pro. 8.14, Counsell is mine. Esay 9.6. And Isay saith; To vs a Childe is borne, and he shall call his name, wonderfull, COVNSELLER, the mightie God, the euerlasting Father, the Prince of peace: yea, he is both King & Counseller to his Church. This office Christ challengeth to himselfe, for these causes: first, because he aduiseth his Church, touching the way whereby they must escape euerlasting death, and come to eternall life. Secondly, because he teacheth them how they may practise euery busines, so as it may please God. Thirdly, because hee teacheth them, how they may in grieuous dangers and distresses, find a good issue, or else bee able with patience to beare them. These things he worketh dayly in his Church, not by extraordinary means, but ordinarily by his word and spirit; and therefore may iustly challenge this honour to bee called the Counseller of his Church.

From this office of Christ, The vse. wee learne two things. First, to doe all the honour and reuerence we can vnto his Maiestie; for he is our professed Counseller, who imployes himselfe for the good of his Church. Counsellers of the State and of the Law, are highly honoured and respected of all sorts, euen for their counsell in worldly matters, though often it fayle: how much more ought wee to honour Christ our heauenly Counseller, whose counsell leadeth vnto glorie, and is stable and sure for euer? Looke how much his counsell excelleth theirs, so much ought he to be honoured aboue them all. Secondly, in all distresses and grieuous temptations, and dangers either of soule or body, wee must take counsell and aduise from Christ Iesus: for to this end doth hee reueale himselfe to bee a counseller, that men in distresse comming to him, by his aduise might bee comforted and eased. When Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir banded themselues against Iuda, the people were in great distresse and danger; but marke what good king Iehosophat did, he betooke himselfe to the Lord his counseller; saying, Lord we know not what to doe, but our eyes are towards thee, 2. Chron. 20.12; that is, direct thou vs in this danger, for of our selues we know not how to escape. This pratise ought to bee followed of all men, especially in time of any danger; such as these dayes are by reason of sinne. The counsell of Wizards, Sorcerers, and Astrologians, ought not to bee sought after; but by prayer wee ought to humble our selues, and call only and continually on this our onely true counseller.

II. Point. The remedie it selfe: which hath relation to the former Verse, for there hee set downe the Miserie of this Church, in three parts: which were all great Miseries. And heere hee so propoundeth his remedie, that it is answerable to their Miserie in the seuerall parts thereof. For first, heere is gold to make them rich, answerable to their pouertie; Secondly, raiment to hide their nakednesse; Thirdly, oyntment to take away their blindnesse.

For the first; by gold, according to the Analogie of the Scripture, we are to vnderstand the graces of Gods spirit: as true faith, repentance, the feare of God, loue of God, and the true loue of man: 1. Pet. 1.7, Faith is compared to gold in the tryall thereof: and so may all other gifts of the spirit be hereby vnderstood. Secondly, by gold, wee are to vnderstand Christs merits; yea, Christ himselfe, as the fountaine of all grace.

This gold is further said, to be tryed by the fire: that is, most pure and precious gold purged from all drosse, as fine as can be made by the art of man. This is added to expresse the propertie of Gods graces and gifts; namely, that they are more precious vnto God then gold; Yea, than gold tryed by the fire: as Peter saith.

The vse. By this euery person is taught, how to beautifie themselues both in soule & body: It is the common blind opinion of the world, that forraigne attyre and rich Iewels do adorne the body; and indeede in some cases the body may bee adorned with pearles and Iewels: but the right way to adorne any person indeed is, to furnish the soule with these graces of the spirit, which vnto God be more precious than fine gold. Our bodyes and soules ought to be the dwelling places of the Holy Ghost; & therefore we must adorne them, and make them fit for so worthy a Guest: which must be done, by the good graces of the spirit, and not by strange and forraigne attyre, which no good man could euer abide.

Secondly, these graces haue a further effect than to beautifie; and that is, to make rich. Heere then see the common folly, yea the spirituall madnesse of men in the world; who spend all their time, wit and strength, to furnish their houses with treasure, & to enrich their bodies; and in the meane time leaue their soules vngarnished. What a madnesse is this, that men should neglect the true riches, and follow after that which is nothing els, but counterfeit copper? Seeing therefore Gods graces bee the true treasure which fadeth not, let vs seeke after them, as Wisedome counselleth: Pro. 8.10, 11, receiue mine instruction, and not siluer: and knowledge rather than fine gold: For wisedome is better then precious stones. The second part of this remedie is, a white garment: that is, Christ himselfe, and his righteousnesse imputed. So Paul saith, Gal. 3.27. All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ; There Christ is made a garment, whom euery one that beleeueth in him doth put on. Againe, the fruites of the spirit are a garment; & therefore we are commanded to Colloss. 3.12. put on tender mercie, kindnesse, humblenesse of minde, meekenesse, and long suffering. Further, Christ sheweth the end of this garment; namely, to couer the nakednesse of our soules: lest the filthynesse thereof, which we by our sins haue brought vpon vs, doe appeare. The third part of this remedie, is anoynting with eye-salue; where, by eye-salue, wee must vnderstand the spirit of Illumination and knowledge wrought in the mind by the Holy Ghost, whereby men know themselues and their estate: for as eye-salue sharpens the eyes and cleeres the sight, where it was by some occasion dimned: so doth Christ by the illumination of the spirit, make a man know God in Christ, and to discerne betweene good and euill, and betweene things temporall, and blessings eternall.

Thus wee haue the meaning of the words: whereby wee may see, that by all these three, wee can vnderstand nothing else but Christ himselfe, and his merits. Now one and the same thing in Christ, is signified by diuers tearmes: to shew that there is in Christ the fulnesse of all grace, and plentifull redemption; yea, store of supplyes for all our wants. The Laodiceans were poore, but Christ was their riches; they were naked, Christ was their garment; and lastly, they were blinde, but Christ was their eye-salue. So that what wants soeuer be in vs, there is store of supply thereof in Christ. This must the more diligently be marked, because the Papists make Christ but halfe a Sauiour, in putting our merits vnto his: and so disgrace him in his glorious worke, wherein he is a most absolute Sauiour, and Redeemer.

III. point. The means whereby these worthy gifts of God may bee gotten, is by buying and bargaining: so Christ saith: I counsell thee to buy of me. Where he alludeth to the outward state of this Citie; for it was rich, and also giuen to much trafficke as Hystories record: and therefore hee speakes to them in their owne kinde; as if he should say, you are a people exercised in much trafficke, and delighted with nothing more than buying and selling: well, I haue wares that will serue your turne; as gold, garments, and oyle, therefore come and buy of mee. These wordes must not bee vnderstood properly, for so wee can buy nothing of Christ; because there is nothing that is good in any, but it proceedeth from the free gift of God in Christ. This is onely spoken by way of resemblance to buying and selling; which stands in these points, which are the principall things in bargaining. First, a man sees his want, and desires to haue it supplyed; and therfore goes to the place where such things are to be sold. Secondly, he seeth the thing and he liketh it. Thirdly, he prizeth and valueth it. Fourthly, he maketh exchange for it, by money or money worth. Fiftly, if it be a great summe, he giueth earnest. So in the getting of Christ, there is a kind of resemblance to all these. First, a man must feele himselfe, to stand in need of Christ and his merits; because men see want of bread, meat and drinke in their houses, therefore doe they goe to buy the same. Now looke how fencibly any man feeles these worldly wants; so euidently should we feele our want of Christ, and his merits. For this is the first beginning that causeth vs to seeke to receiue Christ Iesus. Secōdly feeling our wāts, we shold hunger & long after Christ, that we might bee made partakers of him & the vertue of his merits: as a man that is to buy a thing doth take a liking thereof, which doth stir vp a desire in him to buy; so must we labour to haue liking of Christ, which wil mooue vs to seeke vnto him. Isay. 55.1. Hoe, all they that thirst, come and buy: so that none make this bargaine, but he that thirsteth. Thirdly we must prize and value Christ aboue all things in this world, euen at so high a rate that we account al things in regard of him to bee but lost; yea, euen drosse & dunge: P[illegible: 1 letter]ul. 3.8. as Paul did, Fourthly we must make exchange, How? we can giue Christ nothing but his owne? Answ. Properly there is no exchange, and therefore he saith: Isay. 55.1. Hoe, come and buy without money, for nothing. Simon Magu[illegible: 1 letter], is heauily checked and accursed, for offring to buy the gifts of the holy ghost, Acts 8.20. And yet there is an exchange to be made, We must giue him our sins, and receiue his righteousnesse; & therefore he is said, 2. Cor 5.21. To be made sin for vs, that wee should be made the righteousnes of God in him. See a most blessed exchange; for our sinne and shame, we receiue his blessed grace and righteousnes. Quest. How is this exchange made? Answ. In the practise of faith and repentance; for when we humble our selues and confesse our sinnes, praying earnestly for remission, and beleeue our reconciliation by Christ, then is hee our righteousnesse. Lastly, though we can giue nothing vnto Christ, yet hee giu[illegible: 1 letter]th vnto vs an earnest in this bargaine: to wit, some portion of Gods Ephe. 1.13. 2. Cor. 1.21. spirit, and some small measure of his graces; as grace to bewayle our sinnes, to humble our selues, and to pray for the pardon of them, with purpose not to sinne againe, these be the earnests of this bargaine: And thus is heauen bought and sold between Christ and vs; the receiuing of his true sauing graces be they neuer so small: euen as a penie is a suffi[illegible: 1 letter]ient earnest for a bargaine of a hundred pound.

Here we see we are commanded to buy Christ, and to make a bargaine with him, The vse. whereby we may haue right to him and his merits. But how goes the case with the world? surely many come where this bargaine is offered, but few there be that buy. Wee are like to Passengers on the sea, who see many goodly buildings, sumptuous Cities, & fruitfull Ilands, but they make no purchase of them; they only prayse them, as they behold them, and so passe by: so wee come and heare the doctrine of Christ and his merits, and approoue of the same: but where is the partie that maketh this bargaine? Come to particular points, and it will appeare that few bargaine for Christ. For who feeles his own miserie as he ought? Who perceiues himselfe to stand in such neede of Christ as he doth? worldly wants wee feele and are affected with them, but in regard of spirituall wants, we are sencelesse; and yet til we truely feele our miserie, we neuer come to make this bargaine with Christ. Againe, come to our desire & hungring after Christ; In bodily thirst and hunger, wee can say; I hunger, or I thirst: but who can say, I hunger & thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse? Alas, our hearts are full, we feele no want: nay they are dead, we feare none euill; and as for our valuing and esteeming of Christ, we are plaine Gaderens and Esawes, wee preferre the world and the basest things therein before Christ. And for the exchange; we are loth to part with our sins, & to put on Christs righteousnes. Which plainly shewes wee make no exchange, and though we bee willing to lay heapes of sins on Christ, yet who takes Christes righteousnesse and declares the same by the fruites thereof. And lastly, for the earnest of the spirit, though some there be that haue receiued it, yet the body of our people as their consciences can tell them, haue not receiued it: for they want knowledge, faith, and other graces.

By all these, it is more than manifest, that this bargaine is not made: And yet true it is, that for worldly & base barganes he must rise early that will goe beyond them. But what a shame is this, that we should be so expert in vile earthly things, and haue no regard of this excellent and heauēly bargaine? Wherfore seing Christ calleth vs hereunto, let vs make this one bargaine with him, and that presently; which wee shall testifie by doing the fiue former duties; let vs neuer bee at rest, till we may say each one for himselfe, I haue bargained with Christ, and receiued his earnest. Yea, our care should be that this bargaine be made not with vs alone, but with our children. Many are forward to bring vp their childrē in good trades, wherein they may buy and sell for their liuing, wherein they doe well; but withall, they ought to be as carefull to teach them to make this bargaine with Christ, and then they doe farre better. For this is the cheapest and the chiefest marchandize that euer was sett to sale, which we may buy without monie; and yet it will make vs rich for euer. Many labour in tafficke and take great paines, and yet often loose thereby: but make this bargaine once, and then thou shalt neuer loose it, nor any thing thereby; but continue for euer rich in God.