William Perkins on Revelation 3:5-6

Vers. 5. Hee that ouercommeth shall be cloathed in white array, and I will not put out his name out of the Booke of life; but I will confesse his name before my Father, and before his Angels. Vers. 6. Let him that hath an eare, heare what the spirite sayth vnto the Churches.

Heere is the conclusion of this Epistle: and it containeth two partes: a promise, and a commaundement. The promise in the fift verse, and the commaundement in the sixt. In the promise note two thinges: first, the parties to whome it is made, To him that ouercommeth, whereof we haue spoken Chap. 2.7. before. Secondly, the things promised: to wit, glorie and eternall happinesse, which is expressed three wayes. First thus: hee shall bee cloathed in white array: that is, hee shall haue euerlasting life and happinesse, so much is signified by white [illegible: 1 letter]ayment as wee haue alreadie shewed.

Hence the Church of Rome conclude, that a man may doe good workes respecting a reward. The vse. Answere. In some sort it is true; for so it is recorded of Moses, Hebr. 11.26. Hee had respect to the recompence of reward. But yet the recompence of reward, must not bee the principall end of our good works: for cheefely wee must thereby intend to testifie our faith, and our obedience vnto God, and with that wee may haue respect to euerlasting life.

The second thing promised; And I will not put out his name out of the booke of life. For the vnderstanding of this, two questions must bee scanned: First what this booke of life is; Secondly, whether a man may bee blotted out of this Booke. For the first: this booke of life is nothing else, but Gods predestination or eternall decree of Election, whereby he hath chosen some men vnto saluation vpon his good pleasure. And this is called a Booke, because it is like vnto a Booke. For as the Generall in a Campe, hath the names of all his souldiours that fight vnder him, in a Booke; and as the Magistrate of a Towne hath the name of euerie free man and Denison in[illegible: 1 letter]owled: so GOD in the booke of his Election, hath the names of all that shalbe saued.

For the second Question. A man may bee written in the Booke of life two wayes: either truely before God, or in the iudgement of men onely. Those whose names are truely before GOD written in this booke, cannot be blotted out; For Gods counsell touching the eternall state of euerie man, is vnchangable. This the goulden Chayne of Gods decree, doth plainely shew: For whome hee hath predestinate, Rom 8.30. them he hath called; and whome hee called, them also hee iustified; and whome hee iustified, them hee also glorified. Others there be that haue their names written in this Booke, only in the iudgement of men: and thus are all men written in the Booke of life, that professe the Gospell of Christ in his Church: for so charitie bindes vs to iudge of them: And these may haue their names blotted out. In this sence doth the Scripture often speake: as when the Prophet wisheth, Psa. 69.28. That God would blot his enemies out of the Booke of life (meaning Iudas principally) his meaning is, that it might bee made manifest, his name was neuer written therein. This then is the meaning of this promise: that they who doe auoid the occasions of sin, and haue care to keepe faith and good conscience vnto the end, haue their names written in the booke of life, and they shall neuer bee blotted out.

Hence I gather two things. First, that the number of the elect, in respect of God is certaine: for the names of those which are to bee saued, bee as it were written in a booke, and being once written in, they remayne there for euer. Some doe teach, that all may bee saued, if they will: but this is a meere fancie of man: for what should th[illegible: 2 letters]e need any booke of life, if that were so? Secondly, hence I gather, that this number can neither increase, nor be diminished, let men doe wha[illegible: 1 letter] they can: If they had been of vs they would haue continued with vs. 1. Ioh. 2.19. All that thou hast giuen me haue I kept, and none of them is lost. Ioh. 17.12.

Whereas a man may bee written in the booke of life, to wit, The vse. in the iudgement of men, and yet bee blotted out: hereby wee are to bee admonished, to looke vnto our selues, and to make conscience of euerie sinne, and to avoide and shunne the verie occasions thereof. For so long as wee professe the Gospell, and obey the same, our names bee in the booke of life: but when wee commit any sinne, we doe as much as in vs lyeth make a penne, and reach it vp to heauen to blot our names out of that booke: and they that keepe a course in sinning, doe plainely shewe that they were neuer truely written therein.

Secondly, considering that the number of the elect is certaine, it must bee a motiue to cause vs to labour for some a[illegible: 3 letters]rance of election, that wee maye truely say, wee haue our names written in Gods booke. But here some bad person will saye, seeing the number of the Elect is vnchangeable, I will liue as I list; for if my name bee in the booke of GOD, it shall neuer bee blotted out; and if it bee not in, it can neuer be added. Ans. These men deceiue their owne soules: for they that haue their names written in the booke of life, shall liue as these few did in this Church of Sardis, in true faith and holy obedience. For he that is ordained to glorification, is ordained to iustification and sanctification: and it is impossible for him that shall be saued, to liue alway in sin, and therefore these men must rather labour to repent and beleeue, and to get some signes of their Election, that they may know that their names are written in the booke of life.

The third benefite is this: I will confesse his name before my Father, and before his Angels. That is, in the day of iudgement I will acknowledge and professe him to be mine: one of mine Elect, that keepeth faith and good conscience vnto the end. I will take him from the companie of the wicked world, and set him on my right hand, and aduance him to glory, pronouncing vpon him the blessed voyce of absolution. Come, Thou blessed of my father. Mat. 25.34. The end why this benefit is thus propounded, is to draw this church to professe the name of Christ in this world: for if they would professe Christ before men, hee will acknowledge them for his owne at the last day.

The vse. This same reason here propounded, must induce vs to make a true confession of Christ against the world, & all Christs enemies: which to doe is a very hard matter, and man of himself cannot stand out; but yet the consideration of this, that Christ will confesse him at the last day, will be a notable motiue and means to inable him thereto. If an earthly Prince should come to a man among a great company and call him by his name, speaking kindly vnto him, hee would esteeme it a great honour vnto him; and for that he would not sticke to die in the Princes cause. Oh then, what honour is this, that Christ Iesus will in the last day vouchsafe to all those that in this life doe sincerely confesse him, and ouercome! he will confesse them to bee his, and receiue them to his owne glorie. But on the contrary, those that will not confesse him heere, but disgrace him; either by false doctrine or profanesse of life, will Christ at the day of iudgement vtterly disgrace, by denying them to be his, and there pronounce vpon them the fearefull sentence of condemnation, Goe ye cursed, &c. Which if we would then escape, and also procure vnto vs the ioyfull voyce of absolution: we must here labour to hold the truth of Christs doctrine, & also keep a good conscience vnto the end. But if we only professe him in iudgement, and not in the practise of a holy life, surely Christ will professe that he knows vs not, and then giue vs our portion with the diuell and his angels.

The commandement followeth: vers. 6. Let him, &c: of which wee haue spoken.