William Perkins on Revelation 3:9

Vers. 9. Behold, I will make them of the Synagog of Satan, which call themselues Iewes, and are not, but doe lye; behold, I will make them, that they shall come and worship before thy feete, and shall know that I haue loued thee.

Heere followes the second part of this Epistle; namely, the Promises of Christ, which are two. First, concerning the conuersion of certaine Iewes, vers. 9. Secondly, concerning the deliuerance of these Philadelphians in the time of temptation. vers. 10. For the first of these promises: In all likelyhood, there was in this Citie of Philadelphia, a Synagog of the Iewes which bare an outward shewe, that they were the true worshippers of God; albeit they denyed the name of Christ, and persecuted his Church. Yet Christ here promiseth, that he will conuert them, and make them members of his Church, and cause them to worship him in the congregation before this Church of Philadelphia.

In this promise, note three points touching the conuersion of these Iewes. The Author thereof: The parties conuerted: and the fruit of their conuersion. For the first; I (saith Christ) behold, I will make them. The wordes are verie significant, being doubled: and they make Christ the whole and sole author of their conuersion.

Hence we learne, that in the conuersision of a sinner, God hath the whole and sole worke: true it is, that a man willeth his conuersion in the act thereof, but yet it is God that worketh that will in him, it is not of himselfe. This confuteth the erronious Doctrine of free-will in the Church of Rome, whereby they teach, that a man can dispose himselfe to worke out his saluation, being onely helped by Gods grace. Like vnto a sicke man, who though he bee weake, yet being holden vp by another, can goe of himselfe. Ans. But Saint Paul teacheth vs, That a man by nature is not sick, or weak with sinne, but starke Ephes. 2.1. dead in sinne: and can no more mooue himselfe in the worke of his conuersion, thā a dead man in the graue, in the worke of his resurrection. But they say, by this wee make a man like vnto a blocke. Answ. Not so, for though hee cannot turne himselfe vnto God, yet hee hath his will and vnderstanding free to vse in ciuile and outward actions: and besides the[illegible: 1 letter]e is a possibilitie in his nature to bee conuerted by grace, which is not in a blocke.

Again, wheras Christ sayth, I will make them come, and they shall come. Heere is plainly confuted the Doctrine and opinion of some, which hold, That a man being effectually called, may come vnto Christ, or not come at his pleasure; when God hath giuen grace, man may receiue it, or refuse it, if hee will. This is flat against this text, for God will make them come, and mans will must bee plyable to Gods will in this matter.

But they alleage, Mat. 23.37. Oh Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how oft would I haue gathered thee, as a hen, &c. but thou woldest not. Answ. Christ there speaketh not of the wil of his good pleasure, for that cannot be resisted; But of his signified will in the ministerie of his Prophets, and by himselfe as hee was a Prophet, and the Minister of circumcision vnto the Iewes: for so he might will their conuersion, and yet they will it not. Obiect. 2. Act. 7.51. Ye stiffe-necked Iewes, ye haue alwayes resisted the holy Ghost. Answ. That must be vnderstood of the ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles, who spake by the spirit of God: and not of the spirit himselfe.

II. point. The parties conuerted, namely, Them of the Synagog of Satan; Such as called themselues the onely true worshippers of God, and yet indeed and in truth, were no better than the slaues of Satan.

This is to be obserued: for hereby we may see, that not onely sinners which commit small sinnes, are conuerted vnto God; but euen grieuous and ancient sinners: such as haue long conc[illegible: 2 letters]ued the slaues of Satan. Christ died not for painted sinners, but for grieuous sinners: and therefore Paul chargeth Timothy and the Ministers with him, 2. Tim. 2.26. To waite for the conuersion, and repentance of them that were taken in the snare of the Diuell, and that according to the Diuels owne will. Rom. 1.28, Paul speaketh of some Gentils that were giuen vp to a reprobate sence: which was a fearefull case, and yet no doubt, many of them were after turned to beleeue the Gospell; for such are they, that are taken in the snare of the Diuell, and yet there is repentance to be wayted for of them.

This Doctrine must not bee abused to libertie in sinning; The vse. for that is the right way to cast our soules into the pit of destruction. But yet seeing Christ will bring home into his kingdome most greeuous sinners, we must hereby take occasion not to be discouraged, either by the greatnesse or multitude of our sins from comming vnto Christ. For marke, Christ only raysed three that were dead to life: Iayrus daughter that was newe dead: the widowes Sonne that lay on the herste and Lazarus that lay stinking in the graue. This is a notable figure of the conuersion of sinners: hee will not onely call to repentance small and young sinners, but euen great and old sinners that lye rotting and stinking in the graue of sinne, as Lazarus did in the graue of death. Hee came to call sinners to repentance, and to saue the lost sheepe, which are readie to bee deuoured by Woolues and wilde beasts. Wee must all blesse the name of Christ for this his large mercie, and in time lay hold vpon it, and repent.

III. point. The fruite of their conuersion, in these wordes: They shall come and worshippe before thy foote, and shall knowe that I haue loued thee. These wordes may bee fitly expounded by another place of scripture, 1. Corinth. 14.24.25. If all prophesie, and there come in one that beleeueth not, or one vnlearned, he is rebuked of all men, and iudged of all, so as the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and he will fall downe on his face, and worship God, and say plainly God is in you indeed: so that the meaning of these words is this. I will cause thē to come to the cō gregation of Gods people, & at their feet to fall downe and worship the true God.

Heere are set downe twoo notable fruits of the conuersion of a sinner. First, concerning God: The second, concerning the Church. The fruit of conuersion that respecteth God is, The true worship of God: noted in these words, I will make them come and worship; that is, In spirite and truth with bodie and soule, to adore the true God. This fruite no man can bring forth till hee bee conuerted: For Psa. 14.4. the wicked and naturall man cals not vpon God; True it is, they will acknowledge there is a God, and that the same God is to bee worshipped, and therefore they will come outwardly, and heare the word, and receiue the elements of the sacraments; but the true worship of God, is in spirite and truth from the heart, which a naturall man cannot perfourme vnto God. This is the fruit of true cōuersion, which when a man receiueth, hee doth heare the word of God with reuerence, tremble at Gods iudgements, and mingle the Doctrine of the Gospell with faith in his heart; and in calling vpon God hee feeles his sinnes, and therefore by prayer doth earnestly desire the supply of grace, and the remission of his sins, hauing his hart also beleeuing that he shall receiue mercie: And in thankesgiuing his heart is filled with ioy, and the grace of thankefulnesse, so as being conuerted, all his worship vnto God is in spirit and truth.

In the worship of these Iewes, are noted three properties required in God[illegible: 1 letter] seruice. First, it must bee willing and cherefull: so did these Iewes worshippe GOD; For they are sayd, not onely to worship GOD, but to come and worship GOD: and thus doe all Gods children worship him. Isay. 56.7, Those whom God bringeth to his mountaine, hee maketh ioyfull in his house of prayer. Psal. 110.3, They shal come willingly in the day of assemblies. By this propertie, wee may see a great number at this daye euerie where come farre short in the true worship of GOD: for most men neuer regard the preaching of the word, but content themselues with morning and euening prayer: which they frequent to auoide the penaltie of the lawes of the Magistrate, and the shame of the world. But these are miserable worshippers of God, his worship ought to bee free and willing.

The second propertie: The worship of God, must bee expressed with seemely, meet, and conuenient gesture. The word translated Worship, signifieth doing of reuerence with bowing of the body and knee: and therfore it is not an indifferent thing, but necessarie, to vse conuenient gesture in Gods worship, that thereby the grace and humilitie of the heart may bee expressed. The Isay. 6.[illegible: 1 letter]. Angels that stand before the throne of God, haue two winges to couer their feete, and two to couer their faces: therby testifying their reuerence to Gods Maiestie; In this point also many come short: for as the common complaint is, the maner of many is to lie snorting and sleeping vnder mens elbows at sermons, and in the time of prayer to sit vnreuerently with their heads couered. These things ought not to be: for God is Lord of body and soule, and ought to be worshipped with both.

The third propertie. All that will truly worship GOD, must first bee humbled for their sinnes, and haue the pride of their hearts brought downe, and bee stroken with a feare of GODS glorious Maiestie. So these Iewes did prostrate their bodies at the feete of the congregation, when they came to worship GOD. The Act. 16.[illegible: 2 letters] ▪ Iaylor that imprisoned Paul and Silas ouer-night, and put their feete in the stockes, would then haue verie little regarded Paules Doctrine, beeing so cruell and rigorous to their persons: Yet when he was about to haue killed himselfe with his sword, (supposing the prisoners had beene gone, because hee sawe the dores open) hee was glad and ioyfull to heare the voice of Paul, who called vnto him, that hee should doe himselfe no harme, for they were all there: then being humbled by that strange and woonderfull worke of GOD, he comes in vnto them, humbles himselfe, and fals downe before them, crauing them to tell him what hee must doe to bee saued. In like manner, so long as men haue not their proud hearts beaten downe, they will neuer worship God in spirit and truth. Would wee therefore know why the most part worshippe God formally? Surely it is because they haue not beene humbled with a feare of Gods maiestie, and a terrour of hell: Neither can it bee hoped, that we shall euer worship God sincerely, till our hearts bee thus broken within vs, and we touched with the feare of Gods iudgements. The want hereof is the cause, why men and women content themselues with a bare mumbling ouer of the words of the Lords prayer, the Creede, and ten Commaundements, neuer seeking in the sinceritie of their heart, cheerefully, and willingly, both with soule and bodie, to doe worship vnto God.

The second fruite of true conuersion concerneth man, and that is, A reuerence of the true worshippers of God, noted in these words, Before thy feete. These Iewes when they were conuerted, did not think themselues worthy to bee members of this congregation, but submitted themselues to be foot-stooles vnto them. This reuerence shewes it selfe in this one thing which is the ground thereof; namely, a base opinion which euery true conuerted person hath of himselfe, by reason of his owne vnworthinesse. This was in Paul, causing him to call himselfe the 1. Tim. 1.15. cheefe of all sinners. And the same ought to be in euerie one of vs; for this is true grace, and a note of true repentance, when a man or woman can truely abase themselues beneath all Gods people; so as if the question were, who is the vilest person in the Church? the conscience of euerie man should answere: I my selfe. The proude and pharesaicall heart, is farre from true conuersion; but the humble hart is pleasing to God.

And shall know that I haue loued thee: These words contain a reason of the former submisse behauiour of these Iewes; for it might bee asked, why shall these Iewes come to ioyne themselues with Gods people, and bee content to make themselues foote-stooles vnto them? The answere is, because Christ will make them know, that hee hath loued his Church.

Here marke and see the ground of all true reuerence, Gods loue and fauour. Sundrie pe[illegible: 1 letter]sons, both in Church and Common wealth, haue reuerence due vnto them, as Maisters from their seruants; parents from their Children; and all superiours from their inferiours. Now, if these men would attaine to true reuerence indeede, first they must seeke to be in the loue and fauour of God, and of his children; and so shall they procure vnto themselues true reuerence: for when men set their hearts to feare God, then will God turne the harts of men to reuerence them. This ought to be thought vpon of those that be great in birth and wealth; They must not stand on these things, but look to the foundation of true reuerence; namely, the fauour of God, which they must seek for, and getting that, God will get them reuerence, euen of wicked men. The cause why many in high place, as Magistrate, Maisters, &c. want due reuerence is, for that they care not for the fauour of God, the ground thereof.