Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 2
LECTURE II.
Vers. 4.
Neverthelesse, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
OUr Lord Jesus is the faithful and true witnesse, who impartially testifieth, both of what is right, and what is wrong in His Church: we have heard His commendation, shewing what was right; He began at that, to make way for the other part of His testimonie, which is to discover what was wrong; and it is set down, vers. 4.1. More generally by a transition from the commendation, Neverthelesse, I have somewhat against thee, that is, though all these things be true, and thou be commendable in them, and I commend thee for them; yet, there is a neverthelesse added; that is not all, there are somethings wrong which I also take notice of, and will quarrel for, though there be many things right. This shews, 1. our Lord Jesus His impartiality in taking notice of all, good and ill. And, 2. It shews the extent of duty which consists in an universal respect to all His commands; and failing in somethings, may be as a dead flie in a box of ointment, to marr the savour of the rest. And, 3. That it's meet for Believers to know their whole estate, their ill as well as their good: both are useful to them to be known, and both are represented by our Lord Jesus unto them; His commending of them, alters not what is justly reprovable, His reproof prejudges them not in what is commendable: this way Believers ought to take in reference to themselves. 4. It shews, that even Believers should take a reproof, as well as a commendation, especially when it cometh from our Lord Jesus His mouth; yea, though in many things they be right, yet should a reproof, notwithstanding thereof, be digested in any thing wherein they are wrong.
2. The particular reproved, is set down, thou hast fallen from thy first love. 1. By love here is not understood the object beloved, as it's said of widows, 1 Tim. 5.12. who had cast off their first faith; it was not so here: there was no publick defection in matter of Doctrine, as the commendation preceding clears. Nor, 2. is it necessary here to be understood principally of a decay of love in the habit it self, but in the exercise and fruits thereof, as is clear by the opposition following, do the first works: which points out the fault reproved, to have consisted in the neglect of these, which is again removed by the performing of them; though we think there is a suitablnesse between the habit and its fruits, as it is with the one, so is it with the other: and few acts and fruits do evidence the habit thereof to be cold and languishing. 3. Neither do we understand here by falling from their first love, a total falling from fruits; but comparatively a falling from some former acts and degrees, or their vigorous manner of acting from love, as they had wont formerly to do, called first love here, and afterwards, first works. By comparing then this reproof with the commendation, we conceive, it doth include these three, 1. A falling from those duties, wherein especially true love to God, and charity to others consisted, that is, they were much in outward reformation, profession and zeal that way; but wanting inwardly, heart-burning love and affection to God, and so in some measure were hypocritical; in that their love within was not answerable to their profession without, but were more taken up in external fruits, than in the inward exercise of love, in so far agreeing with the Pharisees in that fault reproved, Luk. 11.42. Ye tithe mint, &c. but passe over judgement and the love of God. 2. As it looks to others, it may say, though there was zeal in the external Worship of God; yet there was great defect of that love, sympathie and affection of one of them, with and to another, that should be; this being ordinary, that love inflamed to God-ward, and love one to another, go together: and therefore as it importeth they had fallen from their former warm impressions of love to God; so also from their kindly affection one to another, and had fallen in part to be more in Sacrifice, and externals of Worship, than in Mercy and love one to another, Hos. 6.7. and Matth. 12.7. The third is, a decay of love in the manner of doing duties; so that though they continued in the practice of former duties towards God, and towards others: yet in respect of love to God, as the principle acting them in such duties or affections towards others, they had much decayed; and therefore may be charged to have fallen from their first love, though they continued in the externall performances, because the former native vigour and life in those duties was decayed. Whence we may gather, that there may be many things commendable in a Church, or in a person, and yet there may be a secret quarrel between Christ and them, as Psal. 78. vers. 34, 35, 36. compared together, do shew; yea, that there may be many things right in a Believer in respect of externals, and yet a dissatisfaction to Jesus Christ in their secret condition. That this Angel, and many of these written to in this Church were Believers, this reproof clears, which supposeth them once to have had love; that they have many things commendable, the former verse is clear; to wit, pure profession of truth, zealous exercise of discipline, diligence in doing, and labouring, patience in suffering, honestie in their end, for Christs names sake, and continuing in all these without fainting; yet is there a neverthelesse added, which may make hearts to tremble, and not to reckon their condition from externall performances; and ought to put Believers to it, to see how they will free themselves from this part of the challenge. 2. Our Lord Jesus doth especially take notice of the love of His people, and is much swayed in His commendations and reproofs according as He findeth it in exercise towards Him, and towards others. 3. Love within may be cold, when folks practices without look very hot, and upon the matter may be accepted of Christ. 4. Believers often at their first engaging to Christ, have their love more warm toward Him, and towards others, than afterward it will be; or, Believers ordinarly slips from that warmnesse of affection that accompanieth their entry, and becometh more cold in their affections towards God, and towards others; the first love continueth not. 5. Backsliding and declining from what folk have been, either in profession or practice, is, and will be a special article of Christs charge. Hence is it, that hold fast is so frequently repeated in the following Epistles: not only to intimate what is our duty; but also to evidence how ill the Lord taketh declining when He finds it among His people, Heb. 10. vers. 38. If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 6. Every decay is a falling, and hu…ts the Work of Grace proportionably as grosse commissions do; and it's as impossible for a man to sit up in the exercise of inward Graces, and not to hurt them, as for a man to fall from a hight and not be wounded.
Vers. 5. Followeth the direction, which our Lord prescribeth as the duty suting their case, and the threatning wherewith He backs it. The direction hath three steps, every one of them making way for another. The 1. is, Remember from whence thou art fallen, that is, advert and consider how it is with thee, be it was at the beginning; that so by reflecting upon themselves, and comparing their present condition with what is past, they might be brought to take up their own condition. In sum, it implieth, that there had been in them an inadvertencie unto, and forgetfulnesse of their own condition for a time, which had made them without challenges slip into, and continue in that backslidden condition. Unto this, remembring is opposed, which taketh in, not only a simple act of memorie, but a sensible exercise of the conscience and affections also, following upon their reflecting on themselves; like the word, Ezek. 16.61. Thou shalt remember thy Wayes, &c.
The second part of the direction is, repent; this is the fruit and end of the former, relating also to what was past, that not only they should look upon their own wayes, but that their eye should affect their heart, for the upstirring of them in the exercise of Repentance: which includeth these two, 1. A kindly indignation against their sin, and against themselves for their sin, so as in some part, they avenge God of themselves in the judging and censuring of themselves in the behalf of God, as it is in 2 Cor. 7.11. 2. It taketh in an inward and outward change of their way for the time to come, which is ever a fruit of true Repentance; when the party is brought not only to confesse, but to forsake their sin, as the words following clear in the third direction; which is, do the first works. This relateth unto the time to come, that is, that what once they had been at in the performance of Worship to God, and in duties one to another in the manner, as well as in the matter, and were now fallen from (as we hinted at in the reproof) that they should by all means set themselves to recover the same, this being a native fruit and companion of Repentance carefully to abstain from the evils, and perform the duties which they have been most touched with in the challenge. These three go well together, and notably prescribe the remedie of a soul backslidden from livelinesse to deadnesse, and directs to the recovery of their former state, which will not be attained by lazie Prayers, and fainting complaints; but by serious up-stirring, and exercise of these three, self-searching, repentance, and practice, and that in the native order as they lye.
More particularly, from the severall directions, Observe, 1. That as forgetfulnesse of our own condition, and not reflecting on our selves, is the great cause of much declining and backsliding in heart, and of continuing therein; so upon the contrary, self examination, and remembering of our own way, and reflecting on our selves, is a notable mean to prevent decay, and to entertain a good frame; as also to further the exercise of repentance, and to recover a frame when it's lost. 2. Believers may fall into that neglect. 3. When Believers become negligent, they decline in part, though not wholly. 4. When Believers fall, they are to take the same way for their recovery. 5. Believers may be under great decay, and yet not take great notice of it, nor from whence they are fallen; yes, it implyeth further, that where the decay is within, and the carriage fair without, (as here) it's hard to get them convinced of it.
From the second step of the direction, Repent, &c. Obs. 1. That Repentance is a duty incumbent even to Believers, 1 Ioh. 1.8. 2. That it is called for, whereever there is sin, even of ommissions, as here. But, 3. Especially where there is declining. 4. Change of practice, where there hath been sin, will not be sufficient, if repentance for what is past do not accompany it.
From the third step, Do the first Works, Obs. 1. That Believers first works, are often more commendable, than these which come after. 2. There may be great difference in the same works on the matter, even of the same person, in Christs account. 3. Works, and works livelily gone about, are called for from Believers: Christ Jesus was no legall Preacher; yet doth He require both Repentance and Works from these Ephesians.
The third thing in this Epistle, is the threatning, or certification, wherewith this direction is pressed, (which doth the more confirm the former Doctrine) or else I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy Candlestick out of its place, except thou repent: In which words, we are to consider the thing threatned. 2. The persons threatned. 3. The certification, upon which it's pronounced. 4. The person threatning. And lastly, The speedinesse or suddainnesse of His performing what He threatned. The thing threatned, is the removing of the Candlestick out of its place. By Candlestick, Chap. 1. vers. 20. is understood the Church: Therefore by the removing thereof must be understood the un-Churching of them; So that Ephesus now a Church, and Candlestick, should have that removed, and not be continued a Church; this is in effect like that, Zach. 11. of the Lords breaking the two slaves, and refusing to feed that people any more. This is a sad, though a just threatning, which may put us to enquire wherefore the Lord thus threatneth this Angel, and Church, beside any other? especially considering they were not the worst, (as was seen in the commendation,) why then is she threatned? and how usually the Lord doth execute this, shall be spoken unto, when the words are opened.
2. The person threatned, is most especially and immediately the Angel, as is clear by using of the singular number, thy Candlestick, and I will come to thee, &c. And with him, we conceive, that the threatning respects most these who were really Believers in that Church: because especially, the charge of falling from the first love, and direction of doing the first works agree to them. The threatning also of removing the Candlestick, would be most laid to heart by them. Thus Christ usually threatneth; Yea, correcteth His own, when He lets others slip, Amos 3.2. Neither doth He here so particularly charge and threaten the Heathens for refusing the Gospel, nor yet the false Apostles, or Nicolaitans, for open abusing it, as He doth this zealous Angel: the reason is, not because He loves them lesse; but because their sins come nearer His honour, and He is more affected with them; and because He mindeth their good, He judgeth and chasteneth them, lest they should be condemned with the world, 1 Corinth. 11.32. whereas He suspendeth His judging of the rest, and bestoweth not a reproof upon them, untill judgement altogether surprise them.
3. The certification upon which this great judgment (which is greater than either Sword, Famine, or Pestilence) is threatned, is, except they repent: by which we may gather, the necessity of Repentance in it self, and its acceptation by Jesus Christ, not as if there were any merit in it to deserve, or any moving impulsive vertue in it to perswade Him to pity (as humiliations use to perswade men) He is not capable of such motives: nor yet as if He had any delight in the sadning, and exercising of His People; but that He may shew the peremptory connexion between Repentance and Pardon; which in the order of Salvation He hath laid down, thereby to make the sinner know something of the ill of sin, and worth of grace: which is the reason why the preaching of the Gospel ordinarily begins with this. By Repentance here, we do not understand strictly the grace of Repentance, as it is contradistinguished from Faith, much lesse any naturall or worldly sorrow, which may be in a hypocrite; but we take it as it comprehendeth the whole work of Conversion and Faith in Jesus Christ, as sometimes it's taken, Math. 4.17. compared with Mark 1.15. because it is proposed here, as the way to prevent wrath which is due for sin, which cannot be done without faith.
The fourth thing to be considered, is, the person threatning, I will come, I Jesus Christ who walks among the golden Candlesticks, I the Lord of the Vineyard, Math. 21.40, 41. This is mentioned, First, To let us see Christs absolutenesse and soveraignity over His Churches, to dispose of them as He pleaseth; that Ministers and People may learn to hold their Church-being of Him: Secondly, To hold forth Christs peculiar Authority, in Churching, and un-Churching; and that peculiarly, this belongeth to Him: there is no Man, nor Enemy, nor Persecution, &c. can loose the relation of a Church in its being, but Christ Jesus, or they, as ordered by Him.
The fifth is, I will come quickly, yea, and unexpectedly, as the word imports. This is added to shew that Christs threatnings are in earnest, and that Hearers would not dally with them. It sheweth also, how easily He can overturn a Church, and make no Church of it; He hath often gathered Churches quickly, and can He not dissolve them when they look to be in their prime? Who, having read the commendation of Ephesus in the former verses, would have expected such a threatning in the close?
The words now being opened, we may enquire, 1. How this threatning of un-Churching a Church useth to be executed?
Answer, We conceive it doth not necessarily imply the overrunning, wasting and destroying of such a City or Land, that it should be no City, but that it should be no Church. Sometimes indeed God will even by such a mean bring about this thing threatned; But here we take it to hold out some other thing, than if He had threatned Sword or Pestilence upon them: It is the same upon the matter with that, Math. 21.43. The kingdom of God shall be taken from them, &c. which was Christs word to the Iews, and is especially these wayes brought to passe. The first, is sinfull, that is, when a Church fell themselves to false Doctrine, which overturneth the foundation: in which sense, Hos. 2. the Lord denies Ephraim to be His Wife, because of her spirituall whoredoms whereby she had broken her tye: thus a people may be said to un-Church themselves by their unbelief, confusions and errours (unconsistent with the foundation) according to that, Isa…. 50.1. And Rom. 11. the Iews are said to have broken themselves off by their unbelief. The second way is penall, that is, when the Gospel hath not fruits among a people, the Lord removeth the Light, and His Ordinances from them, taketh down His hedge from about them, and (as it were) sendeth them a bill of divorce, refusing to own them afterwards as a Church: not by giving them up to outward enemies oppression (which for a time they may be free of) but by ratifying their own sentence of rejecting of the Gospel, as it is, Act. 13.46. and thus the Kingdom of God was translated from the Iews; and they became no Church, when the Gospel was taken from them and sent unto the Gentiles. A third way may be mixed, partly sinfull, partly penall, a people upon the one side not receiving the love of the Truth; and therefore upon the other side, God gives them up to strong delusion, whereupon they proceed from evill to worse in the believing of lies, as it is, 2. Thes. 2.10. However, this is certain, this flourishing Church of Ephesus, hath now long since been a proof of this Truth; for, errour growing to an hieght, and delusion and ignorance following upon the back of despising the Gospel, hath brought that Church into the estate that it is now into.
For the second Question, Why the Lord peculiarly threatens the Church of Ephesus with these punishments?
Answ. It is not because His discontentment was more with her than with other Churches; But, 1. It's like they thought outward honesty and reformation enough for their Churchestate, and that there was no cause of fear of un-Churching, so long as they continued pure in profession, and zealous in purging, &c. And therefore to beat down this conceit▪ and to shew the necessity of power, as well as of form, for continuing of a Church-estate▪ He doth subjoyn this threatning of un-Churching, especially to this Church. 2. Because these here threatned, would lay more weight on this threatning, and be more affected with shoring to be un-Churched, than with either Sword or Pestilence, &c. The Lord therefore applieth wisely that which He thinks most conduceable to this end. 3. It's like, their outward Church-estate was something thought of by them, and the externall frame of Ordinances in purity, and that of Discipline in vigour, might be rested on, and too much esteemed of, especially by the Ministers (it being too ordinary for men to think too much of external forms) The Lord therefore in this threatning toucheth the fault that might stick secretly to them, even in their zealous prosecuting of externall reformation. 4. Because He would have all men knowing the respect He hath to sincerity, and the influence which the exercise or not exercise of grace hath upon keeping, or loosing of externall Priviledges. Therefore doth He so threaten this Church when no outward cause of such controversie seemeth to be before men.
If it be asked further, Why this Church is called the Angels? For, Thy, hath reference to the Angel, and by the Candlestick, is meant the Church it self. Or, 2. How this becomes a threatning to the Minister, it being liker a plague upon the People? Or, 3. How the People can be plagued for a sin in their Minister? We shall consider the first by it self, after we have gone through this Epistle. And now to the second question, we say, This threatning becomes his plague. 1. Because of his interest in them, and affection to them: nothing can come on a People, but it affects the Minister; their stroak is his: yea often it's sorer which is on them, than what is on himself. 2. Cor. 11.29.30. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? was Pauls touch of the infirmities of the People. 2. It's the nearest stroak can be on a Minister, to be stricken in his Charge, or blasted in his Ministery, &c. in this he is smitten as a Minister, in things peculiar to a Minister: other stroaks are common to all men: yea, thus to be smitten in the un-Churching of his Flock, is striking at his Crown, and his Joy, 1 Thess. 2. ult. for, a faithfull Minister will so account it. 3. It's probable, it was some contentment to him to see things go right in his outward Ministery, Censures to be weighty, Discipline vigorous, the People to give him credit and countenance, &c. without reflecting on his own spirituall condition, or aiming at the inward warming of love in the hearts of his People, but thought all well, and who but he, that had such a well ordered Church? The Lord therefore threatneth to take that ground of boasting, or self-pleasing from him. It's a sad thing when a Minister cannot carry even, when things go well, and cannot look to himself and the people also, and be humble when he is countenanced: want of this, spilleth many hopefull beginnings in Ministers hands. And this relation, thy, is particularly mentioned here, to make the threatning touch him the more; it is not the Candlestick, but thy Candlestick, which was to be removed. For there be two things that make a thing to be in esteem with men, and the losse thereof to affect them. The First is, That it be in it self foreign, that is, a thing lovely and desireable. The second, That it be foreign, that is, a thing which is a mans own; These two going together, That it is both an excellent thing in the self, and withall a mans own: when once evill befalls that thing, it doth exceedingly presse a man. Now both these are here, a golden Candlestick, there is its excellency in it self, and thy Candlestick, there is the Angels interest and propriety in it; Both are set down to affect him the more. And indeed a Church being in its blossoming and rising condition, and all things seeming to go well therein, even then, to be threatned thus, cannot but greatly affect the heart of a faithfull Minister.
To the third, How can People be punished for Ministers faults?
Answ. If they were altogether innocent, it might seem hard: but when they also are guilty; yea, and it's like here under the same guilt, there is no wrong, but it's the correcting of two by one whip, both Minister and People, for their formality and resting in outward forms, without power. 2. Though People in one particular be innocent; yet a Ministers fault may occasion a plague on the People, who are guilty by other sins, even as the fault of a Magistrate, as we may see in Davids numbering the People, and Gods plaguing him in the People for it, though they were in much, free from that particular sin, and as sheep, what had they done? So, when a Peoples outward profession, or observance to the Ministery and Ordinances, become the ground of a Ministers pride, or boast, they may by some confusion be put through other, and so his pride and glory is stained, and their hypoc…isie and formality punished; even as on the other side, a Peoples vanity of their Minister, may have influence on the Lords blasting of him, that it may be seen, all flesh is grasse. Which consideration ought to make Ministers and People walk respectively one to each other, yet soberly; left the Lord be provoked against both.
From this threatning, Observe, 1. That no Church or Minister hath a lease of a Church-state and the Gospel, if they abuse it. Ephesus is now no Church; yea, Israel was broken off. 2. It's one of the greatest threatnings that can be, to be un-Churched; Sword and Pestilence are not like it. 3. It may surprise a Church in a very flourishing outward condition, if love be wanting. 4. Nothing hath more influence in procuring of judgement, than coldnesse in love to God and others. 5. The estate, good or ill of Gods own People, hath most influence on the continuing or removing of the Gospel. It's not for the guilt of Nicolaitaus, or false Prophets, that this is threatned; but for their sin who once had love. 6. Repentance and diligence hath great influence to prevent such a threatning. 7. Ministers and People may have much influence on one anothers good or ill condition; and sometime we may read our own distemper and scourge, in the distemper of one another.