our eyes shall indeed be opened to see God The third promise is Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it This Promise consists of three branches 1 I will give to eat of the hidden Manna This is mysterious it signifies the love of God which is Manna for its sweetness and hidden for its rarity 2 I will give him a white stone that is absolution it may be called a precious stone saith Hierom. 3 And in the stone a new name That is Adoption he shall be reputed an Heir of Heaven and no man can know it saving he who hath the privy seal of the spirit to assure him of it The fourth promise is Rev. 3. 5. he that overcometh the same shall bee cloathed in white raiment and I will not blot his name out of the book of life but I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels The persevering Saint shall bee cloathed in White This is an Emblem of joy Eccles. 9. 8. He shall put off his mourning and be cloathed in the white robe of glory and I will not blot his name out of the book of life God will blot a Believers sins out but he will not blot his name out the Book of Gods Decree hath no Errataes in it But I will confess his Name he who hath owned Christ on earth and worn his colours when it was death to wear them Christ will not bee ashamed of him but will confess his Name before his Father and the holy Angels Oh what a comfort and honor will it be to have a good look from Christ at the last day nay to have Christ own us by Name and say these were they who stood up for my truth and kept their garments pure in a defiling age These shall walk with mee in white for they are worthy The fifth promise is Rev. 3. 12. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall goe no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God Here are many excellent things couched in this Promise I will make him a Pillar in the Temple of my God The Hypocrite is calamus a Reed shaken with the wind but the conquering Saint shall be columna a glorious Pillar a Pillar for strength and a Pillar in the Temple for sanctity and he shall go no more out I understand this of a glorified state Hee shall go no more out that is after he hath overcome hee shall go no more out to the Wars hee shall never have sin or temptation more to conflict with no more noyse of Drum or Cannon shall bee heard but the Believer having won the field hee shall now stay at home and divide the spoil And I will write upon him the Name of my God That is he shall bee openly acknowledged for my Childe as the Son bears his Fathers Name How honourable must that Saint bee who hath Gods own Name written upon him And I will write upon him the Name of the City of my God That is he shall be enrolled as a Denison or Citizen of the Ierusalem above hee shall bee made free of the Angelical society The sixth promise is Rev. 2. 26. He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the nations this may have a double mystery either it may be understood of the Saints dwelling upon earth they shall have power over the nations their zeal and patience shall over-power the adversaries of truth Act. 6. 10. or principally it may be understood of the Saints triumphing in heaven they shall have power â—ver the nations they shall share with Christ in some of his power they shall joyn with him in judging the world at the last day 1 Cor. 6. 2. Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the world The seventh promise is Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me upon my throne 1 Here is first the Saints dignity they shall sit upon the throne 2 Their safety they shall sit with Christ Christ holds them fast and none shall pluck them out of his throne the Saints may be turned out of their houses but they cannot be turned out of Christs throne men may as well pluck a star out of the sky as a Saint out of the throne The eighth promise is Rev. 2. 28. I will give him the morning-starre Though the Saints may be sullied with reproach in this life they may be termed factious and disloyal St. Paul himself suffered trouble in the opinion of some as an evil doer 2 Tim. 2. 9. yet God will bring forth the Saints righteousness as the light and they shall shine as the Morning-star which is brighter then the rest I will give him the morning-star This morning star is meant of Christ as if Christ had said I will give the persevering Saint some of my beauty I will put some of my splendid raies upon him he shall have the next degree of glory to me as the mornning Star is next the Sun O what soul-ravishing promises are here who would not persevere in godliness he that is not wrought upon by these promises is either a stone or a bruite CHAP. X. The third Vse referring to the Godly Use 3. LEt me in the next place direct my self to those who have a real work of godliness upon their hearts and I would speak to them by way of 1 Caution 2 Counsel 3 Comfort 1 By way of Caution that they do not blur these Characters of grace in their souls though Gods children cannot quite deface their graces yet they may disfigure them too much carnal liberty may weaken their evidences and so dim their lustre that they cannot bee read These Characters of the godly are precious things the gold and christal cannot be compared with them O keep them fair written in your hearts and they will be so many living comforts in a dying hour it will not affright a Christian to have all the signs of death in his body when he can see all the signs of grace in his soul he will say as Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 2 By way of Counsel you who are inriched with the treasures of godliness bless God for it This flower doth not grow in natures garden when you had listed your selves under the Devil and taken pay on his side fighting against your own happiness that then God should come with converting grace and put forth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loving and gentle violence causing you to espouse his quarrel against Satan when you had lain many years soaking in wickedness as if you had been par-boild for Hell that then God should lay you
into the world 4 Praise is a more distinguishing work by this a Christian excels all the infernall spirits dost thou talk of God so can the Devil hee brought Scripture to Christ dost thou profess religion so can the Devil he transforms himself into an Angel of light dost thou fast he never eats dost thou beleeve the Devils have a faith of assent they believe and tremble Iam. 2. 19. but as Moses wrought such a miracle as none of the Magicians could do the like so here is a work Christians may be doing which none of the Devils can do and that is the work of thanksgiving they blaspheme but do not bless Satan hath his fiery darts but not his harp and viol Use 1 See here the true genius and complexion of a godly man hee is much in doxologies and praises 'T is a saying of Lactantius hee cannot bee a good man who is unthankful to his God A godly man is a God-exalter the Saints are Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3. 16. where should Gods praises bee sounded but in his Temples a good heart is never weary of praising God Psa. 34. 1. His praise shall continually bee in my mouth Some will be thankful while the memory of the mercy is fresh but afterwards leave off The Carthaginians used at first to send the tenth of their yearly revenue to Hercules but by degrees they grew weary and left off sending David as long as hee drew his breath would chirp forth Gods praise Psa. 146. 2. I will sing praises to my God while I have any being David would not now and then give God a fit of Musick and then the instrument must be hung up but he would continually be celebrating Gods praise A godly man will express his thankfulness in every duty hee mingles thanksgiving with prayer Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by prayer with thanksgiving let your requests bee made known to God Thanksgiving is the more divine part of prayer in our petitions wee express our own necessities in our thanksgivings we declare Gods excellencies Then prayer goes up as incense when it is perfumed with thanksgiving And as a godly man expresseth thankfulness in every duty so in every condition hee will be thankful in adversity as well as prosperity 1 Thes. 5. 18. In every thing giving thanks A gracious soul is thankful and rejoyceth that hee is drawn nearer to God though it be by the cords of affliction when it goes well with him hee praiseth Gods mercy when it goes ill with him he magnifies Gods justice when God hath a rod in his hand a godly man will have a Psalm in his mouth The Devils smiting of Iob was like the striking upon a musical instrument he sounded forth praise The Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob 1. 21. Gods spiritual plants when they are cut and do bleed drop thankfulness the Saints Tears cannot drown their praises 2 If this be the sign of a godly man then the number of the godly will appear to bee very small Few are in the work of praise sinners cut God short of his thank-offering Luk. 17. 17 where are the nine Often Leapers healed there was but one returned to give praise the most of the world are Sepulchres to bury Gods praise you shall hear some swearing and cursing but few that bless God Praise is the yearly rent that men sit at but most are behinde hand with their rent God gave King Hezekiah a famous deliverance but Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him 2 Chron. 32. 25. that But was a blot in his Scutchion some instead of being thankful to God render evil for good they are the worse for mercy Deut. 32. 6. Do yee thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise This is like the Toad that converts the most wholsome hearb to poyson where shall wee finde a grateful Christian Wee read of the Saints Rev. 5. 8. Having harps in their hand the Emblem of praise many have tears in their eyes and complaints in their mouths but few that have harps in their hand who are blessing and praising the name of God Use 2 Let us put our selves upon a scrutiny and examine by this Character whether we are godly are wee thankful for mercy 't is an hard thing to bee thankful Quest. How may wee know whether wee are rightly thankful Answ. 1 When wee are careful to register Gods mercy 1 Chron. 16. 4. David appointed certain of the Levites to record and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel Physitians say the memory is the first thing that decayes 't is true in spirituals Psal. 106. 13. They soon forgat his works A godly man enters down his mercies as a Physician his receipts into a book that they may not bee lost Mercies are Jewels that should be locked up A childe of God keeps two books alwaies by him one to write his sins in that he may be humble the other to write his mercies in that he may be thankful 2 Then wee are rightly thankful when our hearts are the chief instrument in the musick of praise Psa. 111. 1. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart David would not only put his Viol in tune but his heart if the heart doth not joyn with the tongue there can bee no consort where the heart is wanting the Parrot is as good a Querister as the Christian. 3 Then we are rightly thankful when the favours which we receive endear our love to God the more Davids miraculous preservation from death drew forth his love to God Psa. 116. 1. I love the Lord it is one thing to love our mercies another thing to love the Lord many love their deliverance but not their deliverer God is to bee loved more than his mercies 4 Then we are rightly thankful when in giving our praise to God wee take all worthiness from our selves Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies thou hast shewed unto thy servant as if Iacob had said Lord the worst bit thou carvest me is better than I deserve 2 Sam. 9. 7. Mephibosheth bowed himself and said what is thy Servant that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am So a thankful Christian when he takes a survey of his blessings and sees how much he enjoyes that others better than he want Lord saith he what am I a dead dog that free-grace should look upon me and that thou shouldst crown mee with such loving kindness 5 Then we are rightly thankful when we put Gods mercies out of Use wee turn our injoyments into improvements the Lord gives us health and wee spend and are spent for Christ 2 Cor. 12. 15. hee gives us an estate and wee honour the Lord with our substance Prov. 3. 9. he gives us children and wee dedicate them to God and edugate them for God wee do not
my Throne A Throne denotes Honor sitting denotes rest 7. Walking with God is the most safe walking Walking in the ways of sin is like walking upon the edge of a River The sinner treads upon the banks of the bottomless Pit and if Death gives him a jogg he tumbles in but it is safe going in Gods way Pro. 3. 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely He walks safe who walks with a Guard he that walks with God shall have Gods Spirit to guard him from sin and Gods Angels to guard him from danger Psal. 91. 11. 8. Walking with God will make death sweet It was Augustus his wish that he might have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quiet easie death without much pain If any thing make our Pillow easie at death it will be this that we have walked with God in our Generation Do we think walking with God can do us any hurt Did we ever hear any cry out upon their Death-bed that they have been too holy that they have prayed too much or walked with God too much No that which hath cut them to the heart hath been this that they have walked no more closely with God they have wrung their hands and torn their hair to think that they have been so bewitched with the pleasures of the World Close walking with God will make our Enemy Death to be at peace with us King Ahashuerus when he could not sleep called for the Book of Records and read in it Esther 6. 1. So when the violence of sickness causeth sleep to depart from our eyes and we can call for Conscience that Book of Records and find written in it such a day we humbled our souls by fasting such a day our hearts melted in prayer such a day we had sweet communion with God what a reviving will this be How may we look death in the face with comfort and say Lord now take us up to thee in Heaven where we have so often been by affection let us now be by fruition 9 Walking with God is the best way to know the minde of God friends who walk together impart their secrets one to another Psa. 25. 14. The secrets of the Lord is with them that fear him Noah walked with God and the Lord revealed a great secret to him of destroying the Old World and saving him in the Ark. Abraham walked with God Gen. 24. 40. and God made him one of his Privy-council Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do God doth sometimes sweetly unbosome himself to the soul in Prayer and in the holy Supper as Christ made himself known to the Disciples in the breaking of bread Luk. 24. 35 10 They who walk with God shall never be wholly left of God the Lord may retire himself for a time to make his people cry after him the more but he will not quite leave them Isa. 54. 8. I hid my face for a moment but with everlasting kindeness will I have mercy on thee God will not cast off any of his old acquaintance he will not part with one that hath born him company Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him Gen. 5. 24. He took him up to heaven as the Arabick renders it Enoch was lodged in the bosome of divine Love Quest. How may we do to walk with God Answ. 1 Get out of the old road of sin hee that would walk in a pleasant meadow must turn out of the road The way of sin is full of Travellers there are so many travelling in this road that hell though it be of a great circumference is fain to enlarge it self and make room for them Isa. 5. 14. This way of sin seems pleasant but the end is damnable I have saith the Harlot perfumed my bed with Mirrhe Aloes and Cinamon Prov. 7. 17. See how with one sweet the Cinamon there were two bitters Myrrhe and Aloes for that little sweet in sin at present there will be a far greater proportion of bitterness afterwards Therefore get out of these briars you cannot walk with God and sin 2 Cor. 6. 14. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness 2 If you would walk with God get acquaintance with him Iob 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him Know God in his attributes and promises strangers do not walk together 3 Get all differences removed Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they are agreed This agreement and reconciliation is made by faith Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood When once we are friends then we shall be called up to the Mount as Moses and have this dignity conferred on us to bee the favourites of heaven and to walk with God 4 If you would walk with God get a liking to the vvaies of God They are adorned vvith beauty Prov. 4. 18. svveetned vvith pleasure Prov. 3. 17. fenced vvith truth Rev. 15. 3. accompanied vvith Life Acts 2. 28. lengthned with eternity Hab. 3. 6. be enamoured with the way of Religion and you will soon walk in it 5 If you would walk with God take hold of his arm such as walk in their own strength will soon grow weary and tire Psal. 71. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God We cannot walk with God without God let us press him with his promise Isa. 36. 27. I will cause you to walk in my statutes If God take us by the hand then we shall walk and not faint Isa. 40. 31. SECT XXIV 24 He who is godly labours to be an instrument of making others godly he is not content to go to heaven alone but would bring others thither Spiders work only for themselves but Bees work for others A godly man is both a Diamond and a Load-stone a Diamond for the sparkling lustre of grace and a Load-stone for his attractiveness he is ever drawing others to the embracing of Piety Living things have a propagating virtue where Religion lives in the heart there will be an endeavour to propagate the life of grace in those we converse with Philemon v. 10. My son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds Though God be the fountain of grace yet the Saints are pipes to transmit living streams to others This thirsty endeavour after the conversion of souls proceeds 1 From the nature of Godliness it is like fire which assimilates and turns every thing into its own nature where there is the fire of grace in the heart it will endeavour to inflame others grace is an holy leaven which will be seasoning and leavening others with divine principles Paul would fain have converted Agrippa how did he court him with Rhetorick Act. 26. 27. King Agrippa beleevest thou the Prophets I know that thou beleevest his Zeal and Eloquence had almost captivated the King ver 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. 2 A godly man attempts the