People think Prayers long and Sermons long and Sabbaths long O what a Weariness are they to many But how long will an Eternal Hell be to such There they will be held down ever ever ever to feel the stroke of infinite power and wrath and though men will not believe this report yet their unbelief shall not make God a Liar for he hath said it and will surely perform it upon all them that live and dye overcome by the power of Sin Satan Antichrist and the World O! how glad would wicked men and women be could they blot out the word Eternal out of the Holy Scriptures but it cannot be Some think it cannot stand with the justice of God to punish men eternally for sins committed in time yet if men did consider what God is they would never make this objection If men did consider an infinite God is offended and justice requires that an infinite satisfaction be made men are finite and cannot receive an infinite punishment in time therefore justly suffer to all eternity Even men account it but a just and righteous thing to lay up those in Prison all their life or to take away the lives of those for ever from the earth who steal or break open Houses or kill men and wilfully murder though these acts were done in a very little time And may not God who is infinite justly inflict infinite torments The circumstance of the person against whom any act is done much aggravates or lessens the fault and so the punishment It 's more to strike a Prince than an ordinary man and deserves a greater punishment Sin is committed against an infinite Majesty therefore justly punished to all eternity Besides if men should live on earth for ever they would sin against God for ever and therefore may justly suffer for ever Some say thus Man sins in suo aeterno and therefore is justly punished in aeterno Dei There is in every sinner infinita voluntas peccandi a will to sin infinitely and that he doth not so is because God cuts the thred of his life who seeing this disposition in man is righteous in his eternal destruction Thus much may suffice to shew wherein the hurt of the second death lies viz. in a privation of good in an inundation of all evils shame sorrow the curse the worm the fire darkness despair the place the company and the eternity of all these This this is the hurt of the second death Quest 3. Why shall not those that overcome be hurt of the second death Answ Because Christ died for them not for an example only but in their room and stead when they were enemies sinners Christ died for them Rom. 5.8 10. He died not for his own sins he had no sin inherent in him he did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth 1 John 3.5 1 Pet. 2.22 Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself says the Prophet Dan. 9.26 but he was delivered for our offences Rom. 5. ult And he died not as a private person but as a second Adam the first Adam sinned not as a private person but as the head of all mankind in him all have sinned Rom. 5.12 So Christ died as the publick representative of all in him who therefore are said in the Scriptures to be crucified with him and dead with him vertually and this death which he submitted to for them was no natural no ordinary death but the very second Death the Text speaks of so far as God thought to be sufficient and as the excellency of his person was capable of so far as that Divine Justice is satisfied the Law fulfilled and all Enemies vanquished in the main and so broken as they shall never recover strength to conquer finally the weakest true Believer Though he did not despair nor endure his Sufferings eternally for being God-man his Deity made his Sufferings of infinite Value and Vertue though he was under them but for a time And 't is very probable he endured in his Agony in the Garden and upon the Cross even the whole of what Believers must else have been under for ever Great was the shame cast upon him He was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief even from his Cradle to his Cross from his Birth to his Burial He was made a Curse for them God his Father hid his face from him yea laid his severe hand of Justice and Wrath upon him He spared not his own Son but was pleased to bruise him and put him to grief O the pains he endured both in his Body and Soul His Soul was made an Offering for sin and he bare our sins in his own Body on the Tree Esay 57. 1 Pet. 2.24 And this that all true Believers might not be hurt by the second Death either in Body or Soul He underwent the Curse that they might inherit the Blessing He was wounded for their Transgressions that they through his Stripes might be healed He died this Death for them that they might live through him an Eternal Life I have read of a Bird which if it comes near a man who is troubled with the Yellow Jaundice it attracts the Disease to it self cures the sick person but the Bird dies Christ took our Nature and Sâ—n upon him dies for them that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Now Christ having by his Blood given full Satisfaction God the great Creditor will not exact the same Debt twice of the Surety and of the Debtor too but they are reckoned to have discharged all in him to dye in him and rise in him and so to overcome in him and therefore cannot shall not be hurt of the second Death Vse 1. This Doctrine well considered and applied gives strong Consolation to all true Believers it is a great relief against the fears of outward Troubles and of bodily Death that King of Terrours and Terrour of Kings Though they may come under the smart of the first which yet the Lord can make easie to them yet they are free from the hurt of the second Death which is indeed the sting of the first The sting of Death is Sin this they overcome in Christ A Fly makes as great a noise as a Bee yet we fear it not so much because it hath no Sting So here Death hath lost its Sting as to true Believers though it may terrific Nature yet it shall not prove deadly to them Christ threatens some that he will kill their Children with Death Rev. 2.23 Some are killed with Death all dye even the good as well as the wicked but all are not killed with Death Death proves not deadly to any true Believer A good man once said That he did Aegrotare vitaliter so all holy men and women do Mori vitaliter Death lays its hand upon all but the time cometh when this hand shall be cut off even at the Resurrection but no Power farther than to carry to the Grave and
Christ saith I will ransome them from the power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death Hos 13.14 It cannot deliver them over to wrath or carry a good man in Chains to the Prison of Hell This is to be killed with Death A Believer may say O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.56 57. Once past the first Death you are for ever free from all fear of Death This Life is on this account miserable that it is in fear of Death hanging over it every moment What is your Life saith St. James it is a Vapour that now is and quickly vanishes away Jam. 4.13 14. But after this no more fear of Death to a true Christian And to make the Joy of such full there is a Meiosis in this Text when it is said they shall not be hurt of the second Death it implies that they shall be called to a blessed and immortal Life Not only not ashamed but have boldness and confidence before Christ at his coming not only sorrow and sighing will flee away but everlasting Joy shall be upon their heads not only free from the Curse but shall hear a Come ye blessed not only no Despair but no doubting yea a perpetual Plerophory and full Assurance of their happy state not only no Worm of an accusing Conscience but the testimony of an absolving Conscience which will be a continual Feast not only no Torments of Hell but the Pleasures of Heaven not only no Canaanites in that Land no Devil no wicked men but the Society of holy Angels and Saints and God's glorious Presence to all Eternity Why should not all sincere Believers comfort themselves and one another with these things and that in the worst of times A Martyr being offered Life if he would renounce the Truth answered Can you give me Eternal Life And being threatned with Death for refusal he said You cannot bring me under the second Death you cannot put me to Eternal Death You can kill my Body but that 's all you can do I must fear to offend him that can destroy Body and Soul in Hell Better it is saies he that I have a little Wormwood in my Mouth a while than to have my Bowels filled with it for ever Oh! how would the Improvement of this Text and Truth support and comfort a Christian in the saddest conditions he may be called to pass through in this world Vse 2. Is it thus that Overcomers shall not be hurt of the second Death Then let us all make out for true Faith in Jesus Christ for this is the Victory whereby we overcome the World and all that is in the World even our Faith 1 John 5.4 This is the first Resurrection which whosoever hath a part in is blessed If you ask wherein are such blessed The Text tells you Rev. 20.6 On such the second death hath no power Some understand this of Romish Idolatries and Superstitions for it is said If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb And they have no rest night nor day who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name which implies say they that those who live and dye under the dominion of those Antichristian abominations in Doctrine Worship and Practice and rise not by true Faith in Christ and Repentance towards God will fall under the power of the second death 'T is said every living soul died in the Sea for it became as the Blood of a dead man when the Vial was poured out upon it Revel 16.3 Whence some have concluded that those under the Romish Jurisdiction who live and dye under the full Dominion and Practice of their Idolatrous wicked Doctrines and Worship cannot be saved But others take this first Resurrection to be meant of a Spiritual quickning to a Divine Life the Dead hear the Voice of the Son of God in the Gospel and live this is when Faith is first wrought which is the beginning of the Soul's life and strength the first born of graces the bond of Union between Christ and Believers and so brings all the strength and Grace of Christ into their hearts for Christ and all his Fulness dwelleth there by Faith and by that is derived to the Soul to enable it to overcome all its Enemies Where this is not wrought Sin and Satan do conquer and utterly destroy the Soul If ye believe not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins saies Christ to the Jews Joh. 8.21 24. Should any one come and tell us You shall die in a Ditch or in a Goal it would sound harshly in our ears but for Christ to say Ye shall dye in your sins is yet more dreadful For a man may die in a Ditch or in a Prison and yet go to Heaven but if any one die under the full power of Sin and Satan a dead Dog is better than he it had been good for that man he had never been born for he drops presently into Hell and the Second Death hath an irrecoverable Power over him he can never get from under it because all his Sins will be laid upon him If a Debtor be Arrested and cast into Prison no sooner do his Creditors understand it but they come and bring in their several Actions that a man must lye there all his days Thus if the first Death Arrest us and we under the full Dominion of sin Satan comes in Conscience comes in the Law comes in yea God himself comes in all come in and lay Action upon Action against us and there we must lye till the last Mite be paid which because we can never do we must lye there to all Eternity We live in very dying Times and none can tell how soon the thred of his Life may be cut If we look not diligently to it we shall dye in our sins and so be undone for ever O let us look and get true Faith for it is he that believes that overcomes and he that overcomes shall not be hurt of the Second Death SERMON III. REV. II. 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 WE have here another of those excellent Promises made to Overcomers It is the concluding words of that Epistle to the Church in Pergamos as in the 12th Verse is evident Some say this was a great City distant from Jerusalem Two hundred and twenty eight miles very populous but very wicked Hence we
are the Devils Bayliffs and Agents shall cast some of them into Prison and then bids them be faithful unto death verse 10. which implies that it might reach even to life it self To encourage them to faithfulness in all he gives this sweet promise in the Text as if he had said get Victory here and if it comes to the worst men can do which is to kill the body I give you my faithful word they shall do no more they shall go no further I will secure you from that which is a thousand times more to be feared viz. the second death which is the sting and emphasis of the first that shall not touch or hurt you So then the observation lies plain before us viz Doct. That Overcomers shall not be hurt of the second Death Sin Satan and the World are the Enemies true Believers are the Overcomers as was declared in the former Sermon To these is this promise made hence it is said They shall never perish John 10.27 And he that believeth on the Son shall not see Death John 8.51 viz. the second Death for as to bodily death the Psalmist saith What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Psal 89.48 We shall now enquire 1. What is meant by the second death 2. What is the great hurt thereof 3. Why Overcomers shall not be hurt by it Quest 1. What is the second death Answ Death sometimes signifies great afflictions and distresses Intreat the Lord your God says Pharaoh to Moses and Aaron that he may take away from me this death only Exod. 10.17 that is the judgment of the Locusts then upon him for being such Locusts as never was before nor should be after they might be a deadly annoyance to them as well as devour the fruits of the Earth So St. Paul speaks of Gods delivering him from a great death 2 Cor. 1.10 meaning an imminent danger which he calls a death because it was past means help and hope of delivery Such deaths he was in often 2 Cor. 11.23 which were either such sicknesses and persecutions in which there appeared no hope of escaping with life or such pains as were equivalent to the pangs of death But more particularly 1. Death is taken for the dissolution of nature dissolutio compositi so some define it the dissolving the earthly house of this Tabernacle 2. Cor. 5.1 A Tent or Tabernacle is destroyed not by consuming of the parts but by taking them asunder the death of the body is no annihilation but a dissolution of the parts of which man is compounded a cutting a-sunder the soul and the body This is the first death which the Apostle Paul desired I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 The soul sleeps not when a man dies for then his wish had been vain upon his dissolution he could not have been with Christ but the union between the body and soul is cut a-sunder and the soul which wilst in the body was absent from the Lord is then absent from the body and present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 This is that death all must pass under or something equivalent to it It is appointed for all men once to dye Heb. 9.27 Statutum est It is enacted in the Court of Heaven by a Statute-Law more sure than the Laws of the Medes and Persians which cannot be altered A sentence gone forth out of the mouth of God concerning all men never to be reversed Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 2. Death is taken for Hell and destruction even the wrath of God inflicted upon them that are finally overcome by the enemies of their Souls Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death says the Apostle John Rev. 20.14 Men dead and buried before were now sent body and soul to Hell Rev. 21.8 Qu. 2. Wherein lies the great evil and hurt of the second death Answ It is altogether unexpressible and inconceivable Who knows the power of thine anger says David Psal 90.11 Let none be offended or affrighted at the opening of it A Sermon of Hell if rightly emproved may keep us from Hell The hurt and evil of the second death lies in Two things 1. There is paena damni the punishment of loss This is great and grievous for they who fall under it lose all good at once they lose Heaven that holy habitation that sedes beatorum the mansion and dwelling-place of all that are blessed When Tully was banished from Italy and Demosthenes from Athens they were so troubled that as oft as they looked towards those places they wept What is Italy and Athens and a thousand such places more if compared with Heaven Though here unsound Professors may have room in Gods sanctuary yet there will be no place for them in his Palace hereafter To be excluded hence will trouble and perplex them They lose the best dainties there seems to be eating and drinking in Heaven Christ will gird himself and make his Servants sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them Luke 12.37 They shall have flagons of Wine to comfort them and Christ will say to them eat O Friends and drink abundantly O beloved I take it spiritually in a far better way than can be here O the misery of them that shall never taste of the Supper of the Lamb of these refreshments in Heaven Poor men grieve when they are sent away empty from a rich mans Table much more sorrowful will they be who shall never eat of Christ's dainties In this also they lose the best inheritance Ahab was sick with grief when he could not enjoy Naboths inheritance as we read 1 Kings 21. It will make them head-sick and heart-sick also who shall be deprived of that incorruptible undefiled and never-fading inheritance reserved in Heaven for Overcomers for the Promise is He that overcometh shall inherit all things Rev. 21.7 Yea they lose the best company the society of Angels and Saints Here they despise their company then they would be glad of it but shall not have it How desirous was the rich man that Lazarus might be sent to him Luke 16. On Earth he despised him and in Hell desired his company but it could not be granted him a great gulph being fixed between them which would not permit it And which is yet worse they lose the company of God and Christ When Orpah was to part with Naomi her Mother-in-Law she lifted up her voice and wept Ruth 1.14 O how will they who shall be separated from God drench and even drown themselves in tears His gracious presence is the chief good of his creatures yet this is the first word of that dreadful sentence Christ at last pronounceth Depart from me Mat. 25.41 To go from him who hath the words of Eternal Life is the most bitter part of the second Death If Cain when banished from the Society of Saints where God was worshipped
read Satan's seat was there A King ruleth over all his Subjects yet he hath his Throne in some chief City of the Land Satan that King of the bottomless Pit as he is stiled Rev. 9.1 reigns over all wicked men yet in those notoriously wicked he may be said to have his seat This was say some the Seat or Court of Attalus in whose time it was written Discedat ab Aula qui velit esse plus Like that to the Prophet Flee thee away O thou Seer for it is the King's Court Amos 7.13 Afterwards it was the Seat of the Roman persecuting Governours who were Satan's chief Instruments in afflicting and destroying the Saints and so is called Satan's seat Christ takes special notice of the places of his peoples abode I know where thou dwellest even where Satans Seat is He observes how perillous a place this Pergamos was and what dangers as to Liberty and Life his Servants were in here Antipas had already suffered Martyrdom for the Truth the name of some good Minister or of the Pastor of that Church as many judge an Honour not granted to the Angels of Heaven as Latimer saith yet we find a Church planted and preserved here who held fast his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as with tooth and nail or by main strength Christ will have to do where Satan reigns some good he will have in the worst places a remnant of upright ones in a crooked and perverse Generation As Satan had a Judas among the Apostles a Demas among the Disciples a Simon Magus among the Believers so the Lord had a Noah in the ungodly world a Job in an Idolatrous Vz a Lot in filthy Sodom a Joseph in Pharaoh's Court Saints in Nero's house and some that held fast the Truth even in Pergamos itself those he reserves to be Witnesses for him and to testifie against those to their Condemnation who will not by their good Example be brought to Conversion Let us all labour to be good in evil Times it 's excellent in itself and will be our commendation before Christ at last as appears by his Testimony of them here Thee have I found righteous before me saies the Lord to Noah in this Generation Gen. 7.1 What kind of Generation that was is set down It was a time when Iniquity abounded all flesh had corrupted their way a deluge of wickedness had covered the Earth for Noah now to be righteous was excellent indeed And it will be our glory if we study to be Lights in a dark World holy among the filthy Lilies among Thorns and as the Fish fresh in Salt-waters This may comfort us also in very evil Times Christ will preserve some from the stroak of Persecution Antipas was slain yet some did remain some yea many may suffer hard things yea 't is possible some particular Churches may be extirpated yet a Church Christ will have on Earth against which the Gates of Hell Satan's Seat shall not prevail Many Faithful ones may be removed by a natural or violent Death yet because Christ lives therefore his Truth shall live his Cause and Interest shall live and survive all Enemies and Opposers Let this help our Faith and Joy though we dwell where Satan's seat is Rome Antichristian is now esteemed that Seat of the Beast mentioned Rev. 16.10 yet even there God hath his People Come out of her my People saies the Lord Rev. 18.4 A People Christ had and still hath where Antichrist most prevails though it greatly concerns them to come out thence dangerous to continue there both for Infection of Sin and for Infliction of Punishment as this Scripture expresseth Come out that ye partake not of her Sins and receive not of her Plagues Pliny saith That Mice will hasten out of a house that is ready to fall on their heads And Spiders with their Webs will drop before the house falls Certainly Antichrist's ruine hastens and Babylons Fall approacheth Come out of her therefore O all the People of God Come out from her Idolatries be ye separate from all her Abominations and Corruptions And to encourage all to strive to get Victory over the Evil of Evil Times this further Promise in the Text is given to them of Pergamos and to us in them the sum whereof take in this Proposition Doct. That Overcomers shall have such special and peculiar Favours given them by Christ as none know but they that receive them There are some things in which the men of the world intercommon with the Saints as Natural Endowments Worldly Enjoyments External Church-Priviledges the common Gifts of the Spirit and superficial Tastes of Heavenly things Absalom had Beauty as well as yea greater than David Herod and Jonadab had Wit and Policy as well as Joseph the Fool in the Gospel was rich as well as Abraham the foolish Virgins were in Church-Fellowship as well as the wise Apostates such as are not renewed to Repentance may taste the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come as well as those who had better things in them even things that accompany 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that have Salvation in them Saul had the Gift of Prophecy Judas Gifts of Preaching Prayer and working Miracles as well as the other Apostles yet notwithstanding all this there are peculiar benefits Believers share in which others have no part no lot in The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psal 25.14 Not here meant of his providence blessing him in outward things of this Job speaks saying The Secret of God was upon his Tabernacle Job 29.4 But the understanding of the mysteries of his Word and Covenant hid from the wise and prudent of the World and their own interest in them Believers are the friends of God as Abraham was called the friend of God James 2. So Christ called his Disciples friends now the secret Cabinet is unlockt and set open to a friend though shut to strangers Amicus alter idem A friend is another self and a man cannot conceal any thing from himself and therefore not from his friend Whatsoever Christ heard of his Father he made known to his friends John 15.15 His secret is with the righteous Prov. 3.32 the very Arcana Imperii the mysteries of the Kingdom are made plain to them Luke 8.10 It is a favour to be of the Kings Court but more to be of his Council Courtiers know more than those that live far remote from the Kings Court but Counsellors know his secrets the Privy-Counsellor is acquainted with the special mysteries of State Carnal professors and hypocrites may know many truths which Heathens who live not under the sound of the Gospel may be ignorant of and in an ordinary way cannot know yet are they but of the Court Believers only are of the Counsel to whom the mysteries of grace and godliness are disclosed It is said the Lord told Samuel in his ear 1 Sam. 9.15 When
how much the Mercies promised in it exceed the things alluded to The Manna God rained down to Israel was Material this is Spiritual That came from the Clouds this from the highest Heaven from the bosome of God the Father That was hidden in the Dew and in the Golden Pot this in the Virgins Womb and now in the Heavens that fed the Body this the Soul That was apt to breed Worms and stink this can see no corruption That preserved none from Death Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead Job 6.49 But he that eats of this hidden Manna lives for ever So of the White Stone They were material the Romans gave this is Spiritual They were inanimate this is a Living Stone Those were Tokens of a Temporal Election and Absolution this of a Spiritual and Eternal Those its probable were given sometimes to vile and wicked persons this to none but true Believers So for the new Name it is a name of Dignity and Honour excelling the names of the great ones of the Earth Let Believers labour to drink in the Comfort of these things Vse 3. If this Doctrine be true Then let all the Saints from these Promises wax valiant in fight quit themselves like men yea like good Soldiers of Jesus Christ endure the greatest fight of Afflictions Heb. 10.32 Put on and handle well your Armour of Righteousness to repel and repulse Temptations on the right hand and on the left Set your Watch and keep it strictly as Soldiers must do upon Pain of Death A Soldier being asleep when he stood Sentinel his Officer ran him through thinking it an act of Justice to leeve him as he found him It 's a time of War and our continual dangers should move us not to sleep as do others but to watch and be sober Let Christians keep close to the Standard 'T is Death by Martial Law for Soldiers to run away from their Colours they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed Follow Christ your Captain in all ways dirty and clean in all weathers fair and foul in all Ordinances in all Providences If any man serve me let him follow me saies Christ Joh. 12.26 And strive to make good your ground yield not to your Spiritual Adversaries Divines observe there is no armour provided by Christ for the back to shew that we must give no ground to our Enemies A Captain delights not in Renegadoes If any man draws back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 They are the Prophets words say some but God's say others It's true both ways Neither God nor his People can take plea-pleasure in Apostates Fight couragiously against your Spiritual Enemies as for your Bodily Enemies you have another Rule Love your Enemies pray for them that persecute you Mat. 5. And if your Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good But as to your Soul Enemies fight manfully and stoutly against them give them no Quarter If you spare them your Life your Soul must go for it It was the Saying of a Captain to his Soldiers having the Spanish Army before them and the Sea behind them Either you must drink up this Sea or eat up these Spaniards So it is here either we must fight and overcome our Sins or drink up the Sea of God's Wrath. O cease not combating till all your foes be made your foot-stool This Church of Pergamos was overcome by the Doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans holding both Adultery and Idolatry lawful Doctrines pernicious to sound Truth and a holy Life only some held fast Christ's Name and did not deny his Faith Antipas resisted unto Blood the rest are called upon to strive to overcome these Doctrines by these sweet Promises in the Text And hath not the Dragon poured out a flood of Errors amongst us of late Are not many carried away with divers and strange Doctrines Do not some go about to null the Eternal Decrees of God to make void the Satisfaction of Christ to deny and deride the Imputation of his Righteousness to Believers in the matter of Justification to maintain the Doctrine of Free-will and final Apostacy from Grace And doth it not then concern us to keep the word of Christ as Soldiers must keep the Word their General gives them so let all Christ's Soldiers keep the word of Precept the word of Promise and the word of his Patience that he may make the same honourable report of you which he doth of them Joh. 17.6 And they have kept thy Word Who knows how soon the same Trials may be upon us that were upon Antipasâ— â—ere in his Church Oh! that we may be found faithful Martyrs as he was Know our Call to the battle is clear our Cause is good and our Comforts sweet when we have been slaying our Lusts conquering Errors and Temptation from the Devil and the World Christ will meet us as Melchizedek met Abraham when he came from the slaughter of the Kings bringing forth bread and wine supports and comforts to our souls Melchizedek's Bread and wine were to Abraham Pawns and Pledges of Canaan the Land of Promise and Christs supports and comforts shall be to us Earnests of Heaven and Glory See what consolations flow in these promises to the Overcomer as the Manna of old fell about the Camps of the Israelites and was preserved in the Golden Pot so hidden Manna falls about the Overcomer and is preserved in his heart Pardon is the white stone and Adoption the new name and all these though secrets to others are well known to himself Let all that are listed to fight under Christ's Banner encourage themselves and one another with these words 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 SERMON IV. REV. II. 26 27 28. He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron as the Vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father And I will give him the Morning-star HERE is another of those gracious Promises Christ makes to the Overcomers though directed to the Officers and Members of the Church in Thyatira yet is written as the other are for the common benefit of these seven Churches and of all others to the end of the World This Thyatira was a City of Lydia not far from Ephesus called Thugateira which doth signify a Daughter as Mr. Brightman observes for as a Daughter new-born is always growing in age and stature till she comes to full ripeness so it was with this Church which he therefore stiles Growing Thyatira The true Believers went on from faith to faith and so consequently conquering and to conquer Not like languishing Ephesus
yet came upon the back of an Angel Such honour have all his Saints to stand before him in this Noble Clothing peculiar to them in the House and Family of this great King of Heaven 3. It intimates Beauty and Glory This is also set out by the colour of white so when Christ was transfigured on the Mount his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light that is it shined with an extraordinary splendour and brightness Mat. 17.2 We find the countenance of the Angel Mat. 28.3 to be like lightning and his raiment white as snow and two other called men appearing in humane shape in white apparel that is very glorious and beautiful Acts 1.10 Thus Overcomers shall be clothed in white Raiment they shall walk with me in white saith Christ Rev. 3.4 in great Beauty and Glory The Kings Daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of wrought gold Psal 45.10 Yea they are said to be clothed with the sun Rev. 12.1 Cloth of Gold is accounted very glorious but if a man were clothed with the natural Sun he would be much more bright and beautiful How renowned for beauty are they then who are clothed with the Sun of Righteousness Some who have no natural beauty yet appear amiable by their fine shining Garments They are for Ornament and are to the Body as rich Hangings or costly Varnish over a wall of Clay which make it look better than else it would as the Poet saith Viro vestis magnum decus addit honesta Such a garment is Christ he adorns the Soul and gives it a rich and perfect beauty He is set out by the wedding-garment Mar. 22.12 The High Priests garments of old were but types of this which were made for beauty and glory Exod. 28.2 All the comliness of the Saints is by reason of this beautiful dress in which they are attired This is that Raiment of Needle-work which is a great Ornament to them though outwardly in rags or mean clothing He is a Crown and Diadem upon the head Signified by that fair Miter which was set upon Joshua's head Zach. 3.5 which hath its name from compassing about because it invironed the High Priests head It had a holy Crown with it Exod. 29.6 signifying the Deity and Dignity of Christ It had also upon the forefront of it a plate of pure gold with this engraving Holiness to the Lord who is said to be glorious in Holiness All shews what excellent beauty and glory is put upon the Overcomer clothed with this white Raiment 4. It signifies festivity and rejoycing Black is the mourning colour white is the colour of delight and joy They used white Garments at Feasts and joyful Solemnities Hence that of Solomon Let thy garments be always white Eccl. 9.8 Not absolutely but in all proper seasons of rejoycing The very beasts on which they rode in triumph to praise the Lord for victory over their Enemies were of this colour They rode on white Asses Judg. 5.10 That great mercy of Absolution is set out to us under the notion of a white stone Rev. 2.17 To signify what ground of spiritual joy they have whose sin is pardoned The sense then is Overcomers shall be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Glorious because this joy is a taste of future Glory or else because it made them glorious in the eyes of men The Kingdom of God is joy in the Holy-Ghost Rom. 14.17 When they are worsted by their Enemies they are filled with heaviness but if at any time they lead captivity captive and can get their feet upon the neck of those that hate them then their sorrow is turned into joy and their joy shall no man take away from them When Israel or rather God for Israel overcame Pharaoh and his Hosts Then sang Israel a joyful song unto the Lord Exod. 15. Thus shall all victorious Souls have their mouths filled with laughter and their tongues with singing and say The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Great is the shouting and rejoycing of Soldiers when they get a Victory and with much better joy shall they be clothed and filled who conquer in this holy war This is the first thing here promised 2. Rea. Overcomers names are indelibly recorded by Jesus Christ who here assures them of it saying I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life A Metaphorical expression also we read of the book of Scripture the book of Nature the book of Conscience and here and in other places of the book of Life and that the names of men are written there and those once engraven never shall be obliterated Phil. 4.3 Rev. 13.8 There we find the Lambs book of Life wherein are names written from the foundation of the world The phrase is taken from the enrolling of Citizens and Soldiers that they may be known to be such The promise implies That Overcomers are dear and precious in the eyes of Christ It is in matters of some concernment that things are committed to writing which men will carefully keep that nothing be expunged or blotted out This is seen in Jeremiah and others who caused Writings to be drawn and preserved upon weighty occasions Christ hath an high esteem of Valiant and Conquering Christians they are written before him yea they are written within him engraven in his Knowledg and Remembrance and in his Love and Affections as very dear unto him As the Names of the Tribes were written upon Stones which the High-Priest bare on his Breast-plate when he went into the most holy Place Even so the names of all Believers are written upon the heart of Christ to shew how precious they are to him Queen Mary said If she were opened after her Death they should find Calice written in her heart Were Faith duely exercised we might see Believers engraven upon Christ's heart and this Book shall never admit one of the Names in it to be crossed out If a Pilate could say Quod scripsi scripsi What I have written I have written Christ much more There are no Errata and therefore no Deleatur in the Book of Life And who should blot them out Not Men or Angels for it is a Sealed Book to them not their Sins which yet they fear more than the former for they themselves are blotted out by the hand of Free-Grace I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake Isa 43.25 As a Creditor takes his Pen and blots out the Debt or as men cancel Bills of Indictment so doth God to speak of him after the manner of men dip his pen in the Blood of his Son and dashes out the Hand-writings against them and cancels all those large Bills And this not as men blot things out that are written upon Paper where great blurs remain and they may possibly be read again but as a Cloud as a thick Cloud Isa 44.22 The Sun so