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
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
20.27 That they have not shunned to declare unto us all the Councel of God And whilst others are daubing with untempered morter sowing of pillows under their elbows and healing the hurt of the Daughter of my people slightly crying peace when there is no peace yet we have some who are found faithful Moniters as to our approaching imminent dangers by whom instrumentally the silver Trumpet of the Gospel giveth forth a most certain sound causing the Saints and people of God to see and understand that now it is high time to prepare to the Battel Amongst whom this worthy and faithful servant of Jesus Christ the Author of these excellent ensuing discourses diservedly ought to be reckoned and rancked not in the meanest place whose design herein next unto the glory of God I doubt not confidently to affirm is the spiritual good and benefit of all his people whilest it evidently appeareth that he endeavoureth the good of all but especially the houshold of faith of some he hath compassion making a difference others he saveth with fear pulling them out of the fire that if possible he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus To this end our Reverend Author in delivering the mind of God in this Discourse so speaketh as stooping down to the meanest capacity so manifesting much of a sweet Self-denying and Soul-saving Spirit whose Preaching is not with inticeing words of mens wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and with Power who though he could speak with Tongues God having given him the Tongue of the Learned that he might know how to speak a word in season to every weary soul yet I am sure that in the Church of Christ he had rather speak five words with his understanding that all might he edified and comforted than five hundred in an unknown Tongue But I need not say any more in this matter the Work that is before thee Christian Reader doth sufficiently speak for him wherein he as a good Steward of the manifold Grace of God doth labour to give to every one a portion for here thou hast both milk for Babes and strong meat for strong Men in Christ Such as are yet strangers to Christ he labours to bring them into a measure of Spiritual Acquaintance with him and such as do in measure savingly know him he labours to put them into a more full enjoyment of him In order hereunto in the first place he wisely and faithfully acquaints all who desire to set their faces Zion-ward what things they may meet withal in travelling thither letting them understand the worst first that meeting with such things in the way they might not be discouraged so as to be turned out of the good way of the Lord. Moreover in those sweet Discourses he as a Son of Consolation doth speak comfortably labouring more and more to confirm and encourage all the godly to keep on in their way considering that all who are now in Heaven that Haven of Rest and Happiness have more or less trod in the same path viz. of Active and Passive Obedience Yea our Lord himself who is the Captain of our Salvation in his bringing of many Sons to Glory was made perfect through Sufferings and is through Sufferings entered into Glory In which way all that will be found good Soldiers of Christ must be willing to follow him Now as a strong enducement or as a mighty encouraging and perswasive argument hereunto our reverend Author doth hold out in these divine discourses many sweet promises as being proper and peculiar to all and only to such as shall be found overcomers Thereby intimating unto us first That here while we are in the body is the time and place for managing of this spiritual combat and conflict and then secondly here is laid before us what these Enemies are with which we are to encounter in this spiritual combat namely Sin and Satan the World and the Flesh Thirdly by what means every Christian shall be enabled so to manage the great engagement as they may undoubtedly be Conquerers in the end I more then Conquerers viz. Through the faith of Christ who loveth all that are his which love of his being shed abroad in a soul will be in it such constraining love as will be stronger than death causing the soul so to exercise faith in Christ that through the strengh of Christ it shall certainly prevail and wholly overcome and so come in the end to see and share in the comfort of those sweet promises viz. 1. To eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God 2. Not to be hurt of the second death 3. To eat of the hidden Manna and to have that white stone c. 4. To have power over the Nations and to have the Morning-star 5. To be cloathed in white rayment c. 6. To be a pillar in the Temple of God and to go no more out c. 7. To sit with Christ in his Throne yea to inherit all things Now good Reader That thou maist be helped to do thy duty faithfully so as thou maist obtain all these things promised effectually and so be made happy in the Lord everlastingly is the earnest prayer of him who is thy sincere well-wisher in the Lord. T.W. SERMON I. REV. II 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God THE order of giving this Book of the Revelation is very observable For God the Father gave it to his Son Jesus Christ Christ to his Angel the Angel to John and John to the Seven Churches in Asia Rev. 1.1 4. It 's observed that this John was honoured to be an Evangelist in his Gospel an Apostle in his Epistles and a Prophet in his Revelation It is a Book of singular use to Christians to the end of the world And though many things in it are very mysterious which Christ will reveal to his Servants in their proper seasons yet many things are more clear and obvious The Epistles to the Churches though directed to the Angel of each Church yet concern the whole body and each member and therefore it 's said He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit speaks unto the Churches This is spoken to each particular Church which plainly shews they were all bound to attend the voice of the Holy Ghost in all that is delivered yea all the Churches that have been since now are or ever shall be are concerned in it for all that is written is for our learning upon whom the ends of the world are come Rom. 15.4 The Text is the conclusion of that Epistle directed to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus By the Angel some understand the Ministers so stiled to shew both their dignity and duty This Ephesus was that famous City Acts 19. where the great goddess Diana was so much esteemed in which a Church was planted at first vigorous and
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
nothing but because it is but a shew they are indeed the more indigent and necessitous 4. From the riches of his own Grace verse 18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou maist be rich c. Would men come off in good earnest to Jesus Christ and cleave to him in faithfulness they need not make such poor shifts as they do they need not make such formal counterfeit shews as they do to bear up their heads in the world he would enrich them to purpose they need not be ashamed to walk in the midst of their Enemies who wait to see their shame he would cloath them effectually 5. From an insinuating motion if they will not he must take another course with them if they will not come home willingly he must fetch them home with a rod As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent ver 19. as if he had said if there be no other remedy though he dearly loved them yet he must rebuke and chasten them therefore as they would avoid this chastisement let them be more zealous 6. From his own importunity the longing desire he had to do good to their Souls Behold I stand at the door and knock c. vers 20. as if he had said How fain would I bless your Souls with real blessings How fain would I make over my grace and love to you but you deprive your selves of it by your Hypocrisy and Neutrality Behold I come once more to your doors and stand and knock if any man will open to me I will come in and sup with him and he with me 7. From the great honour and dignity he would raise those up to that overcome these predominant evils This is laid down in the Text the sum of which take in this proposition Doct. That as Christ overcame and sate down with his Father on his Throne so all Overcomers shall fit down with Christ in his Throne Here are three parts 1. That Christ overcame 2. Having so done he sate down in his Fathers Throne 3. All Overcomers shall sit down with him on his Throne Bra. 1. Christ overcame It is he that speaks these words in the Text I overcame All he encountred with he got Victory over He grapled with Satan and overcame him He ouercame him says the Scripture that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2.14 This Seed of the Woman hath broke that Serpents head Gen. 3.15 The head is the place of policy in man of power in other creatures Christ hath got all the power and policy of Satan and crushed it under his feet The Apostle saith Colos 2.14 He spoiled Principalities and Powers That is the whole Host of Hell with all their train of Attillery were utterly divested of all their destroying power He overcame sin coming in the likeness of sinful flesh condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 so that it cannot condemn any in Christ Rom. 8.1 He overcame them by bearing them away as the word signifies 1 Pet. 2.24 An allusion to the ceremony of the Scape-goat over whose head were confessed the sins of the Children of Israel and the Goat let go into the Wilderness Levit. 16.21 22. This shadowed Christ upon whom God laid the iniquities of all his people who so bare them as to bear them away One sin sunk the Angels that kept not their first estate into their present misery and they can never overcome it yet Christ hath subdued all the iniquities of his people and cast them into the depth of the Sea Mich. 7.19 He overcame the world I have overcome the world says he John 16 33. He overcame the good things of the world by being dead to them when they sought to make him a King he withdrew himself He overcame the evil things thereof by the invincible courage and patience of his life for he meekly endured the contradictions of sinners against himself and by the victorious power of his death when he seemed to be overcome but did never conquer more eminently than by it and the consequences of it He hath overcome the justice and wrath of God by giving satisfaction out of Christ it hath a dreadful quarrel and implacable controversy and Believers are often under fears of these but Christs blood hath made it their friend In Christ God sits with a Rainbow round about his Throne Rev. 4.3 When God smelt a sweet savour of rest from Noahs Sacrifice he promised never to drown the world again and as a token he would be mindful of his Covenant he put his Rain-bow in the Clouds So in Christ there is a Rain-bow about Gods Throne his Bench of Judicature is turned into a Throne of Grace Christ overcame the. Law by fulfilling it He obeyed the precepts of it Though he was the Law-maker yet he was made under the Law Gal. 4. He was circumcised and so became a debtor to do the whole Law which he perfectly fulfilled and is in that sense the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 He endured the penalties of it also by submitting to the curse of it Gal. 3.13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us To be under the Law is a state full of danger and terror Believers many times fear it will put in a black bill of indictment against them but Christs blood hath blotted out the hand-writings against them They are not under the Law as to its envenomed curses and intollerable penalties The Law it self to every true Believer is non-suited as one faith well by the death of the Law-maker He overcame also death and the grave Not so destroyed it that Believers shall not dye but unstinged it that it shall not destroy eternally Hence the Apostles triumphant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.55 57. When a Bee hath fastned her sting in a mans flesh and so lost it she ever after they say turns a Drone Death once fastned its sting in Christ who overcame the venom of it and ever since it hath been like a Drone it may hum and affright but not really hurt a true Believer Death is very strong it overcomes the mighty Monarchs and Potentates of the Earth and and none can stand before it yet Christ overcame it even upon its own ground It got him into the prison of the grave but could not keep him there it was not possible for him to be holden by it Acts 2.24 And though it is the last Enemy that shall be destroyed yet Death shall he swallowed up of Victory 1 Cor. 15.26.54 Thus we see that Christ overcame the Enemies either by reconciling them or disarming them either by making them friends or leaving them impotent Enemies Bra. 2. After he had thus overcome he sate down with his
he cannot say he shall never be sick again for he may have further Distempers and be sick again even of the same Distemper yea and be brought low by it So I may say here A Believer after he hath gotten a particular Victory over his Enemies yet cannot say I shall never be assaulted again by this or that Lust or Temptation For that may be and thou be brought low thereby Be not secure but watchful But here lies the great Comfort though a man may be under the same Affliction that he hath formerly been recovered from yea and dye of it also yet I may assure all true Believers That their Sickness is not unto Death as Christ said of Lazarus It may bring them low but never to hurt them by the Second Death You cannot say as Alexander Veni vidi vici I came I saw I overcame but you may he exercised by these Enemies all your Life and some have had the sharpest Combat in their dying hours yet always true Believers go off Conquerors We read of a great Victory obtained by Israel over the Syrians yet at the return of the year the Syrians made another Invasion though it was to their utter Overthrow 1 King 20. Your Spiritual Enemies are like the Syrians though they be often baffled yet they will renew their Assaults But as Joshua made his Captains set their feet upon the necks of those Kings Josh 10.24 So will Christ your Captain and Champion who hath already won the Field cause you to tread down the wicked wicked Lusts wicked Men and Satan that wicked one As ashes under the soles of your feet Mal. 4.3 Let us all labour to be Overcoming that we may get Christ's Grant to sit with him in his Throne Vincenti dabitur Look to get a principle of true Faith this is the Victory whereby we Overcome even our Faith if we fail of the truth of this Grace our enemies will utterly ruine us Instead of sitting with Christ in his Throne we shall be thrown out by Christ upon the Dunghil and the Devil will everlastingly triumph over us What will not men venture upon for Thrones and Kingdoms Shall not a place in Christ's own Throne animate us to this holy War To Conclude You that are true Believers you have begun to be Victorious Go on Conquering and to Conquer To this end 1. Beware of Divisions Divide Impera Divide and Rule An Army divided is easily routed Our Divisions give our Enemies great advantage as we have seen by sad Experience It was said of old Dum singuli pugnant omnes vincuntur whilst they fought single they were all Overcome Union is our strength O that at length Christians would study to joyn Hearts and Hands against the Enemies It was good Policy in Joab when he saw the Enemy had beset them before and behind he said to his Brother If the Syrians he too strong for me then thou shalt help me but if the Children of Ammon be too strong for thee then I will come and help thee 2 Sam. 10.11 So should Christians say to each other If Corruptions be too strong for us you shall come and help us and if Temptations be too strong for you we will come and help you This would much weaken the hands of our Enemies and make us more and more Victorious 2. Give Christ the glory of every Victory and he will give us to go on yet Conquering and to Conquer I have read of a Victory called Victoria Hallelujetica it was on this occasion The Saxons here in England being to engage the Britains the Leader of the Britains having his Army in Dales and Valleys ordered them to cry Hallelujah which they did and through the Eccho of the Voice in the Valleys the Enemy apprehended the number to be more than they were and through fear fled Let Heaven and Earth ring again with the Eccho of your Praises for the beginnings of Victory and the Enemy will flee before you 3. Above all Go out against them as David did against Goliah in the Name of the Lord. Austin being troubled he long fought against a Corruption could not overcome it thought he heard a Voice saying to him In te stas non stas Thou standest in thy self and therefore thou standest not Say with the Psalmist I will go in the strength of the Lord I will make mention of thy Righteousness only Psal 71.16 David with a Sling and a Stone acting Faith in the Name of God prevailed against the Enemy but Adam though without sin standing in himself was Overcome Believers you have a good Second a strong Champion Jesus Christ God hath laid Help upon this Mighty One Rely on him alone that through him you may have Victory and so inherit these Promises And if these be not enough 't is said Rev. 21.7 He that Overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son FINIS