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
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