begin to boast and make Challenges saying Who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make war with him We have heard of the Prophecy of the late Reverend Bishop Vher and what probability there is of its accomplishment any one may see by the present dark Providences going over us which if God shall order to come to pass O what terrible shakings will there be Not the Earth only but the Heavens will be shaken The Pillars of the Earth are the Lords saies Hannah and he hath set the world upon them 1 Sam. 2.8 Yet we read that the Pillars of Heaven and Earth tremble Job 9.6 and 26.11 By the Pillars of Heaven some understand the Angels by the Pillars of the Earth Political Pillars Kings and Princes and Ecclesiastical Pillars such as Peter and John were Whether they be State-Pillars or Church-Pillars if Antichrist once again prevail over us they will be terribly shaken Men and Angels will be filled with Amazement and Astonishment at the Providences of God I have read of one Simeon who is said to have been Prophetical that he passing through a Temple spake to the material Pillars and Prophecying of an Earthquake bid them Stand fast for they should shortly be shaken Things work in our days so strangely as without a Spirit of Prophecy I may say to all the Churches of Christ to all that seem Pillars in the Temple of God Stand fast for you shall shortly be shaken God will arise suddenly to shake terribly the Earth Stand sure therefore that ye be not worsted and overcome by the Adversary 3. Consider the Honour and Profit that will accompany this Victory if ye get it Great is the Reward laid up in all these Promses Everlasting Honour and Recompence will be the portion of all such Brevis est labor as one saith praemium vero aeternum Earthly Soldiers will purchase Honour and get their Pay with the hazard of Life the Commendation of their Captain the Applause of People or a little Money will make them courageous What hazard then Should not we run in fighting this good fight who shall have the commendation of Christ the Captain of our Salvation and the Praise of the blessed Angels who observe and look upon us how we quit our selves in this holy War If it were only the present Profit and Benefit which will accrue to us it should move us to fight how terrible soever it seems to flesh and blood For that is truely here verified Pax Belli filia Peace is the Daughter of War We no sooner enter the field to fight against these Enemies but presently we have Peace with God and Peace of Conscience if not the sense yet the ground of it What then should the receiving of a Heavenly Kingdom move us to do Satans pay to his Soldiers is but the Pleasures of Sin for a Season the Honour and Profit of the world for a moment and in the end everlasting destruction both of Body and Soul Whereas they who keep close to Christ's Standard and overcome the Enemy besides what they have here shall be filled with such Rewards and Joys as Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor Heart of man can conceive Lastly We have sure grounds of Victory for our Enemies are already overcome to our hand Christ hath cooled their Courage and abated their Strength And he that calls us to the Fight will help us to Overcome Deficientes sublevat vincentes coronat When we faint he sustains us and crowns us when we overcome Besides God gives us to see the end from the beginning He shewed David the Victory before-hand This uncircumcised Philistine saies he shall be as one of them meaning the Lion and Bear he had slain 1 Sam. 17.36 We may say as the Church of old Rejoyce not against me O mine Enemy for though I fall yet I shall rise again She that is mine Enemy shall see it shame shall cover her that said unto me Where is the Lord thy God Mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be trodden down as the Mire in the Streets Mic. 7.8 10. Behold Earth's Triumph in the midst of the Enemies Insultations to see this before-hand is ground of hope of Victory Further every piece of Armour speaks them Conquerors It is the Armour of God the Armour of Righteousness and secures on the right hand and on the left Though Saul's Armour was too cumbersome for David yet this is fitted and suited exactly to all that rightly take it to themselves Their Girdle and Helmet of great Strength and Purity Their Breast-plate such as secures the Vitals of Godliness and Religion Their Shoes impenetrable though the way be strewed with Thorns and sharp Stones Their Sword better than Goliah's and it may be said of it most truely There is none like it Their Shield better than the Shields of the Mighty quenching all the fiery Darts the Enemy can throw upon them Moreover Whatever fights against us fight for us All these things are against me saies Jacob Gen. 42.32 yet found all for him whatever resists Believers in a Conflict doth encourage them Their former and present Trials beget future Trust Their former Assaults are their after Experiences By these they learn how to ward off such a Blow how to evade such a Snare and Stratagem how to withstand such a Temptation and to add no more In their Inability lies their Ability out of weakness they are made strong and wax valiant in fight as they of old Heb. 11.34 Many are valiant to fight at first but to grow strongest at the last piece of Service to so say as St. Paul When I am weak then am I strong this is encouraging indeed These and other grounds of Victory Believers have let all such stand and withstand in the evil day for you shall certainly overcome at last Assurance of Victory will make a Coward fight stoutly and courageously O let not your hands be weakned or your hearts faint and fail seeing you are sure to prevail There is a notable Speech of Charles the Fifth who venturing into apparent danger in War was disswaded from hazarding himself â—est if he were killed the whole Army should be routed and broken said An Emperour was never shot through with a Bullet Let the hearts and hands of Believers be strengthned by this A true Believer was never totally and finally overcome by the Enemies of his Soul but though foiled and his Weapons beaten out of his hand yet recovers and stands when they are fallen and destroyed Only be strong and of a good courage put forth your utmost endeavours to overcome Qui creavit te sine te non servabit te sine te was the Saying of an Antient. It is not Armour in the Magazine but put on and well used that defends us and offends our Enemies This Church of Philadelphia had but a little strength yet improving it well kept Christ's word and denied not his Name For to him that hath shall
be given If a man hath Faith in the Habit only though it were as strong as Abraham's yet it will do little towards a Victory but Faith though but as a grain of Mustard-seed yet in lively exercise will do wonders Hence it is a strong Believer that suffers sloth and security to grow upon him will fall before the Enemy when the weak Christian improving his little Strength shall be victorious and get the better of him If any object we find the Enemy too strong for us as the Sons of Zeruiah were too strong for David so may some say The evil Heart within Satan and the World without are too hard for me I shall never overcome I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul by the Policy and Power of my Adversaries Let such look to their Captain for fresh Auxiliaries and fear not God gave St. Paul and will thee Victory not for or by thine own Endeavours though they must be used but through Jesus Christ Particularly 1. Through the Strength of Christ I can do all things and suffer all things too saith the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me Phil. 4.13 A Christian in Christ walks up and down the world like a Conquerour but without him they can do nothing John 15.5 2. Through the Blood and Cross of Christ 'T is said that when Constantine was going to fight against his Enemies the Sign of the Cross appeared to him with these words written upon it By this shalt thou Overcome I know no Vertue to be in the Sign of the Cross but I read the Saints overcame the Dragon by the Blood of the Cross that Blood of the Lamb shed upon the Cross Christ's Blood is Sin-conquering Satan-subduing and World-overcoming Blood 3. Through the Word of Christ The Apostle saith That Young men having the Word of God abiding in them overcome the wicked One 1 Joh. 2.14 Young Saints by this applied and improved overcome old Adam yea that old Serpent the Devil 4. By the Love of Christ Believers are said to be more than Conquerours through him that loved them Rom. 8.37 Many waters cannot quench the flame of this Love nor the floods drown the sense of it Love is strong as Death and Death overcomes all none can stand before it 5. By the Victory of Christ Hence he doth cheer up the hearts of his troubled Disciples ready to faint at the consideration of his Departure from them and the Hatred of the world against them Be of good comfort I have overcome the world This he did as a publick Person for himself and for his Church and every Member of it When Satan conquered the first Adam he overcame all Mankind all being in him their Head and Representative So all in Christ the second Adam do and shall Overcome by his victory Therefore be of good cheer I have overcome the world As if he had said My Victory is yours and for you else if they had no Interest in it what support could this give to them Well then Let all that are of a fearful heart be perswaded to fight as if they had no Captain no Christ yet to rely on the Strength Blood Word Love and Victory of Christ as if they had not struck a stroke so shall they certainly Overcome their Enemies and enjoy the good of these Promises SERMON VII REV. III. 21. To him that Overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also Overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne THis is the last though not the least of those Seven Promises made to Overcomers in this and the former Chapter It is directed to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea vers 14. This Angel some think was Archippus who had declined from his first life and activity in the work of the Ministry Hence the Apostle Paul bad some say to Archippus Take heed to thy self and to thy ministry that thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfil it Col. 4.17 Laodicea was a City nigh to the Collosians and the Church planted there seems more corrupt than any of the other In some there is much commended and something reprehended In others nothing reproved but much commended Here much reproved nothing of commendation The sum of the Epistle is to discover her Sins and perswade to repentance The sins were two 1. A detestable neutrality in their Christian profession at the 15 verse Thou art neither cold nor hot as if he had said thou art indifferently affected neither eager for the truth nor an open Enemy to it Neither a zealous professor nor a professed Enemy to Religion but a neuter halting betwen two as they 1 Kings 18.21 2. Pride and self-conceit in the 17 verse Thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing c. as if he had said Thou dost boast as if thou wert rich in all manner of spiritual Grace that nothing need be added to that perfection thou hast attained when thou vauntest thus being ignorant of thine own lamentable state not knowing that thou art poor and beggarly yet poor and proud like a beggar boasting of wealth so true of her was that of Solomon There is that maketh himself rich and yet hath nothing Prov. 13.7 And some think that the reason why no fault was mentioned in some Churches was not because there was no imperfection in them but to shew how much the Lord favoureth humble modesty and nothing commended in Laodicea not because there was nothing good among them but to shew how much the Lord disliketh a luke-warm temper and a proud vain-glorious disposition These were her sins Now Christ perswades to repentance by many arguments 1. From his own Omniscience verse 15. I know thy works that thou art neither hot nor cold as if he had said though thou beest careless yet I care though thou takest no notice yet I do I observe what temper thou art of and how doubly thou dealest by me 2. By an argument drawn from the loathsomness of this sin verse 16. Because thou art neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth Though they might think it were nothing to deal thus deceitfully with God they might account it a piece of wisdom to be thus moderate as some call it But I have other thoughts of it it is a filthy abominable sin I will spue thee out of my mouth for it if thou beest not zealous and repent a plain expression intimating the loathsomness of it as we spit at that which is loathsom to our Stomach so does the Lord by this declare how much he abhors this sin in our Religion 3. From the present inconvenience it brought upon her verse 17. It brings them into a miserable condition They had a seeming shew to be rich and wife and happy and full when they were poor and blind and wretched and naked A shew of Religion makes men think they are in a good estate and want
ready to march at the beat of the Drum or sound of the Trumpet but when in the Field he must wholly attend the war we may use the world but as if we used it not in our employments and enjoyments of it and in it we must be abstracted from it or we shall never come off well in the day of Battel if we be entangled and ensnared by it in our affections and not in a constant readiness at the call of God to engage the Enemy we shall come of with dishonour and damage dishonour to him that calls us to fight and damage to our own Souls There are many things to encourage Christians to look about them and quit themselves like men and be strong as 1. The paucity of those who conquer To him that overcometh says the Text Not to them but to him to note they are but few Christ prophesied that many will be offended Matth. 24.9 10. The love of many shall wax cold and it is but a He that endureth to the end Oh how great a mercy will it he to be found in that remnant David had many Soldiers few Worthies many make a scuffle and seem to fight few are in good earnest and fight valiantly 2. There are some advantages Believers have which if well improved may give them the upper hand of their Enemies 1. They have the armour of God that belongs to every Christian when David was to fight against Goliah 1 Sam. 17.38 39. he was presented with the best Armour even by the King himself which was no small encouragement Believers are presented with a whole coat of excellent Armour every piece of it is Armour of proof and this by the King of Kings Saul's Armour was too heavy for David he attempted to go in it but could not God hath made every piece of the Spiritual Armour fit and suitable to every true Believer 2. They have Christ for their Standard-bearer whose heart fainted not nor melted away as the Prophet Esay mentions Esay 10.18 The Standard-bearer fainteth when he sees the Army routed he casts away his Colours and flecth so did not Christ hence that of St. Paul Gal. 6.14 God forbid I should glory in any thing save in the Cross of Christ viz. in the death and sufferings of Christ I will not leave my Colours I find the world and my worldly affections dead and doubt not but to have compleat Victory in due time 3. They have the ministry of Angels and the special conduct of God with them All things come alike to all in the Court of Nature but things come in special to some in the Court of Grace they have more for them than against them 2 Kings 6.16.17 which if their eyes were open they might see And if God be for them who can be against them Rom. 8.31 The success must needs be on their side because having such a conduct they can march on preventing and avoiding the stratagems of the Enemy The Apostle Paul took it for a singular priviledge 1 Cor. 9.26 27. that he could so run and so fight as to obtain and keep under his Enemy and not be a cast-away yea by this they do not only spy out the drift of the Enemy but can fetch in Recruit and fresh Auxiliaries in time of need Heb. 4.16 When their own strength fails God gives in assisting Grace fresh anointings surmounting the Grace they had before as he sees the matter requireth David could encourage himself in the Lord his God hence could say Psal 18.1 I will love thee O Lord my strength and he had good reason 1 Sam. 30.6 7. for when the Amalekites had carried away all God strengthened him to pursue after them and to recover all again Yea more they have the advantage of undergoing things patiently and quietly when the Lord makes them poor they make many rich when corrected yet not killed always bearing about them the dying of the Lord Jesus Sick and yet quiet poor and yet quiet prosecuted and buffetted yet quiet In a word they have that interest above and Influence from above that they can set themselves against the world and do more by Faith and Prayer than others can do by Wit and Policy for they can lead captivity captive and by their spiritual strength tread down strength I mean in a spiritual sense for Christians should be peaceable subjects to their King and peaceable neighbours with their neighbours but to war against spiritual Enemies here they can say 1 Cor. 15. Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory I have fought with beasts at Ephesus saith the Apostle Paul a great Victory whether you understand it as some do of savage beastly men or litterally as others they say he was condemned by the sentence of the Heathen to be committed to the wild Beasts to be devoured by them unless he were able to rescue himself which he did he lived and acted by the Faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him so that he had Victory over the World and could say O my worldly Enemies where is your Venom your Gall where is now your Enmity your Victory To conclude Believers have many excellent promises to encourage them to fight and overcome Seven in this and the next Chapter of which the Text is the first O let us fear lest we should so much as seem to fall short of them Heb. 4.1 meditate much upon this in the Text 'T is sweet in the very reading of it How pleasant will it then be in its accomplishment I end with that Parallel Scripture Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City SERMON II. REV. II. 11. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death THESE words are the conclusion of the Epistle to the Church in Smyrna and so the eighth verse of this Chapter sheweth To the angel of the Church in Smyrna write c. Some say this Church was more faulty then the former but Christ covers and conceals them lest the sight of her former sins and the apprehension of her future sufferings both at once should too much discourage her Others think that she was though the poorest yet the purest of all the Churches I know thy poverty says Christ to her but thou art rich verse 9. poor in temporals but rich in spiritual outward poverty joyned with inward purity discommends none to Christ Her name was answerable to her nature I mean her new nature Smyrna signifies a sweet smell and her Graces were like beaten Spices very fragrant and odoriferous they cast a sweet savour even throughout all the Churches It seems a terrible storm of persecution was ready to come down upon them wherein some of them might be called to resist not unto bonds only and imprisonment but even unto blood and Martyrdom for he tells them The Devil that is wicked men who
flourishing but at this time declining both in her inward affection and outward conversation called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies remisness she abating of her first Love and declining from her first Works Now the words of the Text are a gracous and sweet promise given out to encourage her to repentance and a recovery of her self Having used threatning arguments he concludes with this excellent and full promise if by any means she might be brought to remember whence she was fallen and might get Victory over her present dangerous Distempers To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Here is 1. The matter of the promise to eat of the Tree of Life which is described by the scituation of it in the midst of the Paradise of God 2. The condition of it overcoming The Doctrine is this Doct. That Overcomers shall eat of the Tree of Life in Gods Paradise Here is something implied and also something expressed of these in order 1 That which is implied is that we have Enemies who fight against us and seek our destruction for ever against whom we are to manage a Spiritual Warfare and though none under twenty years old in Israel went forth to War yet here none are exempted not only are Ministers called to act and quit themselves as good Soldiers of Jesus the Christ 1 Tim. 2.4 as Timothy was the Weapons of whose Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual as St. Paul speaks 2 Cor. 10.4 They are to fight by the preaching of the Word weilding well that sword of the Spirit by Church censures by enduring hardship and the like yet is not the War limited to them but every one must come out to the battel even young ones must strive to fight this good fight wherein the glory of God and the cause of their Souls are eminently concerned This world is the field in which the Battels are to be fought and the War managed In Heaven there are no Enemies nor shall they there learn War any more 'T is true we read there was war in Heaven Rev. 12.7 and the Dragon and his angels fought but it is meant of the Church here often called Heaven in Scripture and in this Book of the Revelation This world is the Enemies Country and while the Church is here it must be militant in a conflicting and warring condition and this without intermission the Enemies are restless and implacable and will admit no truce no cessation of arms In Heaven above they are Triumphant having Crowns on their Heads and Palms in their hands in token of full Victory but here we must all hold swords and labour to be expert in war every one having his sword upon his thigh Cant. 3. 8. because of fear in the night this war is both defensive and offensive we must not only be standing upon our guard in our own defence but God hath provided armour by which we may overcome our Enemies and worst them in the Combate as they said of old to your Tents O Israel so let me say to your arms to your arms O all ye children of men especially O all Believers take to you the whole armour of God whereby ye may be able to withstand in every evil day and having done all to stand For this is not an arbitrary business but of that absolute necessity that we must either fight or dye kill or be killed conquer our Enemies or be finally and eternally overcome by them The Trumpet of the Gospel gives no uncertain sound 1 Tim. 6.12 but requires us to prepare our selves to the Battel If any say who or where are our Enemies I answer the Flesh the Devil and the World are the professed and avowed Enemies of our Souls 1. The Flesh our carnal and worldly lusts these are our worst Enemies the greatest fight is within quot vitia tot inimici as many Adversaries as there are corruptions 2 Kings 11. 13 14. when Athaliah heard the noise of the Guard and of the People in the Temple She came into the Temple and seeing them in their Warlike posture she rent her Clothes and cried Treason Treason when we look into our hearts which should be the Temples of God and find so many lusts gathered together there that are Enemies to Christ and would not he should reign in us and seek to betray our Souls to the Enemies without us we may well cry out Treason Treason Proud lusts covetous lusts unclean lusts lying and hypocrisy distrust and infidelity with a great Regiment besides these war continually against our Souls and fight against the Government of Christ and the Dominion of his Spirit and Grace in us against these therefore we should bend our main Forces more especially 1. Against the sin of our Nature This is called the Law in our Members and is said to war against the Law of our mind Rom. 7.23 This enemy is ever present with us as the Apostle St. Paul complained when we should doe good it is present either to divert us from it or distract us in it This is a very importunate evil a wrestless and unwearied Enemy we may cease evil acts when we cannot avoid inward motions this was it which made that excellent Apostle cry out O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me 2. The special predominant and most beloved Delilah the sin that doth more easily beset us we should bend our utmost strength against this every one hath a peccatum in deliciis a darling sin a right eye of pleasure a right hand of profit and though no true Believer can have a beloved sin for he hates every false way yet some sin there is by which he is most easily overcome and against this the heat of the Battel should be directed As it was said of old fight neither with small nor great but with the King of Israel 1 Kin. 33.31 So say I fight above all with the Ruling lust and predominant corruption the sin that we cannot well hear reproved can hardly tell how to part with are most delighted and pleased in the thoughts of it is first in a morning and last at night with us Oh this is that Enemy which when it kisseth is ready to kill us we may easily see the dagger it hath ready to strike us under the firth rib even when it fawns and flatters most as Joab did to Abner we can never be too careful here to stand upon our watch to keep guard against it as David did Psal 18.23 I was also upright before God says he and kept my self from mine inquity No better means of safety no greater sign of integrity then to keep our selves from our iniquity Let our chief war be against these indwelling Enemies especially against the sin of our Nature and the evil we are most apt to indulge and are most addicted to and the Victory over the rest
will be rendred much more facile and easy 2. Satan is another of those Enemies to be encountred by us for the Dragon and his Angels fight against us they assault us with all sorts of dangerous weapons we read of the wiles of the Devil Ephes 6. the devices or methods of Satan 2 Cor. 2.11 the fiery darts of that wicked one Diabolus est methodidicus ad fallendum Hence the Apostle brings in Satan under the notion of a Soldier against whom we are to combate and a subtil Enemy he is 2 Cor. 11.13 for he has bin experienced in warring against mens Souls for above 5000 years He labours sometimes to beat their Armour out of their hand especially the shield of Faith and the sword of the Spirit because these prejudice him most He watches the fittest time to assault the policy of Souldiers is seen in observing the right season so doth Satan he takes the time of Solitariness the time of Sleepiness or the time of Weariness and the like He takes the advantage of place Souldiers that are to fight have a special regard to the ground they are to fight upon that they may thereby get some advantage against their Enemies so Satan does he observes the ground we stand upon if upon high places he knows how to lay his snares there and to entice us by the inordinate love of earthly things from God and his ways if upon low places he has his wiles there temptations suitable to a poor condition Hence is the request of that wise man Give me neither Poverty nor Riches Prov. 30.8 9. he was not ignorant of Satans devices In both in a word he holds correspondence with that in party in us which he knows is true to him our sin and corruption this is the treacherous party within which he engageth to betray us into his hand without which makes our condition dangerous by giving such advantage to Satan 2 Cor. 7.5 Without are fightings and within are fears because he hath always a party in our bosomes true to his cause It is this that renders him so formidable an Enemy if all were right within us he would lose his designs upon us as he did upon Christ The Prince of this World cometh says he and hath nothing in me Joh. 14.30 But in Believers he finds an army of doubtings and carnal fears troops of carnal reasonings and disputings these take part with him and give him often to overcome them others he takes captive at his will but even good men by giving place to him and by being betrayed by their corruptions are worsted by him How greatly then doth it concern them and all others to resist this adversary at the first and not give way to him Turpius ejicitur quam non admittitur hostis He is more easily kept out at first than cast out afterwards Add to all this He is an active and diligent enemy called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked one because he is always endeavouring to circumvent and labouring to destroy Souls He is a potent enemy though he hath lost all his holiness yet not his strength they are principalities and power still He is a present enemy can be always at our right hand whereever we are no place can be a sanctuary to us from his assaults Some think by shutting themselves up in a cloister they can shut out Satan and that he dares not come where they sprinkle holy-water but he can be with us in any place and let us be never so secret and close we cannot exclude two from being present with us viz. God and Satan He is a cruel enemy especially to those who yield to him the natural Lion they say spares him that submits to him hence that Satis est prostrasse Leoni But this merciless Lion roars most terribly upon and carries it most cruelly to those who yield In a word he is a constant adversary 'T is said Saul became Davids enemy continually 1 Sam. 18.29 This is true here Satan is an implacable perpetual enemy and therefore we must fight per apertum mortem by open defiance of him and all his attempts and though we war impari proelio he being upon the upper ground the Prince of the Air spiritual wickedness in high places so that we are like little David to great Goliah yet if we act our parts well though we be too weak yet we have a good second Psal 89.19 God hath laid help upon one that is mighty of which more afterward 3. The World is another enemy we are to combat and grapple with we read much of overcoming the world in the Epistle of St. John not by carnal weapons for Christ bid Peter put up his Sword when he would be fighting but with spiritual Armor What is the evil may some say that is in the world to be overcome I would say thus Take the creatures as they come out of Gods hand so they are good and make no war against us nor are we called to put forth any acts of hostility against them but as our other enemies Sin and Satan make them instruments to ourhurt and cause us to misimploy them Every creature of God it good 1 Tim. 4.3 4. if sanctified by the Word and Prayer but by the sinful abuse of them turn to evil and help on the ruine of men Every thing is apt to become a trap and a snare to defile and destroy us upon which account alone we are called forth to fight against them To instance In our attaining great things in the world it is our enemy They that will be rich per fas nefas right or wrong 1 Tim. 6.9 10. slighty in the great matters of their Souls and Eternity but eager in coveting and pursuing earthly things these fall into a share and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition For the love of money is the root of all evil and they who are violent in the pursuit of it have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows Demas Judas and many Thousands besides have found the truth of these things Soenior armis incumbet luxuria Juv. So in our retaining the world there is a dangerous snare as well as in attaining of them The hold-fast men have of these things is like a mans holding red-hot Iron or a Firebrand against which he has need of some preservative This was the young mans utter ruine of whom the Gospel makes mention There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet but it tendeth to poverty says Solomon Prov. 11.24 Further In the very enjoying of the world there is an evil to be fought against which is that it stick not too near our heart Wisdom is good with an inheritance Eccles 7.11 Godly wisdom though wisdom without an inheritance is apt to be despised no man remembred that wise man who delivered the City because
Beauty and Festivity they will at last appear in all their filthy Rags and menstruous Garments clothed with Shame and covered with confusion of Face His enemies saith God of David will I clothe with shame Psal 132.18 Much more those that dye in their enmity to himself Their Names are written in the Earth and will be blotted out from under Heaven Deut. 29.20 They shall not be written among the living in Jerusalem but registred among the dead as those that are Eternally forgotten of God Instead of confessing him he will profess He never knew them Mat. 7.23 He will be ashamed of them before his Father and before all his Angels as they were of him and of his words before men Mark 8.38 A Figurative Speech and spoken of Christ after the manner of men for our capacity Not that Christ shall then be subject to any shame or be affected with it but that he shall so carry himself towards such as have been ashamed of him ashamed to own his Truth and engage to fight in his Cause as men are wont to do towards those of whose company and acquaintance they are ashamed that is to say That he will not acknowledg them for his Saints Servants or Soldiers but utterly refuse reject and cast them off as wicked and reprobate They who now deny to fight under his Banner or professing so to do shall yield to the Enemy be overcome and recover not rise not by true Repentance these will Christ deny before his Father and before all Men and Angels Vse 2. Here is yet further Encouragement to all to strive to Overcome Whose heart can sink into discouragement whose Faith can fail that reads and duely considers the sweet Cordials in this Text You shall be clothed with white Raiment by Christ's own hand it shall be put upon you White inwardly as well as outwardly Not like the Pharisees whited Sepulchres outwardly beautiful but within full of rottenness and dead mens bones but as the King's Daughter All glorious within Psal 45. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like a Lily of the field Mat. 6.29 The most splendid and gorgeous Robes of the greatest Monarch are not to be compared unto this clothing This is the best Robe spoken of Luke 15. which the Father commanded to be brought forth and put upon his returning Son who by Repentance and converting Grace overcame all his former vicious and evil Conversation This is durable Raiment God did miraculously preserve the Garments of the Israelites from waxing old Deut. 8.4 But they were otherwise the worse for the wearing as we say of all other Garments But this clothing waxeth not old is as fresh upon the Overcomer after he hath worn it Thousands of Years as it was the first day it was put put upon him The rich man we read of in the Gospel was clothed with Purple Luke 16.19 But Overcomers with Cloth of Gold Her clothing is of wrought Gold Psal 45.13 Yea far more precious than Gold that perishes He that yields to his Lusts and other Enemies rejects this raiment and does like him we read of Luk. 8.27 that wore no clothes and would suffer none to be put upon him Is it not great encouragement then that is here promised that none shall be so well arraid as the Overcomer When that man was cured of his Madness he sate at Jesus feet clothed and in his right mind vers 35. None come rightly to themselves but will fight couragiously and strive to be victorious since their Rags and poor Apparel here they many times wear shall be converted into such rich clothing And so what a sweet Promise is it that follows I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life When some came to Christ rejoycing that they wrought Miracles and particularly cast out Devils in his Name he corrects them as mistaking the true ground of Joy and points them to the right Rejoyce not in this that the Spirits are subject to you but rather rejoyce in this that your Names are written in Heaven Luk. 10.20 out of the reach of all your Enemies they can never cast a blot upon them Here they blot them with Reproaches and vile Aspersions as Joseph's Mistress did him Here they blot out excommonucate and cast out their Names as vile and odious but still they remain written in Heaven and shall be had in everlasting Remembrance So to be confessed by Christ at last before God Angels and Men when others shall be discarded with a Discedite a me nescio vos Depart from me I know you not What Favour and Comfort will it give Overcomers Having therefore these Promises let nothing daunt or dismay us nothing is more unbeseeming the Royal Spirit of a Christian Say not the Devil is so malicious the World so ensnaring the Heart so deceitful our Attempts against them so fruitless we shall one day perish by our Enemies hand Is this the language of Heaven Are these the words of Faith Is this the voice of the Scripture and not rather the whisperings of the Old Serpent The fruit of slavish Fear and Unbelief Is not the voice of God quite contrary Doth not he say I will pour clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your Iniquities and from all your Idols I will cleanse you The God of Peace shall tread down Sathan under your feet shortly Rom. 16.20 That whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5.4 Has he said it and shall it not come to pass Is not he faithful that hath promised Why then should we be faint-hearted Why should we suffer our Fears to disanimate and dispirit us Let us not be like those unbelieving timerous Spies who said Canaan was a good Land but there were Anakims Giants and by bringing an evil report disheartned the people and were shut out by God Josh 6. But let us all beg a Caleb-like Spirit whereby we may follow God fully as he did Numb 14.24 and our Enemies shall not stand before us Give a Soldier Courage and you give him all But take away his Heart and then he is almost dead before he strike a stroak It is a Seal to his Overthrow and a great advantage to the Enemy This evil of Unbelief and slavishness of Spirit doth us more hurt than all our Enemies can do When Saul was afraid he had not a heart to strike a stroke but went to the Witch c. 1 Sam 28.4 5. Were we valiant to the Battle God would say as he did of old to Joshua and Israel Your enemies shall not be able to stand before you Observe therefore the language of their enemies I know the Lord will give you the Land for your terrour is fallen upon us say they and all the Inhabitants of the Land faint because of you Assoon as we heard these things our hearts did melt neither did there remain any more Courage in any man because of you Josh 2 9-11 We cannot
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