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
PRECIOUS PROMISES The Portion of OVERCOMERS BY JOHN LOVGHER Minister of the Gospel Vincenti Dabitur LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell and R. Roberts for Edw. Giles Bookseller in Norwich 1681. To my Honoured and Worthy Friends and Brethren in and about Southrepps and Alby in Norfolk Grace and Peace be multiplied through the knowledg of God and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Dear Friends and Brethren UNder Christ whose I desire chiefly to be and whom I would firstly serve you are nearest to me in spiritual relation and dearest in Christian affection having upon your call and invitation thereunto given my self to the service of your Souls and though through much infirmity I have preached the Gospel to you being the most unworthy of them who Minister in holy things yet my weakness you have not despised nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God yea even as Christ Jesus And though I have spent nigh Eighteen years amongst many of you yet I have not reason to put that question to you which St. Paul did unto his Galatians Where is then the blessedness you speak of For your respects to me and my weak endeavours continue fresh and vigorous at this day even as at the first To some of you I am obliged in many bonds of gratitude to all in love and duty to others I owe much to you my self and therefore I could make a dedication of these Discourses to none so fitly as your selves The many imperfections in them may render them contemptible to others yet I know your love will cover my defects and will receive them with as much candour and kindness from the Press as you did attend them with diligence and affection in the Preaching of them especially considering that some of you importuned me to it judging them seasonable I cannot easily wish the subject treated of greater or better but the manner of explaining and applying these excellent Promises I could desire were much better for your sakes But where there is a willing mind it is accepted with Christ and I doubt not but you will be conformable to his example in this particular As the following Sermons were at first Preached for your instruction and now published for your edification so let them be well digested by meditation and practised in your conversation You are called a Church of Christ O study to be so indeed viz. A Congregation of faithful ones faithful to God and with the Saints Be not like Ephesus declining in your love and first works or if you be abated therein remember whence you are fallen and labour to recover Be not like Pergamos and Thyatira seduced by erronious Principles or debauched by evil Practises Above all be not like Laodicea self-conceited and proud of your attainments and enjoyments or luke-warm in the great things of salvation for such are loathsom to the heart and spirit of Jesus Christ But be you a sweet-smelling Smyrna let the savour of Christs good Ointments be manifested in all your words and ways and shew your selves Philadelphians of humble meek loving dispositions towards one another unto all the Saints yea even unto all men In a word Labour to approve your selves good Soldiers of Jesus Christ look to him who is the Author and finisher of your faith yield not to compound not with fly not from your spiritual enemies but resist stedfastly for Christ stands by you fights for you and will give victory to you in the end 'T is reported of the ancient British Nation that they never ran away in Battel till their General first forsook them Let us all demean our selves valiantly in our Christian warfare till Christ the Captain of our salvation desert us which will never be for we have his faithful Promise saying I will never leave you nor forsake you To his blessing and holy protection I commend you desiring the continuance of your Prayers for me and your acceptance of this small testimony of my respects to you by which I may speak to you when I shall go from hence and be seen no more I am March 26. 1681. Your weak but willing Servant in the work of the Gospel John Lougher THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader THE end of my prefixing these few Lines to the following Sermons is not because I think they need any commendation or attestation from me or that any thing I can say of them will render them at all the more acceptable to any one into whose hands they may come for I doubt not but they will approve themselves to every judicious intelligent and spiritually minded Reader but only to answer the desires of my dear and worthy friend the Author of them As to this Book of the Revelation the precious promises to the Seven Asian Churches in the second and third Chapters thereof being the foundation of the ensuing discourses it hath been observed by some that it is Symbolical and Prophetical containing in it Predictions of many things to come both in the Church and in the World symbolically represented so that the Apostle John as in his Gospel he appeareth to be an Evangelist in his Epistles an Apostle so in this his Revelation a Prophet It is indeed penned in somewhat obscure phrases borrowed some of them from the Prophets of old whence the understanding of it at least of some part of it have been found difficult even to the godly learned thence some have refused to read it privately others have declined the publick reading of it others have forborn to expound it and some have refrained from Preaching out of it yet it being a part of the holy Scripture dictated by the Spirit of God for the instruction and consolation of the Church in these last and worst days and there being also such a gracious promise of blessing made to the reading and hearing the words of it but especially to the keeping the things written therein Chap. 1.3 I cannot but judge the labours of those much to be commended who have either by their Sermons or Interpretations endeavoured the elucidation and illustration of it And that the Author of these following discourses hath by the gracious assistance and guidance of the Lords holy Spirit been directed to the true and genuine sense and meaning of the same Spirit in those choice and precious promises whereof he treats As to the subject matters contained in these promises here discoursed I look upon them as some of the most necessary and substantial truths of the Gospel for what indeed can be more necessary profitable and useful to Christians than the right understanding of the most precious and glorious promises thereof those exceeding great and precious promises as the Apostle Peter calls them 2 Pet. 1.4 which are as so many breasts full of sweetness and consolation to all the heirs of them The new Covenant to which all the Promises relate and in which they are all contained called therefore the Covenant of Promise Ephes 2.12 and which
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
he was a poor man Eccl. 9.15 yet an inheritance without wisdom is not good to the owner of it but a temptation fuel of lust pride vanity and so is harmful for want of this wisdom to order and keep it in its right place out of the heart Moreover there is hostility to be used against the world even in our passing through the world lest it cause us to lose our sight of God by interposing between him and us A man may hide the Sun from his eye with his hand A little of the world if we be not careful may be like a cloud which will keep us from the sight of God But to be curnbred with a multiplicity of cares about these things is to set great mountains between him and us to cause an eclipse of his countenance that we cannot behold him The Moon eclipseth the Sun from our sight earthly things hide the gracious sace of God from us if we be not very watchful against them Yet further we are to fight against this enemy as it doth oppose grace and hinder us in our faith hope and charity In our Faith he that sees a fair estate had need pray and say Lord draw the curtain and let me by faith see thee and thy beauty and glory The God of glory Acts 7. or God in his glory appeared unto Abraham and this so darkned the glory of this world that by Faith he left all at the call of God So much as we fix our eye upon the creature so much the less we see of God and so much the more our faith is hindered When Jacob had least of this world he saw most of God and so it is with many So for hope the world often hurts that the soul is ready to say How shall I travel over the fords and deeps of the world how shall I be able to resign up my all This is hard and difficult to sell all to part with all the hope of better things will carry us through it but if we fix here hope is lost so love and charity they are defiled there is spiritual whoredom between the Soul and the Creature by the love of the world Ye adulterers and adulteresses says St. James Jam. 4.4 know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Some take it for that spiritual adultrey wherein a man gives his love away from God to the Creature where love to the world prevails the best things are slighted and undervalued we ought to hate Father and Mother Brother and Sister Houses and Lands yea and our own Life also for Christ's sake Luke 14.26 when they stand between us and God then away with them had we not need watch and war against the world to subdue it and get the upper hand of it 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawful but I will not he brought under the power of any saith St. Paul He would stand upon the liberty and priviledg Christ gave him he would have the upper hand of these things nothing should command his love his fear or his joy and it is sweet walking with God when in this frame of Spirit That man who stands in right terms with the things of the world is content in every condition instructed in all things and can be in want or abound as it pleaseth God to order for him and this we should account better then the greatest estate in the Countrey these will come on faster in all grace that can cast off this weight and will run the race set before them and none shall hinder them this is the generation of Travellers when Jacob went from his Fathers House he had but a staff and a stone a staff to walk with in the day and a stone to rest his head upon in the night yet he returned two bands and glorious visions of God were given him Gen. 31. Gen. 32. though he met with hardship yet these made him pluck up his feet and go on chearfully This will put resolution into the heart of a Christian Acts 20.23 24. None of these things move me saith St. Paul neither do I count my life dear so I may finish my course with joy This is that which is implied That we have Enemies to war and combate with and we hear what they are 2. That which is expressed is that Overcomers all that get Victory of these Enemies shall eat of the Tree of Life in God's Paradise Some Questions follow for a brief explication of this proposition Quest Who may be said to be Overcomers Answ This Apostle doth best of all resolve the Question which he first propounds and then answers 1 Jo. 5.5 Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God Though the world is only named yet all the Enemies are included for he that gets victory over one overcomes them all some will say who doth not believe this that Jesus is the Son of God There will soon be an end of the war if this be all the Victory will be easy let such know that though there be no great difficulty in giving our assent to this proposition yet the Deity of Christ hath been denied and opposed by none of the meanest for learning not onely by the Pharisees whilst he himself lived but in the times when this Apostle wrote his Epistle and afterwards by the Arrians and Socinians of late How few imbrace it with a Divine Faith which is the only Faith that overcomes in the day of tryal Some take this up upon reasons of antiquity Authority and Consent of the Church in which they live but this Faith will not give us Victory if great trials arise upon this Fundamental Article in the Creed when the Apostle wrote this it was the critical point the Shibboleth as I may say by which one was distinguished from another the discriminating Doctrine the word of Christ's patience Persecution rose so high upon the defenders of this great truth as their Liberties and Lives were in danger to be taken from them for maintaining it at such a day not to be afraid to confess Christ to be the Eternal Son of God gave a comfortable ground to conclude them true Believers such Faith might charitably be judged right by which they thus overcame the world 'T is an easy thing when a Protestant Prince reigns to declare we believe that Transubstantiation is an error contrary to Scripture reason and our very senses but if Popery should come in like a flood and be the prevailing Interest and condemn them to be burnt for Hereticks who deny it as was the case of the Martyrs in the Marian days then to be stedfast even to the death in this perswasion would be a very hopeful evidence of the truth of our belief and of our Victory over the World So in the case this Text mentions O how few would find Faith and Patience to help them to seal to this That Christ is the Son of
will be who have no better things than these who get no spiritual conquests over the enemies of their Souls their end will be eternal expulsion and exclusion from the Paradise of God As God sent forth and drove out Adam from the Garden of Eden whether by his word of command or by forcible strength is not material never to return thither again Gen. 3.23 24. so will he drive away all the wicked like chaff and scatter them like smoke that they never enter in the celestial Paradise And as God set an Angel with a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life that Adam might not eat of it having by his sin lost his right unto it so whosoever is finally overcome by Sin Satan and the World living and dying under the full power and dominion of these enemies the flaming Sword of Divine justice will for ever keep them out of the Paradise of God and from eating of the Tree of Life that grows there Oh! that men would believe this report and in time labour to prevent it Vse 2. This Doctrine is a ground of strong consolation to all overcomers 1. They shall enjoy the heavenly Paradise where are far greater delights than in the Garden of Eden Eden was earthly this is heavenly The Serpent got into Eden Satan that old Serpent can never wind himself into the heavenly Paradise In Eden our first Parents sinned and broke covenant with God in Heaven they have an impossibility of falling Adam was driven out from the Garden of Eden but none are expelled from the Paradise above 2. They shalâ—â—â—at of the Tree of Life feed upon Christ there this is the Paradise of Paradise the Heaven of Heaven it self Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee says that holy David This was the living Cordial Christ gave the penitent Thief in his dying hour Luke 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise To have Christ be with us here though in affliction in prison is an inestimable good and precious favour but to be with Christ is best of all This may sweeten your Christian warfare if you consider how much this Tree excels that in Eden that was material this spiritual that grew out of the Earth this grew in God's Bosom and was from Heaven that Tree had no life in it self more then any other of the Trees of the Garden but should have continued life to Adam if he had not sinned during the Divine pleasure meerly by God's institution but Christ hath life in himself and quickens whom he will Adam never eat of that Tree of life all true â—lievers shall partake of this Theâ—â— was a flaming-sword to keep all from coming to that Tree in Eden but here will be no obstruction nor any cause of separation from Christ That Tree of old is long since perished and that Garden destroyed but these abide fresh and glorious for ever Methinks the serious consideration of these things might allay the bitterness of present troubles Exod. 15.25 when the waters were bitter so that the Children of Israel could not drink of them Moses took a Tree which the Lord had shewed him and cast it into the waters and they became sweet The most bitter waters of affliction may be sweetned by Faith acted on Christs love in them Whom the Lord loves he rebukes and chastens They all come through Christ every rod of affliction is gathered off this Tree of Life by a Fathers hand A few leaves of this Tree put into the cup of affliction takes away the bitterness thereof and turns it into a cup of consolation yea a cup of salvation to all believers Oh that you would comfort your selves and one another with these things If any object and say I fear I shall never overcome but my sin and the world will conquer me the Devil will at last prevail and I shall one day perish at their hands Let such a Soul know and believe that what is spoken to Dan for his encouragement Gen. 49.19 is for its comfort in all its wars and combats with these enemies A troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last A man that wrestles or fights with his enemy may be foiled and worded at first and yet recover himself and get the victory in the end Peter was worsted at first in the combat yet gets up again and conquers all opposition Acts 4.19 He that is thrown down by his enemy and lies still in and under his fall not striving to rise and recover himself this man is fully overcome but thus it is not with any true believer Let none such be discouraged though never so weak but remember that of Solomon Eccles 9.11 The race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong only believe and ye shall see the Glory of God the glorious wisdom and power of God working out your Victory When some brought an ill report upon the promised Land Num. 13.17 28 29 30. and weakened the hands and hearts of the people by telling them of the walled Cities and the Children of Anak and other things to discourage them from fighting Caleb a man of excellent Faith and Courage stilled the people before Moses and said Let us go up and possess it for we are well able to overcome it This was he that afterwards God brought into the Land Numb 14.24 being a man of another Spirit and followed the Lord fully when the other died in the Wilderness and never came thether Heb. 3. ult and the Scripture saith they could not enter in because of unbelief O let all take heed of an evil heart of unbelief and the day is yours believe you shall overcome and you shall surely overcome 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the Victory whereby every one that is born of God overcometh the World the Devil and their Corruptions even their Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith says the Apostle to Timothy above all take the shield of Faith Eph. 6.16 this overcomes all before it Even Christ himself yields to this Thus he speaks to the Spouse Cant. 6.5 Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me he yields himself conquered to the Faith of his people and much more will it overcome the Enemies Gen. 32.28 when Jacob had prevailed over the Angel he soon saw a Victory over his Brother Esaus wrath Gen. 33.10 Oh! that you would stir up Faith all things are possible to him that believeth the Lord encrease our Faith To conclude Vse 3. Let us be exhorted to courage and confidence to this holy war for you fight not as uncertain of Victory not as those that beat the air Let nothing here below hinder us 2 Tim. 2.4 no man that warreth entangleth himself in the affairs of this Life but strives to please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier If a Soulder be in Garison he may work on his Trade yet so as to be
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
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
read Satan's seat was there A King ruleth over all his Subjects yet he hath his Throne in some chief City of the Land Satan that King of the bottomless Pit as he is stiled Rev. 9.1 reigns over all wicked men yet in those notoriously wicked he may be said to have his seat This was say some the Seat or Court of Attalus in whose time it was written Discedat ab Aula qui velit esse plus Like that to the Prophet Flee thee away O thou Seer for it is the King's Court Amos 7.13 Afterwards it was the Seat of the Roman persecuting Governours who were Satan's chief Instruments in afflicting and destroying the Saints and so is called Satan's seat Christ takes special notice of the places of his peoples abode I know where thou dwellest even where Satans Seat is He observes how perillous a place this Pergamos was and what dangers as to Liberty and Life his Servants were in here Antipas had already suffered Martyrdom for the Truth the name of some good Minister or of the Pastor of that Church as many judge an Honour not granted to the Angels of Heaven as Latimer saith yet we find a Church planted and preserved here who held fast his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as with tooth and nail or by main strength Christ will have to do where Satan reigns some good he will have in the worst places a remnant of upright ones in a crooked and perverse Generation As Satan had a Judas among the Apostles a Demas among the Disciples a Simon Magus among the Believers so the Lord had a Noah in the ungodly world a Job in an Idolatrous Vz a Lot in filthy Sodom a Joseph in Pharaoh's Court Saints in Nero's house and some that held fast the Truth even in Pergamos itself those he reserves to be Witnesses for him and to testifie against those to their Condemnation who will not by their good Example be brought to Conversion Let us all labour to be good in evil Times it 's excellent in itself and will be our commendation before Christ at last as appears by his Testimony of them here Thee have I found righteous before me saies the Lord to Noah in this Generation Gen. 7.1 What kind of Generation that was is set down It was a time when Iniquity abounded all flesh had corrupted their way a deluge of wickedness had covered the Earth for Noah now to be righteous was excellent indeed And it will be our glory if we study to be Lights in a dark World holy among the filthy Lilies among Thorns and as the Fish fresh in Salt-waters This may comfort us also in very evil Times Christ will preserve some from the stroak of Persecution Antipas was slain yet some did remain some yea many may suffer hard things yea 't is possible some particular Churches may be extirpated yet a Church Christ will have on Earth against which the Gates of Hell Satan's Seat shall not prevail Many Faithful ones may be removed by a natural or violent Death yet because Christ lives therefore his Truth shall live his Cause and Interest shall live and survive all Enemies and Opposers Let this help our Faith and Joy though we dwell where Satan's seat is Rome Antichristian is now esteemed that Seat of the Beast mentioned Rev. 16.10 yet even there God hath his People Come out of her my People saies the Lord Rev. 18.4 A People Christ had and still hath where Antichrist most prevails though it greatly concerns them to come out thence dangerous to continue there both for Infection of Sin and for Infliction of Punishment as this Scripture expresseth Come out that ye partake not of her Sins and receive not of her Plagues Pliny saith That Mice will hasten out of a house that is ready to fall on their heads And Spiders with their Webs will drop before the house falls Certainly Antichrist's ruine hastens and Babylons Fall approacheth Come out of her therefore O all the People of God Come out from her Idolatries be ye separate from all her Abominations and Corruptions And to encourage all to strive to get Victory over the Evil of Evil Times this further Promise in the Text is given to them of Pergamos and to us in them the sum whereof take in this Proposition Doct. That Overcomers shall have such special and peculiar Favours given them by Christ as none know but they that receive them There are some things in which the men of the world intercommon with the Saints as Natural Endowments Worldly Enjoyments External Church-Priviledges the common Gifts of the Spirit and superficial Tastes of Heavenly things Absalom had Beauty as well as yea greater than David Herod and Jonadab had Wit and Policy as well as Joseph the Fool in the Gospel was rich as well as Abraham the foolish Virgins were in Church-Fellowship as well as the wise Apostates such as are not renewed to Repentance may taste the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come as well as those who had better things in them even things that accompany 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that have Salvation in them Saul had the Gift of Prophecy Judas Gifts of Preaching Prayer and working Miracles as well as the other Apostles yet notwithstanding all this there are peculiar benefits Believers share in which others have no part no lot in The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psal 25.14 Not here meant of his providence blessing him in outward things of this Job speaks saying The Secret of God was upon his Tabernacle Job 29.4 But the understanding of the mysteries of his Word and Covenant hid from the wise and prudent of the World and their own interest in them Believers are the friends of God as Abraham was called the friend of God James 2. So Christ called his Disciples friends now the secret Cabinet is unlockt and set open to a friend though shut to strangers Amicus alter idem A friend is another self and a man cannot conceal any thing from himself and therefore not from his friend Whatsoever Christ heard of his Father he made known to his friends John 15.15 His secret is with the righteous Prov. 3.32 the very Arcana Imperii the mysteries of the Kingdom are made plain to them Luke 8.10 It is a favour to be of the Kings Court but more to be of his Council Courtiers know more than those that live far remote from the Kings Court but Counsellors know his secrets the Privy-Counsellor is acquainted with the special mysteries of State Carnal professors and hypocrites may know many truths which Heathens who live not under the sound of the Gospel may be ignorant of and in an ordinary way cannot know yet are they but of the Court Believers only are of the Counsel to whom the mysteries of grace and godliness are disclosed It is said the Lord told Samuel in his ear 1 Sam. 9.15 When
please the Enemies better than to say We shall never overcome them for then they pluck up their Spirits and hope the day shall be theirs and God is much displeased and what if he should say It shall be as we speak we shall never get Victory Oh! Let us not provoke him to leave us to the power of our Adversaries Christ was wont to say According to your Faith so be it unto you And he is of the same mind still Oh provoke him not to say According to your Fears according to your Unbelief so be it unto you Only believe and we shall see the Glory of God as Christ said to Martha Joh. 11.40 Lift up your hands that hang down and your feeble knees and know that the Battle is not to the strong Though the Enemy be strong and you weak yet exercise but Faith upon the Mighty God and the day is yours The Difficulties and Dangers should rather animate and raise the Spirit and Faith of a Christian than discourage Alexander in a great difficulty would say Hoc est periculum par animo Alexandri Here 's a danger or a difficulty fit for the Spirit and Courage of Alexander to encounter with Have not Christians reason then to be courageous and when great and hard Service appears and called to engage in the heat of the Battle to say Here is a piece of Service fit for Believers to go through These are Dangers and Difficulties for true Christians who go out against the Enemy as David did against Goliah in the Name and Strength of the Lord Be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his Might and the Victory is yours Methinks Believers should do as of old Eleazar did who fought till his hand clave unto his Sword and the Lord wrought a great Victory that day 2 Sam 23.9 10. Let not Faith be asleep in a dead Habit a Giant may be overcome asleep Sampson was conquered by the Philistines being asleep on Delilahs Lap. Sin and Satan get great advantages upon secure Souls Let none be discouraged saying The Enemy rise afresh upon us let us look to the Captain of our Salvation for a fresh Supply of his Spirit and we shall prevail I conclude with Joab's encouraging words to his Soldiers Be of good Courage and let us play the men for our People and for the Cities of our God and let the Lord do that which seemeth him good 2 Sam. 10.12 So I say Let us be of good Courage in this Cause of God and our Souls and leave the issue unto God who will bring us off Conquerors and cause us to inherit the good of these Promises in the Text. SERMON VI. REV. III. 12. Him that Overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God which is new Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new Name EVery Promise is a Breast of Consolation from whence the Soldiers of Christ may draw fresh Auxiliaries in all their faintings and decays such supplies of strength and life as will revive their weak and weary spirits as will recruit and renew their souls unto the holy War in which they are engaged The holy Scriptures are sincere milk but the Promises are flos lactis as one saith the cream the purest of all There is a story of a fight between Hercules and Terrae-filius who sought to destroy each other This Terrae-filius when he was faint and weary would cast himself down upon the Earth and having lain a little while recovered and was fresh for the combate and so Overcame his Enemy A humble reliance upon a believing improvement of the Promises is a singular way of renewing strength a never-failing means of Victory over our Spiritual Adversaries As God gives us in his word Line upon Line Precept upon Precept so here he sets down Promise upon Promise for our encouragement to go on fighting till he bring forth Judgment unto Victory Five of those we have already spoken somthing to Behold here another presented to our Consideration in this Text It is firstly directed to the Church in Philadelphia a City in Lydia or in Mysia or Eolia seated in a dangerous place therefore not populous yet a Church planted there and very famous It is observed that Smyrna and this Philadelphia were the only Churches of all the seven which Christ records nothing against as Laodicea was the only Church of the seven which he mentions nothing commendable in Concerning this of Philadelphia Christ gives testimony of the present good that was in her vers 8. I know thy works thou hast kept my Word and hast not denied my Name By the word and name of Christ we are to understand that whole Truth whereby God in Christ had revealed himself and his Will to his Church Soundness of Doctrine Purity of Worship and Holiness of Conversation were the things she held fast After this he gives her assurance Goodness and Mercy should follow her vers 9.10 Behold I will make them that are of the Synagogue of Satan to come and worship before thee c. I will make them reverence thee as one belov'd of me I will both subdue thy disguised Adversaries and preserve thee under all those trials which are coming upon the world Then he proceeds to exhort unto duty To Hold fast that which she had the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to hold strongly put to thy utmost strength and keep vigorously what thou hast Many motives he useth to perswade to this as 1. His intended speedy coming Behold I come quickly whether he means in a way of trial as he had intimated before vers 10. as some think or in a way of mercy to moderate the trial or in a way of Judicature to call to an account and reward every man according to his works as others it is not material for on every of these accounts it is an excellent motive and should prevail with Christians to hold fast the good they have 2. Lest they lose their Crown whether her present Crown the honour this Church had got by keeping close to the Word Worship of Christ hitherto or the future Crown of life and glory in Heaven the Argument is powerful 3. Christ useth further sweet Promises of high and glorious things to all that perseveringly overcome in the Words of this Text The sum of which take in this Doctrine Doct. Overcomers shall be made Pillars in the Temple of God that shall go no more out and excellent Names shall be written upon them by Jesus Christ For thus he himself promiseth to do here in these words To open this in two Branches Bran. 1. Christ will make Overcomers Pillars in his House that shall go no more out Three things seem chiefly intended in this Promise viz. Stability Beauty and Perpetuity 1.
spoken of thee O thou City of God 3. There is the Mystical Jerusalem which is the whole company of Believers here this is the City set upon a Hill Mat. 5.14 and it is called The City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 in regard of the Original of it and by Right of Inheritance as a Learned man speaks This is said to come down from God out of Heaven because the Power and Mercy of God shall signally appear in building his Church and making it glorious in the World The two latter may be taken in here though some wholly carry it to the last The sum is Overcomers shall be enrolled as free Denison and Citizens of the New Jerusalem No more to be Forreiners and Strangers but Fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Ephes 2.19 Even here on Earth their City is in Heaven as is said Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our City-converse and Behaviour is above Some account it much to be Free of such a City as London is to have free Liberty to trade therein O what a Favour is it then to have liberty of Access to the great God of Heaven To drive a free and full Trade Heaven-ward to be Spiritual Merchants who deal for goodly Pearls of great price This is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the gain of those things than fine Gold They are more precious than Rubies and all we can desire are not to be compared with them as Solomon speaks Prov. 3.15 16. And after all you shall be taken up into the Celestial Jerusalem You that have been Fellow-Soldiers here and Overcome shall be Fellow-Citizens there and Triumph And though it will be a very glorious state he will bring his conquering Church into here yet Heaven will be Heaven when all is done Notwithstanding this the state here promised that they shall trade freely Heaven-ward and be helped to order their Lives here as Citizens of Heaven is an inestimable Priviledg To have their Hearts in Heaven their Discourses of Heaven as the Primitive Christians had the Kingdom so much in their mouths that their Enemies were jealous they had evil Designs against the Civil Government but it was the Heavenly Kingdom they talked of their daily recourses to Heaven their being Heavenly in earthly things their desires to be in Heaven and the like shew that Christ hath written this Name upon them that these are the Citizens of the New Jerusalem so that he that runs may read it This is the most sublime and noble state the most pleasant and delightful the most profitable to perfect Divine Discoveries to strengthen their Graces to encrease their Comforts this is the most safe estate for prevention of Temptations because hereby their Souls are taken up with high things and not so apt to be taken in Satans snare as the Bird that mounts aloft is not in danger to be caught in the Fowler 's Net And in a word It is the most suitable estate for they look to go to Heaven when they dye and expect a Saviour from Heaven at the last Day Almost all they have of any worth is there already Their Names are written in Heaven their Treasure is in Heaven their chief Relations are in Heaven their Inheritance is in Heaven and therefore to have a way and course of Life here that is becoming a Citizen of that City must needs be a choice and precious Mercy and this is here promised to him that Overcomes 3. Christ further promiseth to such That he will write upon them his new Name Some understand it of the Honour they shall share in with Christ When he had overcome God gave him a Name above every name the name of a King and Conquerour So Overcomers shall be made Kings and Priests unto God and shall reign on the Earth Phil. 2.9 Rev. 1.6 Others take it to be meant of Adoption and Regeneration But of this I have spoken in a former Sermon A new Name written in the white Stone Rev. 2.17 I come to the Vse of this to our selves Vse 1. See here the different estate of Believers and Unbelievers of them that Overcome and of them that are Overcome by the Enemy Unbelievers have no part no lot in these Promises They may be in the Temple of God and seeming Pillars there but they will not continue long but either go out or be cast out for ever none of the promised Names shall be written on them but Names of Contempt and Reproach Believers shall have the Stability Beauty and Perpetuity and all the excellent Names here set down O the Misery of the one O the Felicity of the other Who would be an Unbeliever still What should discourage Believers Vse 2. Let us all then strive for the Victory If a man strive for Mastery he is not crowned except he strive lawfully saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 9. 2 Tim. 2.5 and therefore much less they that strive not at all To move us unto Courage in this War many things might be urged Consider 1. the Justness of the Cause Though Soldiers be never so strong and well furnished yet if their Consciences tell them they fight in a bad Quarrel it will abate their Valour and make them timerous But our Cause is most just and our War lawful for God who is Justice it self hath proclaimed it by his Heraulds the Apostles saying Fight the good fight of Faith Endure hardship as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand and withstand in the evil day Resist the Devil and he will flee from you 2 Tim. 6.12 2 Tim. 2. Ephes 6.10 11. Jam. 4.7 Besides the Glory of God and the Salvation of our Souls lye at the stake our Enemies Design is to dishonour God and to destroy us And can there be a Cause of greater Importance If we would not treacherously betray these by our Sloathfulness and Cowardice into the hands of our Enemies let us enter the field and never cease our couragious fight till we have obtained a full Victory 2. The Enemies at this day are full of Rage and Wrath and a time of great Trial seems to be at hand terrible shakings there are already upon us Philadelphia is warned of an hour of Trial which was the Persecution under Trajan the Emperour as Expositors judge Some write that Philadelphia was Terrae motibus concussa often shaken with Earthquakes whatever of these proper natural Earthquakes as a City she was liable to she was as a Church shaken by the violent Assaults of enemies And it is the judgment of many Learned and Godly Men that an Hour of Temptation is drawing on upon the present Reformed Churches of Christ in Europe wherein they are like to be extremely shaken Satan's rage and wrath he is come down in is very great and his great Agent the Beast spoken of Rev. 13. is very powerful and his Worshippers
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 Baptized to come to the Lord's Table to be able to give an account of the Lord's Prayer Creed and Ten Commandments to such I may say as Christ did to the Pharisees These things you ought to have done but not leave the other undone God did appoint these things that men should have a Form of Godliness but we must not take the Skin for the Body nor the Shadow for Substance For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision avails any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature Galat 6.15 Think not to say within your selves We have Abraham to our Father Do not think that because you are educated in the Protestant Religion under the means of Grace that therefore you are born of God If any shall ask How shall I discern my new Birth I answer 1. If your greatest work be to get the old Adam dissolved in your hearts to get a proud heart to stoop and the old Nature changed this is to obtain the whole in some sense 2. If this Heart ascribe all to God and nothing to our selves we are God's Workmanship what is Paul what is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed 1 Cor. 3. It was God in the Ordinance that did the work They that cry up men and means and forget to magnifie the Free Grace of God shew it is not right 3. It makes us of a compassionate Temper to them that are out of the way of God Be gentle and meek unto all men for we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Tit. 3.2 3. 4. We shall find an indelible Memory is imprinted upon this work Not that all men can say what was the Time Place Sermon when where and by which this work was done for many are brought up under Godly Parents and free from all scandalous Sins this work steals in upon some such they know not when nor how But they can say Such they were in the times of their Unregeneracy so foolish and ignorant so opposite and averse to what is good so careless and regardless of God and their Souls but now through Grace they see and are ashamed of their former Blindness they are reconciled in some measure both in Judgment and Affections to that and to those that are good They desire to mind chiefly the one thing needful God may sanctifie some even from the Womb but there is something daily to be put away in all that are Regenerate and though they cannot tell the first time yet they can say it is often done they do not turn to God once but more and more they have a great deal to do still 4. There is always going with it a Spirit of Prayer it begins and ends with Abba Father Prayer is the first thing in a Christian and the last thing Because ye are Sons he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Galat. 4.6 None of God's Children are still-born Behold he prays saies Christ of Paul Act. 9.11 Let us by such things as those try our Regeneration If we find we are indeed born of God we overcome and Overcomers inherit these Promises Thus much in General More particularly If the War be rightly managed we may be sure we shall prevail and conquer all our Enemies As for instance 1. If all our Faculties in their rank and file do fight against them The Scripture tells us The Stars in their Courses fought against Sisera Judg. 5.20 Do the several Faculties of our Souls in their place and order wage war against Sin In unsound hearts one Faculty fights against a Lust another contends for it Herod's Conscience fought against the motion Herodias made of cutting off John Baptist's Head his Affections ran counter to his Conscience this was no true Spiritual War When both are against it that Soul will be a Conqueror in the end 2. If the War continues Fire and Water will fight when they meet and can never be reconciled the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these two are contrary each to other Contraries will ever be contending If our Combat be thus managed it is a good sign God will in due time give us Victory Let such encourge themselves in expectation of it Let none say The Canaanite is still in the Land and who may call himself an Overcomer So long as it does Gravitare lye hard and heavy upon thee as a thing out of its proper place and make thee cry out as Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me thou art an Overcomer in God's account To this purpose the Original word in all these Texts before us is very observable it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not to him that Overcometh as we read it but to him that is Overcoming to him that is Praying Striving Wrestling Fighting against these Enemies to him that is in an Overcoming Posture though the Enemy be not quite out of the field to him shall these great Comforts in the Promises be given by Jesus Christ If there be a Nolle peccatum a bent of heart against Corruption and Temptation thou persuest them to Death and wouldst be glad of an utter extirpation of them then God accepts the Will for the Deed and reckons thee a Conqueror Though the Damsel under the Law was abused yet if she made the utmost resistance she was able and cried out and there was none to help her she was accounted Innocent and Guiltless because she was forced and not free and voluntary in it Whatsoever is born of God Overcometh it 's not said Whosoever but Whatsoever The person may be in particular Battles worsted by the Enemy yet the principle is a Conqueror in the end and will prevail for it never yields but makes implacable Opposition cries out to Heaven for help and is on this account esteemed an Overcomer And therefore though we are still assaulted yet it is that we may be exercised that we may stand upon our Guard and watch and pray continually we must keep our Armour upon us and not be secure for then the Enemy gets advantage against us Our Enemies are like to that famous General Marcellus of whom it is said he was never quiet Nec Victor nec victus neither a Conqueror nor Conquered Let it be enough to know they are and shall be subdued effectually in due time Above all things despair not of Victory when we find them turbulent and rebellious Many Creatures struggle most when dying The Devil rageth most when he is about to be cast out Mark 9.15 16. No Believer so overcomes here as to say He shall meet with no further Assaults Our contendings are not to empty a Pit that is more easily done but to dry up a Spring and Fountain which is very difficult if possible in this case but Corruption will be bubbling and Temptations springing And though a man hath overcome a Fit of Sickness yet