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
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
a man tells his friend a secret he would not have others know he whispers in his ear so the Lord deals with his People he reveals those secrets to them which every one shall not know which indeed eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath entred into the hearts of other men These God reveals to Believers by his spirit 1 Cor. 2.9 10. On this account is the Church stiled by Christ a Garden enclosed Cant. 4.12 Not only are Believers as to their persons so enclosed that they cannot fall away and miss of salvation nor are the graces of such only so enclosed that they perish not but they are also enclosed in their mystical enjoyments that none partake of them but themselves To which agreeth that Prov. 14.10 The heart knoweth its own bitterness and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy Believers have bitter and sweet listings up and castings down sorrows and joys peculiar to themselves alone Quest You will say What are those special favours Christ gives those that overcome which others cannot receive Answ There are many of these peculiar tokens of special love he doth bestow upon them that by faith get Victory over their spiritual Enemies as true Believers do we read that Abraham gave the sons of the Concubines portions and sent them away but to Isaac he gave all that he had Gen. 25 5 6. God gives portions in this Life even to all to the worst of men but some things Believers have others share not in They have the Lord for their God in a peculiar covenant-relation 't is said he is not ashamed to be called their God Heb. 11.16 others have none of the life of God given them none of the fulness of God none of the peculiar knowledge of God no special interest in the attributes of God none of the saving influential goodness of God all which the Saints receive Yea they partake of Christ they have received Christ Jesus the Lord Colos 2.16 others are without Christ no right to the Covenant no interest in the Promises no reconciliation no righteousness no acceptance no salvation for these benefits are derived to men by Faith in Christ I might adde Believers only are partakers of the spirit of God I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter saith Christ even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive John 14.16 17. And he is to them a Spirit of Light and Wisdom a Spirit of Power and Love and of a sound mind a spirit of Grace and Holiness a spirit of Love and joy none of which things others partake of But I wave those and confine my discourse to those in the Text. 1. Hidden Manna To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna that is of Christ himself whom though none of the Princes of this World knew yet God reveals this hidden Manna to his hidden ones by his Spirit It is an allusion to the Manna God gave Israel the Wilderness which was a famous and excellent type of Christ as he himself largely declares John 6. Moses gave you not that Bread from Heaven but my Father giveth you the true Bread from Haven For this pointing to himself is the Bread of God which cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the World verse 32.33 and so verse 48. I am that Bread of Life Again vers 56. This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven whereof if a man eats he shall not dye This Manna God gave the Jews was twice hidden 1. It fell in the dew of the Morning and so was hidden from their sight for it is said when the Dew was gone up they saw a little round thing and when they saw it they said it is Manna Ex. 16.14 15 33. And 2. It was hidden when some part of it was by Gods appointment put into a golden pot and preserved as a memorial of that wonderful Work to future Generations unto this latter many take the Text to allude The sense of this Promise take in two things 1. That Christ will give Overcomers to feed and feast upon himself sweet tastes of himself here in Dunes and Ordinances Even in these they shall be able to say as Christ did I have meat to eat you know not of Joh. 4.32 we have hidden Manna given us the World cannot taste of Of this they eat sometimes in Prayer when Hannah had prayed she was so strengthened by this Manna that 't is said her countenance was no more sad 1 Sam. 1.18 An ancient once speaking of what he met with of Christ in this Ordinance said nunquam abs te absque te recedo Lord I never go from thee without thee very sweet are the Refreshments victorious souls meet with in this Duty so in hearing the word they meet with more than a voice of words even Angels food the hungry soul is filled they eat the word as Jeremiah saith he did and find their weak hands strengthened their feeble knees confirmed their fainting hearts comforted their doubts resolved and their minds settled Whilst Peter was preaching the word the Holy-Ghost fell upon all the hearers Acts 10.44 Especially in that great Ordinance of the Lords Supper Believers feed not only upon Sacramental Bread but hidden Manna also Here they eat his Flesh which is meat indeed and drink his Blood which is drink indeed and sup with Christ and he with them Here they have a feast of fat things and wine on the lees well refined they are satisfied as with marrow and fatness and taste his love which is better than wine fat things both sweet and filling yet not cloying as other fat things are My soul is satisfied with the goodness of thy house even of thy holy Temple says David Psal 65.4 We read that the Israelites nauseated the Manna We have nothing besides this Manna Numb 11. who shall give us flesh to eat The excellent Bread God gave them was now but light Bread and they loathed it and grew weary of it but the spiritual refreshments Believers sometimes are partakers of have a present delight in them and create an earnest appetite in the soul after them Such hidden Manna does Christ give them to eat here 2. This Promise intimates that they shall feed and feast themselves upon him in Heaven He is hid and laid up there as the Manna in the golden pot was laid up in the holiest of all which was but a shadow of this mystery This none but themselves can be admitted to share in for without are the fearful and the unbelievers Here they eat by Faith there by sight here now and then a little as they are able to bear there fully and without intermission Here when the King sits at the table their spiknard sends forth its savour their graces and gracious affections slow forth What will the Sweet-Meats of Heaven the full and eternal fruition of this Banquet the everlasting enjoyment of these Dainties produce in them
to them in their appointed time Vse 3. Let all be perswaded to wax more valiant in fight and strive to be Overcomers that we may inherit the Power and Glory here set before us in this Text What desperate Designs will some venture upon in hopes of worldly Power and Glory Christ knowing how tempting and taking these are with the Sons of Men sets these suitable Promises before them to animate and encourage them to quit themselves like Men in this holy War and be strong unto the Battle and that they who are engaged and have begun well may not be turned back and give ground to the Enemy To this end could we overcome God and get his Presence Influences and Assistances we should overcome all others with ease If God be for us saies St. Paul who can be against us Rom. 8.31 'T is true many are actually against us all the Powers of Hell and Earth But Quis efficaciter who can be against us to any purpose so as to effect their Designs against us If God take our part we shall see our desire upon them that hate us Now there are two ways men prevail with God that is to speak after the manner of men he yields himself conquered by the Reflection of their Graces and the Importunity of their Prayers 1. By the Reflection of their Graces Turn away thine eyes from me saies Christ to his Spouse for they have overcome me Cant. 6.4 they have exceedingly wrought and won upon me like that Cant. 4.9 Thou hast ravished my heart My Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes Excordiasti me so some Gloss thou hast unhearted me thou hast taken away my heart from me An Allusion to Lovers who are overcome with the Beauty of those whom they affect 2. By the Importunity of their Prayers One faith of prayer Ligat Omnipotentem Vincit Invincibilem It overcomes him that is indeed Invincible as Moses Jacob and others have had Experience This is the best Victory and the foundation of all other Victories Make we him our Friend by the exercise of Faith upon him and fervent Prayer to him and no matter who be our Enemy It was once said to Israel Ye need not fight for the Lord fighteth for you Exod. 14. But we are to fight and not be terrified by our Adversaries For more are they that are with us than they that are against us 2 Kin. 6.16 Let us then prevail with the Almighty and we are in some sense almighty and shall overcome all in his Strength and have that Power over the Nations and the Morning-Star here promised to him that Overcometh SERMON V. REV. III. 5. He that Overcometh the same shall be cloathed in White raiment and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life But I will confess his name before my Father and before the Angels THese words contain another of those Promises made to Overcomers 't is the Conclusion of that Epistle to the Church in Sardis The Officers and Members were mostly unsound hence stiled Hypocrical Sardis by some She had a name to live but was dead verse 1. A name she had in the World and a name amongst other Churches but nomen inane crimen immane as one said an empty name is a great crime Alexander the Conquerour commanded him that was of his name but a coward either to lay down his name or fight couragiously so in some respects it's better not to have the name of Christians upon us when nothing of the life and power of Christianity is in us What could a shew of vivacity and vigorousness profit them when indeed they were little better than dead in a spiritual Lethargy or dead Palsey or like a Body some Members whereof are dead though not all This was the case of this Church she was dead whilst she lived seemed alive to others but dead to God I have not found thy works perfect before God says Christ to her verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full as the word signifies They might be full before men who can see only the outward appearance but otherwise before God life-less heartless services in his sight who looketh chiefly there Omnis Sarmatarum virtus extra ipsos as Tacitus of old spake of them Thus it was here their works were fair and spacious in shew but shored up by popularity or other low respects and so could not with their dead works acceptably serve the living God The taint and infection of Hypocrisy if predominant is pernicious to all good works This being their condition Christ gives directions for their cure and recovery He calls upon them to be watchful and strive to strengthen that which is ready to dye verse 2. as if he had said some among you have yet some good in you though it be but in a languishing condition in a swound and ready to expire now when persons are to dye the watch-candle had not need go out those about them had need be waking and diligent so when good is declining and dying then need there is to be watchful least the little remaining spark be quite extinct To move them to this and other means of recovery he threatens if they did it not he would come upon them as a thief when they were secure unexpectedly as thieves do upon men asleep and Calamity the more sudden the more terrible partly because it exanimates a man makes his heart faint and fail as an unexpected storm doth a Marriner Partly because it can as little be prevented as a weak Family can prevent thieves breaking in upon them at unawares by this he moves them to rouse up themselves and shake them out of this sinful Lethargy as Sampson went out and shook him when the Philistines were upon him which if they did not he would come in an hour when they looked not for him and take away all their desirable enjoyments from them and leave them spoiled and destitute On the other hand he subjoyns a comfortable promise to all such as should overcome those predominant distempers now upon them which the Text holds forth to them and to us in them The sum of which you have in the Doctrine which is Doct. That Overcomers shall be eminently clothed their names indelibly recorded and openly acknowledged by Jesus Christ Here are three things 1. Overcomers shall be eminently clothed The same shall be clothed in white Raiment says Christ here They shall not be found naked being covered with the Covering which is of Gods Spirit Isaiah 30.1 This clothing is no other than Christ himself who is the spiritual Garment every true Believer puts on according to that exhortation of the Apostle Paul to the Romans Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 A Text by reading and pondering whereof St. Austin confesses he was converted This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does imply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Christ is the Christians Vestment his Spiritual clothing and