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
Blessed is he that shall eat bread this Bread of Life in the Kingdom of God both of Grace and Glory This is not meat that perishes but meat that endures to everlasting Life John 6.27 This is the first thing Christ here promises to them that overcome 2. The white Stone is another of those peculiar Favours I will give him the white stone 'T is judged to be an Allusion to that practice in use of old among the Romans who gave both white and black Stones white ones were given in the Election of Officers and Absolution of Malefactors 1. In the Election of any to an high Office they gave him a white Stone as a certain Token thereof The sense then of the Promise is that Conquerors shall have the assurance of their Election to be Vessels of Mercy that they are chosen to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth to the end and to the means to Glory and to Grace and though the means be the last in intention yet they are first in execution their Salvation is first intended but Faith and Holiness are first effected Now to have the Assurance that we are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world that we be holy before him here and happy with him hereafter Who can declare the Refreshment it carries with it Comfortable it is 1. In respect of Delusion They shall deceive if it were possible the very Elect Mat. 24.24 In the superstructure of Truth they may be deceived but fundamentally and finally they never shall because both the deceived and the deceiver are the Lords Job 12.13 16. Deceivers may distemper them but it is not possible they should poison them The Elect are a people exempted from the fatal Infection of false Prophets and false Christs who decive many this is a great Comfort to such in these erroneous days 2. In respect of Accusation Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 8.33 Who shall charge when God dischargeth True it is many will be ready to lay things to their charge Satan will accuse them he is the Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12. the Law will accuse them the World will accuse them but God will justifie them which makes all their Accusations null and void as Christ caused all the Womans Accusers to go out so will Gods acquitting them make those Accusers and all their Accusations to vanish 3. In respect of publick Calamities which are shortned upon their account For the Elects sake those days shall be shortned Mat. 24.23 What days Even the days of Tribulation which were to come upon the Jews except those days should be shortned no flesh should be saved no Jew should be alive all would fall under destruction when those Calamities come Many others fare the better for the Elects sake these are the Salt of the Earth that being sprinkled here and there preserve it from perishing God gave all that were in Zoar to Lot and all that were in the Ship to Paul if it were not for his Elect in the world he would make a short work in the Earth And 4. In respect of their own personal oppressions Shall not God hear and avenge his Elect that cry unto him night and day I tell you he will avenge them speedily Luke 18.7 8. When their Enemies are above Fear and they below Hope when there is not Faith on the Earth to believe there are Bowels in Heaven to relieve them 5. In respect of his working for them at the Resurrection and Day of Judgment whereas they will lye scattered here and there he will gather together his Elect from all parts of the world by his Angels Mat. 24.31 Who will know them by their Fathers mark upon their Foreheads And as Servants know their Masters Corn from anothers and the Wheat form the Tares so will the Angels soon discern and single out the Elect from the rest by the Glory and Cheerfulness which he will put upon them and into them 6. In respect of the co-operation of all things here for their good according to that Promise All things shall work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 They say the Philosophers-Stone turns all it touches into Gold This white Stone as a Token of our Election according to God's Eternal purpose turns all Conditions and Dispensations to good How unspeakably full of Comfort are these things to all Overcomers from this Gift of the White Stone as a Sign of their Election 2. White Stones were given of old in the Absolution of Malefactors as black ones were given to persons Condemned as a Token they must dye so white ones to them acquitted in their Courts of Judicature 'T is as if Christ had said To him that overcometh will I give an evidence of the Remission of his Sins And what a Fountain of Consolation is in this particular Son be of good chear thy Sins are forgiven thee Mat. 9.2 Well might he be cheerful to have the assurance of our sins being pardoned is able to make any one everlastingly merry Yea though under present afflictions This Palsy-man was not cured of his disease when Christ bid him rejoyce yet ground enough of joy he had to be assured from Christ's own mouth that his sins were forgiven him Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered Psal 32.1 for this is an infallible evidence of Gods favour outward mercies we may receive from an angry God silver and gold and precious stones in abundance and yet from the wrath of God but this white stone of Absolution is a certain token of Love and Reconciliation 'T is not a giving-God for our Bodies that can give grounds of Comfort so much as a forgiving-God for our Souls can do This evidenceth our Redemption by Christ In him we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sin This bringeth Salvation John Baptist's going before the face of the Lord was To give knowledg of Salvation to his People by the remission of their Sins Ephes 1.7 Luke 1.77 Reconciliation stands in it God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their sins 2 Cor. 5.19 In a word it is the inlet to and ushers in all other Good and Mercy Take away all Iniquity and take up good or give us good as it is Hos 14.2 They must pray for good O but your Sins keep good things from you Jer. 5.25 Therefore first their request is Take away all Iniquity No good to be given till sin be forgiven but when that is removed that withholds good from them then the passage is cleared and way is made for all good to come unto them It makes way for the Liberty and Deliverance of the Church from Troubles Speak comfortably to Jerusalem tell her that her Iniquity is pardoned and her Warfare is accomplished When Sin was pardoned her Afflictions and Troubles soon had an end It brings
health to a whole Land The Inhabitant of the Land shall not say I am sick the Land shall be free from infectious pestilential and Epidemical Diseases How comes this about The People that dwell therein shall be forgiven their Iniquity Esay 33.24 Oh this is that which sweetens all other Comforts and Contentments as the want of it imbitters all our sweet things What are we the better for House Land Silver and Gold when our Sin is not pardoned when the Curse and Wrath of God hangs over our heads and is ready in this condition to fall upon us and arrest us every moment to draw us to Hell for ever But then Mercies are Mercies indeed when they come to us in the stream of Christ's Blood with a Pardon in their hand Hence Believers are taught to pray Give us this day our dayly Bread and forgive us our sins to shew that our Bread is sweet when it comes with pardoning Mercy God had given David the healing his Diseases and crowned him with loving Kindness and tender Mercies What made it so but forgiving Mercy First he sets down that Who forgiveth all thine Iniquities then follow the other Mercies Psal 103.2 3 4. Pardoning Mercy is Crowning Mercy Yea this fits us for holy Duties Prayer or Sacraments as sin unpardoned makes God hide his face that he will not hear or appear to the Soul It turns Prayer into Sin and Sacraments into Sin So if this be taken away the person is accepted and then all Duties are accepted and God will be seen in them to the Soul and give it communion with himself In a word this fits us for a Suffering state and time How will the sense of Pardon that assures a man he shall never be cast into Hell-fire make him even willingly embrace and submit to a Fiery Trial for Christ's sake It prepares for Death whether natural or violent All must die and as a mans Death is such is his Doom As Death leaves us Judgment findes us Job prayed earnestly for the white Stone of Absolution as it is an excellent preparative for his Dissolution And why dost thou not pardon my sin for now shall I sleep in the dust Job 7.21 As if he had said Lord my great Afflictions seem to hasten on my great change and therefore now especially I beg the pardon of my sin and the sense of it unto my Soul and then I am prepared to sleep in the dust We should not lye down in our Beds much less in our Graves with sin unpardoned If that be taken away no matter how soon we dye Feri Domine feri tantum ignosce mihi peccatum said Luther Smite me Lord smite as thou wilt though by sharp Afflictions or Death all is welcome if sin be forgiven This is that the Lord here promiseth to victorious Christians when he saith He will give them the white Stone 3. Anew name written in the Stone is the third and last of those special Favours promised to Overcomers in the Text. There are some that take it to be an Allusion to that Custome of giving Stones to men with their Names written on them as Tickets shewing them such as should be admitted to those Solemn Feasts held in honour of those that were Victorious in their sacred Games Then the meaning is that Christ will give conquering Christians a privy Mark whereby they may be known and admitted to the Heavenly Banquet of the hidden Manna as welcome Guests And O! how high a Favour is it to carry the Privy-Seal of Heaven about us To have a Token that we shall be taken up to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb when others shall not taste of those Dainties But most take the new Name here to be Filius Dei an Adopted Son of God and make it an Allusion to that of Isaiah 65.15 God shall call his Servants by another Name A name better than the name of Sons and Daughters For by this they are Called and Translated out of the old family of Sin and Satan to be of the Family of God of the houshold of Faith a Priviledge far excelling the civil Adoption in use among men for he takes many Sons and brings them to Glory a man but one And when he hath done that he cannot communicate his own Likeness to him But God with the new Name gives a new Nature with the Spiritual Adoption conveys a Principle of the Divine Nature 2. Pet. 1.4 If a man adopts it is either because he hath no Son of his own or else because his Son is prodigal and disobedient but God had a Son from all Eternity one who never displeased or disobliged him in thought word or deed So that this new Name giving is an act of free and rich Grace Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.1 If men Adopt it is but to some earthly Inheritance But God gives an Inheritance in light incorruptible undefiled that never fadeth away reserved in Heaven for them 1 Pet. 1.4 So that all his Children are Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-heirs with Christ Roman 8.17 Heirs of the Promises Heb. 6.17 Heirs of the Righteousness which is by Faith Heb. 11.7 Heirs of Salvation of the Kingdom of Heaven Heb. 1. ult Jam. 2.5 They have a glorious Liberty called The Liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 A Liberty from sins Dominion and Pollution from the Covenant and Curse of the Law from the Power of Satan the World and Death They have a gracious Access to God their Father I will arise and go to my Father saies the Prodigal Luk. 15. And his pity in all their Troubles As a Father pities his Children so the Lord pities them that fear him Psal 103.13 They have access with boldness to the Throne of Grace and have his eye his ear his heart and his hand We read of a Child who finding himself not well ran to his Father and cried out My head my head 2 King 4.19 Thus may God's Children go to him and say My head my heart Oh! this ignorant head Father enlighten it Oh this carnal heart Father spiritualize it Oh this dead hard earthly divided heart of mine Father quicken soften make Heavenly and compose it unite my heart to fear thy Name Yea as a Father spares his obedient Son so the Lord will spare his As a man spares his own Son that serves him Malac. 3.17 If he correct them it is in love and in measure and he will provide for them here Your Heavenly Father knoweth you have need of all these things Matt. 6. Jesus Christ is your Brother he is not ashamed to call you Brethren the Angels are your Guard the King's Son hath the Nobles and Peers of the Realm to wait upon him The Angels are all Ministring Spirits sent forth for their good yea you shall be ever with your Father The Son abides in the house for ever John 8. as that