20.27 That they have not shunned to declare unto us all the Councel of God And whilst others are daubing with untempered morter sowing of pillows under their elbows and healing the hurt of the Daughter of my people slightly crying peace when there is no peace yet we have some who are found faithful Moniters as to our approaching imminent dangers by whom instrumentally the silver Trumpet of the Gospel giveth forth a most certain sound causing the Saints and people of God to see and understand that now it is high time to prepare to the Battel Amongst whom this worthy and faithful servant of Jesus Christ the Author of these excellent ensuing discourses diservedly ought to be reckoned and rancked not in the meanest place whose design herein next unto the glory of God I doubt not confidently to affirm is the spiritual good and benefit of all his people whilest it evidently appeareth that he endeavoureth the good of all but especially the houshold of faith of some he hath compassion making a difference others he saveth with fear pulling them out of the fire that if possible he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus To this end our Reverend Author in delivering the mind of God in this Discourse so speaketh as stooping down to the meanest capacity so manifesting much of a sweet Self-denying and Soul-saving Spirit whose Preaching is not with inticeing words of mens wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and with Power who though he could speak with Tongues God having given him the Tongue of the Learned that he might know how to speak a word in season to every weary soul yet I am sure that in the Church of Christ he had rather speak five words with his understanding that all might he edified and comforted than five hundred in an unknown Tongue But I need not say any more in this matter the Work that is before thee Christian Reader doth sufficiently speak for him wherein he as a good Steward of the manifold Grace of God doth labour to give to every one a portion for here thou hast both milk for Babes and strong meat for strong Men in Christ Such as are yet strangers to Christ he labours to bring them into a measure of Spiritual Acquaintance with him and such as do in measure savingly know him he labours to put them into a more full enjoyment of him In order hereunto in the first place he wisely and faithfully acquaints all who desire to set their faces Zion-ward what things they may meet withal in travelling thither letting them understand the worst first that meeting with such things in the way they might not be discouraged so as to be turned out of the good way of the Lord. Moreover in those sweet Discourses he as a Son of Consolation doth speak comfortably labouring more and more to confirm and encourage all the godly to keep on in their way considering that all who are now in Heaven that Haven of Rest and Happiness have more or less trod in the same path viz. of Active and Passive Obedience Yea our Lord himself who is the Captain of our Salvation in his bringing of many Sons to Glory was made perfect through Sufferings and is through Sufferings entered into Glory In which way all that will be found good Soldiers of Christ must be willing to follow him Now as a strong enducement or as a mighty encouraging and perswasive argument hereunto our reverend Author doth hold out in these divine discourses many sweet promises as being proper and peculiar to all and only to such as shall be found overcomers Thereby intimating unto us first That here while we are in the body is the time and place for managing of this spiritual combat and conflict and then secondly here is laid before us what these Enemies are with which we are to encounter in this spiritual combat namely Sin and Satan the World and the Flesh Thirdly by what means every Christian shall be enabled so to manage the great engagement as they may undoubtedly be Conquerers in the end I more then Conquerers viz. Through the faith of Christ who loveth all that are his which love of his being shed abroad in a soul will be in it such constraining love as will be stronger than death causing the soul so to exercise faith in Christ that through the strengh of Christ it shall certainly prevail and wholly overcome and so come in the end to see and share in the comfort of those sweet promises viz. 1. To eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God 2. Not to be hurt of the second death 3. To eat of the hidden Manna and to have that white stone c. 4. To have power over the Nations and to have the Morning-star 5. To be cloathed in white rayment c. 6. To be a pillar in the Temple of God and to go no more out c. 7. To sit with Christ in his Throne yea to inherit all things Now good Reader That thou maist be helped to do thy duty faithfully so as thou maist obtain all these things promised effectually and so be made happy in the Lord everlastingly is the earnest prayer of him who is thy sincere well-wisher in the Lord. T.W. SERMON I. REV. II 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God THE order of giving this Book of the Revelation is very observable For God the Father gave it to his Son Jesus Christ Christ to his Angel the Angel to John and John to the Seven Churches in Asia Rev. 1.1 4. It 's observed that this John was honoured to be an Evangelist in his Gospel an Apostle in his Epistles and a Prophet in his Revelation It is a Book of singular use to Christians to the end of the world And though many things in it are very mysterious which Christ will reveal to his Servants in their proper seasons yet many things are more clear and obvious The Epistles to the Churches though directed to the Angel of each Church yet concern the whole body and each member and therefore it 's said He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit speaks unto the Churches This is spoken to each particular Church which plainly shews they were all bound to attend the voice of the Holy Ghost in all that is delivered yea all the Churches that have been since now are or ever shall be are concerned in it for all that is written is for our learning upon whom the ends of the world are come Rom. 15.4 The Text is the conclusion of that Epistle directed to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus By the Angel some understand the Ministers so stiled to shew both their dignity and duty This Ephesus was that famous City Acts 19. where the great goddess Diana was so much esteemed in which a Church was planted at first vigorous and
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
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
I have read of a Tyrant who devised that Torment to keep a living man in his Coffin and feed him till by his own filth he bred Worms and those Worms fed upon him till he died by them A sad Judgment it was fell upon Herod to be eaten up of Worms Acts 12.23 But what is it then to have a worm gnaw upon the Soul This is that Christ speaks of This is nothing but the tormenting acts of Conscience termed a Worm 1. Because as a Worm is bred out of the Putrefaction of the subject in which it is so is this there is much filth of sin in the Conscience by which the Mind and Conscience is defiled Titus 1.15 inwardly full of rottenness and all uncleanness as the Pharisees were Mat. 23. and this may easily breed Worms 2. Because as Worms gnaw upon a man so will a man's Conscience gnaw upon him when he shall think what offers of Grade and Salvation he had and neglected them what Motions of the Spirit in the Word and under the Rod he had and quenched and resisted all and would suffer nothing to prevail how near he came to the Kingdom and yet fell short and is shut out Thus will the Worm of Conscience gnaw upon men to their unexpressible Grief and Vexation 6. The Fire will burn and torment them I am tormented in this flame saies one in Hell Luke 16.23 24. The horror of Hell is set out by Fire a Lake of Fire Fire and Brimstone and a burning Tempest Psal 11.6 Whether material Fire or not is not material but such as will torment Soul and Body beyond the hottest fire that men can make for the breath of the Lord as a River of Brimstone will kindle it The fire of Nebuchadnezzar's furnace was terrible being seven times hotter than ordinary Dan. 3. The Fire God rained from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah was very grievous Gen. 19. The Fire that burnt down the chief City of this Nation in 1666 was fierce and furious the Fire that will burn down the World at the last Day will be more dreadful yet but the Fire of Hell will be more terrible than all the rest 7. Despair will greatly afflict them they will be there without hope of escaping from under all the former evils To be in a Valley of Achor and see no door of Hope to be in a stormy Sea and have no Anchor of Hope to stay upon must needs make a mans case desperate In Hell all Hope is cut off which makes the heart to break Every man on this side Hell is a man of Hope To him that is joyned to all the living there is Hope Eccles 9.4 But in Hell there is no out-let of Hope the Hypocrites Hope perisheth Job 8.14 This will wound more cruelly than the Devil can do Hope deferred makes the heart sick but Hope utterly destroyed will make the heart break In Hell the Hypocrites Hope shall perish and the Cobweb Hopes of wicked men will be swept down and be as the giving up of the Ghost Here if men be in great Afflictions and under the guilt of great Transgressions there is upon their putting their mouths in the dust Hope in Israel concerning these matters but there is no Hope that Sin will be pardoned or Miseries be removed Spes alit Agricolas The Husbandman plows in Hope and soweth in Hope Here men pray in hope and hear and weep in Hope but in Hell their Cries and Tears are hopeless Seas of Tears will not quench one spark of the fire and this Despair links and torments them beyond expression 8. The place in which they suffer these things will yet aggravate their Misery 'T is called a Pit a Pit without water a bottomless Pit Rev. 9.1 Joseph's Pit Jeremie's Dungeon Paul's Prison and Bonner's Cole-house were pleasant and delightful places compared with this The worst place on Earth is infinitely better than the best place in Hell To live in Bridewel or in Bedlam is very grievous but these are places of Pleasure when this is spoken of 9. The company yet encreaseth the vexation Good-company is a great comfort in trouble and misery It is such a relief as hath made some even to forget their sorrow But here the Devil and his Angels and all the wicked wretches that ever were on earth and lived and died such shall be the company of hell Not one good person among them It will raise the happiness of Heaven that not one wicked person shall be there not an Hypocrite among them and it will no less aggravate the Misery of Hell that none but such are there It was a grief of mind to Rebecca to be among the Daughters of Heth Gen. 27. ult The filthy company and ways of the Sodomites were a vexation to the Soul of just and righteous Lot 2 Pet. 2.7 8. David when forced to dwell in Mesech cries Wo is me How will they lament in Hell where damned Devils will be their Society and these Companions their cruel Tormentors So they are called Mat. 18.24 The Devils are great Tormentors of the Bodies and Souls of men It was the Saying of a good man I had rather endure all the Torments men can devise than see the Devil with my bodily eyes What a miserable case will theirs in Hell be who shall both see and feel them their cruel Tormentors who will have no Pity shew no Mercy will not spare but cruciate and afflict as much as they are able 10. The Eternity of all the former Evils doth and will aggravate the Misery of them in Hell they are punished with everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord and shall never see his face with comfort 2 Thes 1. They rise to everlasting shame and contempt Dan. 12.2 Their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched Mark 9. called Everlasting Fire everlasting Burnings the vengeance of eternal fire Mat. 25. Esay 33. Jude 7. The blackness of darkness for ever Jude 7. All this is without mitigation intermission or cessation O! who can bear it If they in Hell might have ease but one hour in a thousand years it were some comfort but there the smoak of their Torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest night nor day If after Ten thousand years a man might be taken up out of Torments the hopes of that would support but there they must lye in the scorching flames of God's Wrath for ever O who can endure unquenchable Fire Did we consider what an Eternity of Torment is to live ever dying and yet never dye to be in a Circle of Sorrow that knows no End in Variety and Extremity of Pains that have no Period but after a man hath been under these Torments as many Ages as many Millions of Ages as there have been Moments or Minutes since the Creation he is as far from coming out as he was in the first moment he went in O how inconceivable dreadful will this be Now
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
Father said Luke 15. Son thou art ever with me He that is a Servant to day may be none to morrow but if God be a Father and we his Children by Adoption this relation abides unchangeably he is an everlasting Father and we his Sons and Daughters for ever O what an excellent Priviledge is this new Name here promised To be a Son of God is an old Name for Adam was called the son of God but it was only by Creation The Angels in that sense are also called the Sons of God but to which of all the Angels did ever God say Thou art my Adopted Son This is the new Name here spoken of and is the peculiar Priviledg of true Believers 'T is storied That Alexander the Conquerour was by the flattering Oracle saluted as a Son of Jupiter but the Believer who overcomes the Devil Sin and the World in a more noble Spiritual way is by the true Oracle stiled the Son of God To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name Joh. 1.12 The Believer is no longer a mere Son of Adam but in the instant of his Believing is united to Christ the natural Son of God and so becomes an Adopted one And this is not an empty Title For they are born of God and are of the Seed-royal of Heaven yea this Adoption is Quaedam Similitudo Filiationis aeterni as a Learned man expresses it a Shadow of the Eternal One. The natural son is the Image of Gods nature the brightness of his Fathers glory and the express Image of his person Heb. 1.2 The adopted Son is the Image of his will of his own will begat he us by the word of truth James 1.18 And this puts a lustre upon Believers beyond what is to be seen upon the Princes and Potentates of the earth All the great swelling names thrown upon them by men is but fumus seculi a little smoke which quickly is scattered but this divine Adoption is radius coeli a beam of heavenly glory which makes them shine in the eyes of the Angels and continues an indelible character upon them You see by these things somewhat of the new name here promised and is this a little matter in any mans account When Sauls servants told David of the purposes the King had to give him one of his Daughters to wife David said Seemeth it a light thing to any of you to be a Kings Son-in-law seeing I am a poor man and lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 18.23 What may Believers then say as to this Divine Adoption Shall it be a light matter to be a Son or Daughter of the most high God the King of Kings That they who may say to corruption Thou art my Father or as 't is said Thy Father was an Amorite and thy Mother a Hittite Ezek. 16. should receive the spirit of Adoption crying Abba Father even to God himself This This is that new Name which is here promised to all that overcome I might here add Reasons of this point The love of God to them his chusing-love is the cause of this The Lord loveth the righteous Psal 146.8 Therefore his secret is with the righteous Prov. 3.32 Delilah could not believe Samson's love was so great to her as he pretended because he told her not that great secret where his strength lay It springs also from the purchase of Christ He bought a peculiar people and purchased for them peculiar favours Their common much more their special Mercies are the price of Blood and what Christ hath purchased God will give out unto them To all which add his engagement by Promise as in the Text And faithful is he that hath promised The Vse follows and briefly Vse 1. See here the great mistake of the men of the world who are ready to think none outgo them in their Enjoyments They exceed in outward things and knowing no better conclude themselves the only Favourites of God And others miserable who want them This Errour proceeds from Ignorance of and Inexperience as to higher things Every one is satisfied with what he apprehends most suitable as the Prodigal with his Husks but having a new Nature must have new Food and began to think of the Bread in his Father's house How much are all in a state of Unbelief to be pitied who judge good men have no such Priviledges as to be acquainted with God's Secrets more than themselves They measure a good man by themselves and therefore are ready to say in this case as Eliphaz did to Job in another Hast thou heard the Secret of God What knowest thou that we know not What understandest thou that is not in us Is there any secret thing with thee Job 15.8 9 11. Yet Believers do know and understand what worldly men know not For the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him The Secrets of his Counsel are reserved in his own breast but the Secrets of his Providence are many times revealed to them Surely the Lord will do nothing but he revealeth his Secrets to his Servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 And the Lord himself saith of Abraham Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I will do Yea the Secrets of his Truth are with Believers for he hath promised his Spirit of Truth shall lead them into all Truth the Secrets of his Love and Grace are with them of which the world knows nothing no more than of the Word of God which the Spirit only can savingly discover which Spirit the world cannot reeeive Joh. 14.16 17. As wicked men have Bread which they eat in secret Prov. 9.17 of which good men desire no knowledg some secret Lust which is as a sweet Morsel under their Tongue as to which good men are ready to say with the Patriarch O my Soul come not thou into their secret or with David Let me not eat of their dainties So they that are truely good have Spiritual Comforts peculiar to themselves which the world knows not of never tasted of Oh pity such and pray if perhaps any may be delivered from their present delusion Vse 2. This Truth and Text is full of Comfort to all true Believers who are victorious in their holy Warfare Set these Divine Refreshments here promis'd against all Discomforts and Discouragements of spirit Are you weak and feeble by the assaults of the enemy here is hidden Manna to strengthen and revive you Are you cast down with the fears of Sins Guilt and Gods Wrath Here is a White-Stone in token of your Election and Absolution which may also relieve against the black coals of Scandal and Reproach with which men are ready to dirty and defile you And if your Names be cast out among men Christ hath given you a new Name that shall be had in everlasting Remembrance when the name of the wicked shall rot And that your Joy may be yet more full from this Text consider
joyful Harvest of Heavenly Felicity hereafter The first beginnings of Spiritual Regeneration are an earnest of the whole crop of Salvation And as it was said of old The Gleanings of Ephraim are better than the Vintage of Abiezer so may I say in this matter The first Fruits of Glory Believers receive here are better than the greatest harvest of earthly contentments because a drop here is a sure sign of a River hereafter the Morning-star a certain forerunner of a glorious constellation in Heaven To all which may be added that 5. This Phrase implies that Christ will clear the wronged innocency of Believers As the Morning-Star brings light after a dark night so after many false accusations and uncharitable censures passed against them by the World and Professors also God will bring forth their righteousness as the light and their judgment as the Noon-day as the Scripture sheweth Psal 37.6 As the hope of the Morning-Star to usher in the day causeth us not to be offended with the darkness of the night so ought Believers to trust and wait upon God knowing that he will clear their cause and restore to them their right When Zophar would encourage Job to listen to his counsel his agument is Thine age shall be clearer than the Noon day thou shalt shine forth as the morning Job 11.17 Thou shalt overcome the darkness at present upon thee thy innocency be revived and comforts renewed Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the Morning Psal 30.5 The morning is as it were the reviving time after the death of sleep and brings the light the emblem of joy after darkness Thus will Christ cause the light of his peoples Innocency and Uprightness to rise in obscurity and their darkness to be as the Noon day Isaiah 58.10 As God can cause the Sun of wicked mens honour and prosperity to go down at noon so he can and will cause the light of the Saints to rise at midnight As Haman is a notable example of the first so Joseph of the latter Hamans glory and honour how quickly was it obscured and eclipsed with clouds of disgrace and ignominy so the false accusations which darkened Josephs reputation vanished as clouds before the Sun when he goeth forth in his night There shall be a resurrrection of names as well as of persons A day when God will make up his jewels Mal. 3.17 Then shall he take them up out of the dirt of reproaches and sufferings and make them clean such a vindication from all unjust imputations and aspersions as will give them light and gladness joy and honour Esth 8.16 By these things it is evident how eminent the glory is Christ promises to the Overcomer when he saith he will give him the morning-star The Use follows Vse 1. Behold here then the misery of those who yielding themselves servants to corruption slaves to Satan and Captives to the world lose their part in these great promises and the contrary evils are their lot and portion such are all those who instead of keeping Christ's works to the end keep their sinful and wicked works to the end hold fast deceit and hypocrisy to the end retain their pride and worldliness to the end keep their unclean drunken and profane works to the end being thus entangled and overcome and some after they seemed to have escaped and got victory over them yet are again brought into bondage their latter end will be worse than their beginning 2 Pet. 2.21 Because they sin against knowledge and love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil These may have power over Nations as civil Governours so had Ahasuerus Belshazzar and others Alexander called the Conquerour having subdued a great part of the world then inhabited yet these were overcome by their lusts It was true of them all what was said of the last vicit mundum a se vero victus He conquered the world but was overcome by himself What could it profit to rule over men a while and lusts ruled over them unto their destruction These were also overcome by Divine Wrath and Justice All the power men have and Victories they get over men will not secure them from being broken to shivers by Christs Iron rod as a Potters Vessel fatally and irrecoverably ruined Better is he that by the power of grace ruleth his Spirit than he that taketh a City or ruleth over Kingdoms Fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima vincit Maenia Such may have worldly grandeur external Pomp and Splendour and shine like Stars of the first magnitude yet going on in a slate and course of sin are but wandering Stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude 13. The Angels are stiled Morning-stars the Morning-stars sang together that is the Angels as Expositors have it The Angels rejoyced to see the Foundations of the Earth laid yet some of them became Apostats fallen Stars being willingly overcome by sin Satan is called a fallen Star Rev. 9.1 We read also of a great Star that fell from Heaven called Wormwood Rev. 8.10 11. The Roman Emperour say some who shined brightly for a time but was put down by the Goths of whom the Prophet Isaiah thus speaks How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the Morning How art thou cut down to the ground who didst weaken the Nations Isaiah 14.12 Sic transit gloria mundi Though the wicked spring as the Grass and all the workers of Iniquity do flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever Psal 92.7 O! who would rest or glory in outward enjoyments or endowments when if the work of Faith and Holiness be not wrought in us with power if the Kingdom of God comes not into our souls with power the sinners in Sion will be afraid fearfulness will surprize the Hypocrites and the cry will be who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Who shall dwell with devouring fire Isaiah 33.14 Thus will all who are here finally overcome by their yielding themselves Servants unto Unrighteousness and Iniquity be everlastingly miserable and God justified in his proceedings and his Justice and Wrath overcome them when they are judged Vse 2. This gives yet further matter of Comfort to Believers to meditate upon the Power and Glory here promised to him that Overcometh Here you are many times oppressed by the Powers of the Nations therefore you shall have at length full Power over all Nations Here you endure long and dark Nights of Temptation Desertion and Affliction yet yielded not to Satan and Sin therefore the Morning-Star shall be given to you And when Christ who is your life shall appear you also shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 Faithful is he that hath promised who also will do it Mens Promises fail through want of Fidelity or Ability to perform them Satan's Promises are made to deceive but the words of Christ are true and faithful He is Jehovah who gives a being
Beauty and Festivity they will at last appear in all their filthy Rags and menstruous Garments clothed with Shame and covered with confusion of Face His enemies saith God of David will I clothe with shame Psal 132.18 Much more those that dye in their enmity to himself Their Names are written in the Earth and will be blotted out from under Heaven Deut. 29.20 They shall not be written among the living in Jerusalem but registred among the dead as those that are Eternally forgotten of God Instead of confessing him he will profess He never knew them Mat. 7.23 He will be ashamed of them before his Father and before all his Angels as they were of him and of his words before men Mark 8.38 A Figurative Speech and spoken of Christ after the manner of men for our capacity Not that Christ shall then be subject to any shame or be affected with it but that he shall so carry himself towards such as have been ashamed of him ashamed to own his Truth and engage to fight in his Cause as men are wont to do towards those of whose company and acquaintance they are ashamed that is to say That he will not acknowledg them for his Saints Servants or Soldiers but utterly refuse reject and cast them off as wicked and reprobate They who now deny to fight under his Banner or professing so to do shall yield to the Enemy be overcome and recover not rise not by true Repentance these will Christ deny before his Father and before all Men and Angels Vse 2. Here is yet further Encouragement to all to strive to Overcome Whose heart can sink into discouragement whose Faith can fail that reads and duely considers the sweet Cordials in this Text You shall be clothed with white Raiment by Christ's own hand it shall be put upon you White inwardly as well as outwardly Not like the Pharisees whited Sepulchres outwardly beautiful but within full of rottenness and dead mens bones but as the King's Daughter All glorious within Psal 45. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like a Lily of the field Mat. 6.29 The most splendid and gorgeous Robes of the greatest Monarch are not to be compared unto this clothing This is the best Robe spoken of Luke 15. which the Father commanded to be brought forth and put upon his returning Son who by Repentance and converting Grace overcame all his former vicious and evil Conversation This is durable Raiment God did miraculously preserve the Garments of the Israelites from waxing old Deut. 8.4 But they were otherwise the worse for the wearing as we say of all other Garments But this clothing waxeth not old is as fresh upon the Overcomer after he hath worn it Thousands of Years as it was the first day it was put put upon him The rich man we read of in the Gospel was clothed with Purple Luke 16.19 But Overcomers with Cloth of Gold Her clothing is of wrought Gold Psal 45.13 Yea far more precious than Gold that perishes He that yields to his Lusts and other Enemies rejects this raiment and does like him we read of Luk. 8.27 that wore no clothes and would suffer none to be put upon him Is it not great encouragement then that is here promised that none shall be so well arraid as the Overcomer When that man was cured of his Madness he sate at Jesus feet clothed and in his right mind vers 35. None come rightly to themselves but will fight couragiously and strive to be victorious since their Rags and poor Apparel here they many times wear shall be converted into such rich clothing And so what a sweet Promise is it that follows I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life When some came to Christ rejoycing that they wrought Miracles and particularly cast out Devils in his Name he corrects them as mistaking the true ground of Joy and points them to the right Rejoyce not in this that the Spirits are subject to you but rather rejoyce in this that your Names are written in Heaven Luk. 10.20 out of the reach of all your Enemies they can never cast a blot upon them Here they blot them with Reproaches and vile Aspersions as Joseph's Mistress did him Here they blot out excommonucate and cast out their Names as vile and odious but still they remain written in Heaven and shall be had in everlasting Remembrance So to be confessed by Christ at last before God Angels and Men when others shall be discarded with a Discedite a me nescio vos Depart from me I know you not What Favour and Comfort will it give Overcomers Having therefore these Promises let nothing daunt or dismay us nothing is more unbeseeming the Royal Spirit of a Christian Say not the Devil is so malicious the World so ensnaring the Heart so deceitful our Attempts against them so fruitless we shall one day perish by our Enemies hand Is this the language of Heaven Are these the words of Faith Is this the voice of the Scripture and not rather the whisperings of the Old Serpent The fruit of slavish Fear and Unbelief Is not the voice of God quite contrary Doth not he say I will pour clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your Iniquities and from all your Idols I will cleanse you The God of Peace shall tread down Sathan under your feet shortly Rom. 16.20 That whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5.4 Has he said it and shall it not come to pass Is not he faithful that hath promised Why then should we be faint-hearted Why should we suffer our Fears to disanimate and dispirit us Let us not be like those unbelieving timerous Spies who said Canaan was a good Land but there were Anakims Giants and by bringing an evil report disheartned the people and were shut out by God Josh 6. But let us all beg a Caleb-like Spirit whereby we may follow God fully as he did Numb 14.24 and our Enemies shall not stand before us Give a Soldier Courage and you give him all But take away his Heart and then he is almost dead before he strike a stroak It is a Seal to his Overthrow and a great advantage to the Enemy This evil of Unbelief and slavishness of Spirit doth us more hurt than all our Enemies can do When Saul was afraid he had not a heart to strike a stroke but went to the Witch c. 1 Sam 28.4 5. Were we valiant to the Battle God would say as he did of old to Joshua and Israel Your enemies shall not be able to stand before you Observe therefore the language of their enemies I know the Lord will give you the Land for your terrour is fallen upon us say they and all the Inhabitants of the Land faint because of you Assoon as we heard these things our hearts did melt neither did there remain any more Courage in any man because of you Josh 2 9-11 We cannot
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.
not at all understand them Whether there shall be a personal continuance of Christ on earth for a Thousand Years as some hold is very hard to be proved from the Scripture Yet that there will be a glorious time for the Church on Earth before the end of all things is very clear The 60 Chapter of Esay speaks it fully those Promises wait for the full accomplishment Great shall he the day of Jezreel Hos 2. ult This is the world to come as some judge mentioned Heb. 2.5 Then shall Knowledg abound and cover the Earth as the Waters do the Sea Some observe that the Girdle was about the Loins Ezek. 23.15 But then about the Paps Rev. 1.13 to signifie how Knowledg shall rise higher in the last than former Ages of the World Then will Holiness encrease All the Pots in the Lords House shall be holy and Holiness written on the Bells of the Horses Zech. last Then there will be an end of differences amongst God's people Now Ephraim is against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Judah but then the the Lord shall be one and his Name one Then will come down the new Heavens and the new Earth wherein shall dwell Righteousness Now men say Quod libet licet Sic volo sic jubeo but then Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning Kings Nursing Fathers c. Justice shall run down as Waters and Righteousness as a mighty Stream then shall Antichrist's Throne be utterly broken That implacable Enemy shall fall and rise no more And then will the Kingdom of Christ be enlarged The Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 The Kingdom of Christ shall be more observable and visible than ever We are not to expect a Kingdom de novo but the encrease and enlargement of that already extant And though the Glory of his Kingdom is eclipsed yet it will be rendred conspicuous to all when he shall not Reign in a corner but over the whole World God hath set his King long since upon his holy Hill of Sion all Power in Heaven and Earth was given to him at his Resurrection so that Christ hath been in his Throne many hundred years yet it shall grow and prevail till all implacable Opposers be put down and his Kingdom appear in its Beauty in this world though it will not be of the world neither will the Saints have worldly Troubles nor worldly Joys but shall have Heavenly Thrones I mean their Thrones shall be in Heaven upon Earth Then shall Overcomers know better than now they can apprehend how great the Mercy here promised is to sit with Christ in his Throne If any ask why Christ will thus priviledge them the Answer is from his free Grant so saies the Text To him that Overcometh will I grant Nothing more free than a Grant from a King All this Charter contained in these seven Promises is from the Royal Grant of the King of Saints Not for the Battles they have fought not for the Victories they have gotten but all flow from the Fountain of Free-Grace All that was done well was done by his assistance So then it will not be their Merit but his Mercy not of Debt but of Grace when they are sate down in his Throne with him they will and must cry Grace Grace The Vses follow Vse 1. If these things be thus Then let us all examine whether we be in the number of those that shall inherit the good of this and all the Promises we have heard of If any say How shall we come to an assured Interest in them The Answer is All depends upon our being victorious they are all entailed upon Overcomers Let us then to secure our Title to the one clear the truth of our being in the number of the other by discerning the soundness of our Regeneration for the Apostle saith Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5.4 and all that is in the world the God of the world the Men of the world and the Lusts of the world without this work wrought in us any of our Enemies will ruine us When the Sons of Sceva thought to prevail by adjuring the evil Spirit by the Name of Jesus whom Paul Preached the Spirit answered them Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye And the men in whom the evil Spirit was leaped upon them and overcame them so that they fled naked and wounded Acts 19.14 15 16. As if he had said I know Jesus to be the Son of God and Paul to be the Servant of God the one may command me the other may in his Name compel me but who are ye Have you the Power Grace and Spirit of Jesus or Paul He knowing they wanted this overcame them And so will Satan conquer all unregenerate ones Let us then be looking diligently to our selves lest we fail of this Grace of God All depends upon it as to Victory O let us take heed lest our New-birth prove a false Conception lest Ephraim-like we be unwise Sons that stay long in the place of breaking forth of Children Hof 13.13 Many throws and pangs some have Convictions tending to Conversion yet they go away and the Soul not born of God Many go on in a way of Profession all their days and yet are not New-born are not in the Spiritual Genealogy And what do an Hundred Cyphers signifie without a Figure Just nothing To the same reckoning will all our external Religion come without the New-birth Above all things let us be careful lest we be deceived herein And truely he had need be as wise as Solomon to find out the true Mother Three or four things there are that deceive People 1. They have been convinced of Sin in a Legal way and much troubled and therefore hope they are born of God But this is many a mans mistake to rest in them They are troubled for Sin under the Word or Rod yet sin again The Children of Israel when God slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God Nevertheless they flattered him with their mouth and lied to him with their tongue For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Psal 78.34 36 37. 2. Some mistake in the point of good disposition They are well-enclined men good-natured and hopeful men but was not Christ's words to such an one Joh. 3.3 Verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Why did Christ put him in mind of this Why because he was a well-enclined and disposed man and did rest too much upon it therefore Christ tells him where his danger lay 3. Some plant the bottom of their Christianity upon Forms in things that are but the husk the Varnish and Plaistering of Religion They think it enough to go to an Ordinance to keep their Church to