flourishing but at this time declining both in her inward affection and outward conversation called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies remisness she abating of her first Love and declining from her first Works Now the words of the Text are a gracous and sweet promise given out to encourage her to repentance and a recovery of her self Having used threatning arguments he concludes with this excellent and full promise if by any means she might be brought to remember whence she was fallen and might get Victory over her present dangerous Distempers To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Here is 1. The matter of the promise to eat of the Tree of Life which is described by the scituation of it in the midst of the Paradise of God 2. The condition of it overcoming The Doctrine is this Doct. That Overcomers shall eat of the Tree of Life in Gods Paradise Here is something implied and also something expressed of these in order 1 That which is implied is that we have Enemies who fight against us and seek our destruction for ever against whom we are to manage a Spiritual Warfare and though none under twenty years old in Israel went forth to War yet here none are exempted not only are Ministers called to act and quit themselves as good Soldiers of Jesus the Christ 1 Tim. 2.4 as Timothy was the Weapons of whose Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual as St. Paul speaks 2 Cor. 10.4 They are to fight by the preaching of the Word weilding well that sword of the Spirit by Church censures by enduring hardship and the like yet is not the War limited to them but every one must come out to the battel even young ones must strive to fight this good fight wherein the glory of God and the cause of their Souls are eminently concerned This world is the field in which the Battels are to be fought and the War managed In Heaven there are no Enemies nor shall they there learn War any more 'T is true we read there was war in Heaven Rev. 12.7 and the Dragon and his angels fought but it is meant of the Church here often called Heaven in Scripture and in this Book of the Revelation This world is the Enemies Country and while the Church is here it must be militant in a conflicting and warring condition and this without intermission the Enemies are restless and implacable and will admit no truce no cessation of arms In Heaven above they are Triumphant having Crowns on their Heads and Palms in their hands in token of full Victory but here we must all hold swords and labour to be expert in war every one having his sword upon his thigh Cant. 3. 8. because of fear in the night this war is both defensive and offensive we must not only be standing upon our guard in our own defence but God hath provided armour by which we may overcome our Enemies and worst them in the Combate as they said of old to your Tents O Israel so let me say to your arms to your arms O all ye children of men especially O all Believers take to you the whole armour of God whereby ye may be able to withstand in every evil day and having done all to stand For this is not an arbitrary business but of that absolute necessity that we must either fight or dye kill or be killed conquer our Enemies or be finally and eternally overcome by them The Trumpet of the Gospel gives no uncertain sound 1 Tim. 6.12 but requires us to prepare our selves to the Battel If any say who or where are our Enemies I answer the Flesh the Devil and the World are the professed and avowed Enemies of our Souls 1. The Flesh our carnal and worldly lusts these are our worst Enemies the greatest fight is within quot vitia tot inimici as many Adversaries as there are corruptions 2 Kings 11. 13 14. when Athaliah heard the noise of the Guard and of the People in the Temple She came into the Temple and seeing them in their Warlike posture she rent her Clothes and cried Treason Treason when we look into our hearts which should be the Temples of God and find so many lusts gathered together there that are Enemies to Christ and would not he should reign in us and seek to betray our Souls to the Enemies without us we may well cry out Treason Treason Proud lusts covetous lusts unclean lusts lying and hypocrisy distrust and infidelity with a great Regiment besides these war continually against our Souls and fight against the Government of Christ and the Dominion of his Spirit and Grace in us against these therefore we should bend our main Forces more especially 1. Against the sin of our Nature This is called the Law in our Members and is said to war against the Law of our mind Rom. 7.23 This enemy is ever present with us as the Apostle St. Paul complained when we should doe good it is present either to divert us from it or distract us in it This is a very importunate evil a wrestless and unwearied Enemy we may cease evil acts when we cannot avoid inward motions this was it which made that excellent Apostle cry out O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me 2. The special predominant and most beloved Delilah the sin that doth more easily beset us we should bend our utmost strength against this every one hath a peccatum in deliciis a darling sin a right eye of pleasure a right hand of profit and though no true Believer can have a beloved sin for he hates every false way yet some sin there is by which he is most easily overcome and against this the heat of the Battel should be directed As it was said of old fight neither with small nor great but with the King of Israel 1 Kin. 33.31 So say I fight above all with the Ruling lust and predominant corruption the sin that we cannot well hear reproved can hardly tell how to part with are most delighted and pleased in the thoughts of it is first in a morning and last at night with us Oh this is that Enemy which when it kisseth is ready to kill us we may easily see the dagger it hath ready to strike us under the firth rib even when it fawns and flatters most as Joab did to Abner we can never be too careful here to stand upon our watch to keep guard against it as David did Psal 18.23 I was also upright before God says he and kept my self from mine inquity No better means of safety no greater sign of integrity then to keep our selves from our iniquity Let our chief war be against these indwelling Enemies especially against the sin of our Nature and the evil we are most apt to indulge and are most addicted to and the Victory over the rest
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
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