Stability This is promised in this Phrase I will make him a Pillar in the Temple of my God It is by Expositors taken to be an Allusion to the Pillars that were erected in Solomons Temple the one was called Jachin which signifies he shall establish the other Boaz that is in it is strength 1 King 7.21 Both amount to this Firmness and Stability Some think that the infinite Power of Christ is aimed at in these Pillars it still confirms this matter Overcomers shall be established in the House of God by the Power of Christ himself Him will I make a Pillar saies he in the Text. It is a great Favour to have a Nail in his Temple a Name a Room in his House and Family though we be but weak Children but bruised Reeds To have Truth though with much Infirmity and Weakness is to be esteemed an inestimable Mercy but to be Pillars there is a special Priviledge To be settled and rooted confirmed and established there is a very desirable Blessing and very great Honour Such Honour is here made the Portion of Overcomers We read of Jacob setting up a Pillar of Stone Gen. 35. and of the Promise of God to Jeremiah being to go on his Errand to a furious and opposing People and the Prophet timerous I will make thee an Iron Pillar Jer. 1.18 Stone and Iron both are very strong To be a Living Stone in God's House is a great Mercy but to be a Pillar of Stone or of Iron notes Spiritual and Divine Strength given to such that they stand firm and upright and are Instrumental to bear up the Name Truth and Interest of God in the world Hence is the Church stiled The pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 Not as if the Church were the Foundation of the Truth as the Papists say for indeed the Truth is the Foundation of the Church That 's the tâ—ue Church which is built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles not upon their Persons but upon their Doctrines Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone Ephes 2.20 But as the Pillar Bears up the King's Proclamation that it may be visible and legible so is the Church the Pillar of Truth it holds forth the Truth of God to the view of all that will behold it And keeps up the Doctrine and Worship of the Gospel from falling or else in an ordinary way Truth would be born down by Errour and Purity of Administration in Divine Worship would be cast down by Idolatrous and Superstitious Innovations It is a great Mercy when there are Breaches and Divisions in a Land to heal them by just Government And when Righteousness is falling and Equity can scarce enter in a Nation but all through Injustice and Oppression ready to run to ruine and confusion To bear up the Pillars of the Earth even when it and its Inhabitants are dissolved as David did Psal 75.3 And it is no less Favour to be settled Pillars in the Temple of God to keep up and to maintain his Interest in the world We read that Absolom in his life time reared up for himself a Pillar having no Son to keep his Name in remembrance 2 Sam. 18.18 God rears up to himself Spiritual Pillars to keep up the Memorial of his Name in the world which else would soon be forgotten among men And how great the Blessing is to be such a Pillar who can declare Instability darkens a mans excellency Vnstable as water thou shalt not excel was Jacob's saying to Reuben Gen. 49.4 Water is easily moved by the Wind every way He being thus unsettled did not excel either in the number of his Tribe or Valour or any excellent Atchievement To be a Reed shaken with every wind of Doctrine is dishonourable To seem to be Pillars as Peter did and yet not to walk with a right foot as he is charged to do Gal. 2.9 14. is very unbecoming But to be so indeed to be fixt and grounded in the Faith and Order of the Gospel to be rooted and confirmed in the Temple of God is a Mercy promised only To him that Overcometh to shew in what esteem such are with Christ 2. Beauty is here also signified in this Expression Pillars are not only the Firmament as I may say but the Ornament not the Strength only but the Glory of a Building especially in such large and long Structures where there are many and rows of them as in the Temple 1 King 7 3. So then the sense is Overcomers shall be made by Christ the Glory of his Church the Beauty of his Temple In the Chariot Solomon made for himself the Pillars were of Silver Cant. 3.10 Some take it for the Graces of the Spirit of God others understand it of the Ministers of the Church named Pillars in Galat. 2. fore-mentioned Others to note those of eminency in the Church who labour to uphold and support the truth of Christ therein to be the Silver Pillars to be the Beauty of the Church yea the Glory of Christ as some are said to be 2 Cor. 8.23 Silver when purified is very beautiful Victorious Christians are Silver Pillars an excellent glory in the Temple of God Wisdome hath builded her House she hath hewen her out seven Pillars Prov. 9.1 2. Christ is here meant by Wisdome And though some take the House he hath built to be the World and it is a truth that Christ built this great House and Fabrick of the Universe Heb. 3.4 Yet most carry it to be the Church that Spiritual House which he is here said to build But what the seven Pillars are is not agreed on Some take the Seven Liberal Arts to be they Others the seven Days of the Week Others the seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost mentioned Isa 11.2 And some which is to the matter now before us for a competent number of Faithful Persons who by their stedfast adhering to Christ and his Truth not only support but adorn and beautifie his Church As those who through Cowardise and slavish Fear yield to the Enemy are a Disgrace and Disparagement so they that are firm and stable are an Ornament to the Temple of God 3. Perpetuity and Constancy is here also promised to Overcomers for Christ engageth to make such Pillars that shall go no more out of his Temple Some take this to be spoken to anticipate the fears that might arise in their hearts and trouble them The Prophet Jeremiah tells us That the Pillars of that famous Temple of old were broken down and the Brass of them carried away to Babylon by the Caldeans Jer. 51.17 Hence fears might arise in some that notwithstanding their present Settlement they might afterward be utterly cast out of God's House To prevent all such Jealousies of After-Apostacies he assures them They shall go no more out It 's true those that only seem to be Pillars and are not sincere in the main may and will break and be utterly cast down as Judas
how much the Mercies promised in it exceed the things alluded to The Manna God rained down to Israel was Material this is Spiritual That came from the Clouds this from the highest Heaven from the bosome of God the Father That was hidden in the Dew and in the Golden Pot this in the Virgins Womb and now in the Heavens that fed the Body this the Soul That was apt to breed Worms and stink this can see no corruption That preserved none from Death Your Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead Job 6.49 But he that eats of this hidden Manna lives for ever So of the White Stone They were material the Romans gave this is Spiritual They were inanimate this is a Living Stone Those were Tokens of a Temporal Election and Absolution this of a Spiritual and Eternal Those its probable were given sometimes to vile and wicked persons this to none but true Believers So for the new Name it is a name of Dignity and Honour excelling the names of the great ones of the Earth Let Believers labour to drink in the Comfort of these things Vse 3. If this Doctrine be true Then let all the Saints from these Promises wax valiant in fight quit themselves like men yea like good Soldiers of Jesus Christ endure the greatest fight of Afflictions Heb. 10.32 Put on and handle well your Armour of Righteousness to repel and repulse Temptations on the right hand and on the left Set your Watch and keep it strictly as Soldiers must do upon Pain of Death A Soldier being asleep when he stood Sentinel his Officer ran him through thinking it an act of Justice to leeve him as he found him It 's a time of War and our continual dangers should move us not to sleep as do others but to watch and be sober Let Christians keep close to the Standard 'T is Death by Martial Law for Soldiers to run away from their Colours they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed Follow Christ your Captain in all ways dirty and clean in all weathers fair and foul in all Ordinances in all Providences If any man serve me let him follow me saies Christ Joh. 12.26 And strive to make good your ground yield not to your Spiritual Adversaries Divines observe there is no armour provided by Christ for the back to shew that we must give no ground to our Enemies A Captain delights not in Renegadoes If any man draws back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 They are the Prophets words say some but God's say others It's true both ways Neither God nor his People can take plea-pleasure in Apostates Fight couragiously against your Spiritual Enemies as for your Bodily Enemies you have another Rule Love your Enemies pray for them that persecute you Mat. 5. And if your Enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good But as to your Soul Enemies fight manfully and stoutly against them give them no Quarter If you spare them your Life your Soul must go for it It was the Saying of a Captain to his Soldiers having the Spanish Army before them and the Sea behind them Either you must drink up this Sea or eat up these Spaniards So it is here either we must fight and overcome our Sins or drink up the Sea of God's Wrath. O cease not combating till all your foes be made your foot-stool This Church of Pergamos was overcome by the Doctrines of Balaam and the Nicolaitans holding both Adultery and Idolatry lawful Doctrines pernicious to sound Truth and a holy Life only some held fast Christ's Name and did not deny his Faith Antipas resisted unto Blood the rest are called upon to strive to overcome these Doctrines by these sweet Promises in the Text And hath not the Dragon poured out a flood of Errors amongst us of late Are not many carried away with divers and strange Doctrines Do not some go about to null the Eternal Decrees of God to make void the Satisfaction of Christ to deny and deride the Imputation of his Righteousness to Believers in the matter of Justification to maintain the Doctrine of Free-will and final Apostacy from Grace And doth it not then concern us to keep the word of Christ as Soldiers must keep the Word their General gives them so let all Christ's Soldiers keep the word of Precept the word of Promise and the word of his Patience that he may make the same honourable report of you which he doth of them Joh. 17.6 And they have kept thy Word Who knows how soon the same Trials may be upon us that were upon Antipasâ— â—ere in his Church Oh! that we may be found faithful Martyrs as he was Know our Call to the battle is clear our Cause is good and our Comforts sweet when we have been slaying our Lusts conquering Errors and Temptation from the Devil and the World Christ will meet us as Melchizedek met Abraham when he came from the slaughter of the Kings bringing forth bread and wine supports and comforts to our souls Melchizedek's Bread and wine were to Abraham Pawns and Pledges of Canaan the Land of Promise and Christs supports and comforts shall be to us Earnests of Heaven and Glory See what consolations flow in these promises to the Overcomer as the Manna of old fell about the Camps of the Israelites and was preserved in the Golden Pot so hidden Manna falls about the Overcomer and is preserved in his heart Pardon is the white stone and Adoption the new name and all these though secrets to others are well known to himself Let all that are listed to fight under Christ's Banner encourage themselves and one another with these words To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it SERMON IV. REV. II. 26 27 28. He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron as the Vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I received of my Father And I will give him the Morning-star HERE is another of those gracious Promises Christ makes to the Overcomers though directed to the Officers and Members of the Church in Thyatira yet is written as the other are for the common benefit of these seven Churches and of all others to the end of the World This Thyatira was a City of Lydia not far from Ephesus called Thugateira which doth signify a Daughter as Mr. Brightman observes for as a Daughter new-born is always growing in age and stature till she comes to full ripeness so it was with this Church which he therefore stiles Growing Thyatira The true Believers went on from faith to faith and so consequently conquering and to conquer Not like languishing Ephesus
Demas Julian and many others were But these were rotten Posts not real Pillars and therefore were easily broken when the burden of Temptation was laid upon them Hypocrisie will end in Apostacy They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out from us that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us saies the Apostle 1 Joh. 2.19 Here we see Many are in the Visible Church who are not of the Church Mystical and these will manifest themselves at one time or other what they are Some were troubled to see so many forsake the Church but he would not have them marvel at it for if they had been of us they would have continued with us They were not right and sound if they had they would never have done so They now discover they were none of us and so are the better avoided We lose nothing by their departure The Corn loseth nothing when the Chaff is gone but is the purer nor the Body when bad Humours are worn away but is the more sound and healthful but yet every one that is upright shall so far overcome as to continue his station in the Mystical Body of Christ A true Believer may be so far worsted in a particular Combat as to be cast out of the Church by a Sentence of Excommunication and that deservedly which was the case of the Incestuous Corinthian 1 Cor. 5. Yet was not he totally and finally overcome by the Enemy but was recovered by Repentance and restored to the Communion of the Church again and went no more out Judas went out and Demas forsook the Truth and Servants of Christ but we find nothing of their Recovery and rising again by Godly Sorrow Where there is no Root there is no lasting Fruit some hasty Blossoms but they are soon nipt and quickly fall off They are true sincere Christians that are persevering to the end Sampson pulled down the Pillars of Dagon's Temple and the house fell and all therein were slain Judg. 16.29 But all the Powers of Earth and Hell combin'd shall not be able to destroy the Temple of God nor utterly break one Pillar thereof God gave his People charge to break down the Pillars that the Idolaters had set up Deut. 12.5 But Believers are Pillars of God's setting up and none shall destroy any one of them 'T is true if left to themselves they are like to Sampson when God was departed from him but as others easily conquered by the assaults of their Enemies as Peter resolved to be more firm and constant than all men Though all forsake thee yet will not I saies he Yet how easily and quickly was he overcome to deny his Lord and Master But being upheld by the stronger Pillars of God's Almghty Power and immutable Covenant they are not so totally routed and vanquished as never to recover but are renewed in their Life and Strength as Peter was And as a Bone that hath been broken and once well set again is stronger than ever so they gather strength by their Falls and are confirmed in the truth and ways of God unto the end This is the first thing here promised to Overcomers The Second follows Bran. 2. Christ will give to such not only to be Pillars in his Temple but excellent Names shall be by him written upon them The Pillars in Solomon's Temple had very significant Names engraven upon them but these here promised are much more excellent The Text mentions three I will write upon him saith Christ the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God and my new Name Of these briefly 1. Christ will write upon the Overcomer the Name of his God Some carry the sense thus He shall be acknowledged to belong unto God As things written upon Pillars are made visible and legible to all or as things openly marked declare their Title and shew whose they are So Christ will set Marks and Characters of God's Image upon them that are Victorious such as shall extort and force this acknowledgment even from their very Enemies who will he convinced in their Consciences and clearly see that they are the Servants and People of God When Professors are overcome by their Corruptions Pride Worldliness Passion Uncharitableness Injustice and Unrighteousness in their dealings Unfaithfulness in their words and promises then the world writes other Names upon them then they are called Hypocrites Dissemblers Formalists a people that make Religion but a cover for Vice a cloak for Covetousness and for Maliciousness seem better but are worse than mere civil and moral men O say they we had rather trust or deal with just honest men though they make not such shews of Religion than with many great Professors who for a pretence make long Prayers as the Pharisees did but none more unjust and false than they they will say or do almost any thing to wrong and defraud another to over-reach and go beyond another Oh! that these things were not too justly and truly spoken of too many that are called Christians and Church-Members Pudet haec opprobria nobis On the contrary when any get Victory over these Epidemical Evils and manifest it by a constant acting in a contradiction to such sinful waies then men will say Ay these are the people of God indeed if there be any Saints upon Earth these are such If all Professors were such as these we would be among them our selves Oh! how desirable is it to see the day come that is prophesied of Isa 60.14 when all they that have afflicted and despised the people of God shall bow themselves down at the soles of their feet and call them the City of the Lord the Zion of the Holy One of Israel They are Overcomers that must hasten the fulfilling of this That which God promised to put his Name in Solomon's Temple 1 Kings 8. is made good to them Christ will write his Fathers Name on their Foreheads He also promiseth to write upon him the Name of the City of his God even the new Jerusalem which cometh down from God out of Heaven There is a threefold Jerusalem Terrestrial Celestial and Mystical 1. The terrestrial or earthly Jerusalem called the City of David The City of the great King c. Isa 22.4 Psal 48.2 This City was once one of the Wonders of the World as the Gold among the Metals so was Jerusalem among the Cities Here the famous Temple was built here was the Ark of the Testimony and the Tables of the Covenant the sacred Vestments the Priests wore and it was the Seat of the great King even God dwelt there In Salem that is Jerusalem was his Tabernacle and his Dwelling-place in Sion Psal 76.1 2. 2. There is the Celestial or Heavenly Jerusalem called a City God hath prepared for Believers a City Heb. 11.16 Of this some understand that Psal 87.3 Glorious things are
read Satan's seat was there A King ruleth over all his Subjects yet he hath his Throne in some chief City of the Land Satan that King of the bottomless Pit as he is stiled Rev. 9.1 reigns over all wicked men yet in those notoriously wicked he may be said to have his seat This was say some the Seat or Court of Attalus in whose time it was written Discedat ab Aula qui velit esse plus Like that to the Prophet Flee thee away O thou Seer for it is the King's Court Amos 7.13 Afterwards it was the Seat of the Roman persecuting Governours who were Satan's chief Instruments in afflicting and destroying the Saints and so is called Satan's seat Christ takes special notice of the places of his peoples abode I know where thou dwellest even where Satans Seat is He observes how perillous a place this Pergamos was and what dangers as to Liberty and Life his Servants were in here Antipas had already suffered Martyrdom for the Truth the name of some good Minister or of the Pastor of that Church as many judge an Honour not granted to the Angels of Heaven as Latimer saith yet we find a Church planted and preserved here who held fast his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as with tooth and nail or by main strength Christ will have to do where Satan reigns some good he will have in the worst places a remnant of upright ones in a crooked and perverse Generation As Satan had a Judas among the Apostles a Demas among the Disciples a Simon Magus among the Believers so the Lord had a Noah in the ungodly world a Job in an Idolatrous Vz a Lot in filthy Sodom a Joseph in Pharaoh's Court Saints in Nero's house and some that held fast the Truth even in Pergamos itself those he reserves to be Witnesses for him and to testifie against those to their Condemnation who will not by their good Example be brought to Conversion Let us all labour to be good in evil Times it 's excellent in itself and will be our commendation before Christ at last as appears by his Testimony of them here Thee have I found righteous before me saies the Lord to Noah in this Generation Gen. 7.1 What kind of Generation that was is set down It was a time when Iniquity abounded all flesh had corrupted their way a deluge of wickedness had covered the Earth for Noah now to be righteous was excellent indeed And it will be our glory if we study to be Lights in a dark World holy among the filthy Lilies among Thorns and as the Fish fresh in Salt-waters This may comfort us also in very evil Times Christ will preserve some from the stroak of Persecution Antipas was slain yet some did remain some yea many may suffer hard things yea 't is possible some particular Churches may be extirpated yet a Church Christ will have on Earth against which the Gates of Hell Satan's Seat shall not prevail Many Faithful ones may be removed by a natural or violent Death yet because Christ lives therefore his Truth shall live his Cause and Interest shall live and survive all Enemies and Opposers Let this help our Faith and Joy though we dwell where Satan's seat is Rome Antichristian is now esteemed that Seat of the Beast mentioned Rev. 16.10 yet even there God hath his People Come out of her my People saies the Lord Rev. 18.4 A People Christ had and still hath where Antichrist most prevails though it greatly concerns them to come out thence dangerous to continue there both for Infection of Sin and for Infliction of Punishment as this Scripture expresseth Come out that ye partake not of her Sins and receive not of her Plagues Pliny saith That Mice will hasten out of a house that is ready to fall on their heads And Spiders with their Webs will drop before the house falls Certainly Antichrist's ruine hastens and Babylons Fall approacheth Come out of her therefore O all the People of God Come out from her Idolatries be ye separate from all her Abominations and Corruptions And to encourage all to strive to get Victory over the Evil of Evil Times this further Promise in the Text is given to them of Pergamos and to us in them the sum whereof take in this Proposition Doct. That Overcomers shall have such special and peculiar Favours given them by Christ as none know but they that receive them There are some things in which the men of the world intercommon with the Saints as Natural Endowments Worldly Enjoyments External Church-Priviledges the common Gifts of the Spirit and superficial Tastes of Heavenly things Absalom had Beauty as well as yea greater than David Herod and Jonadab had Wit and Policy as well as Joseph the Fool in the Gospel was rich as well as Abraham the foolish Virgins were in Church-Fellowship as well as the wise Apostates such as are not renewed to Repentance may taste the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come as well as those who had better things in them even things that accompany 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that have Salvation in them Saul had the Gift of Prophecy Judas Gifts of Preaching Prayer and working Miracles as well as the other Apostles yet notwithstanding all this there are peculiar benefits Believers share in which others have no part no lot in The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Psal 25.14 Not here meant of his providence blessing him in outward things of this Job speaks saying The Secret of God was upon his Tabernacle Job 29.4 But the understanding of the mysteries of his Word and Covenant hid from the wise and prudent of the World and their own interest in them Believers are the friends of God as Abraham was called the friend of God James 2. So Christ called his Disciples friends now the secret Cabinet is unlockt and set open to a friend though shut to strangers Amicus alter idem A friend is another self and a man cannot conceal any thing from himself and therefore not from his friend Whatsoever Christ heard of his Father he made known to his friends John 15.15 His secret is with the righteous Prov. 3.32 the very Arcana Imperii the mysteries of the Kingdom are made plain to them Luke 8.10 It is a favour to be of the Kings Court but more to be of his Council Courtiers know more than those that live far remote from the Kings Court but Counsellors know his secrets the Privy-Counsellor is acquainted with the special mysteries of State Carnal professors and hypocrites may know many truths which Heathens who live not under the sound of the Gospel may be ignorant of and in an ordinary way cannot know yet are they but of the Court Believers only are of the Counsel to whom the mysteries of grace and godliness are disclosed It is said the Lord told Samuel in his ear 1 Sam. 9.15 When