Father in his Throne The Text is express for it This is variously expressed in the Scripture He is sometimes said to sit at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Heb. 8.1 Sometimes to sit on the right hand of God Mark 16. All amounts to the same purpose Four things are implied in it 1. It notes Dignity Superiors sit when Inferiors stand The ancient of days is said to sit Dan. 7.9 And God is described sitting upon a Throne Rev. 7.15 Thus Christ sate down in his Fathers Throne that is he was advanced to great honour The Angels never arrived to such honour To which of all the Angels did God ever say sit thou on my right hand Heb. 1.13 The very interrogation implies a negation he never spake thus to any of them It was great honour Solomon did his Mother to cause her to sit down at his right hand 1 Kings 2.19 But Christ is raised to greater Dignity for the Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand till thine Enemies be made thy foot-stool Ps 110.1 To such a height of honour is he advanced that God hath charged all the Angels to worship him Heb. 1.6 At first made lower than the Angels now above them 2. It imports Authority Thou satest in the Throne judging right says the Psalmist Psal 9.4 Thus God hath highly exalted Christ to be the judge of all the world A throne he shall have in the Clouds and he that once came to be judged shall come the second time to judge The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father John 5.22 23. And to shew his Authority 't is said to him every knee shall bow Phil. 2. All things in Heaven in Earth and under the Earth that is Angels Men and Devils are subject to the Name and Authority of the Lord Jesus And every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2.8 9 10. The Devils and wicked men shall at last be forced to acknowledg the Authority of Christ and to say as Julian the Apostate did Vicisti Galilee O Galilean thou hast overcome me and all Saints and holy Angels shall with one consent acknowledg and own him as the Lord and as their Lord And all this to the glory of God the Father which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it signifies the great end of Christ's exaltation viz. the glory of God yet some understand by it that Jesus Christ is exalted to the same Authority and Glory with the Father in Heaven being now set down with him in his Throne at his right hand 3. It implies a settled continuance of Christ in this Honour and Authority 'T is said that Josephs Bow abode or as some read sate in strength Gen. 49.24 As standing is a posture that shews a man ready to go this way or that way so a sedentary gesture notes continuance or abiding Though man being in honour continued not Psal 49. ult Adam being in honour lodged not whence some conjecture Adam fell in the very day he was created And though our days on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding 1 Chron. 29.15 Yet the second Adam abides and continues in the Fathers Throne for ever 4. It signifies Christ's resting from all his Travels Labours Services and Sufferings As after much Labour a man sits down and resteth himself even so Christ having finished the work his Father gave him to do a cessation from all troublesome Labours followed and he shall know them no more After Gods works of Creation were finished he rested on the seventh day Gen. 2.2 Thus also when Christ had accomplished the works put into his hand He entred into rest and ceased from his own works as God did from his Heb. 4.10 Some carry these words of Believers they are ceased from sins who are entred into heavenly rest others that Believers are ceased from all sufferings and sorrows being once in glory All this is true yet some take it for Christ his Rest from all his labours and troubles Though here he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief yet being exalted to sit with his Father in his Throne is ceased from these for ever Bran. 3. Overcomers shall sit down with Christ on his Throne so saith the Text An allusion say some to the practice of those Eastern Kings whose Thrones were made large and capacious after the manner of a Couch so that besides the Kings place others whom the King would honour might sit down with him in the same Throne what this Throne of Christ is there are various conjectures The Kingdom of Grace say some we are made Kings and Priests and reign on the Earth Rev. 5.10 That is have Dominion over Sin Satan and the World But this is Christ sitting on the Throne of our Consciences rather than our sitting with Christ in his Throne say others who therefore will have it meant of his Throne in Heaven But there Christ hath no Kingdom distinct from the Father for having once ended that great transaction of the last judgment he shall deliver up the Kingdom to his Father and God shall be all in all Cor. 15.24.28 Not that then Christ shall lay aside his humane nature as some have thought but that his present mediatory Kingdom shall give place to the essential Kingdom of the God-head God shall he all in all not personally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but essentially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine being the Father Son and Spirit shall be all in all that is communicate himself to the glorified Church without the intervention of Ordinances and Creatures and also without the proper and immediate exercise of the Office of the Mediator For when the difference between God and the Creature is compleatly made up what formal need will there be of a Mediator For we cannot make a Mediator of one nor of those that are made one It is an Apostolical maxim A Mediator is not of one Gal. 3.20 But if any say how then is the Kingdom of Christ everlasting I answer this doth not at all hinder it for he hath victory over all the Kingdoms of the world all the four Monarchies being fully conquered by him Dan. 7. and the Gospel of his Kingdom is vertually everlasting Rev. 14.6 And Believers by vertue of it shall possess everlasting glory neither shall this resignation of the Kingdom be any diminution to his glory for the song in Heaven will be Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing c. Rev 5.11 12. Others understand this Text of a Temporal and Visible Throne and Kingdom to be erected in this World before the last Judgment If these words saith an excellent Divine Do not intimate a reigning time for Christ's Church on earth I do
Blessed is he that shall eat bread this Bread of Life in the Kingdom of God both of Grace and Glory This is not meat that perishes but meat that endures to everlasting Life John 6.27 This is the first thing Christ here promises to them that overcome 2. The white Stone is another of those peculiar Favours I will give him the white stone 'T is judged to be an Allusion to that practice in use of old among the Romans who gave both white and black Stones white ones were given in the Election of Officers and Absolution of Malefactors 1. In the Election of any to an high Office they gave him a white Stone as a certain Token thereof The sense then of the Promise is that Conquerors shall have the assurance of their Election to be Vessels of Mercy that they are chosen to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and the belief of the Truth to the end and to the means to Glory and to Grace and though the means be the last in intention yet they are first in execution their Salvation is first intended but Faith and Holiness are first effected Now to have the Assurance that we are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world that we be holy before him here and happy with him hereafter Who can declare the Refreshment it carries with it Comfortable it is 1. In respect of Delusion They shall deceive if it were possible the very Elect Mat. 24.24 In the superstructure of Truth they may be deceived but fundamentally and finally they never shall because both the deceived and the deceiver are the Lords Job 12.13 16. Deceivers may distemper them but it is not possible they should poison them The Elect are a people exempted from the fatal Infection of false Prophets and false Christs who decive many this is a great Comfort to such in these erroneous days 2. In respect of Accusation Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Rom. 8.33 Who shall charge when God dischargeth True it is many will be ready to lay things to their charge Satan will accuse them he is the Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12. the Law will accuse them the World will accuse them but God will justifie them which makes all their Accusations null and void as Christ caused all the Womans Accusers to go out so will Gods acquitting them make those Accusers and all their Accusations to vanish 3. In respect of publick Calamities which are shortned upon their account For the Elects sake those days shall be shortned Mat. 24.23 What days Even the days of Tribulation which were to come upon the Jews except those days should be shortned no flesh should be saved no Jew should be alive all would fall under destruction when those Calamities come Many others fare the better for the Elects sake these are the Salt of the Earth that being sprinkled here and there preserve it from perishing God gave all that were in Zoar to Lot and all that were in the Ship to Paul if it were not for his Elect in the world he would make a short work in the Earth And 4. In respect of their own personal oppressions Shall not God hear and avenge his Elect that cry unto him night and day I tell you he will avenge them speedily Luke 18.7 8. When their Enemies are above Fear and they below Hope when there is not Faith on the Earth to believe there are Bowels in Heaven to relieve them 5. In respect of his working for them at the Resurrection and Day of Judgment whereas they will lye scattered here and there he will gather together his Elect from all parts of the world by his Angels Mat. 24.31 Who will know them by their Fathers mark upon their Foreheads And as Servants know their Masters Corn from anothers and the Wheat form the Tares so will the Angels soon discern and single out the Elect from the rest by the Glory and Cheerfulness which he will put upon them and into them 6. In respect of the co-operation of all things here for their good according to that Promise All things shall work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose Rom. 8.28 They say the Philosophers-Stone turns all it touches into Gold This white Stone as a Token of our Election according to God's Eternal purpose turns all Conditions and Dispensations to good How unspeakably full of Comfort are these things to all Overcomers from this Gift of the White Stone as a Sign of their Election 2. White Stones were given of old in the Absolution of Malefactors as black ones were given to persons Condemned as a Token they must dye so white ones to them acquitted in their Courts of Judicature 'T is as if Christ had said To him that overcometh will I give an evidence of the Remission of his Sins And what a Fountain of Consolation is in this particular Son be of good chear thy Sins are forgiven thee Mat. 9.2 Well might he be cheerful to have the assurance of our sins being pardoned is able to make any one everlastingly merry Yea though under present afflictions This Palsy-man was not cured of his disease when Christ bid him rejoyce yet ground enough of joy he had to be assured from Christ's own mouth that his sins were forgiven him Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered Psal 32.1 for this is an infallible evidence of Gods favour outward mercies we may receive from an angry God silver and gold and precious stones in abundance and yet from the wrath of God but this white stone of Absolution is a certain token of Love and Reconciliation 'T is not a giving-God for our Bodies that can give grounds of Comfort so much as a forgiving-God for our Souls can do This evidenceth our Redemption by Christ In him we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sin This bringeth Salvation John Baptist's going before the face of the Lord was To give knowledg of Salvation to his People by the remission of their Sins Ephes 1.7 Luke 1.77 Reconciliation stands in it God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their sins 2 Cor. 5.19 In a word it is the inlet to and ushers in all other Good and Mercy Take away all Iniquity and take up good or give us good as it is Hos 14.2 They must pray for good O but your Sins keep good things from you Jer. 5.25 Therefore first their request is Take away all Iniquity No good to be given till sin be forgiven but when that is removed that withholds good from them then the passage is cleared and way is made for all good to come unto them It makes way for the Liberty and Deliverance of the Church from Troubles Speak comfortably to Jerusalem tell her that her Iniquity is pardoned and her Warfare is accomplished When Sin was pardoned her Afflictions and Troubles soon had an end It brings
losing their first lively affections and abating of their former active Conversation but making progress in their Christian course and their last works more than the first The Church of Ephesus was commended for her first love and first works and reproved for her declining from them yea threatned if she did not return and recover them David's first ways were most free from scandal thence it is that Jehosaphat is commended for walking in the first ways of David his Father 2 Chron. 17.3 The love of too many that have been very hot is grown cold to God and his ways But these are Sea-marks recorded for our caution not Landmarks set down for our Direction or Imitation This of Thyatira is an excellent Copy for all the Churches of Christ to write after Our last works should be more than the first our last Sabbath better Sanctified than the former our last love to one another more than the first our last prayer better than the former our Faith Humility and all other graces and good things better in the end than in the beginning How sad will our account be if God shall find us declining in these things and we doing worse after twenty or forty years profession than in our first entrance into his ways That we are less careful in keeping holy the Lords-day than at first Then we would call the Sabbath a Delight the holy of the Lord and honourable and would not unnecessarily run into worldly talk but now little else is heard from us and little difference by observers can be made between that Day and an ordinary Market or fair-Fair-day Is this to imitate Thyatira and not Ephesus rather No wonder God threatens to pluck all up and to remove his Gospel from a declining and degenerating people Oh that yet we might remember whence we are fallen and repent and do our first works Yea let the last be more than the first The example of God above all should prevail with us As the Governour of the Feast said to Christ Every man at the begining doth set forth good wine and when men have well drunk then that which is worse but thou hast kept the good wine till now John 2.10 Gods first thoughts of love to us that are his people were very precious his electing love His following works in our effectual Calling into the state of Grace and preserving us therein notwithstanding all the attempts of our Enemies deserves great admiration But Heaven will be Heaven when all is done His manifestations and communications there will be such as will force us to say O Lord thou hast kept the best wine till the last Thy first thoughts and works towards us and in us were wonderful but yet the last are more than the first How reasonable is it then that we should strive to a conformity to the Lord our God in this particular lest we loose the things we have wrought and receive not a full reward And that we may labour to get victory over all the evils growing upon us let us consider this promise in the Text now before us the sum of which take in this Proposition Doctr. That Christ will give great power and excellent glory unto Overcomers Here are 4. things to be spoken too 1. Who are they that Overcome 2. What is that great Power Christ will give them 3. What is the Glory here promised 4. The Reasons of the Doctrine These will make way for the Use Quest 1. Who are or may be said to be Overcomers Answ The Text gives a significant answer to this Question He that keepeth Christs works unto the end When it saith He that overcometh some will ask who is he How shall we know him He addeth and keepeth my Works unto the end as exegetical of the former Now these works of Christ are either such as he commanded or such as he himself practised leaving us an example that we should follow his steps perhaps both the one and the other and both stand in direct oposition to Jezebels wicked works mentioned vers 20. This Jezebel is judged to be some great Princess like that Jezebel who was the wife of King Ahab mentioned 1 King 21. only with this difference she spoken of in Thyatira pretends to be a Prophetess and covers all her Wickedness under that cloak the other more openly and boldly declared her Sin Now he that keepeth Christ's works in opposition to these is he that overcometh He that keepeth those works of Purity and Holiness Christ hath commanded and practised for our imitation for some things he did qua Deus as he was God which are for our Admiration not for our Imitation some things he did qua Mediator in dying to reconcile God and man in which we are not capable to imitate him viz. That Meekness and Humility which he requires us to learn of him Mat. 11.29 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies one that is near the ground thus was Christ in all his Actions he expressed great Humility and this not seemingly only as the Bishop that was asked Visne Episcopari Answered Nolo Modestly shewing himself unwilling when yet he had used all means to obtain it but really he declined earthly Promotions and Dignities out of Humility of Spirit Farther Christ was much in Prayer which work he did for our Imitation Upon which one descants thus Orat is qui non fecit peccatum silet peccator Orat Medicus Cessat Aegrotus Orat Judex Silet Reus Oh! Shall he that is Innocent Pray and the Sinner be silent Shall the Physician pray and the Patient be silent Shall the Judge pray and the Guilty condemned Malefactor hold his peace Again Christ was compassionate to the Bodies and Souls of Men in Misery Mat. 9.36 37 38. He set them a praying for Labourers to be sent into the Harvest and he himself went up and down Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing Bodily Diseases He was very zealous for the Worship of God and against Superstitious Innovations The zeal of his Fathers house did eat him up Joh. 2.17 He went through great Sufferings with much Patience Oppressed and afflicted he was yet opened not his mouth Esay 53.7 He was faithful to him that appointed him Heb. 3.2 He did heartily and freely forgive the worst of his Enemies praying Father forgive them for they know not what they do He was much grieved for the sins of others and wept over Jerusalem These and many more works Christ did that we might tread in his steps A Christian should be alter Christus another Christ He then that keepeth these works of Christ as the Apple of his Eye which the least dust will offend Prov. 7.2 Or as a man keeps his Treasure which he locks up in safety or as a man keeps his Life which he values above the world or as an honest Traveller keeps his way he would not go out of it willingly and if he mistakes upon knowledg of it is troubled thankful to him