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
yet came upon the back of an Angel Such honour have all his Saints to stand before him in this Noble Clothing peculiar to them in the House and Family of this great King of Heaven 3. It intimates Beauty and Glory This is also set out by the colour of white so when Christ was transfigured on the Mount his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light that is it shined with an extraordinary splendour and brightness Mat. 17.2 We find the countenance of the Angel Mat. 28.3 to be like lightning and his raiment white as snow and two other called men appearing in humane shape in white apparel that is very glorious and beautiful Acts 1.10 Thus Overcomers shall be clothed in white Raiment they shall walk with me in white saith Christ Rev. 3.4 in great Beauty and Glory The Kings Daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of wrought gold Psal 45.10 Yea they are said to be clothed with the sun Rev. 12.1 Cloth of Gold is accounted very glorious but if a man were clothed with the natural Sun he would be much more bright and beautiful How renowned for beauty are they then who are clothed with the Sun of Righteousness Some who have no natural beauty yet appear amiable by their fine shining Garments They are for Ornament and are to the Body as rich Hangings or costly Varnish over a wall of Clay which make it look better than else it would as the Poet saith Viro vestis magnum decus addit honesta Such a garment is Christ he adorns the Soul and gives it a rich and perfect beauty He is set out by the wedding-garment Mar. 22.12 The High Priests garments of old were but types of this which were made for beauty and glory Exod. 28.2 All the comliness of the Saints is by reason of this beautiful dress in which they are attired This is that Raiment of Needle-work which is a great Ornament to them though outwardly in rags or mean clothing He is a Crown and Diadem upon the head Signified by that fair Miter which was set upon Joshua's head Zach. 3.5 which hath its name from compassing about because it invironed the High Priests head It had a holy Crown with it Exod. 29.6 signifying the Deity and Dignity of Christ It had also upon the forefront of it a plate of pure gold with this engraving Holiness to the Lord who is said to be glorious in Holiness All shews what excellent beauty and glory is put upon the Overcomer clothed with this white Raiment 4. It signifies festivity and rejoycing Black is the mourning colour white is the colour of delight and joy They used white Garments at Feasts and joyful Solemnities Hence that of Solomon Let thy garments be always white Eccl. 9.8 Not absolutely but in all proper seasons of rejoycing The very beasts on which they rode in triumph to praise the Lord for victory over their Enemies were of this colour They rode on white Asses Judg. 5.10 That great mercy of Absolution is set out to us under the notion of a white stone Rev. 2.17 To signify what ground of spiritual joy they have whose sin is pardoned The sense then is Overcomers shall be filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Glorious because this joy is a taste of future Glory or else because it made them glorious in the eyes of men The Kingdom of God is joy in the Holy-Ghost Rom. 14.17 When they are worsted by their Enemies they are filled with heaviness but if at any time they lead captivity captive and can get their feet upon the neck of those that hate them then their sorrow is turned into joy and their joy shall no man take away from them When Israel or rather God for Israel overcame Pharaoh and his Hosts Then sang Israel a joyful song unto the Lord Exod. 15. Thus shall all victorious Souls have their mouths filled with laughter and their tongues with singing and say The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Great is the shouting and rejoycing of Soldiers when they get a Victory and with much better joy shall they be clothed and filled who conquer in this holy war This is the first thing here promised 2. Rea. Overcomers names are indelibly recorded by Jesus Christ who here assures them of it saying I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life A Metaphorical expression also we read of the book of Scripture the book of Nature the book of Conscience and here and in other places of the book of Life and that the names of men are written there and those once engraven never shall be obliterated Phil. 4.3 Rev. 13.8 There we find the Lambs book of Life wherein are names written from the foundation of the world The phrase is taken from the enrolling of Citizens and Soldiers that they may be known to be such The promise implies That Overcomers are dear and precious in the eyes of Christ It is in matters of some concernment that things are committed to writing which men will carefully keep that nothing be expunged or blotted out This is seen in Jeremiah and others who caused Writings to be drawn and preserved upon weighty occasions Christ hath an high esteem of Valiant and Conquering Christians they are written before him yea they are written within him engraven in his Knowledg and Remembrance and in his Love and Affections as very dear unto him As the Names of the Tribes were written upon Stones which the High-Priest bare on his Breast-plate when he went into the most holy Place Even so the names of all Believers are written upon the heart of Christ to shew how precious they are to him Queen Mary said If she were opened after her Death they should find Calice written in her heart Were Faith duely exercised we might see Believers engraven upon Christ's heart and this Book shall never admit one of the Names in it to be crossed out If a Pilate could say Quod scripsi scripsi What I have written I have written Christ much more There are no Errata and therefore no Deleatur in the Book of Life And who should blot them out Not Men or Angels for it is a Sealed Book to them not their Sins which yet they fear more than the former for they themselves are blotted out by the hand of Free-Grace I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake Isa 43.25 As a Creditor takes his Pen and blots out the Debt or as men cancel Bills of Indictment so doth God to speak of him after the manner of men dip his pen in the Blood of his Son and dashes out the Hand-writings against them and cancels all those large Bills And this not as men blot things out that are written upon Paper where great blurs remain and they may possibly be read again but as a Cloud as a thick Cloud Isa 44.22 The Sun so
scatters and blots out the Clouds that there is nothing of them to be seen their sins are so done away as not to he remembred any more are as if they had never been As a Table-Book wash it and there is no appearance of any thing written there so hath the Lord removed their Iniquities and having blotted out their sins for his Name 's sake will not blot out their Names for their sins sake So then it remains that none but Christ can blot out their Names for he is the Master of the Rolls and keeps this Book in his own possession and he hath prevented all fears of it by his own solemn Promise in the Text. Object Against this some object these two Scriptures Exod. 32.32 33. Moses said Blot me out of thy Book Whosoever hath sinned against me saies God him will I blot out of my Book especially that Rev. 22.19 It any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life Answ As for that place in Exodus some carry it as if Moses desired in the former verse to lose his part in a better Life than is here to be enjoyed even Eternal Life rather than God be thus dishonoured and blasphemed but think it a sinful desire or great zeal at the best with a mixture of corrupt passion in it But others understand it of the Book of Records in which mens names were Registred Princes use to keep such Books in which were set down the Names of those that had done them any special Service Mordecai's name was recorded in such a Book and how he acted to preserve the King's Life Esth 6. And this was much Self-denial in Moses to be willing to have his Name razed out thence for the Peoples good Moses rather desired not to live than that all the people involved in that sin should dye willing to have his Name blotted out of the Church Records than the people come under this great Judgment Like that wish of St. Paul Rom. 9.3 who wished himself accursed from Christ for his Brethren and Kinsmen according to the flesh Some say Such was his Love to his Kindred that if it had been consistent with the Will of God he desired to have redeemed the casting away of the Israelites with the loss of his own Soul for ever But besides that this desire was impossible to be accompliâ—hed it would have been sinful By this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or being Accursed from Christ he means only to be Excommunicated from the Church which is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 Which argued a high Affection to his Relations And as to the other place God's taking away their part out of the Book of Life is no more than to manifest they have no part therein and hence we find the Scripture speaking of some Whose Names were not written in the Lambs Book of Life from the Foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 God will declare them to be such as were not Predestinated from all Eternity to be saved by the Death of Christ Some there are not written in this Book but none written there shall be blotted out That 's the Second Particular 3. Rea. Christ will confess the names of Overcomers before his Father and before his Angels as if he had said I will own and acknowledg him as he hath owned and acknowledged me They have confessed him before men and he hath promised to confess such before his Father Mat. 10.32 The meaning is that Christ will publickly own them in the great Day of Judgment and will openly profess their well-tried Faith and other victorious Graces and they shall be found to Honour Praise and Glory at his appearing 1 Pet. 1.7 Then he will avouch them to be his Children saying Father Behold I and the Children which thou hast given me Isa 8.18 Esther though advanced to Honour with the King own'd her Relation to Mordecai and told him what he was unto her Esth 8.1 Joseph though advanced to great Dignity and a chief Favourite in Pharaoh's Court yet owned and confessed his poor Relations even before the King and his Courtiers Gen. 47. Even so will Christ at that day own his victorious Servants and Soldiers before the King of Kings and all those glorious Courtiers of Heaven the holy Angels A taste of this he gave when he was here on Earth When some told him his Relations stood without desiring to speak with him he pointed to his Disciples and said Behold my Mother and my Brethren For whosoever doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Mother and Sister and Brother Mat. 12.49 50. Here he freely owns and confesses his Spiritual Kindred and prefers them before his bare natural Relations So we find him making a report of their excellency who were his Disciples unto God his Father saying I have manifested thy Name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world and they have kept thy word Joh. 17.6 Here he makes an honourable mention of their laying up his words in their hearts and keeping to it in their lives And though as yet they were but weak yet he doth notably commend their good beginnings to his Father What will he do then at last when they shall have perfectly overcome We find it recorded of John the Baptist that he confessed and denied not but confessed I am not the Christ and after owned him and pointed at him saying Behold the Lamb of God vers 29. John is plain and bold ingenuous and constant in his testimony of Christ renonuncing the honour due to his Master and confessing and declaring Christ in the dignity and excellency of his Office shewing them how he was to execute the same for their good and benefit which was by Suffering and therefore points him out as the substance of the Passover and daily Sacrifices who by the Merit and Vertue of his Death takes away the sin of his own both Jews and Gentiles And did John lose by this his resolute Confession No not even here for Christ did as freely confess and make an honourable mention of him For saith he among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist Mat. 11.11 Because he was Christ's immediate Forerunner now the nearer to Christ the more excellent He prefers him not only before all the Prophets but all others that were born before him This is but the beginning of what Confession shall be more fully made of the Names of all that overcome in the great day of the Lords coming to Judgment The Vses follow Vse 1. See hence the miserable estate of all who overcome not but are fatally and finally overcome in their warring against these enemies of our Salvation They have neither part nor lot in these precious Promises yea the quite contrary things will be their Portion Instead of being clothed in white raiment in token of Purity Dignity
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
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
differs not really but intellectually only from them the Covenant being the whole of the Promises and the Promises the parts of the Covenant I say this new Covenant containing in it the most blessed and glorious discovery of that wonderful mystery of the ever-to-be adored grace of God to sinners in Jesus Christ the Mediator thereof about their redemption and salvation the Promises thereof must needs be most refreshing and consolatory to all the heirs of them amongst whom Reader if thou beest one I doubt not but thou wilt find a sweet savour and spiritual relish in these discourses for they breathe forth nothing but love and sweetness pleasure and delight to those that are Overcomers as all the heirs of Promise shall at last assuredly be It is observable in all these Promises that though they are in the conclusion of the Epistles to several Churches yet they are all made to the same persons vid. to Overcomers now victory at least in the spiritual warfare supposeth a fight conquest a combat they only shall obtain the conquest over all their spiritual enemies who have strenuously maintained the combat with them and that to the end Here therefore thou art directed so to fight the good fight of faith as that at last thou maist fully lay hold of and be crowned with eternal life As to the manner of handling these things I shall only say that I judge the Author hath throughout the whole Discourse taken Paul's advice to Timothy 2 Tim. 2.15 vid. studied to shew himself approved unto God and as to men he hath shewn himself a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of Truth in his Doctrine shewing uncorruptness gravity sincerity as the same Apostle exhorts Titus Tit. 2.7 8. using sound speech that cannot be condemned and as the same Apostle also speaks of himself and the other Apostles 1 Cor. 2.13 speaking of these great things not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual This little vessel I assure thee Reader brings thee Gold and Silver not Apes and Peacocks as some of the Vessels of Solomons Tharshish Navy did of old 1 Kings 10.22 Here are no empty notions airy speculations jingling and rhyming phrases or such phantastical things but sound and wholesom practical Divinity not a flood of words and a drop of matter not vox praeterea nihil but multum in parvo much in a little the most excellent necessary and seasonable truth prospicuously opened and as pertinently and profitably applied Whouldest thou then know who are thy worst enemies how thou maist so fight against them as to overcome them what it is to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God how thou maist be secured from the hurt of the second death Wouldest thou know what it is to eat of the hidden Manna and to have the white Stone c What it is to have Power over the Nations and to have the Morning-Star How thou maist be clothed with white Rayment c Be made a Pillar in the Temple of God to go no more out c And have it granted to thee to sit down with Christ in his Throne as he having overcome is set down with the Father in his Throne Read consider and diligently mind these following Sermons and earnestly pray for a Blessing upon what thou readest upon the Author and upon thy true Friend it thou lovest the truth March 16. 1680. John Green THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader IT hath seemed good to the alwise God that our lot should be to live in these last and worst of days In which our Gracious God is going on in the ways of his alwise providence in order to the fulfilling of his good Word wherein our Lord hath frequently forewarned us of many tribulations that his followers if they will be faithful must meet with Joh. 16.33 in this World also the great Apostle Paul from his own abundant experience telleth us 2 Tim. 2.12 That they who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions And Peter in like manner telleth us Acts 14.22 That through much tribulation we must enter the Kingdom of God To the end that we being forewarned might be forearmed and that when these things shall come to pass we might not be anxiously troubled The sad experience of the Church of Christ in all ages do abundantly seal to this and surely even in our present time it may truly be said that this day these Scriptures are fulfilling in our eyes The Woman is now Rev. 12.16 forced to flie into the Wilderness as formerly she did in those primitive days being constrained for to wander up and down in Deserts and in Mountains and hi Caves of the Earth But the same God who then not only took care of the Manchild but of the Mother also providing and preparing a place for her where she was nurrished and fed I say the same God who hath preserved her he doth still preserve and will preserve her even to his Heavenly Kingdom And although that great red Draggon the Devil and his Instruments viz. Papists and Atheists are continually casting forth Rev. 12.15 floods of Reproaches Slanders and Callumninations after her that if possible they might carry her away yet God will stir up some who shall help her though but earthly minded and self-ended in what they do And though he should proceed on to make war with her yet shall he not overcome and although a Troop shall follow her yet she shall overcome at the last And though this Lion roareth and rageth at her having great wrath because his time is short yet shall the Lion of the tribe of Judah tread him under his feet How be it Psal 74.9 As sometimes the Church of Christ being under great persecutions groaned under this as agravating of her misery that she saw not her signs of deliverance out of captivity neither was there amongst them a Prophet or any that knew how long even so such is our case at this day Nevertheless seeing that the Vision is but for an appointed time our duty is to wait upon God and to keep his way being confident concerning this That the time is not very far off when God will graciously say to Jerusalem that her sins are pardoned and her warfare is accomplished his thoughts to her ward being thoughts of peace to give her an expected end And in the mean time we are to stand and admire at the great goodness of our God That in such a day as this is when the most of the Sons of men are bending of their tongues like bows for lyes and falshood there should be found amongst us some who are valiant for the truths of the Gospel And when a many among us pretending to be leaders are found to be but blind guides we should yet have some seers who in all faithfulness can say as he Acts
will be who have no better things than these who get no spiritual conquests over the enemies of their Souls their end will be eternal expulsion and exclusion from the Paradise of God As God sent forth and drove out Adam from the Garden of Eden whether by his word of command or by forcible strength is not material never to return thither again Gen. 3.23 24. so will he drive away all the wicked like chaff and scatter them like smoke that they never enter in the celestial Paradise And as God set an Angel with a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life that Adam might not eat of it having by his sin lost his right unto it so whosoever is finally overcome by Sin Satan and the World living and dying under the full power and dominion of these enemies the flaming Sword of Divine justice will for ever keep them out of the Paradise of God and from eating of the Tree of Life that grows there Oh! that men would believe this report and in time labour to prevent it Vse 2. This Doctrine is a ground of strong consolation to all overcomers 1. They shall enjoy the heavenly Paradise where are far greater delights than in the Garden of Eden Eden was earthly this is heavenly The Serpent got into Eden Satan that old Serpent can never wind himself into the heavenly Paradise In Eden our first Parents sinned and broke covenant with God in Heaven they have an impossibility of falling Adam was driven out from the Garden of Eden but none are expelled from the Paradise above 2. They shalâ—â—â—at of the Tree of Life feed upon Christ there this is the Paradise of Paradise the Heaven of Heaven it self Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee says that holy David This was the living Cordial Christ gave the penitent Thief in his dying hour Luke 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise To have Christ be with us here though in affliction in prison is an inestimable good and precious favour but to be with Christ is best of all This may sweeten your Christian warfare if you consider how much this Tree excels that in Eden that was material this spiritual that grew out of the Earth this grew in God's Bosom and was from Heaven that Tree had no life in it self more then any other of the Trees of the Garden but should have continued life to Adam if he had not sinned during the Divine pleasure meerly by God's institution but Christ hath life in himself and quickens whom he will Adam never eat of that Tree of life all true â—lievers shall partake of this Theâ—â— was a flaming-sword to keep all from coming to that Tree in Eden but here will be no obstruction nor any cause of separation from Christ That Tree of old is long since perished and that Garden destroyed but these abide fresh and glorious for ever Methinks the serious consideration of these things might allay the bitterness of present troubles Exod. 15.25 when the waters were bitter so that the Children of Israel could not drink of them Moses took a Tree which the Lord had shewed him and cast it into the waters and they became sweet The most bitter waters of affliction may be sweetned by Faith acted on Christs love in them Whom the Lord loves he rebukes and chastens They all come through Christ every rod of affliction is gathered off this Tree of Life by a Fathers hand A few leaves of this Tree put into the cup of affliction takes away the bitterness thereof and turns it into a cup of consolation yea a cup of salvation to all believers Oh that you would comfort your selves and one another with these things If any object and say I fear I shall never overcome but my sin and the world will conquer me the Devil will at last prevail and I shall one day perish at their hands Let such a Soul know and believe that what is spoken to Dan for his encouragement Gen. 49.19 is for its comfort in all its wars and combats with these enemies A troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last A man that wrestles or fights with his enemy may be foiled and worded at first and yet recover himself and get the victory in the end Peter was worsted at first in the combat yet gets up again and conquers all opposition Acts 4.19 He that is thrown down by his enemy and lies still in and under his fall not striving to rise and recover himself this man is fully overcome but thus it is not with any true believer Let none such be discouraged though never so weak but remember that of Solomon Eccles 9.11 The race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong only believe and ye shall see the Glory of God the glorious wisdom and power of God working out your Victory When some brought an ill report upon the promised Land Num. 13.17 28 29 30. and weakened the hands and hearts of the people by telling them of the walled Cities and the Children of Anak and other things to discourage them from fighting Caleb a man of excellent Faith and Courage stilled the people before Moses and said Let us go up and possess it for we are well able to overcome it This was he that afterwards God brought into the Land Numb 14.24 being a man of another Spirit and followed the Lord fully when the other died in the Wilderness and never came thether Heb. 3. ult and the Scripture saith they could not enter in because of unbelief O let all take heed of an evil heart of unbelief and the day is yours believe you shall overcome and you shall surely overcome 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the Victory whereby every one that is born of God overcometh the World the Devil and their Corruptions even their Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith says the Apostle to Timothy above all take the shield of Faith Eph. 6.16 this overcomes all before it Even Christ himself yields to this Thus he speaks to the Spouse Cant. 6.5 Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me he yields himself conquered to the Faith of his people and much more will it overcome the Enemies Gen. 32.28 when Jacob had prevailed over the Angel he soon saw a Victory over his Brother Esaus wrath Gen. 33.10 Oh! that you would stir up Faith all things are possible to him that believeth the Lord encrease our Faith To conclude Vse 3. Let us be exhorted to courage and confidence to this holy war for you fight not as uncertain of Victory not as those that beat the air Let nothing here below hinder us 2 Tim. 2.4 no man that warreth entangleth himself in the affairs of this Life but strives to please him that hath chosen him to be a Souldier If a Soulder be in Garison he may work on his Trade yet so as to be
cried out My punishment is greater than I can bear for from thy face shall I be hid surely then to lose the glorious presence of God of the only true God is more than to lose a thousand worlds if there were so many We read that Absolom could take no Comfort in all he enjoyed because he could not see the King's face 2 Sam. 14. Laban made great search after his foolish Idols when they were stollen from him Gen. 31.33 And Micah lamented for the loss of his false gods Ye have taken away my gods which I made and what have I more And yet you ask me what aileth thee Judg. 18.24 How sad and fearful will the loss of the King of Kings of the only true and living God be Here men can live cheerfully if they have outward good things though strangers to the Life of God yet when they come to see what they have lost they will find it the most bitter ingredient in their cup of misery 2 There is paena sensus the punishment of sense for having lost the chief good an inundation of all mischiefs and miseries will necessarily follow and inevitably fall upon them particularly 1. Shame and confusion of face will cover them They will rise to shame and contempt Here men sin and have a whores forehead they cannot blush The unjust knoweth no shame Zephan 3.5 but then the shame of their nakedness will appear before all the World The thief is ashamed when he is found Jer. 2.26 Especially if he be taken in his wickedness before judges and great ones Oh! how confounded and abashed will sinners be when all the secret evils of their Heart and Life shall be laid open and discovered before Christ his Angels and Saints Whither will they cause their shame to go Here they glory in sin which is their shame but then they will be ashamed of this their glorying and would be glad if the Hills would hide them and the Mountains cover them 2. Sorrow and Mourning will fill them There saies Christ shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8.12 Where you will say even in Hell We read of Rachel mourning for her children and would not be comforted Jer. 31.15 Of Jacob's great sorrow for the supposed loss of his beloved Son Joseph Gen. 37. I will go down to the grave to my Son mourning thus his father wept for him Of the great mourning of Hadramimmon in the Valley of Megiddon where Josiah was slain and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him 2 King 23. But what are all these to the hideous cries and shrieks yellings and roarings of them that lye under the wrath of God 'T is said God will cast upon them the fury of his wrath and not spare Job 20.23 and 27.22 No man values a blow if a Child strike but if a man a giant strikes it is not easily born if an Angel smites it is yet more grievous but if God cast upon him his wrath immediately it goes to the bottom it pierces deep into the very Soul It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God and to have the living God fall upon us Can our heart endure or our hands be made strong in the day that he shall deal with us His frowns are able to sink us What unspeakable Sorrow will his blows cast upon us fill us with we know not how to bear his hand upon us here if it be in extremity though but upon one part What infinite sorrow then will it cause to have him cast his fury upon the whole man upon all the Members of the Body and all the faculties of the Soul at once and not spare A drop of his displeasure upon Heman upon David made them cry out bitterly what will a Sea an Ocean of wrath then do O the floods and seas of Tears that miserable creatures will then pour forth 3. The Curse of God shall rest upon them So it follows in that direful Sentence Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye Cursed If they might go from his presence with Blessing it would be some comfort but to depart from him with a Curse how very dreadful are the thoughts of it Yet thus it will be Solomon saies The curse causeless shall not come Prov. 26.2 When Balaam would have cursed Israel it came not but was by God turned into a blessing because Balaam attempted this without just cause Numb 23.22 23. God requited David good for Shimei's cursing him but God never curseth without a cause and it is therefore effectual and sad are the effects thereof When Adam sinned saies God Cursed is the ground for thy sake Gen. 3. The whole Creation groans under that curse unto this day Rom. 8.22 The Disciples marvelled at the sudden withering of the Figtree Christ cursed Mat. 21.19.20 When Elisha cursed the mocking Children in the Name of the Lord there came two Bears and tore two and forty of them 2 King 2.24 Oh how insupportable will the Curse of the infinite God be that shall lie upon them in Hell 4. Darkness will annoy and trouble them Ordinarily in the greatest Darkness God commandeth some Light Vnto the upright there ariseth Light in the darkness Psal 112.4 The Lord will light my candle the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness saith David Psal 18.28 But Hell is called the blackness of Darkness yea outer darkness Mat. 25.30 meaning a state most remote from Heaven the Kingdom of Light and Blessedness We read of the Egyptians that God caused a dreadful Darkness upon them such as might be felt Exod. 10.21 22 23. Not only was the Light of the Celestial Bodies withdrawn but such gross foggy Vapours did arise as some think that might put out their Candles or other Lights so that they sate still in their places for three days being under the Arrest of that Darkness so that they knew not whether to go nor what to do But the Darkness of Hell will be much more afflictive and affrighting Some are afraid of the natural Darkness of the Night but how dismal will those chains of Darkness be wherewith they who loved the darkness of sin here shall be bound in the Prison of Hell hereafter where they shall have Darkness enough 5. The worm will gnaw upon them Of this Christ speaks Mark 9.44 46 48. Their Worm that are in Hell-fire of them he speaks v. 47. every one there hath his own Worm not Literally but Metaphorically to be taken of something that holds resemblance to it A Worm in Scripture is put to resemble two things 1. Something that is contemptible Fear not thou worm Jacob And 2. something that is tormenting and vexatious and so it is taken here It is dreadful to Nature to have a Worm breed out of a man and feed upon him thus it is with the Body in the Grave the Worms shall feed upon it Job 24.20 But to have them breed in a man and feed upon him alive is more terrible
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