Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

was poffible that bitter Cup might pafs from him (which could not be granted, and the Church, his Bride, redeemed) and therefore, an Angel was fent to comfort him, Luke xxii. 4. Experienced Minifters alfo are commanded to watch over Chrift's Flock, and build them up in their most holy Faith. Faith is the Victory whereby we overcome the World, the Flefh, and the Devil, 1 Peter v. 2. 1 John v. 4. And thus through the atoning Merits and prevailing Conqueft of the Captain of their Salvation, they go on conquering and to conquer, Rev. vi. 2. For he hath promifed never to leave them, but reign over them, guide and fupport them, until he hath put all their Enemies under his Feet, 1 Cor. xv. 25. Thus the Lord Jefus is a Man of War, Exod. xv. 3. And appears majestic in his warlike Drefs, being clothed in a Vesture dipt in Blood, and his Name is called, The Word of God; for he accomplishes the Will of God. And he hath on his Vefture, and on his Thigh, a Name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS, Rev. xix. 13, 16. And alfo he appears by Faith to the View of his Saints and Soldiers, like unto the Son of Man, though in Glory, with a prieftly Garment down to the Foot, and girt about his Paps with a golden Girdle (resembled by that of the High-prieft, Exod. xxviii. 8.) His Head and Hairs white like Wool, as white as Snow. And his Eyes as a Flame of Fire. And his Feet like unto fine Brafs, burned in a Furnace; and his Voice as the Sound of many Waters. And he hath in his right Hand feven Stars; and out of his Mouth goes a fharp two-edged Sword; and his Countenance is as the Sun fhining in his Strength. And when the Saints fee by Faith their Captain thus arrayed in glorious Majefty, they fall down at his Feet as dead, dead indeed to their own Ability

of

of obtaining Salvation without him, and prove it true that he that loofeth his Life fhall find it, Matt. x. 39. For immediately Chrift lays his right Hand upon them, faying, "Fear not, I am the first and the laft, I am he that liveth and was dead (I died for your Sins, in your Stead) but behold! I am alive for evermore, Amen. And for And for your everlaiting Comfort, my faithful Followers! I have the Keys of Hell and of Death, Rev. i. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth, Matt. xxvii. 18. I am he that openeth (the Gates of Heaven and Hell) and no Man fhutteth; and shutteth, and no Man openeth, or can open them, Rev. iii. 7. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star, (that ushers in eternal Day to the Soul) And I will give unto every Man according as his Work fhall be," Rev. xxii. 12, 16. And this is the Work of God which he will graciously reward, even to believe in Chrift whom God hath fent, John vi. 29. And for further Encouragement, we are exhorted to lay hold of his Strength, and confide in his Righteousness, without which we can do nothing, Ifa. xxvii. 5. 2 Cor. xii. 9. Our Lord alfo animates his Soldiers with that heart-chearing Promise, "To him that overcometh, I will give him to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the Midft of the Paradise of God," Rev. ii. 7. It is true, Chriftians are taught to expect Tribulation, and fevere Trials; The Devil will caft fome of you into Prifon for a Seafon (God's Children are fometimes permitted to be imprisoned by Men, and sometimes by Unbelief) for the Trial of Faith, when God hides his Face: yet it is faid, "He that proves faithful unto Death (by relying and trufting on the Promises of God) fhall receive a Crown of Life; and fhall never be hurt (as an Unbeliever will) by the fecond

[ocr errors]

Death,"

Death," ver. 10, 11. Again, "To him that holds faft my Name, and does not deny, but confefs my Faith, (me the Object of Faith, according to my Teftimony) even where Satan's Seat is; I will give him to eat of the hidden Manna, and will give him a white Stone (in Token of Abfolution, i. e. full Affurance of Faith) and in the Stone a new Name written, which no Man knoweth, faving he that received it, ver. 17. "Moreover I will give him Power over the Nations, and he fhall rule them with a Rod of Iron, as the Veffels of a Potter fhall they be broken in Shivers," ver. 27. (Their Errors and false Religion fhall fall like Dagon; or be crufhed as Nebushtan, 2 Kings xviii. 4. The Saints fhall have Power delegated from Chrift to judge the World; i. e. by Doctrine and Converfation on Earth, and be an efpecial Jury in the great Affizes in the laft Day, 1 Cor. vi. 2.) " And I will give him the Morning Star," Rev. ii. 28. to guide him fafe on Earth, viz. myfelf, my Word, and Spirit, Rev. xxii. 16. "And he fhall fhine forth like the Sun in the Kingdom of my Father," Matt. xiii. 43. I will likewise clothe him with white Raiment, and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life; but I will confefs his Name before my Father, and before his holy Angels, Rev. iii. 5. Heré let the defpifed Believer view his Happiness in having fuch an Advocate in the great Day of Retribution, when the Heavens and Earth fhall flee away, and the Dead both fmall and great fhall ftand before God (who is his Friend): Then shall the Books be opened, The Book of God's Omnifcience of knowing all Things, and by his omnipotent Power will bring to the Minds of all the World every Sin they committed in Life, which were not repented of and pardoned. "When the Spirit of Truth cometh, he will convince the World N

of

of Sin, and bring all Things to Remembrance, John xvi. 8. and xiv. 26. Then fhall be 'open'd the Book of Confcience before the Law: the Book of Sins committed under the Law; and likewise another Book of Sins committed under the Gofpel: befides the Book of Life. Then fhall the Dead both small and great be judged out of the Records which are written in thofe Books, acoording to their Works. And whofoever is not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life (as a pardoned, Sinner, who by Faith hath received a Reprieve viz. the Spirit of Adoption from the King of Sion) fhall be caft into the Lake of Fire, Rev. xx. 11, 12, 13, 15. But all Works of Faith, and Labours of Love and Patience through Hope, 1 Thef. i. 3. fhall obtain a Reward of Grace; and fuch shall be received with "Come ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World," Matt. XXV. 34. Then it will appear no fmall Privilege to have our Names written in the Book of Life, never to be blotted out. And even now our Comfort is to have a Communication with Hea ven, by our Union with Chrift, who faith, "I have set before thee an open Door," a Door of Grace, "where thou mayeft go in and out, and find Pasture" both for Soul and Body: "For Godliness hath the Promife of this Life, as well as that which is to come," 1 Tim. iv. 8. Thy little Strength and little Faith fhall never fail; for "I will not break the bruised Reed, nor quench the fmoaking Flax" in the weak Believer, Matt. xii. 20. But the deceitful Heart and Tongue fhall be confounded: And I will make the Children of Satan, who continually fpurn against the Intereft of my Gofpel, one Day worship before thy Feet; and let them know that I have loved thee, because thou haft kept the

Word

Word of my Patience (and haft borne my Crofs through great Perfecutions, and fevere Conflicts. with Satan) I will alfo keep thee from the fatal Hour of Temptation (perhaps from the Luft of the Flesh, the Luft of the Eye, and the Pride of Life) by which the Devil overcometh all the World (of Unbelievers.) Thy Trial fhall be but fhort, for "behold! I come quickly, and my Reward is with me. Therefore hold faft that Grace which I have given thee, that no Man take thy Crown!" thou haft obtained a good Report, beware of Apoftacy, lelt thou lose thy Honour. "For him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God, and he fhall go no more out; and I will write upon him the Name of the City of my God, which is new Jerufalem which cometh down from Heaven and I will write upon him my newName," (i.e. my adoptedSon) Rev.iii.8, &c. O glorious Time! when it fhall appear, the holy City, new Jerufalem, is come down from Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband, Rev. xxi. 3. All the Saints crowned with Glory, and clothed in fine Linen, being the Righteoufnefs of the Saints, and their Bodies fhining like the Sun, fhall then appear in fuch Splendor, as the Heart of Man never conceived the Glory God hath laid up for those who loved him, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Every Saint thus adorned fhall be fet as a living Stone in the Place appointed by the eternal Wisdom of the Father, who defigned from Eternity to confummate or compleat this fpiritual Tabernacle in the Church triumphant. Ye also as living Stones are built up a fpiritual House, ye being a chofen Generation for that Purpofe, 1 Peter ii. 5, 9. He faid unto me. It is done, i. e. in my determined Council. I am the Beginning and the End, faith the Lord Jefus, Rev. xxi. 6. Therefore fear not, thou little Warrior, (young Begin

N 2

« VorigeDoorgaan »