in his Holy Arm of Power, nor his dear Son, in his 1719. unparallell'd Love, and most pure Doctrine; whofe Doctrine fhall be fet down, as the Spirit indited it to the feven Churches in Afia. Firft, to the Church of Epbefus. Secondly, to the Church of Smyrna. Thirdly, to the Church of Pergamus. Fourthly, to the Church of Thyatira. Fifthly, to the Church of Sardis. Sixthly, : to the Church of Philadelphia. Seventhly, to the Church of Laodicea.

First, To the Church of Ephefus, Rev. ii. 7. He that bath an Ear to bear, let him bear what the Spirit faith unto the Churches, to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the Midft of the Paradife of God. Here is an excellent Promife and bleffed Encouragement to fuch as believe, and are faithful, and are defirous to fight in the Lamb's War against Sin and Satan: The fame Apoftle gives a Defcripition of this Tree of Life, in the abovefaid Book; "That it bears twelve Manner of Fruits, and bears its Fruits every Month, and its Leaves are for the healing of the Nations;" which myftically points at Chrift, who is faithful in his precious Promises and Doctrine, and has that Virtue in him, that through Faith, will heal the Nations of their Wounds which Sin has given them. Those who continually eat of the Tree of Life, fhall live for ever; but a flaming Sword will turn every Way, to keep the unbelieving Sinners from it: None in a State of Sin and Difobedience can come to enjoy the Paradife of God. The above is an excellent Promife to all thofe who overcome Sin, and the Devil, who is the Author of it.

Secondly, To the Church of Smyrna, Rev. i. II. He that bath an Ear to hear, let him bear what the Spirit faith to the Churches. He that overcometh fhall not be burt of the fecond Death: Which is that eternal Death which is in Hell, or that Lake of Fire which burns for ever, where the Worm never dieth, and the Fire never goeth out. This holy Warfare is certainly a Fighting M 4

for

1719. for Life, against eternal Death and Hell; which is of much greater Confequence than natural Life and Death. Oh! Fight for your Lives againft Sin and Satan, against Pride and Vanity, and all. Manner of Wickedness; put on the whole Armour of Light; look unto God, through Chrift the victorious Lamb, that you may be faved from the eternal Lake of Fire, and not be hurt of the fecond Death. Oh! may we know a dying daily to Sin, to the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, that we may live unto God, through Faith in his dear Son Jefus Chrift.

Thirdly, To the Church of Pergamus. Rev. ii. 17. He that bath an Ear to bear, let him hear what the Spirit faith to the Churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the bidden Manna; and I will give him a white Stone, and in the Stone a new Name written, which no Man knoweth, faving be that receiveth it. Here are four excellent Promifes to him that overcometh, the Lord opens his Treafury of Life, and of Wisdom, in order to invite Souls to the mighty Battle of the Lamb, who is not like the Princes of this World, who fometimes promife great Things to their Soldiers or Followers, and do not perform; but God's Promises are all Yea and Amen for ever.

The first Promife is, to eat of the bidden Manna : The Children of Ifrael eat Manna (outwardly) as it is written, in the Wilderness, and are dead; but those who eat of this hidden Manna, this Angels-food, and who are hid with God in Chrift, thefe fhall never die (i. e. fpiritually) for this hidden Manna is the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God, who faid, Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood, ye bave no Life in you, John vi. 31, 49, 50, 51, &c.

Second Promife is, to have a white Stone; this Stone is Chrift, who is the chief Corner Stone of God's Building or Church, the New Jerufalem, which the wife Letter-learned Master-builders fet at nought; but he is the Head of the Saints Building or Corner, and

a Holy Precious Stone, the Elect or Chofen of God, 1719. the Gift of God, to all those who truly believe, and overcome Sin, as he did; and as it is written, If he give us his Son, shall be not with his Son give us all Things?. There is Abundance of Talk and Writing about the Philofopher's Stone; but this White Stone, (which is the Gift of God to those who overcome Sin, and Satan) is the true Philofopher's Stone, (A Philofopher is a Lover of Wisdom, and Chrift is the Wisdom of God :) This Stone will certainly do Miracles for them that have it, through the Virtue of its Power, it will procure Joy in Tribulation, Patience in Afflictions, Health in Sickness, Riches in Poverty, Strength in Weakness, Liberty in Bonds, and to fum up all (which indeed is a great Sum) Life in Death.

Third Promife, and in the Stone a new Name: How many gay Sparks and Beaus would do Abundance to gain Honour or a Name among Men? Nothing is dear to them in this World, neither their Eftates, nor the nearest Relation they have in the World, fo that they may gain a Name here below; no, not even their own Lives; but, Oh! did Mortals know the Virtue of this Name, and were they in Love with it, then the World, and all its fading Beauty and Vanity, would be nothing to them in Comparison of this Name, which is better than the Names of Sons of Worldly Glory, and Maids or Daughters of Honour; for thofe outward Names are fading, viz. To-day a King, a Prince, a Duke, an Earl, a Lord, a Knight, and (has been, and may be again) To-morrow on the Scaffold But this Name which the King of Kings giveth those who overcome Sin and Satan, is a Name which will outlaft Time, and it will endure to Eternity.

Fourth Promife is, "That it fhould be fecret (only to the World) but furely known to him that hath it." Great Men, when their Acts and Titles of Honour are blazoned abroad in the World, they have many

Enemies

1719. Enemies many Ways, who Ways, who envy them ; and yet fome are fo vain as to love Grandeur and Popularity, notwithstanding; but he that hath a Name that Chrift gives, fo long as he is fenfible of in himself, he is therewith fatisfied.

Now as this is the Portion (and more, which is hereafter mentioned) of those who overcome the wicked One, then, on the contrary, what will become of thofe who live and delight in Sin, and are daily overcome with it? For the Holy Scriptures are pofitive, That the Wicked, with all thofe that forget God, ball be turned into Hell. This is the determinate Will of God: And that we may take the more Notice of it, to obferve and do his Will, he hath caufed it to be written down in the Language of the Holy Spirit, in the Holy Scriptures of Truth, which are of no private Interpretation ; but naked, and open to mean Capacities. The Holy Scriptures are not to be interpreted to the private Intereft of any particular Perfon or Sett of Perfons only; but are a general Benefit unto all the faithful Believers and Followers of Chrift, through the whole World.

Fourthly, To the Church at Thyatira, Rev. ii. 26. to the End; And be that overcometh, and keepeth my Works unto the End, to him I will give Power over the Nations, and I will give him the Morning ftar. He that bath an Ear to bear, let him bear what the Spirit faith unto the Churches. The Spirit ftill continues promifing his gracious Privileges upon Condition of overcoming: Wherefore, if it had been impoffible to have overcome Sin and Satan, then all these Promifes would have been in vain, and the Holy Scriptures deceiving, which would be to make Chrift and the Apoftles Deceivers; but Christ, his Apoftles, and the Holy Scriptures, are true, and every one that contradicts God, is a Liar.UVA

Let it be observed, that there must be a keeping the Word to the End alfo; for divers have run well for a Time, and overcome many Sins, through the Help

Help and Goodness of God, and yet afterwards have 1719. run into Sin again, whereby they have grieved the good Spirit of God, by which they should have been fealed to the Day of Redemption, and fo the Lord hath taken his good Spirit and Gift of Light and Grace from them, and left them to themselves, and their own Hearts Lufts; but fuch as hold out in Well doing to the End, the fame fhall be faved, and those hall have Power over the Nations; the Laws of Men, or Powers of the Earth or Hell, cannot hurt them but they will be as Kings and Priests unto God, ruling over their own Spirits, fuch an One is greater than one that ruleth a City, and cannot govern himself. Another excellent Gift is promifed here to the victori ous Chriftian Warrior, viz. I will give him the Morn ing-ftar: 'Tis indeed a very comfortable Gift, to behold the Morning-ftar, after a long, tedious ftormy Night, earnestly waiting for the Morning: Oh: 'tis wonderful pleafant. This Morning.ftar the Writer of thefe Lines hath witneffed, both as to his natural and fpiritual Travels; but efpecially to his inward-State and Condition as a Chriftian. Thofe that have a true Sight and Senfe of this Divine Star, are made to rejoice; for then they do infallibly know, that the Day of the Moft High is at Hand, and that his Kingdom draws near unto them. Amen, Holy Lord Jefus !

As the Day-ftar is a Fore-runner of the natural Day, fo is the heavenly Morning-ftar a Fore-runner of the Day of the Moft High to the Soul.

Fiftbly, To the Church of Sardis, Rev, iii 5. He that overcometh fhall be clothed in white Raiment, and I will not blot his Name out of the Book of Lifes but I will confefs bim before my Father, and before his Angels. He that bath an Ear to bear, let him hear what the Spirit faith unto the Churches. Thele Promifes of God, through his Spirit, and through his Servant, to the Church of Sardis, is, "That thofe who overcome shall be clothed in white Raiment;" and he fays in the 4th