Page images
PDF
EPUB

churches after his ascension, as may plainly be read in the second chapter of John's Revelation.

Where he beginneth to write to the seven churches, and the angel of every several church; which angel was the minister; I say they had every one of them a several reproof, and a several gift and blessing; therefore I shall let the reproof alone, because it would be too large to interpret.

Only I shall name the several blessings, because the seed of faith may the better understand the interpretation of them, therefore I shall set them down in order.

1. The first gift and blessing is sent unto the angel of the church of Ephesus, which is as followeth, To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 2. The blessing of the church of Smirna. Him that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

3. The blessing of the church of Pergamos. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.

4. The blessing of the church of Thyatira. And him that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, as I received of my father, and I will give him the morning star.

Him

5. The blessing of the church of Sardis. that overcometh, the same shall be cloathed in white raiment,

raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but will confess his name before my father, and before his angels.

6. The blessing of the church of Philade'p'ia. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new name.

7. The blessing of the church of Loadicea. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit of Revelation in John hath said unto all the seven churches of Asia.

CHAP. II.

The Interpretation of the several Blessings.

THIS

HIS Tree of life, in the midst of the paradise of God: the tree of life is no other but the person of Christ, and the eating of it is believing in him to be the only God, this is, to eat the flesh, and drink his blood.

2. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. This second death is an eternal death, that is, a living death, and a dying life, that is always dying, yet never dead; this is called by the spirit the second death, which all true believers shall be freed from, so that they shall not be hurt of the second death.

3. He

3. He that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.

This hidden manna is that peace and satisfaction every true believer hath in his mind, in believing in the true God, so that the mind or spirit doth feed upon those sweet refreshments that floweth from their faith in the true God.

For those motions of faith that doth arise in the mind, it feedeth upon the assurance of everlasting life, for eternal life is that hidden manna, which every true believer doth eat of.

So that the spirits of true believers doth eat of this hidden manna of eternal life, even as the Jews did eat of that manna that Moses gave them in the wilderness; which manna is call'd angel's food.

That manna Moses gave them to eat it did signify the law by which the holy angels did live by, and by that holy law the angels do live, that law being written in their natures of pure reason.

And by their feeding upon that law, that is, by their perfect obedience to God their creator, they do live in his presence for ever.

So that the manna that came down from heaven, it was but a type or figure of the angel's law written in their natures, by which they live in the of God to eternity.

presence

So likewise there is a law written in the nature and seed of faith, that is to say, in every true beliver, and by this law written in his heart, he cometh to perfect obedienec of faith, and so liveth by the faith of the son of God, as Paul saith.

But

But I say true believers now they live by the faith of God himself, and so it may be called the faith of God's elect.

So that every true believer doth eat of the hidden manna, that is, they eat the flesh of Christ, for he is that bread that came down from heaven, that whosoever doth eat thereof shall never dye.

So that to speak properly, the flesh of Christ is that hidden manna, and those refreshments and assurances of eternal life, as I said before, are but types and figures, as the other manna was to the Jews.

So that every one that doth truly believe in the true God, he doth eat of the hidden manna: it may well be call'd hidden manna, for indeed it is hid from the greatest part of the world, and very few there are that do eat of it at all.

For none do eat of it but those to whom it is given, but the angel's manna is eaten of by every man and woman in the world. And as for this white stone, this white stone signifies clean hearts; as thus, whereas the heart before it was a heart of stone, or a stony heart, and not only so, but it was a black stony heart, defiled with ignorance, blindness, darkness and unbelief.

So that the heart was compassed about, and covered with the fear of hell, and torment of soul, and now this black or red stony heart, it is purified by faith in the blood of the lamb.

It having a new law written in it, that is the law B

of

of faith, and so causeth men to walk in God's statutes; which statutes of God is to believe those whom he sends, and that faith will purify the heart of that ignorance, darkness, and unbelief.

So that in spiritual matters the heart of man will become a white stone; it is called a white stone, because it is cleansed from those things aforesaid, and made white by faith in the blood of the lamb.

So that this white stone is no other but a new heart, or the old heart made new by the power of faith.

And as for the new name that is written in this white stone; this new name is a secret knowledge and assurance, that he is one of the redeemed of God.

So that he hath the name of the second Adam written in his heart, even as all men have the name of the first Adam written in thier hearts; because all men are in the fallen state, by nature, children of wrath.

And so every man can read his name, in that he can read it in his own heart, they all being under the name of the first Adam.

But the name of this second Adam, which is called A new name, which none knoweth saving he that receiveth it, this experience will witness that no man can know that secret knowledge and assurance of his own redemption by the second Adam, but he that hath it written in him by the finger of faith.

So that all that do receive this white stone, they have this new name written in it, which they them

selves

« PreviousContinue »