Precious Promises the Portion of Overcomers, To the reader 1
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.