Precious Promises the Portion of Overcomers, To the reader 2
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 20.27. That they have not ſhunned to declare unto us, all the Councel of God.
And whilſt others are daubing with untempered morter, ſowing of pillows under their elbows, and healing the hurt of the Daughter of my people ſlightly, crying peace when there is no peace: yet we have ſome, who are found faithful Moniters, as to our approaching imminent dangers, by whom (inſtrumentally) the ſilver Trumpet of the Goſpel, giveth forth a moſt certain ſound; cauſing the Saints and people of God, to ſee and underſtand, that now it is high time to prepare to the Battel.
Amongſt whom, this worthy and faithful ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, the Author of theſe excellent enſuing diſcourſes, diſervedly ought to be reckoned, and rancked, not in the meaneſt place; whoſe deſign herein, (next unto the glory of God) I doubt not confidently to affirm, is the ſpiritual good and benefit of all his people; whileſt it evidently appeareth, that he endeavoureth the good of all, but eſpecially the houſhold of faith: of ſome he hath compaſſion, making a difference; others he ſaveth with fear, pulling them out of the fire; that if poſſible he might preſent every man perfect in Chriſt Jeſus.
To this end our Reverend Author, in delivering the mind of God in this Diſcourſe, ſo ſpeaketh, as ſtooping down to the meaneſt capacity; ſo manifeſting much of a ſweet Self-denying and Soul-ſaving Spirit, whoſe Preaching is not with inticeing words of mens wiſdom, but in the demonſtration of the Spirit, and with Power; who though he could ſpeak with Tongues, (God having given him the Tongue of the Learned, that he might know how to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to every weary ſoul) yet I am ſure, that in the Church of Chriſt, he had rather ſpeak five words with his underſtanding, that all might he edified and comforted, than five hundred in an unknown Tongue.
But I need not ſay any more in this matter; the Work that is before thee, Chriſtian Reader, doth ſufficiently ſpeak for him; wherein he, as a good Steward of the manifold Grace of God, doth labour to give to every one a portion: for here thou haſt both milk for Babes, and ſtrong meat for ſtrong Men in Chriſt. Such as are yet ſtrangers to Chriſt, he labours to bring them into a meaſure of Spiritual Acquaintance with him; and ſuch as do in meaſure ſavingly know him, he labours to put them into a more full enjoyment of him.
In order hereunto, in the firſt place, he wiſely and faithfully acquaints all who deſire to ſet their faces Zion-ward, what things they may meet withal in travelling thither; letting them underſtand the worſt firſt, that meeting with ſuch things in the way, they might not be diſcouraged, ſo as to be turned out of the good way of the Lord.
Moreover, in thoſe ſweet Diſcourſes, he (as a Son of Conſolation) doth ſpeak comfortably, labouring more and more to confirm and encourage all the godly to keep on in their way; conſidering, that all who are now in Heaven (that Haven of Reſt and Happineſs) have more or leſs trod in the ſame path, viz. of Active and Paſſive Obedience.
Yea, our Lord himſelf, who is the Captain of our Salvation, in his bringing of many Sons to Glory was made perfect through Sufferings, and is through Sufferings entered into Glory. In which way, all that will be found good Soldiers of Chriſt, muſt be willing to follow him.
Now as a ſtrong enducement, or as a mighty encouraging and perſwaſive argument hereunto, our reverend Author doth hold out in theſe divine diſcourſes, many ſweet promiſes, as being proper and peculiar to all, and only to ſuch as ſhall be found overcomers; Thereby intimating unto us, firſt, That here while we are in the body, is the time and place, for managing of this ſpiritual combat and conflict; and then ſecondly, here is laid before us, what theſe Enemies are with which we are to encounter in this ſpiritual combat; namely, Sin and Satan, the World and the Fleſh. Thirdly, by what means every Chriſtian, ſhall be enabled ſo to manage the great engagement, as they may undoubtedly be Conquerers in the end; I more then Conquerers, viz. Through the faith of Chriſt; who loveth all that are his; which love of his being ſhed abroad in a ſoul; will be in it ſuch conſtraining love, as will be ſtronger than death; cauſing the ſoul ſo to exerciſe faith in Chriſt, that through the ſtrengh of Chriſt it ſhall certainly prevail, and wholly overcome; and ſo come in the end to ſee and ſhare in the comfort of thoſe ſweet promiſes; viz.
1. To eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God.
2. Not to be hurt of the ſecond death.
3. To eat of the hidden Manna, and to have that white ſtone, &c.
4. To have power over the Nations, and to have the Morning-ſtar.
5. To be cloathed in white rayment, &c.
6. To be a pillar in the Temple of God, and to go no more out, &c. 7. To ſit with Chriſt in his Throne; yea, to inherit all things.
Now good Reader, That thou maiſt be helped to do thy duty faithfully, ſo as thou maiſt obtain all theſe things promiſed effectually, and ſo be made happy in the Lord everlaſtingly, is the earneſt prayer of him, who is thy ſincere well-wiſher in the Lord.
T.W.