The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 2 · Verse 17
Verſ. 17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit ſaith unto the Churches. 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 writen, which no man knoweth, ſaving he that receiveth it.
He that is wiſe and hath an underſtanding heart amongſt you, let him conſider thoſe premonitions which I have ſo often inculcated, leſt the judgments threatned for your ſins overtake you; and therefore, hear what the Spirit ſaith unto the Churches. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna; as if Chriſt had ſaid, although I will come againſt the wicked ones in the church of Pergamus and fight againſt them with the ſword of my mouth; yet, to him that overcometh, that is, that oppoſeth and eſcapeth the temptations of thoſe pernicious doctrines amongſt them, and keep themſelves undefiled therein, to them will I give to eat of the hidden Manna. Here ſome difficulty or interpretation offers what is meant by this hidden Manna; many aſſert it to be Chriſt, which is that inviſible food received by faith, according to John 6.32, 33, 34. which cometh down from Heaven, and there typified forth by Manna; but, ſaving due reverence to the learned that goes that way, I cannot joyn with them ſingly in that Interpretation: for,
Firſt, It is here called hidden Manna, or ſtrange Manna, not as yet undiſcovered, now Chriſt was the known and manifeſt ſpiritual food and Manna unto all believers; and ſo that of John 6.3. is brought thereby to verifie it, and allude therunto.
Secondly, Every believer hath Chriſt already as his ſpiritual food and Manna, and therefore it is but a ſurpluſage and tautologie to promiſe that as a crown and reward to the conquering faithful ones which they enjoy already, even from their firſt day, or in their loweſt ſtate of faith; therefore ſurely it muſt be ſomwhat more then Chriſt ſpiritually eaten by faith. Manna was the food that came down from Heaven that God gave to his children of Iſrael in the wilderneſs, Exod. 16.14, 15. &c. And as Antiquity and Iewiſh Rabbies teſtifie, in the eating thereof is repreſented all ſorts of meat to the taſte that the appetite or curioſity could wiſh for; and therefore it was a fit Type for to repreſent Chriſt by, who was the true bread of life that could fill and anſwer all our neceſſities, and that he that ſhould eat thereof ſhould never hunger more: but this is a hidden Manna, a ſtrange ſecret bread of life, not yet made known by enjoyment that is here promiſed, it is but a variation of the former promiſes of a crown of life ver. 10.11. and to eat of the tree of life in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God, and ver. 18. And I will give unto him the morning Star, and write the name of my God upon him, and put on him the white rayment, &c. all theſe are but various expreſſions of the future eternal bleſſedneſs that the conquering Saints ſhall enjoy after the reſurrection: And therefore this hidden Manna that is here promiſed to them to eat, is the enjoyment of Chriſt in ſuch a hidden manner in that day, that it far paſſes our underſtanding for the excellency and the glory thereof, whoſe eating and participating will be then in a far higher Key, and on a more ſpiritual account, then now we can poſſibly in the ſtate of weakneſs enjoy and comprehend; and therefore it is here called the hidden Manna; and as another additional degree of bleſſedneſs to this hidden Manna there is annexed, And will give him a white Stone, and in the Stone a new Name written, which no man knoweth, ſaving he that receiveth it. Some take this Stone to be the Stone of free abſolution and free juſtification by Chriſt, as having alluſion to that ancient practiſe among thoſe Common-weals that were govern'd by a Democraſie, as Athens, Sparta, &c. who when any perſon was accuſed of a crime, they that abſolved and acquitted him, caſt into the pot a white Stone, and they that condemned him caſt in a black Stone; and ſo according to the number of the Stones, the perſon was either acquitted or convicted: and that this was their judicious cuſtome, Ovid teſtifies in his 15. Book of Metamor.
Mos erat antiquis niveis atriſque lapillis.
His damnare reos, illis abſolvere culpâ:
So in alluſion to this practiſe ſay they, there is a free abſolution and acquittance given to them that overcome, by Chriſt, and a white Stone given them wherein there is a new Name written, that no man knoweth but he that receiveth it; that is, ſay they, it is new and ſtrange to the knowledg of thoſe that have it not, or are in the ſtate of nature, and no man hath any certain knowledge thereof but he that receives it. But this is not all that is promiſed to the conquering chriſtian, for the white Stone of abſolution and adoption, he hath in the very firſt day that he undertakes his chriſtian combate by faith; for he can make no progreſs at all in this ſpritual conflict, unleſs he hath firſt received the white Stone of juſtification, abſolution, and adoption by faith: And though indeed no man knoweth the name and nature of this Stone ſavingly, but he that receiveth it; and ſo indeed unto the unregenerate and unbelievers this Stone hath a new name and nature written thereon, that they can have no certain knowledg of: But unto a believer and the faithful chriſtian combatant, this white Stone of abſolution and juſtification is no new thing unto them at all; for this white Stone that is here promiſed, is but an additional promiſe of other tearms, and variableneſs of expreſſions of that bleſſedneſs that the overcoming chriſtians ſhall enjoy in the world to come; therefore as unto them, it hath a new name alſo, and this expreſſion hath rather alluſion to that practice of the Anc…ents, who were accuſtomed to give a certain white Stone with ſome ſuch Inſcription in it as Detur Vincenti, to thoſe that got the victory in plays and games. And this the Ancients accuſtomed, as Aretus teſtifies, and we as yet retain ſome practiſes anſwerable thereunto; as when we ſet up a ſilver ſword for the Maſter or conquering Fencer, a golden Ring for the beſt Dancer, a golden Cup for the beſt Racer or Shooter, or a Golden Ball for the beſt Runner. Theſe are as ſeveral prizes ſet forth for him that overcometh in their reſpective games and paſtimes amongſt men. To which the ſpirit here does allude, and promiſeth him that overcometh in his chriſtian combate, the white Stone, wherein there is a new Name written, as a prize of his victory and conqueſt; and it is ſuch a ſtone, that there is a new Name written therein; that is,
Firſt, There is ſuch an excellent glory in this white Stone or prize of victory, that is as yet moſt ſtrange and ſecret, and that never mortal eye yet ſaw, and ſo unſpeakable, that the heart of man cannot conceive the glory thereof; for the Name of God is written on it, and of the City of God, and of the new Ieruſalem that comes down from Heaven, cap. 3. 12. and no man can perfectly know or deſcribe this glorious new State and Crown of life, or this prize of ineſtimable glory, this white Stone wherein this new name is written, but thoſe that ſhall receive it in the laſt day. We know what manner of men we are at preſent, but we know not what manner of men we ſhall be that day, before it be revealed to us: we know now but in part, darkly, as in a glaſs, by medium, figures and reſemblances, as a crown of life, white rayment, hidden manna, white ſtone, new name, and the like; but then we ſhall know it as we are known.
Secondly, This white Stone or prize of glory, is ſaid here to have a new name written on it, in reſpect of the ſtrangeneſs of the diſpenſation thereof: And this is Chriſt's own new name, which the world is yet ignorant of, cap. 3. 12. little do the world think to ſee the deſpicable and afflicted ſtate of Chriſt and his Saints, that he hath another new Name for himſelf and them, that no man knew but he himſelf: cap. 19. 12. and what is that new Name? Peruſe the ſubſequent verſes, and you ſhall find, His eyes were as a flaming fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he was clothed with a veſture dipped in blood, and his name is called the word of God, and out of his mouth goeth a ſharp two edged ſword, that with it he ſhould ſmite the Nations, and he ſhall rule them with a rod of Iron; and he hath on his veſture and on his thigh a Name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And the ſame new Name is here written upon the conquering Saints, and they are made co-partners with Chriſt in this his Kingdom; ſee the 26. and 27. verſ. of this cap. and cap. 3. 12.
Is it not a ſtrange and new thing think you, for the poor afflicted broken and deſpiſed chriſtians, to receive this white Stone or price of victory, to ſit down with Chriſt in his Throne and to rule the Nations with a rod of Iron? This is indeed a new thing and a new Name, both to themſelves and others alſo; and yet it is here promiſed as a prize, crown, and reward of their faithful perſeverance and conqueſt, which when they receive it, they ſhall fully know and comprehend it; but as yet it is a new Name written that no man knoweth but he that receiveth it. The Note hence is,
Obſerv. That God hath reſerved and treaſured up unſpeakable glory for his conquering Saints.
It is a new Name that no man knoweth, a hidden Manna, a ſpiritual participating of Chriſt that is above our underſtanding, a new and joynt power given to us, by and with Chriſt, that we at preſent are uterly ignorant of; yea, it is ſuch a prize of glory, that eye hath not ſeen, ear hath not heard, or the heart of man cannot comprehend: And therefore in 2 Cor. 4.17. it is called a moſt excellent and eternal weight of glory; and therefore here in this 2. and 3. cap. this prize, this crown of glory, is ſet forth under various and divers figures and reſemblances, which are ſenſible and apt for our capacities; as ver. 7. under the Tree of life in the Paradice of God: ver. 10. under the expreſſion of the Crown of life: ver. 17. of the hidden Manna, and white Stone, and new Name: ver. 26. of power over the Nations, and of the morning Star: in cap. 3. ver. 5. under the name of white Rayment, and Book of life: ver. 12. of a Pillar in the Temple of God, the Name of God, and the City of God: and in ver. 21. of ſitting on the Throne, with Chriſt in his Throne, as Chriſt hath already ſate down on the Father's Throne. All theſe expreſſions are taken up by the Spirit, to repreſent unto us the ineſtimable weight of glory, that is ſet forth as a prize, and treaſured up by God for all faithful perſevering and overcoming chriſtians: And therefore let us all ſo run as we may obtain.
Uſe, But by the way here is an Uſe of Reproof, upon ſuch that would now at preſent catch at the Crown before the coronation day: You muſt firſt overcome before you raign, unleſs you will raign without Chriſt; it is a hidden Manna, a new Name; it is not meat for this corrupt world, nor a work for this generation; It is a white Stone, wherein a new Name is written that yet no man knoweth; it is not a diſpenſation for this corrupt age, it is an excellent and eternal weight of glory, reſerved for the new World, the Golden age, the new Jeruſalem, the new Heaven and Earth, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſs; and this will be produced in God's appointed time, by the almighty power and arm of Chriſt, who is the great captain, conductor and leader unto this glorious day; and therefore al ſuch as pretend to lead and advance to this day otherwiſe then by a placid ſubmiſſion to the providential diſpenſations of God in the world, they only ſet up ſtumbling blocks for themſelves and their followers to fall by: They that will rule with Chriſt muſt overcome with Chriſt; they that will ſit with him in his Throne, muſt firſt paſs to it as he did, by a conqueſt over ſufferings and temptations, 2 Tim. 2.12. Rom. 8.17. If we ſuffer with Chriſt we ſhal raign with Criſt; for this crown is gotten by the way of the croſs; but to ſeek it by Swords, Piſtols, Rapines, and Blood-ſheds, you may obtain a crown and Kingdom in the World, from the Prince that ruleth in the Ayr, and the children of the World; but never from the Lambe that ſitteth on the Throne. O therefore returne to this true Lamb of God and his Lamb-like condition, or elſe he will become a Lyon againſt you, and for your highmindedneſs and ſins of rebellion and blood, will come againſt you quickly, and fight againſt you by the Sword of his mouth. O kiſs the Son leaſt he be angry.