A Covert from the Storm, Errata
ERRATA.
Before you read I pray correct theſe faults, elſe the ſenſe will be quite ſpoyled in ſome places.
PAge 37. Line 12. for confeſs read profeſs. Page 43. line 14. for preſervation read preſervative. Page 47. line 18. for doth uphold read do uphold. Page 53. line 15. for offences read offenders. Line 16. of the ſame page for heartily read preſently. Line 17. for very read many. Line 18. for even read ſeven. Page 77. line 10. for Goal houſe read Gatehouſe. Page 88. line 9. for ever read even. Page 100. line 21. for foreign read foreign, Page 104. line 23. for religious enemies read enemies of Religion. Page 107. line 3. for expreſſive read expreſs. Page 108. 116. for ſhal read ſhould. Page 109. line 1. for their read this. Page 113. line 3. for loved read beſtomed. Page 119. line 12. blot out upon you. Page 120. line 5. for but read beſt. Page 121. line 27. for fear of God is ſeen read face of God is ſeen. Page 123. line 27. for communion read coniunction. Page 124 line 6. for fall read f…l. Line 16. of the ſame Page, for filled read killed. Page 125. line 8. for unſpeakable read uncapable. Line 22. of the ſame Page, for attended read attained. Line 24. for mouths are ſongs read mouths are full of ſongs.
A COVERT FROM THE STORM.
Rev. 2. 10.
Fear none of thoſe things which thou ſhalt ſuffer: Behold the Devil ſhall caſt ſome of you into priſon that ye may be tryed, and ye ſhall have tribulation ten dayes: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of life.
A Light is hung up at the porch of this Book, which is ſo very myſterious: the three firſt Chapters are more eaſy to be underſtood than thoſe that follow: Here the waters of the Sanctuary are but up to the head, but preſently they grow ſo deep, as that the talleſt muſt be fain to ſwim. I am perſwaded that one reaſon why the Holy Ghoſt ſpeakes ſo ſublimely, is, that man when he reads may ſometimes lay aſide the book, and cry, foreign, O the depth! and being the more humbly ſenſible of his own ignorance and weakneſſes, may pray with the greater earneſtneſs, that the Spirit who was the Inſpirer would alſo be the Interpreter of the Revelation.
Seven Epiſtles, or Letters, dated from Heaven, indited by the Son of God, are ſent to the ſeven Churches of Aſia: He who knew their works, owns what is right, taxes what was a miſs, and calls to repentance and amendmen…, and charges them to hold faſt thoſe good things which they had received, as being a treaſure highly worth the keeping. The Captain of their ſalvation encourages to quit themſelves like men, that overcoming they might in the end be crown'd.
The Text I have choſen lyes in the Epiſtle ſent to the Church in Smyrna. Poor they were in the World, and yet rich towards God; and it is not unlikely that for the ſecuring of their ſpiritual riches, as to worldly things they had been impoveriſhed. Chriſt knew their works, and as their works, ſo likewiſe their tribulation; he knew alſo how to ſupport them under the heavieſt and moſt preſſing burthens, nay, to render all their troubles advantagious, by conducing to their more perfect purity and peace; and therefore bids them in no wiſe to be afraid, Fear none of thoſe things which thou ſhalt ſuffer, &c. Our Lord came to deliver, not only from the ſting of Death, and from the curſe of the Croſs and affliction, but from the fear of both.
The words may be analyſed or reſolved into three parts.
Firſt, Here's a general encouragment againſt all kinds of ſuffering. Fear none of thoſe things which thou ſhalt ſuffer.
Secondly, Among other ſufferings impriſonment is ſpecified and foretold, where take notice 1. who is the procuring cauſe of impriſonment, and he is the Devil. 2. The perſons impriſoned, Some of you. All the Saints ſhall not be in bonds together. 3. The end of their impriſonment, which their God aims at in permitting it; 'tis that they may be tryed. 4. Although they have tribulation it ſhall not be longliv'd, it ſhall laſt but ten dayes, that is a very ſhort ſeaſon.
Thirdly, We have a ſtrict charge given, Be thou faithful, and that even to the death: Perſeverance muſt run parallel with our lives.
Fourthly, A ſure and glorious promiſe, perſwading to this faithfulneſs and enduring to the end; I will give thee a Crown of life. Here's a Crown, a word that carries great dignity and advancement: This Crown is a Crown of life, or, a living Crown. The Garland that's put upon the heads of triumphant Saints will never wither, their Crown will never fade, there will be no death to throw it off again when once they have received it. This Crown ſhall be given; to ſhew that what they do, or can do, bears no proportion to ſuch a reward: Neither their active nor paſſive obedience is meritorious. Grace, Grace, muſt be written round the Crown of glory, becauſe freely beſtowed. I will give this Crown ſayes Chriſt: I who have purchaſed it by my death, who have it in my keeping, who am the Lord of glory, and alive for evermore.
The text is very fruitful, and affords ſeveral very excellent and uſeful points of Doctrine. I ſhall raiſe theſe nine, which flow naturally from the words, and inſiſt upon them all.
The firſt Doctrine is this, He that will be a Saint, ſhall be a ſufferer.
The ſecond this, No ſufferings ſhould cauſe the Saints to be afraid,
The third this, Among other troubles, ſ…me Believers endure bonds and impriſonment.
The Fourth this, The Devil is the impriſoner of Believers.
The Fifth this, That Saints are impriſoned, that they may be tryed.
The Sixth this, The Tribulation of Believers will not laſt alwayes, after ten dayes, that is a ſhort time, a period will be put to it.
The Seventh Doctrine is this, Whatſoever ſufferings a Chriſtian is expoſed to, he muſt be faithful.
The Eighth this, A Chriſtians faithfulneſs muſt run parallel with his life, to the very death he muſt be ſtedfaſt.
The Ninth and laſt is this, Ʋpon thoſe who continue faithful to the death, Chriſt will certainly beſtow a Crown of life and immortality.