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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.

This pillar in the temple of God, it signifies the great strength of faith and patience that was in the church of Philadelphia.

So that their great faith should enable them to suffer with such patience, that they should become a pillar in the temple of God, that is, their faith should be as a pillar to encourage, and strengthen, and bear up those that were more weak in faith, and more fearful to suffer.

But he that overcometh shall be as a pillar to bear up the weak, even as a pillar of a church of stone doth bear up the building that standeth upon it. For the temple of God is no other but true believers; they are called by the spririt the temple of God; and he that is strong in faith, and doth overcome all persecution by patient suffering for his faith in God, he shall be made a pillar to help bear up the church of God.

And he shall go no more out. That is, he shall go no more out from being a pillar, but he shall be esteemed of God a standing pillar in his temple, to all eternity.

So that God will write upon him his own name, and the name of the city of God: the name of God is to be a king, priest and prophet.

So that he that overcometh, as aforesaid, shall have this name written upon his heart, king, priest, and prophet unto God.

And

And as for the name of the city of God, New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from God; which New Jerusalem I have opened what it is, in the Interpretation of the eleventh of the Revelation. And as for the new name God will write upon him, I have shewed what it is before.

7. 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.

Here the reader may see what the spirit doth mean by overcometh. That is, he overcometh sin, death, and hell within himself; these being principalities and powers within a man.

Also he overcometh all persecution, and the malice of the devil, the spirit of reason without a man.

These things, I say, are overcome by the power of faith, in suffering patiently for truth, as aforesaid.

For this was the way that Christ did overcome all his enemies, and when he had overcome by his death, sin, in that he died unto sin.

And he overcame death, in that he was death's death.

Also he overcame hell, in that the grave was not able to hold him under.

Therefore it is said by the spirit, Oh death, I will be thy death, oh grave, I will be thy victory.

Also he overcame by his sufferings the spirit of reason, the devil, who always persecuted the prophets and saints; I say he overcometh by his death this spirit of reason, the devil, in that he hath procured by his death an eternal damnation to all secuting spirits.

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So

So that he hath overcome them, and will kill them with a second death, where will be weeping and gnashing of teeth for evermore.

And he overcometh these enemies aforesaid, he is sate down in the throne of the Father.

That is, he is sate down in the same glory, as he had when he was the creator, or the same glory which he had before the world was.

Even so in like manner shall every prophet, apostle, and saint that overcometh those enemies aforesaid, by the power of his faith, and his patient sufferings for truth.

To him will Christ grant to sit with him in his throne; that is, he shall sit with Christ, or be with Christ in the kingdom of eternal glory.

Even as he himself after his sufferings, is sat down in the kingdom which he had before the world was. Which is called by the spirit the throne of the Father, in relation to that twofold condition in God, as I have shewed in this treatise following.

Thus, in short, I have given the interpretation, what is meant by those seven several blessings, given by the spirit, to the seven churches of Asia, and how they all differ one from another, and yet all have relation to one and the same thing, even to eternal happiness, joy and glory in the presence of almighty God, their God, their king and redeemer.

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CHAP. IV.

Would have the seed of faith also to understand, that Christ the only God is he which did send

forth

forth these seven spirits unto the seven churches. Therefore called by the Revelation of John, the seven spirits which are before his throne. The seven spirits, I declare by Revelation, that they are but one spirit, even the spirit of Jesus Christ, the only wise God, blessed for ever and ever.

Only this I would have the seed of faith to understand, that this one spirit of Christ it hath seven several operations or workings in the seven churches. Therefore called by the Revelation of John, seven spirits before the throne.

Therefore you may read that John in his writing to the seven churches of Asia, giveth seven several blessings, as aforesaid.

So likewise he cometh with his message to the seven churches, with seven several titles, and yet all from one God and one spirit.

As thus: First, he writeth to the church of Ephesus with this title, Saith he, that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

These golden candlesticks are the seven churches. Is there any spirit that can walk in the midst of the hearts of the seven churches, but the spirit of Christ, which is God? Surely no.

Secondly, John writeth to the church of Smirna, These things saith the First and the Last, which was dead and is alive.

Is not Jesus Christ the First and the Last? Was not he dead and rose again, and so is alive? Surely it is. This was the faith of John, and the rest of the apostles, and it is

my

faith also.

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Thirdly,

Thirdly, John writeth these things unto the church in Pergamos, Saith he who hath the sharp sword with two edges. This sword with two edges, it cometh out of Christ's mouth. I suppose all men that profess the scriptures will confess it.

Fourthly, Unto the church in Thyatira he writeth, These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass.

Here the spirit of Christ gives himself forth under the title of his Son-ship, but to the former Churches he gives himself forth under the title of the Fatherhood.

Yet under the title of the Son-ship, he is exceeding glorious, seemingly more glorious and terrible, than under the title of God the Father.

For here his eyes are like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass; yet all this while it is he, the same he which is the First, and the last, that is cloathed with flesh and bone, yet a glorified body in the heavens above the stars.

Fifthly, Unto the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars. This he is Christ, the First and the Last, he that was dead and is alive, this is he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars.

Who can have the seven spirits of God, but he that is God? And who can rule and govern the seven stars, which are the seven churches, but God only?

Sixthly, To the Angel of the church in Philadelphia write, These things saith he that is holy, he that

is

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