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But be thou faithful unto death, and I [a mere mau !] will give thee a crown of life.-(Verse 12,) To the augel of the church of Pergamos: These things saith he, [the mere man!] who hath the sharp sword with two edges. I know thy works-but I have a few things against thee.—Repent, or else I [the same mere man !] will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them, with the sword of my mouth.-To him that overcometh, will 1 [a mere man!] give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it.-(Verse 18,) Unto the angel of the church of Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, [whom the Socinans think a mere man, but] who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass.-I [a mere man !] know thy works, and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, that thou permittest that woman Jezebel to teach and seduce my servants: And I [a mere man!] gave her space to repent, and she repented not. Behold, I [the same mere man!] will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into tribulation. And I will kill her children with death: Aud all the churches shall know that I [a mere man !] am he that searcheth the reins and the heart! And I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and the rest at Thyatira,-I [a mere man] will put upou you no other burden, but that which you have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh and keepeth my word to the end, will I [a mere man !] give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and I will give him the morning star.—(Chap. iii. 1,) Unto the angel of the Church of Sardis write, These things saith he [the mere man !] that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars.- [the same mere man] know thy works. -Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, for I have not found thy works perfect before God. If thou wilt not watch, I [a mere man!] will

come unto thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come unto thee.-He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I [a mere man!] will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.- (Verse 7,) To the angel of the church in Philadelphia,-These things saith [a mere man? No! but] He that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the keys of David! he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth. I know thy works: Behold, I [a mere man!] have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: For thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name, [the word and name of a mere man !] Behold I [a mere man, as I am!] will make them of the synagogue of Satan, to come and worship at thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also [though but a man !] will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold I come quickly! Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.-(Verse 14,) To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans,These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning [agxn, the principle, origin, head and governor] of the creation of God, I [a mere man!] know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.—I counsel thee to buy of me [that is, of a mere man !] gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed.—As many as I love, I [a mere man] rebuke and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. Behold I [a mere man] stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, [for I am present at the door of all hearts!] I will come in to him, and sup with him and he with me. To him that overcometh, will I [though but a man !] grant to sit down with me

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on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with the Father on his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith [that is, what Christ saith by his Spirit] unto the churches,' and let him consider whether they are the words of a mere man! And that he may not pass a matter of such moment over slightly, let him turn to the last chapter of this book, and reflect upon the solemu and awful testimony borne by the same person, (verse 7,) 'Behold, I come quickly Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.' (Verse 12,) 'Behold, I come quickly; and my reward [shall we say the reward of a mere man?] is with me, to give every one according as his work shall be. I [though viewed by some as a mere man!] am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.' And let me assure you, 'I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches." And, if you still be ignorant who I am, and therefore, be in danger of not paying a due regard to my testimony, let me inform you further, that I am both God and man, both the Son of God, and Son of Man; let me affirm, that I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star.' And that you may not only give credit to what I say, but lay it to your heart with the seriousness which its importance demands, I, the same person that testify these things, add, Surely, I come quickly.' Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus, and give the opposers of thy Divinity to know that thou art more than a mere man! Not doubting, Rev. Sir, but you will join with me, and the church universal, in this important petition, and hoping that the time approaches, when the Son of God will appear for himself, and shew the universe who and what he is; I here put a period to this little work, and subscribe myself,

Your obedient Servant,

In the same Christ Jesus,

JOSEPH BENSON.

NINE SERMONS

BY THE

REV. JOHN FLETCHER,

Late Vicar of Madeley, Salop.

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