These "overcomeths" show a regular progress and unfolding of the divine life. In the first reading we got as far as heart- purity. The fourth "overcometh" is found in Rev. ii. 26, 28.

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.

And I will give him the morning star.

The promises contained in this "overcometh" are such as set forth the result of sanctification, or what follows the work of heart-purity. The third is a complete statement of heart-purity; but this fourth involves the baptism of the

Holy Ghost, which is subsequent to heart- cleansing, sometimes concomitants, or great results of heart-purity.

There are two great parts to the work of sanctification. The word sanctification does not imply the full baptism of the Holy Ghost; it means simply to cleanse the heart. But there is another side, and that is the full baptism of the Holy Ghost, the enduement of power, the anointing of "that which remaineth"; and this fourth presents the positive, as the third the negative side. "He that keepeth my works" If you overcome and keep the works of the Lord, — and what greater work is there, than heart-cleansing? — if we over come, and keep this work that God has wrought within us — it doesn't say how long — but if we hold fast to it, God will honor your faith and testimony by giving the full baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Sometimes a few months, and some times a few days or moments even after the soul has entered into repose, there comes the full baptism of the Holy Ghost; and so Jesus promises that those who keep His works to the end will He give power over the nations; not that each individual will be empowered to control the nations, — that would be against reason, — but suppose every believer in the Church of Christ were sanctified, and cleansed from all sin, and should hold on to that, — God would so baptize that collected body of believers that they should have power over all the nations of the earth. So instead of politics and palatial courts which are, almost to a unit, in the devil's hands, God would turn the government over to His saints, and they would have power to break down the Sabbath-breaking traffic, etc.; and if the Church were a unit on this question, God would give it power to break the power of evil as a potter's vessel, to shivers!

But just as soon as an individual believer receives the full baptism of the Holy Ghost, as far as his capacity goes he has power over the nations of the earth; so far as his little personality goes he is delivered from all the abominations referred to, — he is delivered from all the machinations of men; and so far as his influence goes he does rule the nations — that is, in his proportion; and if every atom in the Church were like that one, it would rule the world! The Holy Ghost was poured out on the one hundred and twenty, and they had power over the seventeen languages, and captured three thousand for God. This holds out to-day, this is the enduement of light, of love, of courage, of independence, and of loyalty to God.

It seeks its wisdom from the infinite Source, does not compromise with friends or foes, cannot be teased or hired to depart from the wish of God, and it moves straight on, buffeting the waves. Others may compromise, or be fearful, but a soul baptized of the Holy Ghost knows nothing but to move on, asking no questions, without favor or frown. That is the power of the fully baptized soul, and such a power as that, that nothing can make you swerve or falter, that is the way souls can do the best work for God.

The word "rod" always refers to God's Word. When Moses threw down the rod on Mt. Horeb, "it turned into a serpent," which means the Word of God turns into a. living thing, — it isn't a dead thing; and as that living serpent could move and bite, and sting, so the living Word of God thrown on the human heart, can do. Then, the believer is so baptized that he has power over the nations, and he shall rule with a rod — riot with his wisdom or anger, or his own skill, he flings aside all weapons, but the Word of God, but it is a rod of iron not gold, — that is inflexible! The day is coming when the Church of God shall have power over this world, and every satanic industry will be ruled out by the iron power of law and Christian legislation, and every believer receives in miniature that which is to come.

The baptism of the Holy Ghost not only endows the soul with these elements of hope, etc., but takes the personality of Jesus and reveals it to the inner heart of the believer, so that he receives a view of Jesus Christ glorious and bright beyond all compare I And in that baptism the believer receives the gift of the " morning star," and that is put right in with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Jesus is the "Morning Star," and the Holy Ghost takes and unveils the character, and reveals Christ Jesus in the most wonderful manner. You may receive a view when you are pardoned, but when you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost you see Him as He is to-day, — not on the cross but a living, reigning, interceding Saviour!

The Scriptures give many instances how after heart-cleansing the soul is given a view of Christ as never before. One had a view of a blue sky and a throne, and in it the Son of man. When Joshua got into Canaan he saw a plain, simple man with a sword. That was a manifestation of Christ after- He got in the land. The Hebrew children had a view of Jesus in the hour of testing that surpassed any they had ever had before. Paul says that Christ was revealed to him on his way to Damascus, and afterwards in him. There is a revelation of Jesus to you when you get converted, and in you when you get the baptism of the Holy Ghost. John saw Jesus on the Isle of Patmos, saw Him with "eyes of light," etc. I have known believers to be lost in wonder, love and praise after getting a view of Jesus.

A few days after I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the glorious internal nature of Jesus was so revealed, that I would just weep and weep, with the, view I got of Him in spirit. The "morning star," that rises with a lustre and glory no other star has, — the Holy Ghost reveals Jesus in your heart as never before.

The fifth "overcometh " is another advance step found in Rev. iii. 5.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I 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.

This fifth "overcometh " is the very next result that follows the baptism of power, just as the pure heart — " the white stone " — follows after regeneration eating of the "tree of life," so the next is the outward testimony. The work of heart-cleansing is internal, — a deep, pro found, inward work. Nobody knows but you and God, but the baptism of power flooded it to the filling; and now, after being deluged with light, and love, etc., comes the outward manifestation of the inward work. "White raiment" means, the outward testimony of inward purity. The word garment, robe, — all these words spoken in Scripture, — represent the expressions of your life. "White robe" means the expression of your inward life; so, when you are filled with the Holy Ghost, He reveals Himself in the way you talk, testify, worship, etc., in the outward zeal. The inward glory glows so brightly that people see that there blossoms out from within your soul something hitherto unseen; and, if you are filled with the Holy Ghost, it will come out in the "white robe "!

When Jesus was transfigured, it was nothing but the inner life bursting out through His flesh and garment; so when a believer is filled with the Holy Ghost there is a part of that uncreated lustre comes out; nay, it begins in conversion, when he is pardoned. It shines out, — the faint beginnings of the transfiguring glory; and when you are fully sanctified, the glow in your face is brighter, the flash of your eye is stronger; and when we are glorified it will be the complete shining of the internal glory. Every saint shall outshine the sun!

Why "confess His name"? Because He is now confessing my name "before His Father." You will never have to be urged to testify for Jesus. We have to coax you when you are going through the death throes of the old man; but when faith has gone through, and God has baptized your faith, it would take a regiment to stop you from testifying for Christ. It is like an artesian well: the augur has gone down through many strata, until the great arteries in the globe have been struck, and — gush! comes the mighty water, sometimes driving mud, augur and everything before it I Then, when a believer receives a baptism of the Holy Ghost, he will not apologize for the blood of Jesus, and go around mincing matters. There is such an overflow, he wants to go to class-meeting, and go from house to house, and never tires of telling what Jesus has done for him. This is the "Tongue of Fire" epoch, and at this same time Jesus is confessing his name in heaven, and before His throne, and every time you mention the name of Jesus here, your poor name is being said in the accents of heaven!

All that God charges for the baptism of the Holy Ghost is that you advertise it; the tax is simply to be a witness. But some people are such skinflints that they want God to keep them sweet and good, but do not even want to give Him the credit of it. And while you are telling His name here, your name is being mentioned in the aristocracy of the skies! Oh, how, if we saw that — how we would love and honor God more!

The sixth "overcometh" is found in Rev. iii. 12.

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I 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.

In this "overcometh" we have the establishing. The soul now comes to a period where it has been tried and proved. Wearing the "white raiment," and testifying for Christ will prove you. Having taken these steps you are now incorporated into the building of God's house; you are now no longer a "babe"; you are now where God can trust and (honor you. You are not simply a piece of shingle, or an ornament; but, God says, "I will put him in the building. I will take this believer, who has thus advanced in faith and love and obedience, and make him ' a pillar,' so that he shall bear up and sup port the Church."

Strong believers support the Church. Revivals they push forward, and all the real interests of the Church they uphold. They are in the very framework of the building that God is fashioning to shine out in the ages to come! A pillar, — one on whom the fabric largely depends. God is taking feeble women and making them bear burdens that strong congressmen would be too big cowards to undertake. There are humble men who are bearing burdens, who are not appreciated, that statesmen and those whom the world calls heroes would not touch with their fingers!

This temple — which men do not see — built by the Holy Ghost, consists of human souls, — not built of bricks and mortar, but of immortal souls, a spiritual, imperishable temple, which shall rise from the ashes of a burnt-up world, — that shall last eternally! God is incorporating these humble souls in that temple. "And I will write upon him the name of my God."

In old times when kings built their temples, the names were inscribed on the pillars, so these old pillars in the temples of the past ages are literally covered with pencilings. On these pillars are carved the names of the reigning kings. This is a metaphor, and John says that as God takes a saint and puts him in the temple of God, and makes him a "pillar," so God writes his name on the pillar.

The name of Jesus is inscribed upon the inner soul, and he writes on it "the city of God." First comes Jesus, and then His Bride. That name (Jesus) is written in your nature, and mind, and will, and right under it he writes the name of His Bride; so that you come to love all Christians in all lands. He writes His "new name"; — the old name was Jehovah, but the new name is Jesus — and that is " Love; " and so the handwriting of Jesus is all up and down your nature! In the inscriptions on those old pillars you can translate the history of empires; so angels in the ages to come, can read the history of redemption in us, you will be a living record of what God has wrought in this world!

The last "overcometh" (seventh) is found in Revelation iii. 21.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

This is the climax. As long as we stand, the attitude represents labor, work, watchfulness, toil, and so forth, but the attitude of sitting down, conveys the idea of repose, — things are wound up. In this connection it implies equality with the king — "to sit with me in my throne."

This verse, as the others, has a fulfillment in this world, and in the world to come. Now, in the end, in the last great day, the "Bride of the Lamb," — those washed in the blood, — will be elevated to share the honors of the eternal kingdom. But this Scripture is fulfilled now, also. He gives to every baptized believer a throne. He does to a young convert, but it takes the baptism of the Holy Ghost to qualify the prince to occupy his throne! When "born of God," you are "princes of God," but you are minors — babes — and as is the custom with new-born princes, you must be annointed to fit you for the throne!

Jesus says:" The glory thou hast given unto me, I have given unto them." He started it with His apostles, healing the sick, etc.; to-day God's servants are on thrones. Wesley had a throne in all nations where his influence has gone. William Taylor has a throne. Does not Jesus Christ share His own glory with sons of men?

The nations of the earth have been deeded to Jesus Christ, and he turns around and says:" John Wesley, I give you a nation, and so He says to us:" I give you a neighborhood, you a church," be it a single family or a hemisphere, Jesus Christ, under the baptism of the Holy Ghost, gives you a throne.

God's baptized, anointed ones are, to day, sharing the royal privileges of Jesus; and when the work is over, then will come the greater, outward manifestation. Jesus Christ will give still greater things to His people. You shall rule over five or ten cities. The Scripture has been fulfilled now in the Spirit. We do not want the power to rule outwardly, but we can rule men's hearts, and have power in men's hearts; and if we share His toil and suffering here, how much more shall we share His honor when God passes all glory and honor to the Son, and He gives it over to His " Bride "!

Here is growth in grace. First: "the gift of life"; second, "the guard to protect that life"; then, the "clean heart"; then," the baptism of power which reveals the morning star"; next "the white raiment" — "Tongue of Fire"; next, " incorporated in God's temple inscribed all over with the literature of heaven"; seventh, "identified with the King of kings, and Lord of lords!"