Batteries Upon the Kingdom of the Devil, Appendix

Batteries Upon the Kingdom of the Devil · Appendix

p. 173APPENDIX. The Great Ambition of a Good Christian.

EPH. iii. 19.

—That ye might be filled with all the Fulness of God.

THE greatest Blessedness that any Rational Creature can arrive unto, is expressed in these Words. Words very fit to drop from the Pen of a Man that had been already in the Third Heaven among the Angels of God.

The Christianised Ephesians had once too much dived into the Depths of Satan, by their unlawful Arts. At their Conversion, such was their Self-denial, that they burned the Manuscripts from p. 174which they had their cursed Skill, though according to Luke's Computation, the value thereof was near Sixteen Hundred Pound Sterling. Behold them well-requited here; they are favoured with an Inspired Epistle, wherein the deep things of God are set before them. The chief things of the ancient mountains, the precious things of the everlasting Hills, the great Mysteries of Election and Redemption, and Free grace, are handled in this Epistle, truly so as not in any other. Paul himself appeals to this Epistle, as not the least Evidence of his claim to extraordinary Revelation.

The Excellent Apostle was now Prisoner at Rome. That was no doubt a sore Exercise unto his Children, his People at Ephesus. To comfort them under it, like a watchful Pastor, yea, like a tender Father, he sends them word, Though I cannot preach to you, yet I do pray for you. Our Context here tells us for what he prayed. A Father for his Children, a Pastor for his People, cannot make a better Prayer.

The Prayers of such a Man as Paul, sure they are very remarkable, very imitable Prayers. There are, I think, Seven of those Supplications, beside what are in the Salutations, occurring in his Writings: Of them, This is one. It is a Prayer made up of Petition and Thanksgiving. In the Petition we have the Object and the Matter of the Prayer. The Matter of the Prayer has Four great Things contained in it: The Fourth and the greatest of which is that which falls under our Discourse at this Time. You may observe Three Blessings petitioned for; Spiritual p. 175Blessings in Heavenly Matters. In those Three Blessings, the Interests, the Efficacies of all the Three Persons in the Trinity, towards Believers, are distinctly wished for. The Prayer is for the strengthening Influence of God the Spirit; for the in-dwelling Presence of God the Son; for the revealed Love of God the Father. But the last Blessing of all, takes in the whole Godhead for the Basis of it. This is the Highest Prayer that no less than an Apostle full of God could make for any Persons, — That ye might be filled with all the Fulness of God. The Doctrine before us is, To be filled with all the Fulness of God is an Attainment much to be desired.

Two Propositions are to be insisted on, for the Illustration of this Truth.

PROP. I.

To be filled with all the Fulness of God, is a thing very far attainable. This Apostle joins this thing with such things as all Saints do attain in some measure, to some experience of. The only thing to be now enquired, is,

What is that Fulness of God, which we are to labour for? Or, When may a Man be said to be filled with all the Fulness of God?

This filling, truly it is a thing better felt than spoke: But what shall then be said about the p. 176Fulness it self, of which it is? It is one of the unutterable things, yea, it is one of the unfathomable things, which we are concerned in. We may say, as in 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not seen it, nor Ear heard it. But that we may attempt a little at it; —The Fulness of God, is that Communication from God, wherewith he gives at once Employment, and Satisfaction unto the Souls of Men. A Man is then filled with the Fulness of God, when he is viewing of, and acting on, the Fulness in God. The Man thus filled, is both filled by God, and also filled with God. God is the Author by which, God is the Object from which, the Powers of the Soul are filled, when a Man is filled with all the Fulness of God. The Vacuities, the Disorders caused in the Soul, by Sin, Original, or Actual, are by this Filling rectified. When the Fulness of God is filling of a Man, then the Graces of God are bestowed on him, the Glories of God are affecting of him. Both of these go together; together therefore let us handle them.

O that our God may keep these things in the Imagination of the Thoughts of our Hearts for ever. Not accurate Scholarship, but experimental Christianity alone will help us to conceive of these things. To particularize, —thus let us think, thus let us do and live.

1. A Man that is filled with all the Fulness of God, is filled with a continual Apprehension about God. How does God fill a Man? It is by causing that Man to acknowledge him as the God who fills the World. It is the Demand of p. 177the great God, in Jer. 23.24. Do not I fill Heaven and Earth? saith the Lord. Truly, The Lord fills the Heart of a Man, by enabling the Man to discern that Fulness of His which fills Heaven and Earth.

A Man that is full of God, beholds God in every place. The Man goes not into any corner, but he says within himself, The Eye of the Omnipresent God is now upon me. When the Man is trying to do a good thing, he thus encourages himself, God sees me, and will reward me, if I do it: When the Man is tempted to do a bad thing, he thus antidotes himself, God sees me, and will destroy me, if I do it. That Man subscribes to this Article in David's Confession of Faith, Psal. 139.7. I can go no whither from the presence of the Lord.

Again, A Man that is full of God, beholds God in every thing. He sees the Face of God in every Work of God. This Man sticks not in any Creatures, stays not at Second Causes; with a spiritualized Soul, he soars up to God in all.

The filled Man sees God in all the Works of Creation. He looks upon the whole World, as the Building, the Temple of God; Praesentemque docet quaelibet herba Deum. He sees God in every thing, from the Sun in the Firmament, to the Stone in the Pavement. He looks upon every thing in the World, with such a Sense of it, The Finger of God is here; this is a thing subsisting not of it self, or for it self, but in God, and for God. He disputes like Paul at Athens, in Acts 17.24, 28. God made the World, and all things therein; In Him we have our Being.

p. 178The filled Man sees God in all the Works of Providence too. Nothing happens in the World, but he says of it, This comes from that God whose Kingdom ruleth over all. He ascribes nothing to Casualty, nothing to Fatality, and but little to Humane Industry. He accounts not of God as an Idle Spectator or Supervisor of Things here below: He is fully of that Belief, in Mat. 10.29. Not a Sparrow falls to the ground without God. And nothing happens to himself, but he says of it, This is by the ordering of that God who performeth all things for me. He looks upon his Enjoyments as the Smiles of God. He doth not say, By my Wisdom, by my Traffick, have I gotten Gold and Silver. No; but he says, as in Psal. 11.13. This is the Lords doing. He says of all his Mercies, as Jacob said of his Children, These are the things that God hath graciously given me. He looks upon his Afflictions as the Rods of God. He doth not say, My Affliction comes out of the Dust, my Trouble springs out of the Ground. No; but he says, as he in Amos 3.6. Shall there be Evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? Yea, though the Hand of Man, though the Rage of Man be never so much in his Troubles, still he says, It is God that bad Shimei curse; It is God that sent the Chaldeans to spoil. In short, This Man hath not many waking Hours without some Thoughts on God.

2. A Man that is filled with all the Fulness of God, is filled with a gracious Resemblance of God. In the Blessed God, there is a Fulness of all Perfections. A good Man in his measure, hath p. 179something of that Fulness imprinted on himself; the Glory of God shines upon him, and he receives a li…tle of his Image, he reflects a little of that Brightness. A Man filled with God, —that Man, according to the poor Capacity of a Man, comes to be all that which God is. To be filled with God, —We have a Paraphrase upon it, in Eph. 5.1. Be followers of God as dear Children. A Man full of God, is a Man following of God. This Godly Man is a God-like Man. He sees that God is an Holy God; hereupon he resolves with himself, If God have no pleasure in wickedness, If God be of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, I will always be an Hater of Sin too. He sees that God is a Righteous God; hereupon again he resolves with himself, Since Gods Judgments always be Righteous, my Carriages never shall be Injurious. He sees that God is a Merciful God; hereupon this Man too endeavours evermore to be giving and forgiving, as like his Heavenly Father, as he can. We are advised in 1 Pet. 1.16. to be holy as God is holy. We are advised in Mat. 5.48. to be perfect as God is perfect. This it is to be filled with God. To be full of Grace is to be full of God. It is glanced at in 2 Pet. 1.4. You are made partakers of the Divine Nature. The Man filled with the Fulness of God is filled with the Nature of God. God forbid we should use the Gibberish of the Blasphemous Familist; or talk of being Godded with God. But thus, A godly Man has a New Nature in him, a New Temper in him. It is Divine for the Original which it is a Copy of. When a Man is full of God, then he loves where God loves, he hates as God hates. p. 180'Tis the Nature of the Man, 'tis his Temper so to do; the Holiness, the Righteousness, the Goodness of God are copied out upon him.

3. A Man that is filled with all the Fulness of God, is filled with a dutiful compliance with God. When the Actions of Man answer to the Attributes of God, then God fills that Man. Where God fills Man, there Man owns Him. The Soveraignty of God, —Let this fill a Man, with Acts of Self-denial, and Resignation. When David was full of God, he could say, in Psal. 39.9. I opened not my mouth because thou didst it. The Justice of God, —Let this fill a Man with Acts of Repentance and Humiliation. When Daniel was full of God, he said in Dan. 9.8. O Lord, unto us belongs confusion of face, —because we have sinned. The Power of God, —Let this fill a Man with Acts of Dependance. When Jehoshaphat was full of God, he said, in 2 Chron. 20.12. O our God, we know not what to do; but our Eyes are upon thee. And the Kindness of God, —Let this fill a Man with Love, with Praise, with all manner of Thankfulness. The Psalmist was full of God, when he cryed out in Psal. 116.12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits! There are incommunicable, as well as communicable Attributes in the most High God. We cannot partake of the former as of the latter; but we should however Answer to both. Let every Attribute of God leave blessed Impressions of Reverence and Obedience in us; then are we filled with God. The pious Romans were thus filled; of whom we read, in Rom. 15.14. Ye …re full of all goodness.

p. 1814. A Man that is filled with all the fulness of God, is filled with an humble Admiration at God. When God fills a Man, the Man sees that in God which calls for all his wonderments for his endless Hallelujahs. In Psal. 71.8. we read of a mouth filled with Gods praise. A Man is full of God, when his Praise is full of God, when his Mind is full of Praise. There is a particular way of praising God, which only Men that are filled with his fulness are used unto. Absolute Praises, abstracted Praises; with such Praises we should admire and adore the Almighty God. Sometimes the kindness of God fills our Praises; we bless him, we thank him for his Favours unto our selves. This is well; but this is not enough, the fulness of God should also fill our Praises; then, then it fills our Souls. In such an high strain the Doxologies of the Apostles often run. We have also an illustrious Instance of such Praises in Psal. 145. throughout; it is entituled Davids Praise: The Psalmist therein praiseth God, not for any benefit proper to himself, but for the greatness of the Excellencies that are in God. O that now the most feeble among us may be as David! We should be filled with Admirations at the infinite Glory which is in that God whose Name is exalted above all Blessing and Praise. 'Tis said of one that knew how to praise God aright, in Psal. 89.24. In my Name shall his Horn be exalted. There is an exalted Horn which a good Man should be desirous of. But what is that? For my part I think the meaning of it may be fetched from 1 Chron. 25.5. where we read of words to lift up the p. 182Horn. With Horns or Cornets, did they of old use to sound out the Praises of God. Our Horn is to be exalted. How so? Thus our Praise is to be exalted; it is to sound higher and higher than at the common rate. We should exalt our Horn, and our Praise in the Name of God; fill it with a big sound of his ever glorious Name, though we may have perhaps but small Notes of our own Comforts or Delights, of which to compose our Songs. Though our own circumstances be never so bad or hard, yet we should in the very Belly of Hell be with many Praises adoring the unsearchable Glories which belong to God; our Souls in a praising Admiration should spread themselves upon all the fulness of God: So, O so, we shall be filled with it.

5. A Man that is filled with all the fulness of God, is filled with an unspeakable contentation in God. A Delight in God fills the Soul that is filled with the fulness of God. When God fills a Man, that Man counts himself to have enough in God. One God weighs down Ten Worlds in the resentments of this Man. He doth rejoyce in the Lord; I say again, he doth rejoyce in the Lord; and no earthly wants, no particular woes can hinder him from doing so. There is a blessed intercourse between God and Man, in this case. God says, as it was said to Abraham, in Gen. 15.1. I am thy exceeding great reward. Well, now Man says, as it was said by David, in Psal. 16.6. The Lord is my inheritance, and I have a goodly heritage. A Man that is full of God, sees that God is his portion; and this causes p. 183his triumphing rejoycing Soul to say, I am full, I am full, this is all my Salvation, and all my Desire. When a Man is gloriously refreshed with the All-sufficiency of God, then he is filled with all the fulness of God. The Favour of God, the Fellowship of God, fills that Man with sweet, quiet, joyful frames, in the absence of all other things. When David had lost all he had in the World, yet it is said in 1 Sam. 30.6. He incouraged himself in the Lord his God. There was a Man full of God! Such a Man, if he lose the good Will of other Men, he counts that Abrahams priviledge to be the Friend of God, is better than Pilates ambition to be the Friend of Caesar; he comforts himself in this, God is my Friend still, and his loving kindness is better than Life. If he lose his Estate, he counts that he hath only spilt a Cup of Water, while he hath a Fountain of Living Water at his Door; he says, When I have no Bags, or Lands, or Ships, yet will I joy in the God of my Salvation. To say no more, if he lose the dearest of his Relations, yet he finds, he feels that in one God, which abundantly fills up the room of all.

6. A Man that is filled with all the fulness of God, is filled with a perpetual dedication to God. God fills the Souls when God fills the Aims of Men. It was the mean Character of Israel in Hos. 10.1. He is an empty vine, he brings forth fruit unto himself. But where you see a Man bringing forth Fruit to God, you may say, There is a full Man, a Man full of God. Such a Man hath his glances at inferiour ends, but all those ends are swallowed up in God. When God fills p. 184a Man, that Man can't with any Patience think that any but God should have his time, his strength, his all. He dedicates unto God all that he doth. He is driving a Trade for God in all. For this it is that he eats, he drinks, he sleeps, and the rest; he thinks with himself, I will not do these things as a Beast, only to gratifie a Natural Appetite; but I will do them that I may be supported in the Service of God. For this he labours, for this he visits too; yea, for this he performs and attends the Worship of God. He is able to say, This is that God may be glorified! The Rule he goes by is that in 1 Cor. 10.30. Do all to the glory of God. And he dedicates unto God all that he hath. All the Powers of his Mind, all the Members of his Body, he gives unto God in a Covenant never to be forgotten. He devotes unto God all his Credit, all his Estate, all his Interest; as we read of David in Psal 30.1. that the very Hous… … lived in, passed under a Dedication unto God. Finally, It is the unwearied study of this Man, how to promote the glory of God in the World; he is always contriving, O what, what shall I do for my dear God! This it is to be full of him. A Soul fixed on God, is a Soul filled with God.

II. To be filled with all the fulness of God is an Attainment very much desirable. Here is a Prayer for a Paul! The Apostle had no sooner mentioned this, but he adds, Now unto him that is able to do above all that we ask or think, be glory. Truly we cannot ask or think an higher thing than this, O that I may be filled with all p. 185the fulness of God! Two things are to be said of this being thus filled.

First, It is Holiness, and therefore it is desirable. Holiness is desirable; every Man should desire it. The Psalmist could say, in Psal. 16.3. The holy are the excellent, in whom is all my delight. It becomes us to say, Holiness is excellence, of which is all my desire. Well, but what is Holiness? It lies not principally in Parties, in Garments, or in the Rites of a Superstitious Pharisee. No, but for a Man to be filled with all the fulness of God, for a Man to have God possessing of him, to have God influencing of him; this is true Holiness. Such a Man may truly be called, A man of God; he is a very Holy Man. The Tabernacle of old was a very holy place. Why? we read in Exod. 40.34. The glory of the Lord filled it. Thus the Christian becomes a very holy Man, when the fulness of the Lord filleth him.

Secondly, It is Happiness, and therefore again it is desirable. Happiness is desirable; every Man doth desire it. The unanimous voice of all Mankind is that in Psal. 4.6. Who will show us good? Who will? Why, God will; nothing else can. Do we ask after good? Behold, all the poor things of Earth, and of Time, proclaim aloud unto us, Good is not in me! Good is not in me! There is vanity in them, there is vexation in them, but no good: Where then is good? 'Tis determined in Psal. 73.28. It is good for me to draw near unto God. The Man that is filled with God, is filled with good. To be full p. 186of Riches, to be full of Honours, to be full of Children, will not make a Man happy. The Spirit of Man will starve and dye if it have no other fulness to be nourished by. O but to be full of God; —this is no less than Heaven it self. It is the description of Heaven it self in 1 Cor. 15.28. that God is all in all there. The Soul of Man was framed for none but God, is suited by none but God. For a Man to take his leave of all inferiour things, and to be wholly taken up with God instead of all, —this is the Heaven of Heaven it self. 'Tis impossible that a Man full of God ever should be miserable.

ƲSE. I.

O pity, and the Lord pity! those many People that seek and choose a fulness, but not of God. The Blessed God utters a wonderful Indignation at this thing, in Jer. 2.13. My people have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. Alas, this lamentable Complaint is to be made of multitudes in the World. All the fulness of God, they have it not, they prize it not; they go to some empty cisterns, that from thence they may fill themselves. Be astonished, O ye heavens at this, and be horribly amazed, saith the Lord.

There is a twofold fulness which is by many preferred before all the fulness of God. O foolish p…ople and unwise that they are, who thus despise the Lord! There is,

First, The fulness of Mammon, which many p. 187dote upon. The Lord said unto them in Deut. 6.11. that he would give them Houses full of all good things. Many persons think that better than to have Hearts full of all good things. A full Purse, a full House, a full Barn; this the most of Men are for. But who is for a full Soul? We are told in Psal. 17.14. The men of the world, God fills them with his treasures. The World is full of Men that care to be filled no otherwise than so. A vast deal of Wealth, and as little of God as needs must; this will very well serve their turn. We may speak to these Men in the Language that one of the Antients has, They have Incarnated their own Souls. Woful Men; they make their Souls to be content with no other fulness than what their Flesh calleth for. These persons are much to be pityed and reproved. Thy Soul will one day be stript of all this fulness; and what shall then become of that naked, shiftless, perishing Soul? Methinks that voice of God may fall as a Thunder-bolt of Death upon the Heart of such a Man, in Luk. 12.20. Thy soul shall be required of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? It was once the moan of Naomi, I was full, but I am become empty. This, this, will be the shriek of thy friendless, helpless, ill provided Soul at its departure hence, I am empty, I am undone for evermore. They that thus contemn the fulness of God must at last endure the vengeance of God. These are the very persons of whom the Lord hath sworn in his wrath, they shall never enter into my rest.

p. 188Secondly, There is the fulness of Satan, which many are notorious for. It was an expostulation used with a Lyar, in Acts 5.3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart? This may be said unto the Drunkard, the Swearer, the Gamester, the Persecutor, the Reviler, the Sabbath-breaker, the Ʋnclean person, and the rest, Thou art not filled with God, but Satan hath filled thy forlorn doleful heart. We read in Rom. 1.29. of them that are full of envy. We read in Mic. 6.12. of them that are full of violence. We read in Matth. 23.28. of them that are full of hypocrisie and iniquity. O sad sights! It is a dismal thing to see a Man under Bodily possession by the Devil; but these Men are under a Spiritual possession by the Devil, which is worse by far. They are filled by the Spirit which works in the children of disobedien…e. These persons are yet more to be pityed and rebuked. Man, thy Soul is not full of God, it will then be full of Sin; but when Sin is come unto the full, how swift, how sore will destruction be? We read of some that shall be filled with the fury of the Lord; it will be the case of them that are not filled with the fulness of the Lord. They shall be as Ovens, as Irons, whom our God shall fill as a consuming fire. To be filled with the fulness of God is the substance of Heaven. Well, to be filled with the fulness of God is the essence of Hell too. 'Tis the warning of God in Psal. 75.8. In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall drink. God preserve us all from being filled p. 189with scalding Draughts of those fiery venomous Dregs for ever.

ƲSE. II.

Let it now be the endeavour of us all, That we may be filled with all the fulness of God. The best Men living need to be thus called upon. In respect of our fitness for Heaven, we are all too much deficient. The fulness of God must have a little more hold of us, and all will be well. Let what is lacking in our Faith, in our Hope, in our Love, be perfected; then we shall be ready for our Change. A little more of God, and then perhaps we shall be meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light.

But especially these two Thoughts may awaken us in the pursuit of this great thing.

First, Let a Man be full of God, and that's the way for him to be full of Joy. God is Light, God is Life: When God comes into any Soul, he most effectually saith, Peace be unto this Soul. The Man that has much of God in him, cannot be without much of Peace and Joy. We read in Psal. 16.11. about fulness of joy. Whence is a fulness of joy to be derived, but from a fulness of God? Truly he that dwells in the high and holy place, doth also dwell in the Spirit of this Man, strongly reviving, strangely refreshing of him. Such Raptures of Joy do sometimes fill the Soul of such a Man, that he is ready to swoon and faint under them; he is forced to p. 190cry out, Lord, It is enough! O stay thy hand, I can bear no more! Now I know that God is my only God, and that he will bless me for evermore. No doubt some in this Assembly have had such Transports of Joy, when under the plenitude of the Almighty. But I have a better, a greater thing than this yet to say.

Secondly, Let a Man be full of God, and that's the way for him to be full of use. He will certainly be a most useful Man. It is the method of God, first to fill a Man, and then to use that Man. There is an Ecclesiastical History which tells us of a Minister, whom God used for the Conversion of very many Souls; and it gives us this Character of him; —it is in Acts 11.24. He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith; and so by his means, much people was added unto the Lord. Let God be in a Man, and God will be with him. God will direct that Man, God will prosper that Man, who is full of him. Though Dominion, as they say, is not founded in Grace; yet the more of Grace, and the more of God there is in a Man, the more fit he is to discharge all relations, to sustain all capacities. The Man that is full of God, is as a lighted Lanthorn; God shines in him, and through him, upon all that are about him; one shall hardly come into the company of that Man, but carry something of God away. This Man has the Blessing of Abraham, He is made a Blessing.

Now, that we may obtain this fulness, all the Ordinances of God are profitable. Ply them p. 191all. They are all the Golden Pipes by which this fulness is conveyed. But I shall particularly offer only Two Rules.

I. Let our Lives be filled with much Prayer to God, and our Souls will be filled with all the fulness of God. It is the Promise of God in Psal. 81.10. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Frequent and fervent Prayers will marvellously dispose us to receive the fulness of him, who fills only the hungry with good things. Then be much in Prayer; and especially, be much in two sorts of Prayers, in Extraordinary Prayers, and in Ejaculatory Prayers; let a Man have the former often in a Year, let a Man have the latter often in a Day; it will then soon be said, There is much of God in that Man. The Soul praying unto God, is the Soul panting after God. It shall be filled with him.

II. Let us be full of Christ, and we shall be full of God. We have a Saviour, in whom is the fulness of the Godhead Bodily. The Man Jesus is more full of God, than all the Angels in Heaven are. We are informed in Col. 1.19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. What shall be done that we who have been full of Sin, and full of Hell, may come to be full of God? It is the Lord Jesus by whom we must be filled. It is said in Eph. 2.1. [for so I would read it, He fills all in all.] And you hath he filled, who were dead in trespasses and sins. O let us acquaint our selves much with Jesus p. 192Christ. Study Christ Jesus, follow Christ Jesus, implore Christ Jesus; do those three things and Christ Jesus will dispense an incredible fulness of God unto you; you shall throughout all Eternity say, as in Joh. 1.16. Of his fulness have all we received.

FINIS.

End of the text · Cotton Mather, Batteries Upon the Kingdom of the Devil (1695)