England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 26
Coloſs. 1.18. And he is the head of the body, &c.
CHriſt hath many titles, and every one ſpeaketh much, but this ſpeaketh all; head noteth all the offices of Chriſt: As a Prieſt Chriſt is head, as a Prophet Chriſt is head, as a King, Chriſt is head of the moſt beautifull body the Church: One word of God needeth many words of man to open it. Manna lieth of a heap here, and if Chriſt wait to be gracious, we ſhall gather much. We muſt begin with that which is the foundation of office, fulneſſe. Head noteth officium & baſin officii, office and that which maketh ſufficience to office, Chriſt is called head quòd omnia in capite ſunt ferè dupla, as one ſaith, bini oculi, binae aures, binae nares, becauſe all things in the head are as it were double, there are two eyes, and two eares, and two noſtrils &c. that is, a great fulneſſe of all exquiſite ſence and ability, for organiſation: and under this notion I purpoſe firſt to handle this tearm. Rule is a noble thing, Sun-beams weaved into a crown; he muſt be higher by the head then the reſt of Iſrael, that is, called out to wear this: perſon muſt be beautifull, and parts double, and ſo were Chriſts, he is head: foreign, kaphal duplicavit, cùm omnia in capite ſunt ferè dupla; the head hath two eyes, two eares, two noſtrills, doubly organiſed to act it ſelf, and all the reſt; to ſupply it ſelf and all the reſt: ſo is Chriſt double endowed, not onelyonly for himſelf, but for all that ſhall need him.
Leviticall unctions were by pouring and not by dropping, enough was poured upon the head to run down to the feet: ſo is Chriſt anointed as head, that is, double grace is powred into his lips.
Doctr. There is ſtore in Christ for all ſpirituall neceſſity; if any want an eare, if any want an eye, our head hath two, one for himſelf, and another for us; if any want an eare, Chriſt hath two, he is our head. If any man want any other abilitie Chriſt can furniſh, for he is head and anointed ſo.
Giving is made in order to receiving, receptivitie is very vaſt in Chriſt, Chriſt can receive what ever God can give; the fulneſſe of the God-head dwelleth in him. God can do no great things in our ſpirits, they are ſo little. In Chriſt there is proportionable capacity to infinite greatneſſe, and there God dwelleth, furniſheth, and moveth as he is; double and treble donation is made without end. Infinite capacitie will hold infinite fulneſſe.
Giving is made in order to an ultimate end: Chriſt is not the ultimate end of divine donation, Chriſt is not given unto merely to retain, but he is given unto to give. There is reciprocation in divine donation, every thing is given unto to give back again; the ſea is filled with water to fill the earth with ſprings and ſhowers: things muſt have much which are to ſupply many. Chriſt is anointed to anoint, Ye have received] an unction from the [holy one]. Chriſt hath what he hath in order to abide, and therefore called head.
Uſe. Neceſſitous creatures conſider your condition, and where your ſupplies lie; 'tis ſad to ſee how poore many of you are: If there were no ſoul riches to be had, your poverty were no ſinne, but now your poverty is ſinfull miſery, and ſinfull miſery is ſinking miſery; your poverty will judge you, becauſe there is wealth to be had; that you have no oyl will ſhut you out quite, becauſe there is oyl to be gotten were you wiſe to look after it, oyl enough to fill your lamps, to keep you burning and ſhining, till you go into that place where you ſhall ſhine for ever. Men in want lay to heart nothing, that maketh want utterly undoing; thouſands live and die damnable poore: do I not unawares ſpeak the condition of ſome of you? do ſoul wants lie heavie upon you?
Yes, the nature of ſuch a condition ſhould be conſidered: ſoul-preſſures are from ſeverall apprehenſions, all are not kind; if this be not looked to, fulneſſe in Chriſt will not be looked after, though the heart be ready to die with load: there is ſoul-preſſure from conſcience enlightned: guilt by divine ordination looketh back upon the ſoul dayly, howerly, and the ſoul would look away from it, and think of no ſinne, nor no ſuch thing, but cannot, viſions of wrath ſo haunt him, and here lieth his load; if any company, if any muſick would cheere and charm away this evill ſpirit that ſo haunteth the man, he would get it what ever it did coſt: life though bad, not at all diſliked by the man, but horribly diſliked of God and conſcience, that the man cannot do what he would, he is ſo plagued within; and here lieth the burden, that the man cannot keep his ſinne, and not that he cannot leave his ſinne.
Let ſuch men know, that that that arrow which is ſhot into the heart, ſhall abide, and how able and full ſoever Chriſt be to power oyl into wounded ſouls, he will power none into theſe wounds, theſe ſhall gangrene and deſtroy the man, for they are diaboli ulcera; this is the burden of the damned, that they cannot proſecute their will, but are tormented. Preſſures are pittied, which ſpring from love to Chriſt, and hatred of ſinne. I am ſick of love, Chriſt is my life, more then my life, but I cannot enjoy him, therefore I ſinne, ſink, grone and die: ſuch bleeding is ſtaid, ſuch wounds have mercy powred into them. Oppreſſed harts, do you prize the fulneſſe that is in Chriſt? O nothing dearer, then bleſſed are ye, for diſpenſation to you ſhall be full, you ſhall have flaggons. Previous diſpoſitions, ſpeak the mercy coming certainly; the heavens glimmer in the eaſt, the ſunne is certainly riſing; affections ſtirre, the beloved is not farre off, the way is ſtrewed, the king is coming, there will be crying Hoſanna, and triumphing anon. Panting hearts, let the king come his own pace, and he will get home to you by night, he will ſup with you, and feaſt with you, and what ever he hath to refreſh and revive the ſoul, you ſhall have it, ere any temptation ſhall deſtroy you; Chriſt feaſting is uſually at ſupper, his full communications are ordinarily late, but never too late; fulneſſe of mercy, comes in fulneſſe of time. Let paſſions burn ſtrong, but not turbulent: if any thing make your beloved make haſte, and come skipping to you like a young Roe, it will be this. Chriſt comes in a ſtill voice, and unto ſtill ſouls, that long earneſtly, but wait patiently for him. Simeon waited for the conſolation of Iſrael, and he had his boſome full. Deep waters come ſlowly, infinite fulneſſe is long a emptying it ſelf. That wch works exactly, muſt have time: grace that goeth forth in height goes forth very exact. Of his fulneſſe we receive, and grace for grace. Fulneſſe works exactly, to make the recipient fully like it ſelf, grace for grace. The beſt wine is kept till laſt. Full diſpenſations are beſt, the beſt wine, & theſe are kept till laſt, and they are kept by Chriſt, thou hast kept the beſt wine till laſt. Grace goeth forth free, but not without order, no ſoul hath fulneſſe preſently, though Chriſt be fulneſſe alwayes.
Veſſels of mercy are narrow mouthed (weak hearts, I ſpeak to you to keep you quiet). O ye of little faith. You have but little faith, and yet complain that ye have not great mercy; fulneſſe comes in, by opening the mouth wide: that dead ſoul that can ſpread himſelf upon the living, neeſes ſeven times; perfect life comes in, by ſpreading our ſouls upon him that is perfect. Every thing in Chriſt is mine, when faith ſaith this in the heart, then every thing indeed, actually becomes mine. The eye of Chriſt becomes mine to ſee, the hand of Chriſt becomes mine to work, and the feet of Chriſt becomes mine to walk. Our right lies as concealed, till faith acts; there is much in the fathers houſe, but the ſoul ſtarves, till it remember it ſelf, and own its father. I will return unto my father, and then I know I ſhall have bread enough, what he hath, I ſhall have: ſtrong acting of faith, makes Chriſts fulneſſe yours.
Fulneſſe would fill your veſſells, but your hands jogge, and that runnes beſides, which ſhould runne in. There is never a time you come to theſe waters, but here is powring out enough to fill you all, but every ones hand jogges almoſt, ſo that much precious water is ſpilt, and every one returns empty. Jacob is ready to draw water, to water all, to fill the bellies of all the cattle, but Rachel will do it her ſelf, ſhe is ſhie and modeſt, and will not take help: Chriſt is willing to draw out his fulneſſe, and to fill every heart, but we are ſhie and modeſt, and will be doing all our ſelves, and not trouble Chriſt; we will be drawing out of this thing, and out of that duty to fill our ſouls, and not out of Chriſt. Let my beloved come into his garden, and do his work himſelf, for I can do no more; Blow O north-wind, Blow O ſouth, and make my ſpices flow out, for I beat and blow, and nothing will come out but ſinne and ſhame, this brings in fulneſſe; fulneſſe comes out of nothing. I am nothing, preaching nothing, hearing nothing, but Chriſt all, and this makes him all unto the ſoul; the clearer in ſelf deniall, the fuller in the fruition of Chriſt. You reſt in your works, and ſtagger at the promiſe through unbelief, and how is it poſſible, that fulneſſe ſhould fill you. You are full of ſelf, and you cannot be full of Chriſt; the promiſes are pipes from the fountain, which are laid of purpoſe to fill you, and you ſtagger at them.
I would every bleeding heart did know what wounds him, and who is his greateſt enemy; he thinks 'tis Chriſt, and alas tis not: thou haſt not a dearer friend in the world then Chriſt is, nor one that pities thee more; thou art the greateſt enemy to thy ſelf, and thine own unbelief keeps thee low, this is the ſecret leak in the veſſell, which thou haſt not yet found out, thou hadſt been full elſe, long ere this. Chriſt is full, and art not thou full? Search thy ſoul, certainly there is ſome leak; unbelief is long ere it be ſeen, but when it is, no monſter like it; 'tis more uggly then Sathan, then that cage of unclean birds below, as that without which, Sathan nor ſinne could do any hurt. A ſtubborn child that had blaſphemed, was to be brought forth, and thoſe that heard him to blaſpheme, were to lay their hands on his head, and he was to be ſtoned. Unbelief is the frowardneſſe of the heart, which makes you to blaſpheme God, and his gracious word; bring forth this froward child, and lay your hands upon the head of it, and caſt ſtones at it at the throne of grace: ſay, Lord this is that child that hath blaſphemed thee, that hath diſhonoured thee more then any evil, ſtone it to death from heaven; this ſuit you muſt purſue and follow, which would be filled with the ſpirit.
Finally, fulneſſe ſpeaks ſuch diſpenſations, as make, and ſettle peace in the ſoul, and Chriſt is King of peace, he is King of Salem, he hath the command of peace; he can ſtill the raging ſea with a word of his mouth, ſo he can a raging conſcience, and he muſt be looked upon, and acknowledged, according to ſuch a tranſcendent abilitie, and then he gives out, as he hath in him, fulneſſe to ſupply the neceſſity of the ſoul. Lord I know that thou canst do whatever thou wilt. Now Chriſt works richly. Chriſt will have his prerogative acknowledged; grace is his own to diſpoſe as he will, all his wealth is his own, he can advance a ſoul at his pleaſure; if there be no word, which the ſoul ever yet heard, that hath ſpoken peace, Chriſt can create words, and make them ſo drop from his lips, as to make peace. Devils are at the command of Chriſt, and Angels are at the command of Chriſt, yea the holy Ghoſt is at the command of Chriſt, he can breath and blow with this wind, where he liſts: Chriſt is met half way (as it were) when the ſoul can thus look toward him, when Prerogative is fully acknowledged.