England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 71
COLOS. 1.25.
Which is given to me for you, &c.
THere are two occult things in providence, which when well apprehended, make a ſerene ſweet life; to underſtand ſtill wherefore God takes, and wherefore he gives, what bitter and ſweet meane; blindneſſe in either, loſeth God, God loſt in his dealings, the ſoule loſeth it ſelfe, a man knowes not in this caſe where he is, nor what he is, whether a Saint or an hypocrite, a man or a beaſt: In both theſe, this ſervant of Chriſt was acute: the periſhing of the outward man, the flouriſhing of the inward, he could explaine both. All things are for your ſakes, 2 Corinth. 4.15, 16. there he ſpeakes of what miſery he did beare, here in the text I ſtand upon, he ſpeaks of what honour he did beare, and he underſtood well the end of both, both for the Church of Chriſt, for you, i. for the proſperity of Chriſt, in the hearts of all believers.
Family diſtribution is with this deſigne, that all the family may be the better for what any one hath. An elder child that can tell how to hold a diſh, hath a great full meſſe, that all the reſt may ſit round and eate out of his diſh. Wiſdome folds up many things in one, many vertues and influences in one Sunne, for all the world: ſuch a Sunne is Chriſt, ſet for the fall and riſe of many. We are in Chriſts ſtead, and ſo the ſavour of life and death to many. We are Ambaſſadours in Chriſts ſtead, and preſent Jewels allowed us from our Maſter to any, eſpecially to his Spouſe, for you, i. you that are married to the Lord Jeſus; Thus I thinke the expreſſion imports. As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, Great endowments and gifts are for the Church primarily, for others ſecondarily, and ſubordinately, in order to the uſe and welfare of the Church, ſome way or other.
Which way the heart of God bends is obſervable; Chriſt doth peculiarly and principally apply himſelf to Saints, the centre of divine donation, is the heart of a Chriſtian; all that goes from God to any, does but hover till it come here, the marrow and juyce of every creature, of every gift, is ſqueeſed out into this veſſell. If you ſee Angels ſent forth, thoſe glorious gifted creatures, you may ſtand ſtill and propheſie where they will turne in, to Abraham, to Lot; they may goe along by others, but they turne in and hoſt here. The choice communcations which deſcend from Heaven, they bed themſelves in the breſts of Gods people, they may hang and hover in the braines of others, but they enter into the hearts of none but theſe. The life of Chriſt is the ſpring of all parts; the gifts which you ſee ſhine in any; they are but ſprings from this fountaine, branches of this Vine, and obſerve which way this Vine creepes, about whoſe houſe ſides it goes with its branches, into whoſe bowles he ſqueeſes their blood, Tis for you, ſaith he, this is the blood of the new Teſtament, which was ſhed for you. My beloved is gone down into [his garden] to the beds of ſpices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather Lillies, Cant. 6.2. After Chriſt are we directed to goe, to carry all excellencies we have where he doth, and lay them down all where he is, in you; and therefore obſerve that clauſe, Luke 10.6. And if the Sonne of peace be there, then ſtay, otherwiſe away, and carry all away with you.
When things lie in ſuite, and in petition, before they come forth thus into actuall exhibitions, you ſhall ſee the truth of the point in hand demonſtrated, which way the heart of God bends; in all caſes of this nature Chriſt doth eſpecially and peculiarly apply himſelfe to Saints. Thou wilt make [their heart] to prepare, and thine eare to intend, Pſal. 10.17. ſpeaking of the meeke and humble. Obſerve how peculiarly Chriſt applies himſelfe to ſome, Thou wilt make [their heart to prepare,] if their heart ſtand not fit to receive noble favours, thou wilt make them ſtand fit; if it be not humble enouh, hungry enough depending enough, thou wilt make it doe all theſe; thou wilt overcome all unaptneſſe in theſe ſoules, yea all unaptneſſe in thy ſelfe. If ſinne and baſeneſſe in theſe creatures preſent themſelves in thine eyes, and make ſome impreſſe and influence upon thee, againſt having to doe with them, yet thou wilt make thy ſelfe to looke towards theſe, yea to heed them intenſly, ſaith the originall, Thou wilt make thy ſelfe to intend. Mercy pleades with juſtice, when God hath to doe with his, and makes him come off, yea come down and condeſcend, to ſtoope and take a lame creature by the hand, and lay his eare cloſe to his head, and ſpeake incouraging words, to put the ſoule in heart to ſpeak and ſpeed. Heſter, what is thy requeſt? and what is thy deſire? come into my preſence, I have nothing but is for thee: he lends her legs to ſtand upon, countenance to looke upon him, ſpirits, and mouth, and tongue to ſpeake; makes her to prepare, and then makes himſelfe to forget the confinement of himſelfe to other things, and to intend her. Which is a brave demonſtration of this thing I am upon, that Chriſt doth peculiarly and tranſcendently apply himſelfe to Saints. You have a like place, Pſal. 18.6. [My prayers] came into his face, into his eares. Other folkes prayers come but to Gods eares, and there they vaniſh, but the prayers of Gods people come into his eares. The expreſſion notes, how the eare and heart of Chriſt are ſpecially and peculiarly applied unto his people.
Ʋſe. Towards whom Chriſt doth thus apply himſelfe, twill be bad bending againſt them for any. This generation is very unhappy; men obſerve not which way Chriſt bends, and bend after him, but which way the times bend, and ſo bend after theſe, and ſo what parts and endowments God hath given them, are imployed againſt the people of Chriſt, and not for them. One thing ſhould by as us, to wit, the will of Chriſt; but when this will not, any thing will, pride, covetouſneſſe, malice; when a man hath loſt his aime, he kils a child, a friend, as ſoone as an enrmy. The ſcope of divine diſtribution, this ſhould be every gifted mans aime, from hence ſhould we take our levell, but we doe not. Which way doth God looke? To what point hath he ſet the compaſſe? To what part hath he bound me, and fraighted me? for the Holy-land? for Saints? muſt all I have, and all I can doe runne into their breaſts? and put in at their Haven? Then thither I muſt ſteer, and to no other port, though greater gaine might be had: if this I doe not, I make ſhipwracke of faith and a good conſcience. This is the plague of this generation, faith and conſcience ſhipwracked, which is the fruit of an ill ſcope at firſt, and the proper medium of a wicked proceſſion: what will not that man doe againſt truth and Saints, which hath ſplit his peace and fidelity with God. Parts and principles miſcoped, render the perſon worſe then they that have none, more heady and high minded, and now the man ſets himſelfe in a way that is not good, and this goes to the heart of God, he often complaines of this. The more God is inraged by any courſe, the more ſeverely he ſmites the purſuer. Hypocriſie is puniſhed with pride, envy, and ſecurity; and now is a next neighbour and a familiar worſe then an open enemy, more bloody. I was a reproach among mine enemies, [but eſpecially among my neighbours,] Pſa. 31.11. vicinis valde, to my neighbours very much, or moſt of all. Tis of deſperate iſſue every way, to ſoule and body, not to ſoder in ſcope with Chriſt.
Chriſtians ſhould ſucke this honey-combe well, a fathomeleſſe depth of ſweetneſſe is in it: the bent of Chriſt in all his diſpenſations is toward you, his heart hangs after you; affliction, proſperity; warre, peace, Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Paul, Apollo, Cephas, life, death, all is yours, for you. Things now thwart much, man againſt man; nothing againſt you. We looke too low to ſucke the ſweet of this point, and to be at reſt in troublous times. Inferiour agents looke one one way; another, another way, and anſwerably oppoſe in their motion, and kill in conflict, and yet the firſt intention lives and obtaines. The ſcope of the firſt agent in all ſhould be eyed, and reſt. What is Chriſt about? To deſtroy his people? to deſtroy his glory? Againſt whom, or for whom is he? Is he for Babylon and Babyloniſh wretches, which now warre againſt us? Is he ſo in his intention, and in his purpoſe? poſſibly this or that particular action, as we ſcan it, may looke like as if it were for them; but is the prime ſcope of God for them in all he does? does his heart hang toward any Babyloniſh brats now afoot? abroad or at home? If you thinke ſo, read Jeremy 50.31, 32. Behold I am againſt thee, O thou moſt proud, ſaith the Lord God of Hoſts, for thy day is come, and the time that I will viſit theel, and the moſt proud ſhall ſtumble and fall, and none ſhall raiſe him up, and I will kindle a fire in his Cities, and it ſhall devoure all round about him. How ever actions and proceedings ſeem to ſmile upon evill men, yet let this beare us up, the ſcope of all is againſt them. I am againſt thee. i. in my intention and plot. And contrariwiſe, however ſad and blacke things may looke in mans view, in order to Chriſtians, yet their ſcope and their intention is for them: Chriſt is for his Churches, and for his Saints in all his deſignes. This was that which Joſhua deſired to know when he was in ſome feares, which way Chriſt heart did bend when his Sword was drawn, whether for them, or for their adverſaries, let me but know this, ſaith Joſhua, and I ſhall reſt, let things worke how they will, Joſhua 5.13, 14. And it came to paſse when Joſhua was by Jericho, that he lift up his eyes and looked, and behold there ſtood a man over againſt him with his Sword drawn in his hand, and Joſhua went unto him, and ſaid unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adverſaries? and be ſaid, Nay, but as a Captaine of the Hoſt of the Lord am I now come, &c. Or for our adverſaries, coarctatoribus, for them that ſtraiten us, which word ſpeakes full to our condition; there be a great many bloody wretches abroad, which ſtraiten us exceedingly in all our mercies, which pen us into ſo few Counties, and into ſo little trading; yet it ſhould be enough for us to know, againſt whom the point of Gods drawne Sword is ſet, whether againſt their hearts, or ours; whether to make an end of them, or of his people, which party Chriſt takes; if you thinke he takes their ſide, no, Lo…ki, tis vehemently denied, which is expreſſed by two words, nay but, or nay becauſe, as a Captaine of the Lord of Hoſts am I come, there is negation, with its reaſon added, which is ſtrong negation.
You may ſucke this point not onelyonly to eſtabliſh you againſt feares and dangers now apparent, but to furniſh you with all excellencies that Chriſt hath. Sampſons heart was ſet towards Delilah, and ſhe knew it, and made uſe of it to get out all, to ſtrip him of all; not a ſecret about his Nazariteſhip, but ſhe gets it. Now we know the bent of Divine affection, that it is ſpecially toward us, we ſhould make uſe of it to get out all the ſecrets of wiſdome and holineſſe, that are in Chriſt. So you know Chriſt when he had fiſhed out this to the botome, that Peters heart did indeed bend and incline ſpecially towards him, he makes uſe of it to draw him out to ſpeciall and Noble ſervice for him. Doeſt thou love me ſaith Delilah, then ſhew me this, and that; ſo ſaid Chriſt to Peter, Doeſt thou love me? and is all thou haſt for me? then let me ſee it, Feed my Lambs, and feed my Sheepe: ſo doe thou ſay to Chriſt, Doſt thou love me O Chriſt? and doth thy heart bend principally towards mee? And is all thou haſt, and doſt, for me? Then let me ſee it: feede my poore ſoule with knowledge, tis very ignorant: feede my poore ſoule with love, with joy, tis very low and ſad. If what thou haſt given this Miniſter and that Miniſter be for me, why do I profit no more by them? my Teachers drop pretious things, but I like a broken ci…erne hold nothing. And if my meſſe be in their diſh, why cannot I put in my ſpoone, and take it out? If thy boſome O Chriſt be a lodging intended for me, hung ſtately and perfumed ſweetly for me, why cannot I lie there alwayes? Clouds and miſts are ſcattered by the force and motion of celeſtiall bodies; you that are celeſtiall creatures; it muſt ſtir up the grace of God in you, and move and act the forcible acts of faith at the Throne of grace, if you would diſpell the clouds that hide God and great good from you. Vaine beliefe deſtroyes us; not one Chriſtian of a thouſand ſetled in this, that the Heart of God is toward him, and therefore hath no heart to goe to him, to make uſe of him, no nor cannot reſt upon him for any thing.
It cannot be that the heart of God is towards mee: all things go againſt me. Sinne prevailes, conſcience ſtings; breaches within, breaches without; lively-hoode dies, feathers fall off apace, I am almoſt quite bare in the neſt; I know not where to get cloathes to put on my back when theſe be done, no not where to get bread to put in my head, when this in my hand is eaten. My wife mournes, my children cry, friends frowne: lively-hood did I ſay? nay Life it ſelfe becauſe of all theſe, is almoſt gone: tis as much as my heart-ſtrings will hold, I ſigh ſo oft, and ſo deep, and can the heart of God be towards me? can all be for me, and all againſt me?
The Heart of God how it inclines, cannot be gathered from the hand, no not from the Tongue of God. When a man would make demonſtration of his ſtate by the hand of God towards him, hee had neede weigh things well, the wheeles that go over have ſo many eyes, and looke ſo many wayes, one ſhall be deceived alſo. God can ſpeake againſt a man and do againſt him, (as you call againſt) and yet all that while yearne in heart over him, and working about great things for him, he can ſpeake againſt Ephraim a deare child, and yet at the ſame time remember him, yea remember him earneſtly. Since I ſpake againſt him I remember him ſtill. Affection is ſubordinate to fancy, memory, and more noble powers: perſons and things kept in memory, and fancy; theſe powers will work, and keepe bowels beating ſtill, but when perſons and things are throwne out here, out of the memory of God, then a mans condition is forlorne indeed, and never till then: thus Saints are never. Chriſt ſpeaking of ſharpe troubles, killing and bloudy trials, ſaith, Feare not him that can kill the body; and then comes on thus, to ſhew the tender providence and bowels ſtill work, in ſuch times when we thinke not. Are not five Sparrowes ſould for two farthings? and yet not one of them is forgotten before God, but even the haires; of your head are [all] numbred feare not therefore, you are of more value, &c. Pretious perſons ſometimes, according to externall condition, are of no worth, ſpoild, bought, ſold, for naught, five of them for two farthings, and yet not theſe, not one perſon, no not one haire of theſe perſons forgotten (i) not without the compaſſe of tender bowells; their haires numbered, when upon their head, and when they fall off their head.
Tis not ſafe to calculate kindneſſe by the meere motion of outward things, or of ones own heart. Straites and trialls put weake creatures to it, Chriſt is not extreme to obſerve in this caſe. Divine compaſſion dies not ſo ſoone as we thinke: tis an everlaſting thing, tis a child of mercy which indures for ever. God in all caſes of tranſgreſſion lookes upon Chriſt ſtrictly, then his fury is ceaſed; this ceaſed, whatſoever God does is conſiſtent with bowels, tender bowels. The bittereſt things that befall us ſhould be ſo conſtrued, by looking ſtill to Chriſt as God doth. The Lord ſpeakes of the piercing Serpent, and Leviathan the crooked Serpent, and the Sea Dragon, Eſaia. 27.1, 2, 3. and all theſe in his Vineyard, and ſuffered them all to make terrible worke, and yet when hee comes to redreſſe this ſaith, that fury was not in him all this while; they did quite miſtake him that did judge theſe ſad afflictions, the fruites of a heart turned againſt them. Make uſe of theſe things to keepe your hearts ſetled in the truth of this point, that the heart of God ſpecially bends toward you, and then milke out the ſweet of it to all occaſions, ſo all conditions will bee ſweete to you; death it ſelfe, Life.