England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 75
COLOS. 1.26.
But now is made manifeſt, &c.
THe word notes two things, appareo et ſplendeo, viſion, and ſhining viſion, that is, according to Goſpel ſpeech, ſtill in the letter and in the ſpirit, the underſtanding of words which one reads, by workes which one feeles; a voyce behind one, interpreting that before one; circumciſion outward in the fleſh, and this explained by circumciſion inward in the ſpirit. There is a narrative and an operative light; that which makes one talke well, and that which makes one walke well; that which enables one to produce bookes for his authority in diſcourſe, and that which enables one to produce his ſoule and his life for authority: here is my ſoule and my life, reade if it be not ſo as I ſay; let men and Angells, all the World reade if they will. The Manifeſtation which our Apoſtle ſpeakes of here, is the latter, for he ſpeakes of ſuch as is proper to Saints, which is Divine demonſtration, the perſon an Epiſtle, knowne and read of all men. [Yee] are our Epiſtle knowne and read of all men, 2 Cor. 3.3.
Divine demonſtration notes two things, exſcriptum & inſcriptum, and Chriſt makes both. The written word is Gods mind copied out, exſcriptum, a ſummary of his eternall counſell, in order to all without him: man is the principall party concerned in this, but unable to apprehend the counſells of God, though copied out to him; Chriſt therefore gives concurrence in this worke, and the firſt thing he doth in man is, hee makes apprehenſion (i) hee enables the underſtanding to coppy out Gods copy, to make an exſcript from his, and ſo to hold out a cleare and glorious Idea of Gods mind, and what he would have, to all inferior powers; to make a draught and ſurvey of the Kingdome of God, very lively to ſacred fancy. This exſcriptum is Scriptum digeſtum, the written word digeſted, and beholding by it as in a glaſſe Gods minde unto ſatisfaction, an Idea of Gods minde by meanes hereof, is made in the ſoule ſo lively, and anſwers ſo exactly, as face to face; this is the firſt worke of Chriſt, for the good of a poore ſoule, which is called a copying out of his fathers boſome, and pointing us by the hand to Letter after Letter. No man hath ſeene God at any time, but the onelyonly begotten Sonne which is in the boſome of the Father, he hath declared him, Joh. 1.18. foreign (i) plane ac dilucidè declarare, to open a thing very clearely and gloriouſly; Like the Hebrew word Higgid, Gen. 41.25. noting ſuch a ſhewing as is by leading by the hand.
Divine demonſtration notes inſcriptum. When Chriſt hath made apprehenſion in the ſoule, the next thing he makes is affection; hee doth eternally ſeate things revealed, in all the paſſions of the ſoule, and in each diſtinctly, as principles are proper to them; ſome in love, ſome in joy, ſome in feare, &c. and ſeates principles deeply in all theſe paſſions, and makes them all for him, and to vote him up ſtill as chiefe over all, within and without: this is called in writing foreign not with Inck and Pen but with the ſpirit of the living God, 2 Cor. 3.3.in Tables of ſtone, but in the fleſhly tables of the heart; and yet this is but a branch of that manifeſtation mentioned in my Text, foreign and the ſame word is uſed in the front of the Verſe foreign manifeſtly declared. Chriſts internall manifeſtation, is our externall manifeſtation, that which enables us to hold forth our light in Life as Saints. This demonſtration is moſt ſweete; Divine light is pleaſant all along its courſe in the ſoule, in every roome of the ſoule, as in the underſtanding though a very out-roome, but moſt pleaſant when ſeated in the will and affections, theſe in-roomes; then tis full of embracings; then the ſoule purſues his light, and is purſued with kindneſſe from Chriſts internall preſence. Divine-Light is very ſweet in ſpeculation, but a thouſand times more ſweet, when drawne out into converſation. Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them, hee it is that loveth me, and hee ſhall be loved of my Father, and J will love him and will manifeſt my ſelfe to him. Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them, &c. To have the will of Chriſt and to keepe the will of Chriſt, are two things; the one poynts at light in the underſtanding, the other points at light in the affection, which neceſſarily reſolves it ſelfe into action, and upon this is intail'd the ſweetneſſe of Chriſts preſence; this is he that loveth mee ſaith Chriſt, and he ſhall be beloved of mee and my Father; this is demonſtratio demonſtrata, the builder banqueting in, and warming of the houſe he hath built; this is the myſtery of the Goſpel, and manifeſted to none but Saints.