England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 77
COLOS. 1.27.
To whom God would make known.
THe title of the Goſpell, the ſubject, the object, the end of it, are all in this verſe before us to conſider; ſome of theſe, other verſes have led us to the conſideration of already, they will be paſſed by here; others preſent us with freſh entertainment, and there we ſhall ſit down a while and feed. The Goſpell is nam'd according to its nature, a myſtery; Moſes vailed to a carnall Jew, Chriſt vailed to a carnall profeſſour; a Sunne ſhining full in the face of thouſands, and yet onelyonly ſeen by one or two of them; one in a Tribe, two in a City; one in the midſt of many, and yet ſeen but by one: There is one in the midſt of you, whom ye know not, whom ye [ſee not,] thats the originall, John. 1.26. This is a myſtery indeed: this title was given in the verſe before, and then opened.
The ſubject of the Goſpell is here ſpecified, and amplified: ſpecified, to wit, Chriſt, Which is Chriſt, &c. The Goſpell hath Moſes vertue in her boſome, he had one ſat in his boſome which did wonders; wither and reſtore. Put thy hand into thy boſome, ſaith God, and when he tooke it out his hand was leporous as Snow. Put thy hand into thy boſome againe, ſaith God, and he did ſo, and behold his hand was turned as his other fleſh, Exod. 4. 6, 7. Moſes had a notable one, which ſat in his boſome; the ſame hath the Goſpell, and can doe as he did, to wit, put hands and hearts into his boſome, and make them leprous, and white as Snow; that is, make perſons ſee their filth, and cry out, unclean, uncleane: and then can put theſe very leprous creatures into his boſome againe, and bring them out white and ruddy, incarnate Roſes, as that of Sharon in the Goſpell: the Goſpell is the poole, that hath no leſſe then an Angell, the Angell of the covenant ſtirring and healing cripled creatures in it; tis Betheſda, a houſe of effuſion, of the braveſt liquid blood and ſpirits in the world, to wit, Chriſt crucified, this is the ſubject of the Goſpell.
Chriſt the ſubject of the Goſpell is here amplified by his Throne, and by the revenew belonging to it; Chriſts Throne is in the hearts of his people, which is Chriſt [in you] and this is a myſtery indeed. This world lies in wickedneſſe, it lies overflown with the deluge of ſinne and wrath; the Dove hath an Arke in which ſhe rides and flotes above this deluge, to wit, the heart of Saints; here he abides till this deluge be dried up, and the curſe of the earth taken away, and all things reſtored again, and then hee will reſigne his Throne to his father. Chriſt is ſpecified from his Throne, and from the revenue of it, which is great and honourable; a vaſt eſtate, which is cald here riches, to whom God would make known what is the [riches] foreign, which is not from Pluto to note riches which are from beneath, of which commonly the divell is in ſome kind the author; but the word notes here heavenly riches, of which God is not in ſome kind, but in all kind the authour, and therefore called riches of glory foreign of ſplendour, fame; the ſtate of a Chriſtian lies in orientall Pearles; all his goods, lands, beds, hanging; all full of ſparkling precious Stones, all riches of glory.
The end of the Goſpell is here ſet down doubly, ultimus, & ultimatus. Salvation, and that which is neceſſarily conducing and ſubordinate to this, to wit, affection and affiance; the one of which is named in the end of the verſe, hope, and ſet out in ſtate, as it faſtens upon its higheſt and laſt object Chriſt in Heaven, the hope of glory. The other is mentioned in the beginning of the verſe, and called, foreign, deſire to know, affection to divine revelation above all things, to be well acquainted with the glorious myſtery which belongs to faith and ſalvation; to all which the will of God hath given concurrence, in order to us Gentiles, after a ſpeciall manner. [To whom God would make known] what is the riches of the glory of this myſtery, &c.
Would make [known] foreign the word ſignifies deſirous to know. Longing paſſions ſtir, when the ſoule is made alive. A Chriſtian is a hungry thirſty man: Hee bares alwaies, and yet travels alwaies, ever bearing, and yet ever budding and bloſſoming, as ſome Apple-trees which have buds and bloſſomes upon them at the ſame time when full of ripe fruit. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life: his affection, action, his motion Heaven-ward hath life in it, everlaſting life, tis as a tree that is growing, above ground or under ground, upward or downward, in root or branch, alwaies. Tis an expreſſion in oppoſition to an hypocrite, or one which beares much one yeare, and dies the next. His love withers, it doth foreign, fall off, as the Apoſtle expreſſes it, as blaſted bloſſomes. The affection of a Chriſtian doth not ſo, tis as that tree of life in Eden, pleaſant, fragrant, growing alwaies; yea (tis that tree of life) Chriſt in the ſoule, Chriſt in you.
The diſhes at Wiſdomes table are all very delightfull, and all carriage and entertainment there is very drawing, which is the ground we run ſtill after him. In this mountaine ſhall the Lord make a feaſt of fat things, a feaſt of Wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow; and to hint to you that none of theſe are cloying, but very inviting, he addes, Wine on the lees, well refined, Eſay 25.6. all Divine diſtribution, how fat, how rich ſoever, are ſo refined, that they delight much, but not ſatiate nor ſurfeit a jot, that one may ſit at Table alwaies, and feaſt alwaies, as they doe above: they have ſuch an art above, to renge their Bread, and to refine their Wine, and to order every diſh, that they are alwaies feaſting, and alwaies taken, and raviſht, not at any time cloyed with their dainties. All the ſoule dainties which we have here below, are cooked and ordered above; the Manna of the Iſraelites was from Heaven ready cookt and dreſt for any ones eating, and ſo ſent down to earth. I will raine Bread from Heaven, ſaith the Lord; it came down Bread, ranged, baked, all done above; ready for any ones nouriſhment below, without any uſe of mans paines or art: ſo doth all our ſoule diſhes and dainties; yea all our ſoule rayments and ornaments, lawrels and priviledges, all that belongs to a Chriſtian as a Chriſtian, is ſhaped and ordered in Heaven; and this is the reaſon that all are ſtill taking, inviting, and making appetite more ſtrong; what ever one have, or what ever one knowes, yet ſtill to deſire foreign, deſire to have and to know more.
It comes to paſſe alſo from the pleaſure of Chriſt, he loves to lie by ſtreames and ſprings, where waters bubble up and runne continually; he loves brookes to runne alwaies by his doores where he lodges, as the Poets of old and men of high fancy, they delighted much to lie by ſprings and fountaines: therefore Chriſt cals for praying evermore, and rejoycing alwaies; he loves to have ſalt water and freſh, teares and triumphs, freſh motion of ſoule ſtill ſpring out. Therefore when he comes to refreſh thirſty ground, he doth not content himſelfe to ſay, that it ſhall have the former and the latter raine, and dewes from Heaven every night, though this be much, but that the parcht grounds ſhall become a poole, and thirſty lands [ſprings of water,] Eſay 35.7. it ſhall be thus: his pleaſure is to live by wells and ſprings, pooles that bubble up continually.
Ʋſe Conſider the bleſſedneſſe of a Chriſtian by this point, and become in love with it; he is alwaies in game hunting after Chriſt, and the myſteries of eternity, ſporting and ſolacing upon things infinitely ſweet. What the Scripture ſpeakes of the naturall man, that in an oppoſite ſence may I of the ſpirituall. Man is borne to trouble and vexation, as the ſparkes to fly upward; ſo is a Chriſtian, borne to delight and pleaſure: he is a ſparke alwaies flying upwards, and entring himſelfe in Heaven. Motion keepes warmth, warmth keepes health, health is the baſis of all delight and pleaſure. An healthy perſon makes muſicke and mirth with any thing. Motion alwaies towards Chriſt, and towards the Sunne, I am ſure keepes warmth and health; our woing and annointing of Chriſt, tis workes ſweet to ones ſelfe, as well as to Chriſt: all graces are freſh and thriving whilſt watered with ſighs and teares after more. A ſpirit ſound and healthy within it ſelfe makes all things without, how broken, ſickly, conſuming ſoever, matter of content, joy, and praiſe. A Chriſtian whilſt laying out, whilſt filling his box with precious Oyntment, powring it out upon Chriſt, he doth make a ſweet odour all the houſe over, he refreſheth Chriſt, his brethren, and himſelfe. All Divine induſtry is ſuccesfull, ſucceſſe is the honey, and the ſweet of labour: A man ſeekes and finds when he ſeekes after Divine things; a man that ſeekes God findes him, finding God is very ſweet: A man that thus knockes, there is opening. Life comes in by putting out a little; two talents bring in five, five bring in ten, this makes triumph and praiſe: he that gets the incombe of Heaven, he that grows rich in God cannot but be and doe as they above, very bleſſed, and triumph much: this is the reaſon of that expreſſion. They that ſeeke afto… the Lord ſhall praiſe him, Pſalm 22.26. Such as are inquirers and ſearchers,Gen. 45.27. and mourners after the Lord, their hearts live; that is, ſolaced, abundantly cheared; tis explained by that ſpeech of Jacob when he ſaw the Waggons which Joſeph had ſent to tranſport him, his heart livd againe, that is, he was abundantly cheared and comforted. If this Scripture be not cleare enough read Pſalm 84. verſ. 6. Who paſſing through the valley of Baca or Mulbery-trees, make [him] a well. This is ſpoken of them which were travelling toward Jeruſalem, thirſting after Ordinances and ſpirituall meanes, and the raine filled their pooles. Such hungry ſoules which are as empty ponds, gaping as it were to Heaven with wide mouth for repleniſhing, the Heavens open and fill theſe. Raine ſignifies grace and the miniſtration thereof in the Word. Drop downe ye Heavens from above, and let the skie poure downe righteouſneſse, Eſay 45.8. that is, let Chriſt poure downe grace upon ſoules that are as thirſty Land, which are as Daniel, perſons full of deſires.
As deſirers to know and gaine, are ſuch bleſſings to themſelves, ſo to the Land wherein they live; tranſparent things are not only their owne beauty, but the beauty of things that are neere them: the ſparkling of a Pearle is not onelyonly its owne beauty but the beauty of the ring and the finger on which it is. Chriſtians that know, and deſire ſtill to know, that know and follow on to know the riches of the glory of the myſtery of the Goſpell, theſe are precious ſtones, living ſtones, as Peter cals them, ſparkling Pearles, which are not onelyonly their owne glory, their owne proſperity and ſafety, but the glory, proſperity, and ſafety of the Land wherein they live. Runne through Jeruſalem, through every ſtreet thereof, and ſee now and know, ſee if there be a man that executes judgement, [and ſeeketh after the truth] and I will pardon Jeruſalem. Interpret theſe words which way you will, they are ſtrong to our purpoſe. If you thinke they mean morall truth, and execution of juſtice man to man; then thus I inferre, if ſeeking and thirſting, and diligence to be cleare and perfect this way, be a ſafety to a Land, and that faithfull Magiſtrates, and civill Governours, be the protection of a State, much more faithfull Chriſtians and diligent Saints, that ſearch and ſeeke after the higheſt truths, and the execution of the higheſt juſtice, the fulfilling of the firſt Table of Gods will, are a grand bleſſing to a Land; but I thinke the words cannot be taken in ſuch a ſtrict ſenſe, all their Lawes were Divine, rightly underſtood, a totum homogeneum, given by God, and ſuited to that brave body, and not to be divided, no more then Chriſts will is now to be divided in any thing which he hath expreſly preſcribed. By truth therefore is meant Chriſt and his will, all that belongs to him in order to us; and by ſeeking truth is meant labour and diligence, as longing Chriſtians exactly to know and doe the will of God: this very phraſe is uſed by the Apoſtle to the Romans, There is none that ſeeketh after God, they are all gone out of the way foreign exquirere, the word notes diligent and painfull ſearching out of things, through ſearch till what is ſearcht after be found out; but thus theſe did not doe, and therefore were blind, and as full ſoules they were idle, and overly in the ſeeking after truth; and ſo ſutable was their light and life, and therefore caſt off. How contrary to right judgement, and to the welfare of this Land are they that ſeeke not after God themſelves but ſeeke after lies, and hate and perſecute them that doe otherwiſe, and labour to poſſeſſe authority that ſuch as are deſirous to know more of the Lords will, and are earneſt endeavourers to doe it better and better, are the onelyonly overthrowers of the Land, and therefore worthy to be throwne out on't. Tis againſt reaſon and againſt nature, as well as againſt religion: Bees throw out drones out of their hives, but doe they throw out them that are diligent, moſt diligent to bring in moſt and beſt honey? Men that thus ſpeake and act ſhould be thought of as they are, and made to taſte of the fruit of their bad zeale, the Land would ſoon be a ſorry place for thee, if ſuch as thou hateſt were out on't. What is hungring and thirſting after the world, ripping up the bowels of conſcience to finde out more myſteries of iniquity, more crafty wilds in trading and traffiquing for gaine? diggers and ſearchers in the earth, plunderers of Saints, ſanctity, conſcience, and Chriſt; are men of theſe ſpirits the onelyonly ſafety and the onelyonly bleſſing of a Land? God forbid it ſhould enter into any ſoule to thinke ſo.
Such as would be deſirous to know and cannot, muſt remember this one thing, the heart muſt ſtand right to doe, or elſe the former cannot be; deſires to know ſprings from integrity of intention to doe. My ſoule breaketh for the longing it hath to thy Commandements at all times. Davids ſpirit was ſet for action, the influence of this made that ſtrength of affection, ſoule-breaking, and ſoule-longing. There be many damps and earth-quakes in an unſound ſpirit, theſe put out lights, flames and blazes. A heart unſound, hath love bending ſtill ſome other way, then to that truth to which it ſeemes to pretend; water that hath fit and full paſſage under earth, will not ſpring and bubble up above it. Our Saviour ſpeaking of trying times, ſaith, that the love of many will wax cold. When earthly things are going, the heart (as it is earthy, and hypocriticall) will be moſt greedy after them, and die in order to the purſuit of Divine things, to ſave the life of carnall; let us all take heed of this.
Ile ſpeake a word to a caſe of conſcience, and conclude. I am deſirous and induſtrious to know, and to get Divine things, but I can make nothing of it. I am ever learning, but never come to the knowledge of the truth. To this I anſwer, Honey dewes you know fall in very ſmall drops, ſo ſmall that tis too bigge a word to call them drops, if I knew what elſe to call them; diſtillation as Balme, very ſmall. In the warres which Alexander mannaged in Jury, the holy Land where this Balme grew, hiſtory ſaith the whole Army thought it well if they could gather a ſpoonfull in a Summers day: So if we can in the length of our whole life, by all our travell and induſtry, ſearching and ſeeking, get but a little of the Balme of Gilead, a little more of the knowledge and love of Chriſt then we have, we ſhould account it well, and not dejectedly complaine.