England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 90
COLOS. 1.29.
According to his working.
DIvine action according to its firſt cauſe, is here mentioned: Firſt Chriſt workes, and then a Chriſtian. Chriſt is the Prince of life; ye have denied the holy one, and killed the Prince of life, Acts 3.15. That is the prime and firſt maker and breather of life: as Chriſt is the Prince of life, ſo he is the Prince of all the acts of life; that is, the preparations of the heart in man, as well as the anſwer of the tongue, are from the Lord. Ere divine actions are attempted, there are great thoughts of heart in a good man. How ſhall I move in this action congruous to the will of Chriſt? a Chriſtian travels ſtill to bring forth; now theſe travellings of the ſoule, as well as the birth it ſelf, are all from Chriſt; the training and exercizing of armes, as well as the fight and conqueſt. He workes the will and the deed of his good pleaſure. There is a firſt mover in order to the whole, and a firſt mover in order to the parts: the will is the firſt mover in order to the parts; not an organ or faculty ſtirres, not a thought workes or ſits up a moment, with any content about any thing, till firſt the will will it: this firſt mover is not independent, not the originall of its owne influence upon other faculties: the firſt mover in order to the whole, moves the will, which is Chriſt; he gives the very deſires and inclinations of the heart to things that are heavenly; according to his working, wee ſtir and work, the expreſſion meanes this, that what we are as Chriſtians intentionally or actually, in thought, word, or deed, we are wholly of Chriſt.
Three words will compriſe all that belongs to a Chriſtian, though three thouſand words will not expreſſe it, efficiency, ſufficiency, al-ſufficiency, and all theſe are of Chriſt. The firſt term compriſes the very being of a Chriſtian, eſse Chriſtianum: A Chriſtian preciſely ſo conſidered, that is, as divine life and ſoule is together, as one would ſay, and he is as Melchiſedeske without father and mother, without any propagator in all the world but Chriſt: there is much variety of things in the world, and yet all of very knowne and very low birth; ſome are borne of bloud, that is, of very corruption, of very filth and excrement, which we call a praeternaturall Generation; others are borne of the will of the fleſh; that is, of a naturall Generation; others of the will of man, that is an artificiall Generation, as all your ſtructures of art and ingenuity, which are the birth of mens braines: but a Chriſtian is none of theſe births, he came none of theſe wayes into this World, hee is of God; which were borne not of bloud nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God, 1 John, which is explained in the verſes foregoing and applied to God-man, to wit Chriſt, to as many as received him, meaning believers, to them gave [hee] power to be called the Sonnes of God. The reception of Chriſt makes the conception of a Chriſtian; as ſoone as the Babe ſtirres in the wombe, as ſoone as love-thoughts begin to leape in the ſoule, towards Chriſt and the things of Heaven, that very quickning is from the power of Chriſt. The Sonne hath power to quicken whom he will, and none elſe.
The power of Chriſt doth make life, and makes this life more abundant, that is, ſtrong enough to ſhew it ſelfe in every action as ſuch a life, as ſuch a noble-natured thing. Not onelyonly our efficiency but our ſufficency is of Chriſt. The being of grace and the lively actions of grace, ſuch a potent and vigorous being. 'Tis common to miſtake ſpeciall things: a Chriſtian man is a likely man to act Chriſtianly, therefore an able man, 'twill not follow: for life and ſtrength, are two things: a creature may have a ſpecificall life, proper enough to ſuch a noble buſineſſe, and yet not be able to doe it. As ſome workes and actions are proper to a rationall Life, to a creature indowed with reaſon, and yet ſuch a creature not able to do ſuch workes, becauſe not indowed with reaſon enough: 'tas efficiency but not ſufficiency, 'tas not the maturity of its being, the complement of its kind. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of himſelfe as a Chriſtian, and in the perſon of Chriſtians, yea, and ſpeaking all this as under great advantages, yet diſclaimes a ſufficiency as ſuch a perſon, to act like himſelfe; as a good man, to thinke a good thought; or as a good gifted man, to preach a good Sermon; not that [wee] are ſufficient of our ſelves to thinke any thing as of our ſelves, but [our ſufficiency] is of God which makes us able Miniſters of the new Teſtament. 2 Cor. 3.5. ſufficiency hath its birth from God as well as efficiency; one degree of grace, doth not forme another, but every degree form'd by Chriſt. There is the grace of being, and the grace of ſtrengthning: the ſufficiency of a Chriſtian to act as ſuch a noble perſon, beares upon the latter. I can doe all things through Chriſt that [ſtrengthens mee] hee doth not ſay through Chriſt that hath given mee life, but through Chriſt that gives concurrence and ſufficiency to this life, in order to all that is to be performed by it. The word ſtrengthen which the Apoſtle uſeth in the place before mentioned, is rendered by a very fit word foreign in-ſtrengthning or corroberation, as one would ſay, an Oake and an Oake: there muſt be an Oake and an Oake, life and ſtrengthning, life and life more abundantly; this is the ability of the ſoule to all things: his making, and his working and ſtrengthning after made, which is cal'd a workeing hitherto. My Father and I worke hitherto: we ſtrive according to preſent working: not according to firſt making: striving according to his [working] which worketh in mee.
There is ſufficiency and all-ſufficiency a man foreign, able to all things. A Chriſtian is ſtrong in one grace, and weake in an other: ſtrong at one time, and weake at another: this is almoſt every ones caſe: there is a ſtate above all theſe ebbings and flowings poſſible, a generall ſufficiency, a generall Chriſtian, an al-ſufficiency, an abounding not in one grace but in all, not at one time onelyonly, but at all times, in health, ſickneſſe, in plenty, in poverty: a full Sea that hath no ebbe, at no houre in the day, no at no ſeaſon in the yeare; of ſuch an eſtate as this doth the Apoſtle ſpeake, 2 Cor. 9.8.9. God is able to make all grace abound towards us, that wee alwayes having all ſufficiency in all things, may abound to every good worke. Wealth is an ambiguous terme, when we ſay ſuch a one hath a great eſtate; we aske, wherein? in Money? or in Land? or in Houſes? in Wares? or in Jewells, or the like? few perſons have a great eſtate in all theſe, and yet its poſſible there may be a generall rich man, rich in every thing that is riches; rich in Money, rich in Land, rich in Jewells, rich in Houſes, &c. So there may be a generall rich man ſpiritually, rich in Faith, rich in Hope, rich in Love; abounding in this gift, in that gift, in every gift, That ſpeaks Chriſtianity: if there bee any ſuch, al-ſufficient man, 'tis of Chriſt, being inriched [in every thing] to all bountifulneſſe] which cauſeth through us thanksgiving to God, 2 Cor. 9.11. if there be any generall rich man, inriched to every thing, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, hee tells us to whom it muſt bee acknowledged; to God.
All good is of Chriſt; habit, act; nothing is of us, in me dwells no good; no mans ſtate is hopefull till this principle be well ſetled in the ſoule. Mortall Diſeaſes makes ſometimes but little ſymptome: 'tis ſo frequently concerning the ſoule; Pride is a mortall malady, a ſoule that complements with Chriſt, about his eternall condition, wants are ſo few in number, and ſo ſmall of conſequence; the ſymptome of this is a ſenſleſſe ſpirit at the Throne of grace: God hath many a lie told to his face. God I thanke thee I am not as ſuch and ſuch, J am in a very hopefull ſtate over many are, for I doe this and that. There is a ſtroaking of ſelfe in and after ſome performances: ſometimes God is told of it, but often man: 'tis an implicite contradiction of the point in hand, all is not of Chriſt, ſomething is of the man himſelfe: hee obſerves his crawlings in Divine things, and they are very glorious in his eye, but doth not obſerve the Toade in his belly that he crawles with, to wit, ſelfe. Selfe-action hath this property, a man is much taken with his own motion; ſome Artiſts will pride themſelves much in a peice they draw themſelves, and will plead for it much, though there be little Art or Workemanſhip in it in compariſon of that which ſome others draw. Swallowes catch vermin as they flee: when they flee high, 'tis after Flies: when they flee low, 'tis after Flies: they live upon the vermine of their motion, and keepe their wings ſo long and ſo ſtrong, with the imperfect animall they flee after. Chriſtianity of this property is common, but I like it not: the mans Religion is ſometimes of a higher and nobler, ſometimes of a meaner and lower ſtraine, as will beſt correſpond obſervers but ſtill in its ſcope, one, to catch Flies, to live upon ſome imperfect thing that is met with in the motion; and when no Flies can be catcht, neither by flying high, nor flying low, no carnall incouragement, then keepe the neaſt, the houſe, and do nothing. Chriſtians that live upon the vermin of their motion, are up and downe, high and low, very uncertaine in ſanctity and conſolation, and this may characteriſe every man to himſelfe, that is not practically cleare in this point, that habit and act are both of Chriſt.
By-things lookt at, cannot bring in nor beare up, ſuch a noble life as we pretend to when we profeſſe a religious life; this life is according to every dram drawne from Chriſt, 'tis not from the ſpeciouſneſſe of our owne action, nor from other folkes incouragement. This time is full of ſtraits, externall ingagements byaſſe men much, about internall and externall things; if this temptation were over ſaith one, I would take a better courſe. No thou wouldſt not: courage to the things that are noble, ſprings not from any earthly advantage; if all ſecular authority in the Land, ſhould ſay, they would ſecure thee, for any dammage that thou ſhouldeſt ſuffer, in purſuite of ſuch a Religious cauſe, yet would thine owne heart fall off like the Jſraelites from entring the holy Land, and thou wouldeſt as they, ſtep back, when at the doore ready to enter, who though Moſes and Aaron bid them to enter, yet they fell off: ſo though Parliament and Synod were at thy back, and did incourage thee to enter, yet if thou have no other incouragement, thou wilt not ſtep a ſtep in the wayes of God; by the grace of God J am that J am, ſaith Paul; let all the men in the World be never ſo gratious to thee, yet wilt thou be as ungratious as thou art, to the day of thy death, if the grace of Chriſt do not put Spirit and Life into thee.
Externall inducement is nothing; that mans Religion is nothing that thinks otherwiſe, and 'twill prove ſo to his ſhame and loſſe, if his eyes be not opened to ſee it. If a man ſpeake meerly of a naturall life, that is, a life as a man, as ſuch a creature, then a man may ſay of externall good things, as Hezekiah of health and ſtrength, and other outward advantages, in theſe is the life of my ſpirit: but if you ſpeake of Divine Life, life to that which is Heavenly; in riches, honours, friends, parts, in no exernall thing, in no internall thing, but in Chriſt, is the life of my ſpirit; according to his working, not according to my own working, ſhall I worke for God, and for his glory. Stratagents and wiles, is much made uſe of in theſe times of woe; Satan uſes it too: ſtay ſaith hee, till Parliament and Synod put life into thee, till they doe this, and they do that, ('tis good to honour authority, in that which is proper to ſuch authority) but ſo you may ſtay till the ſword of Gods wrath that is in the Land kill you all. Worke according to his working within you, and take heed of checking this, to waite for others working without you, to ſet you forward; ſtrangle the quicknings of the ſpirit, and expect quicknings from men, and thou wilt be executed by conſcience for the greateſt murtherer in the World.
Our life beares upon the operation of Chriſt. Lets make Chriſt the fountaine, and then lets draw as much water of life from him as may bee. You ſee how exact and expreſſe the proportion is made, betweene Chriſts operation and our life; ſuch operation; ſuch life; we ſtrive according to his working: therefore lets ſet Chriſt at worke hard, and get as much divine operation and life from him as may be. Divine operation is the choyſeſt mercy in the World; how full of life is my ſpirit when in the Hands of God! when hee hath it working and moulding of it! commend thy ſpirit therefore often into his hands, ſend him much worke. Spirits are ſo much imployed and over-wrought in the World, that Chriſt hath little or no work ſent him, no houſe nor ſhop to work in. A man? no: an image ſtands before God in duty, a thing without a ſoule; no ſpirit ſent to God to talk with: no ſoule, no child of the ſoul at home, to tell where the Parent is: children of the ſoule, I meane thoughts & deſires, all ſacrificed to devills, at the end of the earth; and thus farre from home muſt abide, and never be ſent for home, who ere come to viſit them, though it be Chriſt himſelf: what Divine operation can be in the ſoule, when the ſoule is ſo given up to gadd after worldy things? Divine operation is a very retired act two great Pears in conference & may not be interrupted (things in diſcuſſe, being of ſuch great concernment,) the Spirit of God and the ſpirit of man. Divine operation, it is a viſion from Heaven; of property like that of Pauls, that bindes the ſoule in order to all carnall objects that may make the minde gad; and in this viſion as in that is a voyce, a ſtill voyce, Saul, Saul, ſinner, ſinner why doſt thou do this and that againſt me? but this ſtill voyce, is full of life to the ſoule that ſtilly liſtens, this operation of Chriſt ſilenceth that noyſe which is in the ſoule, by the operation of other things, and then is there a voyce from Heaven to the ſoule, come up hither O ſoule, thou muſt be above this and that, for the tranquillity and felicity of thy life. Theſe are the operations of God, in which is the life and Heaven of man. All divine operation hath voyce, the word and the ſpirit goe together ſtill, Chriſt workes and talkes, makes peace and ſpeakes peace, makes war, and ſpeakes it to conſcience. You might know what God is a working in your ſoules, hee ſpeakes it now and then very plaine to conſcience: you that have eares to heare what the ſpirit ſaith; the ſpirit workes, and then it ſpeakes what it workes; the ſpirit [ſaith] now and then in ſtill weather, if you liſten now and then you may heare what it ſaith. The ſpirit and the word go together, one moves and quickens the ſoule by the other, Hell-ward or Heaven-ward; the one ſhould be much dreaded and the other much deſired; Divine operation is a thing of the greateſt concernment in the World, 'tis as the ſpirits in the blood; if the Pulſe beate and worke not, ſpirits are all waſted, death is ſeized upon the ſtate. Sinners, I know not how God workes in your ſoules, how hee hath ſtirred, or how he doth: onelyonly know this, when he leaves pulſation, that is, ceaſeth knocking, know that your life is departed: the operation and the pulſation of God, is the life of the ſoule; the life of the ſoules, is the bleſſedneſſe of the ſoule; as I am lively and agile in divine things, carried upon Eagles wings to God in all duties, ſo am I in Heaven. Get as much therefore of this operation and life, as you can. I ſpeake this, becauſe there is a great difference in Divine operation. There is an operation that makes foreign to will, and there is an operation that makes foreign all readineſse of minde to will, 2 Cor. 8.11. Act. 17.11. they received the word with all readineſſe of minde, ſpeaking of the noble Bereans. There is a great difference betweene Divine operations, and this makes a great difference betweene Chriſtian and Chriſtian, one farre more noble then an other; Theſe were more noble then thoſe of Theſſalonica, in that they received the word with all readineſſe of minde; there was not onelyonly foreign but foreign. Willing, but all readineſſe to will, all ſtrength and life of affection to Chriſt and the Goſpell, which is the Nobility of a Chriſtian: Theſe are the Noble operations that I would have you long and looke after.