Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland, Sermon 7
USEFULL INSTRVCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times.
COLOSS. 1.11.
—According to his Glorious power, &c.
ALL Starres are glorious, but ſome are very neere the Sun, and double in magnitude and glory, and as a ſun in compariſon of other ſtars. All diſpenſations of grace are glorious, but ſome exceede in glory; ſo full of Chriſt and glory, that they give a great reſemblance in the heart, of his triumphant ſtate in glory, and ſet the ſoule as in the borders of Heaven, when the body is in the belly of Hell: this is here called glorious power, as appeares by the expreſſions following—unto all patience and long-ſuffering with joyfulneſſe. He ſpeaks of ſuch an aſſiſting power, as is ſuperior to all oppoſing power, and makes up of it ſelfe to the ſoule, whatſoever the Creature could, and much more.
—According to his glorious power.
Doct. WE are come now to the ſight of the holy-Land: there be glimpſes of Heaven upon Earth; power workes glitteringly and gloriouſly here. Chriſt hath a glorious Dominion in dying man, Strengthened with all might according to his loving glorious power, &c.
Things which give being, give beauty and being, glory and being; Eſſe, & tale eſſe: eſſe, et radiatum eſſe, Splendidum eſſe, Nature hath a power to put forth, and a power to ſhape unto beauty and glory: the earth gives vertue and glory; life and beauty which makes the earth ſuch a glorious foote-ſtoole under us; So doe the Heavens give influence and glory: the Sun derives not onelyonly influence, but its very glory to the Sars, which makes the Heavens ſuch a fruitfull and ſuch a glorious Canope over us. So doth the Sun of righteouſneſſe give glory and vertue.—We are called to glory and vertue. According as his Divine power hath given us all things that pertaine unto life and godlineſſe, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to—glory and vertue. 2 Pet. 1.3. Divine power makes vertue, glory and vertue; that is grate unto a glorious and very Heavenly height; grace unto tranquillity and tryumph, let diſadvantages in the World be what they will. Hee ſpake this to ſufferers; they might thinke their calling to be to nothing but miſery, or at leaſt to nothing but naked godlineſſe and Goſpell-profeſſion which expoſes to much hardſhip; no, ſaith he, yee are called to more then naked vertue, then meere conſcience according to ſuch Goſpell-prnciples, yee are called to glory and vertue, to the participation of ſuch vertue, as will worke gloriouſly, and never leave working ſo, let what oppoſition ſoever be made, till it riſe above all oppoſition unto all glory.
Divine power workes in order to truth. The promiſe to us Gentiles is (which ſtand not in the firſt and prime relation, not in the higheſt ſphere of love) reſt, yea glorious reſt; diſpenſations ſo rich as to riſe unto glory, joy and tryumph as their reſt above is. And in that day there ſhall be a roote of Jeſſe ſtand for an enſigne of the people, to it ſhall the Gentiles ſeeke, and his reſt ſhall be glorious: glory, ſaith the Originall (i) a reſt ſo glorious, as ſhall be very neere that glory which is above. He ſhall quiet guilty conſcience, and crown it; ſprinckle it, and adorne it; hee ſhall give a ſpirit of Peace, and a ſpirit of tryumph; a glorious reſt, a reſt next to that above, where there is no reſtleſſeneſſe, nor any thing wanting that may make the ſoule fully happy. The promiſe is, a Lord, and a glorious Lord; ſtreames, yea, Rivers, broad Rivers. But there the glorious Lord will be unto us, a place of broad Rivers and ſtreames, &c. The expreſſions note Divine Power working gloriouſly,Iſa. 33.21. in the Kingdome of grace; raiſing grace here under the Goſpell to a glorious height; a power ſetting the ſoule in Heaven, the body being in Earth, the ſoule in glory, though the body in ſhame. Theſe are the words of promiſe: now the worke of power is to make words of promiſe words of truth; to accompliſh truth; to give full being to all that God hath ſaid, that not a tittle fall to the ground. Power workes gloriouſly neceſſarily, as engaged by promiſe.
Divine power workes in order to dignity and majeſty, as well as in order to truth. Chriſt hath a Kingdome and a throne here, as well as above, and Kingdomes and thrones muſt not onelyonly have power ſimplicitèr, but power ornatè, not onelyonly a power which is abſolutely neceſſary to uphold the being of ſuch a thing, but power alſo to adorne, dignify, and felicitate ſuch a being upheld. Kings and Kingdomes have a power unto glory, as well as a power unto life and lively-hood. I will faſten him as a naile in a ſure place, and hee ſhall be for a glorious throne unto his Fathers houſe. Iſa. 22.23. Power workes in order to ſtate, as well as in order to truth —he ſhall be for a glorious throne. We are Kings and therefore muſt neceſſarily have power ornatè, power gloriouſly working in us; grace, and grace unto glory; being, and triumphing: There is being in Chriſt and triumping in Chriſt; triumphing, is glorious power, and this neceſſarily belongs to a crown a Kingdom.
Power workes in Order to expreſſe words, and to types and ſhadowes; it doth in the new houſe, as it did in the Old, and more. They had preſence; filling preſence, glorious filling preſence. The glory of the Lord filled that houſe, ſo doth this; power workes thus ſtill; preſence, filling preſence and glorious filling preſence; There is grace, riches of grace, and exceeding riches; an inheritance, riches of inheritance, and riches of glory, and all in the Saints.— That you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory, of his inheritance in the Saints. Eph. 1. They had aide and glorious aide under the old Covenant, power and glorious power, ſo have wee; and much more: our Miniſtration doth exceed in glory ſaith the Apoſtle, by how much nearer all glory then they. Power workes and will worke ſtill more and more glorious within and without as the Chriſtian world drawes nearer and nearer full glory, as all things worke ſtronge ſtneareſt their ſpring and riſe. Power workes gloriouſly now, but it will worke far more gloriouſly every day then other; the Moone will become a Sun, and the Sun ſeven fold more glorious then now it is.
Power workes in order to its own abſolute nature. Nothing is too hard for Divine power; it will worke like it ſelfe in any thing; in any ſubject, in any place, under any diſadvantage; 'twill make barren joyfull, baniſhed joyfull, 'twill make Heaven in a furnace, Heaven in hell, Steven found it ſo; 'twill worke gloriouſly in Heaven, 'twill worke gloriouſly in earth, in duſt; 'twill worke gloriouſly in man, in beaſt, in any creature; 'twill make man allmighty women, children, any as it liſts: Its abſolute, and workes ſo; it can doe any thing and doth ſo; it can worke gloriouſly in a dunghill, and workes as it can; puts forth according to its ſupream, and glorious nature. 'Tis ſayd of Chriſt that he manifeſted forth his glory when he did that firſt miracle of turning the water into Wine: there he wrought,John 2.11. and put forth as hee was; glorious power then began to worke; according to its own abſolute and glorious nature. As every thing doth, and will neceſſarily worke, according to its own nature; what glory any flowe hath cloſed up in its nature, and within its one bud, it will put forth. The reſult of all is this, power works gloriouſly, neceſſarily, naturally; in a way of grace, and engaged providence, and not gloriouſly in way of miracle now under the Goſpell.
So much to be had, and ſo litle enjoyed makes mee wonder and grieve: grace communicable, and grace unto glory, and yet men have no grace, Heaven communicable, and yet men in hell, glory communicable, and yet many in ſinne, in ſhame; how comes this? England is rich and yet many beggars and tatter'd Creatures, neither foode nor clothing: is all well order'd? doth every one worke hard? were every one diligent might they not live well in England? is there not plenty of bread, plenty of clothing; fine bread, glorious apparell; Heaven drops and it drops fatneſſe, why are your ſoules ſo leane? in your fathers houſe is bread enough; feaſting, banqueting, junketing, glorious diſhes in wiſdomes houſe, how is it that you have nothing? not enough to hold life and ſoule together? power workes gloriouſly, you feele none; under the power of ſinne, as if there were no power of God at all working in the World.
Sinners, the firſt thing that I have to tell you from this point is that, you are wholly without excuſe. There is power enough working to ſubdue the ſtrongeſt luſt, what then can you plead? will not glorious power lead captivity, captive? kill killing ſinnes? men ſinne and lay it upon their weakneſſe, and ſo reſt and rub on? ah Lord! what a life is this GOD will judge you, and lay it upon your wickedneſſe; is not glorious power able to relieve in any ſtate? weakeneſſe becomes wickedneſſe as it is reſted in, and pleaded for: a ſoule given to ſhifting hath no mind to leave his ſinne, there is no damning temper but this. This is one principle that ſprings from this point there muſt be no pleading for ſin; no not for any ſinne, though never ſo great and ſtrong, the remedy is ſo ready, ſo gloriouſly all ſufficient.
A ſecond principle that ſprings from this point, is this. That ſinne hath its notorious aggravation: how great is that ſinne which is committed under the neglect of glorious power! within the reach of a glorious arme! GOD doth number ſinne, and meaſure ſinne, he gives it a name, and a proper name: ſinne, and ſuch a ſinne, he calls it by its kinde, and by its colour, skarlet and crimſon. As there is a glorious power, ſo there bee glorious ſinnes, Splendida peccata, skarlet, crimſon ſinnes, and theſe are ſuch as are committed againſt glorious meanes, glorious light, grace, and aid. Sinne is aggravated but from one ſtander by, but he is more then all, more then a thouſand witneſſes.
Who did heare? who did ſee? who did accuſe? who did grieve? who would have relieved? what power had his to relieve? ſo will GOD plead with poore ſinners; ſo will hee circumſtance, and take the dimenſion of your ſinnes, theſe little daſhes and ſtrokes by the firſt line will draw it forth to a great breadth, and make it looke very broad, blacke, and bloudy; the ground-worke, and firſt draught thus filld up, will make the face of ſinne looke very ugly. Sinners you ſinne under obſervation: yea, that's not all, you ſinne under aggravation, this will bring condemnation, the condemnation, This is the condemnation that light is come into the World, &c. Power, glorious power, workes in the World and yet men lie in their ſinnes.
Ʋſe. At what height you ſinne, ſinners, at that height you will periſh. Power that workes gloriouſly to ſave, will worke to condemne, if neglected; if it cannot get the firſt end it will get the ſecond; GOD never loſeth all by any man. All? he never loſeth any thing: at what rate he workes hee will bee paid or pay himſelfe, Power keepes at it's height, if it be mighty and glorious to ſave and yet cannot, becauſe rejected▪ 'twill be mighty and glorious to condemne and not to be evaded. Power can right it ſelfe, and keepe up its glory at a pinch though ſinners cannot.
Lets here a little admire the miſery of men, that lie in their ſinnes, from the point in hand. What worke will glorious power make when ſet againſt a man, againſt a worme, and no man; againſt a ſinner a Creature worſe then a Worme, one that hath not ſo much, as the ſimplicity of its being, to ſhelter it, as a Worm hath; glorious power, it will worke wonders to make you miſerable, 'twill turne it ſelfe into a hand, a deadly hand, writing ſinne in the wall ſtill whereſoever yee become; 'twill make ſinne ever before you: My ſinne is ever before me ſayth David. If it can do ſo in reference to a child of God, much more will it in reference to a wicked man: power 'twill give ſinne a ſhape, a ſtareing ghaſtly ſhape, that ſhall ſtare you in the face, where ever yee are or goe, as ſome pictures very artificially drawne will looke upon one which way ſoever one goes. Power, 'twill make ſinne never to looke off you, nor you never be able to looke off it: glorious power, 'twill turne ſinne into a Ghoſt and make it haunt you up and downe the World, from Eden to the Land of Nod, from Eaſt to Weſt, and weary you of your lives.
Glorious power will bring judgement to your doores; Hell, home; 'twill ſet your Coffin, your black bearers ready, at your heeles, and make your conſcience tell you as hee did Ananias, they are at the doore which are ready to carry you, to your long home, 'twill make your ſin finde you out; 'twill turne your ſinne into a Bloud-hound, and make it finde you out whereſoever you be, and pull you by the Throat.—Your ſinnes ſhall finde you out, ſaith he to the Reubenites, glorious power will pull you downe if your neſt were in the ſtarres; 'twill fetch you up, if you were in the bottome of the deepe. Glorious power can make a Purſivant to finde you, and fetch you, from the ends of the Earth, to judgement, and to your place. Glorious power can put you into darkeneſſe, into utter darkeneſſe, into blackneſſe and darkeneſſe as Jude ſpeakes, into exquiſite darkeneſſe, and yet where you ſhall ſee exquiſitely, to wit, ſpirits which here you cannot do; damned ſpirits; ſpirits burnt black with everlaſting burning; ſpirits, flaming ſpirits; ſpirits all a fire, burned and burning, ſucking in, and breathing forth in one anothers face nothing but fire, unquenchable fire.
Glorious power can put you into darkeneſſe (yea) under darkeneſſe, they are reſerved under darkeneſſe ſaith Jude. Glorious power, can bundle up you, and bundle up darkneſſe, and put one bundle upon another, and put you under-moſt under all the waight of Hell: Chriſt can put all the waight of hell upon one curſed ſpirit. Glorious power can caſt you into the bottome of the bottomeleſſe pit; and chaine you there with everlaſting chaines—reſerved in everlaſting chaines, under darkeneſſe, unto the judgement of of the great day ſaith Jude. Theſe things, ſinners, have I ſpoken that you may dread glorious power, ſeeing you will not love it, and ſeeke out to be ſaved by it.
A fourth principle which ſprings out of this point, and which concerneth us all is; That our condition is very advanceable. Power workes gloriouſly, you may live, very neare Heaven, as well as very far of, if you will, you may ſee the holy Land, you may eat cluſters of the fruit of the Country above. As you order things you may live in Heaven or Hell here. Chriſtians I have a high queſtion to aske you, how neare Heaven do you live? doe you ſee it? do you feele it? did you ever? have you any bunches of the fruit of the holy Land? The ſpirit of God is in you, but is the ſpirit of glory, and of God in you? you have grace; but have you grace and peace? you may have grace and peace, but are theſe multiplied, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, to a glorious height? doth a glorious ſpirit and power dwell and worke in you? my Dove which art in the cleft of the Rockes (ſaith Chriſt) let mee ſee thy countenance, and heare thy voyce, &c. So ſay I to you Chriſtians which are in deſolate conditions mourning amongſt Rocks, and hard-ſhips like doves, let me ſee your countenance, let mee heare your voice, what is your peace, your joy, your love, your hope? all theſe are the rays and beams of a glorious power.
I have none ſays one, I never had ſays another I doubt whether ever I ſhall ſays an other, this laſt I like worſt, for ſurely hee is furtheſt off from the bleſſing of glorious power. There be but two things that I know which hinder power from working gloriouſly, glorifyingly in the ſoule, and they are ſinne loved and unbeliefe; I will inſiſt upon theſe a little, becauſe I would have thoſe that mourne, comforted; all that belong to Heaven, in Heaven. From ſinne no man can ceaſe, but ceaſe love to ſinne, if yee would have a Heaven upon earth, a glorious power and preſence of GOD in you. Render your ſpirits free to God, let them not be inſnar'd with any luſt, ſuch intanglement ſpoiles your glory, kills a glorious working ſpirit and power in you. Set wide open your hearts, thoſe everlaſting-doores to the King of Glory, and onelyonly, to the King of Glory, and the King of Glory in much glory wil come in; a glorious Throne will hee erect in your ſoules. Pure hearts ſee the Face of God; impure, onelyonly the black back-parts of GOD. Bleſſed are the pure in heart, they ſee GOD. The heart is pure as love is pure, love is pure as it goes all to Chriſt, to him that is all pure. As love goes all to Chriſt, ſo it turnes all into Heaven, in the heart; into glorious preſence. All our worke ſhould be, to be diſingaging out hearts ſtill from all here; Heaven comes into the heart as earth goes out, the heart ſees God as it purifyes it ſelfe. Bleſſed are the pure in heart for they ſhall ſee God. Purity makes capacity of Heaven; a cleane heart is Chriſts moſt intimate companion, hee ſpreades open his Glory in this Boſome.
The holy'ſt men have alwayes had the moſt glorious viſions, as Daniel, and Iob. God chuſes his place to make Heaven; he makes Heaven above; in Jeruſalem that is above: in ſoules that are above, above the vanities of this World, in love and deſire, he makes a Heaven. Moſes is led up to a mount to ſee Canaan; Chriſt upon a mount had his glorious transfiguration; he had his Heaven upon a mount. Love muſt mount above all theſe low things, ere the ſoule can ſee Heaven; enjoy glorious preſence. You cannot lie-along upon earth, and ſee the Heaven of Heavens; you may lie along upon earth, and ſee earthly Heavens, that muſt paſſe away. Sinne loved and the ſoule chuſes his Heaven here, no man ſhall have two Heavens, two Heavens that differ ſpecie. Power will not work gloriouſly in that heart that works filthily. A man may ſee hell in his ſinne but ſhall never ſee Heaven. It falles out unhapily ſtill with man, when hee goes about to make a heaven here, when hee ſets love at worke to take her fortune, to make her glory and felicity here below as ſhee can; this checkes the working of a glorious power in any heart, and ſets it a working another way, to whip the man with vexation of ſpirit, for ſeeking Heaven in Earth, in glorious vanities.
So far as the heart is unmortifyed, 'tis not ſimple with God; ſimplicity is an abſolute requiſite, to make capacity of a glorious working power in the ſoule. God deſcended like a Dove, upon a Dove; ſweetely and gloriouſly, upon him in whoſe mouth was no guile. A heart and a heart, has none of Gods heart. God never proclaimes himſelfe well-pleaſed in that heart, which makes not him his pleaſure. Divine Power workes not gloriouſly, where the heart works baſely: An hypocrite has leaſt of Heaven of any man, and moſt of hell.
As men draw neere to God, ſo they ſee him; neere to him in quality, and neer to him in duty. We ſee heaven beſt upon our knees. As wee glorify God, ſo hee glorifyes us. When we open our mouths wide, hee gives us great things, filling things; when we beg for flaggons we are ſtay'd with them. At the throne of grace, we finde grace, grace in glory; heaven at Gods feet; when moſt in his preſence, moſt in Heaven. A man muſt goe to heaven to finde heaven: a man muſt live in heaven, to have heaven live in him. Much going to heaven, brings heaven at laſt, downe along with one. Things doe worke beſt in their owne element; power works moſt gloriouſly in heaven; the neerer the heart comes to heaven in ſimplicity, in purity, in pure qualities and habits, in pure acts and exerciſe, the more glorious doth power wo…ke in the ſoule ſtill.
Unbeliefe is another hinderance of a glorious working power: Said I not if yee would believe, yee ſhould ſee the glory of God? ſaith Chriſt. By faith Enoch was tranſlated. Soule tranſlations, ſoule liftings up, ſoule raptures are in faith, in the ſtrong exerciſe of faith. As wee kiſſe, we are kiſſed. As we embrace, wee are embraced. I am my wel-beloveds; and my well-beloved is mine. An act of faith, and then an act of recompence, an act of joy. An act of truſt, and then an act of returne. I am my welbeloveds, and my welbeloved is mine. This is power working, and then glorifying its owne worke in the heart. Tis the ſoules going out to Chriſt like Zacheus, and then bringing Chriſt home with him, and after this follow feaſting and joy, and giving away any thing, whilſt hee is enjoy'd, that is all. Things worke as they are in ſight; 'tis ſo in the body, 'tis ſo in the ſoule. Faith ſets glorifyed Chriſt in ſight; glorify'd Chriſt in ſight makes glorious worke in the heart: In whom though now yee ſee him not, yet believing, yee rejoyce with joy unſpeakeable and full of glory. —In whom though now yee ſee him not; that is, bodily: but believing, that is, ſeeing him ſoulely. As our ſoule viſion is ſo in our ſoule ſtate, for joy, or griefe, ſhame or glory. If the ſoule can ſee light in the countenance of Chriſt, t'ath joy, glory, heaven as full as it can hold; if nothing but darkeneſſe, t'ath nothing but griefe. As yee believe, ſo is your Heaven or hell.
With a note of admiration, I will conclude this point. Chriſtians admire love that makes two heavens for ſuch as are worthy of none. Is it not enough that power workes gloriouſly above, but muſt it worke ſo here too? I am not worthy, that thou ſhould'ſt come under my roofe ſaid he, and yet Chriſt was not then in ſtate; that Chriſt in ſtate, in glory, ſhoud come under ſuch a roofe, ſuch a rotten roofe, as ours here is! That light ſhould ariſe in darkeneſſe, tooke the Pſalmiſt much: that glorious light ſhould ariſe in a poore darke ſoule, glorious power in a poore over-borne ſinfull ſoule, ſhould wonderfully affect us, and ſet us into holy admiration! If a man die ſhall he live againe? ſaid Iob. Thus much tooke him. How much more then ſhould this. If a man live, ſhall he live againe? If a man have a heaven here, ſhall he have another hereafter. If a man have glory here, ſhall he have glory againe? ſhall he have glory upon glory? be cloathed upon? Out of Heaven into Heaven? ſhall he paſſe from glory to glory by the ſpirit and power of God?
Chriſtians what a King of glory doe wee waite upon! Beb-chamber, dining-roome glorious: yea, hall and out-roomes, which border upon hell, glorious: power works gloriouſly in a houſe not made with hands; yea, and in a houſe made with hands, with earthen hands, and earthen feete. Power works gloriouſly in Earth, formes an earthen Veſſell unto glory, formes glory unto it, in it; puts glory in the earthen Veſſell, and then puts the earthen Veſſell into glory. The Queenes Daughter is all glorious, indeed: glorious within, without; glorious hereafter, yea, glorious here. It lies upon you Chriſtians admiringly to ſpeake and talke of theſe things. They] ſhall ſpeake of the glory of thy Kingdome, and talke of thy power, &c. Pſal. 145.11. Yea, not onelyonly admire it, but draw comfort from it, according to all your feares and diſtreſſes. What can yee want, which glorious power cannot helpe you to? What is it, that Heaven cannot make up? Suck this Honey-combe your ſelves, I onelyonly can put it into your hand. Time calles mee away.
FINIS.