Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland, Sermon 8
USEFULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times.
COLOSS. 1.11.
—Ʋnto all patience.
YOu have a hint here, what is the ſtate of a Chriſtian in this World, a ſtate that needs a bearing, a very bearing frame of heart: patience all patience, if there be any thing more then this, and beyond this in long-ſuffering, it needs this too. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power [unto all patience] and long-ſuffering with joyfulneſſe.
I take theſe two latter expreſſions to be Synonimicall, or very neere it; the one explaining the other. All patience is long-ſuffering with joy: long-ſuffering with joy, is all patience. What difference they have [I thinke] is Secundum intra & extra, and ſo I ſhall proſecute them. All patience notes the habite; long-ſuffering with joy, notes the exerciſe. The one notes the grace of patience in its formality; the other, in its uſe; in its higheſt uſe, as the other notes it, in its full'ſt eſſe and ſtrong'ſt habit; for long ſuffering with joy, is patience in its higheſt & furtheſt uſe. Varying and redoubling of expreſſion is to reach things thoroughly, and to hold them out moſt effectually; 'twill be our beſt way therefore (I judge) to goe after the Holy Ghoſt ſtep by ſtep, word for word; in this way wee ſhall tread ſureſt, and be likely to finde moſt, touching the nature of this needfull grace of patience.
Firſt therefore of patience; then of all patience ſome thing ſhall be ſaid, as God ſhall give aſſiſtance.Definitio. Patience is a holy behaviour in affliction; Tis virtus verſata circa adverſa. A grace that keepes man gracious, in all conditions; good in a bad condition; holy, againſt all diſadvantages of holineſſes, within or without. Man is a creature ſince his fall full of wants, and as full of diſquiet, and this turnes all wants into ſinnes and miſeries: he is a creature beſide the rule, and his puniſhment for this, keeps him beſide the rule through diſquiet, and ſo renders man totally miſerable; miſerable without any felicity, or hope of felicity: this is the gall of bitterneſſe, which patience takes away.
Patience takes away the ſinne of miſery; the miſery of miſery; the afflicting ſtrength of miſery; the ſting and teeth of every affliction; the malignity of every cup of trembling; the unhappineſſe of every ſad condition, and makes a felicity in miſery. 'Tis rectitudo animi ſub ſtatu infelici. A rectitude of mind, under a croſſe and crooked condition: A heart moving by the word of God, when whipt by the hand of God. 'Tis Jonah praying in the Whales belly: 'tis heaven made by divine art, in the belly of hell; this is patience.
Patience is a ſoule enjoying it ſelfe in every condition, when nothing elſe.Anima in omni ſemetipſa fruens. There is more truth in the underſtanding, then power of truth in the heart; therefore is man though very knowing, yet very unruly when all ſuits not to his will; hence 'tis that the ſoule can hardly enjoy it ſelfe, when it cannot enjoy all it would. Diſpoſſeſſion of the creature, makes diſpoſſeſſion of the ſoule; man in want, diſtracted; not compos facultatis, becauſe not compos facultatum: not maſter of wit, becauſe not maſter of wealth: the man is no man, becauſe not ſuch a man: the man hath nothing, becauſe not ſuch a thing: becauſe no children, no life; as one dead; would be dead: let me have this or that, or let me die: let me not have my ſoule, if I may not have this or that which my ſoule deſires. This is vanity growen up to maturity, and turned into vexation of ſpirit, which patience cures. Patience is a ſoule ſtill enjoying it ſelfe, when nothing elſe.—in your patience poſſeſſe your ſoules. Patience helps a man to his ſoule againe, that is, to the enjoyment of his ſoule and of himſelfe when all is gon. 'Tis a chriſtian ſemper idem, one that is the ſame in ſanctity in the greateſt poverty, as in the greateſt proſperity: the ſame in all holy and ſweet frame of ſpirit in the greateſt affliction, as in the greateſt advancement: 'tis one bleſſing, God giving, and doing the like when taking away: 'Tis one that has all, having God, when Eſau is comming to take away all. —J have all ſaith Jacob in a very ſad condition.
Eſt aequanimitas ſacra.Patience, 'tis an even Sea in all winds; a ſerene ſoule in all weathers. A threed even ſpun, with every wheele of providence: tis a ſoule above extremes; neither in exceſſe, nor in defect; neither over ſenſible, nor under ſenſible of any affliction: neither without teares, nor without hope; neither murmuring, nor preſuming: neither deſpiſing chaſtiſment, nor fainting when corrected. Affected with all; caſt down with nothing. Quiet, when toſſ'd; very quiet, while extremely toſſ'd, expecting his ſalvation, ſalvation from God when none can be had from man. Patience is not ſtupidity; an inſenſibility of ſoule under Gods hand, that's a block, a ſtone, a Nabal, not a patient man. Patience is not a mute drooping, a ſullen ſilent ſoule-ſinking and conſuming under adverſity; this is deſpaire; this is ſoule vitality ſpent; the marrow of the bones dried up. Patience is virtus in medio a vertue betweene theſe two extremes; a ſoule ſenſible of one hand upon him, and of another under him; a ſoule ſenſible of a rod and a ſtaffe; and ſo very quiet and very comfortable in a very low condition: as having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things: this is patience.
Patience tis a divine power,Eſt vis ſacra ſubjugans. a holy ſubjugating power working in the ſoule, rendering all afflictions ſtill-borne. God may ſay what he will, doe what he will, and a patient ſoule charges God with nothing. If a reaſonable creature be called dog, uſed like a dog, yet patience will not let this dog barke, nor flee out, but call him Lord, which calles her dog.—and ſhee ſaid, truth Lord the dogs eate of the crumb's, &c. Mat. 15.27. Patience gives ſweet language for ſowre, to God and man: being reviled, reviles not againe: being defamed, intreates. God has the day in a patient ſoule: hee may uſe his tongue or his hand how hee will, a patient heart is dumbe and anſwers not againe. Paſſion ſaith, I doe well to to be angry, but patience ſaith, I doe well to lay my hand on my mouth: I have ſpoken once, but I will ſpeake no more; tis thy doing. Patience takes all well at Gods hands, ſhee loves him ſo dearely. Patience can give no ill language, how ill ſoever it goes with her friend, in whoſe houſe ſhee dwells. Patience is a ſilent laying downe all at Gods feete: 'tis a chriſtian proclaiming freedome to Chriſt, to doe his owne will with him and his, in love. Patience was never knowne to put any other limitation upon the almighty. Make mee childleſſe, make me husbandleſſe, wiveleſſe, penileſſe, any thing, ſo thou doe it in love to my ſoule, ſaith patience. Tis the Lord let him doe what hee will, ſaid that patient man. God has freedome proclaimed him, to doe what he will, with a patient man; nothing ſhall be retorted upon him. Patience can be in honour, in diſgrace, high or low at Gods diſpoſe and be contented. A patient man can live; can die, and ſee advantage in either: to live, Chriſt: to die, more Chriſt the, greateſt gaine of all: hee can ſee gaine in all that God does; gaine in ſickeneſſe, gaine in diſgrace, gaine in loſſe; the greateſt gaine in the great'ſt loſſe; ſoule-gaine, in bodily loſſe; and therefore can patience ſpeake of evills as good, of bitters as very ſweet. Patience can kiſſe a rod; kiſſe one that looks frowningly, which every one cannot doe.
Patience, tis a ſoule at reſt.Tis ſacra requies. A ſoule daily at reſt in God. Wives gon, ſubſtance gon, houſe plunder'd, Ziklag burnt, all mourning, many murmuring, ready to ſtoning and killing of David, and yet hee makes up all in God and is at reſt: this is patience. Patience, 'tis Iacob ſleeping heartily upon a ſtone; a heart at reſt in hardſhips: tis a poore Widow cheerfully giving and obeying a Prophet, though but a little meale in the barrell, nor but a little Oile in the Cruſe: tis one cheerefully going to eat her laſt proviſion and die: tis one quietly going up to take a view of Canaan and die at the doore making death, life; Chriſt, Canaan. Tis one going to ſacrifice an onelyonly ſon, with a—God will provide: Patience can ſpeake no worſe divinity, in the greateſt ſtraite: 'Tis one breathing out a ſoule at reſt, in the face of the cruel'ſt miſery; not my will but thy will be done. If this Cup may not paſſe, let my bloud paſſe; if this cauſe cannot live without I die, let me die: let money goe, let limbes goe, let heart-bloud goe, that Chriſt may ſtay, the Will of Chriſt may be done. Let the will of the Lord be done, this is a patient mans, Amen. All runs into this, That patience, is a holy behaviour in affliction.
In ſhort, patience hath three things in it,R…ſumptio. 1 Paſſion ſubdued, 2. The ſoule quieted, 3. Expectation and waiting for good. A heart plain'd and made even with its condition, neither higher nor lower; a heart ſtill and taking all well; a heart expecting of, and waiting for what is needed, and Chriſt hath promiſed; this is a patient ſoule.
Patience preſuppoſes a ſtate of grace, a rich ſtate of grace; for tis the cream of many vertues, the reſult of many graces combining: 'tis virtutum virtus, a good child, of good parents. 'Tis virtus a virtutibus derivata, *Therefore call'd virtus imperfecta by the Moraliſt.a pleaſant branch from many rootes under ground. Patience preſuppoſes an underſtanding full of the beſt light; the ſoule is argued, not beaten quiet as you beate a dog. Thou ſpeakeſt like a fooliſh woman, ſaith he, ſhall I receive this and not that at Gods hand? he argues his ſoule quiet. Folly wrangles —thou ſpeak'ſt like a fooliſh woman. A foole was never a patient perſon; hee cannot argue with his heart, nor hold forth convincing, ſatisfying principles. Cleere divine light ſwayes, and keepes down all inſurrection in a depraved ſtate:
Patience preſuppoſes a divine underſtanding, and a Divine will; that is, a will ſubdued: where there is a ſtubborn will, there is not, nor cannot be a patient heart: every high thought is brought into ſubjection, ere the heart becomes patient. A proud heart reſiſts, and is reſiſted; this is duro durum, flint to flint, fire to fire, man hot and God hot; no patience nor quiet in this ſoule, nor can be. High things made low; rough, plaine; a proud heart, humble; then followes patience. Patience has a humble meeke mother, as any holy child in the ſoule; therefore is meeknes (in a promiſcuous, way of ſpeaking) put for patience, whereas it is indeed the mother of patience, according to that expreſſion —patient abiding of the meeke, &c. A meek heart, makes patient abiding the will of God. The will ſubdued, the heart humble, and the man will ſtay Gods leiſure for any thing.
Patience preſuppoſes faith; knowing that the triall of your faith worketh patience ſaith the Apoſtle. Patience 'tis a Dove fleeing to and againe in a deluge, and then reſting the ſole of her foote in the Arke: tis a ſpirit toſſ'd and tumbled within it ſelfe, and then reſts in Chriſt by faith, waiting what he will ſay and doe; therefore tis ſaid that tribulation workes patience; becauſe tribulation when ſtrong worketh the ſoule off from all things here, and puts a man upon the exerciſe of faith in Chriſt for relief, and ſo ſets the ſoule to expect and waite for good from God, when it can finde none any where elſe. Before tribulation comes, a man uſually does not exerciſe faith, becauſe he hath where withall within his owne reach to beare up himſelfe, and ſo thinkes he is patient when indeed he is not, but one calme, in a calme; whereas patience properly is one calme in a ſtorme; a heart quiet, waiting and expecting good, when it can feele nothing but evill, nor ſee nothing but a naked Word of God.
Patience preſuppoſes faith, and hope too; therefore is patience called, patience of hope: 'tis the reſult in the heart, of the exerciſe of both theſe; tis the bleſſing of faith and hope, 'tis the reſt, quiet, expectation, which the acting of theſe graces raiſe, whereby the ſoule is as if it had all it wants. As the ſoule in extremity ſtayes it ſelfe upon truth, ſo 'tis believing; as it expects accompliſhment of truth, ſo it riſes to hope: as it waits for what it expects, ſo it riſes higher, and this act of the ſoule is properly called patience. The ſoule at this height, is miſerable, as if not miſerable, as he uſeth the phraſe about marriage, married as if not married, poſſeſſing as if not poſſeſſing; This ſoule doth not poſſeſſe, and yet is as if he did poſſeſſe, he hath little, and yet is as if he had all.
Patience preſuppoſeth love, charity ſuffereth long ſaith the Apoſtle, it indures all things, love repreſents every thing to view, lovely; all that God doth and all that man doth: things thus repreſented, the heart cannot ſwell nor ſowre it ſelfe with its own thoughts: love renders every perſon and every thing fragrant, the verieſt dunghill fragrant; when every thing ſmells ſweete to the ſoule, the ſoule keepes it ſelfe ſweete: love thinketh no evill; thinking evill …akes evill paſſion; as the ſoule is poſſeſſed of things, ſo it workes within it ſelfe, as the heart workes within it ſelfe, ſo it makes paſſion ſtill, good or bad.
Ʋſe. I have ſhewed you what patience is, and of what honorable houſe it comes, I will now make ſome uſe of all: I have (as you ſee) opened unto you a grace of graces, and in a time of times; a time wherein it was never more needed, ſince we knew time: Chriſt is takeing away our deere Earthly enjoyments, ſervant from Maſter, child from parents, husband from wife, ſoule from body; he is ſetting every relation a bleeding, one in the boſom of another: this calles loud for patience.
God ſeems to be dealing with England as with Job: yea, with every good man in England as with Iob; he ſeemes to be as one reſolved to try us all to the quick, in Country and City; to bring us to a morſell of Bread; to ſtrip us of all (which God knowes England hath abuſed) and to ſet us upon a dunghill licking our wounds; to take away all, and then to ſet us in the want of all, to complaine for pity to them that will ſhew none, but powre Vineger into our wounds, when we cry for mercy. Ah Chriſtians! will not ſuch a condition call for patience? All in action now calles for nothing but patience; all in view now, calles for nothing but patience: what a double miſerable man is that, which lives in England now without patience! and yet Lord how much doe I ſee it wanting every where!
I ſee an evill ſpringing up in theſe Evill Times, which will ſpoile us all, if GOD prevent it not, and that is impatience: activity degenerates into impatience; forward men can beare no check from providence, the moſt forward men, are become the moſt froward men: we ſet our mercies a day (which is more then we can anſwer) and becauſe God doth not obſerve our limitation, we flee out in heart and tongue fearefully. 1. I am weary of this City to heare the murmuring and impatience that is in it. The Country looks upon the City, the City looks upon the Parliament, the Parliament looks one upon another; Commons upon Lords, Lords upon Commons, all upon the King, and all looke ſhort of the King of Kings; this God ſaw right well, the fruit of it is upon us; we have loſt much mercy this way, and now are at murmuring hard that we may loſe all, relieving preſence in the wilderneſſe, and Canaan too. Will murmuring and impatience ever bring us into that Canaan we hope for? Chriſtians you feare the King, you feare the Cavaliers, you feare Commanders, you feare the Parliament, I tell you my heart; I am more afraid of you, of your unbeliefe, of your impatience, that this will prove a City ſpoyling, a Kingdome ſpoyling evill above all.
I will give you ſome principles of patience, reſpecting our ſtate and condition, as things now ſtand and goe with us, which is the beſt ſervice (I think I can doe you, The firſt principle is this, God takes time to adminiſter to publique bodies. England hath beene a long time polluting her ſelfe, and this not with a Low but with a very high hand, God is going gently to repeate over all, and will you not give him time? 'tis but Juſtice to allow much time to one that is to repeate much. What hath been the courſe of the publique, for this twenty yeares together, you have forgotten: what hath been your courſe for twenty, forty, fifty yeares, for theſe hundred yeares, ſince we and our fathers have enjoy'd the Goſpell, you have forgotten: how cold, how formalizing; how careleſſe in your Families, how Exceſſive and abuſive of the creature, how bowel-leſſe and mercy-leſſe; who can reckon up how you have ordered your time and talents? God can, but he muſt have time: will you thruſt much work upon God, and not give him time to goe through with it? God takes time to adminiſter Juſtice: he was fourty years telling Iſrael, how they grieved him by their murmuring: you would think much, if he ſhould be ſo long a telling England, of her preſent murmuring. So afterwards he took eight yeares, and then eighteen yeares, and then twenty yeares, to tell Iſrael what they did under their Judges; and then ſeventy yeares to tell Iſrael what they did under their Kings: not any publique body that I know of in the Scripture, but when God hath come to adminiſter Juſtice to it, he hath taken ſome yeares to doe it. Great houſes that have many roomes in them, and theſe very foule, cannot be ſwept preſently.
Secondly, as God takes time to adminiſter Juſtice to publick bodies, ſo he takes time to adminiſter mercy to publick bodies. The Tabernacle was long a raiſing; the firſt Temple which was to exceed that, longer; the ſecond Temple which was to exceed that, much longer; and the third which is to exceed all, longeſt of all. The tent or Tabernacle which was but ſmall (I judge) was a yeare a making: the firſt Temple, ſeaven yeares: the ſecond Temple, forty and ſix yeares: if this had any typicall ſignification (as I believe it had) it might well point at this, that a publick houſe for Chriſt, under the Goſpell, would be long a raiſing; I meane, a worſhip ſuiteable to Gods Will, borne up by publick authority. According to what way God will diſpence himſelfe, 'tis Juſtice and duty to waite for him: I finde not one hint in Scripture, of ſuddaine raiſing this laſt houſe. You ſhew your ſelves ignorant men, you erre, not knowing the Scriptures, which are impatient becauſe travailing England is not delivered in an houre, in a yeare. We have ſcarce travailed ſo long yet, as the Tabernacle was a building; ſure I am, not ſo long as the firſt Temple was a building, there is no ground therefore of impatience, who have more noble things in hand. The ſon riſes more and more, and ſo muſt up to the perfect day; this is the order that Chriſt will proceed in, to bring full mercy into the World will you be impatient, that the ſun riſes no faſter? that he is not at the meridian, as ſoon as the day dawnes?
A ſecond principle is this, God doth fit for favours and then gives them: he doth hew ſtones, for this laſt Temple. We are a generation low in ſpirit, and yet impatient that we have not high things. Doe you give children and fools what they deſire? doe you not inſtruct and diſcipline, and then give? yea and then too, what in your wiſdom you know good. We are utterly below high things, affraid of full mercies: is it not the feare of ſome, that the Puritan faction (as they call them) will be too ſtrong? the diſcipline of the Goſpell too ſtrict? our ſpirits are baſe to God, and yet we wonder that noble things are not given unto us. Doe not men play with their light? prefer policy to truth? Judge that Chriſt may weare a party coloured coat; mans wiſdom, mixt with Gods; our own inventions and truth weaved together. Tell me the beſt of you all, which are ſo impatient for reformation, which amongſt you all doth deale ſo fairely with your light, and ſo ſimply with your conſcience, as to render your ſelves capable of ſo great a good, as you ſeeme to wrangle for? Let things goe how they will, you can ſtill ſhuffle along; is not a ſhuffling condition fit for a ſhuffling ſpirit? God walkes to you as you walke to him, and yet you are impatient: he cuts you out a condition with his Sword, ſuitable to your hearts; he ſees what conſciences you have, that you ſtick at nothing, why ſhould he remove what you can ſwallow? why ſhould you thinke much to live upon Huskes, if you can eate Huskes? when I looke upon that cold, neutrall, indifferent ſpirit, that is, in Engliſh Chriſtians generally. I wonder to heare any complaine, that their beſt mercies are ſo long a comming. You impatiently talke of the Parliament, of the Army, of this and that, one is this and another is that, and therefore your miſery lives, your mercies linger, and you die: I tell you, 'tis Englands neutrality, that hath brought her to this ſtate, that keeps her in this ſtate, that will ſpend her and end her with bleeding, if any thing doe.
A third principle is this, inferiour agents are all over-ruled; Judas and his bloudy crew, move by a ſupreame councell, they could not elſe have done to Chriſt what they did, and ſo Chriſt told them. Providence orders all agent and actions, to her own end; not to ſuch an end, propoſed by ſuch a man: if love be in the breaſt of the firſt agent 'tis no matter how all other agents act you are to conclude they act well ſtill, though you cannot ſee it: no heart could be impatient, or wrangle, if this principle were but well ſwallowed. Actions and agents may move very ſtrangely in our view, and yet very orderly to the greateſt good, as their ſupernaturall end. I would aske any impatient ſoule but this, what is in the breaſt of God reſpecting our cauſe? love, or not love? if you Judge love to be in God to our cauſe, believe that all agents and actions are ordered by it, and will bring forth in Gods time, a bleſſed end.
A fourth principle is this, The imployment of War is a new thing to England: a councell of War and a councell of State, are two things: experience, makes Expertneſſe 'tis weakeneſſe to fall out which young beginners, becauſe not expert: every one doth not know how to ſtick a Hog to the heart at one thruſt, ſuch muſt have the liberty to thruſt againe, and 'tis well if they kill him at laſt. Would you have men old Souldiers, which never ſaw the field before? let any Chronicle produce braver courage and carriage by young beginners, then ours have hitherto ſhewen both at Kenton and Branford? Paſſion makes u… looke over, what God doth by us and for us.
A fift principle is this, Gods providence makes up mans improvidence. God we ſee is by ſo much the more watchfull, that we are unskilfull, have we cauſe then to be impatient? did not Gods providence make up our improvidence at Branford? could ſo many elſe have been kept, from comming to the gates of your City, by ſo few? and ſo unarmed? our men wanted powder and ſhot, and our God ſhot off for them, and for us, or elſe certainly we had had their Cannon, thundering about our Ears, for a Sabbath peale. Many advantages we have given them, but they are curſt to the adverſary, they doe not thrive with them; they labour in the very fire, and blaſt themſelves upon the top of their beſt advantages. When God is al-ſufficient, in ſuch a redundant ſence as this, to ſupply over ſight, by his watchfull Eye, what ſoule dares to murmure?
A ſixt principle is this, Impatience againſt called inſtruments to any worke, is impatience againſt GOD, and hee will take it ſo: who is Moſes? and who is Aron? that you murmure againſt them? who is the Parliamente that you are impatient againſt it? are they not a called body by God? are they not wiſe men, holy men; true hearted, tender hearted; and wiſh you as well as themſelves, as well as you can wiſh your ſelves! Doe they not uſe the beſt ability they have to doe us ſervice? ſhall we requite them for all, coſt and paines, with murmuring againſt them? God will take this to heart, and charge you with murmuring againſt him.
Finally, God will ſo carry the great workes of theſe laſt times, that all men ſhall acknowledge him and not any man, which ſhould make us patient that we can ſee man no more: that we can ſee man no more in our great works, a Finger of GOD is in it, that he may be ſeene and admired, as the Authour of all. The Prophet ſpeaking (and certainly of this time) how this Generation ſhould come downe, ſaith,Hab. 2.13. Behold is it not of the Lord of Hoſtes that the People labour in the very Fire, &c. For the Earth (ſaith hee) ſhall bee filled with the Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, &c. Not with the Knowledge of the Glory of any man. Men can doe no more then they can; men ſhall doe no more then they doe, that you make not Gods of them: That you have no advantage to make a man a GOD, are you impatient? that God will not uſe whom you will, and how you will, therefore are you impatient: that God is not ſo wiſe as you, that hee loves not himſelfe, ſo well as you love him, therefore are you impatient.
To conclude all, let mee aske you all one queſtion more; wherein hath GOD given you cauſe to bee impatient from the firſt of our troubles till now? for which of his good deeds doe you ſtone him? (for truely impatience is no other but a ſtoning of Chriſt) for his good deeds at Hull? For his good deeds at Ports-mouth? for his good deedes at Kenton? What hath Chriſt done from the beginning of this Parliament to this day, to caſt diſcouragement upon any ſoule? To caſt any heart into a paſſion. Let his dealings beſpeake you patient. I ſay no more.
FINIS.