Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland, Sermon 17
USEFULL INSTRVCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times.
COLOSS. 1.12.
Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us [meete] to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.
Doct. LOve workes freely; Chriſt chuſes what perſons he pleaſes to advance.—Who hath made [us, &c. Love works fully; What perſons Chriſt chuſes to worke upon, hee makes thorough worke in: he renders them meete, fit, ſufficient (the Originall word will beare all theſe) to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints, in light.
Sinne hath it's fitting, and finiſhing, and then it brings forth its end. Sinne finiſhed brings forth death, &c. The Divell is a thorough worke-man; where hee layes a foundation he raiſes up the building till all be fit for himſelfe, and the man made meete and fit to be partaker of an inheritance, with the wicked in darkeneſſe. Grace hath its finiſhing too; Chriſt is a thorough workeman; hee doth throughly purge his floore, and ſo takes Wheat into his barne. Hee doth not take Wheat of his floore any way, careleſſely, but curiouſly, purgedly, purgedly throughly, till it be fit to make fine bread for his owne Table above. There is waſhing, and waſhing throughly waſh me throughly from mine iniquity ſaith David. Through waſhing onelyonly, makes white and fit for Heaven. So there is making, and making fit; age, and full age, fit age for the inheritance, and then the inheritance Who hath made us [fit] for the inheritance, &c.
Perfection, gives up to perfection; no abortives inherit. Things have their time, their uſe, then the fruition of their end. Nature goes out her time, to make fit for us: grace goes out her time, to make us fit for God.Our Heaven here, beares upon the fitneſſe of e…ery thing … us; our … …en … …ter, … upon the …tneſſe of e…y perſon …. Apples grow, and they grow ſo long, till ſo big, ſo yellow, ſo rud, and then we gather them. Grace growes, and growes ſo long, to ſuch a height, depth, breadth, and then is a Chriſtian gathered as ripe fruit, fit for the Lord. A Chriſtian lives ſo many dayes, and waites the working of ſo many things, and then his change comes from the working of all things here, to the boſome of God and there reſts.
Like things boſome one in another, the more like, the nearer ſtill they draw to one another; Homogenea which are quite like, as Gold and Gold, upon advantage of heat run quite one into another, incorporate and become one body. The way and worke of Chriſt is, to make full ſimilitude betweene man and God, and when this is done, ſets them in one anothers boſome for ever. Truth riſes; when the Image of God is full drawne, then is the piece removed, and ſet in Gods dyning roome. Chriſt ſets …o raw draughts, in his up-roome: hee … every piece its complement, that every piece may give its place 'its full ornament, wherein lies a great part of Heaven. We are transformed, and by transformation wee paſſe from glory to glory; from the glory of one meaſure, to the glory of a greater, from the glory of a greater, to the glory of the greateſt meaſure, which is all glory, the inheritance here ſpoken of, which lies in light, in all glory. Our fitneſſe to Heaven, is our ſimilitude to Chriſt; our ſimilitude to Chriſt, is the ſucceſſe of ſureame powers Long and ſtrong working, ſo much is ſounded here in theſe termes of the Text.—who hath [made] us &c. (i) Who by much paines, and long labor, hath made us like Chriſt, and ſo fit to live for ever with him.
Chriſt workes here below, as a very generall knowing agent. Hee knowes, what will ſuite and ſerve here, and what will ſuite and ſerve above. He knowes the language they ſpeake above, and their Idiome in that language; the habit they weare above, and the faſhion exactly. He was made for us the good ſpy, of that Canaan to come, he knowes all. He has a true light, and hee is true to it; hee knowes the Law of the Land above, and workes, and fits according to it; hee ſuites inhabitants to that holy Land. Chriſts motion in man, is according to the Will of God; hee workes by rule; the Law of the Country is his rule, which is this, Without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee God, becauſe without this, none fit for God. Chriſt is true to this Law, and true to his light, he will damne any man, rather then he ſhall transgreſſe this rule, and breake into Heaven, as unfit. Without his qualification no man ſhall ſee God, that is without ſuch holineſſe, as renders fit, for ſuch a holy place, and ſuch a holy God.
Chriſt moves as a very curious agent: he drawes out Heaven in Earth, and then is Earth fit for Heaven. He drawes out firſt in duſt, ſmall lines of that purity which is above, and when face comes to anſwer to face; then are they brought to kiſſe each other, to inherit each other; grace, Heaven; and Heaven, grace; made not to be diſtinguiſhed, nor ſeparated no more, becauſe made ſo like one another, and ſo fit for one another. Things in nature have their reſemblance in art. What growes naturally above, is firſt made grow againſt nature here, by ſupreame power; and then tranſplanted. Chriſt is a very curious Artiſt, hee will draw out any thing, in any thing; hee will draw to the life thinges above, in thinges here below, the nobleſt thinges above, in the baſeſt things here below: in man which is the worſt piece here below, to draw out any Heavenly thing in, hee can reach the exacteſt patterne, and render them the one fit to the other, though his materialls to worke upon, be very bad to make worke with. None worſe then Gentiles, and yet theſe here mention'd, as made fit for Heaven.
Chriſt moves as a very ſufficient agent; the propriety of the word in my Text, carries me to this—who hath made us fit or ſufficient. The exacteſt condition, that the exacteſt place or perſon can require, Chriſt can performe it. Himſelfe is our ſufficiency for Heaven; and what place ſo high, ſo noble, that he is not ſufficient for? He moves Modo devolvendi ſeipſum nobis, by way of devolution of himſelfe upon us, which makes abſolute ſufficiency, and full capacity of all above, if there were more bleſſedneſſe there, then there is. [Hee] is the Lord our Righteouſneſſe. What he is as Chriſt, what hee is as Jeſus, what he is as Prophet, Prieſt, King, he is ours. he makes, it ours actu transferendi, and it goes above as ours. Who hath made us [ſufficient] (i) in Himſelfe, in his own ſufficiency, which is abſolute ſufficiency. Who hath made us [fit] there is a double fitn…ſſe to be underſtood in this terme, A fitneſſe to Chriſt, and a fitneſſe in Chriſt, theſe may be diſtinguiſhed, but not ſeparated. Chriſt firſt pleaſeth his own eye in us, and then pleaſeth his Fathers eye concerning us, in himſelfe: hee fulfills his own will in our ſanctification, and then fulfils his Fathers will, in our juſtification; this makes abſolute fitneſſe, and ſufficiency for Heaven. Our fitneſſe to Chriſt, is but diſpoſing Heaven-ward; our fitneſſe in him, is compleating and abſoluteing for it. One act doth both theſe; faith fits to Chriſt, and leaves the ſoule fit in Chriſt, for his inheritance; and this the worke of God, a piece of the Creation here mentioned. Who …ath [made] us ſufficient (i) abſolutly ſufficient.
Chriſt moves as an unwearied agent: let the piece be never ſo knotty, he never leaves working till it be fit, ſufficiently fit for the ſtatelieſt building. Chriſt workes quoad principium externum, & quoad principium internum; according to an externall principle, and according to an internall principle which never tires; he workes according to office, and according, to love. According to deſigned office, and this binds to fit and finiſh for Heaven,—Hee is the Author and finiſher of our Faith, and this by office. Chriſt alſo workes according to a proper principle in himſelfe, to wit, love; which cannot be quiet, nor leave off working, till every perſon foreknowne, be fully fitted to love, and for love. Love is an untired principle in Chriſt, though not ſo in us; this makes him an everlaſting Father, a worker as a Father without ceſſation, till children be fit to be taken home, to enjoy their inheritance, fit for him who tooke ſuch a knowledge of them. Chriſt moves as an everlaſting father; he layes out, and layes out; hee's at coſt and paines this yeare, next Yeare, to give breeding, high breeding ſuitable to fortune, and never leaves off, till the child be fit for his inheritance; Chriſt is an everlaſting Father, as well as a Prince of Peace; he has love, proper love in him, as well as proper duty and office devolu'd upon him. Office bindes to finiſh for Heaven, love, more. I thinke 'tis proper to ſay, Chriſt moves more naturally then obligedly, to fit loſt man for his eternall home. Bonds were voluntarily taken up, and taken up from love; love is the natural motion of Chriſt, this works and never leaves working, till the ſoule upon which it ſeiſeth, be fit for Heaven.
Vſe I am led by this point very ſeaſonably, to aske you this queſtion. Are you fit to die? are you fit to live againe? are you prepared for Heaven? you ſee how things goe upon Earth. The way of God is deadly; her's deadly doings here below. How doe your ſoules ſtir about eternity? Sinners what doe you doe? What will you doe? God is giving to all what is fit for them. Sinners are yet aſleepe; Ah Lord! When will they awake? What a harveſt will Hell have in theſe bleeding times! What preparation for Heaven do you ſee men make, more then they did! Hee that was filthy, is ſo ſtill: he that was an Earth-Worme, is ſo, although God be treading Wormes to death, and crumbling Earth to duſt. Though perſon and ſtate lie open to death, yet no man mends his pace for life. What ſhall I thinke of ſuch a Generation? My bowels rend, to looke ſome of you in the face, to behold how like your ſelves you ſtill looke, and what a deadly viſage your life ſtill carries. What you were; you are; what men are now for ſinne, ſurely they ſhall be; Juſtice is at worke to perpetuate miſery to thouſands: to harden Pharaohs, and then cut them off; to fit Veſſels for wrath, and then fill them up with it, as full as they'l hold; to fit men for their place, and then ſend them thither a pace.
Sinners you heare all this, can you beare all this? do not your ſoules yet ſtir? Are they not then white to harveſt? fit to be cut off, by that ſword of wrath, which is going about? An unſtirred ſoule is fit for nothing but Juſtice; 'tis death in ſtrength upon the ſoule; 'tis the ſoule in grave, and a ſtone roul'd upon the doore. What you are fit for, that you ſhall now have; Juſtice is commanded to go over the Land, and ſingle out every wretch, and give him his own. I think there is ſcarce a ſinner amongſt us, but Juſtice ere it hath done with us, will make him eat of the fruit of his way. Doth not wrath make miſery begirt us? Doth it not cut down dry Trees every where? fuell fit for the fire, doth ſhe not ſet a fire, and caſt into everlaſting burning? And yet are not your ſouls a fire, to be fit for Heaven: ſuch whoſe ſoules ſtir not now, there is juſt cauſe to feare, that they are left as fit fuell for wrath.
Obduratio.I will give you the properties of a man fitted for wrath. The firſt is obduration. A ſtone is fitted to deſcend; 't'as its property to beare down-ward. Hardneſſe maks fitneſſe to judgment. The way to Hell is, from burning to burning; from a ſeared conſcience to a damn'd ſoule. Juſtice blaſts the ſoule in the body, ere it burnes it out. A fitted ſoule for wrath, 'tis one with his Eyes out, 'tis one that can ſee no evill making towards him, although himſelf very evill: one that cannot ſee Juſtice though very viſible, nor ſin though very palpable. Juſtice works within, and then without; ſhe ſpends her ſelfe moſt fiercely within, her laſt and leaſt breathings and blaſtings, are without; ſhe firſt puts out a mans eyes, with the ſin he loves, and then comes as a ſnare againſt the ſinner. I ſit as a Queene and ſhall ſee no evill, and yet this Qu…ene a Queane, and very evill: that's a Swans ſong before death; now is the ſoule fit for Juſtice and wrath, and never ſo fit as now. When a ſinner ſings a requiem, ſoule take thine eaſe, he is fit for, yea, very neare to, wrath. — this night ſaith Chriſt in ſuch a caſe, they ſhall take away thy ſoule. A man hath ſinned himſelfe to Hell-doore, which hath ſinned his ſoule blind and ſecure.*A man is fitted for wrath indeed, when he ſtands at Hell-door, readdy to goe in. Setling upon the lees, and judiciary viſitation, they are joyn'd both together, as neare Neighbors, and as belonging to one thing, and this by reſolute will [I will] viſit thoſe that are ſetl…d upon their lees, Wrath is comming towards you, yee blind ſoules: doe yee ſee it? no: There is none. Why therefore 'twill certainly come; you are the onelyonly perſons fit to be viſited [I will] viſit thoſe which are ſettled upon their lees, whom ever I paſſe by. A Horſes Eyes out, and the next worke he is fit for, is grinding. Juſtice ſets ſinners to grinding, their own ſoules, when they cannot ſee their own ſinnes. Wrath certainly, will not ſuffer that man to live long, which hath kil'd his ſoule with ſinne.
AlienatioA ſecond property of a man fitted for wrath, is this, alienation. No bleſſed fellowſhip, ſpeaks ſeparation to wrath. A King cals home his Embaſſadors, when he meanes War, and Judges a Kingdome fit for nothing, but the Sword. Caſting off, fits to cutting off. The ſpirit of God departs, when the man is rejected. Alienation is great ſtill, before deſolation. Saul ſhall have no anſwer no where, no whiſpering from any but from Hell, when given up as only fit for that place. Light hath no fellowſhip with darkeneſſe; but when 'twill have nothing to do with darkeneſſe, to make it light, the ſtate is deſperate, 'tis a ſigne that the ſoule is fitted for utter darkneſſe. There are but two ſteps to death, the firſt is this. The ſinner ſay's he will have no fellowſhip with God: the ſecond is, God ſay's he ſhall have none. Now is the ſinner judged; how fit for Hell then, now judge yee; execution only is wanting, and the Devill is not uſually back-ward, to diſcharge his office; the man is upon the gallowes, he wants but turning off; how things may turn, whether Chriſt will put in and beg the mans life, here lies the caſe, and depends wholly upon Chriſts Will. What fellowſhip your ſoules have with God, I know not: whether God ſay any thing, or nothing; whether inſtruction with ſtrong hand, be come to inſtruction with weake hand, by reaſon of your ſtrong luſts: whether your inſtruction with weake hand, be not come to inſtruction with no hand, but bare blows for your baſeneſſe: whether all whiſperings be not layd aſide, and whiſpering turn'd into whipping, this would be lookt well into; for it ſpeaks very ominouſly for eternity. Love or hatred cannot be gueſſed at, by things without, but by Gods dealings within, they may ſhrewedly be gueſſed at.
Profanatio. 3.Profaneneſſe is a third property, of a man fitted to wrath. Profaneneſſe is the badge, of an Eſau: wickedneſſe ſpeaks out a curſed ſoule. To what Country a man belongs, you may underſtand by his language, whether to Spaine, France or the like Hell hath its openings, as Heaven hath; when Hell opens in a mans mouth, what needs any further enquity, what Country man Sir? To what place do you belong? A man moulded and ſhaped for wrath, may be read in his face. Death though it ceaſe within, yet it ſhew it ſelfe in the very ſuperficies without. You have ſuch a common ſpeech, One may ſee Death in that mans face. A mans life is, in reference to his eternall eſtate, as his face is in reference to his temporall, 'tis Index …nimi, index futuri, index aeterni. A mans life foretells his end. What courſe any man leads, broadly ſpeakes what ſuch a man is, what he will be for felicity or miſery. An a man be in the broad-way, he may propheſie where 'twill end, and to what inheritance he ſhall come, whether to light, or darkneſſe. I know not what lives you lead; Chriſt do's, and you ſhould. Let them be led how they will, you may ſpell Heaven or Hell out of them. Life is but an expreſſion of the frame of the ſpirit; 'tis but motion according to ſuch wheeles, and ſuch a ſpring within. If you will know of what frame, or what make your ſoules are, and to what fitted; view your lives. Your ſoules breath out themſelves, in your lives; and they breath out themſelves in the boſome of God, or the devill; into whoſe boſome you breath your ſoules in life, into that boſome, you will certainly breath them in death.
As you find your ſtate now move. To fit for Heaven is no trifle, your eternall eſtate depends upon't. To fit for Heaven is not arbitrary; you cannot come there without it. To fit for Heaven is not eaſy, the making power of God muſt go to it. Sinners why do you put of this worke as a trifle? And why do you put it of till death? That man would never be holy if he could ſhift it, that will not be holy till he dy. He would never have to do with Chriſt if he could ſhun him, that will not ſeek aquaintance with him till he muſt leave leave this Word. When death is fitting the ſoule for Hell, then the ſoule ſets about to fit it ſelfe, for Heaven. Ah Lord, that ever this man had a ſoule, that damnes it himſelfe! Wrath doth uſually croſſe and curſe this folly; men are ſurpriſed in body, or ſurpriſ'd in ſoule; no ſtrength, or no heart, and ſo dy in their ſinne.
Fitting grace for Heaven hath its means, hath its ſeaſon, hath its courſe, and then hath its bleſſed end; I will touch theſe a little. 'T'ath its meanes. Will you be fitted for Heaven yee wicked ſoules, and uſe no means? 'Tis common to the worſt man, to caſt their ſoules upon a miracle for ſalvation, and not upon means. God fits by his word, they'l heare none: God fits by Prayer, they'l uſe none: God fits by his People, and they care for none: holy Ordinances ſleighted, and yet the holy-Land promiſed. Ah Lord! Are not theſe ſoules mad? to conclude the end, and exclude the means? Theſe men will dy in preſumption, or elſe I dare dy for them.
'T'as its ſeaſon: Earthen Veſſels have their ſeaſon, for molding and ſhapeing to ſuch a forme and to ſuch an uſe. All times of the yeare, are not ſeaſonable for ſuch a purpoſe. Salvation hath its day: the Sun ſtands not ſtill, 'tis comming towards a man for ſo many houres, and then goes away from him as faſt. Fitting ſeaſons for Heaven, are tranſient: ſleighted, and eternally hid from a mans eyes. O that thou hadſt knowne in this thy day, &c. But now they are hid. Love paſſions are ſtrong, but no fire cooles ſo faſt as this when abuſed, nor ſo hard to be kindled again when out. God knocks, and if no opening, away to others that will. He comes to a mans houſe, and proclaimes peace, if peace be not regarded, he departs with a witneſſe, leaves the duſt of his feet behinde him, to teſtify what a baſe Earthy heart 'twas, that rejected him.
Fitting grace for Heaven, hath its courſe. Phyſick has its courſe, to fit the body for health; malignities are not carried away preſently. Bad ſpirits abounding, r… quire ſweating, and ſweating again. The great Phyſitian hath his courſe, preſcription upon preſcription, line upon line. All is not done of an houre, to make the ſoule fit for bleſſedneſſe, for ever. Grace conflicts with corruption long, ere it can get …he victory, and render the ſoule fit for Heaven. Some ſinners will never be fit for Heaven; becauſe they cannot beare a fitting courſe. Sorrow for ſin, ſpending; the paine of conſcience, killing; bleeding til binding up from Chriſt comes, utterly conſuming, not to be thought of: if theſe men can fit themſelves for Heaven, 'tis wel; they will never be made fit by Chriſt, they are ſo idle headed, and wilfull harted.
Finally, after grace hath had its fitting courſe, then it has the fruition of its end; a fit ſoule expires into Heaven: the ſoule fit for Heaven, ſtayes not long thence. The ſpirit ſay's come, when fit: the Bride ſay's come, when fit: a fitted ſoule for Heaven, is a panting ſoule for Heaven, and Chriſt a panting husband for this Spouſe Grace hath its diſtinct property, at every height; when at full height, and fit to be diſſolved, it deſires diſſolution, and diſſolution is granted, as a medium to its ultimate forme, which makes the perfection of a thing. A Chr…ſtian is perfect, when fit for Heaven; his Grace is perfect, when in Heaven.
Chriſtians, I have ſomething to ſay to you from this Point, and then I give it up, and get gon. 'Tis many a good ſoules panting often. O that J were fit For Heaven. Why? Chriſt makes ſo: He workes at ſuch a height, as at which thy heart bends. The bending of thy heart to ſuch a height in Grace, is a prevenient diſpoſition to it, 'tis the worke thou wouldeſt, begun; and well on-ward to finiſhing. Such a panting ſoule will be fit for Heaven, and caught up into Heaven, ere hee's aware. When the Soule is pitched upon ſuch a Noble height, Chriſt hath taken it into his Hand to make it ſo high. Strong deſires are glimmerings of Sunne-riſing.
I would have no Soule ſad, that pants after much grace. Certainly the Sunne is riſen very high in this Soule already, 'twill be at the Meridian apace; Heaven is not farre off that ſoule, which longs to be fit for it. When Chriſt once began to pray, Father glorify mee with thine one Selfe, with the glory which I had with thee, before the World was; glory though ſo great was not farre off. When the poore man would believe, the ſpirit of Faith was neare, and the next words are Faith, and no more words of unbeliefe, If thou canſt do this, if thou canſt doe that, heard. There is no deſigne to become fit for Heaven, like bringing a mans ſoule into a paſſion this way. Divine paſſion makes ſtrong compaſſion. Chriſt does not quench ſmoaking Flax: does hee quench flaming flax? Panting to be fit to live in Heaven, where ſo much holineſſe is, to live in the preſence of God who is all holineſſe, this is flaming Flax. The fire goes as high as Heaven: Heaven will open wide, to ſuch a Heavenly heart. The Soule would have a ſute to weare in the Country, which will ſerve at Court; a ſute on Earth, which will become it in Heaven: this is flaming Fax: Grace is never checked in its groweth by God, but embraced moſt, when it aſcends higheſt. God meetes a Prodigall, and kiſſes him: doth he not meete a deare child, which is almoſt come quite home to his Fathers Houſe, and kiſſe and feaſt him: A Soule that pants to be fit for Heaven, is crope up to Heaven doore, certainely CHRIST will welcome this Soule, and let him into his deſire.
Thou panteſt to be made fit for Heaven, why? thou art fit. Who [hath] made us [fit], &c. Theſe are ſaid to be fit for Heaven by the Apoſtle, and yet pray'd for by him, as yet wanting much grace. There's a Fundamentall fitneſſe, and a complementall fitneſſe for Heaven. The loweſt dram of true grace, gives a fundamentall fitneſſe for Heaven. A weake hand of Faith on Chriſt, will ſave a man from drowning: a ſparke of fire will aſcend to Heaven, as truely as a flame, though not ſo ſtrongly. That there is any ſparke in the ſoule to byaſſe it Heaven-ward, wee ſhould bleſſe God, and blow the ſparke by Prayer, this is the way to have more.
A complementall fitneſſe is, when there is a double Teſtimony that all is ours; from Gods ſpirit, and our own: when the ſoule is ſealed with this double ſeale, to the day of Redemption. When Faith is ſtrong, love ſtrong, experience much, joy much, unſpeakeable and full of glory, then is the ſoule complementally fit (i) fully fit for glory. This ſhould be ſtriven unto, becauſe it makes large entrance: but the ſoule ſhould not torture it ſelfe, that it cannot with any paines, yet attaine ſo high. Some have Heaven here; ſuch are fit for Heaven in deede, as carry Heaven ſtill about with them: 'tis but out of one Heaven into another with theſe. Others are made fit for Heaven in hell, and come as out of hell to heaven, and yet this is great mercy too, and every poore low grac'd ſoule, ſhould ſay ſo.
Let theſe things ſettle weake ſoules, baniſh bad objections, and make your fitneſſe for Heaven, in that meaſure which it is; your conſolation in theſe miſerable times; Swords, Guns, Weapons of Warre, may Wound, Lame, and unfit you for Earth, but let this comfort you, you are ſtill fit for Heaven. Lame Legs, cut Armes, bleeding bodies, and holy ſoules, will goe to Heaven well enough: poore, blind, lame, halt, are moſt the gueſts that come there. Chriſt had bloudy uſage from baſe Wretches, as wee have now, ſpeares thruſt in his ſides, deepe wounds, ſo deepe as to let out all his bloud, and yet not any of his fitneſſe for Heaven. Should be enough to us all, in theſe bad times, that a manſion is prepared for us, and we for it, where all loſſe will be turned into gaine; where loſt Legs, and loſt Armes, and loſt eſtates, will meete their right owners againe, and glory in over and above.
FINIS.