Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland, Sermon 11
USEFULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times.
COLOSS. 1.11.
—Long ſuffering [with joyfulneſſe.
TO make a rod bud and become pleaſant, to turne a Hell into Heaven: miſery, long miſery into joy; this is hard and high, yet thus high doth a Chriſtians duty riſe in this Text [Long-ſuffering with joyfulneſſe.
This laſt terme doth explaine, what ſufferings for kind the Apoſtle meanes, to wit, ſuffering for truth, the reproach of Chriſt, and this how great ſo ever, ſhould be treaſure; how laſting ſo ever, ſhould be undergone with joy—long-ſuffering with joyfulneſſe.
Sufferings are various, and differ in their nature according to their immediate cauſe. Sinne is the immediate cauſe of ſome ſufferings, righteouſneſſe the immediate cauſe of others. When man ſuffers for his ſinne, he ſhould beare it, accept the puniſhment of his iniquity and not kick againſt his Maker, how long ſoever ſuch ſuffering be; but joy is not proper under this ſuffering, becauſe ſuch ſuffering ſpeakes wrath, I will beare the wrath of God becauſe J have ſinned. Bearing is proper under divine diſpleaſure, but not joy; to ſmile when God frownes is to deſpiſe the chaſtening of the Lord: no affliction is joyous as it referrs to ſin and wrath.
Righteouſneſſe is the immediate cauſe of other miſeries; patience is proper under theſe, and more: ſuffering, and joy: beareing long, and bearing long with joy, becauſe theſe afflictions ſpeake onelyonly the diſpleaſure of man; not the diſpleaſure, but the pleaſure of God. A man ſhould ſmile when God ſmiles: joy, when God joyes, though in a dungeon.
Doct. Suffering for Chriſt, how great, how long ſo ever, ſhould bee managed with a ſpirit of joy. A man ſhould ſuffer the ſpoyling of his perſon, the ſpoyling of his goods, the ſpoyling of all for Chriſt, and ſuffer it with joy—yee had compaſſion on me, and tooke joyfully the ſpoyling of your goods, &c. Heb. 10.34.
Joy is to follow the ſoule, as long as the ſoule followes Chriſt: 'tis to follow the lambe, and the follower of the Lambe whitherſoever they goe. Rejoyce in the Lord [alwayes,] and againe I ſay rejoyce: hee ſpake this to ſuffering Chriſtians, he lifts, and lifts againe, to lift the heart as high as its duty, which is to make chriſtianity throughout, a courſe of joy; to make faire way, and foule way, alwayes, all wiſdomes wayes, all Chriſts wayes, pleaſant; Some duties have their termination, joy hath none: 'tis an alway worke, an everlaſting duty: tis not to ceaſe when goods ceaſe, when honours ceaſe, no, 'tis not to ceaſe when all contents ceaſe; 'tis to laſt Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall, Day, Night: joy is the Nightinggall-grace in the ſoule, it is to ſing all night long, let the night be neuer ſo long, never ſo darke, ever more—Rejoyce ever more: truth and joy are never to part; they are to keepe company together and beare up one another; truth, joy; and joy, truth; till they lie downe both together in the boſom of eternall felicity.
Duties are conſiſtent, one duty is not to deſtroy another, the leane Kine are not to eat up the fat, long ſuffering is not to kill and bury joy, yet this ſweet child is never ſo neere its grave, and its end uſually, as when ſuffering is long. If Rachel ſuffer much and ſuffer long, till al her children are not, joy is not: if children be kill'd, ſhe thinkes ſhee may kill her joy; if al be kil'd, ſhee thinkes ſhe may kil al her joy, and never let it live more—Refuſe to be comforted. One beame of the Sun does not devoure another, they all ſhine together, that makes that celeſtiall body ſo glorious: ſo al graces are to ſhine in a Chriſtian together, this gives a Chriſtian his glory—long-ſuffering and joy. Long ſuffering is a beame of God, this does not put out, or darken other beames: hee is long ſuffering indeed, he ſuffers more and longer then any of us, and yet he is joyous to; hee does not barely beare, but joy and beare; hee does not overthrow, no, nor diminiſh in the leaſt kind, the felicity of his condition by ſuffering: Chriſtians are to be like him. Duties are made conſiſtent, we muſt not make them inconſiſtent. Long ſuffering and joy ſeeme inconſiſtent to fleſh and bloud, yet joyned together by God, in my Text: we may not part what God joines —long-ſuffering with joy:
Duties are aſſiſtant: long ſuffering makes great capacity, not great incapacity of joy. Some people are by ſituation (you know) neerer the Sun then others: who are ſo neere the Sun by ſituation and placeing from God, as thoſe whom hee chooſeth out to ſuffer, and ſuffer long? ſuffering long and joy, are very neere by ſituation, there is never a word between them in my Text, joy is Peters Angel, if Peter be in Priſon, and have been there long, this Angel is at the doore. More then this, as ſoon is a Chriſtian is in priſon for Chriſt, Chriſt is at the doore which joy: let ſuch a man but aske and his joy will be full preſently, Chriſt is ſo neere him —aske and [your] joy ſhall be full Ioh. 16.24. You know he ſpeakes it to ſuch, who apprehended how much they ſhould undergoe, when Chriſt was gon from them. Ah! ſaith Chriſt, though I goe away I wil ſet joy at your doore, a comforter to be very neere you, when any diſcomfort ſurpriſes; and then neereſt, when you need him moſt; ſo that you ſhall get more of a ſuddain by Prayer, then you could in all your life before. A ſuffering Chriſtian has his peculiar advantge, let him but open his mouth heaven-ward and 'tis fild preſently: let his heart be at his mouth, and the holy Ghoſt wil be at his heart; all upon wing and wrapt up in the third Heaven, when the body in Hell. Long ſuffering and joy are very neere: as neere, as night and morning; if miſery makes the night joy makes the morning: and if the night cannot aske for the morning, yet the morning will come of it ſelfe—joy [comes] in the morning. If a long ſufferer be …o worne, ſo depreſſed with his burden, that he be not able to pray, not able to aske, for joy and for comfort, yet his joy will be ful, 'twill come of it ſelfe as things that are joyn'd together, will call in one another—long ſuffering with joyfulneſſe.
Duties are immergent: one ſprings, and bubbles out of the belly of another: all patience, brings forth long ſuffering, long ſuffering bringes forth joyfulneſſe: this is Divine Genealogy; they are plac'd here by the holy Ghoſt according to their line, as perſons, ſo vertues, are noted according to their Genealogy: Every grace beares, patience brings forth long ſuffering, long ſuffering joy, joy brings forth Heaven; now the Sun is up in the ſoule and begets Cardinall vertues, glorious graces, it makes the very emblem of Heaven in the heart. The holy line muſt not be broken: as things have their order in their owne nature, ſo they muſt have their courſe in the ſoule, long ſuffering for truth, muſt bring forth joy, and not griefe: a Jacob muſt hold an Eſau by the heele, joy muſt embrace rough uſage; out of the ſowereſt ſtock, ar't ſhould make ſweet fruit come—out of long-ſuffering, for Chriſt joy.
Duties are innocent: graces are ſo ordained to move, as beſt to ſpeake out mans ſimplicity, and Gods glory; long ſuffering is not to leaven and ſowre the ſoule, to make it regurgitate bitterly in the afternone, when things have lai'n long in the ſtomack, but it is to give advantage to a Chriſtian, fully to ſpeake forth his owne integrity, and Gods glory. Long ſuffering with joy, is a full expreſſion of mans ſimplicity and Gods Glory. Long ſuffering in any cauſe, hath its integrity as the heart is free from repining under it; which it is, when 'tis meate and drinke to ſuffer for Chriſt; joy to beare, and to beare long. Grace ſhould move in grace; that's long ſuffering with joy: grace ſhould move to a Chriſtians grace, and to GODS glory, that's long ſuffering with joyfulneſſe.
Ʋſe. Chriſtians you ſee your leſſon, tis ſet very high, can you play it? What artiſts are you in your calling? Can you make good Muſick upon a bad inſtrument? Can you make an inſtrument goe well, that hath hung long by? Can you play wel, when the ſtrings be broke? When the back, when the belly of the inſtrument is broke? Can you ſing the ſongs of Zion in a ſtrange Land? Can yee make melody in your ſpirits, when never a whole piece in your fleſh? ſome of you it may be have never a peny in your purſe, ſcarce any rag to weare, no houſe to put your head in, but live upon the meere mercy of friends, for giving teſtimony to Chriſts cauſe: can yee joy now? Chriſt hath mingled your drinke with weeping, can yee drinke off this Cup with joy?
Suffering is ſuffering indeed, when it goes quite through the man, body and ſpirit; body without all joy, and ſoule too. A man is plundred indeed, when he is plundred in his eſtate, within and without; plundred of mony and goods, and plunderd of peace and joy too: no comfort without, nor none within neither, Ah Lord? here's a man quite undone indeed, her's a man, all over miſerable, ſoule and body bleeding; can there be any gathering to relieve this man? I have heard many complaine, that they are quite undone, the expreſſion hath cut me to the heart, to heare it; their faces all over blackneſſe, not one line drawne ſimilingly. You have loſt all joyes without, why but there are joyes within, which the World cannot give nor take, have you loſt theſe too? did the Cavaleers take away all together? mony and plate and Chriſt too? Ah! poore man, thou art quite undone indeed, certainly the divel was in thoſe Cavaleers.
I would ſpeake to ſuch from this point, which are quite undone, which have loſt all, money, and joy too; which have many ſufferings upon them for Chriſt, but can make no joy out of them. Surely I can gueſſe your paine, you are blind: you know not who hath ſtrip't you, nor when he will returne it againe. 'Tis impoſſible for a man to joy under long ſuffering, unleſſe a man can looke to the end of it. This makes heavy afflictions light, long afflictions ſhort, to look, where they end. Our light afflictions which endure but for a moment, worke about a farre more exceeding and an eternall weight of glory. Long ſuffering is but a moment, when compared with eternity of glory. The great Heaven at a diſtance, makes a little Heaven at preſent, a Heaven in hell to that ſoule which hath it in its eye: as theſe lower Heavens, give a great luſtre and vigour at a diſtance to beholders, and raiſe much; ſo doth the Heaven of Heavens. 'Tis a Heaven to behold Heaven a farre off, where ever the body be; 'twas Canaan to Moſes, Ab extremis miſeriae quies.to ſee Canaan a far off. The ſight of the end ſhortens the way, ſuffering is deadly long when a man can ſee no end; when a man is in darkneſſe and can ſee no light, 'tis hard to bring the ſoule to joy in ſuch darkeneſſe. A man muſt looke upon affliction from one end to to'ther, that would fetch in joy to his ſoule from ſuffering. At one end of long ſuffering for truth, is a father: at the other end, a reward; which if ſeen well, will make the longeſt ſuffering very ſhort, and very ſweet.
Can you make no joy out of your long ſufferings for truth, I can gueſſe your paine: there is ſomething heavier then your temporall loſſe, that lies upon you. Surely you have loſt your ſtate, and found ſinne: death has a ſting; death of a mans body, yea, and death of a mans eſtate, has a ſting. A little guilt, is heavier then a great deale of miſery, then all the afflictions of this World. When bare miſery goes over a mans head, though never ſo much, hee may well ſtand under this; but when miſery clothes it ſelfe with guilt and goes over a mans head as Iniquity, this makes the burthen too heavy to be borne: when the apprehenſion of ſinne ſtartes out of miſery, and ſtares upon the ſoule, this killes all joy dead, and the man is not able to beare up, if hee had all the World to comfort him. The cauſe may be good and the man bad; 'tis hard to keepe up a bad heart, though the ſuffering be good, there be ſo many by-things beſides the cauſe, breake in; guilt doth ſo ſpeake, ſtare, and teare, in ſuch a ſoule, when any bodily miſery growes great and long. Long ſuffering turnes a guilty ſoule into hell, a hell in the fleſh may be borne with joy, but not a hel in the ſpirit. Plundered perſons complaine they art quite undone, ſinne hath done this, fall out with that, not with Cavaleers: they could not have ſtript you of all, not of your joy, by taking away your goods, no, not by taking away your limbes, no, not by taking away your life: had not you wounded your ſoules with ſinne, neither men nor divels could have ſtrip't you of your joy: the wounds which you have made in your ſpirits, not thoſe which they have made in your fleſh, have quite undone you; theſe are the wounds that have bled to death your joy. Thou haſt beene the cruelleſt Cavaleer to thy ſelfe, O ſinner.
Can'ſt thou make no joy out of thy ſufferings for truth? I can gueſſe the cauſe: thy ſufferings worke no grace in thee—Wee glory in tribulation knowing that it workes this and that grace, ſaith the Apoſtle, that is, takes off the ſoule from the Creature, ſets it upon God and eternall things. Thy ſufferings are meere ſufferings, they worke no grace; if they did, thou muſt needs joy in this to ſee how a fiery Charet, carries thy ſoule to Heaven. No affliction is joyous or can be, but as it brings home the ſoule to God, the Prodigall home to his Father. When afflictions doe barely afflict, and onelyonly afflict, this muſt needes leave the ſoule in a very ill frame to joy.There is no joy in eating of huskes. Barren cloudes doe not make the Earth ſmell and ſmile; barren afflictions, afflictions which make no grace, can make no glory; joy is an afflicted ſoules Glory. As the veſſell comes into forme by beating, ſo comes in delight: as gold appeares by fire, as Chriſt is ſeene in the furnace, ſo is joy there. Suffering long, and the heart hold it's owne in ſinne! Ah Lord! her's a ſoule in hell indeed: is it poſſible for ſuch a ſoule, to make joy in ſuch ſuffering? ſuffering long and the heart hold it's owne in ſinne? this ſets the ſoule at a greater diſtance from joy then ever, as one that is wicked and will be ſo; there is no peace nor joy to the wicked: when will there? when can there? to him that is wicked and ever will be ſo? that ſhort ſuffering, long ſuffering, no furnace, can melt nor purifie. This ſoules ſuffering, is and will be, of the ſame nature with theirs below; there is long ſuffering and no Joy without poſſibility of Joy, ſo will it be with every wicked man.
Sinners tell mee what doe yee ſee? what doe yee feele? ſorrow, but no joy, why that's right: write, Lord have mercy upon mee, my hell is begun: my body is deſolate, my ſoule is deſolate, ſo 't'as been long, ſo 'twill be for ever, becauſe my miſery has not better'd me. What no enquiry? no panting for Chriſt yet? will yee rub along through one hell, till you come to another? O God! when ſhall Chriſt be in requeſt? bodies bleed, ſoules bleed, and yet is not a bleeding Saviour ſought after, that a bleeding condition may bee made bleſſed and Joyous. Sinners, you are inſnared in an evill time. Did you dreame of long ſuffering? what dayes are come upon you? what rack't ſoules are within you? when will this end? So 'tis, ſo it muſt be, till one deepe ſwallow up another, till the loweſt Hell ſwallow up this nether-moſt Hell.
Reade my Text once more, God is to be admir'd, ſo is this point, and (I thinke) this Text to be concluded. How tender is God of the felicity of man: hee does much to deſtroy his ſinne, but nothing to deſtroy his joy, when hee makes him ſuffer long, he would have ſinne die, all ſinne, but no joy, no, not a dram, but riſe to an exceeding height —Rejoyce and bee exceeding glad ſaith Chriſt. All that God does, the worſt that God does to a Chriſtian, is to make him a Heaven and to encreaſe it: it ſhould make ones heart leape to thinke of it. If he caſt downe, 'tis to raiſe up; if he humble, 'tis to exalt: if he empty, 'tis to fill; if he kill, 'tis to make alive: if he make miſery long without, 'tis to make joy ſtrong within: ſtill he ha's a tender care of mans joy. This is the Benjamin, about which Gods bowells beate, let my child ſuffer any thing, but nothing in his joy. O deare father who can conceive thy bowells to thy children? Lord what is man that thou art ſo mindfull of him, and ſo tender of his joy?
He that is in Heaven can ſpeake nothing but Heaven: he that is never without joy, would never have us without joy, although we be never without ſin, no, not then when wee doe and ſuffer moſt and longeſt for him: when hee ſpeakes of long ſuffering, he ends it with joy, nay, he meanes it all a long with joy. Chriſtians, admire love, God does nothing to make you miſerable; all that is done this way, you doe it your ſelves. Hee has beene a Father of children, of many children, this many thouſand yeares, yet never was knowen to doe any thing, to take away the joy of any. God is very tender of your joy, be you ſo: he does nothing to kill your joy, doe not you make any thing he does, doe it. When hee makes you ſuffer much, and ſuffer long, doe not you make it kill your joy: this is to turne long ſuffering, into long ſinning, yet fleſh and bloud is apt to this, I'le therefore ſpeak a word to this point.
Our ſufferings looke as if they would be long, they have a long viſage in my eye (as I told you laſt day:) how long ſoever they ſtretch out themſelves, yet I would have you manage them (as the holy Ghoſt here ſpeakes) with a ſpirit of joy. I will give you three or foure things to helpe, raiſe your hearts to ſuffer, and to ſuffer long, and all along with joy.
You ſhall be the death of inſolent wickedneſſe. Should be the joy of a child of God to ſuffer long, to kill the leaſt ſinne, 'tis ſo killing to his father: how much more to kill a Goliah, that is up in defiance againſt him. You ſhall kill wickedneſſe in Armour, wickedneſſe with a brazen face; wickedneſſe with a head-peece, back-peece, belly-peece; wickedneſſe wrapt up in Iron, in armour from head to foote; wickedneſſe growen ſo wicked, that thinks ſhe hath made her ſelfe musket-proofe, Cannon-poofe, againſt the Almighty. Should it not joy a man to ſuffer long, to kill ſuch wickedneſſe, to kill wickedneſſe, that thinks to out-live all goodneſſe? wickedneſſe that dares GOD, teares God; ſweares, curſes, blaſpheames, at every word; wickedneſſe ſet all on fire of Hell: ſhould it not joy a man, to quench ſuch fire with his bloud? ſhould it not be a joy to a man, to put forth an Arme to caſt out Devils, though he never pluck it in againe? ſhould not a Chriſtian make it his honour, his joy, to make devils ſubject to him? to make inſolent wickedneſſe aſham'd and returne? or ſwell and breake and hang it ſelfe? ſhould it not joy a man to ſuffer any thing, to kill a devill? legions of devills? principalities, and powers? Scarlet wickedneſſe? wickedneſſe grown ſo high, as ſcarce ever was in England? 'twas the joy of Sampſon to ſuffer any thing, that hee might make wicked Nobles ſuffer, ſcarlet wickedneſſe a never dying Monument of ſhame, mee thinkes it ſhould make, the moſt fleſhly fearefull ſpirit in the World Joy, to ſuffer any thing, to help forward ſuch noble acts as theſe. To die in the proſecution of a juſt cauſe to the life, ſuch a death, is it not life? ſuch heart bloud dropping forth, does not every drop give back a cordiall to the heart, from whence it comes? Such miſery, does it not create it's owne joy. Can you not joy in ſuch ſufferings, as bring cordialls with them? Such ſufferings as are rather joyes then ſufferings, they have ſo much honor and glory in them?
You ſhall be the death of the Kingdome of the devill throughout England, throughout the Chriſtian world. Some thinke the Throne of the Beaſt is in England; I believe, the life of the Beaſt, the life of al beaſtly wickedneſſe through out the Chriſtian world, depends much upon theſe wicked wretches, which live in England: is it not time then they were dead? ſhould it not joy any one to ſuffer any thing, to ſend ſuch to their place? to damne up Springs of wickedneſſe? to cut off the devils right hand? to pull downe ſtrong holdes of hell? ſhould it not joy a man, to die dead the diveliſh world, to die like Sampſon, and pull downe all the Philiſtims ſtrength at once. A bleſſing is pronounced twice in one Pſalme, to them that take Babylons little ones, and daſh them againſt the ſtones: what bleſſedneſſe then, to them which take Babylons great ones, and daſh them againſt the ſtones? ſhould it not joy one to goe about a bloudy worke, to be ſo bleſſed, ſo particularly, ſo doubly, bleſſed?
You ſhall be the life of Chriſts Kingdome: the life of his children, Ordinances, ſpirit, glory, throughout the Chriſtian world: ſhould it not be the joy of a man to die, that God may live? 'twas the joy of God to die, that man might live, God ſhed his bloud ſaith the Scripture, to ſave the bloud of man, and he did this bloudy ſervice with joy, with delight, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, which notes an intention of joy: ſhould not a man gloryingly breath forth his glory and die, that Gods panting glory in England, may recover breath and live? who would not be ambitious, to be his Saviours Saviour? to beare up the pillars of the Chriſtian World? as the Pſalmiſt ſpeakes.
The integrity of your ſuffering, depends much upon your ioy in ſuffering: murmuring ſuffering is ſinning, you will ſuffer for this againe. As God calles for the heart in doing, ſo in ſuffering; I cannot ſtand on this, let mee conclude all thus, GOD ownes the cauſe that you owne: ſhould it not joy a man, to march after God? you are willing to loſe your bloud, and God is willing to ſpare it. The more backward you are to ſuffer, the more you will ſuffer; the more forward, the leſſe. Joy to ſuffer long for Chriſt, will ſhorten longſuffering.
FINIS.