Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland, Sermon 16
USEFULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times.
COLOSS. 1.12.
Giving thankes to the Father, who hath made [us] meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints, in light.
Doct. OF power creating and making we have already ſpoken; the perſons to whom this is refer'd, is our next thing to conſider, who are noted in this terme foreign us.—Who hath made [us] meete, &c. Love ſingles out her objects; ſhee chooſes her breaſt and boſome to lie downe in; ſhee does not wantonly and promiſcouſly kiſſe as ſhee meets, but picks and chooſes and ſo embraces.— who hath made [us] meet, &c.
Love workes freely; Chriſt makes many, nothing makes him. The holy Ghoſt cannot be bought with money, he is in the gall of bitterneſſe, that thinkes ſo. Nobility, no more then peaſantry; wiſdome, no more then folly to take Chriſt; hee embraces as many of one as t'other more; more poore then rich, more fooliſh then wiſe. His will is his pleaſure; therefore is will cal'd often in Scripture the pleaſure of God. Whom hee will pleaſes: if't be a theife, an harlot, a Publican. Chriſt is a good fortune, but never catch't; full of beauty but eyes none; full of wealth, but lookes at none; of great inheritance, but lookes not at dowry: hee marries where hee will; whom he will; whom he does, he makes; —who hath made [us] meete.
Love workes righteouſly; mercy leaves roome for Juſtice; ſhee can hold al in her Armes, but ſhe chooſes but few, and leaves the reſt to bee embrac'd, with more rough hands. The ſunne ſhines as it can get roome; in a little place it cannot bring in all its rayes, onelyonly, one or two, ſome few, but in the open World, all. Chriſt hath his courſe now in an open World; All are under ſinne, hee may put forth all his beames and glories, and be righteous; here a beame of Juſtice, and there a beame of mercy; he may ſhine upon one part as upon Sodom, bloudily; upon another part as upon Goſhen, bleſſedly. Chriſt is not neceſſitated to goe about, and kiſſe all in this lower roome as he doth above; he may kiſſe or he may kick; kick many and kiſſe a few, and come off righteouſly; he may goe killing and ſaveing, making and marring through this congregation, ſo as to leave the Apoſtles liberty for mee, in ſpeaking of you—who hath made [us] meete, &c.
Love workes very purely; purity is choiſe, a Virgin is not for many. Pure love lookes upon many, but chaſtely cleaves onelyonly to one. Chriſt ſingles out a Spouſe, and cleaves onelyonly to her. The Church ſingles out Chriſt, ſhe is onelyonly for him; Chriſt ſingles out a Church, he is onelyonly for theſe: My beloved is one, this is the Language of the Church, and this is the Language of Chriſt, both electing in their love, and a few ſerves turne on both ſides. The Churches love gathers into one breaſt; ſo doth Chriſts. Him and no other ſayes the Church; theſe and no other ſaith Chriſt. The property of love is to be entire; to uſe many, but to chooſe but few—who hath made [us] meete, &c.
Love workes ſtrongly; ſhe contracts her beames, that's her ſtrength. The more contracted the ſun beams are, the ſtronger in heat. Love is love indeed, that loves but few, one of a Tribe, two of a City, us of all Coloſſe; three or foure poore perſons, of ſuch a great famous City, and all the reſt left and lying under wrath. Running in many channels, breakes the ſtrength and greatneſſe of a ſtreame; That love which runnes common is no thing; Love, and upon the matter, no love; 'tis conſiſtent with all miſery, both here and hereafter. Speciall love workes ſtrongly; ſhe travailes to bring forth a Heaven; a Heaven fit for man, and men fit for it; thoſe wombes which bring forth great ones, bring forth but few. Multitude is made up in magnitude; a few kinges are conſiderable, to many thouſands of inferiour men; one Kindome is conſiderable, to many mannors; a few Saints, conſiderable to many wicked. Love travailes and works ſtongly; ſhee brings forth Kinges, Kingdomes, great things, and therefore but few—Who hath made [us] meete &c.
Love worketh nobly; the channels are al earthly and baſe in which ſhee runnes here below, and therefore ſhee runnes but in few. Nobles will be intimate and frequent with Nobles, but with few others, with few that are low and baſe, onelyonly with here and there one, that they have a minde to preferre. 'Tis ſo with Chriſt, he moves nobly; hee is intimate with all the nobility above, frequent with all thoſe royall ſpirits, but he lookes but upon few here below, here and there one. which hee hath a minde to advance. Chriſt doth not throw downe himſelfe, when he ſets up man; hee ennobles himſelfe in every thing, that goes forth from himſelfe; hee ſo makes great, as to make himſelfe great; he advanceth men and advanceth himſelf, in ſuch advancement: Chriſt doth ſo ſpeake love, and worke love, as to make all echo to his owne honour. Much amonſt few, will hold its muchneſſe, and they will confeſſe the donor noble, and their inheritance great; thus doe theſe here in the Text, they admire love.—Giving thankes to the Father, who hath made [us] meete to be partakers of the inheritance of Saints in light.
Love workes hintingly. Chriſt doth ſo kiſſe and embrace, in this lower roome where he comes, that it may be plainly diſcerned, that he is not a like pleaſed with all. The very going forth of merciemercy, ſpeakes Juſtice to the wicked; ſhe kiſſes one over anothers ſhoulder; is not that deadly hinting, and damnably nodding to him that ſtands betweene? Love comes very neere a man, and yet ſteps over him and kiſſes the next: Two grinding at a Mill, one taken and another left, two lying in one bed, one taken and the other left; doth not this manner of loves working, ſpeake wrath to ſtanders by? hath not mercy in its diſpenſation a tongue? a voice? doth ſhee not give a deadly caſt and glote with her eye, that ſhee is not pleaſed with all? that ſome ſhall die under a ſleight? that ſhe never meanes Heaven to this man nor that man, what ever they promiſe to themſelves? love ſmiles and goes cloſe by one ſoule, and kiſſes another, why this very tranſcient ſmile, is a deadly frowne; 'tis a ſmile, and yet 'tis a deadly frowne too, the ſoule paſt by ſhould account ſo, and ſpell his death out of it. Abels offering accepted and Cains nor, this was to hint to Cain how things went in Gods breaſt, and it did ſo, but wrought deſperately. Chriſt in the ſame breath, in the ſame expreſſion, can ſpeake conſolation and condemnation, life and death; life plainly, death noddingly; ſo hee doth here in this forme of expreſſing himſelfe—Who hath made [us] meete, &c.
Ʋſe. This point diſchargeth a broad ſide, againſt an errour of the World. Every one thinkes himſelfe, in the favour of God. That wherein God is moſt curious, the World thinkes he is moſt careleſſe: his love workes very choiſely, and they thinke it workes very commonly. What man alive, but promiſes himſelfe the love of God when hee dies? What mans ſtate ſo bad, but he thinkes …will end in Heaven? Ignorant ſoules make Heaven, and the Boſome of God, …he center of ſoules, that to which all ſoules neceſſarily goe, and can goe no whither elſe. I am pain'd at the heart, to heare prophane mens opinions and their principles, reſpecting the love of Chriſt and their eternall eſtate. I will give you two or three of their principles, and ſpeak to them.
They thrive in the World, therefore …ove hath given them her favour, and choſen out them to be the onelyonly happy men, who ever be miſerable.
Did not the ſunne ſhine upon Sodom? was not Dives, a wealthy man? and yet where is he? Where is hee? was not …ophet prepared for the King? The things of this life, are conſiſtent with death, with wrath. A man may lie in the boſome of the Creature, and in the boſome of the divel too, nothing more common. A full Table ſpeakes ſnares and death, as well as love. That man will certainly choke his ſoule, that will not riſe from his Table, to fetch an argument of Gods favour towards him.
I am beloved of all men: in this ſome bleſſe themſelves, as beloved of God.
Truth ſeldome gets ſo much favour: 'tis a ſtrange carriage, that will carry it with all. All men may ſpeake well, and God ſpeake ill of a man. All men love thee? Doe Gods people love thee? there is a love of pity. David loved Saul, a … yet Saul was not beloved of God. There is a love of relation. David loved Abſolom, yet Abſolom not beloved of God. Gods people may faſten love, where God will not. Gods people are weake, 'tis uſuall with them to faſten love, where God cannot. And as for the Worl…, they love their owne, they hug one another to death: what then can'ſt thou argue from hence, touching Gods favour to thee? I am not more jealous of any man then of him, that aleadges a generall approbation for his goodneſſe. The World gives no certificate to Saints, nor Saints give no certificate to the World; he that gets a certificate from both: Lord! what is he? a Saint? or a worldling? good or bad? or made up between both? Common vote for goodneſſe, ſpeakes common goodneſſe, commonly: ſeldom is this height, a height to argue ſpeciall love from.
Some men can goe in, and fetch thee out an evidence of their eternall ſtate. My conſcience is as cleare and as good as any Mans, my heart is at reſt J thanke GOD.
The ſoule is corrupt, 'twill lie downe with a lie. There is ſettling upon lees; this ſpeakes not love, but deadly hatred. When the ſtrong man keepes the houſe, all is at peace. Some are quiet, becauſe there is no grace to oppoſe corruption. The old man is quiet enough, if he may have what he will: The divell is as quiet as another Creature, if hee be let alone, to rule all as hee liſt's. There is peace, peace, and yet no peace: have you never heard of that? They ſhall cry peace, peace, and yet no peace, no favour with God, but wrath burning, and judgement at the doore. Peace may be in a ſinners mouth, and wrath in Gods; peace may be in a ſinners heart, and wrath in Gods heart, yea, when wrath is in Gods Hand, and ready to cut him off. There is a peace of mans ſpeaking, and a peace of Gods ſpeaking:—When [they] ſhall cry peace, peace, meerely they, and not God; this peace peace, this double peace, ſpeakes double wrath.
Deluſions are many, ſinners looke to your ſoules. This is certain, love elects: ſhe goes forth with choyce, not promiſcuouſly: ſhe makes ſome, not all, bleſſed.—Who hath made [us], &c. Are ye amongſt this number? Can yee ſay thus? who hath made [mee] meete, and [mee] meete for Heaven. Every one thinkes ſpeciall love embraceth him: I'le therefore give you the proprieties of an electing love.
'Tis in living: Sun rayes generate; Vita.ſun rayes regenerate. Love is warming: heate makes life. The Love of God revealed, begets love in man: Wee love him, becauſe hee loved us firſt. God gives all great favours ſo, as to returne to him naturally. Divine love ſhed abroad in the heart, carries the heart to God. The ſpirit returnes to God that gave it; the naturall ſpirit doth ſo at death, the holy ſpirit doth ſo before death, all along even unto death. Gods Countenance where 'tis ſimiling, 'tis winning, where 'tis winning; 'tis drawing; where divine love is drawing, the ſoule is running to Heaven. A favourite is much at Court, ever at the Kings elbow; Gods favourites are much with him, ſtill bending Heaven-ward. Love is alwayes in her journey, towards her beloved; No boſome ſo ſweete, as that from whence ſhee came forth. Divine love, makes divine; it comes from Heaven, it carries to Heaven. Choſen, are called: electing love hath a ſtill, ſweet, calling voyce. This is the way ſaith love: and there is no way to this, ſaith the beloved. Grace echo's to God the giver. Wiſdoms wayes have the name for pleaſantneſſe, with a choſen ſoule.
Love inflames: the Kingdome of Heaven ſuffereth violence and the violent take it by force. V…atal'sInfinite love, makes a kinde of infinite: it generates ſimile. Love is as ſtrong as death, 'tis ſpoken of the love of the Spouſe. The Husbands love is unexpreſſible ſtrong, ſo is the Wives: Love, ſets the ſoule for Heaven, with full ſaile: All the heart, and all the might. Electing love, carries al captive to Chriſt: 'tis not to be expreſt how ſtrong love is, when made divine. That love that is ſet upon God, is the ſtrongeſt of all, 't'as ſuch a tranſcendent object, and ſuch ſecret tranſcendent influence. No ſinner loves ſinne, as a Chriſtian loves Chriſt. Love is made from the object: no object ſo lovely, ſo ſoule-drawing out, as Chriſt is. No ſuch rapture did Salomons ſoule ever make in the Creature, as in Chriſt: nothing is ſo drawing out of love, as Chriſt: the very vaſtneſſe of the ſoule, is ſuited in him: how vaſtely doth the ſoule love, when fully ſuited? When every power of the ſoule, hath enough to take full hold on! Thou haſt put joy in my heart, [more] then they, when corne and wine and oyle increaſed. Gods Countenance drawes more out, more love, more joy, then Corne and Wine, then any thing can doe, 'tis ſo fully ſoule anſwering. Electing love is a tranſcendent love, ſtronger then that which is borne to all the Creation beſides; ſo it makes a tranſcendent love, a love ſtronger to Chriſt then to any thing. My love is white and ruddy: faire, yea [faireſt] of ten thouſand. A man whom Chriſt loves, cannot ſee ſuch another as Chriſt is: as the Apple-Tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my beloved among the Sonnes.
Electing love is ſeparating. I have choſen you [out] of the World. The body in the World but the ſoule out of it, off of it, (i) in eſteeme, all earthly things dung; ſtinking Earth: that which is taking to a carnall man, is ſtinking to a Chriſtian. Earth is baſe, to a heavenly ſoule: thick clay, a loade; yea the very fleſh upon the back, a load to a divine ſpirit; life, this life, but a death. The beſt houſe here, but a groaning houſe— in this houſe wee groane, panting after another better built, A houſe from Heaven. Chriſt finds men loſt in the Creature, but leaves them loſt in himſelfe. I eſteeme all loſſe but Chriſt. A choyce perſon hath a choyce affection, he can put no prize upon any thing, but Chriſt. A Chriſtian is the worſt bidder for the World, in the World. A Judas bidds baſely for Chriſt; A Paul bids baſely for all, beſides Chriſt; he bids nothing; hee eſteemes all dung, he prizes it at no rate, onelyonly worthy of ſtrong contempt. The glory of this World, takes not a glorious ſoule. I am crucified to the World, and the World to me. Paul had nothing of the World, nor cared for nothing: there was as little of the World in his heart, as in his hand; as little in his ſpirit, as in his purſe. Divine love, is very eſtranging from worldly things; knowes nothing, no, no perſon after the fleſh. A brother is nothing; a ſiſter, a mother, nothing; divine things, All; 'twas ſo with Chriſt, 'tis ſo with a Chriſtian. All Chriſts children, take after him.
Whether choſen of God, whether ſingl'd out by love, now ſpeake. Whom love hath not ſingled out, wrath now will. Juſtice hath no other Butt to ſhoot at, but a rejected ſoule. Mercy ſets her children under her wing, Juſtice killes her children with death; yee rejected ſoules what will yee doe? The great Shepheard is ſeparating, between ſheepe and ſwine: tares ſhall no longer ſtand amongſt the Wheat, plucking up by the rootes is come. Bleed under your condition, ſinners: the quarrell at this day in the Land, is betweene Chriſt and rejected perſons: there ſhould not a ſtroke be ſtruck more in the Land, were it not to cut off, that which is caſt off. Every Souldier is Gods bloud-hound; you will ſee wrath ſingle out the ſtouteſt Goat in the heard, and pull him by the throate; Juſtice drinke the bloud of every Judas, and make Filii perditionis, filii perditi, the greateſt men, in miſery as deepe as their merit; perſons, caſt off by GOD, cut off by Man.
Juſtice is going once againe, to give every Cain his marke. Not a rejected perſon through the Land, but ſhall feele the power of Gods Wrath. Yee forlorne Soules, what will yee doe? Shall your ſinne finde you out? Will you goe on in your ſinne, till God make your rejection viſible, and write your doome in your bloud, for poſterity to reade and tremble? Is it a ſmall thing that you have loſt your name and honour with men? Will you deſperately loſe your honour eternally with God? Yee Malignants, yee ſeede of the Serpent, you ſay you have but a life to loſe, I ſay you have Soules to loſe. You ſay you will honour the King; ſo doe, but honor God too, or elſe the King of Kings will cruſh you all.
I conclude this point,Duty. with a word to Gods choſen ones; your Duty; your ſafety lies in this point. Love ſingles out her beloved—Who hath made [us] meete, &c. You are of this little Number, admire love: this is the uſe made in the Text. Give thankes to the Father, who hath made us meete, &c. What knotty pieces hath God hewed, and made fit for himſelfe! That Gods Love ſhould center any where but in himſelfe, a…l the Creation ſhould admire: that God will foule his hands, to mould and make up Earth for Heaven, for ever admire; mans love is all from motive, Gods love from none. God layes out coſt on a dunghill, and makes it a ſtately Throne. Things which ſo move that wee can ſee no ſpring, their very forme ſet's us into admiration: Divine Love moves thus altogether; ſingles out, kiſſes, embraces, and no ſpring nor principle, but it ſelfe; loves, becauſe it loves: can you reach this reaſon? No, why? then admire and adore that love, that has your Soules in her Armes, to carry them to Heaven.
Safety.Your ſafety is in this point. Whom Love hath ſingled out, wrath ſhall never wrong. The favour of God is a ſufficient defence, againſt the frownes of the greateſt man. Love is as tender to keepe, as choyce to take into protection: ſhee commandes men, ſhee commands Angels, ſhee commands the whole Creation, to ſerve her Beloved. A man ha's the Munition of Rockes, that is in the Armes of Chriſt. A Chriſtian cannot object his ſinne, to turne of this conſolation from him. Divine love beganne freely, it goes, on ſo; it choſe out the man freely, it chooſes out mercies for the man, freely. A man is Univerſally made, that is choſen out by God to bee happy: hereafter, happy; here, happy: in every condition here, happy. Chriſt leaves none to the hazard of ſinnes, or times: hee ſecures his choyce, as his owne eternall felicity; Hee bindes them up as His Jewels, ſets the Righteous apart, As for Himſelfe.
All.Your ſafety, your All, is in this point. 'Tis your Spring of ſupplies; 'tis a Fountaine open. Free-Love is a Canaan of bleſſings, Milke and Honey Flowing. Free-Love, 'tis infinite mercy ſet to make you her Heire, to beſtow all ſhee hath upon you and yours. Would yee have your ſelves bleſſed, the Kingdome bleſſed, Free-Love hath in it, to doe all: Free-Love hath a long Arme, and a full Hand; merciemercy for thouſands, and from Generation to Generation.
FINIS.