Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland, Sermon 18
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 Saints, in light.
TO be partakers] of the inheritance, &c. Thus read, 'tis interpretation, not ſtrict tranſlation; yet poſſibly I may make iſſue both wayes for your ſakes, both as you reade it, and as 'tis to be read in the originall. The Text verbatim runs thus—fit to a part, or portion of a lot of Saints in light. 'Tis phraſed in alluſion to Canaan, where the people of GOD had their part and portion, and this by lot, by an immediate providence, and by no humane art, by the ſpeciall bleſſing and diſpoſing hand of God, and by no merit or means of their own. The phraſe notes top favors, gallant mercies, diſpenſations full of love, all love, all love to all eternity. Doct. The higheſt mercies are communicable: Heaven, all that is in Heaven, diſtributive; diſtributive to men like our ſelves —Partakers of the inheritance.
Love is bountifull, ſhee gives all, Participatio ſacra, eſt communicatio totius.mercy empties her ſelfe upon her children: ſhe empties her pockets, ſhe empties cloſets Cabinets; Jewells of price, Jewells of glory, of eternall glory, are given away to her favorites. Having given us Chriſt, will hee not with him give us [all things? Love gives all: Chriſt, and all that Chriſt hath. The Apoſtle argues a maiori ad minus. Chriſt is a greater gift then Heaven, and yet he is made communicable, and communicable to man, to us; therefore no marvell that Heaven is. Having given us Chriſt, &c. Love will make her heart bloud communicable, which is more then making heart Jewells communicable: Chriſts giving of himſelfe, is more then giving any thing without himſelfe, more then the giving of Heaven and Earth to man. Heaven is not noted in Scripture, as the height of Chriſts love, but himſelfe; what himſelfe is, and what he puts himſelfe unto. His owne ſelfe] bare our ſinnes, on his body, &c. 1 Peter 2.24. And to be with [Chriſt] is beſt of all. 'Tis not ſayd, to be in heaven is beſt of all.Abrahams boſome is but alluding, to the felicity that is, where Chriſt unboſomes himſelfe to Saints. The accent of love is faſtened upon Chriſt himſelfe, and not upon any thing elſe. Chriſt himſelfe is ſtill noted as a greater communication of love, then Heaven or Earth, or any thing beſides him. Love opens her purſe to her beloved, yea, ſhe opens her boſome, and ſets her beloved there; Heaven is in Chriſts boſome,Communicatio ſacra eſt ad demō ſtrandum-Communicantem. and Chriſt opens this to his, he makes this communicable.—Partakers of the inheritance, &c.
Sacred Communication, is to make ſuitable demonſtration, of infinite love. Great love is not ſuitabley expreſſed, by ſmall things.*Magna parvis minima exprimuntur. Springs make Chanells, Streames, Rivers, ſuitable to their ſtrength; they make their rent without, ſuitable to their bubling within, under ground. Heaven is but a ſuitable expreſſion, of the love of a God: 'tis but a ſtreame ſuitable, to ſuch a fountaine: but beames ſuitable, to ſuch a Sun. Heaven is but legible writing out, of infinite love. Were not heaven made communicable, infinite love would be but halfe expreſſed, 'twould have no ſutable demonſtration, 'twould be far more in it ſelfe, then knowne to us. 'Tis with Chriſt here in this World, as 'tis with a Chriſtian, a Chriſtians fortune here, doth not ſuite his titles; called a King, and has nothing. Now are we the Suns of God, but does not appeare what wee ſhall be. Why we ſhall be but the Sons of God his meaning is, that now title and revenew do not agree, nothing in poſſeſſion that ſpeaks out the Son of a God, the Son of a King; ſtate and title, do not fitly and fully expreſſe one another: ſo 'tis with Chriſt now his love and his expreſſion of it, are ſhort one of another: many expreſſions of love are made here, but they all expreſſe it but brokenly. heaven will ſpeake out an infinite love; 'twill demonſtrate it to the life, to all the ſenſes at once, which is ſuch a demonſtration of a thing, as here man cannot make of any thing. There a man ſhall have the advantage of all ſenſes together, to fathome infinite love: he ſhall heare it, ſee it, taſte it, &c. He ſhall ſee the fountaine where and how it riſeth; the Ocean how vaſt it ſpreads, and how broad it beares. Chriſt demonſtrates infinite love fully, fitly; therfore is heaven made communicable to poore Earthen creatures—partakers of the inheritance, &c.
Sacred participation is to make ſoule ſatisfaction. Communicatio eſt ad implendum ſubjectum, cui communicatur.Every thing leſſe then heaven, is too title to ſatisfy the ſoule—All is vanity, &c. Put all things on this ſide heaven together, and all is empty (i) in reference to the vaſt partaking ſpirit of man; it ſwallows and ſwallows the whole Creation, and makes nothing of all: participation of Earth, of all the Earth, will not ſatisfy; heaven muſt come in too, or elſe the ſoule like the Dove, remaines utterly reſtles, and crys like the grave, g…ve, g…ve▪ There is exceſſe in the Creature, but not proper filling. Bee not drunken with Wine wherein is [exceſſe] but be [filled] with the ſpirit: 'tis one ſpirit, that filleth another. Abundance of Earthly things may make exceſſe, and turne the ſoule into ſinne, but participation of fulneſſe in God, is that which gives the ſoule its felicity in it ſelfe, and this is in Heaven. Abſolute fulneſſe is in heaven, and this maketh abſolute content, therefore is our participation here, ſtill reaching after more, then can be had here. All that is diſpenſed in way of inferior ordinance, makes but taſting and longing, does but put on appetite to a full meale. Heaven, is Gods ſupreme ordinance, to give the ſoule ſatisfaction.*Participando. Other ordinances bring in the ſoule but drops, and therefore it ſtill thirſts; this ſupreame ordinance brings in the Ocean: the ſoule in this ordinance is ſwallowed up,*Tis Gods letting forth of al, to things without him. it can breath nothing but bleſſing, as ſeeing, feeling, hearing, taſting nothing elſe.
Sacred participation is made according to Chriſt▪s will. Communicatio, eſt ad placitum communicantis.The pleaſure of the King is, that we ſhould ſit at his Table, that we ſhould dip our morſels, in the ſame diſh with him; eat as he does, drinke as he does, weare and fare to all eternity as he doth: Father I will, that thoſe whom thou haſt given me, be with me where J am, that they may behold the glory, which thou haſt given me Iohn. 17.24. Chriſt would not be in heaven alone, to eate his morſels alone; his pleaſure is in choice company, though not in any. [J will] that [thoſe] which thou haſt given, be with mee. The pleaſure of Chriſt, is the ſpring of favors, as high as this riſes, a Chriſtian riſes, neceſſarily. The naturall Son, may have what he will, for the adopted Sons; the Will of Chriſt, is the rule of Communication: all is his to make gifts to his favorites, as great as he will. Theſe have continued with me in my temptation, theſe [ſhall] ſit on Thrones, the pleaſure of Chriſt, Thrones us, heaven's us. Heaven riſeth out of Chriſts breaſt. It comes out of the belly of divine will. Participation is to ſuite will, will is infinite vaſt, therefore is Heaven communicable. Great perſons do great things, to ſatisfy their will.
Participation is proportion'd to promiſe: no leſſe then the Land flowing with milke and honey, is promiſed.Communication is according to obligation. Heaven is but little enough, to fulfill truth, to pay debts. Chriſt hath beene ſo free of his promiſe, that all he has will but make it good, and render him juſt. He hath engaged his own honor, his own inheritance, all below, yea all that he has above, upon poore terms, but upon our ſervice, which is more diſſervice, more ſinne then ſervice at beſt. If any man ſerve me, let him follow mee, and where I am there ſhall my ſervant be, Iohn 12.26. We are by promiſe to have as much wages as Chriſt, to receive as great pay, though not in ſo great command, and though but common Souldiers and he a Captaine, yet all that ſerve under him, are to have as he has, a houſe full of ſilver and gold, yea a houſe not made with hands, a very vaſt houſe; a houſe full, a heaven full of Jewells. Communication is according unto obligation, debts muſt be payd, although never ſo great. Mercy never dies in debt to juſtice; every man ſhall partake of as much, as fit for and promiſed to him, although Chriſt himſelf hath no more.
Communication is according to inſtigation, ſometimes.Participation is proportioned ſometimes according to merit. Gods giving, is according to Chriſts deſerving, not according to ours: the beſt of us ſhould partake of hell, and not of heaven, if we had our deſerts. Heaven is great, and yet leſſe then Chriſts merit, and therefore God himſelfe is propoſed as a Saints portion, and Chriſts purchaſe. The Lord is my portion, he doth not ſay heaven. The Lord which made heaven, and can make more heavens, yea, is more then all heavens, upon a glote of whoſe eye, upon a caſt of whoſe countenance, ſtands heaven and hell; he is my portion. He is ſo: in whom? why? in Chriſt, by his merit. Participation is proportioned, to merit; merit is vaſt, it challenges heaven; more: God himſelfe. Chriſts merit makes God ours, the holy Ghoſt ours, what God is in himſelfe, ours; which is the heaven of heavens, that which makes heaven, heaven. Chriſts bloud is of more worth then heaven: it bought heaven and earth too of exact Juſtice, not for yeares, or for lives, but the fee ſimple for all eternity. We receive as God gives, God gives as Chriſt merits, and mediates: heaven comes out of Chriſts wounds to Us: Heaven comes out of hell to fallen man. Chriſts deſcenſion to hell, makes our aſcenſion to heaven; we are partakers of glory by his ſhame and miſery—By his ſtripes we are healed, &c. By his hell, we are heaven'd. We inherit not hereditarily, but made heires and ſo partake. Our participation of glory, is a made participation, made out of merit; merit is vaſt, therefore is our participation ſo vaſt as heaven—partakers of the inheritance.
Vſe. Iſ't a time of loſſe? 'tis a time of reception equivalent. God is more giving then taking away: is not heaven more then you have loſt upon earth? heaven is communicable, and yet you complaine, what ſhall you do for houſe? what ſhall you do for land? for enough for you and yours? all is gone. What? is heaven gon? then all is gone indeed. God ſhuts one hand, that we may looke to the other, which is open with greater and better things. Mens eyes are not opened, by the dealings of God; men learne not inſtruction though God whips to teach; that's your undoing, not what you have loſt, though never ſo much; for heaven would make up that well enough. God takes away in earthly things, that we may conſider and ſee, wherein he is a greater giver, do yee make this uſe of your loſſe? a man loſes much, when he loſeth a ſtate on Earth, and loſeth with it a heart to looke after a ſtate in Heaven: when loſſes and croſſes kil affection Heavenward, all is gone indeed: gone without hope of recovery.
Do not the ſtroaks of God make you looke to him? Why? then you will be ſmitten againe. Jobs meſſengers ſhall come one after another, and tell you of the loſſe of all, to ſee if that will ſave all. Divine rods are order'd to ſecond one another, till the ſoule be as high as it ſhould be, or as low as it muſt be: as high as Heaven, or as low as hell. I would ſinners did conſider the ſcope of Gods dealings now, and what is before them. Heaven and hell is before you now, you may be partakers of which you will. Heaven is communicable, hell is communicable, one in one hand of God, 'tother is in 'tother. Which way any great mans veine lies, you obſerve him. Gods veine lies in giving of great things, great mercy or great miſery; he gives no leſſe then heaven or hell to every man: he makes every man partake of one or 'tother. Sinners, as you love your ſoules conſider this.
Wrath workes, as love is abuſed:Communicatio plena. juſtice riſeth high, when high favors are ſleighted. All is communicable: 'twill breake the neck of all, which make not uſe of this; mans ſpirit muſt worke, as Gods does: when one is open to give, 'tother muſt be to receive. Bounty preſuppoſes a ready receiver: who is back-ward to take great things? and yet who is not back-ward to goe to Heaven? Heaven is wholly communicable, and yet ſinners are wholly careleſſe of it. Not a peny in Heaven, but 'tmay be yours, and yet what heapes of treaſure are there? Ah Lord, what wealthy perſons might ſinners be, and will not! OnelyOnly their will keepes them poore, Paul yours, Apollo yours, all yours, all is communicable, Heaven and Earth: the Earth and the fulneſſe of it; ſo Heaven and the fulneſſe of it, not a roome, not a walke in Heaven but 'tis in common for all the inhabitants! Not a diſh, but every ones hand is in it together: many hands in a diſh, is all the feeding above. Not a delightfull tune above, but every ones heart is ſet to it: not a beame in the Sun above, but every ones eye is fixed upon't: not a floure in Chriſts boſome, but all ſmell to it: not a ſecret, but revealed to all. All that hath laine hid for this many thouſand yeares, almoſt from all here below, there 'tis knowne to all; they above know, as they are knowne; ſuch great mercy, ſuch full mercy, rejected, what great miſery, what full miſery, will it make? Juſtice ſwells, as ſinners kick mercy: ſuch a heaven ſleighted, makes ſuch a hell. Hell, 'tis but Juſtice working ſuitable, to the abuſe of ſo much mercy, as may be had in heaven, and the ſoule would not
Communicatio libera.Heaven is freely communicable, and yet ſinners have no heart to it. Heaven may be had for nothing, neither for money, nor money worth, onelyonly for making fit for it, and this too wholly at anothers paines and coſt, and yet ſinners have no heart to it. Chriſt gives much, but takes nothing: mercy, is all mercy; mercy, is all free; as 'tis layd out all in an inheritance, and lies all round together above, 'tis all free. Love in its utmoſt dimenſions, in its heights and depths, as it paſſes knowledge, as it makes a heaven, yet it keepes its owne eſſentiall property; 'tis love, and but love: heaven is nothing elſe, but a bed of love: all delights free. There is nothing in heaven bought, nor payd for by us, of all the coſtly things that are there. There are Jewells about the inhabitants necks, ſuch as the World never ſaw, and yet not one bought by the wearer and owner: all given freely. You have not ſeene ſuch an inheritance for nothing, as Heaven is. There be things which coſt infinite deare, and yet done away for nothing. A man may ſee that which eye never ſaw, and heare that which Eare never heard, for nothing. God lays out much, but looks for no returne: his greateſt favours goe for acceptation. Participation of purchaſe, is pay for purchaſe: an m…n will but go to Heaven, the place ſhall coſt them nothing, though fit for a Prince. All Gods motion is free: his bleſſed motion for a time, free; his bleſſed motion for eternity, free. As God makes Heaven, he workes for nothing: as he makes fit for Heaven, he workes for nothing: for his greateſt layings out, hee ſets downe nothing: at Heaven doore hee ſets no bill, what rent and fine, though there be not ſuch a houſe of ſtate again, in the World. God keepes open houſe below, and above too: the beſt dainties, and yet no reckoning brought in; nothing to be paid, no, nothing expected. There is no thought of heart, what this diſh might have yielded, and what that precious odour might have been ſold for. Heaven goes freely free, gratiſſimè gratum. Heaven given, and not a thought againſt it: all the riches of a God layd downe at mans foot, and all the heart of God too, with it; and all the panting above, is, O that all may not be trod upon. Ah ſinners, what a damnation will this make, to ſet one foote upon heaven, and 'tother foot upon Gods heart! To trample all his, yea and all him too, in the dirt: heaven, and his heart too, to hold your ſin?
Communicatio univerſalis.Heaven is univerſally communicable: from Eaſt, Weſt, North, South, many come and ſit downe, in the Kingdome of Heaven. Strangers may dwell in the holy Land; Gentiles, aſwell as Jewes. Of all Nations, kindreds, tongues, may live together above, and be ſpoken unto, in their owne language, yea, underſtand one another plainly. Variety of language, excludes not heaven, confounds not heaven. All above, are intuitively underſtanding: men are as the Angels of God, in the Reſurrection. Oh every one that thriſts, come in; that's the bill, that is ſet upon Heaven doore: did yee never ſtand ſtill and reade it, ſinners? Heaven gate is open to all that knock, but fooles, fooliſh Virgins, fooliſh ſoules, which have nothing in them, nor will have nothing in them, to render them fit for heaven. There is Rahab the Harlot; There is Manaſſeh that murtherer; there is the Thiefe; there is Mary, that had ſo many Devills: A man that hath many Devills, may come where there is not one; The moſt devilliſh, helliſh creature, may be made partaker of Heaven. Lame, and Blind, and Halt, may come in there, and yet ſtill there is roome. 'Tis don as thou haſt commanded, ſaid the ſervant, that was ſent out to invite all ſorts, and yet there is roome. Luke 14.22. There is great variety of gueſts above, and yet one Table large enough for all; no crowding, and yet thouſands & thouſands of thouſands, ſitting together. Heaven is a vaſt continent; much of the holy Land, not yet planted: many manſions above, without any Inhabitant. Heaven is univerſally communicable, and univerſally fit and compleate ſo to be: All may ſit round and looke the Sun full in the face, and he them. That which is ſo propoſed to all, and ſo fit for all, how will it doubly damne all, that come ſhort of it! You will be jugded as lovers of hell, more then lovers of Heaven, which come ſhort of it; As lovers of darkneſſe, more then light; As lovers of ſinne, more then the eternall felicity of your ſoules: upon this very ground, that grace and Heaven are ſo generally communicable. Light is come into the World, ſaith Chriſt, And the world regardeth it not. This is the condemnotion of the World; A World of men might be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, and will not, this will make hell, hell indeed; condemnation, the condemnation: becauſe men will not go thither, though no exception. 'Tis deſperate, to make exceptions where God makes none: to exclude a mans ſelfe, when God doth not.
Finally,communicantio durabils. Heaven is durably communicable. I cannot ſay, it is perpetually communicable. The everlaſting doores, ſtand not open everlaſtingly; But yet a great while. The Thiefe found them open, at the laſt houre of his life. A ſinner may come in, at the ninth and laſt houre, and have his pay. A ſinner of a hundred yeares old, may get into Heaven, I doubt there be but few gray-headed ſinners turne in there, yet it is not long of the place. Heaven doores are open, till old Age; onelyonly old folkes are wilfull, which is excluding. God is long ſuffering; all that while, Heaven doores are open. The long ſuffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah, ſaith the Apoſtle Peter. A hundred and twenty yeares, Heaven ſtood open, to that people. God makes the greateſt mercies, waite upon the greateſt ſinners, a greate while, which is one of the greateſt wonders, in the World. If you have a mind give great things, you have no mind to wait to doe it, yet ſo doth God: He waites to be gracious. The Sun is made to ſtand ſtill many houres, many dayes, many yeares. Salvation brought to mens houſes, Pariſhes, yea, to mens eares, and there ſounding and knocking, ſeven yeares, ten yeares, twenty yeares: And all the intreaty is, Will yee goe to Heaven ſinners? Will yee goe to Heaven? Will you be made partakers, of the inheritance of Saints? God is not a bare giver of Heaven, but a woer for Heaven: he does reconcile, and beſeech to reconciliation: he doth knock, and ſtand at the doore and knock, till his lockes be wet with the dew of the night: He ſtretches out his hand with Heaven in it, and doth ſo all the day long.—To Iſrael he ſaith: All the day long, have I ſtretched out mine hand, to a diſobedient and gaineſaying People. Rom. 10.21. Heaven made to waite upon earth. baſe earth, wicked earth; what will this come to, if not looked to? If heaven not participated of at laſt? What a hell will he have, which hath had heaven at his doore many yeares together, and had no heart to enter into it! But you will ſay, no body is ſo careleſſe: Every one ſurely, is willing to goe to Heaven. One would thinke ſo: But yet 'tis not ſo.
'Tis eaſy to demonſtrate, that multitudes have no heart to goe to Heaven. They will part with nothing for it. Sinne is worſe then nothing, and yet Sinners will not part with this, for Heaven: Have they any heart to Heaven then? Chriſt makes an underprizing of a thing, a demonſtration of no love, nor heart to that thing, ſo prized. If you thinke good give me my price, if not, forbeare: So they weighed for my price, thirty pieces. Caſt it to the Potter, ſaith God: A goodly price. Underprizing and undervaluing a thing, ſpeakes out properly and plainly, no will to that thing. Will ſwayes, that way which 'tis willing. Love bids according to worth: Shee comes to Chriſts price, for Chriſt; and glad ſhee can have him ſo too. If you thinke good, give mee [my price,] &c. A mans owne price, is no price: baſe bidding for Heaven, argues no heart to it; ſuch a wretch is caſt to the Potter, caſt to hell to be torne to pieces, as a veſſell in which there is no pleaſure. If underprice argues no heart, what does no price? 'Tis many a ſinners damnable caſe, hee'le part with no ſin for Chriſt, nor Heaven, could Chriſt and heaven be much more worth then they are. Part with no ſin, doe no duty, waite no time. 'Twill be a hell to this man, to goe to Heaven. A man that will not part with his ſinnes, to be partaker of Heaven, is more willing to goe to hell then to Heaven: ſinne hath got his heart, he ſhould loſe his Heaven, to goe to Heaven. A ſinners owne heaven is dearer to him, then Chriſt; he will venture the loſſe of one, rather then loſe the other.
They will performe no duty for Heaven. Action ſpeakes out affection. To what a man hath a heart, he hath a hand, a head, a foote; heart commands all. The will is Major Generall, orders all to move as ſhe will. Where there is no foote towards Heaven, no hand towards Heaven, nor bending that way, Is the heart towards Heaven? From your lives, you will be condemned: yee ſpeake out your hearts, and yet you plead for them; you have ſet your way you will goe, and yet upon pretend, you are bound in ſpirit for Heaven. Perverſeneſſe is in your pathes, and yet you plead for your will. Sinners obſerve that ſpeech of Chriſt. If any man [will] be my Diſciple let him denie himſelfe, and follow me. Chriſt makes deed to demonſtrate will: if a man be willing to be Chriſts companion, and ſcholler, he will follow Chriſt; yea hee will take up his Croſſe, (i) goe through any difficulty, to enjoy his fellowſhip. What will is indeed to the end, it is to the meanes. 'Tis idle talke, fancy, and dreames, not will to a thing, that will uſe no meanes. Yee tell me, yee are willing to be made partakers, of the inheritance above: what doe you doe to be made partakers? Doe you walke in the way, which leads to Heaven? Are you not in life, according to your luſts? In your courſe, according to your company? Unto divine duty, according to your humour? Does not will rule truth, and not truth, your will?
Let perſons convinced, be inſtructed. Ye cannot be partakers of the Cup of the Lord, and of Devills, ſaith the Apoſtle: ſo ſay I, ye cannot be made partakers of Heaven, and keepe on in the way to hell, you muſt firſt be made partakers, of the Heavenly calling, as the Apoſtle calls it, ere yee can be made partakers of Heaven it ſelfe. Wherefore holy brethren, partakers of the [Heavenly calling,] &c. Heb. 3.1. (That is) a calling to Heavenlineſſe. Heaven muſt begin here; Chriſt muſt rule all, and be made all here, as he is above. A Heavenly calling, ſpeakes three things. A heavenly rule, a heavenly ſubject, and then a heavenly end. I am the way. That's a heavenly rule. Not I live, But Chriſt lives in me. That's a Heavenly Subject. I have fought a good fight, henceforth is laid up for mee, a Crowne of Righteouſneſſe, that's a heavenly end. The two former, are ſubordinate to this latter. Chriſt muſt be without a man, and within a man, or that man will never come to Heaven. He muſt be all without, and all within; he onelyonly muſt be the way—I am the way. And he only muſt live in the heart, to guide this way—yet not I, but Chriſt lives in me. The Word of God and the Spirit of God, muſt meete in the life of man, or that life will end in death, in hell, not in Heaven. A heavenly rule, and a heavenly heart, lead to Heaven. Few Chriſtians lives, are cleerely Chriſtian. Chriſt is our ſanctification, as he is our juſtification: he is our life here, aſwell as our life hereafter: hee muſt be made ſo by every ſoule, and then all will goe well at laſt. Heaven is a Crowne of Righteouſneſſe; not of our Righteouſneſſe, but of Chriſts. His ſpirit muſt rule all, his merit muſt be leaned upon for all, this ſoule will certainly, be made partaker of all.
Chriſtians ſhould be comforted from this point. All the wealth of Chriſt is communicable: Heaven communicable, communicable to you, to Saints. The complaints of Gods people are many, this point anſwers all. My loſſes are great ſayes one, ſo ſayes an other. Will not Heaven make them up? Thou haſt neither money nor goods, Thieves and Plunderers have ſtole all. Haſt thou not treaſure laid up in Heaven, where no ſpoile can be made? In caſes of perſecution, Chriſt teaches us to comfort our ſelves with Heaven, how all is doubly made up there When men perſecute and revile you rejoyce and be exceeding glad, &c. Upon what ground? Why? Upon this: great is your reward in Heaven. Loſſe hath its quantity, 'Tis great, that makes it ſo heavy; reward hath its quantity too, [Great] is your reward in Heaven. If a man had loſt a Kingdome on earth, Is not the Kingdome of Heaven reſponſible? If a man had loſt all this World, Is not the World to come, as good as this? Is not Heaven as big as Earth? As good as Earth? Aſmuch good? As laſtingly good? Will not your Heaven above, be as ſweet as your hell here is bitter? …uppoſe there be nothing above but Chriſt, to make up al thy loſſe here below, is not he enough? Canſt thou not comfort thy ſelfe in Chriſt alone? What a ſoule haſt thou? 'Twas high time, thou diddeſt loſe thy treaſure here; 'twas thy God. Thou wouldeſt otherwiſe have loſt thy ſoule.
Obj. And 'twere but for my ſelfe, I could be contented, whatſoever I underwent; But I have wife and children, and no Bread to put in their h…nds, nor no clothes to put on their backs, this makes my heart ſinkes within, and I doe not know how to keep it up.
Sol. Are thy children fit, to be partakers of Heaven? If ſo, let that comfort thee, that they are in a capable condition (though temporally miſerable) to be eternally happy. Say to thy ſinking ſoule, there is a houſe above, big enough to hold me and all mine, and the owner is kind to ſtrangers. There is bread enough, clothing enough, for me, and all mine. Thou art but ſtript, before quite dead; death would have ſtript thee of all, if Cavaliers had not. Naked thou cameſt into this World, and naked thou ſhalt returne. Thou maiſt goe to Heaven ſtark naked, without money, without clothes; All things are naked and bare before Chriſt; that's the manner of all going hence; thou art put in a poſture to goe to Heaven, they goe ſtript of all here below, to that felicity above. Thou haſt nothing, now thou art fit for all; nothing of earth, now Heaven would be welcome; Thou haſt no home here, now thy long-home above, O! How ſweete would it be? Why? It may be, it will not be long, ere thou be there. Be ſtill, 'tis God; things wil end wel, if Heaven wil make it ſo.
Ob. Yea: but mine are not ſuch yet, as concerning whom, I can thus relieve my ſelfe; that they will be partakers of eternall felicity, when this miſerable life ends.
Sol. Doe thy duty to bring them to be ſuch; thou haſt now time and leiſure, now all is gone; What elſe ſhouldeſt thou doe now, but give all diligence to make up a felicity for thee and thine, where it may be, ſeeing all is gone here? Time was thou diddeſt pretend multitude of buſineſſes, and great imployment in thy calling, that thou couldeſt not diſcharge this and that duty in thy family, for the eternall good of ſervants and children, as thou wouldeſt: why? Now thou haſt nothing to doe, God hath removed that let; let's ſee now, how heavenly thou wilt be, in the diſcharge of the divine duty. 'Twill lie heavy upon thee indeed, to ſee thy children lie in bodily miſery, and yet ſtill goe on to doe nothing, to deliver them out of ſoule-miſery. If God ſtir up thy heart by this, to doe thy duty throughly, for the ſoule-good of thine, thy miſery may prove bleſſed miſery, to thee and thine. This will be thy comfort at giving up, that thou haſt diſcharged thy duty, to make a miſerable condition bleſſed. But if ſucceſſe ſuite thy induſtry, thy miſerable children are made indeed. This may cheer thee under ſad thoughts; I can leave my children no earth, but I can leave my children Heaven; I cannot leave my children, this hilly Country, nor that; neither the bleſſing of hils, nor vallies here; but I can leave them the bleſſing, of the everlaſting Hills, as the expreſſion is of Joſephs bleſſing: Heaven was eyed, in that expreſſion. I conclude all thus: we are under age here, hardſhip is fit, for us, and ours. Such heires muſt comfort themſelves with what they ſhal have. You which are partakers of the divine nature, ſhall be partakers of more felicity, then the tongue of men and Angels can expreſſe; and yours, for your ſakes will be bleſſed below, when you are ſo bleſſed above.
FINIS.