Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland, Sermon 21
USEFULL INSTRVCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times.
COLOSS. 1.12.
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meete to be partakers, of the Inheritance of the Saints [in light.
LIght is uſed in Scripture, …o reſemble the nobleſt things, as darkeneſſe is uſed to reſemble the dreadfull'ſt: civill felicity is ſet forth by light. Thou ſhalt not goe forth with us any more to Battell, that thou quench not the [light] of Iſrael. They ſpake this in a civill ſenſe, as David was the prime member of ſuch a body; a Sun, by whoſe rayes all Iſrael had their flouriſhing lively-hood.
Divine felicity likewiſe is ſet forth by light, every ſtep of it, to the laſt ſtep, which is Heaven. Chriſt is called light. I come a light into the World, &c. Hee is called a Sun, that great Seminary of light, which makes glory and felicity to a World at once. The rayes of this Sun, to wit, graces and their exerciſe, are ſet forth by light. If wee walke in the light, as hee is in the light, &c. Our bleſſedneſſe here, and our bleſſedneſſe above, grace and glory; All that ever the Saints ſhal have for eternity, are ſhadowed out by light.—The inheritance of the Saints in light.
The holy ghoſt alwayes makes apt ſimilitudes; apt ſimilitudes alwayes illuſtrate; what illuſtration of our higheſt felicity light gives, I am to give you by charge from this Scripture, which I will diſcharge as well as I can.
Light is a very immediate thing; 'tis a medium to bring all other things to view, but 'tas no medium but it ſelfe, to diſcover it ſelfe: light onelyonly diſcovers light. The firſt thing the eye takes in, is light, ere it can doe its office for the body, as ſuch a prime Organ. Our felicity above, is of a very immediate nature; it ſelfe beſt diſcovers it ſelfe, no diſcovery here can be made to any purpoſe, tis felicity ſo immediate from Chriſt. Tis Chriſt and the ſoule face to face, the Bride and Bridegroome hand in hand. Tis the ſoule where Chriſt now perſonally is, and with theſe eyes (i) not through ordinances, but as it ſhines in it ſelf beholding Chriſts perſonall glory. 'Tis the ſoule brought into the preſence Chamber above, and beholding the great King of all the Earth at dinner, yea, ſitting downe next to him, and feaſting with him. Our felicity above, 'tis the ſolace of the marriage bed, ſo you know the Scripture compares it, where there is the moſt neere and moſt immediate enjoyement, that any Ordinance affords to man. Tis a feaſt, & the King in perſon preſent; 'tis a feaſt and every bit given with the Kings owne hand, and bleſſed with his owne mouth. Heaven, tis glory falling immediatly from Gods face upon ours, by ſtanding neere him and beholding of him; you may take its glimpſe and reſemblance, from that glory which fell upon Moſes face, immedatly from Gods, by diſcourſe with him. Our felicity above, is full union; members joyned to their head, according to their full and mature conjunction, and ſo receiving all fully and onelyonly from the head; hearing no other words, but what Chriſt himſelfe ſpeakes; feeding upon no other ſweet meates, but what Chriſt with his owne hand, gives about. Our felicity above, tis communicatio ſine mediis, & eſt receptio ſine mediis, drinking at welhead: more immediate, 'tis ſprings bubling up in the ſoule, to an eternall life (i) felicity, ſo you know doth Chriſt ſimilize it.
Another property of light is this, Tis immenſe. Can you make a girdle for the Sun? Can you ſpan the light? Or tell the houſe where it dwel's? As God ſpeakes to Iob. His expreſſions are very high and noble. Where is the way where light dwelleth? Job. 38.19.20.&c. That thou ſhouldſt take it to the bound thereof, &c. Our felicity above is immenſe, that holy-Land has no bounds; there is more milke and hony, then ever will be eaten. 'Tis not flagons of love above, but Sea's which cannot be fathomed; all the worke there is admiration, becauſe none can finde botom; not Angels, thoſe talleſt ſpirits, can feele the botom of that love, in which they have ſo long ſtood, and ſo deepely weighed. Our felicity above is as vaſt as GOD; 'tis onelyonly God: A Father with all his Children in his armes. Chriſt manifeſting forth his owne glory, to make ſome as bleſſed as himſelfe. Tis mortality ſwallowed up of life; not onelyonly filled with felicity, but ſwallowed up. Here the ſoule ſwallowes up every good, and lookes for more, but is ſwallowed up of none; the ſoule is vaſter then the things you put into it, ſo that nothing filles it, much leſſe ſwallowes it up. But our felicitie above ſwallowes up the vaſteſt ſoule; there is every Veſſell filled, and ſwallowed up; every ſenſe ſatisfyed, and ſwallowed up. This is not conſiſtent here, but 'tis above. There is much within reach, as much within reach, as capacity to reach; and there is much beyond reach, for the ſoule to admire to all eternity, and this not as a leſſening, but as a filling up of its owne and others felicity. Infinite, ſwallowes up finite; God is beyond the ſoules capacity when vaſteſt; therefore all are in an extaſis above. Not a ſoule in Heaven, but in a rapture.
Light is pure. The Sunne is without ſpot, ſo are all his beames, ſo is all the light of thoſe beames, light is the pureſt thing that man beholds; 'tas no defilement, nor takes none, though nothing more generall in its courſe; 'tis over all an uncleane World, and yet without all uncleanneſſe. Can yee dirt the light? Yee may defile your ſelves in the light, but yee cannot defile the light. 'Tis ſimple; corrupts not within it ſelfe, nor can any thing without it, corrupt it. Our felicity above is pure. Heaven is a Houſe without Spider or Spiders-web; there is no dirt, nor duſt, within doore, nor without; the very gates and ſtreetes are Gold and Pearles,*In alluſion to our City above may thoſe expreſſions be R…vel. 21.21. As the Kingdome of grace, in the higheſt glory therof, is expreſſed by termes and things of the nobleſt nature, and higheſt glory. pure Gold, &c. If the City of Chriſt here below will be ſo; what will that City above bee? Holy, holy, holy, is our felicity above; purity abſolute: this is the Sunne that ſhines upon all there, and all there ſhine like this Sunne, with abſolute purity. There is no ſinne aboue; not the leaſt appearance of ſinne. Every ſpirit there, moves ſteadily without the leaſt jogging or ſhaking: Chriſt and the ſoule goe exactly in one path. The nature of the place, and the nature of every one in it, fully ſuite, all Divine; Chriſt and the ſoule all one. Here Chriſt and the ſoule are one in purity, my undefiled is [one, &c. (i) In ſimplicity and purity. But above, they are all one. Here is ſimplicity in the Spouſe; 'tis not a heart and a heart, in the Kingdome of grace; but one heart—my undefiled is [one, &c. But in the Kingdome of glory there is abſolute ſimplicity; truth and the ſoule, all one: Not a ſoule-ſtirring, no, not a Soule inclination impure, nor under the leaſt poſſibilitie to bee made ſo.
Light is pleaſant. Truely light is ſweete, and a pleaſant thing 'tis for the Eye to behold the Sunne ſaith the wiſe man. Eccleſ. 11.7. Light is glorious and caſts glory upon every thing. It ſuites a moſt noble and generall Organ, which makes a very noble and generall content. Light ſets out all the Creation in glory, to mans view, and ſo makes a very royall and full employment, for ſuch a royall and vaſt Creature. Light is medium univerſale, it brings in for all ſenſes, parts, faculties, to ſolace themſelves withall. Our felicitie above is pleaſant. Heaven is a ſtately Houſe to behold; 'tis glorious, and makes all ſo which come in to it. Glory filles that Houſe, and all in it. The very doore-keeper of that Houſe, is a King of Glory. All great Princes, and peeres, perſons of great glory to looke upon, above; and the glory of GOD, as the glorious Canope, over all.—The Glory of GOD is the light of our City above. There is a great heape of Pearles above, and there is a glorious Sunne that ſhines upon them, which makes ſo many*Quot conchi tot Phoebi. Jewells, ſo many Sunnes, ſuch abounding of ſparkling rayes and glory, that I am amazed with the thought of it. There is another expreſſion, which by way of alluſion, to the glory of the City above is uſed. —The Lambe is the light thereof, &c. 'Tis a made glory which light diſcovers to you here, yea, and 'tis a made light which brings in this glory to you. But what God is himſelfe, and what diſcovery hee makes of himſelfe by himſelfe, without any medium, is the glory of our felicity above. God according to his Workes, is the glory here; God according to Himſelfe, is the glory there; his owne Face is the daily Sunne, the glorious Sunne that ſhines in Heaven—The Lambe is the light of it. The Sunne that made the Sunne, ſhines above; the ſweet that made all ſweet, is taſted on, Feaſted on altogether in Heaven. This Sunne which you behold, is but as a ſpot, or broad blemiſh, in the Face of the Creation, in compariſon of the Sunne which ſhines, in the brave World to come. This Sunne though very glorious in it ſelfe, yet very inglorious, a piece of ſtained paint, for feeble ſenſes to gaze at, in compariſon of that above. Something to declare his pleaſure, rather then to make pleaſure, are all the Workes of Gods Hands here; what hee is in Himſelfe, is properly to make pleaſure for the ſoule of man. All that the Lambe is in himſelfe; all that glory and luſtre, hee hath of Himſelfe, is opened by himſelfe in Heaven. Surely the glory of this World, is but a Dunghill to that to come: Sunne beames, but a pyramid bundle of ſtrawes.
Light is homogeneall. Every twinkling of light, is light, as every drop of Honey is Honey, and has the nature and definition of the whole: 'tis throughout, like to it ſelfe. Our felicity above is homogeneall; Heaven is all Heaven. Every corner of Heaven, is a Heaven: every thing that is taſted, a Heaven; every thing that is ſmelt, a Heaven; ever thing that is look't upon, or medled with, a Heaven; a full felicity to the ſoule. Our felicity here is not homogeneall; wee have ſome things delightfull, more things grievous; ſome things pleaſant, more things diſpleaſant. Above, all is pleaſant: GOD, pleaſant; Angells, pleaſant; Saints, pleaſant; all that all theſe ſay and doe, pleaſant.*On earth God is afflicting, as well as felicitating, but in Heaven, never ſeemingly diſpleaſed. Chriſts face is continually, as Lebanon; bright and glorious, as the looking forth of the morning. No deformity above. Every thing in Heaven, a Heaven. GOD is light, and in him is [no darkeneſſe: 'tis a mighty expreſſion. As 'tis ſpoken of ſinne here, ſo it may be ſpoken of affliction reſpecting our Country above. God is felicity above, and in him, nor from him, is no infelicity, not ſo much as the leaſt affliction: God is not an afflicting God, not a chaſtening Father, in Heaven. So it may be ſaid of Saints and Angels; there is felicity in them; and in them, nor from them no affliction, but all happineſſe. Every glote of the Eye, of every one above, pleaſant and glorious; the ſtirring of every Finger, of every Toe, of every Haire, of every one in Heaven, a Heaven to behold. There is no diſtinction of habit and act, time and place, meanes and end, in point of felicity, as here is; as you know there is miſery all along in the meanes (with us) and felicity onelyonly in the end, and that uncertaine too: and ſo a little good habitually ſcarce any at all actually, and the like. In Heaven there is none of theſe miſerable diſtinctions, but Heaven in all: in every quality, Heaven; in every action, Heaven; in every time, Heaven; in every place, Heaven; in every meane to ſuch an end, equally as in the end it ſelfe, Heaven.
Simili diſſimile.In things which are but like, there is ſome diſlike. Light is not univerſally permanent. Our Sunne ſets and riſes, riſes and ſets, ſo 'tis with moſt parts of the World; very few parts have all day and no night; all light, and no darkneſſe. 'Tis not ſo above, our felicity there, is univerſally permanent: there is all day, and no night to all that upper World: the Sunne goes round that glorious Globe, without any interpoſition to any. There is no drooping Soule in Heaven; no wounded ſpirit in all the Land above, nor never will. Our life above is everlaſting—Shall of the ſpirit reape life everlaſting, &c. Saith our Apoſtle. There is ſuch inſpiration, as ſhall never admit the leaſt expiration in any; comforts never faint, nor flat; no ſoule growes weary of place, company, habit, dyet, imployment: every ones Heaven, is an eternall Heaven; every ones reſt an eternall reſt. Some have beene in Heaven many thouſands of yeares, and yet not a thought of diſlike of any thing there, nor the leaſt deſire ſtirring to be any where elſe, but the ſtrong deſire of all, that all Gods deare ones were there. The ſpirit and the Bride ſay, come. Chriſt and all thoſe members hee has above, pant for the reſt, that all were as they are; one, as they are one. Joy is made as vaſt as the ſoule, as laſting as the ſoule, and the ſoule as laſting as Chriſt. There are no broken Ciſternes above; not one Veſſell drops out one droppe of its felicity, in the ſpace of eternitie, though hee ſtand brim full. No conſumption, no Diſeaſe above; every thing lives, yea, and thrives for ever. There is eternall Revelation, in Heaven: Infinite excellency, taking ſuitable time, to lay open it ſelfe, to all others: there's Johns rapture to all eternitie.
All theſe particulars gathered up render the meaning of the Metaphor to be this, That our felicity above, is a full and abſolute felicity; a tranſcendent bleſſedneſſe, ſuiting ſuch a tranſcendent being as the ſoule of man is. Ʋſe. Now my queſtion to you all, is, what labouring for abſolute felicity? for bleſſedneſſe to ſuite your ſoules for ever? 'Tis the judgement that lies heavy, upon the ſoules of moſt men, they ſeeke not after full mercies, a perfect bleſſedneſſe. Feele your Pulſe: tell mee how your hearts beate: how nimble doe they worke out after Earth? How ſlow after Heaven? I looke upon ſome men's Lives, and my heart trembles to thinke what will become of their ſoules; al the care is for the body: how does Trading goe on? How does money come in? When is the Queſtion? How will't goe with my ſoule for ever? What bleſſedneſſe is provided for my ſoule, to inherite? Are your bodies everlaſting? Is this World everlaſting? Can any thing but Heaven make an abſolute felicitie for you? Are not your ſoules everlaſting? Can any thing leſſe then Heaven, make a ſuitable felcity for them?
Pravity is miſleading, but when the Soule is judged for this, there is noe turning the man; this conſideration makes mee ſhake indeede, when I conſider how Earthy ſome men are, and how wilfull in their way. Speake to them of minding their Soules, and beating off their thoughts from this VVorld, you are as Vinegar to their Teeth, and ſmoake to their Eyes. When corruption thrives in the ſoule, 'tis dangerous; but when it has got a head, Ah Lord! The ſtate of that man is deſperate. Who ſhal ſave that man from Hell, and bring him to Heaven, which is earthy, and wil be ſo ſtill?
The Creature is ſeducing: much is promiſed, but its ſtill a lie to the ſoule; the fulneſſe of the World, makes up no fulneſſe to that noble part within. If there bee any abſoluteneſſe in things here below, 'tis in point of vanity; they are Vanitie of vantie, and vexation of ſpirit (i) Perfect vanitie, juſt nothing, as our Engliſh phraſe is. Conſider all the Word in reference to the ſpirit, and tis a heape of perplexitie, A Buſh of Briers and Thornes: ſhall all your induſtry lie, to Crowne your ſoules with Thornes? With our Saviours Croſſe and Curſe? Are you not ſcratcht enough with the World yet? Will not your ſpirits be vext enough hereafter, but will you be vexing of them here too? Will you begin your Hell in Earth, and inure your ſpirits, to tearing and torment before the time?
Know your ſoules, and what is the felicitie of them, and what you doe, do in good earneſt to attaine it: you move as you love, Chriſt concluded that, when the Jewiſh Church ſleighted him. If you love darkeneſſe better then light, you will never ſeeke out for light nor for that Inheritance which h…s there. If Heaven were more abſolute felicitie, or more tranſcendent bleſſedneſſes then 'tis, a heart pre-engaged (i) ſet upon an other Heaven, will ſleight Heaven indeede: your life lies upon this poynt, to looke how, and where your love is picht; where a mans Treaſure is, there will his Heart bee; if you make money onelyonly your Treaſure, you will onelyonly bend in good earneſt after it. If you make not Heaven your chiefe Treaſure, you will not ſeeke after it heartilie. Heaven has beene ſhadowed out to you, according to the Metaphor in the Text, is it now of any price in your Eye? Has it gained your love? 'Tis a tranſcendent bleſſedneſſe: are your hearts taken with it, as ſuch a bleſſedneſſe? Till this, I ſhall not looke to prevaile with any ſoule, to ſeeke out after Heaven, to any purpoſe. 'Twas the Art that Chriſt uſed, when hee ſpake of eternall things, firſt to ſet out the excellency of them, to make that ſparkle gloriouſly in the Eye, to ſtirre love, and then anſwerablie come on to doe good. J am the Bread which came downe from Heaven, &c. — J am the Bread of Life, &c.—And hee that ſhall drinke of the Water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thi…ſt, &c. Many ſuch expreſſions to take love, you ſhall finde in the Scripture. What have wee gained upon your love, by all our diſcourſe of Heaven? An love bee as it was, the man will be as hee was; if Heaven be at his doore, hee will ſtep beſide it into Hell. Divine Love is that flame, that carries the ſoule upward, where this is not, Heaven though all, is nothing.
There is darkeneſſe, And ſitting in darkeneſſe, looke to that as you love your ſoules, 'tis excluding from the Inheritance in light: ſit in darkeneſſe, love your luſts, and you will never part with them, for Heaven. The condition of your Inheritance in light is, that you muſt caſt away the unfruitfull workes of darkeneſſe, The Soule lives and dies in that it loves.you will rather caſt away your ſoules then doe this, if your affection bee impure. If your love to ſinne live, you will have your pleaſure in it, though you die for it. If love to ſinne live, there is but one way with your ſoules; they will die in that ſinne. Love of ſinne, and Heaven opened to the ſoule, 'tis rejection of Chriſt, with his greateſt bleſſing in his Hand. Chriſt caſts off every Soule, that thus deſperately caſts off him. A Man muſt ſet his Knife to the Throate of an Iſaack, Judge his Soule in that which is deareſt, if ſinnefull: GOD will not elſe looke towards a Man, with great things. Hee looketh upon Men, if any ſay I have ſinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited mee not, hee will deliver his Soule from goeing downe into the Pitte, and his Life ſhall ſee the light.
Conſolation muſt conclude this poynt. Chriſtians I am to give you a glad word, in this ſad Time. Your Inheritance here is ſpoyled, you have one that lies above ſpoyle, in light. Can Men or Devils pull the Sunne out of Heaven? Then may your higheſt fortune bee ſpoyled. You have one Sunne turned into blood, but you have another which cannot. Your felicitie here is broken, and growes every Day more broken and bloudy: you have a felicitie compleate, full, abſolute, as full of Bleſſedneſſe as the Sunne of light, a felicitie as full of Beames, as the Eyes of the Soule can receive. Draw up your ſoules to Heaven quicklie, Earth is poſting away: Let good bloud ſtirre, every drop will bee loſt elſe. You will be killed in all on Earth, to make you more Heavenly, ere GOD hath done with you. Thinke how abſolute you ſhall bee above, and feede… that. Let not tyranny trample downe your ſoules, though it doth your bodies, a perfect felicitie waites for you. Let Englands bloudy miſery, make you cry Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly: ſet mee as high, and as happy, as mine Inheritance.
—Jn Light.
Inference.THat which by way of Inference, may be taken from this Metaphor; I ſhall but name and conclude all; Time, and Text. GOD doth lively ſhadow out to Man here, his condition hereafter; what hee ſhall be, and where he ſhall be for eternity. There is death, and the ſhadow of it, before it come. So there is life, and the ſhadow of it: light is here made the ſhadow and ſemblance of Heaven, of a glorious eſtate to come. As there be Taſts of the World to come; ſo there be ſights: Light gives glimpſes below, of the glory that is above. There is a beholding the Land that is far off; the Face of Chriſt, in a Glaſſe; the glory above, by the glory here; one Heaven, in another; Heaven, in Light. Man hath many Sermons preached to him, to make him Heavenly, as many Heavenly Sermons, as there be rayes in the Sunne: by every glimpſe of Light, you ſhould ſet before you Heaven. As long as the Sunne ſhines, you ſhould not want a Sermon, to ſend your ſoules to Heaven.
God deales, with fleſh, as fleſh. Man is a Creature taken with ſhadowes. Things drawne out to the life, take. The Soule now, fetches in all from ſenſe; God ſtoops to helpe in things this way, at ſuch doores as they will goe in at. GOD wraps up the higher Heaven in the lower; glory, in Light, and ſo brings it downe to carnall ſenſe, and enobles it there, to enoble it within; catches the ſenſes, to catch the Heart, and ſave the Soule. If Light be ſo glorious, what is Heaven! This is the ſecret Soule-taking argument, that is wrapt up in this Metaphor. Though your bodies have yet no Heaven: your ſoules, if you walke as you ſhould, neede never be without one. As long as your Eyes bee open to ſee the Sunne, you may ſweetely ſend your Soules to Heaven. Some ſweare by the Light; this is to ſend their ſoules to Hell, not to Heaven, by the Light.
God moves in meanes powerfully. Pictures are powerfull, upon fleſh and bloud. Make things glitter, and Man will gaze: make Earth glitter, although ſo baſe, and fallen Man will be taken with it; worke it up from its baſeneſſes but ſo little, as to looke golden and glorious, and man will dote upon it. How taking is golden Earth, to al the World! Heaven is wrapt up in Sun-beams and made to glitter, to catch a foole. Chriſt is expreſſed by the Sunne; Heaven, by Light, that if ſenſe have any power upon the ſoule, no ſoule may goe to Hell, whileſt the Sunne gives Light.
There were tranſient Viſions; now there are ſtanding. Truth and the Creature, are Gods ſtanding Viſion. Things below are all made at Divine pleaſure, to ſpeake out things above. The Word of God uſes the Workes of GOD, to ſhadow out what cannot bee plainely ſeene here: inviſible things, are brought to underſtanding, by viſible; Heaven, by light; Hell, by darkeneſſe: Hell beneath, by Hell here. The gnawing Worme is uſed, to ſhadow out gnawing conſcience; gnawing conſcience, to ſhadow out Hell. Man hath his viſion, what ſhall bee, in things round about him. The Word of God, the Workes of God; Light, darkeneſſe, Serpents, Dragons, Worms; Lambes, Doves, all Creatures are uſed to give apt viſion to man, of things to come. All runs into this, CHRIST makes lively apparition of things to come.
Looke about you ſinners: your Sun is turned into bloud, this is ſpeaking to you pro futuro. Strange Lights, and ſights have beene in Heaven, looke about you all; this is God uſing the Creature, to ſhadow out to dull ſenſuall man, ſomething to come, a Heaven or a Hell:foreign. bleſſed is every Engliſh heart, that can diſcerne the ſignes of the Times.
FINIS.
End of the text · Nicholas Lockyer, Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland (1643)