Balm for Bleeding England and Ireland, Sermon 3
USEFULL INSTRVCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times.
COLOSS. 1.11.
Strengthened [with all might] according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long ſuffering with joyfulneſſe.
Doct. ALL Might. Divine power workes gradually in a Chriſtian. Some have little, ſome much, ſome All might. There was (it may bee) but little ſtrength in theſe Chriſtians, it may be much; but Surely not All might. What ever there was, the Apoſtle ſaw roome enough within, for more; occaſion enough without, in the World, for more; for much more; for all that might be had; and therefore ſo prayed—Strengthened with [All might, &c.
There be heavenly places in Chriſt; ſome lower, ſome higher, ſome higheſt of all, and yet all heavenly and holy. And hath raiſed us together and hath made us ſit together in Heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus. Epheſ. 2.6.
The expreſſion notes a graduall working of Divine power, according to which wee are raiſed and wrought to a ſimilitude with Chriſt in holineſſe, leſſe or more. The higheſt extenſion of power from Chriſt, makes the higheſt Heavenly place in him; that is, the greateſt ſimilitude to him, in purity and felicitie.
Our Heaven here is a growing Heaven; our Kingdome a growing Kingdome: we goe from glory to glory, from ſtrength to ſtrength; from a little graine to a great Tree, from babes to ſtrong men; from ſmoking to flaming, and ſo aſcend up in that flame to a fixed glory, an abiding manſion; to a glory that ſhall admit of no ebbing nor flowing, of no intenſion or remiſſion, of no graduality reſpecting the ſame ſubject.
Divine power workes according to order; Chriſt comes in ſtate into the little World; line upon line, precept upon precept, power upon power untill all be over-power'd, and the little World wholly his. The Sun comes in ſtate into the great World; it is not up at the Meridian, aſſoone as it appeares in our Horrizon; it riſes and riſes, higher and higher, and ſo filles the great World with glory by degrees; So does the Sunne of righteouſneſſe the little World, to wit, man; hee is not at a Meridian height in any mans heart preſently, but gradually; by greater and greater Revelations of power and ſtrength, hee riſes to the Revelation of all power that the ſoule is capable of. He dwells, and then walkes— I will dwell in you and walke in you ſaith the Lord. Hee takes up a dwelling and then makes long and ſtately walkes. He makes knowne power, and then great power, and raiſes it revelando till it riſes to exceeding great power —that yee might know what is the exceeding greatneſſe of his power to us ward who beleeve. Epheſ. 1.19.
Divine power workes in grace as it works in nature; 'tis Chriſts own compariſon. Divine power works in nature gradually; by ſteps and degrees, to perfect naturall things. The Earth brings forth fruits of her ſelfe (ſaith Chriſt) firſt the blade, then the eare, after that the full Corne in the eare, and then immediatly the Sickle is put in, becauſe the Harveſt is ripe. Mar. 4.28. So does Divine power worke in grace (for this is the ſcope of the ſimilitude) by degrees, not all at once; and anſwerably a Chriſtian riſes to bud, to blade, to eare and to full Corne. When all might is reveal'd, the Corne is full; the ſtate of a Chriſtian is come to his maturity; he will not be long now ere he be gather'd and houſ'd in Heaven.
Divine power workes in man, according to what God intends by man. As men are deſign'd to Gods Service, ſo God deſignes his power to their ſervice, to worke in and about them. Divine power is Gods immediate agent; man a mediate: power is in the hand of God, man in the hand of power, and held up by it, lower or higher, as his worke is—Whereunto I alſo labour (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſpeaking of his miniſteriall worke) ſtriving according to his working which worketh in me mightily. Coloſſ. 1.29. God had a mighty deale of worke to doe for the Apoſtle, and his power wrought in him mightily: He wrought without, as God wrought within; hee ſtir'd as ſtir'd—ſtriving [according to his working, &c. Power is neceſitated to worke gradually, office and condition doth ſo change and vary in this World. With an eye to this the Apoſtle prayed; hee apprehended theſe Chriſtians ſet out for great hardſhip and ſervice, and ſo hee ſets upon God to raiſe power and force anſwerably for their aid.—Strengthened with all might, &c.
One or two things note, for the right underſtanding of this point. Divine power where it workes loweſt in any Chriſtian, workes above the ruining power of ſinne. Greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the World, ſaith Chriſt; greater when leaſt, and where leaſt, then that power which oppoſes him in a Chriſtian heart. Chriſt according to ordinary and daily reſidence, carries the ſoule above the ruining power of ſinne: greater [is] hee that is in you, &c. They might ſuppoſe their condition the loweſt of any, as it is common and comely for Chriſtians to doe, and Chriſt condeſcends in ſpeaking, and takes it ſo, and ſpeakes of it under ſuch a conſideration and yet ſayes he, feare not; the power that is in you, is greater then the power that is againſt you. The loweſt degree of power that workes in a Chriſtian, will hold the ſoule that it ſhall not eternally miſcarry, what ſtrength ſoever be raiſed to this end, ſo that the devill ſhal loſe his grand deſigne, to wit, the deſtruction of the ſoule. The loweſt degree of Divine ſtrength, is ſupreme ſtrength to all power reſiſting; as the loweſt good Angel*foreign —Fortes robore. Angels of his, which are mighty (i) tranſcending in ſtrength. Tis an Hebraiſme, & notes a ſuperlative. Pſ. 103.20. Excelleth in ſtrength, all bad.
2. A ſecond note is this, The ſtate of Chriſtians in generall under the Goſpel, is a very capable ſtate of the higheſt revelations of power. Verily, verily I ſay unto you, he that believeth on me, the workes that I doe ſhall hee doe alſo and greater workes then theſe ſhall hee doe becauſe. J goe unto my Father, Ioh. 14.12. Acceſſion is now very free, interceſſion very potent, bleſſings are anſwerably neceſſary. The expreſſion of Chriſt forementioned notes, that there is a peculiar interceſſion ſuited, to this bright Goſpell-age where in wee live; our grace-capacity now is anſwerably neceſſary. What interceſſion workes in Heaven, ſuch power and love workes forth upon Earth. We live under the richeſt climate, under the richeſt Heavenly influence: all might and all excellence may with all eaſe bee obtained now, in compariſon of former times.
Ʋſe. 1 A double uſe I would make of this point to try you, and then to ſtir you to acknowledge mercy as you finde it. That Divine power workes gradually, ſhould make much inward obſervation, to ſee how God workes in our hearts, whether little or much; Should be the ſickeneſſe of your ſoules to finde little of God ſtirring in them; t'will be the death of your ſoules, not to finde power of God …nough ſtirring in them, to ſalvation. Our great worke is to eye how Divine power workes without in the World; but our greateſt worke is to eye and obſerve how it workes within, in our hearts; I wonder at ſome mens temper, which leaſt of all minde this. The ſoule of man is the nobleſt thing in the World, tis above the world and doeſt thou think that hee which made it ſo above all for himſelfe to work in, is leaſt to be heeded what he works here?
All paines ſpring from one, that we have ſo little of God: all paines and cares therefore ſhould be turned into one, what have I of God? how might I have more? more of his love, more of his power working in my ſoule? God gives all might to many, and yet remains all might for any. Man has his Heaven as hee will. Hee that will have it in the full and all—enjoyment of the Creature, hee has it in this; God filles men's bellies with this treaſure. Thoſe that will have their heart in nothing but in the full and all enjoyment of God, have it ſo; hee ſatisfyes mens thirſt let it bee what it will, or how great it will. Hee ſatisfyes the hungry belly, and the hungry ſoule.
Affection is a graduall working thing, and a various working thing as the power of God is;Cautio eſt. men had neede looke how it riſes in thirſt after any thing but God, they may have their longing elſe in wrath, and have enough of every thing in their hands to fill their bellies, but not enough of the power of God in their hearts to ſave their ſoules, and this will be ſad indeed. The power of God workes gradually (ſay I) in the hearts of men; in ſome, much; ſo much that one may ſay they have all might: in others, little; ſo little that one may truly ſay there is not power of God enough unto ſalvation. I am not aſhamed of the Goſpell ſaith the Apoſtle, for 'tis the [Power of God unto ſalvation. Is there power of God enough working in you, to riſe to ſo much as this, to ſalvation, to ſoule-ſalvation? eternall ſalvation? Power enough to make you the ſons of God? Tis a great unhappineſſe to fall ſhort of any power of God communicable; that any bleſſing power of God, which workes in any man ſhould not worke in me: but to fall ſhort of ſo much as will make the ſoule fall ſhort of its eternall reſt, ah Lord! what miſery ſhall I call this?
Scrutinū.What faith, what love, what joy, what paſſion doth that power make which workes in you? by this you may know whether twill prove a power Divine enough and ſtrong enough to ſave your ſoules. Yee believe in Chriſt (wee muſt believe this) well: yet this is but one thing; that power which workes this, workes more and further if it worke effectually unto life. Yee believe in Chriſt; tis well: doe yee love Chriſt too? his word his people, his wayes? How ſtrong is this love? as ſtrong as death? to the death of ſinne and ſelfe? I meane the deniall of both. Remember this one thing for all, power where it works unto ſalvation, ſtrong enough to ſave a ſinner, it makes ſtrong paſſion, laſting paſſion, and all towards Chriſt and truth. Chriſt is faire, faireſt, the faireſt of ten thouſand, that is the faireſt of all; ſo to day, ſo to morrow, ſo every day to the laſt day, to the end, as that love which ſet power at work in the heart, is.
Divine power, when and where it workes unto life, takes the heart firſt; there it begins. A man loves aſſoone as he lives, Chriſt, truth, whatſoever is holy. There is a deſire of milke, yea ſincere milke, in new borne babes; in babes aſſoone as berne there is love; love to truth, love to pure and ſincere truth, to the pure and Holy word and wayes of God: there is even in babes deſire; Divine affection; panting after that light which came downe from Heaven: O what is truth? what is Chriſt? would I know him; would I could enjoy him: Firſt faith is moſt indiſcernable; firſt love, which workes from it, is moſt diſcernable, tis ſo ſtrong and pure, and therefore I moſt mention this paſſion in this caſe, to diſcover the power that workes in you.
Divine power makes a divine nature where it workes to ſalvation; a man is another Creature in deſire then what he was; hee ſenſibly differs from himſelfe in affection. Things momentanie are fallen two, yea, ten in the hundred with him; they have loſt their price. The heart hath ſold all for nothing, that was all once unto it. Gold, Dung; learning dung; all loſſe and dung; ſtinking earth, that way taking. The heart thirſts for nothing, but him that is all; all power, all love, all holineſſe, all happineſſe. Divine power where it workes ſtrong enough to ſave, makes paſſion divine, all paſſions, love, joy, feare, hatred. I doubt much what power workes in ſome mens hearts, I ſee their affections ſo ſtrong and ſo hearty to the World and the vanities of it: I ſee paſſion ſo impure and ſo ſtrongly working downward. Chriſt and truth but as a ſtraw when it lies in the way of the mans luſt; hee leapes over it with eaſe to ſatisfy his deſire, I like not the ſtate of that mans heart.
Power is leading where tis ſaving; it leades by truth; by the heart. I am thine ſave mee. Saith the Pſalmiſt. Thine, that is, thine according to truth; thine in heart, thine in life: thine in truſt; thine in bloud, in Chriſts bloud, I leane on none elſe to ſave me; I leane to none elſe to guid me.
Power is killing, that is ſaving; ſin-killing that is ſoule-ſaving. The body of death, dead: the body of death, no body; no body with a ſoule, with life. Selfe-will ſlaine; the will that lives, Chriſts. Not I live, Chriſt lives in mee. (i) not my will, but Chriſts will carries and ſwayes the ſoule. Theſe things have beene ſaid to try you, what power and grace of God is in you, I ſhall ſay a little more in the next place to ſtir you, to acknowledge grace as you finde it, and ſo leave this point and you for this time.
Divine power workes gradually; why as you finde God working in you ſo acknowledge him; Let God have his own to a graine. Thine is the Kingdome and power, &c. Wee are taught this to acknowledge grace in its latitude, to the God of all grace. The Apoſtle gives God his owne by weight, to a graine, which workes in me mightily ſay's hee. If God works in you mightily let him heare of it mightily. As yee feele God, praiſe God. Make expreſſion from operation and expreſſe it fully if you can. Thus doth Daniel, Then Daniel bleſſed the God of Heaven and ſaid. Bleſſed bee the Name of God for ever and ever, for wiſdome and might are his, I thanke thee and praiſe thee O God of my Fathers, who haſt given mee wiſdome and might, Dan. 2. An excellent ſpirit and power wrought in Daniel and he acknowledges all to the giver —wiſdome and might are his. How Gods Power and Glory went in the Sanctuary, is turned into a Pſalme of praiſe; made to eccho to the author. The very degree thereof, is noted,—ſo as I have ſeene them That I may ſee thy Power and thy Glory—So as I have ſeene them in the Sanctuary. What he did enjoy was thankefully acknowledged, what hee would enjoy againe was heartily panted after. How you ſee and feele power and glory go in the ordinances, how in your hearts, I beſeech you acknowledge to Chriſt; let him have the glory of every powerfull working here. Wee are men as your ſelves; that our Weapons are mighty, tis through God; hee does all, admire him, adore him. Heart-ſmitings, heart-embracings, kiſſes ſecretly, or kickings ſecretly, they are the kiſſes of his lips and the ſpurnings of his power, give him the glory of all. How prevailingly Chriſt hath revealed power in thee! what a luſt hee hath diſcovered, ſubdued! what an eternall ſtate, …uined, hath he repair'd! What wounds hee hath healed! What inward iſſues hee hath ſtayed! What bones, what broken bones, and how many hee hath ſet and made to rejoyce, let him have the glory of all. As Chriſt kiſſes us, we ſhould kiſſe him.
— Wee ſhould meete our Father with joy Every Revelation of power in the heart, 'tis your Fathers comming towards you, to take you nearer home to himſelfe. We call power little, ſome Revelations thereof in compariſon of others, becauſe the Scripture doth ſo ſpeake of it for our weakneſſe ſake, but this know, tis no little power that will ſtir your hearts, tis an arme of the Lord, which is no ſmall limbe—to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed? 'tis more then a finger, ſhall God reveale an arme in you, and loſe it in you? Hee made the Sun, Moone, and Stars, praiſe him ſaith the Pſalmiſt. But that power which hath made Sun, and Starrs in your hearts, which hath beſpangl'd your ſpirits with various glories, ſhould not this much more make matter of praiſe? As power heightens it ſelfe operando ſo ſhould wee heighten it verbis elevando. As any Revelation hath leſſe or more of God, in it, ſo it ſhould buſie and take up the heart to returne it—in thy hand is power and might, and in thy hand is to make great, &c. 1 Chron. 29.1. As Gods hand did worke for David, ſo did Davids heart and tongue worke for God: hee turned power into praiſe and ſo ſent it home againe in ſtate to Heaven. But more of his expreſſions in that place, are very obſervable to this purpoſe and point I am preſſing. But who am I (ſaith hee) and what is my people that wee ſhould be able to offer ſo willingly? 1 Chron. 29.14. That we ſhould be able, and able ſo willingly, here is the very degree of enabling power praiſingly noted. As high as power ſets a leſſon of love, ſo high to a crochet it ſhould be ſung.
Doe but conſider ſome poore ſoules that ſit by you, which have no power of God ſtirring in them, but lie dead, damnably dead, and then bee you dead if you can, to give thanks for that power which hath quickned and raiſed you from the dead; God will turne grace into our glory hereafter, we ſhould turne grace into his glory here.
FINIS.