England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 2
Coloſſians 1.13. Who hath (foreign) caught us out of the power of darkneſſe.
I Have been more generall in former attempts upon this verſe, I ſhall now be more particular, and undertake each term as the holy Ghoſt hath here laid them: in which undertaking I ſtill beg your prayers: you can tell when you miſſe Chriſt in my labours, and I can tell when you miſſe me in your prayers. Oyl our chariot wheels well, or elſe we ſhall drive heavily, the weight of Chriſts words and your ſouls is ſo great.
Salvation as accompliſhed & the authour of it, noted in theſe two tearms, Who hath delivered, &c. I purpoſe not to ſtand on; but the manner of Chriſts going forth to miſerable man, noted in the next word, Who hath ſnatched us (or catched us) out of the power of darkneſſe.
Doctr. Chriſt ſnatcheth ſouls out of hell fire: the metaphor is uſed highly to adorn the love of Chriſt, in his motion towards miſerable man, and it doth it indeed gloriouſly, as it may be I may ſet forth to you in ſeverall particulars, and all within the compaſſe of the metaphor.
1. Chriſt moves ſtrongly to ſave; Snatching ſpeaks an act of force; Chriſt overturns all that ſtands in his way when he puts forth to deliver a ſoul: omnipotence ſtretcheth forth his arm in this work, devils tremble, iniquitie is ſubdued, captivitie carried captive, the ſoul in the midſt of violence, violently reſcued. The Lion of the tribe of Judah moves to ſave as a lion ſtrongly, terribly, none can reſiſt his will, ſinners, devils, nor men, Who hath reſiſted his will? Which way the will of God moves, power irreſiſtable ſeconds, he drives all before him, and takes his prey, to wit, the poore ſoul that is preyd upon. Two Lions contend about the ſoul of man, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and that roaring Lion you reade of in Peter. The Lion of the tribe of Judah is too ſtrong for that Lion, and ſnatcheth the prey out of the devils mouth, Who hath ſnatched us out of the power of darkneſſe.
2. Chriſt moves ſwiftly to ſave: Snatching notes ſwift motion. Power puts forth in order to miſerie, there is but a ſtep between hell and that ſoul that is under the power of darkneſſe, what therefore is done muſt be done ſpeedily, or the ſoul is loſt. Chriſt is a preſent help, he moves as a Roe, as a young Roe, very ſwiftly to apply remedie to miſerable man. My beloved is like a Roe or a young hart, behold he ſtandeth behind our wall, ſhewing himſelf through the lattice, Canticles 2.9. When the devil hath the ſoul in his arms, Chriſt is behind him, as the ſpouſe ſpeaks, he is behind our walls, at hand when Sathan aſſaults, and makes him let go his hold. The devil doth not bite gently, nor pull weakly; remedy therefore muſt be ſwift in this caſe, or elſe no remedie; the ſoul quickly dyes with deep wounds. Poiſon is of differing ſtrength, ſome kills ſuddenly and inſencibly▪ all the devils poiſon doth ſo, if not overruled in working; an antidote is anſwerably applyed; and upon this ground the Church ſo prayes, Make haſte my beloved, and be like to a Roe, the companions hearken to thy voice, make me to hear it. Some creatures take their game gently: Spannels take a duck and bite not deadly, but the devil is not ſuch a dog, when he bites he bites deadly quickly, and therefore doth Chriſt ſnatch out of his mouth before all be deſperate and paſt remedie.
3. Chriſt moves throughly to ſave. Snatching out of the power of darkneſſe, 'tis an expreſſion that ſpeaks a full and totall aſſuming that which was fully and wholly anothers; it notes a taking out of the devils arms into Chriſts arms, a perſonall ſurpriſe. Chriſt fights for his wife, as Samſon and David did, he catches his ſpouſe out of the devils arms, and then ſhe becomes intire his. Chriſts ſpouſe is no harlot, ſhe doth not lie embraced between two, the ſoul lies not in the boſome of ſinne which Chriſt hath catched. Snatching from another varies not the proprietie with us, but ſuch a catching of a thing as is made in and by warre, doth; what I ſnatch or catch from my enemy in warre is wholly mine own. Chriſt gets every ſoul by the ſword, by the ſword of the ſpirit, what he takes out of the devils kingdome, he takes by warre, and the proprietie is varied. What was not his is his, they that were not his people now are, they are his in the quality and propertie of the thing. They are catched by the heart whom Chriſt catches, that catched and all is catched; the captive now acknowledges the arms that overcame him, and ſtirres not from the power of theſe arms, neither can be taken again. Chriſt takes often out of the devils hand but the devil nor no inſtrument of his can ſnatch out of Chriſts hand; Chriſt keeps all he catches as wholly his. Whatſoever lies wrapt up in this term (us) ſaith the Apoſtle the devil hath loſt, and Chriſt hath catched. Who hath catched us out of the power of darkneſſe.
4. Chriſt moves preventingly in the ſalvation of man; catching ſpeaks an act unthought of, force ſurpriſing, the ſurpriſed dreaming nothing. Chriſt catcheth ſinners aſleep in a dead ſleep; ſouldiers are ſometimes ſo catched, the devils ſouldiers are all ſo catched. Corruption was another life in Saul, he did breath out ſlaughter, he did move in ſinne in foul ſinne with no more pain then you breathe, ſo ſecure and ſenſeleſſe; and in this condition catched, ſurpriſed, and knocked down utterly unawares. Many a ſinner hath confeſt this way of Chriſt; I went to hear ſuch a one and thought nothing, and was catched, my heart convinced and overcome, which before never cared for the word of God. Chriſt comes behind ſinners, and ere they are aware ſeiſeth upon them: Ye ſhall hear a voice behind ye, ſaith God. I was found of them that ſought me not. Chriſt comes to every carnall ſoul before ſent for, but brings his ſtool with him, and makes his own welcome; he catches no ſoul, but that ſoul is as much caught with him ere he leavs him, Salvation is come to thine houſe, ſaid Chriſt. Chriſt comes before ſent for, he takes every ſinner before up, and before ready, and helps him up, and makes him ready; waſhes him face and hands and heart, & puts on clean raiment. The devils ſouldiers are all ſleepie, and keep no watch: Yet a little more folding the hands, this is every ſinners tone when Chriſt comes. No ſaith Chriſt, no more ſleeping now O ſoul, the voice of the turtle is heard, I have gathered my myrrhe with my ſpice, I have eaten my honycomb with my hony, I have drunk my wine with my milk. Come away dear ſoul, come away: unaware ſuch a ſweet voice is heard behind a man, and the man is catched, and cannot withſtand it.
5. Chriſt moves raviſhingly: Caught ſounds ſo much in my eare. Chriſts way of ſalvation is a raviſhing way: nakedneſſe is diſcovered, and glory is apparrell preſented, with this ſweet language, Sinner wilt thou wear it? I freely give it to thee. This is love ſmiling, and the ſoul is taken: Sinne made burthenſome, and ſhoulders preſented, an able porter to bear it: this is the manner of Chriſts motion towards miſerable man, and 'tis taking and raviſhing; Know thy nakedneſſe, and buy of me: great deformitie is diſcovered, and abſolute beautie preſented, ſouls fall ſick of love upon this, and are they not catched now indeed out of the power of ſinne which did ſo pleaſe? Light appears to him that ſaw none, and 'tis ſo glorious, ſo tranſcendently pleaſant, that the ſoul can indure darkneſſe no more, and is not this ſoul catched out of the power of darknes? Catching ſpeaks a double power, active or paſſive, by the motion of a thing, or by the quality of a thing, and Chriſt takes both wayes. The ſweetneſſe of Chriſt overcomes frovvard ſouls. There be fingers put out to ſinners, & theſe fingers drop myrrhe, and that takes ſouls; Chriſt doth bemyrrhe his motion: naked motion vvould not take: his ointments have their odour: Becauſe of the odour of thy ointments, therefore the virgins love thee.
Uſe. It is a great time of catching and taking of all hands. Who hath catched your ſouls? Chriſt or the devil? I do not knovv vvhat ſouls you have, nor in vvhoſe hands they are, but you ſhould, or elſe vvo unto you: if your ſouls be in the hands of any but Chriſt, you are loſt men. Command is a yoke, men are conſiderate under vvhat povver externall they ſtand, but under vvhat povver internall they ſtand, vvho is conſiderate in this point? Sathan preys upon poore ſouls, and yet none complain, to be pulld out of his pavvs; the roring lion goes up and dovvn devouring, and do you heare any noiſe, ſhrieking and crying out, as if there vvere any ſuch ſoul-devouring beaſt abroad, or any in his pavvs? There is bodily ſenſe ſince the fall, but no ſoul-ſenſe; you vvill not let your Prince do vvhat he vvill vvith your bodies; you vvill fight and die rather; and yet you vvill let the prince of darkneſſe do vvhat he vvill vvith your ſouls, enſlave them, and lead them captive at his will, rend and tear them, and yet the devill is no tyrant vvith you; not a petition preferred in point of ſoul-ſlavery (I doubt) all this Parliament time, to the great State above.
Sinners have you no ſouls? Yes. Where be they? vvho hath them? Chriſt or the devill? Chriſt. This ſhould be experienced to us to do vvell. Whom Chriſt hath ſnatched out of the devils povver, they admire him; the perſon is very beautifull that redeems the ſoul. Hovv beautifull vvas David as a Redeemer of Iſrael from Goliah! Heaven and earth rang what a man he was. Much more beautifull is a ſoul-redeemer; Who is this that cometh from Edom, with died garments from Bozra? this that is glorious in his apparrell, travelling in the greatneſſe of his ſtrength? I that ſpeak in righteouſneſſe, mighty to ſave, Eſa. 63.1. Great things unlooked for amaze, Who is this that comes from Edom? Did I ever imploy Chriſt to take me out of the hands of the devill, and yet he came and did it? Was I not his enemy and yet he became my friend! Was not my ſoul an abſtract of evil, enmitie, dirt, and not dirtie, and yet in a ſink he came and poured out love! Here the ſoul dwells and admires. Glorious in apparell, &c. Inſide and outſide of him that redeems, are glorious to the redeemed. Chriſts ſpirit is firſt admired that he would come, and then his outſide admired; all that that he brings with him to manage ſuch a ſpirit and pleaſure, the apparrelling of his will, is red and glorious: heart, hand, head of the redeemer, all is glorious in the eye of the redeemed. That Chriſt would die his outſide red with his inſide, his skin ſcarlet-coloured with his heartbloud for me, what glorious apparrell is this! That a Lamb would incounter with a Lion, and ſurfet him with his own bloud for a prey, to make him let me go out of his pawes; who is that Lamb, and what is my ſoul that ſuch a deadly fieght ſhould be made to ſave it! O my ſoul is not the price of bloud upon thee? is not thy nakedneſſe covered with ſcarlet of ſuch price as puts a God in debt?
The redeemed adore the redeemer: this is in the text, Giving thanks to the Father who hath delivered us from the power of death, &c. a redeemed ſoul feeds two with every mercy, himſelf and God; he admires love, this is feeding himſelf; and then he praiſeth God, and this is feeding of God too. Paul could not ſpeak about ſoul-deliverance, but he muſt make a breaking off and a breaking out, Who ſhall deliver me? I thank God, Chriſt. The ſoul is naturally active, but as 'tis freed by Chriſt 'tis much more active and aſcending, it ſends to God all that is done upon it: The ſoul bleſſes neceſſarily as 'tis bleſſed. Soul-bleſſings make their qualitie in us ſuitable to themſelves, and to their own nature; ſo much of God as they bring with them, ſo much of God they leave in the ſoul, and the ſoul neceſſarily carries as much of God to Heaven as it hath of God from Heaven in any mercy. In the Devils arms there is ſinging; drunkkards ſing, and worldlings ſing. In Chriſts armes there is ſinging too, there is ſinging of halelujahs, here the redeemed lift up the Redeemer; every ſoul in Chriſts arms ſings to him: all Chriſts children can ſing ſweetly: there are ſongs of Sion, ſongs of deliverance. Divine love makes gladneſſe of heart, a heart gladded gets into that boſome that made it ſo, to dilate it ſelf, and that makes more gladneſſe. A redeemed ſoul is every day more admiring & more praiſing him that redeemed him then other. So many ſouls ſnatched out of hell, ſo many ſweet inſtruments of melody hath Chriſt in this world. Chriſt glorifies to be glorified; not a ſoul that Chriſt pulls out of the devils mouth but he is like Jonah when he came out of the belly of hell, a humble relater of wonderfull things to God and man. All that Chriſt takes out of the devils boſome and ſets in his own, ſtroke him and kiſſe him.
3. The redeemed obey their redeemer. Not a lambe taken out of the power of the wolf but follows the ſhepheard, Your obedience is come abroad unto all, ſaith the Apoſtle. Whom Chriſt takes, they become followers of him in the ſight of all. Redemption from the power of Sathan and the power of ſinne are the ſame; redeemed ſouls are out of both, and obey neither, they onelyonly obſerve him that hath taken them; I will run the waies of thy commandments when thou haſt ſet my heart at liberty, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. He ſpeaks as a captive ſet at libertie that was glad of his legs, and obſerve what wayes he takes to runne in, I will runne the wayes of thy commandments. The ſoul ſtill is in behaviour as the power under which it is; if under the power of ſinne, it walks ſinnefully; if under the power of Chriſt, it walks holily in his commandments. The ſoul is ſtill according to the hand in which it is: would you know in whoſe hand and power you are? obſerve well then of what behaviour your ſouls are. Sinners you wallow in your luſts, and live according to the power of your corruption, and yet many of you plead and glory in your redemption by Chriſt. Your heart gives your tongue the lie, and your life ſpeaks you ſlaves to the devil and your luſts. Is it a ſmall thing to you to belie Chriſt and belie your ſouls? to diſtract and make void divine redemption? Are your ſouls redeemed, and yet are they in ſlavery to ſinne?
Acknowledge truth that diſcovers you, and confeſſe your ſad ſtate, this would better become you. A bad ſtate is remedileſſe whileſt 'tis plead for as good: the wicked may juſtifie themſelves, but God juſtifies none; it will be double death to juſtifie that which God and conſcience condemn. Sinners, you cut off your ſouls from grace by wicked confidence; God does nothing for the man that thinks all is well, but prepare double miſerie for calling evill good. As corruption is in ſtrength, let every ſoul complain, O wretched man that I am, &c. Corruption makes wretchedneſſe, according to its ſtrength, in every ſoul, for as luſt lives it miſleads; ſinne will beare ſway where 'tis not thruſt out; the old man is not as ſome old men that ſit ſtill and do nothing, but is very ſtirring; corruption as it lives is imperious, all muſt be her ſervants, gifts, parts, yea the very heart. Luſt as it lives will bewitch your affection, adulterate your judgement, creep into your boſome, and become your full delight, then are you wretched ſouls indeed, then are you galley-ſlaves. Sinners conſider this point; corruption as it is in ſtrength, keeps its propertie in all, the beſt of you all will find the devils heaven a hell, Ah Lord, what will his hell be then? You will be weary of your lives, as luſt lives in you, 'tis ſuch a bondage, make what ſweet out of it you can; the more artificiall you become in acting and managing corruption, the more power it hath in you, and the ſooner will it kill all your felicitie dead; you will ſuddenly in the flame of luſt cry out, as that Martyr in a flame of fire, in an other caſe, Hell is come, is come, Sathan is come, is come, as he cried out, Chriſt is come, is come.
We may releive our ſelves from this point too, reſpecting this land. If power work irriſiſtablie to ſave the ſoul, the ſalvation of the body is much more eaſie to it. One devil is more ſtrong then all the wicked men in England, and yet the power which oppoſeth him about the ſoul, which he moſt looks at, and contends for, is too hard for him. Fearfull ſouls, be ſtrong, you will ſee irreſiſtable power ſnatch poore England, as a brand out of the fire. Power it ſelf, as irreſiſtable, ſhould releive, and as it hath ſuch a propertie, and ſo works, ſnatching creatures when almoſt ready to be deſtroyed; this ſhould much more releive and raiſe the heart. Were we much lower then we are, yet irreſiſtable power can put forth of a ſudden, and ſnatch us out of the mouth of lions, and 'tis its propertie ſo to do. You are left now to fetch in your relief from God onelyonly, ſtrike in to do it, as you behold any propertie of any divine attribute to put forth it ſelf. Now you heare that this is the propertie of divine power, to work irreſiſtably,Redemptio à nihilo que dam creatio est. Means are ſtill enough to that power which is abſolute. and to work ſo of a ſudden, to ſnatch out of miſerie when all is ready to be ſwallowed up; feed your weak ſouls with this, and move at the throne of grace upon it, and ſurely you will heare of God, and England will be raiſed from the duſt, and have beauty for aſhes: Before your pots can feel the thorns he ſhall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath: And the righteous ſhall ſee this and joy, &c. Pſalme 58.9.10. Both living, and in his wrath, as living as his wrath, is the originall; like that expreſſion uſed of Chora and his company, who went down quick into the pit, as living as the wrath of God that took them off. There is ſnatching of wicked into hell, as well as ſnatching of believers into Heaven.