flesh This foreskin disaffects us to alienates us from prejudices us against God and spiritual things The body is dead by reason of sin Rom. 8.10 And the Soul is dead in sin By the offence of one that is the First Adam many be dead These many are all that descend from Adam by Natural Generation Rom. 5.15 By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation Rom 5.18 Men are dead under a spiritual and condemned to an eternal death Men walk indeed tho' spiritually dead but it is only contrary to God Levit. 26.40 Men act indeed but they only do dead Works Heb. 6.1 Heb. 9.14 Men must repent of and from these dead works and the blood of Christ must cleanse Conscience from them O what a dreadful State is this for Conscience to be loaded with and burden'd under dead Works Those may well be called dead Works that are the fruits of spiritual Death and the seeds of eternal Death as we call Pond or Ditch Water dead Water because the Pond or Ditch have no spring in them to feed the Water so the best Works of unregenerate Men may be called dead Works because they have no Holy Spring or Fountain of their Actions They are destitute of Knowledge there is none that understandeth Rom. 3.11 Hos 4.1 They do not trust in God Zeph. 3.2 They have not the love of God in them John 5.42 Knowledge Faith and Love are the root and spring of all living works but for want of these the Works of unregenerate Men are dead they are empty Vines sinfully barren Hos 10.1 yet abound in corrupt fruit Deut. 32.32 33. they only bring forth fruit to death Rom. 7.5 such as renders them more guilty of liable and obnoxious to death When Adam fell contracted guilt and corrupted our nature thence we were made sinners Rom. 5.19 and unregenerate men while they continue so ever since they were born have been Sin-makers This is their only Trade and Imployment 1 John 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is properly render'd He that maketh sin is the servant of sin The word in composition signifies to work at a Trade .. Aquila Priscilla and Paul were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tentmakers This is a shameful and woful Trade in Thought Word and Deed to be a Sin maker O reflect on this with Self-abhorrency that as soon as you were born you were made Sinners and ever since have been Sin-makers An unregenerate man is still out of the evil Treasure of his heart bringing forth evil things Matt. 12.34 Out of the Bullion of Original Sin is still coining Actual Sin and tho' evil things in Words and Actions are still brought forth out of this evil Treasure yet this doth not lessen waste or diminish but still more increases the evil Treasure of the Heart 3. Unregenerate Men are Children of Wrath by Nature Ephes 2.3 They are conceived in sin shapen in iniquity Ps 51.5 Born flesh John 3.6 God hath therefore a Controversie with them and just displeasure against them As soon as they live Temporally God hath provocations to destroy them Eternally God seeth then the malignity that lurks the enmity against him that is lodged in the Soul As the Potters Vessel mentioned in Jer. 18.3 4. was marred in making so when men are shapen and formed in the Womb they are marred defiled and deformed with sin a Leaven is then laid in the very Meal of our Faculties Poyson is then dropt into our Souls a Disease a Plague of Leprosie is derived to us together with our Nature so that we are hateful to Ps 3.3 and haters of God Rom. 1.30 By reason of that Traiterous and Rebellious Nature that God then saw in us it had been no injustice in God or wrong to us if Children of wrath had soon been made Vessels of wrath for ever Rom. 9.22 4. Sinful Men heap up more wrath more inflame and increase Divine Displeasure against themselves The Hipocrites in heart do heap up wrath Job 36.13 Those that remain hard-hearted and impenitent do treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God Rom. 2.5 Such do bring more Fuel to the Fire and Oil to the flame of Divine Displeasure that it may burn more hotly and fiercely against them God is angry with the wicked every day or as some render it all the day long Ps 7.11 They are still doing somewhat more to grieve and provoke God Sinners are altogether become filthy or stinking as it is in the margin Psal 14.3 What stinking thoughts desires words and actions do daily come up into God's nostrils God complains Is 65.5 that they were a smoke in his nostrils a fire that did burn all the day as when something very noisom and stinking is burnt it gives great offence to the Nose And as the sins of men do always stink in God's Nostrils so they cry loud in God's Ears to kindle more wrath against them and pluck down more vengeance on them As the sins of Sodom did make a great cry in God's Ears Gen. 18.20 the sins of men are as so many Accusers of and Witnesses against them before the Tribunal of God Is 59.12 Our sins testifie against us 5. Men are unmindful of God and Enemies to him 1. They are unmindful of God Deut. 32.18 Of the Rock that begot thee thou art unmindful and hast forgotten God that formed thee God is not in all their thoughts they are without God in the world Ephes 2.12 they call not on him they draw not night to him they have no delight in him They are Atheists all the day long yea all their life long as if there were no such Being as God or they had no need of him had no business or concerns with him Men and Women remember small matters but yet forget God Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire yet my people saith God have forgotten me days without number Jer. 2.32 How great a sin is it to forget God that is so near to us Acts 27.27 28. Those that are blind Creatures may grope and find out God by feeling of him for in him we live move and have our being All the Creatures do declare and preach God to us Psal 19.1 2 3. These as continual remembrancers may present God to our thoughts How great a sin is it that men allow no room to God in their minds and shut him out of their hearts who fills heaven and earth Jer. 23.24 That the precious Cabiner of the Mind should be filled only with the Dung of unclean vain worldly thoughts but not entertain Meditations of God and Christ 2. Men are enemies to God Rom. 8.7 The Carnal Mind is not said to be an enemy but enmity to God Enemies may be reconciled but enmity can never be reconciled but must be destroy'd Men are Enemies to God in their minds through wicked works or by their minds being set wholly on wicked
Eternal Torments They will still be making Restitution yet never will be able to make Satisfaction to God they will to Eternity be in debt to God there will still be an Arrear of Wrath a Debt of Vengeance due to them and this Vengeance will come immediately from God and Christ From God's angry frowning Face 2 Thes 2.8 from his punishing Hand Heb. 10.31 his angry breath will blow up the Fire that shall torment them Isaiah 30 last The weighty Feet of Christ as fine Brass will bruise and crush Sinners as Grapes of Galls as bitter Clusters when he shall tread the Wine-Press of the Fierceness and Wrath of Almighty God Revel 1.15 Rev. 14.15 6. On whom shall this Vengeance be Executed It is on those that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus This is an extensive comprehensive Vengeance it will reach the whole corrupt and unregenerate World It is said that the Gentiles knew not God 1 Thes 4.5 and there are too many in the Visible Church that do hate Knowledge Prov. 1.29 and that through deceit do refuse to know God Jer. 9.6 lest Light should discover their Deformity awaken their Consciences disturb their Carnal Peace obstruct and imbitter their Sensual Pleasures and Carnal Delights therefore Christ Taxes and Censures the whole Unconverted World as guilty of Ignorance O Righteous Father the World hath not known thee John 17.25 Those that obey not the Gospel shall be the Objects of Christ's Wrath the Subjects of his Vengeance where the Light of the Gospel hath shined where the Hands of Wisdom have been stretched out where Men have been beseeched to be reconciled to God have been wooed to be Espoused to Christ but yet have closed their Eyes against the Light Matth. 13.15 and have stopped their Ears against the Call of the great Shepherd and the Voice of the Blessed Bridegroom these shall have the heaviest Punishment and the hottest Hell Doctrine 1. The Persecuted People of God shall have Rest at the Revelation of Christ Isaiah 14.3 The Lord shall give thee Rest from thy Sorrow from thy Fear and from the hard Bondage wherein thou wast made to serve Saints shall have a Rest 1. From their Enemies they shall no more tread on their Necks or ride over their Backs Psal 66.12 Isaiah 51.23 Enemies have proudly said Bow down that we may go over and the Bodies of Saints have been laid as the Ground and as the Street to them that went over The way that Enemies have chosen is over the Necks and Backs of the Saints but it is said to the People of God The Lord hath taken away thy Judgments he hath cast out thine Enemy thou shalt not see evil any more the Plowers shall not always Plow on the Backs of the Righteous the Rod of the Wicked shall not rest on their Lot Psal 125.3 they shall not always reach out the Cup of their Fury to Saints because they will not stain their Garments defile and inslave their Consciences to their Lusts Two things evidence that Saints shall have Rest from their Enemies and Sufferings 1. That Enemies shall be Conquered and totally Subdued Those that fear God's Name shall go forth and tread down the wicked they shall be as Ashes under the Soles of their Feet Mal. 4.2 3. And the God of Peace will bruise Satan under the Feet of Believers Rom. 16.20 so that Satan and wicked Men shall be totally vanquished and disabled from hurting and offending the Saints they shall be shut up in the Prisons and burn in the Furnace The 92 Psalm hath this Title A Psalm for the Sabbath day in it the Psalmist affirms That the wicked shall be destroyed and that the Enemies of God shall perish Psal 92. 7 9. This is a proper Meditation for the Sabbath day God and Saints too will not have a faithful perfect and delightful Sabbath till all the Workers of Iniquity are Conquered and Destroyed 2. The Saints will be perfected in Holiness and in the Life of God so that they will not need afflictions any more Where there is no Dross there needs no Refining Fire Where there is no Folly there is no Rod of Correction necessary they do not need the Flail nor the Fan who are perfectly winnowed from their Chaff They that are fully freed from Sin shall be no more liable to Death Pain Sorrow or Crying Rev. 21.4 the corrupt Root that bears all these Evils is withered and dead 2. Saints shall Rest from their Labour Rev. 14.13 Though the Son of Man give the Spiritual Bread Joh. 6.27 yet we are bid to Labour for it It is hard to perswade our selves of the Excellency and Necessity of this Bread and that the Son of Man can and will give it to Creatures so vile unworthy and provoking is a very difficult hard laborious thing we need to wrestle with God and cry out Lord help our unbelief Mark 9.24 evidence Spiritual Invisible Things to us 3. Saints shall Rest from their Spiritual Journies and Travels Jacob's Sons took long Journies into Egypt to buy Corn to procure Bread but when Jacob and his Family removed into Egypt they ceased from such Journies they were then at the very Granaries of Corn. Joseph there nourished his Father his Brethren and their Housholds with Bread without Travelling or Payment for it so Saints shall have access to and satisfaction by eating of the Fruits of the Tree of Life that shall still be ripe and ready to be enjoyed Rev. 22.22 2. As Saints shall have Rest by their Freedom from all Evils Sufferings Enemies Labours and Travels so they shall rest in the enjoyment of the highest and best Good 1. They shall rest by the Fountain of Life where they may be satisfied and drink their fill as Caravans or great Companies of Merchants do Travel through dry Deserts and Wildernesses till they come to a Spring and then and there they pitch their Tents and refresh themselves by drinking of the Spring so we must pass on through Creatures dry and barren till we come to God the Fountain of Life Here we must stop and delight our selves in him and with him Psal 36.9 With thee is the Fountain of Life in thy Light we shall see Light that is the Light of Joy and Consolation The Lamb shall lead his Sheep to living Fountains of Water Rev. 7.17 as if every Saint had a Fountain to himself and did enjoy God as fully as if he did solely and only enjoy him How sweet is it to rest by the Fountain of Life for ever 2. Saints shall rest in the House of a Father and a Husband in the House of a Father Christ saith In my Fathers House are many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you John 14.2 and so they that rest in the House of their Heavenly Husband Naomi did pray her Daughters-in-Law might find rest each of them in the House of her Husband Ruth 1.9 3. Saints shall rest at the Table
and General of all the Hosts of Heaven They are Ministers to attend on him and his and Hosts to fight against his and his Churches enemies And well they may be called his Angels for he made them they were created by him Col. 1.16 17. and for him and by him they do subsist and have their Being upheld and continued to them else they would cease to be and return to nothing 2. God therefore called the Angels to worship his Son made Flesh come into the World in our Nature When he brought the first begotten into the World he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 It may be inquired whether they do not owe the Son of God adoration on the account of their being graciously supported and preserved in their Integrity The two Cherubims that figured the Angels were made out of the Mercy-Seat as well as stood upon it Exod. 25.18 19. There are Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 as well as Elect Men. Herein did the various and manifold Wisdom of God shine Ephes 3.10 in keeping Elect Angels standing and in raising up Elect Men when they are fallen 3. The Angels Ministred to Christ and probably brought him Food after the Devil had tempted him taking occasion from his hunger And an Angel came from Heaven and strengthned Christ in his Agony Luke 22.43 4. Jesus Christ is the Ladder that joins Earth and Heaven together and it is on this Ladder the Angels of God ascend and descend John 1.51 All Correspondence all Commerce and Communion between the upper and lower World is carried on by this Ladder The Angels descend to serve the Members of Christ and then ascend to give an Account of the faithful discharge of their Office and Trust 2. These Angels are called mighty Angels And it is a great and mighty Work they are to undertake and execute there is a multitude of Malefactors to be Arrested there are great and mighty Enemies to be Apprehended there is a great and mighty Harvest to be cut down to be reaped and separated from the Field of the Church There are Goats to be separated from the Sheep and bad Fish to be taken out from among the good The Angels shall come forth to honour Christ Heaven shall be emptied of Angels and Saints to wait on Christ The Angels when they come forth shall sever the Wicked from among the Just the Harvest is the end of the World the Wicked are the Tares and the Reapers are the Angels Matt. 13.38 39. Sinful Men and Women are as weak and feeble Tares they cannot stand against or before the Hook of these mighty Reapers they shall be easily cut they shall quickly fall before a sharp hook managed by such mighty Arms. The far greatest part of the World will be found Tares therefore there needs many mighty Reapers to cut down so vast a Harvest and skill will be requisite to discern and distinguish some of the Tares some close and refined Hipocrites from the good Corn. 2. They are to bind the Tares fast in bundles Matt. 13.30 that they shall none of them escape He that had not a Wedding Garment was to be bound hand and foot Matt. 22.13 His hands were to be bound that he should not fight or resist his feet were bound that he should not fly or run away 3. These Angels are as mighty Sergeants to present Malefactors to the Judge As for those mine enemies saith Christ which would not that I should reign over them bring them before me Luke 19.27 The Angels are to execute this Order and fulfil this Command They are to present Criminals at the Bar of the Judge 4. When Christ doth Sentence and Condemn wicked Men the Angels are ready to execute the Sentence They gather those that offend and commit iniquity they pluck out the had Fish and cast them into a Furnace of unquenchable fire Matt. 13 40 50. Christ saith of his enemies Let them be slain in my presence Luke 14.27 These condemned Malefactors may be said to be slain by the Angels when they cast them into the Furnace for then all this sweet pleasant and desireable Life and Being is consumed and gone those are no better than woful stinking Carkasses that must be Food to the Worm that never dies and fuel to the Fire that never goes out Is 66.24 5. The Angels are to gather the Elect It is said that Christ shall send forth his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and shall gather his Elect from the four Winds and from one end of Heaven to the other Observe 1. That the Elect are called Christ's Elect he chuses as well as the Father the Lamb hath his Book of Life Rev. 13.8 Those that the Father gives him the Names of those he writes down in his Book These Christ chuses to redeem reconcile and satisfie for With the Salvation of these he charges himself These he must bring to his Fold and they shall hear his voice John 10.16 These he must keep and lose none of them John 17.1.2 The Angels are to gather these as a Spouse to Christ her Husband Ps 45.14 15. with joy shall she be brought in Raiment of Needle-work to the King The Virgins her Companions shall be brought they shall enter into the Kings Palace When Abraham imploy'd his Servant to fetch a Wife out of Padan Aram for Isaac his Son he said the Lord God of Heaven should send his Angel before his Servant and he should take thence a Wife for his Son Gen. 24.7 As an Angel was imploy'd to prosper the Work and Way of Abraham's Servant and to bring a Wife to Isaac so the Angels of God shall bring and present Christ's Wife to him they shall know who are the Elect find them out and distinguish them from others 2. They shall gather the Elect as Members to their Head as Loyal Subjects to their King 2 Thes 2.1 The Apostle Paul speaks of the coming of the Lord Jesus as a most desirable thing and the gathering of the Elect to him as a most sweet and comfortable thing and the Angels shall do this Work to gather Saints to Christ USE We may learn from the ATtendance of Christ what Honour shall be put on Christ at his Appearing Heaven shall be emptied of the Angels and glorified Saints to follow Christ the Graves shall be emptied of the dead Bodies of the Saints to meet Christ 1 Thes 4.14 Those that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him They shall be brought from death to life to be presented to Jesus Christ Christ shall come in his own Glory as he is the Son of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God Luke 9.26 And he shall come in the Fathers glory that is he shall come in that Glory the Father hath put on him as his Righteous Servant Phil. 2.10 11. God hath exalted Christ and given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Christ every knee should bow and
every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father The Father is glorified in the glory of Christ And it is further said Luke 9.26 That he shall come in the glory of the holy Angels They shall be Christ's Servitors shall attend on his Nod and wait at his beck and be ready to fulfil his pleasure And what terror may this truth speak to the wicked that mighty Angels shall be Reapers to cut them down and execute the Sentence of Christ upon them And what comfort may this truth administer to the Godly that mighty Angels shall gather them to Christ They shall not miscarry because the Angels shall find them out and present them to Christ as those that will be justified by him and enjoy communion with him 4. In what manner will Christ appear It is said in a flame of fire Our Translators render it in flaming fire Christ's coming will be terrible to the Unbelieving World his frowning Face will then be unveiled his punishing Arm will then be made bare His fury will then come up into his Face Ezek. 38.18 Long meekness and patience will end in severity Sinners do weary out the patience and Long-Suffering of God that he can bear no more no longer Jer. 44.22 He is even weary of repenting Jer. 15.6 because Sinners are not weary of sinning Doct. 4. Christ will be Revealed in flaming fire 1. That he will be so Revealed in flaming fire 2. The Causes of it 3. The dreadful Effects of it 1. That the Lord Christ will be Revealed in flaming fire 1. His eyes will be as a flame of fire Rev. 1.14 to discern and discover the most secret wickednesses and the hidden things of darkness Eccl. 12.14 He will come burning with anger his lips will be full of indignation and his tongue as a consuming fire Is 30.27 28. He will speak to Sinners in his anger and vex them in his sore displeasure he will speak hot burning devouring words Let them be slain in my presence Ps 2.5 Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire In this Sentence his Tongue is like consuming fire Behold the Lord will come with fire to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire Is 66.15 His Throne will be like the fiery flame and his Wheels as the burning fire Christ's Throne hath Wheels of Fire to pursue fugitive and guilty Offenders 4. From this Throne a fiery stream issueth and cometh forth to punish the Wicked as from the Throne of God and the Lamb a pure River of Water of Life proceeded clear as Chrystal to refresh the Saints As the same Sun at the same time scorches some parts of the World and revives and chears other parts with his more benign beams and rays the Heaven of the Blessed and the Hell of the Damned will come from the same face of God as smiling or as frowning Ps 16. last 2. Why will Christ come in flaming fire It is because his abused Grace is turned into fury he knocked but Sinners would not open to him They have shut out Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life from themselves and they have detained Sin Satan and Death and shut them into their own Souls Christ called but they would not answer he stretched out his hands full of Gifts and Spiritual Blessings and no Man regarded They would not come to Christ that they might have life John 5.40 They would not be gathered under his Wings that they might have safety They would not enter into his Fold that they might be saved go out and in and find Pasture They would not repair to his House that they might find rest or press into his Kingdom that they might obtain a satisfying Feast at his Table and an eternal Glory in his Throne They would not kiss the Son with a kiss of Faithful Homage and Obedience therefore he becomes angry yea his anger riseth up to fury and breaks forth as Fire so that there is no quenching of it Sinners have been loading Christ with contempt affronts provocations all their days They have been Treasuring up Wrath the Storm hath long been a gathering Offenders have long been bringing Fuel to the Fire during their whole time and God will be blowing it up during his Eternity They thought Christ did not see or observe their Iniquities that he would not resent and could not punish their Transgressions But Christ comes now in flaming fire to shew the height of his anger his fixed purpose to punish and his power to revenge As God turned Fallen Adam out of the Earthly Paradise a second Adam comes in a flame of Fire to exclude Unbelievers and Impenitent Sinners from the Heavenly Paradise 3. Consider the dreadful effects of this flaming Fire it will break forth and take hold of the Creatures and kindle a Conflagration both in the upper and lower World The Heavens shall pass away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat as if Metal should be melted and distil in scalding burning drops The Earth and the Works of it shall be burnt up The Earth is the Home of the Wicked the Creatures they have doted on and made them as their Idol Gods And how dreadful will this be to the Ungodly to see their House their Home their Heaven their Idol Gods to be burnt up together That the Creatures that were once Food to their Lusts shall now become Fuel to the Fire of God's Anger As the Philistines left their Images their Idols and David and his Men burnt them 2 Sam. 5.21 so Sinners must leave their Heaven and all their Idol Gods below and God will burn and consume them 2. This Fire will not stop here the Scripture joins the burning of Heaven and Earth and the Perdition of ungodly Men together 2 Pet. 3.7 The heavens and the earth that are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men Shall the Traytors House be burnt and the Traytors themselves escape Shall the Creatures that have been but passive Instruments of sin be consumed And shall the active Agents go Scot-free Shall those that have been Pressed forced Soldiers suffer such hard things And shall the Voluntiers in this wicked War against God be exempted from punishment The Heavens and the Earth fly from the face of the Judge sitting on his white Throne and their place was found no more If the defiled Creatures could not brook or bear the angry face of the Judge what shall become of the defilers of them It is Men that have perverted and abused the Creatures contrary to their natural inclinations and tendency to serve their Lusts and fight against God therefore the most dreadful scorching and lasting Fire must be their Portion and Punishment God saith Deut. 32.22 A fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell it shall follow and pursue its fuel thither God saith further This fire
they must shortly be snatched out of the bosom of beloved Objects must be separated from them and be for ever punished for their Adulterous Embraces of them 3. It is a heinous sin not to be willing to be Christ's Patients He is a Physician Matt. 9.12 His Blood is a Soveraign Medicine against the guilt of Sin his Spirit is a mighty Antidote against the power of Iniquity Never was there such a Physician as Christ that did Die to provide the Medicine and then rose again and visits the Dead to apply it John 5.25 None can visit and recover the Dead but Jesus Christ but who regards or minds a cure for his Soul Do not the wounds of Sinners more rankle fester and putrify Do not their Diseases grow stronger on ' em Do not their Lusts root deeper Yea are not Sinners so blinded that they think their Diseases to be Members necessary and profitable How many do not account themselves sick but rather whole Matt. 9.12 13. The Jews thought themselves to be sound and free from Spiritual Diseases This highly provokes Jesus Christ that on such costly terms he became a Physician and yet Men seel no want or need of him John 3.14 15. Tho' our diseases are dangerous and threaten us with eternal Death tho' the cure seems to be so easie that Persons may look to Christ and be rid of the deadly Poyson of the Old Serpent a touch of Christ may heal the Spiritual Leprosie and our touching of Christ by Faith may cause our issue of Blood to dry up yet Sinners see not know not the plague of their own hearts they are pleased with their Dropsie with Thirst their Feverish Fire and burning Lusts they think they should be maimed if their Members on Earth were cut off and that their Lives would be uncomfortable if bereaved of the Pleasures of Sin tho' their condition without Christ be wholly desperate yet they will not part with their Diseases but languish under them pine away in them and die eternally 4. It is heinous Disobedience against the Gospel that Men will not be Christ's Guests Mat. 22.1 2 3. The Jews were invited to a Marriage-Feast made by the Father for his Son Jesus Christ Mat. 22.1 Psal 18. ult Psal 22.26 to partake of his Rest his Pleasure his Joy his Glory but Sinners make light of the Chear tho' it be spiritual suited to the nature and duration of the Soul tho' it be satisfactory and will make the Hearts of Men to live for ever yet as sick Persons they abhor this dainty Meat Job 33.20 They lust after the Dainties of Carnal Delights they are prepossessed with the love of the World and so do hasten to the Feast that Satan bids them to but they invent and make Excuses to blind their own Minds and harden their own Hearts and to hold themselves back from this Feast they lay out their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which satisfies not they must shortly fall under an eternal Famin of all Good and then must eat the bitter Fruit of their own ways and doings and drink the Wrath of the Almighty This is a heinous Sin that Men will not come to Christ's Feast 1. when they are not able to keep alive their own Souls Psal 22.29 they have nothing to sustain and support their languishing and dying Souls but as the Prodigal they are ready to perish with Famine 2. This is a Feast made on a Sacrifice Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us let us therefore keep the Feast 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Isa 25.6 How precious how costly is this Feast 3. It is a Feast of Marrow and fat things here is Pardon and Justification thro' the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ here is Adoption Salvation a Kingdom of Glory God himself will be the Father and Portion of those that come to this Feast here are Wines well refined from all dross and dregs 4. It is a Feast made for all Nations Hedges are pluck'd up and Inclosures are thrown open this is a common Salvation Isa 25.6 Luke 14.23 5. Christ's Ministers as they are to pluck secure Sinners out of the Fire so they are to strive and compel them to come in to the Feast Jud. 23 Luke 14.23 5. This is affronting and highly provoking Disobedience to the Gospel that Men will not traffick and trade with Christ that they will not be Christ's Chapmen and his Customers when 1. Christ's Goods are excellent and necessary We must be poor without his Gold tried in the Fire we must be shamefully naked without his white Raiment we must be eternally blind without his Eye-salve we must starve if we do not eat of his good things and delight our selves in the fat things offer'd here is Milk for nourishment and spiritual Wine as a most noble and generous Cordial we may eat and not die John 6.50 Psal 22.26 we may eat and be satisfied and our Hearts will live for ever 2. These Goods are brought near Isa 55.1 Come down to the Waters as Goods brought from a foreign Country to the Wharf Key or Shore of a Town or City and some are sent up into the City to proclaim that the Goods are arrived and are to be had at the Water-side The Blood of Christ is the Red-Sea by which all Christ's spiritual Goods are imported into the World 3. Christ keeps a Market for the Poor and none but he doth so Isa 55.1 buy Wine and Milk without mony and price Trade is driven by Mony or exchange of Goods but here neither Mony nor Price we part with nothing that doth impoverish us or enrich Christ If there were Markets and Fairs kept for the Poor here in the World how would they be frequented what flocking what crowding would there be to get to such Markets yet how do Christ's goods lie by as slighted and neglected 4. Christ counsels us to buy of him and his Counsel should be a Command to us and lay a Necessity on us but alas how stupid and sensless are Men that provide no Treasure for their Souls or Eternity they have no Good to carry away with them or to enjoy for ever they seek not for their own things Luk. 16.12 but content themselves with the things of another so they are only Stewards not Proprietors Riches are the things of another but Graces are our own things but Sinners see not their own Wants and Poverty they understand not prize not Christ's Riches and Fulness Rev. 3.17 they are contented to continue poor as destitute of an inherent and naked as void of an imputed Righteousness 6. This stirs up Christ's Anger against and plucks down his Vengeance on Sinners that when Christ comes near to them knocks with Importunity and waits with much Patience yet they will not open to Christ He came to his own yet his own received him not John 1.11 Luke 2.7 If Christ with his Body were on Earth would not they be accounted
Servants Our fallow Ground will never be broken up till we are convinc'd how much we need to be plow'd and sow'd 2. Were our Souls ever rightly duly deeply affected with our woful and wretched State Are Hearts broken our Spirits wounded our Souls as a bruised Reed Isaiah 42.3 Hath the sense of our guilt and God's wrath so fallen and seized on our spirits as to grind them as it were to Powder A prick in the heart is both painful and mortal Acts 2.37 this wounds the Old Man to death How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Rom 6.2 If an Earthen Vessel be broken to pieces it can no more hold any Water or serve for any use as when it was whole If our Old Man be Crucified if the Body of Sin be Destroy'd we cannot serve sin as before If a Ground be Plow'd deep and the Roots of Weeds that grew in it be cut they cannot flourish in that Ground as before 3. Have you received the seed of the Word the Doctrine of the Gospel gladly Acts 2.41 Have the Tidings of Redemption the News of Salvation been welcome to you And as a Noble and Generous Cordial revived your fainting and languishing Spirits And as a Soveraign Balsam healed your bruised broken Hearts Have you as drowning Men laid hold on the Promise of Salvation As famishing Men have you catched at the Bread of Life Have you as weary and heavy Laden Sinners leaned on Christ Cant. 8.5 and taken hold of the Hope set before you Have you as a dry and thirsty Ground drank in the spiritual Rain and Dew from Heaven Heb. 6.18 And doth the seed so received sanctify you Doth the Word work effectually in your Souls Heb. 6.7 Doth it Leaven you John 17.19 with Holiness Spirituality and Heavenly-mindedness 1 Thes 2.13 4. Doth the seed of the Word bring forth fruit in your hearts and lives Col. 1.5 6. Do you shine in the world as lights and hold forth the word of life Phil. 2.15 16. Is the sweet odour of your Ointments and Garments smelt Cant. 4.10 11. USE 3. I would Exhort you to this great Duty O break your Fallow Ground When Adam fell and was turned out of the Earthly Paradise it was necessary for him to become a Husband-man and a Plow-man Gen. 3.23 God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to Till the ground from whence he was taken Bread could not be had without Plowing and Sowing our Nature was corrupted and depraved all Holiness and Righteousness so rooted out that if we break not up our Fallow Ground no seed can be sowed or Fruit brought forth to God To be spiritual Plow-men is an Employment necessary for all Rich and Poor Princes and Peasants Noble-men and those of low Degree must all follow the Plow must all attend to break up their Fallow Ground this is a Work to be neglected by none Men and Women must all prosecute and pursue it For 1. We are wholly useless and altogether unprofitable if we continue a Fallow Ground It is worse with us than with a Field that lies Fallow that may bear some Herbage I have been credibly informed of some Land that have been sowed once a Year and mowed the next so serviceable is the Earth to Man but if Men lie Fallow they do no good Rom. 3.12 They bring forth no Fruit to God all their Religious and Common Actions are grievous and displeasing to God The prayer of him that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law is an abomination to God Prov. 28.9 Yea the plowing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination Prov. 15.8 And the way of the wicked that is his common Actions are sin Prov. 15.9 That which they offer is unclean and so is every work of their hands Hag. 2.14 Thus they are altogether unprofitable Rom. 3.12 2. If you lie Fallow you will grow worse and worse The Old Man grows more corrupt Ephes 4.22 As a dead Carkass doth putrify more and more and become more noisome unsavory and stinking so it is with the Body of Death in us Rom. 7.24 The more a ground is neglected the longer it lies Fallow the more it is over-run with Briars and Thorns The deeper the Weeds root in it the more they over-run over spread and eat out the heart of it So here the Mind grows more vain more blind the Heart is more hard the Affections more sensual and carnal It is said of some That they have left off to take heed to the Lord Hos 4.10 And that they leave off Righteousness in the Earth Amos 5.7 Evil men and seducers wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 3. If you Plow not for God you Plow for Satan It is a woful thing to drive Satan's Plow Isaiah speaks of some That draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with a cart-rope Isaiah 5.18 It is a plain Allusion to drawing in a Cart or drawing of a Plow O how sad is it to be Satan's slaves to draw his Plow All the corrupt Reasonings of Men that God doth not see observe resent their sins That he will never revenge them that God's threatnings are but vain words as a despicable eccho and the sounding again of the mountains Ezek. 7.7 These are the Cords of Vanity by which Men draw sin to themselves but though they are but Cords of Vanity yet they draw as strong as if they were a thick Cart-rope What bad Work do Satan's Plow-men instead of breaking up their Fallow ground They break God's yoke burst his bonds Jer. 5.5 They brake the everlasting Covenant Isaiah 24.5 Break God's Statutes Psal 89 31. Yea God himself complains That he is broken by their whorish heart Ezek. 6.9 Thus ill are Men imploy'd that break not up their Fallow ground 4. It is honorable to yield Fruit to God It is said The profit of the earth is for all the King himself is served by the Field Eccles 5.9 It is most true That the King of Glory is served by a Field broken up and sowed How honorable is it when our Prayer is the delight of God Prov. 15.8 And God delighteth in our way Psal 37.23 When our Offerings are pleasant to the Lord Mal. 3.4 When we can invite Christ to come into his Garden and eat of his pleasant fruits Cant. 4. last When we treat him with the spiced Wine of the juice of our Pomegranate Cant. 8.2 When our voice is sweet in Christ's ears and our countenance is comely in Christ's eyes Cant. 2.14 It is for the glory of the Church that Christ goes down to feed in the Gardens Cant. 6.2 5. It will be our advantage to break up our Fallow ground God bids our first Parents to replenish the Earth and subdue it Gen. 1.28 That it is by Tillage they were to master the Earth and compel it to serve them and bear Fruit to them so by breaking up our Fallow ground we
7.19 3. We must take hold of God's gracious and free Promises to incourage us to set on this Tillage and breaking up of our Fallow ground Adam was sent out of the Garden of Eden to Till the Ground but this might much dishearten him That the Ground was Cursed for his sake And that God did threaten him That it should bring forth Thorns and Thistles to him That these should spring up in his Plowed Land and grow among his Corn. It is grievous to plow and sow under a Curse to break the Ground and sow Wheat and yet to Reap Thorns Jer. 1.2 13. They sowed wheat but reaped thorns and so were ashamed of their Revenues A Harvest of Thorns was a very sad and shameful Crop but do not Men disappoint God He soweth good Seed yet the Souls of Sinners do bring forth Briars and Thorns Heb. 6.8 Justly therefore may the Earth disappoint Man when Man frustrates God I looked for Grapes saith God but his Vineyard brought forth wild grapes Isa 5.4 But this is a great incouragement to our Spiritual Husbandry That there are so many great and precious Promises that God's own Power and Grace will accomplish and fulfil It is said The Wilderness shall blossom as a rose Isa 35.1 That floods of water shall be poured out on the dry ground to enrich and make it fruitful Isa 44.3 That the spirit shall be poured out on the Off-spring of the Church therefore they should spring up as the willows by the water-courses One should say I am the Lords another should subscribe and as by writing bind himself to the Lord Isa 44.4 5. That the deaf should hear the word of the book Isa 29.18 And the dead should hear the voice of the Son of God and live John 5.25 There are Promises made to Christ that he shall see his Seed behold the travel of his soul and be satisfied and that by his knowledge he shall justify many Isa 53.11 That he should call Nations that knew not him and they should run to him Isa 55.5 And the Apostles that God should send to the Gentiles should succeed and prevail and bring in the Gentiles that are called their Brethren as living Sacrifices as holy Offerings to God's spiritual Temple Isa 66.18 19 20. Therefore the Labours of God's Messengers cannot be in vain As Ministers are Plowers and Seeds-men so they shall be Harvest-men Matt. 9. last The Seed they sow should spring up to a Harvest Hearers should be Converted gathered into the Barn of the Church there be threshed and winnowed for the Garner of Heaven Matt. 3.12 What sweet and incouraging words are these I will put Laws into their inward parts and write them in their hearts Jer. 31.33 Ministers are but as Pens but the spirit doth handle these Pens to write an Epistle with them whereby the Soul is dedicated to God and Christ 2 Cor. 3.3 How reviving are these Words Ezek. 36.26 27. A new Heart will I give to you a new Spirit will I put within you I will take away the Heart of Stone and give a Heart of Flesh My Spirit also will I put within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and keep my Commandments As Christ doth speak in his Ministers 2 Cor. 13.3 so he works by them and in them Mark 16.20 how greatly would Ministers else be deterred from this Tillage Shall Horses run on the Rock will one plow there with Oxen Amos 6.12 Some Seed is said to fall on a Rock Luke 8.6 To plow and sow on a Rock is very uncomfortable yet this Promise of God I will take away the Heart of Stone may bear up Ministers against these Difficulties 4. You must persist and go on in this Work of breaking up your fallow Ground As there are Fallows in the visible Church many there do need Conversion so in the best of the Saints there is a carnal and unregenerate part that well may be called a fallow Ground this Ground should still be plowed up More Ground in the Soul should be subdued converted to Tillage and manured there is still a barren part there is still a Soil that nourishes Weeds and is over-run with Thorns this is to be broken up We are sow'd but in part bear Fruit but in part With our flesh we serve the Law of Sin Rom. 17. ult Nehemiah complain'd That though their Captivity was turned yet they were Servants in their own Land and it yielded much encrease to the Kings that GOD had set over them because of their Sins Neh. 9.36 37. the Kings of Persia were still their Lords and out of their Labours they paid Tribute either in Money or Fruits to them But how much more is this to be bewail'd and lamented that Sin and Satan have yet some Ground in us that beareth Fruit unto them Should we not therefore more break up our fallow Ground Should not the Kingdom of Christ and the Coasts of the New Creature be more enlarged in us Joshua divided to the Children of Israel even the Nations not yet conquer'd and did yet remain in Canaan and encouraged the Israelites to fight against them with this Promise The Lord your God shall expel them from before you Joshua 23.4 5. So all that is possessed by the Flesh in us is divided to us is to be the Portion and Lot of the New Creature We should still therefore more crucifie and subdue the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts the New Creature should more cast forth its Roots and spread its Branches we should gain more Ground from the Sea of Corruption and turn more of our Souls to Tillage 5. We should presently set on this Work and fall to break up our fallow Ground The Jews said The time was not yet come the time that the Lord's House should be built Hag. 1.2 So sloathful Souls are ready to say The time is not yet come to fall to plow and break up their fallow Ground they are yet but in their Youth in the Morning of their days two or three hours of their day will suffice to sow Seed enough and to provide for an Eternal Harvest but this Tillage may well take up our whole Day of Life It is to please an Infinite God it is to enjoy an Eternal Harvest that we plow God cannot sow us to himself Hosea 2. ult and we cannot sow to our selves in Righteousness and reap in Mercy We cannot bring our Sheaves with joy and eat the fruits of our doings with comfort for ever Isa 3.10 if we do not break up our fallow Ground We should make haste and not delay to obey this Command of God Psal 119.59 60. Do not mind and pursue the World as if that were your greatest Business and chiefest Happiness consider to mind earthly things is a great sin Phil. 3.19 to have our Portion in this life is a sore Judgment Psal 17.14 to have their Backs continually bowed down to look after and pursue carnal things is a dreadful Curse Rom. 11.10 be perswaded be convinc'd that it is high time to break up your fallow Ground and to seek the Lord O desire to be God's Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 O cry to him to enlighten your dark Minds to break your hard Hearts to spiritualize your carnal Affections Seek God diligently seek him with your whole Heart seek him continually that he would write his Law in you stamp his Image on you and graft his Word in you Jam. 1.21 and thereby graft you into Christ and plant you in the likeness of his Death and Resurrection Rom. 6.5 to root and ground you in the Faith Col. 2.7 Do not delay do not defer this necessary Work of Spiritual Tillage lest hereby you fall into the Snare of the Devil he that now tells you it is yet too soon to set on this Work to break up your fallow Ground After your long idleness and negligence the Devil may change his Temptation and suggest to you that the time to break up your fallow ground is now past that it is too late to set on this Work when your Hearts are harden'd by the deceitfulness of Sin your Day of Grace is past God's Treasury is lock'd his Fountain of Life is sealed his Bowels of Mercy shut Therefore you must pine away in Horrour and Despair and perish for ever
is required and called for in the Text. For the prosecuting of the Doctrine three things are to be inquired into 1. What it is to break up our Fallow Ground 2. How or by what means it must be broken up 3. Why it is necessary it should be broken up 1. What is it to break up our Fallow ground I Answer It is to be soundly convinced of deeply affected with throughly to be broken and humbled for Sin and the danger and misery of our Natural State This is a Work hard bitter and grievous to Nature to set God's Plow into our very Souls to cut and wound them to make deep and long Furrows in the very Soil of our Hearts We read of renting of the heart Joel 2.13 and of a broken heart and contrite spirit Ps 51.17 This breaking up Fallow Ground is expounded in the next Verse to the Text by mens circumcising themselves to the Lord and taking away the foreskin of the heart Jer. 4.4 This cutting off the foreskin of the Heart is cutting up the Turff of our Soil that hinders the good Seed from taking deep root downwards and springing upwards The Jews were circumcised in Infancy but the thing signified doth not always go along with the Sign they yet wanted the internal and noblest part of that Ordinance they were circumcised in flesh but yet uncircumcised in heart Jer 9. last Tho' Circumcision in the Flesh was an external act whereby Men did acknowledge them Jews and Members of the visible Church yet the Circumcision of the Heart is the Sign and internal Note whereby God doth recognize and own Men to be vital Members of his Church The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart that love the Lord thy God Deut. 30.6 God would give the inward and noblest part of this Ordinance And if Circumcision was a Sign and Seal of God's Circumcising the Heart it must needs be a Sign and Seal of the Covenant of Grace Those that do partake of the outward Sign of the Covenant are thereby obliged to seek after the inward and best part of that Ordinance they have passed under and have been the Subjects of They are not to rest in this That they are circumcised in the Eye and account of Men but they are to pass further and circumcise themselves to the Lord that is so to circumcise themselves that they may appear to and be owned by God as circumcised So they were to circumcise themselves that they may be inclined towards and devoted to the Lord. This Soul Circumcision this taking away the Foreskin of the Heart is the right breaking up of our Fallow Ground The Act of Repentance and Faith is ours but the Grace whereby we Repent and Believe is from God and Christ 2 Tim. 2.25 Acts 5.31 So it is our Duty to Circumcise our Hearts but in all our Endeavours to perform it we must look to the Promise of God Deut. 30.6 and eye the Grace of our Lord Jesus who circumcises the Heart in causing it to put off the Body of the sins of the Flesh Col. 2.11 Jesus Christ tho' he had no Foreskin on his Heart yet he was Circumcised Luk. 2.21 that he might fulfil all Righteousness in himself and be obliged by this Ordinance to the great Work of Circumcising the Hearts of others Col. 2.11 2. How must Men break up their Fallow Ground I Answer There must be a Plough to do this Work There must be a keen and sharp Plow-share that Men may be Converted and return to be God's Husbandry The Word is the Plow considerations taken both from the Law and Gospel must break and wound the Hearts of Men. Moses is indeed a Plow-man but Christ is said to be the Seeds-man he is the Sower that went forth to sow Matt. 13.3 He that sows the good seed is the Son of Man Matt. 13.37 38. He doth not only sow Doctrines but Persons He doth beget a holy Seed Isa 9.6 He washes and renews by his Spirit If Men were convinced of Sin by the Law and not of Righteousness by the Gospel if they were wounded but had no knowledge of a Physician of a Remedy of a way of Salvation this would drive Men to despair sink and overwhelm them with terrors The Word must cut deep it must prick the heart Acts 2.37 It must wound the Soul to the quick that Men may be prepared for the healing Remedies and sweet Consolations of Jesus Christ Weighty humbling awakening Considerations must be put and kept on the Heart and sink deep into the Soul such as these following Truths 1. This should affect and wound the Heart that as we descend from the First Adam we are all born Flesh John 3.6 That which is born of the shesh is flesh Tho' the Soul be a spirit in its nature yet it is flesh in its inclination disposition ends and aims What a debasing humbling expression is that My spirit shall not always strive with man for that he also is flesh Gen. 6.3 The Mind of Man is strangely Carnalized sunk into and swallowed up in the Flesh it doth not mind its own Concerns or remember its own Interest it is only a servant to a Steward and Caterer for the Body as if a Man should be wholly taken up in thatching supporting repairing of his Cottage but should neglect or forget to provide Food and Raiment for himself O that Men should gratify their senses please pamper and indulge their Flesh and put all their happiness on an inch on a moment of Time and not regard Spiritual Blessings in Heaven Eph. 1.3 or value a Feast in Glory How dreadfully bad is it to make light Matt. 22.5 of the Feast that infinite Wisdom contrived and infinite Love hath provided For Men not to regard the Purchase the Son of God hath made the Ransom he hath paid the Legacies he hath bequeathed A Carnal Creature sees no worth or excellency tastes no sweetness takes no deught in Spiritual and Eternal Things they are dry sapless hungry Notions yea as vain fancies to him Men understand only Carnally there is flesh in the mind Col. 2.18 Nicodemus tho' he was a Master and Teacher in Israel yet did not understand the Doctrine of Regeneration but thought Christ meant a Man must enter a second time into his Mothers Womb and be born again from thence John 3.3 4 9. The Will and Affections also are Flesh When Christ did discourse with the Woman of Samaria of Water for her Soul she puts a Carnal sense on Christ's words she desires that Christ would give her of this water that she might come no more to that Well to draw but might be eas'd of a great labour and trouble 2. This Truth should wound the Heart That by Nature we are spiritually dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1 4. not only sick but dead in sin That foreskin that is on our Hearts is the very death of our Souls Col. 2.13 You that were dead in the uncircumcision of your