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
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
of Christ they shall sit eat and drink with him at his Table Luke 22.29 30. in his Kingdom There is no Good absent at this Feast to cause a wandring of desire no Evil present to cause sighs and sorrow under it Here Saints may eat and be satisfied for ever 4. This will be a most Honorable Rest Saints that sit in the Throne with Christ Rev. 3.21 and reign in life for evermore As all Tears shall be wiped from their Eyes so Crowns shall be set on their Heads a Crown of Life and Righteousness Rom. 5.17 This is the highest Honour that Creatures can aspire to and therefore may be fully satisfied with and rest in it This Honour shall never be forfeited neither shall this Feast be disturbed and interrupted 5. The Saints that now are troubled shall rest with the best Company they shall be where Christ is Joh. 17.24 and they shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God Matth. 8.11 As they have been Companions with other Suffering Saints in the Kingdom and patience of Christ Rev. 1.9 so they shall enter into the same Joy possess the same Inheritance and partake of the same Feast with them If Servants shall be where their Lord is John 12.26 much more may they be assured of rest and refreshment with their Fellow Servants Though they be more eminent than they for Gifts Graces and Services yet they shall rest in the same Bosom of Love and sit in the same Throne of Glory What harmonious Melody what sweet Comfort will there be when all Suffering Saints shall be gathered together to sing the Praises of their Father to celebrate the Honour of the their Redeemer and be swallowed up for ever in the love of the Father Son and Spirit USE of the Doctrine If Troubled Saints shall have rest then be not afraid of do not start or recoil from the Cross of Christ it will end and issue in a Crown of Glory Your Sufferings are light your Glory will be weighty your Afflictions and Sorrows will be momentary but your Joys will be everlasting 2 Cor. 4.17 Do not buy the Worlds Peace with the Trouble and Terror of your Consciences Some Apostate Protestants in France had such burdened Consciences such wounded Spirits grew so weary of Life that they came and offered themselves to their Antichristian Enemies and desired that they would kill them Do not slavishly dread Sufferings for Christ did not your Lord endure greater Troubles for you John 12.27 28. Now saith Christ is my Soul troubled he made his Soul an Offering for Sin he poured out his Soul to the death Is 53.10 12. You are but in shallow waters of afflictions but Jesus Christ was in a deep Sea of Sorrows You have but some small drops that sprinkle you but he had a dreadful Storm that fell on him You have but some sparks that fly on you but the Lamb of God was roasted by the Fire of his Fathers Anger Do not think it strange if siery Trials should be kindled against you and break out on you 1 Pet. 4.12 Do not think to be Priviledged from Troubles and to be Exempted from Hardships on Earth and yet be secured from Pains and Torments in another World Satan will roar and wicked Men will rage against you In the World you shall have Tribulation but in Christ you shall have peace John 16.33 Though wicked Men do scorch your Bodies yet your Souls do sit under Christs cold shadow Cant. 2.3 And you shall have times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Though you are appointed to Afflictions 1 Thes 3.3 yet God hath not appointed you to wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 You are now clouded with Sorrows and Reproaches but you shall shine out in the Kingdom of your Father Matth. 13.43 Your smoaking Furnace will issue in a burning Lamp Gen. 15.17 your sighs will be succeeded by Songs your darkness and shadow of Death will end in a bright and glorious Morning Persecutors will be cast into Prison and the Persecuted taken into the Palace Enemies shall seel cruel Bondage and Saints be Translated into glorious Liberty Wicked Men now Revile and Reproach the People of God but the Time is at hand when Christ will laugh at their Calamity and mock when their Fear cometh Prov. 1.26 but Saints shall have praise from Christ enter into the joy of their Lord and enjoy a rest that will abundantly recompence all their Troubles 2. When shall this rest be enjoyed It is said when the Lord Jesus shall be Revealed Two things are here affirmed 1. That the Lord Jesus shall be Revealed 2. That he shall be Revealed from Heaven The words give this Doctrine Doct. 2. The Lord Jesus shall be Revealed from Heaven 1. The Lord Jesus shall be Revealed 2. He shall be Revealed from Heaven 1. The Lord Jesus shall be Revealed This is necessary on a double Account 1. Jesus Christ was veiled and clouded in the World the Sun of Righteousness was in a continual Eclipse for about 33 Years Tho' he was Rich yet for our sakes he became Poor 2 Cor. 8 9. Tho' he was full yet he emptied himself Phil. 2.7 8. Tho' he was Lord over all God over all Rom. 9.5 yet he took on him the form of a Servant and this was as a thick Veil cast over all his Glory Phil. 2.9 The World saw no beauty in him Is 53.2 He was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Psal 22.6 He was trod on as a Worm Ps 10.9.23 and tossed up and down as a Locust by the Wind of his Adversaries fury From the Garden he was offeâ—d to Annas from Annas to Caiaphas from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod from Herod to Pilate again then to Golgotha Thus the Scripture was fulfilled That he was tossed up and down as a Locust So mean was his Condition and so low his Circumstances that the World did not know him John 3.1 and therefore a glorious Appearing of his is necessary Tit. 2.13 to let all the World know who and what he is and how they have been mistaken 2. Jesus removed and withdrew himself from the World he is Travelled into a far Country Luke 13.12 He is gone within the Veil Heb. 6.19 20. He is hid with God Col. 3.3 Thousands do love him tho' they have not seen him and believe on him tho' they do not yet see him 1 Pet. 1.8 The Object of our Faith is become invisible and far removed from the Eye of Sense and Christ doth stay so long that Wise and Foolish Virgins do fall asleep Matt. 25.5 And his Rebellious Citizens send a Message after him saying We will not have this Man to reign over us Luke 19.14 All those they cruelly persecuted and wickedly slew for Proclaiming Christ as King and calling them to bow down to his Royal Scepter were sent in this Embassy or with this Message after
very unkind and inhuman that would not entertain and lodge Christ in their Houses But yet do not thousands of nominal and titular Christians shut Christ out of their Hearts they suffer Sin Satan and the World to keep possession but they shut out the Prince of Life the King of Glory the Heir of all things they are not willing that Christ should come in subject all to himself order and govern all for himself Guilt Poverty and Misery are shut into their Souls Righteousness Riches Life are shut out 7. This is grievous Disobedience to the Gospel that Men are not willing to be made clean or set free 1. They are not willing to be made clean As a Fountain casteth out her waters so Jerusalem casteth out her wickedness O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean Jer. 6.7 When shall it once be Is it not most reasonable that Souls should be made clean yet they return as the Dog to his vomit and as the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. last God pronounces woe to those that will not be made clean and will you deceive your selves and say it shall be well with you Christ tells us Except he washes us we can have no part with him in the Kingdom of Glory John 13.8 and will you give the Ly to Christ and credit Satan that you shall go to Heaven tho' you are not washed Can you thrust into the new Jerusalem into which no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21. last Men sometimes promise fair and faintly resolve to cleanse themselves but when shall it once be they that cleanse not away their Filth must themselves be washed away as Spots from the Face of the Church and be abhorred by God for ever 2. Men are highly disobedient to the Gospel in that they will not be made free they are fond of their Fetters and hug their Chains as the Servant that rejected the benefit of the Year of Release or Jubilee saying I love my Master I will not go out free Exod. 21.5 6. So Men love Sin their old Master when a better choice is offer'd they stick to their old and first choice yea they have chosen their own ways and their Soul delights in their abominations Isa 66.3 The most of Men are like the carnal Israelites satisfied with their Slavery They said to Moses and Aaron Let us alone to serve the Egyptians Exod. 14.12 So Sinners would not be disturbed they would be let alone to serve the Devil and enjoy their Lusts 8. This is high disobedience to the Gospel that Men will not have Christ to reign over them they are incensed Isa 45.24 they rage against Christ Luke 19.14 27. Psa 2.1 but I may renew the Question that Pilate put to the Jews when they were so inflam'd against Christ What evil hath he done Mat. 27.23 Christ calls Souls out of Prison and from their wandrings and strayings he makes Men free from the Law of Sin and Death and is this to do Evil how unreasonable is it that Men should be so disaffected towards and so prejudic'd against the Kingdom of Christ when he reigns to destroy the reigning power of Sin Satan and Death and to exalt his Subjects now to reign with him in the Kingdom of Grace and hereafter to sit in the Throne and reign with Christ in the Kingdom of Glory O that Sinners should ever be so ungrateful to Christ and so injurious to their own Souls how mild benign and gracious is the Government of Christ he rules not only as a Political Head that gives Laws but as a Natural Head that gives Life and influences he governs as a Husband Brother and Saviour how reasonable therefore is it that our homage and subjection to him should begin in a Kiss of Faith and Love Psa 2. last But how provoking is this that Men chuse Sin and Satan a Murtherer and prefer him Before a Saviour This is to renew and revive the Affronts put on Christ at his Passion and to chuse Barabbas rather than Jesus Those that would not have Christ to reign over them for their Salvation do set up Satan to rule over them for their Destruction 9. This is ungrateful and highly provoking Disobedience to the Gospel that Men would have Christ to buy yet to possess and enjoy nothing They can be willing Christ should hire them and promise them a reward but they stand idle all the day long will do no Work for Christ they are idle and barren in the knowledg of Christ yea walk as Enemies to the Cross of Christ while they set up what he came to pull down and keep alive what he came to destroy Christ hath acted as a Shepherd and doth demand his price Zech. 11.12 Surely Love Service and Obedience is due to him but Men put off Christ with an empty Name of Lord and with a dead form of Religion they do not render the Fruits of a Vineyard or bring forth the Fruits of God's Kingdom their Knowledge is cold idle and barren as the light of a Glow-worm that is not sufficient to direct a Traveller in his way The Gospel should bring forth Fruit from the first day that Men know it Col. 1.5 6. it should be a Seal to stamp the Image of God on Men it should be a Mould to shape and fashion Mens Hearts and Lives Rom. 6.17 as the Sun riseth and Man goes forth to his work Ps 104 23. so when Christ ariseth and shineth in any Country Men should go forth to all the work of their heavenly calling Knowledge should not only float in the Head or be imprison'd in the Mind but should be a light to Mens Feet and a Lamp to their Paths Psal 119.105 But how many nominal Christians do love darkness and hate the light they still love to wander and in the broad day to follow Sin and Satan they do nothing of all that God commands them they only stray and work Iniquity and so deserve to be cast into outer darkness Jer. 14.10 Jer. 32.23 30. Mat. 8.12 JEREMIAH IV. 3. For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem Break up your fallow Ground and sow not among Thorns IN the words we may observe 1. a Speaker the Lord All Men should have an Ear to listen when the Lord hath a Tongue to speak 2. The Persons spoken to the Men of Judah and Jerusalem 3. The Exhortation or Counsel given to them Break up your fallow ground Three things are to be remarked in these words 1. That there were fallow grounds in Judah and Jerusalem that were a People chosen to be holy to the Lord and that might seem to themselves a fruitful Field a pleasant and delightful Paradise 2. This may also seem strange that they should be call'd to break up their fallow ground What an humbling abasing Expression is this they might think they had made a great progress in Religion and were advanced far towards a ripe Harvest of
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
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
in peace and your Faith may be found to Honor and Glory at the Appearing of Christ It is the Blood of Christ that must quench the Fire of God's wrath and it is the Spirit of Christ as mortifying as sanctifying that must pull away the Fuel of this Fire There is a sweet and gracious Promise Is 1.25 I will turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy Dross and take away all thy Tin How full how rich and comprehensive is this Promise that the Dross of Prophaness and the Tin of Hipocrisie shall be purely purged away If open Sin and secret Hipocrisie be removed the Euel of this Eternal Fire will be put away We must be put into Christ's Refining Fire that we may not be exposed to God's Consuming Fire If Christ now appear for you in Heaven Heb. 9.23 24. he will not appear against you in the great Day Those he has made Righteousuess and Sanctification to he cannot Condemn he will not destroy at his Appearing 5. For what end will Christ be Revealed in Flaming Fire It is thus expressed He comes in a Flame of Fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving Vengeance 1. He that is a merciful and gracious God yet will have no other gift to bestow on impenitent Unbelievers Tho' Mercy belongeth to God which he will Exercise towards his People tho' Forgiveness belong to him which he will bestow on penitent Believers yet only Vengeance belongs to God to be executed on hardened Transgressors Heb. 10.30 Ps 94.1 2. He hath no other Attributes but Justice and Power Rom. 9.22 to be glorified in them 2. This is an Impoverishing Gift when Christ gives Vengeance the one Talent shall be taken away Matt. 25.28 All that the Souls of Sinners do Lust after shall depart all the things that are dainty and goodly shall depart and they shall find them no more at all Rev. 18.14 3. This is a Formenting Gift it is a Cup of trembling a Cup of fury If 51.21 22. it is a Cup of red Wine and full of mixture all bitter all fatal deadly Ingredients are squeezed into joined and are rempered in this Cup yet it is without mixture not one drop of Mercy or Kindness in it but it is pure Wrath and Severity as if all the strongest most griping tormenting Poysons did meet in one Cup Rev. 14.10 and there was nothing to antidote or allay their deadly force and operation 4. This is a Gift they must receive they cannot decline avoid or refuse Jer. 25.15 28. Take the Wine-cup of this fury at my hand and cause all the Nations to whom I send thee to drink it If they refuse to take the cup and to drink then shalt thou say unto them Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ye shall certainly drink I may allude to this Text Tho' Condemned Sinners do loath the bitter and dreadful Cup that God giveth to them tho' they may recoil start from it and refuse it yet they shall certainly drink it 5. This is a Gift that is Debt and Wages Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death So God is said to repay fury to repay recompence Is 59.18 and to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of Fire We are commanded to render to all their dues Rom. 13.7 Misery and punishment is due to Sinners if Christ should not pay it he would not be true to his Word or just to himself Tribulation and anguish belongs to every Soul that sins Rom. 2.9 We are bid to owe nothing to any man but love Rom. 13.8 And this is a Debt that must be always paying and yet can never be fully discharged so God owes Sinners enmity and vengeance and this Debt will be paying and yet never be wholly paid off or discharged to Eternity What Presents do Sinners make to or what Gifts do they bestow on God What Fruit did God's Vineyard yield to him Were they not sowre and wild grapes grapes of gall and bitter clusters Wine that is the poyson of Dragons the cruel venom of Asps Deut. 32.32 33. What crop or harvest doth barren and bad ground yield to the Husbandman but briers and thorns Heb. 6.8 How Righteous is it then that Christ should give vengeance to them Deal out blows stripes and wounds to them and that for ever Christ offered them Mercy once and they would not receive it but he will give them Punishment he will shew Severity to them and they shall not be able to decline refuse or reject it Sinners would not do Christ right would not give him their hearts Prov. 23.26 They would not give him glory Jer. 13.16 Christ must therefore inflict punishment on them and give vengeance to them If Men will not give God and Christ glory Christ will get honour on them whether they will or no. Compare those two Scriptures Jer. 13.16 Give glory to the Lord your God And that in Exod. 14.17 I will get me honour on Pharaoh and all his Host Those that will not give Christ glory by repenting and believing Christ will get Honour by pouring out his fury and executing vengeance on them Ezek. 28.22 O Zidon in thee I will be glorified they shall know I am the Lord when I shall have executed judgments in her The day of vengeance is in Gods heart Is 63.4 And the strokes of Justice shall shortly be dealt out by Christ's hands The whirlwind of the Lord will go forth in fury it shall fall grievously on the head of the wicked Jer. 23.19 6. But on whom will Christ take vengeance This Text informs us it is on all that know not and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ As it is life eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent John 17.3 so this causeth death eternal to be ignorant of the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Those that hear the Gospel and do not listen to it and receive it are guilty of a wilful and affected Ignorance of God and Christ The light shineth but they come not to it yea they shut their eyes against it Matt. 13.15 and so concur with Satan to promote their own destruction The Devil blinds their minds 2 Cor. 4.4 lest they should believe and they close their own eyes lest they should see with their Eyes hear with their Ears understand with their Hearts and so should be converted and God should heal them How guilty are Men before God who imprison and shut in Natural Light Rom. 1.18 and exclude shut out Supernatural Lights The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit for they are foolishness to him 1 Cor. 2.14 The blindness folly and vanity of their minds is as a dark Lanthorn about the Candle of Natural Light to hinder it from shining out in their Words and Actions They detain and hold it under unrighteously Their Lusts are too hard for their Light and do Rebel against it And Men come not to that Supernatural
not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Promise but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good News that this Promise is performed Acts 13.32 33. We declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again These glad Tidings are brought by the Son out of the bosom of the Father John 1.18 It is good News of the best Good the sweetest Feast the richest Inheritance the most Noble and Honorable Relation to God and that when a Sentence of Death might have been dreaded and an Eternal Vengeance felt It is a Gospel of grace Acts 20.24 A Gospel of salvation Eph. 13.1 24. The gospel of the kingdom Matt. 4.23 Here is Salvation from the most dreadful Evils the possession of a glorious and everlasting Kingdom and all bestowed in a way of pure Grace 2. What is it to obey the Gospel we read of obeying the Truth Gal. 3.1 and what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God 1 Pet. 4.17 These expressions of obeying the Truth and obeying the Gospel do seem to intimate that the Gospel is something more than a meer Promise To obey the Gospel is to Believe and Repent we must credit God's Testimony 1 Cor. 2.1 Is 5.3 Rom. 15.17 Believe the Report he gives receive the Gifts that he offers else we reject the highest Mercy and make God a Liar 1 John 5.10 if we believe not the Gospel 2. We must also Repent of our Sins To be called to Repent of our Sins and to have such sweet great and strong Incouragements to Repent is certainly Gospel-grace Musculus on Matt. 10.5 saith He doth not preach the Gospel that doth not preach Repentance That Repentance is a Gospel Duty these three things do evidence and demonstrate 1. It is a Call from an offended provoked Husband to return from our Whoredoms and to be Loyal to him Thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord Jer. 3.1 God acting according to the Covenant of Works would for ever divorce and eternally punish Sinners for their Adulteries not call 'em to be reconciled 2. The Call to Repentance is a Call from Christ as a Physician Matt. 9.12 13. The whole have no need of a Physician I am come to call sinners to repentance Christ in this acts as a Physician in calling Sinners to Repentance that they may be his Patients and that he may heal and recover them from their Diseases 3. A Call to Repentance flows from God and Christ as a Shepherd He seeks out that which was lost and brings back that which was gone astray Luke 19.10 These are Acts proper to Christ as a Shepherd and therefore Repentance must needs be a Duty of the Gospel Zech. 10.8 I will hiss for them and gather them for I have redeemed them Here is a plain Allusion to the Shepherds hiss to gather the Sheep that are scattered and he gathers them because he hath Redeemed them This still more evidences that a Call to Repentance is grounded on the Gospel 3. I shall shew you what a heinous Sin it is not to obey the Gospel 1. The Gospel requires us to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 1.20 O what Mercy is it that Reconciliation is possible we could not be Reconciled but by the death of God's Son We could not be healed but by his stripes Isa 53.5 God could not make Peace with us but he must make War with his Son Zech 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and smite the man that is my fellow Devils are not invited to be Reconciled the blind Heathen World are not called to be Reconciled Let Heaven and Earth be Witness and Judge whether it be not reasonable that Sinners should be reconciled to God that is Love and Goodness that never did them any wrong that is their Creator Preserver and Benefactor Is not the enmity of Men unjust foolish and pernicious to themselves Shall Grashoppers leap up against Heaven Is 40.22 Shall Worms Job 25.6 contend with the Almighty Shall Potters Vessels challenge a Rod of Iron Ps 2.8 9. Shall Stubble and Chaff Briers and Thorns set themselves in Battle against devouring Fire Hath God found out a way to appease his own wrath Is 27.4 5. To cut off his own plea and advantages against us Nahum 10.3 To end the dreadful Controversie between Heaven and Earth and to sheath his glittering Sword and will you yet persist in your enmity and continue the War against God Do you resolve to pluck down his wrath and vengeance on you Will the short momentary pleasures of Sin countervail eternal Torments When God calls you to be Reconciled what is contained in it but that you should lay down your weapons of Hostility and lay hold on Christ's atoning Sacrifice as the only means of Reconciliation O shall not your Scum go out of you Shall not your Dross be separated from you Shall not all the Transgressions be cast away by you Should you not return to your place submit and be subject to God You must turn from your Iniquity God will never change and depart from his Holiness 2. The Gospel calls men to be Espoused to Jesus Christ Cant. 8.8 The little Sister that is the Gentiles are said to be spoken for that is to give her Heart to and set her love on Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 6.17 Christ doth wooe you to be joined to him to give your selves to him and to be his 2 Cor. 8.5 Is not Christ the most beautiful rich loving and glorious Bridegroom Can you find any other Match that may compare with him He is fairer than the children of men Psal 45.2 He is white and ruddy and the chiefest of ten thousands Cant. 5.10 He hath unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 He is love it self Cant. 3.5 All power in Heaven and Earth is given to him He was dead but he is alive and lives for more Matt. 28.18 Rev. 1.15 He will never put you away or leave you a desolate disconsolate Widow Is it not amazing that Beauty should wooe Deformity Riches solicit Poverty Nobility suit Vileness and Baseness and yet be rejected If you match not with Christ who shall pay your Debts Protect and cover you from Arrests Who shall make you a Jointure or provide you a House and Home in another World Who shall wash away your Guilt and Filth Supply your Wants Cloth and Cover your Nakedness If Jesus Christ be not your Husband will you still dote on base and beggarly Objects Will you still go a Whoring from God Psal 13.27 Will you continue Aholah dwelling in your own Tent and broken off from the House of God Those that slight and spurn at Christ's love are they not worthy to feel the scorching Fire of his wrath Carnal Creatures do not love a Spiritual Bridegroom they rush into the embraces of carnal and present Objects but Souls consider not
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
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