or contemne it God will remoue it if God spared not the naturall branches take heede lest he also spare not thee thou art but a wilde Oliue get thee vnto Christ as a branch ingrafted into this stocke and being incorporated and as it were become one with him keepe with all diligence that prerogatiue that nothing divert thee from him If the Heathen could say vnto his Countreymen the Athenians when they committed any offence Hoc nonfacerent Lacedemony certainly our enemies the Lacedemonians would not haue done thus thereby to disswade them from their Iewde behauiour much more wee which are created according to Gods owne image which weare the badge and cognizance of Christians learne both in respect of that nobility which wee haue in Christ and that glorious eternitie which wee hope for when mortality shall bee swallowed vp of life to abstaine from relying vpon any externall prerogatiue but onely as wee are in Christ of whom we are denominated Christians thus of the occasion Touching the substance it containeth matter both of mercy and of Iudgement Mat. 4.6 which were the two parts wherein the ministery of Iohn consisted Isaih 5.4 as it was foretold of him so likewise here he doth faithfully execute and performe both The whole speech is figuratiue and allegoricall which may be thus resolued God is compared to an husbandman who had planted a vineyard in Iudea namely his Church which from time to time he had manured and dressed What could I haue done more to my vineyard that I haue not done vnto it The people are compared vnto trees of which the Lord saith I looked that it should haue brought forth grapes Ibid. 4. The ministery of Iohn to an axe that will cut quickly either to hasten to damnation or to saluation By the rootes of the trees are meant the soules and consciences of men to which the word is well applyed The he wing down and casting into the fire signifieth the finall sentence which at the great day shall be executed vpon such as at the hearing of the Gospell preached remaine vnfruitfull so that it is thus much in effect as if Iohn had said vnto them as trees when they neither blossome in the summer nor render increase the time of reaping notwithstanding of their planting and pruning are fit for nothing but to be cut downe and cast into the fire cuen so likewise ye for all your glorious shewes vnlesse ye take heed vnto your selues and bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life shall by the power of my ministery be hewen down cast into the fire euen prepared and fitted for eternall destruction Hence two things may be noted from this Allegorie First touching the husbandman hee is God Isai 5.2 Ier. 2.21 Iohn 15.1 thus hee writeth of himselfe thus our Sauiour testifieth of him an husbandman inrespect he is the first planter of his Church as also because he is the continuall dresser and manurer of the same an husbandman in whom we may behold both skilsulnesse and â—â—inefulnesse in hedging it gathering out the stones of it building a tower therein purging it pruning it and carefulnesse to plant it with the best plants to hedge it to watch ouer it to defend it from wilde Boares and Foxes and patience in looking and waiting from time to time from yeare to yeare that it may bring forth good fruit Touching his husbandry it is the Church so named in many places of Scripture and that in diuerse respects as a vineyard hath need of planting watering pruning purging digging Psal 80.9 Cant. 2.12 dunging so the Church hath neede of planting watering pruning and purging as vineyards are not euery where but there where they are planted Isai 3.14 so the Church is not euery where but there where the Lord hath planted the same Ezek. 17.6 as in a vineyard there are Vines so in the Church is Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.6 the true Vine-tree of life whose branches are all such as by faith cleaue vnto him which abound in fruite and bring forth pleasant grapes euen the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit as the grapes are gathered and pressed out so are the members of Gods Church their faith patience experience and hope are manifested are not teares pressed out yea oftentimes their blood for the testimony of a good conscience finally as in a vineyard all the trees are not fruitfull but some prouing barren are cut downe and cast into the fire so in the Church all are not liuing branches of this true Vinc many proue fruit esse and therefore shall be taken away and perish Wherefore seeing God is the husbandman the Church is his Vineyard let vs pray vnto him that such as are not yet planted may by him be transplanted from their old stocke Adam and may bee ingrafted vpon the roote of Iesse Iesus Christ and that such as are already ingrafted may bring forth good fruit God hath beene painfull about vs he hath beene carefull ouer vs he hath beene patient waiting for our fruitfulnesse he might haue digged vs downe long agoe hath hee spared vs yet O then let vs not proue barren but fruitfull in good workes Thus of the substance Touching the Method St. Iohn denounceth iudgement to rouse thâ—m from their securitie and a waken their sleepie consciences calling them a generation of Vipers bidding them amend their liues and repent them of their sinnes telling them now also The Axe is laid to the roote of the trees and that vnlesse that they did bring forth good fruit they should bee bewen downe and cast into the fire and yet vnder this be doth also offer them mercy that if they did bring forth fruit worthy of amendment of life they should not bee hewen downe but perpetually saued Hence two things may be obserued First that the Law must precede the Gospell Secondly that the Gospell is to bee conjoyned vnto the Law and to accompany the same For the first the Law must precede the Gospell the Ministers of Gods word must first denounce judgement out of the Law against sinne Gen. 2.27 before they proclaime mercies out of the Gospell vnto sinners thus dealt God with Adam before his fall In that day that thou eatest thou shalt die the death so also before the giuing of the Law there were thunders lightnings yea Mount Siuai was all in fire and smoake Isai 1.4 Ioel 1.8 12. Matt. 4.17 Act. 2.36 Rom. 3.18 the trumpet sounding exceeding loud and the Mountaines trembled and all the people were afraid of death Thus Isaiah begun his prophesie thus did Ioel begin his thus our Sauiour Christ thus Peter thus the Apostle Paul and thus S. Iohn in the words of my Text. The Reasons hereof are these Reason 1 First because hereby the pride and corruption of our nature is cast downe by the Law As in a glasse we behold and attaine a knowledge of our owne infirmities as the Apostle Paul saith Rom.
commonly to draw them vnto repentance and doth deferre to deliuer his owne children from them but that they may be truely humbled and that they may call vpon him acknowledging by whom they are deliuered yea that hereby greater euils may be preuented after which manner the Lord for a long time did exercise his seruant Dauid whom his faithful God did not suffer to be tempted aboue that which he was able to beare but at length deliuered him from them all all things working together for the best to such as loue God The Vses of this Doctrine are both for Reprehension and Exhortation Reprehension to wicked men which through the lusts of their owne flesh promise vnto themselues liberty saying where is the promise of his comming 2 Pet. 3.3 euen as if God were mutable his word false and his delay in executing iudgements were a certaine argument either he could not or would not execute them all Notwithstanding of their contempt of this kinde there were some in the Primitiue Church such as Basilides Tâ—monius Simon Magus and after them the Hereticks called Gnostici as the Ecclesiasticall Histories make mention their sinne died not with them the diuell in this last and worst age hath consented the same to spring vp againe and that in foure sorts of people Atheists Anabaptists Papists and formall carnall Protestants Atheists which liue neither fearing the torments of hell nor desiring the ioyes of heauen beleeuing neither who say with Pharaoh Who is the Lord that we should serue him Anabaptists which condemne all obedience vnto Magistrates teaching that ciuill iurisdiction is vnlawfull Papists which giue liberty to prophanesse vniustice couetousnesse c Prophanenesse in setting vp a new Priesthood offering as they say a Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead whereby they abolish the Mediation and Sacrifice of Christ Iniustice in deposing Kings and making Subiects to rebell against them Couetousnesse for selling Pardons for sinnes for 1000. yeares to come yea making men to despaire of their owne saluation teaching that we cannot be assured of the king dome of heauen without a speciall reuelation Formall Protestants which turne the Counsels of Gods Election into wantonnesse reasoning thus If I be elected vnto saluation I shall be saued how badly so euer I liue or if I be appointed vnto damnation so it shall come to passe because Gods counsell is vnchangeable By those horrible Blasphemies Gods iudgements are abused the grace of God by them turned into the liberty of sinne Exhortation vnto vs all timely to repent vs of our sinnes Gods iudgements may seaze vpon vs whilst we are most secure when we are least aware we are as grasse which withereth and as the flower which fadeth the breath of the Lord may soone blow vpon vs for our destruction In Paradise men might haue liued or died Mortes potet deferre non aâ—ferre veniet sinelis veniet quands neseis August now we liue and must dye we are changed from grace and glory into sorrow and miserie before sinne nothing could change vs now euery thing doth change vs as one saith of Death so it may be said of other Iudgements They may be deferred not remoued they shall come when thou wouldst not they shall come when thou knowst not when winter commeth we waxe old when age commeth then we become withered when sicknesse commeth then we become weake death will come and then we shall dye the cloathes we weare vpon our backes the Sunne setting ouer our heads the graues vnder our feet yea the meat which goeth into our bellies telleth vs we must decay one creature doth summon another vnto iudgement the fish in the sea the fowles in the ayre the beasts on the ground the one day liuing in their elements the other day dressed for our meat giue vs warning our father 's summond vs and we our children To the graue we carry others others shall carry vs to this bed wherein all must sleepe Gen. 47.9 Psal 22.6 Hence Iacob called his life a pilgrimage Paul his life a race Dauid himselfe a worme and not a man A Pilgrimage hath an end a race hath a stop a worme is trodden downe vnder-feet and all this is to teach that we must dye Wherefore I say seeing both the particular iudgement of death and other threatned are certaine haue we not all cause speedily to repent vs of our sins that both others may be preuened and when we dye our death may be the beginning of endlesse ioy of life euerlasting For the second when the time of grace and saluation is offered not imbraced then iudgements shall come the people of the Iewes had a time of repentance the ministery of the Law and the Prophets now also haue they a time of iudgement vnlesse they did repent for the contempt of so great a mercy offered the destruction of the old World by the inundation of waters for their contempt of the ministry of Noah the herrible confusion of Corah Dathan and Abiram in the dayes of Moses the wickednesse of Saul in the dayes of Samuel the contempt of the Israelites after their deliuerance from Babylon and Assyria being like the Blackamoore which doth not chang his colour or the Leopard his spots and the iudgements which seazed vpon them clearely confirme this point The Iewes had many both painfull and faithfull Teachers yet they would not imbrace the mercy offered Christ the light of the world him they did crucifie Paul famous throughout all the world who had preached euen from Illyricum vnto Spaine for him they laid wait that they might kill him many others they had but all in vaine they would not heare What followed vpon this most fearefull iudgements within two and forty yeares after the ascension of Christ Tripart hist Ierusalem was destroyed by Titus the son of Vespasian and the whole land of Palestina at this day all groaneth vnder the Turkish thraldome The Primitiue Church for the contempt did also vndergoe most fearefull iudgements The Romans for their contempt were ouerthrowne by the Goths and Vandales and forced to forsake the ancient Septicolles and make their residence in Campus Martius where Rome standeth at this day The Citizens of Ephesus Colosse and Corinth for their contempt were by fire from heauen by the earth quake and pestilence destroyed to come nigher home England had her dayes of peace which being abused followed the scourge of Queene Mary whereby many thousands lost their liues yea euen of late God hath in diuers things visited vs by Famine Pestilence and euen for our contempt of mercies offered which yet if we doe refuse and reiect greater iudgements shall cease vpon vs. The Reasons hereof are these 1. In respect of the Iustice of God which must needs take place where Mercy is reiected 2. The Glory of God which is euen purchased by inflicting iudgements vpon contemners The Vse of this point is for exhortation vnto vs all that seeing we haue this day of mercy
euery one of vs to be frequent in hearing the word of the Lord that we may bee made fit for the seruice of our God Which of vs will be contented to haue our houses built of rugged and vnhewen stones and do we thinke that we can bee fit for Gods building vnlesse our superfluities by Gods word be pared weared away Thus of the instrument 3. Point Concerning the third point the vse of the instrument laid or put to the roote of the trees noting vnto vs two things First the propinquitie of Gods judgements Secondly the delay which he vseth in executing his judgements For the vnderstanding of both these points two things are to be obscrued First if the Axe be put to the roote of the trees why are they not cut downe Secondly if they bee not cut downe why then is axe laide vnto them or if Gods judgements be threatned why are they not executed and if they are not to be executed why then are they threatned For answer vnto both First The axe is laid to the roote of the trees Gods judgements threatned and yet not executed because the trees are reasonable trees men endued with reason the rootes of these trees the hearts of men which in time may change turne and bring forth good fruit namely when God by his Spirit shall renew their wils and bestow vpon them willing minds to performe the actions of holinesse In the performance of good our wils are not actiue but meerely passiue we haue no free will vnto that which is good wee are not onely prisoners Ephes 2.1 bound with the cords of sinne but starke dead without any ability in our flesh to performe any good worke but by the operation of Gods Spirit we are not onely destitute of that originall righteousnesse wherein wee were created but also our hearts are altogether enclined vnto euill The inuentions of our hearts are euill continually wherefore I conclude against the Papists that seeing by nature wee want originall righteousnesse and also are prone vnto all euill therefore we want free will vnto that which is good This the Apostle Paul confirmeth The naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Our righteousnesse is in Christ Iesus onely both in respect of his actiue and passiue obedience Through whom God doth account vs righteous 2 Cor. 5.4 imputing his sonnes righteousnesse vnto vs whom he hath made to be sinne for vs which knew not sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Secondly although the trees are not presently cut downe yet is the Axe laid vnto them though Gods judgements are not presently executed yet are they denounced and threatned euen that hereby we may feare our cutting downe and in time bring forth good fruit that so we may not be cut downe at all for as Chrysostome saith although wicked men do not amend by feare Quam vis â—â—tus nec timore corrigitur tamen bonus nssi timuerit perivit Chrysost yet vnlesse the godly feare they shall perish Thus for the information of the vnderstanding The obseruations which then arise from the applycation of the instrument laid or put to the roote of the trees are these First that when Gods word is vrged and applyed to mens consciences and by preachers laid and pressed to the hearts of the hearers they then behold the propinquitie of Gods iudgements whereby they belong vnto God they are moued to repent which made Dauid to say I haue sinned and againe Psal 143.2 enter not into iudgement with thy seruants Gen. 41.32 Ioseph told Pharaoh that his dreame was doubled vnto him twise because the thing was established by God God would shortly bring it to passe or hasten to performe it so I tell thee thou hast need to feare when thy conscience is informed by the word of those judgements prepared for the wicked Let my counsell bee acceptable vnto you Breake off your sins by righteousnesse and your iniquities by shewing mercy vnto the poore In time forsake your wickednesse Dan. 4.27 seeing the Iudge is ready to knocke at the doore and now the Axe is laid to the roote fo the tree Secondly that howsoeuer our sins deserue that God should execute his judgements against vs so soone as they are threatned yet out of his abounding loue and mercy hee doth prolong his judgements and not presently execute the same Ezek. 18.32 As I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but that he should conuert and liue The Lord doth stretch out his armes all the day long to a froward and rebellious generation Matt. 11.28 For this cause our Sauiour doth most willingly inuite vs Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laedued with your sinnes and I will case you Gods mercies are aboue all his workes Psal 145.9 more willing by prolonging his judgements to conuert vs then by executing them to destroy vs. The truth of this doctrine appeareth in that Parable of the Figge tree which although it was vnfruitfull for the space of three yeares yet the dresser of the Vineyard did say Lord let it alone this yeare also till I digge round about it Luke 13.6 7. and dung it The Reasons hereof are these First that such as are appointed vnto life may haue conuenient time to vse those meanes by which they may bee furthered thereunto Secondly to conuince such as are disobedient contemners of the time of their visitation who shall be forced to approue the just judgements of God vpon them for their contempt as Achan who being taken confessed he had sinned of which Daniel speaketh We and our fathers haue sinned in transgressing the Law therefore iustly is thy wrath kindled against vs Iosh 7. for shame and confusion belongeth vnto vs other Reasons I haue touched before The vses hereof are both for exhortation and reprehension For exhortation first to be truely thankfull vnto God for this his aboundant mercy towards vs saying with Dauid in generall What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his mercies in particular For sparing vs so long and giuing vs so large a time of repentance We must take the cup of saluation in our hand and sing his euerlasting praise who sits vpon his throne and in greatest miserie sheweth mercie We receiue great blessings from God eyes to see hands to worke feete to walke a time to repent and yet alas all other creatures the Sunne the Moone the Starres are thankfull we vnthankfull Secondly to make right vse of our time redeeming the time which wee haue spent amisse if God doth bestowe vpon vs a time let vs not runne the more vnto sinne but the more be with drawne from the same Reprehension vnto such as turne the mercies of God into wantonnesse as abuse his gracious time wherein
4.12 and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth thorow euen vnto the diuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart 1 Cor. 14.25 by which the secrets of mans heart are made manifest Hence it is that the word of God is compared vnto a hammer Ier. 23.29 to beat vpon the hard Adamantine hearts of men Ezek. 9.19 by which God doth take away their stonie heart and giue them an heart of flesh vnto fire by which the Lord doth purge their hearts from dresse and corruption Ier. 5.14 Isai 55.10 vnto raine by which the heart is watred that it may fructifie and for this cause the Preachers of Gods word are called Stewards of the misteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 such as may rightly diuide Gods word and apply it to the consciences of men either for their further humiliation or for their comfort Thus haue the Prophets done thus the Apostles thus out Saniour Christ they did not respect persons but told men their sinnes by the word of God as Iohu Baptist did to Hered here to the Pharisies as Nathan to Dauid and the Apostle Paul to Ananias and Peter to Simon Magus The Reasons hereof are these 1. because the heart is the sountaine of life thence murthers adulteries thefts slanders doe proceed Prou. 4.23 Math. 13.19 Gen. 6. Ier. 13.9 the imaginations whereof are euill continually which is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it yea no man can perceiue the sinfulnesse of his owne heart without the power of regeneration though wee haue example both from Christ and his seruants to direct vs towards the kingdome of heauen yet we forsake them through the sinfulnesse of our heart either through our naturall corruption or the instigation of the diuell who from our naturall corruption taketh occasion to tempt vs vnto sinne He put it in the heart of Iudas to betray his Master whereby we run euen headlong vnto our owne destruction and our hearts cannot he rectified but by the word of God Secondly if the heart were not rouzed vp by the word of God but did continue in sinne it would become hardned and then past all feeling of godlinesse Rom. 1.28 and so be burnt as with an hot iron with a cauterized conscience giuen vp to a reprobate sence an estate most dangerous a condition most miserable a forerunner of euerlasting condemnation By this no iudgement no affliction plague or punishment can become effectuall Pharaoh and his Land were wonderfully plagued with variety of iudgements but they did not draw him vnto repentance because his heart was hardned This the Lord doth preuent out of his vnspeakeable mercy in his owne children by the application of his word vnto their hearts whereby they may repent them of their sinnes become mollified and tender hearted and so escape the wrath to come The Vses of this Doctrine are for Exhortation and Reprehension Exhortation vnto vs all in generall and vnto both Preachers and people in particular Vnto vs all in generall euen to take notice of the sinfulnesse and corruption of our hearts that wee endeauour and labour for a speedy remedy out of the word of God let vs I say take notice of our omission of good duties of our commission of euil of the negligence of our duties towards God and our neighbour and the ground whence those proceede which is our hearts that hereby wee may haue our hearts reformed by the word of God that God may create within vs a cleane heart Psal 51.10 and renew within vs a right spirit So long as our heart remaineth asleepe and is not wakened by the word of God so long we cannot rightly setue God yea though with Saint Basil we did goe into a Wildernesse to auoid wicked company Vnto Preachers to approue themselues before God and man in a good conscience by their liuely and particular application of Gods word God doth inioyne it vnto them God doth require it of them God doth expect it from them hereby thou maiest perswade thy selfe of thy calling from God and that thou doest performe it according to his will true it is thou maiest vndergoe much hatred be in great danger and trouble for the same 1 Cor. 4.9.13 Isai 17.13 Zach. 3.8 1 Tim. 5.21 thou maiest be forced to flye for thy life with Elias imprisoned with Ieremiah hated with Micaiah forbid to come any more vnto their presence with Moses forbid to preach in the name of Christ with Peter and the Apostles they may wait for thy life as for Pauls thou maist be brought before the Iudgement Seat as the Apostles thou maist lose thy head with Iohn Baptist be killed with the sword as Iames was thou mayest for thy paines be made a spectacle to the world as the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things thou maist be wearied with men thou maist be wondred at yet notwithstanding of all this or any thing else which can be done vnto thee by men thou must performe this dutie doing nothing partially not respecting persons but laying the axe to the root of the trees Vnto people to prepare themselues before they come vnto the heating of the word preached by an expectation to haue their sinnes told them and resolution to apply those things which they heare vnto their hearts art thou an adulterer a murtherer a swearer a sabbath breaker a thiefe an enuious person secure negligent backward in performing religious duties And make account before thou come that thou shalt heare thy sinnes disclosed rebuked and doe thou also apply those iudgements which are denounced in the word in genetall vnto thy selfe in particular I am the man This should teach vs in our calling not onely to informe the iudgement but also to reforme the will by application of the word which being omitted it is a token of weakenesse or ignorance for we must be as a candle in a candlestike yet for all this faint not People which will not haue their finnes rebuked which will not haue their wounds searched which cannot abide that any Preacher nay that God himselfe out of his word should reproue them Who is the Lord say they with Pharaoh that we should know him we will fill our selues in taking our pleasure and in giuing way to the corruption of our nature according to the seuerall inclinations that we are most giuen vnto whether they be sinnes of ignorance or of malice or of infirmity or if it be the common sinnes of the world as pride couetousnes drunkennesse whoring and swearing I tell thee man except thy heart and affections be seasoned with grace and especially in heating of the word when Sathan is then most busie to tempt the word which is the sauour of life shall turne to the sauour of death and vnto thy destruction Whatsoeuer the Preacher doth say we will not
beleeue him And to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundance to such saith Solomon Eccles 11.9 Reioyce O young man in the dayes of thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine owne heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into iudgement Gods word shall be applied vnto thee either for thy confusion or consolation Thus for the fourth Point The 2. Part. and so much for the first part of my Text the Proclamation of Iudgement Now also is the axe laid to the root of the trees The second followeth the extention or generality of this Iudgement euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit Touching the Extention and Generality of this Iudgement it belongeth vnto euerie tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire All trees doe not alike prosper some proue fruitfull ethers wither and dye of fruitfull trees there is also great difference some bring forth good fruit others bad fruit So likewise amongst men and women the most part are barren touching goodnesse as the Figge-tree destitute of fruit but most fruitfull in eulll bringing forth bad fruit they are but a few in comparison of the other which are good trees bringing forth good fruit Now touching those trees euerie one that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewne downe and cast into the fire Hence these obseruations may be gathered First that it is not enough not to doe euill vnlesse also we doe good not enough not to bring forth bad fruits vnlesse also we bring forth good fruits Secondly that as trees are knowne by their fruits so men and women by their obedience vnto Gods Commandements Thirdly that God without partiality or respect of persons will proceede against all such as liue not an holy and sanctified life through obedience vnto Gods Commandements For the first it is not enough not to bring forth bad fruit vnlesse also we bring forth good fruit therefore the Prophet Dauid saith Depart from euill and doe good and the Prophet Isaiah Cease to doe euill learne to doe well The figge tree was cursed by our Sauiour not because it brought euill fruit but because it brought not forth good fruit whereby his hunger might haue bin satisfied This may teach vs to try and examine our selues whether wee haue brought forth good fruits I doubt not but many will say Psal 34.14 Isai 1.17 we haue wronged no man we haue liued of our owne and let be so but what good hast thou done hast thou sought the glory of God to edifie thy neighbour hast thou laboured for his good as for thine own hast thou cloathed the naked relieued the needy fed the hungry visited the sicke comforted the sicke comforted the distressed prayed for the welfare of others Thou wilt answer me if truely that thou hast not done those things then I reply thou art not a good tree thou dost not bring forth good fruit and therefore shall be hewne downe if then thou dost no good Mat. 12.30 thou dost euill this doth necessarily follow He that is not with me is against me saith our Sauiout if I say thou doest not that good which thou maist and in some measure as thou shouldest it is fit thou shouldst be hewne down But alas what should I speake of bringing forth good fruit when as men and women in these dayes are so fruitfull in euill And if euen those trees which bring not forth good fruit shall be hewne downe how much more those which altogether bring forth euill whose throat is an open sepulcher whose heart is a den of theeues whose words and actions tend altogether to the dishonour of God as alas it is too too common in this wofull age For the second as trees are known by their fruit so men and women by their obedience vnto Gods Commandements for to yeeld obedience vnto the whole Law of God is to bring forth good fruit such as God requireth For the illustration of this point these two things are to be considered First by what means we may bring forth good fruit Secondly by what signes we may discerne if we doe bring forth good fruit Concerning the first that wee may bring forth good fruit that is that we may walke conscionably in the practise and obedience of Gods Lawes both touching our generall and particular calling these seuen things are required of vs. First that we take particular notice of these which God doth require of vs of that fruit which God doth expect from vs an abridgement whereof we haue in the ten Commandements 2. Wee must resolue particularly to yeeld obedience vnto euery one of those Commandements vnto the whole Law of God and euery part thereof 3. We must consider the necessity of the performing the same both in respect they are commanded by God and in respect that the neglect of them depriueth vs of heauen 4. We must endeauour to be cut off our old stocke Adam and be engrafted into Iesus Christ 5. We must haue life and iuyce in vs deriued from our root Christ Iesus whereby we may be made like vnto Christ both in his death by dying vnto sinne and in his resurrection by rising to newnesse of life whereby we may say with the Apostle Paul Now I liue Gal 2.20 yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and in that I liue now in the flesh I line by faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me As a tree receiueth moislure from the root or otherwise cannot fructifie so we cannot bring forth good fruit vnlesse we receiue spirituall moisture from Christ of whose fulnesse we receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 And as trees cannot bring forth fruit vnlesse they be well and surely rooted so we vnlesse by saith rooted vnto Iesus Christ 6. Let vs call to minde what great paines God doth take as a carefull husband that we may bring forth fruit planting pruning digging and dunging and should all this be in vain should not we fructifie 7. Let vs daily pray vnto God the giuer of all good gifts that hee would be pleased to make vs fructifie Concerning the second what signes we may discerne if we doe bring forth good fruit I answer that good fruit may be discerned Col. 2.7 either by the sight or by the taste but chiefly by both conioyned together because that some fruit such as the Apples of Sodom doe appeare pleasant and beautifull to the eye which yet are vnsauory bitter and vnpleasant to the taste so by viewing and trying our workes we may discerne of their quality and nature viewing of them let vs compare them with the good fruit of others mentioned in Gods word as our faith with Abrahams our patience with Iobs our wickednesse with Moses and finding that in the qualitie they agree in
many seales of thy pardon as thou hast shed teares sighs sobs and art warned inwardly for thy sinnes and transgressions Secondly Reas 2 As it is the word of God which hardneth the heart so it is the word of God which softneth the same Hence it may be demanded Quest How doth it stand with Gods Iustice to punish men for not repenting if he deny them Repentance and how can men be condemned for an hard heart seeing God hardneth the same Answ I anwer An hard he art and a bad life doe not simply condemne a man but continuall delight in euill without once praying to be deliuered God men haue had bad hard hearts but haue lamented so haue euill men but reioyce in it though God harden the heart he doth not bestow an euill heart the heart is hardned that we may acknowledge that a soft heart commeth from God Wouldst thou know then if God hath wrought vpon thine heart marke how thou louest sinne how thou art pleased with the hardnesse of thine heart dost thou loue them thine heart is damnable dost thou loath them thine estate is comfortable The Vses of this point are twofold For Exhortation Vse 1 Seeing the Lord worketh Repentance then let vs pray diligently vnto the Lord for the same let vs all say Lam. 5.21 Turne vs vnto thee O Lord. Dost thou finde heauinesse in thy heart dulnesse in thy soule in performing of good and readinesse vnto euill then pray vnto the Lord for thy conuersion for thine estate of life is worse then death Dost thou liue without Repentance there is but a little space betwixt thee and death betwixt thee and hell yet notwithstanding I dare say that of all suits preferred before God this especially was neuer denyed Dost thou liue a prophane life and yet hearing some Sermons of death and Iudgement defirest to doe better stay not here but conferre with thine owne conscience and pray vnto the Lord that thou maiest doe his will and that hee would be pleased to strengthen thee that thou maiest performe that which he commandeth Pray both in publike and priuate pray continually then I assure thee drunkennesse shall not drowne thee couetousnesse shall not ouer-rule thee pride shall not deface thee whoredome shall not vndoe thee stealing shall not shame thee the world shall not deceiue thee nor thy selfe condemne thee For Instruction If Repentance be the speciall gift of God Vse 2 and we are to craue Repentance from him then we are to take notice of our sinnes for which we ought to repent and vnlesse first we know them we cannot truely repent them To this end we must come with a generall confession before God and also particularly lay open our sinnes in his sight we must daily vse those meanes by which we may attaine vnto a knowledge of them Gods word the Law of God our owne consciences our brethren the Church euen our enemies that we may know our sinnes we must count them as an Vsurer doth his mony behold them as an husbandman doth his ground condemne them as a Iudge doth a thiefe pray against them as a Mariner doth to remoue a storme fight against them as a Souldier doth against his enemie accuse them as a Lawyer doth one which is guiltie if we once get a knowledge of them then their number will appeare infinite their reward damnation their power execrable their presence intollerable then a drop of mercy is worth all the world then we shall pray against them if we pray against them we shall obtaine Repentance yea we shall mourne that we cannot repent as we would and if we doe repent then our sinnes shall be pardoned and in stead of sorrow the Lord will bestow vpon vs vnspeakable ioyes Thus of the 3. Reason And so much for the Reasons whereby our Prophet exhorteth the Iewes vnto Repentance laid downe in these words Therefore now also thus saith the Lord. I come now to speake of the Dutie whereunto he doth exhort them and that is vnto true and vnfained Repentance for the vnderstanding of which two things are to be obserued in Generall First That God doth not respect our miseries vnlesse we doe repent Secondly that without the preaching of Gods word iudgements cannot amend vs. Concerning the first God doth not respect our crosses and calamities except true Repentance be ioyned therewith Doct. Isa 58. This the Prophet Isaiah confirmeth testifying that the Lord did not regard the outward fasting of the Iewes because they did not truely repent We may haue sicknesse indure pouerty yea we may dye and yet neuer the neerer God except we haue repentance the ornament of a Christian Quest It may be demanded seeing the Lord doth punish vs and our sufferings are the punishments of sinne Why the Lord is not pleased and pacified with vs for it may seeme extreame dealing both to punish vs in this life Answ and in the life to come I answer That though we suffer for our sinnes yet our suffering is not satisfaction for sinne for the reward of sinne is death euerlasting and also all the miseries of this life and therefore we must not excuse our selues for any crosse or calamitie for we may haue all those troubles and yet vnlesse we repent we shall neuer see the kingdome of heauen nor the glory thereof The Reasons hereof are these two Reason 1 First Because all the sufferings of this life are but the beginnings of sorrowes they are not the tenth part of that vengeance which the Lord wil poure vpon vs for our sinnes vnlesse we repent to haue sicknesse to want appetite to meate to be grieued with the Ague Feuer Palsie they are nothing but the beginnings of sorrow and if it were possible that one man or one woman could endure all these torments yet he might goe to hell fire wanting true conuersion in the time of his trouble Secondly Reason 2 because the troubles of this life are common both to the wicked and the godly this the Prophet Ezechiel witnesseth Thou shalt be broken in the midst of the vncircumcised Ezek. 32.38 and shalt lye with them which are slaine with the sword though God correcteth euery one whom he loueth yet he loueth not euery one whom he correcteth Note Christ was crucified the Apostles martyred yet beloued of God Herod was eaten of wormes and yet out of the fauour of God his misery in this life doth not better his estate in hell Iosiah a good King and Ahab a wicked King died both in warres yet the estate of the one was not the better because he died as a good man did neither the estate of the other worse because he died as an euill man died In one and the same fire Gold glistereth and drosse smoaketh so by Tribulation good men become purged whereas euill men become worse The Vses of this Doctrine are these two First seeing our affliction cannot moue God to pittie vs Vse 1 vnlesse we repent therefore let vs learne
to obey the exhortation of the Prophet in Scripture Turne vnto the Lord your God Thy bloud cannot pacifie the wrath of God whereas teares of Repentance can bodily plagues doe not moue God to pitie vs when as spirituall sorrowes doe To apply this in particular vnto our selues Haue not we had great iudgements lying vpon vs how many Souldiers haue we lost crying and dying in their owne bloud how many haue perished by famine haue not many houses beene swept cleane by the Pestilence not onely in London but euen in remote places and doe they not yet continue Doth not the Lord see them he doth doth he see them why then doth he not pittie our desolation doth he pittie it why then doth he not stay it for no question but the cryes of the afflicted doe pearce the heauen and yet they doe continue O England it is no wonder so long as thou continuest rebellious in so great a light thou maist looke for the encrease and continuance of Gods iudgements vpon thee for the Lord will neuer remoue his iudgements vntill we forsake our sinnes because we doe not turne vnto the Lord therefore our health is turned into sicknesse our life into death our peace into warre our mirth into mourning our plenty into want let vs turne before all be ouer-turned let vs fill our chambers with mourning lest the whole Land be filled with lamentation Secondly Vse 2 seeing God regardeth not our miseries vnlesse we doe repent then it followeth that our sufferings are not worthy of the life to come for our ioyes shall be greater there then our sorrowes can be here There shall be no sicknesse misery is ended and death destroied so that we ought to suffer patiently here to liue so we ought to labour to dye so and dye in despight of death to raigne so Concerning the second Without the preaching of Gods word iudgements cannot amend vs. At this time the Iewes were wonderfully afflicted fearefull iudgements were denounced against them yet this doth not the turne God by his Prophet doth exhort them to Repentance Though the Lord should shake the earth terribly thunder omnipotently darken the light searefully multiply punishments abundantly yet this alone cannot conuert the soule The Lord at another time complaineth that He had giuen them cleannesse of teeth in all their Cities Amos 4.6.7.9.10 11. that he had with-holden the raine from them that he had smitten them with blasting and mildew that the Palmerworme had deuoured their Vines and Oliues that he had sent amongst them the Pestilence that their young men were slaine with the sword c. yet they did not returne vnto the Lord. So that I say no outward crosse worketh repentance this our owne experience witnesseth Is not this Land greatly afflicted doe not Gods iudgements hang ouer our heads if we had eyes to behold them and hearts to consider them and yet who are conuerted who doe truely returne vnto the Lord The Reasons hereof are these two Reas 1 First because the Lord for the most part Deut. 32.41.42 doth send his Iudgements to reuenge that euen his arrowes may be drunke with bloud the speciall end of Gods iudgements is to take vengeance on a sinfull Land But it may be obiected Obiect Doe none repent in the time of aduersity being vnder the crosse yea there are a great many because the Lord ioyneth the Word and the rod together Answ his word by which he doth instruct them his rod by which he doth correct them Secondly Reas 2 because the Word is of greater force then any iudgements are in the conuersion of a sinner a worke I assure you both great and admirable The word of the Lord is like vnto fire Ier. 23.29 like vnto an hammer mightie in operation sharper then any two edged sword Heb. 4.12 Euery word in the holy Scriptures is as a thunder-bolt this pulleth vp sinne by the roots The Vses hereof are these two First to teach vs. that we should haue the word of God in great estimation Vse 1 We feare to be drowned by water persecuted by land and euery member of our bodies to become subiect vnto many sorrowes and yet those especially hurt when we see and feele them but the word of God worketh when when we neither see nor feele it The crosse afflicteth vs but the word instructeth vs afflictions punish and bring vs the heauy newes of condemnation but the word bringeth glad tydings of life euerlasting by iudgements we are blinded by the Gospell we are enlightned by Iudgements we are indangered by the Gospell we are defended Iudgements threaten the life Gods word doth threaten our soule with euerlasting death vnlesse we repent make much of the word in thy health for I assure thee Ephe. 4.18 sicknesse cannot so prepare thee for the Lord the word will then be sweet to heare when all others faile miracles would make vs wonder and worldly pleasures make vs proud but Gods word maketh vs to Repent and to liue the life of God in Christ Iesus our Lord. It may be obiected this seemeth a strange doctrine Obiect Doe not sorrowes and afflictions conuert vs vnto the Lord Why then are they sent why should we account of them as we doe seeing such as are afflicted reape so small comfort by them I answer that this conclusion is damnable Answ Shall not the Scholler care for the rod because it cannot teach him and should we set light by the Lords Iudgements because they cannot conuert vs No they must keepe vs in obedience although they cannot beget obedience within vs they informe vs though they cannot turne vs as Dauid was afraid of iudgement so must we let vs tremble as the earth doth let vs weepe and mourne we know not how soene the wrath of God may sēaze vpon vs with what calamity we may be troubled by what death we may be taken away Let vs I say feare the word and workes of God and then we shall not neede to feele them Secondly to teach vs that when we are visited by Iudgements Vse 2 euen to pray vnto the Lord that he would by them worke our conuersion seeing that of themselues they cannot beget Repentance within vs. Thus in generall I come now to speake of the Duetie in particular both internall in the affections in these words Turne yee euen to mee with all your heart and externall in the action with fasting and with weeping and with mourning Of these two in order Concerning the first The inwsrd forme of Repentance is described in these words Turne yee euen to mee with all your heart wherein these points are to be handled 1. The action Turne 2. The persons exhorted to turne yee euery one of them 3. To whom they must turne to mee the Lord. 4. How they must turne euen with all their heart speedily readily and willingly For the first 1. Point Turne The Duetie whereunto our Prophet exhorteth them is to turne or to come