THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF Spiritual Husbandry In breaking up our FALLOW GROUND Together with a DISCOURSE Of the Terrible Coming of CHRIST To Execute Vengeance on all that remain Fallow Ground and Obey not the Gospel By SAMVEL TOMLYNS M.A. and Minister of the Gospel in Marlborough LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheap-side near Mercers-Chapel 1699. TO Richard Wollaston Esq Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ A Spiritual Lethargy is the reigning Disease of this Age The Design of these Discourses is to Alarm the Secure to Awaken the Sleeping World Tho' Christ hath been a great while Invisible yet he will Appear to the Confusion and Terror of his Adversaries Tho' he hath long kept Silence yet he will roar out of Zion Tho' his Sword hath slept yet it will awake do Execution on and be Bathed in the Blood of Impenitent Sinners The Sins of Men and the punishing Hand of Christ will find out all his Enemies Numb 32.23 Psal 21.8 He that came at first to sase Men from their Sins yet being slighted and rejected will come a second time to destroy Men for their Iniquities They that have not prized a Day of Salvation shall Experience and feel a Day of Vengeance and Destruction How woful will the Estate of Sinners be when their own Accusing Consciences shall be as a fiery Oven Psal 21.9 within and the Vengeance of God be as a Furnace of Fire without and Sinners shall be Supported though but Tares and Chaff to be Eternal Fuel to this Fire It will be sweet to have a Well of Spiritual Water springing up within John 4.14 but it will be dreadful to have a Well of Fire to be burning in his Soul Alvarez de Semedo in his History of China speaks of such Wells of Fire kindled from Sulphurous Matter that burn and flame continually The corruption of the Soul allowed will breed that Worm that never dies I shall Rejoyce if the said Discourses do stir up Sinners to escape the Corruption that is in the World through Lust and to flee from the Wrath to come I have a due Respect to you for appearing for Nonconformists in your Station that they might not be over-pressed with Burdens I shall be glad if what I have written may contribute to the Advancement of your Salvation and stir you up to prepare to meet the Lord of Glory and to stand before the Judge of the whole World whose Eye Book and Balance will be dreadful to hardened Sinners at last But that Christ may appear as a Redeemer to perfect your Liberty and as a Bridegroom to marry your Soul is the earnest desire of Your Sincere and Affectionate Friend and Servant Samuel Tomlyns 2 Thes 1.7 8. And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ IN these two Verses there are several weighty Truths 1. A Benefit that will be bestowed on Suffering Christians God will render Rest to those that are Troubled And Paul applies this sweet Truth to himself he puts in for a share and claims an Interest in it Rest with us 2. We have the Time when this Benefit shall be bestowed it is when the Lord Jesus shall be Revealed from Heaven The full Deliverance of the Oppressed Saints is Suspended till the Revelation of Christ he shall then do Right to the Oppressed and execute Vengeance on the Oppressors It is but reasonable that the Rest of the Members should depend on the Rest of their Head Psal 45.3 4. Christ is now desired to gird his Sword on his Thigh and to ride prosperously on the word of Truth and Righteousness And Christ is set forth by one riding on a white Horse with a Bow in his Hand and he went forth Conquering and to Conquer The Church is compared to the Horses in Pharaoh's Chariot Cant. 1.9 because by her Ministers she draws the Spiritual and Victorious Chariot of Christ through the World Though Christ hath a Rest as to his Person in Heaven and is above the reach and rage of his Enemies yet he is contending with and fighting against his Enemies He is winning the Hearts of his Elect and gathering them into his Kingdom and he is breaking his Enemies to pieces and putting them under his Feet 1 Cor. 15.25 26. but at last Christ will perfect and finish his Work He will appear as a Glorious and Triumphant Conqueror as one that hath won the Field and gained the Day He will sit on the Throne of his Glory Matt. 25.31 This implies a perfect Rest he shall fight and make War no more his People shall enter into his Palace Psal 45.14 15. and sit down with him in his Throne Pet. 3.21 and his Enemies shall be adjudged to Tormenting Fire and be shut up in an Eternal Prison 3. We have the Company that shall wait on Christ at his Appearing he shall come with his mighty Angels 4. We have the terrible manner of his Appearance it shall be in flaming Fire Christ is perfectly Holy and Righteous he can appear in flaming Fire yet not be hurt by it or suffer any thing from it This Fire will be hurtful to Christ's Enemies but harmless to himself He that appeared at first as the Day spring from on high comfortably to direct straying Souls into the way of Peace He that arises to those that fear God's Name as a Sun of Righteousness with healing under his wings Mal. 4.2 will now be revealed in flaming Fire to punish obstinate Rebels They that have refused and rejected Christ as a refining fire Mal. 3.2 3. shall now to their cost feel him to be a consuming fire He that once appeared incompassed with beams of Love shall now a second time appear surrounded with flames of Wrath. 5. We have the end of Christ's Revelation or why he will appear it is to render Vengeance It is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving Vengeance O how dreadful and terrible a Gift is this He that is God's Almoner to distribute God's Alms of Mercy to poor penitent begging Sinners will have no other Gift to bestow on impenitent and unbelieving Souls but Vengeance It is said vengeance belongeth to me and I will recompence Heb. 10.30 Though to the Penitents and Believing it is said To the Lord belongeth Mercy yet as to obstinate Sinners Vengeance belongs to God Punishment is a just Debt belonging to the Wicked therefore it is said that God will repay Fury to his Adversaries Is 59.18 he will render his Anger with Fury and his Rebukes with Flames of Fire Is 66.15 Paul charges Christians to render to all their one Rom. 13.7 so Christ will render to hardened Sinners their due Sinners owe God glory to be raised out of their Misery and
every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father The Father is glorified in the glory of Christ And it is further said Luke 9.26 That he shall come in the glory of the holy Angels They shall be Christ's Servitors shall attend on his Nod and wait at his beck and be ready to fulfil his pleasure And what terror may this truth speak to the wicked that mighty Angels shall be Reapers to cut them down and execute the Sentence of Christ upon them And what comfort may this truth administer to the Godly that mighty Angels shall gather them to Christ They shall not miscarry because the Angels shall find them out and present them to Christ as those that will be justified by him and enjoy communion with him 4. In what manner will Christ appear It is said in a flame of fire Our Translators render it in flaming fire Christ's coming will be terrible to the Unbelieving World his frowning Face will then be unveiled his punishing Arm will then be made bare His fury will then come up into his Face Ezek. 38.18 Long meekness and patience will end in severity Sinners do weary out the patience and Long-Suffering of God that he can bear no more no longer Jer. 44.22 He is even weary of repenting Jer. 15.6 because Sinners are not weary of sinning Doct. 4. Christ will be Revealed in flaming fire 1. That he will be so Revealed in flaming fire 2. The Causes of it 3. The dreadful Effects of it 1. That the Lord Christ will be Revealed in flaming fire 1. His eyes will be as a flame of fire Rev. 1.14 to discern and discover the most secret wickednesses and the hidden things of darkness Eccl. 12.14 He will come burning with anger his lips will be full of indignation and his tongue as a consuming fire Is 30.27 28. He will speak to Sinners in his anger and vex them in his sore displeasure he will speak hot burning devouring words Let them be slain in my presence Ps 2.5 Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire In this Sentence his Tongue is like consuming fire Behold the Lord will come with fire to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire Is 66.15 His Throne will be like the fiery flame and his Wheels as the burning fire Christ's Throne hath Wheels of Fire to pursue fugitive and guilty Offenders 4. From this Throne a fiery stream issueth and cometh forth to punish the Wicked as from the Throne of God and the Lamb a pure River of Water of Life proceeded clear as Chrystal to refresh the Saints As the same Sun at the same time scorches some parts of the World and revives and chears other parts with his more benign beams and rays the Heaven of the Blessed and the Hell of the Damned will come from the same face of God as smiling or as frowning Ps 16. last 2. Why will Christ come in flaming fire It is because his abused Grace is turned into fury he knocked but Sinners would not open to him They have shut out Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life from themselves and they have detained Sin Satan and Death and shut them into their own Souls Christ called but they would not answer he stretched out his hands full of Gifts and Spiritual Blessings and no Man regarded They would not come to Christ that they might have life John 5.40 They would not be gathered under his Wings that they might have safety They would not enter into his Fold that they might be saved go out and in and find Pasture They would not repair to his House that they might find rest or press into his Kingdom that they might obtain a satisfying Feast at his Table and an eternal Glory in his Throne They would not kiss the Son with a kiss of Faithful Homage and Obedience therefore he becomes angry yea his anger riseth up to fury and breaks forth as Fire so that there is no quenching of it Sinners have been loading Christ with contempt affronts provocations all their days They have been Treasuring up Wrath the Storm hath long been a gathering Offenders have long been bringing Fuel to the Fire during their whole time and God will be blowing it up during his Eternity They thought Christ did not see or observe their Iniquities that he would not resent and could not punish their Transgressions But Christ comes now in flaming fire to shew the height of his anger his fixed purpose to punish and his power to revenge As God turned Fallen Adam out of the Earthly Paradise a second Adam comes in a flame of Fire to exclude Unbelievers and Impenitent Sinners from the Heavenly Paradise 3. Consider the dreadful effects of this flaming Fire it will break forth and take hold of the Creatures and kindle a Conflagration both in the upper and lower World The Heavens shall pass away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat as if Metal should be melted and distil in scalding burning drops The Earth and the Works of it shall be burnt up The Earth is the Home of the Wicked the Creatures they have doted on and made them as their Idol Gods And how dreadful will this be to the Ungodly to see their House their Home their Heaven their Idol Gods to be burnt up together That the Creatures that were once Food to their Lusts shall now become Fuel to the Fire of God's Anger As the Philistines left their Images their Idols and David and his Men burnt them 2 Sam. 5.21 so Sinners must leave their Heaven and all their Idol Gods below and God will burn and consume them 2. This Fire will not stop here the Scripture joins the burning of Heaven and Earth and the Perdition of ungodly Men together 2 Pet. 3.7 The heavens and the earth that are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men Shall the Traytors House be burnt and the Traytors themselves escape Shall the Creatures that have been but passive Instruments of sin be consumed And shall the active Agents go Scot-free Shall those that have been Pressed forced Soldiers suffer such hard things And shall the Voluntiers in this wicked War against God be exempted from punishment The Heavens and the Earth fly from the face of the Judge sitting on his white Throne and their place was found no more If the defiled Creatures could not brook or bear the angry face of the Judge what shall become of the defilers of them It is Men that have perverted and abused the Creatures contrary to their natural inclinations and tendency to serve their Lusts and fight against God therefore the most dreadful scorching and lasting Fire must be their Portion and Punishment God saith Deut. 32.22 A fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell it shall follow and pursue its fuel thither God saith further This fire
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
shall consume the earth and its increase These words may well expound the Text of Peter 2 Pet. 3.10 That the earth and the works of it or therein that is its fruits and increase shall be burnt up This Fire shall inflame and burn the very Foundations of the Mountains If strong Mountains cannot withstand this Fire how shall weak Sinners resist it The same Fire that burns Heaven and Earth shall pursue Transgressors as its most proper kindly and perpetual Fuel Immortal Criminals ever dying yet never dying Sinners shall be the Fuel of it and an eternal God shall blow up the flame over them Is 30.3.3 This fire will be dreadful For 1. It is the Fire this is proper to and will go forth against the Enemies Is 26.11 The fire of thine enemies shall consume them that is the Fire that shall burn against and prey on Enemies So it is said Fiery indignation shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10.27 Those that are the Fuel of this fire they are such as were God's Enemies in time and will continue his Adversaries to Eternity and so be fit objects of his Fury 2. This Fire shall burn to the utmost it shall put forth its zeal to the utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.27 The zeal of Fire as the blackness of darkness Jude 13. doth terribly set forth the privative part of Hell so the zeal of fire doth dreadfully express the positive part God will punish with the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.8 that is with his power put forth most gloriously These expressions the zeal of fire and the glory of God's power do illustrate one another 3. This fire it will torment but it will never refine Never was nor can any be brought to repentance by the fire of Hell Sinners will continue obstinate in Sin and God's heart will be hardened his bowels be shut up he will be fully resolved to punish 4. This Fire will come immediately from God and Christ 1. From the face of God 2 Thes 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the face of the Lord. So they are said to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 He doth punish them immediately God hath to do with them Ezek. 22.14 Can thy hands be strong can thy heart endure in the day that I shall have to do with thee The hands of Sinners cannot be strong to resist or keep off punishment neither can their hearts be stout enough to endure and stand under it Can Stubble Chaff Tares resist a God that is consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Christ will kindle this Fire and heat the Souls of Sinners as an Oven As Satans temptations as his suggestions as a Baker Hos 7.4 6. and Mens own Lusts did sinfully heat this Oven so Christ's wrath will in a way of Righteous punishment heat it It is said of Christ Psal 21.8 9. That his hand shall find out all his enemies his right hand shall find out all that hate him thou shalt make them as an fiery Oven in the time of thine anger 5. This Fire will eat up the Adversaries Heb. 10.27 it will be eating of Adversaries continually yet never totally devour them It will be eating of them to Eternity and never make a full end of them That Fire that devoures will also salt the Subject it preys on that it shall be preserved to Eternity Sinners are said not to fall into the hand but the hands of God Both his hands all his power is imployed for their misery As there is a punishing Hand so there is a supporting Hand to bear up the Sinner to endure torments to Eternity Stubble and Chaff Tares and Thorns could never hold out as Eternal Fuel to the Fire of God's wrath were there not an Eternal God and an Eternal Power to support the Damned 6. Sinners shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the Lamb Rev. 14.10 This answers those words of Christ Let them be slain in my presence Luke 19.27 Tho' Christ be a Lamb yet we read of the wrath of the Lamb and that great day of his wrath will come Rev. 6.16.17 The Lamb will look on the torments of the wicked and will not commiserate them or relent in the least towards them The Lamb will look on their torments and will rejoice at them and be much pleased with them Rev. 7.14 They that neglected to wash their Robes white in the Blood of the Lamb Christ in honour to himself will stain all his Raiment their blood shall be sprinkled on his Garments and this will render his Apparel as a Victorious Conquering Captain glorious Is 63.1.3 Christ will never lessen or put out this Fire It is a Fire to punish perverse Rebellious Creatures hardened and Implacable Enemies a Fire of Jealousie against Adulterous Souls USE 1. This Truth may inform us how much Mens Sins and obstinate Unbelief doth alienate and transform the Lord Jesus Christ That he that is stiled Love should be Revealed in flaming Fire That he whose Office is to be a Mediator to quench Wrath to make Peace should come to pour out Fury That he who beseeched Men to be Reconciled to God and wooed them to be Espoused to himself should now come to Execute Vengeance That he that long and often did knock and call Sinners to open to him should now rise up shut the Door and be deaf to all the knocks and beseeching of Sinners Luke 13.26 That he who spread out his Hands and stretched out his Wings to call and gather Sinners to himself doth now shut them out from himself and expose them to an Eternal Storm of Vengeance That he who once acted as a Physician to heal should now come to destroy That he that is a Redeemer to others should come now to bind obstinate Sinners in Chains and cast them into Prison and subject them to Eternal Bondage under the second Death USE 2. This may strike a Terror into Impenitent Sinners If Christ will come in flaming Fire what then will become of Stubble fully dry What will those suffer that are but Chaff That are Reprobate Silver And that are but Dross Ps 119.119 Vessels of wrath fitted for Destruction When the Harvest of the Earth is ripe when the Grapes of the Vine of the Earth are fully ripe the Sickle must be thrust in and made use of to reap the Harvest and cut the Grapes that they may be cast into the Wine-press of the wrath of God Rev. 14.15 18. Tares barren and dry Trees must be fuel to this flaming fire Matt. 3.10 USE 3. Endeavour to prevent destruction by this flaming Fire O make sure that you shall not dwell with Consuming Fire that you shall not inhabit with Everlasting Burnings O come to the Mediator that he may make peace O come to the Blood of sprinkling that it may speak and plead for your Pardon Fly to Christ that you may be found in him Ps 3.9 and so may find mercy with God and may be found
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
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
those that plow and break up their fallow Ground have need to pray that God would rain Holiness and Righteousness to sow them Hos 2. ult God saith I will sow them to my self in the Earth 6. Men must break up their fallow Ground that they may abound in the Work of the Lord and be filled with the fruits of Kighteousness 1 Cor. 15. ult Psal 1.11 A fallow Ground is in a great measure unprofitable it bears Thorns and Thistles but a plowed and sowed Ground yields a good crop of Corn none do bear Fruit to God but those that are born again of the Word and Spirit and made Trees of Righteousness Isa 61.3 will be filled with the Fruits of Righteousness walk with and live to God Gen. 5.24 25. If our fallow Ground be not broken up our form of Godliness will wither and decay Thorns will famish and starve the good Seed that at last they will be twice dead pluck'd up by the Roots Jude 12. The Israelites that did not conquer and root out the Heathen Nations are said to dwell among the Canaanites Judg. 4.33 these did cut the Israelites short and much annoy them and keep them down so the natural crop of Thorns doth much annoy and hinder any good Seed that is cast in among them obstruct its growth that it neither roots deep nor springs up to any height 7. Men must Plow up their fallow ground that they may have a plentiful and joyful Harvest at last It is very desirable to sow to the Spirit and to reap Everlasting Life Gal. 6.5 To have our fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life Rom. 6.22 to bear Fruit that will abound to our account Phil. 4.17 Tho' we have not evened with God and discharg'd our Debt yet God begins a new Account and writes himself Debtor to his People for their Fruits of Holiness and of Love Saints that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy they that go forth weeping bearing precious Seed shall come again with Joy and bring their Sheaves with them Psal 126.5 6. Though Religion may seem not only a barren and unprofitable but a hurtful thing in the Eye of the World yet at last there shall appear a vast difference between those that fear God and those that fear him not Malac. 3. ult when the Righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father and the Tares shall burn in a Furnace of unquenchable Fire when Christ shall be glorified in the Salvation of the Saints and in the Destruction of the Wicked 2 Thess 1.10 Ezek. 25.22 Those that please God do sow in a fruitful Soil they will in this life receive a hundred fold notwithstanding Persecutions from the World and at last will inherit eternal joy and life Mark 10.30 9. If we plow not up our fallow Ground God may let loose dreadful and cruel Plowmen on us It is said Zion shall be plowed as a Field Micah 3. ult Enemies may plow on our Backs and make their Furrows both deep and long Psal 129.3 How have the Backs of Protestants been cruelty plowed in France for about Twelve Years last past God threatens in Hosea 10.11 that Judah should plow they should serve their Enemies in and under hard bondage I have been credibly inform'd that in Barbary some Christian Slaves have been put into Harnesses and being lockt in have been forced to plow the Ground God seems to allude to such a thing that Judah shall suffer as hard and grievous things as if he were put to Plow To draw God's Plow is beneficial and honourable Work but to draw mens Plow will be bitter and grinvous yea if you neglect to break up your fallow Ground God will plow your Souls make deep and long Furrows in Conscience to Eternity 10. Those that will not plow up their fallow Ground shall at last beg for an Alms of Mercy and be rejected The Sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold therefore shall he beg in Harvest and have nothing Spiritual Sluggards have many Excuses and Pretences to shift off this plowing Work but when the Harvest comes they will be in a very bad and woful state Solomon speaks of it as a great Evil for a Father to waste his Estate by evil Courses and to beget a Son and there is nothing in his hand Eccl. 5.14 he is Heir only to Poverty and Beggery But it is a great deal worse for a Man to be born into Eternity and to have no Good in his Hand in his Soul Those that toil about the World shall carry away nothing of their labour in their hand Eccles 5.15 but if you labour for God your Works will follow you Revel 14.13 and the sweet Fruit of them will be enjoy'd for ever But this is not the only Evil that spiritual Sluggards will have nothing of Good but God will thunder against them and rain fire and brimstone on them for working of Iniquity Psal 11.6 As when God was displeas'd with Israel he sent Thunder and Rain in Wheat-harvest 1â— â—â—n 12.17 18. So when Sluggards have vainly hoped to reap a Harvest of Happiness God will thunder against them pour down his Wrath and execute Vengeance on them How earnestly and importunately will Sluggards beg for Mercy but all in vain they will cry Lord Lord open to us Matt. 7.21 22 23. but He will profess that which is very contrary to their Professions and Hopes Then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity In the 13th of Luke v. 27. it is thus expressed Depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity which intimates that Christ will be most just and impartial he will no more regard yea he will rather much more abhor workers of Iniquity than those without the Church both shall be disown'd and rejected by Jesus Christ These Sluggards will begin Harvest for some spiritual Bread for a Place in the Kingdom but they shall be thrust out and enjoy no Good to Eternity 10. It is a dreadful Curse denounced on the Ground of Mount Gilboa by David 2 Sam. 1.21 Let there be no fields of Offerings there that is let those Mountains never be sow'd or if sow'd let them be barren Let there be no fields of Offerings there The fine Flour was offer'd on the Altar to God of this the Meat-offering did consist Levit. 2.1 2. This was a great honour to the Creatures for Meat-offerings to be made to God of the fine Flour and Drink-offerings of Wine In this sense the Vine saith in Jotham's Parable that it did by its Wine chear the Heart of God Judg. 9.13 Now if it be a Curse on the Ground not to bear Wheat which will yield fine Flour fit to be offer'd to God how much sorer and more grievous Curse is it for the Souls of Men to be barren not to be plow'd and sow'd not to yield any Fruit that may be offer'd to God and that he can