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
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
very unkind and inhuman that would not entertain and lodge Christ in their Houses But yet do not thousands of nominal and titular Christians shut Christ out of their Hearts they suffer Sin Satan and the World to keep possession but they shut out the Prince of Life the King of Glory the Heir of all things they are not willing that Christ should come in subject all to himself order and govern all for himself Guilt Poverty and Misery are shut into their Souls Righteousness Riches Life are shut out 7. This is grievous Disobedience to the Gospel that Men are not willing to be made clean or set free 1. They are not willing to be made clean As a Fountain casteth out her waters so Jerusalem casteth out her wickedness O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean Jer. 6.7 When shall it once be Is it not most reasonable that Souls should be made clean yet they return as the Dog to his vomit and as the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. last God pronounces woe to those that will not be made clean and will you deceive your selves and say it shall be well with you Christ tells us Except he washes us we can have no part with him in the Kingdom of Glory John 13.8 and will you give the Ly to Christ and credit Satan that you shall go to Heaven tho' you are not washed Can you thrust into the new Jerusalem into which no unclean thing shall enter Rev. 21. last Men sometimes promise fair and faintly resolve to cleanse themselves but when shall it once be they that cleanse not away their Filth must themselves be washed away as Spots from the Face of the Church and be abhorred by God for ever 2. Men are highly disobedient to the Gospel in that they will not be made free they are fond of their Fetters and hug their Chains as the Servant that rejected the benefit of the Year of Release or Jubilee saying I love my Master I will not go out free Exod. 21.5 6. So Men love Sin their old Master when a better choice is offer'd they stick to their old and first choice yea they have chosen their own ways and their Soul delights in their abominations Isa 66.3 The most of Men are like the carnal Israelites satisfied with their Slavery They said to Moses and Aaron Let us alone to serve the Egyptians Exod. 14.12 So Sinners would not be disturbed they would be let alone to serve the Devil and enjoy their Lusts 8. This is high disobedience to the Gospel that Men will not have Christ to reign over them they are incensed Isa 45.24 they rage against Christ Luke 19.14 27. Psa 2.1 but I may renew the Question that Pilate put to the Jews when they were so inflam'd against Christ What evil hath he done Mat. 27.23 Christ calls Souls out of Prison and from their wandrings and strayings he makes Men free from the Law of Sin and Death and is this to do Evil how unreasonable is it that Men should be so disaffected towards and so prejudic'd against the Kingdom of Christ when he reigns to destroy the reigning power of Sin Satan and Death and to exalt his Subjects now to reign with him in the Kingdom of Grace and hereafter to sit in the Throne and reign with Christ in the Kingdom of Glory O that Sinners should ever be so ungrateful to Christ and so injurious to their own Souls how mild benign and gracious is the Government of Christ he rules not only as a Political Head that gives Laws but as a Natural Head that gives Life and influences he governs as a Husband Brother and Saviour how reasonable therefore is it that our homage and subjection to him should begin in a Kiss of Faith and Love Psa 2. last But how provoking is this that Men chuse Sin and Satan a Murtherer and prefer him Before a Saviour This is to renew and revive the Affronts put on Christ at his Passion and to chuse Barabbas rather than Jesus Those that would not have Christ to reign over them for their Salvation do set up Satan to rule over them for their Destruction 9. This is ungrateful and highly provoking Disobedience to the Gospel that Men would have Christ to buy yet to possess and enjoy nothing They can be willing Christ should hire them and promise them a reward but they stand idle all the day long will do no Work for Christ they are idle and barren in the knowledg of Christ yea walk as Enemies to the Cross of Christ while they set up what he came to pull down and keep alive what he came to destroy Christ hath acted as a Shepherd and doth demand his price Zech. 11.12 Surely Love Service and Obedience is due to him but Men put off Christ with an empty Name of Lord and with a dead form of Religion they do not render the Fruits of a Vineyard or bring forth the Fruits of God's Kingdom their Knowledge is cold idle and barren as the light of a Glow-worm that is not sufficient to direct a Traveller in his way The Gospel should bring forth Fruit from the first day that Men know it Col. 1.5 6. it should be a Seal to stamp the Image of God on Men it should be a Mould to shape and fashion Mens Hearts and Lives Rom. 6.17 as the Sun riseth and Man goes forth to his work Ps 104 23. so when Christ ariseth and shineth in any Country Men should go forth to all the work of their heavenly calling Knowledge should not only float in the Head or be imprison'd in the Mind but should be a light to Mens Feet and a Lamp to their Paths Psal 119.105 But how many nominal Christians do love darkness and hate the light they still love to wander and in the broad day to follow Sin and Satan they do nothing of all that God commands them they only stray and work Iniquity and so deserve to be cast into outer darkness Jer. 14.10 Jer. 32.23 30. Mat. 8.12 JEREMIAH IV. 3. For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem Break up your fallow Ground and sow not among Thorns IN the words we may observe 1. a Speaker the Lord All Men should have an Ear to listen when the Lord hath a Tongue to speak 2. The Persons spoken to the Men of Judah and Jerusalem 3. The Exhortation or Counsel given to them Break up your fallow ground Three things are to be remarked in these words 1. That there were fallow grounds in Judah and Jerusalem that were a People chosen to be holy to the Lord and that might seem to themselves a fruitful Field a pleasant and delightful Paradise 2. This may also seem strange that they should be call'd to break up their fallow ground What an humbling abasing Expression is this they might think they had made a great progress in Religion and were advanced far towards a ripe Harvest of
Righteousness and was not this to lower and set them back to call on them to break up their fallow ground as tho' they had yet done nothing had not yet begun or done the first work in Religion or taken the first step in the way of God but were to begin all anew and set their hand to the Plough to break up their fallow ground 3. This is observable that this Exhortation is given to the Men of Judah and Jerusalem that were then the only Church of God this intimates that in the Church only there is the spiritual Plow the Plow-men and the right Seed to sow the Soil and no where else there is a direction and dehortation Sow not among Thorns Some do think that if they hear Sermons read the Scriptures and good Books and do some Actions materially good that this is Seed sown for a Harvest of Glory but yet all is labour lost if the Ground be not cleansed if the Soul be not purified from base Lusts and Affections these Thorns do bedwarf rob starve the good Seed so that no Fruit is brought to perfection Holy Duties do not sanctifie a carnal Man but are defiled by him Hag. 2.13 14 they that are unclean themselves do pollute all they meddle with the Plague that is in the heart infects thoughts intentions words and actions 1 Kin. 18.38 The fore-skin of the Heart will carnalize all we meddle with Jer. 4.4 The words may vield us these two Doctrines 1. That the Hearts of unregenerate Men are like to fallow Ground 2. That it is their Duty to break up their fallow Ground For the prosecuting of the first Doctrin I shall shew why the Hearts of unregenerate Men are compar'd to fallow Ground 1. A fallow Ground is that which once was plow'd and sow'd Mankind in our first Parents were once sow'd with original Righteousness beautified with the Image of God and enobled with a divine life The first Tables that Moses receiv'd were the Work of God and the Writing was the Writing of God Exod. 32.16 The Writings and the Tables seem to be created together so our first Parents had their Soil and spiritual Seed created together the Tables and the Writing were fram'd at once the Law of God was engraven on the Mind and Will of Adam and Eve the Meal of the faculties of their Souls was always leaven'd with holiness and righteousness Man's Soul was once sowed by and became a fruitful field to God 2. This is implied that now this holy Seed is killed or rooted out as when Wheat and Barley is ripe and cut the stalks and root dies and it will never bring forth any more Wheat or Barley so the Law of God is blotted out of the Image of God defaced from the Life of God extinguished in our Souls so that we shall never please God or bring forth any acceptable Fruit to him if we are not broken up and sowed anew our Souls are like the second Tables that Moses brought to God meer blanks till God doth again write his Law in them 3. As a fallow Ground ordinarily brings forth only Briars Thistles Thorns and so is useless and unprofitable to the Husbandman so our Nature is so void and destitute of what is good so prone and inclinable to that which is evil that they that are in the Flesh cannot please God Ro. 8.9 A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit Mat. 7.18 Original Sin dwells in us it dwells alone hath possession of the whole Soul and all its faculties and it hath not only a House but a Throne in us naturally it works in us all manner of Concupiscence Rom. 7.8 but in this Flesh of ours dwelleth nothing that is good Rom. 7.18 but the Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy and all unrighteousness Jam. 4.5 4. As a fallow Ground must be plow'd and sow'd else 't will not bear Wheat or yield Bread so our Hearts must be broken and sowed with good Seed else Holiness will never root deep in the Heart and spring up in the Life we must have the Law of God written in us Jer. 31.33 we must have the Fear of God put into us Jer. 32.39 40. and the Spirit of God Ezek. 36.27 or else we shall yield no Harvest of Righteousness or Obedience to God Use 1. Be convinc'd of this that you are a fallow Ground that you have Souls poor and empty of that which is good and that your carnal Minds are Enmity to God are not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 yea tho' in some sence you may be said to be sowed as the Highway-ground the Stony the Thorny Ground were Mat. 13.20 21 22. yet you may be said still to be a fallow because the Seed withers is starved and choked so that no Fruit is brought forth to please and delight the heavenly Husbandman 2. Be humbled deeply for this that you have so long continued a fallow so that God hath had no Harvest of Righteousness no sheaves or gleanings of good Works you have done nothing of all that God hath commanded you Jer. 32.23 have only done Evil and wrought Iniquity Jer. 32.30 your thoughts have been only evil Gen. 6.5 your words evil How can a corrupt generation speak good things Mat. 12.34 your actions evil a corrupt Tree bringeth forth corrupt Fruit Matt. 7.17 The Prodigal that went into a far Country did neither perform service to his Father nor enjoy communion with him Luke 15.13 3. Do not remain a fallow Ground it will be sad to enjoy no good hereafter for God to reap no Fruits of Righteousness from you and you to reap no fruits of Mercy from him therefore be not contented to lie in the ruines of your Falls and not to be better'd or benefited at all by the Word of Grace the Gospel of Reconciliation It will be bad for the Founder to melt in vain Jer. 6.29 Because wickedness is not separated from you and you refined from your Dross it will be sad for Christ and his Ministers to labour in vain because you are not gather'd in for the Dew and Rain to come often on you and yet you bring forth only Briars and Thorns Heb. 6.8 O consider these following things 1. Your fallow Ground is capable of manuring and improvement as Isaac by plowing and sowing in Canaan did make a great advantage to himself that Land which before did only yield Herbage and feed his Flock did now bear Corn and did nourish himself and his large Family he sow'd in that Land and receiv'd in the same year an hundred fold Gen. 26.12 that is he had reap'd a hundred bushels of Corn for one that he sow'd how was the ground advanc'd from feeding Cattel to feed Isaac and his Family so how is a Soul exalted and enobled by spiritual Tillage by being plow'd and sow'd it brings forth Fruit for Christ to gather and eat Cant. 4. ult Let my beloved come into his garden and eat
Servants Our fallow Ground will never be broken up till we are convinc'd how much we need to be plow'd and sow'd 2. Were our Souls ever rightly duly deeply affected with our woful and wretched State Are Hearts broken our Spirits wounded our Souls as a bruised Reed Isaiah 42.3 Hath the sense of our guilt and God's wrath so fallen and seized on our spirits as to grind them as it were to Powder A prick in the heart is both painful and mortal Acts 2.37 this wounds the Old Man to death How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein Rom 6.2 If an Earthen Vessel be broken to pieces it can no more hold any Water or serve for any use as when it was whole If our Old Man be Crucified if the Body of Sin be Destroy'd we cannot serve sin as before If a Ground be Plow'd deep and the Roots of Weeds that grew in it be cut they cannot flourish in that Ground as before 3. Have you received the seed of the Word the Doctrine of the Gospel gladly Acts 2.41 Have the Tidings of Redemption the News of Salvation been welcome to you And as a Noble and Generous Cordial revived your fainting and languishing Spirits And as a Soveraign Balsam healed your bruised broken Hearts Have you as drowning Men laid hold on the Promise of Salvation As famishing Men have you catched at the Bread of Life Have you as weary and heavy Laden Sinners leaned on Christ Cant. 8.5 and taken hold of the Hope set before you Have you as a dry and thirsty Ground drank in the spiritual Rain and Dew from Heaven Heb. 6.18 And doth the seed so received sanctify you Doth the Word work effectually in your Souls Heb. 6.7 Doth it Leaven you John 17.19 with Holiness Spirituality and Heavenly-mindedness 1 Thes 2.13 4. Doth the seed of the Word bring forth fruit in your hearts and lives Col. 1.5 6. Do you shine in the world as lights and hold forth the word of life Phil. 2.15 16. Is the sweet odour of your Ointments and Garments smelt Cant. 4.10 11. USE 3. I would Exhort you to this great Duty O break your Fallow Ground When Adam fell and was turned out of the Earthly Paradise it was necessary for him to become a Husband-man and a Plow-man Gen. 3.23 God sent him out of the Garden of Eden to Till the ground from whence he was taken Bread could not be had without Plowing and Sowing our Nature was corrupted and depraved all Holiness and Righteousness so rooted out that if we break not up our Fallow Ground no seed can be sowed or Fruit brought forth to God To be spiritual Plow-men is an Employment necessary for all Rich and Poor Princes and Peasants Noble-men and those of low Degree must all follow the Plow must all attend to break up their Fallow Ground this is a Work to be neglected by none Men and Women must all prosecute and pursue it For 1. We are wholly useless and altogether unprofitable if we continue a Fallow Ground It is worse with us than with a Field that lies Fallow that may bear some Herbage I have been credibly informed of some Land that have been sowed once a Year and mowed the next so serviceable is the Earth to Man but if Men lie Fallow they do no good Rom. 3.12 They bring forth no Fruit to God all their Religious and Common Actions are grievous and displeasing to God The prayer of him that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law is an abomination to God Prov. 28.9 Yea the plowing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination Prov. 15.8 And the way of the wicked that is his common Actions are sin Prov. 15.9 That which they offer is unclean and so is every work of their hands Hag. 2.14 Thus they are altogether unprofitable Rom. 3.12 2. If you lie Fallow you will grow worse and worse The Old Man grows more corrupt Ephes 4.22 As a dead Carkass doth putrify more and more and become more noisome unsavory and stinking so it is with the Body of Death in us Rom. 7.24 The more a ground is neglected the longer it lies Fallow the more it is over-run with Briars and Thorns The deeper the Weeds root in it the more they over-run over spread and eat out the heart of it So here the Mind grows more vain more blind the Heart is more hard the Affections more sensual and carnal It is said of some That they have left off to take heed to the Lord Hos 4.10 And that they leave off Righteousness in the Earth Amos 5.7 Evil men and seducers wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 3. If you Plow not for God you Plow for Satan It is a woful thing to drive Satan's Plow Isaiah speaks of some That draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with a cart-rope Isaiah 5.18 It is a plain Allusion to drawing in a Cart or drawing of a Plow O how sad is it to be Satan's slaves to draw his Plow All the corrupt Reasonings of Men that God doth not see observe resent their sins That he will never revenge them that God's threatnings are but vain words as a despicable eccho and the sounding again of the mountains Ezek. 7.7 These are the Cords of Vanity by which Men draw sin to themselves but though they are but Cords of Vanity yet they draw as strong as if they were a thick Cart-rope What bad Work do Satan's Plow-men instead of breaking up their Fallow ground They break God's yoke burst his bonds Jer. 5.5 They brake the everlasting Covenant Isaiah 24.5 Break God's Statutes Psal 89 31. Yea God himself complains That he is broken by their whorish heart Ezek. 6.9 Thus ill are Men imploy'd that break not up their Fallow ground 4. It is honorable to yield Fruit to God It is said The profit of the earth is for all the King himself is served by the Field Eccles 5.9 It is most true That the King of Glory is served by a Field broken up and sowed How honorable is it when our Prayer is the delight of God Prov. 15.8 And God delighteth in our way Psal 37.23 When our Offerings are pleasant to the Lord Mal. 3.4 When we can invite Christ to come into his Garden and eat of his pleasant fruits Cant. 4. last When we treat him with the spiced Wine of the juice of our Pomegranate Cant. 8.2 When our voice is sweet in Christ's ears and our countenance is comely in Christ's eyes Cant. 2.14 It is for the glory of the Church that Christ goes down to feed in the Gardens Cant. 6.2 5. It will be our advantage to break up our Fallow ground God bids our first Parents to replenish the Earth and subdue it Gen. 1.28 That it is by Tillage they were to master the Earth and compel it to serve them and bear Fruit to them so by breaking up our Fallow ground we