of his pleasant fruits Acts of moral Justice may profit Men may be beneficial to the Common-wealth and human Society yet if they flow not from a spiritual Spring grow not on the root of love to God they do not please God they are not accepted with him The Fathers as Vossius in his History of Pelagianism tells us did call these Opera Sterilia barren Works because they had no tendency to no influence on Eternal Life but if you break up the fallow Ground are renew'd by and sow to the Spirit you may receive in this life an hundred fold and at last reap and inherit everlasting life Mat. 10.29 Gal. 6.8 Judgment may dwell in your Wilderness Isa 32.16 and you that were formerly altogether unprofitable Rom. 3.12 Philemon's Epist may become profitable highly serviceable to God greatly beneficial and useful to Men unclean Creatures may be washed old and corrupt Creatures may be renew'd Tit. 3.5 2. Consider how bad it will be not to be plowed and sowed This is threatned as a terrible Judgment That the Land of Canaan should keep its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate and ceaseth from Tillage Is it bad for the Ground to lay desolate to keep a Sabbath to cease from Culture how much worse is it for the Soul to keep its Sabbaths not holy but carnal and prophane Sabbaths while God's Plow doth not break it up nor his Seed be sow'd in it Men then will be far from Righteousness Isa 46.12 will serve divers Lusts and Pleasures and be without God in the World they will chuse their own ways and their Souls delight in their abominations The Adversaries of the Jews in the Babylonish Captivity saw their Sabbaths and mocked at them Lam. 1.7 but the great Enemy of Souls will rejoyce at the idle and prophane Sabbaths that wicked men keep when they cease to do good and leave off Righteousness in the Earth Amos 5.7 2. Those that are not broken up and sowed will be Satan's Possession as he claims Strays as his so he is the Lord of fallow Ground Such are of their Father the Devil and his lusts they will do John 8.44 It is sweet and honourable to be God's Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 but how dreadful is it to be Satan's Husbandry Satan will still be working in them Ephes 2.2 and filling of their Hearts Acts 5.3 he will be sowing planting and grafting in and on them he will tutor his Nursery by continual suggestions and temptations Satan will still be serving his turn on promoting his interest by and accomplishing bis designs in Souls that lye fallow how bad will it be to keep Sabbaths as resting from spiritual tillage This is to keep Sabbaths to gratifie and worship Satan these Sabbaths are working days to please the Flesh and rejoyce the Devil such do the Devil's Will in time and if Grace doth not prevent they must suffer God's Will to Eternity 3. Those that are as a fallow Ground do bitterly provoke God to anger Hos 12. last They bring forth Grapes of gall their clusters are bitter Deut. 32.33 Can the heavenly Husbandman feed on and delight in such Grapes doth not his Soul loath and abhor them but as to good Grapes are they not empty Vines Hos 10.1 These fallow Grounds are like the barren Fig-tree Christ hungred and came to this Fig-tree and found nothing on it but Leaves this so provoked Christ that he cursed it Mat. 21.18 19. and said unto it Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever and presently the Fig-tree wither'd away In what danger are Souls that are barren Fig trees Christ may curse them so that their Leaves may wither their form of Religion decay and be utterly lost a Sentence may go forth against them Cut them down why should they any longer cumber the ground Luke 13.7 Those that are not Trees for Fruit shall be Trees for Fuel The Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 The Ground that after Rain and Dew have come often on it and yet it bringeth forth only Briers and Thorns it is nigh to cursing and its end is to be burnt Heb. 6.8 4. If you continue a Fallow Ground you will bring forth Fruit only to Death and fit your selves for Destruction Rom. 7.5 You will pile up fuel in the Infernal Tophet and fill the Treasury of God's wrath Rom. 2.5 as the clusters are bitter and so abhorred by God so your Wine is the Poyson of Dragons and the cruel venom of Asps and so most fatal pernicious and destructive to your selves As Men now drink in iniquity like water Job 15.16 so they must shortly drink of the wrath of the Almighty Job 21.20 O therefore cry mightily to God that he would remember you in your miserable and lost Estate There is a sweet Promise that God makes to the Mountain of Israel Ezek. 36.8 9. Behold I am for you and I will turn unto you and you shall be tilled sown and yield your Fruit. O plead this word with God put him in remembrance of it Confess you have long lain Fallow Perhaps some of you have kept a Sabbath of Years yea are come to a great Sabbatical Year Forty nine or Fifty Years you have ceased from Spiritual Tillage you have been idle all this while and done no work for God you have been barren and have brought forth no Fruit to God O will you not now send up strong cries to Heaven Will you not now wrestle mightily with God that he would be for you and turn to you in Grace and Mercy that you may be effectually filled skilfully sown and plentifully bear Fruit to God Doct. 2. It is the Duty of Unregenerate Men to break up their Fallow Ground They should not be idle or stand still or be contented with their present Barrenness that God who calls you to Act can breathe Life and put Strength into you to enable you to work As God in the first Creation spake to the Earth and said Let it bring forth Grass Herbs and Fruit-bearing Trees and it was so as the Father commanded and the Son was the Word so the Holy Ghost executed all The Earth had no Seed of Grass or Herbs or Roots of Trees within it self or power to bring them forth yet Gods Word was as Seed then and gave a productive Power to the Earth So God said Let the waters bring forth Fish to move in them and Fowl that may fly above the waters and earth in the open Firmament of Heaven and tho' the waters had no spawn of Fish or Eggs of Fowl in them yet the Word of God was powerful effectual and soon fulfilled So Christ is the Resurrection and the Life and the beginning of the Creation of God he can quicken dead Souls recover and heal a withered arm and hand Mark 3.5 so that it shall be stretched out and enabled to hold the Plough and carry on this Spiritual Tillage that
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
7.19 3. We must take hold of God's gracious and free Promises to incourage us to set on this Tillage and breaking up of our Fallow ground Adam was sent out of the Garden of Eden to Till the Ground but this might much dishearten him That the Ground was Cursed for his sake And that God did threaten him That it should bring forth Thorns and Thistles to him That these should spring up in his Plowed Land and grow among his Corn. It is grievous to plow and sow under a Curse to break the Ground and sow Wheat and yet to Reap Thorns Jer. 1.2 13. They sowed wheat but reaped thorns and so were ashamed of their Revenues A Harvest of Thorns was a very sad and shameful Crop but do not Men disappoint God He soweth good Seed yet the Souls of Sinners do bring forth Briars and Thorns Heb. 6.8 Justly therefore may the Earth disappoint Man when Man frustrates God I looked for Grapes saith God but his Vineyard brought forth wild grapes Isa 5.4 But this is a great incouragement to our Spiritual Husbandry That there are so many great and precious Promises that God's own Power and Grace will accomplish and fulfil It is said The Wilderness shall blossom as a rose Isa 35.1 That floods of water shall be poured out on the dry ground to enrich and make it fruitful Isa 44.3 That the spirit shall be poured out on the Off-spring of the Church therefore they should spring up as the willows by the water-courses One should say I am the Lords another should subscribe and as by writing bind himself to the Lord Isa 44.4 5. That the deaf should hear the word of the book Isa 29.18 And the dead should hear the voice of the Son of God and live John 5.25 There are Promises made to Christ that he shall see his Seed behold the travel of his soul and be satisfied and that by his knowledge he shall justify many Isa 53.11 That he should call Nations that knew not him and they should run to him Isa 55.5 And the Apostles that God should send to the Gentiles should succeed and prevail and bring in the Gentiles that are called their Brethren as living Sacrifices as holy Offerings to God's spiritual Temple Isa 66.18 19 20. Therefore the Labours of God's Messengers cannot be in vain As Ministers are Plowers and Seeds-men so they shall be Harvest-men Matt. 9. last The Seed they sow should spring up to a Harvest Hearers should be Converted gathered into the Barn of the Church there be threshed and winnowed for the Garner of Heaven Matt. 3.12 What sweet and incouraging words are these I will put Laws into their inward parts and write them in their hearts Jer. 31.33 Ministers are but as Pens but the spirit doth handle these Pens to write an Epistle with them whereby the Soul is dedicated to God and Christ 2 Cor. 3.3 How reviving are these Words Ezek. 36.26 27. A new Heart will I give to you a new Spirit will I put within you I will take away the Heart of Stone and give a Heart of Flesh My Spirit also will I put within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and keep my Commandments As Christ doth speak in his Ministers 2 Cor. 13.3 so he works by them and in them Mark 16.20 how greatly would Ministers else be deterred from this Tillage Shall Horses run on the Rock will one plow there with Oxen Amos 6.12 Some Seed is said to fall on a Rock Luke 8.6 To plow and sow on a Rock is very uncomfortable yet this Promise of God I will take away the Heart of Stone may bear up Ministers against these Difficulties 4. You must persist and go on in this Work of breaking up your fallow Ground As there are Fallows in the visible Church many there do need Conversion so in the best of the Saints there is a carnal and unregenerate part that well may be called a fallow Ground this Ground should still be plowed up More Ground in the Soul should be subdued converted to Tillage and manured there is still a barren part there is still a Soil that nourishes Weeds and is over-run with Thorns this is to be broken up We are sow'd but in part bear Fruit but in part With our flesh we serve the Law of Sin Rom. 17. ult Nehemiah complain'd That though their Captivity was turned yet they were Servants in their own Land and it yielded much encrease to the Kings that GOD had set over them because of their Sins Neh. 9.36 37. the Kings of Persia were still their Lords and out of their Labours they paid Tribute either in Money or Fruits to them But how much more is this to be bewail'd and lamented that Sin and Satan have yet some Ground in us that beareth Fruit unto them Should we not therefore more break up our fallow Ground Should not the Kingdom of Christ and the Coasts of the New Creature be more enlarged in us Joshua divided to the Children of Israel even the Nations not yet conquer'd and did yet remain in Canaan and encouraged the Israelites to fight against them with this Promise The Lord your God shall expel them from before you Joshua 23.4 5. So all that is possessed by the Flesh in us is divided to us is to be the Portion and Lot of the New Creature We should still therefore more crucifie and subdue the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts the New Creature should more cast forth its Roots and spread its Branches we should gain more Ground from the Sea of Corruption and turn more of our Souls to Tillage 5. We should presently set on this Work and fall to break up our fallow Ground The Jews said The time was not yet come the time that the Lord's House should be built Hag. 1.2 So sloathful Souls are ready to say The time is not yet come to fall to plow and break up their fallow Ground they are yet but in their Youth in the Morning of their days two or three hours of their day will suffice to sow Seed enough and to provide for an Eternal Harvest but this Tillage may well take up our whole Day of Life It is to please an Infinite God it is to enjoy an Eternal Harvest that we plow God cannot sow us to himself Hosea 2. ult and we cannot sow to our selves in Righteousness and reap in Mercy We cannot bring our Sheaves with joy and eat the fruits of our doings with comfort for ever Isa 3.10 if we do not break up our fallow Ground We should make haste and not delay to obey this Command of God Psal 119.59 60. Do not mind and pursue the World as if that were your greatest Business and chiefest Happiness consider to mind earthly things is a great sin Phil. 3.19 to have our Portion in this life is a sore Judgment Psal 17.14 to have their Backs continually bowed down to look after and pursue carnal things is a dreadful Curse Rom. 11.10 be perswaded be convinc'd that it is high time to break up your fallow Ground and to seek the Lord O desire to be God's Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 O cry to him to enlighten your dark Minds to break your hard Hearts to spiritualize your carnal Affections Seek God diligently seek him with your whole Heart seek him continually that he would write his Law in you stamp his Image on you and graft his Word in you Jam. 1.21 and thereby graft you into Christ and plant you in the likeness of his Death and Resurrection Rom. 6.5 to root and ground you in the Faith Col. 2.7 Do not delay do not defer this necessary Work of Spiritual Tillage lest hereby you fall into the Snare of the Devil he that now tells you it is yet too soon to set on this Work to break up your fallow Ground After your long idleness and negligence the Devil may change his Temptation and suggest to you that the time to break up your fallow ground is now past that it is too late to set on this Work when your Hearts are harden'd by the deceitfulness of Sin your Day of Grace is past God's Treasury is lock'd his Fountain of Life is sealed his Bowels of Mercy shut Therefore you must pine away in Horrour and Despair and perish for ever
of Christ they shall sit eat and drink with him at his Table Luke 22.29 30. in his Kingdom There is no Good absent at this Feast to cause a wandring of desire no Evil present to cause sighs and sorrow under it Here Saints may eat and be satisfied for ever 4. This will be a most Honorable Rest Saints that sit in the Throne with Christ Rev. 3.21 and reign in life for evermore As all Tears shall be wiped from their Eyes so Crowns shall be set on their Heads a Crown of Life and Righteousness Rom. 5.17 This is the highest Honour that Creatures can aspire to and therefore may be fully satisfied with and rest in it This Honour shall never be forfeited neither shall this Feast be disturbed and interrupted 5. The Saints that now are troubled shall rest with the best Company they shall be where Christ is Joh. 17.24 and they shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God Matth. 8.11 As they have been Companions with other Suffering Saints in the Kingdom and patience of Christ Rev. 1.9 so they shall enter into the same Joy possess the same Inheritance and partake of the same Feast with them If Servants shall be where their Lord is John 12.26 much more may they be assured of rest and refreshment with their Fellow Servants Though they be more eminent than they for Gifts Graces and Services yet they shall rest in the same Bosom of Love and sit in the same Throne of Glory What harmonious Melody what sweet Comfort will there be when all Suffering Saints shall be gathered together to sing the Praises of their Father to celebrate the Honour of the their Redeemer and be swallowed up for ever in the love of the Father Son and Spirit USE of the Doctrine If Troubled Saints shall have rest then be not afraid of do not start or recoil from the Cross of Christ it will end and issue in a Crown of Glory Your Sufferings are light your Glory will be weighty your Afflictions and Sorrows will be momentary but your Joys will be everlasting 2 Cor. 4.17 Do not buy the Worlds Peace with the Trouble and Terror of your Consciences Some Apostate Protestants in France had such burdened Consciences such wounded Spirits grew so weary of Life that they came and offered themselves to their Antichristian Enemies and desired that they would kill them Do not slavishly dread Sufferings for Christ did not your Lord endure greater Troubles for you John 12.27 28. Now saith Christ is my Soul troubled he made his Soul an Offering for Sin he poured out his Soul to the death Is 53.10 12. You are but in shallow waters of afflictions but Jesus Christ was in a deep Sea of Sorrows You have but some small drops that sprinkle you but he had a dreadful Storm that fell on him You have but some sparks that fly on you but the Lamb of God was roasted by the Fire of his Fathers Anger Do not think it strange if siery Trials should be kindled against you and break out on you 1 Pet. 4.12 Do not think to be Priviledged from Troubles and to be Exempted from Hardships on Earth and yet be secured from Pains and Torments in another World Satan will roar and wicked Men will rage against you In the World you shall have Tribulation but in Christ you shall have peace John 16.33 Though wicked Men do scorch your Bodies yet your Souls do sit under Christs cold shadow Cant. 2.3 And you shall have times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Though you are appointed to Afflictions 1 Thes 3.3 yet God hath not appointed you to wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 You are now clouded with Sorrows and Reproaches but you shall shine out in the Kingdom of your Father Matth. 13.43 Your smoaking Furnace will issue in a burning Lamp Gen. 15.17 your sighs will be succeeded by Songs your darkness and shadow of Death will end in a bright and glorious Morning Persecutors will be cast into Prison and the Persecuted taken into the Palace Enemies shall seel cruel Bondage and Saints be Translated into glorious Liberty Wicked Men now Revile and Reproach the People of God but the Time is at hand when Christ will laugh at their Calamity and mock when their Fear cometh Prov. 1.26 but Saints shall have praise from Christ enter into the joy of their Lord and enjoy a rest that will abundantly recompence all their Troubles 2. When shall this rest be enjoyed It is said when the Lord Jesus shall be Revealed Two things are here affirmed 1. That the Lord Jesus shall be Revealed 2. That he shall be Revealed from Heaven The words give this Doctrine Doct. 2. The Lord Jesus shall be Revealed from Heaven 1. The Lord Jesus shall be Revealed 2. He shall be Revealed from Heaven 1. The Lord Jesus shall be Revealed This is necessary on a double Account 1. Jesus Christ was veiled and clouded in the World the Sun of Righteousness was in a continual Eclipse for about 33 Years Tho' he was Rich yet for our sakes he became Poor 2 Cor. 8 9. Tho' he was full yet he emptied himself Phil. 2.7 8. Tho' he was Lord over all God over all Rom. 9.5 yet he took on him the form of a Servant and this was as a thick Veil cast over all his Glory Phil. 2.9 The World saw no beauty in him Is 53.2 He was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Psal 22.6 He was trod on as a Worm Ps 10.9.23 and tossed up and down as a Locust by the Wind of his Adversaries fury From the Garden he was offeâ—d to Annas from Annas to Caiaphas from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod from Herod to Pilate again then to Golgotha Thus the Scripture was fulfilled That he was tossed up and down as a Locust So mean was his Condition and so low his Circumstances that the World did not know him John 3.1 and therefore a glorious Appearing of his is necessary Tit. 2.13 to let all the World know who and what he is and how they have been mistaken 2. Jesus removed and withdrew himself from the World he is Travelled into a far Country Luke 13.12 He is gone within the Veil Heb. 6.19 20. He is hid with God Col. 3.3 Thousands do love him tho' they have not seen him and believe on him tho' they do not yet see him 1 Pet. 1.8 The Object of our Faith is become invisible and far removed from the Eye of Sense and Christ doth stay so long that Wise and Foolish Virgins do fall asleep Matt. 25.5 And his Rebellious Citizens send a Message after him saying We will not have this Man to reign over us Luke 19.14 All those they cruelly persecuted and wickedly slew for Proclaiming Christ as King and calling them to bow down to his Royal Scepter were sent in this Embassy or with this Message after
he was received up into glory 2. To answer the hopes and expectation of his People they wait for a Saviour from Heaven Psal 3.20 and look for God's Son Jesus from Heaven 1 Thes 1.10 3. Christ will be Revealed from Heaven to shew the Spiritual Nature of his Kingdom that it is a heavenly Kingdom That he hath had his Throne in Heaven and from thence his Kingdom hath ruled over all He hath observed all the rage and actings of his enemies and all the love and obedience of his friends He hath inspected all the concerns of his Members and transacted all the affairs of his Kingdom This hath been honorable and glorious to Christ that he hath had a rest Is 1.10 in Heaven and yet neglected none of his work in repressing the rage of his enemies and in reviving the fainting spirits of his friends and steering all the affairs of his Church to a safe and happy Port. He hath supplied his poor and supported his weak Members 4. Jesus Christ will be Revealed from Heaven for the greater confusion and terror of his Enemies How will this affright and amaze them that he who they thought slept under the clods of the Earth should appear riding on the clouds of Heaven Rev. 1.7 that he who the Jews thought was suffering in Hell for deluding and deceiving the World should come to Judge the World and to Condemn Men to Hell for not believing on him Mark 6.16 Joseph was thought by his Brethren to be lost or dead but how were they confounded and troubled when they found him alive Gen. 45.3 heard him speaking to them saw him under Pharaoh Ruling over all the Land of Egypt So how will it dismay and overwhelm the unbelieving World when Christ that was thought to remain dead shall be presented to their eyes as alive When he that was ill treated by Men in the form of a Servant shall appear in the glory of a Lord to judge both the Quick and the Dead and shall be manifested as having all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him and can justifie and crown those that have believed on him and condemn and punish those that have rebelled against him who neither have believed his Doctrine or obeyed his Commands USE of Examination Examine your selves under what Notion Christ will be Revealed and come to you at last Whether he will appear as your Friend or as your Enemy To your joy or sorrow As a loving Bridegroom to receive you to himself John 14.3 Or as an incensed Judge to Sentence and Cast you from himself saying Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Matt. 25.41 Will Christ come to give you any thing Will he bestow a Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.18 A Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 Will he call you to inherit an everlasting Kingdom Matt. 25.34 Or will Christ come upon you as a Thief in the Night to impoverish spoil deprive you of all the good things you now possess and enjoy Will not your Cisterns then be broken your Candles and Lamps be put out Will not your whole Paradise of sensual and sinful delights be lighted and blasted Will not Creatures be withdrawn from you and God himself also depart The floor and the Wine-press shall not feed you and God himself will leave and forsake you Hos 9.2 12. Will you not at once be turned out of your Stewardship and also be cut off from all hope of the heavenly Inheritance Will not Christ's coming be your utter undoing Will you not sustain a damage and loss never to be repaired For your wooing and buying time will be over the Spiritual Market will be at an end Will it not be sad when others are rich Heirs for you to be poor Bankrupts emptied and stript of all valuable and desirable good for ever Inquire therefore seriously and diligently how it stands with you in relation to Christ's coming Is Jesus Christ Revealed in you and to you and is his new Nature formed in you It is not Flesh and Blood but our Father that is in heaven that must reveal Christ to us Matt. 16.17 he that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to the Son Hath the spirit ever glorified Christ in your eyes Is he most precious to you If Christ be not Revealed to you while you are on Earth he cannot be Revealed from Heaven to your joy and comfort Have you an understanding to know the worth excellency and preciousness of Christ so that you give your selves to him and are in him If Christ do dwell in your hearts below you may be assured that you shall dwell in his House above Are you related to Christ Are you really his Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh They that are Christs shall be made alive at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 Is the Match made up between Christ and you by a mutual Spiritual kiss Doth Christ kiss you expressing his servent love towards you and speaking powerfully and effectually to you the Doctrine of Grace the Word of Reconciliation The Gospel of Salvation is your own Interest in Christ's precious Promises sealed and delivered to you 2. Do you kiss Christ the Son of God Ps 2.12 Cant. 8.1 When Ishould find thee without I would kiss thee And Abraham Isaac and Jacob are said to salute kiss or embrace the Promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the mouth of Faith doth meet with the mouth of Christ speaking the Word of Life and the promises of Spiritual Benefits is perswaded of them doth embrace them then the Soul kisses Christ There is also a kiss of Homage as Samuel kissed Saul acknowledging him as the Lord 's Anointed When we receive the Law from Christ's mouth and profess our subjection to his Scepter and obedience to his Laws then we kiss Christ 3. Are you willing that Christ should come Do you desire long for and love Christ's appearing The Church saith Make haste my beloved Cant. 8.14 When Christ said I come quickly she adds her Amen Even so come Lord Jesus Rev. 22.20 Christians are said not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by their wishings longings earnest desires Do you fervently love the appearing of Christ as that which will be exceeding honorable to him comfortable and beneficial to you Do you love Christ's appearing as that which will be exceeding glorious to him For by his voice he shall quicken raise call forth all that are in their Graves John 5.28 That Christ knows all that ever lived can distinguish their dust from the dust of one another and from the dust of the Earth That he knows all their thoughts words and actions remembers them and will call them to an account for them 1 Pet. 4.5 Then Christ will sit on the Throne of his glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him to be judged by by him This is the perfection of Christ's Kingdom and his
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
subdue it to yield Fruit to God and we more appropriate it and render it useful to our selves One that writes concerning Government and Obedience in opposition to Sir Robert Filmer conceives that this was the way at first to divide and appropriate parcels of the Earth to particular Persons That as much as a Man had need of and could Plow and Sow that became his own And he saith it is so in Spain at this day That any Man may Plow Land Sow and Reap it for his own use without opposition or contradiction from any It is by plowing and breaking up of our Fallow ground that we become more Masters of our selves do more possess our own Souls as Proprietors use them and as Kings command Rev. 1.5 6. in them So much of our Souls as we Till as we break up is devoted to God and is a Portion profitable to our selves As it is the Riches of a Husband-man to have many Acres sowed with good Corn with useful Grain so it will be both our Honour and Advantage to have many Years of our Lives sowed with the Fruits of Holiness and Righteousness If every Day Month and Year be sowed with Fruit that will abound to our account Deut. 4.17 how Rich how Honorable are we 6. Consider how infamous and miserable we shall be at last if we break not up our Fallow ground We shall neither sow to our selves in righteousness nor reap in mercy Hosea 10.12 We shall lose our Seed time of Grace and our Harvest of Glory We shall only reap corruption and destruction Gal. 6.8 and be reaped as Tares to be cast into a Furnace of unquenchable Fire Matt. 3.12 Matt. 13.42 If we continue dead in sins Ephes 2.1 and do no good we shall at last be Carkasses desolate of all life and comfort and enjoy no good to Eternity Isa 66. last Yea Christ will fall on you as a weighty stone and grind you to pouder Matt. 21.44 7. When we break up our Fallow ground we begin to do something in Religion All is nothing that we do yea we are nothing as to pleasing of God till we break up our Fallow ground The Seeds man will not go forth to sow till the Plow-man goeth forth and breaketh up the Ground As a Man cannot Graft till the Stock be cut to let in the Graft so a Husband-man cannot Sow till the Ground be Plowed and fitted to receive the Seed Corn will not thrive that is sown on whole Land the Grass and Weeds will kill and choke it So Gospel-Truths will not root deep thrive or prosper kindly if our Hearts are not broken Till we lie down in our shame Jer. 3. last We cannot stand in grace Rom. 5.2 Till we are convinced that we are enemies we shall not take hold of the word of Reconciliation Till we find and feel our selves shut up under Sin and the Curse we shall not listen to Christ as a Redeemer calling us out of Prison Isa 49.9 into the Kingdom of God And a vain shew of Religion will yield no more than a vain shew of Happiness if we bring forth no Fruit for Christ to eat there will be no Feast for us to enjoy That you may break up your Fallow ground observe these following Directions 1. Be convinced of this and be humbled for this That you have so long lain as a Fallow ground How evil is it that Men have continued perhaps twenty thirty forty fifty Years or more a fallow Ground If a fallow did not serve a Husbandman any other way but by being plow'd sow'd and bearing Corn would it not be a great shame and loss to him to see a Fallow to lye thirty forty or fifty Years and never to plow it all this while And should it not grieve and afflict your Souls that you have for many Years lain fallow and have brought forth no Fruits of Righteousness to God Jeremiah saith of Israel to God They have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do Jer. 32.23 Sinners are wholly at Satan's beck dispose command he hath been sowing grafting and nursing up his Tares in them O let this humble you That the Devil hath been watering improving strengthning your vile Lusts and Affections O that God should spare you so long support you by his arms of Power and supply you out of the Treasures of his Goodness when you were not only without him Zeph. 12. but also against him in the World It is a great Evil to be without God as if there were no such glorious Being or you had no need of him but it is worse to be against God to walk contrary to him to fight against his Laws and Kingdom as if he did bereave you of your Liberty and Pleasure and enact Laws contrary to your Freedom Comfort and Happiness How have your Lusts consumed your Time and eat up those Years that should have been Fruitful to God O be sensible that you have defrauded God by not bearing good Fruits and have burdened him by the abundance of your evil Fruit. 2. When you begin to break up your Fallow Ground O call for and seek after the Assistance of the spirit of God to direct the Plow to put his Hand on it that it may cut deep You need that God should speak with a strong Hand Isaiah 8.11 That the Hand of the Lord should be with them that preach Acts 11.20 21. That when Ministers do strike the Rock of your hearts that the Lord should stand on the Rock as he Promised Moses and cause it to cleave and to give out Waters of Penitential Tears Exod. 17.6 In vain do Ministers Thunder and Lighten in the Conscience if the spirit of God doth not set home Convictions and seal up Instructions on the Soul The Holy Ghost must Arrest seize upon and shut up the Soul in Prison that else will go at Liberty and be under no Restraint either from the Command or Threatnings of God If Guilt and Wrath do not lie hard and heavy on the Soul Men will not regard Reconciliation Redemption and Salvation Those that make light yea a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 will make light of Christ's Feast and Salvation Matt. 22.5 We need the spirit of Christ to cast Chains of Light and Conviction about us and to shut us up under the bitter sense of our Transgressions and to make us such close Prisoners as to shut out all the Worlds Comforts from us that they may be able to administer no support relief or refreshment to us that we may wholly have recourse to Christ and listen to him for Consolation It is very contrary to Flesh and Blood for Men to acknowledge themselves worthy of the Curse and to say Amen to it Deut. 27. last But if it be not thus how can we run to Christ that all the Promises may be Amen to us through him We cannot subdue our Souls to Spiritual Tillage if the Holy Ghost doth not subdue our Iniquities Micah
works Col. 1.21 The mind is either inventing of evil things and finding out new sins Rom. 1.30 or projecting and contriving how to justifie the flesh and to fulfil the lusts of it Rom. 13. ult Or the mind is taken up in cloaking and covering of sin it finds out excuses it sews the Fig-leaves of Pretenses together to hide the filthiness and deformity of sin from the Eye of Conscience and so to blind and deceive their own Souls How should this afflict and wound our Souls that we have been enemies to him that is the chief good to a glorious infinite eternal Being who spake the World out of nothing and could as easily speak us and all things else into their First Nothing again But because men are ready to deny this Charge and plead not Guilty to it Paul proves mens enmity against God by their opposition to and rebellion against the Law of God The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 6. Men are Children and Captives of the Devil 1. They are Children of the Devil But Men will start and deny such an Accusation The Jews affirmed That God was their Father John 8.41 but Christ asserted that which was very different from and contrary to this John 8.44 Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do Was not Christ's Testimony to be credited rather than theirs Tho' Men as to their natural Life proceed and descend from their Parents yet as to their corrupt Life they issue from Satan The enmity and malignity of their Souls against God his People and his Laws this is the very image and likeness of Satan The Jews hated the Truth that Christ preached abhorred him and were inclined to murder him and these were the very Lusts of Satan Whoredom Gluttony and Drunkenness are gross and brutish Lusts but the most Spiritual sins as Pride Envy Hatred are properly the Lusts of Satan In these Men do most resemble him these are the very Lineaments of his Face It is said of wicked men Psal 58.4 That their poyson is like the poyson of a serpent This seems to be a plain allusion to the first sin When the Devil under and by a Serpent tempted our First Parents then he did distil his Venom and drop his Poison into them when his word was believed and his suggestions embraced He misrepresented God as envious of their Good of their higher Knowledge and of their sweetest Pleasures and Delights He did set forth the Fruit of a Tree as the best and most desirable Good and to be preferred before the favour of God and as if God's threatning was but a vain and false word This Poison of the Serpent we may discern and find in our own Souls and therefore while unregenerate may be justly charged to the Satans Children yea the Souls of Sinners are the House that Satan dwells and the Shop that he works in they have Members Col. 3.5 that God never made they have Lusts that he never kindled 1 John 2.15 16. and are under a Law Rom 7.21 23. that God never enacted but these Members Lusts and Law came from Satan 2. Unregenerate Men are the Devils Vassals Slaves and Captives Satan did but present Job's Cattle as a desirable Booty and Prey and blow up the Fire of their Lusts and the Chaldeans and Sabeans quickly make an Inroad Invade Job's Possession and take away his Cattle Job 1.15 17. Satan carries Men on in the Chanel of their own corrupt Nature and on the violent stream and torrent of their own Lusts Men are said to walk according to Satan Ephes 2.2 but how is this The Apostle tells us in the next Verse Eph. 2.2 3. Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind They think they have nothing to do with Satan when they obey him in serving of their Lusts The Devil takes men captive at his will 2 Tim. 2. last yet he leads men captive by their own Wills The very liberty of their Wills is inslaved Sinners yield and give up their own corrupt Wills and carnal Affections as so many Cords for Satan to lead them by to Hell Satan finds Lusts in us as Chains to bind us as Snares to hold us shall not this consideration deeply wound the Souls of Men that they side and join with Satan to seduce and destroy themselves Men close their eyes Matt. 13.15 And Satan blinds their minds 2 Cor. 4.4 5. and so they put the greatest cheat on their own Souls They see not the Good that Satan deprives them of and the Misery and Destruction he brings on them 7. Unregenerate Men are Prisoners Is 42.7 Is 49.9 they sit in darkness and are bound with chains Is 61.1 and dwell in the Prison House They are under a sentence of condemnation John 3.18 He that believes not is condemned already And they are under a fear of a day of Execution Heb. 2.15 Through the fear of death they are all their life time subject to bondage How much are Sinners and Hipocrites affrighted What dreadful Exclamations do they make Who among us shall dwell with devouring Fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting Burnings O what bitter cries of destruction Is 35.5 will Sinners lift up when they shall see the whetted Sword of Justice hanging over their Heads and their Feet at the brink of the bottomless Pit When their eyes shall see their destruction and they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath Job 21.20 30. 8. O let this wound your Souls that you go so far from God Jer. 2.5 and fly so fast Hos 7.13 Woe unto them 1. For they have fled from me as if they could not go too far or hasten too fast from the Father of Mercies from the Fountain of Life And Sinners are very unwilling to return they hold fast deceit they refuse to return Jer. 8.5 They stop their ears and make their hearts like an adamant-stone lest they should hear the words of the law of the Lord of hosts Zech. 7.11 12. They have an Iron Sinew a Brow of Brass and a Heart of Stone that will not melt or relent Is 48.4 when God draws near to them with beams of Light commands of Obedience and offers of Grace Job 21.14 They bid him depart as if they had no need of God owed no homage obedience or subjection to him as if they could stand tho' he did not support them as if they could chuse their own way and order their steps tho' he did not direct them and they could be happy tho' they did not enjoy him They cast God himself and his Word too behind their backs Ezek. 23.35 When Men bid God depart is not this to pluck away his props and supports from their Building To banish Heaven from themselves and to execute a great part of Hell on themselves And to provoke God to bid them depart from him as cursed Creatures into everlasting Fire Matt.
25.41 They that are alienated from the Life of God and estranged from Communion with him how can they hope to be for ever with him 1 Thes 4.17 9. This should affect and awe your Souls that you are still under God's Eye and do evil in his sight Psal 51.4 The ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Prov. 5.21 There is no darkness or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 34.22 This is peculiar to God that Malefactors are always in the presence and under the eye of him as their Judge and he is a Witness against them for all the Crimes they commit The Lord be witness against you 1 Sam. 12.5 10. How should this cut your Hearts that all your sins are marked Jer. 2.22 and all your crimes are written before him Is 65.6 The great King of the whole World writes the Chronicles of all the Lives and Actions of his Subjects all that Men speak think or do is Recorded in his Book Rev. 20.12 and Conscience keeps a Counter-part of the Record Their sin is graven as with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond in the table of their heart Jer. 17.1 11. God can make Malefactors to appear and present Delinquents before his Tribunal they cannot fly they cannot hide As for those mine Enemies that would not have me to reign over them bring them before me Luke 19.27 This is proper and peculiar to God that he can make all transgressors to appear and how dreadful will this be that they must appear 2 Cor. 5.10 where yet they cannot appear with any hope or confidence 1 Pet. 4 15. where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear They must stand before the Judgment-seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 yet the ungodly shall not stand in the Judgment Psal 1.5 O what terror may this strike into Men that God will bring them into judgment Eccles 11.9 and God will also bring all their secret actions into judgment Eccl. 12.14 God will bring all the hidden things of darkness to light 12. Impenitent Sinners shall be punished with an everlasting destruction which shall come from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.9 The same Face that shines a Heaven into the Souls of Saints shall frown a Hell into the Consciences of the Wicked the same Arm that punishes shall support the punished still to endure more Torments as God will burn against and on Chaff Briers Thorns and Taras so he will preserve the Fuel and uphold it to Eternity Who knows the power of God's anger Psal 90.11 how miserable he can render a Creature that he fills up as a Vessel with his Wrath that he treads on as a footstool and shoots at as a Mark God asks Job Hast thou entred into the Springs of the Sea or hast thou walked in the search of the deep could he tell how deep the great Sea was could he come to the bottom of it Job 38.16 So it will be said to us Can you by the line and plumbet of your Reason sound and find out the bottom of the deep Sea of the Wrath of God Tophet is deep there is no coming up out of it Isa 30. ult The Gulf that is fixed is wide there is no passing over it Luke 16.26 And these things are near our breath is in our Nostrils ready to go out and the Judge stands at the Door ready to come in As the accusations and threatnings of the Law should be a Plough striking home and cutting deep into our Hearts so the Mercy of God in Christ and the Grace revealed in the Gospel should exceedingly wound and break our Hearts How amazing is this that when we had made God to serve with our Sins and wearied him with our Iniquities Isa 43.24 that the Son of God should take on him the form of a Servant to suffer to satisfie for and purge away our Iniquities Psal 2.76 Heb. 1.3 O that when God as a Creator Preserver Benefactor had been by our Lusts debased to be a meer Servant and Satan exalted to be the Prince yea the God of the World John 12.3 2 Cor. 4 4 5. that the Son of God should humble himself to be a Servant to his own Law as a Sacrifice to his Father's Justice to make an end of the guilt of Sin O that Christ should be sold to redeem us that he should be wounded to heal us that he should be arrested arraign'd and condemn'd to justifie us should not this make Hearts of stone to relent and break O that God should complain that he is broken with our whorish Hearts Ezek. 6.9 yet Christ to expiate and put away the guilt of these Whoredoms should complain that Reproach had broken his heart Ps 69.20 We had loaded God with our sins and provocations as a Cart is pressed under the sheaves Amos 2.13 O how amazing is it that God should lay all our sins on Christ Isa 53.6 and load him with our penalties and punishments that our Debt should be exacted of him our Curse executed on him that he should be as the Manna pounded in the Mortar that as a cluster of Grapes he should be bruised in the Wine-press of the Wrath and Justice of God! that as a Porter or bearer of burdens he should have our Iniquities bound on him and then bear them quite away The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used of Christ Isa 53.4 He hath carried our sorrows and hence he that is a Porter or bearer of burdens is called 2 Chron. 2.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of burden This Name fitly doth agree to our Lord Jesus that he was a Man of burden Never did any one bear so vast a load so great a burden We found out Inventions to inslave our selves Eccl. 7. ult and God found out a Ransom to redeem and set us at liberty Job 33.24 We hated him without a cause and he loved us freely and without a cause how should this Grace melt our hard and warm our cold Hearts with love to God shall we continue in the torrid Zone of Enmity and Lust when Believers are brought into and dwell in the torrid Zone of Love It is now possible that our Wilderness may blossom as a Rose that our dry Ground may be water'd improv'd and inrich'd Isa 35.1 44.3 4. Enemies may be reconcil'd dead Souls quicken'd and such as have been Satan's Children and meer Strangers to God may be adopted and taken into his Family 3 Q. Why must our fallow Ground be broken up I answer 1. That our carnal Confidence in our selves may be mortified and rooted out our Pride must be abated our high Mountain of carnal Confidence must be level'd Isa 40.4 How many do trust in themselves that they are righteous Luke 15.8 and this is directly contrary to believing in Christ Gal. 2.16 that they might be justified Those that have some Planks