of the Dresser oâ— the Vineyard who I told you 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ for he made intercession foâ— the Transgressors And they contain Petition presented to an offended Justice praying that a little more time anâ— Patience might be exercised towards thâ— barren cumber-ground Fig-tree In this Petition there are Six things considerable First That Justice might be deferred O that Justice might be deferred Lord â—et it alone c. a while longer Secondly Here is time prefixed as a space to try if more means will cure a barâ—en Fig-tree Lord let it alone this Year also Thirdly The means to help it are propounded until I shall dig about it and dung it Fourthly Here is also an insinuation of a Supposition that by thus doing God's expectation may be answered And if it bear Fruit Well Fifthly Here is a Supposition that the barren Figtree may yet abide barren when Christ hath done what he will unto it and if it bear Fruit c. Sixthly Here is at last a Resolution that if thou continue barren hewing Days will come upon thee And if it bear Fruit well And if not then after that thou shalt cut it down But to proceed according to my former Method by Way of Exposition Lord let it alone this Year also Here is astonishing Grace indeed astonishing Grace I say that the Lord Jesus should concern himself with a barreâ— Fig-tree that He should step in to stopâ— the blow from a barren Fig-tree True He stopt the blow but for a time Buâ— why did he stop it at all Why did noâ— he fetch out the Ax Why did he not do Execution Why did not he cut it down Barren Fig-tree 't is well for thee that there is a Jesus at God's right Hand a Jesus of that largeness of bowels As to have compassion for a barren Fig-tree else Justice had never let thee alone to cumber the Ground as thou hast done When Israel also had sinned against God down they had gone But that Moses stood in the breach Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone said God to him that I may consume them in a moment and I will make of thee a great Nation Barren Fig-tree dost thou hear Thou knowest not how oft the hand of Divine Justice hath been up to strike and how many Years since thou hadst been cut down had not Jesus caught hold of his Father 's Ax. Let me alone let me fetch my blow or cut it down why cumbereth it the ground Wilt thou not hear yet Barren Fig-tree Wilt thou provoke still Thou hast wearied Men and provoked the Justice of God And wilt thou weary my God also Isa. 7. 13. Lord let it alone this Year Lord a little longer le ts not lose a Soul for want of means I will try I will see if I can make it fruitful I will not beg a long Life nor that it might still be barren and so provoke thee I beg for the sake of the Soul the immortal Soul Lord spare it one Year only one Year longer this Year also if I do any Good to it it will be in little time Thou shalt not be over-wearied with waiting one Year and then Barren Fig-tree Dost thou hear what striving there is between the Vine-dresser and the Husband-Man for thy Life Cut it down says one Lord spare it saith the other 'T is a cumber-ground saith the Father one Year longer prays the Son Let it alone this Year also Vntil I shall dig about it and dung it The Lord Jesus by these words supposeth two things as Causes of the want of Fruit in a barren Fig-tree and two things he supposeth as a Remedy The things that are a cause of want of Fruit are 1. 'T is Earth-bound Lord the Fig-tree is Earth-bound 2. A want of warmer Means of fatter Means Wherefore accordingly he propoundeth First To looser the Earth to dig about it Secondly And then to supply it with Dung to dig about it and dung it Lord let it alone this Year also until I shall dig about it I doubt it is too much ground-bound The Love of this World and the deceitfulness of Riches Luke 14. lie too close to the Roots of the Heart of this Professor The love of Riches the Love of Honours the Love of Pleasures are the Thorns that choak the Word 1 Joh. 2. 15 16. For all that is in the World the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eyes and the Pride of Life are not of the Father but enmity to God how then where these things bind up the Heart can there be Fruit brought forth to God Barren Fig-tree see how the Lord Jesus by these very words suggesteth the cause of thy fruitlesness of Soul The things of this World lie too close to thy Heart the Earth with its things have bound up thy Roots Thou art an Earth-bound Soul thou art wrapt up in thick Clay If any Man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him how then can he be fruitful in the Vineyard This kept Judas from the Fruit of caring for the poor Joh. 12. 6. This kept Demas from the Fruit of Self-denial 2 Tim. 4. 10. And this kept Ananias and Saphirah his Wife from the goodly Fruit of Sincerity and Truth Act. 5. 5 10. What shall I say These are foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition for the love of Mony is the root of all Evil 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. How then can good Fruit grow from such a Root the Root of all Evil Which while some covet after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows It is an evil Root nay it is the Root of all Evil how theâ— can the Professor that hath such a Root or a Root wrap'd up in such earthly things as the Lusts and Pleasures and Vanities of this World bring forth Fruit to God! Vntil I shall dig about it Lord I will loose his Roots I will dig up this Earth I will lay his Roots bare my Hand shall be upon him by Sickness by Disappointments by cross Providences I will dig about him until he stands shaking and tottering until he be ready to fall then if ever he will seek to take faster hold Thus I say deals the Lord Jesus oft-times with the barren Professor he diggeth about him he smiteth one blow at his Heart another blow at his Lusts a third at his Pleasures a fourth at his Comforts another at his Self-conceitedness thus he diggeth about him This is the way to take bad Earth from his Roots and to loosen his Roots from the Earth Barren Fig-tree see here the Care the Love the Labour and Way which the Lord Jesus the Dresser of the Vineyard is fain to take with thee if happily thou mayest be made fruitful Vntil I shall dig about it and dung it As the Earth by binding the Roots too closely may hinder the Tree's being fruitful so the want of better Means may be also a Cause
will mend and be better No saith God you lyed to me last time I will trust you in this no longer and withal he tumbleth the Wife the Child the Estate into a grave And then returns to his place till this Professor more unfeignedly acknowlegeth his offence Hos. 5. 14 15. At this the poor creature is afflicted and distressed Rents his Cloaths and begins to call the breaking of his Promise and Vows to mind he mourns and Prays and like Ahab a while walks softly at the remembrance of the justness of the hand of God upon him And now he renews his Promises Lord try me this one time more take off thy hand and see They go far that never turn Well God spareth him again sets down his Ax again Many times He did deliver them but they provoked him with their Counsels and were brought low for their Iniquities Psal. 106. 43. Now they seem to be thankful again and are as if they were resolved to be Godly indeed Now they Read they Pray they go to Meetings and seem to be serious a pretty while but at last they forget Their Lusts prick them suitable Temptations present themselves wherefore they turn to their own crooked ways again Psal. 78. 34 36. When he slew them then they sought him and returned early after God nevertheless they did flatter him with mouth and lyed unto him with their tongue 4. Yet again The Lord will not leave this Professor but will take up his Ax again and will put him under a more heart-searching Ministry a Ministry that shall search him and turn him over and over a Ministry that shall meet with him as Elijah met with Ahab in all his acts of Wickedness and Now the Ax is laid to the Roots of the Trees Besides this Minstry doth not only search the Heart but presenteth the Sinner with the Golden rays of the glorious Gospel Now is Christ Jesus set forth evidently now is Grace displayed sweetly Now now are the Promises broken like Boxes of Ointment to the perfuming of the whole room But a as there is yet no Fruit on this Fig-tree While his Heart is searching he wrangles while the glorious Grace of the Gospel is unvailing this Professor wags and is wanton gathers up some scraps thereof Tastes the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come Jude 4. Drinketh in the Rain that comes oft upon him Heb. 6. 3 7 8. But bringeth not forth Fruit meet for him whose Gospel it is takes no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his Heart 2 Kin. 10. 31. but counteth that the Glory of the Gospel consisteth in talk and shew and that our Obedience thereto is a matter of Speculation that good Works lie in good Words and if they can finely talk they think they bravely please God They think the Kingdom of God consisteth only in Word not in Power and thus proveth ineffectual this Fourth Means also 5. Well Now the Ax begins to be heaved higher for now indeed God is ready to smite the Sinner yet before he will strike the stroak he will try one Way more at the last and if that misseth down goes the Fig-tree Now this last way is to tug and strive with this Professor by his Spirit Wherefore the Spirit of the Lord is now come to him But not always to strive with Man Gen. 6. 8. yet a while he will strive with him he will awaken he will convince he will call to remembrance former Sins former Judgments the breach of former Vows and Promises the mispending of former Days he will also present perswasive Arguments encouraging Promises dreadful Judgments the shortness of time to repent in and that there is hope if he come Further he will shew him the certainty of Death and of the Judgment to come yea He will pull and strive with this Sinner But behold the mischief now lies here here is tugging and striving on both sides The Spirit convinces the Man turns a deaf Ear to God the Spirit saith Receive my Instruction and live but the Man pulls away his Shoulder the Spirit shews him whither he is going but the Man closeth his Eyes against it the Spirit offereth violence the Man strives and resists They have done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. The Spirit parlieth a second time and urgeth Reasons of a new nature But the Sinner answereth No I have loved strangers and after them I will go Amos 4. 6 8 9 10 11. At this God's Fury comes up into his Face now he comes out of his holy Place and is terrible now He sweareth in his Wrath they shall never enter into his Rest Ezek. 24. 13. I exercised towards you my Patience yet you have not turned unto me saith Lord. I smote you in your Person in your Relations in your Estate yet you have not returned â—nto me saith the Lord. In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I cause my Fury to rest npon thee Cut it down why doth it cumber the ground The Second Sign That such a Professor is almost if not quite past Grace is When God hath given him over or lets him alone and suffers him to do any thing and that without controul helpeth him not either in Works of Holiness or in Straits and Difficulties Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Hos. 4. 17. Wâ— be to them when I depart from them I will laugh at their Calamities and will mock when their Fear cometh Prov. 1. 24 25 26 27 28. Barren Fig-tree thou hast heretofore been digged about and dunged God's Mattock hath heretofore been at thy Roots Gospel-dung hath heretofore been applied to thee thou hast heretofore been strove with convinced awakened made to taste and see and crie O the Blessedness Thou hast heretofore been met with under the Word thy Heart hath melted thy Spirit hath fallen thy Soul hath trembled and thou hast felt something of the Power of the Gospel But thou hast sinned thou hast provoked the Eyes of his Glory thy Iniquity is found to be hateful and now perhaps God hath left thee given thee up and lets thee alone Heretofore thou wast tender thy Conscience startled at the temptation to Wickedness for thou wert taken off from the pollutions of the World through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. but that very Vomit that once thou wert turned from now thou lappest up with the Dog in the Proverb again and that very Mire that once thou seemest to lie washed from in that very Mire thou now art tumbling afresh But to particularize there are three Signs of a Man's being given over of God 1. When he is let alone in Sinning when the reins of his Lusts are loosed and he given up to them And even as they did not like to retain God in
have subscribed to the Lord and have called our selves by the Name of Israel One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his Hand unto the Lord and sirname himself by the Name of Israel Isa 44. 5. Barren Fig-tree hast thou subscribed hast thou called thy self by the Name of Jacob and sirnamed thy self by the Name of Israel All this thou pretendest to who art got into the Vineyard who art placed among the Trees of the Garden of God God doth therefore look for such Fruit as is worthy of his Name as is meet for Him as the Apostle saith We should walk worthy of God that is so as we may shew in every place that the presence of God is with us his Fear in us and his Majesty and Authority upon our Actions Fruits meet for him such a dependance upon him such trust in his Word such satisfaction in his Presence such a trusting of him with all my Concerns and such delight in the enjoyment of him that may demonstrate that his Fear is in my Heart that my Soul is wrap'd up in his Things and that my Body and Soul and Estate and All are in Truth through his Grace at his dispose Fruit meet for him Hearty thanks and blessing God for Jesus Christ for his good Word for his Free-Grace for the discovery of himself in Christ to the Soul secret longing after another World Fruit meet for him Liberality to the poor Saints to the poor World a Life in Word and Deed exemplary a patient and quiet enduring of all things till I have done and suffered the whole Will of God which he hath appointed for me That on the good Ground are they which in an honest and good Heart having heard the Word keep it and bring forth Fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. This is bringing forth Fruit unto God Having our Fruit unto Holiness and our End everlasting Life Rom. 7. 4. 6. 22. 14. 8. Fifthly The Lord expects Fruit be coming the Vineyard of God The Vineyard saith he Isa. 5. 1. is a very fruitful Hill witness the Fruit brought forth in all Ages The most barren Trees that ever grew in the Wood of this World when planted in this Vineyard by the God of Heaven what Fruit to Godward have they brought forth Abel offered the more excellent Sacrifice Heb. 11. 4. Enoch walked with God three hundred Years vers 5. Noah by his Life of Faith condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith vers 7. Abraham left his Country and went out after God not knowing whither he went vers 8. 〈…〉 left a Kingdom and ran the hazard of the Wrath of the King for the Love he had to God and Christ. What shall I say of them who had Triâ—lâ— not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 〈…〉 35 36 37. They were stoned they were 〈…〉 were tempted 〈…〉 They wandred 〈…〉 and Goat-skins being destitâ—te 〈…〉 left his Father Ship and Nets Mat. 4. â—8 19 Paul turned off from the feet of Gamalieâ—â— Men brought their Goods and Possessions the price of them and cast it down at the Apostle's Feet Acts 19. 18 19 â—0 〈◊〉 others brought their Books together and burnt them 〈…〉 Books though they were worth fifty thousand pieces of Silver I could add how many willingly offered themselves in all Ages and their all for the worthy Name of the Lord Jesus to be rack'd starved hanged burned drowned pulled in pieces and 〈◊〉 thousand Calâ—mities Barren Fig-tree the Vineyard of God hath been a fruitful Place What dost thou there What dost thou bear God expects Fruit according to or becoming the Soil of the Vineyard Sixthly The Fruit which God expecteth is such as becometh God's Husbandry and Labour The Vineyard is God's Husbandry or Tillage I am the Vine saith Christ John 15. â— and my Father is the Husbandman And again 1 Cor. 3. 9. Ye are God's Husbandry ye are God's Building The Vineyard God fences it God gathereth ouâ— the Stones God builds the Tower and the Winepâ—ess in the midst thereof Here is Labour here is Protection here is removing of Hindrances here is convenient Purgation and all that there might be 〈◊〉 Barren Fig-tree What Fruit hast thou hast thou Fruit becoming the Care of God the Protection of God the Wisdom of God the Patience and Husbandry of God It is the Fruit of the Vineyard that is either the shame or the praise of the Husbandman I went by the Field of the slothful saith Solomon and by the Vineyard of the Man void of Vnderstanding and lo it was grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof Prov. 24. 30 31 32. Barren Fig-tree If Men should make a judgment of the care and pains and labour of God in his Church by the Fruit that thou bringest forth what might they say is he not slothful is not he careless is he not without discretion O thy Thorns thy Nettles thy barren Heart and barren Life is a continual provocation to the eyes of his Glory as likewise a dishonour to the glory of his Grace Barren Fig-tree hast thou heard all these things I will add yet one more And he came and sought fruit thereon The question is not now What thou thinkest of thy self nor what all the people of God think of thee but what thou shalt be found in that day when God shall search thy boughs for Fruit When Sodom was to be searched for righteous Men God would not in that matter trust his faithful servant Abraham but still as Abraham interceded God answered If I find fifty or forty and five there I will not destroy the City Gen. 18. 20 21 26 27. Barren Fig-tree what sayest thou God will come down to see God will make search for Fruit himself And he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none Then said he to the Dresser of the Vineyard Behold these three Years I come seeking Fruit on this Fig-tree and find none Cut it down why cumbereth it the ground These words are the effect of God's search into the boughs of a barren Fig-tree He sought Fruit and found none none to his liking none pleasant and good Therefore first he complains of the want thereof to the Dresser calls him to come and see and take notice of the Tree then signifieth his pleasure he will have it removed taken away cut down from cumbering the Ground Observ. The barren Fig-tree is the Object of God's displeasure God cannot bear with a fruitless Professor Then said he c. Then after this provocation then after he had sought and found no Fruit then This word then doth shew us a kind of an inward disquietness as he saith also in another place upon a like provocation Then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that Man and all the Curses that are written in this Book
Reins of his Lusts before him he shall be entangled with his beastly Lusts he shall be overcome of ungodly Company Thus they that turn aside to their own crooked ways Psal. 125. 5. The Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of Iniquity This is God's Hand immediately God is now dealing with this Man himself Barren Fig-tree hearken Thou art crouded into a Profession art got among the Godly and there art a scandal to the Holy and Glorious Gospel but withal so cunning that like the Sons of Zerviah thou art too hard for the Church She knows not how to deal with thee Well saith God I will deal with that Man my self Ezek. 14. 7 8. I will answer that Man by my self he that sets up his Idols in his Heart and puts the Stumbling-block of his Iniquity before his Face and yet comes and appears before me I will set my Face against that Man and will make him a Sign and a Proverb and I will cut him off from the midst of my People and ye shall know that I am the Lord. But secondly God doth sometimes cut down the barren Fig-tree by the Church by the Churches due execution of the Laws and Censures which Christ for that purpose hath left with his Church This is the meaning of that in Mat. 18. 1 Cor. 5. and that in 1 Tim. 1. 20. upon which now I shall not enlarge But which way soever God dealeth with thee O thou barren Fig-tree whether by himself immediatly or by his Church it amounts to one and the same For if timely Repentance prevent not The end of that Soul is damnation They are blasted and withered and gathered by Men God's Enemies and at last being cast into the Fire burning must be their end That which beareth Briars and Thorns is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. 8. And again sometimes by cut it down God means cast it out of the World Thus he cut down Nadab and Abihu when he burned them up with Fire from Heaven Numb 16. 31 32 33. Thus he cut down Corah Dathan and Abiram when he made the Earth to swallow them up Thus he cut down Saul 1 Sam. 31. 4. when he gave him up to fall upon the edg of his own Sword and died Thus he cut down Ananias with Saphira his Wife when he struck them down dead in the midst of the Congregation Acts 5. 5. 10. I might here also Discourse of Absolom Ahithophel and Judas who were all three hanged The first by God's revenging Hand the other were given up of God to be their own Executioners These were barren and unprofifitable Fig-trees such as God took no pleasure in therefore he commanded to cut them down The Psalmist saith Psal. 58. 9. He shall take them away as with a Whirl-wind both living and in his Wrath. Barren Fig-tree hearken God calls for the Ax his Sword bring it hither here is a barren Professor Cut him downn why cumbereth he the Ground Why cumbereth it the Ground By these words the Lord suggesteth Reasons of his Displeasure against the Barren Fig-tree It cumbereth the Ground The Holy Ghost doth not only take an Argument from its barrenness but because it is a Cumber-ground Therefore cut it down wherefore it must needs be a provocation 1. Because as much as in him lieth he disappointeth the Design of God in planting his Vineyard I looked that it should bring forth Fruit. 2. It hath also abused his Patience his 〈◊〉 suffering his three Years Patience 3. It hath also abused his Labour his Pains his Care and providence of Protection and Preservation for he hedges his Vineyard and walls it about Cumber-ground all these things thou abusest He waters his Vineyard and looks to it Night and Day but all these things thou hast abused Further. There are other Reasons of God's Displeasure As First A Cumber-ground is a very mock and reproach to Religion a mock and reproach to the Ways of God to the People of God to the Word of God and to the Name of Religion It is expected of all Hands that all the Trees in the Garden of God should be fruitful God expects Fruit the Church expects Fruit the World even the World conclude that Professors should be fruitful in good Works I say the very World expecteth that Professors should be better than themselves But barren Fig-tree thou disappointest all Nay Hast thou not learned the wicked Ones thy Ways Hast thou not learn'd them to be more wicked by thy Example but that 's by the by Barren Fig-tree Thou hast disappointed others and must be disappointed thy self Cut it down why cumbereth it the Ground Secondly The Barren Fig-tree takes up the room where a better Tree might stand I say it takes up the room it keeps so long as it stands where it doth a fruitful Tree out of that place and therefore it must be cut down Barren Fig-tree Dost thou hear Because the Jews stood fruitless in the Vineyard Therefore said God Mat. 21. 33-41 The Kingdom of Heaven shall be taken from you and shall be given to a Nation that shall render him their Fruits in their Season The Jews for their barrenness were cut down and more fruitful People put in their room As Samuel also said to barren Saul 1 Sam. 15. 28. The Lord hath rent the Kingdom from thee and hath given it to thy Neighbour that is better than thou the unprofitable Servant must be cast out must be cut down Mat. 25. 27. Cumber-ground How many hopeful â—nclinable forward People hast thou by thy fruitless and unprofitable Life kept out of the Vineyard of God for thy sake have the People stumbled at Religion By thy Life have they been kept from the Love of their own Salvation Thou hast been also a means of hardening others and of quenching and killing weak beginnings Well Barren Fig-tree look to thy self thou wilt not go to Heaven thy self and them that would thou hinderest Thou must not always Cumber the Ground nor always hinder the Salvation of others Thou shalt be Cut down and another shall be planted in thy room Thirdly The Cumber-ground is a Sucker 〈◊〉 draws away the Heart and Nourishment from the other Trees Were thâ— Cumber-ground cut down the other would be more fruitful he draws away that fatness of the Ground to himself thaâ— would make the other more hearty and fruitful One Sinner destroyeth much good Eccl. 9. 18. The Cumber-ground is a very Droan iâ— the Hive that eats up the Honey thaâ— that should feed the labouring Bee 〈◊〉 is a Thief in the Candle that wasteth the Tallow but giveth no Light he is thâ— unsavory Salt that is fit for nought bâ—â— the Dunghil Look to it Barren Fig-tree And he answering said unto him Lord lâ— it alone this Year also until I shall dâ— about it and dung it and if it beâ— Fruit well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it down vers 8 9. THese are the words
may yet be effectually awakened and saved but that Conscience that is seared dried as it were into a Cinder can never have sense feeling or the least regret in this World Barren Fig-tree hearken judicial hardening is dreadful There is a difference betwixt that hardness of Heart that is incident to all Men and that which comes upon some as a signal or special Judgment of God and although all kind of hardness of Heart in some sense may be called a Judgment yet to be hardened with this second kind is a Judgment peculiar only to them that perish an hardness that is sent as a punishment for the abuse of Light received for a reward of Apostacy This Judicial hardness is discovered from that which is incident to all Men in these Particulars 1. It is an hardness that comes after some great Light received Because of some great Sin committed against that Light and the Grace that gave it Such hardness as Pharaoh had after the Lord had wrought wonderously before him Such hardness as the Gentiles had a hardness which darkened the Heart a hardness which made their Minds reprobate This hardâ—ess is also the same with that the Hebrews are cautioned to beware of Heb. 3. 7 c. an hardness that is caused by Unbelief and a departing from the Living God and hardness compleated thro the deceitfulness of Sin Such as that in the Provocation of whom God sware that they should not enter into his Rest. 'T was this kind of hardness also that both Cain and Ishmael and Esau were hardened with after they had committed their great Transgressions 2. It is the greatest kind of Hardness and hence they are said to be Harder than a Rock Jer. 5. 3. or than an Adamant Zec. 7. 13. that is harder than Flint So hard that nothing can enter 3. It is an Hardness given in much anger and that to bind the Soul up in an impossibility of Repentance 4. It is an Hardness therefore which is incurable of which a Man must die and be damned Barren Professor hearken to this A Fourth Sign that such a Professor is quite past Grace is when he fortifies his hard Heart against the tenour of God's Word Job 9. 4 c. This is called hardening themselves against God and turning of the Spirit against him As thus When after a Profession of Faith in the Lord Jesus and of the Doctrine that is according to Godliness they shall embolden themselves in courses of Sin by promising themselves that they shall have Life and Salvation notwithstanding Barren Professor hearken to this This Man is called Deut. 29. 18. A Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood or a poisonful Herb such an one as is abominated of God yea the abhorred of his Soul For this Man saith v. 19 I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination or stubbornness of my Heart to add drunkeness to thirst an opinion flat against the whole Word of God yea against the very Nature of God himself Wherefore he adds Deut. 19. 20. Then the Anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoak against that Man and all the Curses that are written in God's Book shall lie upon him and God shall blot out his Name from under Heaven Yea that Man shall not fail to be effectually destroyed saith the Text 21. vers The Lord shall separate that Man unto evil out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the Curses of the Covenant He shall separate him unto Evil He shall give him up he shall leave him to his Heart he shall separate him to that or those that will assuredly be too hard for him Now this Judgment is much effected when God hath given a Man up unto Satan and hath given Satan leave without fail to compleat his destruction I say When God hath given Satan leave effectually to compleat his destruction For all that are delivered up unto Satan have not nor do not come to this End But that is the Man whom God shall separate to Evil and shall leave in the Hands of Satan to compleat without fall his Destruction Thus he served Ahab a Man that fold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord 1 Kin. 21. 25. And the Lord said Who shall perswade Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead And on said on this manner and another said on that manner And there came forth a Spirit and stood before the Lord and said I will perswade him 1 Kin. 22. 20 21 22. And the Lord said unto him Wherewith And he said I will go forth and be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets And he said Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also go forth and do so Thou shalt perswade him and prevail do thy Will I leave him in thy Hand Go forth and do so Wherefore in these Judgments the Lord doth much concern himself for the management thereof because of the Provocation wherewith they have provoked him This is the Man whose Ruine contriveth and bringeth to pass by his own contrivance I will chuse their delusions for them I will bring their fears upon them Isa. 66. 4. I will chuse their Devices or the Wickednesses that their Hearts are contriving of I even I will cause them to be accepted of and delightful to them But who are they that must thus be feared Why those among Professors that have chosen their own Ways those whose Soul delighteth in their Abominations Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness God shall send them It is a great word Yea God shall send them strong Delusions Delusions that shall do that shall make them believe a Lye Why so That they all might be damned every one of them who believe not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thess. 5 10 11 12. There is nothing more provoking to the Lord than for a Man to promise when God threatneth for a Man to be light of conceit that he shall be safe and yet to be more wicked than in former days This Man's Soul abhorreth the Truth of God no marvel therefore if God's Soul abhorreth him he hath invented a way contrary to God to bring about his own Salvation no marvel therefore if God invent a way to bring about this Man's Damnation And seeing that these Rebels are at this point We shall have peace God will see whose Word shall stand His or theirs A Fifth Sign of a Man being past Grace is When he shall at this scoff and inwardly grin and fret against the Lord secretly purposing to continue his course and put all to the venture despising the Messengers of the Lord. He that despised Moses ' s Law died without Mercy of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought