Church and purge his Saints from all their inward Filth and Corruption He would have no Chaff there none that are false-hearted and unsound such he will first or last purge out and he will make them that are good to be much better more clean more holy more pure he will purge out the chaff of Hypocrisie Unbelief Pride Passion Covetousness Vain Glory Carnality and all manner of Corruption whatsoever that is in them he sets as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver and he will throughly purge away their Dross and take away all their Tin The time draws near in which the sinners in Zion shall be afraid fearfulness shall surprise the Hypocrites Who amongst us shall dwell with devouring fire who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting Burnings 4. Doct. All true Believers or all Christs Wheat shall be saved shall be received into Heaven or be gathered into his glorious Garner above and into which place no wicked person no false-hearted professor no hypocrite no carnal and self-deceived Gospeller shall come Though some of this sort get into the Church militant they shall not get into the Church triumphant tho' they may get a seeming place in his Garner below yet they shall have no place in his glorious Barn or Garner above Sirs you that seem to take delight in the Company of the Saints and seem to feed and lie down with Christs sheep yet know you shall one day be separated as Goats from the Sheep as foolish Virgins from the wise as Chaff from the Wheat and as Dross from the Gold all you that are not sincere must go to your place and those that shall be set at Christs right hand shall receive the Kingdom prepared for them and all that shall be on his left hand must go into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Doct. 5. A discriminating day will come a day of severing the good from the bad c. Doct. 6. That the Wrath of God is like fire 't is intollerable or the misery and torments of the damned or of all hypocrites and unbelievers will be dismal and amazing or there 's no expressing how fearful their condition is and will be who fall under the vindictive Wrath and Vengance of an angry God I purpose to speak unto one or two of these Propositions but at present I shall close with a word or two by way of Use The Application 1. Caution Take heed you are not Chaff or prove not chaff when the Fanner comes to fan you O see you are not loose carnal and empty Professors if you have only a form of Godliness the Name of Christ only or Lamps and no more sad will it be with you if you are not solid weighty and ponderous Christians if you experience not the divine power of Godliness the Sin-killing the Soul-quickning the Heart-transforming and God-exalting power of Christs Spirit you are undone Take a few Motives to stir you up to take heed 1. The Fanner is coming with his fan in his hand A Providence may be near yea such a providence and dispensation which you little think or dream of I might have shewed you that the whole Earth is but Christs common floor and he is now about to fan this mighty floor he hath many fans to do this What are his fearful Judgments but as a fan in his hand whether it be War Pestilence or Famine or other strange Judgment 't is and will be but as a fan to purge the Earth and consume the ungodly or blow them away as Chaff What amazing Earthquakes have there been lately in divers places have not we in England in London felt some of it as well as most Nations in Europe tho' not like to that in Jamaica and some other places are not these fearful Tokens and Signs of Gods Wrath and Indignation are they not Harbingers and Presages of what is coming upon the World and of the end thereof Look to it there is great Wrath at the door I am afraid thousands will be suddenly surprized and paleness of face take hold of them God is certainly abnout to shake and Toss the Earth too and fro the seven Viols of his Wrath will quickly now begin to be poured out Expect all of you to be toss'd and fan'd as wheat and chaff is tossed and shook together The lion hath roared who will not fear the Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie there is a worser Earthquake near as the wicked shall find it yea such an Earthquake that will make all their hearts to tremble which will shake down the foundations of Mystery Babylon and all false States it will be such a one that never was since the World began these which have been of late may be but Signs and forerunners of that In the Earthquake which is near the tenth part of the great City shall fall and seven thousand of the names of men or names given to religious men that were never given to them by Jesus Christ meer Antichristian names shall be no more strange will be the effects of it no doubt O what will you do in the day of Gods Wrath if ye are Chaff or but counterfeit Christians if not sincere if not in Christ thou shalt be visited of the Lord with Earthquakes and a great noise c. Great Changes Commotions Mutations and Revolutions will suddenly come from the Lord of Hosts He will make the earth empty and turn it upside down and it shall be as with the people so with the priest He will fan shake and tumble the People together you will find Distress of Nations and Perplexity with a witness in a short time nay no doubt but the day of Judgment and End of the World or Coming of Christ is very near for he hath foretold as Signs thereof that there shall be great Earthquakes in divers places 2. If you be Chaff among the Wheat you spoil the Beauty and glory of the Wheat you bring a reproach upon the Saints and upon the Church the ways of God are evil spoken of thro' your means your Pride your Covetousness your Back-biting and detracting Tongue and Unjust Dealing hinders the propagation of the Gospel your formality deadness slighting and neglecting of the Worship of God and want of Zeal and Love to Christ and to his people hath bitter effects on the unbelieving World as well as it will have on your own Souls 3. If you are Chaff you shall e're long be separated or severed from the Wheat There is a time near that that will discover all and make a full discrimination between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth the Lord and him that serveth him not There shall not e're long be a Cannanite in the House of God any more 4. Nay and remember my Text The Chaff shall be burned with unquenchable fire into Hell at last all false-hearted light and loose Professors shall be thrown O Take
And because it is mainly from this Foot of account that the Apostle in the Text draws his Inference and calls Gospe-Salvation Great Salvation I shall a little further enlarge upon this particular 1. Jesus Christ hath a great Name given to him yea a Name above every Name that is he is so highly exalted as he is Mediator that he is clothed with Power Glory and Majesty above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth so that all in Heaven above and in Earth beneath must bow down before him and adore and worship him and be in subjection to him For unto us a Child is born a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulders And his Name shall be called Wonderful c. This his Name is according to his Person he is a wonderful or an admirable Person Wonderful in his Incarnation God man Wonderful in his Birth Wonderful in his Life Wonderful in his Death and in the Effects End and Design of his Death he is not only called Wonderful but also Counsellor Never such a Counsellor for Wisdom and Knowledg for he is the Wisdom of God it self and the only Wise God He is called the Mighty God the Everlasting Father or the Father of Eternity and the Prince of Peace Moreover he is called Immanuel God with us God in our Nature and also called the only begotten Son of God and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the only Potentate he is called the Desire of all Nations Elect Precious And he is made so much better than the Angels as he hath by Inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they for unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this Day have I begotten thee He is called the one Mediator time would fail me to speak of all his Names And 2. As is his Name such is his Nature He is God's Fellow he is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father he thought it not robbery to be equal with God O what a kind of Salvation must this be that such a Person is sent to work it out One clothed with such a Name with such a Nature with such Glory He is called a Saviour a great One He shall that is God shall send them a Saviour a great One and he shall deliver them He as he is God-Man is ordained Heir of all Things and all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to him nay he is the Upholder the Sustainer or Preserver of the World he is not only the Brightness of the Father's Glory and express Image of his Person but he upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power He is one and the same God with the Father the express Character of the Father's Pérson so that they that see and know him see and know the Father also He supports sustains feeds preserves governs throws down and raises up kills and makes alive whom he will he has the Keys of Hell and Death He is the Wonder of Angels the Consternation and Dread of Devils and the Joy and Delight of the Saints there is not such another Person in Heaven nor Earth perfect God and perfect Man and yet but one Christ one Person certainly here 's some great and wonderful Work to be done when such a Person is substituted ordained and so qualified and sent into the World to work out the actual Accomplishment thereof Nay God himself who delighteth in him put the Prophet to propound this Question concerning him Who is this that cometh from Edom with died Garments from Bozrah this that is glorious in his Apparel travelling in the greatness of his Strength Christ himself as I conceive answers I that speak in Righteousness mighty to save O happy Mortals that God hath sent us such a Saviour he is mighty to save 3. Consider also that none but he could save us procure and work about this Salvation for us There was none in Heaven nor Earth able nor worthy to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof but the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he hath prevailed 4. Jesus Christ is such an Almighty Saviour that he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him He has the Perfection of Power with him he can save to the full let the State of the Soul that comes to God by him be whatsoever it will or can be 1. Though a Man is sunk down to the very Gates of Hell under the pressure and sense of God's Wrath. 2. Though he hath the Guilt of Millions of Sins like Mountains of Lead lying upon him yet Christ can save him 3. Though Satan says there is no Hope and the Heart of the Sinner joins in with him and says there is no Hope no Pardon no Help no Salvation hang thy self drown thy self saith Satan thou art damn'd there is no Mercy for thee yet Christ can then save that poor Soul and many such he hath saved when but a little before all hope of Relief seemed to be gone 4. Though the Devil should raise up all the Force and Powers of Hell and Darkness against a Person to destroy him yet Jesus Christ can save him if he will work upon the Soul by stretching forth his Almighty Power nothing can obstruct or hinder him 5. Christ can save from the Sin from the Guilt the Filth and Power of it and break into pieces all the Bonds Chains and Fetters of the Enemy nay let the Sins of a Person be never so many never so great yet he can save to the uttermost though they are such Sinners as Manasseh and Mary Magdalen were nay such that put to death by wicked Hands the Lord of Life and Glory 't is as easy with him to save great Sinners as the least or less guilty Ones he can save the stout-hearted such who are far from Righteousness 6. He can save from the Curse of the Law and from the Wrath of God he is every ways furnished fitted and enabled to save 7. He is a Mighty Saviour and able to save to the uttermost in that he can save by himself alone by his own Power it is not if we will begin the Work if we will do what we can he can and will save us no but he takes the whole Work of Salvation into his own Hand he is the Author and Finisher of it 't is he alone 7. Moreover Christ is as willing to save poor lost and undone Sinners as he is able he had his Name given to this end i. e. because of his Power willingness and readiness to save Sinners Brethren this doth not only bespeak this to be a great Salvation but also it discovers the greatness of God's Love even the greatest Pity Power and Wisdom that ever was manifested Thirdly The third Person that is concerned in this Salvation is the Holy Ghost The Father chuses the Son
in my flesh this Chaff cleaves to all Christs Wheat 6. Wheat is of prime and chiefest use of it excellent things are made as Meat for Princes So the Lords faithful People are of chief use in Gods hand of all others the Lips of the Righteous feed many 7. That Nation that abounds with the finest Wheat is esteemed a choice Land a happy Nation So likewise that Kingdom and Nation in which are abundance of godly Christians it is a happy Kingdom a blessed Nation because such are the common Interest of the Land or Place where they dwell they are called the Pillers of the Earth 8. Wheat is Threshed with the flail to sever it from the straw and chaff by the Husbandman so God to sever the Wheat i. e. the godly from the chaffy Professor and free them of the Filth and Corruption of their own hearts brings his flail of Affliction and Persecution upon them 9. Wheat is also fanned to cleanse it and it is to be noted that the fan in the Hand of the Husbandman tosses up the Wheat and Chaff together and then he shakes it to and fro this way and that way on his knees So the Lord Jesus with his spiritual Fan tosses the Godly and Hypocritical Professor by the same Afflictions Trials Persecutions and Tempations And O what hurryings tossings and Tumblings to and fro in their Spirits have some Christians met with in the late times and still daily meet withal they have their ups and downs this Affliction and the other Temptation this Loss and the other Cross But yet nevertheless they are not tost out or blown away by the fan but evident it is the Chaff is hereby purged out while Christs Wheat is refined they abide fanning as I hinted before but so doth not the Carnal and light Professor They are offended through this means as our Saviour shews and are ready to say with that wicked man of old this Evil is of the Lord why should I wait upon him any longer Believers know God doth it not for his Pleasure but for their Profit that they might be partakers of his Holiness Hence it is said that they endure Chastening and faint not when they are rebuked of the Lord. Quest 5. What is intended by Christ's Garner I answer Christ hath a twofold garner First His Church is his garner 1. A Garner is prepared on purpose to retain and safely to secure the Wheat in a heap together where it is carefully to be look'd after So is the Church of God appointed and prepared to receive and secure his faithful People together 't is not built for Chaff nor Tares and great care and pains is required of Christs servants in looking to and taking care of his Spiritual Wheat in his Church 2. Yet through the Negligence or want of Wisdom in the Servants oft-times some Chaff is brought into the Garner with the Wheat which when the Husbandman see 's it by viewing his Grain he is Troubled at his servant see saith he what abundance of Chaff you have brought in with the Wheat which spoils the beauty of it to such a degree that it does not seem to be near so good as indeed it is So it is here for want of Care or through weakness or want of Knowledge in Christs Ministers and Servants in discerning who are sincere Christians and who are not Many unsound and Chaffy Professors are let into the Church or Churches of Jesus Christ which is displeasing unto him because they spoil the Beauty and Glory thereof and cause many to reproach his faithful ones as it also renders them in the sight of the Carnal World not to be the People which indeed they are 3. The Husbandman therefore causes the Wheat in his Garner to be fanned again to clear it of the Chaff that is got in amongst it so Christ with the Fan of Persecution often times fans his People to purge out the loose and prophane from among them Secondly By the Garner is meant Heaven it self into which all the Elect shall be put at the last day and into this Garner shall none come but pure Wheat And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or that maketh a Lye but they which are written in the Lambs book of Life 6ly And lastly What is meant by burning up the Chaff with unquenchable fire Answ I answer by burning up the Chaff with unquenchable fire is meant the direful Wrath of God which sometimes seizeth on ungodly persons in this world and shall eternally take hold of all the Chaff in the world to come The Wrath of God is often compared to fire in the Scripture There went up a smoke out of his nostrils and a fire out of his mouth devoured Coals were kindled by it So in another place it is said A fire goeth before him c. Shall thy wrath burn like fire Psa 89. 46. His fury is poured out like fire and the Rocks are thrown down by him 1. Fire is a terrible and most amazing Element especially when it breaks forth like a masterless Enemy and none can stop it So is the Wrath of God very terrible when he poureth it forth in his greatest fury O what a frightful Cry doth a dreadful Fire that breaks out in a Town or City cause what wringing of hands Men tremble Women miscarry oft-times Children screech out it frightens the very Fowls of the Air and Beasts of the Earth and turns all Faces into Paleness how amazing was the flames of Sodom and how terrible is the burning of Monnt Aetna the Wrath of God when it furiously breaketh forth upon a People and Nation or particular Person causeth dreadful horror it maketh the stoutest heart to quake and the strongest hands feeble At his wrath the earth shall tremble and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation His fury is poured out like fire and the Mountains are thrown down before him Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day when I contend with thee Who can stand before his indignation O how will the wicked fly into holes quiver like a leaf and cry to the Rocks and Mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 2. Fire breaks out sometimes very suddenly when none think of it but all are as they judge safe and secure yet in a moment how are they surprized when nothing but the horror and cry of fire fire fire is heard in their ears So Gods Wrath like a dreadful and an unexpected fire breaks out sometimes suddenly upon the ungodly How surprizing were the flames of Sodom and the amazing hand-writing on Belshazars wall when he was drinking Wine in Bowls immediately the Kings countenance was changed and he was troubled in his thoughts so that the joynts of his
and art tost up and down with Temptations Trials and Afflictions Know that his Design is wholly herein for thy good it is but to purge out thy Chaff that thou as pure white Wheat may'st shine the more bright and clear in Grace and Gospel-Holiness for Sin and Corruption spoils thy Beauty to all that behold thee No Doctrine tends to promote Gospel Holiness like the Doctrine of Gods Free-Grace Shall we sin because grace hath abounded God forbid 2. O what a Mercy of Mercies it is that Gods Wrath is appeased towards you Christs Blood has quenched this dreadful fire as to you who believe and indeed nothing else could do it O bless God for Christ and for that River of Water which proceeds from him to the extinguishing this flaming Fire he hath born it and allay'd it nay quite put it out so that you shall never feel the burning or tormenting Nature thereof 3. Thou shalt at last whosoever thou art if sincere if Wheat be gathered into his Garner viz. into Heaven it self for Christ will not lose one grain of his spiritual Wheat not one Sheep of his shall perish He that has begun that good work in thee will perform it to the day of Christ He will gather his wheat into his Garner but the Chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire So much for this time MATTH III. 12. Whose Fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor and gather the Wheat into his Garner but the Chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire BEloved I have gone through the several Terms of the Text by way of Explaination and have taken Notice of several Propositions or Points of Doctrine that naturally arise therefrom I purpose only to prosecute but one of them namely the 6 th and last viz. Doct. That the Wrath of God is like Fire 't is intollerable or the Misery and Torment of the Damned will be dismal and amazing there 's no expressing how fearful their condition is and will be who fall under the vindictive Wrath and Vengeance of an angry God I shall only do three things 1. Further open the Nature of Gods Wrath. 2. Prove and demonstrate the Truth of the Proposition 3. Improve it by way of Application And to proceed it is necessary to note to you in the first place as I before hinted that the Wrath of God may be considered under a twofold Consideration As it is manifested 1. Internally or Externally taking hold of and seizing upon some ungodly persons here whilst in this World 2. As it is Eternal seizing on and taking hold of all undone and lost Sinners hereafter Sin is the cause of Gods Wrath and Vengance both of that which is felt here and shall eternally be felt and undergone hereafter the word as the learned note which is translated Wrath comes from a Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies heat or to be hot and hence 't is compared to fire an angry Man we say is a fiery Man a Man that hath much fire or fury in him the Wrath of man is hot but the Wrath of God is much hotter Because there is Wrath beware Sirs there is Wrath in the Heart of God against Sinners there his anger is kindled there is Wrath also in his Decree and in his Threatnings his Wrath continues on all Unbelievers He that believeth not the Wrath of God abideth upon him Tho' many of them do not feel it they have not the sense of it but shall have one day yet there are some that God lets out his Wrath upon to such a degree here that they do feel it and cry out under the sense and horror thereof in a fearful manner Secondly The Wrath of God as it is compared unto fire is oft-times let out to consume men in divers respects 1. Sometimes by Poverty as by a flame he consumes in a secret way their outward substance there is a Curse upon their estates which dries up their Riches in which they Trusted and set their Hearts upon forgetting God their Maker their Chief Good and Last End 2. Sometimes he Consumes their Honour Reputation and Credit they falling by their Iniquity into disgrace after they have made a Profession of Religion and have been in the Love and Esteem of good Men. 3. Sometimes also by Sickness as by a flame he consumes their Health and thus he threatned the People of Israel The Lord shall smite thee with a Consumption and with a Feaver and with an Inflamation and with extream Burning 4. Also his Wrath oftentimes breaks out like fire on some Men by suddain Death in a strange and unusual manner as in the case of Lots Wife and of Nadab and Abihu and there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord. This was so amazing that Moses said unto Aron and unto Eleazor and unto Jâ—hamar Vncover not your heads neither rend your cloaths least ye die and least Wrath come upon all the People but let your brethren the whole house of Israel bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled Open not your Mouths as if he should say shew no such sorrow as at other times for God is Just and he hath let out his deserved Wrath against these young Men least you should seem to Justifie them and shew a dislike of God's token of Divine dispeasure 5. Moreover God many times le ts out his Wrath by War and the Sword consumes and devours much people As also by Famine and by the Pestilence The Wrath of God as it is let out in this World is as a drying scorching and devouring fire The flame of Gods Displeasure puts all into a flame as at this day all the Earth seems to be on a fire God is now a burning up and consuming the Nations Therefore he hath poured upon him speaking of Jacob the fury of his anger and the strength of Battel and it hath set him on 〈◊〉 round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart War consumes the Riches the Wealth the Strength the Food and Bread of the Nation as well as the People but it is not laid to heart He teareth me saith Job in his Wrath The Hebrew Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mr. Caryl Notes is near in sound to our English Tear and it signifieth to Tear as a Lyon his prey Wrath is of a Tearing and devouring Nature God sometimes in his Wrath Tears in pieces the Bodies of Men he tears their Power their Riches and consumes their Beauty and turns all as it were to Ashes and thus he will pour out his Wrath on Babylon and she shall be burned with fire 6. The Wrath of God also Seizeth on the Souls of some men whilest they are in this World as when they are left or given up unto hardness of Heart Vnbelief and blindness of Mind indeed this is most