themselues to nothing but eating and drinking and all excesse till the floud came and swept them clean away This is cleare likewise by the example of Pharaoh Exod. 9.10 vpō whom all means were assaied for his conuersion for what could the Lord do vnto him that he did not He sent Moses and Aaron vnto him warning him from God to let the people of Israel go and to that end sent iudgement vpon iudgement one vpon the necke of another euen ten in number yet for all this Pharaoh chose rather to continue still in his owne way and would none of the Lords So true is that saying of Salomon Bray a foole in a mortar Pro. 27.22 yet will not his foolishnesse depart from him And no maruell for the spirit of slumber hath so couered their eyes that they cannot see and their hearts are so possest with spirituall fornication which makes them thus to goe a whooring from God euen haled with the fury of their owne affections snared of the Diuell and taken of him at his will Acts 7.51 Esay 63. Eze. 13.3 Oh miserable and vnhappy condition Fearefull is the woe that lies vpon all those that thus walk in their owne waies For most certaine it is that they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts so far as that they haue made choice of the Lords way howsoeuer many times they may stumble fall in walking therein But of the wicked it may truly be sayd of them the way of peace haue they not knowne Vse 2 We heard before that wee ought not to proceed so farre with any as to iudge of their finall estate and condition for that were to sit in Gods Chaire and to take his office vpon him Yet to say of some that they are in the state of damnation and vnlesse they repent shall perish for euer doubtlesse this is not vnlawfull for as loue bids mee not to determine too soone so not to be abused too late God bids me looke vpon the tree and iudge of the fruit I may say thou art in the state of damnation for I see thy heart through thy hand But whether thou shalt finally be damned there I leaue thee for God may haue mercy vpon thee vpon thy last repentance I may come to a tree and say Here is little fruit or Here is no fruit or Here is bad fruit but I cannot say Neuer fruit grow on it more But alas alas this is not all this is not al that wicked men are thus discouered to men but that the Lord wil find them out giue them their portion in the lake of fire And indeed this is that that ought to bee a terror to all the wicked and vngodly to consider that as their hearts are hardened and their consciences seared so the plagues and punishments of God attend vpon them If thou walke stubbornly against mee Leuit 26. and wilt not obey mee I will bring seuen times more plagues vpon thee according to thy sinnes Let vs all then as wee tender the saluation of our owne soules take heed vnto our paths that wee stand not in the way of sinners that wee sinne not with delight and deliberation it is the very brand of a reprobate and such a one as God hath forsaken Take heede therefore that there bee not in any of you an euill heart to depart from the liuing God And thus much for the first poynt of Doctrine that there is a way of sinners in which the wicked walke which leadeth vnto death The second point of doctrine that Doctr. 2. Godly man sins not with deliberation doth now offer it selfe to our consideration is this That a godly man doth not settle himself to liue as the wicked doe nor frames his life after his lewd example which is heere meant when the Prophet saith Hee doth not stand in the way of sinners Yea it is altogether impossible for a godly man and one that is truly regenerate to haue in him a full purpose to sin and to liue in sin with deliberation and to delight in the same For a purpose to liue in any knowne sin is a signe of a wicked man and a gracelesse heart as when a man is tolde of his sin of his ignorance and carelesnesse in Gods seruice praying hearing c. yet still he wil be carelesse and negligent in the same So when a man is reproued for his swearing yet still will sweare when a man is reproued for prophaning the Sabaoth yet will prophane it when a man is reproued for his vncleannesse drunkennes malice c. and yet for all that will continue in those sins Surely this purpose to stand in the way of sinners is a fearefull signe of a wicked man and is farre from a godly man and one that is truly sanctified which shall be blessed for euermore It was a cursed speech of a cursed wretch Exod. 5.12 I know not the Lord neyther will I let the children of Israel goe This was the case of those rebellious Iewes spoken of by Ieremy Ier. 44.16 we will not heare nor do but as we lust and as we haue done And this was that that made the case of Herod so fearefull Mar. 6.20 that notwitstanding hee heard Iohn Baptist willingly and did many things at his request all which were good things in him yet for all that hee would not leaue his adultery but continue in it which purpose to sinne of all things is farre from a godly man 1. Ioh. 3.9 as Saint Iohn saith Hee that is borne of God sinneth not that is with whole consent but in part and man being partly flesh and partly spirit as he is regenerate sinne proceedes not from him but as he is flesh As for the wicked it is not so with them for it is meate and drinke to a wicked man to doe the workes of the Diuell It is worth euen our best consideration what is sayd of the Apostle Paul that hee once Breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord. Acts 9.1 But when was this Euen in the time of his ignorance but afterwards hee preached the same Gospell which before hee persecuted and laboured euer after all the dayes of his life to build vp the Church of God which before hee laboured to pull downe And this appeares in Dauid in Peter Luke 7. in Mary Magdalen c. who after they had once escaped the snares of the Diuel dedicated euer after their whole life to the seruice of GOD. This exhortation doth the Apostle giue to the Ephesians Col. 3 7. Ephes 5.8 Yee were once darknesse but now are light in the Lord walke as children of the light By these and the like examples it doth appeare that the godly stand not in the way of sinners that is take no liberty to themselues to liue in the custome and practise of any knowne sin This may serue in the first place
cut off before it can bee remoued So fareth it with man this Heauenly Plant the Lords Husbandmen which are his Ministers they must bring the Axe of Gods Word and lay the same to the root of our consciences and wee must haue many an vnprofitable sprout of nature cut off before wee can be taken out of nature and ingrafted into Iesus Christ the rootes that is thy affections that haue taken such deepe rooting into thy profits into thy pleasures and the like All these must bee cut off before thou canst be planted into Christ Doctr. 3. All men that are not ingrafted into IESVS CHRIST are miserable Hence marke in that the Prophet Dauid compares a godly man thus to a Tree not wilde but Planted and that by the Riuers of water and that this is a signe of our insition or ingrafting into CHRIST his Mysticall Body whereby we are made Members of the same Hence I say we are taught that all men out of CHRIST are miserable onely they be blessed that be vnited vnto IESVS CHRIST and ingrafted into his mysticall body Our Sauiour speaketh of this when hee compares his Father to a Husbandman himselfe to a Vine and all of vs to Branches Now hee shewes that those that bee not ingrafted into him that they bee but dead and withered boughes and therefore they must bee burned in the fire We are all by nature wilde Oliues Ioh. 15.1.2 Rom. 11. that bring forth nothing but sowre and vnsauoury fruit till wee bee transplanted by the Spirit of God and ingrafted into the sweet Oliue Iesus Christ Wee see this plaine by common experience take a sciene from a Tree and vnlesse it bee ingrafted into another Stocke it will die and neuer beare fruite So vnlesse wee bee grafted into Iesus Christ by faith Ephe. 2.1.2.3 Iohn 5.6 Iohn 8.35 Rom. 3.13 Eph. 4.18 and the Spirit of God wee must needs wither and come to nothing but proue fewell for the fire of Gods vengeance And Paul shewing the estate of all men by Nature out of Christ saith that wee are all dead in trespasses and sinnes The children of wrath Ioh. 3.3.5 1. Cor. 4.4 2. Tim. 2.26 Ioh. 8.33 yea the very vassals of the deuill and limbes of Sathan heires GODS vengeance and eternall damnation wee are without GOD in the world strangers from the common-weale of Israel in a cursed and damnable estate Vnlesse a man bee borne anew hee can neuer enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Yea the Deuill is called the God of this world because all men by Nature are his vassals and slaues hee reignes and rules in them Rom. 7.23 Exod. 1.11 Colos 2.3 Wee are in the deuils clawes and taken in his snares to do his will This is the common slauery of all high low rich poore noble and simple Let men boast neuer so much in outward respects as sometimes the Iewes did wee were neuer bound to any yet vntill the Sonne of Righteousnes Christ Iesus doe make them free this is their captiuitie We reade in what an intollerable bondage the people of Israel were in in Egypt vnder Pharoah But it can no way figure out vnto vs the miserable slauery and bondage that euery man is in vnder the spirituall Pharaoh Sathan for heere the soule the will the affection and all are captiued and held in his snares To doe his will The vse hereof may serue to humble Vse 1 vs and to cause the lofty to strike saile which ioy so much in outward things riches honour beauty strength authority c. Alas what of all these when in the meane time thou thy selfe art but a slaue vnto sinne and sathan a dead and withered Tree reserued for the fire of GODS wrath eternal death is thy surest inheritance If thou hast thy right what canst thou expect but the fire of hell It is Natures desert and that which Nature doth aime at Why art thou then O man so secure when thy sinnes haue cast thee into such a dismall estate Oh let vs labour to come out of it let vs not suffer our eyes to sleepe nor our eye-lids to slumber till wee haue got the assurance that wee are taken out of the state of Nature into the state of Grace and to be by faith ingrafted into this true Stock Christ Iesus Vse 2 Secondly this shewes that all those that liue and die in the estate of Nature vnregenerate not borne anew not ingrafted into Iesus Christ must needs perish and bee damned for euer The Apostle shewes that all men by Nature bee starke dead in trespasses and sinnes Ioh. 3.3 5. Eph. 2.1.2.2 and that all by Nature are the children of wrath as well as others high low rich and poore old yong learned and vnlearned This is that our Sauiour saith Vnlesse yee repent yee shall all perish Luke 13.5 And againe If any man abide not in Mee hee is cast off as a withered branch Iohn 15.6 and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they burne Oh! how should this admonish all men to look about them It is wonderfull to see how men go on from day to day securely in their sinnes and neither thinke of heauen nor hell but perseuer and continue in their ignorance vnbeliefe and hardnesse of heart in swearing contempt of the Word prophaning the Sabboth in lying stealing adultery c. Psalm 50. O consider this yee that forget GOD Oh consider the woefull and fearefull estate of all such as liue and die out of Christ in the estate of nature they must needs perish and for euer bee damned Oh thinke of this and the LORD giue thee vnderstanding in all things that euery day thou risest thou art in danger to loose thy owne soule and therefore lay this doctrine to heart and know that it is not good to dally in such points God will not bee mocked And therefore now beginne to repent and turne vnto God while it is called to day Deferre no longer but repent and seeke to bee reconciled to God while it is called to day The second part of this doctrine is that as all those that bee out of Christ are miserable and cursed and if they liue and die in the state of Doctr. 4. Onely the regenerate man is happy blessed Nature cannot bee saued So on the other side all those that are Regenerate and borne anew that bee ingrafted into Iesus Christ by Faith and the Spirit of God so as they be the true and liuely Members of Christ his Mysticall Body they are blessed and happy Now that these are blessed it may appeare in that blessed prayer Christ made a little before his passion Hee begs this at his Fathers hand Iohn 17. That all the Elect might bee one in Him and Hee in them And this Hee begs often and earnest vnto his Father for which shewes that it is a matter of endlesse moment and great importance Now that such as be one with
bad we proue fewell for the fire A man hauing a tree in his Orchard if it bring forth nothing but leaues he will cut it and prune it and dung it but if after all this cost and labor it remaine still barren hee will then hew it downe as good for nothing but fewell for the fire Hereby wee may see how God will deale with vs Wee bee all Trees here planted in the Lords orchard he doth water vs with the preaching of the Word hee cuts vs and prunes vs. Esay 5. Luk. 8.4.5 Now if after much cost and labour wee shall remaine barren still if the Lord come three or foure yeares and still no fruite will be found Hee will then bethinke him to stub vs vp that wee couer not the ground So by Sowing of corne into the ground to mainetaine mans life our Sauiour leades vs to consider of another thing for as the Sower casts his Seede abroad into sundry sortes of ground and they according to their nature bring forth fruit accordingly Euen so the Minister of the Word scatters and sowes the seede of Gods word into the ground of mens hearts and as they be prepared so they bring forth fruit So by a Weauers shuttle wee see the shortnesse of mans life gone in a moment Dost thou see how the winde driues the chaffe and dust of the earth about giuing it no rest vntill it be cleane dispersed away Oh! consider then how the curse of God shal follow and torment the wicked Verse 4. of this psalm and neuer let their soules be at rest till it consume them Dost thou lie downe into thy bed euery night oh remember that thou must shortly lie downe in thy graue be couered with dust and therefore prepare to die in the Lord. Dost thou see the beautifull grasse and hearbs of the earth cut downe and wither away Esay 60. so thy beauty and riches shall fade and perish When thou seest a stinking carion there behold a picture of thine owne selfe for no carion is so loathsome to man as a rebellious sinner to God Dost thou put on thy cloths to couer thy nakednesse Oh labour for the precious robes of Christs righteousnesse That thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare Reue. 3.18 Dost thou but wash thy hands in water oh labour for the bloud of Iesus Christ to wash away the spots of thy sins Psal 51.15 Dost thou but sit downe to eate and to drinke to nourish thy body without which it could not liue Oh consider that thy soule doth much more stand in need of the bread of Life the food of thy soule Dost thou see sometimes brimstone burning oh consider and quake for feare of the dreadfull iudgement of God vpon Sodome and Gomer that were burned with fire and brimstone and how all sinners shall haue their portion in the Lake of fire and brimstone Gen. 19. Dost thou but take a booke into thy hand and open it leafe by leafe Oh consider that the time will come when the Bookes of thy conscience shall be opened Reu. 20. wherein all thy sinnes are written one by one and thou shalt then receiue according to thy workes And thus wee see that of all the creatures of God there is a double vse to be made of them The one Naturall the other Spirituall one Temporall the other Eternall Hee shall bee like a Tree planted by the Riuers of water THIS part of the similitude doth signifie vnto vs our implanting and ingrafting into IESVS CHRIST his Mysticall Body by the worke of GODS Spirit and by the meanes of a true and liuely Faith This word Planted it is a Metaphoricall speech and borrowed from the practise of Husbandmen who first take vp their plants out of the nurcery or place where they first spring vp and then Plant them in the Orchard or Vineyard So fareth it with man this Heauenly Plant. And the comparison holds good in diuers things First for the circumstance of time when the plants of the earth are thus remoued and that not vsually in Sommer when the heate of the yeare is vp and the sap is gone vp into the plant but in the winter time this is vsually to bee seene for the most part Euen so the time in the which the godly man is planted it is in the winter time that is the time of sorrow and sore affliction not in the Sommer of peace when all things outwardly may seeme to go well with a man he saith peace peace but when God doth giue vnto a man the sight of his sinne and lets him see the reward of sin euen eternall death Oh Rom. 6. when a mans sins doe thus muster themselues before vs and against vs Oh this winter time this time of affliction and sorrow now is the season of the remouing of this heauenly Plant Man Secondly as a Plant is remoued not when it is fruitfull but remoued to that end it may be fruiefull So fareth it with man this Mysticall Tree Wee are not fruitfull by nature before such time as we are planted and ingrafted into Iesus Christ for till then wee bring forth nothing but bitter and vnsauory fruite but wee are planted to that end we may bee fruitfull and being once in Christ we shall then as liuing Plants of that liuely Stock bring forth fruit incontinently In particularly this Planting hath in it two things 1 Plucking vp 2 Setting downe The plucking vp shadowes out vnto vs three things in the conuersion of a sinner First our separation from the world hee cannot be in Christ that hath his rooting still in the earth amongst the men of the world and therefore as wee haue heard before wee must be carefull that wee walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the sconnefull They are as so many noysome shrubs that will be ready to fret the tender Plants of the Lord and to annoy them and therefore wee must bee remoued from amongst them that is must haue no secret society with them Secondly it signifies our deliuerance from the power of originall sinne thus For as a Plant once remoued receiues no more iuice nor nourishment from the old earth from which it is remoued but from that soyle into the which it is planted So fareth it with this heauenly Plant being regenerate and ingrafted into Iesus Christ there will follow such a change of will affection vnderstanding and the like faculties of soule and body that whereas before they were altogether earthly carnall and vaine so now they minde heauenly things being sanctified by the Spirit of Grace and the power of Nature Rom. 6. that is that old sap of sinne being done away Thirdly it signifies a Christian mans sorow for sinne for as no Plant can bee remoued from one place to another but the axe and other instrument of the Husbandman must bee laid vnto it and many a roote must bee