make a reparation for the loss of a Christ the loss of Heaven and loss of your own souls Take two or three Directions 1. Seek the Kingdom of Heaven first before all things 2. Take notice this is the day of your Visitation know now the things that belong to your peace before they are hid from your Eyes Behold now is the accepted time c. 3. Close with Christ whilst the Spirit strives with thee and before Conscience is seared or let out against thee to tear thee into pieces 4. Attend carefully upon the means of Grace and know assuredly that the Wages of Sin is eternal Death even everlasting burnings therefore renounce it with the greatest abhorrence know all the Pleasures and Honours of this Life are but the Elements of carnal felicity and according to the Judgment of Reason and sense would any one chuse the enjoyment of the greatest Pleasures for a day and afterwards be satisfied to suffer the most exquisite Torments for a year much more folly and madness it is for momentary brutish delights to incurr the fiery Indignation of God for ever 1. One word to you that are Believers and I have done O bless God for Jesus Christ who has born the wrath of God for you and in your stead that you might never feel the bitterâ—y is of it even Jesus who delivered us from wrath to come 2. Admire the distinguishing Grace and special Love of God We love him because he first loved us It was his Love that overcame you The meer fear of Hell is not sufficient to Convert the Souls of men tho' it may stop them in their way and prevent great Abominations in the gross acts thereof yet does not cannot renew their Nature regenerate and make holy their hearts and lives that Religion that is the meer effect of fear will be according to the nature of its principle even legal wavering and inconstant yet the fear of Hell may awaken the sinner and in some sence prepare for Grace When the Soul is stormed by the terror of Wrath and the fear of Hell has made a breach Divine Grace enters but it is the Love of God and hopes of Heaven that works spiritual affections as the Obedience that flows therefrom is Evangelical free and voluntary from the entire consent of the Soul and are abiding 3. Be content with your Condition tho' poor in this World remember Lazarus how much better was his state than the Rich Glutton's O do not envy the wicked that are Rich they will pay dear for their Wealth when they come to Hell which they with greedy covetous minds heap up I remember a Passage which is related in History A General with an Army passing through another Princes Countrey gave strict Order that no Person should offer to touch the least thing which belong'd to the Inhabitants but nevertheless one Souldier as they were upon their March stole a Bunch of Grapes which the General being informed of gave Order that he should immediately be put to Death as he was going to Execution he tell a eating his Grapes and some Persons looking greedily on him he observing them said Do not envy me my Grapes for they cost me dear they cost me my Life 4. Let it appear to all that you do love Jesus Christ and preferr the honour of God and his interest above all things in this World let the main end and design of your Souls in desiring Grace Gifts Knowledge c. and in all you act and do in his Service be that you may advance his Glory Sirs the time is hear when it will be known who are Christs Wheat true Christians and who are not but let all that are but Chaff tremble for Hell is prepared for them He will gather the Wheat into his garner but the Chaffs he will burn up with unquenchable fire FINIS Sermon 1. Preacht Feb. 5. 1693. Parts opened Luk. 7. 28. Mal. 3. 1 2. Terms opened What meant by Floor John 15. 1. National floor opened Pro. 6. 32. Pro. 16. 18. Mat. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 18. Isa 42. 8. Jer. 10. 11. 1 Joh. 3. 10. Rom. 1. 28. 29. What is meant by Christ's Fan. John 15. 3. Act. 15. 9. Annatators Rom. 4. 5. Rom. 10. 3. Joh. 3 9. Joh. 6. 60. Joh. 6. 66. Joh. 6. 60. 66. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 5. 45. Tit. 3. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 20. Matth. 18. 17. Rom. 6. 17 18. 2 Thess 3. 6 14 15. Matth. â—8 2 Thess 3. 6. Matth. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Act. 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 1. Mat. 3. 3. Mat. 13. 20. 21. 〈…〉 12 10. Isa 27. 9. Isa 4. 4. Rom. 9. 6. Mat. 21. 29. Joh. 12. 13. Jer. 23. 28. Jer. 23. 28. Pro. 13. 5. Isa 43. 3 4. James 1. 26. Eccl. 10. 14. Mat. 12. 34. v. 35. v. 36. v. 37. Psa 15. 1. Mat. 12. 24. Jam. 1. 26. Antick Head-Dresses discovers the vanity of the Heart 1 Cor. 11. 10. Heb. 13. 9. Psa 111. 10 Sin is likened 10 Chaff Mat. 3. 3. Ger. 51 2. Chap. 4. 11. 12. Jer. 35. So Jer. 15. 7. Why the Saints are compared to Wheat Prov. 12 26. Psa 6. 3. Mat. 3. ult Eph. 3. 8. Rom. 7. 21. v. 19. 24. Mat. 13. 2 King 6. 33. Heb. 12. 10. The Church is Christs Spritual Garner Heaven is Christs Garner Rev. 21. 27. What meant by burning up the Chaff Psa 8. 8. Psa 97. 3. Nah. 1. 6. Jer. 10. 10. Nah. 1 6. Rev. 6. 16. Dan. 5. 5. 6. 1 Thess 3. 3. Psa 21. 9. 10. Heb. 12. ult Isa 2. 12 13 14 15 16 Zeph. 1. 18. Rom. 9. 22. Nah. 1. 10. Heb. 2. 12. Eph. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Isa 1. 25. Isa 33. 14. Math. 25. 41. The Wrath of God whether internal or external is intollerable Amos 3 8. Isa 29. 6. Isa 24. 1. Mat 2. 4. Mal. 3. ult 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. 1 Sam. 2. 3. Joh. 10. 28. Phil. 1. 6. Serm. II. Preached March 12. 1693. Gods Wrath opened Job 36. 18. Joh. 3. 36. External wrath opened Deut. 28. 22. Levit. 10. 1 2. vers 6 Isa 42. 25. Job 16. 9. Internal Wrath explained 1 Thes 1. 16. Internal wrath on the Consciences of Men opened See the Relation of him at large Sold by A. and J. Churchil at the black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row The Narrative concerning Mr. Child is Sold by Tho. Fabian at the Bible in Cheapside and worthy it is Reader of thy perusal The fire of Gods eternal wrath opened Mark 9. 43 44 45 46 47 48. Psa 90. 11. Tormens of Hell inconceivable Hells Torments according to the fear of them Heb. 10. 26. No pains like the pains of Hell Luk. 16. 24. No Ease no Comfort in Hell His Wrath without mixture Rev. 14. 10. 2 Thess 1. 9. Psa 80. 11. The damned cast into a laye of fire Isa 30. 33. Hell Torments can never satisfie Divine Justice Mat. 5. 26. The Torments of Hell seize on the Souls of the damned Body and Soul both shall be tormented in Hell Conscience will torment the damned Dan. 10. 2. Shame will torment the damned The Devil will upbraid the damned The sorrow and despair of the damned will be great The wicked in Hell shall have the frightful company of Devils Hell is a dark place Exod. 10. 21. Jude 13. Torments of the wicked Eternal Mark 9. 2 Thess 1. 8 9. Rom. 3. 5. 6. Rev. 16. 10. 11. Sin the greatest evil 2 Cor. 5 11. Jam. 5. 1 2 3. Mat. 25. 46. Mal. 4. 1 2. Rev. 21. 8. Isa 33. 14. Mat. 24. 51. Luk. 12. 45. Heb. 10. 27. Joh. 8. 24. Mark 16. 16. Heb. 6. 18. Joh. 3. 36. Psa 9. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Prov. 1. 26 27. Joh. 3. 16. Mat. 22. 7. Directions Comsort to Believers 1 Thess 1. 10.
but some amazing and fearful Judgments from the Lord unless a National Repentance and Reformation like that of Nineveh doth speedily prevent it Secondly There is another Heap that may be called Christs floor tho' not so big as the former and tho' they seem to be more refined yet if we consider them all together for they are too much divided amongst themselves what abundance of Chaff is there here also Are there not many amongst these as bad as others viz. People of ill and corrupt principles bitter and censorious Spirits and of scandalous lives What Malice Envy and Hatred do they discover one against another because of their differing Sentiments in and about some principles of Religion rendering their Brethren odious to the World Back-biting Reproaching and Scandalizing each other to the great dishonour of God and shame of their sacred profession one while charging and condemning the Innocent and yet acknowldege not their Evil and at another time striving to vindicate and clear such as are greatly guilty before God both which are abominable and hateful in his sight who will judge righteously and render to every man at last according to his Works Certainly there is sarcely a worse Sin than the Sin of Backbiting he that hates his Brother Robbing him of his good Name out of Malice and Envy is a Murtherer and no Murtherer hath eternal Life abiding in him 1 John 3. 17. such who are destitute of Christian Love and Charity or hate their Brethren clearly shew they act contrary to the divine Principle of Grace nay of Morality and so are void of that sacred Life Nature and Image of God For as love to the Bretheren is an Evidence of our being the Children of God so he that is possessed with Wrath Envy Malice and Hatred shews he is one of the Children of the wicked one who is called the Accuser of the Brethren Clear it is that this is a Diabolical Sin and renders such in whom it is found like to the Devil In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother Nay this great evil and wickedness is a sad sign that such are given up and left of God as not retaining God in their knowledge as the Apostle speaks of the Gentiles who when they arrived to some degree of knowledge of God yet did not glorifie him as God but violated his Law written in their Hearts Therefore 't is said that God gave them up to vile Affections and they were filled with all Unrighteousness Fornication Wickedness Covetousness Maliciousness full of Envy Murther Debate Deceit Malignity Whisperers Backbiters Despiteful Proud Boasters c. No doubt but that the Sin of Backbiting Wrath Malice and Envy is as bad if not worse than Fornication Swearing or Drunkenness and lamentable it is to see this Sin found among some who account themselves no small persons for Knowledge Zeal and Piety in these days But alas alas how sad and deplorable is their Condition and vain that profession they make of Religion let them repent of this their great wickedness and get a changed heart Moreover are there not in this floor others who are proud earthly carnal and covetous Persons they are called Nonconformists but 't is not so far as they ought from the Sins and Pollutions of this World they conform to them in their detestable fashions and covetous practices Do not many of them appear to love Sons and Daughters more than Christ or his sinking Interest they can lay out plentifully to feed and cloath their own Children whilst their bowels are shut up against the poor Members of Christ or Children of God they 'll spare more to gratifie the Pride and base Lusts of their Children than they will spare to supply the necessities of the poor Saints or to support the Interest of Christ and his Gospel Many pounds shall go for the first use when a Shilling is thought a great deal with some of them for the second they think nothing too much to enrich and uphold their own Families whilst the Family of God suffers want and the Cause of Christ languishes in their hands O how little does the power of Grace and true Godliness shine amongst this sort what formality and lukewarmness is there in these days amongst such who are called Saints and holy Brethren This it is true may be called Chirists Floor especially but abundance of Chaff no doubt will be found in it when the Fanner comes to fan it Look to it you Sinners in Sion Fearfulness will e're long surprize the Hipocrite Who among us shall dwell with devouring Fire who amongst us shall dwell with Everlasting Burning Isa 33. But so much as to what is meant by Christs Floor Quest 2. What is intended by the Fan Answ A Fan is a certain Instrument which the Husbandman uses to cleanse or purge his Corn from the Chaff evil Seeds and all filth whatsoever And this Instrument he holds in his hands and uses upon his Knees by which he tosses up the Wheat and Chaff together And then shakes it to and fro moving all at once by which a wind is made and the Chaff is blown away and the Wheat separated and purged from it Now John Baptist alludes to such an Instrument as this Quest But what is meant by Christs Fan in a spiritual sense what is signified hereby First I answer By Christs Fan is meant his Word his holy Gospel especially the Doctrine thereof 't is by this he cleanses and purges his floor Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you Now the unclean person the Traytor Judas is gone out from you Thro' my Word i. e. through my Doctrine you believing in me and receiving me by Faith for Righteousness and eternal Life 'T is said Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word Eph. 5. 26. Cleansing here imports the means by which it is wrought or the Instrument namely the Word of the Gospel especially the Promise of free Justification and Sanctification by Christ received thro' Faith which Baptism was a Sign or Symbol of see 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing ye have purified your selves in obeying the truth thro' the Spirit c. This was done in subjecting themselves to the Faith of the Gospel to which the purifying of the heart is ascribed principally in Justification whereby the guilt of Sin is purged away as appertaining to the conscience he alludes also to the sanctifying power and virtue of the holy Spirit Compare this with Psal 119. 9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way that is the way of his Heart and also the way of his Life The answer is By taking heed thereto according to thy Word that is let him take heed according to that holy doctrine taught and held forth in God's Word
Spirit The Spirit is called a Spirit of burning because like fire it burns up and consumes the Filth Chaff and Dross that is in us Before Trials and Persecution comes Christ seems to have a very great floor a great heap or much Corn but when he comes to try them with this fan in his hand one great part thereof is found meer Chaff and the wind drives it away So much shall suffice as to the Fan in Christs hand by which he purgeth his Floor Quest Thirdly what is meant by the Chaff Answ I answer the Chaff may be understood to be twofold 1. Men and Women who get into Gods Church or among his People but are not Wheat but vile Hypocrites pretending to be that which in truth they are not thus all that are of Israel are not Israel Tho' they bore his Name were called Jews called Saints yet were unsound at heart and graceless Souls or meer Chaff in Gods sight 2. By Chaff may also be intended Sin or that Filth and Corruption which cleaveth oft-times to the best of Gods People which Christ must and will purge out Quest Why are Hypocrites or ungodly Persons in the Church compared to Chaff and how may they be known Answ I answer Hypocrites and ungodly men in the Church are compared to Chaff 1. Because Chaff before it is separated from the wheat cleaveth close to it and it is hard to sever it from the wheat and it also seems like unto it Even so some carnal and hypocritical Professors cleave to the Church and seem to love and embrace the Godly in their Arms and to lay them in their hearts they walk in Company nay in outward Fellowship and Church-communion with them they Pray and Break-bread with them as if they were really gracious and are not known to their Brethren to be otherwise And as it is hard to discern them from the Godly so 't is as hard to separate such from them Chaff is so much like to the Wheat that some have taken it at first view to be Wheat so are these taken to be Saints and there may be no severing them from the Congregation of the Lord till Christ comes with his Fan to purge his floor 2. They may be compared to Chaff in regard of the great pains that is and must be used to separate it from the Wheat The wheat must be threshed and fanned nay fanned again and again before all the Chaff can be severed from it So unsound Professors or some Hypocrites in the Church seem to cleave so close to the Godly and are in such seeming union and and oneness with them that the Lord sees there is no other way to sever them from each other but by threshing his wheat with the flail of Persecution and then the chaff flies away by the wind of this fan O what a multitude seemed to cleave to our blessed Saviour and to be his Disciples in a day of peace and prosperity when he was riding in Triumph to Jerusalem Crying out Hosanna blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord but when our Saviour came to the Cross how did they leave him and disown him nay may be cryed out Crucifie Crucifice him So and in like manner in our former days of Liberty what great numbers flocked to our Assemblies and made a profession of Religion but when that hot persecution arose how did they fall off and disown that People which once they seemed to cleave unto The fan of persecution fanned them away as chaff and not only a multitude of Professors but also how many great Preachers did basely betray the truth which they professed and in their Pulpits seemed a little before zealously to maintain particularly that of Separation from the National Church This way Christ took to discover the silthy and rotten hearts of some and slavish fear and weakness of Faith in others who were left to a sinful Complyance and Conformity building again that which they had destroyed and destroying that which they had been a building and thus it appears as Chaff cannot bear fanning but is blown away so chaffy Professors cannot bear spiritual fanning i. e. they cannot stand in an hour of Temptation but fall away Alas tho' we have now again multitudes that seem to cleave to our Churches and to our Assemblies yet should Christ come with his Fan upon us you will soon see it is to be feared the former Effects again 3. Chaff is of very little worth or value unto Wheat What is the Chaff unto the Wheat saith the Lord One peck of good Wheat is worth many Bushels of Chaff So ungodly men and and women are but of little worth in Gods sight a wicked man to him is lothsom as Solomon shews and that which is loathsom and hateful in our sight we value not but cast away The Prayers of the wicked are abominable to the Lord because their persons are not accepted in Christ Whatsoever the ungodly do or whatsoever show they make of Religion let them Pray Hear Read Preach or give to the Poor it is not regarded nor accepted of the Lord one godly Person is more to him than a multitude of unsanctified and hypocritical persons The tongue of the just is as choice as silver the heart of the wicked is but of little worth The best part of a Child of God is his Heart tho' he thinks that is the worst of all and the worst part of an unholy man is his Heart tho' he thinks that is best of all Saints are wheat Hypocrites chaff the one is Gold the other Dross in Gods esteem Hence the Lord saith Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and People for thy life I will give Aegypt for thy Ransom Aethiopia and Sheba for thee God so little values graceless persons that he will sacrifice thousands of them in love and mercy to his faithful ones 4. Chaff is light and airy it is no ponderous thing therefore the wind carries it this way and that way at every turn Nay every small breath of wind moves it to and fro whereas wheat stirs not moves not but abides in its place it being a weighty and ponderous thing Even so all hypocritical and unsound Professors whatsoever they seem to be at some times by making a show of Religion and pretending to Piety yet they are in Gods sight as light as vanity they are like chaff not serious weighty and ponderous they are but a flash a shaddow and no substance having meer dry barren and empty Souls And their lightness appears and shews it self in many respects 1. It appears sometimes by their light frothy and airy talk and discourse They may sometimes seem serious but if watch'd they will be discover'd their Tongues will betray them by their foolish and vain words and communication They setting no watch before the door of their lips
the Gospel by the Cunning Craftiness of Men being ready to receive any strange Notion or close in with a New Scheem of Religion some turning to Judaism and add Moses to Christ or joyn to the Gospel their own Works they are commonly corrupt either in Principles or Practices or in both making a stir about the Mint Annis and Commin i. e. about the smaller matters of Religion as concerning Meats and Observation of Days as if in such things lay the great stress of Christianity how many are there who like those false Teachers and deluded People in the Primitive Times plead for Justification some other way than by Faith only and bring in their own inherent Holiness and sincere Obedience and add that to the Merits of Christ in point of Justification before God or exalt the Power and Will of the Creature to the Eclipsing the Doctrine of Free-Grace Sirs tho' I will not deny but many sincere Christians may be shaken by the wind of false and corrupt Doctrine or drawn away through the subtilty of men yet no doubt chiefly they are the Light Formal and Chassy Professors which are carried away and Tossed too and fro with every wind of Doctrine and this because of the want of Grace a sound Judgment and a good Understanding in the Mysteries of the Gospel A good understanding saith David have all they that do his Commandments Moreover such who seem unsetled in their places in Gods House or particular Churches where they are Members being uneasie and every little difference that may arise in a Congregation is ready to turn them away or seem to be moved and disturbed at the Charges the Interest of Christ or which the House of God calls for these I say give cause to fear they are but Chaff or under great Temptation if Sincere Secondly By Chaff may also be meant Sin Filth and Corruption which cleaveth to the Hearts and Lives of true believers which Christ by the Fan of his Word Spirit and Afflictions as you have heard purges out He shall purify the Sons of Levi and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness This is spoken of Jesus Christ whose Fan is in his hand It shews his Work and Office namely to refine and fan his People not only Members but Ministers also signified by the Sons of Levi that they all may offer acceptable Service unto God Besides our Lord Jesus sometimes makes use of wicked Men as a Fan in his hand to purge his People and thus he did of old fan Israel by the Babylonians and by the Assyrians I will send unto Babylon Fanners as I have sometime fanned and scattered my people by them so will I fan them by the Medes and Persians who shall empty the Land of them After Christ hath fanned or purged away the Chaff and Filth of the Daughter of Zion he will fan their Enemies and they being all Chaff the wind of his Indignation will drive them away Let this be noted that Christ hath many ways to fan and purge his People yet still it is for their good and they shall lose nothing but their chaff their Sin and Corruptions thereby Quest Fourthly Why are the Saints compared to Wheat Answ I answer for many Reasons 1. Wheat is a choice Grain the best Grain so true Believers are a choice People in Christ's sight The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour they are called the excellent in all the Earth God calls his People his Jewels or choice Treasure they are men of a high and heavenly Birth of a high sublime and excellent Spirit they are espoused by an excellent person act and are influenced by excellent principles and have glorious Ends and Aims in all they do and from hence may be compared to Wheat 2. Wheat hath much pains used with it the ground must be made good it must be well plow'd and manured before the Wheat is sown so the hearts of poor sinners must be first made good and by spiritual Convictions be plowed up before the seed of Grace is sown for like as Believers are compared to Wheat so is also the Grace of God Wheat must be weeded as well as gathered into the Barn and also Threshed fanned and well Purged Believers may be compared to Wheat upon this respect Christ takes much pains to speak after the manner of men with his own Elect not only by Plowing Manuring but by sowing watering weeding fanning and Purging them like Wheat 3. Wheat will endure cold Frosts and Snow and all manner of bitter and sharp Weather better than any other Grain Sow Barly before Winter and you will find but little of it will live but Wheat will live in the sharpest Winter that can come what a good Harvest had we here in England after the last great Frost alas the Wheat was not destroyed thereby but was made better the Weeds and Worms being killed which is found to hurt and annoy it oft-times Even so sincere Christians who are Christs Spiritual Wheat abide faithful under the greatest Trials Persecutions and Afflictions they can meet withal they endure the Frosts and bitter North-Winds of Tribulation and furious Storms of the Wrath of wicked men which kills the false-hearted Professor they die and wither away they can't live and maintain their seeming hope and Confidence when true Believes can a Hypocrite is but Summer Corn or rather Weeds or Tares that spring up with the Wheat tho' they look like it yet are only the product of Natural Conscience or the common Influences of the Sun or Gospel of Jesus Christ 4. An Ear of Wheat when it is near ripe doth hang down its head the Corn being full and weighty when light and empty Ears hold up theirs commonly a light and chaffy Ear stands strait upright in a lofty manner So a true gracious Christian is of an humble Spirit he hangs down his head as it were and is ashamed of his best Duties and Services seeing so great weaknesses and Infirmities to attend him he abhors himself yea loaths himself he knows he hath nothing to glory in but in the Cross of Jesus Christ he sees himself nothing Unto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given saith Paul what an humble Person was he what a full and weighty Ear of choice Wheat was this Apostle If you see a Man or Woman proud or of an haughty and conceited Spirit being lifted up you may conclude they are but empty Ears no true Grace being in their hearts 5. Wheat hath its Chaff cleaving oft-times close to it yea it will stick and cleave so to it that it is not easily separated So it is with Christs Spiritual Wheat the filth or Chaff of internal Corruption is very subject to cleave to them and hard it is for them to get rid of it When I would do good Sin is present with me for the