and General of all the Hosts of Heaven They are Ministers to attend on him and his and Hosts to fight against his and his Churches enemies And well they may be called his Angels for he made them they were created by him Col. 1.16 17. and for him and by him they do subsist and have their Being upheld and continued to them else they would cease to be and return to nothing 2. God therefore called the Angels to worship his Son made Flesh come into the World in our Nature When he brought the first begotten into the World he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 It may be inquired whether they do not owe the Son of God adoration on the account of their being graciously supported and preserved in their Integrity The two Cherubims that figured the Angels were made out of the Mercy-Seat as well as stood upon it Exod. 25.18 19. There are Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 as well as Elect Men. Herein did the various and manifold Wisdom of God shine Ephes 3.10 in keeping Elect Angels standing and in raising up Elect Men when they are fallen 3. The Angels Ministred to Christ and probably brought him Food after the Devil had tempted him taking occasion from his hunger And an Angel came from Heaven and strengthned Christ in his Agony Luke 22.43 4. Jesus Christ is the Ladder that joins Earth and Heaven together and it is on this Ladder the Angels of God ascend and descend John 1.51 All Correspondence all Commerce and Communion between the upper and lower World is carried on by this Ladder The Angels descend to serve the Members of Christ and then ascend to give an Account of the faithful discharge of their Office and Trust 2. These Angels are called mighty Angels And it is a great and mighty Work they are to undertake and execute there is a multitude of Malefactors to be Arrested there are great and mighty Enemies to be Apprehended there is a great and mighty Harvest to be cut down to be reaped and separated from the Field of the Church There are Goats to be separated from the Sheep and bad Fish to be taken out from among the good The Angels shall come forth to honour Christ Heaven shall be emptied of Angels and Saints to wait on Christ The Angels when they come forth shall sever the Wicked from among the Just the Harvest is the end of the World the Wicked are the Tares and the Reapers are the Angels Matt. 13.38 39. Sinful Men and Women are as weak and feeble Tares they cannot stand against or before the Hook of these mighty Reapers they shall be easily cut they shall quickly fall before a sharp hook managed by such mighty Arms. The far greatest part of the World will be found Tares therefore there needs many mighty Reapers to cut down so vast a Harvest and skill will be requisite to discern and distinguish some of the Tares some close and refined Hipocrites from the good Corn. 2. They are to bind the Tares fast in bundles Matt. 13.30 that they shall none of them escape He that had not a Wedding Garment was to be bound hand and foot Matt. 22.13 His hands were to be bound that he should not fight or resist his feet were bound that he should not fly or run away 3. These Angels are as mighty Sergeants to present Malefactors to the Judge As for those mine enemies saith Christ which would not that I should reign over them bring them before me Luke 19.27 The Angels are to execute this Order and fulfil this Command They are to present Criminals at the Bar of the Judge 4. When Christ doth Sentence and Condemn wicked Men the Angels are ready to execute the Sentence They gather those that offend and commit iniquity they pluck out the had Fish and cast them into a Furnace of unquenchable fire Matt. 13 40 50. Christ saith of his enemies Let them be slain in my presence Luke 14.27 These condemned Malefactors may be said to be slain by the Angels when they cast them into the Furnace for then all this sweet pleasant and desireable Life and Being is consumed and gone those are no better than woful stinking Carkasses that must be Food to the Worm that never dies and fuel to the Fire that never goes out Is 66.24 5. The Angels are to gather the Elect It is said that Christ shall send forth his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and shall gather his Elect from the four Winds and from one end of Heaven to the other Observe 1. That the Elect are called Christ's Elect he chuses as well as the Father the Lamb hath his Book of Life Rev. 13.8 Those that the Father gives him the Names of those he writes down in his Book These Christ chuses to redeem reconcile and satisfie for With the Salvation of these he charges himself These he must bring to his Fold and they shall hear his voice John 10.16 These he must keep and lose none of them John 17.1.2 The Angels are to gather these as a Spouse to Christ her Husband Ps 45.14 15. with joy shall she be brought in Raiment of Needle-work to the King The Virgins her Companions shall be brought they shall enter into the Kings Palace When Abraham imploy'd his Servant to fetch a Wife out of Padan Aram for Isaac his Son he said the Lord God of Heaven should send his Angel before his Servant and he should take thence a Wife for his Son Gen. 24.7 As an Angel was imploy'd to prosper the Work and Way of Abraham's Servant and to bring a Wife to Isaac so the Angels of God shall bring and present Christ's Wife to him they shall know who are the Elect find them out and distinguish them from others 2. They shall gather the Elect as Members to their Head as Loyal Subjects to their King 2 Thes 2.1 The Apostle Paul speaks of the coming of the Lord Jesus as a most desirable thing and the gathering of the Elect to him as a most sweet and comfortable thing and the Angels shall do this Work to gather Saints to Christ USE We may learn from the ATtendance of Christ what Honour shall be put on Christ at his Appearing Heaven shall be emptied of the Angels and glorified Saints to follow Christ the Graves shall be emptied of the dead Bodies of the Saints to meet Christ 1 Thes 4.14 Those that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him They shall be brought from death to life to be presented to Jesus Christ Christ shall come in his own Glory as he is the Son of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God Luke 9.26 And he shall come in the Fathers glory that is he shall come in that Glory the Father hath put on him as his Righteous Servant Phil. 2.10 11. God hath exalted Christ and given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Christ every knee should bow and
comes not only to be glorified himself but to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 therefore it is stiled The glorius Appearing of the great God even of our Saviour Jesus Christ Titus 2.13 Christ at his coming will be clothed with such glory that will put it out of doubt that he is the Son of God that he is the Son of Man the true Messiah that was promised and exhibited to the World It is said Then shall appear the Sign of the Son of Man Matt. 24.30 Ferus takes this Sign of the Son of Man to be the Sign of the Cross but the Note of Calvin on the Text is more solid and judicious He takes that eminent and transcendent Glory that Christ will appear in to be the Sign of the Son of Man Those that were not convinced and perswaded by all the Signs and Miracles that Christ wrought that he was the Messiah shall by his glorious Appearing by his Illustrious Majesty as a demonstrative and convincing Sign be assured fully that he is the Son of Man the Promised Messiah None shall doubt none shall be left at uncertainties about it no Unbeliever shall remain Tho' the Scribes and Pharisees would not regard Christ's Miracles or be induced by them to believe yet he tells them of an invincible convincing evidence that should one day be afforded to them but too late He insists on and minds them of this very sign of the Son of Man Matt. 6.64 Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of Heaven You that now condemn me for saying that I am the Messiah and the Son of God shall one day see me as a Judge coming to Arraign Sentence and Condemn you 4. The coming of Christ will be very open and evident to the whole World When he first appeared he shewed himself to few but to the Jewish Nation After his Resurrection we read of none of the unbelieving World that beheld him He appeared only to and was seen by none but by his Disciples who were to inform the World of this truth that he was raised The unbelieving Jews and Gentiles were not to see Christ's raised and glorified Body but to believe his Resurrection but Christ will so openly at last appear that every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 They also that pierced him shall behold him Jews and Gentiles Heathens and Mahumetans Loose and Prophane Christians shall see him Believers and Saints shall then point him out with joy Lo this is our God we have waited for him Is 25.9 And he hath not deceived our Faith or frustrated our Hope and Expectation They that would not believe what they did not see shall now see but to their terror They that were averse from the Life of Faith and wholly devoted to the Life of Sense shall now have Seeing enough they shall behold what will affright dismay and overwhelm them God doth now require and call for a high and noble Exercise of Faith in relation to invisible things at which the Heathen of Old scoffed yet he doth and will condescend to give evidence and satisfaction as at Christ's first appearing he was visible to the eye of the Body Is 40.9 O Zion that bringest glad tidings lift up thy voice and be not afraid say unto the Cities of Judah Behold your God This was a strange and wonderful truth and Zion might be afraid to publish it yet she is twice bid to lift up her voice and that with strength not to be afraid aloud to sound out and proclaim this amazing and astonishing truth Say to the Cities of Judah Behold your God behold God is come down to you in a Humane Nature God is walking among you in a Body of Flesh preaching working Miracles familiarly conversing with you The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory John 1.14 So at his second coming Christ will be evident to the eye and as it were pointed out by the Finger of Men Behold he cometh in the clouds and every eye shall see him Rev. 1.7 Saints shall say to those that have upbraided them with the invisible object of their Faith Lo this is our God we have waited for him Is 25.9 Tho' the unbelieving World did Reproach Christians and say Where is your God yet Saints one day consute all their Calumnies and silence all their Insultings and Upbraidings they shall point out Christ coming in all his Majesty and Glory and say Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us and we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Is 25.9 5. This Revelation of Christ will cause Mourning to the greatest part of the World it will be a black bitter terrible day to most Matt. 24.30 All the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn all the Kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him Rev. 1.7 when they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory They shall mourn when it is too late to repent they shall wail when their sorrow will not prevent but begin their Punishment and Hell Now they shall to their cost know how great a Person they have refused and how high an Happiness they have rejected that they have turned from a Saviour and so forfeited true Blessedness and rebelled against the great God and so have incurred the worst and severest penalties These three things shall be reviewed and reflected on 1. What they have done 2. What they have lost 3. What they must suffer and endure to Eternity when they shall bleed by the edge of God's Sword and smart under the Chastisement of the Scorpions of Revenging Justice 1. Sinners that consider what they have done that they have turned away from him that spake out of the bosom of his Fathers love and from the Throne of his own glory Ps 81.11 That they would have none of him who is the true God and eternal Life that they stopped their Ears and hardned their Hearts against the wooings of the best Bridegroom against the call of the great Shepherd and of the Captain of Salvation against the intreaties of a Saviour and Redeemer They will now reflect on the frequent denials they gave to and the many affronts they put upon the Lord of Glory how they hated and abhorred his Yoke despised and loathed his Feast did not submit to and come into his Righteousness but rebelled resisted vexed and quenched the holy Spirit of God 2. They shall know now what they have lost that the Treasury of Grace will now be locked the Fountain of Life sealed the bowels of Christ will be for ever shut against them notwithstanding their extream poverty and misery The door of God's House will be shut never to be opened again How woful will this be to be excluded out of God's Palace and to be thrust out of his Kingdom
I shall abundantly utter the memory of that Goodness Two things are here to be observed 1. That the Creatures are such Preachers as never do keep silence day unto day uttereth speech It offers new Matter of Contemplation and Admiration and Night unto Night sheweth Knowledge Every succeeding Night instructs the preceding Night and makes some farther and new Discoveries of God that should more enlighten the Minds and affect the Hearts of Men towards God 2. The Creatures preach God in a Speech and Language that all Nations may understand though their Languages are so confounded and are not understood by other People and Nations there is no Speech or Language where their voice is not heard The most ignorant and brutish Barbarians may understand the Speech and Language that the Creatures do preach in The confusion of Babel doth not hinder the Creatures from being understood in what they publish and declare of God 3. There is a great Book in which Men may read God Psal 19.4 Their Line is gone forth into all the Earth and their Words to the end of the Earth The Pages of this great Book are the Sea the Heavens and the Earth And this Book still lieth open and the most ignorant illiterate and unskilful may read in this Book and understand somewhat of its Contents This is a long Line that reacheth to the ends of the Earth and it is written in such great and Capital Letters that all may read it 4. Men are in the World as in a great Room all hung round with Glasses he that is in such a Room may clearly and plainly see the Attributes and Excellencies of God The invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen Rom. 1.20 They are evidenced and demonstrated to Sense yet so that the Understanding doth help the Senses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are understood by the Mind that contemplates the things that are made and so Sense by the assistance of the Mind doth clearly see invisible things 5. There are Garments with which God is Clothed and in which he may be seen Psal 104.2 David saith to God Who coverest thy self with Light as with a Garment The Psalmist plainly refers to God's Creation of Light Gen. 1.3 God said let there be Light and there was Light God did then put on this bright and glorious Creature as a Garment As the Greatness Majesty and Glory of Kings is seen in their Clothing so God is known how Powerful how Good how Wise he is by his Works Scultetus saith on Psal 104. Vestis Dei Contemplanda si Deum Contemplari volueris You must view God's Garment if you will Contemplate God himself for God himself otherwise is invisible We cannot come to the naked Divine Essence but we must see the first Cause clothed with Effects in the Works of Creation and Providence As when God comes forth to execute Justice he is said to Clothe himself with the Garments of Vengeance Isa 59.17 He puts on the Garments of Vengeance for Clothing and was clad with Zeal as a Cloak Hath God Clothed himself with so many and such glorious Garments Are his Attributes so visible in his Creatures And are not Men inexcusable that know not God who daily comes forth to us Clothed in his Works of Creation and Providence and thereby renders himself visible to us Quest But what do these Witnesses Preachers Books Glasses Garments of God discover and make known Answ The Being the Eternity Wisdom Power and Goodness of God 1. The Being of a God the invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead or his Divine Being Where there are Effects there must be a Cause where there are Streams there must be a Fountain If you will trace follow and persue the smallest stream it will at last bring you to the Ocean so follow the smallest Rivulet of Creature-Beings and it will bring you to God the infinite Sea of Being Where there is so great a House raised with so much Art and Skill there must needs be a Builder None ever saw a House built by Chance or Accident and what Folly and Madness is it to think that this great House of the World was built by a Casual yet Lucky meeting of Stones together The Creatures are not of themselves and therefore cannot be from Eternity That only that is Infinite Omnipotent All wise can be from Eternity Creatures are not so and therefore cannot be from Eternity Ask any Man living did you make your self none can be so impudent to affirm that he made himself And there is the same Reason against his Father or any other Man that he did not make himself therefore Men must necessarily come to a First Man and to a God that made him Thus the Creatures do demonstrate the Being of a God 2. The Creatures declare the Eternity of God He that made all things must necessarily be before them Col. 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things were made and consist Col. 1.16 17. From everlasting to everlasting he is God Psal 90.2 If God were not from Eternity the World could not have had a beginning or any Creature have been formed 3. The Creatures proclaim the power of God Rom. 1.20 his eternal power Men speak words but God speaks things by his word he calls things that are not Rom. 4.17 And their answer is to rise spring up and exist that which is nothing yet hears and obeys God God said let their be Light let the Earth bring forth Trees Plants Herbs and Flowers and it was so and yet the Earth had no Seed of these things in it self Gen. 1.11 12. And as God speaks Creatures so he breaths the Soul Gen. 2.7 God breathed into mans nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul And God writes in the Minds and Wills of Men none but he can reach or come at these Tables and write in them And God doth not as Men write Syllables and Words but he writes new Principles Habits Dispositions and Inclinations he writes Light in the Mind and Love in the Will Consider of these three glorious Effects of the power of God That he speaks Creatures breathes Souls writes new Principles and Inclinations in the Soul The power of God gloriously shines in the Work of Creation 1. That he made all things out of nothing Heb. 11.3 Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear That is They were made out of nothing There did not appear any eternal First Matter out of which God made all things Other Artists do not make their Matter but they must have it made to their Hands but God made all things out of nothing 2. God made all things By the Word of his Power Psal 33.6 were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 33.9 He spake
he was received up into glory 2. To answer the hopes and expectation of his People they wait for a Saviour from Heaven Psal 3.20 and look for God's Son Jesus from Heaven 1 Thes 1.10 3. Christ will be Revealed from Heaven to shew the Spiritual Nature of his Kingdom that it is a heavenly Kingdom That he hath had his Throne in Heaven and from thence his Kingdom hath ruled over all He hath observed all the rage and actings of his enemies and all the love and obedience of his friends He hath inspected all the concerns of his Members and transacted all the affairs of his Kingdom This hath been honorable and glorious to Christ that he hath had a rest Is 1.10 in Heaven and yet neglected none of his work in repressing the rage of his enemies and in reviving the fainting spirits of his friends and steering all the affairs of his Church to a safe and happy Port. He hath supplied his poor and supported his weak Members 4. Jesus Christ will be Revealed from Heaven for the greater confusion and terror of his Enemies How will this affright and amaze them that he who they thought slept under the clods of the Earth should appear riding on the clouds of Heaven Rev. 1.7 that he who the Jews thought was suffering in Hell for deluding and deceiving the World should come to Judge the World and to Condemn Men to Hell for not believing on him Mark 6.16 Joseph was thought by his Brethren to be lost or dead but how were they confounded and troubled when they found him alive Gen. 45.3 heard him speaking to them saw him under Pharaoh Ruling over all the Land of Egypt So how will it dismay and overwhelm the unbelieving World when Christ that was thought to remain dead shall be presented to their eyes as alive When he that was ill treated by Men in the form of a Servant shall appear in the glory of a Lord to judge both the Quick and the Dead and shall be manifested as having all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him and can justifie and crown those that have believed on him and condemn and punish those that have rebelled against him who neither have believed his Doctrine or obeyed his Commands USE of Examination Examine your selves under what Notion Christ will be Revealed and come to you at last Whether he will appear as your Friend or as your Enemy To your joy or sorrow As a loving Bridegroom to receive you to himself John 14.3 Or as an incensed Judge to Sentence and Cast you from himself saying Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Matt. 25.41 Will Christ come to give you any thing Will he bestow a Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.18 A Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 Will he call you to inherit an everlasting Kingdom Matt. 25.34 Or will Christ come upon you as a Thief in the Night to impoverish spoil deprive you of all the good things you now possess and enjoy Will not your Cisterns then be broken your Candles and Lamps be put out Will not your whole Paradise of sensual and sinful delights be lighted and blasted Will not Creatures be withdrawn from you and God himself also depart The floor and the Wine-press shall not feed you and God himself will leave and forsake you Hos 9.2 12. Will you not at once be turned out of your Stewardship and also be cut off from all hope of the heavenly Inheritance Will not Christ's coming be your utter undoing Will you not sustain a damage and loss never to be repaired For your wooing and buying time will be over the Spiritual Market will be at an end Will it not be sad when others are rich Heirs for you to be poor Bankrupts emptied and stript of all valuable and desirable good for ever Inquire therefore seriously and diligently how it stands with you in relation to Christ's coming Is Jesus Christ Revealed in you and to you and is his new Nature formed in you It is not Flesh and Blood but our Father that is in heaven that must reveal Christ to us Matt. 16.17 he that hath heard and learned of the Father comes to the Son Hath the spirit ever glorified Christ in your eyes Is he most precious to you If Christ be not Revealed to you while you are on Earth he cannot be Revealed from Heaven to your joy and comfort Have you an understanding to know the worth excellency and preciousness of Christ so that you give your selves to him and are in him If Christ do dwell in your hearts below you may be assured that you shall dwell in his House above Are you related to Christ Are you really his Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh They that are Christs shall be made alive at his coming 1 Cor. 15.23 Is the Match made up between Christ and you by a mutual Spiritual kiss Doth Christ kiss you expressing his servent love towards you and speaking powerfully and effectually to you the Doctrine of Grace the Word of Reconciliation The Gospel of Salvation is your own Interest in Christ's precious Promises sealed and delivered to you 2. Do you kiss Christ the Son of God Ps 2.12 Cant. 8.1 When Ishould find thee without I would kiss thee And Abraham Isaac and Jacob are said to salute kiss or embrace the Promises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the mouth of Faith doth meet with the mouth of Christ speaking the Word of Life and the promises of Spiritual Benefits is perswaded of them doth embrace them then the Soul kisses Christ There is also a kiss of Homage as Samuel kissed Saul acknowledging him as the Lord 's Anointed When we receive the Law from Christ's mouth and profess our subjection to his Scepter and obedience to his Laws then we kiss Christ 3. Are you willing that Christ should come Do you desire long for and love Christ's appearing The Church saith Make haste my beloved Cant. 8.14 When Christ said I come quickly she adds her Amen Even so come Lord Jesus Rev. 22.20 Christians are said not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God 2 Pet. 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by their wishings longings earnest desires Do you fervently love the appearing of Christ as that which will be exceeding honorable to him comfortable and beneficial to you Do you love Christ's appearing as that which will be exceeding glorious to him For by his voice he shall quicken raise call forth all that are in their Graves John 5.28 That Christ knows all that ever lived can distinguish their dust from the dust of one another and from the dust of the Earth That he knows all their thoughts words and actions remembers them and will call them to an account for them 1 Pet. 4.5 Then Christ will sit on the Throne of his glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him to be judged by by him This is the perfection of Christ's Kingdom and his
highest act of Royalty to sentence all Men to their eternal state It is said he shall judge the quick and dead at his Appearing and Kingdom Now is his Kingdom most highly magnified and exalted when the quick and dead must be Judged by him 2. This appearing of Christ will be most comfortable to his People he will come to bestow Crowns to give Rewards to divide eternal Portions and Inheritances to them he comes with the Keys of Hell and Death in his Hand He hath the Key of Hell to shut it that the Souls of his People may not enter in else the mouth of the bottomless Pit and of the roaring Lion would gape for them and swallow them up And Christ hath the Key of Death to open the Graves that the Bodies of Saints may come forth May not Christians well love the appearing of Christ who hath delivered them from the wrath to come and as a Captain of Salvation will lead them to glory Do you long for Christ's coming as that which will be a Harvest-day a Marriage-day and a day of full Redemption Or are you averse from Christ's coming Do you not loath and dread the thoughts of it Is not Christ's coming full sore against your Will There is a vast difference between these two expressions the breaking up the House and the opening of the door to Jesus Christ Luke 12.36 The House of a carnal unbelieving Man is broken through Christ breaks in upon him irresistibly unavoidably a force is put upon Sinners If they could Fetter Christ's feet obstruct his way clog and stop his Chariot-wheels Christ should never come or be Revealed but Saints that hang their hopes and put all their happiness in Christ's Appearing do readily open the door and joyfully will come and entertain Christ Do you look for his coming as a beloved Bridegroom as a desired Guest Or do you not mind or desire Christ's coming but will be as much surprized by it and astonished at it as at the coming of a Thief that was not thought of at all 4. Do you prepare and make ready for Christ's coming Is all your Week day of life nothing but a preparation for the eternal Sabbath Are your Loines girded that you may do the Work of your heavenly Calling Are your Lamps burning that you may do your Work skilfully and diligently Persevere in it continually It is said of the good Woman that her Candle goeth not out by night Prov. 31.18 Do your Candles continue burning through this dark night of Time Others have put out their light and given themselves up to sloth and sleep It is a great thing to watch and keep our Garments on and about us Rev. 16.15 Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments Christ may suddenly come and surprize Sinners that they may not have time to put on Spiritual Garments to put on Christ Rom. 13.14 and the new man Ephes 4.24 We are too apt to put off our Coat Cant. 5.3 to lay aside a gracious spiritual holy and heavenly frame and to give way to sloth sleep and carnal security This Spiritual Garment is soon put off but it is hardly recovered I have put off my Coat and how shall I put it on It is highly commendable to have our Lamps burning when the Candles of others are put out and it is a Night of gross and thick darkness with them It is to the Honour of Christ the Bridegroom to be expected waited for and to be lighted to his Fathers House with bright and burning Lamps with Graces active and in a most vigorous and lively Exercise Is this Night-Light of Time as a Passoever Night to you Are your Loins girded Are your Shoes on your Feet The Feet of the Church are said to be beautiful with Shoes she was fit to Journy to Travel Are you waiting for God's Call out of the Egypt of this World Are you fitted and ready to Travel hence into the Heavenly Canaan Christ saith Come with me my Spouse with me from Lebanon Are you willing and ready to follow Jesus Christ Are you like Servants that look for the return of their Lord from the Wedding Feast to have you a way as Guests to his Table in his heavenly Kingdom Luke 22.29 30. There is much in these words And be you like such as look for the return of your Lord Luke 12.36 The watchfulness diligence the constant labour activity and zeal of some Christians doth evidence to themselves and demonstrate to others that they look for the coming of Christ That they prepare make ready set all things in order for their receiving and entertaining of the Lord Jesus Their great care and endeavour is that they may not be found sleeping and undressed that they may not walk naked and their shame be seen for ever Prov. 16.15 It will be the greatest reproach to have had a long time to adorn the Soul allowed to Men and yet to neglect and trifle it away and their Souls to be found dead without the life of God and to be found naked without the Image and Righteousness of God Do you trim your Lamps dress your Souls and finish the Work which God hath given you to do and that Christ hath appointed you that you may open to Christ immediately without put offs or delays or excuses as those that are not surprized or unready as those that would stay here no longer that would have Time end and Eternity begin As those that would have shadows fly away and the everlasting day to dawn These are great words that Christ will knock for a full entrance into us and a total possession of us and we must open immediately as those that are ready to let Christ in and to go away presently with him But are you not rather minding earthly things scattering your ways and affections to unlawful Beloyeds Do not your thoughts creep on the ground and your Hearts dwell below Would you not stay in a Natural Body Would you not continue in and be contented with a Stewardship Would you not dwell on Earth Do you not eagerly drive the Chariot of your Trade Do you not indulge your Carnal Affections and give the Reins to your Sensual Appetites So that there is no evidence that you look for Christ's Appearing for you are not like those that wait for the return of Christ from Heaven 3. With what Attendance Jesus Christ will come from Heaven What Retinue will accompany him He will be Revealed with his mighty Angels How much doth the first and second coming of Christ differ He came first attended with weak Fishermen but now he is surrounded and compassed with mighty Angels to wait on him Two things are here observable 1. That the Angels are called Christ's Angels 2. That they are Stiled mighty Angels 1. The Angels are said to be the Angels of the Lord Jesus This is an high Honour to Christ that all the Angels of Heaven are his Angels He is Captain of God's Militia
every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father The Father is glorified in the glory of Christ And it is further said Luke 9.26 That he shall come in the glory of the holy Angels They shall be Christ's Servitors shall attend on his Nod and wait at his beck and be ready to fulfil his pleasure And what terror may this truth speak to the wicked that mighty Angels shall be Reapers to cut them down and execute the Sentence of Christ upon them And what comfort may this truth administer to the Godly that mighty Angels shall gather them to Christ They shall not miscarry because the Angels shall find them out and present them to Christ as those that will be justified by him and enjoy communion with him 4. In what manner will Christ appear It is said in a flame of fire Our Translators render it in flaming fire Christ's coming will be terrible to the Unbelieving World his frowning Face will then be unveiled his punishing Arm will then be made bare His fury will then come up into his Face Ezek. 38.18 Long meekness and patience will end in severity Sinners do weary out the patience and Long-Suffering of God that he can bear no more no longer Jer. 44.22 He is even weary of repenting Jer. 15.6 because Sinners are not weary of sinning Doct. 4. Christ will be Revealed in flaming fire 1. That he will be so Revealed in flaming fire 2. The Causes of it 3. The dreadful Effects of it 1. That the Lord Christ will be Revealed in flaming fire 1. His eyes will be as a flame of fire Rev. 1.14 to discern and discover the most secret wickednesses and the hidden things of darkness Eccl. 12.14 He will come burning with anger his lips will be full of indignation and his tongue as a consuming fire Is 30.27 28. He will speak to Sinners in his anger and vex them in his sore displeasure he will speak hot burning devouring words Let them be slain in my presence Ps 2.5 Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire In this Sentence his Tongue is like consuming fire Behold the Lord will come with fire to render his anger with fury and his rebuke with flames of fire Is 66.15 His Throne will be like the fiery flame and his Wheels as the burning fire Christ's Throne hath Wheels of Fire to pursue fugitive and guilty Offenders 4. From this Throne a fiery stream issueth and cometh forth to punish the Wicked as from the Throne of God and the Lamb a pure River of Water of Life proceeded clear as Chrystal to refresh the Saints As the same Sun at the same time scorches some parts of the World and revives and chears other parts with his more benign beams and rays the Heaven of the Blessed and the Hell of the Damned will come from the same face of God as smiling or as frowning Ps 16. last 2. Why will Christ come in flaming fire It is because his abused Grace is turned into fury he knocked but Sinners would not open to him They have shut out Righteousness Salvation and Eternal Life from themselves and they have detained Sin Satan and Death and shut them into their own Souls Christ called but they would not answer he stretched out his hands full of Gifts and Spiritual Blessings and no Man regarded They would not come to Christ that they might have life John 5.40 They would not be gathered under his Wings that they might have safety They would not enter into his Fold that they might be saved go out and in and find Pasture They would not repair to his House that they might find rest or press into his Kingdom that they might obtain a satisfying Feast at his Table and an eternal Glory in his Throne They would not kiss the Son with a kiss of Faithful Homage and Obedience therefore he becomes angry yea his anger riseth up to fury and breaks forth as Fire so that there is no quenching of it Sinners have been loading Christ with contempt affronts provocations all their days They have been Treasuring up Wrath the Storm hath long been a gathering Offenders have long been bringing Fuel to the Fire during their whole time and God will be blowing it up during his Eternity They thought Christ did not see or observe their Iniquities that he would not resent and could not punish their Transgressions But Christ comes now in flaming fire to shew the height of his anger his fixed purpose to punish and his power to revenge As God turned Fallen Adam out of the Earthly Paradise a second Adam comes in a flame of Fire to exclude Unbelievers and Impenitent Sinners from the Heavenly Paradise 3. Consider the dreadful effects of this flaming Fire it will break forth and take hold of the Creatures and kindle a Conflagration both in the upper and lower World The Heavens shall pass away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat as if Metal should be melted and distil in scalding burning drops The Earth and the Works of it shall be burnt up The Earth is the Home of the Wicked the Creatures they have doted on and made them as their Idol Gods And how dreadful will this be to the Ungodly to see their House their Home their Heaven their Idol Gods to be burnt up together That the Creatures that were once Food to their Lusts shall now become Fuel to the Fire of God's Anger As the Philistines left their Images their Idols and David and his Men burnt them 2 Sam. 5.21 so Sinners must leave their Heaven and all their Idol Gods below and God will burn and consume them 2. This Fire will not stop here the Scripture joins the burning of Heaven and Earth and the Perdition of ungodly Men together 2 Pet. 3.7 The heavens and the earth that are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men Shall the Traytors House be burnt and the Traytors themselves escape Shall the Creatures that have been but passive Instruments of sin be consumed And shall the active Agents go Scot-free Shall those that have been Pressed forced Soldiers suffer such hard things And shall the Voluntiers in this wicked War against God be exempted from punishment The Heavens and the Earth fly from the face of the Judge sitting on his white Throne and their place was found no more If the defiled Creatures could not brook or bear the angry face of the Judge what shall become of the defilers of them It is Men that have perverted and abused the Creatures contrary to their natural inclinations and tendency to serve their Lusts and fight against God therefore the most dreadful scorching and lasting Fire must be their Portion and Punishment God saith Deut. 32.22 A fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell it shall follow and pursue its fuel thither God saith further This fire
shall consume the earth and its increase These words may well expound the Text of Peter 2 Pet. 3.10 That the earth and the works of it or therein that is its fruits and increase shall be burnt up This Fire shall inflame and burn the very Foundations of the Mountains If strong Mountains cannot withstand this Fire how shall weak Sinners resist it The same Fire that burns Heaven and Earth shall pursue Transgressors as its most proper kindly and perpetual Fuel Immortal Criminals ever dying yet never dying Sinners shall be the Fuel of it and an eternal God shall blow up the flame over them Is 30.3.3 This fire will be dreadful For 1. It is the Fire this is proper to and will go forth against the Enemies Is 26.11 The fire of thine enemies shall consume them that is the Fire that shall burn against and prey on Enemies So it is said Fiery indignation shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10.27 Those that are the Fuel of this fire they are such as were God's Enemies in time and will continue his Adversaries to Eternity and so be fit objects of his Fury 2. This Fire shall burn to the utmost it shall put forth its zeal to the utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 10.27 The zeal of Fire as the blackness of darkness Jude 13. doth terribly set forth the privative part of Hell so the zeal of fire doth dreadfully express the positive part God will punish with the glory of his power 2 Thes 1.8 that is with his power put forth most gloriously These expressions the zeal of fire and the glory of God's power do illustrate one another 3. This fire it will torment but it will never refine Never was nor can any be brought to repentance by the fire of Hell Sinners will continue obstinate in Sin and God's heart will be hardened his bowels be shut up he will be fully resolved to punish 4. This Fire will come immediately from God and Christ 1. From the face of God 2 Thes 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the face of the Lord. So they are said to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 He doth punish them immediately God hath to do with them Ezek. 22.14 Can thy hands be strong can thy heart endure in the day that I shall have to do with thee The hands of Sinners cannot be strong to resist or keep off punishment neither can their hearts be stout enough to endure and stand under it Can Stubble Chaff Tares resist a God that is consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Christ will kindle this Fire and heat the Souls of Sinners as an Oven As Satans temptations as his suggestions as a Baker Hos 7.4 6. and Mens own Lusts did sinfully heat this Oven so Christ's wrath will in a way of Righteous punishment heat it It is said of Christ Psal 21.8 9. That his hand shall find out all his enemies his right hand shall find out all that hate him thou shalt make them as an fiery Oven in the time of thine anger 5. This Fire will eat up the Adversaries Heb. 10.27 it will be eating of Adversaries continually yet never totally devour them It will be eating of them to Eternity and never make a full end of them That Fire that devoures will also salt the Subject it preys on that it shall be preserved to Eternity Sinners are said not to fall into the hand but the hands of God Both his hands all his power is imployed for their misery As there is a punishing Hand so there is a supporting Hand to bear up the Sinner to endure torments to Eternity Stubble and Chaff Tares and Thorns could never hold out as Eternal Fuel to the Fire of God's wrath were there not an Eternal God and an Eternal Power to support the Damned 6. Sinners shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the Lamb Rev. 14.10 This answers those words of Christ Let them be slain in my presence Luke 19.27 Tho' Christ be a Lamb yet we read of the wrath of the Lamb and that great day of his wrath will come Rev. 6.16.17 The Lamb will look on the torments of the wicked and will not commiserate them or relent in the least towards them The Lamb will look on their torments and will rejoice at them and be much pleased with them Rev. 7.14 They that neglected to wash their Robes white in the Blood of the Lamb Christ in honour to himself will stain all his Raiment their blood shall be sprinkled on his Garments and this will render his Apparel as a Victorious Conquering Captain glorious Is 63.1.3 Christ will never lessen or put out this Fire It is a Fire to punish perverse Rebellious Creatures hardened and Implacable Enemies a Fire of Jealousie against Adulterous Souls USE 1. This Truth may inform us how much Mens Sins and obstinate Unbelief doth alienate and transform the Lord Jesus Christ That he that is stiled Love should be Revealed in flaming Fire That he whose Office is to be a Mediator to quench Wrath to make Peace should come to pour out Fury That he who beseeched Men to be Reconciled to God and wooed them to be Espoused to himself should now come to Execute Vengeance That he that long and often did knock and call Sinners to open to him should now rise up shut the Door and be deaf to all the knocks and beseeching of Sinners Luke 13.26 That he who spread out his Hands and stretched out his Wings to call and gather Sinners to himself doth now shut them out from himself and expose them to an Eternal Storm of Vengeance That he who once acted as a Physician to heal should now come to destroy That he that is a Redeemer to others should come now to bind obstinate Sinners in Chains and cast them into Prison and subject them to Eternal Bondage under the second Death USE 2. This may strike a Terror into Impenitent Sinners If Christ will come in flaming Fire what then will become of Stubble fully dry What will those suffer that are but Chaff That are Reprobate Silver And that are but Dross Ps 119.119 Vessels of wrath fitted for Destruction When the Harvest of the Earth is ripe when the Grapes of the Vine of the Earth are fully ripe the Sickle must be thrust in and made use of to reap the Harvest and cut the Grapes that they may be cast into the Wine-press of the wrath of God Rev. 14.15 18. Tares barren and dry Trees must be fuel to this flaming fire Matt. 3.10 USE 3. Endeavour to prevent destruction by this flaming Fire O make sure that you shall not dwell with Consuming Fire that you shall not inhabit with Everlasting Burnings O come to the Mediator that he may make peace O come to the Blood of sprinkling that it may speak and plead for your Pardon Fly to Christ that you may be found in him Ps 3.9 and so may find mercy with God and may be found
every Morning doth give a new stamp and beauty to the Earth and the Creatures in it Job 38.13 14. The day-light takes hold of the ends of the earth that is the earth is turned as clay to the seal The Light is as a Seal that stamps the Earth the Earth by darkness loseth its lustre for then we cannot discern it but by the Morning light doth as to our sense recover a new lustre as if Clay were new stamped and received a new impression by a Seal and as if the Earth were decked with a new Garment and variety of Ornaments and had a new beauty and lustre put on it Manifold are Gods works and in wisdom he hath made them all Psal 104.24 5. The Goodness of God eminently appears in the making of the Creatures The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord Psal 33.5 The Earth is said to be full of the Mercy of the Lord Psal 119.64 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 This was wonderful Goodness that God prepared a place for Mans Habitation before he was made God commanded the Waters to be gathered together into one place and the dry Land to appear that Man might have a place of Abode The waters stood above the mountains they covered all Psal 104.6 7 8. But God rebuked this as a disorder he gave forth a thundering Command to the Waters at which they fled and hasted away Two things here are observable 1. That God brake up a deep and hollow place in the Earth large enough to receive such vast quantities of Waters Job 38.10 I brake up for it my decreed place that the Earth should sink so deep as to entertain these huge Treasures of Waters It is somewhat probable that as the Earth was depressed so low in some places so it did proportionably swell and rise high in other places The low Valley in which the deep Sea doth lie is answered by high Mountains that ascend so much above the plain ground 2. This is observable That God shut in the Sea he sets bars and doors God commanded the Sea Hitherto shalt thou come but no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed Job 35.10 11. This is wonderful Power and Goodness for God to Park in and Inclose so wild and furious a Creature as the Sea is and when its Waves rise to be as high Mountains God is said to tread on the Waves of the Sea Job 9.8 And God treads these swelling and mountainous Waves into a Plain when he allys the Wind causeth the Storm to cease and makes a Calm God hath set a bound that they may not pass over that they turn not again to cover the Earth The sand is fixed as a bound to this furious Creature by a perpetual decree Jer. 5.22 2. Here is more Goodness that restrains the Waters that are over our Heads God binds up the waters in his thick clouds and the clouds are not rent under them Job 26.8 We dwell between two Seas a Sea below and a Sea in the Clouds There are vast quantities of Waters in the Clouds that would fall down and overwhelm us did not the power of God bear them up For this reason as well as others Gods strength is said to be in the clouds Psal 68.34 3. That God hath made such variety and abundance of Creatures for Mans use Bread to strengthen and Wine to chear his Heart Psal 104.15 Birds Beasts and Fishes for his use God did not make Man till he had stocked a Farm and furnished a House for him The earth is full of Gods riches Psal 104.24 which were made not to advantage or enrich God for he hath need of nothing Acts 17.25 but Man was to be enriched by being made Proprietor and Possessor of this great House and Farm 4. That God should so graciously share and divide the Sun Moon and Stars and by turns communicate their light to all Nations Deut. 4.19 The Sun shines to some and makes a day with them when it 's night with others The Sun gives a six Months day to some and a six Months night to others so the Moon and Stars do by turns afford light to several parts of the Earth 5. That God hath made Beasts for burden to carry Men and their Goods up and down to Draw and Plow their Ground And God hath made other Beasts Birds and Fish to feed Men. 6. That God hath not only made Herbs and Plants for Food but also for Medicine Healing of Diseases and Curing of Wounds 7. That the Earth doth not only serve us with its surface and outside bearing under-Wood Trees Broom Furzes and Turf but with its inside Heart and Bowels There are several rich Mines precious Stones Peat and Coals growing in the Bowels of the Earth for Fuel The Earth serves us with its outside and inside which should oblige us to serve God with our Souls and bodies with our Hearts and Lives 8. Though particular Creatures as Men Beasts Birds Fish Flowers Herbs Trees do die yet God doth not suffer any Species of Creatures utterly to perish and be extinguished but new Creatures do spring up and rise in the room of those that decay and perish and so do fill up their place Thou sendest forth thy spirit and they are created thou renewest the face of the earth Psal 104.30 God's Spirit gives Life to the Creatures he brings forth a new Stock of Men Beasts Birds Trees and Plants so that God's great Farm is not left unstocked and unfurnished God may be seen and felt in his Creatures Those that do not see God's Glory that do not adore his Wisdom and Power that do not admire his Goodness deserve to be consumed out of the earth and to cease their being here Psal 104.4 yea that Christ should come in flaming Fire to take Vengeance on them for their Ignorance of God That they close their Eyes against such a light as shines through the World spreads and diffuses it self among all the Creatures Man was made to seek God Acts 17.26 27. And God endued Man with a Life of Light John 1.40 Taught him more than the Beasts of the Earth and made him wiser than the Fowls of Heaven Job 35.10 11. and this was to fit Man to ask and inquire after God Every Rational Creature should say Where is God my Master that gives Songs in the Night God did not breathe a Soul into Man that he should pant after the dust of the Earth Amos 2.7 but should breathe and pant after God Psal 42.1 2. 2. Christ will come in flaming fire to take Vengeance on those that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Three things here I shall insist upon 1. I shall shew what the Gospel is 2. What it is to obey the Gospel 3. How great and heinous a sin it is not to obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. What the Gospel is I Answer It is
not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Promise but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good News that this Promise is performed Acts 13.32 33. We declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he hath raised up Jesus again These glad Tidings are brought by the Son out of the bosom of the Father John 1.18 It is good News of the best Good the sweetest Feast the richest Inheritance the most Noble and Honorable Relation to God and that when a Sentence of Death might have been dreaded and an Eternal Vengeance felt It is a Gospel of grace Acts 20.24 A Gospel of salvation Eph. 13.1 24. The gospel of the kingdom Matt. 4.23 Here is Salvation from the most dreadful Evils the possession of a glorious and everlasting Kingdom and all bestowed in a way of pure Grace 2. What is it to obey the Gospel we read of obeying the Truth Gal. 3.1 and what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God 1 Pet. 4.17 These expressions of obeying the Truth and obeying the Gospel do seem to intimate that the Gospel is something more than a meer Promise To obey the Gospel is to Believe and Repent we must credit God's Testimony 1 Cor. 2.1 Is 5.3 Rom. 15.17 Believe the Report he gives receive the Gifts that he offers else we reject the highest Mercy and make God a Liar 1 John 5.10 if we believe not the Gospel 2. We must also Repent of our Sins To be called to Repent of our Sins and to have such sweet great and strong Incouragements to Repent is certainly Gospel-grace Musculus on Matt. 10.5 saith He doth not preach the Gospel that doth not preach Repentance That Repentance is a Gospel Duty these three things do evidence and demonstrate 1. It is a Call from an offended provoked Husband to return from our Whoredoms and to be Loyal to him Thou hast played the harlot with many Lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord Jer. 3.1 God acting according to the Covenant of Works would for ever divorce and eternally punish Sinners for their Adulteries not call 'em to be reconciled 2. The Call to Repentance is a Call from Christ as a Physician Matt. 9.12 13. The whole have no need of a Physician I am come to call sinners to repentance Christ in this acts as a Physician in calling Sinners to Repentance that they may be his Patients and that he may heal and recover them from their Diseases 3. A Call to Repentance flows from God and Christ as a Shepherd He seeks out that which was lost and brings back that which was gone astray Luke 19.10 These are Acts proper to Christ as a Shepherd and therefore Repentance must needs be a Duty of the Gospel Zech. 10.8 I will hiss for them and gather them for I have redeemed them Here is a plain Allusion to the Shepherds hiss to gather the Sheep that are scattered and he gathers them because he hath Redeemed them This still more evidences that a Call to Repentance is grounded on the Gospel 3. I shall shew you what a heinous Sin it is not to obey the Gospel 1. The Gospel requires us to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 1.20 O what Mercy is it that Reconciliation is possible we could not be Reconciled but by the death of God's Son We could not be healed but by his stripes Isa 53.5 God could not make Peace with us but he must make War with his Son Zech 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and smite the man that is my fellow Devils are not invited to be Reconciled the blind Heathen World are not called to be Reconciled Let Heaven and Earth be Witness and Judge whether it be not reasonable that Sinners should be reconciled to God that is Love and Goodness that never did them any wrong that is their Creator Preserver and Benefactor Is not the enmity of Men unjust foolish and pernicious to themselves Shall Grashoppers leap up against Heaven Is 40.22 Shall Worms Job 25.6 contend with the Almighty Shall Potters Vessels challenge a Rod of Iron Ps 2.8 9. Shall Stubble and Chaff Briers and Thorns set themselves in Battle against devouring Fire Hath God found out a way to appease his own wrath Is 27.4 5. To cut off his own plea and advantages against us Nahum 10.3 To end the dreadful Controversie between Heaven and Earth and to sheath his glittering Sword and will you yet persist in your enmity and continue the War against God Do you resolve to pluck down his wrath and vengeance on you Will the short momentary pleasures of Sin countervail eternal Torments When God calls you to be Reconciled what is contained in it but that you should lay down your weapons of Hostility and lay hold on Christ's atoning Sacrifice as the only means of Reconciliation O shall not your Scum go out of you Shall not your Dross be separated from you Shall not all the Transgressions be cast away by you Should you not return to your place submit and be subject to God You must turn from your Iniquity God will never change and depart from his Holiness 2. The Gospel calls men to be Espoused to Jesus Christ Cant. 8.8 The little Sister that is the Gentiles are said to be spoken for that is to give her Heart to and set her love on Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 6.17 Christ doth wooe you to be joined to him to give your selves to him and to be his 2 Cor. 8.5 Is not Christ the most beautiful rich loving and glorious Bridegroom Can you find any other Match that may compare with him He is fairer than the children of men Psal 45.2 He is white and ruddy and the chiefest of ten thousands Cant. 5.10 He hath unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 He is love it self Cant. 3.5 All power in Heaven and Earth is given to him He was dead but he is alive and lives for more Matt. 28.18 Rev. 1.15 He will never put you away or leave you a desolate disconsolate Widow Is it not amazing that Beauty should wooe Deformity Riches solicit Poverty Nobility suit Vileness and Baseness and yet be rejected If you match not with Christ who shall pay your Debts Protect and cover you from Arrests Who shall make you a Jointure or provide you a House and Home in another World Who shall wash away your Guilt and Filth Supply your Wants Cloth and Cover your Nakedness If Jesus Christ be not your Husband will you still dote on base and beggarly Objects Will you still go a Whoring from God Psal 13.27 Will you continue Aholah dwelling in your own Tent and broken off from the House of God Those that slight and spurn at Christ's love are they not worthy to feel the scorching Fire of his wrath Carnal Creatures do not love a Spiritual Bridegroom they rush into the embraces of carnal and present Objects but Souls consider not
of his pleasant fruits Acts of moral Justice may profit Men may be beneficial to the Common-wealth and human Society yet if they flow not from a spiritual Spring grow not on the root of love to God they do not please God they are not accepted with him The Fathers as Vossius in his History of Pelagianism tells us did call these Opera Sterilia barren Works because they had no tendency to no influence on Eternal Life but if you break up the fallow Ground are renew'd by and sow to the Spirit you may receive in this life an hundred fold and at last reap and inherit everlasting life Mat. 10.29 Gal. 6.8 Judgment may dwell in your Wilderness Isa 32.16 and you that were formerly altogether unprofitable Rom. 3.12 Philemon's Epist may become profitable highly serviceable to God greatly beneficial and useful to Men unclean Creatures may be washed old and corrupt Creatures may be renew'd Tit. 3.5 2. Consider how bad it will be not to be plowed and sowed This is threatned as a terrible Judgment That the Land of Canaan should keep its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate and ceaseth from Tillage Is it bad for the Ground to lay desolate to keep a Sabbath to cease from Culture how much worse is it for the Soul to keep its Sabbaths not holy but carnal and prophane Sabbaths while God's Plow doth not break it up nor his Seed be sow'd in it Men then will be far from Righteousness Isa 46.12 will serve divers Lusts and Pleasures and be without God in the World they will chuse their own ways and their Souls delight in their abominations The Adversaries of the Jews in the Babylonish Captivity saw their Sabbaths and mocked at them Lam. 1.7 but the great Enemy of Souls will rejoyce at the idle and prophane Sabbaths that wicked men keep when they cease to do good and leave off Righteousness in the Earth Amos 5.7 2. Those that are not broken up and sowed will be Satan's Possession as he claims Strays as his so he is the Lord of fallow Ground Such are of their Father the Devil and his lusts they will do John 8.44 It is sweet and honourable to be God's Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 but how dreadful is it to be Satan's Husbandry Satan will still be working in them Ephes 2.2 and filling of their Hearts Acts 5.3 he will be sowing planting and grafting in and on them he will tutor his Nursery by continual suggestions and temptations Satan will still be serving his turn on promoting his interest by and accomplishing bis designs in Souls that lye fallow how bad will it be to keep Sabbaths as resting from spiritual tillage This is to keep Sabbaths to gratifie and worship Satan these Sabbaths are working days to please the Flesh and rejoyce the Devil such do the Devil's Will in time and if Grace doth not prevent they must suffer God's Will to Eternity 3. Those that are as a fallow Ground do bitterly provoke God to anger Hos 12. last They bring forth Grapes of gall their clusters are bitter Deut. 32.33 Can the heavenly Husbandman feed on and delight in such Grapes doth not his Soul loath and abhor them but as to good Grapes are they not empty Vines Hos 10.1 These fallow Grounds are like the barren Fig-tree Christ hungred and came to this Fig-tree and found nothing on it but Leaves this so provoked Christ that he cursed it Mat. 21.18 19. and said unto it Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever and presently the Fig-tree wither'd away In what danger are Souls that are barren Fig trees Christ may curse them so that their Leaves may wither their form of Religion decay and be utterly lost a Sentence may go forth against them Cut them down why should they any longer cumber the ground Luke 13.7 Those that are not Trees for Fruit shall be Trees for Fuel The Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 The Ground that after Rain and Dew have come often on it and yet it bringeth forth only Briers and Thorns it is nigh to cursing and its end is to be burnt Heb. 6.8 4. If you continue a Fallow Ground you will bring forth Fruit only to Death and fit your selves for Destruction Rom. 7.5 You will pile up fuel in the Infernal Tophet and fill the Treasury of God's wrath Rom. 2.5 as the clusters are bitter and so abhorred by God so your Wine is the Poyson of Dragons and the cruel venom of Asps and so most fatal pernicious and destructive to your selves As Men now drink in iniquity like water Job 15.16 so they must shortly drink of the wrath of the Almighty Job 21.20 O therefore cry mightily to God that he would remember you in your miserable and lost Estate There is a sweet Promise that God makes to the Mountain of Israel Ezek. 36.8 9. Behold I am for you and I will turn unto you and you shall be tilled sown and yield your Fruit. O plead this word with God put him in remembrance of it Confess you have long lain Fallow Perhaps some of you have kept a Sabbath of Years yea are come to a great Sabbatical Year Forty nine or Fifty Years you have ceased from Spiritual Tillage you have been idle all this while and done no work for God you have been barren and have brought forth no Fruit to God O will you not now send up strong cries to Heaven Will you not now wrestle mightily with God that he would be for you and turn to you in Grace and Mercy that you may be effectually filled skilfully sown and plentifully bear Fruit to God Doct. 2. It is the Duty of Unregenerate Men to break up their Fallow Ground They should not be idle or stand still or be contented with their present Barrenness that God who calls you to Act can breathe Life and put Strength into you to enable you to work As God in the first Creation spake to the Earth and said Let it bring forth Grass Herbs and Fruit-bearing Trees and it was so as the Father commanded and the Son was the Word so the Holy Ghost executed all The Earth had no Seed of Grass or Herbs or Roots of Trees within it self or power to bring them forth yet Gods Word was as Seed then and gave a productive Power to the Earth So God said Let the waters bring forth Fish to move in them and Fowl that may fly above the waters and earth in the open Firmament of Heaven and tho' the waters had no spawn of Fish or Eggs of Fowl in them yet the Word of God was powerful effectual and soon fulfilled So Christ is the Resurrection and the Life and the beginning of the Creation of God he can quicken dead Souls recover and heal a withered arm and hand Mark 3.5 so that it shall be stretched out and enabled to hold the Plough and carry on this Spiritual Tillage that