worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God c. Heb. 10. 28. Wherefore against these Despisers God hath set himself and foretold that they shall not believe but perish Behold ye Despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your days which ye shall in no wise believe though a Man declare it unto you Acts 13. 41. After that thou shalt out it down Thus far we have treated of the Barren Fig-tree or fruitless Professor with some Signs to know him by whereto is added also some Signs of one who neither will or can by any means be fruitful but they must miserably perish Now being come to the time of Execution I shall speak a word to that also After that thou shalt cut it down Christ at last turns the Barren Fig-tree over to the Justice of God shakes his hands of him And gives him up to the fire for his unprofitableness Thou cut ent it down Two things are here to be considered 1. The Executioner Thou the great the dreadful the eternal God These words therefore as I have already said signify that Christ the Mediator through whom alone Salvation comes and by whom alone Execution hath been deferred Now giveth up the Soul forbears to speak one Syllable more for him or to do the least Act of Grace further to try for his Recovery but delivereth him up to that fearful Dispensation To fall into the hand of the living God Heb. 10. 31. 2. The Second to be considered is The Instrument by which this Execution is done and that is Death compared here to an Ax and forasmuch as the Tree is not felled at one Blow therefore the strokes are here continued till all the blows be struck at it that are requisite for its felling For now cutting-time and cutting-work is come cuttiâ—g must be his Portion till he be cut down After that thou shalt cut it down Death I say is the Ax which God often useth therewith to take the Barren Fig-tree out of the Vineyard out of a Profession and also out of the World at once But this Ax is now new-ground it cometh well-edged to the Roots of this Barren Fig-tree It hath been whetted by Sin by the Law and by a formal Profession and therefore must and will make deep gashes not only in the natural life but in the Heart and Conscience also of this Professor The wages of Sin is Death the sting of Death is Sin 1 Cor. 15. Wherefore Death comes not to this Man as he doth to Saints muzzled or without his Sting but with open Mouth in all his strength yea he sends his First born which is guilt to devour his strength and to bring him to the King of Terrors Job 18. 13 14. But to give you in a few Particulars the manner of this Man 's dying 1. Now he hath his fruitless Fruits beleaguer him round his Bed together with all the Bands and Legions of his other wickedness His own Iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden in the Cords of his Sins Prov. 5. 22. 2. Now some terrible discovery of God is made out unto him to the perplexing and terrifying of his guilty Conscience God shall cast upon him and not spare and he shall be afraid of that which is high Job 27. 22. 3. The dark Entry he is to go thro will be a sore amazement to him For fear shall be in the way Eccl. 12. 5. yea Terrors will take hold on him when he shall see the yawning Jaws of Death to gape upon him and the Doors of the Shadow of Death open to give him passage out of the World Now who will meet me in this dark Entry how shall I pass through this dark Entry into another World 4. For by reason of Guilt and a shaking Conscience His Life will hang in continual doubt before him and he shall be afraid day and night Deut. 28. 66 67. and shall have no assurance of his Life 5. Now also Want will come up against him he will come up like an armed Man This is a terrible Army to him that is graceless in Heart and fruitless in Life This Want will continually cry in thine Ears here is a New Birth wanting a new Heart and a new Spirit wanting here is Faith wanting here is Love and Repentance wanting here is the Fear of God wanting and a good Conversation wanting Thou art weighed in the Ballance and art found wanting Dan. 5. 27. 6. Together with these standeth by the companions of Death Death and Hell Death and Devils Death and endless Torment in the everlasting flames of devouring Fire When God shall come up unto the people he will invade them with his Troops Hab. 3. 16. But how will this Man die Can his Heart now endure or can his Hands be strong Ezek. 22. 14. 1. God and Christ and Pity have left him Sin against Light against Mercy and the Long-suffering of God is come up against him his Hope and Confidence now lie a dying by him and his Conscience totters and shakes continually within him 2. Death is at his work Cutting of him down hewing both Bark and Heart both Body and Soul assunder The Man groans but Death hears him not He looks gastly carefully dejectedly he sighs he sweats he trembles but Death matters nothing 3. Fearful Cogitations haunt him misgivings direful apprehensions of God terrify him Now he hath time to think what the loss of Heaven will be and what the torments of Hell will be now he looks no way but he is frighted 4. Now would he live but may not he would live though it were but the life of a Bed-rid Man but must not He that cuts him down sways him as the Feller of Wood sways the tottering Tree now this way then that at last a Root breaks an Heart-string an Eye-string snaps assunder 5. And now could the Soul be anihilated or brought to nothing how happy would it count it self but it sees that may not be Wherefore it is put to a wonderful strait stay in the Body it may not go out of the Body it dares not Life is going the Blood settles in the Flesh and the Lungs being no more able to draw Breath through the Nostrils at last out goes the weary trembling Soul who is immediatly seized by Devils who lay lurking in every hole in the Chamber for that very purpose His Friends take care of the Body wrap it up in the Sheet or Coffin but the Soul is out of their thought and reach going down to the Chambers of Death I had thought to have enlarged but I forbear God who teaches Man to profit bless this brief and plain Discourse to thy Soul who yet standest a Professor in the Land of the Living among the Trees of his Garden Amen FINIS AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE and UNITY Ephes. 4. 3. Indeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace BEloved Religion is the great Bond of humane
have subscribed to the Lord and have called our selves by the Name of Israel One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his Hand unto the Lord and sirname himself by the Name of Israel Isa 44. 5. Barren Fig-tree hast thou subscribed hast thou called thy self by the Name of Jacob and sirnamed thy self by the Name of Israel All this thou pretendest to who art got into the Vineyard who art placed among the Trees of the Garden of God God doth therefore look for such Fruit as is worthy of his Name as is meet for Him as the Apostle saith We should walk worthy of God that is so as we may shew in every place that the presence of God is with us his Fear in us and his Majesty and Authority upon our Actions Fruits meet for him such a dependance upon him such trust in his Word such satisfaction in his Presence such a trusting of him with all my Concerns and such delight in the enjoyment of him that may demonstrate that his Fear is in my Heart that my Soul is wrap'd up in his Things and that my Body and Soul and Estate and All are in Truth through his Grace at his dispose Fruit meet for him Hearty thanks and blessing God for Jesus Christ for his good Word for his Free-Grace for the discovery of himself in Christ to the Soul secret longing after another World Fruit meet for him Liberality to the poor Saints to the poor World a Life in Word and Deed exemplary a patient and quiet enduring of all things till I have done and suffered the whole Will of God which he hath appointed for me That on the good Ground are they which in an honest and good Heart having heard the Word keep it and bring forth Fruit with patience Luke 8. 15. This is bringing forth Fruit unto God Having our Fruit unto Holiness and our End everlasting Life Rom. 7. 4. 6. 22. 14. 8. Fifthly The Lord expects Fruit be coming the Vineyard of God The Vineyard saith he Isa. 5. 1. is a very fruitful Hill witness the Fruit brought forth in all Ages The most barren Trees that ever grew in the Wood of this World when planted in this Vineyard by the God of Heaven what Fruit to Godward have they brought forth Abel offered the more excellent Sacrifice Heb. 11. 4. Enoch walked with God three hundred Years vers 5. Noah by his Life of Faith condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith vers 7. Abraham left his Country and went out after God not knowing whither he went vers 8. 〈…〉 left a Kingdom and ran the hazard of the Wrath of the King for the Love he had to God and Christ. What shall I say of them who had Triâ—lâ— not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 〈…〉 35 36 37. They were stoned they were 〈…〉 were tempted 〈…〉 They wandred 〈…〉 and Goat-skins being destitâ—te 〈…〉 left his Father Ship and Nets Mat. 4. â—8 19 Paul turned off from the feet of Gamalieâ—â— Men brought their Goods and Possessions the price of them and cast it down at the Apostle's Feet Acts 19. 18 19 â—0 〈◊〉 others brought their Books together and burnt them 〈…〉 Books though they were worth fifty thousand pieces of Silver I could add how many willingly offered themselves in all Ages and their all for the worthy Name of the Lord Jesus to be rack'd starved hanged burned drowned pulled in pieces and 〈◊〉 thousand Calâ—mities Barren Fig-tree the Vineyard of God hath been a fruitful Place What dost thou there What dost thou bear God expects Fruit according to or becoming the Soil of the Vineyard Sixthly The Fruit which God expecteth is such as becometh God's Husbandry and Labour The Vineyard is God's Husbandry or Tillage I am the Vine saith Christ John 15. â— and my Father is the Husbandman And again 1 Cor. 3. 9. Ye are God's Husbandry ye are God's Building The Vineyard God fences it God gathereth ouâ— the Stones God builds the Tower and the Winepâ—ess in the midst thereof Here is Labour here is Protection here is removing of Hindrances here is convenient Purgation and all that there might be 〈◊〉 Barren Fig-tree What Fruit hast thou hast thou Fruit becoming the Care of God the Protection of God the Wisdom of God the Patience and Husbandry of God It is the Fruit of the Vineyard that is either the shame or the praise of the Husbandman I went by the Field of the slothful saith Solomon and by the Vineyard of the Man void of Vnderstanding and lo it was grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof Prov. 24. 30 31 32. Barren Fig-tree If Men should make a judgment of the care and pains and labour of God in his Church by the Fruit that thou bringest forth what might they say is he not slothful is not he careless is he not without discretion O thy Thorns thy Nettles thy barren Heart and barren Life is a continual provocation to the eyes of his Glory as likewise a dishonour to the glory of his Grace Barren Fig-tree hast thou heard all these things I will add yet one more And he came and sought fruit thereon The question is not now What thou thinkest of thy self nor what all the people of God think of thee but what thou shalt be found in that day when God shall search thy boughs for Fruit When Sodom was to be searched for righteous Men God would not in that matter trust his faithful servant Abraham but still as Abraham interceded God answered If I find fifty or forty and five there I will not destroy the City Gen. 18. 20 21 26 27. Barren Fig-tree what sayest thou God will come down to see God will make search for Fruit himself And he came and sought Fruit thereon and found none Then said he to the Dresser of the Vineyard Behold these three Years I come seeking Fruit on this Fig-tree and find none Cut it down why cumbereth it the ground These words are the effect of God's search into the boughs of a barren Fig-tree He sought Fruit and found none none to his liking none pleasant and good Therefore first he complains of the want thereof to the Dresser calls him to come and see and take notice of the Tree then signifieth his pleasure he will have it removed taken away cut down from cumbering the Ground Observ. The barren Fig-tree is the Object of God's displeasure God cannot bear with a fruitless Professor Then said he c. Then after this provocation then after he had sought and found no Fruit then This word then doth shew us a kind of an inward disquietness as he saith also in another place upon a like provocation Then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that Man and all the Curses that are written in this Book
expecteth that the Fruits of Repentance be found to attend them Mat. 3. 8. Bring forth Fruits therefore meet for Repentance or answerable to thy profession of the Doctrine of Repentance Barren Fig-tree seeing thou art a Professor and art got into the Vineyard thou standest before the Lord of the Vineyard as one of the Trees of the Garden Wherefore He looketh for Fruit from thee as from the rest of the Trees in the Vineyard Fruits I say and such as may declare thee in Heart and Life one that hath made sound Profession of Repentance By thy Profession thou hast said I am sensible of the evil of Sin Now then live such a Life as declares that thou art sensible of the Evil of Sin By thy Profession thou hast said I am sorry for my Sin Why then live such a life as may declare This Sorrow By thy Profession thou hast said I am ashamed of my Sin Psal. 38. 18. yea but live such a Life that Men by that may see thy shame for Sin Jer. 31. 19. By thy Profession thou sayest I have turned from left off and am become an enemy to every appearance of evil 1 Thess. 5. 22. Ah! but doth thy Life and Conversation declare thee to be such an one Take heed barren Fig-tree lest thy Life should give thy Profession the lye I say again Take heed for God himself will come for Fruit And he sought Fruit thereon You have some Professors that are only Saints before Men when they are abroad but are Devils and Vipers at home Saints by Profession but Devils by Practice Saints in Word but Sinners in Heart and Life These Men may have the Profession but they want the Fruits that become Repentance Barren Fig-tree Can it be imagined that those that paint themselves did ever repent of their Pride or that those that pursue this World did ever repent of their Covetousness or that those that walk with wanton eyes did ever repent of their fleshly Lusts Where barren Fig-tree is the Fruit of these Peoples Repentance Nay do they not rather declare to the World that they have repented of their Profession Their fruits look as if they had Their Pride saith they have repented of their Humility Their Covetousness declareth that they are weary of depending upon God and doth not thy wanton actions declare that thou abhorrest Chastity Where is thy Fruit Barren Fig-tree Repentance is not only a sorrow and a shame for but a turning from Sin to God Heb. 6. it is called Repentance from dead works Hast thou that Godly Sorrow that worketh Repentance to Salvation never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. How dost thou shew thy carefulness and clearing of thy self thy indignation against Sin thy fear of offending thy vehement desire to walk with God thy zeal for his Name and Glory in the World and what revenge hast thou in thy Heart against every thought of Disobedience But where is the Fruit of this Repentance Where is thy Watching thy Fasting thy Praying against the remainders of Corruption Where is thy Self-abhorrence thy blushing before God for the Sin that is yet behind Where is thy tenderness of the Name of God and his Waies Where is thy Self-denial and Contentment How dost thou shew before Men the truth of thy turning to God Hast thou renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness 2 Cor. 4. 2. Canst thou commend thy self to every Man's conscience in the sight of God And he sought Fruit thereon Secondly God expecteth Fruits that shall answer that Faith which thou makest Profession of The Professor that is got into the Vineyard of God doth feign that he hath the Faith the Faith most holy the Faith of God's Elect Ah! But where are thy Fruits Barren Fig-tree The Faith of the Romans was spoken of throughout the whole World Rom. 1. 8. and the Thessalonians Faith grew exceedingly 2 Thess. 1. 3. Thou professest to believe thou hast a share in another World Hast thou let go this barren Fig-tree Thou professest thou believest in Christ is he thy Joy and the Life of thy Soul Yea what conformity unto Him to his Sorrows and Suffering What resemblance hath his Crying and Groaning and Bleeding and Dying wrought in thee dost thou bear about in thy body the dying of the Lord Jesus and is also the Life of Jesus made manifest in thy mortal body 2 Cor. 4. 10 11. Barren Fig-tree Shew me thy Faith by thy Works Shew out of a good Conversation thy Works with meekness of wisdom Jam. 2. 18. 3. 13. What Fruit barren Fig-tree what degree of Heart-Holiness for Faith purifies the Heart Act. 15. 19. What love to the Lord Jesus for Faith worketh by Love Gal. 5. 6. Thirdly God expecteth Fruits according to the Seasons of Grace thou art under according to the rain that cometh upon thee Perhaps thou art planted in a good Soil by great Waters that thou mightest bring forth Branches and bear Fruit that thou mightest be a goodly Vine or Fig-tree Shall he not therefore seek for Fruit for Fruit answerable to the means Barren Fig-tree God expects it and will find it too if ever He bless thee For the Earth which drinketh in the rain that comes oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for him by whom it is dressed receives blessing from God but that which heareth thorns and briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Heb. 6. 7 8. Barren Soul How many showers of Grace how many dews from Heaven how many times have the Silver Streams of the City of God run gliding by thy Roots to cause thee to bring forth Fruit These Showers and Streams and the Drops that hang upon thy Boughs will all be accounted for And will they not testify against thee that thou oughtest of right to be burned Hear and tremble O thou barren Professor Fruits that become thy profession of the Gospel the God of Heaven expecteth The Gospel hath in it the Forgiveness of Sins the Kingdom of Heaven and Eternal Life But what Fruit hath thy Profession of a belief of these things put forth in thy Heart and Life Hast thou given thy self to the Lord and is all that thou hast to be ventured for his Name in this World Dost thou walk like one that is bought with a price Even the price of precious Blood Fourthly The Fruit that God expecteth is such As is meet for himself Fruit that may glorify God God's Trees are Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified Fruit that tasteth of Heaven abundance of such Fruit For herein saith Christ is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much Fruit John 15. 8. Fruits of all kinds new and old the Fruits of the Spirit is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Fruits before the World Fruits before the Saints Fruits before God Fruits before Angels O my Brethren What manner of Persons ought we to be who
of the Dresser oâ— the Vineyard who I told you 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ for he made intercession foâ— the Transgressors And they contain Petition presented to an offended Justice praying that a little more time anâ— Patience might be exercised towards thâ— barren cumber-ground Fig-tree In this Petition there are Six things considerable First That Justice might be deferred O that Justice might be deferred Lord â—et it alone c. a while longer Secondly Here is time prefixed as a space to try if more means will cure a barâ—en Fig-tree Lord let it alone this Year also Thirdly The means to help it are propounded until I shall dig about it and dung it Fourthly Here is also an insinuation of a Supposition that by thus doing God's expectation may be answered And if it bear Fruit Well Fifthly Here is a Supposition that the barren Figtree may yet abide barren when Christ hath done what he will unto it and if it bear Fruit c. Sixthly Here is at last a Resolution that if thou continue barren hewing Days will come upon thee And if it bear Fruit well And if not then after that thou shalt cut it down But to proceed according to my former Method by Way of Exposition Lord let it alone this Year also Here is astonishing Grace indeed astonishing Grace I say that the Lord Jesus should concern himself with a barreâ— Fig-tree that He should step in to stopâ— the blow from a barren Fig-tree True He stopt the blow but for a time Buâ— why did he stop it at all Why did noâ— he fetch out the Ax Why did he not do Execution Why did not he cut it down Barren Fig-tree 't is well for thee that there is a Jesus at God's right Hand a Jesus of that largeness of bowels As to have compassion for a barren Fig-tree else Justice had never let thee alone to cumber the Ground as thou hast done When Israel also had sinned against God down they had gone But that Moses stood in the breach Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone said God to him that I may consume them in a moment and I will make of thee a great Nation Barren Fig-tree dost thou hear Thou knowest not how oft the hand of Divine Justice hath been up to strike and how many Years since thou hadst been cut down had not Jesus caught hold of his Father 's Ax. Let me alone let me fetch my blow or cut it down why cumbereth it the ground Wilt thou not hear yet Barren Fig-tree Wilt thou provoke still Thou hast wearied Men and provoked the Justice of God And wilt thou weary my God also Isa. 7. 13. Lord let it alone this Year Lord a little longer le ts not lose a Soul for want of means I will try I will see if I can make it fruitful I will not beg a long Life nor that it might still be barren and so provoke thee I beg for the sake of the Soul the immortal Soul Lord spare it one Year only one Year longer this Year also if I do any Good to it it will be in little time Thou shalt not be over-wearied with waiting one Year and then Barren Fig-tree Dost thou hear what striving there is between the Vine-dresser and the Husband-Man for thy Life Cut it down says one Lord spare it saith the other 'T is a cumber-ground saith the Father one Year longer prays the Son Let it alone this Year also Vntil I shall dig about it and dung it The Lord Jesus by these words supposeth two things as Causes of the want of Fruit in a barren Fig-tree and two things he supposeth as a Remedy The things that are a cause of want of Fruit are 1. 'T is Earth-bound Lord the Fig-tree is Earth-bound 2. A want of warmer Means of fatter Means Wherefore accordingly he propoundeth First To looser the Earth to dig about it Secondly And then to supply it with Dung to dig about it and dung it Lord let it alone this Year also until I shall dig about it I doubt it is too much ground-bound The Love of this World and the deceitfulness of Riches Luke 14. lie too close to the Roots of the Heart of this Professor The love of Riches the Love of Honours the Love of Pleasures are the Thorns that choak the Word 1 Joh. 2. 15 16. For all that is in the World the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eyes and the Pride of Life are not of the Father but enmity to God how then where these things bind up the Heart can there be Fruit brought forth to God Barren Fig-tree see how the Lord Jesus by these very words suggesteth the cause of thy fruitlesness of Soul The things of this World lie too close to thy Heart the Earth with its things have bound up thy Roots Thou art an Earth-bound Soul thou art wrapt up in thick Clay If any Man love the World the Love of the Father is not in him how then can he be fruitful in the Vineyard This kept Judas from the Fruit of caring for the poor Joh. 12. 6. This kept Demas from the Fruit of Self-denial 2 Tim. 4. 10. And this kept Ananias and Saphirah his Wife from the goodly Fruit of Sincerity and Truth Act. 5. 5 10. What shall I say These are foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition for the love of Mony is the root of all Evil 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. How then can good Fruit grow from such a Root the Root of all Evil Which while some covet after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows It is an evil Root nay it is the Root of all Evil how theâ— can the Professor that hath such a Root or a Root wrap'd up in such earthly things as the Lusts and Pleasures and Vanities of this World bring forth Fruit to God! Vntil I shall dig about it Lord I will loose his Roots I will dig up this Earth I will lay his Roots bare my Hand shall be upon him by Sickness by Disappointments by cross Providences I will dig about him until he stands shaking and tottering until he be ready to fall then if ever he will seek to take faster hold Thus I say deals the Lord Jesus oft-times with the barren Professor he diggeth about him he smiteth one blow at his Heart another blow at his Lusts a third at his Pleasures a fourth at his Comforts another at his Self-conceitedness thus he diggeth about him This is the way to take bad Earth from his Roots and to loosen his Roots from the Earth Barren Fig-tree see here the Care the Love the Labour and Way which the Lord Jesus the Dresser of the Vineyard is fain to take with thee if happily thou mayest be made fruitful Vntil I shall dig about it and dung it As the Earth by binding the Roots too closely may hinder the Tree's being fruitful so the want of better Means may be also a Cause
refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven From this brief pass through this Parable you have these two general Observations First That even then when the Justice of God cries out I cannot endure to wait on this barren Professor any longer Then Jesus Christ intercedes for a little more Patience and a little more striving with this Professor if possible he may make him a fruitful Professor Lord let it alone this Year also until I shall dig about it and dung it and if it bear Fruit well c. Secondly There are some Professors whose Day of Grace will end with cut it down with Judgment when Christ by his means hath been used for their Salvation The First of these Observations I shall pass and not meddle at all therewith But shall briefly speak to the Second to wit That there are some Professors whose Day of Grace will end with cut it down with Judgmeut when Christ by his means hath been used for their Salvation This the Apostle sheweth in that third Chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrews where he tells us that the People of the Jews after a forty Years patience and endeavour to do them good by the means appointed for that purpose their end was to be cut down or excluded the Land of Promise for their final incredulity So we see they could not enter in because of Vnbelief Wherefore saith he I was grieved with that generation and said they do always err in their Hearts and they have not known my ways So I sware in my Wrath they shall not enter into my Rest. As who should say I would they should have entred in and for that purpose I brought them out of Egypt led them through the Sea and taught them in the Wilderness but they did not answer my Work nor Designs in that Matter wherefore they shall not I sware they shall not I swore in my Wrath they should not enter into my Rest Here is cutting down with Judgment So again Chap. 4. he saith As I have sworn in my Wrath if they shall enter into my Rest although the Works were finished from the Foundation of the World Heb. 4. 2 3 4. This word if is the same with they shall not in the Chapter before And where he saith Although the Works were finished from the Foundation of the World He giveth us to understand that what preparations soever are made for the Salvation of Sinners and of how long continuance soever they are yet the God-tempting God-provoking and fruitless Professor is like to go without a share therein although the Works were finish'd from the Foundation of the World Jude 5 6. I will therefore put you in remembrance though ye once knew this how that the Lord having saved the People out of the Land of Egypt â— afterwards destroyed them that believed not And the Angels that kept not their first Estate but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Judgment of the great Day Here is an Instance to purpose an Instance of Men and Angels Men saved out of the Land of Egypt and in their Journey towards Canaan the Type of Heaven cut down Angels created and placed in the Heavens in great Estate and Principality yet both these because unfruitful to God in their places were cut down the Men destroyed by God for so saith the Text and the Angels reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day Now in my handling of this Point I shall discourse of the cutting down or the Judgment here denounced as it respecteth the doing of it by God's Hand immediately and that too with respect to his casting them out of the World and not as it respecteth an Act of the Church c. And as to this cutting down or Judgment it must be concluded that it cannot be before the Day of Grace be past with the Fig-tree But according to the Observation There be some Professors whose Day of Grace will end with cut it down and according to the words of the Text Then after that thou shalt cut it down After that that is after all my Attempts and Endeavours to make it fruitful after I have left it given it over done with it and have resolved to bestow no more Days of Grace Opportunities of Grace and Means of Grace upon it then after that thou shalt cut it down Besides the giving up of the Fig-tree is before the Execution Execution is not always presently upon the Sentence given for after that a convenient Time is thought on and then is cutting down And so it is here in the Text. The Decree that he shall perish is gathered from its continuing fruitless quite through the last Year from its continuing fruitless at the end of all Endeavours But cutting down is not yet for that comes with an after-word Then after that thou shalt cut it down So then that I may orderly proceed with the Observation I must lay down these two Propositions Prop. 1. That the Day of Grace ends with some Men before God takes them out of this World And Prop. 2. The Death or cutting down of such Men will be dreadful For this cut it down when it is understood in the largest sense as here indeed it ought it sheweth not only the Wrath of God against a Man's Life in this World but his Wrath against him Body and Soul And is as much as to say cut him off from all the Priviledges and Benefits that come by Grace both in this World and that which is to come But to proceed The Day of Grace ends with some Men before God taketh them out of this World I shall give you some Instances of this and so go on to the last Proposition First I shall instance Cain Cain was a Professor Gen. 4. 3. a Sacrificer a Worshipper of God yea the first Worshipper that we read of after the Fall but his Grapes were wild Ones Gen. 4. 5 8. his Works were Evil he did not do what he did from true Gospel-motives therefore God disallowed his Work at this his Countenance falls Wherefore he envies his Brother disputes him takes his opportunity and kills him Now in that day that he did this Act were the Heavens closed up against him and that himself did smartingly and fearfully feel when God made inquisition for the Blood of Abel And now cursed said God shalt thou be from the Earth which hath opened her Mouth to receive thy Brothers Blood from thy Hand c. Gen. 4. 8 11 12 13 14. And Cain said My Punishment is greater than I can bear Mine Iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven Behold thou hast driven me out this Day from the Face of the Earth and from thy Face shall I be hid Now thou art cursed saith God Thou hast driven me out this Day saith Cain and from thy Face
of Austin's imposing Spirit that our Stories tell us That Synod was only famous for this that they only met and did Nothing This is the mischief of Divisions they hinder the doing of much good and if Christians that are divided be ever famous for any thing it will be that they have often met together and talked of this and the other thing but they did nothing Fourthly Where Unity and Peace is wanting there the Weak are wounded and the Wicked are hardened Unity may well be compared to precious Oil Psal. 133. 2. It 's the nature of Oil to heal that which is wounded and to soften that which is hard Those Men that have hardened themselves against God and his People when they shall behold Unity and Peace among them will say God is in them indeed And on the other hand are they not ready to say when they see you divided That the Devil 's in you that you cannot agree Fifthly Divisions and want of Peace keep those out of the Church that would come in and cause many to go out that are in The Divisions of Christians as a Learned Man observes are a Scandal to the Jews an Opprobrium to the Gentiles and an Inlet to Atheism and Infidelity Insomuch that our Controversies about Religion especially as they have been of late managed have made Religion it self become a Controversy O then how good and pleasant a thing is it for Brethren to dwell together in Unity The Peace and Unity that was among the Primitive Christians drew others to them What hinders the Conversion of the Jews but the Divisions of Christians Must I be a Christian says the Jew what Christian must I be of what Sect must I be of The Jews as one observes glossing upon that Text in Isa. 11. 6. where it is prophesied That the Lion and the Lamb shall lie down together and that there shall be none left to hurt nor destroy in all God's Holy Mountain they interpreting these Sayings to signify the Concord and Peace that shall be among the People that shall own the Messiah do from hence conclude that the Messiah is not yet come because of the Contentions and Divisions that are among those that profess him And the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14. 23. That if an Unbeliever should see their Disorders he would say they were mad but where Unity and Peace is there the Churches are multiplyed we read Acts 9. that when the Churches had rest they multiplied And Act â—2 46 47. when the Church was serving God with one accord the Lordâ— added to them daily such as should be saved It is Unity brings Men into the Church and Divisions keep them out It is reported of an Indian passing by the House of a Christian and hearing them contending being desired to turn in he refused saying Habamack dwells there meaning that the Devil dwelt there but where Unity and Peace is there God is and he that dwels in Love dwells in God The Apostle tells the Corinthians That if they walked orderly even the Unbeliever would hereby be enforced to come and worship and say God was in them indeed And we read Zech. 8. 23. of a Time when ten Men shall take hold of a Jew and say We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you And hence iâ— is that Christ prays John 17. 21. That his Disciples might be one as the Father and he were one that the World might believe the Father sent him As if he should say you may preach me as long as you will and to little purpose if you are not at Peace and Unity among your selves Such was the Unity of Christians in former days that the intelligent Heathen would say of them That though they had many Bodies yet they had but one Soul And we read the same of them Acts 4. 32. That the multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and one Soul And as the Learned Stillingfleet observes in his Irenicum The Unity and Peace that was then among Christians made Religion amiable in the Judgment of impartial Heathens Christians were then known by the benignity and sweetness of their Dispositions by the candour and ingenuity of their Spirits by their mutual Love Forbearance and Condescention to one another But either this is not the practice of Christianity viz. a Duty that Christians are now bound to observe or else it is not calculated for our Meridian where the Spirits of Men are of too high an elevation for it for if Pride and Uncharitableness if Divisions and Strifes if Wrath and Envy if Animosities and Contentions were but the Marks of true Christians Diogenes need never light his Lamp at noon to find out such among us but if a Spirit of Meekness Gentleness and Condescention if a stooping to the Weaknesses and Infirmities of one another if pursuit after Peace when it flies from us be the indispensable Duties and charactaristical Notes of Christians it may possibly prove a difficult Inquest to find out such for the crouds of those that shelter themselves under that glorious Name It is the Unity and Peace of Churches that brings others to them and makes Christianity amiable What is prophesied of the Church of the Jews may in this case be applied to the Gentile Church Isa. 66. 12. That when once God extends Peace to her like a River the Gentiles shall come in like a flowing Stream then and not till then the Glory of the Lord shall arise upon his Churches and his Glory shall be seen among them then shall their Hearts fear and be enlarged because the abundance of the Nations shall be converted to them Sixthly As want of Unity and Peace keeps those out of the Church that would come in so it hinder the growth of those that are in Jars and Divisions Wranglings and Prejudices eat out the Growth if not the Life of Religion These are those Waters of Marah that imbitter our Spirits and quench the Spirit of God Unity and Peace is said to be like the Dew of Hermon and as a Dew that descended upon Sion where the Lord commanded his Blessing Psal. 133. 3. Divisions run Religion into Briars and Thorns Contentioâ—s and Parties Divisions are to Churches like Wars in Countries Where War is the Ground lieth waste and untill'd none takes care of it It is Love that edifieth but Division pulleth down Divisions are as the North-east Wind to the Fruits which causeth them to dwindle away to nothing but when the Storms are over every thing begins to grow When Men are divided they seldom speak the Truth in Love and then no marvel they grow not up to him in all things which is the Head It is a sad presage of an approaching Famine as one well observes not of Bread nor Water but of hearing the Word of God when the thin Ears of Corn devour the plump full Ones when the lean Kine devour the fat Ones when our Controversies about doubtful