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
things and things of less moment eat up our Zeal for the more indisputable and practical things in Religion which may give us cause to fear that this will be the Character by which our Age will be known to Posterity that it was the Age that talked of Religion most and loved it least Look upon those Churches where Peace is and there you shall find Prosperity When the Churches had rest they were not only multiplied but walking in the Fear of the Lord and the Comforts of the Holy Ghost they were edified it is when the whole Body is in it together as with Joints and Bands that they increase with the Increase of God We are at a stand sometimes why there is so little growth among Churches why Men have been so long in learning and are yet so far from attaining the knowledg of the Truth some have given one Reason and some another some say Pride is the cause and others say Covetousness is the cause I wish I could say these were no causes but I observe that when God entered his Controversy with his People of old he mainly insisted upon some one Sin as Idolatry and shedding Innocent Blood c. as comprehensive of the rest not but that they were guilty of other Sins but those that were the most capital are particularly insisted on in like manner whoever would but take a review of Churches that live in Contentions and Divisions may easily find that breach of Unity and Charity is their capital Sin and the occasion of all other Sins No marvel then that the Scripture saith the whole Law is fulfilled in Love and if so then where Love is wanting it must needs follow the whole Law is broken It is where Love grows cold that Sin abounds and therefore the want of Unity and Peace is the cause of that leanness and barrenness that is among us it 's true in Spirituals as well as Temporals That Peace brings Plenty Seventhly Where Unity and Peace is wanting our Prayers are hindered The Promise is that what we shall agree to ask shall be given us of our Heavenly Father No marvel we pray and pray and yet are not answered it is because we are not agreed what to have It 's reported that the People in Lacedemonia coming to make Supplications to their Idol God some of them asked for Rain and others of them asked for fair Weather The Oracle returns them this Answer That they should go first and agree among themselves Would a Heathen God refuse to answer such Prayers in which the Supplicants were not agreed and shall we think the True God will answer them We see then that Divisions hinder our Prayers and lay a prohibition on our Sacrifice If thou bring thy Gift to the Altar saith Christ and there remember that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave thy Gift and go and first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer it So that want of Unity and Charity hinders even our particular Prayers and Devotions This hindred the Prayers and Fastings of the People of old from finding acceptance Isa. 58. 3. The People ask the Reason wherefore they fasted and God did not see nor take notice of them He gives this Reason because they fasted for Strife and Debate and hid their Face from their own Fâ—esh Again Isa. 59. the Lord saith His Hand was not shortned that he could not save nor his Ear heavy that he could not hear but their Sins had separated between their God and them And among those many Sins they stood chargeable with this was none of the least viz. that the way of Peace they had not known You see where Peace was wanting Prayers were hindred both under the Old and New Testament The Sacrifice of the People in the 65th of Isaiah that said Stand farther off I am holier than thou was as Smoke in the Nostrils of the Lord. On the other hand we read how acceptable those Prayers were that were made with one accord Acts 4. 24. compared with verse 31. they prayed with one accord and they were all of one Heart and of one Soul and see the benefit of it they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke the Word with all boldness Which was the very thing they prayed for as appears vers 29. And the Apostle exhorts the Husband to dwell with his Wife that their Prayers might not be hindred 1 Pet. 3. 7. We see then want of Unity and Peace either in Families or Churches is a hindrance of Prayers Eighthly It is a dishonour and disparagement to Christ that his Family should be divided When an Army falls into Mutiny and Division it reflects disparagement on him that hath the Conduct of it In like manner the Divisions of Families are a dishonour to the Heads and those that govern them And if so then how greatly do we dishonour our Lord and Governour who gave his Body to be broken to keep his Church from breaking who prayed for their Peace and Unity and left Peace at his departing from them for a Legacy even a Peace which the World could not bestow upon them Ninthly Where there is Peace and Unity there is a sympathy with each other that which is the want of one will be the want of all Who is afflicted saith the Apostle and I burn not we should then remember them that are in Bonds as bound with them and them which suffer Adversity as being our selves also of the Body Heb. 13. 3. But where the Body is broken or Men are not reckoned or esteemed of the Body no marvel we are so little affected with such as are afflicted Where Divisions are that which is the Joy of the one is the Grief of another but where Unity and Peace and Charity abounds there we shall find Christians in Mourning with them that mourn and rejoicing with them that rejoice then they will not envy the Prosperity of others nor secretly rejoice at the Miseries or Miscarriages of any Last of all I now come to give you Twelve Directions and Motives for the obtaining Peace and Unity First If ever we would live in Peace and Unity we must pray for it We are required to seek Peace Of whom then can we seek it with expectation to find it but of him who is a God of Peace and hath promised to bless his People with Peace It is God that hath promised to give his People one Heart and one Way yet for all these things he will be sought unto O then let us seek Peace and pray for Peace because God shall prosper them that love it The Peace of Churches is that which the Apostle prays for in all his Epistles in which his desire is that Grace and Peace may be multiplied and increased among them Secondly They that would endeavour the Peace of the Churches must be careful who they commit the care and oversight of the Churches to as first over and besides those Qualifications that should
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
may yet be effectually awakened and saved but that Conscience that is seared dried as it were into a Cinder can never have sense feeling or the least regret in this World Barren Fig-tree hearken judicial hardening is dreadful There is a difference betwixt that hardness of Heart that is incident to all Men and that which comes upon some as a signal or special Judgment of God and although all kind of hardness of Heart in some sense may be called a Judgment yet to be hardened with this second kind is a Judgment peculiar only to them that perish an hardness that is sent as a punishment for the abuse of Light received for a reward of Apostacy This Judicial hardness is discovered from that which is incident to all Men in these Particulars 1. It is an hardness that comes after some great Light received Because of some great Sin committed against that Light and the Grace that gave it Such hardness as Pharaoh had after the Lord had wrought wonderously before him Such hardness as the Gentiles had a hardness which darkened the Heart a hardness which made their Minds reprobate This hardâ—ess is also the same with that the Hebrews are cautioned to beware of Heb. 3. 7 c. an hardness that is caused by Unbelief and a departing from the Living God and hardness compleated thro the deceitfulness of Sin Such as that in the Provocation of whom God sware that they should not enter into his Rest. 'T was this kind of hardness also that both Cain and Ishmael and Esau were hardened with after they had committed their great Transgressions 2. It is the greatest kind of Hardness and hence they are said to be Harder than a Rock Jer. 5. 3. or than an Adamant Zec. 7. 13. that is harder than Flint So hard that nothing can enter 3. It is an Hardness given in much anger and that to bind the Soul up in an impossibility of Repentance 4. It is an Hardness therefore which is incurable of which a Man must die and be damned Barren Professor hearken to this A Fourth Sign that such a Professor is quite past Grace is when he fortifies his hard Heart against the tenour of God's Word Job 9. 4 c. This is called hardening themselves against God and turning of the Spirit against him As thus When after a Profession of Faith in the Lord Jesus and of the Doctrine that is according to Godliness they shall embolden themselves in courses of Sin by promising themselves that they shall have Life and Salvation notwithstanding Barren Professor hearken to this This Man is called Deut. 29. 18. A Root that beareth Gall and Wormwood or a poisonful Herb such an one as is abominated of God yea the abhorred of his Soul For this Man saith v. 19 I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination or stubbornness of my Heart to add drunkeness to thirst an opinion flat against the whole Word of God yea against the very Nature of God himself Wherefore he adds Deut. 19. 20. Then the Anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoak against that Man and all the Curses that are written in God's Book shall lie upon him and God shall blot out his Name from under Heaven Yea that Man shall not fail to be effectually destroyed saith the Text 21. vers The Lord shall separate that Man unto evil out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the Curses of the Covenant He shall separate him unto Evil He shall give him up he shall leave him to his Heart he shall separate him to that or those that will assuredly be too hard for him Now this Judgment is much effected when God hath given a Man up unto Satan and hath given Satan leave without fail to compleat his destruction I say When God hath given Satan leave effectually to compleat his destruction For all that are delivered up unto Satan have not nor do not come to this End But that is the Man whom God shall separate to Evil and shall leave in the Hands of Satan to compleat without fall his Destruction Thus he served Ahab a Man that fold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord 1 Kin. 21. 25. And the Lord said Who shall perswade Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead And on said on this manner and another said on that manner And there came forth a Spirit and stood before the Lord and said I will perswade him 1 Kin. 22. 20 21 22. And the Lord said unto him Wherewith And he said I will go forth and be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets And he said Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also go forth and do so Thou shalt perswade him and prevail do thy Will I leave him in thy Hand Go forth and do so Wherefore in these Judgments the Lord doth much concern himself for the management thereof because of the Provocation wherewith they have provoked him This is the Man whose Ruine contriveth and bringeth to pass by his own contrivance I will chuse their delusions for them I will bring their fears upon them Isa. 66. 4. I will chuse their Devices or the Wickednesses that their Hearts are contriving of I even I will cause them to be accepted of and delightful to them But who are they that must thus be feared Why those among Professors that have chosen their own Ways those whose Soul delighteth in their Abominations Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness God shall send them It is a great word Yea God shall send them strong Delusions Delusions that shall do that shall make them believe a Lye Why so That they all might be damned every one of them who believe not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thess. 5 10 11 12. There is nothing more provoking to the Lord than for a Man to promise when God threatneth for a Man to be light of conceit that he shall be safe and yet to be more wicked than in former days This Man's Soul abhorreth the Truth of God no marvel therefore if God's Soul abhorreth him he hath invented a way contrary to God to bring about his own Salvation no marvel therefore if God invent a way to bring about this Man's Damnation And seeing that these Rebels are at this point We shall have peace God will see whose Word shall stand His or theirs A Fifth Sign of a Man being past Grace is When he shall at this scoff and inwardly grin and fret against the Lord secretly purposing to continue his course and put all to the venture despising the Messengers of the Lord. He that despised Moses ' s Law died without Mercy of how much sorer Punishment suppose ye shall he be thought
will mend and be better No saith God you lyed to me last time I will trust you in this no longer and withal he tumbleth the Wife the Child the Estate into a grave And then returns to his place till this Professor more unfeignedly acknowlegeth his offence Hos. 5. 14 15. At this the poor creature is afflicted and distressed Rents his Cloaths and begins to call the breaking of his Promise and Vows to mind he mourns and Prays and like Ahab a while walks softly at the remembrance of the justness of the hand of God upon him And now he renews his Promises Lord try me this one time more take off thy hand and see They go far that never turn Well God spareth him again sets down his Ax again Many times He did deliver them but they provoked him with their Counsels and were brought low for their Iniquities Psal. 106. 43. Now they seem to be thankful again and are as if they were resolved to be Godly indeed Now they Read they Pray they go to Meetings and seem to be serious a pretty while but at last they forget Their Lusts prick them suitable Temptations present themselves wherefore they turn to their own crooked ways again Psal. 78. 34 36. When he slew them then they sought him and returned early after God nevertheless they did flatter him with mouth and lyed unto him with their tongue 4. Yet again The Lord will not leave this Professor but will take up his Ax again and will put him under a more heart-searching Ministry a Ministry that shall search him and turn him over and over a Ministry that shall meet with him as Elijah met with Ahab in all his acts of Wickedness and Now the Ax is laid to the Roots of the Trees Besides this Minstry doth not only search the Heart but presenteth the Sinner with the Golden rays of the glorious Gospel Now is Christ Jesus set forth evidently now is Grace displayed sweetly Now now are the Promises broken like Boxes of Ointment to the perfuming of the whole room But a as there is yet no Fruit on this Fig-tree While his Heart is searching he wrangles while the glorious Grace of the Gospel is unvailing this Professor wags and is wanton gathers up some scraps thereof Tastes the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come Jude 4. Drinketh in the Rain that comes oft upon him Heb. 6. 3 7 8. But bringeth not forth Fruit meet for him whose Gospel it is takes no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his Heart 2 Kin. 10. 31. but counteth that the Glory of the Gospel consisteth in talk and shew and that our Obedience thereto is a matter of Speculation that good Works lie in good Words and if they can finely talk they think they bravely please God They think the Kingdom of God consisteth only in Word not in Power and thus proveth ineffectual this Fourth Means also 5. Well Now the Ax begins to be heaved higher for now indeed God is ready to smite the Sinner yet before he will strike the stroak he will try one Way more at the last and if that misseth down goes the Fig-tree Now this last way is to tug and strive with this Professor by his Spirit Wherefore the Spirit of the Lord is now come to him But not always to strive with Man Gen. 6. 8. yet a while he will strive with him he will awaken he will convince he will call to remembrance former Sins former Judgments the breach of former Vows and Promises the mispending of former Days he will also present perswasive Arguments encouraging Promises dreadful Judgments the shortness of time to repent in and that there is hope if he come Further he will shew him the certainty of Death and of the Judgment to come yea He will pull and strive with this Sinner But behold the mischief now lies here here is tugging and striving on both sides The Spirit convinces the Man turns a deaf Ear to God the Spirit saith Receive my Instruction and live but the Man pulls away his Shoulder the Spirit shews him whither he is going but the Man closeth his Eyes against it the Spirit offereth violence the Man strives and resists They have done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. The Spirit parlieth a second time and urgeth Reasons of a new nature But the Sinner answereth No I have loved strangers and after them I will go Amos 4. 6 8 9 10 11. At this God's Fury comes up into his Face now he comes out of his holy Place and is terrible now He sweareth in his Wrath they shall never enter into his Rest Ezek. 24. 13. I exercised towards you my Patience yet you have not turned unto me saith Lord. I smote you in your Person in your Relations in your Estate yet you have not returned â—nto me saith the Lord. In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I cause my Fury to rest npon thee Cut it down why doth it cumber the ground The Second Sign That such a Professor is almost if not quite past Grace is When God hath given him over or lets him alone and suffers him to do any thing and that without controul helpeth him not either in Works of Holiness or in Straits and Difficulties Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Hos. 4. 17. Wâ— be to them when I depart from them I will laugh at their Calamities and will mock when their Fear cometh Prov. 1. 24 25 26 27 28. Barren Fig-tree thou hast heretofore been digged about and dunged God's Mattock hath heretofore been at thy Roots Gospel-dung hath heretofore been applied to thee thou hast heretofore been strove with convinced awakened made to taste and see and crie O the Blessedness Thou hast heretofore been met with under the Word thy Heart hath melted thy Spirit hath fallen thy Soul hath trembled and thou hast felt something of the Power of the Gospel But thou hast sinned thou hast provoked the Eyes of his Glory thy Iniquity is found to be hateful and now perhaps God hath left thee given thee up and lets thee alone Heretofore thou wast tender thy Conscience startled at the temptation to Wickedness for thou wert taken off from the pollutions of the World through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. but that very Vomit that once thou wert turned from now thou lappest up with the Dog in the Proverb again and that very Mire that once thou seemest to lie washed from in that very Mire thou now art tumbling afresh But to particularize there are three Signs of a Man's being given over of God 1. When he is let alone in Sinning when the reins of his Lusts are loosed and he given up to them And even as they did not like to retain God in
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
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
be in all Christians they that rule the Church of God should be Men of Counsel and Understanding where there is an ignorant Ministry there is commonly an ignorant People according as it was of old Like Priest like People How sad is it to see the Church of God committed to the care of such that pretend to be Teachers of others that understand not what they say or whereof they affirm No marvel the Peace of Churches is broken when their Watchmen want skill to preserve their Unity which of all other Things is as the Church's Walls when they are divided no wonder they crumble to Attoms if there is no skilful Physician to heal them It 's sad when there is no Balm in Gilead and when there is no Physician there Hence it is that the Wounds of Churches become incurable like the Wounds of God's People of old either not healed at all or else slightly healed and to no purpose May it not be said of many Churches at this day as God said of the Church of Israel That he sought for a Man among them that should stand in the Gap and make up the Breach but he found none Remember what was said of old Mal. 2. 7. The Priest's Lips should preserve Knowledg and the People should seek the Law at his Mouth But when this is wanting the People will be stumbling and departing from God and one another therefore God complains Hos. 4. 6. That his People were destroyed for want of Knowledg that is for want of knowing Guides for if the Light that is in them that teach be Darkness how great is that Darkness And if the Blind lead the Blind no marvel both fall into the Ditch How many are there that take upon them to teach others that had need be taught in the beginning of Religion that instead of multiplying Knowledg multiply Words without Knowledg and instead of making known God's Counsel darken Counsel by Words without Knowledg The Apostle speaks of some that did more than darken Counsel for they wrested the Counsel of God 2 Pet. 3. 16. In Paul ' s Epistles saith he are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction Some things in the Scripture are hard to be known and they are made harder by such unlearned Teachers as utter their own Notions by Words without Knowledg None are more bold and adventurous to take upon them to expound the dark Mysteries and Sayings of the Prophets and Revelations and the 9th of the Romans which I believe contains some of those many things which in Paul's Epistles Peter saith were hard to be understood I say none are more forward to dig in these Mines than those that can hardly give a sound Reason for the first Principles of Religion and such as are ignorant of many more weighty things that are easily to be seen in the Face and Superficies of the Scripture nothing will serve these but swimming in the Deeps when they have not yet learned to wade through the Shallows of the Scriptures Like the Gnosticks of old who thought they knew all Things though they knew nothing as they ought to know And as those Gnosticks did of old so do such Teachers of late break the Unity and Peace of Churches How needful then is it that if we desire the Peace of Churches that we chuse out Men of Knowledg who may be able to keep them from being shattered and scattered with every Wind of Doctrine And who may be able to convince and stop the Mouths of Gainsayers Secondly You must not only chuse Men of Counsel but if you would design the Unity and Peace of the Churches you must chuse Men of courage to govern them for as there must be Wisdom to bear with some so there must be Courage to correct others as some must be instructed meekly so others must be rebuked sharply that they may be sound in the Faith there must be Wisdom to rebuke some with long-suffering and there must be Courage to suppress and stop the Mouths of others The Apostle tells Titus of some whose Mouths must be stop'd or else they would subvert whole Houses Tit. 1. 11. Where this Courage hath been wanting not only whole Houses but whole Churches have been subverted And Paul tells the Galatians That when he saw some endeavour to bring the Churches into Bondage that he did not give place to them no not for an hour c. Gal. 2. 5. If this course had been taken by the Rulers of Churches their Peace had not been so often invaded by unruly and vain Talkers Thirdly In chusing Men to rule if you would endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit and the Bond of Peace thereby be careful you chuse Men of peaceable Dispositions That which hath much annoyed the Peace of Churches hath been the froward and perverse Spirits of the Rulers thereof Solomon therefore adviseth That with a furious Man we should not go lest we learn his Ways and get a Snare to our Souls Prov. 22. 24 25. and with the Froward we learn frowardness How do some Mens words eat like a Canker who instead of lifting up their Voice like a Trumpet to sound a Parley for Peace have rather sounded an Alarum to War and Contention If ever we would live in Peace let 's reverence the Feet of them that bring the glad-Tidings of it O how have some Men made it their Business to preach Contentions and upon their entertainment of every novel Opinion to preach Separation How hath God's Word been stretched and torn to furnish these Men with Arguments to tear Churches Have not our Ears heard those Texts that saith Come out from among them and be separate c. and withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly I say have we not heard these Texts that were written to prevent Disorder brought to countenance the greatest Disorder that ever was in the Church of God even Schism and Division whereas one of these Exhortations was written to the Church of Corinth to separate themselves from the Idol's Temple and the Idol's Table in which many of them lived in the participation of notwithstanding their profession of the True God as appears 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. compared with 1 Cor. 8. 7. and 1 Cor. 10. 14 20 22 recites And not for some few or more Members who shall make themselves both Judges and Parties to make separation when and as often as they please from the whole Congregation and Church of God where they stood related for by the same Rule and upon the same Ground may others start some new Question among these new Separatists and become their own Judges of the communicableness of them and thereupon make another separation from these till at last two be not left to walk together And for that other Text mentioned 2 Thess. 3. 9. where Paul exhorts the Church of Thessalonica to withdraw themselves from