Thirty-One Select Sermons, Sermon collection · Sermon 1
Spiritual Barrenneſs.
EZEK. 47.11.
But the myrie places thereof, and the mariſhes thereof ſhall not be healed, but be given to ſalt.
THey are great things which the Lord hath ſpoken of the latter days, which are called by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10.11. foreign. The ends of the world, ſo you render it: but Grotius renders it foreign, Eph. 1.10. The fulneſs and perfection of times. Grotius.Deus in omnibus actionibus priſci ſeculi ſemper ob oculos habebat temp…r a Meſsiae, &c.
In which there ſhall be a perfection of Ordinances, and of Churches, and of Propheſies; for the myſterie of God is in the latter days to be finiſhed, Rev. 10.7. There is a Kingdom of God which the Lord will ſet up (or cauſe to ariſe) Dan. 2.44. Which though it ſhall begin in the days of thoſe Kings, in the times of the Roman Monarchies; yet it ſhall be the great Inſtrument in the hand of God to deſtroy the Monarchies: for Iacob is in the hand of the Lord as a threſhing inſtrument in the middle of the Nations; either as dew from the Lord; or as a Lyon amongſt the Beaſts of the Foreſt; the Angels they poured out the ſeven vials full of the wrath of God, which are the ſeven laſt plagues, they came out of the Temple, Rev. 15.6. And this Kingdom of God ſhall not come to perfection, it ſhall not ariſe unto its greatneſs, till judgement ſit, and dominion be taken away from the fourth beaſt, to conſume and deſtroy it unto the end, Dan 7.26,27.
Its true that the Church of Chriſt hath a mighty efficacy upon the world, but it is ſecret, inviſible, and comes not under humane obſervation. Niſi oratione & doctrina ſuſtentaret Eccleſia mundum, uno momento perirent omnia.Luther on Gen. 30
But there will come a time when the power and glory of the Church ſhall be viſible; The mountain of the Lords houſe ſhall be exalted on the top of the mountains: Lactantius.when the propheſie of Lactan. p. 579. ſhall be fulfilled, Confundetur omne jus, & leges interibunt: non fides in hominibus, non pax, non pudor; neque ſecuritas, neque Regimen; & hujus confuſionis haec erit cauſa, quod Romanum nomen quo nunc regitur orbis, de terr a tolletur: And it is the duty of the people of God to eye the propheſies, and to look out for their accompliſhment; for the day of the Lord draws nigh; then ſhall the Lord be King over all the Earth, and Iehovah ſhall be one, and his name one, Zach. 14.9. The moſt glorious and perfect propheſie of this Kingdom of God, which he ſhall ſet up in the latter days, we have, Rev. 21.22. So in the laſt eight chapters of Ezekiel; which that I may give you a little light into, There are three things mainly to be explained: Firſt, what is meant by the City and Temple, here ſpoken of? 2. Unto what time this propheſie doth belong? 3. What the waters are which iſſue out of the ſanctuary? which being explained, will be as a key to open all the reſt of the myſteries that are therein contained.
Firſt, unto what time is this propheſie to be referred? for its a great part of a Saints skill to be able rightly to diſcern and judge of times, that they may know what to pray for, and what to expect, and when to co-operate and work together with God: Now the times to which this propheſie relates, are the times of the calling of the Jews, when their coming in ſhall be as life from the dead; and a new Reſurrection in the world, which will appear to us by four Arguments.
Firſt, it ſhall be after the Jews ſhall be converted; for it is ſaid, The houſe of Iſrael, ſhall defile my holy name no more as they have done by their abominations, ſetting their threſhold by my threſhold, and their poſt by my poſt: and by this means there was a wall of ſeparation between me and them, and in my anger I conſum…d them, chap. 43.7,8,9.
Secondly, It ſhall be after the Tribes ſhall be united. After the ſticks of Ioſeph and of Iudah ſhall become one in the Lords hand, Ezek. 37.19,20,23. And therefore the Land is now divided amongſt all the twelve Tribes of Iſrael, Chapter 48.
3. It ſhall be after the glory of the Lord is returned; for the name of the City ſhall be Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there, chap. 48. ult. and he ſaith, I will dwell in the midſt of them for ever, chap. 43.9. I will ſet my ſanctuary in the middle of them for evermore, chap. 37.26. For when he doth return in to them again, he will never forſake them; he did indeed hide his face in a little wrath, and for a moment; but with everlaſting kindneſs he will have mercy on them, Iſa. 44.8. Ezck. 39.29. Neither will I hide my face any more from them, &c.
4. It ſhall be before Gog ſhall be deſtroyed; for he ſhall come up againſt the people of Iſrael when they are planted in their own land, and when they dwell ſafely, chap. 38.14,15. Then he ſhall come againſt them as a cloud, and cover the land, and the Lord ſhall give unto Gog a place of graves in Iſrael, &c. Therefore Iſrael muſt be planted firſt in their own land, and dwell there ſafely: therefore I conceive it to be the ſame time with that Rev. 21.22. when Jeruſalem ſhall come down from God out of heaven; and when the glory of the Lord ſhall be in the middle of them: the Tabernacle of God ſhall be with men, and he will dwell with them: And after they are ſetled in their own land, and the people of God have reſt for a thouſand years, then ſhall Satan be looſed, who before was not bound from temptation, but from perſecution; that he could not ſtir up men to perſecute the Saints; but as ſoon as he is looſed he ſtirs up this laſt and great enemy, and he doth compaſs the Tents of the Saints, and this holy City; and then the Lord ſhews himſelf eminent and glorious in his deſtruction: So that after Antichriſt ſhall be deſtroyed, Satan ſhall be bound, ſo that the perſecution of the Saints ſhall ceaſe; then ſhall this City and Temple be built, which ſhall continue till the ſecond coming of the Lord, till the Heavens be no more: the time therefore is to come; do you long for it, and pray for it.
Secondly, What is meant by the City and the Temple propheſied of Here? firſt, it cannot be underſtood literally of a material City or Temple. Peter Galatinus.Peter Galatinus tels us, that the Jews do commonly ſpeak of a threefold Temple. Firſt the Temple of Solomon. 2. The Temple of Zerubbabel. 3. The Temple of Jacob, which they ſay God ſhewed unto Iacob when he had the viſion of the Ladder. Now it cannot be ſpoken of the Temple of Solomon; for that was deſtroyed before the captivity, and therefore before this propheſie was revealed, that was burnt with …re: and for the Temple of Zerubbabel, the meaſures and dimenſions do no way agree thereunto: for the glory of the latter houſe was inferior to the former, Ezra 3.12. in many particulars, as that the waters iſſue out of the Sanctuary, and the trees that grow upon the River ſide, and fiſhes in the River, &c. quae in ſecundi Templi inſtauratione nunquam fuerunt: under the ſecond Temple theſe things were not. The materials ſhall not be in the Letter: Foundations of Saphirs, windows of Agats, gates of Carbuncles, Iſa. 54.11. and for the dimenſions alſo, Rev. 21.16. the height of the city ſhall be a thouſand furlongs, which could not be in the letter fulfilled: and for the Temple, there ſhall never be a reſtitution of the Jewiſh worſhip; only the Lord doth, as it is uſual, expreſs Goſpel Ordinances and Worſhip, according unto the Ancient pattern.
Secondly, it cannot be underſtood of heaven, for theſe Reaſons. 1. It is new Ieruſalem that comes down from God out of heaven, Rev. 21.2. There is no Prince in Heaven: but here the prince ſhall oppreſs the people no more. 3. There is no prieſt in Heaven, nor no Ordinances, nor ſet times of worſhip, which is plain: here theres the Prieſt, and their ſeveral portions, and ſet times of worſhip, that when the people go in, the Prieſt muſt go in; and when the people go forth, he muſt go forth. 4. There is no meaſuring in heaven: a city and a temple that is meaſured, becauſe its built, chap. 40.12. but this is a houſe not made with hands, that cannot be meafured. 5. They ſhall in this City be aſhamed of all their former abominations, but in Heaven there is neither ſin nor ſhame, chap. 43.11. 6. This City ſhall have enemies that ſhall encompaſs it, as we ſee, Rev. 20.9. They ſhall compaſs the Tents of the Saints, and of the holy city, &c. 7. And the waters that do iſſue out of the ſanctuary are healing waters, and the fruit of the Tree of life is for meat, and the leaves of it is for medicine; now there will be no healing at the laſt day; in Heaven, there are the ſouls of juſt men made perfect, and they need no healing.
Thirdly, ſeeing it cannot be underſtood literally of a material Temple, nor ſpiritually of heaven, it muſt then be underſtood myſtically, of the Church of Chriſt made up of Iews and Gentiles, when they ſhall be one fold under one ſhepherd: Agnoſcunt & Haebrei, quod ad futurum ſeculum, hoc eſt, ad Regnum Meſsiae haec pertineant: Oecolamp. I…m.Nos ad Chriſti referimus Eccleſiam, & quotidie in Sanctis aedificari cernimus. St. Jerom.
But it is not a Temple that is always building, and a City: but its a City that ſhall be built after ſuch a time: and therefore I conceive it not to be the Church of the whole New-Teſtament, but barely the Church in the latter days of the world, which is commonly called The city of our God: but this in a ſpecial manner, Rev. 3.12. is called ſo, becauſe of an Almighty hand of God in raiſing it, and a glorious and ſpecial preſence of God dwelling in it: and by the Temple is meant thoſe glorious ordinances of worſhip, which ſhould be exerciſed in this Church in the latter days: which is ſet forth by expreſſions according to the Jewiſh pattern: as the manner of the preſence of Chriſt amongſt the people under the Goſpel is ſet forth by his preſence amongſt his people of Iſrael in the Tabernacle, Rev. 4. ſo all the worſhip of God is ſet forth to us according unto that Standard, pro ritu Templi; there is a Temple, and Altars and incenſe, &c.
And that Ordinances of worſhip, the inſtitutions of Chriſt, ſhall continue in this glorious Church unto the worlds end, thats plain: for,
Firſt, it is ſaid, that the tabernacle of the Lord is with men, Rev. 21.3. and that was a place for worſhip: if the Lord will have a Tabernacle amongſt men, he will have amongſt men inſtituted worſhip ſtill.
Secondly, the preſence of God amongſt men in this City is but foreign, a Lamp, Rev. 21.23. therefore it ſhines in a dark place, it is not ſuch a preſence as makes it a perfect day as it ſhall be in Heaven; there will be no more the light of the candle, &c. And therefore it is a light in Ordinances: for in them as in a Lamp, the Lord gives unto his people light, 2 Pet. 1.10.
Thirdly, there ſhall be all manner of Ordinances in this City of God. Firſt, there ſhall be preaching; for there ſhall be abundance of fiſhers, chap. 47. Secondly, there ſhall be the Sacraments; for the Lord is with them baptizing to the end of the world: and they are to ſhew forth the Lords death till he come. Thirdly, there ſhall be diſcipline; for without are dogs, and they that love and make foreign, that lie, or do incline to it; and there ſhall be a greater Spirit of diſcerning poured out this way, then upon any of the former Churches of the Saints. Fourthly, there ſhall be Officers in this Church; for fiſhers there are the Miniſtery, Eph. 4. and they are to laſt till all the Saints be gathered and perfected; and there is a right and a priviledge that belongs to them, and not to others: they that have a right to the Tree of life, and may enter in at the gates of this city; which every one had not a right to do; for the dogs are without, as having no right to enter, Rev. 22.14,15.
3. What is meant by waters that iſſue out of the Sanctuary, which flow from the preſence of God in the middle of his people? it is to be underſtood firſt of truths; A river of the water of life clear as Chriſtal, Rev. 21.2. Hic fluvius uberrima doctrina Chriſti. So Brightman, Zach. 14.8. in that day, Brightman. Zac. 14 8.Living waters ſhall go out of Jeruſalem; that is, Evangelii doctrina; ſo Druſ. Rev. 12.15. Drus. Rev. 12.15.The Dragon is ſaid to caſt out of his mouth a flood after the woman: what is this flood? his doctrine; Mede.he caſt out Doctrinam peſtiferam, Arianiſmum ſcilicet, & ſobolem ejus: Mede.
2. Becauſe the effects that are here attributed to theſe waters, cannot belong unto the waters alone; therefore I do not only underſtand the truths of the Goſpel, but the graces of the Goſpel, and the gifts there beſtowed, Joh. 7.38,39. Out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living waters, &c. Joh. 4.14. Whoſoever drinks of this water ſhall thirſt again; but he that drinks of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt, but it ſhall be a well of water ſpringing in him into everlaſting life: its true, that there is not a healing vertue, nor a quickning vertue in the word of it ſelf: Whereſoever the waters did come, they were healed, and every thing did live: but yet it is by the word, that the Lord doth work theſe great effects, and by which the healing and quickning vertue of the Spirit is convey'd: for it is a good rule that of Luther, All things in the Church are to be meaſured by the word; Florente verbo omnia florent in Eccleſia, &c.Luther.
But if all places where the waters come are not healed, the Truths of God have not the ſame power and effect upon all; there are ſome myrie and mariſh places; Firſt, what is meant by theſe myrie and mariſh places? the word foreign doth ſignifie dirt or mire, ſuch as man ſinks into, that is, can neither go forward nor backward, Ier. 38.22. thy feet are ſunk in the mire; and it is ſuch a place where waters ſtand and have not a free paſſage, Iob 8.11. Can the ruſh grow without mire? and the other word foreign ſignifies a ditch, lacuna, a ſink, or a pit for dirty and foul water, Iſa. 30,14. There is not a ſheard to take water out of the pit: and the reſemblance between men that live under Ordinances unfruitfully, and mariſh and myrie places, is very plain in three things. Firſt, in a mariſh place the water hath not a free paſſage, but it ſtands, and ſetles there: it hath not affluxus and reſuxus, it meets with many a ſtop, and a dam: ſo it is with ſuch a ſoul alſo: therefore the Apoſtle prays, that the Goſpel may run and be glorified, 2 Theſ. 3.1. Now when is the word ſaid to run? Firſt, when it meets with no ſtop, no oppoſition, but it hath a free paſſage, Cum libere propagatur: Secondly, when it goes through the whole man, and the will of God commanded is ſubjected unto, Pſal. 47.15. when the word runs very ſwiftly, that is, Glaſſ.Cum voluntas Dei peragitur, &c. Glaſſ.
So that when it hath no ſtop either in the mouth of the Miniſters, or in the hearts of the Hearers, then the word is ſaid to run and be glorified: but when there are ſome truths of God that men cannot receive, the heart makes up a ſtop, a dam againſt them, they paſs not through the whole man, to bring into ſubjection every thought, 2 Cor. 10.6. but men impriſon truth in unrighteonſneſs, Rom. 1.18. and will not ſuffer it to paſs through the whole man, through the whole ſoul, this is a mariſh place, &c.
Secondly, when the waters and the earth do mix together; this makes the myre; when the Truths of God do mix with the corruptions of men; that either men can hold ſome Truths, and yet keep their luſts: they can ſtand for truths, and yet they live in their ſins; and ſo ſhine as lights, and have their lamps, and yet be unclean all the while; or elſe when men do make uſe of the Truths of God to juſtifie their ſins, and they do plead the word of God to maintain their luſts; they can ſtand for the Truths of God, yet will not leave their luſts, but ſeek to cover them under it, Clem. Alex.foreign. Clem. Alex. for…ing the Scriptures to their luſts: Voluptatem ſequi, non quam audit, ſed quam attulit. Auſt. foreign, Auſtin.2 Pet. 3.16. They do wreſt the Scriptures, and make them to ſpeak that which the Spirit of God never intended in them; and all is to favor ſome luſt or other; following the hidden things of diſhoneſty, they do handle the word of God deceitfully, and make it ſpeak peace when the Lord in the word doth ſpeak terror, &c.
Thirdly, the longer men continue, the more filthy they grow; the longer the Truths of God lie upon the heart of a man, and if they reform not, they make him grow the more filthy and the more polluted: it makes a mans luſts the more hatefull, and the more defiling; for Ordinances do ripen mens ſins as well as their graces; and in this reſpect they may the more fitly be called myrie places.
N…w the judgment is, They ſhall not be healed, they ſhall be given unto ſalt.
Firſt, They ſhall not be healed; they had the waters flowing in upon them, and by them many were healed, but they were not healed under them; and now in judgement the Lord ſaith, that they ſhall not be healed: thoſe healing Ordinances which work a very great change upon other men, and reſtore their ſouls, they ſhall take no place upon them; that which was their ſin ſhall be their plague: they would not be healed, they ſhall not be healed; they would not be purged, they ſhall not be purged: they will not come when they are invited, they ſhall not taſte of my Supper. A man cannot have a greater plague befall him, then to be given up unto his own ſin, and that which is the natural fruit there of: Men that have lived under the Truths of God, and have not been healed by them, the Lord gives them up as incorrigible in judgement: they ſhall not be healed; that makes the Anathema Maranatha; reſerved they are as incorrigible for the judgement of the Lord at his coming; for this is that curſe upon them which is denounced by God moſt properly: its Gods ordinary way to deal with ſinners; that ſhall be their puniſhment which they choſe to themſelves as their way of ſinning; He that is ignorant ſhall be ignorant ſtill: and he that is filthy ſhall be filthy ſtill; he that will not be healed, the Lord ſays, he ſhall not be healed, &c.
Secondly, They ſhall be given to ſalt, which hath a double interpretation given of it: Firſt, they ſhall be given up unto a perpetual barrenneſs, Deut. 29,23. The whole land is brimſtone and ſalt; it is not ſowen, and neither graſs nor any thing grows therein. So Abimelech dealt with Shechem, he beat down the city and ſowed it with ſalt, Judg. 9.45. Pſal. 107.34. a fruitfull land he turned foreign into ſaltneſs, that is barrenneſs: and ſo Jerom, given to ſalt, Ut in perpetuum frugibus careant, that they may not bear fruit for ever.
Secondly, Given to ſalt, ut alios condiant exemplorum ſale: that is, he ſhall be given up unto ſome exemplary judgement, that may teach all other men to beware: For he that built his houſe, and not upon a rock, when the rain falls, and the winds blow, he will fall, and the fall of that houſe will be great.
Doctrine. Some men that live under the pureſt and the moſt powerful Ordinances, are in judgement given up unto a perpetual barrenneſs.
For the explication of this, there are theſe ſour particulars. Firſt, that God doth by the Goſpel execute ſpiritual Judgements, as well as confer ſpiritual bleſſings: Secondly, that of all judgements thoſe that are ſpiritual are the moſt dreadfull. Thirdly, why the Lord doth in Judgment give men up to a barrenneſs under the Goſpel. Fourthly, the manner how the Lord doth this, and how theſe Judgements are executed in an ordinary way.
Firſt, the Lord doth by the Ordinances of the Goſpel execute ſpiritual Judgements, as well as confer ſpiritual bleſſings: there are the greateſt curſes as well as the greateſt mercies come out of Zion: all Judgements both temporal and ſpiritual, come out of Ordinances: for as they have the promiſes of this life that now is, and that which is to come: ſo there belongs to them alſo the threatnings of the life that now is, and that which is to come: temporal Judgements come out of ordinances, Ezek. 10.2. Take fire from off the Altar, and ſcatter over the city: they thought that the fire of the Altar had ſerved for nothing elſe but ad expianda ſcelera: Calvin. To expiate their ſins; but the Lord doth let them ſee, that it will burn their City alſo, 1 Cor. 11.30. for this cauſe many are ſick, and many weak, and many are fallen aſleep; and when the day of Revelation ſhall come, that the Counſels of God and the hearts of men ſhall be made maniſeſt, we ſhall then ſee that many of the Judgements that now we complain of, will be found to be fire taken off the Altar, and to be inflicted for the neglect and abuſe of the Goſpel, which now we do very commonly attribute unto other cauſes, every man according as his own fancy or party leads him: and alſo ſpiritual Judgments, as Rev. 4.5. there are before the throne the ſeven ſpirits of God: all ſpiritual gifts and graces are poured out in Ordinances: and there are out of the throne thundrings, and lightnings, and voices, which note the terrible ways that the Lord has of puniſhing wicked men for their contempt and neglect of the Goſpel; Fulgura & tonitrua terribilia ſupplicia ſignificant, nec ullo modo vitanda. Br…ghtman.Judgements from Heaven ſhall be poured out immediatly upon the ſpirits of men, and that from Heaven, Iſa. 28.13. The word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, and line upon line, here a little, and there a little, that is, ſummacum induſtria & indulgentia. He did it daily, and he did it with a great deal of meekneſs and forbearance, &c. but what was this for? to what end did the Lord do all this? was it for their ſpiritual good? no, it was in Judgement, that they might fall ba…kward, be broken and enſnared: there are no people liable unto ſuch terrible Judgements as they that live under Ordinances, and whoſe plagues flow from them, Heb. 6.6,7,8.
There are many that live under the Goſpel, and by the grace of it they come unto the higheſt pitch of common works, they are inlightned and taſte of the heavenly gift, and are made partakers of the holy Ghoſt, taſte of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, yet afterward they fall away, and that with a malitious and final Apoſtaſie, with deſpight and revenge: the reaſon is given of it: For the ground that drinks in the rain, and brings not forth fruit anſwerable, is nigh unto curſing: for the curſe is anſwerable unto the bleſſing; and therefore they that live under the offers of the greateſt ſpiritual bleſſings, if they be neglected, and are unfruitfull under them, they are neerer to curſing then other men; which is the reaſon why in judgement they are given up after ſuch great and common works to apoſtaſie and final impenitency; becauſe they have drunk in the rain of Ordinances and influences, and have not brought forth fruit meet for him that dreſſed it; as its ſaid of Chriſt, Luk. 2. it is true of the Goſpel alſo; it is ſet foreign, for the fall as well as the riſing of many in Iſrael: and let me tell you, the more ſpiritual Ordinances are, the more ſpiritual ſhall the judgments be, as we ſee it in the Ordinances of the Goſpel; as they were more ſpiritual, ſo were the judgements that were executed by them more ſpiritual: as the more ſpiritual any mans light grows, the more ſpiritual will his temptations grow: ſo the more ſpiritual Truths grow in any Age, the more ſpiritual Judgements grow; for anſwerable to the meaſure of ſpiritual bleſſings, ſuch ſhall be the meaſure of ſpiritual plagues: and as the more ſpiritual Ordinances are, the more deſirable; ſo the more ſpiritual they are, if abuſed, the more dangerous.
Secondly, there are no Judgements of God like unto ſpiritual Judgements: thoſe are of all other the moſt dreadfull, Iſa. 13. Why ſhould you be ſmitten any more? ye will revolt more and more. Hoſ. 4.14. I will not puniſh your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your Spouſes when they commit adultery, &c. Impunity in ſinning is the greateſt puniſhment that can befall a ſinner; but the people that do not underſtand ſhall fall; that is, ſhall ſin without reſtraint, without controul. Druſius.He that is filthy, let him be ſo. Druſius. And the grounds of it are theſe.
Firſt, becauſe every ſpiritual Judgement is in it ſelf a ſin; it is a judgement as from God, but in us they are ſins alſo: now as there is not a worſe evil then ſin, for ſin is the greateſt evil, ſo it cannot be puniſhed with any thing worſe then it ſelf: the Apoſtle cannot call it by a worſe name then it ſelf, Rom. 13.7. ſinful ſin; and God cannot inflict a greater puniſhment then it ſelf; and therefore after this life though the demerit of ſin ſhall ceaſe, the obligation of the Law ceaſing, as binding unto further puniſhment, when a man is actually under the ſentence of condemnation; yet there is an obligation to the precept of the Law ſtill: for thou art bound to the precept as thou art a creature, and to the curſe only as thou art a ſinner; now the nature of ſin ſhall remain, though the demerit of ſin hath an end after this life, and yet in Hell, pertinet ad damnationis poenam: As all holineſs and obedience in heaven, pertinet ad beatitudinis praemium. The one is a part of a mans torment, as the other is part of a mans reward.
Secondly, becauſe of the ſubject on which it lights, is the ſoul; the ſoul is far more precious then the body; and as any mercy to the ſoul is far beyond any bleſſing unto the body; ſo if the ſoul proſper, and the inward man be renewed, it is no great matter what become of the outward man: though there be crus in nervo, ſi animus in coelo: for it is in the ſoul that the Lord dwells, and in the excellency of the ſoul that he doth delight: therefore let the hidden man of the heart be adorned: there is no adorning like it. Tertul. Bernard.Aliter pigmentatae ſunt veſtes: Indutus purpura, cum conſcientia pannoſa. And if the beauty of the inward man be ſo glorious, then there is no defilement like to that of the inward man, nor no puniſhment I ke to that upon the ſoul: as the Schoolmen ſay of Spiritual it is to be preferred before corporal: Aquinas.Eleemoſyna cordis major quam corporis; ſpirituales Elcemoſynae ſunt corporalibus ſimpliciter praeferendae: So may we ſay of Spiritual Judgements; there are no judgements of God ſo much to be feared as Spiritual Judgements; as there are no mercies ſo much to be deſired as ſpiritual mercies: the proſperity of the ſoul ſhould be unto a Saint the meaſure of all proſperity; and the miſery of the ſoul and judgements upon it, ſhould be the meaſure of all miſeries and Judgements whatſoever.
Thirdly, Spiritual Judgements are an argument of the greateſt wrath and diſpleaſure of God: its true its a judgement that God doth ſometimes inflict upon his own people, Iſa. 63.17. Why haſt thou cauſed us to erre from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy fear? but yet it is a greater teſtimony of his diſpleaſure, then God doth ſhew towards the men of his good will; there is no ſuch evidence of his wrath in the world, as this is; and ſo it is to wicked men alſo; for God to give them up unto their own hearts luſt, and to deliver them to Satan, as we ſee Chriſt did Judas: Auſtin.Parcit iratus: & iratus Deus dat amanti quod male amat. Auſtin. Jerome.Magna eſt ira Dei, quando peccantibus non iraſcitur Deus. Jerom. In the afflictions of his people, Emendationi inſtat Deus. It is to reſtrain us, and reclaim us, &c. But in ſpiritual Judgements the Lord doth give a man up to ſin, and leave him in the power of ſin, and under the dominion of ſin, as if he did never intend to do him good more.
Fourthly, its the ſaddeſt evidence of a mans reprobation, and a moſt dreadfull earneſt of a mans damnation.
Firſt, its a ſad evidence of a mans reprobation; for there are three conſequents of reprobation, and both of them are ſpiritual Judgements.
1. Permiſsio peccati: the permiſſion of ſin.
2. In peccato derelictio: the being left in ſin.
3. Traditio Satanae, to leave a man in the power of Satan, to give him over unto Satan, to carry him captive at his will; and all theſe are ſpiritual Judgements, Rev 13.8. and Rev. 17.8.
How came men to be inſnared with the Doctrine of Popery? and carried away with that doctrine of devils? they were given up in Judgement to it, as an evidence of their reprobation; for they worſhipped the Beaſt, and received his mark and his image, whoſe names are not written in the Lambs book of life, &c. for as Spiritual bleſsings are pledges of election, ſo ſpiritual Judgements are dangerous ſigns of a mans reprobation.
Secondly, they are a fearful earneſt of a mans damnation, 2 Theſ. 2.12. He gave them up to believe that lye, that all they might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, Heb. 10.27. We read of an foreign, A receiving of a ſentence, an eternal judgement in a mans own ſoul; when a man carries in his own heart the ſentence of his own condemnation; and there is not a greater earneſt of it in the world, then for a man to be given over by God unto ſpiritual Judgements: for that is the portion that all the Heirs of Hell have from the Lord; and as by the works of the ſpirit of adoption upon the ſoul, there is an earneſt of Heaven; ſo by the work of the Spirit of Bondage on the ſoul in judgement, there is an earneſt of Hell: the approaches of God are in the one, and the deſertions of God are in the other.
Thirdly, conſider what a great evil it is to be given up unto this judgement of a perpetual barrenneſs: the ſins againſt the Goſpel muſt be eſpecially requited by ſuch judgements; for the Lord will have the judgement hold a proportion unto the ſin; now the more ſpiritual ſins are, and the more ſpiritual Ordinances are, the more ſpiritual muſt the judgement needs be: now as there are no ſins, nor no Ordinances ſo ſpiritual as thoſe under the Goſpel, ſo there are no judgements that are ſo ſpiritual: and therefore, as God is a ſpirit, and hates ſpiritual ſins moſt, ſo it is moſt agreeable unto him, the ſoul being a ſpirit, and having the main hand in the ſin, to load that with ſpiritual judgements.
But why will the Lord puniſh the neglect of the Goſpel with a perpetual Barrenneſs? Why ſhall the mariſh places be given to ſalt? The grounds are theſe.
Firſt, conſider of all Spiritual Judgements this is the greateſt; of all judgements the greateſt are ſpiritual judgements; and of all ſpiritual judgements, to be given up to barrenneſs is the greateſt: for it is that unto which all other Judgements tend, and in which they all end and center. There are many other ſpiritual Judgements, as there is a Judicial blindneſs and hardneſs of heart, a ſeared conſcience, a reprobate ſenſe; but what is all this for? it is that we might bring forth no fruit to God; and that nothing that is good might grow thereupon; and therefore it is that the Devil doth catch away the good ſeed, Matth. 13.19. That we might be as the high-way ground, unfruitful: we complain of a barren earth by reaſon of the curſe, Curſed be the ground for thy ſake; when thou tilleſt it, it ſhall not yield thee fruit; but there are three ſorts of Spiritual Barrenneſſes, which are far beyond this, and are the fruits of a far greater curſe; and they are barren Churches, barren Ordinances, and barren hearts; there was never a more terrible monument of temporal wrath, then the Lord ſhewed upon Sodom and Gomerrah, and thoſe Cities of the plain which are now turned into the ſalt ſea, and their ſmoak aſcends continually, where nothing lives, where nothing grows, neither fruit nor graſs, Deut. 29.23. and therefore called the dead Sea, as Jerom ſaith, Ierome.Quia nihil in ſe vitale habet: unde nomen mortis ſortitumeſt. And if a fiſh be at any time carried out of Jordan into it, Statim moriuntur: nth…l utilitatis in ſe habet: ut ſimplex ſermo teſtatur: the fiſhes preſently die therein. Now take an unregenerate man a barren ſoul, and he is compared here unto the dead ſea: for it is ſaid that fiſhers ſhall ſtand from Engedi to Eneglaim: Eneglaim in principio eſt maris mortui, ubi Iordanum ingreditur: Engedivero, ubi finitur, atque conſumitur: As great, yea a far greater monument of Judgement, God gives unto a barren heart, then is that of the dead ſea: which is nothing elſe but a barren land, and barren waters, as they bring forth nothing that is good of themſelves: ſo neither is there any thing that can live or thrive or grow in them: but if it come into it, it immediatly dies: and ſo it is with any thing of God or the Spirit of God that comes into the barren heart, it is like unto the dead ſea; what truths or motions ſoever are caſt in, they die immedi…tly.
Secondly, This is the greateſt judgement, becauſe hereby thou loſeſt the fruit of thy union with Chriſt, and the comfort of it: for the end of union with Chriſt is fruitfulneſs; and it is a plain argument that he that brings forth no fruits to God, was never married unto Chriſt: for Rom. 7.4. We are ſaid to be married unto Chriſt, that we may bring forth fruit to God: There is a double end of Marriage, convictus & proles: Cohabitation and propagation; and therefore there cannot be a greater evidence that thou art not yet married unto Chriſt, then this, thou art barren; for the Spouſe of Chriſt is fruitfull, and he hath no further a delight in them then as they bring forth fruit; for it was the very end of his coming, That they might bring forth fruit, and that more abundantly, and that their fruit might remain. Now to be much in fruitfulneſs, to be rich in good works, is a great mercy. Si mihi daretur eptio, eligerem unius Chriſtiani ruſtici opus ſordidiſsimum, prae omnibus victoriis & triumphis Alexandri Caeſaris, &c. Quando fidelis es, Deo placent etiam Phyſica, corporalia, & animalia officia.
And how great a comfort is it, to bring forth fruit to God? becauſe it is fruit abounding unto our accounts, at the laſt and the great day; now as fruitfulneſs is a certain evidence of our marriage to Chriſt: ſo barrenneſs is a certain evidence that thou art not yet married unto Chriſt: and to be given up in judgement to barrenneſs, is an earneſt thou ſhalt never be married to him; and fruitfulneſs is an argument and a pledge unto a mans heart that Chriſt will delight in him, as Leah ſaid, when ſhe had born a ſon, Now my husband will love me; now he will be joyned to me, now I have born him this ſon alſo. So may a ſoul reaſon it out with Chriſt: Now I ſhal have his love, he wil love me, he will delight in me, he will dwell with me▪ …ow I have yielded him fruit; for he doth delight in the fruits of his pleaſant things, Cant. 5.12.
Thirdly, there is nothing that ſtands between ſuch a ſoul and wrath: for Ioh. 15.2. Every branch in me that bears no fruit, my father takes away, that is, he is caſt out of the vine, of which he did ſeem to be a branch: and he withers, and is thereby prepared for to be fuel for the fire: its true, if there were the leaſt fruit, or the leaſt hope and expectation of it, it would be reprieved: for, if there be but a cluſter, Iſa. 65 8. the Lord ſaith, ſpare it, for there is a bleſsing in it: but when Chriſt comes to expect fruit, and findeth nothing but leaves, no fruits thereon, then there is a curſe neer, Never fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever. And by ſuch a curſe the man withers at the root immediatly. Chryſoſt. de poenit. doth allude to the manner of men. Chryſoſt.Romanae leges poenam praegnanti deferunt: foreign, If the Laws of men ſpare for the fruits ſake, how much more will the goodneſs and the mercy of God do it, if there be but a cluſter? but where there is no fruit, there is nothing now between that and the fire: there is nothing ſo much as to defer the judgement.
There is a double curſe upon a barren tree: not only the original curſe which is the ground and cauſe of barrenneſs: but there is a particular curſe, when the Lord pronounceth a ſentence of perpetual barrenneſs to this very end, that the ſoul being cut off may wither, and may thereby be prepared for the fire: and it is ſaid, they are withered, and men gather them: they are caſt into the fire, and they burn: the fire of Hell burns ſo fiercely upon none as upon them that are caſt out as withered branches in judgment for their unfruitfulneſs.
Fourthly, why will the Lord give men over to a perpetual barrenneſs, that they ſhall never more bear fruit, but as it is ſaid, Iude 12. They are without fruit, twice dead, and pluckt up by the roots: as there is no fruit for the preſent, ſo there is no hope of fruit for the future: for the Tree is pluckt up by the roots; theſe are men given up to perpetual barrenneſs; and the grounds of it are ſuch as theſe.
Firſt, if any thing would make them fruitful, the goſpel would: for we ſee that if the waters that iſſue out of the ſanctuary, run out into the dead ſea, the waters ſhall not be healed: and that there is as little hope of fruit from ſuch, as there is of the dead Sea, that it ſhould be yet fruitful, and therefore Zach 14.8. Living waters ſhall go out from Ieruſalem towards the firſt ſea: this mare primum is nothing elſe but mare mortuum, or the dead ſea: and why are they called living waters? not only formaliter, or as they are aquae perennes, ſuch as do always flow; but effective, becauſe they do beget life where they come: and all things where the waters come do live; and there are trees for fruit on every ſide, becauſe the waters do come thither: yea, even when there was as little hope either of life, or fruit as there it now in reſpect of the dead ſea.
Secondly, there is no other uſe to be made of them: they muſt be either for fruit, or elſe for fuel: for men that live unprofitably under the Ordinances, are good for nothing: as it is with a vine, if it be not fruitfull, it is uſefull for nothing elſe in the world: for a man cannot take a pin from it, Ezek. 15.3. thoſe that are branches in the vine: fruitfulneſs doth prepare it for pruning and ſoiling: for every branch in me that bears fruit, the father purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit: ſo barrennes & unfruitfulnes doth prepare it for lopping, that it be cut down, that it may be profitable one way; for all the garden of Paradiſe the Lord hath reſerved for one of theſe ends: ſome of them, becauſe he would not have them all periſh, he hath reſerved for fruit; and ſome when he hath a long time expected fruit, and indured with much long patience and ſuffering the veſſels of wrath, prepared for deſtruct…on, now he cuts them down, and lays them up for fuel; for Prov. 16.4. he made all things for himſelf; and he will make ſome advantage of all the creatures to his own glory; they ſhall be ſome way or other ſerviceable, either as veſſels of mercy, or as veſſels of wrath, either to honor or to diſhonor.
Thirdly, the Lord doth this becauſe therein are ſeveral provocations, that they are unto him.
Firſt, he hath beſtowed much labour upon them: for the father is the husband-man; and his eye is in reference unto fruit, Iſa. 49 45. I have laboured in vain, and ſpent my ſtrength in vain: When he hath dunged and digged about it, not only the barrenneſs, but the loſs of his labour then is a provocation: then the Lord lays a man out of his hand: Ier. 6.29.Then reprobate ſilver ſhall men call them, when the Lord hath rejected them: I would have formed you, I would have purged you, but now you ſhall never be formed or purged.
Secondly, the Lord expects fruit, Iſa. 5. I looked for grapes: for though nothing is hid from God, yet he ſpeaks after the manner of men, through his patience, and long ſuffering, waiting upon them, that never bring forth fruit; now it is a dangerous provocation to deceive his expectation, Iſa. 5.12. I looked for mourning, but there was rejoycing with the harps, &c. This iniquity ſhall not be purged from you till you die.
Thirdly, they diſhonor the Lords vineyard, that there ſhould be found fruitleſs trees; and therefore the Lord is provoked againſt them to take them away, which he doth by giving them up to perpetual barrenneſs: this Judgement is that which the Saints fear and bewail, as Beza ſaith, Beza.Tanquam monſtrum inter filios Dei ſto: inutile lignum: to ſerve for nothing but to fill up a room to the diſhonour of the vineyard, and that is very dreadfull: Culcate me ſalem inſipidum: good for nothing, neither for the land, nor for the dunghil; and upon theſe grounds, the Lord gives up men to live under the Ordinances of the Goſpel unprofitably, that they have no ſaving effect upon them; he gives them up a perpetual barrenneſs; they are given to ſalt.
Ʋſe.
Uſe. Ye that live under the Goſpel, and glory in it as the Jews did under the Law, fear leſt the Lord give you over to this Judgement; for many are called, but few are choſen: A very dangerous thing it is to live under ſpiritual Ordinances and influences with carnal hearts: and to this end, let me exhort you to fear the ſeveral ſteps and degrees by which commonly God doth give men up to it; and they are ſuch as theſe.
Firſt, men miſs of Chriſt, who is the only fruitfull Root: for it is in him only that you bring forth fruits, Joh. 15.5. without him you can do nothing; when men begin their Religion with duties and performances, without a work of regeneration, which tends unto Union with Chriſt, for the term of vocation is union; they were never cut off from their old root, and never had experience of an ingrafting work, never knew what it was to be tranſlated, Col. 1.13. foreign, Verbum deductum ab iis qui colonias transferunt e natali ſolo: Its a Metaphor taken from tranſplanting of Colonies: They are in him by profeſſion only, without any real implantation; for Chriſt as he is a vine upon earth, has in him many unfruitfull branches, though as he is a head in Heaven, ſo he hath no dead members; and this is the great ground of all barrenneſs, and ſo all that a man doth is but building upon the ſand when it flows not from Chriſt, through the union of faith, which is the ground of all fruitfulneſs: Non ſemper ore, non ſemper meditor, ſed veſtio, dormio, bibo, comedo, &c. Haec omnia ſi in fide fiant, tanquam recte facta divino judicio approbantur: As are my prayers, ſo my eating, drinking, ſleeping, and clothing my ſelf; they are all Luther.fruit abounding to my account in Chriſt; Luther, Gen. 33.
Secondly, he gives them up unto a heedleſs ſpirit in the things of God; ſo much of Religion as ſhall uphold a form they take up, but they regard not the keeping of their hearts, and the approving of themſelves unto God in ſecret; there is a cultus conſcientiae, that is wholly neglected, 2 Kin. 10.31. But Jehn took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Iſrael with all his heart: what ſhew ſo ever they make of Religion, and how great ſo ever their pretences are, yet foreign, Heb. 2.3. They neglect, or they care not for the ſalvation that is offered therein. Bernard.Vita uniuſcujuſque non cognoſcitur niſi in conſcientia. Bernard. A mans life may ſeem as fair in a hypocrite, and as fruitful as in a godly man; but it is the inward frame of the heart, and the conſtant care of that, in which Religion doth conſiſt; and if a man do duties with a Spirit of inadvertency, they are none of them fruits but leaves, and make way for a judicial barrenneſs.
Thirdly, he gives them up unto new opinions, and theſe do ingroſs the heart, and take up the ſtrength of the man, by conteſts of this nature; whereas the kingdom of God conſiſts not in meat and drink, Rom. 14.17. and when men are given up to this, then Hylar.quas volumus doctrinas coaptamus: Hylar. That muſt go for true doctrine which is agreeable to their apprehenſions; and there is more pains taken in contending for, and in maintaining of ſuch opinions and things which we have made our own, then there is about knowing or practiſing all the Truths of Chriſt, and the duties of godlineſs beſides: and ſo the whole practice of godlineſs is neglected, while the man is ſinfully buſied in novelties and unpractical curioſities; and ſo urbem produnt dum caſtella defendunt: when as in abſoluto & facili ſtat aternitas. The things neceſſary to ſalvation are eaſie; and as for leſſer diſputes, be not much in them; ſay, Elias cum veniet: Let us leave this unto the day of Reſurrection, which will declare of what ſort every mans work is, whither it be gold, or ſilver, hay or ſtubble; and the truth is, this is a grave in which Satan hath buried many a ſoul, cauſing men to fall in love with their own births and apprehenſions, and thereby to take them off from the things which are of eternal concernment in the things of God, which turn men commonly from Idolatry to Hereſie.
Fourthly, the Lord gives them up to have their thoughts ſet much upon other things, as it was with the thorny ground: the thorns ſucking in the ſtrength of the ſoil choaked the ſeed, Matth. 13.
One is taken up about getting an eſtate; and another about raiſing a building of honor; and another he is buſied in the great affairs of a Commonwealth, and he talks of making of Laws, defeating of enemies, ſaving of Kingdoms, &c. and in the mean while he himſelf is loſt, Matth. 7 22. There is a man buſie preaching to others, whilſt he himſelf is a caſtaway; and caſting out devils out of other mens bodies, when he himſelf is all the while in his inward man poſſeſſed of the devil; and ſo while he is made a keeper of the vineyard, he neglect to keep his own vine, Cant. 1.6. And ſo many a great Stateſman gives the ſame accompt at his death, as Luther brings in Cicero complaining: Luther.Olim fruſtra me ſapientem putatum: vocem indignationis & deſperationis pleniſs…mam, &c. So that men never conſider, by their gifts, and places, and powers, they bear fruit among men, and be uſefull to a Civil State; they never think of being uſeful to the people of God, and ſaving of their own ſouls: but its one thing to live fruitful towards God, and another to be thought ſo by men: as its ſaid of Jeroboams ſon: There was found ſome good thing in him towards the Lord God of Iſrael: Therefore conſider, that may be good among men, which is not good towards the Lord God of Iſrael.
Fifthly, After this the oath of God paſſes on the man: there is a ſwearing in his wrath againſt men now, as there was againſt Iſrael of old, Hebrews 3. and therefore we alſo muſt take heed; for this is the moſt dreadfull Judgement can come among men: and this oath though it be ſecret, yet it hath this effect, that the Spirit of God in the common works and gifts is by degrees withdrawn: for though there be a decree that paſſeth upon every mans eternal eſtate, as an act of the Soveraignty of God: Iacob have I loved, and Eſau have I hated: and the foundation of God remains ſure, the Lord knows who are his: yet there are many ſtrivings of the ſpirit of God about a mans eternal eſtate, before the Lord ſwear in his wrath he ſhall never enter into his reſt: for my ſpirit ſhall ſtrive with that man no more, Gen. 6.3. for as the Lord will not always ſuffer his Miniſters to ſpeak in vain: therefore ſometimes he ſaith, they ſhall be a reprover unto ſuch a people no more: and therefore he will change the orb in which the ſtars ſometimes ſhine; he that hath them in his right hand; & ſo he will not always ſuffer his ſpirit to ſtrive in vain: and therefore he doth call home this Spirit as his extraordinary Embaſſador, when he prepares open war againſt that man; and all Treaties of peace are at an end; the Lord will treat with him about the matter of reconciliation no more.
Sixthly, after this there comes upon a man from the Lord as a fruit of this oath, a ſpirit of ſlumber, and a heart that cannot repent, Iſa. 29.10. the word in the Hebrew is foreign the ſame thats uſed of Adam when the Lord took out his rib, that though the man be in never ſo great danger himſelf, he is not apprehenſive of it; nothing doth awaken him: and by this means he is put into the condition of the devil; for he is made perfectly like unto the devil, and is delivered over into his power; for 2 Tim. 2.26. foreign, the word is properly to return to himſelf after drunkenneſs; but now the Devil hath not only a power to make that man drunk, but to keep him ſo, that he never return to himſelf again to his dying day: and as the devil ſins without remorſe, ſo ſhall he. Bernard.Peccare humanum eſt, ſed in peccato perſeverare Diabolicum eſt. He that perſeveres in ſin, is as the Devil himſelf. As the fire of hell is unquenchable fire, ſo is the ſin of Hell unquenchable ſin; and the Repentance of a man ſo given over by God is not medicinalis but paenalis: its a Repentance in reſpect of Judgement, not of ſin: and as it has judgement its cauſe, ſo ſhall judgement be its companion; that very repentance ſhall be an aggravation and part of his greater plague. By ſuch dreadfull ſteps as theſe (which a wiſe heart will tremble to hear) are men given to falt.