The Profit of Godliness, Sermon 13
Serm. 13. Preached January 26. 1661.
CHAP. XVII.
THE next Doctrine which offereth it self to our sad consideration, shall be drawn from this word of admiration, Behold:] as who should say: Behold and Wonder, Behold and be Asto…ished, that a figg tree of my own plant…ng in my own Vineyard, should not bring …orth fruit for these three years! that …en planted in my Church, that have such …eans of grace and repentance should continue for so many years graceless and impenitent! Hence then I note;
Observ.That it will astonish any man who shall seriously consider what means of conversion wicked men have, that yet they continue impenitently wicked under all means.
We find Christ sometime marvelling at the unbelief of men, Mark 6.6. He marvelled because of their unbelief; for these very men were astonished at his wisdom which they heard, and at his mighty works which he had done: albeit they had such marvellous means of faith, yet they believed not, therefore Christ marvelled at their unbelief: sometimes Christ was grieved and angry at the hardness and unbelief of men under the means of grace. It is an usual thing in Scripture to call to heaven and earth to be astonished at the wickedness of men, Isa. 1.2. Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth: What is the thing that God summons heaven and earth to hearken to? The Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me: the Oxe knoweth his Owner, and the Asse his Masters Crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider: Ah sinful Nation, a people laden with iniquity! as if he had said: O ye Heavens, and all ye glorious creatures: O earth and all creatures therein, be astonished at this people: I have been a tender Father to them, and have done what a good Father can do for them, yet they rebell against me: they have had all means of knowledge, yet they are more brutish, and more void of understanding then the Oxe or Asse, which are of all creatures the dullest; they know their Master, yet my people do not know me their God; they neither love me, fear me, nor obey me, they are full of all wickedness.
For these Reasons God summoneth his creatures to hearken.
1. Because hereby God declareth the deafness of men: inanimate creatures are more ready to hear the will of God, then men are to hearken to his invitations to repentance.
2. To shew to us, that all creatures which according to their manner are ready to hear and obey the commands of God, shall one day be so many witnesses against men that will not obey his commands to repent, Deut. 4.6. I call heaven and earth to witness against you.
3. By the Tragical exclamations (so Ʋrsin calls them) God would draw us to give more attention to his exhortations and invitations to repentance:Ursin Catechism. it is as if he should say: All creatures if they could, would hearken unto me: Oh ye men that can hear, do ye therefore hear what the Lord saith.
CHAP. XVIII.
I Shall now shew what causes there are of wondering and being astonished at mens impenitency under the means.
1. Is it not a wonder that men who are so much instructed, and told of the filthiness of sin, of the dangerous effects and consequences thereof, and yet that men should live in sin, doth not the Scripture tell us, that sin makes us odious in the sight of God, as venimous Adders, as filthy Swine wallowing in the mire, as Dogs licking up their own vomit, are in mans eye? to see a man drink down poyson that knows it not, is no marvel: doth not the Spirit of God tell us, that sin is rebellion, enmity, hatred against God? that sin turns men into beasts, and brings all wrath upon man, temporal and eternal, all plagues and curses whatsoever? that it is, and will be the ruine and destruction of mens souls? is not this matter of astonishment? Who cannot but be astonished to behold men to live and wallow in sin, to go on in soul-polluting and in soul-destroying courses, as confidently as the Swine of the Gadarens did into the Sea? Is it not matter of wonder, that Hell fire, the everlasting chains of darkness, and all the torments prepared for sinners should not affright them out of their sins?
2. Is it not for an astonishment, that men hearing what sentence of death and condemnation God hath passed on them, that they should not take Gods prescribed course to prevent the execution of these terrible sentences denounced by the mouth of God against them? if a Judge pass the sentence of death upon a man, and yet should shew him by what means he might escape execution: would not you marvel to see that man wilfully to neglect the means? or as if a Physitian should say to his Patient, you will certainly die of such a disease, if you take not this course to prevent it: how doth the word of God declare to us, that we are children of Gods wrath, heirs of Hell, that the wrath of God abideth on us, that we are condemned; that God will turn all the wicked into hell; that wicked men shall die in their sins; that we shall all perish if we repent not: that for many years men have been forewarned of damnation, yet they repent not to prevent it, but go on in treasuring up wrath as greedily as worldlings do their wealth: is not this matter of great astonishment?
3. Consider and then marvel, that God for a long space should use all moving arguments to bring men to repentance, that he should intreat and beseech them to receive his grace, and be reconciled to him, that he should draw them with cords of love, his mercies, his promises, draw men with the cords of anger, his threatnings and judgements; send his messengers rising early, calling and commanding men to repent, and that not once or twice, or for a day, but for many years (these three years saith the Text) yet no repentance; behold and wonder at it, O heavens, O earth: the Ninevites hearing but one Sermon calling them to repentance, they repented: but here are men who have heard hundreds, some thousands of Sermons warning them to repent, and yet behold they repent not!
4. Is it not marvellous to behold men go on in impenitency against many evident and strong convictions that they must repent! there is scarce a man that liveth under the means of grace, and is invited to repent, but knows it is his duty, that he must repent of his sins and amend his life: how many are there who are so followed with powerful exhortations and strong reasons, and convictions, that it is high time for them to repent! yet these very men in contradiction to their own convictions, do go on in the hardness and impenitency of their hearts: be ye astonished O Heavens and Earth at the unfruitfulness of these men.
5. Marvel at it because of the reasonableness of the wayes of God: he requireth no more at our hands but what is good, holy, and just to be done, Rom. 7… 12. The commandment is holy, just, and good: it is holy because it teacheth us to conform our hearts and lives to God: it is just because it commandeth nothing but what is just for us to do, to God, to our neighbours: it is good, because obedience thereunto makes us good: these are the fruits which God commandeth and approveth of. Name any sin, and you cannot but acknowledge it is a just thing for us to eschew it: name any one duty, it is just for us to perform it: if there were any unreasonableness in the service of God, in obeying his commands, there were some excuse for men why they should not conform to his holy will.
6. Because all the profit of our bearing fruit is our own more then Gods: tis nothing to God whether we repent or not; what if thou art damned? the loss is thine, not his; what if thou art saved? the gain is not his but thine; what if ye go on in your wicked wayes? it is to your own destruct…on; do they provoke me to anger, saith the Lord, Jer. 7.19. No wrethes! it is to the confusion of your own faces. Do you by your impenitency vex me? no, you do but vex your selves, and are against your own souls; marvel at this that men should be such enemies to their own souls.
7. Is it not a marvel that any men should prefer the Devil and his service above God and his service, and count it a greater happiness to bring forth fruits to Devils, then to bring forth fruit to God? all impenitent persons do interpretatively say, that the Devil and their lusts are better masters then God.
CHAP. XIX.
Ʋse 1 LET this in the first place be an Use of Admonition to all that hear this, how God calls to all to wonder at mens impenitency under the means of grace; Oh let not God call to any to behold our impenitency any longer! there are too many among us, of whom God hath too much cause to say, Behold these men, I have for three years sought the fruits of repentance from them, and find none: they have been many years warned, invited and commanded to bring forth fruit, yet bring forth none: Oh take heed lest God call to Angels, Saints, Creatures, behold my wrath, my vengeance on these men; come behold and see how I will cut them down, and cast them into the fire: they who are now astonished at thy impenitency, shall be astonished at Gods wrath poured forth upon thee.
Ʋse 2 Be exhorted then speedily to bring forth fruit, that God may say of thee, as he did of Paul to Ananias, Behold now he prayeth; now he repenteth: That man that for these three years hath born no fruit, behold what precious fruit he now brings forth! That man that went on jocundly and wilfully in sin for along time, Behold now how he mourneth, how he humbleth and abaseth himself: behold how he abhors sin! behold how he gives himself to follow after holiness!
CHAP. XX.
I am now come to the dreadful threatning which God passeth on the impenitent; Cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground?
I might handle several Doctrines arising from these words, but I purpose to insist mainly but upon one, leaving this cutting down, till I come to handle the last verse of this Parable.
Consider we the words as a sentence or threatning; then this Point of Instruction offereth it self to our thoughts.
Obser. 1 It is Gods usual way to threaten destruction, before he brings destruction on an unfruitful people.
God may come upon men suddenly and cut them down; but he doth not, but layeth the axe to the tree, and threatens every tree to stock it up, and cast it into unquenchable fire, Matth. 3. this lightning alwayes go…s before the thunderbolt of of judgement, sentence before execution.
He threatneth, 1. That we may cast our selves down, that he may not cut us down:N. B. threatnings are his motives to repentance; he threatens what he will do in case we continue unfruitful, that he may excite us to do what we must do for preventing our own ruine: these threatnings will being forth judgements, if we bring not forth fruit. Qui non audit minas, tandem sentit ruinas: he that will not hearken to threatnings, he shall in due time be made sensible of his irrecoverable destruction: the axe which is now laid, will be lifted up to cut us down
Obser. 2 That unfruitful persons must expect a …tting down. Men do cut down barren trees, and make of them fuel for the fire; so will the Lord do: see how the threatning runs, Matth. 3 10. Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down, and cast into the fire: Is cut down:] it is not said, it shall be cut down; noting to us, that it is as certain, as if it were already done: Execution is as sure as sentence: damnation is as sure as condemnation: I shall speak of this in the last verse, therefore now I must pass it by.
CHAP. XXI.
SECT. 1.
I Come now to the Point that I will handle, which shall be drawn from these words, Why cumbreth it the ground?
Obser. 3 That unfruitful persons are unsufferable burdens. They are not only injurious to their own souls, but to others also, doing incredible wrong to others, as I shall make appear in these following particulars.
1. They are cumbersome to God himself: God speaks like one that is oppressed under a burden: Isa. 1.4. Ah sinful Nation! Ah is an Interjection of sorrow: This sinful Nation, This sinful man, This obstinate Swearer, This swinish drunkard is a grief to my soul. So in ver. 14. They are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them: I am not able to suffer or endure them any longer: It is spoken of God after the manner of men, who are weary of bearing a cumbersome burden; in ver. 24. he saith, Ah I will ease me of mine adversaries. Ah] This particle of sorrow sheweth how cumbersome they are to God: I will ease me of my adversaries by avenging my self on them; as a man that is tired with a cumbersome burden, casteth it away from him, he will bear it no longer: so God saith, I will ease me of mine adversaries, I will destroy them, I will cut them down; those impenitent wretches shall be no more a trouble to me; they are so injurious to my patience, goodness, long sufferance, mercy, and abounding grace, that I cannot bear with them any longer; they are so injurious to my honor, that it is for my honor to bear with such fruitless and unprofitable wretches no longer. The Prophet Amos hath a notable expression, Amos 2.13. Behold I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves: it is in homely expression; yet being the expression of the Holy Ghost, we may use it: wicked men are as a heavy Cartload on the back of God.
2. They are cumbersome to Christ: they are injurious to his death, to his life, to his benefits, to his love in dying and tendering himself to us. See how angerly he speaks to his own disciples, because of their unbelief: and if he be angry with these green trees, which brought forth fruit in some measure, what shall he do to dry trees which bring forth none at all? Mark 9.19 O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you, or bear you? What! doth he speak thus in anger to his believing disciples? how then doth he speak to unbelievers, to all impenitent sinners, to a faithless and impenitent generation, how long shall I suffer you, seeing you are a shame to me, a reproach to me, I am blasphemed through you and by you, how long shall I suffer you? though I bear with you long, yet I will not bear with you alwayes.
3. They are unsufferable burdens to the Holy Ghost; they are they that grieve him, that quench him, that resist him; he is said to strive with them that he may make them to bring forth fruit: but they contradict him, and will bring forth wild grapes unfruitful works of darkness, that he gives over striving with them, as one that is weary with striving: seeing you will not bring forth the fruits of the spirit, I will never strive more with you, and never shall you bring forth fruit: that tree is twice dead whom the spirit of God forsaketh.
SECT. 2.
AND as they are a burden to God, so likewise they are a burden to others. 1. They are a burden to Ministers, whose whole work is to make them fruitful. Oh the moans and complaints that the Prophets made! Isa. 49.4. I have said [I the Prophet, who am here a type of Christ, and Christ is understood by this (I) also.] I have laboured in vain: all my preaching to this obstinate and unfruitful people hath been in vain. I have spent my strength in vain.] I have wasted my time, spirits, vigor of body in preaching, but all is in vain: how may all Ministers take up this complaint! so also the Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. 13.17. if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride (1.) if you will be still obstinate and proud, and will not hearken to Gods word and obey it, then I will go apart and weep bitterly for your pride and obstinacy against God: peoples unfruitfulness is the sorrow of Godly Ministers: your mirth in sin is their sorrow of heart; your roaring in Ale-houses, makes them roar before the Lord for your sins: yea Jeremiah was tyred out with his peoples wickedness, that he purposed to preach no more to them, Jer. 20.8, 9. the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision daily: Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.
2. They are a burden to the Church, to the Congregation, to the Towns and places where they live; they cumber the ground, saith my Text, the Vineyard, the earth where it standeth: for as I told you in the Explication, the word signifieth terram sterilem reddere: a barren figg-tree makes the earth about it barren: so do all impenitent wicked persons; they are they that bring judgements on the place where they live: for their unfruitfulness God in wrath removes Ministery and Gospel, and gives it to another Nation: it is for their wickedness under the Gospel that God turneth a Congregation, which is in respect of the means an Eden, a Paradise, into a Wilderness. Wicked men in the Church are as weeds in a Garden, or as Crab-trees, Briars and thistles in an Orchard; unprofitable burdens, vexations and griefs to the Gardiner.
SECT. 3.
MOreover, they are cumbersome and injurious to every person near …hem, as a barren tree is injurious to all …rees about him; as,
1. They are injurious to every godly …an: how did the filthy conversation of …e Sodomites vex the righteous soul of Lot! 2 Pet. 2.8. That righteous man dwel…ng among them, in seeing and hearing, …exed his righteous soul from day to day …ith their ungodly deeds; their wickedness …ad torment him: it is a secret torment …o a gracious soul to hear the swearings …nd blasphemies of wicked men among …em: it is a torment to a pious soul to …e the drunkenness and other abominable …ctises of men among whom they …re.
2. They are injurious to all their relati…s and friends: ungodly friends are great …pediments to their friends in the wayes …f godliness and salvation. A wicked Fa…er, or Master, or Husband, or Wife, are …eat hinderances to the salvation of their …lations: many children had been better, …d they had better Parents; many servants had been better, had they better Masters: many Husbands and Wives, had been better, had they married in the Lord. A time will come that neer relations will curse one another, and be witnesses against each other: The child will cry out, I had been fruitful, had my Father been good: the Husband will cry out, I had been good, had not my Wife hindered me; the Wife, I had been a good Woman, had not my Husband hindered me in the wayes of godliness.
3. They are very injurious to young Plants that stand neer them: when some hopes of conversion, of reformation in some men have appeared, how have wicked men by their ill counsel and advice pulled them up? What, you turn precise? What, you become a Sermon hearer? Will you lead a mopish life? Will you bid farewel to all delights and pleasures? Oh how have wicked men mocked and scoft some out of their good beginnings of reformation of life and manners?
4. They are injurious to one anothers souls: they make one another more unfruitful, more wicked; they harden and encourage one another in wickedness … they harden one ano…her against God and his wayes of godliness: such is the devilish wickedness of some men in the Church of Christ, that they will tempt, perswade all men to be as wicked as themselves, and had rather see men to be any thing, rather then to be godly.
CHAP. XXII.
Ʋse 1 1. LEarn hence the admirable patience of God in his suffering wicked men to live so long in the Church: O what just cause hath God to cut them down speedily, to ease himself of such who are adversaries to him, and to the souls of others! they are a burden to God. Lord! why dost thou not cut them down? they are injurious to the souls of all others. Lord! why dost thou not cut them down? it is because God is patient to such, and will warn them of damnation that they …y repent, and flee from it, before he damneth them to hell. It is the patience of the Gardiner, that he suffers barren trees to stand in his Orchard, or weeds to grow in his Garden.
2. Let those be admonished hence, who have any care of their souls eternal welfare, not to delight in, but to avoid the company of such who are injurious to their own souls welfare: wicked men will hinder you from bringing forth fruit: it is a thousand times better for you to say to wicked men, depart from me, or I will depart from your society or friendship; I will not know you any more: you are injurious to my souls salvation; then that Christ should say to you, depart from me, I know you not: you are and have been unfruitful in my Vineyard, be ye therefore cast into hell fire.
3. Be exhorted to love and frequent such mens society, as will not for a world be cumbersome to thy soul, but will do what they can to help forward thy salvation: let barren trees stand by themselves; let fruitful trees be by themselves: what Christ said, the same do thou say, He that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my Brother, and Sister, and Mother, and Friend, and All: they will provoke thee to every good work, they will say, come, let us go unto the house of the Lord, for he will teach us his wayes.
4. Let me advise every one that beareth fruit, to resolve to go on in the wayes of godliness, to abound in these fruits: peremptory resolution is necessary for all the godly; for there are more unfruitful trees than fruitful: here is more to cumber us then to help us in the way of salvation. I wish I could not say, there are twenty that will further you to Hell, to one that will help you to heaven: twenty discourage you from holiness, to one that will excite you to godliness: it is sad to consider how Gods Vineyard everywhere is full of barren trees.
5. This may be for terror to all such of whom God saith, yea Ministers and any discerning Christian may say also; why doth this or that man cumber the ground? All ye prophane drunkards, swearers, sabbath-breakers, ye are they that cumber the ground; you are now a burden to God; the time is at hand, when God will be a burden to you, and cumber you, as now you cumber him: you may read in Scripture of the burden of the Lord, the burden of the Lord; (so his threatnings, wrath and judgements are called) this burden will fall upon you; this burden will break you to pieces when it falleth; this burden will be as cumbersome as a milstone about your necks, and drown you in perdition and destruction: Oh what cumbersome burdens will fall upon you! and this is the aggravation of them, no man by his strength shall ever be able to shake or cast them off from his shoulders: all your sins will be a burden too heavy for your souls to bear. The wrath of God will lye and abide upon you, it will be a burden too heavy for you to bear: The abuse of Gods patience and your unfruitfulness under the means will be a burden too heavy for you to bear. This is the doleful lamentation of the damned: Oh, woe unto us! how are we cumbered in hell, and must and shall bear this burden to eternity!
LUKE 13.8.
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall digg about it, and dung it.