The Profit of Godliness, Sermon 14
Serm. 14. Preached February 2. 1661.
CHAP. XXIII.
IN this and the preceding verse we may behold as it were a confl…ct between Gods justice and mercy, his patience and anger about unfruitful persons. In the verse foregoing you hear the justice and wrath of God thundering in the Heavens against impenitent persons: Cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground? let not the axe be laid to the root of the unfruitful figg-tree only, but cut it down, stock it up root and branch, and cast it into the fire; these unfruitful and impenitent wretches are good for nothing else, but to be the fuel of hell fire: they cumber the ground, they take up room in my Church, and keep out others who would bring forth better fruit.
Now in this verse the mercy and patience of God intercedes, layes hold upon the hand of wrath and justice, making this intercession, Lord, let it alone this year also: Lord, do not yet cut it down: peradventure this unfruitful tree may yet be made fruitful with a little more cost and pains: Lord, let these impenitent persons live a little longer under the means of grace; peradventure they may be led to repentance; try them but one year more. The Ministers of my word shall labour their repentance, and shall spend their strength, in praying for them, in preaching to them; who can tell but they will yet bring forth fruits pleasing to the Lord of the Vineyard? this is the scope of these words.
Yet let us take a fuller view of the words; The Vine-dresser useth two arguments to moderate the rigour of enraged justice.
1. The first is drawn from himself: Let it alone this year, till I shall digg about it and dung it.
2. The other argument is drawn from the tree: if more time, patience and means of grace will not, and shall not make it fruitful, then cut it down, then cast it into Hell fire.
Quest. But it may be demanded, What is this digging and dunging?
Christ compareth the application of means of grace to the labour and cost of Husbandmen and Gardiners,Resp. who open the earth about the roots of the trees, and lay in dung to make them to bear fruit. Christ by his Ministers diggeth about them, when they sharply reprove them, powerfully convince them, even to the pricking of their consciences by terribly threatning them, by their pathetical exhortations and admonitions; lastly, by sending some sharp afflictions to humble them, to affright them.—He is said also to dung them by multiplying and continuing his mercies, benefits, blessings, which as dung fattens the earth for fruit-bearing: so should the mercies and blessings of God which are new every morning, make us to bring forth fruits meet for repentance.
CHAP. XXIV.
THE point I will handle from these words shall be this.
Obser.Howbeit men are for a long while unfruitful under the means of grace, and deserve a cutting down, yet God is pleased to give them more time and means of grace to make them fruitful.
I will not propose to you instances drawn from Scripture, seeing in every congregation we have very many evident and living instances to bear witness to this truth: how many of us have stood and (it is a sad word that I must speak) do still stand unfruitful in the Lords Vineyard! how do many of us deserve a cutting down, a casting into hell? how many are there among us who daily bring forth the wild grapes of drunkenness, swearing, and the like unfruitful works of hellish darkness! though many among us do persist in their detestable vices and practices to this day; yet still you have Sabbaths, ordinances, the means of grace, and Christ by his Ministers is still labouring your conversion, reformation and Salvation; not a drunkard, not a swearer this day but is a living instance of this truth; and must say, yet God lets me alone this week, this month, this year, to this day, and I am not cut down and cast into hell.
That we may the better perceive how patient and long-suffering God is to unfruitful persons, I will first propose some things to your cosideration.
Prop. 1 God might in justice have cut every one down as soon as we were born; damnati antequàm nati, saith Augustine: we deserved damnation before we were born: we are all dead trees at the root from our conception and birth, fit for nothing but to be fuel for Hell: there was (according to our natures) no probable hopes that ever we should bear any other fruit then wild grapes, yet God hath let us alone for many years.
Prop. 2 God might have suffered such briars and thorns as we are by nature, to have stood in the wast howling wilderness of the world: we see that in his unsearchable wayes of justice many millions are suffered by him to stand in this forlorn estate, whose end is to be burned: yet God hath not dealt so severely with us, but hath set us in his Vineyard: we have the mighty means of conversion and gratious fruitfulness which they have not, and never shall have. That is as true of us and them which Christ said of Chorazin and Bethsaida: if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Zidon which were done in you; if the mighty means of salvation had been given them; had they been trees planted by Gods Rivers side as we are, they had brought forth the fruits of repentance long ago in sackcloth and ashes. The having of the means of grace is no common, but a rich peculiar distinguishing mercy; Oh what compassion hath God on our souls! yet unfruitful we are, and so we stand to this day.
Prop. 3 It is good to consider what we have done all this while that we have stood in the Vineyard under the mighty means of conversion: what fruit have we brought forth? Are not many of us as the Prophet Hosea saith of Israel, empty Vines, bringing forth fruit to our selves, not to God? or rather, as the Prophet Isaiah saith, we are wild Vines, bringing forth wild stinking Grapes: all this while we go on in pride, formality, hypocrisie, profaneness, impenitency, provoking God to the confusion of our own souls: all this while we have been treasuring up sins and wrath to the great dishonour of the Gospel, yet God hath not cut us down, but lets us stand this year also, even to this very day: Oh behold and admire the patience of God toward unfruitful men.
Prop. 4 Consider what an horrible abuse we offer to the patience of God and his grace tendered to us; there is no sorer and speedier provocation to wrath than contempt and abuse of grace and mercy; yet thus have many done, turning the grace of God into wantonness, abounding in sin, because his grace aboundeth in the Gospel toward them, hardening and heartning themselves in their wicked courses, because God lets them alone, and cuts them not down, Eccles. 8.11. Because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil; as if he had said; They hear the justice of God declaring his word against sinners, the justice of God passeth the sentence of death and damnation upon them, Cut them down, Why do these men cumber the ground? now because God delayeth the execution of this righteous sentence, letting them alone for this year and that year, digging about them and dunging them as in former times, therefore they are bent to all wickedness and profaneness; yet notwithstanding all this abuse God still le…s them alone, and cuts them not down.
Prop. 5 Consider how wilfully wicked many people are, and how wilfully ignorant others are, under all former means of knowledge and holiness: it may be for a lamentation to think how many may hear, and will not hear the word; they shut their eyes, and stop their ears, that the light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ should not shine into their hearts, whose hearts speak within, and their practices without openly declare, Depart, we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes, we desire not the knowledge of Christ, faith, repentance, holiness; we desire not the knowledge of Gods wayes to Heaven and happiness.
Again others there are (and I know not which number is the greater) that are wilfully wicked and profane, who knowingly and willingly imprison the Divine truths of Salvation in their unrighteous hearts, Rom. 1.18. that is, albeit many men have the knowledge of saving truths, and are under powerful convictions, yet they willingly walk in contrary wayes to what they know, and say with them, in Jer. 44. As for the word of the Lord, we will not do it, but we will do whatsoever cometh out of our own mouths: are there not many knowing and wilfull swearers and drunkards among us, that know these sins, and that they that do such things are worthy of death, yet they do these sins, and take pleasure in all them that do the same sins; and yet God lets alone these men for this year also!
Prop. 6 Consider, that about many (if not most of us) God hath digged with the spade of afflictions and judgements: So Chemnitius expoundeth this digging and dunging,Chemnit. ad loc. of Gods sending of afflictions and sicknesses, by which he gives them some foretasts of his wrath; he doth as it were shew them hell and judgement; he puts men into the fear of death and hell; then they cry and pray to God as here the Vinedresser doth; Lord, let me alone this year also: let me live a little longer, I will amend, I will not live as formerly; I will shun evil company and evil courses, I will hear the word, and pray more, and live better; and God remembring them in their low condition, saith, Let them alone another year, spare cutting them down, and casting them into the pit: These very same men perform not their sick bed vows, prove unfruitful, and God suffereth them to stand still; here is the admirable patience of God.
Prop. 7 Consider how long God hath let them alone already, perhaps these three years as in my Text, perhaps twenty, or thirty, or forty years, perhaps for more years: duration of time doth wonderfully aggravate the patience of God, and their sin of impenitency; will any Gardiner wait too long for a trees fruit? will any Prince in the world wait and expect so long a time the return and repentance of a Rebel? yet God is pleased to let men alone another year also, waiting and expecting their conversion.
Prop. 8 God is pleased to wave and pass by all this, and to continue the use of the means of grace for a longer space, charging all his Ministers as they will answer God, to digg still about these trees, and to dung them: Go still, Preach the Word in season and out of season; still exhort, perswade and intreat them in season and out of season; still pray for them, neglect no opportunity, slack no means, but labour in the word and doctrine; spend your strength to turn these poor sinners from the power of sin and Satan to the living God.
CHAP. XXV. The Reasons of the Doctrine.
Reason 1 THe first reason of this point is, because hereby God sheweth the infinite disproportion between him and man: by this he sheweth himself to be God and not man, a God of great kindness, slow to anger: God will have all his wayes and actions answer his name and titles: his name is long-suffering, so are his wayes to sinners full of long-suffering: his name is Good, full of kindness, so are his wayes to sinners; his name is Full of Pitty and Compassion, so are his wayes and actions to sinners: in a word, he is God and not man; so his patience and forbearance to sinners is infinitely beyond the patience of men; there are but drops of patience in men, God is a boundless Ocean: in men are but sparks, God is a Sun of infinite patience. The Lord saith, Hosea 11.7, 8, 9. My people are bent to backsliding from me; though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him, ver. 7. These words shew the obstinacy and impenitency of men; they are bent to backsliding: they are continually turning and revolting from me. They called them to the most High: (1.) They were called upon by the Prophets to turn to God, but none of them would give him the glory of their repenting. In verse 8. God saith, How shall I give thee up to Ephraim? how shall I make thee as Admah, and set thee as Zeboim? as who should say, This people deserveth to be cut down, as I overthrew Admas with fire and brimstone; they are as deserving of destruction as the worst of sinners. In ver. 9. he saith, My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together, I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger; for I am God, and not man. These words do shew Gods infinite patience and forbearance to them, his unwillingness to cut them down: Though this people deserve destruction, yet my bowels are moved within me, I will not execute my wrath; for I am God and not man: I am God who can moderate my wrath, and not man who is peevish and froward, with whom there is but a word and a blow; I am God of infinite patience, and not man who hath but a dram of patience in him: I am God of infinite compassion, and not man whose compassions are little. Oh thou that dost daily go on in thy abominable provocations of God; therefore thou art not destroyed. because he is a God whom thou provokest to anger, and not man; he lets drunkards alone for this year and that year, though they add drunkenness to thirst, and Oath to Oath, because he is God and not man: the meekest of men cannot endure such vile provocations, but their wrath would break out against them.
Reason 2 Because of the Vine dressers mediation; it is upon the account of Christ who is the Vine-dresser, that wicked men have a space of repentance, and the means of grace continued to them: you read this in my Text, He answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also: our first rebellion forfeited all: God in justice might have proceeded against us, and sent us roaring to Hell, without giving us a space of life and a space of repentance, had not Christ come between sinful men and an angry God; had not he interceded, Lord, let them alone, let them live; be patient, forbear cuting them down; I will lay down my life, and purchase pardon and life, and will tender them my death and merits: I will send out Ministers to call them to repentance, and faith in my blood; I will labour their conversion: Lord, do thou but let them alone, I will do all this: God for Christs sake lets us alone, and for his sake gives and continues the means of grace among a people.
This may give an answer to that great question, Whether Christ died for all men? seeing the life of men is part of Christs purchase, the dayes and years of patience which all enjoy are parts of Christs purchase, more especially the means and space of repentance, the ordinances, the Ministry are Christs purchased gifts; as to these things Christ died for all men: that life, that space and means of repentance; those extraordinary gifts which Judas had were the price of Christs blood for him, and in this sence he died for Judas as for Peter. There is not a wicked man but is obliged to give thanks to Christ for all the good that he hath; it is for Christs sake that thou hast the Sabbaths, that thou hearest this Sermon, and hast thy life lengthened out to this very day.
Reason 3 Because God will have all men to see that the death of sinners is not his delight; tis your conversion he desireth, your repentance he delighteth in, Ezek. 33.11. As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: wherefore turn ye, turn ye from your evil wayes: for why will ye die, O house of Israel! God sweareth to it, we may therefore give all credit to him; tis evident he delighteth in the conversion, and not in the destruction of sinners: he would never be so patient and long suffering and good to sinners, if he took pleasure in their death: how easie a thing is it with God to tumble them down to the bottom of destruction? how suddenly could he turn their bodies into dust, and their souls into hell, did he delight in their death! Why doth God give us all a space to repent? why doth he call us to repentance? Why do…h he give us all means to lead and bring us to repentance? Why doth he send out his Ministers to exhort and intreat us to reprent? Why doth he make such offers of grace and mercy to us? Why doth he so pathetically call from Heaven to us to turn from our evil wayes? Why doth he let us alone this year also? All this demonstrateth, that God taketh no pleasure in our destruction, but in our conversion: the great God would never make such low condescensions and large offers to us, if he delighted in our death. As soon as that word is out of his mouth, [Cut him down, let him not cumber the ground] down we should fall, and he would not let us alone one day longer, and we should not hear one Sermon more: therefore if ye are cut down, you shall see that your destruction is from your selves.
Reason 4 Because some are brought to fruitfulness and repentance by Gods letting them alone for one year more; though many perish through their own willfulness and obstinacy, and will never bring forth fruit, though God should suffer them to stand in his Vineyard many years longer; yet some are led to repentance, some are drawn to God; some trees do bring forth fruits meet for repentance; God hath some souls among the profane off-scouring of the world, which through his patience shall be brought to repentance by the means of grace. This reason the Apostle gives of Gods long-sufferance, 2 Pet. 3.9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuff…ring to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (1.) Not willing that any of his elect should perish, but that all of them should come to repentance: therefore he g…ves them time, space, and means of grace to bring them to repentance.
CHAP. XXVI.
Ʋse 1 LET us all be exhorted to improve this present day and time of grace: we have been unfruitful for a long time, the sentence is passed against us, Cut them down, let them not cumber the ground. Yet God hath let us alone this year also, yet we live and do enjoy the mighty means of grace, yet God calls upon us to bring forth fruit: yet God is expecting and waiting for our conversion, crying to us from Heaven in his word, How long! when shall it once be? let thy heart Eccho to God now this day, this hour; say now, Lord give me repentance, and I will repent; Lord now convert me, and I will turn: now Lord draw me, and I will run after thee: Oh that there were these meltings of heart within us! Oh that there were such motions, such pantings of soul in us! Oh that there were in us shame for our long unfruitfulness, and a purpose to bring forth fruit! I beseech you, let these considerations sink into your hearts;
1. Perhaps your three years are expired, and this present year is the superadded year, this present year is the fruit of Christs intercession, for your last tryall whether you will bring forth fruit or no: these perhaps are some of the last Sabbaths, some of the last Sermons, and some of the last Exhortations and invitations that you shall have to repentance: You have disappointed Gods expectation for the space of three years; do not now disappoint him this last year of thy visitation: Is it a small thing to weary men? will you weary my God also? Isa. 7.13. it is no small sin to weary Gods faithful Ministers, but what a sinne is it to weary God himself?
2. Consider that your last year of grace may be now expiring; this may be the last month, week, or day of this superadded year: the last year or day of thy visitation; it maybe this may be the last Sabbath, the last Sermon, the last Call that thou shalt have to repent; it is extream madness and folly for any man to delay to repent for a day: to neglect an opportunity, which probably you may never have the like again, is folly with a witness; so likewise to neglect a certain time, presuming on an uncertain time; to neglect the present time which is certain, for the future which is very uncertain, is madness in the utmost degree.
3. Are we not ashamed of our former unthankfulness to God, for the great space of repentance and means of grace which he hath for many years vouchsafed to us? will any of us be so brutish as to continue our unthankfulness this year also? Is not the time past sufficient which we have spent in bringing forth wild Grapes? Have we not turned abundance of grace into wantonness? Have we not despised very rich patience already? Have we not too often received the grace of God in vain? Have we not made light of all the offers of mercy? Think upon these things, and say, Shall I go on in the hardness and impenitency of my heart! it is high time for me to bring forth fruit, to be serviceable to my God.
4. Consider, That when this year which God superadds to the other three years is expired, then no more, not another year is to be expected: we know not when this superadded year will be expired, for God ke…ps the Alm…nack of the year of grace; men cannot see how far it is gone, how nigh to the end; when this year is come to an end, it will be in vain to expect that God will let thee stand another year: you may beg and cry and pray for another year, but your Prayers will be in vain: the Vinedresser will not beg for a day more: he will not say, This mans fourth year is expired, Lord let him alone one year more: his resolve is to intercede no more for him; if he will not bring forth fruit this year, then Lord Cut him down, cast him into hell fire.
5. The larger space of repentance God gives you, if you bear not fruit; you will bring forth more wrath for your selves: if you do not improve this year to treasure up grace and mercy against the day of mercy, then you treasure up wrath against the day of wrath; then it will be better that you had never had this year also, and that God had cut you down long ere now; the more patience you have abused, the more wrath shall be poured on you: you will then wish, Oh that I had been cut down as soon as I was born! Oh that I had never stood one day in the Vineyard! Oh that I never had Sabbaths, Sermons, means of grace, and space to repent! it is now the aggravation of the sin and torment of Judas, that he had such means of grace, and received the grace of God in vain.
6. How inexcusable wilt thou be, that dost wilfully stand out against all Gods patience, and all the invitations thou hast had to repentance! Who shall plead for thee? What excuse canst thou make, when God shall say to thee, I planted thee in my Vineyard, I gave thee three years for a space to bring forth fruit! Yea I gave thee a further space, and used more means to make thee fruitful, but thou didst not bring forth fruit; Oh how will thy mouth be stopped! then shalt thou acknowledge that thy destruction is from thy self.
CHAP. XXVII.
Ʋse 2 THis may inform us what is the reason why God-provoking sinners, whose sins cry loud for vengeance are suffered to live and to enjoy Sabba…hs and ordinances, and many mercies from God; here is the reason, God is pleased to make trial of them, whether they will at last repent or no: he hath a desire of their conversion and salvation, he hath no pleasure in their destruction; wherefore he invites them to convert, Turn ye, Turn ye: he doth ingeminate the exhortation, to shew how earnestly he willeth their conversion and salvation: therefore when thou seest wicked men go on in high provocations, and God hath not cut them down, say not thou in thy heart, Lord, how canst thou behold these men and their wickedness, and not lift up thine axe and cut them down! but rather magnifie the patience of God toward them.
Ʋse 3 Hence you may see what just cause God hath to damn sinners to eternity: it is because they sin in suo aeterno: should God add year to year, should he let them alone for ever, they would sin for ever, and never would bring forth fruit; because men have in them an eternal bent to sin, therefore God punisheth them for this reason (among others) to eternity.
Ʋse 4 What cause have we to be thankful to God, for lengthening out the day and year of grace to us, for his continuance of the means of grace and salvation to this hour! God might have dealt with us as with the lapsed Angels, damn us assoon as we sinned; God might have cut us down in our infancy; or cut us down for our unfruitfulness for so long a time; but God deals not so with us: Blessed be his name, we have another year; he let us alone still, and his servants are to this day digging about us, and dunging us, using all labour and means to make us bring forth much fruit to our God, for the eternal welfare of our immortal souls.
Ʋse 5 Hence let fruitful trees learn that the longer they live, they are to grow in grace, to bring forth more fruit. We must be bringing forth fruit in our season, Psal. 1. All times are a Christians season; he that doth not grow in grace, hath no grace: painted trees do not grow; God expecte…h a proportionable growth: if we have five Talents, we must improve them to ten; the more fruit we bring forth, the better it will be for us in the great day of recompence.
LUKE 13.9.
And if it bear fruit, Well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.