The Barren Fig Trees Doom, Application 15
SERMON XV
IT follows that we consider the Hypotheses severally, together with the inferences which the Vine-dresser draws from them. The first thing that he supposeth is, That this figtree, after he hath digged about it and dunged it, may possibly bear, though it were before barren; and truly, if he had not had some hope of this, he would not have askt liberty to make any farther trial upon it: The inference which he draws from hence is not exprest in the Text, but intended: It is and Ellyptick kind of expression, and very frequent in Scripture Dialect; in which there is something left to be supplied: what that is here, is to be gathered from that which is concluded upon the latter Hypothesis, for contrary suppositions, infer contrary conclusions. Our Translation suitably supplies it with the word, [well] q. d. all shall be well; there will then be no occasion to cut it down, but it will be profitable for it to stand; it will be both honourable and serviceable in the Vineyard; it will not repent thee of this for bearance; nor shall I be sorry for the pains that I shall have taken with it; and it shall be well with that too; the reproach of its barrenness shall cease, and it shall be out of the danger of the threatning.
Hence,
DOCTRINE. If after all patience and pains used with them, Barren Souls become fruitful, all shall be well.
Though they have been long in Gods Vineyard, under the dispensation of Gospel means, and enjoyed all manner of endeavours that have been used with them, have worn out the greatest part of a day of grace, and withstood thousands of calls and counsels, doing God no service all this while, but dishonouring him; have cumbred the ground, provoked God to anger against them, & stirred him up to proceed to threaten them with e…tting down: if yet at the last it repents them, and they loath themselves for their sin, and return to him again with all their heart, and with all their soul, all shall still be well at the last.
There are three respects in which the Truth of the Doctrine doth discover it self; the proposing and clearing of which will suffice for the Explication and Confirmation of it.
1. It shall be well with the sinner himself, Though he hath done so much to undo himself, and hath brought himself so near to the brink of Eternal Ruine, and had almost sinned himself beyond hope, yet this shall turn the scale, and recruit him again.
There are three things in which this may be discovered.
1. His former barrenness shall not be charged upon him. All the guilt of it shall be removed: it was a great height that he was arrived unto; he had been all this while heaping up provocation, and filling a terrible account: but upon his returning to God, all these scores are c…ost, and his person is justified; his sins are blotted out as a cloud, an act of oblivion it past, and his iniquities shall be remembred no more against him, Ezek. 18 21, 22.
2 God will repent him of the evil which he had threatned him withal. It is true, repentance cannot properly be in God, because it argues something rash, imprudent, inconsiderate in him that acts it, of which the Infinitely wise God is incapable: but it is ascribed to him on the account of his providence. God sometimes threatens sinners, and in those threatnings, there is a reserve, in case of their repentance: and then, when the sinner repents, God is said to repent, viz. when he revokes the threatning, and doth not put it in execution, hence that Jer 18. 8. the meaning of such language is, the sinner is now out of the danger of those judgments; he shall not dy, hence that advice Zeph, 2. begin. which intends not the eternal purpose of God, but the threatning of the law which was denounced against them.
3. Hence his estate is now safe. He is put into a state of life and salvation; he is past from death to life; God is atoned to him, and loves him, and accepts of him: he shall abide in the vineyard as long as God sees meet to use him for his service there, and then he shall be transplanted into the Kingdom of Glory: he is numbred among the Children and entituled to the inheritance, he may now say as the Prophet Isa. 12. 1. I will praise thee for thou wast angry with me, but thine anger is turned away. Now the evidence of this comfortable truth will appear in these things.
1. The design of the whole day of grace, is to give sinners an opportunity to repent that they may be saved. That is it indeed that makes it a day of grace, because in it men have not only a space, but with it a call to return to God that they may live: it is to invite them to, and afford them the means for it, as long therefore as this day lasts, God signifies hereby that he is reconcilable to sinners, that he delights not in their death, but had rather that they should turn and live: for which reason he calls upon them so to do: it is the day of their visitation, in which he holds our before them, the things of their peace, and therefore gives them offers that if they do accept of them, they shall have peace.
2. Hence the lengthening out of this day is on purpose to continue this opportunity to them: when sinners under the Gospel, though they neglect it, and hearken not to the voice of God in it, are yet spared, and the wrath of God doth not fall upon them in its weight, it is to afford them a farther trial; it is to see if it will at last repent them of their sins, and they will be perswaded to return unto God with all their hearts. Thus God interprets his patience exercised towards Jezebel her self, and chargeth it upon her as an aggravation of her guilt, that she did not so improve it, Rev. 2 22. when the sinner is cut off there is no more room for this, but whilst he is spared, there is a price continued in his hands.
3. Hence all the Evangelical Calls that are Ministerially given to the sinner, carry the encouraging promise in them. God stirs up the hearts of his Servants to offer mercy to sinners that have been careless, to invite and excite them to Repentance, and they are to make conditional promises to them, that if they do still repent and return▪ God is willing to receive them into his favour. They do not publish these …earms of their own heads, but they do it by Commission; they are Ambassadors, and they have it in their I…ctions thus to do, Jer. 3. 12, 13. and the Word of God hath a great many of these, which look this way, and have not other limitations but to the present call, let it be when it w…ll, Jer. 3. 1, 2. Isa. 55. 7. and that forec…ed, Ezek. 18. 21, 22. and the purpose of these is, …o remove all doubts out of the minds of such as are ready to be discouraged.
4. The sinner is now brought under the promises which a faithful God cannot sail of performing. The Gospel promises are propounded unto men upon condition, if that be fulfilled in and by the man. God is under the obligation, his word is past for it; pardon, and peace, and glory are now the mans by Covenant: and whensoever any are made fruitful Christians, when they bring forth unto God according to his will, the condition is fulfilled in them; they are the men of and to whom God hath said that he will do them good. There must be faith and holiness put into the man, before he can bear spiritual fruits, and to them the blessing is assured; and God is as good as his word; it is impossible for him to ly: such a soul therefore must needs be in a safe state, if all the blessings that are laid up in the promise, and purchased by the Blood of Christ can make him so.
5. Nay this fruitfulness is a declaration of Gos everlasting love to him. It is an evidence that God hath chosen him in Christ before the foundation of the world. Electing love is he first grace, on which all the rest de…nd: the sinner cannot remove his own barrenness, or impower himself to serve God; if ever he be made fruitful, it is God … do it in him: he only can take away … natural unprofitableness of his, and in … the principle of a new life into him, the … birth is the spirits work; the man is …old under spiritual death till he comes … breathes life into him: and this is done according unto his pleasure; he shews this mercy to whom he will; and the only motive …ch he hath before him to do it in time, …s because he purposed it from eternity: Now therefore the secret of God breaks into light; and though before none knew of it, and the…sinner might seem to be without hope; now he comes to know that God had appointed him to be an heir of eternal life before the world was: his condition it therefore as lafe as Unchangeable Love can make it.
2. It shall be well also in respect of Gods glory. It shall be no grief to him, he shall never repent that he did spare the sinner, and give him a farther time of trial, but be abundantly satisfied in it; we read Luk. 15. 9. There is joy in heaven: &c. and there is reason why God should take content in it, because it will bring him honour; the thing will be to him for a name, and a praise; this will appear if we consider,
1. That which God peculiarly designs by the Gospel, is the glory of his Grace. It is true, his justice is also greatly illustrated by it, in as much as sinners under it do aggravate their guilt, and bring the more fearful Judgments upon themselves: But the Gospel is properly a discovery of Christ in his great work of Redemption, and all this is for the riches of the glory of his grace, Eph. 1. 6. and where his grace is exalted, there God is greatly glorified, for he shall be praised in all his Sai…ts, and his other perfections are magnified in and with this: his Justice in that way wherein he revealed his grace by Christ, and upon his satisfaction; his Holiness, in that he gets him an everlasting name and renown in this way, his power in that he is able to bring about this great salvation; his Wisdom in the contrivance of the way to accomplish it; hence therefore the whole treaty of the Gospel, that is held with Sinners, carries in it a demonstration of this Grace.
2. There is a more special and eminent degree of glory that redounds to God by this. When a sinner who hath so obstinately withstood all endeavours that have been used with him; hath been for so many years growing harder and harder, and by all this laying in so much provocation, through the multiplied affronts that he hath offered to God, shall at last be brought over to him, and become a plant of renown in his vineyard; here are more illustrious discoveries of his grace in this one: he is a most admirable monument of mercy. As the mighty power of God is manifested, in the turning of an heart that hath been so long glewed to his Idols, so his unchangeable love is here commended: If any thing could have made him to alter his design, so much, and so long continued provocation would have done it; Paul therefore speaking of himself, who was brought in after he had so long set himself against Christ, speaks of it with admiration, I Tim. 1. 16.
3. Hence all the dishonour that he had before done unto God, giveth lustre unto this grace. Grace is properly a free favour bestowed upon another, which he had not merit of, nor could have challenged to himself of him that bestowed it, had he not done it of his own bounty, it had never been conferred; and there are two special enhaunements of it, viz. the greatness of the favour bestowed, and the great unworthiness of the Subject that participates in it: The more there may be said way he should not, the more there must needs appear of the condescendency of him that doth it. Now as it is sin that most of all speaks the unworthiness of men, so the more aggravations there are in it, the farther doth it set the man off from this, and renders him the more unworthy; and there can be nothing that more aggravates sin, than that a man should, under all the offers of mercy, and means of repentance, go on in a course of sin, notwithstanding all the strivings of the Spirit of God with him: this therefore is grace indeed: when Paul would evalt it, he tells us what he was before it came, I Tim. 1. 13. A Blasphemer, a Persecuter, and injurious.
4. And the sinner is now made, not only a monument, but also an instrument of Gods Glory. As he before dishonoured him, so now he serves him; he bears fruit, and it is for God, and he is glorified by it, John 15. 8. and usually it comes to pass, that though he is born so much out of time, and so hath but a short opportunity allowed him wherein to glorify God in this life, as having spent the greatest part of his time in vanity; yet he is more deeply engaged than ordinary in Gods Service, and more strenuously endeavours to make up his lost way, and redeem the little spot of time that is allowed him, being quickned thereunto by the thought of his former unprofitableness. What ha…e did Paul make in the work of Christ? he laboured more than all the rest of his Fellow Apostles; and tho' he came in after them, yet he came not behind t…e chief of them, and this is much to the glory of God.
3. It shall be well in respect of Gods people; and those of them more especially who have been the deepest concerned for the sinner, and taken the most pains with him, For,
1. They shall now reap the fruit of all their labours. They were a long time making of sad complaints, that they had laboured in vain, and were ever and anon almost ready to faint and despond, and to corclude, surely there will never any good be done upon this sinner, he is even grown altogether hopeless, all our pains have been thrown away upon him: but now their labour appears not to be lost, because they are brought in unto Christ; and it is a full recompense: although a man be at a great deal of expense, and use long patience about any design that his heart is deeply engaged in, and it be a great while before it comes to take effectually, yet if at length it be compassed, the man is not frustrated; now they can heartily glorifie God in such as these are; Gal. 1. 23, ….
…. The desires of their hearts are thus accomplished, and so their Joy is fulfilled. The great thing which they longed for, and which carried them forth in all their endeavours, for which they chearfully attended all the duty lying on them, was the conversion of sinners; this was it that they waited to see, and cast many an earnest look for the discovery of it: and therefore when they do come to fee it, they cannot but rejoyce, as a mother doth in a child, or a Conqueror that takes great Spoils, it makes them to forget all the labour and toil which they have bin at, and their hearts are comforted in it: all the grief which they were sinking under before, for fear of the issue, is now turned into joy, to see them brought home to Christ; their mourning over those perishing Souls is turned into a dance. They are glad on Gods account, that he shall have honour now by such an one, who before did nothing but dishonour him; they rejoyce on the Sinners account, that he shall now obtain salvation, and be happy for ever in the favour of God; and they rejoyce on their own account, to think what comfort they shall have in these in the day of Christ.
USE I.
For Caution. Let none from hence presume to delay their returning unto God. There is an evil spirit in men naturally, that leads them to abuse the most precious Truths of the Word of God, and to turn the richest cordials into the most deadly poyson. It may be there are some who hearing this Truth, do thereupon say in their hearts, if it be so, we will then allow our selves a while longer in our sinful courses, we will take a little more pleasure in the ways of our hearts, there is no such danger: if at last we bear fruit, we shall do well enough. If there be any that do nourish such an evil root of bitterness in them. I warn you in the name of God to beware to your selves, left it prove your utter destruction. I am sure such inferences lead to desperate conclusions; and if men once come to settle upon them, their condition is next to hopeless; let me therefore urge these two considerations upon such.
1. Though if you do bear fruit there is no danger of your final miscarrying, yet there is great danger whether you shall bear or no; if you were as sure of true Repentance at last, as you may be that God will certainly accept of you, if you do indeed turn to him, the hazzard would be taken off: but the Devil cheats you, by perswading you to draw unwarrantable conclusions from uncertain premises: be then advised to ballance this consideration with these two on the other hand.
1. The God only can work this change in you. If it were in your power there were the more to be pleaded: If the sinner could turn himself when he pleased, he might be the more bold, but converting grace is the gift of God, if he doth not work it in you, you can never do it for your selves: you can as easily create a world, as put grace into your own hearts, whereby you may live to Gods glory. Now God offers this grace to you, ne now pleads with you about it, he saith, to day, if you will hear his voice; but he hath given you no assurances that he will take your time, or wait your leisure to do this work in and for you.
2. That Gods day of grace is limited. It is true, he hath not told us how long he will lengthen it out to this or that sinner; but in general we are assured that it hath its fixed bounds beyond which it shall not pass, and that it is to some longer, to others shorter, as it pleaseth him: he hath said, Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not always strive; and therefore hath given that advice to men, Isa. 55. 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; and this is a solemn consideration; which every unprofitable soul under the Ordinances ought often to entertain his thoughts withal: and particularly in the end of every Sabbath; here is one day more of my season past and gone, I am one Sabbath nearer to the end of my day of grace, which if once it comes to be past, and Gods time be over, I am then beyond all hopes of recovery, and there will be no more possibility for ever of my returning to God: and now say, what comfort can you gather from your presumed supposition, when the Assumption must be, but I am not like to return for ever.
2. If ever this work do truly pass upon you, it will then bitterly repent you of your delays; however you indulge a carnal mind, and corrupt heart with such presumptions for the present; if once the grace of God comes to be put into▪ you, and you be indeed made fruitful, this will embitter the reflection to your thoughts: Then will you wish that you had come in to God before, complain of your selves, lament all the lost time that cannot be recovered, cry out of your selves for fools and madmen that had such a price in your hands, and had so wofully neglected it: then will you see that all your former time was lost time, and say, Oh that I had been wise; how much might I have done for God? what treamres might I have laid up to my self for eternity, whilst I grat…ed my carnal lusts, and spent many for what is not bread? There is nothing that grieves … a soul more, than that he hath lost his youth, and strength, and vigour from the Service of God? you have laid in enough for this Repentance already, beware that you do not by your delaying provide more for it.
USE. II.
Let this serve to encourage such as have long lived barren in Gods vineyard. It is no new device or stratagem of Satan, that great enemy of Souls, when he can no longer nourish security in mens hearts, and thereby animate them in their delaying to entertain the calls of the Gospel; but they begin to have touches upon their hearts and their consciences reflect on them conviction of their sin and danger, and rouse them up to return and fleck after God in earnest, now to lay matter of discouragement before them, and drive them off from repentance, by perswading them that there is now no hope for them, it is too late, they have sinned beyond a pardon, such sinners as they have nothing now to expect but ruine, there is no mercy to be expected from God by them: and thus from presumption he would precipitate them into desperation. This doctrine in hand, will speak a word of hope to any such, and help their sinking Souls with some thing to catch hold upon to support them, and to answer all their doubts and fears, which Satan and a misgiving heart are ready to oppress them withal; and there are these considerations which will stop the mouth of them all.
1. That if God were not willing to accept of you returning to him, he would not continue to call you. You say, I am afraid that if I should seek unto God he will not accept of me; but every new call that is offered to you is a contradiction, to such a suspicion: What Gods servants speak to you in his name, and according to his word, that he saith, now they say to you in his name, if after all you will hearken to his invitation, and yield yourselves up to him you shall live, and not dye. And they have his warrant so to say; they recieved a command to make such a Proclamation unto you. God doth not dissemble with you if he saith return and they that do so shall live: if he incites you to come and you do come he will in no wise cast you out. He is in earnest; be never said to the house of Jacob, seek me in vain.
2. That if your hearts do eneline to accept of his call, it is his spirit that hath done this in and for you. It therefore is an evidence that his day is not done; for as long as God strives with sinners, their day is not over. Your natural inclination was to have withstood all calls and counsels for ever: it is a great work that is wrought by God in the Soul, when it is turned so as to be willing that he should do the work for it, and to desire that he would do it. If your barrenness be your burden, and you are made to groan under it, and long to be delivered from it, it takes off all reason of doubting whether God be willing or no: for it practically saith in you, that he doth desire it, and gives you reason to believe that he is doing it for you, how else came you by this?
3. That there is merit enough in the satisfaction of Christ to answer for all your sins and provocations. Though you have heightned them by your contumacy and long resistance of God; yet Justice is fully atoned, there is a compleat payment made to it by the blood of Christ, and therefore read, Mat. 12. 31. yea and by the accepting and pardoning of such an one as you are, there will be abundant evidence of the great extent of the vertue of these merits of his: it will appear to the glory of Christ, how wonderous a Saviour he is, what a treasure there is laid up in his satisfaction; and therein will God also be glorified.
4. That God, Angels, and good men, will greatly rejoyce at this: How glad was the Father of the Prodigal, that his son was returned after his profuseness? What joy is there in Heaven at the conversion of a lost Sinner? and how much are the hearts of Gods People refreshed, when they see one that hath been a long time dishonouring of God, by bringing forth the works of darkness, now to honour him, by bearing the fruits of Repentance? and the way for you to farther this joy is to make haste, and use no more delays; now to come over to Christ, and seek his grace. There are none that will be grieved at it; but Devils and Ungodly Men, and the more they are enraged the better. Be not then discouraged, though you have done all this wickedness, yet at the last give your selves up in an everlasting Covenant, to God, and bring forth the holy fruits of true Obedience unto him; and so shall your Repentance be unrepentable.