Sign 5. Unfndtfulness threatenetli a judrimentiqjon a x>eo2ole. When God hath bestowed a gi-eat deal of cost and time, he looks we should answer his expectation in some measure. The fig-tree in the gospel had some respite given it, by reason of the prayers of the vine-dresser ; but afterward, when it brought forth no fruit, it was cut down and cast into the fire. Beloved, who amongst us would endure a barren tree in his garden ? That which is not fit for li'uit is most fit for fire. We can endure a barren tree in the wilderness, but not in our orchards. When God, the gi-eat husbandman in his church, sees that upon so great and continual cost bestowed upon us, we remain yet unfruitful, he will not suffer us long to cumber the ground of his church.
Sign 6. Again, decay in our first love is a sign of judgment approach- ing. God threatened the church of Ephesus to remove his candlestick from among them, for their ' decay in their first love,' Rev. ii. 4 ; that having surfeited of plenty and peace, he might recover her taste by dieting of her. Decay in love proceeds from disesteem in judgment ; and God cannot endure his glorious gospel should be slighted, as not deserving the richest strain of our love. The Lord takes it better where there is but little strength and a striving to be better, than when there is gi-eat means of grace and knowledge, and no gi'owth answerable, but rather a decUning in goodness. I beseech you lay these things to heart. The Lord is much displeased when Christians are not so zealous as they should be ; when there is not that sweet communion of saints among them, to strengthen and encourage one another in the ways of holiness as there might be ; when there is not a beauty in their profession to allure and draw on others to a love and liking of the best things ; when there is not a care to avoid all scandals that may weaken respect to good things, and bi'ing an evil report on the ways of God ; when they labour not with their whole hearts to serve the Lord in a cheerful manner, &c. The very not serving God answerable to encouragements, is a certain sign of ensuing danger, Deut. xxviii. 47.
Use. Therefore, I beseech joxi, let us look about us whether these be not the times wherein we live, that judgment must begin at the house of God. The Lord complains in Jeremiah, Jer. %dii. 7, that the turtle and other silly creatures knew the time of their standing and remo-\dng, but his people did not know his judgments. Do the creatui-es know their times and seasons, and shall Christ complain that we know not the day of our visitation ? What a shame is this ! I beseech you, let us know and consider our times. If we have a time of sinning, God will have a time of punishing.
And have wo not just cause to fear that judgment is not far from us, when we see a great part of God's house on fire already in our neighbour- ing countries ? We have had lesser judgments, and they have not wrought
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kindly with ns ; we need a stronger pui-ge. If we look to the carriage of men, what sin is less committed now than formerly ? How few renew their covenant with God, in sincerity of resolution, to walk closely with him !
And what the judgment will be, we may probably foresee, for usually the last judgment is the worst. We have had all but war, the worst of aU ; for in other judgments we have to deal with God, but in this we are to deal with men, whose very mercies are cruelties, Prov. xii. 10. The sword hath a long time been shaken over our heads, a cloud of war hath hung over us to afh'ight us, but we rest still secure in our sinfid courses, and think ' to-morrow shall be as to-day,' Isa. Ivi. 12, and that ' no evil shall come nigh us,' &c., Micah iii. 11. 0 the frozen hearts of Christians, that thrust the evil day far from them ! do we not see the whole world in a manner in a combustion round about us, and we, as ' the three young men in the fiery furnace,' Dan. iii., untouched? Beloved, we have outstripped them in abominable wickedness ; and however the Lord is pleased that we should only hear a noise and rumour of war, yet we in this land have deserved to drink as deep of the cup of the Lord's wrath as any people under heaven.
Quest. What course should we take to prevent the judgment of God, and keep it from us ?
Ans. Of the means to prevent and escape GocVs judgments. 1. Labour to meet God hy speedy repentance, before any decree he peremptorily come forth ar/ainst us. As yet there is hope to prevail ; for, blessed be God, as we have many things to fear, so we have many things to encourage us to go unto God with comfort. We have enjoyed a succession of gracious princes that have maintained the truth of God amongst us ; we have many godly magistrates and ministers, together with the ordinances, and many other experiences of God's love vouchsafed unto us. We have yet time to seek the Lord. Let us not defer till the very time of judgment come upon us ; for that is but self-love.