f The prophet summons the executioners of vengeance to come up against them " а They are represented as a field of corn The command is given to cut them down; and the prophet instantly sees them fall; "multitudes," &c. Our Lord delivers a parable resembling this in reference to the whole world In a similar manner we shall improve the passage before us, by enquiring I. What it is that makes us ripe for the great harvest The righteous have degrees of holiness for which they are reserved ——— There are growing in the world both tares and wheat And both are ripening for their proper end Sin is ripening some for vengeance [It unfits the soul for the enjoyment of God It renders a person meet for destruction It creates many horrors, which are foretastes of hell itself—] [It unfits the soul for the society of the wicked- II. What The valley of Jehosaphat, or of decision, to which they are summoned, ver. 12, 14. seems to be not any particular place: It may rather be considered as an allusion to the utter destruction which his enemies (the Syrians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Grecians, and Romans) should successively bring on each other. And it may have a further reference to the destruction of Antichrist, and of the wicked at the last day. C Gen. xv. 16. Eph. iv. 7, 13. Not that there is any general standard either of sin or holiness to which all persons must attain: There is no degree of sin to which any shall be impelled against their will; nor of holiness, which any shall be prevented from surpassing. But some are kept from more sin, and others are excited to more holiness, by the preventing or assisting grace of God; for sinners would commit more sin unless prevented, and saints attain less holiness unless excited. II. What are the marks of our being ripe Nothing can be more awful than the thought that a sinner is ripe for everlasting misery Yet it may be justly apprehended that he is so 1. When he is given over to a total insensibility [Custom in sinning will harden the heart, and sear the conscience When a person is arrived at such a state, he is fitted for destruction This is both figuratively and plainly declared in the Scriptures-] 2. When he continues wilfully in sin against conviction [There are some who determine to hold fast their sins These have reason to think that God's Spirit will be taken from them 5— They may expect to be utterly given up to their own lusts] Saints, on the other hand, may be judged ripe for glory 1. When they unfeignedly rely on the Lord Jesus [We fix upon the lowest marks of true graceFaith in Christ is exercised by the weakest saintYet to that is eternal happiness annexed Of consequence, he who possesses it must be fit for glory--] 2. When they unfeignedly desire to be conformed to his image [There is a great difference in the attainments of different Christians And much allowance must be made for a difference in their respective advantages But all desire to be "holy as God is holy" Vessels thus sanctified are meet for their master's use*-] While sider space is yet allowed us, it becomes us to con III. What shall be done when we are ripe When the corn has attained maturity, the sickle is, put to it Thus, when our measure of sin or holiness is complete, we shall be reaped down [Our existence in the world is entirely dependent upon God None can shorten or protract it beyond its appointed bounds m -] The saints will be " gathered into the garner of their Lord" God" [Saints, at their departure, ascend immediately to But in the day of judgment their bodies also will riseThey shall then be carried to their eternal home-] The wicked will be "bound in bundles, and cast into the fire [They, who die in sin, immediately sustain their just punishment But at the last day their bodies also shall be restored to life Then shall they too be collected by the ministry of angelsAnd receive their final doom in fire unquenchable Address 1. Those who are ripening for destruction [You may easily discern your real stateBut who can express the misery of it? You ripen, however involuntarily, every day Notwithstanding your security, you will quickly fall— The great husbandman will easily distinguish you from the saints And he will most assuredly, yea eternally, separate you from them But, through the mercy of God, you may yet be changedThough you be tares at present, God can make you wheat P Seek then this divine change before it be too late-] 2. Those who are ripening for glory [What thanks do you owe to God for his distinguishing grace! And how well may you be reconciled to the afflictions of life! There is no event which does not promote your maturity Look forward then for the blessed period of the harvestReflect m Job xiv. 5. Reflect on the happiness of the state for which you are preparing Still seek the showers of the Spirit, and the influences of the Sun of righteousness Thus shall you, in due season, be transmitted to the mansions of bliss-] No wintry blasts, no scorching suns, no worm at the root, &c. LXVI. GOD'S DWELLING IN US IS A MOTIVE TO HOLINESS. Rom. viii. 12. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. IN the Scriptures, privilege and duty are inseparably connected By this means we are kept at an equal distance from presumptuous confidence and painful servility And the best feelings of the soul are rendered subservient to our eternal welfare This observation is verified, as in many other passages", so particularly in that before us; which is a conclusion from very important premises We propose to consider I. The grounds of the conclusion Believers have God himself dwelling in them [God is here represented as a Tri-une God And he dwells in all his believing people text. This Rom. xii. 1. and 1 Cor. vi. 20. with the two verses before the The Father raised Christ: Christ dwells in all believers at the same instant: and the Holy Ghost will raise the saints at the last day. Can any one of these be less than God? Their distinction and equality may be further proved from Matt. xxviii. 19. It is ob servable also that in ver. 9. the Spirit of Christ is called the Spirit of God. 2 Cor. vi. 16. 1 John i. 3. and 2 Cor. xiii. 14. They do not indeed pretend to distinguish the agency of one of these divine persons from that of another (for indeed no one of these persons acts separately from the others) but they exercise faith on the Father, as their protector and governor; on the Son, as their mediator and advocate; and on the Spirit, as their guide and comforter.. This is a most inestimable privilege to them-] By means of this they enjoy the richest blessings [Their souls are quickened from their death in trespasses and sins And, by a new principle of life infused into them, are enabled to live unto God- And this "life they have because of Christ's righteousness" wrought out for them, and imputed to them Their bodies also, though doomed to "death, as the penalty of sin," "will be raised again by that very Spirit who now dwelleth in them”. And these shall participate with the soul the glory and felicity of the heavenly world--] Such being the premises from which the conclusion is drawn, we proceed to consider II. The conclusion itself We certainly are "debtors to the flesh to a certain degree [The flesh cannot subsist without care and labourAnd whatever is necessary for the preservation of life, or the restoration of our health, it is our bounden duty to do-] But we are not debtors to obey its dictates [To "live after" the flesh, must import a consulting of its ease, a complying with its solicitations, a devoting of ourselves to its interests To this extent we certainly are not debtors to the flesh-] This may plainly be concluded, as from many other topics, so especially from the foregoing statement [The privileges vouchsafed to us strongly prohibit a carnal life. Can the Tri-une God, who dwells in us, be pleased with our living after the flesh ? Is not the very intent of his mercies to bring us rather to live after the Spirit? The mercies too which we enjoy by means of those privileges, teach us the same divine lesson The quickening of our spirit should lead us to "mind the things of the Spirit" And the prospect of endless felicity and glory for the body should keep us from seeking its present gratifications to the destruction of its eternal interests Far greater than that mentioned, 1 Kings viii. 27. To |