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A00463
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The barren tree a sermon preached at Pauls crosse October 26. 1623 / by Tho. Adams.
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Adams, Thomas, fl. 1612-1653.
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1623
(1623)
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STC 106.5; ESTC S121018
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27,714
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66
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in the hedge and make holyday But shall not the Seruant doe his Masters businesse because hee cannot earne his Masters Inheritance Shall the Mason say I will share with my Soueraigne in his Kingdome or I will not lay a stone in his building Yet good fruits haue their reward though not by the merit of the doer yet by the mercy of the accepter Sowre they bee of themselues but in Christ they haue their sweetning and the meanest fruite which that great Angell of the Conenant shall present to his Father Râ—â— 8.4 with the addition of his owne precious Incense are both receiued and rewarded In their owne nature they may bee corrupt but being dyed in the bloud of Christ they are made pleasing to God Yea also profitable to the Church and vsefull to men seeme they neuer so poore Euen a troubled Spring doth often quench a distressed Souldiersthirst a smal Candle doth good where the greater Lights bee absent and the meanest fruite of holy Charity euen a cuppe though it be not of the iuyce of the grapes out of the Vineyard Math. 10.42 but of cold water out of the tankard in the name of Christ shall haue the recompence But heere the complaint is not of the meannes or fewnesse but of the Barennesse None at all None Euery Tree is knowne by the fruits it is Christs euerlasting rule Howsoeuer the tree liues by the sappe and not by the fruits yet it is knowne to liue by the fruits and not by the sappe for this is hidden The iust man liues by his faith not by his workes but he is knowne to liue by his works not by his inuisible faith Neither doth the fruit make good the tree but the tree makes good the fruit Opera bona non faciunt iustum Iustus facit bona opera Good works make not a man righteous but the righteous man doth good works Our persons are iustified before our actions as of necessitie the tree must be good before it can beare good fruit But how shall that tree be discerned that hath no fruit I finde none None Why this to vs Why such a Text in such a time Wee abound with fruites which way can you looke and not haue your eye full of our workes They before in such places haue successiuely commended our fruits Bee it so yet Euripides being question'd why he alwaies made women bad in his Playes whereas Sophocles euer made them good in his answered Sophocles makes them such as they ought to bee but I make them such as indeed they are Their former commendation haue told vs what we should be but this Embleme I feare tels vs truely what wee are Not all of vs God forbid here is but one Fig-tree in a whole Vineyard thus taxed and farre be it from vs to taxe a whole Vineyard for one barren Fig-tree None Yes enough of some fruites but the Prophet calls them Ficos valde malâ—s so bad that they cannot be eaten Iea. 24.8 As the fruite of the Vine is commended for Quicknesse the fruit of the Oliue for Fatnesse so the fruit of the Fig-tree for Sweetnesse in Iothams Parable Ephes 5.11 But if it beare not Fructum natiuitatis suae the fruit of the owne kinde but bitter figges here had better be none at all What an vncomfortable sight is this to Him whose heart is set on his Orchard after the cost of so deare bloud to purchase it after such indulgent care to cheerish it and the charges of so many workemen to dresse it yea after so much patience to expect it say the Fig-tree does not beare so soone as it is planted in our insancie we can doe nothing in our minoritie we will doe little in Gods seruice but now it is growne fructifiable Iam non gustare fructus not to haue so much as a taste Yea were this all did barrennesse onely vsurpe it but there is worse then a meere orbitie or absence of goodnesse a position of bitter fruits Quaesiui Vuas Esay 5.3 inveniâ— Labruscas I find wild Grapes luxurient fruits Instead of the hearty effects which Wine produceth I am answered with the melancholy preuarications of malice Behold the wonder and spectacle of vnthankefulnesse among all Gods Creatures Man and among men the barren Christian Though Israel play the Harlot Hosea 4.15 yet let not Iudah transgresse What may be expected from the wild Forrest of Paganisme when the Garden of Eden yeelds such fruites The sweet fruit of the Spirituall Fig-tree is mercie our God is the God of Loue our Sauiour is the Prince of Loue the Church is knit together in Loue our Roote is Loue our Sappe is Loue our Ligaments Loue now if we shall sucke the bloud one of another violate the relations of peace concoct all our moysture into malice here is worse then Invenio fructum nullum I finde none for Invenio fructum malum I finde cursed fruits Wee are growne vnnaturall the hand scratcheth the eye the mouth biteth the hand thornes and bryers entwine and embrace one another Math. 13.27 while against all nature Fig-trees denoure one another Lord thou didst sow good seed in thy field whence then hath it Tares Here is more fruit then God would haue but for that he expects I finde none When wee are filled with his blessings Christ lookes for our prayses when wee haue caten and are fat Psal 22 29. 1 Cor. 10.7 that wee should worship him What fruit finds he We sit downe to eat and drinke and rise vp to play for praying playing When wee are scourged hee looks for our humiliation and penance Sure in their affliction they will seeke me Esay 26.16 What fruit finds hee Ier. 2.3 Lord thou hast smitten them but they haue not sorrowed an insensible desperatnesse In this case let vs pray Lord lesse of the fruits wee haue and more of them wee should haue Instead of righteousnesse a crye Esay 5.7 a cry indeed a roaring cry of the oppressors and a mourning cry of the oppressed Haec non sunt placido suscipienda sinu Our Bells ring our Chimneis smoake our Fields reioyce our Children dance our selus sing and play Iouis omnia plena But when Righteousnesse hath sowne and comes to reape here is no haruest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I finde none And as there was neuer lesse wisdome in Greece then in time of the Seuen Wise men so neuer lesse pietie among vs then now when vpon good cause most is expected When the Sunne is brightest the Stars be darkest so the cleerer our light the more gloomy our life with the deeds of darkenes The Cimerians that liue in a perpetuall mist though they deny a Sunne are not condemned of impietie but of ignorance but Anaxogoras that saw the Sunne and yet denied it is not condemned of ignorance but of impietie Former times were like Leah bleare-eyed but fruitfull the present like Rachel faire but barren We giue such acclamation
might be graffed on Friend how cammest thou in hither Math. 22.12 not hauing on a wedding garment Why dost thou vsurp the â—eaâ—e where a worthy guest might sit Thus Dauid vsed to purge his Court Psal 101.8 admitting the righteous into the offices of the vnrighteous As in case of calamitie the godly are deliuered out of trouble and the wicked comeâ— in his roome so in case of felicitie the vngodly shall bee turned out of their happinesse and the reighteous shall come in their stead A Iudge is corrupt he is girded with Iustice but the girdle saggs to that side where the purse hangeth God will cut him down here is roome for a good man that will doe equitie A Magistrate is partiall and drawes the Sword of Iustice in his owne quarrell which he puts vp in the cause of Christ he must be cut downe here is roome for one that will loue and adhere to the truth An office is abused by him that holds it hee bought deare and hee cannot sell cheape it is time he were cut downe this place will maintaine a man that will maintaine the place with vprightnesse A Minister is barren hath no milke in his breasts Ministerium eius accipiat alter Acts 1.20 Let another take his office here is roome for one that will feed the people A prophane Patron will let none into the Lords Vineyard but at the Non-licet-Gate by which good men will neuer enter his Clarke shall be Simon himselfe will bee Magus vengeance shall cut him downe heere is roome for one that will freely put faithfull Labourers into the Viueyard There growes an Oppressor sculking in a corner the nedy cannot finde him or if they doe they find no fruit from him Cut him down here is roome for one that will pitie the poore The Lord will roote out such bastard Plants and replenish his Garden with fruitfull Trees 2 It drawes away nourishment from better Plants that would beare vs fruits For this Christ denounced a woe to those Iewish Clarkes that keeping the Keies of heauen would neither enter themselues Matth. 23.13 nor suffer others What should become of them that wil neither do good nor suffer good to be done but cutting downe A great Oake pines all the vnderwood neere it yea spoiles the grasse that should feed the cattell Esay 5. â— A great Oppressor engrosseth all round about him till there bee no place left for a fertile Tree Meane while himselfe hath onely some leaues to shaddow his Sychophants but no fruit vnlesse Bramble-berries and such as the Hogs will scarce eate All couet to be great Trees fewe to bee good The Bryar would grow vp to the bignesse of the Maple the Maple would be as tall as the Cedar the Cedar as strong as the Oake and these so spread their rootes till they starue the rest by an insensible foaking When mother earth the Church would deriue her sap to some young hopefull Plant these intercept it There is maintenance due to the Minister but the barren Impropriator stands in his way sucks it al from him perhaps he leaues him some few drops to coole his temples but not enough to preserue life But the famished tree cries against him that drawes the life from it yeelds no fruit and God will heare it Abscinde cut it downe How charitable would Lazarus haue bene had he bene owner of Diues his estate How would Mordecai haue promoted the good of Israel had he bene as great a fauorite as Haman was How freely would the conscionable man giue spiritual preferments were he a Patron He that feares God would iustly render the Church her dues did he driue such trades and dwell in such houses as you do But that God who disposeth all as it pleaseth him mend all when it pleaseth him euen for his owne mercies sake Thus from a plaine Text I haue deriued you familiar perswasions for I came not hither to satisfie the curious head but the honest heart Admit but two considerations more and I haue done First the Lord hath shewed vs the way to be fruitful by his owne example He owes vs nothing if he withold good things we cannot chalenge him if he sends vs good things we are bound to thanke him The last yeare how generall was the complaint all ouer this Kingdome The Mower could not fill his sythe nor the binder vp of sheues his bosome The beasts perished for want of fodder yea children dyed in the street with hunger the poore Father not being able with all his weekes labour to buy them onely bread The fields were thin and the barnes thinner little in many places there was to gather and the vnseasonable weather preuented the gathering of that little The emptines of their bowels did iustly fill our bowels with compassion Famine is a sore plague Wee then cryed vnto the Lord for fruits and he heard vs Loe in how plentifull a haruest hee hath answered our desires to his owne praise and our comfort Yea he concluded all with songs and triumphs a ioyfull haruest-home the best sheafe of our Wheat the best grape of the Vintage the best flower of our garland the best fruit of that royall Tree the safe returne of our gracious Prince These be the fruits of his mercie to vs where be the fruits of our thankefulnesse to him Secondly the barren Fig-tree is of all most miserable and so much the more as it is barren in the Vineyard The Vine fruitlesse Ezech. 15.3 is of all trees most vselesse It is compared to noble and worthy things to the good woman Vxor tua sicut vitis Psal 128.3 Iohn 15.1 Iudg. 9.13 to the best man I am the true vine it checres the heart of God and man But if barren it is good for nothing not so much as to make a pinne to hang a bat on Oakes and Cedars are good for building Popplars for Pales very bushes for hedging doted wood for firing but the fruitlesse Vine is good for nothing Matth. 5.13 Salt keepes other things from putrefying but if it selfe be putrefyed what shall season it A sweet Singer delights vs all but Quis medebitur cantatori a Serpente percusso If a Serpent hath stung him who shall recouer his voice If the eye be blind what shall looke to the eye Ad nihilum valet quod non valet ad finem suum It is good for nothing that is not good for the end it was made If a knife bee not good to cut we say it is good for nothing yet may some other vse be inuented for it If a Plough be not good to breake the ground we say it is good for nothing yet it may stop a gap If a hound be not good to hunt we say he is good for nothing yet may he in the night giue warning of a theefe But if a Fig-tree a Professor be not good for fruit he is indeed good for nothing The refuse of other things haue their vses sowre Wine will make Vineger olde Rags make Paper Lees are for Dyers Soile is good to fat the Land Potsheards and broken tiles to mend high waies all good for somewhat yea they offer to sel the combings of haires Ladies and Gentlewomen know whether they be good for any purpose or no. But the fruitlesse vine the sauourlesse Salt the lightlesse Lampe the Fig-lesse Figge-tree the gracelesse Christian is good for nothing We all haue our Stations in the Vineyard to bring foorth fruits but what bee those fruits It was a smart Inuention of him that hauing placed the Emperour and the Pope reconciled in their Maiestick Thrones he brought the States of the world before them First comes a Counseller of State with this Motto I Aduise you two then a Courtier I Flatter you three then a Husbandman I Feed you foure then a Merchant I Coussen you fiue then a Lawyer I Robbe you sixe then a Souldier I Fight for you seuen then a Physician I Kill you eight Lastly a Priest I absolue you all nine This was his Satyre But in the feare of God as our Soueraigne doth gouerne vs in Truth and Peace So let the Counseller aduise the Iudge censure the Husbandman labour Merchant trafficke the Lawyer plead the Souldier beare armes the Diuine preach all bring forth the fruites of righteousnesse that this Kingdome may flourish and bee an exemplary encouragement to our neighbours that our Children may bee blessed after vs our Enemies conuinced Aliens conuerted Satan confounded the Gospell honoured the Lord glorified and our owne soules eternally saued Which grace the happy fruit of the Gospell and glory the happie fruit of Grace God the Father grant vs all for his mercies sake God the Sonne for his merits sake God the Holy Ghost for his Names sake to whom three Persons and one most glorious God he rendred all honour and obedience now and for euer Amen FINIS