lay up in store for our selves a good foundation against the time to come that we may lay hold on eternall life The world may be compared to an Orchard wherein the voluptuous man eats of the fruit with as much haste and greedinesse as was used by the Pharisees in devouring Widowes houses or by the Israelites in eating their quails as if they should never take their fill of delights and pleasures The covetous wretch gathers with as much diligence as may be filling his garments and lading himself but God hath not given him power to eat thereof and when he comes to depart out at the door he is not suffered to carry any part of that with him for which he laboured Only the godly man doth eat with moderation and knowing that as he came in so he shall depart and carry nothing out He distributes to them that cannot help themselves 1 Sam. 30.12 as David gave the figs to the languishing Egyptian which afterward he finds againe for his future benefit He doth exercise himselfe in duties of charity and extends his goodnesse to the Saints that are in the earth and the Lord doth render unto him glory and honour and peace He that hath pitie on the poore lendeth unto the Lord Prov. 19.17 and that which he hath given will he pay him again If God doth account that to be done unto himselfe which is done unto them let us bring forth fruit unto God which like the almes of Cornelius may come up for a memoriall before him The fowles of the aire be as ready to devoure our fruit upon the trees as our seed upon the ground The Pharisees seemed to be full of good fruit but then came the wicked one and tooke it away they gave to the poore but it was to this end that they might have glory of men they had their reward in being applauded here in this world It was not likely that their fruit growing in so publike a place should come to the due perfection Beware of vaine-glory and sinister respects if thou dost perceive any of these fowles to be hovering about thy fruit drive them away Gen. 15. as Abraham did from the carkasses Subdue all evill thoughts and vaine imaginations that may arise in thine heart consider it is God which gives both the will and the deed and all this store that thou hast or givest commeth of his hand and is all his owne 1 Chro 29.16 Such as entertaine any arrogant conceits are not onely robbed of the fruit and comfort of the present duty but by nourishing their impure corruptions they doe endanger the tree it self and may destroy their owne soules For sin doth eat as doth a canker spreading from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot and entring even to the joints and marrow This is to be cut out of the body and to be cut off in the smaller branches If thine eye offend thee plucke it out if thy right hand offend thee cut it off in what part soever wee can discover any wickednesse wee must take it away by the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God All fleshly lusts are to bee vanquished our carnall members that are upon the earth must be mortified and then whatsoever wee doe shall prosper For if wee have been planted into the likenesse of Christs death Rom. 6.5 wee shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection If wee alwaies beare about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 then the life also of Jesus shall be made manifest in our body Thus wee have considered how Christ is the root and wee are the branches graffed into him deriving our being in this life and our well-being in the life of grace from his goodnesse and mercy Let us in the next place observe how we our selves are the root and the Word of God the cyons which is put into us that wee may be fruitfull This we are warranted to doe by the testimony of St. James who teacheth us to receive the engraffed word Jam. 1.21 which is able to save our soules Wee may well be compared to the root for as that is the most earthy part of the tree so we by nature are of the earth earthy and have no good thing dwelling in this our flesh Rom. 7. but many sinnes and corruptions that are deeply and strongly rooted within us and therefore may fitly bee resembled unto some wild figge-tree growing in the walls of a building hiding and defacing the beauty thereof The boughes and branches may bee cut and broken off but the root which is wrapped into the stones of the building cannot bee taken away unlesse the walls be thrown down Even so sinne is inwrapped into the joynts and entralls of this our building into our nature and the parts of it and though we may lop off the branches yet the root remaineth while wee carry about this body of death Sinne abideth untill our dissolution The scraping of the house within would not take away the fretting leprosie Levit. 14.45 it must be broken downe Our originall concupiscence cleaveth so close to our nature that it will never leave us untill this earthly house bee demolished As the roots are diffused and spread abroad round about that place where the tree standeth so our corruptions are dilated into every part of the body and faculty of the soule And as the roots are covered in the earth so manifold sins are hidden from the knowledge of men being workes of darknesse The heart is desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 The wisdome of this world is earthly Jam. 3.17 1 Tim. 6.10 The love of money is the root of all evill yea every sinne is a root of bitternesse which if permitted to spring up will trouble us As Jonah when the weeds were wrapped about his head Jonah 2.5 prayed unto the Lord so wee being infolded with our corruptions must seeke unto God for deliverance He is able to destroy the fruit from above and the roots from beneath Amos 2.9 Isa 5.24 and to turne them into rottennesse and dust that they shall not have dominion over us Such as the root is such are the branches also In the estate of our birth before wee bee changed by the work of the Spirit we are no better than the Crab-tree producing sowre fruit Our best performances are impure and uncleane in Gods sight The Crab-stock is full of thorns so we by nature are subject unto the curse It must be a divine power that can free us from condemnation by renewing us in our minds that wee may bring forth fruit meet for repentance In graffing all the branches that before did flourish are taken off and usually the stocke is cut downe not far from the ground so wee are to be cast downe in acknowledgement of our unworthinesse and to humble our selves as a little childe that we may be
chasten as many as hee loveth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth which is as the sprinkling on of salt to keep us from corruption The trees of the field are little regarded Planta ferax falcem patitur petitque frequentem Putationes redintegrant juventam afferunc Scal. in Theop. but those of the garden are often look't unto and repaired In exercising of us God dealeth with us as with sonnes correcting us in judgement for our reformation not consuming us in fury to our destruction A plant cut unseasonably dyeth but cut in due time it prospers the better The times and seasons are in Gods hands he doth then purge his children when it may be most for their discipline and amendment that our old errours and infirmities may passe away and we being regenerated may walke in newnesse of life as in pruning the withered and dry branches are taken away and young twigs doe shoot forth that may be fruitfull Let us never forget Gods dealing with us when hee did stretch out his hand Anno 1625. and did threaten to destroy the tree with the fruit thereof and to cut off branch and rush in one day by the noisome pestilence lopping off many ten thousands and leaving the chiefe body of the tree naked and bare yet then he preserved us in safety we were delivered from the mouth of that Lion and we are still defended by the shield of his favour that we may glorifie his Name by a godly conversation Will not all this move us to return unto the Lord His benefits conferred his fatherly reprehension his protecting us by his providence when he severely punished others Behold I have set before you life and death I have declared Gods mercy towards us and his judgement upon others Now what tribute or offering doth the Lord require of us but only the fruit of our thoughts in meditation upon his word and works the fruit of our lips in shewing forth his praise and the fruit of our lives in serving him acceptably with reverence and godly feare We all professe that wee are branches of that Root Mat. 7.17 12.33 Christ Jesus Now every good tree brings forth good fruit and a corrupt tree evill fruit for by their fruit ye shall know them Can a fig-tree beare olive berries Jam. 3.12 or a vine figs If the root be holy so are the branches If wee bee members of Christ Rom. 11.16 wee must doe the workes of our heavenly Father Doe wee desire that every tree in our ground should be fruitfull and yet will we our selves be barren As some parents would have their children walke in a good way yet they themselves will runne into excesse of riot Shall others be excited by the divine blessings and powerfull meanes that they have enjoyed to bring forth the good fruit of obedience and wilt thou who hast been a partaker of the same blessings bring forth impietie and rebellion As the influence of the same Sunne ripeneth the sweet grape and the sowre crab but such wild trees are not suffered long to continue in the Paradise of the Church Every plant which my Father hath not planted shall be rooted up only the fruitfull trees shall be supported and strengthened Being planted in that garden in the midst whereof is the Tree of life which doth distribute of its grace and vertue unto all the trees that are round about it Of Christs fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace Ulmus vitis Ruta ficus It is observed what a sympathie there is among the trees how divers of them prosper best when they have such and such stand nigh unto them and some of them will never beare Exciso mare palmite sterilescit foemina Perottus Sands trav This we know assuredly that we can doe no good thing unlesse we have our ability from Christ who is that tree which is described to beare twelve manner of fruits and to yeeld the fruit every moneth Rev. 22.2 As he is so in himselfe full of grace and truth evermore doing good unto us and bestowing all kinds of blessings upon us so he gives power to us who receive him to become the sonnes of God enabling us in some measure to bring forth not one or some few kinds but divers and sundry fruits The Apostle when hee speakes of the fruit of the Spirit hee nameth love and joy and peace then he addes long-suffering and gentlenesse and yet these are not all for he annexeth goodnesse faith Gal. 5.22 meeknesse temperance And elsewhere expressing the fruit of the Spirit hee mentioneth righteousnesse and truth He that delights in planting Dapibus mensas onerabat inemptis Primus vere roosam atque autumno carpere poma Virg. will not be satisfied with some few sorts of fruit and in being provided for a short time or a part of the yeer but will be desirous of the best choice and varietie that may be and to have such fruit as may be usefull during the whole yeere Some that may bee ripe with the soonest and other that may endure a long time taking speciall contentment in that which is most durable that he may be provided when others are destitute Oh that wee were wise for the good of our soules wee would be more delighted in seeking for graces that wee might be perfect and thorowly furnished unto every good worke than any man can bee in these outward contentments and with an holy emulation wee would be more covetous of the spirituall gifts wherewith others are adorned than ever Ahab was of Naboths vineyard 1 Kin. 21. What diligence would wee give to adde to our faith vertue 2 Pet. 1.5 and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity for if these be in us and abound wee should not be Barren nor Unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Wherefore when wee see the Almond tree of any man to blossome betimes and to promise a plenteous increase when wee see a young man cleansing his way by taking heed thereunto according to Gods word let us also bee thereby provoked to redeem the time and to remember our Creatour in the daies of our youth When wee observe another mans Vine to bee laden with goodly clusters when we take notice of a man who doth good and rejoyceth in the workes of his hands as Solomon speaks let us also be excited to labour for that gladnesse in our hearts Eccles 3.12.22 which is better than the increase of come and wine Morus quafi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Antiph Serior at Morus nunquam msi frigore lapso Germinat sapiens nomina falsa gerat Alciat Psal 74.47 For Mulberries now it is Sycomores When wee view the Mulberry tree of another man to forbeare sending forth any buds untill the danger of
the houshold of faith Let our tongue be our glory in praising God And as the leaves of the tree of life were for the healing of the Nations so let our words be seasoned and tempered with wisdome and love that they may reforme what is evill and minister grace unto the hearers As there is some similitude in the shape and proportion of the tongue Fert folium linguae fert poma fimilima cordi De Persico pomo in Alciato and of the leaves of divers trees as also of very many herbs which therefore have their names given them from that part so there is some resemblance betweene them For as we can discerne what tree it is that we behold by the leafe although there be no fruit remaining upon it at that time so we can understand the disposition of the heart by the words of the mouth for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Yet because the tongue is a world of iniquity and an unruly evill we can distinguish more perfectly by workes than words As in the parable of the two Sonnes the first said he would not go into the Vineyard but afterward he went the second said I goe Sir and went not the younger did bear the broader leaves Mat. 21.29 but the elder had the goodliest fruit Words are soone uttered and many times rashly spoken like the leaves that in a short time come to their utmost extent whereas the fruit of action is more deliberate and requires much space and leisure to bring it to perfect maturity Although we should for want of that bridle which David speakes of Psal 39.1 sin with our tongue Junipero spina pro folio est Plin. Soc. and our words be like the leaves of the Juniper sharp and piercing as a thorne yet let not our deeds be like the fruit of the Pine Cadentibus ex alto fâ—uctibus si fortè feriatur saepe interficitur c. Imag. deor wounding or killing such as are under them when they fall Let not our anger by lying longin our hearts be as the kernell and seed of malice which will grow up into deadly hatred Where there is a faire promise of amendment and reformation there may be some forbearance The fig-tree was spared for a time Luke 13.7 in regard it was green and flourishing whereas if it had beene withered it should have beene cut downe in the first yeere and not suffered untill the fourth Uvae contra vehementisfimum solis ardorem muniantur Kecker Et contra pluviam et frigus Id. A gentle answer pacifieth wrath even as the leaves protect the fruit from the burning heat of the sun and as they cherish and defend it against stormes when it is young and tender so the truth of our word whereby we are engaged should be a strong motive to produce the reall and absolute performance Otherwise if we have a torrent of words and no actuall discharge of our fidelity if the showers of our deeds be not in some sort answerable to the mighty thunder of our voice we may be likened to that Indian fig-tree Peltae effigiem habet fructum integens crescere prohibiet Scaâ—exer the leafe whereof is as large as a buckler and the fruit no bigger than a beane The consideration of our weake condition may occasion us to bring forth that in our lives which was formerly conceived in our hearts and is come to the birth in our words While we have opportunity let us doe good The time is short the fashion of this world passeth away Esay 64.6 We all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away Job 13.25 Job compareth himselfe to a leafe driven to and fro Such is our feeble estate here upon earth if God doth blow upon us we are scattered if nipt with the frost of sicknesse Quam mult in sylvis autumni frigore primo lapfa cadunt folia Virg l. 6. Ut nunc canae frigora brumae nudent sylvas Sen. Hippol. or wasted with the winter of age we fall to the ground and yet how few there be that doe remember their latterend but rather in the fall of the leafe they hope for new strength and perfect recovery of former health and never thinke of the fall of the tree it selfe that before this winter be ended thou maist be brought downe to the pit The Lord give us wisdome to lay this to heart and to wait for our appointed change In the conclusion of the yeere behold thine own dissolution in the budding of the spring Terra viret rutilantque suis poma aurea ramis Bal Castil Redit ecce anni melioris origo Sincerus when the trees begin to be apparelled with a fresh beauty when the branches that lately seemed to be dead are again covered with their leaves and adorned with their fruit thou maist observe a strong proofe to confirme thee in thy hope of a glorious resurrection If all other things doe shoote forth for man then shall not man himselfe revive and spring up God who restored a vegetative life to Aarons rod when it was a drie sticke Numb 17. causing it to bring forth buds to bloome blossomes and to yeeld Almonds will much more raise Aaron himselfe from the dead Tamen abdita quaedam vitalis superat vis in radicibus imis et trunco exciso nova vere tepullulat arbos Vida We are joyned unto Christ who is the root in the winter of death our life is hid in him but when the time of refreshing is come we shall be raised to an estate of glory Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust Esay 26.19 for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead If we did looke unto the joy that is set before us and by the eye of faith did see that recompence of reward that is reserved for us at that day we would be more industrious in labouring to be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the praise and glory of God Eccles 11.1 As they that cast their bread upon the waters shall find it after many dayes so they that have brought much fruit unto God in this life shall have it restored unto them at the resurrection of the just Saint Paul speaks of having some fruit among the Romanes Rom. 1.13 not onely because he was an instrument to gather it but also in regard of that gaine and advantage it would bring unto himselfe at the latter end Nothing can deprive us of this best fruit The worme may destory our bodies and the fruit of them and may consume the fruit of the ground The worme of conscience wil torment such as brought forth fruit unto death by unfruitfull workes of darknes but this fruit is committed unto God who is faithfull and able to keepe it against that day 1 Tim. 6.19 Hereby we
partakers of the divine nature This is intended by the Apostle when he saith James 1. Receive with meekness the engraffed word When the heart is made lowly it will be more ready to receive the Word the Word will be more ready to incorporate into it Wee must not only lay aside our greatest sins our boasting that we could do mischiefe our delight in folly and wickednesse but also all confidence in our owne seeming vertues as of temperance liberality moderation and the like lest we be puffed up thereby See this in Saint Paul who saith Phil. 3.3 wee are the circumcision who have no confidence in the flesh and though he were blamelesse touching the righteousnesse that was in the law yet those things that were gain to him he counted losse for Christ Thus David saith His soule was even as a weaned childe and thus we should bee weaned and estranged from taking any contentment in our owne strength and ability and should put on as the Elect of God holy and beloved humbleness of mind meeknesse and lowlinesse In the next place there is an incision or wound made into the stocke by which it may be made capable and fitting to receive the cyons In like manner we must rend our hearts and open our selves that Christ may enter into our soules Our hearts must be broken and opened like the heart of Lydia that we may receive the Word of life Was Christ wounded for our transgressions and shall not wee be pricked to the heart with sorrow for our former provocations After this we put the cyons into that breach and division that is made in the stocke so after sorrow and humiliation God puts joy into our hearts and his law into our inward parts implanting his graces in our soules and rejoycing over us to doe us good Surculi vis ea est ut in tantillo corpusculo tamen praeponderet arboris viribus totius Non enim arboris prodit sed surculi fructus Scal. in Theoph. Bacon Cent. Although the Cyon be small in the beginning yet it groweth to be a great tree over-ruling the stocke and bringing forth fruit of its owne kind so although the beginning of grace be weak and little like a graine of mustard-seed yet there is a continuall increasing and growing unto more perfection when we yeeld our selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and our members as instruments of righteousnesse not living any longer in sinne but living by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved us and gave himselfe for us that hee might reconcile us who were sometimes alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked workes and delivering us from the power of darknesse might translate us into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne As after graffing the stocke being nigher unto the root than the cyons and still abiding in its proper place where it formerly did prosper is ready to send forth many young twigs that will arrest and anticipate that strength and vertue which should ascend for the nourishment of the cyons and are therefore diligently taken away to prevent that mischiefe So there is a combat betweene the flesh and the spirit the one lusting against the other there is the body of death and the old leaven of corruption remaining within us Our sins and infirmities are continually interposing and hindring us from apprehending the favour and love of God with that strength and fulnesse which wee doe desire and therefore wee must cut off these sprigs with pruning-hookes not suffering sinne to reigne in our mortall bodies and have dominion over us but mortifying the deeds of the body through the Spirit and casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ The Kingdome of God is compared to leaven hid in three measures of meale Luke 13.21 untill the whole were leavened A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump the grace begun should grow strong and powerfull within us the leaven of holiness should work out the leaven of malice If the tree doth not flourish we will impute the cause unto the barrennes of the ground or the want of a good root Crassitie suâ cortex obstat quo minus à terrae humore augeatur acinus non enim transmittitur Scal. in Theop. or the thicknesse of the bark that binds the stocke but not unto the graft it self which did grow very happily before it was converted to this use From whence is it that there is such imperfection weaknesse such backwardnesse in the good way and that our fruits rellish so much of the stocke so little of the graft Comes it not hence that our corruptions and lusts doe still warre in our members and we doe not labour to perfect holinesse in the feare of God O wretched men in whom the Crosse of Christ hath not yet worne out the bitter taste of that first tree The Cyon is taken from the tree of life Every good gift commeth downe from the Father of lights who giveth liberally and upbraideth not Oh that we were enlarged in apprehending and applying what is so freely offered If our hearts were opened wide in holy desires the Lord would fill them with spirituall blessings but wee are straitned in our owne bowels and being in this great strait we are as unable to free our selves as the Prophet was to deliver himselfe out of the belly of the Whale We cannot relieve our selves and vaine is the helpe of man who is subject to the same misery We may not trust to the arme of flesh or ascribe the praise to humane power as Adrian did who wrote over his Hospitall at Lovan Adr. 6. Trajectum me plantavit Lovanium me rigavit Caesar incrementum dedit Ergo Deus nihil fecit Utrecht planted Lovan watered Caesar gave the increase Whereunto it was fitly subscribed by another Therefore God had nothing to doe in this man We know that neither hee that planteth is any thing neither he that watereth but God who giveth the increase So Noah began to be an husbandman and planted a vineyard Gen. 9.20 He is the Husbandman saith our Saviour and we are his husbandry saith the Apostle both which places are to be understood of a Plantation as appeares by the context where it is said John 15.1 That Christ is the Vine and we the Branches whereof hee purgeth some and taketh away others Also there is frequent mention of planting watering 1 Cor. 39. which is some part of countrie labour And then the Apostle concludes We are Gods husbandry wee are Gods building and except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it Except the Lord gives a blessing our paines and industry will be fruitlesse In demanding who built such an house or planted such an orchard we intend not the inferiour workmen but the chief owners at whose expence they
shoot out great branches and so in the end become like that tree whose branches spreading from the body doe bend themselves downwards to the earth where they take hold and with new rooting multiply themselves into a wood Arbore de rais They enlarge their borders joyning house to house Isa 5.8 and field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth The plant which was a long time in growing up may soon be hewen downe Et quas fallacis collegit lingua parentis Has eadem nati lingua refudit opes Claudian Dirae filius est rapacitatis Martial Nothing is more usuall than for the sonne to cut downe those trees which were cherished and maintained by the father to waste that substance with riotous living which was gotten with avarice and rapine wherefore bee not herein just overmuch neither make thy selfe over-wise Wholly to cast our selves upon the Lord and to neglect all lawfull meanes is a presumptuous temptation Againe to sacrifice to our net and trust to our owne wisedome not leaving any space where God may worke by his power and providence is a desperate contempt of the divine blessing which is the best inheritance Fortunam 〈◊〉 avidè vorare pergas eandem malè concoquas necesse est Sincer. Job 20.15 28. Hee that hath swallowed downe riches shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his belly The increase of his house shall depart and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath If God prepares a worme to smite the tree it withereth If hee blowes upon the same it perisheth suddenly and comes utterly to an end This is the conclusion of the covetous man and the same confusion belongs to all other ungodly men Psal 37.35 Luco dilectior omni Laurus hane imo stipite caesam vidit Claudian I have seene the wicked in great power and spreading himselfe like a green bay-tree yet he passed away and loe he was not yea I sought him but hee could not bee found Such men may bee compared unto that tree which doth ever beare leaves and never any fruit so they may make shew of piety and seem to be religious but doe not bring forth the fruit of the Spirit The Bay-tree prospers best in the shade so they seeke not to be enlightened from above and to have the Sun of Righteousnesse arise and shine into their hearts Traditur non feriri ipsam à fulmine Fracastor That tree is not blasted nor consumed by lightning so they are not moved nor awakened when they heare Gods judgements denounced against sinners But as the ancient Conquerours were crowned with Laurell Hâc victores Delphi coronari triumphantes Romae Plin. Sec. so they doe triumph as victorious when with their carnall weapons they seem to overcome such as they thinke to be their enemies because they tell them the truth breaking their bands asunder and casting their cords from them yet let them remember that as the branches of this tree are used in solemnities of rejoycing and mourning so their present solace and delight may soon be finished and they bee called to sorrow and lamentation The Bay-trees which for many yeeres have flourished are smitten by a great frost and doe wither away En frigidus orbes Purpureos jam somnus obit Val. Flac. Corpus inane animae frigus letale secutam est Ovid. Such as heretofore have lived in prosperity and enjoyed their health and strength may soon bee surprized by that cold sleep and have their bodies benummed by death After which as the Bayes doth crackle make a noise when it is burnt Laurus Terribili sonitu flammâ crepitante crematur Lucret. so they being cast into unquenchable fire shall continue in weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Fragiles incende bitumine lauros Virg. Quod inter urendum fragorem edunt Turne There shall bee desperate yellings and hideous outcries the mighty voice of Thunder the raging of the Sea the Cataracts of Nilus the sound of the Ordnance the roaring of Lions howling of Wolves lowing of Oxen barking of Dogges all the most dreadfull and offensive clamours in the world are not to bee compared to the torments that shall be inflicted upon the sonnes of perdition in this their sense of Hearing In the time of their life God gave them this sense by which faith doth enter into the soule Eares they had but not an eare to heare and hearken to the Word of truth and therefore neglecting to improve this gift to their comfort and salvation they are justly therein punished after their decease Not labouring now to receive good things thereby afterward they receive evill things When such as stand in the way of sinners doe heare what evill of punishment the Lord doth threaten to bring upon the impenitent I wish that both their eares may tingle that they may be moved with horrour fear of the vengeance of eternall fire having a space given them to repent if not for love of God and the joy that is set before us yet for dread of the fiery indignation that they may returne unto the Lord in an accepted time while they may be heard before that day doth overtake them in which they shall be as farre from succour as from audience Job 8.9 Our daies upon earth are a shadow whereof we may fitly be admonished by this green tree whose leaves do never fall Wee may soone be changed from a flourishing to a languishing estate and therefore as this tree doth produce some berries for medicine though not for meat so let us bring forth fruit meet for repentance that the diseases of our soules may bee healed and the issue of our corruptions may be stopped It may be expected that as we have compared wicked men in generall unto this Bay-tree mentioned by David so we should now descend to some particulars that wee may see such men as trees walking as the blind man of Bethsaida did Mar. 8.24 when hee began to be restored to his sight It is true that such men are resembled to divers kinds of trees As the proud man to the Cedars of Lebanon Isa 2.13 and the Oakes of Bashan The ambitious to the Bramble Judg 9.15 and the like But within the compasse of our ground we desire to maintaine only such trees as are fruitfull Wee will herein follow the example of Christ who oft-times resorted to the garden with his Disciples not of John the Baptist who went into the wildernesse Wherefore omitting to speake of wild and barren trees we will apply our selves unto the Vine Fructum vitis qui prae aliâ—s omnibus excellit Calvin whose fruit being rightly used doth excell the fruit of all other trees and is said to cheare both God and man God in a drink offering and man when hee doth use it with moderation and is therefore prescribed to
the light of reason and everie Beleever with the light of happinesse and glorie when hee goeth out of this world into the holy Citie that doth not need the Sun Rev. 21.23 for the Lamb is the light thereof To day The performance of this gracious promise is limited to a short time and therefore all doubting is excluded Our Saviour is crucified in the midst as nigh to one malefactour as the other Both formerly were brethren in evill consenting in wickednesse Both began to revile him before their death yet one is rejected and exposed to vengeance the other is taken as a brand snatcht out of the fire Christ doth overshadow him in mercy and delivers not from death but from condemnation Thou shalt bee with Mee A blessed change to bee freed from the fellowship of an impenitent sinner a blasphemous reprobate and to be admitted into the society of Saints yea for ever to be with the Lord An unspeakeable mercy that hee who by his owne confession suffered justly should be with him who had done nothing amisse The righteous died for the ungodly Christ for us sinners hee became Emmanuel God with us that wee may live with him in his kingdome of glory Thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise What wee gaine by the second Adam is much better than that wee lost by the first in the beginning Adam was in Paradise but God was not with him nor the feare of God before his eyes when hee yeelded to the tempter and hee was not with God neither dare hee appeare before him when hee walked in the Garden Then the presence of the Lord was a terrour unto Adam having sinned Now the presence of Christ was the best of comforts unto the theefe being penitent Paradise it selfe was not Paradise unto Adam after hee had offended But when wee shall bee set at liberty from the prison of the grave and acquitted from the sting of death wee shall bee as uncapable of sinne as of mortalitie Oh then let us ever aspire unto this most blessed estate Although this good thiefe did suddenly as it were with holy violence breake into heaven to shew that there is no end of the rich mercies of God yet let not us presume upon this example of grace and so become examples of judgement unto others Our whole life is given us to this end that by patient continuance in well-doing wee should seeke for glory The taste of Gods goodnesse in these outward benefits should excite and quicken our desire to obtaine the full fruition of eternall happinesse If we rest contented in the commodities of this life wee thinke the pleasures of this life to bee as acceptable as the joyes above As Lot thought the plaine of Jordan to bee as the garden of the Lord Gen. 13.10 And then wee cannot bee delivered from the common destruction without the wonderfull mercy of God But let us seeke a better countrie even this celestiall Paradise Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth thereunto and therefore our best diligence is required to find it Yet for our encouragement there are not Cherubims in the entrance to keep us from approaching nigh unto it but the Angel of the Covenant is the way whereby we must walke and which doth guide us in the truth And the doore whereby wee must enter and which doth admit us that wee may bee saved Yea all the Angels rejoyce when we enter into this path of life and doe keep us in this way ministring unto us the heires of salvation who as some have thought were created to supply the defect of some of them and to repaire the breach that their fall had made in this heavenly Paradise There is not a flaming sword turning every way which may strike a terrour into us that we should not come neere But the Sword of the Spirit is given unto us by which we may withstand and vanquish all enemies that shall encounter us in this our passage There bee divers who goe to the Holy Land which is now the spectacle of Gods wrath but let our journey be to the Jerusalem above which is and ever will be the Seat of Mercy and the Throne of Glory While other men labour to plat and describe the place where Paradise was upon earth let us seeke for this place that Christ is gone to prepare for us into which when he comes againe he will receive us that where hee is wee may be also FINIS Perlegi Librum hunc cui titulus est Adam in his Innocencie atque illum typis mandari permitto Martis penult 1637. ex Aedibus Londin SA BAKER