vomit and instead of bringing forth Vuas grapes wee haue brought Esay 5. 4. forth Labrucas wild grapes our grapes are grapes of gall our clusters be bitter our wine is poyson of dragons and the cruell Deut. 32. 32 33. gall of Aspes My beloued will God thinke we suffer himselfe to be thus deluded from time to time Are we sure he will alwayes looke vpon vs with a fauourable aspect and neuer shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure O let vs beware of carnall securitie it is as dangerous and fearfull an euill as the soule imbarqued in the body can meet with whilst sayling in the Sea of this world Certainly if his so many gentle and mercifull visitations will not reclaime vs from our dissolute courses but wee will stil frequent our old sinfull haunts drawing iniquitie with cartropes and sinne with â—he cords of vanity he will lay aside all lenitie deale with vs more roughly â—â—sa patientia 〈…〉 or and seuerely It is not a pruning-knife some fauourable affliction some fatherly correction shall serue the turne for behold hee hath put an axe into the hand of the destroying Angel not like Abimelech to cut downe some boughes Iudg. 43. from the trees no he hath giuen him a straight charge a strict commission if he find any tree any man that bringeth not forth good fruit to hew him down euen at the very root that is by death to root him out of the land of the liuing which is the first particular penaltie the Excision Euery tree not bringing forth The first penalty an Excision good fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is hewen downe Doe but consider I beseech you the fearefulnesse of this penaltie True Aequa lege necessitas Hâ—â— Carm. lib. 3 Ode 1. Sortitur insigneis imos Omne capax mouet vrna nomen What man liueth and shall not see death Psal 89. 47. Hebr. 9. 27. There is a Statute for it Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed vnto all men once to die Death is Gods Sergeant â—uiâ—â—sâ—i contiâ—it 〈◊〉 â—estat Sâ—â— Ep. 1â—0 vnto whose arrest the whole suruiuing race of Adam is subiect as well the godly as the vngodly and therfore it is not here said that he which bringeth not forth good fruit shall dye but shall be hewen downe to signifie the fearefulnesse of that death which shall befall him The godly man hee that bringeth forth good fruit shal die but he is happy in his end for that he departeth this life in the sweet peace of conscience which he hath obtained through faith in Christs blood wherby he is reconciled vnto God sealed vp vnto the day of redemption so that the misery of death is vnto him the death of all misery and his last end the beginning Dies isle quem tanquam extremum reformidas aeterninatalis est Sen. Ep. 1â—2 the birth day of eternity And therefore laetus lethuÌ„ excipit come Death when it wil come it is truly heartily welcome finds him ready willing with much vnfained ioy to entertaine the stroke which shal separat his soule body that so being freed from the prison of his body he may enter into his masters ioy be Matth. 2â— 21. crownd with glory happinesse in the highest heauens In regard wherof wheÌ„ Jusius dum per mâ—ntem evita tollitur non exciditur sed ia vberius solum transfertur Fran. Luc. Brâ—giens in locum by Death he is taken out of this life he cannot be said to be hewen down but rather transplanted into a more fruitful soile On the other side the vngodly man that bringeth not forth good fruit but is barren in all goodnesse and only fruitfull in the daÌ„nable works of darknes he shal die but a death far different froÌ„ that of the righteous for being besotted with the pleasures of sinne and hauing his affections fast glewed to the things of this world when Death arresteth his Body his Soule wil depart out of it like sawdust grated out of the belly of an hard Oke with much labour and striuing so vnwilling and loth it will be to breake vp house and bid farewell vnto the world Yea for as much as he neuer endeuoured to keep a good Conscience toward God and man therefore his guiltie Conscience like the euill Spirit which vexed Saul shall most 1 Sam. 16. 14. fearefully wracke and torture him and a wounded spirit who can beare saith the Prou. 18. 14. Prouerbialist and thus in the anguish and bitternesse of his Soule he shal be broken Iob 24. 20. like a tree the Axe of Death shall cleaue rent his soule and body asunder with all violence and terror he shall bee hewen downe saith my Text. But is this all shall this Tree thus fell'd there lie and rest and rot where it falleth I meane shall his soule and body thus parted so perish as that he shall cease euer to haue a being any more and consequently a feeling of any further misery Certainly though sinful man be likevnto the beasts that perish yet he doth not perish like the beasts whose bodies are turned into ashes and their spirits vanish as soft ayre and are no more No his soule is an immortall substance and his body though in the eye of a carnall Sadducee it seemeth so to perish as that it shall neuer haue a being any more yet it shall at the last day by the power of God be restored to its iust proportion for after Death there must come a Iudgment particular of the Soule when it departeth from the body generall of Soule and body at the generall resurrection So that this fearfull hewing downe is but as the Prologue to a more tragicall feareful Scene it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning of sorrowes the forerunner of more fearefull torments For after the axe of Death hath with all violence cleft and rent his Soule and Body in sunder after that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee is thus hewen downe it followeth in the next place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee is cast into the fire hee is throwen headlong into the flames of Hell And this second penaltie his exastion is The second pâ—naltie an Exustion indeed principally that which causeth his dissolution to be so comfortles full of terrour For when the hand of God lyeth heauy vpon him to hew him downe by death it is not the separation of his soule body that doth so much trouble him nor the leauing his beloued world that doth so much afflict him no nor the cruel gnawings of his guilty conscience that doe so wrack torture him otherwise then ioyned with the present apprehension of being cast into this fire which he then foreseeth will most certainly befal him after his dissolution And no maruell if the apprehension thereof strike such â— dread terror into his departing Ethic. 1 â—9 soule for what Aristotle
Holy Ghost shall find and consequently beare me witnesse that I doe not beg my Theame pick a quarrel with that which the text of it selfe will not seeme to affoord and offer That which God in this Writ requireth of vs is the bringing forth of good fruit this is the maine thing intended in this text and pressed vpon paine of Gods furious wrath and fiery displeasure for euer signified in being cut downe and cast into the fire As if he had said more fully yet briefly and plainly thus If ye bring forth good fruit yee shall be saned but if ye doe not bring forth good fruit yee shall be damned Now the not bringing foorth of good fruite being the meritorious cause of our Damnation as you shall heare afterward one would thinke on the contrary that the bringing foorth of good fruit is a meritorious cause of our Saluation That we cannot by way of Merit challenge so magnificent a remuneration as God out of his great goodnesse doth binde himselfe by promise to conferre vpon the Sonnes of Men for their pious and godly conuersation may be plainely demonstrated vnto you by diuers particulars I will at this time contract my selfe in fiue In euery Worke to make it meritorious there are Our vvorkes numeritorious for fiue Reasons fiue things requisite 1. Gratuitie 2. Vtilitie 3. Proprietie 4. Puritie 5. Paritie 1. That Worke which doth merit any thing at Gods hand must of necessitie be opus Gratuitum a free-will Offering a worke of Gratuitie and in no wise due for any other cause or respect Seeing then we owe of dutie vnto God whatsoeuer we are or haue vndoubtedly whatsoeuer we doe can merit nothing at Gods hand 2. There must be Vtilitie that Good which we doe to make it meritorious must be profitable and commodious vnto him at whose hands wee merit any thing But no action of ours of what straine soeuer it be can bring any benefit any commoditie vnto God for as Eliphaz said vnto Iob May a man be Iob 22. 23. profitable vnto God as he that is wise may be profitable vnto himselfe Is it any thing to the Almightie that thou art righteous or is it profitable to him that thou makest thy wayes vpright His Interogation doth argue a stronge negatiue resolution as if he had said in a word No mans righteousnesse can bee any way profitable vnto God and therefore we can merit nothing at Gods hand 3. In that by which we merit any thing we must haue an absolute proprietie it must be our owne Now Good workes Good fruits are not our own they are Gods wee cannot of our selues so much as Will much lesse worke that which is Good for it is God that worketh in vs both the will and the deed Therefore Phil. 2. 13. we can merit nothing at his hand 4. There must bee a Puritie our workes must be performed according to that absolute Perfection and Puritie which God in his reuealed will requireth of vs they must bee vindicated and freed from all vncleannesse and imperfection which no man so long as hee liueth in the flesh can vndertake for the best and choisest fruit he bringeth forth for euen our best actions were they narrowly scanned in some thing or other Carnis putredinem sapiunt as Caluin noteth doe sauour and relish of the Corruption Lib instit de Justif fidei Cap. 10. of the Flesh happely they haue leaned to some sinister respect or haue not beene performed with such sincerity and alacrity as God requireth 5. To make our workes meritorious there must be a Paritie there must bee some proportion and equalitie betweene that Good we doe and the reward wee receiue for it Now what Parity what Proportion betweene our workes which are but temporall and finite and the reward which is eternall and infinite The Naturall Phylosopher and any one that is not a mere naturall will tell vs that Finiti ad Infinitum nulla est proportio there is no proportion betweene that which is finite and that which is infinite Therefore our choicest fruits our best workes being defectiue in euery one of these fiue particulars which ought necessarily to concurre for the making of them meritorious it is strange there should liue in this great light of the Gospell any that dare attempt such a worke of darkenesse as to stampe mans workes with the Character of Merit Sure I am in the Word of God we cannot so much as finde the Word Merit Indeed God doth very frequently in the Sacred Scripture promise a reward to the godly and hence they fondly collect that the godly doe merit by the holinesse of their liues as if between reward and merit there were a mutuall relation that no reward is giuen but vpon a presupposed merit For answer whereunto I may tell them as our Sauiour the Sadduces That they erre not knowing the Scriptures for as the Learned Matth. 22. 19. haue obserued that which by Saint Mathew is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reward is Math. 5 46. Luc 6 32. by Saint Luke termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace fauour or thankes to signifie vnto vs that when God rewardeth the righteousnesse of men the reward is not to be ascribed to any worth or dignity in the Creature but wholly to the benignitie of the Creator not to any desert or merit in Man but vnto the meere grace and mercy of his Maker For as Saint Paul 2 Ephes 8. 9. a place worth the 2 Ephes 8. 9. noting By Grace we are saued through Faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast himselfe The Caese being so cleare we may be bold to affirme that most blasphemous is the practise of the Papists who both in Pulpit and Presse so stiffely contend to enthronize the imperfect impure workes of sinnefull man in the Chaire of Merit in which nothing by right but the holy and perfect obedience of the Sonne of God can sit My beloued I dare confidently affirme it for trueth and you may boldly take it vpon that terme that no Mortall by building him vp a Babel of his merits can euer reach Heauen Heauen being a transcendent too high for the short reach of humane merit The fairest face hath some Mole or Freckle the soundest Pomegranate some rotten Kernell Corruption is a great part of the best yea the best euen from their conception are wholly ouer-runne with corruption from which they can neuer be throughly purged till the soule and the body by death be parted and put asunder by reason whereof euen our best actions are stained our best fruits wee bring forth are foulely blemished and wil not endure the Iust eye of heauen to behold them as they are in themselues the serious consideration of this made the Prophet Dauid thus pray vnto God Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for Psal 143 2. no flesh is righteous in thy sight
of gold in great and mightie mountaines of ground or like the gleaning Esay 7. of the eares of corne after the haruest is past or the gathering of grapes the vintage being ended they lie but scattering and very thinne one in a citie two Ierem. 3. 14. in a tribe wheras Romish Idolaters counterfet Professors and impudent transgressors such as are not ashamed to glory in vngodlinesse and prostitute their deeds of darknesse vnto publike notice are the greatest part yea very neere the whole number of such as are called Christians Not to speake of that Antichristian Spawne and Popish frie though not one of the least and lightest burdens vnder which as the labour of her wombe this our Land groaneth Proceed we vnto the second sort and who is there so blind or deafe that doth not behold or heare how plentifully this our Sion is furnished yea rather how lamentably be pestered with a numerous brood of Apish professors and Mocke-Christians as I may tearm them such as in outward appearance might seeme deseruedly to bâ—â—â—eâ—stred in the roll and ranked in the number of true Nathaneels but are Iohn 1. 47. indeed as ranke false and perfidious as Ioab or Judas They would seeme by the An outside singularly commendable if thâ—â—â—side 〈◊〉 anâ— vâ—â—table precisenesse of their habit and demurenesse of behauiour to be truly mortified to the world To giue them their due which our English Prouerbe will not deny the Deuil himselfe they will reproue sinne refraine from swearing celebrate the Saboth yea many houres of the weeke dayes in hearing of the Word labouring if they like the Preacher to digest it in their memories by penning and mutuall conference in a word oh the sanctitie of the Deuill they will pretend a great deale of faire and religious dealing seeme to bee Gods white children but oh the Deuillishnes of these Saints doth it not plainly appeare that they are little better then Deuils transformed into 2. Cor. 11. 14. Angels of light fell and cruell Wolues couered and clothed in Sheep skins making Religion to serue but for a Stalking horse wearing Christs Liuery for their owne conueniency that so they may the more safely and vnsuspectedly compasse their secret vnsacred endes hath not Time the mother of Truth reuealed this for a truth that there are none more vniust in their dealings none more couetous deceitfull full of pride enuy hatred malice and all vncharitablenesse then they though they take vpon them a more strict profession of Christ then ordinary In a word as the Trojans were neuer more damnified thâ—n when Aeneas did put on harnesse like vnto theirs breaking into the midst of their troops like a member of their army So the true Nathaneels of our Israel yea godlinesse it selfe neuer receiued more disgracefull affronts then haue bin and are continually most vnhappily occasioned by the counterfeit pietie of these so common hypocriticall professors As Iudas betrayed Matth. 26. 49. Christ into the hands of his enemies so these haue and doe continually betray the holy calling of Christianitie and the sincere Professors therof vnto the sharper tongues of lewd-liuing Libertines and vngodly Atheistes yea of many framed of a more sober honest and tractable temper to be scourged lashed with tearmes of disgrace for let a man out of a holy reuerence vnto the sacred Maiesty of God make conscience of an Oath let him out of a sincere heart bee carefull to sanctifie the Sabbath of the Lord in all holy and religious exercises let him vow himselfe to all sobrietie and temperance and be zealous for the Lord of Hosts in reproouing vngodlinesse In a word let him heartily desire and accordingly truely endeuour to keepe a good conscience in all things both toward Actes 24. 16. God and man not partaking in the sinful courses of these wicked times but laboring so far forth as in him lyeth according to that measure of grace hee hath receiued to liue within the limits and compasse of an holy profession it is reputed but precisenesse he is ordinarily derided vnder the name of a Catharist or Puritan and of the most hated and detested as much if not more then a treacherous bloody Papist or damnable Atheist Thus the seeming-Saints of our age by their ouer-hasty running after Christ for sinister respects haue cast the true Nathaneels of our Israel behind hand in their iust credit and estimation Iohn 1. 47. the world measuring the feet of all professors by the Last of these false professors And not onely doth counterfeit pietie Hypocrisie thus flourish to the great contempt reproach of sincere professors but in the third place we may obserue that all vngodlinesse hath aduanced it selfe and taken heart Iniquity hath put on a brow of brasse and Impiety like a shamelesse strumpet attended by Impudency hath taken vp her standing in euery street and corner of Court City and Countrey Ambition base flattery perfidie drunkennesse couetousnesse prodigalitie pride lechery luxury injustice theft murther adultery feareful swearing and periury contempt of the Manna and Ministers of Gods holy Word and what seldom heard-of crimes in former ages are not the familiar minions and darlings of these Times It is a tedious taske and would prooue but an irkesome discourse to trouble your eares with a particular enumeration of all the sinnes that roost yea raigne in this Land for it may be truly said of it as the Poet in his Epigramme vnto Caesar concerning his Theater Quic quid fama canit donat arena tibi Martial There is almost no sinne so peculiar to any forraigne Countrey which is not presented to the life vpon the stage of this Land and there is almost no person of what place or fashion soeuer that doth not act his part in them more or lesse Thus vngodlinesse is become an Epidemicall disease like a Contagious leprosie it hath infected and runne ouer the whole Body of this Land and no part more then this Citie in so much that it may truely be said of vs as the Prophet of the Iewes We are a sinnefull Esa 1. 4. 5. 6. Nation a people laden with iniquitie The whole head is sicke the whole heart is heauy from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head there is nothing whole therein but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption And which doth consummate our iniquitie though wee are so desperately sicke of sinne that wee lye euen at the doore of death and there bee scarce so much as a thresh-hold betweene vs and eternall destruction yet who is there that with patience wil suffer the Preacher Gods Deputy-Physician for the good of his soule so much as to lay his finger vpon those his cankred sores of sin which suffered to run on their course will vncurably corrupt and irrecouerably cast away the whole man both body and soule Sinne especially that which ordinarily thrusteth it selfe into the seruice of any calling and like the siluer
fruit be hewen downe and cast into the fire Consider this all yee whom the Lord hath blessed with the fruite of the Wombe least this temporall blessing proue 7 Parents your eternall bane Thinke it not enough that yee bring forth children into the world and prouide for them an earthly inheritance vnlesse yee also bring them vp vnto the Lord and so fit them for the Kingdome of Heauen Alasse what is their first generation more then their Corruption for they are shaped in wickednesse Psal 51 5. and conceiued in sinne and so poore Infants Damnati antequam nati they are damned before their mothers are deliuered and being so what is your Temporall prouision vnto them though neuer so plentifull if after their ioy in this World if they know any they be so farre from knowing any in the next that on the contrary they lye howling in Hell flames for euer If therefore you truely loue your Children for their sakes vndertake a second labour and bring forth this good fruite of your Fatherly loue towards them once more trauell in paine of them but as Paul did of the Galathians till Gal. 4. 19. Christ be formed in them labour that they may be begotten a new in Christ by 1. Pet. 1. 23. the immortall seede of the Word and bee made heyres of the Kingdome of Heauen Let it be your care whatsoeuer it cost to haue them brought vp euen from their Child-hood in the feare of God That when they leaue this world they may attaine vnto the Land of euerlasting life there to raigne with Christ world without end And if you will not doe thus much for their sakes at least doe it for your owne sakes For know to bring forth this good fruit of true fatherly affection to bee carefull for the Spirituall well-fare of your Children and to promote and further it to the vtmost of your power is a dutie God strictly inioyneth And if through neglect hereof your Children Ephes 6. 4. rebell against God he will require their blood at your hands For as God doth visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the Children So he doth visite the sinns of the Children vpon the Fathers For an instance remember Old Eli when his 1. Sam. 2. Sonnes trespassed against God He did not sharpely reprooue and correct them but suffered theÌ„ to run on in their Sins this was his ruine In a word remeÌ„ber the IudgeÌ„t here threatned in my Text be moued thereby to bring forth the good fruite of true Fatherly affectioÌ„ instruct your Children in the feare of the Lord reproue correct theÌ„ wheÌ„ they offend the Lord least the Lord hew you downe and cast you into the fire In like manner yee Children remember the Rocke out of which yee 8 Children were hewen the Stocke whereof yee are stemmes your Parents from whom next vnder God yee haue receiued your naturall beeing Oh wound not their tender hearts with your vntoward carriage and rebellious courses the only course to accelerate and hasten their heads to the graue but like good Children bring forth the good fruit of filiall feare and affection that yee may exhilarate reioyce their Soules to the prolonging of their dayes Reuerence them inwardly in your hearts outwardly in your Behauiour yeeld vnto them all dutifull obedience in the Lord least ye pluck their Curse vpon your heads and the Lord hearing it hew you downe cast you into the fire 9 Masters of families Yee that haue the care of Seruants committed to your charge bring forth the Good fruite of Good Masters in your seuerall Families doe vnto your Seruants that which is iust and equall Col. 4. 1. knowing that yee also haue a Master in Heauen Command them not but in the Lord and that louingly Allow them a befitting competency be it in matter of indâ—ment for the Backe or aliment for the Belly and doe not with-hold their wages from them But aboue all instruct them in the knowledge and feare of God as well by your examples as precepts and allow not their profanation of the Lords Sabaths the least Conniuence Least the Lord hew you downe and cast you into the fire And yee that are Seruants serue your 10 Seruants Masters faithfully both in word and deede and obserue them with all respectiue reuerence and submit your selues vnto them to obey them in the Lord least the Lord hew downe you also and cast you into the fire In a word to drawe towards a conclusion giue me leaue to drawe out an Eare or two of the Corne we haue already inn'd for I feare growing too voluminous and large in particularizing farther Yee haue heard how gracious and bountifull a God the Lord hath vowed to shew himselfe vnto all those that submit themselues vnto his lawes and labour to serue him faithfully in bringing forth good fruite in leading a holy and religious course of life that he will reward and crowne their holy endeauours with an eternall weight of Glory in the kingdome of Heauen Yee haue likewise heard how seuere and terrible a Iudge hee will reueale himselfe vnto all such as runne disobedient and rebellious courses that hee will wound the hayrie Scalpe of euery one that goeth on in his wickednesse yea that hee will hew downe and cast into the fire euery Tree not bringing forth good fruite If therefore the sweete blessings of Gerizim the louing mercies of God cannot worke vpon our rebellious hearts to reclaime vs from our wicked wayes let the bitter cursings of Eball the dreadfull terrours of the Law make vs feare to offend least the Lord in his wrath deliuer vs vp vnto a reprobate minde and in that fearefull estate hew vs downe that is by a violent Death rent our Soules and Bodies a sunder cast vs both soule body into the fire to be intollerably eternally tormented in the flames of Hel. My beloued as God is Iealous of so he is Zealous for his glory if he be not glorified a nobis of vs by our conuersion he will be glorified de nobis vpon vs by our confusion if we do not turne vnto him he wil turne vs into Hell â—or it is a conclusion so ratified as neuer to bee repealed that Euery one whether Iew or Gentile bond or free high or low rich or poore Euery tree not bringing forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire O then let euery one of vs make a diligent search into his owne bosome iudge himselfe least he be iudged of the Lord. Let vs dissect rip vp that body of sinne which is within vs not only that Naturall corruption which we haue all alike succâ—ssiuely receiued from our first PareÌ„ts but also those personal transgressioÌ„s which euery man hath made himselfe guilty of more or lesse Then hauing faithfully laid open our sinfulnes let vs look on it with a loathing eye a lamenting heart vnfeinedly deploring the time
Againe that it might take deep root in our hearts to the bringing forth of good fruit plentifully in our liues hee hath watered and refreshed this his Inheritance with infinite remarkable testimonies of his singular sauour as it were with so many * Tum pater omnipotenâ— sâ—cundis 〈◊〉 aether c. Virg. 2. Gâ—org sweete fructifying showers from heauen and to infuse a quickenâ—ng power into the ground of our hearts he hath caused the Sunne of Peace * Pax 〈◊〉 vites sucâ—os codi◠〈…〉 derect v 〈…〉 Tib. lib. 1. leg 1. 3 the Mother of Plenty for these many yeares to shine vpon vs. In a word what medicinall courses hath hee neglected which in the iudgement of man might conduce to the furthering of our fruitfulnes He hath pared off our riotous Twigs and lopped off our luxuriant Branches ript vp our Rind opened our Roots that is he hath scourged vs with sundry kinds of Crosses and Afflictions that thereby hee might call vs backe from wandring abroad after the bewitching pleasures of Sinne to serue Him the onely true and euerliuing God with a sound and vpright heart in all holinesse of life and conuersation All which layd together wee haue no reason to thinke that praying vnto God in the Church once a weeke the hearing of a Sermon once a moneth a strict obseruation of the Saboth once a quarter a Receiuing of the Sacrament once in sixe moneths a Feasting of the poore once a yeare will serue the turne No God will not be satisfied with such a Barren and Dwarfling Obedience he will not bee contented with the Gleanings of Haruest with heere a Bery and there a Bery as it was with the shaken Oliue Tree Esay 17. No Euery tree must bring forth good fruit plentifully for Vnto whom soeuer much is giuen of him Luke 12. 48. shall be much required saith our Sauiour So that it doth stand vs euery one in hand accordingly to endeauour the reall answering of Gods iust expectation lest in the day of his wrath wee haue the dâ—eper share in his just indignation For Quantò maior gratia tantò amplior posteà Quo clariâ—r lux 〈◊〉 graâ—â—ae 〈◊〉 gra 〈…〉 paenas mundâ—â—n gratitud nem sibi accelâ—rate Chemâ—â—t peccantibus poena saith Saint Chrysostome God will at the Last day proportion out the punishment of a sinner according to the meanes of grace he hath afforded him in the time of his sinning At the worlds great Sessions it shall go harder with Chorazin and Bethsaida then with Tyrus and Sidon it shall goe harder with Capernaum then with Sodom because God did more abound in the meanes of grace to Chorazim Bethsaida and Capernaum then to Tyrus Sidon and Sodome Seeing therefore it hath pleased God to deale so liberally with vs in the meanes of Grace let vs in the name of God endeauour in some proportion to answer his bountie in our measure of grace Let vs labour to be full of the sweet fruits of the Spirit Let vs labour to bee strong in the Faith and as Saint Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 1. â— c. With our Faith let vs ioyne Vertue with Vertue Knowledge with Knowledge Temperance with Temperance Patience with Patience Godlinesse with Godlinesse Brotherly Kindnesse and with Brotherly Kindnesse Loue. In a word let vs labour to abound in euery good worke that may make vs pleasing and acceptable vnâ—o God let vs bring forth good fruit Abundanter Plentifully Thirdly and lastly lest all our labour 3 Perseuerantly proue but in vaine we must bring forth good fruit Perseueranter Perseuerantly For to what purpose is it if a Souldier at the first onset couragiously encounter with the Enemy and before he hath obtained the victory throw away his Armes Or what doth it profit a Mariner to commit himselfe to the Sea and to enioy the benefit of a faire gale of Wind euen vnto his desired Ports mouth if then the wind doe turne and so turne him backe againe before hee can thrust into the Port Happily thou hast beene just and hast done that which is lawfull and right as it is in Ezec. 18. 5. Ezek. 18. More particularly as the Prophet there expresseth himselfe Thou hast not eaten vpon the Moun aines nor lift vp thine eyes vnto Idols nor defiled thy neighbours wife nor oppressed any but hast restored to thy Debtour his Pledge thou hast spoyled none by violence thou hast giuen thy Bread to the Hungry and couered the Naked with a Garment thou hast not giuen forth vpon Vsury neither taken any Increase thou hast withdrawen thy hand from iniquitie executed true Judgement betweene man and man thou hast walked in Gods Statutes and kept his Iudgements to deale truely Thus farre hast thou gone and in these good courses thou hast continued a long time and in so doing hast done well But tell mee what will all this thy righteousnesse auaile thee if afterward thou shalt fall away from God and intangle thy selfe againe 2 Pet. 2. â—0 in the filthinesse of the world like the Dog that returneth to his owne vomit and the Sow that is washed to her wallowin the myre If the righteous turne away Ezek. 18. from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie shall hee liue saith the Lord. No All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not bee mentioned In his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall hee dye Ezek. 18. Yea It had been better for him neuer to haue acknowledged the way of Righteousnesse as the Apostle 2 Pet. 2. speaketh then after hee hath knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement deliuered vnto him For the latter end of that man is worse then the beginning If therefore thou wouldst make sure worke for the good of thy Soule and store vp comfort for thy selfe against the day of death and that great day of wrath then thou must not relye vpon thy former righteousnesse as the Rich man in the Gospell did vpon the store he Luke 12. 19. had treasured vp in his Barnes and say Soule take thine ease and freely disport thy selfe hence-forward in the delights of sinne for thou hast already brought forth good fruit plentifully which will serue thee for many yeares No thou must bring forth good fruite Perseuerantly for it is not here said euery tree Quae non fecit which hath not brought forth good fruit but euery tree non faciens not bringing forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire So that fecisse non sufficit it sufficeth not formerly to haue brought forth good fruit vnlesse thou continue in so doeing perseuerantly No man saith Christ putting his Luke 9. 62. hand to the Plough and looking backe is fit for the Kingdome of Heauen Sola perseuerantia Bernardus singularis summi regis est filia saith a Father ea enim sola est haeres regnâ— Coelorum Perseuerance is the only Daughter