Ground with Trees and not finding them fruitfull according to his expectation like an expert and carefull Gardiner with his pruning knife hee shreddeth and pareth off the luxuriant branches and vseth all such meanes for their fructification as in his heauenly wisdome he apprehendeth most prevalem and effectuall Quamdiu spes est remedii stercoratione aut putatione subuenitur arborum vitiis caeterum vltimae desperatio tis indicium est quotier Securis admouetur radiâ—i Bull. Thus for many a yeare with much patieÌ„ce expecting their improuement at length the season of fructifying being come wherein hee resolued to put a period to his patient expectation he walketh towards his Plantation with an Axe in his hand resolued if after his so great care and cost he finde any Trees that doe not bring forth good fruit to cut them vp by the roots and cast them by for the Fire In a word or two to adde a little more light vnto the darkenesse of the letter This Axe laid vnto the root of the Trees doth signifie nothing else but the vengeance of God which hangeth ouer our heads ready to fall suddenly vpon vs to our fearefull confusion Neâ—p vero novuÌ„ est securim gladium in Scripturis poni pro graui dei vindicta Idem ibid. My beloued doth not the cloudy and heauy countenance of these Times promise and presage as much Certainly take we a true Inuentory of our generall Apostacie from all godlines and pietie we cannot looke for lesse I but the Lord is mercifull and Gracious Exod. 34.6 slow to anger and abundant in Goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands True my beloued and haue we found him lesse Doe not all those gentle and more fauourable courses he hath taken for reclaiming vs from our sinnefull courses speake as much May not the Lord iustly expostulate and reason the case with vs as he did with his beloued Vineyard Esai 5. He hath Planted vs in a most pleasant fruitfull soyle he hath encircled hedged vs round about with his louing mercies what could he haue added more vnto that which he hath already done How oft how long hath he labored for our conuersion by the preaching of his Word Sermon vpoÌ„ Sermon with extraordinary earnestnes and importunity knocking at the doores of our harts that hearing him we might open vnto him and he enter in vnto vs Psalm 51.10 He I say who onely is able to create in vs cleane hearts and make vs fruitfull in all holinesse And to make his Word the more powerfull for our conuersion how often hath he actuated it by many temporall afflictions which hee hath inflicted vpon vs as inundations of waters dearth of corne losse of our fortunes losse of our faithfull friends and such as had deepest interest in our affections sometimes scourging vs with the refractarinesse and disobedience of those which through naturall or ciuill reference are neerest and dearest vnto vs sometimes making these houses of clay our mortall bodies Hospitals for pestilentiall and painful diseases sometimes suffering the high-priz'd treasure of our reputation to be rifled by wretched Shimeyes But alas what hath all this pruning preuailed What good work haue these and the like afflictions wrought vpon vs Happily for the present they haue a little humbled vs and wrung out of vs a repentant teare with a protestation of new obedience of bringing forth better fruit for the time to come then formerly we had done but this repentance of ours hath been as the Prophet speaketh but as a Morning cloud Hos 6.4 and as the morning dew it hath gone away like Dogges we haue quickely returned to our owne vomit 2 Pet 2.22 and instead of bringing forth Vuas grapes Esay 5.4 wee haue brought forth Labrucas wild grapes our grapes are grapes of gall our clusters be bitter Deut. 32.32 33. our wine is poyson of dragons and the cruell 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 the cords of vanity he will lay aside all lenitie â—â—sa patientia sit siâ—â—or deale with vs more roughly 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 Iudg. â— 43. to cut downe some boughes 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 The first penalty an Excision Euery tree not bringing forth good fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is hewen downe Doe but consider I beseech you the fearefulnesse of this penaltie True Hor Carm. lib. 3 Ode 1. Ae qua lege necessitas Sortitur insigneis imos Omne capax mouet vrna nomen Psal 89.47 Hebr. 9.27 What man liueth and shall not see death There is a Statute for it Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed vnto all men once to die Cui nasâ—i contigit mori restat Sen. Ep. 110. Death is Gods Sergeant 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 iste quem tanquam extremum reformidas aeterninatalis est Sen. Ep. 102. the birthday 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 Matth. 25.21
be crownd with glory happinesse in the highest heauens In regard wherof Justus dum per mortem e vita tollitur non exciditur sed in vberius solum transfertur Fran. Luc. Brugiens in locum wheÌ„ 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 1 Sam. 16.14 shall most fearefully wracke and torture him and a wounded spirit who can beare Prou. 18.14 saith the Prouerbialist and thus in the anguish and bitternesse of his Soule he shal be broken like a tree Iob 24.20 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 like vnto 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee is cast into the fire hee is throwen headlong into the flames of Hell And this second penaltie his exastion The second pâ—naltie an Exastion is 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 afâ—er his dissolution And no maruell if the apprehension thereof strike such a dread terror into his departing soule Et hic â— c. 9. for what Aristotle that heathen oracle of learning said of the naturall death of the Body as one who saw no farther then the twilight of Nature would giue him leane may more truelâ— be auerred of this second penalty that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most terrible of terribles As Zeuxis that excelleÌ„t painter desiring to draw Junocs picture exactly viewed al the Agrigentine Virgins with a curious eye pickt out fiue of the choycest Pieces Nature did afford amongst them out of which for the composition of her picture he abstracted and expressed with his pencill what he apprehended more accurate and excellent either for proportion or beauty So the liueliest resemblance can be framed of this fearfull penalty is by presenting vnto our fantasie all the torments that euer seized vpon the sons of Adam in this vally of misery and out of them to make choice of such as are most exquisite acrimonious and intolerable and out of these if it were possible to extract a Quintessence and to inflict this quintessence of tormeÌ„t vpon one man and yet when we haue done all this this all is as nothing we shaâ—l haue framed but a dull a weake Idea of this penalty For the Eie hath not seen the Eare heard nor hath it entred into the Heart of Man 1 Cor. 2.9 as what ioyes God hath prepar'd for those that loue him so what sorrowes he hath laid vp for those that leaue him And therfore as the Painter presenting the sorrow of the father of Iphigenia when she was to be sacrificed drew him with his face couered as confessing his Art insufficient to expresse in his visage a griefe of that degree so being at this time according to my propounded Method to present so terrible fearfull a penaltie as to be cast into hell fire my best course I coÌ„fesse were to cast ouer it the vaile of silence as being best coÌ„scious of my own insufficiency for a task of such transcendeÌ„cy Yet vnwilling my particular weaknes should frustrate the generall expectation of so Honourable an Audience And fearing my silence in a point of such importance may occasion some to sleight their owne ruine and neglect their speedy reformation For such is naturally our slauish disposition that notwithstanding all the gracâ—ous and glorious promises of the Gospell vnlesse the terrors of the Law be punctually propounded vnto the vnderstanding and so reflect and beate vpon the Conscience wee walke without either feare or wit in the wayes of vngodâ—inesse and as if wee had taken a liberall Dosis of Opium are cast into a Spirituall Lethargie and fall into Hell before we so much as dreame of Damnation Therefore a word or two more particularly for the description of the fearefulnesse of this particular penaltie For I intend not though the case might iustly require it to entertaine you with a particular discourse of the seuerall punishments wherein all the powers and parts of each damned Wretch to his greater terror shall haue their share as those Positiue of intollerable cold the Worme that neuer dyeth palpable darkenesse the horrid aspect of the Deuils and infinite moe the least of all which is most horrible Pectori generoso non tam molestuÌ„ est rerum angugustia premi quam
heauen for such as are righteous only in conceit But this may seeme strang if it be seriously considered Rom. 9.14 Is there vnrighteousnesse with God Shal not the Iudge of all the world doe right Gen. 1â— 25 If God shal more respect a notorious sinner that is conuerted then another who hath not been so deepely drenched in sin how can wee cleare his Iustice Magna relinquere amare minora Dei potestatis est Chrysolo serm 168. To this I might answere with Chrysologus To leaue the greatest and to loue the meanest is in Gods power and at his pleasure Hee will euer bee a free dispenser of his fauours Rom. 9.15 and will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy But a distinction will satisfie this doubt without recourse to the Sanctuary of Gods secret and absolute will This ioy may be said to be respectiue or accidental Respectiue in regard of circumstance thus there is more ioy for such a notorious sinner because that such a one being effectually called coÌ„monly becomes the most serious penitent and the soundest conuert Such a one wil be more humble more deuout more diligent then other in the seruice of God Such do exceedingly hunger thirst after righteousnes Mat. 5. By them the Kingdome of heauen suffers violence and the violent take it by force as Christ speakes Mat. 11.12 It is with such conuerts as with yron and other cold and solid metals which being thorowly heated are hotter then other substances remaine so longer The Scriptures yeeld vs two notable instaÌ„ces in this kind Mary Magdalen was a notorious sinner Chrysost de Poenitent hom 5. etiam omni delicto conuoluta as Chrysost saith and being conuerted who like her in her repentance that not only bedewed her cheekes with her teares but shed them so aboundantly Luke 7.38 that she washed our Sauiours feet with them Who more constant in following Christ for shee neuer left him till hee left the world and was translated to heauen And her encomium giuen her by our Sauiour is this Many sinnes were forgiuen her Luk. 7.47 therfore she loued much And S. Paul who had beene a famous persecutor when hee was called in the way to Damascus did he not hold a proportionable correspondence in his conuersion conuersation None more displeased with himselfe for his sins then he none more humble more deuout more diligent in the seruice of God then he As before he was a chiefe sinner so hee now became a chiefe Labourer in the Lords Vineyard So that in this respect 1. Tim. 1.15 1. Cor. 15.10 the holy Angels and the blessed Trinity may reioyce for the conuersion of such a notorious sinner more then for ninety and nine who hauing not sinned so hainously haue not repented so seriously nor reformed themselues so effectually Againe this ioy may be called accidentall not that there is any thing accidentall in God but as Cyprian his tract de duplici martyrio speaking of this subiect saith Scriptura secunduÌ„ humanos affectus loquitur The Scriptures speake to vs after the fashion and affections of men Now with men such is the accidentall aduentitious ioy as here is meÌ„tioned this with other the like actions affections are for our capacity ascribed to Almighty God Though a man haue many Children and loue them all well yet if one haue beene dangerously sicke and bee recouered or been taken captiue and is deliuered he reioyces more for the present in that one then in all the rest And so doth our heauenly Father reioyce when one of his children is deliuered from the sicknesse of sin and the captiuity of Satan as appeares by the parable of the fathers feasting at the returne of his prodigall Son of whoÌ„ Tertul. saith Tertul. de poenitent cap. 8. Chariorem senserat quem amiserat He esteemed this regained son which was lost most deare vnto him The more dangerous the fight Quantò maius periculum in bello tanto maius gaudiuÌ„ in triumpho Aug. confes 83. the more ioyfull the triumph Losse and want gaine more desire and delight then fruition can The lost sheepe is diligently looked after when the restare scarce looked on How acceptable is a calme after a storme how comfortable the bright Sunne-shine after a darke gloomy day Nazian de Cypr. Orat. how delectable the pleasant spring after the sad winter Transisse à morte ad vitam vitae gratiam duplicat Bern. in Cant. serm 68. To be restored from death to life makes life much more acceptable And what is the restoring of a sinner to the state of grace by repentance but life from the dead Rom. 11.15 as the Apostle speakes And this was the ground of the fathers Ioy in the last verse of this Chapter This thy brother was dead and is aliue againe Thus there is a ioy for a man remaining in the state of grace like the still continued current of a riuer and there is a ioy for a sinner restored to the state of grace by repentance which is like the interrupted streame of the same riuer which hauing got passage runs strongly violently But in a word to speake punctually these speeches import thus much that repentance is Deo gratissimum Cypr. quo supra as Cyprian saith that which is most acceptable to Almighty God Hitherto I haue opened my text Now I will drawe to an end with some words of Application And is there such ioy in heauen for the repentance of a sinner why then should any penitent sinner despaire Shall a man continue mourning wheÌ„ heauen reioyces for him shall he be deiected on earth whilst the Angels do carroll it in heauen This is dangerous to man and odious to God It is dangerous to man Non tam graue pugnantem vulnerari Chrysost ad pop Anâ—â—o hom 80. c. saith Chrysost It is not so dangerous to be wounded as desperately to refuse to be cured It is hateful to God as that which cals into questioÌ„ his glorious attributes of Power Truth Mercy His Mercy which is ouer all his works His Truth Psal 145. who hath protested solemnely As I liue Ezech. 33. I delight not in the death of a sinner His Power who is able to do exceeding abundaÌ„tly Ephes 3. aboue al that we can aske or thinke The cause of despaire is sin especially some notorious sin which wounds the soule more dangerously but oppose to this the infinite mercy of Almighty God Say not to me saith Chrysost My sin is great and how can I be saued Quod tu non potes Chrysost ad pop hom 80. tuus potest Dominus That which thou canst not doe thy mercifull God can Gods mercies are exceeding great and must not be measured with our shallow scantling Yea they are infinite 2. Sam. 24.14 Mensuram non habent Chrysost de poenit hom 3. So that if thou bee truely
there to inherite euerlasting felicitie so hee which like a bad tree doth not bring forth good fruit should be cut downe from off the face of the earth and cast into perpetuall misery And the sacred Scripture doth plainly informe vs that Ex inferno nulla redemptio from Hell there is no redemption As none can go from Heauen to Hell Luke 16.26 so none can goe from Hell to Heauen No their heauinesse is continuall their plague desperate and cannot bee cured The breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone Esay 30.33 doth kindle the fire of Hell and being once kindled it neuer either of it selfe goeth out or can be put out Math. 35.41 Esay 66. Exod. 3.2 for it is fire euerlasting and vnquenchable and whosoeuer is cast into it like Moses bush shal be burned but neuer consumed he shall there continue eternally both body soule in vnspeakable misery The extremitie of his paine shall not produce in him the least stupefaction for he shall be eternally and totally perfectly sensible of this fire His paine shall not admit of the least intermission or remission there shal not be the least moment of time but in which he shall feelingly confesse I am most extreamely and fearefully tormented in this flame He shall not obtaine so much as a drop of cold water in the eternity of his extremity to coole the tip of his tongue It is no smal content vnto one that is afflicted with a violent burning Feuer that he can turne and tumble himselfe too and fro in his bed in a vaine hope of ease But Hee that is cast into this fire shall be no more able to moue himselfe Ji qui fuerunt hic dissoluti Dâ—i mandâ—torum vinculâ— dâ—râ—mpentes tunc legatu manibus pedâ—bus mittentur in panam aeternam Guil. Paris Math. 22. Est aliquod solamen in miseâ—is sectos habuisse doloris Iob 16.12 then a Tree that is hewen downe and cast into the fire For seeing that through his dissolute course of life hee often broke the Chaine of Gods Commandements he shall therfore by Gods commandement be fast tyed hand and foot with such chaines as hee shall not be able to breake thus bound he shall be cast into Hell And whereas in Miserie it is accounted some Comfort to haue Companie Hee that is cast into this Fire shall indeed haue Companie but such as like Iobs friends will proue vnto him but miserable comforters their company shall be so little for his consolation as that it shal much conduce for the augmenting his affliction For not to speake of the horrid aspect of his Tormentors and the fearfull howlings of the Tormented hee shall then see those in hell with him of whose damnation himselfe was the procuring cause and this shall adde infinitely to his paines for as Hee who by his godly counsell and religious conuersation hath bin an instrument to conuert others vnto God shall shine as the starres in the firmament Dâ—n 12.13 haue a peculiar reward of glory aboue others so Hee who by his wicked and lewd conuersation hath occasioned the fal of others shal for it besides his more generall paines haue some more speciall torment inflicted vpon him so that the very sight of such for whose sake he sustaineth his peculiar torments shall bring no small affliction to his Soule And hence it was as Diuines haue obserued that Diues being in Hell fire requested Abraham to dispatch Lazarus to his Fathers house Luke 16.27 28. to premonish his Brethren that they might not come into that place of Torment not for any good hee intended toward his Brethren for Hell is as farre from Charitie as Heauen from Enuy but out of feare lest his paines should bee augmented through their presence hee hauing corrupted them by his bad example In a word Simon Pauli Suerinensis Sicut nihil in Coelo desideratur quod non inuenitur ita nihil in inferno inuenitur quod desideratur as in Heauen there is nothing desired which is not found so in Hell there is nothing found which is desired Dabitur miseris vita mortalis morientur semper erunt Cassiodorus Reuel 9.6 He that is cast into Hell fire shall seeke Death but shall not finde it hee shall desire to dye but Death shall flee from him Hee shall desire ease but bee so farre from the least hope of obtaining it that whether the present paine hee sustaineth in such extremitie by vertue of this fire or the present thought of the perpetuitie thereof be his greatest affliction it is hard to determine I am not ignorant that this penaltie is Paradoxicall to naturall Reason for first it being a Position in Phylosophie That the Agent is more Noble then the Patient how can this Fire which is generally held Corporeall afflict the Soule which is Spirituall Againe Esay 33.14 this Fire being of a deuouring nature how can it burne the Body and not at length consume and reduce it to nothing the body being naturally as combustible as Chaffe Heere indeed is Saint Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Simonides in another case so must I confesse in this Quò diutiùs mecum cogito eò minùs inuenio The more I seeke into it the more I am to seeke in it It is a great Mysterie a Gordian Knot which naturall Reason cannot vntye What Saint Augustine for the former Quaere Lib. 21. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 10. Fit miris sed veris modis may also satisfie for the latter That this Corporeall Fire doeth afflict the Soule which is Spirituall that it continually burneth the Body but neuer consumeth it is not more strange then true Non nulla animalia in ignibus vâ—uere in â—stâ—one sine coÌ„bustione per miâ—â—culum omnâ—potentissimi Creatoris ib. c. 9. The same Father for the setling of our Faith in this poynt instanceth in diuers Creatures and more particularly the Salamander that doth miraculously liue in the fire without being consumed Mans weakenesse is vnable to determine the power of God it exceeding all that wee can possibly apprehend These therefore being ineffable Mysteries are not to be measured by the scantling of naturall Reason Our best course is to beleeue it here lest for our vnbeliefe wee be made to feele it hereafter But it may bee replyed That to punish Man eternally who sinned but temporally may argue God of Injustice and Crueltie Saint Gregory doth excellently well demonstrate the Equitie of this Penaltie * Iniqui cum sine deniquerut quia cum fine vixerunt nam voluissent vtique si potuirsent sine sine viuere vt pâ—ssent sine sine pâ—eâ—are Ostendunt enim quod in peccato semper viuere cupâ—unt qui nunquaÌ„ desinunt peccare dum viuunt Greg. â— Dialog The wicked saith hee sinne but for a time because they liue but for a time By their good willes they would neuer dye that they might euer sinne For they shewe
is our life but a blast Spiramus expiramus we breath and instantly our breath is gone So it is that no man liuing can assure vnto himselfe the least moment of time beyond that which he doth at the very instant inioy Indeed the Deuill to lead vs on in our sinnes would perswade vs that Nature hath sealed vnto vs a long Lease of our liues and that we need not as yet trouble our heads with repentance there will be time enough for that hereafter But the truth is we hold this fading breath but as Gods Tenants at will Hee may and will if it please him without the least warning take it away from vs. But suppose we may liue long and repent time enough hereafter for that poenitentia vera nunquam sera Poenitentia sera raro vera True repentance is neuer too late yet are we sure we can repent when wee please No True repentance is the gift of God and it is iust with him to deny it that man at his death which hath so carelessely neglected it throughout the whole course of his life So that in a word in mora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is but a folly yea extreame madnesse to dally and delay the time of our conuersion considering the imminent wrath of God and our own frailty Sure I am As the tree falleth so it lyeth as Death leaueth vs so Iudgement findeth vs. Let vs therfore euen Now whilst it is called to day begin to worke out our saluation with feare trembling When the night of Death commeth no man can worke Let vs Now whilest the acceptable little time of saluation lasteth vnfainedly repent and call vpon God for mercy Let it suffice that we haue spent the time past vpon the lusts of our own hearts in brining forth the corrupt fruit of the flesh in drunkennesse in swearing in profanenesse in pride in vncleannesse and the like Let vs Now begin to awake out of sin and to walke in newnesse of life lest the Lord do suddenly before we so much as dreame of it hew vs downe and cast vs into the fire Secondly 2. Plentifully we must bring forth good fruit abundanter plentifully It is the Encomium Christ giueth his Spouse the Church Cant. 4.14 that shee is an Orchard full of sweet fruits And Saint Paul affirmeth of the Romans Rom. 1 â— Rom. 15.14 that their faith was published throughout the whole world Rom. 15. I am perswaded saith he that ye are full of goodnes filled with all knowledge and of the Thessalonians he affirmeth that their faith did grow exceedingly 1 Thess 1.3 and their loue did generally abound My beloued thâ—se the like testimonies of the Saints are recorded for our imitation The plain truth is God caÌ„not away with starueling trees such Professors as are Non-proficients If therfore we mean to auoid the stroke of his axe to be freed froÌ„ the tormeÌ„ts of hel fire thretned in my text we must like good trees thriue in our spiritual estate we must encrease and grow in grace and goodnes we must abound in euery good worke that may make vs perfit meÌ„ in Christ Iesus we must bring forth good fruit pleÌ„tifully And good reason hath God to require it at our hands VVâ—y God expecteth at our hands bringing forth of good fruit plentifully considering the extraordinary cost care he hath bestowed vpon vs to this end and purpose For first as hath bin said before he hath bin pleased to sowe the pure seed of his Word in no place so plentifully as in this land in no place of this land so plentifully as in this Citie 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 omnipotens faecundis imbrious 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 alâ—eit vites sucâ—os codidâ— vuâ— funderet vâ— natâ— tesla paterna merum Tiâ— lib. 1. leg 1. 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 Luke 12.48 of him 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 Quo clarior lux verbi gratiae offâ— get 〈◊〉 graâ—â—iores paenas mundi ingratitudâ—nem sibi accelerate Chemnit tantò amplior posteà peccantibus poena saith Saint Chrysostome God will at â—he 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 2 Pet. 1.5 c. and as Saint Peter speaketh 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 vn o God let vs bring forth good fruit Abundanter Plentifully 3 Perseuerantly Thirdly and lastly lest all our labour 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 Mounâ—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 2 Pet. 2.20 and intangle thy selfe againe 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 Ezek. 18. If the righteous turne away 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 2 Pet. 2. as the Apostle 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 Luke 12.19 as the Rich man in the Gospell did vpon the store he 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 Luke 9.62 putting his hand to the Plough and looking backe is fit for the Kingdome of Heauen Bernardus Sola perseuerantia singularis summi regis est filia saith a Father ea enim sola est haeres regni Coelorum Perseuerance is the only Daughter of the King of Heauen for she only is Hâ—ire to the Kingdome of Heauen â—herefore saith our Sauiour to his Disciples Matth. 24.13 Qui perseuerauerit hâ— that continueth to the end shall bee saued Reuel 2.10 and to the Church of Smyrna Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of Life And vpon these termes doth Saint Paul assure himselfe and euery faithfull Christian a Crowne of righteousnesse I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 7.8 and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Hence forth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but vnto all them also that loue that his appearing The absolute necessity of this Perseuerance for all such as expect the Happinesse of a better life hath so deepely sunke into the thoughts of Gods Children in all ages that they haue constantly resolued to suffer the bitterest torments the pregnant malice of the Diuell and his Factors could inflict vpon them rather then to loose the blessed hope of their Heauenly inheritance If therefore wee respect our Future Haâ—pinesse let vs not bee like thâ— plant Ephemeâ—on which doth spring and flourish and fade in a day but as the Oliue tree flourishâ—th and fru ifieth all the yeare long so let vs continue in bringing forth good fruit perseuerantly To be short the way to Heauen though it be Narrow yet it is Long and our life at the Longest but Short Let vs therefore that we may the better compasse so great a Iourney get vp betimes out of our beds of Sinne euen in the morning of our age at the first houre of the day and quickly make our selues ready that so we may set forth betimes towards the Celestiall Canaan And when we haue once set our feete in the way of righteousnesse the dâ—rect and only Rode to that Holy Citie If at the end of our liues when we can trauaile no longer wee would rest in Abrahams bosome let vs labour to imitate him in his iourneying vnto the terrestriall Canaan that is Gen. 12 9. let vs eundo pergere still bee going forward from grace to grace whatsoeuer Remoraes doe encounter vs in the way whatsoeuer afflictions doe befall vs hauing our eies fixt vpon those heauenly ioyes whereof the troubles and afflictions of this life are not worthy The older we grow in yeares the more let vs grow in goodnesse Let our Workes our Loue our Seruice our Faith Reuel 2.19 our Patience be like the Thyatirians more at the last then at the first Thus like good Trees bringing forth good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly wee shall at length bee brought by him who is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending Reuel 1.8 vnto the beginning of that vnspeakable Happinesse which shall haue no ending But happily you will reply in the words of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for these things Is not our Father an Amorite and our Mother a Hittite The best of men by Nature is no better then a Briar Micha 7.4 Math. 7. a Thorne a Thistle And doe men gather Grapes of Thornes and Figges of Thistles Ex Spinis non nascitur Rosa Such as is the Tree such is the Fruite T is true And therefore to bring forth Good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly we must be ingrafted into the true Vine and abide in it I am that Vine saith Christ Iohn 15.5 and yee are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth good fruit For without me ye can doe nothing verse 6. If a man abide not in mee hee is cast forth as a branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned But how are we ingrafted into Christ by Faith How doe wee abide in Him By Loue. How doth He abide in vs by his Holy Spirit through whose gracious opperation we are inabled to bring forth the good fruits of the Spirit Now for asmuch as no Arme of Flesh can command this Faith this Loue this Holy Spirit Therefore O LORD GOD wee doe here in all humilitie addresse our selues vnto thy diuine Maiestie entirely desiring thee in mercy to looke downe from Heauen vpon vs miserable wretches heere on earth Wee acknowledge O Lord and thou knowest that of our selues wee haue no power to order our wayes aright vnto thee for wee are a crooked generation a people by nature the children of wrath so that if thou shouldest leaue vs to our selues we must looke for no lesse then like fruitlesse Trees to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire But good God remember that thou art our Creatour and we thy Creatures that thou art our Father and wee thy children Oh neglect not the work of thine Hand neither suffer vs thy children to perish but looke vpon vs in the sweet compassions of a tender hearted Father for the blood of Christ pardon all our sinnes past throw behinde thy backe those cursed fruits we haue hitherto continually brought foorth to the dishonour of thy Great and Glorious Name that they may neuer be layd vnto our charge and enable vs for the time to come to doe what thou requirest and then require what thou wilt and we will doe it O Lord stretch foorth thine hand and engraft vs by a true and liuely Faith into the Body of thy Sonne Iesus Christ Dwell in vs O heauenly Father and blessed Sonne by thy holy Spirit that by the gracious and powerfull operation thereof like good trees we may bring forth good fruit that we may euery day more and more abound and increase in grace and goodnesse till wee come to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus Graciously heare vs most mercifull Father and graunt vs whatsoeuer thou knowest to bee good for vs and that for thy Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake To whome with thee and the blessed Spirit bee ascribed of vs and of all thy Saints all praise power and Glory for euer Amen FINIS