forth fructum suum their fruit when they slew Hamor Sechem that had abused their sister as a whore r Gen. 34.26 For vengeance is Gods Å¿ Deut. 32.35 this power to execute vengeance he hath delegated to the Gods of the earth tying priuate mens hands therefrom Corah Duthan and Abiram with their company brought not forth their fruit when being not of the seed of Aaron they would come neere to offer incense before the Lord t Num. 16.40 Vzzah not his fruit when he put his hand to the Arke of God and held it u 2. Sam. 6.6 which was the Leuites charge and neere to which no stranger might come x Num. 18.4 Vzziah the King not his fruit when he went into the Temple to burne incense vpon the Altar of incense which pertained to the Priests that were consecrated to offer incense y 2. Chr. 26.17 18. The base bramble not his fruit when he would be annointed King ouer the trees z Iudges 9.15 For he by whom Kings doe reigne a Frou 8.15 neuer set such trees on the Throne Seruants not their fruite when they ride on horse-backe and cause Princes to walke as seruants on the ground b Eccles 10.6 The vagabond Iewes not their fruite when they tooke in hand to adiure the euill spirits by Iesus whom Paul Preached c Actes 9.13 for that Iesus who onely could command the vncleane spirits had neuer said vnto them cast out deuils d Math. 10.8 Priute spirits not their fruite when they would reforme Temples throw out Idoles and put downe either reall or supposed abhominations For their fruite is to keepe themselues from Idoles e 1. Ioh. 5.21 not to lay hands on Idoles to beware of bowing to Baal f 1. King 19.18 not to meddle with breaking of Baal in peeces to refuse to fall downe before a Nebuchadnezzars Images g Dan. 3.6 but not to throw it downe Our reformed Sisters not their fruite when they climbe into Moses Chaire and will bee Doctors of the Law For Saint Paul hath long since inhibited suspended such excesse of zeale I permit not a woman to teach nor to vsurpe authority ouer the man but to be in silence h 1. Tim. 2.12 But to leaue this enumeration of particulars In quibus non tam copia quam modus quaerendus est wherein I must not so much seeke for store as keep measure From this euidence here brought in against these Trees that they want good fruit ariseth another case in Diuinity whereby wee may bee resolued that it is not enough to bee harmelesse in forbearing of euill but wee must also be fruitfull in doing of good And that our righteousnesse must not onely bee priuatiue in ceasing to do euill i Esay 1.16 but also positiue in learning to do well Abhorre that which is euill cleaue to that which is good k Rom. 12.9 The curse cleaueth vnto the Fig-tree not because it had Figges such as Ieremy saw very naughty which could not bee eaten they were so euill l Ier. 24.2 but for want of good Figges m Mar. 21.19 And Iobs letters of commendation that hee carryeth as it were from God to men runne in this tenour that hee was not onely harmelesse in eschewing euill but also vpright in working of good n Iob. 1.1 And all the Sheepe in Christs Fold must not onely bee innocent in doing none euill but also fruitfull in bringing forth thousands and ten thousands in the Courts of his Gares They that haue learned Christ are taught by his sauing grace not onely to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts but also to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world o Titus 2.11 Not onely to cast away the workes of darknesse but also to put on them the armour of light p Rom. 13.12 Yea euen that Pharisie whose praise was of men not of God whose outside onely had a faire shew his inside being full of filthines and whose iustifying himselfe before men made him abhominable in the sight of God q Luk. 16.15 soundeth the Trumpet of his owne praise not onely for omission of euill God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterrers but also for the operation of good I fast twise in the weeke I giue tithes of all that I possesse r Luk. 18.11.12 whose righteousnesse if wee exceed not in righteousnesse wee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Å¿ Math. 5.20 Let the oppressour then not onely not with-hold the pledge nor spoyle by violence but also giue his bread to the hungry and couer the naked with a garment t Ezek. 18.16 yea with Zacheus restore foure-fold to him that hee hath wronged either by feigned cauillation or by horrible extortion u Luke 19.8 and of the rest giue Almes yea sanctifie an halfe In pios vsus to good vses that the whole may bee cleane vnto him x Luke 11.41 Let the swearer not onely vtter no blasphemy but also blesse God with that tongue wherewith he hath blasphemed him The adulterer not onely abstaine from fornication but also possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour y 1. Thess 4.3.4 The Vsurer not onely loose the bands of wickednesse and take off the heauy burthens z Esay 58.6.7 but also breake his bread to the hungry bring the poore that are cast out to his house and couer the naked when he seeth him The lyer not onely cast off lying but also speake the truth vnto his neighbour a Epes 4.25 The Thiefe not onely not steale any more but also labour working with his hands the thing that is good that hee may haue to giue to him that needeth b Ephes 4.28 And in a word let the wicked not onely forsake his wicked waies c Esay 55.7 but also turne into the waies of righteousnesse Otherwise if like to that conceit which Atheists haue of God we will neither do good nor euill d Zeph. 1.12 our doome shall not bee so easie as to be throwne into that feyned Limbus either of the Fathers that dyed before Christ or of infants that die vnbaptized where we shall neither enioy good nor euill e Bel. lib. 2. de purgator cap. 6. But as in the omitting of good it is impossible not to commit euill so for our both omission of good and commission of euill wee shall be shut out of heauen where is all good and throwne into hell where is all euill Againe if these Trees that bring not forth good fruite bee heere threatned with the fire what shall become of those Trees whose fruite like the Vines of Sodom and Gomorrah is as bitter as gall f Deut. 32.32 yea vpon euery branch of which there groweth nothing but rotten stinking and vnsauory fruite and whereof all the members are seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquity to commit iniquity g
open the Parables themselues also c August in Psal 77. if wee consult with the heauenly Oracles the light of them will dispell the darkenesse that hangeth on the face of this Text Nihil enim fere c. saith Saint Austin d August de doctr Christ l. 2. cap. 7. For the most part there is nothing fetched out of those obscurities which are in the Scriptures which we may not finde more plainly spoken in another place Let vs know then that the Lord who speaketh of himselfe according to the Hebrew prouerbe With the tongues of the sonnes of men and of whom according to that golden rule of Athanasius those things which in Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are spoken according to humane affection are to be vnderstood as becommeth the nature of God is pleased to take vpon him the name and profession of an Husbandman whose husbandry his Saints are e 1. Cor. 3.9 Of a Maister Of a Vineyard f Esay 5.1 whose Vineyard is the house of Israel the men of Iudah his Plants g Ibid. v. 7. being a Vine noble for generosity h Ierem. 2.21 excellent for glory i Ezek. 17.8 and pleasant for delectation k Esay 5.7 And of a Gardener whose Spouse is a Garden inclosed the Plants whereof are an Orchard of Pomegranats with pleasant Fruite l Cant. 4.12 Now as in the floare of the Church there is mingled together chaffe to be seuered with the fanne and throwne into the fire and wheate to bee gathered into the Garner m Math. 3.12 In the field of the Kingdome of Heauen are tares to bee pulled out and burnt vp and wheate to bee carryed into the Barne in their due season n Math. 13 30. In the Net of the Kingdome of Heauen are gathered all kinds of things bad to bee cast away and good to bee put into vessels o Math. 13.44.48 So in this Vineyard of the Lords of Hosts in this garden of our Wel-beloued there are found both trees planted by the riuers of the water of the Sanctuary whose leaues shall not fade neither shall their fruite faile p Ezek. 47.12 and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trees of Autumne decaying whose fruite withereth yea without fruite twise dead q Iude 12. as the speech of the Holy Ghost riseth by degrees in that place These these Trees doth this Messenger before the face of the Lord being like to purging fire r Mal. 3.2 De coelo tangere strike at from heauen and not either Totum genus humanum all man-kind as some Interpreters would haue it ſ Hugo Cardin. Beda Iansen for they are the Trees of the Forrests t Esay 44.14 not of the Garden of the Lord or onely Genus Israeliticum the people of Israel as some restraine this commination u Chrys Hilar. Theophilact Muscul Piscat Maldon For though this Parabolicall speech be specially intended against euill Professours of his time by Iohn the Baptist heere as it is vsed also by our Sauiour against euill Prophets of the succeeding times x Math. 7.19 yet Communi ratione in a generall consideration all Pseudo-Christians that like the Angel of the Church in Sardis haue a name that they liue but are dead y Reu. 3.1 are vnderstood including herein who bearing not fruite in Christ must be taken away z Iohn 15.2 and being barren must be cut vp that they may not cumber the ground of Gods Sanctuary a Luke 13.7 Of which Trees not to the boughes or body but to the roote is laid already not to be laid hereafter not a knife to prune for such dressing is requisite for the good branches that bring forth fruit b Iohn 15.2 but an axe to cut downe Which whether wee enterprete with Saint Ierome c Hieron in locum of the Ministery of that most piercing d Heb. 4.12 word which is like as a fire and like an hammer breaking the Rockes e Ier. 23.29 and which by denouncing vengeance against all disobedience doth plucke vp roote out destroy and throw downe f Ier. 1.10 for so God heweth by his Prophets and slayeth by the words of his Mouth g Hos 6.5 Or with Chrisostome h Chris in locum to bee the Acutissima ira consummationis Gods most sharpe anger that will make an end of all With Maldonate the Diuinum Iudicium i Maldonat in locum diuine iudgement It commeth all to one there being but little difference betweene Gods voyce threatning and his hand taking vengeance on them Chrisostome summeth vp the whole hitherto very elegantly Nihil terribilius c. k Chris in locum There is nothing more more terrible then this manner of speaking for hee threatneth not them with a flying hooke nor with the destruction of the hedge nor the treading downe of the Vineyard but with a cutting Axe yea and which is more terrible with such an Axe that is at hand and cutteth euen presently Therefore Nihil certius nothing is more certaine it is a conclusion from the breathe of his mouth who is the God that cannot lie l Tit. 1.2 A Tree yea a Tree of the Vineyard of the Garden that no man may build vpon or boast of a plantation without fructification Euery Tree that no man may exempt himselfe from the common condition For hee that goeth about to except himselfe doth but deceiue himselfe That bringeth not forth good fruit that no man may thinke it enough to haue brought forth good fruite m Maldonat in locum nor place the whole duty of a Christian in abstayning from euill Is cut downe not shall be cut downe the time present intimating the presentnesse of the danger and hee threatneth not any slight stroke but cutting downe by all meanes n Musculus in locum And cast into the fire that like Iudas it might go into his owne place o Acts 1.25 This second Elias then walking in the spirit and power of the first Elias doth as it were call for fire from heauen p 2. King 1.10 against these barren vnbearing Trees that haue lost the blessing of their creation in Christ Iesus q Gen. 1.11 Ephes 2.10 to bring forth fruite according to their kinde But that we may take a suruay of the particulars in their rankes let vs marke First the certainty of the vengeance denounced Therefore It is not a matter nakedly affirmed but strongly concluded like the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r Rom. 3.28 We conclude c. Secondly the subiect or person capable of this punishment A Tree of the garden which least the Iudge should shew himselfe partiall is amplified by the generall extent euery such Tree Thirdly the mouing cause hereof For farre be it from the Iudge of the whole world that hee should not do right ſ Gen. 18.25 that he should punish any vndeseruedly because it
Rom. 6.19 whose hearts within them imagine mischiefe h Psal 58.2 whose hands without them execute cruelty vpon the earth and whose right hands are full of bribes i Psal 26.10 whose feete run to euill and make hast to shed bloud k Pro. 1.10 whose cares are vncircumscised l Act. 7.51 whose eyes are full of all adultery and cannot cease to sin m 2. Pet. 2.14 Whose throates are open sepulchres whose tongues are vsed to deceit vnder whose lips is the poyson of Aspes whose mouthes are full of cursing and bitternesse n Rom. 3.13.14 Yea out of whose nosthriles so full hath Sathan filled euery member with iniquity commeth out smoake as out of a boyling pot or caldron like to that Leuiathan p Iob 41.11 and all whose daies are consumed not onely like smoake q Psal 102.3 but euen in smoake and fumes And if the rich Glutton lie in the torments of hell whose pride of apparell was but in purple and fine linnen r Luk. 16.19 what riuers of burning brimstone shall bee kindled against them who with Lucullus haue ducent as vestes purpureas f Plutarch in vita Luculli two hundred purple garments and with Nero haue new euery day and throw away the old t Sueton. in vita Neronis and with the Princes children are cloathed in strange apparrell u Zeph. 1.8 being so variable in their fashions that as it is growne to a by-word of Poland by reason of the toleration of men of euery sect and religion there that if any one haue lost his religion he may find it there or no where so it may of them that if any nation haue lost their fashion they may find it amongst them or not at all x Sir Edwin Sands his Relations of Religions If he who fared only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith the originall neatly and delicatly euery day what they who rise vp early to follow gluttony and drunkennesse and continue till night till they be inflamed y Esay 5.11 yea till all their Tables be full of filthy vomitting z Esay 28.8 If hee who clothed his backe and filled his belly with his owne what they whose backes are clothed with the spoyles of others and their bellies filled with the bread of deceit and rapine If he who would not vouchsafe his crummes to hungry Lazarus what they who eate vp the poore as bread a Psal 14.4 Hinc magnopere colligendum c. saith Gregory on these words we may hence sufficiently gather with what punishment he shall be punished which taketh away another mans goods if he be cast into the damnation of hell which giueth not his owne And si in ignem mittitur as S. Austen speaketh in the case of the damned b Aug. de verbis Domini serm 20 c. If he must be cast into the fire that hath preyed vpon another mans If hee burne not giuen his owne goods whither shall hee bee sent that hath preyed vpon another mans If hee burne with the Diuell that hath not clothed the naked where thinkest thou shall hee burne that hath spoyled him And if they must goe captiue with the first that are not sorry for the affliction of Ioseph c Amos 6.6.7 shall not they be bound hand and foot and cast into vtter darknesse d Mat. 22.13 that haue caused the affliction of Ioseph If folly bee layd to his charge that went but about to lay vp the fruits of his owne grounds e Luk. 12.20 shall not bitter things bee written against them that enter into the fields of the Fatherlesse and deuoure the houses of Widowes Si stultus est qui recondit sua f Aug. de verbis Domini serm 19 vos inuenite nomen eius qui rapit aliena If he be a foole which hoordeth vp his owne finde yee out a name for him that taketh away another mans An application of the Text to the present solemnity of the fift day of August BVt all this while I may say vnto my selfe as the Lepers that met with the spoyles of the the Host of the Syrians one to another g 2. King 7.9 I do not well This is a day of good tidings and shal I hold my peace This is a day which the Lord hath made as truly may it be said of our present Soueraignes preseruation as of Dauids either coronation or exaltation shal we not reioyce and be glad therein h Psal 118.24 Shall I not intreat in my speech of the King and of his great deliuerance Let the leprosie of these cleaue as inseparably vnto me as euer the leprosie of Naaman did cleaue vnto Gehezi i 2. King 5.27 if it bee not as ioyfull a thing vnto me to speake of the honour of this day as it was to those foure Lepers to publish in Samaria the the happy tidings of the Syrians flight Oh that my tongue were as the pen of a ready writer k Psal 45.1 that my voyce were lifted vp as a trumpet l Isai 58.1 to found out vnto you the great works of our God and the mercies that he hath shewed vnto his annointed And that the words of my mouth may be as words spoken in due season the matter that I will vtter shall be built vpon the foundation of this present Text. For I may be bold to say vnto you that euen this day hath this Scripture beene fulfilled in our eares which haue heard of and in our eyes which haue seene certaine trees that budded forth for that they brought it not to maturitie it was the Lords doing corrupt rotten abhominable fruit quis potest verbis aequare dolorem cut downe with the Axe of diuine indignation and throwne into the fire euen into the fire of hell What these trees were what their fruit how hewne downe audite obstupescite behold and in beholding wonder with great maruell These Trees then which as time the mother of truth hath manifested had many spreading branches m Restalrigge with his seruant Boux and Sprotte their accessary with other aid mentioned in Restalrigges letter to the Farle of Gowry See Sprottes arraignment were not the Thistles of Lebanon exalting themselues against the Cedar n 2. King 14 9. nor yet the Brambles of the wood desiring to be annointed Kings o Iudges 9.15 although Thistles and Brambles for their pricking and piercing for then it had beene easie to haue troden downe such Thistles a fire would quickly haue come out of the Cedar and haue consumed such Brambles But they were a couple of the Oakes of Bashan so the Prophet calleth the mighty men of the Land p Esay 2.13 a paire of brethren a Simeon and Leui brethren in euill q Gen. 49.5 Ioah and Abishai sonnes of Zeruiah that thought to haue beene too hard for our Dauid r 2. Sam. 3.39 Neither were they Trees of the
bringeth not forth good fruite Lastly the nature of the punishment standing vpon two feete 1 Such a Tree is to be Hewne downe that it may not cumber the ground and offend other good plants 2 It must be cast into the fire that it may receiue as it hath deserued for the end of such Trees is to be burned t Hebr. 6.8 The certainty of the vengeance heere denounced standeth in the doore of the Text like Abraham in the dore of his Tent. Therefore It is not a bare affirmation which were enough but a demonstratiue conclusion inferred out of his premisses which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superaboundant For if the words of Gods mouth are mighty and operatiue Dixit facta sunt u Psal 33.9 much more are the counsels of his heart infallible indiuertible The counsell of the Lord standeth for euer the thoughts of his heart to all generations x Ibid. vers 11. Therefore as Saint Ierome saith well If we beleeue not God when hee speaketh yet let vs beleeue him when hee sweareth So if we beleeue not God when hee doth nakedly Affirme yet let there be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full assurance of faith in vs when hee doth regularly Conclude and compell vs as it were by force of Argument As then all the promises of God are Yea and amen in Christ Iesus I will not saith hee y 2. Cor. 1.20 falsify my truth I will not alter the thing that is gone out of my lips z Psal 89.33 So all his denunciations of vengeance are stable yea immutable as the Lawes of the Medes and Persians which alter not a Dan. 6.8 Moriendo morieris Thou shalt surely die the death b Gen. 2.17 was Adams doome if hee should fall into sinne the words being doubled because the thing was established as in Pharoahs dreame c Gen. 41.32 Whether vengeance then come in the morning as vpon the Sodomites d Gen. 19.23.24 vpon whom about the rising of the Sunne Gehennam è coelo misit deus e Saluianus l. 1 de gubernat dei God sent an hell out of heauen Or at noone day as to Haman who was caught from his dinner to the gallowes f Ester 7.9 Or at euentide as to Ahab who being wounded in warre dyed in his Chariot about the going downe of the Sunne g 1. King 22 35 Or in the night season as to Chedorlaomer and the Kings that were with him whom Abraham ouertooke and smote by night h Gen. 14.15 Whether it come serius aut citiùs later or sooner yet certis passibus illa venit it commeth surely without failing The Lord that recompenceth will surely recompence i Ier. 51.56 Know certainly that yee shall die by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence k Ier. 42.22 And that vision that Habecuck saw against the capitall sinnes not onely of his times but also of all times Pride Couetousnesse drunkennes and Idolatry must surely come l Habacuk 2.3 Therfore not so much for the secresie as for the certainty thereof is vengeance sealed vp amongst Gods treasures m Deut. 32 34. yea bound with the indissoluble band of an oath The Lord sweareth that hee will haue warre with Amalecke from generation to generation n Exod. 17.16 I haue sworne vnto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Elies house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for euer o 1. Sam. 3.14 Let no man then when hee heareth the words of Gods curses denounced against his euill waies sing a requiem to his owne soule blesse himselfe in his heart saying with the stubborne in heart I shall haue peace though I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine heart p Deut. 29.19 with the wicked I shall neuer be moued q Psalme 10.6 with the sinners Euill shall not come r Amos 9.10 with the grieuous trespassers Euill shall not come vpon vs the Prophets are but winde and the word is not in them f Ier. 5.12.13 with the frozen in their dregges The Lord will do neither good nor euill t Zeph. 1.12 For as the Lord liueth it is his owne attestation if he whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on iudgement hee will render vengeance on his enemies and reward them that hate him hee will make his arrowes drunke with their bloud and his sword shall deuoure their flesh u Deut. 32.40.41.42 But I haue many things to say I passe from the certainty and come to the subiect or persons vpon whom this vengeance must bee inflicted A Tree Now all Trees are not of one sort of one ranke for some are Trees of the Forrest some of the Garden What Trees then must this Axe hew at Not those of the Forrest For what hath hee to doe to iudge them being without x 1. Cor. 5.12 but the Trees of the Garden for them hee iudgeth being within y Ibidem and in the Garden Not those flourishing Palmes that bring forth fruite still z Psal 92.12.13 but those ligna arida dry Trees a Esay 56.3 Such as will bee Citizens of Syon and yet not suffer the Lord that reigneth in Syon b Esay 52.7 to rule ouer them c Luk. 19.14.27 Such as will bee in the Vineyard yet will yeeld no fruite to the Lord of the Vineyard d Mat. 21.34 for such Chaffe will grow with the Wheate e Math. 13. such Tares will spring vp with the good Seed and such vessels of dishonour will thrust themselues into the great house of Gods Militant Church f 2. Tim. 2.20 though being in the Church they are not of the Church g 1. Iohn 2.9 no more then the Elect being in the world are of the world h Ioh. 15.19 Those Pharisees then of the Concision the brethren of the Separation which stand apart will not come neere our Churches as though they were holier and sounder then they i Esay 56.5 and which can finde no rest for the soale of their foote but the Synagogue of Amsterdam are not led with the feruour of zeale but transported with the fury of Schisme whilst they leaue Gods Floare because of some Chaffe breake his net because of some baggage of fish depart out of his house because of some vessels of dishonour and forsake his field because of some cockle Non propter malos boni deserendi k Angust epist 48. sed propter bonos mali tolerandi Good men are not to be forsaken for ill mens sakes but the ill are rather to be tolerated for the goods sake Doth the Oliue Tree presently loose his fatnesse or the Fig-tree his sweetnesse because the pricking bramble groweth neere them Doth the Lillie cease to be a Lillie because it is amongst the Thornes l Cant. 2.2 Hath our Mother lost her beauty yea her face it selfe if there bee a