in his Law hee doth meditate both day and night HITHERTO we haue heard a godlie man described First The description of a godly man affirmatiuely negatiuely shewing what euilles hee doth most carefully shunne and auoyde Now he commeth to his description affirmatiuely shewing what good things he doth most carefully embrace and follow In this description first note the Christian duety and holy practise of a godly and righteous man namely to be much and often in serious and Christian meditation Secondly the obiect of his Studie not his pleasures preferments or profits as most carnall men doe which minde nothing but earthly things but he is conuersant in the holy Scriptures doth furiously study the word of God his meditation is concerning the Law that is the heauenly doctrine which shews the will of God and his worship what man must and ought to beleeue and do to eternall life Thirdly the circumstance of times is carefully to be considered for the godly man doth not now and then by starts and fits like a man in an ague Reade study and meditate the word and doctrine of God but it is his dayly study and continuall exercise not that wee should imagine hee doth nothing else but the meaning is hee setteth some time apart daily to serue God some time to reade some time to heare and some time to meditate yea oftentimes he bestoweth some part of the night when some be at rest and sleepe and bestoweth it on Gods seruice setting his minde on heauen and heauenly things First in that the Spirit of almighty God describeth a godly man not onely by leauing and auoyding lewd company and the counsell of the wicked but also by liuing well and framing himselfe to study the Scriptures and to leade his life thereafafter Hence I gather this doctrine that Doctr. 1. Not to do euill is not svfficients it is damnable not to do good it is not sufficient for the leading of a godly life which may both please God and bring comfort to a mans owne soule to abstaine from euill but he must also doe well not onelie not to doe euill but to doe good it is not enough to prooue a man to be a godly man and a sound Christian that hee carefully shunne and auoyde the lewd counsell and company of wicked men but hee must also be as carefull to meditate in the Law of God day and night And therefore as in this place so vsually in the holy Scriptures they are both ioyned together cease from euill learne to doe well Esay 1.16 Psalme 34 Matt. 3.10 eschew euill and doe good and thou shalt liue for euer The Axe is put to the roote of the Trees euery Tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit Marke Christ sayth not onely euery Tree that is barren and bringeth foorth no fruit good or bad nor euerie one that bringeth foorth euill fruit But that bringeth not foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Mat. 25.41 And at the last day the Lord will say to the wicked Depart yee cursed not for robbing the poore of meat drink or apparrell or casting them out of doores but for want of shewing mercy vnto them A Christian life doeth consist of two partes so set downe by the Apostle Paul Abhorre that is euill there is one halfe And cleaue to that is good Rom. 12.9 there is the other halfe If any want the former or the latter he is but halfe a Christian and so shall at last come short of a rewarde And therefore this is a priuiledge to all the Commandements of God that where any vice is forbidden the contrarie vertue is commanded and where any vertue is commaunded the contrary vice is forbidden The owner of an orchard is not contented that his trees beare no naughty fruit but if they beare not good fruit hee will hew them downe as fewell for the fire It is not enough for Zacheus that hee be no more an extortioner But if hee will become a true conuert indeede hee must make restitution of that hee hath wrongfully gotten Luke 19.8 Iames 2.25 These and the like examples make this Doctrine apparent vnto vs That for the leading of a godly life it is not sufficient that a man doe no euill Not to walke in the counsell of the wicked not stand in the way sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull but hee must doe good His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Lawe hee doth meditate both day and night Vse 1 This serues to reprooue most men in the world as no godly men indeed nor sound Christians for most men doe thinke if they can say I thanke GOD I doe no bodie anie harme nor say them harme I am neither whoore nor thiefe I am neyther blasphemer drunkard c. All is then well they be as good Christians as the best and shall as well be saued as the best Preacher of them all Yea but you see here a godly man must not onely abstaine from euill But meditate in the Lawe of God not onely cease from euill but do good Looke on the places of Scriptures before named Matt. 3.10 Mat. 25.41 Iudg. 5.23 Deborah pronounces a heauy curse against Nerosh not for hurting or hindering the people of GOD but because they did not helpe them against the enemies of GOD and so the axe and curse of GOD shall bee vpon all those that be not as carefull to doe good as to eschew euill S. Paul professeth that hee was a man of an vpright life and one that was vnrebukeable to the world and yet professeth that all this was but as Dung without the righteousnesse of CHRIST Philippians 3.4 It were good if our ciuill honest men as wee call them would consider this they stand vpon this they defie al the world who can say black is their eie they say no body harme nor doe none well grant that they say which is impossible though they could abstaine from all outward euill as swearing lying drunkennesse whooring pride enuy c. So as no man could lay any of these to their charge yet heere is but halfe a Christian but one part of his life for hee must not onely not doe euill but doe good Not onely to bring foorth euill fruit is damnable but not to bring foorth good fruit And in the day of iudgement CHRIST will proceede against men not onely for doing euill but especially for nor doing good Vse 2 Secondly if such as abstaine from grosse euills bee in danger of damnation for want of doing good that is to say because they haue not ledde a godly life bestowed much time in hearing and reading the Scriptures praying and calling on Gods name doing workes of mercie and equitie to men how much more those that abstaine from no euill but breake out into all kindes of wickednesse and prophanenesse Such as make a mocke of Religion and seldome or neuer come to heare the Word
no body harme a very kinde and euill honest man c. Well is this all This will not serue to proue him a good Christian Iohn 15.6 Esay 5. For now is the Axe put to the roote of the tree euery Tree that brings not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire Wee know what became of the fig-tree that had goodly leaues and faire shewes was it not accursed And the tree that the Husbandman digged and pruned and watered was it not in the end hewen downe and reserued for no other vse but fewell for the fire and this will be the end of many of our ciuill honest men so called whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues or others conceiue of them Oh then how fearefull a thing is it to bee trees bringing forth leaues and no fruite as is the condition of all hypocrites For they shall finde at last what it is to bee as a barren Tree in the Lords Vineyard For that shall bee taken away from them which they seeme to haue as proud Iesabell and her painted face shall both of them perish together On the other side the elect of God that bring forth fruite as well as leaues they shall both bee preserued together and grow in grace and knowledge heere in this life and at the last when these daies of sinne shall haue an end they themselues shall bee gathered into the place of rest the Syon of the Lord and their works shall follow them Reu. 14.13 And howsoeuer workes iustifie not a man being the best of them weak and imperfect heere yet by our workes as the euidence of our vertues wee shall bee iudged at the last This shewes that their estate is Vse 2 ten times worse and more fearefull that brings forth nothing but cursed and bittter fruite of sinne and disobedience A Husbandman will not suffer a Tree to grow in his Orchard if it either bring no fruit or else bitter sowre or vnsauory fruite so bad as none can eate them nor there is no vse of them but will hew it downe and cast it into the fire Oh! then Consider this yee that forget God yee that liue in continuall practise of sinne you that bring forth no other fruite but horrible Oathes Blasphemy Drunkenesse Whooredome c. That by the Axe of Gods vengeance yee shall bee hewen downe and to the fire yee must go If Trees as bee barren and bring forth no fruit shall be destroyed and cast into the fire how much more such miserable wretches Math 3.10 25.41 Heb. 6.7 whose whole life is nothing else but a heaping of sinne vnto sinne and all prophanesse against God and man If the rich man were damned that did not giue of his bread to poore Lazarus good Lord what shall become of those that take away and as it were grind the faces of the poore In a word if the not being fruitefull in good workes shall bee punished so sharpely and seuerely what shall then become of those that euen abound in all manner of most abhominable sinne and iniquity Oh! consider this yee that forget God least I teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you Vse 3 Let this admonish euery man to try himselfe to looke vnto his owne soule Thou art a Tree in Gods Orchard the Lord hee husbands thee dost bestow cost on thee to water and dresse thee by his Word and Sacraments Mercies and Iudgements Well Hee comes to seeke fruit of thee it may bee hee hath come three foure seuen or ten yeares together and still thou hast no fruite but remainest still a barren Tree Well the Lord will not alwaies stay and waite for fruite at thy hands Luke the thirteenth chapter and ninth verse But wil say to the Vine-dresser Cut mee this fruitlesse and barren Tree downe why doth it couer the ground and keep it barren as it is in the fifth chapter of Esay The ground that receiueth the raine that comes often vpon it and brings forth fruite meete for him that dresses it receiues a blessing But that that brings forth Thornes and Bryars is sentenced with a curse whose end is to be burned Hebrewes the sixt chapter and the seuenth and eigth verses If yee haue not yet begun beginne now to bring forth fruite I meane the fruites of Faith the fruites of Repentance and the fruites of Obedience of a godly life and conuersation If yee haue begun already oh labour then to do it more bring forth more and more better fruit to abound in good works such trees as these are shall be spared and not destroyed Deuteronomy the twentieth chapter and the ninteenth verse But such trees as bring forth no fruite Hew them downe why cumber they the ground In due season The time described when a godly man doth bring forth fruit THat is in time conuenient when it may most serue for GODS glory and the good of our Neighbour So that here wee haue a further condition of this Tree set out by the circumstance of the time That it bringeth forth fruite in due season And wee know it is a commendable thing in our grounds and so in our trees that they bring vs out their fruite in their season If our Corne should not bee ripe till the Summer were ouer or our Trees beginne to bud in the Spring before Summer come men would looke to reape but small fruite Well as this is commended in our ground and in our Trees so is it no lesse commendable in our selues and a true note of a godly man and a blessing proceeding from his ingrafting into Iesus Christ that hee likewise bring forth fruit in due season In this obserue the godly care Doctr. 6. True note of a godly man to waite all opportunities to do good and the heauenly wisedome of a godly man and one that is the child of God that hee waites and watches his time and then readily takes the occasion to doe good Euery thing hath his time and season Seek the Lord while hee may bee found and call vpon him while hee is neere Esay 55.6.7 Out of which words wee gather that as there is a time when the Lord will bee found of them that seeke him which time is a godly mans Season for now doth hee seeke the LORD so there is a time when the Lord will not bee found and that a blessing cannot be obtained at his hands though a man seek it with teares as Esau did for so saith the Lord Because I haue cryed and called vnto you and yee would not heare Therefore the time shall come that yee shall cry and call vnto mee and I will not answere Prou. 1.24.28 Againe Exhort you one another daily while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 For our Hearing for our Reading Praying Singing and meditating c. There are times for each of these which the godly man doth in no wise omit And of this there is great reason for shall we not be as
bad we proue fewell for the fire A man hauing a tree in his Orchard if it bring forth nothing but leaues he will cut it and prune it and dung it but if after all this cost and labor it remaine still barren hee will then hew it downe as good for nothing but fewell for the fire Hereby wee may see how God will deale with vs Wee bee all Trees here planted in the Lords orchard he doth water vs with the preaching of the Word hee cuts vs and prunes vs. Esay 5. Luk. 8.4.5 Now if after much cost and labour wee shall remaine barren still if the Lord come three or foure yeares and still no fruite will be found Hee will then bethinke him to stub vs vp that wee couer not the ground So by Sowing of corne into the ground to mainetaine mans life our Sauiour leades vs to consider of another thing for as the Sower casts his Seede abroad into sundry sortes of ground and they according to their nature bring forth fruit accordingly Euen so the Minister of the Word scatters and sowes the seede of Gods word into the ground of mens hearts and as they be prepared so they bring forth fruit So by a Weauers shuttle wee see the shortnesse of mans life gone in a moment Dost thou see how the winde driues the chaffe and dust of the earth about giuing it no rest vntill it be cleane dispersed away Oh! consider then how the curse of God shal follow and torment the wicked Verse 4. of this psalm and neuer let their soules be at rest till it consume them Dost thou lie downe into thy bed euery night oh remember that thou must shortly lie downe in thy graue be couered with dust and therefore prepare to die in the Lord. Dost thou see the beautifull grasse and hearbs of the earth cut downe and wither away Esay 60. so thy beauty and riches shall fade and perish When thou seest a stinking carion there behold a picture of thine owne selfe for no carion is so loathsome to man as a rebellious sinner to God Dost thou put on thy cloths to couer thy nakednesse Oh labour for the precious robes of Christs righteousnesse That thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare Reue. 3.18 Dost thou but wash thy hands in water oh labour for the bloud of Iesus Christ to wash away the spots of thy sins Psal 51.15 Dost thou but sit downe to eate and to drinke to nourish thy body without which it could not liue Oh consider that thy soule doth much more stand in need of the bread of Life the food of thy soule Dost thou see sometimes brimstone burning oh consider and quake for feare of the dreadfull iudgement of God vpon Sodome and Gomer that were burned with fire and brimstone and how all sinners shall haue their portion in the Lake of fire and brimstone Gen. 19. Dost thou but take a booke into thy hand and open it leafe by leafe Oh consider that the time will come when the Bookes of thy conscience shall be opened Reu. 20. wherein all thy sinnes are written one by one and thou shalt then receiue according to thy workes And thus wee see that of all the creatures of God there is a double vse to be made of them The one Naturall the other Spirituall one Temporall the other Eternall Hee shall bee like a Tree planted by the Riuers of water THIS part of the similitude doth signifie vnto vs our implanting and ingrafting into IESVS CHRIST his Mysticall Body by the worke of GODS Spirit and by the meanes of a true and liuely Faith This word Planted it is a Metaphoricall speech and borrowed from the practise of Husbandmen who first take vp their plants out of the nurcery or place where they first spring vp and then Plant them in the Orchard or Vineyard So fareth it with man this Heauenly Plant. And the comparison holds good in diuers things First for the circumstance of time when the plants of the earth are thus remoued and that not vsually in Sommer when the heate of the yeare is vp and the sap is gone vp into the plant but in the winter time this is vsually to bee seene for the most part Euen so the time in the which the godly man is planted it is in the winter time that is the time of sorrow and sore affliction not in the Sommer of peace when all things outwardly may seeme to go well with a man he saith peace peace but when God doth giue vnto a man the sight of his sinne and lets him see the reward of sin euen eternall death Oh Rom. 6. when a mans sins doe thus muster themselues before vs and against vs Oh this winter time this time of affliction and sorrow now is the season of the remouing of this heauenly Plant Man Secondly as a Plant is remoued not when it is fruitfull but remoued to that end it may be fruiefull So fareth it with man this Mysticall Tree Wee are not fruitfull by nature before such time as we are planted and ingrafted into Iesus Christ for till then wee bring forth nothing but bitter and vnsauory fruite but wee are planted to that end we may bee fruitfull and being once in Christ we shall then as liuing Plants of that liuely Stock bring forth fruit incontinently In particularly this Planting hath in it two things 1 Plucking vp 2 Setting downe The plucking vp shadowes out vnto vs three things in the conuersion of a sinner First our separation from the world hee cannot be in Christ that hath his rooting still in the earth amongst the men of the world and therefore as wee haue heard before wee must be carefull that wee walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seate of the sconnefull They are as so many noysome shrubs that will be ready to fret the tender Plants of the Lord and to annoy them and therefore wee must bee remoued from amongst them that is must haue no secret society with them Secondly it signifies our deliuerance from the power of originall sinne thus For as a Plant once remoued receiues no more iuice nor nourishment from the old earth from which it is remoued but from that soyle into the which it is planted So fareth it with this heauenly Plant being regenerate and ingrafted into Iesus Christ there will follow such a change of will affection vnderstanding and the like faculties of soule and body that whereas before they were altogether earthly carnall and vaine so now they minde heauenly things being sanctified by the Spirit of Grace and the power of Nature Rom. 6. that is that old sap of sinne being done away Thirdly it signifies a Christian mans sorow for sinne for as no Plant can bee remoued from one place to another but the axe and other instrument of the Husbandman must bee laid vnto it and many a roote must bee
or else publike with others The counsell of the wicked which is priuate in themselues is a rumination Doctr. There is a counsel of the wicked as of the godly or some other preparation in euery wilfull and intended sinne And hence it is that the Schoole-men affirme that consilium actus exitus must concurre in euery wilfull intended sinne And this is very apparant by the example of Iesabel 1. Reg. 21.8 that when she perceiued the King to bee so heauy for that he could not get the vineyard of righteous Naboth shee counselled with her selfe what she might doe to the end she might obtaine it and at last determined to write to the Gouernours of the Citie in Ahabs name to proclame a fast 2. Sam. 12. and to cause Naboth to bee brought forth before the Assembly and stoned to death This is cleere againe by the example of Dauid when hee walking vpon the roofe of his Palace had cast his eyes vpon the beauty of Bathsheba hee did first take this counsell within himself concerning an enquiry what she was secondly sent messengers vnto her to moue her to lie with him and lastly committed the act it selfe This might bee further cleared by the example of Cain Iudas and all to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Besides this priuate there is a councell of the wicked publique with other Mich. 6.16 as in the daies of Omri when cruell and wicked Statutes were made against the Lord and his people 1 Reg. 12.28 So in the daies of Ieroboam how did he take counsell and at last concluded to make two Calues for Diuine worship the one wherof he set at Bethel the other at Dan And in the daies of Nabuchadnezar what a Decree was gone forth by the King the Lords and Nobles Dan. 3.1 touching the worship of the golden image that was set vp in the plaine of Dura in the Prouince of Babylon So in the time of our Sauiour CHRIST Iohn 9.22 vnder the new Testament the Iewes had agreed together that all that confesse CHRIST should bee excommunicate Acts 4.18 and forbad the Disciples from Preaching any more in his Name And also in their Councell was our Sauiour CHRIST condemned to death Mat. 26.66 And the reason is cleere for the further manifestation of the truth of this point Reason for as no man doth gather Grapes of Thornes or Figs of Thistles so what other fruite can bee expected from such an vnsauory roote whose very Mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.13 but that all their whole consultations and actions should be impure vnholy and vncleane Vse Hence then we may obserue that the doctrine of the Church of Rome touching this point is most false That Generall Counsells can not erre But wee haue cleared this before that they may erre and doe erre for what should I speake of the second Nicene Councell which set vp Idolatry and gaue bodies to Angells and the soules of men Councells therefore haue beene mis-led and may erre Now the Prophet proceedes further to shew who is a godlie man and what be his properties and teacheth vs in these words that the first step and entrance to the leading of a godly life is to renounce the counsel and company of lewd wicked and vngodly men whence wee obserue this doctrine Doctr. 2. The occasions ef sin are to bee auoyded That hee that would preserue himselfe from sinne must carefully auoide all the occasions thereof The Wise-man teacheth this Doctrihe That he that walketh with the wise shall be wiser But a companion of fooles shall be worser This doth appeare by the example of Ionathan who by the friendship and familiarity which he had with Dauid changed his life to better Pro. 1.13 whereas Salomon by societie and coniunction with the idolatrous wiues fell into idolatry 1. Reg. 11. and Rehoboam by walking with his yong Councellours and following their aduice became worse and worse If then we would auoyde euill we must beware of all occasions and no occasion more daungerous then euill company euery man therefore must take heede to himselfe and beware how hee ioyneth himselfe with acquaintance with al men indifferently lest by their meanes hee bee corrupted For euery man by nature is like dry wood which is apt to kindle so soone as fire is put to it so giue a man the least occasion and presently hee yeeldeth to sinne Mecum est quicquid mihi nocere potest Bernar med 11 There needes not indeede anie Diuell to tempt vs but let the least occasion that is bee offered vnto vs and straitway man becommeth a tempter vnto himselfe And this is that which the Apostle saith Iam. 1.14 Euerie man is tempted when hee is drawne away and enticed by his owne concupiscence The enemy by which wee are ouercome is in our owne bosome that is mans naturall corruption Genes 36. which is fewell for the kindling of the fire of Sathans temptations This appeares in Euah the Mother of vs all in the first transgression first shee sawe the fruit secondly shee conceiued a liking of it thirdly shee desired it fourthly shee eate of it Dinah the daughter of Iacob wandring abroad laid her selfe open vnto sinne and so fell which might haue been preuented had she auoyded the occasions thereof And Dauid a man after Gods own heart hauing set open the casements of his soule his eyes by the which the Diuell did easily winde himselfe into his heart and beheld Bathsheba washing her selfe 2. Sam. 11. but by by he lusted after her sent for her and lay with her So violent is mans corrupt nature in apprehending euery occasion that may draw him to sinne It is therefore a point of great wisedome to discerne betweene the deceipt of sinne and the fruite of sinne before it bee committed O flattering enemy In the action of committing it is as sweete as poyson after it is committed a biting serpent It comes to a man with a smiling countenance as Ioab to Amasa Art thou in health my friend but with all it strikes to the heart and woundes vnto death This doctrine serueth for the reproofe Vse 1 of those who are so farre from the auoiding of the occasions of sinne as that they do freely and of their owne accord seeke and follow after them they will not tarry with Ioseph till they bee tempted by others but they seeke all occasions and watch all opportunities to tempt others Neuer rauenous beast did more eagerly pursue the prey then some doe hunt after the occasions of sinne which is madnesse with a witnesse as if the flesh were not proue enough of it selfe vnto that which is euill but that paines must bee taken to helpe it forward to sinne Oh then how carefull ought wee to bee to watch ouer our waies and to auoide all the occasions of sinne Countergard thy heart saith Salomon and keepe it with watch and ward Prou.
borne anew Iohn 3.6 Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.21 none but such as do repent and beleeue in Christ Iesus and bee the true and liuely members of his Mysticall Body And to the end that wee bee not deceiued in so weighty a matter but that wee may assuredly know whether Christ dwell in our hearts by his Spirit and we dwell in him by faith so as we be true and liuely members of his mysticall Body let vs try it by these two waies First by the power of Christs death Secondly by his resurrection If thou bee a member of Christ thou shalt finde the power of Christs death daily crucifying the old man and eating out the corruption of thy nature for as wee see in a mans body when there is much dead flesh in a wound they lay corzie medicines to it to eate it out so the death of Iesus Christ applyed to our hearts by faith doth fret and eate out as a corzie the corruption of Nature Rom. 6.1.23 Rom. 6. 7.8 our dead flesh So as Christ by his death maketh all his members die vnto sinne so as they can not liue in the bondage and slauery of sinne Now then proue your selues you hope to bee saued by Christ Iesus But bee not deceiued Christ died for none but such as bee vnited to him his true and liuely members And none are his members but such as find and feele the power of his death to mortifie kill and weaken the power of sinne and naturall corruption Doe you then find sinne to die in you Doe you finde the strength of your corruption to bee abated the heate of it to bee alayed Doe you feele Christes death fretting it out so as you can say I hate sinne I abhorre sinne It is as bitter as Wormewood vnto mee Doe you finde this change in your liues that you leaue your old sinnes labouring to get out of ignorance to leaue swearing lying stealing drinking whooring c. then your case is good it is an euident token that you are ingrafted into Iesus Christ But if on the contrary part you finde that sinne is as strong now as euer it was and that you are the same now that you were seuen yeares agoe now dying to sinne and rising to newnesse of life Oh deceiue not youe owne soules any longer your case as yet is fearefull you bee not the liuely members of Iesus Christ but wilde Oliues dead branches good for nothing but fewell for the fire The secoÌ„d property of this tree Which bringeth forth her fruit in due season This Tree whereunto the godly man is compared is most like to bee the palme tree Maler in Psalm 1. THis is the second property of that Tree whereunto a godly man is compared namely as it is wel planted and seated by the Riuers side where it hath continuall iuice and nourishment and is well watered Euen so likewise it is fruitfull and yeeldeth sweete and pleasant fruit to him that planted it And that In due season Euen so the godly man being ingrafted into Iesus Christ Palma gaudâ—â— rignis totoque animo bibere gaudet Pli. lib. 13.4 Psal 92.12 as by a riuers side and being a liuely member of his Mysticall Body hee bringeth forth much good and pleasant fruite and that in Due season When as it may best stand for the glory of God and the good of man Heere wee see then who are the true and liuely members or Iesus Doctr. 5. Members of Christ are euer fruitfull Christ who is a true godly man and who is planted as this good Tree in Iesus Christ the true Vine Namely such as bee carefull and endeuour themselues continually to bring forth the blessed fruite of a godly and Christian life Euery Tree is knowne by his fruite A Tree is not knowne by his rhinde nor barke nor branches nor yet by his leaues But euery Tree is knowne by his fruite Matthew the twelfth chapter and the foure and thirty verse a good Tree cannot but bring forth good fruite and a bad tree cannot but bring forth bad fruit So euery man is knowne by his fruite Hee that is a godly man and a true and liuely member of Iesus Christ can not but bring forth good fruite euen the fruit of good workes and a godly life so a wicked man cannot but bring forth bad fruit the workes of darkenesse of a wicked and vngodly life We see if a grift or sciene bee set into a good Stock and take aright it will appeare by the yeelding of fruit But if it doe not prosper then it withers and dies and is good for nothing but the fire So if any man seeme to bee a Christian and to be a member of Christ Iesus and yet bring not forth good fruite Surely his estate is fearefull while he is vnfruitfull he must be pulled away as a withered branch and to the fire he must go Mat. 21.19 A true Christian must not be like the tree which Christ Iesus cursed which had leaues and no fruit but he must be like to the Tree planted by the riuers side that will bring forth fruit in due season Yea that which is more They bring forth fruit in their age Psal 92.14 whereas euill men as the Apostle S. Paul saith 2. Tim. 3.13 wax worse and worse and fall away from God daily more and more this was the summe of the Doctrine of Iohn Baptist to his hearers that they would Bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life Mat. 3.8 And the like is vsed by the Apostle Let your conuersation be such as becommeth the Gospell thing else but that grace of God in a mans heart whereby he beleeues the promise of saluation and the promises of the Gospell and applies them to his owne soule and therfore Saint Iames saith Iames 2. Shew mee thy faith by thy workes Dost thou delight in the Law of God and loue his Word Dost thou delight in his worship and calling on his Name Dost thou find thy faith to Purifie thy heart Acts 15.9 This is some part of that fruite which God requireth of thee This fruite Peter brought forth Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God Math. 16.16 This was the fruit that the Disciple Iohn brought forth Ioh. 6.69 Ioh. 11.27 Wee beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And indeed this is the first stone that is to bee laid in the building vp of a Christian and therefore very fitly called a Foundation and the Collossians are said to bee Rooted and Built and Stablished in the Faith Col. 2.27 And indeed this is that sure foundation that shall beare vp the whole frame of our soules against all windes and weathers It is the first worke of change in the heart and the first difference betwixt man and man when God by faith purifieth the heart Act. 15.9 It will suffer no vncleane thoughts vnlawfull lusts Note or wandring motions to
harbour there it guideth the affections loue hatred sorrow c. Such a man loues nothing more then God hates nothing more then sinne reioyceth in nothing more then in doing the will of God and sorrowes for nothing more their that hee should offend so good and gracious a God Againe it is the foundation of all our obedience For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And without it wee can neither pray heare or performe any duety that shall bee acceptable with God 2 Of repentance The second is the fruite of Repentance whereby a man is humbled for his sinnes past and is affraid of sinne in time to come This fruit of Repentance is of absolute necessity to saluation according to that of our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish Luk. 13.5 And onely godly sorrow must worke this true repentance in a man Godly sorrow causeth repentance in a man to saluation 2. Cor. 7.10 And therefore in the Scriptures are recorded the mournings of the godly in the daies of their humiliation Dauids Fainting Psal 6.6 Ezechias chattering like a Crane Esay 38.14 Iob abhorring himselfe in dust and ashes Peter weeping bitterly Math. 26.75 Mary Magdalene washing Christs feete with her Teares Luke 7.38 And Paul crying out O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 Wee must mourne with these heere Psal 126.5 if wee will reioyce with them heereafter And surely if there were neither heauen nor hell neither reward nor punishment yet the godly would sorrow for sinne for offending their good and gracious God and louing Father Besides this sorrow in a godly man for his sins past he is exceeding affraid of sin in time to come as Dauid was who prayed vnto God so earnestly that hee would Stablish him with his free Spirit Psalme fifty one and the tenth verse That seeing hee had such woefull experience of his owne weakenesse he prayes vnto the Lord that hee would giue him his preuenting grace that hee might neuer fall into the like sin againe So the godly Israelites in Ezra his time Ezr. 9.10.3 when they had with griefe of heart bewailed their sinnes vnto God they resolue to make a Couenant with God and solemnly to bind themselues to put away their strange wiues whereby they had so much dishonoured him And so it is with all the faithfull euen as a good child hauing by his vntowardnesse vexed his father is carefull afterwards to please him againe by all meanes possible Well then dost thou finde these fruits of true repentance in thee art thou grieued and euen payned at thy heart for thy wicked life for thy ignorance vnbeleefe hardnesse of heart thy neglect of prayer and calling on Gods Name Art thou grieued for want of reuerence in Gods worship for thy abusing Gods Name by swearing cursing and banning for contempt of his Word and Sacraments for prophaning of his Saboaths carelesse gouerning of thy Family for thy malice vnbeleefe vncleane proud and couetous thoughts drunkenesse vncleanesse and the like Againe dost thou finde in thee an earnest desire to walke with God in obedience to all his Commandements to liue in no knowne sinne but in all things to please God to the vtmost of thy power These be the fruites of righteousnesse whereby wee are knowne to bee of God The third is the fruite of New Obedience or of a godly life 3 Of Obedience both in the obedience of Gods Lawes in the first and second Table Christ makes this the eare-marke of his sheepe To heare his voyce and follow him Ioh. 10. And wee are willed by the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews to cast away euery thing that presseth downe Heb. 12.1 and the sinne that hangeth so fast on and to runne with patience to the race that is set before vs. This was godly Dauids resolution I will runne the way of thy Commandements Psa 119 32 and Dauid describing the true worshippers of God Psa 119.1 Psal 15.2 saith They goe on from strength to strength seruing God in truth of heart without hypocrisie And it is said here That the fruit of a godly man doth neuer fade And howsoeuer the worke of mortification is neuer perfected in this life but that the remnants and reliques of sinne will still remaine euen in the godly themselues yet they euer sinne with griefe of heart and CHRISTS death doth set such a worke-against all sinne that the regenerate man can truely say It is not I but sinne that dwelleth in mee So then if thou desirest to please God in all his Commandements at all times and in all places and to doe all duties of loue vnto men required in the Commandements of the second Table shewing thy fruites in doing good to the poore distressed Members of Iesus Christ feeding cloathing and comforting them in their need In thy generall calling to bring forth the fruit of godlinesse to bee much and often exercised in Prayer Hearing Reading Meditating c. As also in thy particular calling to do thy duety with faith and a good conscience without fraude guile deceipt c. These be the fruits that are required in all those that are the Members of Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his mysticall body This Doctrine doth flatly condemne Vse 1 all such as vnfruitfull and barren Trees as bring forth no fruit of a godly righteous and religious life such as liue in continuall ignorance blindnesse hardnesse of heart in contempt of the Word prophanation of the Sabaoth our ciuill honest men which are so much admired if they bee not good Christians who should And if they bee not saued I know not who should goe to heauen Well euery good Tree brings forth good fruite Math. 7.17 Where bee your good fruites No fruit of faith no fruit of repentance nor new obedience but in stead thereof the fruites of infidelity hardnesse of heart and disobedience Alas that poore soules should thus goe blinde-folde to hell to thinke that such should be saued what then should become of hell As though a man might be a true member of Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his mysticall body and yet bee barren of good fruite No no it cannot bee for there is such a liuely power in this stocke of life Christ Iesus That they who are once ingrafted into him bring forth fruite incontinent As wee may see in the Theefe vpon the Crosse Luke 9. what fruite hee bare in an instant of time confessing first his owne sinnes secondly reprouing the sinnes of his companion Thirdly cleering Christ to be innocent Lastly praying that Christ would remember him when hee came into his kingdome And this wee may see in Zacheus Lydia c. Math. 22. Actes 16. Who were no sooner conuerted but brought forth fruit incontinently And yet wee see how many dry fruitlesse and barren trees deceiue the world as the figge-tree Christ Oh hee is a very honest man keepes a good house Math. 3.10 doth