precious seed Shall the good things committed unto us produce such bad effects like unto the wheat that is sowne Infoelix lolium steriles dominantur avenae which in a barren yeere doth degenerate into darnell Far bee it from us to requite the Lord in this manner If hee call and wee refuse If hee stretch out his hand and wee regard not then hee will laugh at our calamity and wee shall call upon him but hee will not heare wee shall seeke him early but shall not find him but if wee doe hearken to his Word and obey his voice then our prayers shall come up as a memoriall before God and bee as seed sowne not in the earth beneath but in heaven above and shall cause a rich and plentifull increase of all heavenly blessings to come downe upon us that our soules may bee filled with good things Yea then our workes of charity and all godly actions shall be as seed which we cast abroad and sow to the Spirit Gal. 6.8 that of the Spirit wee may reap life everlasting 2 Cor. 9.6 Hee that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and hee that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Pro. 11.25 The liberall soule shall bee made fat and he that watereth shall be also watered himselfe Dare wee trust the earth with our seed and dare wee not trust our faithfull Creatour in these workes of charity The earth hath no power nor sufficiencie in it felfe but only from his benediction Shall wee doubt of his goodnesse and mercy who is most just and righteous in himselfe and who doth give this fidelity and ability unto the earth that it may make an abundant returne of that wherewith it is trusted Are wee of such little faith And doe we thus feare in dispencing these outward commodities these transitory benefits Then how shall wee bee able to commend our spirit into the hands of our Father With what courage and comfort shall we commit our bodies to the earth being the last seed we doe sow which shall bee raised in power and great glory excelling that of the pure Lillie more than that doth the royaltie of Solomon Awake and sing yee that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbes and the earth shall cast out the dead Isa 26.19 11.1 In illo loco Messias expresse vocatur Flos consentit Hieronymus Causabon Job 38.27 The Flower of the stemme of Jesse did spring up in a garden and our graves shall bee turned into garden-plots As the raine causeth the bud of the tender herbe to spring up so the Lord is able to raise us up unto eternall joy and felicity Yea in this first resurrection hee doth raise us up from the death of sinne to the life of grace I will bee as the dew unto Israel Hos 14.5 even as the cloud of dew in the heare of harvest Isa 18.4 God makes the small drops of water they powre downe raine according to the vapour thereof which the clouds doe drop and distill upon man aboundantly Job 36.27 to satisfie the desolate and waste ground In like manner he doth sendus the showers of his grace he gives us the increase of all spirituall gifts he doth refresh us with his favour and satisfie our thirsty soules with his loving kindnesse Apollo's watering is to small effect unlesse God gives his blessing Deut. 11.10 Although the seed we sow may grow when we water it with our foot yet the seed of grace in our hearts can never prosper unlesse the Sonne of man who began that good work doth likewise perfect the same When the sweet and comfortable showers doe fall upon the earth they doe not onely cherish the flowers and herbs but also doe occasion many offensive weeds readily to grow up so the good gifts that come downe from the Father of lights the gracious blessings that descend from above doe bring forth the acceptable fruit of praise and obedidience in the godly but the cursed weeds of rebellion and provocation in the wicked The goodnesse of God which as a gentle shower mollifying the drie earth doth leade the humble soule to repentance but doth harden the impenitent heart which is fully set to doe evill and to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath The Word of God in season like the former and out of season like the latter raine is the true bread that comes downe from heaven and doth refresh him that is weary and ready to faint and doth satisfie him that is hungry that he shall never hunger any more but it causeth loathing in the full soule As the Israelites did not find any sweetnesse or good relish in the spirituall meat the food of Angels 1 Cor. 10.3 â—s 78.24 25. the corne of heaven that God rained downe upon them Our soule is dried away there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes Num. 11.6 Here is Manna and Manna and nothing but Manna they called it light bread Num. 21.5 and as lightly they esteemed of it Thus the naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned hee cannot apprehend the lively power of the hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 he cannot discover the secret of the Lord which is revealed unto them that feare his name The tares that appeared in the field were suffered to grow unto the harvest Mat. 13.30 but the weeds that come up in the garden must bee taken away in the very beginning Our vices must be plucked up by the roots before they bee surely fixed by long continuance Abdolonymus hortum malas herbas eligens repurgabat Q. Curt. The Historian makes mention of a Gardiner who was found destroying of bad weeds when Alexander sent for him and advanced him to a kingdome So wee supplanting our corruptions and casting out the unfruitfull workes of darknesse shall attaine to a crowne of life As Adam was to dresse the Garden of Eden so wee are to keepe our soule and body blamelesse from the pollution of sinne and in the end when wee rest from our labour we shall enter into our Masters joy Christ saith to the good Theefe Luke 23.43 To day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Before God said to the rich man 12.20 This night thy soule shall bee required of thee There the night is mentioned death shall come suddenly upon him as an enemy as a theefe and finde him in greatest security in the dead sleep of sinne Hee delighted in workes of darknesse and shall bee cast into utter darknesse But here the day is named To day thou shalt bee with mee a day of salvation unto the good theefe the first day of his life and such a day as never had any end Christ is the true Light John 1.9 which lighteth every man comming into the world with
chasten as many as hee loveth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth which is as the sprinkling on of salt to keep us from corruption The trees of the field are little regarded Planta ferax falcem patitur petitque frequentem Putationes redintegrant juventam afferunc Scal. in Theop. but those of the garden are often look't unto and repaired In exercising of us God dealeth with us as with sonnes correcting us in judgement for our reformation not consuming us in fury to our destruction A plant cut unseasonably dyeth but cut in due time it prospers the better The times and seasons are in Gods hands he doth then purge his children when it may be most for their discipline and amendment that our old errours and infirmities may passe away and we being regenerated may walke in newnesse of life as in pruning the withered and dry branches are taken away and young twigs doe shoot forth that may be fruitfull Let us never forget Gods dealing with us when hee did stretch out his hand Anno 1625. and did threaten to destroy the tree with the fruit thereof and to cut off branch and rush in one day by the noisome pestilence lopping off many ten thousands and leaving the chiefe body of the tree naked and bare yet then he preserved us in safety we were delivered from the mouth of that Lion and we are still defended by the shield of his favour that we may glorifie his Name by a godly conversation Will not all this move us to return unto the Lord His benefits conferred his fatherly reprehension his protecting us by his providence when he severely punished others Behold I have set before you life and death I have declared Gods mercy towards us and his judgement upon others Now what tribute or offering doth the Lord require of us but only the fruit of our thoughts in meditation upon his word and works the fruit of our lips in shewing forth his praise and the fruit of our lives in serving him acceptably with reverence and godly feare We all professe that wee are branches of that Root Mat. 7.17 12.33 Christ Jesus Now every good tree brings forth good fruit and a corrupt tree evill fruit for by their fruit ye shall know them Can a fig-tree beare olive berries Jam. 3.12 or a vine figs If the root be holy so are the branches If wee bee members of Christ Rom. 11.16 wee must doe the workes of our heavenly Father Doe wee desire that every tree in our ground should be fruitfull and yet will we our selves be barren As some parents would have their children walke in a good way yet they themselves will runne into excesse of riot Shall others be excited by the divine blessings and powerfull meanes that they have enjoyed to bring forth the good fruit of obedience and wilt thou who hast been a partaker of the same blessings bring forth impietie and rebellion As the influence of the same Sunne ripeneth the sweet grape and the sowre crab but such wild trees are not suffered long to continue in the Paradise of the Church Every plant which my Father hath not planted shall be rooted up only the fruitfull trees shall be supported and strengthened Being planted in that garden in the midst whereof is the Tree of life which doth distribute of its grace and vertue unto all the trees that are round about it Of Christs fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace Ulmus vitis Ruta ficus It is observed what a sympathie there is among the trees how divers of them prosper best when they have such and such stand nigh unto them and some of them will never beare Exciso mare palmite sterilescit foemina Perottus Sands trav This we know assuredly that we can doe no good thing unlesse we have our ability from Christ who is that tree which is described to beare twelve manner of fruits and to yeeld the fruit every moneth Rev. 22.2 As he is so in himselfe full of grace and truth evermore doing good unto us and bestowing all kinds of blessings upon us so he gives power to us who receive him to become the sonnes of God enabling us in some measure to bring forth not one or some few kinds but divers and sundry fruits The Apostle when hee speakes of the fruit of the Spirit hee nameth love and joy and peace then he addes long-suffering and gentlenesse and yet these are not all for he annexeth goodnesse faith Gal. 5.22 meeknesse temperance And elsewhere expressing the fruit of the Spirit hee mentioneth righteousnesse and truth He that delights in planting Dapibus mensas onerabat inemptis Primus vere roosam atque autumno carpere poma Virg. will not be satisfied with some few sorts of fruit and in being provided for a short time or a part of the yeer but will be desirous of the best choice and varietie that may be and to have such fruit as may be usefull during the whole yeere Some that may bee ripe with the soonest and other that may endure a long time taking speciall contentment in that which is most durable that he may be provided when others are destitute Oh that wee were wise for the good of our soules wee would be more delighted in seeking for graces that wee might be perfect and thorowly furnished unto every good worke than any man can bee in these outward contentments and with an holy emulation wee would be more covetous of the spirituall gifts wherewith others are adorned than ever Ahab was of Naboths vineyard 1 Kin. 21. What diligence would wee give to adde to our faith vertue 2 Pet. 1.5 and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity for if these be in us and abound wee should not be Barren nor Unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Wherefore when wee see the Almond tree of any man to blossome betimes and to promise a plenteous increase when wee see a young man cleansing his way by taking heed thereunto according to Gods word let us also bee thereby provoked to redeem the time and to remember our Creatour in the daies of our youth When wee observe another mans Vine to bee laden with goodly clusters when we take notice of a man who doth good and rejoyceth in the workes of his hands as Solomon speaks let us also be excited to labour for that gladnesse in our hearts Eccles 3.12.22 which is better than the increase of come and wine Morus quafi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Antiph Serior at Morus nunquam msi frigore lapso Germinat sapiens nomina falsa gerat Alciat Psal 74.47 For Mulberries now it is Sycomores When wee view the Mulberry tree of another man to forbeare sending forth any buds untill the danger of
lay up in store for our selves a good foundation against the time to come that we may lay hold on eternall life The world may be compared to an Orchard wherein the voluptuous man eats of the fruit with as much haste and greedinesse as was used by the Pharisees in devouring Widowes houses or by the Israelites in eating their quails as if they should never take their fill of delights and pleasures The covetous wretch gathers with as much diligence as may be filling his garments and lading himself but God hath not given him power to eat thereof and when he comes to depart out at the door he is not suffered to carry any part of that with him for which he laboured Only the godly man doth eat with moderation and knowing that as he came in so he shall depart and carry nothing out He distributes to them that cannot help themselves 1 Sam. 30.12 as David gave the figs to the languishing Egyptian which afterward he finds againe for his future benefit He doth exercise himselfe in duties of charity and extends his goodnesse to the Saints that are in the earth and the Lord doth render unto him glory and honour and peace He that hath pitie on the poore lendeth unto the Lord Prov. 19.17 and that which he hath given will he pay him again If God doth account that to be done unto himselfe which is done unto them let us bring forth fruit unto God which like the almes of Cornelius may come up for a memoriall before him The fowles of the aire be as ready to devoure our fruit upon the trees as our seed upon the ground The Pharisees seemed to be full of good fruit but then came the wicked one and tooke it away they gave to the poore but it was to this end that they might have glory of men they had their reward in being applauded here in this world It was not likely that their fruit growing in so publike a place should come to the due perfection Beware of vaine-glory and sinister respects if thou dost perceive any of these fowles to be hovering about thy fruit drive them away Gen. 15. as Abraham did from the carkasses Subdue all evill thoughts and vaine imaginations that may arise in thine heart consider it is God which gives both the will and the deed and all this store that thou hast or givest commeth of his hand and is all his owne 1 Chro 29.16 Such as entertaine any arrogant conceits are not onely robbed of the fruit and comfort of the present duty but by nourishing their impure corruptions they doe endanger the tree it self and may destroy their owne soules For sin doth eat as doth a canker spreading from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot and entring even to the joints and marrow This is to be cut out of the body and to be cut off in the smaller branches If thine eye offend thee plucke it out if thy right hand offend thee cut it off in what part soever wee can discover any wickednesse wee must take it away by the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God All fleshly lusts are to bee vanquished our carnall members that are upon the earth must be mortified and then whatsoever wee doe shall prosper For if wee have been planted into the likenesse of Christs death Rom. 6.5 wee shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection If wee alwaies beare about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 then the life also of Jesus shall be made manifest in our body Thus wee have considered how Christ is the root and wee are the branches graffed into him deriving our being in this life and our well-being in the life of grace from his goodnesse and mercy Let us in the next place observe how we our selves are the root and the Word of God the cyons which is put into us that wee may be fruitfull This we are warranted to doe by the testimony of St. James who teacheth us to receive the engraffed word Jam. 1.21 which is able to save our soules Wee may well be compared to the root for as that is the most earthy part of the tree so we by nature are of the earth earthy and have no good thing dwelling in this our flesh Rom. 7. but many sinnes and corruptions that are deeply and strongly rooted within us and therefore may fitly bee resembled unto some wild figge-tree growing in the walls of a building hiding and defacing the beauty thereof The boughes and branches may bee cut and broken off but the root which is wrapped into the stones of the building cannot bee taken away unlesse the walls be thrown down Even so sinne is inwrapped into the joynts and entralls of this our building into our nature and the parts of it and though we may lop off the branches yet the root remaineth while wee carry about this body of death Sinne abideth untill our dissolution The scraping of the house within would not take away the fretting leprosie Levit. 14.45 it must be broken downe Our originall concupiscence cleaveth so close to our nature that it will never leave us untill this earthly house bee demolished As the roots are diffused and spread abroad round about that place where the tree standeth so our corruptions are dilated into every part of the body and faculty of the soule And as the roots are covered in the earth so manifold sins are hidden from the knowledge of men being workes of darknesse The heart is desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17.9 The wisdome of this world is earthly Jam. 3.17 1 Tim. 6.10 The love of money is the root of all evill yea every sinne is a root of bitternesse which if permitted to spring up will trouble us As Jonah when the weeds were wrapped about his head Jonah 2.5 prayed unto the Lord so wee being infolded with our corruptions must seeke unto God for deliverance He is able to destroy the fruit from above and the roots from beneath Amos 2.9 Isa 5.24 and to turne them into rottennesse and dust that they shall not have dominion over us Such as the root is such are the branches also In the estate of our birth before wee bee changed by the work of the Spirit we are no better than the Crab-tree producing sowre fruit Our best performances are impure and uncleane in Gods sight The Crab-stock is full of thorns so we by nature are subject unto the curse It must be a divine power that can free us from condemnation by renewing us in our minds that wee may bring forth fruit meet for repentance In graffing all the branches that before did flourish are taken off and usually the stocke is cut downe not far from the ground so wee are to be cast downe in acknowledgement of our unworthinesse and to humble our selves as a little childe that we may be
againe quickened and become a beautifull and glorious branch Quam multos aestu laborantes ramorum opacitas texit Senec. a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heat protecting us from his Fathers wrath when by our provocations it begins to be kindled against us From him we receive this blessed fruit that in peace and tranquillity we can sit every man under his vine Micah 4.4 and under his figge-tree Zech. 3.10 that in abundant plenty we can eate every one of his vine and every one of his figge-tree that in perfect charity we can call every man his neighbour under his vine Isa 36.16 and under his figge-tree whose love doth not determine in the outward benefits of this life for then our shadow would be turned into darknesse but he gives us the gracious promises of a better life when the times of Refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Tempora refrigerii Acts 3.19 that the Sun shall not any more light on us nor any heat These are the blessings we should chiefly seek after which will never leave us nor forsake us as for the delights and pleasures of this life they are like a fleeting shadow of no continuance If God blowes upon them they doe wither and fade like a leafe In the calme and bright dayes of Summer wee receive some contentment by using our arbours but when the storme ariseth or the Winter approacheth or the day groweth to an end we then returne into our houses In the time of health and strength wee are ready to say I shall never be moved and doe place too much confidence in the profits and comforts of the world but when God shall send some pining sicknesse that shall shake us like a mighty tempest when the winter of old age causeth our desire to faile and the yeeres are come in which we have no pleasure when the night doth overtake us and we goe to the gates of the grave even to the land of darknesse and of the shadow of death we shall then be removed like a shepheards tent our earthly house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved and we shall arrive at our long home as Barzillai was buried in the grave of his parents where we may say to corruption 2 Sam. 19.37 Thou art my father and to the worme Thou art my mother and my sister Oh that we were wise that we understood this that we would consider our latter end and not set our hearts upon these transitory trifles that deceive us when wee have greatest need of them Thinke upon the renowned Patriarkes and obedient Rechabites blessed of the Lord who dwelt in tents it was but the plucking up of a pin and they were gone Psal 120. Indesinenter vagare errare cogor Jun. Job 27.18 Though thou livest in an house of Cedar it is but as the tents of Kedar or a booth that the keeper maketh as Job speakes or a lodge in a garden often removed or of short continuance God can sweep away thy web with the besome of destruction or cut thee off and make thee goe to the generation of thy fathers where thou shalt never see light We will not abide any longer in this our arbour the use whereof doth so expire Now because a plantation is vaine unlesse it be environed with a sufficient defence against the beast of the field that destroies the trees Cant. 2.15 as the little foxes spoile the vines and against the beast of Ephesus brutish and unreasonable men who will not be content to eate their fill at their pleasure as God did permit in our neighbours vineyard but will put into their vessels Deut. 23.24 robbing the owner of the fruit of his labour we will therefore in the next place walke about our garden and goe round about it marking well her walls and considering the strength of her inclosure by meanes whereof it is preserved from ruine and desolation In the Parables Mat. 21.33 when God plants a vineyard he provides for the safety thereof either hedging it round about Isa 5.2 or making a wall about it thereby declaring his providence and care in the preservation of his Church and Chosen Isa 27.3 Lest any hurt his vineyard hee will keep it night and day As the mountaines are round about Jerusalem Psal 125.2 so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever Thus hee made an hedge about Job Job 1.10 and about his house and about all that he had thus he doth compasse us about with his loving kindnesse and keeps us from the adversaries of soule and body We have a vigilant enemy ever ready to assault us he walkes about as Peter speakes 1 Pet. 5.8 and would take any advantage to make a breach and enter as he did into Judas And having once climbed up and got possession like a thiefe he would steale and kill and destroy robbing us of the fruit of righteousnesse and depriving us of all heavenly comforts making us to become a reproach a waste and a curse Now it is by the favour and goodnesse of God that we are protected Cant. 4.12 as a garden inclosed a spring shut up a fountaine sealed The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them wherefore let us feare to offend against the Lord for in so doing we lay our selves open to the rage and cruelty of all our enemies There are divers kinds of plants that will get rooting in the joynts of walls and buildings Caprificus ficus hedera alia virgulta Causabon and there increasing will breake them asunder and overthrow them Such are our sinnes if we suffer them to grow up and doe cherish them they will batter downe the wall and expose us to confusion Ever remember that there is no strength nor fortification that can secure us against the judgements of God when wee transgresse his lawes If hee gives power unto man to leap over a wall Psal 18.29 then he himselfe is most able to surprize us wheresoever wee bee Though our foundation abideth sure the God of hosts can muster up his armies the locusts Exod. 10.15 the palmer-worme the caterpiller Amos 4.9 the canker-worm the frost Joel 1.4 7. blasting and the like to eate the fruit of the trees and consume the increase of our labour No mighty man can be delivered by much strength God can take him away as with a whirlewind both living and in his wrath As we are to be sensible of Gods love towards our selves in particular so likewise we ought evermore to be thankfull for his wonderfull mercy and unspeakable goodnesse towards this his Church which he hath hitherto so graciously preserved There is a City that is described to be compassed about with fire Silicum lapidicinae unde cinctum igne Madritum Mercator in regard of the quarries of flint adjoyning thereunto But I
our inward parts that we may beare the image of the Second man which is heavenly as we have borne the image of the First man which is of the earth earthy And as at the last day we looke for a new earth 2 Pet. 3.13 wherein dwelleth righteousnesse so now in this life having our part in the first Resurrection we may be enabled to grow in godlinesse and to bring forth fruit in true holinesse and in the end may receive a blessing from the Lord who hath dressed us and gathered the stones out of us taking away that which did oppose and bestowing all things requisite for our furtherance in the way of life Thus we have walked into this our Orchard we have refreshed our selves in our Arbour we have observed the defence thereof wee have discovered the nature and condition of the soile wee should now enter among the trees themselves And although there be but a small portion enjoy'd by us of this Land or brought over to us by the painfull travels and learned workes of other men in comparison of that innumerable and unspeakable variety pleasing to the sight and good for food which were placed by God himselfe in that glorious plantation yet even by these we now possesse we may be taught to admire and adore the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out When one plant finds not learning and art enough to unfold it but as there is some part of it covered in the earth from our sight so there is some property or quality thereof reserved from our knowledge And if we be not able rightly to discerne the use of one then who is sufficient to discourse of many Let us in humility confesse the truth and testifie against our selves How can we deserve to take delight in the sweet taste of any fruit or to receive comfort and benefit by observations collected from any tree when as our gracious Father in the beginning gave us liberty freely to eate of every tree of the garden yea even of the Tree of life excepting only the tree of the knowledge of good evill and yet we in the height of ingratitude did rebell against his word Some have taken paines to shew what kind of fruit it was that Adam ate but wee in the state of ignorance cannot judge of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge we now know it not but we feele it we feele it even the coare of it still abiding in our hearts and are justly scourged out of the garden never to taste of these excellent fruits but to eate of the herbe of the field Gen. 3.18 Our former plenty being turned into penury we are joyned in commons with the beast Being falne from the tree to the herbe from our first habitation to this poore estate we might easily have been suppressed and kept downe by the divine justice and for ever have continued void of counsell and without understanding Or at least if we had been in some measure enlightened it might have been to this end that wee should bee more apprehensive of our misery and our knowledge should have been as the opening of the Syrians eyes 2 Kin. 6.20 when they were in the midst of Samaria to have augmented our feare being compassed about with so many enemies we might then have feared to come nigh unto the tree lest it should put us in mind of our disobedience by shunning us Fugiant ut introrsum in fundum se reclinent Varre Arbor pudica appropinquante homine ramos constringit Scal. exer and bending away as the fruitfull Olive from the Oake or by closing the branches should shut it selfe up that we who are unworthy might not taste of the fruit or though permitted to approach yet that the shadow thereof should be as disastrous unto us Qui sub Sorbo arbore jacent rursus in rabiem vertantur Fracastor as that of the Service tree is reported to be unto such as have bin furious bringing us to our former weaknesse or like the Gourd withering in an instant or like the Apples of Sodome turning to dust in the gathering or else turning us to dust while we eate them killing by their poyson as many fruits have done the danger whereof hath taught men in the discovering of remote parts of the world Sir Richard Hawkins observat not to adventure beyond their knowledge unlesse the birds and other creatures doe first feed upon them Psal 103.9 But the Lord will not alwaies chide neither will he keep his anger for ever hee hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us according to our iniquities For although since the fall we are constrained to supply our scarcity by a more frequent use of the herbe than otherwise should have been and the fruit did then degenerate from its primitive perfection Terra post lapsum vitiosos fructus proferre coepit sed in diluvio major facta est mutatio Calvin Quibus annis tempestas uda nimis fructus insipidi Seal in Theop. and was againe more impaired and made much worse the earth being corrupted by the floud a fit remembrance whereof wee may have when in a wet yeer our fruit becomes unsavoury so that now it is like Barzillai having lost its former taste Yet notwithstanding God left not himselfe without witnesse Acts 14.17 in that hee still doth us good farre above our deserts filling our hearts with food and gladnesse Psal 104.15 giving us such food from the trees as cheares the heart which may excite us with David to call upon the fruitfull trees to praise the Lord in regard of that vertue that is still remaining in them The rigour of the first sentence was afterward so mitigated that the Lord by a speciall law doth provide for the preservation of fruit-trees When they besieged a Citie Deut. 20.6.19 they should not force an axe against them for the tree of the field is mans life And also hee propounds a reward unto the industry of that man which should plant a vineyard that hee should be dispenced with and not goe to the warre untill hee hath eaten of the fruit of his labour whereby he doth encourage all men to be diligent in preparing to bequeath these helpfull benefits unto their posteritie Dii me non accipere tantummodo haec à majoribus voluerunt sed etiam posteris prodere Cicere which they have received from their progenitours I doe not deny but there may be much offence herein by such as do wholly addict themselvs to these present contentments it was one of the sins of Sodome Luke 17.28 their great security and excessive delight in planting whose trees were all turned into fewell wee are forewarned that the same evill will be predominant among us in these last times Let us take heed lest for want of moderation therein we
thou shouldest not be moved when thy foundation is placed upon so weake a substance but rather prepare for thy death for in a moment thou maist goe to the grave and lye downe in the dust And if the tree fall towards the South or towards the North in the place where the tree falleth there it shall lye If thou hast inclined to the Sunne of Righteousnes and hast extended thy branches in seeking for the beames of his mercy and the influence of his grace to refresh thy soule that thou mightest be enabled to bring forth good fruit then thou shalt have comfort in the end but if thou hast withdrawne thy selfe from the light of Gods countenance and art best pleased in the darke shade of rest and ease never seeking for heavenly blessings then great will be thy fall How can any man thinke for a long time to escape unpunished John 15.2 when God doth take away every branch and hew downe every tree that beareth not fruit Infoecundas vivere diutiùs Scal. in Arist Quae coluntur arbores celeriùs senescere cogimus eas multum operis facere Idem in Theop. See Bishop Juels life Doctor Reynolds and Master Boltons life And yet if the Lord should deferre his speedy execution of judgement against thine evill workes as it is noted that the barren trees live longest and the most fruitfull consume themselves by much bearing representing those holy men which have wasted their strength by their godly labours yet notwithstanding if thou dost persist in impiety thou shalt not be acquitted Job 21.30 but art reserved to the day of destruction Eccles 8.12 Though a sinner doe evill an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet it shall not bee well with him neither shall he prolong his daies which are as a shadow because hee feareth not before God Quid tu◠ignoras magnas diu crescere unâ horâ extirpari◠Q Curt. The tree which hath been many yeeres growing up may bee cast downe in an instant Although thou hast been spared for a long time yet vengeance may suddenly overtake thee wherefore let my counsell be acceptable unto thee Dan. 4.27 and breake off thy sins by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore if it may bee a lengthening of thy tranquillity The longer thou continuest in thy sinnes the stronger are the cords of vanity thy nature is corrupt of it selfe being as a law in thy members and an inveterate custome of doing evill is as a second nature and both doe warre against the Law of God The young plant that hath been set but a short time may be plucked up with small labour whereas that which hath been fixed divers yeeres cannot be removed without much difficulty If thy corruptions be firmly rooted by ancient residence within thee how canst thou get the dominion over them How wilt thou be able to prevaile against them There is no meanes under heaven whereby thou canst hope for deliverance but only by the favour and love of God Then pray unto him to have mercy upon thee and to make thee the branch of his planting the worke of his hands that hee may be glorified Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord It is hee that doth cause Israel to blossome and bud Isa 27.6 and fill the face of the world with fruit If we had not the dew of heaven we should not have the fatnesse of the earth If we had not the comfortable heat of the sunne we should not have the fruit of the trees without the grace of God there can neither be beginning nor increase of spirituall blessings The bud of a good desire the blossome of a pious resolution the fruit of a vertuous action proceeds from the Lord the readinesse to will the power to performe is the gift of God and doth come from the Father of lights All our labour is in vaine except the Lord gives his blessing It is vaine to rise up early to sit up late to spend the whole day in digging and planting and watering unlesse that he doth cause the worke of our hands to prosper Now being sensible of this our infirmity that we can doe nothing of our selves wee ought to bee the more thankfull in remembring the benefits that we have received from the good will of the Almighty God who hath not left us destitute of any meet helpe whereby we may be fitted to bring forth good fruit Psal 40.5 Many O Lord my God are thy wonderfull workes which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee If I would declare and speake of them they are moe than can be numbred There are divers things required to make the plants sprout and yeeld their increase as the kindnesse and fertility of the ground and hath not God enriched us with his blessings and refreshed us with his mercies The dropping of the aire and hath he not sent his Word as a sweet showre to satisfie our thirsty soules The changes and seasons of the yeere and hath he not given us a Winter Feigus cohibet intus calorem corroborat Scal. in Theop. wherein to gather strength and prepare for future time and a Summer wherein to shew forth his goodnesse and to produce good fruit The influence of the Sunne and hath not the Sun of Righteousnesse shined clearly unto us and seemed to be even fixed in this our Hemisphere How few bee there that can remember the bright and chearfull morning of this glorious day I pray God to make this one day as a thousand yeeres that never any may see the end of this time untill the end of all things come when time shall be no more Having so constantly enjoyed such excellent blessings Sands trav Laetissimae arberes atque fertilissimae Non fit contrariorum vicissitudo nihil obtundit est aequabilitas Scal. in Theop. let us be fruitfull In Egypt many of the trees beare fruit and most of them their leaves all the yeere in regard there is no contrariety in the aire but alwaies an equality that doth promote and further the trees in their bearing Now wee having uncessantly the happy fruition of all good meanes that may be helpfull unto us ought to abound more and more in good workes and to walk worthy of so great love What could the Lord have done for us that hee hath not done We have been planted as a tree by the waters Jer. 17.8 and that spreadeth out her roots by the river and seeth not when heat commeth but her leafe is green and she is not carefull in the yeer of drought nor ceaseth from yeelding fruit And as the tree is pruned and many of the boughes cut off that the residue may be more fruitfull so the Lord hath corrected and rebuked us that wee might be free from security and learne to amend our lives and walke in obedience Rev. 3.19 Hee doth
land yet Gods messengers who doe carry these clusters into the heavenly Canaan shall for ever enjoy the felicity of that better Country If we take the Church to be the Vineyard as it is oft-times called then we must consider every true beleever to be a Vine unto which he may well be likened Ut ex eâ fluat quod nimium est Scal. in Theop. For as in graffing of the Vine it was usuall to let the stocke in regard of the aboundant moisture to bleed divers dayes before the Cyons was fastened thereunto so there is a time of mourning before the Lord doth put joy into the heart We doe first lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse before we receive the ingraffed word This is the weakest of all plants and must be sustained by the sides of the house Psal 128.3 Jamjam contingit summum radice flagellum Catul. Qualiter aequaevo sociatam palmite vitem Ultuus amat Stati as David speaketh or by some wall or frame or such like stay or else be joyned to some tree so we being feeble and infirme in our selves are supported by the favour and goodnesse of God Such as make flesh their arme or trust to any outward help 2 Kin. 7.17 doe as Joram did who leaned upon the hand of that man which was soone trodden downe That shore and strength upon which they rested may suddenly be taken away from them Si quid attigerit ultrò amabit quidem viriosius amplexabitur c. Tertul. The Vine being thus weake in it selfe doth by the tendrels or small strings seeke to catch hold upon any thing it doth touch and to grasp it fast Ut se erigat claviculis suis quasi manibus c. Cicero Adeo ramos string it ut crasse scere prohibeat Scal. that it may be sustained thereby Thus we being sensible of our owne frailty should apprehend the gracious promises and rich mercies of Almighty God and adhere unto Christ by a lively faith Gen. 32.26 Jacob would not let the Angel goe except he blest him so we by applying the merits of our Redeemer unto our soules doe receive a blessing from the Lord. When wee doe tie our selves unto our Creatour by the cords of love which is the bond of perfectnesse as a Sacrifice unto the Altar we shall be kept from falling and the Serpent shall not have power to fold himselfe about us who are so neerely united to our heavenly Father The Vine-tree is not fit for any use but onely to beare fruit shall wood be taken thereof to doe any work or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessell thereon Ezek. 15.3 An unfruitfull Christian is the most unprofitable creature that is a heavie burthen to the earth a cumbrance to the ground no better than the wild gourds in the pot a vexation to the righteous soule and a stumbling block to the wicked Other trees may beare fruit upon the young sprigs that did shoot out in the former yeere but this doth exceed them all bringing forth grapes upon the new branches in the same yeere in which they did proceed from the body of the Vine thereby teaching us even in the very beginning of our profession to become fruitfull and profitable in our conversation running the waies of Gods Commandements Psa 119.32.60 and without delay making haste to keep his Statutes How can they that have neglected so great salvation and deferred to returne unto the Lord expect that he should heare them when in affliction they seeke him early seeming fervent in prayer when they first begin to call upon his Name and cry unto him O God make speed to save us O Lord make haste to help us whereas they during their whole life it may be these forty yeers long have grieved the good Spirit and erred in their hearts putting the evill day of Gods judgement and the good day of true repentance far from them But there is fruit of a better rellish to be gathered from the Vine if that be prevented by the frost Gelatione cohibita in sequenti anno duplum dabit Scal. in Theop. and hindred from bearing one yeere in the following yeere it will recompence that losse by a twofold restitution If we have been as trees without fruit we must not still persist in impiety and live to the lusts of men but labour to redeem the time by abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord that as Ahimaaz over-ran Cushi 2 Sam. 18.23 who was sent before him so we may supply by our diligence and chearfull obedience what was wanting in time And as Saint Paul who was last called 2 Cor. 11.5 was not a whit behind the very chiefest Apostles so we in spirituall endowments and glorious reward may bee made equall unto them who entred the worke before our selves Where the fruit of this tree is most esteemed In agro Aureliano vina excellentissima Nulla vinea vetula sed c. Ibid. they doe not suffer any old Vines to grow but replenish the ground with new whose fruit is most acceptable thereby teaching us to put off the old man and to be renewed in our mind putting on the new man Ephes 4.23 which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse The Lord satisfieth our mouth with good things Psal 103.5 so that our youth is renewed like the Eagles And the Lord satisfieth our soule with his mercy so that his graces are revived and repaired in us by the worke of the quickning Spirit John 2.8 He turned the water into wine at the marriage of Cana in Galile and hee sends the comfortable showers Initia vini esse aquea Ibid. that doe moisten and cherish the roots of the Vine causing them to produce their fruit in which there is a blessing Hee turneth our sorrow into joy Isa 65.8 our weeping into rejoycing John 16.20 He maketh the barren woman to be a joyfull mother of children and hee maketh the barren heart to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit Psal 113. and giveth wisedome and all heavenly blessings liberally above that which wee can aske or thinke Our lot is falne to us in a good ground we are planted in a fertile soile we receive the best gifts from the open hand of a bountifull Father Now as the Vine doth draw much vertue and nourishment out of the earth Necesse est eam multum quoque trahere Ibid. that it may produce abundance of goodly clusters and great plenty of large leaves and long branches so we should derive much strength and power from that fulnesse which is in Christ that wee may bee complete and furnished unto every good worke being fitted to performe any holy duty being prepared to suffer any triall or affliction which the Lord shall be pleased to impose upon us As upon the Vine there be great store of grapes joyned together in
one cluster so in the soule of a Christian there should be all kinds of graces accumulate and heaped together in stead of that masse of sin and lump of corruption which wee brought into this world Wee should be filled with all knowledge and all joy and peace in beleeving we should be full of goodnesse ready to communicate willing to distribute to the necessity of other men Which workes of charity and all other pious actions are like the fruit of the Vine for as wee have the comfortable use and benefit of that a long time after it hath been trodden in the wine-presse so likewise of Gods free grace wee doe receive the reward of the good things done in our body after our dissolution and doe then drinke the cup of salvation when wee enter into our Masters joy and are delivered from all weaknesse in the body and infirmity in the soule from all inward and outward frailties even as the grapes in the wine-presse are freed and cleared both from the huskes and kernels Such is our corruption and imperfection here in this world that our best performances are polluted by the contagion of sinne dwelling in our members and may in that regard bee likened to these grapes or or other fruits which have either something without to bee pared off and cast away or else some coare stone or kernell within to be rejected In our most devout exercises and godly endeavours there is either some defect and errour to be discerned by man who lookes to the outward appearance or though wee should bee blamelesse before man yet there is some inward rebellion and iniquity that is naked and manifest before the Lord who looketh to the heart When we are sensible of our former excesse and superfluity and are cast downe in acknowledgment of our transgressions wee should not thereby be deterred from continuance in well-doing but rather seek to amend that in which we have failed and gone out of the way that as such fruits are esteemed best in their kinds in which there is the least waste Mollusca quod caeteris nucibus mollior sit Macrob. either in the shell or any other part that is unprofitable so our performances may be most acceptable when they are not defiled by any grosse errour or presumptuous sinne The Lord Mat. 3.12 who is able to purge the wheat from the chaffe will approve of our good endeavours and godly desires being the fruit of the Spirit and will be pleased to pardon our swerving and deadnesse which proceed from the bitter root of a deceitfull heart In divers of our fruits there is some kernell that being sowne doth grow up in such a plant as may bring forth more fruit of the same kind in like manner the end of one good action should be the beginning of another we should labour to increase and multiply in heavenly graces and spirituall gifts and our reward shal be great in heaven For unto us it shall be given to eate of the Tree of life Revel 2.7 22.2 which is in the middest of the Paradise of God A tree that bears twelve manner of fruits and yeelds her fruit every moneth Such fruit as doth for ever exempt us from the dominion of death such fruit as doth open our eyes for we shall see God face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 such fruit as doth make us to be as gods wee shall bee like him 1 John 3.2 for wee shall see him as hee is such fruit as is good for food so very good Isa 49.10 that when we taste thereof wee shall never hunger any more John 6.34 nor thirst any more But as the Disciple said Lord evermore give us this bread so wee shall alwaies desire and for ever enjoy this food that endures in everlasting life Such fruit as is pleasant to the eye 1 Cor. 2.9 for since the beginning of the world the eye hath not seen the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Such fruit as is to be desired to make one wise even wise unto salvation without which all the wisdome of this world is foolishness and enmity against God But this wisedome is a Tree of life to them that lay hold upon her Pro. 3.18 4.9 a Crown of glory shall she deliver to them Did our first parents think that the fruit of the tree of Knowledge was to be desired Gen. 3.6 when it was forbidden And shall we by a stronger delusion beleeve that this fruit of the Tree of Life is to be neglected and avoided when wee are commanded to labour for it All the trees in the garden of Eden could not satisfie them but they would eate of the forbidden fruit though they became subject to the curse thereby The abundant variety of all the precious fruits brought forth by the Sunne should not please nor content us without this blessed fruit of the Tree of Life Adam was prevented that hee might not put forth his hand to take of that Tree lest having eaten unworthily hee deceived himselfe with a vaine hope of life when death should suddenly overtake him But wee have time and liberty granted unto us that we may stretch forth the hand of faith and receive this fruit whereof if wee eate wee shall not dye He might not gather it upon earth but we may receive it from heaven The Manna which was kept untill the holy Sabbath had no worme in it If wee now treasure up this good fruit against the Sabbath of Rest for our soules it shall never be taken away from us Hee that gathers little shall have no lacke But if in this day of salvation we gather great plenty thereof we may then confidently say Soule take thy rest for evermore thou hast much goods laid up for all eternity The Tree of Life is in the middest of the Paradise of God Oh that the fruit thereof were hidden in our inward parts that we could lay it up and keep it in our hearts wee would then esteem all the dignities and delights in the world to be of as short continuance Isa 28.4 Ita in manibus consenescit Plaut as the hasty fruit before the Summer which when hee that looketh upon it seeth it while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up And to be no better than that fruit which was stollen out of the Orchard Non erant formâ nec sapore illecebrosa that had neither forme to catch the eye nor rellish to allure the hand For which that blessed man in his repentance paid the dearest price that ever was paid for any fruit which was eaten by any of the sonnes of Adam We give fruit unto froward children that they may forsake that which is of more value Shall wee bee such children in understanding for the trifling vanities of this life to reject the durable riches of the heavenly Kingdome Shall wee for the three Apples of honour Atalanta sive Lucrum Bacon
the light of reason and everie Beleever with the light of happinesse and glorie when hee goeth out of this world into the holy Citie that doth not need the Sun Rev. 21.23 for the Lamb is the light thereof To day The performance of this gracious promise is limited to a short time and therefore all doubting is excluded Our Saviour is crucified in the midst as nigh to one malefactour as the other Both formerly were brethren in evill consenting in wickednesse Both began to revile him before their death yet one is rejected and exposed to vengeance the other is taken as a brand snatcht out of the fire Christ doth overshadow him in mercy and delivers not from death but from condemnation Thou shalt bee with Mee A blessed change to bee freed from the fellowship of an impenitent sinner a blasphemous reprobate and to be admitted into the society of Saints yea for ever to be with the Lord An unspeakeable mercy that hee who by his owne confession suffered justly should be with him who had done nothing amisse The righteous died for the ungodly Christ for us sinners hee became Emmanuel God with us that wee may live with him in his kingdome of glory Thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise What wee gaine by the second Adam is much better than that wee lost by the first in the beginning Adam was in Paradise but God was not with him nor the feare of God before his eyes when hee yeelded to the tempter and hee was not with God neither dare hee appeare before him when hee walked in the Garden Then the presence of the Lord was a terrour unto Adam having sinned Now the presence of Christ was the best of comforts unto the theefe being penitent Paradise it selfe was not Paradise unto Adam after hee had offended But when wee shall bee set at liberty from the prison of the grave and acquitted from the sting of death wee shall bee as uncapable of sinne as of mortalitie Oh then let us ever aspire unto this most blessed estate Although this good thiefe did suddenly as it were with holy violence breake into heaven to shew that there is no end of the rich mercies of God yet let not us presume upon this example of grace and so become examples of judgement unto others Our whole life is given us to this end that by patient continuance in well-doing wee should seeke for glory The taste of Gods goodnesse in these outward benefits should excite and quicken our desire to obtaine the full fruition of eternall happinesse If we rest contented in the commodities of this life wee thinke the pleasures of this life to bee as acceptable as the joyes above As Lot thought the plaine of Jordan to bee as the garden of the Lord Gen. 13.10 And then wee cannot bee delivered from the common destruction without the wonderfull mercy of God But let us seeke a better countrie even this celestiall Paradise Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth thereunto and therefore our best diligence is required to find it Yet for our encouragement there are not Cherubims in the entrance to keep us from approaching nigh unto it but the Angel of the Covenant is the way whereby we must walke and which doth guide us in the truth And the doore whereby wee must enter and which doth admit us that wee may bee saved Yea all the Angels rejoyce when we enter into this path of life and doe keep us in this way ministring unto us the heires of salvation who as some have thought were created to supply the defect of some of them and to repaire the breach that their fall had made in this heavenly Paradise There is not a flaming sword turning every way which may strike a terrour into us that we should not come neere But the Sword of the Spirit is given unto us by which we may withstand and vanquish all enemies that shall encounter us in this our passage There bee divers who goe to the Holy Land which is now the spectacle of Gods wrath but let our journey be to the Jerusalem above which is and ever will be the Seat of Mercy and the Throne of Glory While other men labour to plat and describe the place where Paradise was upon earth let us seeke for this place that Christ is gone to prepare for us into which when he comes againe he will receive us that where hee is wee may be also FINIS Perlegi Librum hunc cui titulus est Adam in his Innocencie atque illum typis mandari permitto Martis penult 1637. ex Aedibus Londin SA BAKER