they doe certainly and happily inioy They are the holy Angels and the blessed Trinity euen by generall consent of Antiquity that doe here reioyce The Angels reioyce The holy Angels are those amici vicini mentioned in the sixt verse those friends which haue idem velle idem nolle Concurre in will with Almighty God and those neighbours that are neere to him in the place of blisse and happinesse Now the Angels do thus reioyce in respect of themselues in respect of vs in regard of Almighty God They reioyce in respect of themselues Quia numerus eorum repletur Anselme in Ephes 4. Because their society is repayred by the accession of repentant sinners which was diminished by the fall of the reprobate angels They reioyce for vs in regard of the singular benefits that accrew to vs by repentance For as the damned spirits would be glad of our confusion so these blessed Spirits reioyce for our conuersion they are our nurses Psal 91.11 and carry vs in their hands and therefore reioyce for our aduancement when by repentance wee are deliuered from the power of darkenes Colos 1.13 and translated into the Kingdome of Christ Iesus They are our guard Psal 34.7 and doe pitch their tents about vs so that they mourne when they see vs in Satans campe and reioyce when by repentance wee returne to our Captaine Christ Iesus They reioyce in regard of God for Angeli eos amant Chrysost ad Pop. Antioch ho. 22. qui Dominum suum diligunt The Angels loue those that loue their Lord and Master And as a good and loyall subiect reioyceth in the honor of his Soueraigne and the inlargement of his dominions so do the Angels reioyce when they see their Lord honored and his Kingdome inlarged by the repentance of a sinner Therefore S. Bernard cals Lachrymas poenitentium Bern in Cant. serm 30. vinum Angelorum The teares of repentani sinners the wine of Angels because they make them glad Thus as Iobs friends after he was freed from his heauy afflictions Iob 42.11 came to comfort him so the Angels our good friends when they see vs freed from the heauy burden of sinne doe reioyce for vs. The blessed Trinity reioyceth Verse 24. Againe the blessed Trinity reioyceth for our conuersion 1 God the Father is that indulgent Father who reioyceth here for the returne of his Prodigall Son He that protesteth so solemnely Ezech. 33. As I liue Ezech. 33.11 I delight not in the death of a sinner and calleth so passionately and compassionately Turne you turn you for why will you dye O you house of Israel must needs reioyce for the conuersion of a sinner For more honor redounds to Almighty God By the restoring of man that fell then by the creatioÌ„ of the Angels Beda Aquiu 1. sec q 11. Ar. 9. restauratione hominum quà m creatione Angelorum as Beda saith Yea The conuersion of a sinner saith the schoolman is a more glorious worke then the Creation of the world because the one is transient the other is permanent Therefore as Abraham Gen. 21.3 8. the father of the faithfull reioyced at the birth of Isaac and feasted it at his wearâ—ing so our heauenly Father reioyceth at our new birth A heauenly banquet Greg. and it yeeldes coeleste conuiuium when wee are weaned from our corruptions 2 As God the Father who created vs so God the Son who redeemed vs reioyceth for our conuersion He that in the dayes of his flesh mourned for the hardnesse of mens hearts Marke 3.5 and reioyced in the Spirit when hee saw Satan cast down like lightening Luke 10.21 and poore sinners rescued out of the pawes of that roaring Lyon cannot but be sensible of the happy condition of his seruants He that when he was on earth sighed wept sweat fasted prayed shed his blood for the saluatioÌ„ of sinners being now in heauen must needs reioyce for a sinners conuersion when he sees that his fasting sweating bleeding his sighes prayers and teares are not spent in vaine According to that in the three and fiftieth of Esaiah Verse 11. Hee shall see of the trauaile of his soule and shall be satisfied 3 God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth vs Ephes 4.30 reioyceth For as we grieue the Spirit of God by our sinnes so we make him glad by our repentance as the carefull Phisicion is glad for the recouery of his sicke patient You are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. 3.16 sayth the Apostle Now when these temples shall bee like the Egyptian temples wherein was nothing but a Cat or a Crocodile the Spirit of God mournes but when these temples shal be clensed by repentance and become like the Arke which held the holy things of God hee reioyceth Thus as a man hauing taken paines in setting watering and cherrishing some faire plant greeues to behold it eaten with the Canker but when he sees the Canker killed and the tree become flourishing and fruitfull reioyceth in his labour So God the Father who hath planted vs with a diuine hand God the Sonne who hath watered vs with his precious blood God the holy Ghost who cherrisheth vs with the influences of grace beholding the Canker of corruption fretting in our soules mournes but seeing this Canker killed by repentance and vs like good trees become fruitful in good works reioyceth exceedingly NOw this ioy of the elect Angels For whom this ioy is in heauen and the blessed Trinity is for one sinner that repenteth Almighty God who hath recorded in his Kalender the Booke of Life the names of all the Elect neglects not one of them So that Whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones Mat. 18.6 it were better that a Mill-stone were hanged about his necke and hee cast into the depth of the Sea Iohn 10.11 Luke 15.4 He that is the good Shepheard seekes after that one lost Sheepe and reioyceth so when hee hath found him Chrysost serm 168. Quia in vno inuenit omnes because in finding that one hee findes euery one One linke of his golden Chaine must not be broken because it is the dissoluing of the whole So that if â—ny one of his goe astray he sends after him to reclaime him and when this wandering sinner returnes by vnfained repentance hee reioyceth more in him then in ninety nine iust persons Luke 17 17. But as our Sauiour said concerning the Lepers nouem vbi sunt Where are the nine so may I say Where are these ninety and nine iust persons Surely it is here as it was there the writ wil be returned with a non sunt Verse 18. inuenti they are not to be found Salomon tels vs Eccles 7.20 that there is not a iust man vpo earth that doth good and sinneth not S. Iohn saith If we say 1. Iohn 1.8 Iames 3.2 We haue no sin we deceiue
of discourse in cases of Christianitie that will serue the turne all this is but a meere flourish but a bringing foorth of leaues and flowres whereas God will haue euery Tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring foorth fruit And though nothing but Fruit 3 The Qualification yet not any fruit will serue his turne it must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bad but good Euery tree must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring foorth good fruit the fruits of holinesse and sanctification The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated Bonum gâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 â—fie pulchrum be 〈…〉 wee must bring 〈…〉 â—t must be beautifull in the 〈◊〉 of Men and good in the sight of God our fruit must be beautifull â—n the sight of Men for our liues must so shine before men that they may see our good Works and glorifie our Father which is in heauen Matth. 5.16 Our fruite must be also good in the sight of God for hee will not be put off with counterfeit pietie with him it is no better then double impietie for so shall we find it in our reckonings at the last day Both then must goe together wee liue heere in the sight of God and Man and therefore must with Saint Paul Actes 24.16 heerein exercise our selues that wee may haue a good Conscience voyd of offence toward God and toward man Most true it is Onely good fruit is euer beautifull but that which is onely beautifull is neuer good Indeed the Pharises had their fruits such as were beautifull full of beautie vnto the eye they had their Almes-deedes Matth. 6. their Prayers their Fastings excellent workes excellent fruites of Pietie at the first blush beyond all compare not to bee paraleld they being presented vnto the eye of the world in so absolute and compleate a forme But were they as they appeared to bee Certainely nothing lesse for our Sauiour making a narrow search into the nature of them found that they were nothing better then the fruit which Solinus reporteth to grow in Sodom which is in shew like other fruit but being touched there is a strange discouery Extimae cutis ambitio fuliginem fauillaceam cohibet the outward rine or skinne is but a case that is full of filthy soyly embers and stinking ashes So their outward pietie was but a case to couer their inward impiety their fruits carried a faire glosse seemed by their outside to side with the best but All is not gold that glisters within they were full of pride vaine glory and hypocrisie men did see what they did and thereby happily did glorifie God but what they did was onely to be seene of men and therein they did dishonour God Indeed such fruits ordinarily go for currant with man because he receiueth direction for his Judgement as hee is informed by his outward senses But it is not so with God his All-seeing Eye piercing the most inward and secret parts hee prizeth euery thing according to the inward worth and iudgeth of the workes of pietie as they proceede from the inward puritie so that hee will not bee satisfied with false and counterfeit fruites Such Wares are not warrantable not marchantable with God hee requireth trueth in the inward parts Psalm 51.6 he will haue euery tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring forth fruit not onely outwardly beautifull but inwardly good and sound Euery man as ye haue heard is a tree euery branch of a good tree bringeth forth good fruit so must each part of man our Hearts must be fruitfull in sanctified thoughts and holy desires our tongues must bring forth gracious words such as may magnifie Gods holy name and minister grace and comfort vnto others our Hands must worke the things that are good in the sight of God and man our Feete must walke in the wayes of peace in a word we must giue all our members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse Rom. 6.19 Abounding in the fruits of the Spirit Galat. 5.22 in loue peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse patience and in euery good worke that may make vs perfect men in Christ Jesus For this were wee elected before the world Ephes 1.4 God the Father did chuse vs in Christ his Sonne before the foundations of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him in loue For this were we created into the world wheras all things were made to serue for the vse of man man was made to serue his Maker For this end were we redeemed out of the world Luke 1.74 For Christ deliuered vs from the hands of our enemies that we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life For this purpose doth God sanctifie vs in this world with his Holy Spirit I will put my Spirit within you Ezek. 36.27 and cause you to walke in my Statutes and ye shall keepe my iudgements and doe them And for this shall we bee glorified in the world to come Come yee blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 take the Inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungred and yee gaue mee meate c. Thus will God crowne the holy liues of his seruants with an eternall weight of glory Such honour shall haue all his Saints which are fruitful in good works not that they doe by their fruits of holinesse and workes of pietie No man can merit heauen merit so glorious a remuneration alas what can we pleade for by way of merit at Gods hand seeing when we haue done all that we can doe yea that wee are commanded to doe which is more then wee can doe Luke 17.10 we are but vnprofitable seruants saith our Sauiour And what is the reward for vnprofitable seruants which God will render vnto them at the last day Why this is their fearefull Sentence Matth. 29.30 Cast yee the vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth No my beloued Eternall life is not of mans merit but of the meere gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.23 As a reuerend religious Prelate of our Church hath obserued Doctor King Bi. of London wee may read of a Mercy-seat in the Temple of God but neuer heare of a Stoole of Merit but in the Chappell of Antichrist Indeed God doth in many places of his Scripture promise the kingdome of heauen to all that leade a religious and holy life but this his promise is not grounded vpon a foresight of any merit in man but proceedeth meerly from the free grace and bounty of God who herein dealeth with vs as a louing and bountifull father with his child promising him some gift of great worth for the performance of some small piece of seruice happily for making vnto him a legge or the like that so by his
Kindnesse Loue. In a word let vs labour to abound in euery good worke that may make vs pleasing and acceptable vn o God let vs bring forth good fruit Abundanter Plentifully 3 Perseuerantly Thirdly and lastly lest all our labour proue but in vaine we must bring forth good fruit Perseueranter Perseuerantly For to what purpose is it if a Souldier at the first onset couragiously encounter with the Enemy and before he hath obtained the victory throw away his Armes Or what doth it profit a Mariner to commit himselfe to the Sea and to enioy the benefit of a faire gale of Wind euen vnto his desired Ports mouth if then the wind doe turne and so turne him backe againe before hee can thrust into the Port Happily thou hast beene just and hast done that which is lawfull and right as it is in Ezec. 18.5 Ezek. 18. More particularly as the Prophet there expresseth himselfe Thou hast not eaten vpon the Mounâ—aines nor lift vp thine eyes vnto Idols nor defiled thy neighbours wife nor oppressed any but hast restored to thy Debtour his Pledge thou hast spoyled none by violence thou hast giuen thy Bread to the Hungry and couered the Naked with a Garment thou hast not giuen forth vpon Vsury neither taken any Increase thou hast withdrawen thy hand from iniquitie executed true Judgement betweene man and man thou hast walked in Gods Statutes and kept his Iudgements to deale truely Thus farre hast thou gone and in these good courses thou hast continued a long time and in so doing hast done well But tell mee what will all this thy righteousnesse auaile thee if afterward thou shalt fall away from God 2 Pet. 2.20 and intangle thy selfe againe in the filthinesse of the world like the Dog that returneth to his owne vomit and the Sow that is washed to her wallowin the myre Ezek. 18. If the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie shall hee liue saith the Lord. No All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not bee mentioned In his trespasse that hee hath trespassed and in his sinne that hee hath sinned in them shall hee dye Ezek. 18. Yea It had been better for him neuer to haue acknowledged the way of Righteousnesse 2 Pet. 2. as the Apostle speaketh then after hee hath knowne it to turne from the holy Commandement deliuered vnto him For the latter end of that man is worse then the beginning If therefore thou wouldst make sure worke for the good of thy Soule and store vp comfort for thy selfe against the day of death and that great day of wrath then thou must not relye vpon thy former righteousnesse Luke 12.19 as the Rich man in the Gospell did vpon the store he had treasured vp in his Barnes and say Soule take thine ease and freely disport thy selfe hence-forward in the delights of sinne for thou hast already brought forth good fruit plentifully which will serue thee for many yeares No thou must bring forth good fruite Perseuerantly for it is not here said euery tree Quae non fecit which hath not brought forth good fruit but euery tree non faciens not bringing forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire So that fecisse non sufficit it sufficeth not formerly to haue brought forth good fruit vnlesse thou continue in so doeing perseuerantly No man saith Christ Luke 9.62 putting his hand to the Plough and looking backe is fit for the Kingdome of Heauen Bernardus Sola perseuerantia singularis summi regis est filia saith a Father ea enim sola est haeres regni Coelorum Perseuerance is the only Daughter of the King of Heauen for she only is Hâ—ire to the Kingdome of Heauen â—herefore saith our Sauiour to his Disciples Matth. 24.13 Qui perseuerauerit hâ— that continueth to the end shall bee saued Reuel 2.10 and to the Church of Smyrna Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of Life And vpon these termes doth Saint Paul assure himselfe and euery faithfull Christian a Crowne of righteousnesse I haue fought a good fight 2. Tim. 7.8 and haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Hence forth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but vnto all them also that loue that his appearing The absolute necessity of this Perseuerance for all such as expect the Happinesse of a better life hath so deepely sunke into the thoughts of Gods Children in all ages that they haue constantly resolued to suffer the bitterest torments the pregnant malice of the Diuell and his Factors could inflict vpon them rather then to loose the blessed hope of their Heauenly inheritance If therefore wee respect our Future Haâ—pinesse let vs not bee like thâ— plant Ephemeâ—on which doth spring and flourish and fade in a day but as the Oliue tree flourishâ—th and fru ifieth all the yeare long so let vs continue in bringing forth good fruit perseuerantly To be short the way to Heauen though it be Narrow yet it is Long and our life at the Longest but Short Let vs therefore that we may the better compasse so great a Iourney get vp betimes out of our beds of Sinne euen in the morning of our age at the first houre of the day and quickly make our selues ready that so we may set forth betimes towards the Celestiall Canaan And when we haue once set our feete in the way of righteousnesse the dâ—rect and only Rode to that Holy Citie If at the end of our liues when we can trauaile no longer wee would rest in Abrahams bosome let vs labour to imitate him in his iourneying vnto the terrestriall Canaan that is Gen. 12 9. let vs eundo pergere still bee going forward from grace to grace whatsoeuer Remoraes doe encounter vs in the way whatsoeuer afflictions doe befall vs hauing our eies fixt vpon those heauenly ioyes whereof the troubles and afflictions of this life are not worthy The older we grow in yeares the more let vs grow in goodnesse Let our Workes our Loue our Seruice our Faith Reuel 2.19 our Patience be like the Thyatirians more at the last then at the first Thus like good Trees bringing forth good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly wee shall at length bee brought by him who is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending Reuel 1.8 vnto the beginning of that vnspeakable Happinesse which shall haue no ending But happily you will reply in the words of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for these things Is not our Father an Amorite and our Mother a Hittite The best of men by Nature is no better then a Briar Micha 7.4 Math. 7. a Thorne a Thistle And doe men gather Grapes of Thornes and Figges of Thistles Ex Spinis non nascitur Rosa Such as is the Tree such is the Fruite T is true And therefore to bring forth Good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly we must be ingrafted into the true Vine and abide in it I am that Vine saith Christ Iohn 15.5 and yee are the branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth good fruit For without me ye can doe nothing verse 6. If a man abide not in mee hee is cast forth as a branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned But how are we ingrafted into Christ by Faith How doe wee abide in Him By Loue. How doth He abide in vs by his Holy Spirit through whose gracious opperation we are inabled to bring forth the good fruits of the Spirit Now for asmuch as no Arme of Flesh can command this Faith this Loue this Holy Spirit Therefore O LORD GOD wee doe here in all humilitie addresse our selues vnto thy diuine Maiestie entirely desiring thee in mercy to looke downe from Heauen vpon vs miserable wretches heere on earth Wee acknowledge O Lord and thou knowest that of our selues wee haue no power to order our wayes aright vnto thee for wee are a crooked generation a people by nature the children of wrath so that if thou shouldest leaue vs to our selues we must looke for no lesse then like fruitlesse Trees to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire But good God remember that thou art our Creatour and we thy Creatures that thou art our Father and wee thy children Oh neglect not the work of thine Hand neither suffer vs thy children to perish but looke vpon vs in the sweet compassions of a tender hearted Father for the blood of Christ pardon all our sinnes past throw behinde thy backe those cursed fruits we haue hitherto continually brought foorth to the dishonour of thy Great and Glorious Name that they may neuer be layd vnto our charge and enable vs for the time to come to doe what thou requirest and then require what thou wilt and we will doe it O Lord stretch foorth thine hand and engraft vs by a true and liuely Faith into the Body of thy Sonne Iesus Christ Dwell in vs O heauenly Father and blessed Sonne by thy holy Spirit that by the gracious and powerfull operation thereof like good trees we may bring forth good fruit that we may euery day more and more abound and increase in grace and goodnesse till wee come to bee perfect men in Christ Iesus Graciously heare vs most mercifull Father and graunt vs whatsoeuer thou knowest to bee good for vs and that for thy Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake To whome with thee and the blessed Spirit bee ascribed of vs and of all thy Saints all praise power and Glory for euer Amen FINIS