in the hedge and make holyday But shall not the Seruant doe his Masters businesse because hee cannot earne his Masters Inheritance Shall the Mason say I will share with my Soueraigne in his Kingdome or I will not lay a stone in his building Yet good fruits haue their reward though not by the merit of the doer yet by the mercy of the accepter Sowre they bee of themselues but in Christ they haue their sweetning and the meanest fruite which that great Angell of the Conenant shall present to his Father Râ—â— 8.4 with the addition of his owne precious Incense are both receiued and rewarded In their owne nature they may bee corrupt but being dyed in the bloud of Christ they are made pleasing to God Yea also profitable to the Church and vsefull to men seeme they neuer so poore Euen a troubled Spring doth often quench a distressed Souldiersthirst a smal Candle doth good where the greater Lights bee absent and the meanest fruite of holy Charity euen a cuppe though it be not of the iuyce of the grapes out of the Vineyard Math. 10.42 but of cold water out of the tankard in the name of Christ shall haue the recompence But heere the complaint is not of the meannes or fewnesse but of the Barennesse None at all None Euery Tree is knowne by the fruits it is Christs euerlasting rule Howsoeuer the tree liues by the sappe and not by the fruits yet it is knowne to liue by the fruits and not by the sappe for this is hidden The iust man liues by his faith not by his workes but he is knowne to liue by his works not by his inuisible faith Neither doth the fruit make good the tree but the tree makes good the fruit Opera bona non faciunt iustum Iustus facit bona opera Good works make not a man righteous but the righteous man doth good works Our persons are iustified before our actions as of necessitie the tree must be good before it can beare good fruit But how shall that tree be discerned that hath no fruit I finde none None Why this to vs Why such a Text in such a time Wee abound with fruites which way can you looke and not haue your eye full of our workes They before in such places haue successiuely commended our fruits Bee it so yet Euripides being question'd why he alwaies made women bad in his Playes whereas Sophocles euer made them good in his answered Sophocles makes them such as they ought to bee but I make them such as indeed they are Their former commendation haue told vs what we should be but this Embleme I feare tels vs truely what wee are Not all of vs God forbid here is but one Fig-tree in a whole Vineyard thus taxed and farre be it from vs to taxe a whole Vineyard for one barren Fig-tree None Yes enough of some fruites but the Prophet calls them Ficos valde malâ—s so bad that they cannot be eaten Iea. 24.8 As the fruite of the Vine is commended for Quicknesse the fruit of the Oliue for Fatnesse so the fruit of the Fig-tree for Sweetnesse in Iothams Parable Ephes 5.11 But if it beare not Fructum natiuitatis suae the fruit of the owne kinde but bitter figges here had better be none at all What an vncomfortable sight is this to Him whose heart is set on his Orchard after the cost of so deare bloud to purchase it after such indulgent care to cheerish it and the charges of so many workemen to dresse it yea after so much patience to expect it say the Fig-tree does not beare so soone as it is planted in our insancie we can doe nothing in our minoritie we will doe little in Gods seruice but now it is growne fructifiable Iam non gustare fructus not to haue so much as a taste Yea were this all did barrennesse onely vsurpe it but there is worse then a meere orbitie or absence of goodnesse a position of bitter fruits Quaesiui Vuas Esay 5.3 inveniâ— Labruscas I find wild Grapes luxurient fruits Instead of the hearty effects which Wine produceth I am answered with the melancholy preuarications of malice Behold the wonder and spectacle of vnthankefulnesse among all Gods Creatures Man and among men the barren Christian Though Israel play the Harlot Hosea 4.15 yet let not Iudah transgresse What may be expected from the wild Forrest of Paganisme when the Garden of Eden yeelds such fruites The sweet fruit of the Spirituall Fig-tree is mercie our God is the God of Loue our Sauiour is the Prince of Loue the Church is knit together in Loue our Roote is Loue our Sappe is Loue our Ligaments Loue now if we shall sucke the bloud one of another violate the relations of peace concoct all our moysture into malice here is worse then Invenio fructum nullum I finde none for Invenio fructum malum I finde cursed fruits Wee are growne vnnaturall the hand scratcheth the eye the mouth biteth the hand thornes and bryers entwine and embrace one another Math. 13.27 while against all nature Fig-trees denoure one another Lord thou didst sow good seed in thy field whence then hath it Tares Here is more fruit then God would haue but for that he expects I finde none When wee are filled with his blessings Christ lookes for our prayses when wee haue caten and are fat Psal 22 29. 1 Cor. 10.7 that wee should worship him What fruit finds he We sit downe to eat and drinke and rise vp to play for praying playing When wee are scourged hee looks for our humiliation and penance Sure in their affliction they will seeke me Esay 26.16 What fruit finds hee Ier. 2.3 Lord thou hast smitten them but they haue not sorrowed an insensible desperatnesse In this case let vs pray Lord lesse of the fruits wee haue and more of them wee should haue Instead of righteousnesse a crye Esay 5.7 a cry indeed a roaring cry of the oppressors and a mourning cry of the oppressed Haec non sunt placido suscipienda sinu Our Bells ring our Chimneis smoake our Fields reioyce our Children dance our selus sing and play Iouis omnia plena But when Righteousnesse hath sowne and comes to reape here is no haruest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I finde none And as there was neuer lesse wisdome in Greece then in time of the Seuen Wise men so neuer lesse pietie among vs then now when vpon good cause most is expected When the Sunne is brightest the Stars be darkest so the cleerer our light the more gloomy our life with the deeds of darkenes The Cimerians that liue in a perpetuall mist though they deny a Sunne are not condemned of impietie but of ignorance but Anaxogoras that saw the Sunne and yet denied it is not condemned of ignorance but of impietie Former times were like Leah bleare-eyed but fruitfull the present like Rachel faire but barren We giue such acclamation
oris not ore gladij with the Sword of the Spirit not a Rouillac's Knife If God had ment such a cutting downe Nero had bene a fitter instrument then Paul Psal 19 We read that their sound went through the World but that their Sword went through the World we neuer read Cut it downe How then Succide that is Succidendam minare threaten that I will cut it downe Cast them out of my sight Eijce Iere. 15.1 that is Eijciendos pronuncia say that I will reiect them Quod moritur moriatur Zach. 11.9 Quod succidendum est succidatur That which dyeth let it die God sometimes sends such farewels and defiances to sinners that will not repent Ephraim is ioyned to Idols let him alone Reuel 22.11 If they will not be perswaded to returne let them go on to their ruine let them alone If any man will be vniust let him be vniust He that will be filthy let him be filthy still let them perish Abeat pereat profundat perdat Cut it downe This was Sententia eris the sentence of the mouth but it may be this was not Consilium cordis the purpose of his heart Saepe Deo minante quod peccans meretur peccanti non fit quod Deus minatur Nor can this tax God of leuitie for he that speakes with condition of repentance may change his word without suspition of lightnesse Tu muto sententiam tuam Deus mutabit suam Thus was Niniueh cut downe Aug euersa estin malo vt aedificaretur in bono the subuersion was menaced the conuersion was intended The Father shuts his rebellions Sonne out of doores will not allow him a lodging not so much as among his seruants yet hee does not meane to let him perish with hunger and cold in the streetes but when he hath well smarted for his disobedience vpon his humble submission he is re-entertained The very mercies of the wicked are cruell but the very iudgements of God are sweet This Cutting downe is Medicinale not mortale Disciplinans non eradicans for restitution not destitution for remidie not for ruine Indeed if all this denuntiation and threatning cannot perswade them to returne then comes their finall predition when they haue cut off themselues impenitently God will cut them off impartially But if we turne to deprecation and repentance he will turne to commiseration and forgiuenesse The Tree is barren and the Lord saies Cut it downe the Tree fructifies and he will say Let it stand O then let vs humble our selues and with seasonable repentance Cut downe our sinnes that this terrible Sentence may neuer Cut downe our soules The Reason Why cumbreth it the ground God is an vndependant Lord and needes not giue a reason of his doings for who can call him to account Rom. 9.20 Curita facis His Iudgements are not alwaies manifest they are alwaies iust nor doth he things because they are good but they are therefore good because hee doth them Should hee make short worke on the earth and dispatch all barren Trees in a moment yet thou continuest holy O thou worship of Israel If he strickes vs we are not wronged it is our desert and his Iustice If he spares vs we haue not merited It is his mercie Huic fit miserecordia tibi non fit iniuria that man receiues mercie thou hast no iniurie Yet that hee might bee iustified and the mouth of all wickednesse stopped he is content to giue a reason of this sentence Thinke not I deale hardly with this Fg-tree let vs conferre together and heare one another with patience I will shew thee sufficient reason of cutting it downe doe thou shew me some cause why it should stand My reason is It cumbers the ground Terram reddit otiosam inutilem It is not onely barren Formaliter but Effectiue In a word 1. It does no good 2. It doth much harme First It does no good therefore it is vnworthy of the nourishment Terra bona and Gens mala are an ill match an opulent Land and a pestilent People Aug. Peccator non est dignus pane quo vescitur The wicked man is not worthy of the bread bee eates of the water he drinkes of the ayre he breathes of the ground hee goes on The rich thinkes himselfe worthy of delicate viands costly garments dutifull attendance Quia-Diuts because he is rich yet he may not be worthy of a crumme a rag a respect Quia malus because he is euill It will one day grieue such fruitles Nabals when they must receiue a multiplicitie of torments according to the number of their abused benefits and they wil wish that they had not fared so well vpon earth that they might fare lesse ill in Hell They liue in the Vineyard eate the fat and drinke the sweet turning all this iuyce not into fruitfull clusters for the behoofe of Gods seruants but into their owne armes and branches raysing their Houses out of the ruines of Gods House What good doe they Cut them downe Eccles 2.26 Why cumber they the ground It is fit that the Riches of the sinner should bee laid vp for the righteous dentur dignioribus But if God should at once cut down all the barren Trees among vs there neuer was such a cry in Egypt as there would be about London What innumerable swarmes of nothing does beleaguer this Citie men and women whose whole imployment is to goe from their beds to the Tap-house then to the Play-house where they make a match for the Brothel-house and from thence to bed againe To omit those ambulatory Christians that weare out the Pauement of this great Temple with their feet but scarse euer touch stone of it with their knees that are neuer further from God then when they are neerest the Church To omit that rabble of begging and pilfring vagabonds that like beasts know no other end of their creation but recreation but to eate and drinke and sleepe What an armie of these might bee mustred out of our Suburbs But that Idlenesse hath disabled them to any seruice they are neither fit for God nor man Did they yet but like wormes and insects spend vp the corruption of the Land and leaue vs the lesse it were somewhat But they are worse euen diseases and vnwholsome ayres to breed infection among vs. Let Authority looke to their castigation or answere for their mischiefes so farre as they deserue let them not be spared Cut them downe Why comber they the Ground The barren Tree doth no good you see but that is not all It doth much hurt and that in two respects 1 It occupies the roome where a better Tree might grow The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you Math. 21 4â— and giuen to a Nation that will bring forth the Fruites thereof A fruitfull Nation would bee content with such a dwelling Christ foretels this mutation Paul shewes it accomplished They are broken off Rom. 11.19 that we in their places
soule Men rather busie themselues to gather the fruites of earth then to yeeld the fruites of heauen Heere is strength of nature and fulnesse of stature but still a defect of grace Perhaps Christ hath now some faire promises of fruits heereafter Luke 9 61 Let mee first go bury my Father then But a thousand to one he finds something in Domo left by his father that keepes him a Domino from following his Master To preuent this it is his caution to the entertained seruant Forget thine owne people Psal 45.10 and thy fathers house rather forgoe and forget thy fathers house then thy Makers seruice 3. In old age now the decay of body should argue a decay of sinne The taste finds no relish in ryot the eares cannot distinguish Musicke the eies are dimme to pleasing obiects very Desire failes now all things promise mortification Hee that cannot stirre abroad in the world what should he doe but recollect himselfe and settle his thoughts on the world to come Now fruites or neuer Not yet Morositie Pride and Auarice are the three diseases of olde age men couet most when they haue time to spend least as cheating Tradesmen then get vp most commodities into their hands when they meane to breake Still hee comes seeking fruite and is returned with a Non Inuentus If yet it weare but as the Prophets signe to Hezekiah This yeare yee shall eate such as groweth of it selfe and the second yeare such springeth of the same and in the third yeare yee shall sowe and reape c. the third yeare might afford him somewhat But doth hee forbeare all trees thus long No some are snatch'd away in the flower and pride of their life yea they bee not fewe that will not allow themselues to liue but with ryot and intemperance hasten their owne endes before they haue well begun or learned what life is like bad Schollers that slubber out their bookes before they haue learned their lessons That in stead of Non est fructus wee may say Non est ficus the tree it selfe is gone And that goodly person which like a faire ship hath bene long a building and was but yesterday put to sea is to day sunke in the Maine We doe not eate drinke and sleepe and take such refections of nature vt non moriamur that wee might not die that is impossible but that wee should not dye barren but beare some fruits vp with vs to him that made the Tree Seeking It is fit wee should offer our fruits to God and not put him to seeke for his owne We should be like those ripe-figs Nath 3.12 that fall into the mouth of the eater The best liquours are they that drop from their cells of their owne accord without pressing The most acceptable of all oblations be the Free-will-offerings Howsoeuer let vs bee sure not to disappoynt the Lord when he seekes On this Fig-tree It is fit that hee that plants a Vineyard should taste of the Wine good reason Prou. 27.18 his owne tree should yeeld him some fruite considering what hee hath done for it he may well challenge it 1 He hath planted vs wee spring not vp naturally as the Oake growes from an Acorne the Peach from a stone but a gracious hand hath set vs. We are not borne of flesh nor of the will of blood Iohn 1 1â— or of man but of God 2. Hee hath planted vs in his Vineyard within the enclosed Garden of the Church Had he left vs to the vnregarded wildernes without any Dresser to looke to vs there might haue been some excuse of our barrennesse The ground that is left to it selfe is in a manner blamelesse though it be fruitlesse But in Vineasua which he hath fenced in with his prouidence blessed with his fauing influence husbanded with his Dressers diligence forwarded with the beames of mercy and showres more precious then the deawes of Hermon that fell vpon the hill of Sion Where wee participate the fatnesse of the ground are fed with vnperishing Manna compassed about with Songs of deliuerance and haue seene our desires vpon his and our enemies Where Righteousnesse is our walls and Peace our bulwarkes and the wayes bee milke where we set our feet 3 Wee are Figtrees not brambles no man expects Grapes from thornes Math. 7.16 Not Okes or Cedars to be a dwelling for the Storkes But Figtrees apt for fruit for pleasant fruit If the rest be fruitlesse they serue for other purposes but what shall become of the barren Figtree 4. Hee is our Lord and Querit suum he seekes but his owne If our owne Kine giue vs no milke our owne sheepe afford vs no wooll our owne land returne vs no encrease we are displeased whereas these be reasonlesse creatures but we haue sense aboue common nature reason aboue sense grace aboue reason We are but tennants of these Christ is Lord of vs our sinnes bring the curse of barrennesse vpon them but there is no fault in God if we be vnfruitfull 5. He comes seeking not threatning raging wounding not felling downe the tree nor stocking it vp by the rootes but seeking Dignatur expectare fructus cui licet eradicare Infructuosos Man is a loser by the barrenesse of his garden-tree were there not a tree left God is neuer the poorer Now lay all these together a Lord that owes vs wee are his trees to come into his Vineyard where he may be confident wee liue on his ground to looke vpon a Figtree made of an apt disposition to good fruit such a one as himselfe hath planted not casually grown vp a tree not neglected but whereon hee hath bestowed great care and cost wayting not destroying what can we plead for it if it be fruitlesse God is our Lord and Proprietary England is his Vineyard euery one of vs his Fig-tree thus planted watered blessed by his gracious mercy Hee comes to vs with patience that should run to him with penitence seeking our fruites that should make tender of them vnsought waiting that might command now feare obedience and thankefulnesse keepe vs from sending him backe with a Non inuenio I finde none Fruit. This is that inseparable effect that God expects from euery Tree planted in his Garden Rom. 7.4 We are married to Christ to what ende That we should bring forth fruits vnto God Hee seekes not for leaues buds or blossomes but fruites Could leaues content him wee would not leaue him vnsatisfied he should haue an Arbour large enough to reach to the Worlds ende Psalm 19.4 Our tongues runne apace not seldome faster then our wittes Wee are Gods debters and if hee will take our words so that 's all hee is like to haue Might buds please him or blossomes wee haue intentions to good certaine offers and shewes of obedience which we weare like a cloake or some loose garment that when Lust calls wee may quickly slip off But when he seekes for workes all our Consonants
be turned into Mutes we are speachlesse O would he aske vs for any thing but fruites Matth. 22.12 but what should be expected from the Figtree but Figges Of euery soule here hee seekes for fruites Of the Magistrate that he bring foorth the fruites of Iustice determining causes with sinceritie of decision and conuenience of expedition being so far as equitie permits a husband to the widdow and a father to the fatherlesse Of the Minister that hee bring forth the fruits of knowledge Aarons Rod was his Pastorall staffe in one and the same night it brought forth buds and blossomes and fruit Fruitfulnesse is the best argument that God hath called vs there is not a plant of his setting but the very branches thereof shall flourish I doe not say our paynes shall alwayes conuert many Soules that is Gods fruite not ours Hee chargeth vs to bee industrious in Preaching let Himselfe alone with the worke of sauing Of the priuate man he expects the fruit of his calling to bee idle is to bee barren of good and to bee barren of good is to bee pregnant of all euill Bella gerant alij Protesilaus edit but let vs that are called to worke worke in our calling otherwise at last wee shall make but a sorry answere to that Question Vbi fructus Let vs all produce the fruits of Charity rich men doe good turnes to themselues as they play at Tennisse tossing the Ball to him that will tosse it to them againe seldome to the poore for they are not able to bandy it backe Pride cuts and Ryot shuffles but betwixt them both they deale the poore but a bad game The fruite of Christianitie is Mercie when the rich like full eares of Corne humble themselues to the poore earth in Charitie Feed him that feeds you giue him part of your Temporalls from whom you expect Eternalls you cloathe Christ with your blackes on earth hee will clothe you with his glorious whites in heauen Our mercie to others is the Fruite of Gods mercy to vs. Fruite Nothing is created for it selfe but so placed by the most wise prouidence that it may conferre something to the publique good though it be but as the Widowes two Mites to the Treasurie The poorest creature yeelds some Fruit wherein it doth imitate the goodnesse of the Maker We know not readily what good Serpents and Vermine may doe yet certainly they haue their fruit both in sucking vp that poyson of the earth which would be contagious to man in setting off the beautie of the better pieces of creation Aug. for though the same hand made both the Angels in heauen and the wormes on earth yet the Angels appeare the more glorious being so compared besides their hidden vertues abstracted from our knowledge Of stones they make yron rubbish serues to raise Bulwarks the small pebble for the sling wormes and flyes are bayts for Fishes euery thing is enabled with some gift for the vnniuersall benefit and to produce those fruits is their naturall worke The Sunne comes foorth of his Chamber like a Bridegrome fresh and liuely and reioyceth as a Gyant to runne his diurnall course to lighten vs with his refulgent beames to generate cheere and mature things with his parentall heate this is his fruite In his absence the Moone and Starres adorne the Canopie of Heauen reflecting their operatiue influence to quicken the lower world this is their fruites The curled cloudes those bottles of raine thinne as the liquour they containe flye vp and downe on the wings of the winde deliuering their moyst burdens vpon the earth teats whereon the hungry fields and pastures doe sucke yet they expect no haruest from vs this is their fruites The subtill winds come puffing out of their cauernes to make artificiall motions wholesome ayres and nauigable seas yet neither earth ayre nor sea returne them recompence this is their fruits The earth in a thankefull imitation of the Heauens lockes not vp her treasures within her owne Coffers but without respect of her priuate benefit is liberall of her allowance yeelding her fatnesse and riches to innumerable creatures that hang on her breasts and depend vpon her as their common mother for maintenance Of the beasts that feed vpon her Kine giue vs their milke Sheepe their wooll euery one payes a tribute to man their vsu-fructuary Lord this is their fruites Fruit bearing Trees spend not all their sappe and moisture vpon themselues or the increase of their owne magnitudes but the principall and purer part of it is concocted into some pleasant Fruites whereof they nor their young Springs euer come to taste but they proffer it vs and when it is ripe they voluntarily let it fall at their Masters feete Neuer did the Oliue annoynt it selfe with the owne Oyle nor the Vine make it selfe drunke with the owne Grapes nor the Tree in my Text deuoure the owne Figges yet they all striue to abound with Fruites Let me raise your Meditations from earth to heauen the holy Angels there are called Ministring Spirits those royall Armies fight for vs against our enemies like Nurses they beare vs vp in their armes and though vnseene doe glorious Offices for vs this is part of their fruit Iohn 5.17 The blessed Trinitie is alwayes working Hitherto my Father worketh and I worke The Father by his prouidence and protection the Sonne by his mercy and mediation the Holy Ghost by his grace and sanctification all diuiding the streames of their goodnesse for the best behoofe of the world The more any thing furthers the common good the more noble is the Nature and more resembling the Creator The Earth is fruitfull the Sea the Ayre the Heauens are fruitfull and shall not man bring foorth fruites for whom all these are fruitfull While all the Armies of Heauen and Earth are busied in fructifying shall Man of more singular graces and faculties be idle a burden to the world and himselfe Both the Church of God for the propagation of pietie and the world it selfe for the vpholding of his estate requires our Fruites If Happinesse consisted in doing nothing God that meant Adam so happy would neuer haue set him about businesse but as Paradise was his Store-house so also his work-house his pleasure was his taske There is no state of man that can priuiledge a folded hand Our life is Vita pulueris non puluinaris Landes Meanes and Moneyes men make the protections of Idlenesse whereas Adam commaunded the whole earth yet worke expected him In Paradise all things did labour for man now man must labour for all things Adam did worke because he was happy wee his children must worke that wee may bee happy Heauen is for ioyes Hell for paines Earth for labour God hath three houses this is his Worke-house that aboue is his Ware-house O then let vs bee fruitfull that others benefit may bee ours our benefit theirs and the glory of all the Lords If Magistrates yeeld not the Fruits of Iustice Ministers