Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
CANT. 2. 3. At the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons: I ſat down under His Shadow with great delight, and His Fruit was ſweet to my Taſte.
I Told you before, here is a twofold compariſon, the ſons of men are compared to the Trees of the wood, the Trees of the foreſt, which are wild Trees, which hold forth the ſtate of all men by Nature; we have done with that.
The ſecond is, The ſon of God is compared to the Apple-tree among thoſe Trees. I ſhewed you in what reſpect Chriſt is compared to the Apple-tree; and the laſt day I ſhewed why Chriſt is ſaid to be as the Appletree among the Trees of the wood: why not an Appletree among the Trees of the Garden, but as the Appletree among the Trees of the wood.
Ʋſe 1. Firſt, let ſuch as profeſs the name of Chriſt, be like unto Chriſt. That's the uſe of the point I ſhall make at this time. They that profeſs Chriſt muſt be like Chriſt. Labour to be fruitful Trees, fruitbearing trees; and look that your fruit be of this Apple-tree, and bring forth much of this fruit, as Chriſt did: yea be like unto Chriſt in being Appletrees in the midſt of the wood. To this head I ſhall reduce all that I ſhall preſs upon you at this time.
Firſt of all, Chriſtians ſhould labour to be fruitbearing trees: the Lord Jeſus Chriſt would rather be ſet forth by a fruit-bearing tree, than by a tree of ſtrength, or a tree of tallneſs; not the Oak or the Cedar, but the Apple-tree, and that becauſe it's a fruitbearing tree. Oh how ſhould Chriſtians labour to be fruitful in their place! it's better to be ſerviceable to God and man, in your place and Generation, and relation, than to have places, titles, honours and dignities amongſt the great ones of the world: and Chriſtians ſhould rather chooſe to be ſerviceable to God and man, than to ſeek great things for themſelves in the world: there's a notable parable in Judges 9. 8. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a King over them, and they ſaid unto the Olive-tree, Reign thou over us. But the Olive-tree ſaid unto them, Should I leave my fatneſs wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? There was a particular application of the parable: the Sons of Gedeon choſe rather to be uſeful in Iſrael, than to be honourable in Iſrael: it holds forth thus much in general, a gracious heart will rather chooſe a place of ſervice than a place of honour; I will not leave my goodneſs, my ſweetneſs and my fatneſs, ſayes the Olive-tree, fig-tree and the vine: no though to be promoted over and beyond other trees: conſider that it is the greateſt Commendation of a Chriſtian to be a ſerviceable and fruit-bearing tree; I ſay it is the greateſt commendation unto men that they are ſerviceable unto God in their place and generation: look unto David, in Act. 13. ſee what a ſpecial commendation God gives of him, v. 36. after he had ſerved his own generation, by the will of God he then fell aſleep: it was the greateſt commendation that God could give David, when he would ſpeak honourably of David; when David is gone, this was his commendation, he ſerved his generation, he was a fruit-bearing tree, he ſerved his generation according to the will of God; He ſought the glory of God, he laboured to do good to the ſons of men whilſt he was here upon earth; and ſo David ſerved his generation: Brethren, it's no commendation for a man to live long, if he don't ſerve his generation; It's no commendation for a tree to ſtand a hundred years, if it ben't a fruitful Tree: Let us ſee,
1. Firſt of all wherein God begins to commend David; he begins at the ſervice of his Generation: as if God did not take notice of other time that men ſpend, in which there is no ſervice done to him; he doth not ſay after he had lived ſo long, or after he had ſerved ſo long, but after he had ſerved his generation according to the will of God; A man may live a hundred years upon earth, and may ſtand ſo long, and yet be an accurſed tree all the time of his ſtanding, if he be not a fruitful tree, and a tree doing ſome good for his generation wherein he lives: you may ſee the prophecie of the Prophet Iſaiah, 65. 20. But the ſinner being an hundred years old, ſhall be accurſed: ſo that it is not ſimply a bleſſing to live long, to ſtand long, if a man be not a fruitful Tree; for a man may ſtand a hundred years, ſayes the Scripture, and yet all that time be under a curſe. Again,
2. Secondly, I beſeech you remember that you have the example of Chriſt: you have the example of Chriſt and of his people before you, who are all trees of righteouſneſs, fruit-bearing trees: What abundance of fruit did Chriſt bring forth to his Father, when he was upon earth? Every bough and every branch be full of precious fruit. To ſee the Glory of the only begotten Son, full of grace and truth. See Rev. 22. what is ſpoken there of this fruitful tree; and it's Chriſt that is this tree, the tree of life. Bleſſed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the tree of Life. Oh what a fruitful tree is this tree of Life! He brings forth fruit every Month; continually full of fruit, and all that was in Chriſt was uſeful; the very leaves are good▪ the very leaves of this tree of Life were good. Oh the precious balm that dropt from the leaves of this tree of life, into poor afflicted and wounded Souls! The very leaves of it were good for the healing of the Nations: And it was Jobs commendation, and it was alſo his comfort, when the hand of the Lord was upon him, that he brought forth fruit, that he was a fruit-bearing tree, Job 29. 11. When the ear heard me, then it bleſſed me, and when the eye ſaw me, it gave witneſs to me: and as the ear and eye bleſſed him, ſo the loins bleſſed him, Job 31. 20. the loins of the Poor bleſſed him, that he warmed and that he refreſhed: So that this was a great comfort unto Job, in the day of his diſtreſs, when all his friends upbraided him with hypocriſie, he knew that grace would uphold him, he was not an unfruitful tree, but was ſtill ſerviceable in the place and relation God had ſet him.
3. Thirdly, Nay let me further tell you, that if Chriſtians be not fruit-bearing trees, they are a diſhonour to Chriſt; it's a diſhonour to the very root they profeſs they are engrafted upon. When you come to a tree whoſe branches are dead and withered, and you ſee there is no fruit upon it, you will complain preſently, and ſay there is ſome fault in the root; the fruit is dry and withered, the unfruitful branches are a diſhonour to the root. Unfruitful Chriſtians are a dishonour to Chriſt. Oh! What will the world ſay, when they come to look upon Chriſtians, when they ſee they are dry, withered, and fruitleſs, and there is no more to be ſeen in them than in others? What ſayes the world? why, the blame is caſt upon their head, the root: theſe are the Chriſtians, theſe are the profeſſors. Oh wherein do men take occaſion? Oh give no juſt occaſion for men to ſpeak diſhonourably of Chriſt whom you profeſs.
4. Fourthly, Again it's the diſhonour of the husbandman to have an unfruitful tree, Joh. 15. 1. I am the vine, and my Father is the Husbandman: every branch in me that beareth no fruit, he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit: and ſo when the Gardener, the Husbandman, ſhall let a tree ſtand forty years, and be unfruitful, this man will be accounted unskilful in his Vineyard: Why, ſo if the Lord ſhould let ſuch trees to ſtand forty, fifty or a hundred years, and no fruit brought to him, it's a great dishonour to the husbandman.
2. Secondly, Therefore again ſecondly, Chriſtians ſhould look that their fruit be the fruit of the Appletree, be like to Chriſt: in this, he was as the Appletree among the trees of the wood: You know the Apple-tree is known by the ſmoothneſs of the branches; it's not full of pricks and Thorns, as many other trees are; It will not ſcratch, it will not tear or rend, as others will, though men break the branches, and ſpoil them, yet it doth not tear or rend them: and truly thus was Chriſt, and thus it becomes Chriſtians to be; He was no thorn, he was beſet with thorns, Iſaiah 53. 7. he was oppreſſed, he was dumb, he opened not his mouth: as a Sheep that is dumb before his ſhearer: he did not revile, he did not render reviling for reviling, he did not reproach, and the ſmoaking flax he did not quench, nor break the bruiſed reed, he did not ſtrive, he did not cry, his voice was not heard in the ſtreets; and thus was Chriſt, and thus it becomes Chriſtians. Chriſtians ſhould not tear and rend; they ſhould not bear pricking thorns; they ſhould not render evil for evil, they ſhould not pour forth expreſſions of hatred, envy and wrath. This is for the bryar and the thorn; this is not for the Apple-tree. If you be Apple-trees, be like to Chriſt in this. But,
3. Thirdly, Again the Apple-tree is known by the fruit. There's a great deal of fruit that is like the fruit of the Apple-tree, that is not known till ſuch time as men come to taſte it. It's poſſible that a wild tree may be as fair and as beautiful as the Apple-tree; but when you come to taſte it, you will diſtinguiſh the fruit of the wild tree; the Crab-tree, it's ſowr, it's bitter; the fruit of the Apple-tree is ſweet and pleaſant. Brethren, know, God doth examine all your fruit and all the Apples, and God doth taſte every fruit,
Firſt of all, by the Principle, and ſecondly, by mens End.
1. Firſt of all, The Lord doth taſte mens fruit by their principle; he examines from whence men brought forth their fruit, whence came their fruitfulneſs: he examines whether they were grafted upon a good ſtock or no; the Lord knows it I ſay by the taſte: when you take a twig, or cyon and graft it on an Elder, or ſome other tree that hath an ill taſte, the fruit will taſte as the tree is: If it be engrafted upon a good ſtock, the fruit will be good; the Lord will examine every mans ſtock, whether he be engrafted on Chriſt or on himſelf. See Hoſea 14. 8. I am like a green firr tree (the words of Chriſt) and from me is all thy fruit found. That's good fruit that grows upon Chriſt, that comes from Chriſt, that taſtes of Chriſt.
Object. But you will ſay, When doth a mans fruit taſte of Chriſt?
Anſw. 1. Firſt of all; When the Soul is ſtill labouring to get out of it ſelf, is ſtill emptying it ſelf, getting out of himſelf: when a man doth all that he can do; and yet looks upon himſelf as vile, and wretched, abhorring himſelf in duſt and aſhes; when he continually ſayes, there is nothing at all in him that is good. The Apoſtle Paul ſayes it: that is his expreſſion, and it was the expreſſion of a gracious heart, Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in me (that is in my fleſh) dwelleth no good thing. When the Soul is thus taken up (with Paul) emptying it ſelf, and looking upon it ſelf as a poor vile, weak, wretched creature, utterly unable to do any thing in his own ſtrength for God, and lying at the footſtool of Chriſt, breathing and waiting; this fruit is not of himſelf, but it taſtes of Chriſt. But again,
Anſw. 2. Secondly, the fruit taſtes of Chriſt, when as the ſoul doth all out of a principle of Faith. It works from a principle of faith: It hath ſeen the tenders of grace in the Goſpel, how the Lord doth freely and graciouſly hold forth himſelf to poor loſt ſinners; and hath through the power of God made a cloſe with his tender of grace, received it by faith, ſo that now this faith it works by love; and all that ever the Soul doth, it deſires to do it out of love to God; when it comes thus from a principle of faith, it doth alway act by love, then the Soul taſtes and feeds upon Chriſt. But again,
3. Thirdly, the Soul taſtes of Chriſt, when it lives from a continual dependance on Chriſt; when the Soul goes only out to Chriſt for righteouſneſs and ſtrength and Salvation; when it goes out to Chriſt for all grace, ſtrength and Holineſs; for ſtrength to perform every duty, and to bear every burden; and to walk wiſely and graciouſly in every relation; when the Soul lyes breathing and waiting upon Chriſt (as the Poor man in the Goſpel, who laid at the pool of Betheſda,) when the ſoul lies waiting for the movings of Chriſt, and is continually opening its ſavory affections to Chriſt; looks upon it ſelf as a Ship at ſea in a Calm, and is not able to ſtir, unleſs the wind move, unleſs the wind blow; I ſay when the ſoul doth thus act, this fruit taſtes of Chriſt; and thus doth Paul profeſs that he lived in a continual dependance upon Chriſt, and that all that he did, it was not from himſelf or any thing of his own, but it was from Chriſt: See that place in the Galatians from which a gracious Spirit doth breath, Gal. 2. 20. I am Crucified with Chriſt; nevertheleſs I live; yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me, and the Life which I live in the fleſh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himſelf for me. Here's a gracious expreſſion, I live, ſayes he, and yet not I, it's Chriſt that lives in me. When the ſoul can thus refer all to Chriſt, and, ſayes, I believe, and it's not I but Chriſt that helps me, and ſo I obey, yet not I, but it's the Spirit of Chriſt in me; and I ſuffer, yet not I, but Chriſt ſtrengthening me; I pray and I perform duties, and yet not I, but it's the Spirit of Chriſt in me, that breaths in me; when the ſoul thus goes out of it ſelf, and depends upon Chriſt for all grace and ſtrength, and all Holineſs, as well as for life and Salvation, now doth the fruit of this Soul taſte of Chriſt, God knows it, he taſtes of Chriſt in it. But then again,
2. Secondly, As God doth taſte of the principles of the Soul as by the Stock from whence it comes, ſo alſo by the ends of it. What's the end of a mans action, what is the end of that he doth for God, what is the end of his affections, of his forwardneſs, of his duties? the Lord judgeth of all the fruit by the ends of it; why, if the Glory of God be a mans end in all that he doth, this taſtes of the fruit of Chriſt, of the fruit of the Apple-tree; but if a man aim at his own ends, if a man ſeek himſelf in all that he doth, it taſtes ſtrong of Self, and the Lord hath no delight in it; ſee what is ſaid in Hoſea 10. 1. Iſrael is an emptie Vine, and yet he brings forth fruit; how can theſe two ſtand together? he brings forth fruit, but he brings forth no good fruit, he is emptie becauſe he is empty to God, he brings forth fruit and that fruit is emptie, it's to himſelf, and ſo emptie: and ſo God looks upon him as an emptie Vine; if a man bring forth never ſo much fruit, (it being to himſelf) it can't be called good, but ſeemleſs fruit, and all that fruit is loſt, the Lord takes no delight in that fruit, it's not for Gods taſte, when as it's not brought forth unto him.
Object. But you will ſay, when doth a man bring forth fruit to God? What are the ends that a man ſhould propound to himſelf in all his actions to God, that makes his fruit to be good?
Anſw. When the Soul doth all that it doth, that it may teſtifie its thankfulneſs that it owes to God for the great and wonderful ſalvation that comes in by Chriſt; when a man ſayes, I will take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the Name of God; When a man does all that he doth to teſtifie his Subjection to God, and only does all his works that he may honour and lift up Gods name in the world; that he may be ſerviceable and inſtrumental to do God ſervice in his generation, when he makes this his end: when a man ſhall do all for this end, that God may reap the Glory, that God may eat of the fruit he hath planted, that God may not loſe all his labour, and all his pains, and all his coſt; that ſo he that hath planted the tree in his Orchard, may eat the fruit of it; ſo that when a man makes not himſelf the end, but God the ſole end, this God taſtes of as ſavourie, as a fruit ſavoury to himſelf. But again,
2. Secondly, Chriſtians ſhould labour to bring forth much of this fruit; a good tree brings forth much fruit: Oh how full was Chriſt! every bough was full of fruit: Therefore the people of God, they are compared unto trees that are planted by the rivers ſide, it's ſaid, they ſhall be as trees planted by the rivers of waters: they are fruitful trees that are well watered, and ſo bring forth abundance of fruit; Oh Chriſtians, remember this was the end of Chriſts coming, that you may bring forth fruit, and bring forth abundance of fruit; you ſhould not only be trees, but bring forth abundance of fruit. I came that you might have life; and that you might have it more abundantly: See that promiſe and make much of it, Pſalm 92. it's a gracious promiſe, and may tend through the bleſſing of God to quicken dead unfruitful hearts, v. 12, 13. the righteous ſhall flouriſh like a Palm tree: he ſhall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon; thoſe that be planted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God, they ſhall bring forth fruit in old age: they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing: it's a large promiſe, they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing, and they ſhall bring forth fruit in old age; therefore you that complain of the deadneſs, and unfruitfulneſs of your hearts, look to the promiſe, and ſay, Oh Lord I have a dead heart, my branches are withered, I even deſpair of bringing forth fruit to God; why, don't look to thy own deadneſs, look to the promiſe of God: It's ſaid of Abraham, he had a dead body, or as good as dead in reſpect of begetting Children, Rom. 4. yet he lookt to the promiſe, v. 19, 20. And being not weak in faith he conſidered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old, neither the deadneſs of Sarahs womb: he ſtaggered not at the promiſe of God through unbelief; but was ſtrong in Faith giving glory to God, he had a dead body, and yet his faith was revived: when he lookt to the promiſe of God, he was confident that God who had promiſed was able to perform: and thou that complaineſt of the deadneſs of thy heart, don't look upon thine own heart, but upon the promiſe, God will declare his faithfulneſs and whatſoever he hath promiſed he will fulfill it.
Object. But you will ſay, how ſhould we believe it? we ſee the contrary: how is this promiſe made good that the righteous ſhall bring forth fruit in old age? don't we ſee many times how the beſt Chriſtians decay in old age? which makes us even afraid to live to old age▪
Anſw. Certainly the promiſe of God is made good, they do flouriſh, and bring forth fruit in old age: an old Chriſtian, though he may not bring forth ſo much of ſome fruit, yet he brings forth more of other fruit, than young Chriſtians do; it may be there is not ſo much Zeal, nor ſo much activitie for God, ay, but there may be more rootedneſs, more ſtedfaſtneſs, more eſtabliſhment of heart; the heart may be more rooted, more grounded upon him: this makes the fruit the more ſavoury: the leſs of Self, and the more of Chriſt is in him, the more well pleaſing is it to Gods taſte. Now I ſay that old Chriſtians (it's true) may decay in parts and gifts, in utterance and expreſſion, and the like, and yet may not decay in grace: the inward man, the hidden man in the heart, that may wax ſtrong, and be more freſh, green and fruitful.
2. Secondly, Again I ſay to this that young Chriſtians may have more activitie, but old Chriſtians may have more Skill, and therefore though they may not act as formerly, yet there may be abundance of Skill in holy things; as the wiſe man ſayes, remember thy creatour before old age comes, before the daughters of muſick fall low, before the voice is gone; he was able it may be to ſing clear before, yet now he may have as much skill, and it may be more than ever though old; and ſo of an old Chriſtian, this may be ſaid, that young Chriſtians may bring forth more fruit, but old Chriſtians may bring forth ſweeter fruit; it's ſo of older trees, they bring forth ſweeter fruit, though not ſo much indeed as young trees: why, ſo, old Chriſtians that hold faſt in their Integritie, if they don't bring forth ſo much as the young tree, yet they bring forth ſweeter and pleaſanter fruit; and ſtill the Lord is faithful in his promiſe, the righteous bring forth fruit in old age; and therefore look to the promiſe of the Lord, and let this promiſe ſtrengthen your faith.
3. Thirdly, Again, Labour to grow up in grace: the Lord loves to walk in his Orchard, when there are fruitful trees he loves to beſtow his pains upon them, he will hedge them, he will prune them, he will ſpare no coſt on his fruitful trees; nay the Lord will not cut down his fruitful trees, here's great encouragement for Chriſtians to bring forth much fruit in their Generation: God doth ſpare thoſe who bring forth much fruit: God gave command in the book of Deuteronomie when as they went out to war, Deut. 20. 19 When thou ſhalt beſiege a City a long time, in making war againſt it, to take it, thou ſhalt not deſtroy the trees thereof, by forcing an ax againſt them, for thou mayeſt eat of them. For the trees of the Field might be imployed in the ſiege, the trees that brought forth no fruit, thoſe trees ſhould be cut down; but thoſe that bear fruit ſhall not (by Gods command) be cut down: you that are fruitbearing trees, the Lord takes ſpecial care of you, the Lord will not cut down thoſe trees: the husbandman he comes and looks on a branch, and ſees no fruit, he is ready to cut it down; ay, but if there comes one and ſpies a cluſter on it, if it be but one cluſter, don't cut it down, ſurely it is not dead, here is a cluſter on it. Oh the grace and goodneſs of God towards his people, there is ſomething of Chriſt found in ſuch, and therefore Lord cut them not down; thus mercy pleads: Well then, you that belong to Chriſt, bring forth much fruit. If you ask me how? I anſwer, look to God the great husbandman, he is ſuch a husbandman as he knows how to make you fruitful: Paul plants, and Apollo waters, but God gives the encreaſe; look to the Lord, be willing to ſubmit unto God in whatſoever way God ſhall deal with you, be willing that the Husbandman ſhould prune you, launce you, that he ſhould cut off your unſound branches; Submit unto Gods wayes of affliction, though they be never ſo hard, the Lord he can by them make you fruitful. The rain it makes wayes dirtie, but in time it makes grounds fruitful. The Lord he can make thy trees fruitful, and the herbs that he hath ſowen and planted in thy heart fruitful: therefore ſubmit unto Gods wayes, and get nigher to Chriſt as ever thou deſireſt to be fruitful; the branches that are neareſt the root, thoſe branches bring forth moſt fruit: Chriſt is the root, and you that are in Chriſt cleave more to him, and let your dependance be on him. The nigher you are to him, the more fruit you ſhall bring forth.
4. Fourthly, The fourth and laſt thing and I have done, Let Chriſtians be like unto Chriſt in this, that they be Apple-trees in the midſt of the wood. Chriſt he was an Apple-tree among bryars and thorns in the world, Oh that Chriſtians would be like unto Chriſt in this: It was the great commendation of Lot, Enoch, Moſes, Joſiah, David, and others that lived in an evil age, yet their hearts were upright for God; and truly though their ſervices be hard ſervice, and though Gods people be in an evil world, yet in heaven they ſhall lift up God without oppoſition (and thought it be here with oppoſition, yet: ſtill it makes the Name of God Glorious; to bring forth fruit when all the world is unfruitful, or hath nothing but wild fruit, this is their commendation. There are ſome profeſſors, they will be Apple-trees among the Apple-trees, but when they are among the trees of the wood, then they'l be crab-trees; Chriſt though in the midſt of the wood he was ſweet and delightful fruit, though compaſſed about with ſinners; well, look unto Chriſt to keep up your ſavoury fruit, that God may taſte it, that you may ſtill bring forth ſweet and pleaſant fruit, though compaſſed about with Wild trees. And ſo much for this time.