Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 1
SERMON I.
CANT. 2. 3. As 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.
AS the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons, &c. Here are two things conſiderable in the Words; viz. the Matter, and the Form of them: For the Form, it is a Similitude; the Matter in it is the Perſon, and a Thing: The Perſon is Chriſt, the Thing to which this Perſon is reſembled, and that is an Apple-tree; it's titled by its plantation; Among the Trees of the Wood: Then we have the Application of this Similitude, in that word, So is my Beloved among the Sons.
Here is alſo an Illuſtration of this ſimilitude in two particulars, which diſcovers wherein Chriſt is reſembled to the Apple-tree: Firſt, For the ſhadow of it; I ſat under his ſhadow with great delight. And then,
Secondly, for the Furit of it; His Fruit was ſweet to my Taſte. There is ſomething obſervable held forth in the dependance that theſe words have upon the former: If you look into the ſecond verſe, As the Lily among the Thorns, ſo is my Beloved among the Daughters. In that verſe Chriſt ſets forth the excellency of his Spouſe, declaring the high eſtimation he hath of her; She is a Lily among the Thorns, ſo is my Love among the Daughters. By how much the Lily is to be prefer'd before the Thorns and Thiſtles, ſo much is the Spouſe before all other Children, before all other Men, before all other Congregations. Now ſee how the Spouſe doth admire Chriſt, As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons; and how the Love of Chriſt doth beget Love; what Improvement a gracious Heart makes of the manifeſtation of Chriſts Love; He declared that he loved her, he loved her dearly above all the World; and preſently ſhe breaths love again. There was a Fire of Love, that was kindled in her boſome, which flamed towards Chriſt; the more love Chriſt manifeſted, the more a gracious Heart loves Chriſt again: You know the Woman in the Goſpel, what abundance of love ſhe expreſt to Chriſt; ſhe ſat at Chriſts Feet weeping, and waſhing Chriſts Feet with her Tears, and wiping them with the Hair of her Head; ſhe had much forgiven, many manifeſtations of Love, in the forgiving her many ſins; and therefore ſhe loved much. But again obſerve, the Spouſe doth not reſt in that Commendation that Chriſt had given her; he had highly commended her as a Lily among Thorns: But ſhe carries the commendation back again to him; what ever ſhe hath from Chriſt, ſhe carries back again to Chriſt, ſhe 'I make him the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End of all, and therefore ſhe preſently falls upon admiration, admiring his Beauty and Excellency. A gracious Heart is more taken with that which is in Chriſt, than with that which he gives out to it: It doth not reſt in Grace that is received, or in Love that is manifeſted, but it goes back again to Chriſt, pitches upon Chriſt in whom are all Divine perfections: She doth not repeat the words of Chriſt again, as if Chriſt had ſaid, My Love is a Lily among the Thorns; ſhe doth not ſay, Oh, now I am a Lily, I am more beloved than all the World: ſhe looks from that preſently, ſhe looks to Chriſt, how ſhall ſhe make him glorious. The Lord Jeſus, he had ſet a Crown, or at leaſt a Garland upon her Head, and ſhe ſpeedily put off her Garland, and ſet it upon Chriſts Head, ſhe thinks it fit that all ſhould be ſwallowed up in the Glory of Chriſt. Let him be lifted up and magnified, let his Name and Excellency and Goodneſs be magnified and remembred, though I be forgotten for ever. Oh that you would be more practical, turn this into practice, make it practical, do as the Spouſe did here; let all the manifeſtations of Love kindle love in your Hearts to Chriſt, and look not ſo much what is given to you, as what is laid up in Chriſt for you: Look upon Chriſt, and carry it to him, as he is the Alpha, ſo let him be the Omega, carry it all back to him again.
But let us look more ſtrictly upon the words, As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons.
The words are clear enough; only it would be known what is meant by Son, So is my Beloved among the Sons.
It may be either the Sons of God, or the Sons of Men: The Sons of God, ſo the Angels, and ſo the Saints are called by Jo… Now there was a day when the Sons of God came to preſent themſelves before the Lord; The Angels are his Sons, he uſeth them like Sons, and they ſerve him like Sons. And ſo believers are called the Sons of God. Now we are Sons, but it doth not appear what we ſhall be, ſaith the Apoſtle. If we take it in this ſenſe, ſtill it's true of Chriſt, that he is the chief among the Sons, among all theſe Sons of God; he is far above the Angels; he is made the Head of Principalities and Powers they are all miniſtring Spirits unto him.
But we may rather underſtand it of the Sons of Men, becauſe he ſpeaks of ſuch Sons as are Trees of the Foreſt, Trees of the Wood: At the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons. Among all the Sons of men Chriſt is the chief that ever liv'd, that ever was planted in the Foreſt of the World; God the Father hath given him the preheminence, he hath given him a Name above every Name, He is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth: He is more excellent than the chiefeſt of the Sons of Men. Take the beſt of Men which may be, and they are held forth by the names of Sons. Daughter in Scripture phraſe is a name of Weakneſs: Daughter of Sion, Daughter of Jeruſalem: God would ſhew what poor weak Creatures his people are without him: Son, is a name of ſtrength, and honour, and dignity; Among all the Sons of all the Honourable Men in the World, among all the Princes and Potentates in the World, Jeſus Chriſt he is the moſt deſirable, he is more excellent than they: He is more excellent than the talleſt Cedars, than the greateſt Oaks in the Wood; As the Apple-tree amongſt the Trees of the Wood: Here ſeems to be a double …pariſon.
Firſt of all, the Sons of men are compared to the Trees of the Wood.
And then Secondly, The Son of God is compared to the Apple-tree among thoſe Trees, in the midſt of thoſe Trees.
Firſt, The Sons of men are compared to the Trees of the Wood, Trees of the Foreſt: And this holds forth the ſtate and condition of men by Nature; Every man by nature is a wild Tree, he is not in Gods Garden, but is caſt out into the open Field, it's a Tree of the Foreſt, not a Tree of the Orchard. We ſpeak of the corrupted nature of man, what man is ſince the fall of Adam: For when God made him at firſt, he planted him in Paradiſe, and he was the chiefeſt Tree there, brought forth moſt excellent and delightful fruit unto God, but you know how Adam degenerated, he turned a wild Tree, and brought forth ſowre Fruit; and therefore God pluckt him up by the Roots, and threw him out of Paradiſe; ſo that he and all his poſterity after him were for ever after Trees of the Wood, and Trees of the Foreſt; he brings forth nothing but wild Fruit, till ſuch time as the Lord is pleaſed to take poor creatures and ingraft them again upon Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Root of Jeſſe, that they may bring forth better fruit unto him.
Now I ſhall ſhew wherein this compariſon holds: Every man by Nature is a wild Tree, a Tree of the Wood, a Tree of the Foreſt.
1. Firſt of all, He either brings forth no fruit, or elſe he brings forth ſowre fruit; he is an unfruitful creature; Iſrael is an empty Vine, God complains: And ſo it's true of every man by Nature, he is an empty Vine; he is an unfruitful Tree; if he brings forth any fruit, it's wild fruit, it's ſowre fruit; as is ſpoken of in Deut. 32. 32. which doth well reſemble the condition of all men by Nature. Their Vine is a Vine of Sodom, they are of the field of Gomorrha. Here's the fruit that every mans Nature brings forth; It's a Vine of Sodom, and a field of Gomorrha; ſowre fruit, and bitter fruit, and curſed fruit. This is the fruit that man by Nature brings forth.
2. Again, Secondly, The Trees of the Wood or Foreſt, ſo long as they remain there, they are unprofitable; they are not of that uſe which the Trees of the Orchard, or the Trees of the Garden are, they are not only uſeful for their fruit, but they are a great Ornament to a mans ground or houſe; and they are alſo a defence to a mans houſe. A Tree nigh at home, at the houſe ſide keeps off many a Blaſt, and many a Storm; and ſuch are the Trees that are of Chriſts planting: Oh they are a Beauty, they are an Ornament. The Godly man is an Ornament to the place where he grows; The Godly man is a defence to the place where he grows; he keeps off many a ſtorm and Judgement from the place where he lives; and others fare the better for his ſake. But now the Trees of the Wood, they are altogether unuſeful, they ſerve for nothing but to ſhelter the Serpents, and to ſhelter the wild Beaſts, and this is the condition of every natural man. Oh what Serpents, and what wild Beaſts, what baſe luſts, and what hideous Monſters are ſheltered in the heart of a Natural man, that is a ſtranger to Chriſt?
3. Again, Thirdly, The Trees that are in the Wood or Foreſt, they grow in Wilderneſſes, and have none to look after them, there's none prune them, there's none to hedge them, they lye open to all dangers, to the Horns and to the Teeth of the wild Beaſts, that will eaſily knock off all their Budds and Springs, break and eat off their bark, and keep them from growing, and the like: And truly this is the condition of every Natural man; he is as a Tree in the Foreſt, as a Tree in the Wilderneſs; there is none to look after him, there is none to prune him, and to take away unfruitful branches, that he may bring forth fruit to God, God doth not look after the Trees in the Foreſt: It's true, Chriſt is the Fathers Husbandman, and he doth cut off unfruitful Branches; he cuts off unfruitful Trees that bring forth untimely fruit. But he doth this to ſuch as are in his Garden, to ſuch as are in his Chriſt. Thus the Father takes a ſpecial care of his. The Lord makes a round hedge about his people; he'l keep all hurtful things from them. See what is ſaid to Job: The Devil confeſſes the goodneſs of God unto his people in this reſpect, Job 1. 10. Haſt not thou made a hedge about him, and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on every ſide? It's a moſt certain truth, that God hath made a hedge about his people, a hedge about him, a hedge about his perſon, a hedge about his houſe; that is, a hedge about his family, a hedge about his Friends and Relations, a hedge about his people. There is a three-fold hedge that God makes about his, that are of his planting: But now it's not ſo of the Trees in the Foreſt, of the Trees in the Wilderneſs, there's no hedge made about them, they lie open to a thouſand dangers; they lie open to the furious aſſaults of Satan, and to the prevalency of all Temptations, lie open to dangers from all the Creatures, there's no hedge about them: God hath not made a League with the Beaſts in the Field for them. Here is the miſery of a man out of Chriſt, it is ſet forth by a Tree that is in the Wilderneſs, a Tree that grows in the Wood: And therefore a word of Application to this particular.
Ʋſe. Beloved, This lets us ſee the neceſſity of being planted into Chriſt by faith. We are all of the wild Olive, and the wild Vine; and therefore there is a neceſſity, that every man ſhould ſeek after his tranſplanting into Chriſt. Oh that the Lord would make you willing to be pluckt up by the Roots! You that are out of Chriſt, be willing to be pluckt up by the Roots, that you may be planted into Chriſt. There is ſome rooting that every natural man hath which he is loth to be pluckt from: One man is rooted into the World, and another is rooted in his luſts, and another is rooted in himſelf, in his own righteouſneſs, in his own works, in his own ſtrength, in his own performances. Oh that the Lord would make you willing to be pluckt up from all that Root, that in which you have any thing beſides Chriſt: Here is the great difficulty, to bring off the wills of men. Men cry out many times, Oh it is a hard matter, Oh it's an impoſſible thing, that ever they ſhould be pluckt up from ſuch Rooting: That they have ſuch luſts, Trees which are of twenty, thirty, forty years growth; and all that time rooting deeper and deeper: Is it poſſible that ſuch ſhould be plucked up by the Roots, and planted into Chriſt?
My Brethren, it's poſſible if men were willing to be pluckt up, the Lord would ſoon accompliſh it. You know what Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples; that if they had Faith as a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, they ſhould ſay to this Cedar, be removed into the Sea, and it ſhould be ſo. Why, the Lord can make poor Creatures to do that which is impoſſible for ſenſe and reaſon to think may be done: Oh what is it that the Lord can't do! There is no Oake, there is no Cedar, ſo ſtrong and ſo tall, and ſo deeply rooted, but the Lord can ſay, Be thou removed, be thou plucked up by the Roots: There is no Tree ſo barren, there is no Soul grows in ſuch a barren Soyl, but the Lord can ſay, Be thou plucked up, and be thou rooted in that fruitful Soyl. Oh that the Lord would make the hearts of men willing to be pluckt up by the Roots, from that rooting which they have in ſin, or which they have in themſelves, that ſo they may be planted in a better ſoyl, and rooted in the Lord Jeſus. Do but remember this, that you may ſee what a neceſſity there is that every man ſhould ſeek after their planting in Chriſt. Why, ſo long as you are out of Chriſt, you are wild Trees, ſo long as you are out of Chriſt, you bring forth no fruit; you bring forth no good fruit. Our Saviour makes it an impoſſible thing, in Mat. 7. 17. Even ſo every good Tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt Tree bringeth forth evil fruit: It's impoſſible that ever the fruit ſhould be good ſo long as the Tree is evil. Now ſo long as a Man is out of Chriſt, he is an evil Tree, he is a wild Tree, a Tree of the Wood, a Tree of the Foreſt, not a Tree of the Garden. Oh that men would be made good, that their Trees might bring forth good fruit. Truly it's in vain to teach men to bring forth good fruit, until ſuch time as the Tree be made good. If the Tree were made good, and ingrafted into Chriſt, it's impoſſible that that good Tree ſhould bring forth evil fruit. Oh know you that have Intereſt in Chriſt, that all the fruit that you bring forth out of Chriſt is loſt; I ſay, Men and Women, they loſe all their fruit; It's ſuch as the Lord can't accept of, ſuch as the Lord doth not delight in. The Lord could not endure that fruit that Iſrael brought forth, in the firſt of Iſaiah, they were a burden to him, their fruit he was weary of; they and all the fruit that they brought forth to God were caſt out. What a pitiful thing is it that a man ſhould loſe all his fruit, all his Labour, and all his pains? Yea truly, till a man be in Chriſt all is loſt. You know the young man in the Goſpel, that came to Chriſt, he had a great deal of good Moral fruit, he had kept all the Commandments, he ſaid, from his youth, and yet all that fruit was loſt, it withered and fell off before it was ripe, it rotted and periſhed, it was never gathered by Chriſt, his Soul did never eat of it, it was no delight to him; And why? becauſe though the Tree had a great deal of ſeeming good fruit on it, yet it was an evil Tree, it was a wild Tree.
Nay, Let men conſider further, what a fearful word was ſpoken againſt ſuch wild Trees, as bring forth no fruit to God, or ſuch fruit as is ſowre, as his Soul can have no pleaſure nor delight in; it was a dreadful Word ſpoken by Daniel, which was ſpoken concerning the great Tree; ſee Dan. 4. 14. Hew down the Tree, and cut off the Branches, and ſcatter the Leaves, and the fruit. Why, this was ſpoken of the mighty Tree, which reached up to Heaven, a Tree that did fill the whole Earth with its outward Glory; and yet of this very Tree, God ſaid, Hew it down, and it was hewn down. Oh that men would remember, there is no outward priviledge, that can exempt a man from the ſtroak of the Lord. He can breath upon the talleſt Cedars, and the greateſt Oaks; if the Lord blow upon them, they ſhall wither as the Graſs in the Field: Now is the Ax laid to the root of the Tree, ſaith John the Baptiſt, in Mat. 3. 10. Therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and caſt into the Fire. Now that the Goſpel is preached, now that Chriſt himſelf is come to offer terms of peace unto him, now that God from Heaven hath declared his willingneſs to pluck men out of the curſed Soyl of Nature, and to implant them into his Son; now, now, if men ſubmit not unto Chriſt, if they continue obſtinate, hew them down and make them fewel for unquenchable Fire. Oh now ſee then how it concerns every man to ſeek to be implanted into Chriſt. It's not a leaning upon Chriſt that will ſerve mens turns, but there muſt be a planting into Chriſt, a rooting in Chriſt: the Apricock doth lean upon the wall, but it's not rooted into the wall, it hath not its life from the wall, but it's rooted in the Ground. And ſo many a poor creature may pretend, he is leaning upon Chriſt, and in the mean time he is rooted in the World, in his filthineſs, in his baſe luſts and corruptions, this man is not rooted into Chriſt: So much to that firſt Similitude. Thus you ſee that the Sons of men are compared to the Trees in the Wood, to the Trees in the Foreſt; As the Apple-tree among the Trees of the Wood, ſo is my Beloved among the Sons.
The Son of God (I ſhall ſpeak but a Word to that) he is compared unto the Apple-tree in the midſt of the Trees in the Wood, or of the Foreſt.
But why is the Son of God ſet forth here by the Apple-tree? There are many Trees that are of more worth than the Apple-tree; why not the Cedar? and why not the Oak? Why ſet forth here by the Appletree?
Firſt of all, Chriſt is ſet forth by the Apple-tree for the fruitfulneſs of this Tree. It's a fruit-bearing Tree; it brings forth abundance of uſeful fruit; and therefore Chriſt is uſually ſet forth by this Tree rather than others. It's a very fit Simile to ſet forth Chriſt by the Apple-tree; Chriſt was a fruit-bearing Tree. Oh what abundance of pleaſant delightful fruit did Jeſus Chriſt bring forth! Such as did rejoyce the Soul of God his Father, and of men and Angels. He was fruitful all his days; he continually brought forth fruit, all the time of his being upon Earth, all the time that he was planted by the Father, in the Nurſery here in this world. He was fruitful even upon his firſt planting here, he made it his meat and his drink to do the will of his Father. He was never well but when he was bearing ſome fruit. The fruit that Chriſt bare when he was upon Earth, it ſhall laſt to Eternity; It's that which the Saints ſhall feed upon for ever and ever. The fruit that the Apple-tree bears, it's both an Ornament to it ſelf, and it's exceeding beautiful, and beneficial unto others; and therefore ſtill fit is it to ſet forth this Simile, for it's a fruit-bearing Tree, a beautiful ſight, a delightful ſight: The Lord Jeſus he was laden with fruit, every Branch and every Bough full of fruit. It's ſaid, We ſaw his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Son, full of Grace and truth. So Chriſt he is full of Grace and Truth; and this is the Glory of the only begotten Son, being full of Grace and full of Truth. And then he is of benefit to others. The fruit of this Tree is exceeding beneficial to others. How many are fed, and nouriſhed and refreſhed by the fruit of the Appletree? It's a Tree that man could not ſpare of all the Trees that God hath planted. The fruit this Tree brings forth, it ſerves both for Meat and Drink; it will both ſatisfie the Appetite, and quench the thirſt alſo, which many other fruits will not do. Thus ſtill this holds forth Chriſt, who is compleat nouriſhment to his people, he is meat indeed, and he is drink indeed; he ſatisfies the hungry Soul with good things, he quenches the thirſt of the poor, dry and parched Soul. There is a drink that is made of Apples, which is very uſeful (we know) for the quenching of thirſt, for the allaying of heat: Such is that refreſhment that Chriſt gives out unto his people; he is content that his very heart blood ſhould be ſqueezed out, that ſo his people might drink of it, that they might be refreſhed, cooled and revived, that all the heat of his Fathers wrath might be allayed in them. This is the will of Chriſt, this is a Similitude that Chriſt is held forth by, like unto an Apple-Tree.
2. Then Secondly, For the ſhadow that this Tree caſts, that alſo is held forth in the Text, I ſat under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſte. There are ſome Trees that bear fruit, but caſt no great ſhadow; other Trees caſt a ſhadow, that bear no fruit that is deſirable. Ay, but both theſe meet in Chriſt; he is as the Apple-tree that brings forth fruit, and alſo caſts a comfortable ſhadow. This makes the fruit more delightful, when a man can ſtand under the ſhadow and gather the fruit of the Tree; it makes the fruit exceeding pleaſant to him, he is not ſcorched with the Sun whilſt he gathers it. Oh there is a ſweet ſhadow, a ſweet comfortable and refreſhing ſhadow, which the Lord Jeſus doth caſt over his people, whilſt they pluck that fruit, and eat of that fruit which grows upon him. But then,
3. Again, Thirdly, His fruit is commended for the Smell of it, in Cant. 7. 8. Now alſo thy Breaſts ſhall be as a cluſter of the Vine, and the ſmell of thy Noſe like Apples. That is, that very breath that comes from thee, all thy breathings they are ſweet and comfortable, they have a ſweet ſavour in them; thy breathings after God and Chriſt they are full of Grace; and they are full of holineſs. The Smell it's like the ſmell of Apples: There are ſome Apples that are of a very fragrant ſmell, as your Pomecitrons and others, and ſome have thought them to be the Apples here meant in the Text; and this doth well ſet forth the Lord Jeſus, for that ſweet and fragrant ſmell that he ſends forth. Oh what a ſweet ſavour was he unto God! And what a ſweet ſavour is he unto man! It's ſaid, he offered himſelf a ſacrifice of a ſweet ſmelling ſavour unto God: He carried his ſacrifice as his fruit, and it was a ſweet ſmelling ſavour unto God. And ſo Chriſt is a ſweet ſmelling ſavour unto man alſo; where there is any thing of Chriſt in a Creature, it makes that Creature ſweet; where there is any thing of Chriſt in an Ordinance, it makes that Ordinance ſmell ſweet; where there is any thing of Chriſt in a duty, it makes that duty ſmell ſweet. Becauſe of the ſweet ſavour of thine Oyntment, it's therefore the Virgins follow thee. It's Chriſt that makes the Goſpel of a ſweet ſavour; Chriſt in a perſon, or Chriſt in an Ordinance, or Chriſt in any condition makes that thing ſweet.
4. And again, Fourthly, This Tree it's a Common Tree, and therefore Chriſt would rather be reſembled by this Tree than by any others, which are not ſo common, and are not ſo uſeful. There is almoſt no part in the World but hath ſome kind of Apple-trees. It's a fruit more common than many others, that even the pooreſt may eat of it. And therefore the Lord Jeſus he may be reſembled by this Tree, to hold forth, that he is a common ſaviour, that he is free for all poor creatures to come unto, he is the Apple-tree in all parts of the World, that men in all places might come in and feed upon him and be ſatisfied. And therefore he is ſaid to be A Fountain ſet open, in Zech. 13. A Fountain ſet open; it ſhall not be ſealed up, but a Fountain ſet open. The Goſpel tenders Chriſt freely; and in that reſpect is Chriſt compared to A fountain ſet open. He is alſo compared here to an Apple-tree for the commonneſs as well as for the uſefulneſs of that fruit, that none might plead Ignorance, that they might not plead excuſe, that none might ſay he was ſuch a fruit as none could buy, that they could not come at. No, Chriſt would be reſembled unto that which is common, that he might be held forth freely unto poor loſt ſinners under the Goſpel.
5. And then fifthly and laſtly, He is ſet forth by the Apple-tree for the variety of fruits which it does bring forth, and do grow upon this Tree. There is no Tree that brings forth ſuch variety of fruit. How many ſorts, ſeveral kinds of Apples? they are almoſt innumerable. And truly in this reſpect Chriſt is the Apple-tree, becauſe of thoſe innumerable precious Gifts and Graces which do grow upon him. The fulneſs of the Spirit was poured out upon him; it made him to bring forth fruits of all kinds. He is the only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth: There can be no excellency, nor no perfection named, which is not to be found in the Son of God, they all do concenter and meet in him. I ſhall ſay no more at this time, but leave the Metaphor unto your conſideration; think of it. The Lord Jeſus was pleaſed to be reſembled to an Apple-tree. And what great condeſcenſion of Love is this, that he ſhould ſtoop down ſo low to ſet forth himſelf under ſuch a mean compariſon, that we might know what goodlineſs and ſweetneſs are in him: Abundance of the love of Chriſt is held forth in this, that he ſhould chooſe to be ſet forth by ſuch a Tree as this is, by the Apple-tree; you ſee the Lord Jeſus Chriſt would rather chooſe a Fruitful Tree, than a Great Tree, than a Strong Tree, he having ſuch a delight in being Ʋſeful, in being Serviceable, in Bringing forth Fruit unto his Father; Fruit that ſhould be for the good of the Sons of men. And therefore let us look to Chriſt, and labour to imitate Chriſt; the Lord he delights in a fruitful Tree, rather than in a Tall Tree, or in a Strong Tree; it's the Greateſt Commendation that can be, to be Fruitful, and Serviceable, to bring forth Fruit to God and our Generation; Chriſt choſe this, and let us chooſe it too; and let us look to God who is the Husband-man, who makes all this Trees to be fruitful Trees in his due time. So much for this time.