The Trial of a Christians Growth in Mortification, Treatise

The Trial of a Christians Growth in Mortification · Treatise

p. 1THE TRYALL OF A CHRISTIANS GROWTH.

AN INTRODƲCTION.

Some OBSERVATIONS premiſed upon this Parable of the VINE,

JOHN 15. 1, 2.

I am the true Vine, and my Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

The ſumme and diviſion of the words, and ſubject of this Diſcourſe.

A Faire and fruitfull Parable this is, ſpread forth into many Branches. In which, under the pleaſant ſhadow of a Vine, (upon occaſion they had but newly been reall partakers of his blood in the fruit of the Vine) Chriſt elegantly ſets forth himſelf in his relation to his viſible Church, and the eſtate of his Apoſtles, and in them, of all viſible Profeſſors to the end of the world: Shewing withall under that ſimilitude, p. 2what his Father meant to doe with Judas, now gone out to betray him; as with all other unfruitfull branches like unto him, even cut them off, and throw them into the fire. But on the contrary, encouraging them, and all other fruitfull branches, that they ſhould ſtill continue to abide in him, with promiſe, that they ſhould yet bring forth more fruit.

The Parable hath three Parts:

1. A Vine here is, of all the faireſt, ver. 1.

2. A Husbandman, of all the carefulleſt.

3. The end of planting this Vine, fruitfulneſſe.

1Firſt, this Vine, as all Vines elſe, hath two ſorts of branches:

1. Such as (though greene) bring forth no true fruit, nought but leaves.

22. Such as bring forth fruit, ver. 2.

The Husbandman hath anſwerably offices of two ſorts towards them both, foreign, which is a witty Paranomaſia, Amputare & Putare, to Lop and Cut off. Firſt, clean to cut off thoſe that are utterly unfruitfull, which thereupon are caſt out, doe wither, and are gathered and caſt into the fire: So ver. 2. & 6. And thus now he meant to deale with Judas.

But 2. to Purge, and but lop off the luxuriancies, and too much runnings out of the fruitfull branches into ſprings, which they are ſubject to.

3Thirdly, his end in all is, that fruit, and more fruit might be brought forth. This is his end of planting this Vine, this is the end of purging theſe branches of it, which he being fruſtrated of, in thoſe other, is the cauſe why he takes them cleane away.

And to exhort theſe unto fruitfulneſſe, was one main end of Chriſts uſing this Parable, and unto this tends all in the following verſes, either as meanes or motives unto fruitfulneſſe.

Firſt, as meanes,

11. He aſſures them of their being in the ſtate of grace, verſe 3. Aſſurance is a means of fruitfulneſſe.

He ſpeaks of Purging them by his word, in the ſame verſe; Ye are cleane through the word I have ſpoken to you: This is a means he further uſeth.

p. 33. He inculcates into them the ſenſe of their owne inability to doe any thing without him, ver. 5.

4. Therefore to abide in him, and ſuck from him, ver. 5.

5. And to let his Word abide in them, by which himſelfe ſhall alſo abide in them, and by which they may ſtill be purged, and ſo be fruitfull.

The motives are,

1. If not, they know their doome, to the fire with them, 2ver. 6.

2. If they doe, their prayers ſhall be granted, ver. 7.

3. Hereby his Fathers is glorified, ver. 8.

4. They ſhall ſhew themſelves his Diſciples, ver. 8.

5. They ſhall continue in his love, who loves them as dearly as his father doth him, ver. 9, 10.

And ſo you have the ſumme of all this Parable.

The principall ſubject I aime at in this Scripture, is this maine caſe of Conſcience, which uſeth to be the exerciſe, and inquiſition of many good ſouls, How a Chriſtian may diſcerne his growth, both in purging out corruptions, and increaſe of grace, and the fruit of it.

Therefore what ever other ſpreading fruitfull obſervations grow upon this ſtock, (and this Vine affords many) wee will but ſhortly, and as men in haſte, view and take notice of, but as in our way to that other which I principally intend, and onelyonly ſo far ſtay upon the obſervation of them, as the bare opening this ſimilitude here uſed, doth give ſap and vigour to them.

The firſt Obſervation, how Chriſt is a Vine, and onelyonly the true Vine.

Firſt, Chriſt, he is a Vine. To explaine this firſt. Adam indeed was a Vine, planted in Paradiſe, to beare all Mankinde upon, but he turned a wild one, he proved not the true Vine. God planted him (to allude to that, Jer. 2. 21.) A noble Vine, a holy and right ſeed, but he degenerated, and ſo have all engraffed on him, and ſo bring forth nothing but grapes of Sodome, as Iſaiah ſpeakes.

But 2. God the Father having many branches of choſen ones, that grew by nature on this curſed ſtock of Adam, whom yet, p. 4as ver. 16. he had ordained to bring forth fruit, that is, to ſpring and ſpread forth in the earth in all ages, and then to be tranſplanted unto Heaven, the Paradiſe appointed for them; the earth being but the nurſerie of them for a while: Hence therefore he did appoint his own Sonne to be a new root, as into whom he meant to tranſplant them, and ordained him to be that bulk, and body, and chiefe branch which they all ſhould grow out of, who is therefore called The roote of David, Rev. 22. and that Righteous branch, Jer. 22. 6.

Whom therefore 3. he planted as a roote here on earth with us, and cloathed with a humane nature, a weak and mean bark and body, and a rind and out ſide, ſuch as ours is; that ſo both roote and branches might be of the ſame nature, and Homogeneall: which nature of ours in him, he likewiſe filled with his Spirit (as with juice and ſap) without all meaſure, that ſo he might fructifie, and grow into all thoſe branches appointed to be in him, by communicating the ſame ſpirit to them.

And 4. although he was of himſelfe the faireſt Cedar that ever the earth bare, yet in relation to thoſe multitude of branches, he was to bear, chuſeth to be a Vine, which is of all trees the loweſt, the weakeſt, and of the meaneſt bark, and out-ſide of any other, onelyonly becauſe of all others it is the plentifulleſt of branches, and runs out and ſpreads its bulk in branches; and thoſe, of all branches elſe of any other trees, the fruitfulleſt, it is therefore called The fruitfull Vine, Pſal. 128. 3. and for that reaſon onelyonly doth he ſingle out this compariſon, as ſuiting with his ſcope, ſhewing therein his love; that as he condeſcended to the loweſt condition, for our ſalvation, ſo to the meaneſt reſemblances for our inſtruction, yet ſo as withall he tells us, that no Vine, nor all the Vines on earth were worthy herein to be compared, nor to be ſo much as reſemblances of him.

For he,2. Obſer. and he alone is the true Vine, That Chriſt is onelyonly the [True Vine▪]that is the ſecond Obſervation.

For take thoſe choiceſt excellencies in a Vine, for which the compariſon here is made, as more particularly, that of fruitfulneſſe either in boughs or fruit, and it is but a ſhadow of that which is in him. As God onelyonly is [I am that I am,] and all things elſe have but the ſhadow of Being: ſo Chriſt alone hath p. 5onelyonly all the excellencies in him in the true reall nature of all things to which he is compared. So in like manner he is ſaid to be Bread indeed, John 6. 55. and ver. 32. The true bread from heaven. Manna, and all other meat, and all that ſweetneſſe which is in meat, is and was but a ſhadow to that which he affords. He excells and exceeds all things he is compared to, in what they have, and they are but ſhadowes to him, Heb. 10. 1.

Firſt therefore, never any Vine ſo fruitfull. All our fruit is found in him, Hoſ. 12. If you abide in me, you ſhall bring forth much fruit. He hath juice to ſupply you with every grace, to fill you with all the fruits of righteouſneſſe, which if the branches want, it is for want of faith in themſelves, to draw from him, not want of ſap in him.

Secondly, this he is at all times, hath been in all ages, thus flouriſhing; this root never withers; is never dry or empty of ſap, it is never winter with Chriſt. Every branch, ſaith the ſecond verſe, that is, every one that hath born fruit in any age, beareth all its fruit in him: branches in him fear no drought, Jer. 17. 8.

Thirdly, for largeneſſe of ſpreading, no ſuch Vine as this: He (as the Pſalmiſt ſayes, Pſal. 80. 11, 12.) ſends out his boughes unto the ſea, and his branches to the rivers: all the earth is, or hath been, or ſhall be filled with them.

Is to perſwaded us to take Chriſt alone,Ʋſe. and make him our All in all, becauſe in him all excellencies are ſupereminently found. All creatures are not enough to ſerve for compariſons to ſet him forth, and when they doe in part, for ſome particular thing that is the excellenteſt in them, yet therein they are but ſhadowes, Heb. 10. 1. He onelyonly is the truth, he is the true light, John 1. The Baptiſt, Moſes, and all lights elſe were but as twilight, but a ſhadow: So he is the true bread, the true Vine, he hath really the ſweetneſſe, the comfort, the excellencies of them all. The like may be ſaid of all thoſe relations he hath taken on him; ſo he onelyonly is a true Father, and Husband, &c. and the love and ſweetneſſe in all other Fathers and Husbands are but a ſhadow to what is in him.

Obſer. 2. How the Father is the Husbandman.

As CHRIST is thus a Vine, ſo his Father is the Husbandman, p. 6and as ſtrange a Husbandman as Chriſt a Vine.

For firſt, he is the very root of the Vine it ſelf, which no Huſbandman is to any Vine; therefore he that is the Vine calls the Husbandman his Father, My Father is the Husbandman. This Vine ſprings out of his boſome by eternall generation, for this is the derivation of our Off-ſpring, Chap. 14. 20. I am in my Father, and you in me. And Chap. 5. 26. The Father, He hath life (originall) in himſelfe, and gives it to the Sonne, and the Sonne to us, and thence ſpring living fruits, the fruits of righteouſneſſe.

2. He is the ingraffer, and implanter of all the branches into this Vine. Eſay 60. 21. he calls them his righteous people, [the branch of my planting] the work of my hands. Other Husbandmen doe but expect what branches their Vines will of themſelves bring forth, but God appoints who, and how many ſhall be the branches, and gives them unto, and ingraffs them into his Sonne.

3. He appoints what fruit, and what ſtore of fruit theſe branches ſhall bring forth, and accordingly gives the increaſe, which other Husbandmen cannot doe: Paul my plant, and Apollos may water, but God onelyonly gives the increaſe, 1 Cor. 3. 7. Though Chriſt merited, yet the Father decreed every mans meaſure of fruitfulneſſe.

4. He is the moſt diligent Husbandman that ever was; for he knowes, and daily views, and takes notice of every branch, and of all their fruit: for ſayes the Text, Every branch that brings not forth fruit, he takes away, &c. therefore knowes who beareth fruit, and doth not. He knowes their perſons, who are his, and who are not, 2 Tim. 2. 19. not ſo much as one man could come in without a wedding garment, but he ſpies him out.

5. The moſt carefull he is daily to purge his Vine: ſo ſays the ſecond verſe. And of all poſſeſſions, ſaith Cato, Nulla poſſeſſio majorem operam requirit, Vineyards need as much care, and more then any other. The Corne, when it is ſowne, comes up, and growes alone, and ripeneth, and comes to perfection, the Huſbandman ſleeping and waking, he knowes not how, ſaith Chriſt: But Vines muſt be dreſt, ſupported, ſheltred, pruned, well-nigh every day.

p. 7And of all trees God hath moſt care of his Vines, and regards them more then all the reſt in the world.

Is to honour the Father in all the workes tending to our ſalvation, Ʋſe 1.as much as we honour the Son: If Chriſt be the Vine, his Father meanes to be the Husbandman: and indeed it may teach us to honour all the three Perſons in every work that is ſaving, for in all, they bear a diſtinct office; the Father hath not onelyonly a hand in Election, but alſo in Sanctification, concerning which this Parable was made. If Chriſt be the roote that affords us ſap, whence all fruit buds, the Father is the Huſbandman that watereth the Vine, gives the increaſe, purgeth the branches, and is the root of that life which Chriſt affords to us: and then the Spirit alſo comes in to have a work and influence herein alſo; for he is the ſap, though not here mentioned, yet which is implyed, which lies hid in this Parable of the Vine, and appeares in all the fruits that are brought forth, therefore called, Gal. 5. Fruits of the Spirit. None of the three Perſons will be left out in any relation, or in any work, that is for our ſalvation. That ever three ſo great Perſons ſhould have a joynt care of our ſalvation and ſanctification, and we our ſelves neglect it! That they ſhould be ſo carefull, we ſo negligent and unfruitfull! If they doe all ſo much for us, what ſhould not we endeavour to do for our ſelves?

Be carefull of your words,Ʋſe 2. thoughts, wayes, affections, deſires, all which are the fruits of your ſoules; for God takes notice of all, he walkes in this his garden every day, and ſpies out how many raw, unripe, indigeſted performances, as Prayers, &c. hang on ſuch or ſuch a branch, what gum of pride, what leaves, what luxuriant ſprigs, what are rotten boughs, and which are ſound, and goes up and down with his pruning knife in his hand, and cuts and ſlaſhes where he ſees things amiſſe; he turnes up all your leaves, ſees what fruit is under; and deals with men accordingly.

When the Church is in any diſtreſſe or miſery,Ʋſe 3. goe to him that is the Husbandman; ſuch is the uſuall condition of this his Vine, ſpread over the face of the earth. Complain as they, Pſal. 80. 12. Why haſt thou broken down her hedges, ſo as all they which paſſe by doe pluck her? the boare out of the wood doth waſte it. p. 8Complain to him that the hogs are in his Vineyard, and doe much havock and ſpoile therein; and tell him that he is the Husbandman, who ſhould take care for it. So they go on to pray, Returne, we beſeech thee O God of Hoſts, looke downe from heaven, behold and viſit this Vine, and the Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, v. 14, 15.

3. Obſ. Two ſorts of branches in this Vine, fruitfull and unfruitfull: and the difference between temporary and true Beleevers, as they are laid downe in the Text.

We ſee this Vine hath branches of two ſorts, fruitfull and unfruitfull, which is the third thing to be obſerved.

And herein our Saviour followeth the ſimilitude; for experience ſhews the like in Vines. And writers of Vines obſerve it, and accordingly diſtinguiſh the branches of Vines into Pampinarios, which bring forth naught but leaves, and Fructuarios, which bring forth fruit.

The unfruitfull they are ſuch as make profeſſion of being in Chriſt to themſelves and others, and receive ſome greenneſſe from him, but no true fruit: for their profeſſion they are branches, for their emptineſſe, unfruitfull ones.

The onelyonly queſtion is,Queſt. How ſuch as prove unfruitfull, are ſaid to be branches, and to be in Chriſt; Every branch in me, &c.

Many compariſons there are of Chriſt,Anſ. How the unfruitfull are in Chriſt. as he ſtands in various relations to his Church: whereof ſome ſerve to expreſſe one thing concerning him, ſome another. That of a Vine, here preſents him onelyonly as he was to ſpread himſelfe into a viſible Church on earth, in the profeſſion of him: and ſo conſidered, he may have many branches that are unfruitfull. That other of An head over all the family in heaven and earth, which imports his relation onelyonly to that inviſible company of his Church myſticall, which together make up that generall aſſembly ſpoken of in Heb. 12. which are his fulneſſe, Eph. 1. ult. And agreeable to this meaning, in comparing himſelfe to a Vine, in this large and common relation of a root to both ſorts of Profeſſors, true and falſe, is that other expreſſion alſo, whereby he ſets forth his Fathers office, when he calls him not foreign, a Vine-dreſſer, or p. 9a tiller of a Vineyard, in a ſtrict ſenſe, as Luke 13. 7. but foreign, (as it were at large,) the Husbandman: As thereby denoting out, not ſimply and alone, that peculiar care that he hath to true beleevers onelyonly, that are branches of this Vine, (though including it) but withall importing that common care and providence which he beares to others of his creatures; and this becauſe ſome of theſe branches of this Vine, are to him but as others out of the Church and of no more reckoning with him. The Fathers relation herein, anſwering to, and in a proportion running parallel along with that which Chriſt beares towards them: Thoſe that Chriſt is head unto, thoſe he is a Father unto: Thoſe whom Chriſt is but as a Vine unto, Chriſt he is but foreign, an Huſbandman unto, whoſe office is ſeene, as well in cutting off ſuch branches, as in pruning and dreſſing of thoſe other.

Theſe unfruitful ones are not in Chriſts account,2. Anſ. reckoned as true branches here: For in the 5. verſe, he calls thoſe Diſciples of his that were there and then preſent with him, (when now Judas was gone forth afore, as appears Chap. 13. 30.) them onelyonly The branches: and therefore repeats it there again, I am the Vine, with this addition, Ye are the branches. Implying hereby, that as he is the true Vine, ſo that theſe onelyonly were the true branches; the other he calls but [foreign] as a branch, ver. 6. Hee is caſt forth (as a) branch, giving them the name of branches, thereby the better to expreſſe his Fathers dealing with ſuch, that as they that are dreſſers of a Vineyard, uſe to doe with ſuch branches, ſo my Father with them: but they themſelves are but Tanquams, Quaſi palmites, As branches; not really and in truth ſuch.

That expreſſion which ſeems moſt to make for it,3. Anſ. is that in the ſecond verſe, when he ſayes, Every branch [in me] that beareth not fruit, but thoſe words [in me] may as well, yea rather be underſtood to have reference to their not bringing forth fruit [in him] then to their being properly branches [in him:] ſo as the meaning ſhould be, they are branches that bring not forth fruit in me. Though they doe ſome good, yet it is not fruit; if ſo [not in me:] though from mee, and from my aſſiſtance. And ſo his meaning is not ſo much to declare tha… they are branches in him, as that they bring not for fruit in him. Which indeed is one of p. 10the characteriſticall differences between true and unſound branches, and one maine ſcope of the parable; and this the Syriack tranſlation makes for alſo, and confirms it, Omnem palmitem qui in me non fert fructum, Every branch which in me bringeth not forth fruit. And there is this reaſon that this ſhould be his meaning, that He never reckoned them at all true branches; Becauſe that is the difference God puts betweene theſe and thoſe other, that Thoſe that bring forth fruit, his Father purgeth, that they may bring forth more fruit. He lets them not run ſo far out into ſin, as to become altogether unfruitfull: But theſe he takes away: So as true branches were never unfruitfull.

The Uſe is to ſtir up all that profeſſe themſelves to be in Chriſt,Ʋſe. to examine whether they be true genuine branches of this true Vine or no. Here in this Kingdome, Chriſt is ſpread forth into a faire and pleaſant Vine in ſhew, as this earth affords: But if we Miniſters were able with this Husbandman here, to turne up the leaves of formall profeſſion, and looke with his eyes, we ſhould diſcerne that there are but a few true branches indeed to be found in flouriſhing Congregations, as Iſaiah foretold there ſhould be in Iſrael, Iſa. 17. 5, 6. Like the gleaning grapes, two or three in the top of the uppermoſt bough, foure or five in the outmoſt fruitfull branches.

Now for a generall help to diſcerne whether you be true branches,The ſeverall ſorts of branches that prove unfruitfull. conſider, that union with Chriſt is it that makes men branches, that is, men are accounted branches of Chriſt in regard of ſome union with him: and ſuch as their union is, ſuch alſo is their communion with him, and accordingly ſuch branches are they, and ſuch their fruit.

1. Some (and indeed the moſt) are united to him but by the externall tye of the outward Ordinances, ſuch as their obligation made in Baptiſme: and are knit to him thereby, no otherwiſe then many graffs are, that do not take or thrive in their ſtocks, onelyonly ſtand there as bound about by a thread; and ſutable is their communion with him, even wholly externall: they continuing to partake of the outward ordinances, but without any ſap or inward influence derived, without any inward work of the Spirit, or ſtirring of affection: And anſwerable alſo is their fruit, when no other are found on them, but ſuch as you ſhall finde p. 11grow in the waſte of the wilderneſſe among Heathens, which ingenuity and modeſty, and naturall honeſty and naturall conſcience do bring forth: but not any ſuch, as an inward ſap from Chriſt uſeth to produce. Civill men are not true branches; for look on Chriſt the root, and ſee what fruits abounded in him moſt, as fruits of holineſſe did; and therefore if ſuch were true branches, the ſame would abound in them likewiſe: for every tree brings forth according to its kind.

2. You have ſome (they living in the Church) Chriſt begins to ſhoot ſome ſap of his Spirit into their hearts, quickning them with many good motions, and ſtirring up ſome juiceneſſe of affections in the adminiſtration of the Word and Sacraments, which cauſes them to bud forth into good inward purpoſes, and outward good beginnings: but this being not the communication of the Spirit, as ſanctifying and changing the branch into the ſame nature with the root, therefore it comes to paſſe they are ſtill nipt in the bud, as the ſtony ground was, and the ſap ſtricken in again, like rath ripe fruit; which looking forth upon a February Sun, are nipt againe with an April froſt. Many, when young, and their affections are green and tender, are wrought upon, and bud, but the ſcoffes of men nip them, and their luſts draw the ſap another way, as hopes of preferment, and the pleaſures of ſinne, and ſo theſe buds wither and fall off, and the Spirit withdrawes himſelf wholly in the root againe.

Againe, 3. ſome there are, as the thorny ground, in whom this inward ſap communicated to them, though not ſpiritually, changing and renewing them, yet being communicated in a further degree, abides in them longer, ſhoots up farther, and theſe prove exceeding green branches, and are owned for true, even by the people of God themſelves, as Judas was by the Apoſtles, and therefore are outwardly like unto them; for how elſe are they ſaid to be caſt out? ver. 16. who therefore had once ſome fruit to commend them, for which they were accounted of by the people of God, and received amongſt them, who judge of trees by the fruit. Neither are their fruits meerly outward, like Solomons apples of gold, in pictures of ſilver, meerly painted, but they have a ſap that puts a greenneſſe into what they doe, and by p. 12reaſon of which they bear and bring forth; for how elſe are they ſaid to wither alſo? ver. 6. (which is a decay of inward moiſture, and outward greenneſſe:) and theſe alſo have ſome kind of union with Chriſt as with a Lord, 2 Pet. 2. 1. he aſcending to beſtow gifts, even upon the rebellious alſo, Pſal. 68. 18. ſo far to enable them to doe him ſome ſervice in his Vineyard: They are not united unto Chriſt as unto an Head. Neither is it the ſpirit of adoption which they doe receive from him; and ſuch a branch was Judas, who was not onelyonly owned by the Diſciples, who knew him not to be falſe, but who ſurely at the firſt had inward ſap of gifts derived from Chriſt, to fit him for the Miniſtery, he being ſent out as an Apoſtle to preach; whom therefore Chriſt here aimed at in this place.

Now for a more particular differencing of theſe branches and their fruites,Some differences of branches fruitfull and unfruitfull. it is not my ſcope to ingraffe a large common place, head of all the differences, between temporaries and true beleevers, upon this ſtock; this root is not big enough to bear them, thoſe differences being many; OnelyOnly I will explain thoſe differences which the Text affords, becauſe they are in our way, and will further open the words.

1. That which they doe bring forth,1. Difference. How the good works of Hypocrites are not true fruits. is not true fruit, the holy Ghoſt vouchaſfeth it not that name, They are ſaid here, not to bring forth fruit. That ſpeech in Hoſea 10. 1. will give clear light to underſtand this; with the ground of it alſo; Iſrael is, there called, an empty Vine, which brings forth fruit to her ſelf. It implies a ſeeming contradiction, that it ſhould be called an empty Vine, and yet withall to bring forth any fruit. And theſe bring forth not leaves, good words onelyonly, but good works, good actions, and thoſe green, and therefore Jude 12. their fruit is ſaid to wither, as themſelves are ſaid to wither here, ver. 6. And as there Iſrael is ſaid to be an empty Vine, though it hath fruit, ſo here theſe are ſaid not to bring forth fruit at all. Now the meaning of both, is one and the ſame: For a thing is ſaid to be empty, when it wants that which is proper to it, and ought to be in it; as Wells are called empty, when are not full of water, they are full of ayre: for Non datur vacuum. So they are called an empty Vine, and theſe branches to have no fruit, becauſe not ſuch as ought to grow upon them, ſuch as is proper to the root they p. 13ſeem to grow upon. Therefore in Heb. 6. 7. that Epithet is added, [Meet] hearbs, or fruit; that is, ſuch as ſhould grow there. So Luke 3. 8. They are to bring forth fruit [worthy] amendment of life, or elſe they were to be cut down: that is, ſuch as became true repentants, as were anſwerable, ſuitable therunto. As we ſay a man carries himſelf worthy of his place, when anſwerably to to what is required of him in it. That place fore-cited out of Hoſea further acquaints us with the true ground, why their fruits (though green, which Chap. 6. 4. is called goodneſſe alſo, yet) were not to be accounted meet fruit, and ſo not fruit at all; even becauſe of this, that it brought forth all its fruit, whether good or bad, to it ſelfe: That is, thoſe ends that did draw up the ſap, and did put it forth in fruit, were drawne but from themſelves, they bring them not forth principally to God. and for him. All their prayers, all their affections in holy duties, if they examine the reaſon of them all, the ends that runne in them all, and whence all the motives that doe actuate all they doe in theſe, they will finde they are taken from themſelves: And though the aſſiſtance wherewith they are enabled to doe what they doe, is more then their own, yet their ends are no higher then themſelves, and ſo they employ but that aſſiſtance God gives them wholly for themſelves. Now the end for which a true branch brings forth fruit, is, that God might be glorified. Thus Rom. 7. 8. when married to Chriſt they are ſaid to bring forth fruit to God; which is ſpoken in oppoſition to bringing forth fruit to a mans ſelf. Thus alſo Chriſt here uſeth this as the great and main motive to fruitfulneſſe in ver. 8. Hereby is my Father glorified, that you bring forth much fruit. Now whom will this move, into whoſe affections will ſuch an argument draw up ſap, and quicken them? None but thoſe hearts who doe make Gods glory their utmoſt end, and ſo all true branches doe or elſe this motive ſhould have been uſed by Chriſt in vaine unto them. And as this end makes their performances to be fruit, ſo this being wanting, all that is brought forth deſerves not the name of fruit, for it is not fruit worthy, as the Baptiſt ſayes, not meet fruit for the dreſſer to receive, (as was noted out of the Hebrews) not ſuch as ought to grow on that tree. They ſhould be trees of righteouſneſſe, the planting of the Lord, that he might be p. 14glorified, Eſay 61. 3. Again, not fruit meete or ſuitable for the roote it ſeemes to grow upon, that is, ſuch as Chriſt did bring forth; for he did all, that his Father might be glorified: and therefore ſayes he, exhorting them to fruitfulneſſe, ver. 8. of this Chap. If you doe likewiſe, ye ſhall bee my Diſciples. Againe, otherwiſe it is not ſuch as is meet for the Husbandmans taſte and reliſh▪ it being equall that He that planteth a Vineyard, ſhould eate the fruit of it, 1 Cor. 8. 7. And in fruit you know above all we regard the taſte, and eſteeme the reliſh of it. Eve firſt conſidered the fruit was good for food, then pleaſant to the eye, Gen. 3. It is not the ſap that is in fruit only makes it acceptable; Crabs are as full of ſap as apples: Not is it the greenneſſe, or colour, or bigneſſe, but the reliſh that is the chiefeſt excellencie in it, though thoſe other, when joyned with a good reliſh, do make it more deſirable: So though thy performances be full of life and affection, and green, and long, and many, yet if they reliſh and taſte of none but ſelf-ends, God regards them not, they are not ad guſtum ſuum; it is the end that gives the reliſh, and makes them fruits, and acceptable to God.

The ſecond difference this Text holds forth,2. Difference. How Hypocrites bring not forth their fruit [in Chriſt] is, That they bring not forth their fruit in Chriſt: for ſo the Syriack Tranſlation reads it, as making the ſenſe to be, that they bring not forth fruit in me: and ſo this particle [In me] referreth not ſo much to their being branches in him, as to not bearing their fruit in him. Which indeed ſeems to have been Chriſts meaning, for his ſcope in this Parable is to ſhew how that he is the root of Sanctification; and how not the habituall power onelyonly, but every act of grace, and the performance, comes from him; Without me ye can doe nothing, ver. 5. And thereupon he exhorts his Diſciples to fetch all from him, and to abide in him; and therefore alſo, when he ſpeaks of theſe unfruitfull branches at ver. 6. that which here he calls bearing not fruit in me, he expreſſes there, by not abiding in me, as the cauſe of their not bringing forth fruit in him. Yea, and the principall ſcope of that phraſe, Abide in me, is, (as evidently appeares by ver. 4, 5.) to depend upon him for bringing forth of fruit, and to fetch ſtrength from him by faith. There is therefore this eſſentiall defect in the worke that is upon ſuch, that they doe not doe all in that dependance upon p. 15Chriſt, ſuch a dependance as a branch hath upon the root, in bringing forth its fruit. For, my brethren, this you muſt know, that as it is eſſentiall to Evangelicall▪ Sanctification to doe all for another, as your end, namely, to God; ſo to doe all in the ſtrength of another, as your ſole aſſiſtant, namely Chriſt, who works all in you, and through whoſe ſtrength, ſaith Paul, I am able to doe all things, and nothing without it. The life we leade is by faith, and it is not I, but Chriſt who lives in me. Therefore we finde both theſe joyned, Phil. 1. 11. The fruits of righteouſneſſe by Jeſus Chriſt, to the praiſe and glory of God. The latter [To the glory of God] is mentioned as the finall cauſe; the other [By Jeſus Chriſt] as the efficient cauſe:What it is to bring forth fruit [in Chriſt] explained. Both theſe are neceſſary unto true Sanctification. For as we are to honour the Husbandman by making him our end, ſo alſo the root, by doing all in him, and from him. Now temporarie Beleevers, as they do all principally for themſelves, ſo alſo all as from themſelves: and as they do not make God their end, ſo nor Chriſt their root. And ſo ſome expound that phraſe in the Parable of the ſtony ground, Luk. 8. 13. when it is ſaid they have no root, (though I think he means alſo inherent habits of grace infuſed, for it is added, no root [in themſelves,] which Job call the root of the matter which was in him) it is becauſe they fetch not their ſtrength to doe all they doe from Chriſt by faith, and from their union with him. And the reaſon is this, becauſe they are never emptyed of themſelves, (which is the root we all doe grow upon) either in regard of their owne ends, or of their owne efficiencie of working. Whereas we muſt all be brought to nothing in our ſelves, both in regard of ſelf-aymes, and alſo abilities of working; and till our hearts are inwardly taught that leſſion, that we are not ſufficient, as of our ſelves, we will not goe out of our ſelves, to doe all in Chriſt. And therefore there was nothing which Chriſt endeavoured more to engraffe upon their hearts then this Principle now at his departure, as it is ver. 4, 5. And indeed it is as hard a thing for nature to live out of its ſelfe, and fetch all from another, as not to live to its ſelfe, but to another. We are full of our owne ſtrength, as well as of our owne ends. And although theſe unfruitfull branches they do indeed receive all their ſtrength from Chriſt, and ſo all they doe in what is good, is from him: yet they doe no honour Chriſt p. 16in receiving it, by doing all as in his ſtrength, and ſo do not do it as in him. But though they receive all, yet they work with it, as if it were their owne ſtock, and ſo glorie (as the Apoſtle ſayes) as if they had not received it. And thus though the ſap and livelineſſe which ſtirs them, is really, and all efficiently from Chriſt, yet they may be ſaid to bring forth fruit in themſelves, becauſe both they neither fetch not receive it by faith, nor act by faith that ſtrength received, as men that were acted by Chriſt, and as working all in Chriſt, but they doe all, as if all proceeded from their owne root: Even as the Ivie, though it claſping about the Oake, receives much ſap from it, which it digeſteth and turneth into it ſelfe, yet it brings forth all its be…ries by virtue of its owne root, rather then as in the Oake, which yet ſuſtaines and ſupplyes it with juyce and ſap; whereas a true Beleever brings forth fruit in Chriſt, as a branch that is in and of the Oake it ſelfe, as its owne root, and ſo from him all their fruit is found, Hoſ. 14. 8. he fetcheth his aſſiſtance from him: where as the inward aſſiſtance of another unſound branch is ſtrengthened and ſupported by pride, and ſelfe ſufficiencie of gifts and parts, and not derived by faith, and maintained by confidence in Chriſts ſtrength to act all in them; ſo that, as it is ſaid of the Corinthians, that they raigned, but without us, ſayes Paul. So I may ſay, Temporaries performe duties, and pray, but as without Chriſt. But all true Beleevers are emptied firſt of their owne ſtrength and ability, and ſo walk as thoſe who can doe nothing without Chriſt, as thoſe who are not able to love, beleeve one moment more without him. So Phil. 4. 13. I am able to doe all things, but through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me. And this they lay for a principle in their hearts which they walk by, which therefore Chriſt preſſeth upon his Diſciples here, as the maine requiſite and fundamentall principle of Evangelicall Sanctification, Without me ye can doe nothing. And therefore ſuch an one is ſenſible of that curſed ſelfe ſufficiencie in him, and humbleth himſelfe, checks himſelfe for it, as for as great and foule a ſin as any other; and humbleth himſelfe not onelyonly for the want of what life, and ſtirring, &c. ſhould have been in the duty fell ſhort of, in performing it; but alſo for that he ſanctified not Chriſt, in the ſtrength he received to doe it with: But another p. 17doth not ſo; if he finds ſtrength, and power, and vigour to performe, and quickneſſe in the performance, he lookes no further. That poore man in the Goſpel, as he acknowledged his want of faith, that he had much unbeliefe in him, ſo he goes out to Chriſt for the ſupply, Lord h…lp my unbeliefe, for he knew that it was he was to be the worker of every degree of faith in him. And again, a true beleever being thus ſenſible of his own unability, doth (when he is any thing aſſiſted) attribute all to Chriſt when he hath done; and honours him as the Author of it in himſelfe; confeſſeth in his heart, between Chriſt and himſelfe, that it was not he, but Chriſt that ſtrengthned him: It is not I, (ſayes the Apoſtle) but the grace of God in me, though I have laboured more then they all. But another, though he receives all, yet not being emptyed of himſelfe, boaſteth as if he had not received it. As the Phariſee, though he thanked God in words, yet in his heart attributed all to himſelfe; ſuch an one is the more full, and lift up when he hath done, but the true branch more empty and humble. A true beleever glories not of himſelfe as in himſelfe, but onelyonly as he is a man in Chriſt; and that as a man in Chriſt, he did thus or thus; as Paul did, and no otherwiſe. So 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Chriſt, &c. of ſuch a man I will glorie, but of my ſelfe I will not glorie. And yet it was himſelfe he ſpake of, but yet not in himſelfe as of himſelfe, but as he was in Chriſt.

And if it be asked,Queſt. whether in every act a Chriſtian doth thus?

I anſwer,Anſw. It is in this as in that other parallel to this,Whether in every act a Beleever doth all in Chriſt. The making God a mans end: Now as it doth not require, that in every action a man ſhould actually think of that his end, whilſt yet habitually he makes it his aime: (as a man in his journey, doth not think of the place he goes into every ſtep he takes, yet ſo habitually hath it in his thoughts, as he keeps in the way to it.) Parallel to this is it in doing all in Chriſt, it cannot be ſuppoſed that in every act a man hath ſuch a diſtinct thought of recourſe to Chriſt; but at the beginning and entrance of greater actions, he ſtill hath ſuch actings and exerciſe of faith; And alſo often, in the progreſſe he reneweth them, and in the concluſion, when he hath performed them, he doth ſanctifie Chriſt in his heart, by aſcribing the praiſe of all unto him.

p. 18If in the ſecond place,2. Queſt. the queſtion be,Whether all Beleevers doe diſtinctly fetch vertue from Chriſt by faith. Whether, every true beleever doth from his firſt converſion thus diſtinctly and knowingly (to himſelf) fetch thus all power from Chriſt, and doe all in him?

The anſwer is, 1. That to all beleevers this principle of having recourſe to Chriſt for acting their Sanctification,Anſw. 1. may (haply) not preſently be ſo diſtinctly revealed as it hath been to ſome; this indeed is common and abſolutely neceſſary to all beleevers, to conſtitute and make them ſuch; namely, that their faith ſhould have recourſe to Chriſt, and to take him for their Salvation, in the large and generall notion of it, as it infolds all under it that is to be done to ſave them; and thus many more ignorant doe, when yet they have not learnt explicitely in every particular that concerneth their ſalvation, to have frequently a diſtinct recourſe unto him: it is probable that theſe very Diſciples of Chriſt (who yet ſavingly beleeved) had not this particular principle of bringing forth all their fruit of holineſſe in Chriſt, as their root, untill this very time and Sermon whereby Chriſt enformed them in it, ſo clearly revealed to them, nor till then ſo clearly apprehended by them; for ignorant they were of, and negligent in having recourſe to Chriſt in many other particulars, and making uſe of him therein, which are of as much concernment as this. They had not ſo diſtinctly and explicitely (as would ſeem) put their prayers up in Chriſts name, Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name, John 16. 24. Neither had they ſo frequently exerciſed faith on Chriſt in all things as they had upon God. Therefore John 14. 1. he calls upon them, Ye beleeve in God, beleeve alſo in me.

2. Many ſorts of principles beleevers hearts may ſecretly have been taught, which alſo habitually they practice, and yet they may be exceeding hidden and latent in them in reſpect of their own diſcerning them; as was the caſe alſo of theſe Diſciples, John 14. 4. ſayes Chriſt, The way (namely, to heaven) ye know: and yet, ver. 5. Thomas ſayes, How can we know the way? and then, ver. 7. Chriſt ſayes of them againe, that They knew him and the Father; and yet ver. 8. Philip again ſaith to him, Lord, ſhew us the Father, ſpeaking as if they were ignorant of him, for Chriſt rebukes him, ver. 9. and tels him he had both ſeen him and his Father. Thoſe principles of Atheiſme and unbelief, (as thoſe ſayings in p. 19the heart, that there is no God, &c. of which the Scriptures ſpeak ſo much) they are the principles that act and work all in men that are wicked and carnall, and are the encouragers and counſellers to all the ſins committed by them, and yet they are leaſt of all diſcerned by them, of all other corruptions, for they are ſeldome or never drawn forth into diſtinct propoſitions, or actually thought upon; but doe lie as common principles taken for granted, and ſo do guide men in their wayes. And thus it is and may be long with ſome of the contrary principles of faith, they may act all ſecretly in the heart, and yet not be diſcerned; untill called forth by the miniſtery of the Word, or ſome diſtinct information, when it comes more diſtinctly to clear ſuch a practice to them.

Neither 3. is union with Chriſt preſently cleared up to all beleevers; Union with Chriſt is not cleared up to all in Chriſt.which whilſt it is darkly and doubtfully apprehended by them, Chriſts communication of his grace and ſtrength to them in every action, remains doubtfull alſo, and is not diſcerned by them. Of theſe Diſciples Chriſt ſayes, John 14. 20. That in that day (namely, when they received the Comforter more fully, of the promiſe of whom he there ſpeaks) they ſhould know that they were in him, and he in them: But not ſo clearly was this as yet apprehended by them; and ſo likewiſe that intercourſe betwixt Chriſt and them, both for grace and comfort, &c. was not ſo clearly diſcerned by them, though continually maintained by him in diſpenſing all grace and power to them.

And yet 4. in the mean while take the loweſt and pooreſt beleever,Yet every Beleever doth five things which are really to bring forth fruit in Chriſt. and he doth theſe five things, which put together, is really and interpretatively a bringing forth their fruit in Chriſt, though not in their apprehenſions.

1. In that their hearts are trained up in a continuall ſenſiblenes of their own inſufficiencie and inability for any good thought or word, as of themſelves; for poverty of ſpirit, to ſee their own nothingneſſe, in this reſpect is the firſt Evangell grace, Mat. 5. 1. and and if the contrary would ariſe in them, to think through habituall grace alone received, they were able of themſelves to doe good, it is checked ſoone, and confuted by their owne experience, both of their owne weakneſſe, being ſure to be left to themſelves, (as Peter was) when confident in his own ſtrength; p. 20as alſo by thoſe various blowings of the Spirit in them as he pleaſeth; with which when their ſailes are filled, they are able to doe any thing, but when withdrawn, they lay wind-bound, (though all habits of grace be hoyſt up and ready) and not able to move of themſelves. Now this principle of ſelf emptineſſe habitually to live by it, no carnall heart in the world hath it, or doth live by it.

And 2. for this aſſiſtance, they are trained likewiſe up (from the firſt) to have a continuall dependance, from a power from above, (without which they find they are able to do nothing) to come from God, and from the Spirit of Chriſt; with a renunciation of themſelves, which implicitely is the ſame with this immediate intercourſe with Chriſt, and is really equivalent thereunto, though they hit not at firſt haply on the right explicite notion thereof (as having not been taught it by the Miniſtery of the Word, or other wayes) in that diſtinct manner that others doe: and yet in honouring the Spirit of Chriſt dwelling in them, they honour Christ, who ſends that Spirit into their hearts, even as in honouring the Sonne, Chriſt ſayes, that we honour the Father alſo: although our thoughts may ſometimes more diſtinctly be exerciſed towards one of the three Perſons more then to another.

And thirdly, when they are once taught from the Word, that it is the duty of a Chriſtian, and part of the life of faith, to live thus in Chriſt, and to bring forth all in him and ſo come diſtinctly to apprehend this, as requiſite to a right bringing forth of fruit, then their hearts inſtantly doe uſe to cloſe with the truth of it, as being moſt ſuitable and agreeable to that holy frame of their own ſpirits, which are Evangelically wrought to glorifie Chriſt all manner of wayes that ſhall be revealed; there is an inſtinct, a preparedneſſe in their faith to make Chriſt their All in all, as any particular comes to be revealed to them, wherein they ought to exalt him in their hearts; and ſo this being once revealed to be one way whereby they are to honour him, if they have gone on afore in a confidence on their own graces, henceforth they doe ſo no more, yea they humble themſelves as much for ſo robbing Chriſt of glory, or neglecting of him, in not having had that diſtinct recourſe to him, as for any other ſin.

p. 21And 4. though haply after all this, yet ſtill their union with him is not cleared to them, and ſo their communion with him herein (as muſt needs) doth ſtill remain dark alſo, they therefore neither diſcern that they have any true communion with his perſon, nor can ſay how ſtrength comes from him; yet having bin thus taught to fetch all from him, as was formerly explained, they do in a continuall renunciation of their own ſtrength, deny all offers of aſſiſtance from any other ſtrength, as namely that which their gifts and parts would make; (even as they deny unlawfull luſts or by-ends) and they ſtill have their eyes upon Chriſt, to work in them both the will and the deed, and ſo by a faith of Recumbencie, or caſting themſelves on him for ſtrength in all, (ſuch as they exerciſe towards him for juſtification, Gal. 2. 16.) they live by faith on the Son of God, and have thereby ſuch a kind of faith, a continuall recourſe unto him. Upon which acts of true faith being exerciſed by them towards him, He (as he is pleaſed to diſpence it) moves them, and works and acts all in them; although ſtill not ſo ſenſibly unto their apprehenſions, as that they ſhould diſcern the connexion between▪ the cauſe and the effect; nor can they hang them together, that is to ſay, know how, or that this vertue doth come from Chriſt, becauſe their union with him is as yet doubtfull to them; and alſo becauſe the power that worketh in Beleevers is ſecret; and like that of the heavens upon our bodies, (which is as ſtrong as that of phyſick, &c.) yet ſo ſweet and ſo ſecretly inſinuating it ſelfe with the principles of nature, that as for the conveyance of it, it is inſenſible, and hardly differenced from the other workings of the principles of nature in us: and therefore the Apoſtle prayeth for the Ephſians, That their eyes may be enlightned to ſee the power that wrought in them, Eph. 1. 18. 19.

Yet ſo as 5. their ſoules walk all this while by theſe two principles firmly rooted in them; both 1 That all good that is to be done, muſt and doth come from Chriſt, and him alone; and 2 That if any good be done by them, it is wrought by him alone, which doe ſet their ſouls a breathing after nothing more then to know Chriſt in the power of his reſurrection: And having walkt thus in a ſelfe-emptines and dependance upon Chriſt by way of a dark recumbencie, when once their union with him comes to be cleared up unto them, they then acknowledg as they Eſ. 26. That he alone hath wrought all p. 22their workes in them, that they are nothing, and have done nothing; and though before this revelation of Chriſt, (as Chriſt ſaid to Peter, What I doe now thou knoweſt not, but thou ſhalt know, ſo) they knew not then that Chriſt had wrought all in them, yet then they know it, and when they doe know and diſcern it, they acknowledge it with the greateſt exaltation of him, they having reſerved, even during all that former time of their emptineſſe, the glory for him alone; ſtaying as Joab did for David, till Chriſt come more ſenſibly into their hearts, to ſet the crown of all upon his head.

This I thought good to adde, to clear this point, leſt any poor ſouls ſhould be ſtumbled.

Doct. 4. In the moſt fruitfull branches there remain corruptions unpurged out.

The 4. Doct. is, That in the moſt fruitfull branches there remain corruptions that ſtill need purging out.

This is taken but as ſuppoſed in the text, and not ſo directly laid down, and I ſhall handle it but ſo far as it makes way for what doth follow. What ſhall I need to quote much Scripture for the proof of it? Turn but to your own hearts, the beſt will find proofs enough of it.

Reaſons.

1That God might thereby the more ſet forth and clear unto us his juſtifying grace by Chriſts righteouſneſſe, and clear the truth of it to all our hearts. When the Apoſtle, long after his firſt converſion, was in the midſt of that great and famous battail, chronicled in that 7. Rom. wherein he was led captive to a Law, and an army of ſinne within him, warring againſt the law of his minde, preſently upon that wofull exclamation and outcry there mentioned, Oh miſerable man that I am, &c. he falls admiring the grace of juſtification through Chriſt, they are his firſt words after the battail ended, [Now] (ſayes he) there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt: Mark that word [Now] that now after ſuch bloudy wounds and gaſhes there ſhould yet be no condemnation, this exceedingly exalts this grace, for if ever (thought he) I was in danger of condemnation, it was upon the riſing and rebelling of theſe my corruptions, which when they had carried me p. 23captive, I might well have expected the ſentence of condemnation to have followed, but I finde, ſayes he, that God ſtill pardons me, and accepts me as much as ever, upon my returning to him; and therefore I doe proclaim with wonder, to all the world, that Gods juſtifying grace in Chriſt is exceeding large and rich. And though there be many corruptions in thoſe that are in Chriſt, yet there is no condemnation to thoſe who are in Chriſt, that walk after the Spirit, though fleſh be in them: And this at once both clears our juſtification by Chriſts righteouſneſſe alone, and alſo magnifies and extols it.

It clears it, therefore how doth this remaining of corruptions afford to our Divines that great demonſtration againſt the Papiſts, that we are not juſtified by works, nor are thoſe workes perfect, (which they ſo impudently affirme againſt their own experience) even becauſe corruption ſtains the beſt, and our beſt righteouſneſſe is but as a menſtruous cloth.

And as it clears it, ſo likewiſe it extols it: For how is Grace magnified, when as not only all the ſins and debts a man brought to Chriſt to pardon at firſt converſion are pardoned, but after many relapſes of us, and provings bankrupt, we are yet ſtill ſet up againe by free grace with a new ſtock; and though we ſtill run upon new ſcores every day, yet that theſe ſhould ſtill be paid, and there ſhould be riches of love enough, and ſtock enough, that is, merit enough to hold out to pardon us, though we remained in this mixt condition of ſinning, to eternity, this exceedingly advanceth the abounding of this grace.

2. It ſerves exceedingly to illuſtrate the grace of perſeverance, and the power of God therein; for unto the power of God is our perſeverance wholly attributed. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Ye are kept (as with a garriſon) as the word ſignifies, through the power of God unto ſalvation. And were there not a great and an apparent danger of miſcarrying, ſuch a mighty guard needed not; There is nothing which puts us into any danger, but our corruptions that ſtill remain in us, which fight againſt the ſoul, and endeavour to overcome and deſtroy us. Now then to be kept maugre all theſe; to have grace maintained; a ſpark of grace in the midſt of a ſea of corruption; how doth this honour the power of God in keeping us? As much in regard of this our dependency p. 24on him in ſuch a condition, as hee would otherwiſe be by our ſervice, if it were pepfect, and we wholly free from thoſe corruptions. How will the grace of God under the Goſpel, triumph over the grace given Adam in his innocencie? when Adam having his heart full of inherent grace, and nothing inwardly, in his nature, to ſeduce him, and the temptation that he had, being but a matter of curioſity, and the pleaſing his wife, and yet he fell: When as many poore ſouls under the ſtate of grace, that have but mites of grace in compariſon, and worlds of corruption, are yet kept, not onelyonly from the unneceſſary pleaſures of ſin in time of proſperity, but hold out againſt all the threats, all the cruelties of wicked perſecutors in times of perſecution, which threaten to debar them of all the preſent good they enjoy? And though Gods people are foyled often, yet that there ſhould ſtill remaine a ſeed within them, 1 John. 3. 9. this illuſtrates the grace of Chriſt under the Goſpel. For one act in Adam expelled all grace out of him, when yet his heart was full of nothing elſe. Were our hearts filled with grace perfectly at firſt converſion, this power would not be ſeen. The Angels are kept with much leſſe care, and charge, and power then we, becauſe they have no bias, no weights of ſin, (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) hung upon them to draw them aſide, and preſſe them downe, as we have.

Neither 3. would the confuſion of the devill in the end be ſo great, and the victory ſo glorious, if all ſin at firſt converſion were expelled. For by this meanes the devill hath in his aſſaults againſt us, the more advantages, faire play, (as I may ſo ſpeak) faire hopes of overcomming; having a great faction in us, as ready to ſinne as he is greedy to tempt; And yet God ſtrongly carries on his owne worke begun, though ſlowly, and by degrees, backeth and maintaines a ſmall partie of grace within us, to his confuſion. That as in Gods outward goverment towards his Church here on earth, he ſuffers a great party, and the greater ſtill by farre, to be againſt his Church, and yet upholds it, and rules amongst the midſt of his enemies, Pſal. 110. ult. ſo doth he alſo in every particular beleevers heart. When grace ſhall be in us but as a ſparke, and corruptions as much ſmoake and moiſture damping it; Grace but as a candle and that p. 25in the ſocket, among huge and many winds, Then to bring judgement forth to victory, that is a victory indeede.

Laſtly, as God doth it to advance his owne grace, and confound the devil, ſo for holy ends that concerne the Saints themſelves: As,

1. To keep them from ſpirituall pride. He truſted the Angels that fell, with a full and compleat ſtock of grace at firſt, and they, though raiſed up from nothing a few dayes afore, fell into ſuch an admiration of themſelves, that heaven could not hold them, it was not a place good enough for them; [They left] (the text ſayes) their owne habitation and firſt eſtate, Jude, ver. 6. Pride was the condemnation of the devill, 1 Tim. 3. 6. But how much more would this have beene an occaſion of pride to a ſoule that was full of nothing but ſin the other day, to be made perfect preſently? perfectly to juſtifie us the firſt day by the righteouſneſſe of another, there is no danger in that, for it is a righteouſneſſe without us, and which we cannot ſo eaſily boaſt of vainly; for that faith that apprehends it, empties us firſt of our ſelves, and goes out to another for it. But Sanctification being a work wrought in us, we are apt to dote on that, as too much upon excellencie in our ſelues; how much adoe have poore beleevers to keepe their hearts off from doting upon their owne righteouſneſſe, and from poring on it, when it is (God wot) a very little? They muſt therefore have ſomething within them to pull downe their ſpirits, that when they look on their feathers, they may looke on their feet, which Chriſt ſayes are ſtill defiled, John 13. 10.

2. However, if there were no ſuch danger of ſpirituall pride upon ſo ſudden a riſe, (as indeed it befalls not infants, nor ſuch ſoules as dye as ſoone as regenerated, as that good thiefe) yet however God thinkes it meet to uſe it as a means to humble his people this way: even as God left the Canaanites in the land, to vexe the Iſraelites, and to humble them. And to have beene throughly humbled for ſin here, will doe the Saints no hurt againſt they come to heaven, it will keepe them Nothing for ever, in their owne eyes, even when they are filled brim full of grace and glory.

For 1. nothing humbles ſo as ſinne. This made him cry out, p. 26Oh miſerable man that I am! He that never flinched for outward croſſes, never thought himſelfe miſerable for any of them, but gloried in them, 2 Cor. 12. when he came to be led captive by ſinne remaining in him, cryes out, Oh miſerable man!

And 2. it is not the ſinnes of a fore-paſt unregenerate eſtate, that will be enough to doe this throughly: For they might be lookt upon, as paſt, and gone; and ſome waies be an occaſion of making the grace after converſion the more glorious: but preſent ſenſe humbleth moſt kindly, moſt deeply, becauſe it is freſh, and therefore ſayes Paul, Oh miſerable man that [I am.] And againe, we are not able to know the depth, and height of corruptions at once; therefore we are to know it by degrees: And therefore it is ſtill left in us, that after we have a ſpirituall eye given us, we might experimentally gage it to the bottome, and be experimentally ſtill humbled for ſinne: And experimentall humbling is the moſt kindly, as pity out of experience is.

And 3. God would have us humbled by ſeeing our dependance upon him for inherent grace; And how ſoone are we apt to forget we have received it; and that in our natures no good dwells? Wee would not remember, that our nature were a ſtepmother to grace, and a naturall mother to luſts, but that we ſee weeds ſtill grow naturally of themſelves.

And 4. God would have us not onelyonly humbled by ſuch our dependance on him, but by a ſenſe of our continuall obnoxiouſneſſe to him, and of being in his lurch; and therefore leaves corruption ſtill, that we might ever acknowledge that our necks doe even lie on the block, and that he may chop them off, and to ſee that in him, we ſhould not onelyonly live, and move as creatures; but further, that by him we might juſtly be deſtroyed every moment, this humbles the creature indeed, Ezek. 36. 31, 32.

3. As thus to humble them, ſo that they might have occaſion to deny themſelves: Which to doe is more acceptable to God, then much more ſervice without it; and therefore the great promiſe of having an hundred fold, is made to that grace. It was the great grace, which of all other Chriſt exerciſed. Now if we had no corruption to entice and ſeduce us, what opportunities p. 27were there for us, thus of denying our ſelves? Chriſt indeed had an infinite deale of glory to lay downe, not ſo we: unleſſe there be a ſelfe in us, to ſolicite us, and another ſelfe to deny thoſe ſolicitations, wee ſhould have no occaſions of ſelf-denyall, or the exerciſe of any ſuch grace. Therefore Adam was not capable of any ſuch grace, becauſe he had no corruption to ſeduce him. And therefore a little grace in us, denying a great deale of corruption, is in that reſpect, (for ſo much as is of it) more acceptable then his obedience. Though we have leſſe grace, yet in this reſpect of a higher kind in the exerciſes of it.

To be meek and charitable to thoſe who fall into ſin,Ʋſe. 1. as knowing corruption is not fully yet purged out of thy ſelfe. This is the Apoſtles admonition upon this ground, Gal. 6. 1. If a man be overtaken in a fault, (he ſpeaks indefinitely, that any man may) if it be but an overtaking, not a ſinning wilfully, and obſtinately, but a falling by occaſion, through raſhneſſe, ſuddenneſſe, and violence of temptation, &c. ye which are ſpirituall, reſtore ſuch a man with the ſpirit of meekneſſe, conſidering thy ſelfe, leſt thou alſo be tempted. He would have every man be meek in his cenſure, and in his reproofe of ſuch an one, and reſtore him, and put him in joynt againe, as the word ſignifies; for ſtill he may be united to Chriſt, as a bone out of joynt is to the body, though for the time rendred thereby unuſefull; and do this, ſayes he, with tenderneſſe and pity, with the ſpirit of meekneſſe, which a man will not doe, unleſſe he be ſenſible of his owne frailty, and ſubjection to corruption; unleſſe he reflect on himſelfe, and that ſeriouſly too: [conſidering] ſaith the Apoſtle there, as implying more then a ſlight thought, (I may chance to fall alſo) but the ſeeing and weighing what matter of falling there is in thine own heart, if God but leave thee to thy ſelfe a little then; this works a ſpirit of meekneſſe towards ſuch an one: For meekneſſe and pity is moſt kindly, when we are ſenſible of the like in our ſelves, and make it our owne caſe. And this he ſpeakes to the moſt ſpirituall Chriſtians, not to thoſe who are as yet but as carnall, (as he ſpeaketh of the Corinthians) Chriſtians newly converted, who (finding their corruptions at the firſt ſtounded with that firſt blow of mortification given them, and though but in part killed, yet wholly in a manner for a while laid aſleep, and having not as p. 28yet, after their late converſion, had a freſh experience of the dangers and temptations a man after converſion in his progreſſe is ſubject to) are therefore apt to imagine they ſhall continue free from aſſaults, and think not that their luſts will get up againe, and ſo are prone to be more cenſorious of the falls of others: But you, who are more ſpirituall, to you I ſpeak, ſayes the Apoſtle, for you are moſt meekned with a ſenſe of your owne weakneſſe; and even you, (ſayes he) if you conſider your ſelves, and what you are in your ſelves, have cauſe to think that you alſo may be tempted.

Never ſet thy ſelfe any ſtint or meaſure of mortification,Ʋſe. 2. for ſtill thou haſt matter to purge out: Thou muſt never be out of phyſick all thy life. Say not, Now I have grace enough, and health enough, but as that great Apoſtle, (Not as if I had as yet attained, For indeede, thou haſt not) Still preſſe forward to have more vertue from Chriſt. If thou haſt prevailed againſt the outward act, reſt not, but get the riſing of the luſt mortified, and that rowling of it in thy fancie; get thy heart deaded towards it alſo: and reſt not there, but get to hate it, and the thought of it. The body of death it muſt not onelyonly be crucified with Chriſt, but buried alſo, and ſo rot, Rom. 6. 4, 6. it is crucified to be deſtroyed, ſayes the Apoſtle there: that is, to moulder away more and more, after its firſt deaths wound.

Obſer. 6. That branches that have brought forth true fruit, God takes them not away.

The 6. Doctrine is, That thoſe who are true branches, and bring forth any true fruit pleaſing to God, though they have many corruptions in them, yet God takes them not away, cuts them not off: The oppoſition implies this, he ſpeakes of Taking away the other, not ſo of theſe, But purgeth them. It is an elegant Paranomaſia, foreign, which the holy Ghoſt here uſeth.

For an inſtance to prove this, (wherein I will alſo keepe to the Metaphor here uſed) I take that place. Eſay 27. where this his care of fruitfull branches, with the very ſame difference put between his dealing with them, and the unfruitfull that is here, is elegantly p. 29expreſſed to us. God profeſſeth himſelfe the Keeper of a Vineyard his Church, ver. 2, 3. I the Lord doe keep it, and ver. 6. He ſhall cauſe them that come of Jacob to take root, Iſrael ſhall bloſſome and bud, and fill the earth with fruit. But Iſrael having corruption in him which would hinder his growth, he muſt be lopt and cut. And ſo in the next verſes, God is ſaid to deale with him; but not ſo as to cut them off, as he doth others that are both his and their enemies. Hath he ſmitten them as he ſmote thoſe that ſmote him? No. For in meaſure when it ſhooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it. When Iſrael is but a tender plant, and firſt ſhooteth forth, he doth but in meaſure debate with it, that is, in ſuch a proportion as not to deſtroy it, or cauſe it to wither, but that it may bloſſome more, he meaſures out, as it were, afflictions to them, but ſtayes his rough wind, as it followes; that is, ſuch afflictions as would ſhake that his plant too much, or quite blow it downe; but ſuch a wind as ſhall make it fruitfull, and blow away its unkindly bloſſomes and leaves: ſo much and no more will He let out of his Treaſury, even he who holds the winds in his fiſts, and can moderate them as he pleaſeth. For his ſcope and purpoſe is nothing leſſe then to cut off Jacob, both root and branch, becauſe of corruptions and ſinnes that doe cleave to him. But this is all the fruit to take away the ſinne, ſayes he, ver. 9. that is, this is the fruit of that winde, and of all theſe his dealings with them: and it is [All] the fruit, that is, all that he intends thereby, even to purge them.

But doth he deale ſo with others? No, for the boughs of the moſt fenced City wither, and are broken off and burned, ver. 10, 11.

Firſt,Reaſ. 1. becauſe in Chriſt God accepts a little good, and it pleaſeth him more, then ſin in his doth diſpleaſe him: And therefore as in nations he will not deſtroy the righteous with the wicked, ſo nor in men will he caſt away their righteouſneſſe that is in them for a little wickedneſſe ſake, but will rather purge out the one, and ſo preſerve the other. This we have expreſſed under the ſame Metaphor, Eſay. 65. 8. we have in hand, Thus ſaith the Lord, as the new wine is found in the cluſter, and one ſaith deſtroy it not; for a bleſſing is in it: That is, looke as when a man is about to cut downe a Vine, and his axe is even at the root of it, and p. 30one ſtanding by, ſpyes a cluſter upon it, that hath new wine in it; which alſo argues there is ſap ſtill in the roote, which may yet bring forth more; Oh ſayes he, deſtroy it not: even ſo ſayes God of nations and men that feare him: of nations, where he hath many holy ones: So there it followes, So will I doe (with Iſrael) for my ſervants ſake I will not deſtroy them all; ſo it follows there: and thus he likewiſe ſayes of particular men, there is a bleſſed work in ſuch a mans heart, though mingled with much corruption, Oh deſtroy it not. Take away the ſin if poſſible, but cut not off the man: why ſhould his grace periſh with his wickedneſſe? every dram of grace is precious, it coſt the blood of Chriſt, and he will not ſuffer it to be deſtroyed.

Becauſe he hath ordained,Reaſ. 2. that all the fruits of his children ſhould remain, John 15. 16. Now if they ſhould be cut off, their fruit would wither, their work muſt periſh with them; now no mans work ſhall prove in vaine in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. ult. But though the world, and all works, and luſts of the world will with their makers come to nothing, Yet he that doth the will of God endureth for ever, 1 John 2. 17. As the works of Chriſt in himſelfe are eternall, ſo his works in us are eternall alſo, becauſe they are the fruits of what he did: He that ſoweth liberally, and gives to the poore, his righteouſneſſe remaines for ever.

Thirdly,Reaſ. 3. becauſe he loves the perſon, and hates only the ſin, therefore he preſerves the one, deſtroyes onelyonly the other. This is all the fruit to take away the ſinne. Thus Pſal. 99. 8. He forgave the perſons, and tooke vengeance onelyonly on their inventions. The Covenant that is made with us in Chriſt, is not a covenant made with works, but with perſons: And therefore though the works be often hatefull, yet he goes on to love the perſons: And that he may continue to love them, deſtroyes out of them what he hates, but cutteth not them off. A member that is leprous or ulcerous, a man loves it as it is his owne fleſh, Epheſ. 5. 29. though he loathes the corruption and putrification that is in it: and therefore he doth not preſently cut it off, but purgeth it daily, layes plaiſters to it to eate the corruption out: whereas a wart or a wen that growes to a mans body, a man gets it cut off, for he doth not reckon it as his fleſh.

Fourthly,Reaſ. 4. therein God ſhewes his ſkill, that he is able to deale p. 31with a branch which hath much corruption in it, ſo artificially, as to ſever the corruption, and let the branch ſtand ſtill; utterly to cut downe, and make ſpoile of all, there is no great skill required to it; but to lop the branches in the right place, and due time and ſeaſon, ſo as they may become fruitfull, this is from the skill of the Husbandman. Come to unskilfull Surgeons with a ſore leg or arme, and they ſeeing it paſt their skill, they talke of nothing but cutting it off, and tell you it is ſo far gone, that there is no way elſe; but come to one that is skilfull indeed, that diſcerns it is not ſo periſhed, but it may be cured, and he will try his art upon it: And ſo doth God with branches and members that have much corruption in them, he tryes his skill upon them, makes a great cure of a leg or an arme, where he diſcerns ſome ſound fleſh, though much corrupted; he can cut out the dead fleſh, and let the ſound remaine, and ſo makes it whole in the end.

Of comfort to thoſe who are true branches,Ʋſe. 1. and continue to bring forth fruit in the midſt of of all the tryals that befall them, that God will not ſuffer them to be cut off by their corruption: if any thing in them ſhould provoke God to doe it, it muſt be ſinne: Now for that, you ſee how Chriſt promiſeth that God will take order therewith, and will purge it out of them. In the 89. Pſal. ver. 28, 29, 30. this is the covenant made with David, (as he was a type of Chriſt, with whom the ſame covenant is made ſure and firme) That if his ſeed forſake my Law, and walke not in my judgements, What, preſently turne them out of doors, and cut them off, as thoſe he meant no more to have to doe with? What, nothing but utter rejection? Is there no means of reclaiming them? Never a rod in the houſe? Yes, Then will I viſit their tranſgreſſions with a rod, and their iniquity with ſtripes, whip out their ſtobbornneſſe and ſinfulneſſe, but my loving kindneſſe will I not take from him as I did from Saul, as it is 1 Chron. 17. 13.

Let the Saints conſider this, that they may return when they are fallen, and ſubmit to him and his nature, and ſuffer him to doe what he will with them, and endure cutting, and lancing, and burning, ſo long as he cuts them not off; endure chaſtning, and all his dealings elſe, knowing that all the fruit is but to take p. 32away the ſinne to make them partakers of his holineſſe, and if by any meanes, as Paul ſpeakes of himſelfe, as Phil. 3. be the means what it will, it is no matter; And God, if at any time he ſeemes to cut thee off, yet it is but as the inceſtuous Corinthian was cut off, that the fleſh might be deſtroyed, and the ſpirit ſaved.

Of encouragement to goe on ſtill to bring forth more fruit to God:Ʋſe. 2. For if you doe, God will not cut you off, he will ſpare you as a man ſpares his ſonne that ſerves him; he will not take advantage at every fault to caſt one off. It was his owne Law, Deut. 20. 19. that ſuch trees as brought forth fruit fit for meat, they ſhould not deſtroy when they came into an enemies countrey. Doth God take care of trees? No, it was to teach us, that if we bring forth fruit, he will not deſtroy us, if it be fruit indeed, fit for meat: Oakes bring forth apples, ſuch as they are, and acorns, but they are not fit for meate; ſuch treees they might cut down: So if thou bring not forth ſuch fruit as is for Gods taſte and reliſh, wherein thou ſanctifieſt not God and Chriſt in thy heart, thou maieſt and wilt be cut downe, but elſe not; If thou beeſt betrothed to Chriſt, and he hath begotten children on thee, feare not a bill of divorce, he will not lightly caſt thee off: And it is a good argument to uſe to him, deſire him to ſpare thee by all the children he hath begotten on thee: Children increaſe love between man and wife, ſo between Chriſt and us.

Doct. 6. That unfruitfull branches, God in the end cuts off, and the ſeverall degrees whereby he cuts off profeſſors that are unfruitfull.

That unfruitfull branches God in the end takes away: As he did Judas, who was here eſpecially aymed at. For proofe, take Pſal. 125. It is a Pſalme made of purpoſe to ſhew the different eſtate of the profeſſors of Religion: Thoſe that are upright, ver. 4. he ſaith, God will continue to doe them good, and They ſhall be at mount Sion, and all the gates of hell ſhall not be able to remove one of thoſe mountaines: But becauſe there are many, that like Planets goe the ſame courſe with the other Orbes, and yet have ſome ſecret by-way beſides of their owne, of theſe he ſayes, Thoſe that turne aſide into crooked wayes, God will lead them forth p. 33with the workers of iniquity: That is, in the end he will diſcover them to be what they are: And though they goe amongſt the drove of Profeſſors, like ſheep, yet God will detect them, either in this life, or in the life to come, to be Goats: Though they did not ſeeme to be workers of iniquity, yet God will leade them forth with them.

Reaſons why God dealeth thus with them.

Firſt, becauſe they diſhonour the Root which they profeſſe themſelves to be graffed into; they profeſſe themſelves to be in Chriſt: Now he is a fruitfull root, full of ſap, and for any to be unfruitfull in him, is a diſhonour to him. When you ſee unfruitfull branches upon a tree, you blame the root for it; ſo doth the world blame the grace of Chriſt, the profeſſion of Chriſt, yea even the root it ſelfe, for the unfruitfulneſſe of the branches. Therefore that they may diſhonour the root no more, he takes them away, cuts them off from that root they ſeemed to ſtand in, and then they run out into all manner of wickedneſſe.

Secondly,Reaſ. 2. becauſe the Husbandman hath no profit by them: Heb. 6. The ground that bringeth forth thorns, and not fruit meet for him that dreſſeth it, is nigh to curſing. In the 8. of the Cant. it is ſaid, Solomon had a Vineyard, and he let it out to Keepers, &c. He ſpeakes this of Chriſt, of whom Solomon was a Type, and of his Church; and his compariſon ſtands thus: Solomon being a King, and having many Vineyards for his Royalty, (for the riches of antient Kings lay much in husbandry) he let them out to Vine-dreſſers, and they had ſome gaine by them; But Solomon muſt have a thouſand, and they but two hundred; the chiefe gaine was to come to Solomon. So the Vineyard that God had planted here below, he lets it out to men, and they ſhall have ſome profit by it, you ſhall all have wages for the work you doe; yet ſo as the chiefe gaine muſt returne to God, he muſt have a thouſand for your two hundred. But when men will have all the gains that is in what they doe, ſet up their owne ends onelyonly, and the Husbandman ſhall have none, ſuch branches he takes away, becauſe they are not for his profit, for it is made a rule of equity, 1 Cor. 9. 7. That he that planteth a Vineyard, ſhould eate of the fruit of it.

Becauſe of all trees a Vine is good for nothing elſe but to p. 34bring forth fruit;Reaſ. 3. as we ſee it expreſſed to us, Ezek. 15. it is good for nothing but the fire when it becomes unfruitfull: Other trees are good for building, to make pins of, but not the Vine: And this ſimilitude God choſe out, to ſhew that of all trees elſe, Profeſſors, if unfruitfull, are good for nothing, their end is to be burned.

Now if you aske,The degrees of Gods cutting off unfruitfull branches. How God taketh them away? The degrees he doth it by are ſet downe here, ver. 6. If a man abide not in me, &c. that is, fall away, then 1. They are caſt out, and 2. They wither, 3. They are gathered, 4. They are burned.

Firſt, they are caſt forth, that is, out of the hearts of Gods people, out of their company, out of their prayers, yea and out of their ſociety by excommunication often, and many times they caſt out themſelves, being given up to ſuch errors, as diſcover them to be unſound: As Hymenaeus and Philetus, they were forward Profeſſors, ſo that their fall was like to have ſhaken many of the fruitfull branches, in ſo much that the Apoſtle was faine to make an Apologie about their fall, Nevertheleſſe the foundation of God remains ſure, 2 Tim. 2. 18. God gave them up to ſuch opinions and hereſies, as diſcovered their hearts to be rotten and unſound: So alſo he gives theſe carnall profeſſors up to ſuch ſinnes as will diſcover them. This was the caſe of Cain, he brought forth ſome fruit, for he ſacrificed; yet becauſe not in ſincerity, he envied his brother, and was given up to murther his brother, upon which it is ſaid, that He was caſt out of the ſight of the Lord, Gen. 4. 16. that is, caſt out of his Fathers family, and from the Ordinances of God there enjoyed, and made a vagabond upon the face of the whole earth, which of all curſes is the greateſt: or elſe, as was ſaid, they of their owne accord forſake the aſſembly of the Saints. The Apoſtle makes this a ſtep to the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt, Heb. 10. 25. he ſaith, That when men forſake the aſſemblies and company of the people of God, publique and private, and love not to quicken and ſtir up one another, or begin to be ſhye of thoſe they once accompanied, they are in a nigh degree to that which followes in the next verſe, To ſin wilfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth.

Secondly, being thus caſt forth, they wither; that is, the ſap of abilities which they once had, begins to decay; that life in holy p. 35duties, and in holy ſpeeches, begins to be withdrawn, and their leaves begin to fall off, they cannot pray nor ſpeake of holy things, as they were wont. Thus it is ſaid of ſuch Profeſſors, Jude 12. That their fruit withereth, even here in the eyes of men; for when God caſteth them out, then he withdrawes his Spirit from them; and then, although they come to the Ordinances, yet they have no breathings; they come to Prayer, and the Spirit of God is departed, and ſo by degrees God withdraws ſap from them, till they be quite dead. Thus he dealt with Saul, when he had diſcovered himſelfe by ſparing the Amalekites, and by perſecuting David, it is ſaid, The Spirit of God departed from him, and he withered ever after, all his gifts vaniſhed, and the ſpirit or frame of heart he once had, departed from him. So likewiſe they that had not gained by their talents, Mat. 25. 26. their talents were taken from them, even in this life,, and the Spirit of God, which reſted upon them, reſted upon ſome other that were more faithfull.

Thirdly, lying long unfruitfull, in the end it is ſaid they are gathered. Our Tranſlation hath it, Men gather them, which either reſpects a puniſhment in this life, that when they are caſt out from the ſociety of Gods people, wicked men gather them, they fall to thoſe that are naught: Popiſh perſons, or profane Atheiſts take them, as the Phariſees did Judas, when he caſt himſelfe out of the ſociety of the Apoſtles. Or elſe it may in a Metaphor refer to the life to come; the Angels, they are the Reapers, they gather them in the laſt day, and bind them in bundles for the fire.

So laſtly, it is ſaid, They are caſt into the fire, and they burne. A man would think he needed not to have added that, for being caſt into the fire, they muſt needs burne: but his meaning is, that of all other they make the fierceſt, hotteſt fire, becauſe they are trees moſt ſeared, and fuell fully dry, as the Prophet ſpeaks.

You then that profeſſe the name of Chriſt,Ʋſe. 1. take heed that you be fruitfull branches indeed. I ſay to you as the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom: 11. 19, 20. Becauſe of unbeliefe, they were broken off: Thou ſtandeſt by faith, be not high minded, but feare. Take heede that it be fruit that you bring forth, doe all for GOD, p. 36make him your end in all, bring forth more fruit every day, let your fruit be riper, and more ſpirituall daily, labour to ſpread, and root your ſelves as much downward in inward holineſſe, as you do upward in outwardprofeſſion, and purge your ſelves continually, leſt that which is threatned here, befall you, which are fearfull things to be ſpoken, and yet concerne many a ſoule. The Apoſtle compares ſuch to trees twice dead, and pluckt up by the roots. You were borne dead in Adam; ſince that you have had perhaps ſome union with Chriſt by common graces; if your wither againe, then you are twice dead, and therefore fit for nothing but to be ſtubbed up, and caſt into the fire. And if any ſoule begin to forſake the aſſemblies of the Saints, or be caſt out from them, let him looke to himſelfe leſt he wither in the end, and be twice dead, and ſo he never come to have life put into him againe, that is, repent, and return againe: And know this, that if you being caſt out by the Church and people of God, break your hearts, ſo that you mourne for your ſinne, as the inceſtuous Corinthian did, it is a ſigne you are ſuch branches as God will yet make fruitfull; but if beingcaſt out you begin to wither, as here, the end will be burning.