Gods Husbandry, Sermon 1 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Containing the third vſe.
THirdly,We muſt labour to be fruitfull. let all men be now exhorted to get this fruitfulneſſe, by which they may approoue themſelues to bee the true members of IESVS CHRIST. Men do many times delight to noriſh in their Orchyards, trees that beare no fruit, onelyonly for the comfort of their ſhade in hot ſeaſons. It is not ſo with God, he likes not any tree that can doe nothing elſe but yeeld a ſhaddow: if you will finde fauour in his ſight, you muſt be trees of righteouſneſſe, you muſt be trees that yeeld ſome good fruit, and be not wholly barren. Learne I beſeech you not to ſatisfie your ſelues with ſhewes, with formalities, with bare leaues; but ſhew your faith by the fruites, and let the grapes and figgs, that may bee gathered of you, teſtifie for you before God, and your owne conſciences, that you be trees of Gods owne planting. Content not your ſelues with a forme of religion; applaude not your ſelues in your hearing and receiuing, in your talking and ſeeming, and your outward good dealing: but, O let your liues, your whole liues, and the tenour of all your whole conuerſation be vniformerly, conſtantly, and in all things conformeable to the doctrine, and example of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt; walke as he hath walked, and hath commanded you to walke. Let me vrge vponupon you the words of Iohn Baptiſt to the Phariſies (men that went for as deuoute holy and religious perſons in their times, till Chriſt the heart-ſearcher came to deale with them, as any of you likely can be taken now); begin not, ſaith he, to ſay with your ſelues, we hauehave Abraham to our father, but bring forth fruites worthy amendment of life. Satisfie not your ſelues, in hauing Abraham for your father, I meane in the externall formalities of religion, but looke to the courſe of your liues, and ſee that it be ſuch, as may beſeeme repentance. Why will you looſe your labour? why will you die, O houſe of Iſrael! why will you reſt your ſelues in that, that will not profit? Labour now to leade a godly conuerſation in Chriſt Ieſus; let the common ſtreame and current of your actions, fauour of the holineſſe of that Word of God, which you ſay you beleeue, and of the vertues of that Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in whom you ſay you place your confidence. Aſſure your ſelues, you ſhall neuer attaine the benefits of Chriſts death and reſurrection, vnleſſe you ſhew forth the power of both in your liues: that is to ſay, vnleſſe the ſerious conſideration of the louelove and goodneſſe of God, ſhewed in theſe two; and of the hatefulneſſe and filthineſſe of ſinne, manifeſted in the former of them, doe leaue ſo deepe an impreſſion in your ſoules that here-hence you grow both reſolute and able (in ſome degree) to caſt away all the former luſts of your ignorance, and now to turne your feete into the pathes of righteouſneſſe, to fight againſt all the corrupt luſts of your hearts, to labour to forbeare all wicked actions, to endeauor to plant in your ſoules all vertues, and to be abundant in religious, mercifull, iuſt, temperate, and all other godly actions, that you may ſhew forth the vertues of him, that hath tranſlated you from darkeneſſe to light, and be holy in all good conuerſation, euen as hee is holy. Vrge and preſſe your ſelues therefore to this fruitfulneſſe, and make the conſtant carriage of your whole man, inward and outward euen depoſe for you, that yon are truly ingraffed into the true vine. This fruitfulneſſe ſhall ariſe for you in the day of tentation, as it did for Iob and inable you to ſtand for your vprightneſſe againſt all accuſations of men and diuels, and againſt all feares and doubtings of your owne hearts. When a man is caſt into the fornace ot aduerſitie, then will the leaues be blowne off (as in the winter they be from trees) & then if the grapes of a good conuerſation doe not lye by him, to witneſſe that he was a true branch in Chriſts body, nothing will remaine for him but horror and amazement, and a fearefull expectation of vengeance to befall him for all his ſhewes. Be you therefore prepared for the day of triall, which will ſurely come vponupon all the inhabitants of the earth. Striue to be fruitful: ſtirre vp your ſelues to conſider ſeriouſly of the Lords infinite bounty in Chriſt: ſhew to your ſelues the ſweetnes and goodneſſe of the diuine Maieſty, in that worke ſo admirable & inconceiueably gratious. Prouoke your ſelues to make high account of him, & to louelove him with the moſt vehement and feruent of all louelove: that your hearts being knit-vntounto him, and ſet vponupon him, you may euen for his ſake ſet your ſelues to know the good, & the euill, that pleaſeth and diſpleaſeth him, to ſhun the laſt, & imbrace the firſt. Vrge your ſelues not to dally with-him, not to offer him a parcell of obedience, an halting goodneſſe, but inlarge your deſires and endeauors to the knowing and keeping of his whole will in all things. Let none obiection, none inclination of fleſh and bloud, make you to giuegive way to the ſinfulneſſe of your hearts in any thing, but ſtill continue and perſiſt to fight againſt the ſinnes, which you cannot wholly ſubdue, and to mortifie that by the ſpirit, whereof you cannot quite be rid. Prouoke and annimate your ſelues to the doing of theſe things: ſay within your ſelues, O that I could doe ſo; Iong for grace and ſtrength ſo to doe, and call vponupon thy ſelfe to be more and more carefull of bearing fruite in this Vine.
The Vine it ſelfe is a moſt ſappy and iuyeefull Vine, abundantly ſtored with that heauenly verdure and moyſture, that may ſerue to make the branches fruitfull. The husbandman is no way defectiue, either in skill or paines; hee is neither ignorant, nor heedleſſe of any thing, that may further the branches in their fruitfulneſſe. There is no want either on Gods part, or on Chriſts part, but all on ours. No man is vnfruitfull, but for lacke of will and care to be ſo. I pray you be not wanting to your ſelues, but ſtriue to be fruitfull: for in this Vine, eueryevery branch might be fruitfull, if he were not either wilfull, or ſlothfull, or both. But that mine exhortation may not be booteleſſe, I ſhall direct you how you may doe to be fruitfull, and declare thoſe things vntounto you, by the doing of which you ſhall be ſure to attaine power to liue holily: and theſe directions ſhall be both ſo few, that you may remember them; and ſo eaſie, that you ſhall not neede to complaine of difficultie in performance.
The meanes therefore to become fruitfull,The meanes of becomming fruitfull. are theſe: Firſt, a man muſt ſee & lament his former vnfruitfulneſſe, freely confeſſing, that of himſelfe he is drie and barren, and vtterly vnable to bring forth fruite. Whoſoeuer would liue godlily,1. To ſee and lament former vnfruitfulneſſe muſt with ſorrow obſerue and confeſſe, that his life hath beene farre ſhort of that godlineſſe, which hee ſhould and might hauehave obtained, and that in him as of himſelfe, there remaineth no power to make himſelfe godly, and to make his conuerſation holy for the time to come. Yea, this muſt be a meanes of making him heauy in heart, and baſe and vile in his owne eyes, as that he hath been fruitleſſe; ſo that he ſhall remain fruitleſſe ſtil, vnleſſe he hauehave a ſupernaturall worke of Gods Spirit, to make him fruitfull. And for want of this ſence & acknowledgement of their owne wants, it comes to paſſe, that moſt men ſtill remaine, and ſtill will remaine vnfruitful. They thinke théy do already liue a godly life; they thinke they can turne themſelues when they luſt to a godly life; they are ouer highly conceited of their own ſufficiency, & they dreame they hauehave gone further than they hauehave. But would you not be fruitleſſe & barren for heereafter? ſee then (with ſorrow) that you hauehave been ſo (at leaſt in ſome meaſure) heretofore, and know, that it muſt not be a power dwelling in your ſelues, which muſt make you better, but a borrowed power, deriued from aboue.
And when you hauehave bin drawne to this acknowledgement, then giuegive your ſelues with all diligēce,2. Attend to the word read and preached. to attend vntounto the Word of God, both read and preached; be attentiue (I ſay) to the Scriptures, both in reading and hearing them: for this is that good ſeed, which if it be not receiued, no fruit can grow; if it be, there is a poſſibility of being fruitful. Remember that the Lord hath appointed, to deriue the graces of his Spirit into your hearts, by meanes of his Word; and that he hath appoynted men (as inſtruments and fellow-labourers) to make you, of euill, good, and of good, better; and therefore you muſt ſubmir your ſelues vntounto the will of God, and giuegive your mindes to an heedefull attendance vponupon his ordinance. But remember, that we doe not require your bare bodily preſence at the Church, and in the ordinances of God: a man may be preſent in body, and abſent in minde; & this his preſence ſhall but prouoke God againſt him, becauſe it is but a direct mocking of God. Yea, you muſt bring your ſoules to the Church, as well as your bodies; and marke, & hearken, and obſerue, and conſider what is ſpoken to you in Gods name. A man muſt come to the Word of God, as to the Word of God; knowing it to be Gods power to his ſaluation, and a meanes that God hath appointed by the commandements, reproofes, exhortations, comforts thereof, to plant and water all graces in him, to beate downe his ſinnes, to build vp his new man, and to tranſlate him into the image of Ieſus Chriſt. Moſt people that come to the Word, for want of eſteeming it as an inſtitution of God for ſo happy a purpoſe, hauehave no care at all of themſelues in hearing, neuer looke to their thoughts, neuer incline their eares, neuer liſten, neuer heede what is ſpoken. They ſit there (it may be) quietly and ſtilly for their poſition of body, but are ſhaken vp and downe in their ſoules, with a world of idle or euill imaginations, which ſtop out all that, that ſhould bee conueighed into their minds to doe them good: ſo they giuegive Satan leaue to fill vp their minds with vanitie, that there may be no roome for the grace of God. To ſuch hearers we can promiſe no bleſſing: but it is the attentiue marking and obſeruing the Word (out of a good opinion of it, and an honourable eſteeme, as a ſauing inſtrument appointed of God to make men holy) which we preſcribe vntounto you as a meanes of changing your barrenneſſe into fruitfulneſſe; by the lips of his faithfull ſeruants, will Ieſus Chriſt drop vertue into the hearts of thoſe, that come to ſeeke it there. But
Thirdly,3. Meditate vponupon it after. wards. after hearing and reading, you muſt meditate and conſider of that which you hauehave heard, you muſt apply it to your ſelues, you muſt trie your ſelues by it, you muſt duly conſider, whether you performe the things which it declareth vntounto you, yea or no; and if you hauehave beene failing, prouoke your ſelues to more carefulneſſe; you muſt vrge your ſelues to giuegive credit vntounto the promiſes and threats, and to ſay within your ſelues, this good or euill, ſhall ſurely be performed vntounto me accordingly. And ſo mighty is the Word of God, that if it be thus hidden in the heart, it ſhall ſurely purge the heart, & make it good; if it be ingraffed in the ſoule, it is able to ſaue the ſoule; if it bee couered with earth, it wil bring forth a crop; neither is any branch ſo barren and vnfruitfull, but by thus applying the Word to it ſelfe in priuate meditation, it ſhall by little and little be made fruitfull. But many men doe want the power of the Word, becauſe they content themſelues barely to reade or heare the Word; or if they marke it a little for the preſent, they eſteeme-that ſufficient, neuer taking care to goe alone, and lay it faſt vntounto their owne hearts. Take knowledge (I pray you brethren) of the true cauſe, why the Word of God doth not profit the moſt of your ſoules: you come hither to heare it, perhaps alſo you gine ſome reaſonable heede to it, and can remember what was ſpoken, and can talke of it a little, if occaſion ſerue: but the world with its buſineſſes or delights, doth ſo bewiteh and beguile you, that you can find neither heart nor time, neither wil nor leaſure to call againe to mind, the things that you hauehave heard; and to aske your ſelues, Doe I this dutie? am I guilty of this ſinne? doth not this reproofe pertaine to me? hauehave I any part in this promiſe? and accordingly to ſtriue with your owne hearts to be either humbled or comforted, and ſo to reſolue on amendment and reformation according to the Word. This is the cauſe that we hauehave ſo too too many fruitleſſe hearers. Hence it is, that ſo much is taught, ſo little practiſed. How long will you continue to neglect this moſt ſauing and moſt profitable exerciſe, of binding the Word on the tables of your hearts, and of incorporating it into your ſoules, and being Gods inſtruments, to ingraue it in your owne minds, by meditating on it, and by buſying your cogitations vponupon it afterwards, as a thing that much concerneth you? How often hauehave you been told, that much hearing without meditation, wil breede nothing but a ſwimming knowledge? that it will not beget holineſſe? that it will not renew the ſoule? but that hearing ſeconded with meditation, will quicken and will ſanctifie? I pray you take notice of this fault, & amend it. Redeeme time, as to come and hearken to the voyce of God ſpeaking to thee; ſo likewiſe to get alone afterwards, and apply it to thy ſelfe in thy ſerious meditations. Certainely if we did thus declare our high eſteeme of Gods Word, and make it appeare, that our ſoules did account of it, as of a thing moſt pretious and healthfull to our ſoules, the Lord of heauen would not faile to giuegive his bleſſing, and to make it mighty, to the working of a godly conuerſation in vsus, & it ſhould bring forth the fruit of good liuing.
But laſtly,Laſtly, pray to God to make vsus, frui. full by his Spirit. you muſt alſo ioyne with your meditating (which he that meditateth cannot but doe; he that meditates not, can hardly doe in any earneſtneſſe) conſtant prayer vntounto God for his holy Spirit, to write his Law in your inward parts, to engraue it in the fleſhly tables of your hearts, and to moue and incline your wills to obedience, that ſo you may become the Epiſtle of God, miniſtred by men. For fruitfulneſſe is a ſupernaturall effect: it comes not from any power inherent in mans ſoule, or ariſing from his owne wil: but it is an effect of the ſpirit of life and grace, which is ſent from Chriſt the Vine, as it were ſap, into the ſeuerall branches, that doe ſucke and draw it from him in his ordinances, and by name, by faithfull, and earneſt, and continuall requeſting it at his hands. You muſt therefore make conſcience to call vponupon God, for the good worke of his ſpirit, to helpe you to liue holily, to make you aſſured of his louelove, feruent in louelove to him, zealous of his glory, and conſtant in walking in his lawes. And in particular, you muſt daily beg of him to ſtrengthen you, for the performance of ſuch and ſuch duties, and leauing of ſuch and ſuch ſinnes, as from time to time the Word of God which you heare, doth call vpou you to leaue or to performe. God will be entreated for all good things, and hee hath bound himſelfe not to deny the requeſts of all that call on him.Matth. 7.8. EueryEvery one that ſeeketh, findeth: O comfortable and large promiſe! anſwering all obiections, and able to ſtay vp the ſoule againſt all diſcouragements. Neuer any man was ſo wicked & ſinful, but if he would come to the Lord, & earneſtly beſeech him for his name ſake, to change his heart and life, and continue conſtant in following this ſuite, the Lord did ſurely hearken vntounto him, and make him godly. You cannot be good of your ſelues, but you may (if you will not winke) ſee your owne badneſſe, and your owne impotency. You may (if you will not harden your owne hearts, and make your ſelues careleſſe of your owne ſoules) cry and call to God to make you good, and importune him with perpetuall ſupplications, to bow and incline your hearts to keep his precepts, to open your eyes to ſee, and your hearts to entertayne his holy Law; that you may conuert, and he may heale you. This I ſay you may doe, if you do not make your ſelues wilfull and obſtinate, by contemning the exhortations of Gods Word, and euen ſtopping your eares againſt it, and by wilfull turning your hearts after other matters. I hauehave ſhewed you now, how the barren may become fertile, how the dry may be filled with ſap, and how the liues of them may be made godly and Chriſtian, which are yet farre from godlineſſe and Chriſtianitie. See your barrenneſſe; and to attentiue hearing, ioyne diligent meditating on the Word you heare; and conſtant prayer vntounto GOD for the ſtrength of his Spirit, to make his Word effectuall, and to giuegive you grace to obey it; then ſhall you ſurely be made branches bringing forth fruit; for then do you abide in Chriſt, and his word abideth in you, and that our Sauiour himſelfe doth after wards preſcribe as an infallible way to bring forth much fruit.