Eighteen Choice and Useful Sermons, Sermon 2
The Second SERMON.
MAT. 13.23.
But he that received Seed into good ground, is he that heareth the Word and underſtandeth it: which alſo heareth fruit; and bringeth forth ſome an hundred ſome ſixty ſome thirty.
THeſe words are the concluſion of an excellent Parable, Coherence.which our Saviour did firſt propound to the People, and afterwards expound unto his Diſciples. Wherein the word of God is reſembled to ſeed, The Preacher of the Word to the Sower of Seed, and the Hearer of the Word, to the ground whereon the Seed is ſowed. The ground proportionable to the diverſity of Hearers, is diſtinguiſhed by our Saviour into four ſeverall kindes; whereof three are unprofitable, and one onelyonly fruitfull, To note unto us that we need be very carefull, how we hear the Word; conſidering that the greateſt part of Hearers do but heare in vaine as three parts of the ground were fruitleſs and barren, where the ſeed was ſowen, and onelyonly one part was fruitfull and good, and this is that ground which is here deſcribed: wherein we may obſerve theſe two things.
Firſt, The meanes of a good ground, And Secondly, the ſignes of a good ground.
The meanes of a good ground are two. Firſt, the receiving of Seed, or the hearing of the Word. And Secondly, the receiving in of the Seed, or the underſtanding of the Word: But he that received Seed into good ground, is he that heares the Word and underſtands it. The ſignes of a good ground are likewiſe two.
Firſt, The bearing and bringing forth fruit, which alſo bears fruit and brings forth.
Secondly, The quantity of fruit which it brings forth, Some an hundred, ſome ſixty, ſome thirty.
And theſe are the ſeverall parts of theſe words, whereof God willing, I will ſpeak in order, And firſt, of the firſt meanes of a good ground, the receiving of ſeed, or the hearing of the Word.
The Word of God is reſembled to divers things in divers reſpects.Pſal. 19.10. Sometime to the moſt refined gold, and that for the perfection and purity of it,Hebr. 4.12. ſometime to a ſharpe two-edged Sword, and that for the power and efficacie of it: ſometime to a treaſure hid in the field,Mat. 13.44. and that for the value and excellency of it: and ſometime to bread, to raine, to ſeed, and that for the uſe and neceſſity of it. For ſeed is no more neceſſary to make the earth fructifie and give her increaſe, then the ſeed of Gods Word to make us fruitfull in all good Works, Ye know, if the Earth do not give her increaſe, there followes a Famin; if ſeed be wanting, and the Earth not ſowen, it cannot give her increaſe: And thus where the ſeed of Gods Word is wanting, there followes a dearth of all ſpirituall graces.
And therefore as we read Gen. 47. of a dearth or famine for want of ſeed:Gen. 47.19. Amos. 8.11. Mat. 4.4. ſo likewiſe we read Amos 8. of a dearth or famine for want of the Word; for man cannot live by bread onelyonly, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. God is able indeed to make us fruitfull, without the preaching of the word, as he made the Earth fruitfull at the firſt Creation,Gen. 2.5. without the ſowing of ſeed: he is able to ſave us when his word is wanting by ſome other meanes, as he preſerved the Iſraelites with Manna from Heaven, when they had not the ordinary meanes of tillage; but the ordinary meanes to make the Earth fruitfull, is the ſowing of Seed, and the ordinary meanes to make us fruitfull, is the preaching of the Word. And therefore in thoſe places where the People are not taught, or the word is neglected, we may ſee them abound in ſuperſtition and ignorance, and all the unfruitfull works of darkneſs, even as Salomon paſſing by the field of the ſluggard, he ſaw it all over growen with thornes and nettles;Prov. 24.30.31 whereas on the contrary, where the ſeed of Gods word hath been ſowen and received,John 4.35. Phil. 1.11. we may ſee the Regions even white unto Harveſt, and filled as the Apoſtle ſpeaks with the fruits of righteouſneſs.
Therefore David deſcribing the godly man. Firſt brings him in meditating upon the Law of God, Pſal. 1.and then bringing forth fruit in due ſeaſon: as our Saviour here deſcribing the good ground, firſt makes mention of the receiving of ſeed, and then of the bearing and bringing forth fruit. So that the firſt meanes of a good ground, is the receiving of ſeed or the hearing of the word.
And from hence we may gather many profitable inſtructions, partly concerning the Preachers of the Word, the Sowers of this Seed; and partly concerning the Hearers of the Word, the ground that receives it.
Doct. And firſt, For the Preacher, ſeeing the Word of God is reſembled to Seed, that therefore he omit no fit opportunity of preaching the Word.
The Sower ye know when Seed-time comes, he layeth all other buſineſs whatſoever aſide, and betakes himſelf wholly to the ſowing of his ground, as knowing that there is a time to ſowe, and a time to reape. Firſt to ſowe and then to reape, and never any reaping unleſs there have been ſowing. And thus we muſt omit no fit opportunity of preaching, nay we muſt be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, expecting no Harveſt where the ſeed of Gods Word hath not firſt been ſowen. The leſſe paines the Husbandman takes with his ground, and the thinner he ſowes it, the thinner the Corne muſt needes come up, and he cannot but expect the leſſe fruit of it. And thus the leſſe paines we take with our auditors, the leſſe we inſtruct them, we cannot but expect the leſſe fruit of them. And therefore in the morning (ſaith the Preacher) ſowe thy Seed, Eccleſ. iii. 6.and in the evening withhold not thy hand.
Secondly, Seeing the word is reſembled to Seed, that therefore we ſowe nothing but the Seed of Gods vvord. The Sower ye know before he ſowes his Seed, he vvill firſt ſift and vvinnovv it, he vvill cleanſe it at home before he come into the field, and he vvill take avvay the chaffe and the refuſe from it. And thus before vve come into the Pulpit, vve muſt examine the Doctrine that vve are to deliver, vve muſt vveigh and premeditate vvhat vve are to ſpeak, that nothing paſſe from us but the pure Word of God.
In the 23. of Jeremy, the 28. verſe, The Prophet (ſaith God) that hath my Word, let him ſpeak my Word faithfully, what is the Chaffe to the Wheat ſaith the Lord?
Laſtly, Seeing the Word is reſembled to Seed, it ſhewes to what end we are to preach the Word: namely, for the benefit of thoſe that heare it. The Sovver ye knovv, vvhen he ſowes his Seed, he propounds no other end to himſelf but this, that he may make the Earth fructifie and give her increaſe: and thus the end of our preaching muſt be the good of our Auditors, not to ſhew learning, wit or eloquence, or to purchaſe credit and reputation to our ſelves, but to make them fruitfull in good works. Therefore the Sower to make his ground the more fruitfull, he firſt conſiders the nature of his ground, and ſowes it with that Seed which is fitteſt for it, every ſoile being not fit for every ſeed; but one for Barley, another for Wheat: and thus, that our preaching may be the more profitable; we muſt apply our ſelves to the quality of our hearers, and conſider what Doctrine is fitteſt for them: We ſpeak wiſdom, ſaith the Apoſtle, among them that are perfect; but to you, ſaith he, that are Babes in Chriſt, … Cor. 2.6.I gave milk to drink and not meat, for you were not able to bear it. And thus much in a Word for the Sower of this Seed.
Secondly, for the ground that receives this ſeed, the hearer of the Word: Seeing the hearing of the Word is the receiving of ſeed, therefore we are firſt to be fitted and prepared before we hear the Word. The ground ye know before it be ſowen, it muſt be firſt plowed and broken up; otherwiſe it is not fit to receive the ſeed. And thus before we heare the Word, we muſt break up (as the Prophet ſpeaks) the follow ground of our hearts,Jer. 4.3. otherwiſe we are not fit to hear the Word. And indeed the reaſon, why the ſeed of Gods Word is leſſe fruitfull, in ſome then it is in others, is becauſe they are not fitted and prepared alike to hear the word. The ſeed which fell before by the high-way ſide, and the ſeed which fell upon the ſtony ground, as likewiſe the ſeed which fell among thornes, the ſeed was all alike, and altogether as good, as the ſeed which fell here into good ground, and the ſower was the ſame that ſowed the ſeed: yet in the one it became fruitfull, & in none of the other: and what is the reaſon? no difference in the ſower, no difference in the ſeed, but only in the ground, the ground being not fitted and diſpoſed alike to receive the ſeed. And thus where the ſeed of Gods Word is ſown, though the Preacher and Doctrine be both the ſame, yet it is fruitfull in one, and not in another, and not by any defect in the Word, or him that delivers it, but by default of the hearer, as being not fitly diſpoſed and prepared to hear the Word. Therefore when the people were to hear the Law, God commanded Moſes Exod. 19. to ſanctifie the people three dayes before,Exod. 19.10.11. that they might be the better prepared to hear it. If we have but a field or piece of ground of our own to be ſowne with ſeed, we will firſt trimme and dreſſe it, we will pick out the ſtones, and root up the weeds, before we ſow any ſeed in it. So carefull we are that our ſeed be not loſt, how carefull (beloved) then ought we to be that Gods Seed be not loſt? and therefore not to harden our hearts if we will hear his voice; but to come with prepared and ſanctified affections,Pſal. 95.7.8. that we may be the more fit to receive his Word.
Secondly, Seeing the hearing of the word is the receiving of ſeed, therefore we are to be diligent in hearing the word. Seed, though it be neceſſary to make the earth fructifie, yet it hath not this vertue, unleſſe it be ſowne, and the earth receive it; while it lies in our barns, or is laid up in our Garners, it yields no increaſe, and hath not any power to make the earth fruitfull. And thus it is likewiſe with the Seed of Gods word, though it be the means to make us fruitful in the works of righteouſneſſe, yet it hath not this vertue, before it be heard & received of us, while it lies in our houſes, or is lockt up in our Libraries, it hath no ſuch effect, but by hearing thereof it becomes fruitfull in us. For the word muſt firſt take root in the heart before it can ftuctifie, it cannot come into the heart but by the eare, the eare being as it were the doore where the word muſt enter. Therefore when Moſes Deut. 5. was to repeat the Law unto the people, to ſhew them how they were to receive the Law, he begins the ſame with Hear O Iſrael. And therefore when Solomon will teach us wiſdome and underſtanding,Deut. 5.1. he firſt knocks as it were at the doore where wiſdome muſt enter,Prov. 1.…8. and cries Hearken my Sonne. The Kings daughter,Pſal. …45.10.13. the Spouſe of Chriſt, before ſhe become all glorious within, muſt firſt hearken and conſider and incline her eare. And the ſheep of Chriſts fold,John 10.4. muſt firſt hear his voice before they can follow him. If either with the Adder we ſtop our ears, and refuſe to hear the voice of the charmer,Pſal. 58.4.5. or fall aſleep with Eutichus, Acts 20.9.when we are come into the Church, or be buſied with Martha about other matters,Luke. 10.4. no marvell though the word be not fruitfull in us. For as the ground cannot fructifie without the receiving of ſeed, no more can we without the hearing of the word.
Laſtly, Seeing the hearing of the word is the receiving of ſeed, it ſhews us from whence the hearing of the word becomes fruitfull in us, not from any vertue that we have in our ſelves, but from Gods bleſſing; as the ground which is ſowne cannot bring forth fruit, but by the influence and vertue which it receives from heaven. The ground, ye know, when it hath been ſowne with ſeed, muſt have the rain from heaven to moiſten it, it muſt have the heat of the Sun to cheriſh it, otherwiſe it becomes fruitleſſe, and yields no increaſe. And thus unleſſe God give a bleſſing to his word, unleſſe he mollifie our hearts, and illuminate our minds, the word which we have heard cannot fructifie in us. For Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but it is God that muſt give the increaſe. And therefore as the ground when it hath been ſown with ſeed, if it be but a while without the rain, it will thirſt after it, it will open as it were the mouth, and gape towards heaven, with a longing deſire to be refreſht with it: and when the blade comes forth, it will ſeem even to droop, and to hang down the head, till the Sun do ſtrengthen it. So muſt we be affected when we have heard the word, we muſt long for a bleſſing from heaven upon it; we muſt pray unto God for the aſſiſtance of his Spirit, and we muſt thirſt after grace, even as the heart doth bray after the rivers of water, Pſal. 42.1and as the dry land doth thirſt after rain in the drought of Summer. And thus much for the firſt means of a good ground, the receiving of ſeed, or the hearing of the word.
The ſecond means of a good ground, is the receiving in of the ſeed, or the underſtanding of the word.
The ground though ſeed be ſown upon it, yet if the ſeed ſtay there, and go no further, and if the ground recieve not the ſeed into it, it muſt needs be fruitleſſe. And thus though we hear the word of God, yet unleſſe it do pierce further then the outward eare, unleſſe what we hear with our ears, we underſtand with our hearts, the ſeed of Gods Word cannot fructifie in us. And therefore Saint James by an other like metaphor wils us to receive (foreign) the engrafted Word; to note unto us,James 1.21. the Word muſt likewiſe be engrafted in the heart like a ſience in a ſtock, before it can bear and bring forth fruit. The ſeed which fell before upon the ſtony ground, ſoon withered away, and became fruitleſſe, and our Saviour gives this as the reaſon of it, becauſe it had no root. For though we hear the word never ſo often, yet till the underſtanding be informed, and the heart affected, our ſuperficial hearing will profit us nothing. Therefore when Saint Paul did preach at Philippi, and converted Lydia, it is ſaid there, that God opened her heart, ſo that ſhe attended unto that which he ſpake. Acts 16.14.And when our Saviour inſtructed his Diſciples out of the Law and the prophets, it is ſaid there, that he opened their underſtanding that they might underſtand the Scriptures. Luke 24…45.The Scripture is as it were a letter, ſent down from heaven, wherein God hath revealed his will unto man, the hearing and reading whereof are ſingular means to inſtruct us in righteouſneſſe, but neither of them ſufficient, unleſſe we underſtand what we hear and read. Therefore our Saviour requires underſtanding to be joyned with hearing,Marke 7.14. Hear (ſaith. he) and underſtand. Acts 8.30.And therefore Philip requires underſtanding to be joyned with reading,Legere & non intelligere negligire eſt, imò neo legere eſt. Ʋnderſtandeſt thou (ſaith he) what thou readeſt? as if reading were to no purpoſe without underſtanding. For the end why we muſt hear and read the word, is that we may bring forth the fruit thereof, by endeavouring to conforme our lives unto it, which we can never do unleſſe we underſtand it, no more then the ground which is ſowne can bring forth fruit unleſſe it receive the ſeed into it. And therefore our Saviour makes the ſecond means of a good ground the underſtanding of the word.
Ʋſe. 1 Seeing then the Word muſt be underſtood, this firſt confutes that erroneous doctrine in the Church of Rome, in holding it unlawfull to have the Scriptures tranſlated into the vulgar tongue, and will not ſuffer the people to read the Scriptures, whereby they might be brought to the underſtanding of them. But if the Scriptures be the covenant which God hath made with his people, then muſt they not know what is contained in the Covenant? If the Scriptures be writ (even as Saint Paul tels us) for our learning, Rom. 15.4.then muſt we not know and underſtand what is written? And if the Scriptures be written as Saint John tels us,John 20.31. that we might believe, and by believing have life everlaſting, then that we may know what we are to believe, muſt we not neceſſarily know what is written? To what end were the Apoſtles ſo miraculouſly furniſht with the gift of tongues,John 5.39. but that all might come to the knowledge of the truth revealed in the word, while every one heard it in his own language? To what end are all commanded to ſearch the Scriptures, if they may not be tranſlated into the vulgar tongue, that the people may read and underſtand them?Acts 17.11. we ſee, the Bereans are commended in the Acts for examining the Doctrine of Saint Paul by the Scriptures: we ſee when our Saviour did preach to the people, he both preacht and read the Text in a known language:Luke 4. and we ſee that the Jews were commanded by God to write his Laws upon the gates of their houſes,Dent. 6.7. to teach them their children, & to talk thereof in their ordinary conference, and therefore if they were to be ſo skilfull in the Scripture, then much more ſhould we be now in the light of the Goſpell, of whom God requires a greater meaſure of knowledge.
Ʋſe. 2 Secondly, Seeing the Word muſt be underſtood, this therefore ſerves both to taxe thoſe Miniſters who in their preaching do affect obſcurity, and likewiſe the people who miſlike their Miniſters, if they preach plainly. Whereas indeed, every Miniſter ought to preach as plainly as he can, and to do his beſt indeavour to ſpeak ſo perſpicuouſly, that the ſimpleſt in his auditorie may underſtand him. God promiſeth this as a bleſſing to his Church. Jer. 3.15. that he will give them paſtors according to his own heart, which ſhal feede them with knowledge and underſtanding: and therefore they are to ſpeak to the capacity of their auditorie, that they may the more readily conceive their Doctrine: Miniſters in the Scripture are called Interpreters. Now it is the part of an Interpreter,Job. 33.23. to open and explain the ſence and meaning, to ſpeak to the underſtanding of thoſe that hear him, that he may be underſtood whom he doth interpret.
And thus the Miniſter that is Gods interpreter, is to reveale and explain his Wil, to make known with St Paul the Myſtery of the Goſpel, and with John the Baptiſt, Epheſ. 6.19. Luke 1.77 Mat. 5.14.to give knowledge of Salvation unto his People. Miniſters are called The Light of the World; now it is the property of light whereſoever it comes to expell darkneſs, and to make things apparent and manifeſt to the light. And thus the Miniſter that is the light of the People, is to remove ignorance out of the mindes of his Auditors, and ſo to explain Gods Word unto them, that they may be filled (as the Apoſtle ſpeakes) with the knowledge of his will, Epheſ. 1.19.inall wiſdom and ſpirituall underſtanding.
Vſe. 3 Laſtly, Seeing the Word muſt be underſtood, this therefore ſhewes the great folly of many, who regard not to have any knowledg in the Word. You ſhall have ſome that have more knowledg and underſtanding in any thing, then in matters of Religion. Talk with them about any worldly Affaires, you ſhall find them very cunning, their tongue is like the penne of any ready Writer, and they will diſcourſe thereof at large if occaſion be offered them: but talk with them again about any point in the Scripture, you ſhall have them as ſpeechleſs as the gueſt in the Goſpel,Mat. 22.… 1 Cor. 14.20. 1 Pet. 3.15. you ſhall find them to be Children in underſtanding, and not able to give a reaſon of the hope that is in them. And what is the reaſon? becauſe they take no delight in the Word, they regard not to have any knowledge in it. But were they as carefull for the good of their ſoules, as for their worldly affaires, they would be more skilfull in the Word of God, and not periſh as they do for want of knowledge. I have longed ſaith David for thy Salvation O Lord,Pſal. 109.174. and thy Law is my delight. He that doth long to be ſaved like David, he will uſe the meanes to attain unto it, he will take delight in the word of God, he will meditate in it, and rather then he will want it, with the Merchant in the Goſpel, he will ſell all that he hath for the purchaſe of it.Mat. 13.46. For this is that one thing that is neceſſary, as Chriſt told Martha; and therefore it is compared to thoſe things which are the moſt neceſſary of all other.Luke 10.42. Thus it is ſomtime compared unto food: what can there be named ſo neceſſary as food, and what ſo intolerable as the want of it? for a man wil ſuffer any thing rather then famine. Ye know, when there was a famine among the Egyptans, how they parted with all that they had for food. Firſt with their money, then with their (attell; in the end they ſold their Lands and their bodies for bread, Yet food is no more neceſſary for the preſervation of the Body, then the word of God for the preſervation of the ſoule: for as the body cannot live without the natural food, no more can the ſoule without the ſpiritual food, which is the word of God; and therefore we ought to hunger and thirſt after it, and to deſire it as earneſtly, as one that is hungry deſires food.… Pet. 2.2. As new borne Babes, ſaith the Apoſtle, deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby. Young Children of all other are the moſt impatient of hunger, they muſt preſently have the dugge, or they will cry for it, they cannot abide to be long without it, but ever and anon they muſt be fed again. And thus ſaith the Apoſtle, ſhould we be deſirous of the milk of the Word, like new borne Babes, we ſhould long after it, and not indure to be long without it. And therefore ſuch are in a miſerable caſe, who by rejecting this ſpiritual food, do ſtarve and famiſh their own ſoules. Phyſitians ſay, that when a mans appetite refuſeth meat, and cannot away with it, it is a ſigne of death, and a manifeſt token that he cannot live long.Pſal. 107.18. And therefore the Prophet David ſaith to this purpoſe. Their ſoule abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the Gates of death.
And ſurely when a man is once come to this paſſe, that he will not ſuffer wholſome Doctrine, but that the word of God which is the food of the ſoule, begins to be irkſome and unſavory unto him; then queſtionleſſe his ſoule is in a deſperate caſe, it is even pining away as it were in a Conſumption.
Sometime again the word is called the Sword of the ſpirit.Epheſ. 6.17. Now what is more neceſſary for a Souldier in the field, then the uſe of a Sword? Our life is a Warfare upon the Earth, as Job ſaith, and we are all Souldiers, having given up our names at the time of our Baptiſme to Chriſt Jeſus our Captain, to fight the Lords Battells: the enemy with whom we are to encounter, is the Prince of darkneſs with all his forces, and Gods word is the weapon which we are to uſe againſt them. How then ſhall our hands be able to warre, and our fingers to fight, if we have no knowledge in the word of God, and have no skill how to handle the ſword of the ſpirit? And thus to omit many other particulars, the word as ye ſee here is reſembled to ſeed; what is ſo neceſſary to make the Earth fructifie as the receiving of ſeed? The beſt ſoile that is, though it be never ſo fertill in its own nature, yet if it receive not the ſeed into it, it muſt needes be unfruitfull. And thus the beſt man that is, though he be never ſo furniſht with all naturall parts; yet till the ſeed of Gods word have been ſowen in his heart, he can never be fruitfull in the works of righteouſneſs. And therefore if we be Gods Husbandry, as St. Paul calls us.1 Cor. 5.9. Coloſ. 3.16. Let us receive this ſeed into the furrowes of our hearts, and ſuffer Gods word to dwell plenteouſly in us.
And thus much for the meanes of a good ground, the receiving of ſeed or the hearing of the word, and the receiving in of the ſeed or the underſtanding of the Word.
Signes of a good ground.I come now to the ſignes of a good ground, and firſt that it bea…es and brings forth fruit.
As the meanes whereof we have already heard, will teach us how we may become this good ground, if as yet we be not; ſo the ſignes will teach us whether we be this good ground or no. For like as the ground when it hath been ſowen with ſeed, it will ſhew it ſelf by the fruit thereof, whether it be a fertill or a barren ſoile; ſo when a man hath been taught and inſtructed in the word, he will ſhew by the fruits which he brings forth, whether he be a profitable or a fruitleſs hearer.
The ground therefore when it hath been ſowen, it firſt ceaſeth to bring forth thornes and bryers, and is not ſo plentifull in thiſtles and weedes as it was before. And thus when a man hath been inſtructed in the word, if he be a profitable hearer thereof, the word will have this operation in him, that firſt he will relinquiſh his former vices, and will not be ſo ready to commit any evill as he was before.Pſal. 119. ii. I have hid, ſaith David, thy word in my heart, that I might not ſin againſt thee. So that this is one fruit and effect of the word, that it will make a man leave and forſake ſinne.
If heretofore thou haſt been given to ſwearing, yet when this ſeed of the word hath been ſowen in thy heart,Jer. 23.10. Exod. 20.7. That becauſe of Oaths the Land ſhall mourne, and that God will not hold him guiltleſs that takes his name in vaine, this will cauſe thee to make a Conſcience of Oaths, and will roote out this weed of unneceſſary ſwearing.
If heretofore thou haſt ſlander'd and defamed thy Neighbour, and wronged him in his good name and reputation; yet when this ſeed of the word hath been ſowen in thy heart, That a falſe witneſs ſhall not be unpuniſhed, and he that ſpeakes lies ſhall not eſcape:Prov. 19.5. this will root out this weed of ſlander and detraction.
In a word, what ſinne ſoever thou haſt committed heretofore, yet when the ſeed of Gods word hath been ſowen in thy heart, it will root it out, and cauſe thee to leave it.
Secondly, The ground when it hath been ſowen with ſeed, it not onelyonly leaves bringing forth evill fruit, but likewiſe it brings forth good fruit; it not onelyonly ceaſeth from bringing forth weedes, but it brings forth, Corne for the uſe of man.
And thus he that is a profitable hearer of the word, he will not onelyonly mortifie the deedes of the fleſh, but he will likewiſe bring forth the fruits of the ſpirit, he will not onelyonly leave evil, but he will do good.Titus 2. ii. The grace of God, ſaith the Apoſtle, which brings ſalvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us to deny ungodlineſs and worldly luſts (there is the former fruit of the word, the leaving of evil) and to live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent world (there is the other, the doing of good.) Gods word herein being like a ſweet perfume, which not onelyonly takes away the evil ſent, but leaves a ſweet ſent in the roome of it.
If heretofore thou haſt had an overweening conceit of thy ſelf, and haſt been poſſeſt with pride and arrogancie, yet when the ſeed of Gods word hath taken root in thy heart, it wil not onelyonly diſpoſſeſs and roote out pride, but in the roome thereof it will place humility: So that thou wilt be little in thine own eyes, and think thy ſelf with St. Paul the leaſt of all others. If heretofore thou haſt lived in hatred and enmity, yet when the ſeed of Gods word hath taken root in thy heart, it wil not onelyonly remove and root out hatred, but in the roome thereof it wil place charity: So that thou wilt bleſſe them that curſe thee, thou wilt do good to thoſe that hate thee, and thou wilt pray with St. Steven for them that perſecute thee.Acts 7.60. And thus in a word, whereſoever this ſeed hath taken root, it will not onelyonly weed out the former vices, but it wil place in their roome the contrary virtues.
Thirdly. The ground when it hath been ſowen with ſeed, as it leaves bringing forth evil fruit, and brings forth that which is good, ſo it deferrs not the bringing forth fruit, but brings forth the ſame at the expected time. And thus he that is a profitable hearer of the word, as he will abſtain from that which is evil, and do that which is good: So he wil not defer the doing thereof, but in a ſeaſonable time he wil bring forth the fruits which are required of him. When occaſion is offered him of doing any good, whether ſuch as concernes him after a more general manner, as he is a Chriſtian, or more particularly in regard of his calling, he will take the opportunity, and bring forth his fruit in a ſeaſonable time. If God have increaſed thy wealth and ſubſtance, and given thee ſufficient, not onelyonly for thy ſelf, but for the relief of others; when thou ſeeſt the hungry that would be glad of the Crums that fall from thy Table, when thou ſeeſt the naked and the ſtranger that want Clothing and Harbour, or any that are in any want and neceſſity, then thou haſt opportunity to do good, and if thon be this good ground which is here mencioned, then thou wilt bring forth the fruits of mercy.
If God have given thee the tongue of the learned, and inabled thee to exhort with wholſome Doctrine, and to convince the gain-ſayers of it, when thou ſeeſt thy Brother ready to fall into error, and to make ſhip-wrack of faith and a good Conſcience, then thou haſt opportunity to do good, and if thou be this ground which is here mentioned, then thou wilt bring forth the fruits of knowledge. If God have advanced thee to the place of Authority, and committed into thy hand the ſword of juſtice, when thou ſeeſt the poor to be deprived of hi… right, and the innocent oppreſt; when thou ſeeſt iniquity to abound in the Land, and robbery and violence in all quarters, then thou haſt opportunity to do good, and if thou be this good ground which is here mentioned, then thou wilt bring forth the fruits of juſtice.
The ground indeed when it hath been ſowen, yet before it do bear and bring forth fruit, it ſhall have many impediments to hinder the groweth and increaſe thereof; it muſt undergoe many ſtormes and tempeſts, many froſts in winter, much ſcorching in Summer; but yet if it be a good and a fertil ſoile, it will overcome them all, and bring forth fruit at the time expected.
And thus when the ſeed of Gods word hath taken root in thy heart; yet before thou canſt bring forth the fruit thereof: thou ſhalt meet indeed with many lets and hinderances, partly from thine own unruly affections, and partly from others; but yet if thou be this good ground which is here mentioned, thou wilt overcome them all, and with the Tree that is deſcribed in the firſt Pſalme, Thou wilt bring forth fruit in due ſeaſon.
To draw then to a concluſion of this firſt ſigne, if fruitfulneſs be a ſigne of a good ground, then that we may not deceive our ſelves,Jam. 1.22.2 Cor. 6.1. let us not onelyonly be hearers of the word, but doers of it; let us not receive the grace of God in vain, but when the ſeed of Gods word hath been ſowen in our hearts. Let us be carefull to practice the ſame, and to bring forth the fruits thereof in our lives. We would count him ye know a very bad Husband, who when his ground hath been ſowen with ſeed, ſhould turne in his ſwine to root it up, or when it is come forth and begins to ripen, ſhould let in his Beaſts to ſpoile and devoure it; what then beloved may we think of our ſelves, if when we have been partakers of the word of God, we give way to our affections, and ſuffer the delights of the world, or the luſts of the fleſh, to hinder this ſeed from fructifying in us.
And thus much for the firſt ſigne of a good ground, that it brings forth fruit. I come now unto the ſecond, the quantity of fruit which it brings forth, ſome an hundred, ſome ſixty, ſome thirty.
The ground if it be good, 2. Siga….it is not onelyonly fruit full when it hath bin ſowen, but it yields as ye ſee, a very great increaſe, every ſ…ed at the leaſt bearing thirty for one.
And thus he that is a profitable hearer of the word, he is not onelyonly fruitfull in the works of righteouſneſs, but he brings forth the ſame in great abundance. I, ſaith our Saviour Chriſt, am the vine, and ye are the branches, he that abides in me and I in him, the ſame brings forth much fruit. John 15.5.So that it is not enough to be fruitful, unleſs we be fruitful in ſome good meaſure. And now that we know what are the ſignes of a good ground, it remaines, that we try and examine our ſelves, whether we be this good ground or no. You will ſay, I have gotten this good, by hearing the word, that now when I heare it, I heare it willingly, I take delight in hearing it, is not this a good ſigne? ſurely this is but a good beginning; for thou mayſt heare the word, and that with delight, and yet be but an hypocrite; for ſo did Herod, he heard John the Baptiſt, and he heard him gladly, and yet all the world knowes what Herod was.Marke 6. You will ſay again, but I am gone further then ſo, for I do not onelyonly hear the word, and that with delight; but I have left many ſinnes ſince I have heard the word; and is not this a good ſigne? ſurely this likewiſe is but a good beginning; for firſt, it is not enough to leave many ſinnes, unleſſe thou endeavour to leave all: otherwiſe, God that for one ſin of pride caſt the Angels out of Heaven, for one diſobedience thruſt Adam out of Paradiſe, and for one onelyonly lye, ſhewed his judgement on Ananias, will likewiſe reject thee for any one ſin, if thou takeſt delight to continue in the ſame Secondly, as it is not enough to leave many ſins, unleſs thou endeavour to leave all. So this is not ſufficient, unleſs as thou leave evil, ſo thou do good. For as that is not to be counted a good ground, which onelyonly leaves bringing forth evil fruit, except it likewiſe bring forth good fruit: So God will not repute him for a good man, who onelyonly leaves evil, but doth no good.
The fruitleſs Fig-tree was curſed by our Saviour not becauſe it bore evill fruit, but becauſe it forbore to bring forth good fruit.
The unprofitable Servant is condemned in the Goſpel, not becauſe he did evill with his Talent; for he onelyonly hid it; but becauſe he did not do good therewith, he did not imploy it. In a word, to thoſe whom our Saviour placeth at his left hand at the day of judgement, he gives not this Reaſon; for when I was hungry, ye took away my meate, when I was a ſtranger, ye took away my lodging. But ſaith he, when I was hungry, ye did not give me to eat; and when I was a ſtranger, ye did not provide me Harbour. So that it is not enough for thee to leave evill, except thou likewiſe do good. You wil ſay again, but I am gone further then the leaving of evill ſince I have heard the word; for I have done good. Come therefore unto the ſecond ſigne of a good ground and ſee whether thou haſt brought forth fruit, according to that meaſure which is here mentioned. Is thy knowledge anſwerable to that which hath been taught thee? haſt thou brought forth the fruits of Faith and obedience, according to that meaſure of ſeed which thou haſt received, and proportionable to the paines which have been taken with thee? You will ſay, this is a hard ſaying; for who is able to do the ſame? Know therefore for thy comfort, that if thou bring but forth fruit in ſome good meaſure, and if thou do but thy beſt endeavour to be more and more fruitfull, God will accept of thy good endeavour: and though thou be not ſo fruitfull as ſome others are, yet this may be thy comfort, that God doth as well accept him for fruitfull that brings forth thirty, as he doth him that brings forth an hundred. And like as the Husbandman when he reapes his Corne, he will not refuſe and paſſe by thoſe eares, which are not ſo full as the reſt are, but will carry them all into the barne together: So God will not reject our imperfect obedience, but when he ſhall gather his Saints together, he will bring us all to thoſe heavenly manſions, whither Chriſt is gone before to provide them for us.
FINIS.