The Greatest Sinners Exhorted and Encouraged, Question 1 – Quesiton 2
QUEST. 1: What is implyed here in fruit?
ANSW. 1. It does imply a work of Grace in the soul. All those Graces which are wrought in the souls of believers are compa…ed to fruit in the Scripture: yea, unto ple…ant and savory fruit Cant. 4. 13, 16. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates with pleasant fruits.—let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. Faith is compared to fruit. When the Colossians believed, tis said, the Gospel brought forth fruit amongst them. Chapt. 1. 6. And all graces are called fruit. Ephes. 5. 9. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness. Thus Gal. 5. 22, 23. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Hence godly men are compared to good trees which bear good fruit, Mat. 12. 33. They are called trees of righteousness, Isa. 61. 3.
2. As the Habit of grace, so all the Actions thereof are fruit. All Graces motions and operations, whether internal in the heart, or externally manifested, are Fruit. Where there is true grace, it will surely discover it self. Grace is compared to Life in the Scripture, Eph. 2. 9. You hath he quickened. Now Life discovers it self, at leastwise by breathings; So does grace in the soul alwaies discover it self by breathing after Christ, and after Holiness. Now all discoveries of a gracious frame of heart, are the Fruit here spoken of. Therefore▪
3. Holy and gracious Thoughts are frui… All gracious workings in the minds of tr… believers on Christ ere Fruit. A good Desi… is so. A godly desire and purpose in the heart is so. When a man is thinking and contriveing with himself how he may promote the Glory of God and Good of men, those thoughts are fruit. As David when he was thinking to build an House for the Name of God, that godly intention was pleasant fruit. And the Apostle Paul had many gracious purposes and designs working in his heart, which Timothy who was intimate with him knew much of. 2. Tim. 3. 10. Thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose,—God seeth, and delights to see holy purposes, and sincere real intentions in the hearts of His servants to glorifie His Name.
3. Gracious words are fruit. It is said of Christ, that gracious words proceeded out of his mouth. When it is so with Christians then they are fruitful. A good tree is known by such fruit as that, Mat. 12. 33, 35. Make the tree good and his fruit good.—Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things. Gracious Speeches which may tend to the Edification of the soul of the Speaker or of the hearers, are compared to fruit. Pro. 10 31. The mouth of the just brings forth wisdom. and Chapt. 11. 30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise. and Chapt. 15. 4. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Hence also we read of the fruit of the mouth. Prov. 12. 14. In a word, that man is a fruitful Christian, who is duly observant of that excellent Rule laid down by the Apostle, Eph. 4. 29. Let no corupt communication proceed out of your mouthes, but that which is good, to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
5. Good Works are fruit. Col. 1. 10. Being fruitful in every good work. Works of Piety if done from a right principle, and for a right end are fruit Praying, Hearing the Word preached, Setting dayes apart for Prayer or Praise, are holy fruit. And when men do by their Estates encourage the work of the Gospel, or promote public and pious designs, they are truly said to bear fruit. Hence the Apostle saith to the Philipians that he desired fruit which might abound to their account, Cap. 4. 17. Works of Charity are fruit, Almsdeeds are so. Especially when men do with their Estates relieve and refresh the needy Servants of God, thats fruit and very pleasant fruit before the Lord. Heb. 13. 16. But to do good, & to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. When the Churches among the Gentiles relieved the poor Saints at Jerusalem, the Lord was delighted with that fruit. Some who look upon the Song of Solomon as a prophesy, suppose works of Charity to be intended by those Expressions, Cant. 4. 10. How fair is thy love, my sister my spouse! How much better is thy love than wine, and the smell of thine eintment than all spices! However, it was pleasant fruit. When Christians carry it one towards another as the rule of Charity requireth, they are said to bring forth fruit, And this is in a special manner intended in my Text: When Christ saith to his Disciples, bring forth much fruit, His meaning is, Love one another much.
We come then to the 2nd. Enquiry, viz▪
When may Christians be said to bear much fruit? And the Answer to that is clear from what has been said in shewing what the fruit here spoken of is. In two words,
1. They that have much grace, bear much fruit. There is a marvellous difference among true Christians as to degrees of grace. Tho every Believer hath every grace in some degree, yet it may be he has no grace in that eminent degree which some others have. Hence some Christians are compared unto Babes, others unto grown men. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Some to children, others, to fathers 1. Joh. 2. 13. As there is a Difference in spiritual gifts, that one Saint does very much excel another; so there is in grace. The grace of one does exceed the grace of another, as much as the strength of a man is above the strength of a child. Now inasmuch as grace is fruit (as was shewed) the more grace any man hath, the more fruit does he bear.
2. They that do most good are most fruitful. Grace will prompt a man to be doing good. Hence the more grace he hath. the more good will he desire and endeavour to do. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is in this Chapter compared to a vine, was the most fruitful vine that ever was. Like Jotham's Vine, and like his Figtree, which had good fruit, whereby the heart of God and man was cheered. Judg. 9. 11, 13. He was alwayes doing good, Joh. 8. 24. I doe alwayes the things that please Him, Now nothing pleaseth God but that which is good. When a Christian is in some measure like Christ, that all that have occasion to converse with him, are, or may be the better for him, then he is one that bears much fruit. As (I remember) Junius saies concerning that Learned and holy Ʋrsin, that He never went to converse with him about any matter, but he was the better for it, he heard something from him that was for his edification. This is to bear much fruit. When a Christian shall be very instrumental for the good of others, he is abundantly fruitful. It was said of Jehojada, that he had done good in Israel both towards God, and towards his house. 2. Chron. 24. 16. So they that have done much good in their Generation, have brought forth much fruit. And the truth is, A man cannot do greater good in this world, than to promote the good of the souls of men: Therefore to be abundantly instrumental in the Conversion, and Edification of souls, is to be very fruitful. That some take to be especially intended in the words of my Text, If you bear much fruit, h. e. by private and public endeavours for the good of immortal souls, then God will be glorifyed. Hence in the 16th verse of this Chapter Christ sayes, I have ordained you, that you should goe and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. The fruit which the Apostles brought forth by the Sermons which they preach'd, and by their Writings, remains to this day unto the Edification of the Church of God.