The Being and Well-Being of a Christian, Treatise 1 – Title page 3

The Being and Well-Being of a Christian · Treatise 1 – Title page 3

p. 85THE PROPERTIES OF THE Righteous.

Psalm 92.14.

They shall still bring forth fruit in old age, they shall be fat and green, or flourishing.

THESE words are considerable, both as to their matter and form.

I. The Matter, wherein we have,

1. The Persons, They, The righteous mentioned in verse 12. whose spiritual condition as they live in Gods House, or under his Ordinances, p. 86the Psalmist sets forth by a continued Metaphor, drawn from Trees, in that and the two following Verses.

2. The Properties of these persons, described by the qualities of good Trees, which are three, In respect of

Fruits, to be full.

Sap, to be fat.

Colour, to be green.

So should Gods people be,

1. Fruitful in Conversation or Duties.

2. Fat in Disposition or Graces.

3. Green in Profession and Shew.

3. The Season of these properties; and that is continual, lasting from the time of their plantation in Gods House,foreign adhuc & deinceps. implyed in the word still, even untill and in old age. There should be no intermission, nor cessation in the Saints fructification. This together with their fatness and greenness, should continue till death transplant them.

p. 87II. As to the Form of the words, they have in them the force, both

1. Of a Precept, a Declaration what the Righteous should be, what is the duty of those that are planted in Gods House, namely, to grow and thrive, to be fruitful, fat and flourishing. And,

2. Of a Promise, that they shall be such, as being under that gracious Providence, which shall make the Ordinances effectual to them for those purposes.

Doctrine I. The first Doctrine then from these words, is, That God will have his people (the plants in his House) to be fruitful. They must both bring forth fruits, and abound in them. For the word in the Original, which our Translation renders,foreign shall bring forth fruit, signifies also abounding, or bringing forth abundance.

Branch I. They must bring forth fruits, viz. these following.

1. Duties of Piety for the glorifying of God and saving their own souls, sincerely, fervently and frequently performed, as Praying, Reading, Hearing, Meditating, singing of Psalms, &c.

p. 882. Duties of righteousness and charity to men, to their

1. Bodies, in feeding, clothing, harbouring and visiting them in their distresses.

2. Souls, In instructing, admonishing, reproving, comforting, encouraging them in Gods wayes.

3. Estates, Not only in just dealing, but in lending, giving, supplying, sympathizing with them as there is occasion. Yea, and this to Enemies too, feeding, loving and blessing them, and overcoming evil with good.

4. To the publick state of the Church of God, by prayers, fasting, purse, friends, pains to advance the publick good.

3. Duties of Sobriety to themselves in the use of the Creatures, and comforts they enjoy, as meats, drinks, apparel, &c. and in all outward conditions, both better and worse, which God brings them into, whether plenty or poverty, advancement or debasement, honour or dishonour.

4. The Acts of all Graces, as of faith, patience, meekness, self-denyal, &c. And of all holy affections, as love, fear, zeal, joy, grief.

p. 89Branch II. Gods plants must abound in fruit: They must not only bring forth such fruits for kind, as are before set down, but much of them for quantity. The Trees of Righteousness must bear abundantly, he loadned with fruits of piety, charity, &c. Hence the Apostle prayes for the Philippians, Chap. 1.11. that they might be filled with the fruits of righteousness. And for the Colossians, Chap. 1.10. That they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work. And he exhorts the Corinthians, to be alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord, 1 Cor. 15.58.

The Reasons why the Righteous must and shall be fruitful, are,

Reason I. Because this is the End of all Gods pains, cost and patience towards them, to make them bring forth both good fruit, and good store of it. For therefore are these Trees of Righteousness,

1. Well planted, both in an excellent stock, and in a very fertile soil.

1. In an excellent stock, John 15.5▪John 15:5even Christ the true Vine; the Tree of Life, from whom all our fruit is found, Hos. 14.8. We are told in Rom. 11.24. that we Gentiles p. 90were cut out of the Olive Tree, which is wild by nature, and are grafted contrary to Nature into a good Olive Tree, Christ, of whose root and fatness we partake.

2. In a very fertile soil, in the House or the Courts of God, as it is in the Verse before the Text: or in his Vineyard; as the Phrase is elsewhere, that is, in his Church, the ground on which he hath bestowed most culture, and which he hath enriched with the greatest advantages of fruitfulness, and where the Sun of Righteousness dispenseth his brightest beams and choicest influences.

2. They are well-watered with the dew of Heaven, with showers of blessing, with Sions streams, which make glad the City of God, and make fruitful the Trees of the Lord, with those waters of the Sanctuary, the Ordinances of God, which, if faithfully dispenced, and carefully improved, are great means of fructifying. In this respect the godly man is like to a Tree planted by the Rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season. To this end, Doctrine drops as the rain, and distills as the dew upon him.

p. 913. They are well fenced with a high and strong hedge of Divine Protection.Isa. 5.2.Isa 5:2 The Lord compasses them about with favour, Psalm 5.12. He is their Defence; a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, Isa. 25.4.

4. They are well pruned by afflictions, to lop off suckers and superfluous branches, John 15.…. Every branch in me (saith Christ) that beareth fruit, my Father purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Gods chastisements, though grievous for the present, do afterwards yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness; to them that have been exercised thereby, Heb. 12.11. Many may say of the fruit of their souls, as Joseph did of the fruit of his body when he had his second Son Ephraim, Gen. 45.52. God hath made me fruitful in the Land of my affliction.

5. They are well look't to night and day, with a watchful eye of Providence, even of the Keeper of Israel, who neither slumbers nor sleeps. His eyes are upon them from one end of the year to the other for good.

6. They are well waited on. So doth God long after his childrens ripe fruits, that he is still sending his servants, or p. 92rather coming himself time after time, to see what fruits grow on their boughs, and to receive or gather them. This is intimated in the Parable of the Fig-tree, Luke 13.7. Behold these three years I come seeking fruit, &c. God seeks fruit on his Trees, and he comes often and long for it, year after year. He hath great patience to stay for it, which argues he hath a great desire to receive it. Christ is often coming down into the Garden of Nuts, that is, the Church, to see how his plants take and bear, to see the fruits of the Valley, whether the Vine flourish, and the Pomegranates bud, Cant. 6.11. to gather his Myrrh and his Spice, and to feed there, on his pleasant fruits, Chap. 4.10. & 5.1. & 6.2.

All these six things considered, God may make his people Judges in the case, What could have been done more for them that he hath not done? as we find him doing in Isa. 5.3, 4. Well-planting, well-watering, well-fencing, &c. all these Wells on Gods part, ingage us to bear fruit well: Which therefore God may justly expect to receive from us.Mat. 21.34Matt 21:34 For who plants a Vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? 1 Cor. 9.7. and that in some p. 93measure proportionable to his great cost and pains. And God is wont by these means to produce fruitfulness in his people.

Reason II. Because its an honour to God, and a very acceptable sight to see his Trees bear well. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, John 15.8. Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God, Phil. 1.11. And fruitfulness in every good work is the way to walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing, Col. 1.10.

Reason III. Because it is the greatest praise and commendation of the godly, to be full of goodness and good works, Rom. 15.4. As it is of Fields to be full of Grass and Corn, of Trees to be full of fruits. Yea, it is a credit to their profession, an ornament and honour to Religion. For the goodness and plenty of the fruits or performances of Professors, proves to the world, the truth, goodness, power and efficacy of the Religion they profess. For this is the Rule to try Religions by: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles, &c. Matth. 7.16, 17, 18. p. 94That Religion in reason must needs be best, the professors whereof bring forth best fruits, even of holiness and righteousness, and those in abundance.

Reason IV. Because this is the way for Christians to be exemplary, to shine as lights before men, and to provoke others to imitation. For a fruitful life is an amiable and beautiful object, and so may well be taking with such as stand and look upon it.

For these Reasons, as God may well command his peoples fruitfulness, so he will be ready to promote it.

Ʋse I. Here then is matter of Humiliation to all Gods people for their,

1. Degenerateness in bringing forth evil fruits.

2. Barrenness of good fruits.

1. Degenerateness, in bringing forth evil fruits; as neglect of Ordinances and duties, both in esteem, attendance on, and profiting by them, instead of fruits of piety. Uncharitableness, hard-heartedness, passion, oppression, revenge, instead of fruits of charity and righteousness. Self-seeking, and minding only our own things, instead of self-denyal and publick-spiritedness. p. 95Pride, vanity, excess in the use of Creatures, impatience in the change of our condition, &c. instead of humility, sobriety, patience. The putting forth of many corruptions in the room of Graces. Let those that be planted in Gods house, examine their hearts and lives well, and they shall find good store of such Wormwood and Hemlock, such bitter fruits there; which they have cause to be deeply sensible of, and humbled for. Trees of nature (that are senseless and reasonless) may shame and condemn Trees of Grace, (that have sense, reason and Religion in them) in that those bring forth fruit according to their kind, (whereupon Christ grounds his speech that a Tree is known by his Fruit, Matth. 12.33.) but these many times bring forth fruit contrary to their kind; the Trees of Righteousness, fruits of iniquity; which very ill become them, and are as unseemly as for a Vine to bring forth Thorns, or a Fig-tree, Thistles. Its as ill a sight as may be to see a Child of light do any works of darkness: to see a circumspect walker wander out of the way, or a professor of Religion conforming him or her self to the world. This p. 96overturns the course both of nature and grace, when good Trees bring forth evil fruits. Hereby we both bear false witness against our selves, giving others reason to account our Trees naught, because the fruits are bad that grow from them. And we give great offence to God our planter, who is much displeased to see such as he hath planted a noble Vine, thus to turn into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto him, Jer. 2.21. When Gods people whose name he had called a green Olive-tree, fair and of goodly fruit, brought forth evil fruits of leudness and Idolatry, he was so incensed that he kindled a fire thereon, and would not allow their branches any longer to spread themselves in his Courts, Jer. 11.15, 16, 17. So when oppression grew o… his pleasant plant (the men of Judah) and his Vineyard (the house of Israel) brought forth wild grapes, he resolves to lay it wast, and to command the clouds not to rain upon it, Isa. 5.6, 7.

2. Barrenness of good fruits is to be bewailed. Being seldome in holy duties and not very serious and fervent in them Bringing forth fruits not to God, but to our selves. Not pittying, succouring, helping others what we can. Being poor i… p. 97prayers and indeavours for advancing Sions welfare, and diverting of common calamities. Putting forth few acts of Grace, and driving but a small trade of Christianity. So that we may take up the Prophets complaint concerning our selves, which he uttered in another sense, Mich. 7.1. Woe is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage, when a man seeks for a cluster of grapes, but can find none to eat; or if any, but thin strewed, here one and there one. Let us consider how we by our barrenness frustrate Christs appointment and ordination of us to fruitfulness. For thus speaks he as a Vine to his branches in John 15.16. I have chosen you and ordained you that ye should bring forth fruit, &c. And how ill do we requite the Lord for his great cost and pains with us? How little hath God of honour, the Gospel of credit, our selves of commendation, and others of benefit by our example? And how much reason do we give God either to remove the means of fruitfulness, or to deprive us of our standing under them?

Ʋse II. Let us then be exhorted to bring forth fruits, even such as be come the stock p. 98we are grafted in, Christ; the Soil we are planted in, Gods house; the showers of blessings we are watered with, Gods Ordinances; the planter whose Trees we are, God himself; and the kind, what Trees we are, Trees of Righteousness. And let us bear fruits in abundance, and that according to the means afforded us whereby, and the time wherein to be fruitfull. And the more to quicken us hereto, let us consider that if we be fruitful in good works,

Motives.1. Then God will bless all our other fruits, of body, ground, cattel, Deut. 7.12, 13.

2. Then we shall be full of joy and comfort, because we shall eat the fruit of our doings, Isa. 3.10. which were they not good would be bitterness to us in the latter end. Yea then however things go, though our Trees should not blossome, Habak. 3.17.Hab 3:17and our fields yield no meat: though the flock should be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet (with Habakkuk) we might rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation.

3. This may be a means to escape temporal stroaks. For as God commanded that fruit-bearing trees should not be cut p. 99down, no not in War, Deut. 20.19, 20. so when he sent to hew down those degenerate plants the Inhabitants of Jerusalem (where pride had budded and violence was risen up into a rod of wickedness; Ezek. 7.10, 11.Ezek 7:10Ezek 7:11) he marked out such as had the fruits of righteousness hanging on them, and gave the destroyers charge not to stir or come near them, Ezek. 9.4, 6. And seeing Philadelphia, one of the seven Churches planted in Asia, was so well rooted as to continue firm and immoveable, and bore so well, as that Christ found no fault with her, he promised to secure her from that general storm, which was coming upon the Churches, Rev. 3.8, 10.

4. This will greatly further our accounts, and increase our reward against the day of reckoning. For as we abound in good fruits, so fruits abound to our account, Phil. 4.17. God will give every one according to the fruit of his doings, Jer. 32.19. He will reward us according to our works: then the more work for God, the more reward from him. Therefore Paul perswades the Corinthians allwayes to abound in the work of the Lord, because they knew their labour was not p. 100in vain in the Lord. If we have our fruit unto holiness, we shall have the end everlasting life, Rom. 6.22. And that may be sufficient to incourage and ingage us to the greatest fruitfulness, since it will so abundantly recompence it.

5. How fruitful are the wicked in the wayes of fin and iniquity, and shall not the righteous be so in the wayes of God and the exercises of Godliness? What incouragements have the wicked to their fruitfulness, comparable to those which the righteous have to theirs? How vile is the fruit of the one, and how bitter will it prove in the end; How pretious is that of the other, and how sweet in the issue?

6. Barrenness in such Trees as are planted in Gods house, in those that live under Gods Ordinances, shall be punished with everlasting destruction. When John Baptist Preached repentance in the Wilderness of Judea, he tells his hearers, that Now the axe is laid to the root of the Trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire, Matth. 3.10. and 7.19. When God plants Men and Women in his Vineyard, placeth them where the Gospel is p. 101Preached, he layes an axe to the root of their Tree,Luke 13.6, 7.Luke 13:6Luke 13:7 setting them a time (as he did the Fig-tree three years) for bearing fruit, and if they bear not fruit within that time, he will cut them down, because they cumber the ground, and cast them into fire unquenchable. Think thus; If I be barren in Gods house, I am a burden to the place where I live, and take up that room which a fruitful plant might stand in. Woe is me, I may fear cutting down, and casting out of this house, this garden of God every day. Better be barren in any part of the world than here. Better never have been a plant, (a member of a visible Church) yea never born, than live barren. If I had any fastening to Christ, my barrenness cuts me quite off as a dead branch. For Christ saith, Joh. 15.2. Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit, he (i. e. my Father) taketh away.

Now if these considerations or motives excite any sincere desires of fruitfulness,Means. the Means to attain it may be these following,

1. Get to be cut out of the Crab-stock of nature, the Wild-olive, Rom. 11.24. in which while you remain (whilest in p. 102an unregenerate condition) you can bring forth only sowre, wild and bitter fruits, grapes of gall and bitter clusters.

2. Get to be grafted into Christ the good Olive, to partake of his root and fatness, which is the chief cause of all fruitfulness, Joh. 15.4, 5. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self, except it abide in the Vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches, &c. without me (or severed from me) ye can do nothing. We should get our natures moulded anew in Christ. Here the stock must change the graft into its own nature. Till then we cannot bring forth fruits to God. Make the Tree good, then the fruit will be good, Mat. 12.33.

3. Suck and draw daily much spiritual juice and sap by faith, and inlarged desires from Christ in and by the Ordinances. From him all the body (and so all his branches) having nourishment ministred, increaseth with the increase of God, Col. 2.19. Joh. 1.16. By this means believers abide in Christ, cleaving fast to him by faith, and he abides in them, by the influence of his spirit and grace, and so they are enabled to bring forth much fruit, Joh. 15.5. which place carryes the p. 103force of a promise, that such as adhere to Christ shall be fruitfull; he will make them so: for he there takes upon himself the title and relation of the true Vine, and therefore will not fail to perform the part of the generous Vine to his firm branches, in imparting sap and vigour to them to make them fructifie.

This brings me to the fourth Means.

4. Lay hold on promises of fruitfulness, and particularly on the Text. For as its Gods pleasure that his people being planted in his house, should be fruitfull, fat and flourishing, so its his promise that they shall be so. He may let the wicked spring, and spread, and flourish as to their temporal condition; v. 9. of this 92. Psalm. but he will cause the righteous to grow and prosper, to be full of fruits, sap and verdure as to their spiritual. And that to shew that the Lord is upright, that there is no unrighteousness in him, no inequality in his dispensations: but that it still goes well with the Righteous, and God tenders their prosperity, in a peculiar manner, and that they have a far greater share of his favour and bounty, and are in a much better condition than the wicked (how flourishing soever) if we p. 104consider their better part. God doth much more for their inward man than for the others outward: and he will do so for the vindication of his own righteousness. In Hos. 14.5, 6, 7. God promiseth to be as the (fructifying) dew to his people, who should blossome as the Lilly, cast forth their roots as the goodly trees of Lebanon, have the beauty of holiness and stability in the faith. Their branches should spread, their knowledge and grace increase; their activity for God and their own souls, and their charity to men be more extended and reach further. Their beauty should be as the Olive, composed of a constant freshness of profession and of fruitfulness in conversation, answerable to the ornaments of that Tree, whose greenness is perpetual and fruit very profitable. Their smell should be as Lebanon, as that of the odoriferous Trees and Herbs which grew there, or their scent should be as the Wine of Lebanon, which was of the best sort,Ezek. 20.41. Act. 10.4. Heb. 13.15, 16. Phil. 4 18.Ezek 20:41Acts 10:4Heb 13:15Heb 13:16Phil 4:18 vers. 7. Their spiritual sacrifices, their prayers, praises, almes, and good works should be an odour of a sweet smell in the nostrills of God; and they themselves perfume the places where they live with their gracious p. 105communication and example, and leave their name well-scented when they dye. They should revive as the Corn, and grow as the Vine; that is, as some well observe, that as the Corn suffering much from Frost, Hail, Snow, Tempest, lieth for dead as it were in Winter, but at the return of the Sun in the Spring reviveth and yieldeth a great increase: And as the Vine being pruned and lopped, not only spreads again, but hereby becomes more fruitful: so God promiseth that his people though enduring sharp and sore afflictions, yet should have a reviving out of them, and also a thriving by them, their fruits should be more and better. In the last place, he adds, ver. 8. That He himself is like a green Fir-tree, for shadiness: he is their shade on their right hand, their covert and defence from evils: and not only so, but he is also the root and spring of all their good, even of that they do, as well as of that they have, From him is their fruit found. It is by his communication of spiritual strength and vigour, by the supply of his Grace, that their fruits are brought forth▪ which therefore they are to expect from him, and may confidently, seeing p. 106he hath made so free Offers and Promises thereof. See Psal. 84.11. Rev. 21.6. & 22.17. Ezek. 36.27. Isa. 40.31.

5. Improve Sabbaths, those dayes of the Sun of righteousness, those lightsome and growth some times, those solemn opportunities of receiving Divine influences. Make much of them, and take heed of losing any part of them. This 92. Psalm is intituled a Psalm or Song for the Sabbath Day, and it seems to set forth the end of Gods Institution and our observation of it, both in respect of God, to praise him for his mercies, and meditate on his works, v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c. And in respect of our selves, that we may grow in grace, and be fruitful in obedience, the furtherance whereof, is the end of all the duties and exercises of the day, and of our converse with God in his Ordinances thereon, v. 12, 13, 14.

6. Depend upon God for his blessing on all the means of fruitfulness, to make them effectual to us for that purpose. Frequent Ordinances, and perform duties diligently, but rest not in your so doing, without relying on Gods blessing for the efficacy of them, as reckoning that this only can make you fruitful under them p. 107in your souls, as it makes all the Creatures fruitful after their kind, and so men in their bodies, Gen. 1.22, 28. God blessed Adam and Eve, and said to them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the Earth. And the same words he used to Noah and his Sons, Gen. 9.1. And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, &c. saith Isaac to Jacob, Gen. 28.3. The blessing of God makes rich in good works, as well as in Silver and Gold.See Psal 5.12. & 24.4, 5.Ps 5:12Ps 24:4Ps 24:5 And its made over to the righteous by Covenant, Gen. 12.2. with Gal. 3.9, 16. and they are called to inherit a blessing, 1 Pet. 3.9.

7. Make conscience of all your thoughts, words, deeds, and of all the motions and demeanors of soul and body, to regulate them all by the word of God, that every twig of you may bring him some fruit. For every of these bring forth fruit, either to life or death, to Heaven or Hell. Therefore we read in Scripture of the fruit of the thoughts, Jer. 6.19. for which, if they be not good, God will bring evil upon the thinkers. And of the fruit of the heart, Isa. 10.12. I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. And of the fruit of the mouth, Prov. 12. p. 10813, 14. And of the hands, Prov. 31.31. And of the doings, Jer. 17.10. & 21.14. Mic. 7.13. Seeing then fruits grow upon your minds, hearts, lips, hands, yea, on your eys, ears, feet, on all the faculties of soul, and members of body, have a care to order them well, that those fruits may be good, Rom. 6.19, 22.

8. Take all opportunities of doing God service, and others good, and of furthering your own salvation. And beg of God Heavenly Wisdom to take and improve all occasions for well-doing, for that is full of good fruits, Jam. 3.17. Beg a Spirit of communion and largness of heart, to be forward and ready to every good work, Titus 3.1. and especially the gales of the Spirit of God, which (like the wind) blowing upon the garden of our souls, will make the spices thereof flow out, Cant. 4.16. Not only spiritual Graces, but the exercise of them, and the performance of spiritual duties, are the fruits of the Spirit in us, Gal. 5.22. Ephes. 5.9.

9. Take heed of what may hinder fruitfulness; as will any sin allowed, and particularly Hypocrisie, which is want of depth of earth, and immoderate cares of p. 109the world, which like Thorns choak the Seed of the Word, and keep the fruits of the Spirit from thriving: and hardness of heart, which is dryness of root, and so makes the branches barren. The heart is the root of a man, and this root of the righteous being moistned with godly sorrow, yieldeth fruit, Prov. 12.12.

Doctrine II. God will have his people still fruitful, yea, even in old age.

I. Still, from the time of their being planted in Gods House, on, daily and continually to the time of their dissolution, or removal to the Heavenly Paradise; even,

1. Through all the parts of life. Therefore John writes his first Epistle to Christians of all ages, little children, young men, Fathers, 1 John 2.12, 13.

2. Through all the conditions of life, and the several alterations of them, which have their proper fruits belonging to them: As Fruits of patience, humbleness, self-denyal, &c. to afflictions. Fruits of thankfulness, obedience, watchfulness, to prosperity. Gods p. 110Trees bring forth fruit as well in the Winter of Adversity, as in the Summer of Prosperity. There is not one day in a year, nor scarce an hour in a day, but God ordains and calls us to bear some fruit, in one kind or other. Its recorded of the Colossians, that the word brought forth fruit in them, since the day they heard it, and knew the Grace of God in truth, Col. 1.6.

II. Even in old age, and that both in respect of Nature and Grace, will God have his people fruitful; as was Peter, 2 Pet. 1.12. and Paul, 2 Tim. 4.6, 7, 8. In old age he was in bonds for Christ and begat Onesimus to God, Philem. 9, 10. and David who in his own Generation served the will of God till he fell on sleep,**See the Margin. Acts 13.36.

Now God may well require his people to be fruitful continually, and even when old;

1. Because it is spring-time with the righteous all their life long. For as the end of the world is the general harvest, so is the end of a Christian, his death, his particular one. He and all his fruits are not ripe till then, and therefore not p. 111cut down with the sickle of death, or reaped till then; but must grow in the mean while, and be still bearing fruit. For the fruits of the righteous are alwayes in season. Whence the commands of praying continually, of preaching, and consequently of hearing in season and out of season, of reading in Gods Book all our dayes, of meditating on his Law night and day, of rejoycing ever more, of offering the Sacrifice of praise to God continually, of not forgetting to do good and to communicate, &c.

2. Because God is still doing us good, and unwearied therein, his mercies are new on us every morning, and he daily lades us with benefits, it becomes us to be continually laden with fruits: and that especially seeing God is ever affording means of fruitfulness, and at cost and pains with us to make us fruitful, which under the first Doctrine hath been declared.

3 Because we owe God much fruit for his care and bounty, and our branches are few and small, our bole little, our sap less, and we are able to bring forth but a little fruit at once; besides that the time allotted us for fruit-bearing is p. 112short: the furrows had need be bringing forth fruit continually. We have much work for God to do, and but a little time to do it in, and are able to do very little at once, therefore it is requisite we be alwayes working, else we cannot abound in the work of God, and finish that task he hath set us to do. By bearing fruit daily, we shall attain at length to fill up the measure of our fruits, and so finish our course with joy, and receive a full reward. When we think we have done all, God may have more and new work for us to do.

4. Old age should abound in ripe fruits, because that is mellow age, and hath advantages above youth, as,

1. Large Experience what it is to bring forth fruits, and what either hinders or furthers the same, that may teach them the art of fruit-bearing.

2. Long time, to take deep roots downwards, to shoot forth many and great boughs upward, and to suck in abundance of juice and sap from Christ.

We see then, that God may justly require his people to be constantly fruitful, p. 113even to the end of their lives; and he hath no less graciously promised to make them so, as here: so in Luke 1.73, 74, 75. where we read of his Oath, That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the dayes of our life. And Paul assures the Thessalonians upon the score of Gods faithfulness, that God would sanctifie them wholly, and preserve their whole Spirit, soul and body blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thess. 5.23. See the like in 2 Thess. 3.3. 1 Cor. 1.8. Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it untill the day of Jesus Christ.

Now God will render his servants, continually, perpetually fruitful (namely, such as continually depend on him on that account) for these Reasons.

1. To shew the energy and power of his Grace (that vital and fructifying principle in the soul) which is much evidenced in maintaining a constancy of fruit-bearing, and that even in the hardest and coldest, the sharpest and most unfavourable seasons, notwithstanding all p. 114hinderances, difficulties, disadvantages, even in the raging heat of persecution, the nipping blasts of temptation or other afflictions, and the dead time of old age, when the strength and vigour of nature fails, and its fruitfulness ceaseth.

2. To bring the more honour to his own name, John 15.8. The more fruit, the more glory; the more and longer his people abound in good works, the greater honour redounds to God, Mat. 5.16. whereas it would be no little dishonour to that great Husbandman (as he is styled John 15.1.) if his choice plants, which he hath separated from others, and so much sets by, should prove barren and cease to bear fruit: This might ill reflect either upon his skill or his care. Therefore, he having fruitfulness at command, will be ever ready to advance it in them, and will not suffer them to dye fruitless.

3. To manifest the constancy of his love to them, which fades not with time, decayes not with age. God loves them to the end, and because he doth so, and that it may appear he doth so, he will make them fruitful to the end. His tender affection to his people of old, moved p. 115him to be the same to them in old age that he had been afore-time, and to carry them even to hoary hairs, Isa. 46.4. Gods care and regard to the righteous doth not decline with their years. They shall have not only the former, but the latter rain of Gods Grace and blessing to make them fructifie, and be green even when gray, and their souls fat and flourishing, even when their bodies are like a dry Tree, wizzened and hollow with age.

4. To fit them for Heaven. For God doth but nurse up the plants of righteousness in his Courts, Garden, or Vineyard here, to prepare them for that Paradise of God. Now they will not be fit for that excellent soil, if they be not fruitful till, and at their remove. For their bringing forth good fruits, is the condition of and preparative to their being transplanted thither. So that if God should not be ready to further them therein, and to afford requisite supplies, he should be wanting to that great design he hath in the world, the fitting of his chosen for Heaven, and the bringing of them to it.

More Reasons might be added, but I p. 116shall now subjoyn the Application.

Must those that are planted in Gods House, that enjoy means of Grace, be fruitful still, and even when old, then,

Ʋse I. This reproves three sorts of persons,

1. Those that have not yet begun to bear fruits (fruits of repentance or reformation) though they have lived long under the Ordinances: only they resolve to do it hereafter; their time of fruit-bearing is not yet come. Let such,

1. Compare their case with that of the barren fig-tree, when Christ came to look for fruit from it, Mark 11.13. Its time of fruit was not yet. The time that it should have brought forth fruit was come, but not the time that it did bring forth. In procrastinating and deferring your repentance and amendment of life, you in effect say, my time of fruit is not yet, as the people in Haggai's time said, The time is not come, that the Lords House should be built, Hag. 1.2. But take heed, lest, as the time was come and gone that God had set for the fig-tree to bear fruit in, so the space allotted you for fruit-bearing be near expired.

p. 1172. Consider, that though you deferr growing strict and holy till a further time, and think you may do it soon enough hereafter: yet Christ may interpose by a curse of barrenness, yea, by a sentence of destruction, between your resolutions and the execution of them: because you have been barren so long, and could not find time all this while to bear any fruits, therefore never fruits grow on you hereafter, no not when you have a purpose to be fruitful, Matth. 21.19. And what follows next, but Cut them down, why cumber they the ground?

2. Those that have brought forth some fruits formerly, but desist. They for a time seemed zealous, forward, strict, reformed much, did many things; but afterwards lose their temper, leave their strictness, grow carnal in Spirit, loose in carriage, negligent in duties, or what they do that is good, its but by fits, when wakened by afflictions, or some quickning Sermon, &c. but afterwards they cool, wither, sit still. Let such consider,

1. That such fickleness in duties is the high-way to fall to flat barrenness at p. 118length. Unsetledness in good duties indisposeth to fruitfulness.

2. If Christ come to seek fruit from you (as he did to the fig-tree whilest barren) at such a time whilest you have only leaves on you, what may you fear but the curse of barrenness and doom of cutting down.

3. This is the way to be twice dead, (once before your profession, and since by your declension) and so pluckt up by the roots, Jude 12.

4. If you leave off fructifying now, you lose all you have done, John Ep. 2.8. 2 Pet. 2.21. It had been better for you not to have known the way of righteousness, than after you have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered to you.

5. Let such as were forward professors in their younger years, but are barren, sapless, withered in old age, decayed in their affections, charity, courage, grown worldly, covetous, idle, &c. Let such consider, if old age be not the next condition to the Grave, and if they would not go to Heaven out of this part of their lives, and if they ought not then to labour to be such in it, as that they might with comfort depart this life out p. 119of it; that is, in being fruitfull in well-doing. And must they not (will they, nill they) go to judgement out of it; and what will they answer to God, if they be barren in it? They must give account to him for all their works, even in old age, and the Apostle prescribes duties to the aged in Tit. 2.2, 3.

3. Those are to be reproved that are still fruitfull and that in old age, but fruitful in evil; in maliciousness, covetousness, oppression, drunkenness, uncleanness, &c. Its a lamentable sight to behold gray hairs green in sin: to see any old in years and old in iniquity, old in adulteries, Ezek. 23.43.

Ʋse II. This calls on the people of God to look that they be constantly fruitfull, and maintain holiness and righteousness to the end of their lives. Urge God with his promises in this respect; the fulfillment of which is to be expected in the way of dependance and diligence. God will make his people fruitful: but they must apply themselves to him and wait on him to receive his fructifying influences; and take heed of sin, which may stop the passage, and obstruct the reception of them.

p. 120Let this be our daily exercise to keep a Conscience void of offence both towards God and man; this our incessant care and endeavour that none of the following part of our lives prove unfruitful;Job. 27.5, 6.Job 27:5Job 27:6 that all the while our breath is in us, we hold fast our righteousness, and remove not our integrity from us; that when we come to be full of dayes, we may be full of grace and good works, which will be a great honour to us: For; The hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousness, Prov. 16.31. Because the fruits of righteousness add so many pearls to that Crown. Its the most happy, honourable and comfortable close of a mans dayes to go loadned to his grave with those fruits. Then he comes thereto,Job 5.25.Job 5:25 as Eliphaz said to Job, like a shock of corn in his season that is fully ripe. Its a great credit to be old, and yet lively and vigorous in the exercise of graces and duties, full of faith, of the fruits of the spirit and of experience. This stands upon record in Scripture to the endless praise of Samuel, that in old age he could make such a challenge as we find in 1 Sam. 12.2, 3. And of Jehojadah, 2 Chron. 24.15, 16. who dyed old and full of dayes, p. 121that he did good in Israel both towards God and towards his house. And of Zacharias and Elizabeth both well stricken in years, that they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless, Luk. 1.6, 7. And of Anna, who was of a great age, that she departed not from the Temple, but served God night and day, &c. Luk. 2.3…, 37. And of Mnason, that he was an old Disciple, Act. 21.16. And of Thyatira, that her last works were more than the first, Rev. 2.19.

Doctrine III. God will have the plants in his house to be fat. Now they are fat when full of grace, as trees are fat when full of sap. So the Romans were full of goodness, Rom. 15.14. Stephen full of Faith, and of the Holy-Ghost, Act. 6.5. The Thessalonians faith grew exceedingly, and the charity of every one of them all towards each other abounded, and the Apostle gloried in their patience, &c. 2 Thes. 1.3, 4.

And as God hath made his servants spiritually fat, that is replenished them with grace, so he will do still, as may be argued.

p. 1221. From his promises of grace. The Lord will give grace to them that walk uprightly, Psal. 84.11. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled, Matth. 5.6. Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance, Mat. 13.12.

1 Pet. 5 10.1 Pet 5:102. In that he is stiled The God of all grace, that is, the Giver of all grace; He who bestows and distributes all grace to his people; all sorts of grace, and the several degrees of each sort. Who confers not only the beginnings of grace, but the increase and complement or consummation of it. Therefore the Apostle Peter makes use of this Title, when he puts up this request for those to whom he wrote, that God would make them perfect, &c. for whom he had in the beginning of the same Epistle, chap. 1. ver. 2. desired that grace might be multiplyed to them.

3. From that matchless act of grace, the sending of his Son into the World, that in him he might bless us with all spiritual blessings; and consequently with grace. For he is made to us of God sanctification, 1 Cor. 1.30. He came that we might have life (that is,Eph. 1.3.Eph 1:3 grace which is the life of the soul) and have it more abundantly, p. 123Joh. 10.10. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purifie unto himself, a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. Therefore he will give that grace which shall purifie, and render disposed to, and fruitfull in good works. Which is further evident from those earnest and importunate invitations of all that desire it to come to him for it, Isa. 55.1. Rev. 22.17.

4. From his promising and actual giving of the spirit of grace to his people,Ezek. 36.27. Luk. 11.13. 1 Joh. 4.13.Ezek 36:27Luke 11:131 John 4:13 whose business it is to work grace in their hearts, and to strengthen it, Ephes. 3.16. Hence Grace is called the fruit of the spirit, Gal. 5.22. Ephes. 5.9. and the supply of the spirit, Phil. 1.19. which that it may be continued, the spirit is given to abide and dwell with the children of God, Joh. 14.16. Rom. 8.11.

5. From his affording them the means of Grace, which are chiefly designed for their benefit and advantage: For though others also live under them, yet the principal efficacy and blessing of them is derived on the righteous only. Christ gave his Ministers, and so his Ordinances, of which they are the dispensers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the edifying of p. 124the body of Christ, &c. Ephes. 4.11, 12, 13.

If it be now inquired, why God will make his people fat in Grace, I answer,

1. That they may be fruitful in service and obedience. The sap of grace produces and nourishes the fruits of righteousness. The branches that abide in the true Vine, shall be replenished with spiritual juice, that they may yield such Wine as may chear God and man: that they may be instrumental for Gods honour and others good. The fuller the heart is of grace, the more the life is filled with good actions. For out of the abundance of the heart, the eye looks, the mouth speaks, and the hand acts. Every creature works according to that quality, which is the immediate principle of its action or motion; and it works more, or less according to the degree of its quality, as it is weaker or stronger. So sinfull creatures, men unrenewed act or move in sinful wayes according to the evil quality or bias of sin and corruption, that is in their natures; and the more sin is in their hearts, the more do their lives abound with transgressions. The regenerate p. 125also, or new-creatures act or move in Gods wayes according to and by the grace of God, infused into and inherent in their hearts, God concurring with them by his assisting grace. And the more this sanctifying saving grace abounds in the soul, the stronger is the principle or stream of spiritual life, and action in them (which is continually fed from Christ the fountain of it) and the more service and obedience do they put forth in their lives. 2 Pet. 1.8. If these things (that is, these graces named immediately before) be in you and abound, they make you, that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you be fat in grace, you will not be spare in duties: If juicefull in holiness then fruitfull in obedience.

2. Not only that they may be full of fruits, but also that their fruits may be full. When the Tree is full of sap, the apples that grow on it are full of juice: so when the heart is full of grace, the duties it performs are full of savoury relishes and a sweet scent. Fat souls make fat sacrifices, fat services.

3. God will bestow on his people the fatness of grace, to bring them thereby p. 126to their fullness of stature in Christ: to which they attain by grace, as trees by sap grow up to their appointed height; and bodies by their juices to their proper tallness, Ephes. 4.13.

4. To shew that the Lord is upright in his dealings with the righteous and wicked, notwithstanding the seeming inequality of them: suffering the wicked to spring up as the grass,Psal. 92.7. & 37.35.Ps 92:7Ps 37:35 to wax fat and shine, to be in great power, and spread themselves like a green Bay-tree; whilest the righteous are in a dry, barren, withered estate in respect of their outward man, often lying under Gods stroaks. This is the Lords doing, these are his wayes, and they are equal too, if we take his dispensations towards the souls of his servants into the account. God makes the souls of his people fat in grace (which is the rarest endowment in the world, and the chiefest beauty of the most glorious creatures God ever made, Angels and men) whilest he makes their outward man to be lank and lean. On the contrary, he feeds the bodies of wicked men fat with grease, fills their coffers with evidences, their purses with gold and silver, their barns with corn, their p. 127grounds with cattel; but withall sends leanness into their souls, which makes them like Pharaohs lean Kine ill-favoured, or like his seven thin ears of corn blasted with the East wind; which is a great soul plague. So that if we compare what God doth for the souls of the righteous with what he doth for the bodies of the wicked, and ballance both together in sound judgement, we shall find the former to counter-poise, yea to weigh down the latter. Therefore the fatter any Christian is in grace, the fuller of it, the more fully doth he set forth to the view of the world the uprightness of Gods dealings. And the leaner we are in grace, the more we expose Gods wayes and dispensations towards his people to the censure of inequality and unrighteousness.

For these reasons God will make his people fat in grace; and for the same reasons they ought earnestly to endeavour so to be: which they are further obliged to, not only by Gods commands of growing in grace, 2 Pet. 3.18. of perfecting holiness in Gods fear, 2 Cor. 7.1. and the like, but also by that rich and liberal provision God hath made for this p. 128purpose, by the sending of his Son, the offers of his grace and spirit, &c. as hath been before declared, which highly encourage, and strongly ingage to labour after this fatness.

Ʋse I. Then those are lyable to reproof that profess themselves the people of God, and yet are sapless or lean in grace, when God hath made so much provision whereby they might grow fat therein. Certainly you do not duly seek out for it, are not careful to fetch it in. Surely you ply not the Throne of grace with fervent prayers; you rely not on the promises of grace with a stedfast faith; you improve not opportunities of grace with an earnest diligence; you maintain not close communion with the Father and the Son the fountain of all grace, and do not duly cherish the motions of the spirit of grace. God hath made sufficient preparation for your thriving, and invites you to, and is ready to dispense what is necessary and conducive thereto, and you neglect it. He will not be a barren wilderness to his people, nor as waters that fail; but if you do not constantly apply your selves to him, no wonder if your root be dry, and you want this spiritual juice. Or p. 129you may instead of it, be full of sinful humours, worldliness, pride, passion, envy, &c. the very poyson and venom of the old Serpent.

The more to promote your humiliation for this spiritual leanness, or saplesness: Consider,

1. To what end God hath planted you in his house, and given you so long to enjoy the plentiful means of spiritual nourishment? To what end hath God afforded you Sabbath-dayes and Lecture-dayes, besides other pretious opportunities by the by? To what end did he continue you under the means of Grace so many years, and made you such feasts of fat things? was it not that hereby you might grow fat in Grace, full of faith, love, meekness, holiness, &c. How will you look God in the face when the account-day comes, if notwithstanding these means, you be still poor and ill-liking. You know how ill-favoured Pharaohs lean Kine lookt, when they had eaten up the seven well favoured fat Kine, they were never the fuller, it could not be known that they had eaten them, but they were still ill-favoured as at the beginning, Gen. 41.3, 21. Such p. 330ill-favoured, ill-looking Creatures in Gods sight are all lean Christians, who have lived under a faithful and painful Ministry, heard many excellent Sermons, eaten many fat Ordinances, Word and Sacraments, and yet are never the fuller, but remain starvelings still, and as poor in respect of faith, self-denyal, humbleness, the power of godliness and a throughout reformation in their spirits and courses, as before.

2. Consider that you are a disgrace to the House of God, that fat soil you are planted in, to the Ordinances you have lived so long under, to the Ministers Gods Stewards that have brought you your appointed food from God daily to feed your souls fat in Grace. By your leanness you in effect proclaim to the world, that these are barren, dry, sapless things, and of no spiritual nourishment. Further, you shame the body of Christ (if you be members of it) for disproportion in members, when some are very fat, others very lean is a great deformity. The head of that beautiful body is fat, and so are your fellow members fat in Grace, and if you be lean, how do you disgrace it.

p. 1313. You must needs be barren in good works, whilest you want that juice of Grace that should feed the fruits of well-doing: without it you will be dry and withered. If you be sapless in your spirits you will be fruitless in your lives. And,

4. You will be but dwarfs and shrubs in Christianity. Your leanness will cause lowness in spiritual stature. If you be not full of spiritual juice you cannot fill up your due dimensions.

5. You would have all fat that you keep, because things are commonly of most worth and use when fat: And can you be content your souls, which are the chief part of you, should be lean. Is it not a trouble to see your children lean and ill-liking, notwithstanding they eat and drink of the best daily, and your Cattel ill-liking though they be well kept? And is it no grief to you to see how plentifully you are fed with heavenly food, and how ill you look and thrive? May not many a mans Cattel shame him in that when he hath put them into good Grass, they have fed fat in a short time: whereas God hath put him into the green pastures of Ordinances, p. 132it may be as many years as his Cattel grazed moneths, and yet he continues lean still: Yea, may not many mens bodies rise up to condemn their souls, in that they grew fat soon: When as their poor souls feed not at all, notwithstanding it may be their bodily diet hath been but spare and mean, and that of their soul more full and dainty.

Search this matter to the bottom, and be deeply humbled for it. And let us all see whether we have not some reason to take up that lamentation, my leanness, Isa. 24.16.Isa 24:16my leanness.

Ʋse II. Hence poor Christians may take comfort, though they have not with Esau, the fatness of the Earth to their portion; neither fat ground, nor fat Cattel, nor fat estates, nor fat bodies, yet they may have fat souls, which is the best of all, much excelling all the former. For as the fat is the best of every thing, so Grace is the best of all fat. Its far better to have a soul fat with Grace, than a body fat with grease; or an estate with goods. For fatness sometimes disfigures and mishapes the body, and spoils its features, and it renders less disposed to and unfit for action. And the fatness p. 133of wealth often causeth forgetfulness of God, yea, backsliding from him, and rebellion against him, Deut. 31.20. & 32.15. Neh. 9.25, 26.Psal. 78.31. Job 15 21. with 27.Ps 78:31Job 15:21 Besides that the fat-backs of the world are often the people of Gods wrath, Jer. 5.27, 28, 29. Their houses are full of deceit, therefore they are become great and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they over-pass the deeds of the wicked, &c. Shall not my soul be avenged of such a Nation as this? God threatens that Chaldea should be a spoil, and Babylon not inhabited, and gives the reason in those words, Because ye were glad, because ye rejoyced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat, as the Heifer at grass, Jer. 50.9, 10, 11, 13. And even amongst his own people he threatens to destroy the fat and the strong, Ezek. 34.16. that is, the Shepheards (whether Civil or Ecclesiastical, or both) who fed themselves, but fed not the flock, yea, who ruled with force and violence, and enriched themselves by making a prey of the flock, v. 2, 3, 4, 10. But the fatness of Grace is the greatest Ornament and beauty of the soul: which the more it grows therein, the more it comes into the fashion of Heaven, into p. 134the likeness of God. This makes men mindful of God, carefull to stick close to him, fearful to depart from him, and very active and stirring in all manner of well-doing. And those that have it are the people of Gods love and delight.

Ʋse III. Then let us examine whether we have this spiritual fatness. This might be discerned by the signs of bodily fatness. When the body grows fat, then the cloaths are made bigger, the girdle is let out, the body is heavier, and it sweats much, and the man commonly is merry. So when the soul grows fat, humility which is the habit or clothing of it, (1 Pet. 5.5.) is enlarged: Sincerity or truth in the inward parts, wherewith the loyns of our minds are girt about, Ephes. 6.14. is more drawn out; a sign the New-creature in us is grown into a bigger compass, and takes up a greater room. And then Faith, according to which God reckons the weight of the soul, is increased. Good works and holy duties, which are the sweat of this soul-fat, are more frequent, or the man sweats more, is more intent and fervent in them. And his soul rejoyces more in the Lord, and in p. 135his service, and in the communion of Saints.

But to keep close to the Metaphor in the Text, taken from Trees, we may from the signs of their fatness discover whether our souls be fat with Grace. The Trees fatness or sappiness appears,

1. From their much weeping, and the plenty of tears (so their juice is called) which they send forth when cut or pierced. So the fatness of the righteous may be gathered from their continued exercise of repentance and godly sorrow, issuing from them even for the least sin and their secret failings; from their being cut to the heart with a kindly sense of their provocations, which makes frequent confessions of their own vileness drop from them. When reflections upon Gods goodness to them, so pierceth their hearts as to give a plentiful vent to their tears, or at least to their grief, for what offends him.

2. Fulness of sap in Trees appears by their pliantness, for the more sap they have, the more easie they are to be bowed any way. So the more Grace the more compliance with the will of God, the more inclinableness to obey his commands, p. 136and the more submission to and under his hand: the more is the mind ready to his service, the will bowed to his pleasure, the affections bent that way he would have them, the heart affected with his word and providential dispensations, and the man humble.

3. Sappiness in Trees may be argued from their weightiness, for they are much heavier when green, than when dry. Faith is the weight of the soul which makes it tend towards Christ as its Center, and the more faith it hath, the more ponderous it is, the harder doth it lean upon God, and the more doth it press him with his promises: the mind is more staid upon him, the heart more fixed, the man more stedfast and hard to be removed from his ground. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion, which cannot be removed, Psal. 125.1. Faith makes the Christian as heavy as a Mountain.

4. Spreading much is an evidence of much sap; for Trees replenished with it, are ever either increasing their bulk, or putting forth either roots, or shoots, or buds, or leaves, or blossoms, or fruits. So where there is much Grace there will p. 137be much spiritual activity. This sap will be breaking forth into a verdant profession, into a fruitful practice, into savoury discourse, and be sending many shoots upwards, holy ejaculations, heavenly thoughts, desires, prayers, &c. Withal, making the soul better rooted in the truths and wayes of God. And the more Grace, the more of these Effects.

Object. But here some may object, I do not grow fat in Grace, but rather find a decay therein, a deadness in my Spirit, a coolness in my affections, I am not so forward to duties; I have not those spiritual feelings, comforts, enlargements, vigours which I formerly had: I am more straightned and damp'd in my soul to all good now.

Answ. 1. It may be thou art not so diligent in the use of Means, especially in private, close walking with God: not so watchful over thy Spirit and wayes to order all by rule, as formerly; but more careless of thy carriage, more negligent in duties. Thou art poor in performances, therefore not rich in Grace: Eatest little spiritual meat, therefore gettest little spiritual strength, growest p. 138not fat. And in this case thy not growing fat is thy own fault. Be humbled for it and amend, and to that purpose follow the directions set down in the next Use.

II. Know that a Christian may grow,

1. In Stability and setledness in his regenerate estate, he may grow more resolved, and stedfast in his Spirit and course, in his judgement and practice: more rooted and established in the truths and wayes of God: and,

2. He may grow in the exercise of radical Graces; as self-denyal, faith, patience, meekness, humility, sincerity; and in the intrinsecal or inmost acts of these and other Graces; though he slourish and abound not so much in the outward performance of duties, and in shews & ostentation of Graces as formerly; He may grow in self-denyal as to things that are greatest hearts desires and eyes delights, as to great parts and glorious performances, and the reputation of spiritual gifts and abilities. He may encrease in faith, believing against hope, and following after, and cleaving to God notwithstanding all repulses and discouragements. He may grow in patience p. 139and constancy in enduring great fights of affliction, whilest he is able to bear and suffer more, though he find himself able to do less. He may grow more content to be abased, and not to have the preheminence of others, and may be more thankful for what measure of gifts, grace, strength and comfort the Lord pleaseth to allot him, though to his thinking he receive less from God now than heretofore. He may grow in that Grace of humility, whilest he grows more vile and sinful in his own eyes: and he that grows in that Grace, grows in all the rest. Upon which account it may be that a Christian may grow fatter when to himself he rather seems to fall away, or to grow more dry and sapless; he may have more Grace, when he thinks he hath less. He may look more inward now, and to the carriage of his heart in duties; though he be not so much in the external performance as sometime formerly. He may be more strong to resist corruptions and temptations, though more strongly tempted to sin, and to more sins now than before.

3. He may grow in Experience of Gods dealings with the soul, of the work of p. 140grace in the heart, of the contrariety and combate between the spirit and flesh, and of the variety of soul-states, through which it pleaseth God to carry his children: and so be more able to speak of such things, and to advise others from experience, though he be not so tongue-ripe, so forward to speak and so full of words, and have not those joys and ravishments, as formerly.

4. He may grow in the substance, pith and solidity, in the mellowness, and ripeness of affections and actions: which may be more solid and savoury, though not so bulky and eyly; though they seem not so big or so beautiful, but lye in a less room now than formerly. Part of a Christians affections at first upon his Conversion springs from the newness of his state, and so may cease when that state or condition ceaseth to be new to him: and yet afterwards he may love God and spiritual things as truly and happily, more rationally, though not so passionately, as at first. His duties may be better seasoned with sincerity and humility, though not so larded (as sometimes) with inlargements and p. 141stirring affections. There is less of his own spirit now in duties and more of Gods spirit and grace; and therefore his duties now seem far less in his own eyes than they did formerly, when they were more full of froth. His duties may be more cordial, though less corporal, oral, gestural. He may not so multiply religious performances as heretofore, and yet may walk more regularly, by minding other duties also, relating to his calling and station in the world, which he before neglected. Or he may spend less time in the exercises of Godliness, because he hath not such opportunities, nor that leisure he had before, by reason of the change of his condition, and new employment God hath called him to, and yet he may be still in the discharge of his duty as much as before, though in part the kind be altered.

III. Consider that there are some special seasons, in which God bestows a greater measure of assistance, grace and comfort than he is pleased to give at other times; as upon conversion, or when he calls to special service, or to great sufferings or tryals. His communications p. 142are then extraordinary, because the condition and exigencies of his servants are extraordinary: but when these are over, he reduceth them to their ordinary allowance. Yea the case may be such as that God may suffer the blossoms of joy to wither, that the fruits of righteousness may appear the better, that grace may be clearlier seen and grow more. For sometimes grace puts forth more vigorously when comfort falls off.

IV. Mistake not a decay of gifts or of nature for a decay of grace. Part of former liveliness and enlargement might arise from gifts and parts, or from natural strength and vigour, and so may fail with these, through age, bodily weakness and distempers, and yet grace not be impaired. The disposition of heart may be the same, though, through indisposition of body, it cannot express and shew it self as formerly. The soul may be fat when the body wastes and is too feeble and destitute of spirits to be serviceable in gracious employments.

Use IV. Then let all be exhorted to get and keep this spiritual fat, being like the Olive in Judg. 9.9. that would not leave his fatness. Labour to be full of this p. 143spiritual juice: and to that end make use of these ensuing means.

1. Drink in the water of life.Means. The more water Herbs and Trees enjoy, the more are they replenished with sap. And as in the sap is the life of the plant; so in grace stands the life of the soul. Therefore its well call'd in Scripture Water of life; Christ is the fountain of it, and there's a fullness in him, and its freely offered to such as sincerely desire it. Such may take their fill of it, they may have it for coming for, for receiving it, yea and may have abundance. Rev. 21.6. I will give unto him that is a-thirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely. And chap. 22.17. Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Joh. 10.10. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Where by life understand grace, which is spiritual life. Enlarge therefore your desires, and take freely what's freely tendered by Christ. Be still coming for more, for he gives liberally. Jam. 1 5.Jas 1:5Live upon Christ as your root, as your stock, and daily derive from him new supplyes of spiritual sap, by faith and prayer.

p. 1442. Suck in the fatness of Gods house. Its a fat soile, and so fit to make fat plants.Psal. 65.4.Ps 65:4 Psal. 36.8. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. Gods goings are in his sanctuary, and here his paths drop fatness on the souls that wait on him. Here are his Ordinances dispenst; those feasts of fat things full of Marrow, and of Wines on the Lees well refined, Isa. 55.6. They are full of juice and spiritual nourishment. Therefore suck here and be satisfied.

1. Attend duly on the Word. For this is a means of growth, 1 Pet. 2.2. Christs words are spirit and life, Joh. 6.63. The Word of God is that to the soul, which rain and snow are to plants, which as they, by filling Herbs and Trees with sap, make them bud and bear fruit: so shall Gods Word in like manner make the souls of his people (that thirst after it) prosper: Isa. 55.10, 11. Therefore Christ thus bespeaks them: Hearken diligently to me, and let your soul delight it self in fatness. Incline your eare and come p. 145unto me, hear and your soul shall live, verse 2, 3.

2. Improve Sacraments; where you have the flesh and blood of Christ to feed on, the most excellent and most nourishing food, by which the plants that are round about Gods Table may prosper much, as Trees do by blood and flesh put to their roots.

3. Pray earnestly, as for your selves, so for your Ministers; that God would satiate their souls with fatness: Jer. 31.14.Jer 31:14then he will by them satisfie your souls with goodness. Your portion will then be fatter, who are to be fed by them.

4. Meditate seriously of God day and night. See Davids sense of this course in Psal. 63.5, 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness: and my mouth shall praise thee with joyfull lips: when I remember thee on my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

5. Be liberal both in temporals and in spirituals unto others; for the liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself, Prov. 11.25.

6. Be diligent in the use of the foregoing Means: and also in the exercise of p. 146grace; for the diligent soul shall be made fat, Prov. 13.4. (which is true in a spiritual sense.) And to him that employs what he hath, as they in the Parable did their Talents, shall more be given, and he shall have abundance, Mat. 25.29. For, as it is in Plants, the more sap they expend in leaves and fruits, the more still they receive from the root; So here the more grace is put forth, the more still will flow in to the soul from Christ.

So much may suffice to have spoken of the fatness of the righteous (those heavenly plants) their greenness follows to be treated of.foreign They shall be fat and green: So it is in the Original, and in the Margin of our Translation.

Doctrine IV. God will have the plants in his house to be green. So was David, Psal. 52.8. I am like a green Olive Tree in the house of God. Hence the godly are compared also to the Palm-tree, Psal. 92.12. the branches whereof are fair and green continually. Herewith they made booths at their solemn feast of Tabernacles, Lev. 23.40.1 King. 6.29. Ezek. 41.20.1 Kgs 6:29Ezek 41:20 And the walls of the Temple were carved with Palm-trees, to shew the flourishing state of those that are p. 147planted in Gods house. For Green in Scripture imports a prosperous, vigorous, flourishing state, opposed to blasting, fading, withering. Because,

1. Green is the best colour of Trees and Herbs. It arayes and adorns them; makes them look fresh and comely.

2. Its the colour of Trees when they are at best in themselves, (full of sap all over and full of fruit) and at the best time of the year, in the spring and Summer. For in Winter, when spoiled of their gay green garment, they look gray and withered.

3. This colour is natural to them, even according to their kind, and it grows out from them, they have the cause thereof in themselves. Trees are not dyed green by art, but grow green by nature.

Now the greenness of the righteous appears in their profession, conversation, and consolation.

1. They are green in profession, when they constantly hold forth the Word of life, Phil. 2.16. the Religion they profess, the truths of God they are convinced of; the wayes of God they walk in, p. 148their faith in Christ, and sense of spiritual things: seeming to the World to be all that, and only that which they are in themselves; not being ashamed of Christ, nor of the Gospel of Christ before men. They are green, who hold forth that in a bold, undaunted profession, which they are in judgement and practice, in confidence and affection touching God, his things and wayes. As David did, Psal. 119.46. I will speak of thy Testimonies also before Kings: and will not be ashamed. And Paul, Act. 24.14. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresie, so worship I the God of my Father, believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets.

2. Their greenness appears in their behaviour or conversation, when they strive therein to express and shew forth the vertues of him who hath called them; and endeavour that all their actions may have the gloss and lustre of grace and holiness upon them. When the carriage of the whole man (spirit and body) in their places, and all the relations they stand in to others in family or any other society, and in all their converse and dealings with others, is such as becomes the Gospel, as may represent p. 149the beauty and amiableness of Religion when they walk wisely and humbly,Eph. 5.15. Jam. 3 13.Eph 5:15Jas 3:13 circumspectly or exactly: shewing out of a good conversation their works with meekness of wisdom: Then are they green and flourishing, fair and resplendent. For Wisdom (that wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easie to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without wavering and without hypocrisie, Jam. 3.17. that) makes the face to shine, Eccles. 8.1. as it did Josephs in the eyes of Pharaoh: and Daniels, so as to draw great respect from Nebuchadnezzar and Darius. How did Job's righteousness make his glory to be fresh in him? Job 29.11, 13, 14, 20. How amiable and illustrious did it render him?

3. Their greenness appears in their consolation, when they have inward refreshments, peace of conscience, evidences cleared, minds stayed upon God, hearts fixed trusting in him: but more especially at such times, when God causeth his face to shine upon them in a more eminent manner, and warms their hearts with the plentiful beams of his love shed abroad there, and pours the oyle of joy and p. 150gladness into their souls. How do they flourish then? how fresh and chearful, how lively and lovely doth their verdure grow? Yet remember, that comfort is not absolutely necessary to the essence or being of the colour of the righteous; (they may carry a green in profession and conversation, only it will be sadder without it) but it is requisite to the bettering thereof, to make it more sweet and amiable, more lightsome and pleasant. And then are they in their best state.

The Greenness of the godly is natural and continual.

1. It is natural to them, as they are the planting of the Lord, it being the proper effect of their Grace put forth into act, (as that of Trees is of their sap when displayed in leaves) and the more they have of the Sun-shine of Gods favour, the clearer and brighter it is.

2. It is continual: It is to last all the year, and all their lives long. It is not determined to any particular seasons, but is to be retained, not only in the spring and temperate seasons of youth, peace and prosperity: but also,

p. 1511. In the hot Summer of sore temptations, fiery tryals, searching tribulations and persecutions. Hence the Church, when the Sun had looked upon her, that is, when the heat of tribulation had tanned her, and made her black as to her outward and temporal condition, yet as to her spiritual estate, was comely, preserving the verdure of her profession, and so received Christs commendation of her fairness, Cant. 1.5, 6, 8, 10, 15. By whom she is in Chap. 7.7. resembled to the Palm-Tree, which is alwayes green, and notwithstanding endeavours used to depress it, it mounts upwards, advanceth in height and flourisheth. When was it that David was like a green Olive-tree, Psalm 52.8. But when Saul sought after his life, and Doeg gave Saul notice of him, (as the Title of the Psalm shews) and at Sauls command slew fourscore and five Priests, and smote the whole City of Nob with the edge of the Sword, and that only upon Davids account, because Ahimelech gave him Shew-bread and Goliah's Sword? David continued green still p. 152in his fear and service of God, and in his trust and confidence in him, notwithstanding Sauls wrath burned hot against him. Moses was never more fair and beautiful, than when he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Aegypt, &c. Heb. 11.25, 26, 27. How glorious was the faith, courage and constancy of the Worthies mentioned in that Chapter? It was not all the scorching rage of Persecutors that could make it wither or fade. How green was the Martyrs profession of the truth, that the hottest fires could not make it change colour? What an admirable lustre was there upon their demeanour, through the brightness of their Graces and comforts, far out-shining the flames they burnt in, which could so effectually win and engage the hearts of many to the wayes of God, under the greatest disgrace, and most dreadful discouragements. How verdant was Philadelphia's patience? How lovely her p. 153carriage under sufferings, that Christ promises he would make her very adversaries come and worship before her feet, and know that he had loved her, Rev. 3.8, 9.

2. In the Autumn of Apostacy and backsliding from the truths or wayes of God, when the leaves of profession fall off from many, either through the abounding of errors, or of sensuality and carnal security.

3. In the cold Winter of outward losses, poverty, disgrace, &c. or of inward trouble, as the want of divine consolations, the withdrawing & seeming remoteness of the Sun of Righteousness: And old age. The righteous must retain the greenness of their profession, even to gray hairs: which will then be as an honourable wreath to adorn their hoary heads.

So you have seen the properties of their verdure. Its natural and continual; not artificial, not fading, like that of the Hypocrites, who may wear the colour of the righteous and have a green too, but its neither a sap-green, nor a sen-green. It neither proceeds from an inward principle of Grace, nor is it holding and p. 154lasting. It is but painted, and so will soon decay, easily wash off.

Now that it is the duty of those that are set in Gods Courts to be ever green, may be made evident from those Reasons that are before set down to enforce their fruitfulness. And that God is willing and ready to make his people so, may appear from the promises he hath made of what is conducive and requisite thereto. For as the Rain and Sun, moisture and warmth cloath the earth with a lovely green, and make the colour of Hearbs and Trees fresh and pleasant: So God hath promised both these to his choice plants.

1. The Dew and showers of Heaven, Hos. 14.5, 6. I will be as the dew to Israel, and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree, called a goodly Tree, Lev. 23.40. compared with Neh. 8.15. And that not only for its fruitfulness, but its constant greenness, even in the midst of Winter. It looks fresh and eyly, when many other Trees are deformed and withered. In Psal. 72.6, 7. It is prophesied, that Christ should come down like rain upon the morning grass; as showers that water the earth: In his dayes shall the righteous flourish so long as the Moon p. 155endures, that is, during his whole reign, even to the worlds end. What quickning and reviving, what freshness and Beauty, Gardens, Fields, Vineyards and Orchards receive from dew and rain falling on them, the like will God perform to his Vineyard, Christ to his Garden, and the plants therein, and that by the showers of his Grace and blessing, the droppings of his Word, and the pouring out of his Spirit. To this purpose is considerable what we read in Ezek. 47.12. By the River (issuing from the House of God, v. 1.) upon the bank thereof, on this side, and on that side, shall grow Trees whose leaf shall be for medicine, and shall not fade; neither shall the fruit (which shall be for meat) be consumed, but be new according to the Moneths, because their waters issued out of the Sanctuary. Where it is most probable, that the Waters or River shadow forth the dispensation of the Gospel, and of the Ordinances of Christ, or the effusion of spiritual blessings, Zech. 14.8. Joel 3.18. And that the Trees represent the faithful that are planted in the Church of Christ, and enjoy the Ordinances. These spread their root by the waters, and the dew lyes on p. 156their branch: yea, they are rooted in Christ the fountain of living waters, therefore their leaf shall not wither: For he hath promised, the water they receive from him, shall be in them a Well of Water springing up into everlasting life, John 4.14. Where his Spirit and Grace are to be understood by water: which will make them semper viveacs, alwayes green. They shall never thirst; that is, never see drought, never want, their water shall not fail; even that water of life, which can turn a soul that is like a dry and parched Heath into a Paradise. Hence Christ calls his Spouse a Garden inclosed, (made such by Grace of a desart by nature) a spring shut up, and a fountain sealed, that is, well secured and preserved, pure and perennous, Cant. 4.15. The righteous shall be as a well-watered Garden, Isa. 58.11.Isa 58:11and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. Like a Garden well accommodated, in which all things put forth, and are in their beauty and flourish, and may constantly maintain their verdure.

2. God hath promised to be a Sun to the righteous, Psal. 84.11. and that to them (Christ) the Sun of Righteousness shall arise, Mal. 4.2. to illuminate, enliven, p. 157rejoyce them: to impart to them his quickning heat and cheering light, his encouraging and refreshing influences, his powerful assistance, and the comforts of his presence: whereby life and vigour are infused into the soul, grace springs in the heart, and …oliness flourisheth in the life. The mouth confesses God and is filled with his praises, the man walks more worthy of God. And as Vegetatives in the Spring, when the Sun approaches, sprout up, disclose and open themselves, and appear in their gayest colours: So all holy endowments, when God thus shines upon him, will shew themselves in the most lovely plight.

Ʋse I. If God have thus provided that his people may be green and flourishing, then let them look to it that they be so. Let them get the true and the liveliest colour of grace upon their spirits continually, and upon their whole demeanour. Which that you may be the more effectually induced to; consider,

1. Hereby you will resemble Christ, who is called a green tree, Luke 23.31. an Olive-tree, Rom. 11.17. (as God calls himself a green Fir-tree, Hos. 14.8.) his branches therefore must not be dry and p. 158withered, then they will be unsuitable and uncomely, a disgrace and dishonour to him. As Christ is termed a righteous branch, Jer. 23.5. A sprig from the root of Jesse, upon whom was the Spirit of Wisdom, Knowledge, and the fear of the Lord, Isa. 11.1, 2. And in whom he was glorified, John 17.4. So it is prophesied of those that belong to him, that they shall be Trees of Righteousness, and by their thriveing and flourishing appear to be the planting of the Lord (or the branch of his planting, as it is Isa. 60.21.) that he might be glorified, Isa. 61.3. As Christ did alwayes those things that pleased his Father, John 8.29. So Christians should walk worthy of the Lord to all pleasing,Heb. 7.26.Heb 7:26 Col. 1.10. He was holy, harmless, undefiled, the light of the world, and that not only by his Doctrine, but also by his example. So must you also be holy as he is holy, blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation, Phil. 2.15. Consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds, Heb. 12.3. Consider this Apostle and High Priest of our Profession, who came into p. 159the world that he might bear witness to the truth, and before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession: And that you may be like him, abide in the truth, and hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering.

2. As being green is an evidence both of a vegetative life, and of a spring estate, that the Tree both lives and grows; whereas being withered argues that it is dead, or wintered at least: So when Christians are green in their profession and practice, have the lustre of grace and holiness upon their spirits and wayes, then they declare plainly that they are alive to God, yea, that it is spring time with them, and that they grow in grace.

3. This will most beautifie and set you forth, as Trees are most spruce and fine, when arrayed and deckt with green leaves. How amiable and lovely doth a prudent, meek, humble, graceful mannaging of the conversation make many a man and woman upon whom nature hath bestowed little cost to make them fair or comely? That carriage which adorns the Gospel, will be your greatest ornament: that which becomes godliness p. 160will be your comeliness. Such a deportment as God is most honoured by in the eyes of men will be your greatest honour. To suffer for well-doing and yet patiently to continue therein, and not change colour for all the weather-beating of persecution, is illustrious and glorious. If you suffer as Christians, and be reproached for the name of Christ, and endure it with meekness: the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you, 1 Pet. 2.20, 21, 23. & 4.14.

4. This will yield pleasure and delight both to God and man. For as green is a very pleasant colour to look on, delighting and recreating the eye, cherishing and strengthening the sight, wherefore those creatures which are the most common objects of the eye, as grass, hearbs, trees, are so framed as to be of that colour, as also is the Emerald that goodly and precious Stone, which so sweetly entertains the eye without ever glutting it: And for weak and sore eyes green is of all colours the most relieving and refreshing: So is a verdant and unfadeing, a lively and chearful profession and practice of Religion endued with the like qualities: for,

p. 1611. It much takes and highly pleases the eye of Christ to look upon it, therefore he delights to be in his Garden and Vineyard,Cant. 6.2.11.Song 6:2Song 6:11 that he may see the Vine flourish, and the Pomegranats bud: that he may behold how the precious plants in his Nursery the Church do thrive, how green they look, how their graces sprout forth, as well as what good fruits they are bringing to maturity. His Church is his Eden, his Garden of pleasure: conversing in which makes him break forth into that exclamation, How pleasant art thou, O Love, for delights! Cant. 7.6. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, His countenance doth behold the upright, Psal. 11.7. He delighteth in his way, Psal. 37.23. He takes pleasure in those that fear him, Psal. 147.11.

2. It is a delightful sight, a great refreshing and rejoycing to the eyes and hearts of the godly, as it was to John to find the Elect Ladies Children walking in truth, Epist. 2.4. Now we live, (that is, are much revived and cheared) if ye stand fast in the faith, said Paul, Silvanus and p. 162Timotheus to the Thessalonians, for what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; namely, for your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope: having become followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that we were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia, 1 Thess. 3.8, 9. with Chap. 1.2, 3, 6, 7. Hence the Apostle greatly desired to see them, that he might still have more pleasure in beholding so lovely and delighting objects, with the report of which at a distance he was so much affected, 1 Thess. 3.6. All Davids delight was (next to God) in the Saints, the excellent on the earth, Psalm 16.3.

3. If any have an eye that is weak in discerning the beauty of holiness, and how to walk in the wayes of God; Or if any have a sore or evil eye at Gods people, yet spighting and maligning of them: to look much and often upon the greeness of their paths, the buddings of their p. 163graces, the lovely hiew of their piety, may be a means to clear and strengthen the eye of the one, and to amend and cure that of the other; which is often made sore by by being fixed only upon the unpleasing colour of the Saints infirmities (where any can be either spyed or fancied) and not at all upon that inoffensive and taking one of their piety and constancy. 1 Pet. 2.15. So is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men? v. 12.—that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorifie God in the day of visitation: and Chap. 3.1, 2. Wives be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the Word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. See also v. 16.

5. If you would have that inheritance and crown of glory which fadeth not away when you dye, 1 Pet. 1.4. and 5.4. its both suitable and necessary that your profession p. 164and practice of Religion should not fade while you live, You must endure to the end that you may be saved. You must be faithful unto death, that you may receive a crown of life, Rev. 2.10.

Look well then to your profession and demeanour, that both be such as whereby you may glorifie God, and be a joy yea an honour to the Saints with whom you live in communion: such as may cast a lustre upon the truths of God you maintain and the wayes of God you walk in: such as may in the eyes of all spectators render Religion lovely, yea and grace it self glorious.

Remember that the eyes of others are fixed on you, and rather on your colour than your sap. The men of the World look not so much What you are, as What you shew or seem to be. They frame their apprehensions of Religion by the gloss of your profession and carriage. If those be green and fresh, fair and amiable, it wins their approbation. But if they be sullyed, duskish, sad or withered, it is unpleasing and matter of offence.

Yet here take these cautions along with you.

1. Though you must be green, yet have p. 165a care that you do not place all in colour or shew, as Hypocrites do, whose chief study and endeavour is to seem Religious and appear righteous in the eyes of others, rather than to be so in deed and truth; to have a name to live, rather than indeed to be alive to God. Our Saviour sets them out in their colours in Matth. 23.25, 27, 28. They make clean the outside of the Cup and of the Platter, and are like to Sepulchres outwardly beautiful: but within they are full of hypocrisie and iniquity. All their care is to paint their outside, their words and looks and external behaviour with the colour of piety, that they may have a resemblance of those that are Godly. Like Ezekiels hearers, Ezek. 33.31. they come and sit and hear as the people of God do, but they want sincerity and truth in the inward parts, to be what they seem. A hypocrite is but the voice and hiew, or face of a Christian, without his heart. He is in Christianity like a Parrot both for colour and speech; both look green and gay, and both can prattle and talk, but that is all. He hears Gods Word, but will not do it. He may shew much love with his mouth, but his heart goes after p. 166his Covetousness. He hath the colour, but wants the vigour of piety. He hath the form, but wants the power of Godliness. He hath the model of Religion, but not the life.

2. Joyn fatness and fruitfulness with your greenness. God hath put them all together, and you must not put them asunder. He promises all, and requires and expects all these together: And that in this order, first that you be fat in grace (and so fructifie) and then that you be green in shew, in profession and carriage. For this must follow, yea flow from the former: then your colour will be so deep and fixed as not to fade. Hypocrites begin at the wrong end; they first hang out the bush before there be any juice of the grape within. They are but like artificial Trees that are used for garnishing, which are green'd over, but have no life or sap within; or like painted posts, which stand upright, but have neither fruit nor root. If therefore you would approve your selves sincere, see that your leaves of profession issue from the sap of grace, and be accompanied with the fruits of righteousness.

3. Let not your flourish be above the rate of your fruitfulness, nor your shews p. 167exceed your substance. Look to it that you be as good and do as well as you would seem to be and do.

Use II. Be carefull ever to keep your verdure when you have once got it. Take heed you do not change colour, nor lose your gloss; which may be done several wayes, of each of which you must beware, as

1. By backsliding and departure from the wayes of God, in which you have been illightened and walked, into those sinfull courses you have formerly eschewed. This will make you like dead branches cut off, cast forth and fit only for the fire, Joh. 15.6. Jude v. 12. Here the profession is quite withered and falls off, and such corruption follows, as makes a loathsome scent in Gods nostrills. Heb. 10.38. 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22.

2. By errours in opinion, which usually darken the profession and practice too, by keeping off that light of truth which else would cast a lustre thereon, when those that have been eminent professors desert the truths they held forth, how doth their former splendour wax dim and vanish? how strangely do they look? How sadly was part of the Churches of Pergamos p. 168and Thyatira blasted with erroneous doctrines? Rev. 2.14, 15, 20.

3. By dissembling your religion, profession or practice, or by denying any divine truth you are in your judgements convinced of, or deserting any way of God, of the rightness of which you are perswaded, for fear of men; and to avoid suffering or disgrace. When men are afraid or ashamed to walk in any truths or wayes of the Gospel, because they are distasted or oppugned, or they may be questioned for it. Christ professes he will be ashamed of such (as ill-looking, for cowardliness appales and deadens the looks, taking away the freshness and vigour thereof) before his Father and all his holy Angels, at the day of his glorious appearing. Even Peter began to lose his colour, when he denyed his Master, but he soon by repentance renewed it, and made it fresh again. Those among the Rulers had not attained the right complexion of Christianity, who believed on Christ, but because of the Pharisees did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the Synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God, Joh. 12.42, 43.

p. 1694. By leaving your former fervour and forwardness, growing more dull and flat in your spirits, cool in your affections, remiss in your duties, averse to, negligent of, slight in them. Which was the case of the Church of Ephesus who left her first love, Rev. 2.4. and of Sardis who had a name that she lived, but was dead, Chap. 3.1. and of Laodicea, who was luke-warm and neither cold nor hot, v. 16. such a decay was there of spiritual life and warmth, of stirring affection and zeal for God, his truths, service and glory in those Churches, as made their colour appear faint and much faded in the eyes of God.

5. By any sin allowed or indulged, by miscarriage, uncircumspect walking, especially by falling into any gross sin. For sin, as it defiles the soul in the sight of God, so, when it is visible, it blots the good name, and soyles and stains the profession in the eyes of men. It is a foul spot and blemish to a righteous man, it discolours him and makes him look unlike himself, which made David pray so earnestly to God, after his adultery and murder, to wash him throughly, to cleanse and purge him, to create a clean heart and renew a p. 170right spirit in him, and to restore to him the joy of his Salvation, that he might recover his right complexion; that by the reviving of his grace and comfort he might look fair and fresh again.

Lusts allowed will be that to your souls which the locusts were to Aegypt, a great plague, Exod. 10.15. for as they ate up every green thing in the land, so will your lusts do in you; they will not, if you obey them, suffer you to be green and flourishing. Abstain therefore carefully from all sin, yea from the very appearance of evil.

6. By lumpish, dumpish sadness of spirit, by melancholy, heavy, dull, or too austere carriage ordinarily. Hereby a Christian looks rather black than green, or at best of a very dark and sad green, like Winter, not like spring or summer. He puts (as it were) mourning weeds upon Religion, as if to be Religious were the course to be dull, pensive, sad and never lightsome or pleasant more, and so renders it unamiable yea formidable to others, and brings up an ill report by this means of Religion and the wayes of God, which are indeed the springs of all true joy and comfort. Psal. 138.5. They shall sing in the wayes of the Lord. For those p. 171wayes are wayes of pleasantness, Prov. 3.17. The Kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17. Hence the righteous are called upon to rejoice, and that made their constant duty. Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous, Psal. 32.11. and 33.1. Phil. 3.1. Rejoyce evermore, 1 Thes. 5.16. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, rejoice, Phil. 4.4. Yea this is required of them in their tribulations, Jam. 1.2. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Matth. 5.11, 12. Blessed are ye when men shall revile and persecute you, &c. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven. 1 Pet. 4.13. Rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. When Christians are of chearful Spirits in their ordinary course, and much more if they can be joyfull in tribulation, they are very amiable, adorn their profession, and commend their Religion to those that know them, and may draw others to speak well of and embrace it. Whereas a drooping and heavy carriage will discourage them from it. Many were added to the Churches of Judaea, p. 172Samaria, and Galilee when they walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, then they were not only edified but multiplyed, Act. 9.31. Christians should not let the consolations of God be small with them, who in giving his Son hath given them matter of everlasting consolation, Job 15.11.Job 15:112 Thes. 2.16. Which should be more studied, that thankfulness might be more promoted, which is a very becoming duty, Psal. 33.1. and 147.1. Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God: for it is pleasant and praise is comely. Practise it more and you shall have more comfort: And remember, that though Grace give the Righteous their colour, yet a holy cheerfulness sets on the gloss, and makes it much more pleasant.

If then you would keep your verdure, take heed it be neither withered by apostacy, blasted by errour, appaled by cowardise, faint and fading by remisness, soyl'd and stain'd by sin, dull'd and darken'd by sadness and melancholy.

If you find your colour any whit changed or decayed, endeavour with all speed to renew it. Take Christs direction to the Churches of Asia who had lost the freshness of theirs: Remember p. 173from whence you are fallen, and repent, and do your first works, Rev. 2.5, 16. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to dye. Remember how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and be zealous, chap. 3.2, 3, 19. Green (according to some) is a colour compounded of black and red. And if you would have a good dye, and be made green again, you may, by adding to the sable of repentance or meltings of the heart into sorrow for your sin, the red of Christs blood sprinkled thereon by faith. And if you would keep your verdure when you have it, take the following course, which is excellent to prevent discolouring and to maintain the righteous in a green and flourishing state.

1. Get store of the sap of grace, and to that end use the means before prescribed for the increase thereof. Then plants flourish most, when they most abound with sap. And the more fatness of grace the branches of the good Olive have, the more will they have of the Oyle of gladness.

2. Get the life of faith: get faith increased and strengthened, and exercise it constantly and vigorously. For hereby p. 174you will abide in Christ (yea, and he who is your life will abide in you; he will dwell in your hearts by faith in whom all fullness dwells) and that's the way to be in a flourishing as well as fruitful condition,Eph. 3.17.Eph 3:17 Joh. 15.6. For from him you may be furnished with all supplyes requisite to maintain it:1 Cor. 1.30.1 Cor 1:30 as, with wisdom both for the well understanding of the mysterie of salvation, and the truths you are to profess, and for the well managing of your practice: with righteousness to justifie you in the sight of God, and instate you in his favour: with sanctification to purifie you, and make your conversation holy and without blemish in the sight of men;Isa. 45.24.Isa 45:24 with redemption to deliver you from evil, rescue you from all the enemies of your salvation, and preserve you to his heavenly Kingdom: with strength, to enable you to do and to endure all things God calls you to, Phil. 4.13. 2 Cor. 12.9. Thus may all your needs be supplyed from him who filleth all in all, or, with all things requisite, Eph. 1.23. if you live in the constant exercise of faith, whereby as you have a right to the benefits of Christ, so you shall have them conveyed into you, by which p. 175means your souls will be in a thriving state, and your conversations more amiable and comfortable. Jer. 17.7, 8. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a Tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the River, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be carefull in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Which words though relating to that temporal prosperity which those that trusted in God and not in an arm of flesh for safety should enjoy, yet are as truly applicable to that spiritual prosperity that attends the life of faith, that flourishing condition which is consequent upon believing in Christ, and stedfast relying on his promises. Faith preserves from decaying, through it you are kept unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. The more strongly you believe, the more boldly and constantly will you profess, and the more exact and chearful will your demeanour be; the faster will you hold both truth, integrity and comfort. Hence you read of the Joy of faith, Phil. 1.25. and of those who believing rejoiced with joy unspeakable p. 176and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1.8.

3. Get warmth of Love to the truths and wayes of God, zeal for his glory, fervency in his service: The greater heat of holy affections there is in a Christian, the fresher and fairer he appears to discerning eyes.

4. Get the light of Gods favour, the shine of his face, the refreshings of his presence, the irradiations or manifestations of his love. This will make your colour more lightsome, your green more bright and lively. Follow God with Davids request, Psal. 4.6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. And urge Christs promise in Joh. 14.21, 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him (and I will love him, and manifest my self to him, v. 21.) and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. Look to your love and obedience, and then look up to God and you shall be illightned. To maintain close communion with him and to beware of whatever may interrupt it, is the way to be under his cheering beams. Consider that fullness of consolation which is in him, who is called the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3.2 Cor 1:3and by the Psalmist, p. 177his exceeding joy; Psal. 43.4.Ps 43:4and that he is able to make all comfort abound towards you, yea, and that when your condition is in outward respects most uncomfortable. 2 Cor. 1.4, 5, 7. who comforteth us in all our tribulations. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation: And chap. 7.4. I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyfull in all our tribulation. Now the more comfort the Saints have, the greater is their courage and undauntedness, the more their vigour and liveliness, the more of God appears in them, and this puts a singular beauty, yea a glory upon them.

5. Get the influence of the Spirit, as he is the Spirit of truth, to lead you into all the truth that you are to hold forth in your profession and practice, to fill you with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,Col. 1.9.Col 1:9 and to enable you earnestly to contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints. As he is the spirit of Wisdom, Jude 3.Jude 1:3to direct you how to negotiate all your spiritual affairs, how to carry in all conditions p. 178and improve all occurrences for spiritual advantage, and how to walk foreign, accurately and decently (as you are required, Ephes. 5.15. Rom. 13.13.) so as your carriage may have a grace and comeliness upon it, which is call'd walking in the spirit, Gal. 5.25▪ As he is the spirit of power, to mortifie the deeds of the body, Rom. 8.13. that you may not fulfill the lusts of the flesh: To strengthen you with might in the inner man as to all cheerfull continuance in well doing,Eph. 3 16. Col. 1.11. 1 Pet. 4.14.Eph 3:16Col 1:111 Pet 4:14 so to all patience and longsuffering with joyfullness. As he is a Comforter, to make you know the things that are freely given you of God, 1 Cor. 2.12. To shed the love of God abroad in your hearts, to give you a refreshing sight, a sweet taste and relish thereof, Rom. 5.5. Ephes. 3.19. To bear witness with your spirit, that you are the children of God, and consequently heirs of God, and joynt heirs with Christ, Rom. 8.16, 17. To clear up to you your sanctification, shining into your hearts and upon the work of grace which he hath wrought there, and thereby to give you assurance of your eternal salvation. And to press out the strength vertue and p. 179sweetness of divine truths, promises, ordinances into your hearts, or enable you to suck out abundance of delight and solace from those breasts of consolations, Rom. 15.4. Isa 66.11.

6. Plead and rely on Gods promises, of putting his fear into your hearts, that you shall not depart from him, Jer. 32.40. That he will confirm you to the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1.8, 9. That you being planted in Gods house shall flourish in his Courts, Psal. 92.13. that you shall be green, v. 14. For God takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants; and cannot but delight to make them thrive and flourish. Mat. 6.30. If He so cloath the grass (with its green coat) which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the Oven: shall he not much more cloath you, O ye of little faith? This is as true of the soul as of the body; in respect of grace as of nature. Will God cloath the grass or Trees of the field with green: and will he not much more cloath the plants of his house with the verdure of his graces?

FINIS.

THE Excellency OF GRACE, In it self, and above other things which are of greatest account in the World.

BY Edward Reyner, late Minister of the Gospel in Lincoln.

LONDON, Printed, by R. W. for Henry Mortlock, at the Sign of the White Hart in Westminster-Hall. 1668.