Use. 1 Admonition for every one to search his ways, and to try his state by this rule. If thou be a fruitful tree, thou art a righteous man: if thou be given to show mercy, thou canst not be unfruitful; if thy labour be to kill sin, and to help mens souls to everlasting life, then who can deny thee to be truly merciful? In this case though the devil come roaring with grievous accusations; though he would persuade thee, that thou art an hypocrite; and they would persuade others, that thou art an arrogant proud person; yet be not dismayed at the matter. Satan saith, that thou bearest a dissembling heart; but god seeth that thou livest a sincere life. They impute thy speeches, and other behaviour, to pride and vain glory: but thine own soul knoweth that they proceed from love and unfeigned faithfulness. And let this be spoken for thy comfort, that shall never fail thee, that those which are trees of life to men, are trees of delight to God himself; and he is nothing less pleased with them, than his people ⟨p. 105⟩are benefited by them. And so the Apostle saith, they please God in all things, which are fruitful in all good works. And so doth 1Christ speak of his Church, and the members thereof in Solomons songs: My sister, my spouse, is as a garden enclosed. Thy plants 2are as an orchard of Pomegranates, with sweet fruits, as Camphire, Spikenard, and Saffron, Calamus, and Cinnamon, with all trees of Incense, Myrrh, and Aloes, with all the chief spices. But if thou be fruitless, thou art void of righteousness, and so destitute of Gods favour, and thine own safety. For unfruitful trees hath God marked out to be hewen down for fire wood. But worse are they, 3by far, and in more dangerous case, that bring forth too much fruit, but it is of the flesh, and to the flesh, works of pride, works of cruelty, cursed blasphemy and swearing, notorious riot, and unthriftiness, drunkenness, filthiness, contempt of Magistrates, contempt of Ministers, contempt of preaching, and malice against all godly Christians. Their vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the 4vines of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters be bitter. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel gall of asps.
Vse. 1 Admonition for euery one to search his wayes, and to trie his state by this rule. If thou be a fruitefull tree, thou art a righteous man: if thou be giuen to shew mercie, thou canst not be vnfruitfull; if thy labour bee to kill sinne, and to helpe mens soules to euerlasting life, then who can denie thee to bee truely mercifull? In this case though the diuell come roaring with grieuous accusations; though he would perswade thee, that thou art an hypocrite; and they would perswade others, that thou art an arrogant proud person; yet be not dismaied at the matter. Satan saith, that thou bearest a dissembling heart; but god seeth that thou liuest a sincere life. They impute thy speeches, and other behauiour, to pride and vaine glorie: but thine owne soule knoweth that they proceede from loue and vnfained faithfulnesse. And let this be spoken for thy comfort, that shall neuer faile thee, that those which are trees of life to men, are trees of delight to God himselfe; and he is nothing lesse pleased with them, than his people ⟨p. 105⟩are benefited by them. And so the Apostle saith, they please God in all things, which are fruitfull in all good workes. And so doth 1Christ speake of his Church, and the members thereof in Salomons songs: My sister, my spouse, is as a garden inclosed. Thy plants 2are as an orchard of Pomegranets, with sweete fruits, as Camphire, Spikenard, and Saffron, Calamus, and Cinamon, with all trees of Incense, Myrrhe, and Aloes, with all the chiefe spices. But if thou bee fruitlesse, thou art voide of righteousnes, and so destitute of Gods fauour, and thine owne safetie. For vnfruitfull trees hath God marked out to be hewen down for fire wood. But worse are they, 3by farre, and in more dangerous case, that bring foorth too much fruite, but it is of the flesh, and to the flesh, works of pride, works of crueltie, cursed blasphemie and swearing, notorious riot, and vnthriftines, drunkennes, filthines, contempt of Magistrates, contempt of Ministers, contempt of preaching, and malice against all godly Christians. Their vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the 4vincs of Gomorah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters be bitter. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruell gall of aspes.
- 1Col. 1. 10.
- 2Cant. 4. 12. 13. 14.
- 3Matth. 3. 10.
- 4Deut. 32. 32. 33.
