When God sends rain on desolate places, they bud and spring forth. When the rain falls, the herb flourishes; where the Sun shines, the grass grows. And surely thus it is in spirituals, spiritual causes bring forth spiritual effects; if the Lord sends the rain of the word upon desolate souls, the soul receiving it will bud, and the tender herb will bring forth. Moses (Deut. 32.1, 2.) compared his Doctrine to the small rain upon the tender herb, and to the showers upon the grass. How green are the herbs after ⟨p. 215⟩rain, and the grass after showers! Herbs and grass bear witness to the bounty and goodness of God, in giving sweet showers of rain: Natural rain is seen in their looks, and so should spiritual in our lives. And if, where the rain of the word falleth, they that receive it, do not bud and blossom and bring forth fruit, the desolate wilderness will rise up in judgement against them, the waste grounds will condemn them. They will say, Lord, you sent rain upon us, and lo, here are our buds and our blossoms, yea, here's the fruit which we have brought forth. Will not this shame our barrenness? Hath the Lord divided the Water-course of the Gospel, and caused it to rain on us from day to day, and shall not we show our buds and blossoms of holiness, our fruits of faith and repentance, that he may come into his garden, and eat of his pleasant fruits! How dreadful! Shall the waste wildernesses and desolate grounds bring forth, when the rain f•lls upon them, and shall not the Church! It is not bare professing, but fruit-bearing, which honours God (John 15.8.) It is uncomely if so much as a leaf of profession withers (Psal. 1.3.) But how green soever the leaves of our profession are, yea, though they should retain their greenness under the hottest and most scorching Sun of Persecution, yet what would it advantage us, if our leaves are not accompanied with good fruits.
When God sends rain on desolate places, they bud and spring forth. When the rain falls, the herb flourishes; where the Sun shines, the grasse grows. And surely thus it is in spirituals, spiritual causes bring forth spiritual effects; if the Lord sends the rain of the word upon desolate souls, the soul receiving it will bud, and the tender herb will bring forth. Moses (Deut. 32.1, 2.) compared his Doctrine to the small rain upon the tender herb, and to the showres upon the grasse. How green are the herbs after ⟨p. 215⟩rain, and the grasse after showres! Herbs and grasse bear witness to the bounty and goodness of God, in giving sweet showres of rain: Natural rain is seen in their looks, and so should spiritual in our lives. And if, where the rain of the word falleth, they that receive it, do not bud and blossome and bring forth fruit, the desolate wilderness will rise up in judgement against them, the waste grounds will condemn them. They will say, Lord, you sent rain upon us, and lo, here are our buds and our blossomes, yea, here's the fruit which we have brought forth. Will not this shame our barrenness? Hath the Lord divided the Water-course of the Gospel, and caused it to rain on us from day to day, and shall not we shew our buds and blossomes of holiness, our fruits of faith and repentance, that he may come into his garden, and eat of his pleasant fruits! How dreadful! Shall the waste wildernesses and desolate grounds bring forth, when the rain f•lls upon them, and shall not the Church! It is not bare professing, but fruit-bearing, which honours God (John 15.8.) It is uncomely if so much as a leaf of profession withers (Psal. 1.3.) But how green soever the leaves of our profession are, yea, though they should retain their greenness under the hottest and most scorching Sun of Persecution, yet what would it advantage us, if our leaves are not accompanied with good fruits.
