3. A Christian brings forth kindly fruit. The godly §3man bringeth forth his fruit, Psal. 1.3. [Greek or Hebrew]. That is, he brings forth that fruit which is proper for him to bear. But what is this kindly and proper fruit? I answer, when we are good in our Callings and Relations: In a Magistrate, Justice is kindly fruit, Deut. 16.19. in a Minister, Zeal, Acts 17.•6. In a Parent, Instruction, Deut. 4.10. in a Child, Reverence, Ephes. 6.1. in a Master, good example, Gen. 18.19. Ephes. 6.9. in a servant, Obedience, 1 Pet. 2.18. in the Husband, Love, Ephes. 5.25. in the Wife, Submission, Ephes. 5.22. in a Tradesman, diligence, Exod. 20.9. in a Soldier, innocence, Luke 3.14. A tree of Gods planting brings forth [Greek or Hebrew] his fruit, that which is suitable and proper. I shall never believe him to be good, that doth not bear ⟨p. 594⟩kindly fruit; a good Christian, but a bad Master; a good Christian, but a bad Parent, doth not sound well. That Minister can no more be good which wants zeal, than that wine is good which wants spirits; that Magistrate can no more be good which wants Justice, than that Pillar is good which is not upright.* That Child can no more be good who doth not honour his Parent, than a Traitor can be said to be loyal. When Absalom did rise up in rebellion against his Father, the Mule which he rode upon (as if she were weary of carrying such a burden) resigns up her load to the great thick Oak, and there left him hanging by the head betwixt Heaven and Earth, as neither fit to ascend the one, nor worthy to tread upon the other.
3. A Christian brings forth kindly fruit. The godly §3man bringeth forth his fruit, Psal. 1.3. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. That is, he brings forth that fruit which is proper for him to bear. But what is this kindly and proper fruit? I answer, when we are good in our Callings and Relations: In a Magistrate, Justice is kindly fruit, Deut. 16.19. in a Minister, Zeal, Acts 17.•6. In a Parent, Instruction, Deut. 4.10. in a Child, Reverence, Ephes. 6.1. in a Master, good example, Gen. 18.19. Ephes. 6.9. in a servant, Obedience, 1 Pet. 2.18. in the Husband, Love, Ephes. 5.25. in the Wife, Submission, Ephes. 5.22. in a Tradesman, diligence, Exod. 20.9. in a Souldier, innocence, Luke 3.14. A tree of Gods planting brings forth 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 his fruit, that which is suitable and proper. I shall never believe him to be good, that doth not bear ⟨p. 594⟩kindly fruit; a good Christian, but a bad Master; a good Christian, but a bad Parent, doth not sound well. That Minister can no more be good which wants zeal, than that wine is good which wants spirits; that Magistrate can no more be good which wants Justice, than that Pillar is good which is not upright.* That Child can no more be good who doth not honour his Parent, than a Traitor can be said to be loyal. When Absalom did rise up in rebellion against his Father, the Mule which he rode upon (as if she were weary of carrying such a burden) resigns up her load to the great thick Oak, and there left him hanging by the head betwixt Heaven and Earth, as neither fit to ascend the one, nor worthy to tread upon the other.
- *Remota justitia, quid sunt Regna nisi magna latrocinia? Aug.
