N00341:165
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without…
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without delaying. Also, the exceeding danger of men's deferring their repentance. : Together with a discourse about the day of judgement. And on several other subjects. / By Increase Mather teacher of a church at Boston in N. England. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
printed by R.P. for Joseph Brunning i.e, 1686
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Fruitful Christians glorify God.Fruitful Christians glorifie God.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. They that do most good are most fruitful. Grace will prompt a man to be doing good. Hence the more grace he hath▪ the more good will he desire and endeavour to do. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is in this Chapter compared to a vine, was the most fruitful vine that ever was. Like Jotham's Vine, and like his Fig-tree▪ which had good fruit, whereby the heart of God and man was c•eered. Judg. 9.11, 13. He was always doing good, Joh. 8.24. I do always the things that please Him, Now nothing pleaseth God but that which is good. When a Christian is in some measure like Christ, that all that have occasion to converse with him, are, or may be the better for him, then he is one that bears much fruit. As (I remember) Junius says concerning that Learned and holy Ursin, that He never went to converse with him about any matter, but he was the better for it, he heard something from him that was for his edification. This is to bear much fruit. ⟨p. 103⟩When a Christian shall be very instrumental for the good of others, he is abundantly fruitful. It was said of Jehojada, that he had done good in Israel both towards God, and towards his house. 2. Chron. 24.16. So they that have done much good in their Generation, have brought forth much fruit. And the truth is, A man cannot do greater good in this world, than to promote the good of the souls of men: Therefore to be abundantly instrumental in the Conversion, and Edification […] souls, is to be very fruitful. That some take to be especially intended in the words of my Text, If you bear much fruit, h. e. by private and public endeavours for the good of immortal souls, then God will be glorified. Hence in the •6th verse of this Chapter Christ says, I have ordained you▪ that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. The fruit which the Apostles brought forth by the Sermons which they preached, and by their Writings, remains to this day unto the Edification of the Church of God.