Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

Before I go further, let me stop and observe, Here is a mirror both for saints and sinners. Sinners, stand here and consider, what you are: and saints learn ye, what on•e ye were. Ye, sinners, are branches of a degenerate stock. Fruit you may bear indeed; but now that your vine is the vine of Sodom, your grapes must, of course, be grapes of gall, Deut. xxxii. 32. The Scripture speaks of two sorts of fruit, which grow on the branches upon the natural stock: and it is plain enough, they are of the nature of their degenerate stock. (1.) The wild grapes of wickedness, Isa. v. 2. These grow in abundance by influence from hell. See Gal. v. 19, 20, 21. At their gates are all manner of these fruits, both new and old. Storms come from heaven to put them back; but they still grow. They are struck at with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God: conscience gives them many a secret blow: yet they thrive. (2) Fruit to themselves, Hos. x. 1. What else are all the unrenewed man's acts of obedience, his reformation, sober deportment, his prayers, and good works? They are all done, chiefly, for himself, not for the glory of God. These fruits are like the apples of Sodom, fair to look at, but fall to ashes, when handled and tried. Ye think ye have not only the leaves of a profession, but the fruits of a holy practice too; but, if ye be not broken off from the old stock, and ingrafted in Christ Jesus, God accepts not, nor regards your fruits.

Here I must take occasion to tell you, there are five faults will be found in heaven, with your best fruits. (1.) Their bitterness; your clusters […] bitter, Deut. xxxii. 32. There is a spirit of bitterness, where with some come before the Lord, in religious duties, living in malice and envy; and which some professors entertain against others,