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Show 2gain can jing of the LordJ prJi{r1, and pour out the Soul in fotr pliCJtionJ, when the mediution of God is fwect unto it, when it c;.~n breathe after, delight and rcjoyccit fclf in the Lord', B'ut it is time to pafs to the other paffages ; Whm , The fi•werJ appe4r on t /,. Earth; The Fig-tru plltlet/, fortb h" grren fign The Vi11n witb tbe tntdrr gropu give a good fmeU, then is the believing Souls Winter pafl. r. '1/>t fiorom appeu on th• EJrtb. J There arc four things remarkable in f/off'trJ, which comprehend the excellencies of that creature: r. Their bwtty, z. Their fi•eet [meU. 3· Their u[eful> ffji, 4· 1heir variety. what can be meant by the Soulsf/~erJ, but either her [p.cu,or hrr comforiJ. There is a variety of gracu, an rxcreding bc4Hty in them: Gracu and comfortJ both reflect a fwret JmrU upon a gracious heart ; their ufefulnefi every gracious Soul knows, they are rhe prmcipia bene operandi, the habits of all good and holy. actions ; the roots from which all fuch actions proceed, as branchu and fruit; we all know that the appearance of the flowers is an indication. of the Spring ; the appearance of grace in the Soul is a fign her winttr it paft. In a rime of Defertim, Temptation, &c. the fio,..e;l of grace arc in rhe gracious Soul, but they.lo not appear; the root of the matter is in them, but the rBDt tends forth no fim•er,at leaf! none that appears much unto others; 'tis when the Winter if p•ft that rhe flower appear~ in the E.rth. 2. The Fig-tree putteth forth htr green {ig1, the Viuu with the tmder grapes give a good fntrU. All valuable Interpreters expound this of af11 of grace, (which we call good work!) the fruits of faith, hope, love, charity, &c. You know God of old compared his an< ient Spoufe to a Vineyard, Efoy 5• r. and iookt it !hould bring forth grape~, and it brought forth wild· grapes: what were the 'vild-grapes !he brought forth, but fin and d,fobedience? what were rhe grapu the t.ord expecred, but what the Aeoftle calls _rhe fruillnfrighteoufnrfi Hnto holim[tl And God txprclhng the wzckednefi of men, Deut. 32. 32. expreffed it under this Metaphor : Thrir Vine if 11rthe vine ofSodom, and of the field! of Gomorrab; 'l'heir grapt~ are grapr10f gall, ami their clu{lersare bitter , &• .. And Chrifl expreffing the unfrHitfitlnr{i of the Je..,,, exprdfeth tt under the parable of thr Fig-tree, to which he came three years expeCting fruit and found none. Now when the Soul is able to put furth itfelf in good works co bring forth fruits of righteoufn~fs tc· the glory of God ; then is the Summer come. Lmn ( fallh CU£ /Jit thcBarth, •flld the Fig-tree p111teth forth, &c. :19.9 our Saviour ) a ('Jrableoftbe Fig- tree,whmtbe BraHchyet trtlder if ~latth.24. 3 r. and p~<tteth forth leaves,-!" ' know the Summrr i1 11igh: But when rhe Branch IS more. contirmed and ptttteth forth fruit, you may k~ow the [ummer u com; and the Winter is fully gone. So it is wtth rhe ~oul, ·when it 1~ enabled through grace to do the wiO of God, to br.ngforth the frullt of r~ghteoufiu[!; 'tis then Snmmer with it, the· Winter is then pafl, rhe Rain is over and gone. I need add nothing_ro what I gave you as the proof of the other part of rhe Propofitto~. What. IS Summer lout a time, r. ofP/ea.Jim, 2,of Profit, 3· a time firung for the communion and converfc o f Friends. No":' what can be a time of fweernefs and pleafllre? what can be a ttme of profit and advantage? what-can be a time fitted for the Souls communion with Chrifl if that time be not when the gracuufthe SoKlappear, and when it i1able to bring forth fruit! ofholinefi and rigbteou{ite[t to the honour and glory of God> I !hall now add no more to the Doctrinal part: the fum of wh2t I have faid is reducible to rhcfe two Heads. That it is then a [ummer-time with the Church, when the Gofpel 1, Mcmb. hath a free ltbmy and paf{age, and the feveral member! of tbeChurcb p 0 o{Chrijf cannot only every ,Per{uflapart, and every family apart pray r P• to God, and Jing of hu praifet, but in the A[Jembliu of Saintuan wit~out, i~terruption and detriment meet together to prwy and fing · praife, 'In the {rf'ttteft fiatt of the Chln'ch ; tht time r~~hm jhe wiU reap the grrate{l profit of Redemption. The time "'hen {he may h•.~• mo{l.commxnion with her BelovrJ. Secondly, It it 1hen a Sxmmer-time tl'itt. the So11l D>hen the M b Gracu of Gods moft holy Sptr# moft eminently appear i~ her heart : ~~0 .em ' •n~ the frnttt •[Grace v;o{t emznmtly appear;,. itt life aNd conver- P fottoll, . Thefe lafi paffages might be applied to the Church alfo (he hath he! flowers ~lfo, 1. Some newly come up of feeds, the i~mortal and mcorrupt•ble feed of God which abiderh in rhe Soul young Converts appearing in the Earth. ' Some old ftock.f, who have flood a long rime in GodsiJarden an~ have ~rought forth flowers. year after year, who yer, in ~ Wmter ~nh t~e Church, m~y d1fappear. For as curious Florifis houfc t~e1r ch~tce.fi flowers tn pots in Wint~r; .fo God calls his people 1.n an ev.tl ttme to enter iHto their Chamber~ ( the fccret places ofhts Provtdence, ) , and hide themjelves for a little moment till tbt.Indtgnatton l!e over-p•ft. In Eliah's. time you know God had fo Qq 2 houfc• |
