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Show I!eliever1 exhorted to frttitfi•lnefr• af!'alrs of Government; but Chriftialts, trHt believ.rs generally, if they bring not forth this fruit unto God, are lefs valuable than many wicked men ; they are not ufeful as Politicianr, they em make no great lhadows, all their excellency lies in their holinefs. Be you therefore like Vines, bringing forthfr•it, much fruit, plea. fant fruit, thefweet fruit ofRighteoufnefs. 'f•h. t 5.8. Hmin ir my J'•lhtr t!.rijied,ijjoH bring forth much fr•i•;(ojhaUye be my Di{ciples. That verfe affords Chrillians two arguments lor their bringing forth much fruit. '· This i1 the "'•Y t• gkrifie God; 1he Plore frHit ofholinefi you bring forth, the more yaH gtorifie God. This is your lhewing forth the praifes of him that hath called you ; the fruit· fulnefs of the plant turns to the credit of the Gardiner. z. 'IhttrjhaU }'"be Di[ciplu; a Difciple hath his name either from learning of his Maller, or from the following or imitating of his Maller : what learn we from Chrill, if we learn not to br. Holy, and to a. bound in the fruits of Obedience? wherein do we imitate the Lord Jefus Chrill if we be not Holy as he is Holy ? This Text affords us another argument; You are Vines, Vines are plants that bring forth much fruit, you anfwer not your name if you be not fruitful ; if you be not better than your Neighbours in point of Obedience, as well as you are better as to your llate and privl· ledges: This Notion therefore may put you upon propounding that queftion to your felves, which Chrill propoundeth to his Di· fdples; Whal do 1 Joe mort than otbm l .The Vine ~rings forth more fruit than any other plants: what frutts of Obcdtence to the will of God, are feen more in my life than in the lives of others? 3• This Notion of a Vine prompts you to diffufivmefi. No plan~ more fpreadcrh than the Vine doth, none runs further and grows faller. It fpeaks to you, 1. For agroll'th in grace; you know it is the Apollles precept, Grorr> iH Gract, and in tb.e Knoll'ltdg of ortr Lml Jtjus Cbrift. God hath promifed: that his peopte lhould grow like Ced~rr in Lebanm, and like the Calver in the ftaU; we do not underltand the growth of the Cedar, becaufe we have not thofe trees among!\ us; but Calver grow a-pace, and ViMtl grow a. pace, this we know; and (urely if we be Vines, we fbould grow like Vines. 2. And it calls to you for a diffufl~ene(sofGrace; the Vine diffufeth it felf upon whatfoever is next to it. Gra~e lboul~ be like the Oil on Aarons bead, which ran down t~ tbt sktrts of b11 rrmtHI. LaRly, Lafily, And with that llhall conclude. It"calls to yo11 for p•t~e~ct 11nder •fflillion, ~·joicing in ajjliai•"• and an improvemmt of •Jflil1•ons. I before hmted to you , that afBictions are Gods pr.uning· ?ooks : the end of our pruning our Vines Is, that they mrght bnng forth more fruit, and experience te11eth us, that If · they be not pruned they will bring forth little or no fruit. This Is Gods end. He purgeth them (faith Chrill ) that they may bring forth more /rHit, we are c:hallifed for our good : and this may let us fee how afBictions, though they are fenllble forrows, yet are jull caufes of inward and fpiritual joy, becaufe by them we are purged; therefore judged that we might not be condemned with the world, but made partakers of his Holinefs: and this alfo mindeth us to lay out our felves, in the im.provement uf our a!Hictions ; you fee your Vines well pruned bring forth more fruit. Say to your Souls, the Lord pruned me )all year, by taking away a dear relation, by a long or lharp Trial of afB'ction. I pruned my Vine, and I fee this year, that is the better for it , that is this year more load'cn with fruit. God pruned me who am his Vine; am I any thing the better for it? what fruit am I more loaden with? Give me leave to tell you as the pruning of your Vines, either improves or killeth them; fo Gods prunings of you will iffue, either in life or death: you will be better or worfe after Gods pruning~. ' Cant. • .I ' |
