THe Yeare the Circle of time is ſo intorteled, as that Annus is become Annulus, for one day telleth another, and one night certifieth another, that all things are in a Conſumption, and time that conſumeth all things, is it ſelfe conſumed. In the Generall diſtinction of Seaſons, (Salomon the Prince of Preachers) accommodated a time, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an oportune time to euery thing, and among the reſt, a time to plant, and a time to plucke vp that which is planted. Nyſſenus followeth the Allegorie, God our father is the husbandman, Wee are his husbandry, the Soule is the ground, the Seede is the word. The Preachers do plant, Baptiſme doth water, the Spirit is the Winde, Repentance is the Dewe, and Chriſt the Sunne of righteouſneſſe is the Sunne, and as in Nature, ſo in Grace, there is a Winter and Summer, a fall and Spring, a time of planting and a time of ſupplanting: At that ſeaſon of the yeare, I haue already handled the Fall of the Leafe, At Richmond October. 1 1608. as I doubt not but this high and Honourable preſence doe remember, and therefore now I haue choſen out a Text fit for this ſeaſon the opening of the yeare, the flouring of the figge tree, the blooming of the Lilly, the budding of fruit, the flouriſhing of Flowers, and the reſurrection of all thoſe buried hearbes, whoſe honour lay in the duſt, vntill the Spring had againe apparrelled the earth with various and glorious ornaments. It was the ſpringing voyce of the ſpring, (who was Oriens eximo, Cant. 3. Oriens ex alto) in the Canticles: Ariſe my loue, my faire one, and come away, for behold Winter is paſt, the raine is gone away, the flowers appeare in the earth, the time of the ſinging of birdes is come, the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our land, the Figge tree hath brought foorth her young ſigges, and the vines with their ſmall grapes haue caſt a ſauour: Ariſe my Doue, my Loue, my faire one, and come away.Pliny S • linus. The voyce of the Turtle as the Naturaliſt obſerueth, is a mourning voyce, Turtur non canit ſed gemit; The Turtle ſingeth not, but mourneth, Quid per turturem niſi Eccleſia, quid per terram ſponſi, niſi vitailla beata deſignatur? Greg. mag. in Cantica. What is meant by the Doue but the voice of the Church, what by the land of the Spouſe, but the life of the bleſſed? (ſayth Gregory): we haue already heard the loud voyce of Iohn, the voyce of the beloued Ieſus, the moning voyce of the Church, the mourning voice of the Turtle, & I hope the crying voyce of Iohn hath begot the weeping voyce of the Church in you, that ſo hauing beene planted and watered, now Gods graces in you may bee increaſed, and you may bring forth fruit worthy amendment of life.

Man was once placed in Paradiſe, now Paradiſe is placed in man, Praedeſtination, Vocation, Iuſtification, Glorification, bee the foure Riuers of Paradiſe: the vnderſtanding is the tree of knowledge, Beliefe the tree of life: In the fall after the Creation, there was an Angell with a flaming ſword ſet to keepe out man; now there is an Angell, ſet in man to keepe out Sathan, the Angell is Chriſt, & the ſword the worde, and the adminiſtration of the word: hee vſeth this ſword, ſometimes as a pruning knife, as in the Canticles; ſometimes an axe, as in Mathew, Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit ſhall bee hewen downe and caſt into the fire. Math. 3.10.

It was the Proclamation of Ieremie, O Earth, Earth, Earth, heare the voyce of the Lord: I may ioyne my Text with that Proclamation: and as Ezechiel was ſent to Preach to drie bones,Ier. 31. and Iohn Baptiſt to the drie deſart, and Ieremy to the drie earth, ſo may I ſay to the drie, empty, bare, barren deſart, deſolate hearts of vnfruitfull hearers, O earth, earth, earth, bring foorth fruites worthy amendment of life. Iohn Baptiſt here ſeeth the Phariſies heape together to heare him, and knowing that they came hypocritically onely to heare, hee requireth that they alſo belieue, and beleeuing profeſſe, and profeſſing practiſe, and ſo bring foorth fruit worthy amendment of life.

Be not dead or withered, or barren or hardened, for that is feareful and acurſed, but bring forth, not buddes nor bloſſomes, nor flowres nor flouriſhes, for theſe may be fained, but bring forth fruits, not the fruits of the world, they be but fancyes, or the fruits of the fleſh, they bee but folly, not the fruit of honour, it is but pompous folly, not the fruit of ſtrength, it is glorious vanity, not the fruites of pleaſures, they bee voluptuous ſenſuality, not the fruit of riches, they are immanent inconſtancy, not the fruits of long life, it is but tranſient mutability.

Worthy fruites, worthy not of earthly prayſe or of worldly prize, but that high hopefull, holy, liuely, happy, heauenly calling of amendment of life; Bring forth fruites worthy amendment of life.

Firſt a Production, bring forth, ſecond, a Fructification, fruit,Diuiſion. third, the fruites perfection, fruit worthy amendment. The firſt againſt barrenneſſe, the ſecond againſt weakeneſſe, the third againſt Phariſaicall Fainedneſſe. The firſt common to all Creatures, to bring forth, the ſecond proper to the beſt Creatures, to bring forth fruit, the third moſt proper, and onely proper to the beſt Chriſtians, fruit worthy amendment of life.

It is truely obſerued that the Spirituall Regeneration of the Soule is ſhadowed in the firſt creation of the worlde: The Chaos in Praedeſtination,1. Part. the ſeparating of light from darkeneſſe in Vocation, the creating of the Soule in Iuſtification, the framing of Adam in Glorification: In the firſt, there is the depth of Gods foreknowledge, a darke forme that cannot bee diſcerned. In the ſecond, Knowledge is ſeparated from ignorance, the light from darkeneſſe. In the third, the bright beames of Grace ſhine in the heart the Sun is created: In the fourth the image of God is plac't in the Paradiſe of immortall ioy, onely,Auſten. this is the difference at the firſt, God placed Adam in Paradiſe before hee did appoint him to worke, but now he appointeth him to worke before he placed him in Paradiſe. For when God had made a Paradiſe vpon earth, he tooke the man and put him into it, to digge it and keepe it, not enioyning him to beſtow any bodily labour in dreſſing it at that time, for that was his future puniſhment, but as Ambroſe obſerueth, Quia primus homo lex poſteritatis futurus erat, Ambroſe. legitimi etiam in Paradiſo ſpeciem labor is ſuſcepit: Becauſe the firſt man was to be a liuing law to poſteritie, therefore euen in Paradiſe hee tooke a ſhew of labour. A labour and no labour, hee had the pleaſure of labour, but not the labour of pleaſure, Paradiſe was his Pallace, all the world his Demaines, the creatures his Subiectes,, the Angels his ſeruants.

And he dreſſed and kept Paradiſe, as Ambroſe obſerueth onely by keeping thoſe good graces which God had giuen him, and encreaſing them continually: for O Ecumenius addeth this reaſon, that the graces of God,O ecumenius. as the flowers of a garden muſt not onely bee kept, but alſo be dreſſed, that they may haue not onely a beeing, but an abounding, becauſe a man may haue great good things beeing in him, and yet be himſelfe a Garden, that is kept indeed, but not dreſſed, and ſo bee altogether vnfruitfull: for though S. Bernards poſition in ſome things bee true,Bernard. Praeſtat eſse Concham quam canalem, it is better to bee a Ceſterne then a ſluſe (and yet hereby many offend in retiring their labours, as wel as others in obtruding them) yet in Chriſtianity, Prestat eſſe Canalem quam Concham: It is better to bee a ſluſe then a Ceſterne, for that light is no light that is not ſeene before men, that knowledge is no knowledge that is not imparted, that wiſedome is no wiſedome that is not diſcerned: that faith is bare faith which is not exerciſed, that ſeed is barren ſeed that is not fructified, for vnleſſe Chriſtians bring forth, they are idle and vnfruitfull in the knowledge of Chriſt. Apelles could make Artificiall Grapes, Archimides an Artificial flying Doue, the Alchimiſt of making artificiall men, but all their birthes be abortiue.

When God had ordained a Church at the firſt, this was his appointment, that ſhee ſhould fructifie and bring forth, and therefore ordered her that ſhee ſhould bee euer encreaſed by her owne afflictions, perfited by her perſecutions, erected by her owne dilapidations,Hilar lib. 4. de Trinit. by her owne teares her thirſt ſhould bee quenched, by her faſting ſhee ſhould be refreſhed, and by the bloud of her Martyrs, her vineyeard ſhould bee watered. In the former time of his Church, hee watered her with the bloud of beaſtes, but in the latter time by the bloud of men, making white Lillies to become red roſes: and then hee promiſed to make ſinners that were as red as ſcarlet as white as ſnow; now hee hath made ſome ſeruants that were white as ſnow, to bee by Martyrdome red as ſcarlet, and in the time of loue hath required more ſacrifices then in the time of the law hee had ſacrificed beaſts, becauſe as Saint Ierome obſerueth in his Epiſtle ad Heliodorum, that for euery day of the yeare, euen in his time,Jerom. ad Helio there were fiue thouſand Martyres which had ſhed their bloud for the truth; hee that watered his Vineyearde plentifully with the ſpringes of Caleb, ſprings beneath, the ſpringes of the bloud of the Saints; and ſpringes aboue, the moſt pure and pretious ſprings of the bloud of his Sonne: how doth hee expect that this vineyeard ſhould bring foorth fruit in due ſeaſon, and as Eſay ſpeaketh, how hath hee hedged, and gathered out the ſtones of it, and planted it with the beſt plants,Iſai. 5.2. and built a towre in the midſt thereof and made a Wine-preſſe therein, and looked that it ſhould bring forth. When hee made the world, he bad that the earth ſhould bring forth; and when hee made the waters, let the waters bring forth: and ſo to the Fowles,Gen. 1. and to the Fiſhes, ſhes, and to the creeping things, and to the growing things, and laſt of all, to man; Bring forth: hee brought foorth all things, that all thinges might bring forth to man, and therefore expecteth that man ſhould bring forth to him; and as in the former birth he hath taken care to bring forth to vs, So in the latter and better birth he hath vouchſafed to bring vs forth, for God is our Father, the Church his Spouſe our mother to conceiue vs his word the ſeede the meanes to beget vs:1. Pet. 1.3. Gal. 4.26. his ſpirite the ſoule and life to quicken vs:1. Pet. 1.23. Epheſ. 2.5. his Miniſters the Nurſes to feede vs,1. Theſ. 2.7. his Goſpell the milke to nouriſh vs,1. Pet. 2.2. that ſo wee may increaſe and grow, & bee able our ſelues to bring forth.

The Doctrine is, that God cannot endure that any of his ſeruants be barren in Chriſtianity: Barrenneſſe was a reproach among the Iewes,Doctrine. much more among the Gentiles: it was a naturall reproach in the Law, but a more ſpirituall reproach in the Goſpell

Plato obſerued,Plato. Pieran Hierog. and Pierius in his Hierogliphics, that a man is Arbor inue • ſa, a tree turned vpward, his hayre of the head the roote, his armes the branches, and ſo of the reſt; and therefore in Scripture, the godly are called trees of righteouſneſſe, and fruitfull branches,Eſ. 61.3. the Vinetree of the Lord: The trees in Gods Orchard,Ioh. 15.2. as one well obſerueth,Eſa. 61.3. are eyther Palmes or Cedars: The Palms beare fruit from their firſt growth: the Cedars though they bud long before they beare fruit, yet bring forth beautifull fruit: That which Saint Auſten in his 44. Homily de Sanctis obſerueth of Mary and Elizabeth, may I obſerue of the Palme and Cedar; De ſterili ſeruus, de virgine dominus, de ſterili vox de virgine verbum, Auſten. Hom. de Sanct. 44 the ſeruant Iohn Baptiſt was borne of a barren woman: IESVS the Sauiour of a Virgine, the voice by a barren woman, the word by a Virgine: Mary was as a Palme, Elizabeth as a Cedar. Neuer ſuch a Palme, but many ſuch Cedars; Sara barren, and yet the mother of Iſaack, Rebecca barren, yet the mother of Iacob, Rachei barren, yet the mother of Beniamin: Manoa barren, yet the mother of Sampſon: Hanna barren, yet the mother of Samuel, Elizabeth barren, yet the mother of Iohn Baptiſt, the Father of my Text

More bleſſed are theſe barren then they that had many children. Iſaack the Heyre apparant of the Promiſe, Iacob the Supplanter, little Beniamin the Patriarch, Sampſon the ſtrong, Samuel the Seer, Iohn Baptiſt a Prophet, and more then a Prophet: all of them moſt Honourable in their generation, the ſeed of the barren, and yet many of them were ſent to ſow the barren world; yea, and out of the ſeede of the barren, Iſaacks ſeede became as the ſtarres of Heauen, or the ſand of the Sea, and all Nations of the earth were bleſſed in his ſeed.

The Eagles Embleme is ſublimius to flye loftier, euen to behold the Sunne, as Plinie noteth, the Sunnes Embleme is celerius ſwifter,Ald. Emb. Sotinus. Pſal. 19. the Gyant refreſhed to runne his courſe as Dauid ſpeaketh. The Wheate in the Goſpell hath this Embleme, perfectius riper; Firſt the Blade, then the eare, then full corne. Ezechiels Emblem is profundius, deeper firſt to the ancles,Marke 4.28. then to the knees,Ezec. 47.4. then to the thighs:Luke 14.10. Chriſtes Emblem was Superius, ſit vp higher: Carolus Quintus Embleme was vlierius, Goe on further, the woman with child, hath this Embleme, plenius fuller, vntill ſhe bring forth: and ſo ought euery Chriſtian that is not drie and hardened and barren, and withered, to mount loftier with the Eagle, to runne ſwifter with the Sunne, to grow riper with the Wheate, to wade deeper with Ezechiel, to ſit vp higher with the Gueſt, to paſſe on further with the Emperour, to waxe fuller with the Woman, that ſo they may bring foorth fruite in due ſeaſon. Many are long in bringing forth fruit, they are as long barren as any.

The world hath expected Elephantinum Partum, and yet when it hath beene brought forth,Horatius. Parturiunt montes; naſcetur ridiculus mus, The beſt deede that euer they did, was that they died, and ſo the world was rid of ſuch drie, empty, windy, bare, barren, dead, withered, hardened Tenants, who neuer did good, or had any mind of goodneſſe.

The Spouſe in the Canticles is moued to come away, for the Figge-tree ſayeth Chriſt hath brought forth her young figges: neuer did any tree bring forth better fruites then the Figge-tree, and neuer did any tree bring forth worſe fruits then the Fig-tree. The good fruit was Zacheus, who climbed into a tree, that from a tree he might behold Chriſt, who was to ſuffer on a tree, for mans ſaluation, this fig-tree bare moſt pretious fruite, euen ſuch as Chriſt himſelfe vouchſafed to plucke, a happy tree that bare ſuch precious fruite as Zacheus was, but thriſe happy Zacheus, that ſo happily climbed on that happy tree: the tree brought forth Zacheus, Zacheus brought forth a confeſſion, the tree ſuch fruit, that fruit ſuch faith, that Chriſt profeſſed, this day is Saluation come vnto this houſe,Luke. 19.9. foraſmuch as he is alſo becomme a Sonne of Abraham. Hee that could haue rayſed out of the ſtones ſonnes to Abraham, hath raiſed out of a wild figge-tree a ſonne vnto Abraham: heere was the good fruit of the Figge-tree. For the bad fruit, the Rabbins affirm that the tree in Paradiſe from which Adam, & Eue tooke the forbidden fruit was a figge tree: and many hold that the tree that Iudas hanged himſelfe on was a fig tree, as Iuuencus the Poet teſtifieth; Exorſuſ que ſuas Laqueo ſibi ſumere poenas, Informem rapuit ficus de vertice mortem.

And to theſe wee may ioyne, that God curſed no tree but the figge tree.Mald. in. 27. Math. It was an inhumane ſpeech of Timon, when hee ſaw a woman hanging on a figge-tree that had hanged her ſelfe, he wiſht that all trees might beare ſuch fruit: it had beene a ſpeech ſauouring of humanity to haue ſaid as Chriſt ſaid of the figge-tree, neuer ſuch fruit grow on thee more.

The vſe of the Doctrine is to moue vs that wee bee not vnfruitfull in the worke of the Lord:The Vſe. hath God ſo cared for vs and planted and watered, and dreſſed, and hedged vs in: The word, the ſeed ſo oft falling: Chriſt the ſon of righteouſneſſe ſo oft ſhining, the dew of Heauen, Manna, ſo oft ſhedding, the holy ſpirite the winde ſo often blowing, and yet ſhall wee remaine dead, drie, barren, hardned, withered and accurſed Trunkes? In the Goſpell of Luke you may obſerue the Parable of the figge tree in the Vineyeard,Luke 13.6. which did not bring foorth; hee came and ſought fruit and found none, then ſaid behold this three yeares haue I come and ſought fruit of this figge-tree, and finde none; cut it downe why keepeth it the ground barren?

I know that ſome of the Fathers interprete it onely of the Synagogue of the Iewes, and ſo that the three yeares wherein Chriſt expected fruit,Greg. Hom. 31 in Euang. were the three times 1. before the Law, 2. in the Law, 3. after the Lawe, as Gregory on the 31. Homily on the Goſpell,Ambr. in Luk. 13. or the three Lawes, the firſt Naturall, the ſecond written by Moſes, the third Euangelicall by Chriſt, as Ambroſe vpon the 13. of Luke, or the three gouernements of the Iewes, the firſt vnder the High Prieſts,Theoph. in La. can. Atb. q. 16 the ſecond vnder Iudges, the third vnder Kings as Euth • mias on that Goſpel obſerueth, But Theophilact and Athanaſius and Saint Baſil doe expound it more largely,Baſil. Br. in Jſ. 5. to ſignifie the three ages of Men, Childhood, youth, and old age, and that the Lord doth look & expect fruit in euery one of theſe yeares, in euery one of theſe States, & when hee hath expected againe and againe, then hee proceedeth to that fearefull ſentence: Cut it down why keepeth it the ground barren.

It was the 21. of March this preſent Moneth as Maldonat on the Goſpell obſerueth,Maldonat. that Chriſt the way ſeeing a figge tree in the way, he came to it and found nothing thereon, and then ſaid, neuer fruit grow on thee henceforth. Chriſt the way is yet in the way,Mat. 21.19. he knoweth your ſitting downe and your riſing vppe, hee vnderſtandeth your thoughtes, for hee is about your pathes, and about your beds, Pſal. 139.1 and ſpieth out all your wayes, and wordes and works and thoughts. If he ſhould come as he hath often come, and find no fruits in many of vs, O how terrible would that ſentence be. Neuer beare henceforth; Neuer? no Neuer, neither in this world, nor in the world to come, Neuer to bring foorth any more, Reape ye ſhal, but bring forth ye ſhall not; but yee ſhall reape the fruit of iudgement, of puniſhment: other fruit neuer bring foorth ſinne henceforth: Neuer any more, deade trees cut off from the land of the liuing, deade branches cut off from the tree of life. It was a lamentable complaint that the mother of Tobias made for her ſonne Thou light of our eyes, ſtaffe of our age, comfort of our life, hope of our poſterity, al the ioy that we had was in thee, & haue we forſaken thee? But it will be a more lamentable ſorrow when the wicked ſhall find they haue forſaken all the hope and ioy & comfort and light and happines of him: But I come to the 2. part.

Not buds or bloſſoms or flowres,2. Part. or flouriſhes but fruites: GOD doth not ſo much reſpect Adiectiues as Aduerbes as the Canoniſt teacheth, and God doth not loue Flowers,Canoniſts. ſo much as fruit, as my Text proueth. The Spouſe in the Canticles had Roſes & Lillies, but (except that one Roſe of the fielde, and one Lillie of the Valley) ſhee prayſeth the Pomegranates and Vines, Figs and Grapes, and Oliues and Camphire, and Spikenard, and Cynamon and Saffron, and Incenſe and Aloes. Shee had her flouriſhing Garden of Lillies, but ſhee had alſo her fruitfull Garden of nuts, and Apples and Pomegranates. In all the Scripture I read but of one Flowre that is prayſed, and that Roſe from the roote of Ieſſe, ſprung in the Vallyes,Cant. 2.2. and grew among thornes, and flouriſhed in the Winter, and withered in the Spring, and was the moſt fragrant flower that euer grew. It was the Lilly among Thornes: A flower not eaſily to bee gathered: for we muſt vndergo much labour and ſmart if wee will enioy it: the Head thereof is crowned with Thornes, the Heart is pierced with a Speare.Anſten. the hands and feete ſtrucke through with Nailes: It is a Lilly among thorns. From the flowre we haue receiued fruit, and to this Flower we conſecrate all our fruit, not leaues of good profeſſion, not bloſſomes of good purpoſes, nor branches of great ſemblances, but fruit, for as of falſe prophets, ſo of true profeſſors, Chriſt hath ſpoken, Ex fructibus eorum cognoſcetis eos, yee ſhall know them by their fruites.

There may be trees without branches, and branches without fruites, but branches growing without a tree are more ſtrange. Chriſt came into the world to find fruite, and when he came to Icruſalem, the Iewes preſented him with branches, and cryed Hoſanna, but the branches had no fruites, for they ſoone ſhewed how vainely, variable the opinions of men are conſtant only in inconſtancy, perſiſting in nothing, but in change, for they who had cryed Hoſanna in the higheſt, doe ſhortly after cry let him be crucified,Bernard. they who ſaluted him for their King, doe preſently proteſt they haue no King but Caeſar: they who met him with Oliue brāches, do preſently after preſent him with ſwords and ſtaues, they who ſpread their garments before him, doe after deſpoile him of his garmentes, they who adore him for the Sonne of God, after preferre Barrabas an Aſſacinate before him. Theſe were branches deceiuing, ſtealing, fading, flattering, fawning, vaniſhing branches: teaching for euer thoſe that haue ſuch branches carried before them, to contemne the baſe and mutable breath of that Monſter the multitude, neuer coueting their iudgement, neuer truſting their affection, neuer beleeuing their opinion, but as the body remaineth one, although the ſhadow bee at one time long, at another time ſhort; ſo the Soule retaine the ſame conſtancy both in the ſweet gale of the applauſe of men, and in the bitter blaſts of their opprobrious outrage, let the ſtorme root vp ſhrubbes but not Cedars, let the winde toſſe chaffe but not wheate, and let vaine, eyther honour or infamy moue no man, who is not eyther light or weak; let no noble ſpirit bee ſeruile in caring for the prayſe, or fearing the vniuſt diſprayſe of vulgar ſhallow braines, if they be put vpon him, let him reſiſt the one with modeſty, vndergoe the other with grauity, neuer being ſo carefull what the world will ſay of him, as what God wil ſay to him, when the world ſhall bee at an end: for the prayſes of the world be but branches.

I haue ſtaide too long on theſe fruitleſſe branches, yet I hope you haue receiued ſome fruit in knowing them to be fruitleſſe.

God regardeth not the tree without branches, and yet not the branches without fruit: he hath planted a Vine in euery one, the branches of this Vine are the faculties of the Soule, they muſt bring forth flowers vnto him, namely good Deſires, they muſt bring forth fruit vnto him,Ariſt. euen good works; the tongue to prayſe him, the feet to follow him, the eares to heare him, the hands to bee lifted vp to him, the knees to bee bowed to him, the eyes to be bedewed to him, the vnderſtanding alwayes to contemplate on him, the memory alwayes to remember him, the wil to delight in him, the deſire to affect him, the ſoule to be enflamed and enfolded in the flames of his loue.

Iohn Baptiſt ſpake to the Phariſies, who were moſt glorious in flouriſhes but wanted fruits; O that hypocriſie had ended in them, and not deſcended to our times. It was a hereditary diſeaſe to the Phariſies, it is no leſſe to vs, they had the voyce of Iacob, but the hands of Eſau, feathers of the Eagle, but the wings of the Oſtrich, they had the habite of ſheepe, but the diſpoſition of Wolues,Plut. I. ac. Apo. like the Muſitians that Diogenes taxed, they had care of tuning their inſtruments, not their minds, like vnto Copper which had colorem, non valorem auri, like Great peeces of Ordinance in the time of Peace, they had the faſhion but lacked their charge. They were the Maſters, the Players, the Painters, the Tyremongers, the Viſard-makers of their time, they were the Images, Semblances, Pictures, Statues, Shadowes & Sepulchres of their times, empty clouds, windy Pipes, voide Tentes, tinckling Cymbals, drie Ceſterns of their time. They beare flowers but not fruites.

The Spouſe in the Canticles inuiteth her welbeloued not onely to come to her garden,Cant. 4.16. but alſo to come and eate of the fruites.Pſal. 102. The Angels in heauen, not onely ſung the prayſes of God, but alſo doe the will, the will of God.Reucl. 1. The bleſſing in the Reuelation, is not onely made to thoſe that reade and heare, but to thoſe that keepe the words of that Booke. S. Iohn commaundeth to loue, not only in word and in tongue,1. Ioh. 3. but alſo in deede and in truth.

The Doctrine, That the true Profeſſors of the true faith are diſcerned by their liuely and effectuall workes. Exfructibus corum is the Note, mark,Doctrine • meaſure, and Cubite of the Sanctuarie for the good and bad. The high Prieſts garment had Pomegranates as well as Bels: The Sieling of the Temple had Palmes as well as Chaines; The Cherubims had Wings as well as Feete; The fountaines of Lebanon had Pitchers as well as Ceſternes; The Spouſe had Vines as well as Lillies, and her Pomegranates had Fruites as well as Flower, and faith muſt haue a Nature as well as a Name, we can neuer diuide luſtre from this Diamond, light from this Sunne, life from this Soule, heat from this Fire, flowing from this Sea. The true ſeruants of God may bee found with Abraham walking, with Dauid running, with Iacob wreſtling, with Paul following, with the wiſe Virgins watching, the good Seruants working, with the good Tree bearing fruites.

The conflict betweene vs and our aduerſaries about Faith and fruites hath beene much, they in to much aduancing them, ſome of vs too much extenuating them, they ſo earneſt for fruites, that little leſſe then blaſphemouſly they affirme that they deſerue Saluation: We ſo negligent in fruites, that to doe a good worke, we think it ſuperſtition, they ſo much hanging on the branches, wee ſo much rooting at the roote, as if wee would ſue out a diuorce betweene Faith and Fruites, neither of vs looking to the moiſture of the roote or branches. When we ſee good works, we muſt acknowledge them to bee fruites,Auſten. and fruites, that wee muſt beare vpon paine of damnation, and yet to bee but fruites: we muſt ſeeke out the root of them, and when wee haue the roote, we muſt haue regard to the moiſture and iuyce whereby it is nouriſhed: for as the fruites of the earth grow from the roote, and that roote liueth and hath vegetation, not by it ſelfe, but is fedde and preſerued by the fatneſſe of the ſoile, warmth of the Sunne, and benefite of the ayre vnder which it ſtandeth: ſo good works grow from faith, and that faith liueth in the obiect; the merites and obedience of Ieſus Chriſt, feeding and ſtrengthing it ſelfe, by the ſweet influence and ſappe of thoſe diuine dewes of Mediation, that in him wee liue, in him we grow, in him wee are grafted, in him wee flouriſh, in him we fructifie: for without him, though wee ſhould wiſh to be as righteous as Noah, as obedient as Abraham, as holy as Iob, as faithfull as Dauid, as deuout as Daniel, as zealous as Elias, as cleare as the Sun, or pure as the ſtarres, yet our fruits were not acceptable, nay not tollerable in his ſight, hauing no opinion of our own wiſedom, no hope in our own works, nor wiſedome in our power.

The vſe of this Doctrine is to contemn the folly of thoſe that thinke that a bare and barren Faith will ſerue without any fruites or effect:Doctrine. eyther the froſt of deuotion, or the feare of the hate of ſuperſtition, or the wind of contention hath blowne away our fruits.Ientilet. It was an obſeruation of Ientilet vpon the Monks of his time, that their Faſts were very fat, and their prayers very leane: I cannot ſay ſo of our Faith that it is fat, but I am ſure our fruits are very leane, like to Pharaohs withered thinne blaſted cares, that it is a wonder that the leane, ſtarued carkaſſe of faith hath ſo long continued.

Luther gaue a good note to this purpoſe,Luther. that faith ought pingueſcere operibus, to waxe fat with fruites; but alas fruites bee as leane as faith. In times paſt ſaith wrought miracles, and remoued mountains, ſo may it yet, if it were true, for our ſinnes that are as mountaines, would be remoued as farre as the Eaſt is from the weſt, but faith hath wrought a more prodigious wonder, like the leane Kine that deuoured the fatte Kine; our bare profeſſion of faith hath eaten vppe the rich Almes and fruites, and works, and deedes of mercy.

A miſery it is to ſee, that there bee no fruites to bee gathered, but onely the fruits of ſinne, and that whereas vertue and goodneſſe can take no roote, ſinne beginneth in the buddes of infirmity, and by little and little ſtealeth to the fruits of negligence, and being increaſed and watered by cuſtome, it groweth to be the ſtout tree of contempt, which will rather breake then bend to any inſtruction. Surely beloued, this is not the cauſe why God hath ſo planted and watered, and kept and dreſſed his Vineyeard: theſe bee not the rootes, the plantes, the branches, the ſprigges, the buds, the bloſſoms, the flouriſhes, the field: fruits worthy amendment of life, And ſo I come to the laſt part.

Not branches, for the Iewes bare branches,Part. 3. yet were accurſed, not flowers for the flower periſheth, and the grace thereof withereth: not leaues for the figge-tree had leaues and yet was not bleſſed; not fruit for the Phariſies bare fruit, and yet that fruit was deſpiſed: their fruit was like to that fruit which groweth where Sodome and Gomorrah ſtood,Ioſephus. faire and beautifull to the eye, but being touched they diſſolue to a ſulphurous and vaporus fume, more odious to the ſmell, then they were pleaſant to the ſight. S. Iohn therefore maketh difference betweene fruites, fruites worthy of amendment of life; in other things there is a differēce as alſo in fruits,I er. 1.7. there is a pure and freſh Doctrine;Math. 16 6. there is a ſowre and leauened doctrine;Mat. 9.7 there is a new wine of the Goſpell; and there is a mixt wine of Babylon: Reu. 17.4. there are wholeſome words:2. Tim. 1.13. There are vnwholeſome words: there is a Doctrine of God,Eph. 4.29. there is a Doctrine of Diuels:Ioh. 7.16. and there is a guiding word,1. Tim. 4.1. and a fretting word:Gal. 5.22 fruites of the fleſh, and fruites of the ſpirit: worthy and vnworthy fruites. Leſbian vines be more honored by Ariſtole then the vines of Rhodes: for vnder that Parable hee alludeth to ſucceſſiō of his ſchoole, choſing rather Theophraſtus born at Leſbos, then Menedemus born at Rhodes: Aul. Gel. N • ct. Att lib. 13.5. there was ſome compariſon betweene them, for they were both good. But theſe fruites that I ſpeake of, bee as contrary as light and darkeneſſe, the Northerne and Southerne Poles not ſo Diametrally oppoſed the one againſt the other, as theſe fruites of the fleſh and Spirit: Nor the compariſon of Tares eating vp the Wheate, Eagles feathers conſuming all other feathers; Moſes Serpentes deuouring the Enchanters, and Arke demoliſhing Dagon.

There are all kinds of fruit, & all colours of fruit in euill, the greene fruites of vnperfectneſſe, the yellow fruit of Gall and bitterneſſe, the redde fruit of blood and cruelneſſe, the tawny and Morian fruite of ſinful deformedneſſe, the Skie colour changeable fruit of vnſtaiedneſſe, the Leopard ſpotted fruit of vnholines, the bluſh colour fruit of prophaneſſe, and the redde colour fruit of drunkenneſſe, the pale colour fruit of vncleanneſſe, the flame colour truit of blaſphemous wickedneſſe, they haue many colours, by the which they may bee knowen, yet but onely one taſte; They are for the moſt part bitter ſweete, bad trees and bad fruite, Concupiſcence is the roote, Conſent the trunke, Bad deſires the braunches, Lewde words the buds, Vile actions the flowers, Lewde cuſtomes the fruites, Sathan did plant, Suggeſtion did water, Continuance in ſinnne doth increaſe them, Neceſsitie in ſinne doth ripen them, Iudgement doth gather them, and Hell doth burne them: Becauſe they bee not fruites worthy amendement of life.

That you may know them both, in the fifth to the Gallat. 22. you may take a ſuruey of them both; The fruites of the fleſh are Adulterie, Fornication, Vncleanneſſe, Gal. 5.21. Wantonneſſe, Idolatrie, Witchcraft, Hatred, Debate, Emulation, Wrath, Contentions, Seditions, Hereſies, Enuie, Murthers, Drunkenneſſe, Gluttonie, and ſuch like. The fruites of the ſpirit are Loue, Peace, Long ſuffering, Gentleneſſe, Goodneſſe, Faith, Meekeneſſe, Temperance.

The forbidden fruit of Paradiſe proued accurſed, but the fruit of that fruit more accurſed, ſo the fruits of the fleſh bee moſt hatefull and fearefull, but the fruites of thoſe fruites exceede. Pride is a fruit of the fleſh, but the fruit of the fruit exceedeth: It blindeth the eyes, darkneth the minde, deceiueth the vnderſtanding, depriueth the reaſon, diſguiſeth the countenance, maketh the proude man in the ſight of men a foole, in the ſight of God a Diuell. The fruit of this fruit thruſt the Angels out of heauen, ouerthrewe the Tower of Babel, confounded the Tongues, drowned Pharaoh, depriued Saul, hanged Haman, ſlew Baltaſher, changed Nebucadonoſor into a beaſt. Luxurie is the fruit of the fleſh, but the fruit of this fruit bringeth polution before God, vncleanneſſe before men, filthineſſe to the body, rottenneſſe to the bones, it burnt Sodome, ſlew the Sichemites, deſtroyed the Beniamites, curſed Ruben, beguiled Dauid, betrayed Sampſon, deceiued Salomon. Enuie is the fruit of the fleſh, but the fruit of that fruite excelleth it, it puniſheth it ſelfe, fretteth the heart, ſhortneth the life, eateth the fleſh, conſumeth the Spirit, turneth a man into a Dogge, a Chriſtian into a Diuel, it made Caine enuie Abels ſanctitie, Rachel Leahs faecunditie, Saul Dauids felicitie, Sathan mans innocencie, Haman Mordecaies honeſtie; the Phariſees Chriſts heauenly Dietie. Drunkenneſſe is a fruite of the fleſh, but the fruite of this fruite exceedeth: It confoundeth the braine, conſumeth the body, drowneth the iudgement, ſtealeth away the ſenſe, witte, memorie, health, credit, friends and all; And hath ouerthrowne not onely many thouſand particular men, but many great Houſes, Families, Cities, Countreyes, Nations, Generations, for this laſt ſinne is more preſumed vpon, then almoſt any other; for ſince that God made that promiſe, neuer more to drowne the world, the world hath almoſt drowned themſelues by this beaſtly, vgly, monſtrous, loathſome Inundation.

The Doctrine,Doctrine. that good works muſt be worthily performed, or elſe they bee not fruits worthy: The difference between digna and digne is much:Arte Aethick. Juſtus, Juſta, Iuſte. many doe worthy workes but not worthily: and therefore it is not to bring Digna worthy fruites, which vnworthy men may vnworthily doe, but God alſo requireth, dignus, digna, digne, the name of goodneſſe in the doer, the rules of goodneſſe in the things done, and the end of goodnes in the doing, for Caine offered, Simon Magus beleeued, Herod liſtened, Foelix feared, Saul obeyed, Iezabel faſted, the Phariſies prayed, theſe were worthy fruites, but not worthily performed. There may be a zeale without knowledge, aknowledge without conſcience, a loue without Holineſſe, a Prayer without Faith, a Faith without fruites, otherwiſe had not the Phariſies loſt ſo many Prayers, ſo many Faſts, ſo many watches, ſo many works, ſo many waſhings, ſo many tythings, ſo many howrs in hearing, reading, interpreting Moſes & the Prophets,, otherwiſe had not the Papiſts loſt ſo many Oriſons, ſo many obſeruations, deuotions, contritions, confeſſions, ſatisfactions, penances, pilgrimages, ſo much labour in examining their hart, chaſtening their fleſh, whipping the body, puniſhing the Soule.

The fruits of Faith as all the Fathers agree, Aug. Ambr, Bernard, Ierom, Theop. Theodoret, Epiphanius, & all others in their writings obſerue, are Repentance and good works, theſe are the fruites worthy amendment of life. Cteſias in deſcribing India maketh mention of a tree that beſides fruites, droppeth and diſtilleth certaine teares, of which are made pretious Amber. The true Chriſtian muſt be like this tree, his workes muſt be his fruites, his repentance his diſtilled droppes. The droppes of the Vine-tree are preſcribed againſt the Leproſie, hee that is a branch of the true Vine muſt yeelde theſe droppes againſt the Leproſie of ſinne, and ſo hee ſhall bee ſure to bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life, though not worthy merito condigni of eternall life, yet worthy in ſome ſorte, merito congrui, of amendment of life.

The Vſe. The vſe hereof is, to incite you all by all the mercies of God, as euer you hope to ſtand before the Throne of Grace, to bring foorth at the length ſome fruites acceptable to God, profitable to men, auaileable to your owne Soules, that yee no longer turne the Grace of God into wantonneſſe, not looking vpon Faith with the eye of curioſity, but hearing with the eares and heartes of obedience, rather bringing good mindes then ſharpe wits to Sermons, that ſo Religion may no more flie in the ayre of your opinion, but be ſetled in your ſoules to fruitfull operations.

Iohn Baptiſt, you heare crieth out for Reformation; a thing long prayed for and ſought for in the former Ages of Idolatry, ſudore & ſanguine with the bloud of Myriades of Martyrs. The laſt Centurie performed it, but performed it ſo, as that the Cure is become as dangerous as the diſeaſe, and religion hath taken as deepe a wound in the Reformation, as ſhee had in the deformation, for in place of the hypocriſie of ſeeming, there is brought in the impudency of neither beeing nor ſeeing, and to cure ſuperſtition, a neglect of deuotion, to auoide the opinion of meriting, a defect of the care of well doing, to take away the ſuperfluity there is not enough left for the neceſſity of the Church, the faith which was wont to bee in words, is ſcarſe found in the oathes of men, the Doctrine of the Church not followed, the cenſures of the Church not feared. The pride and exceſſe of the Clergy taken away, and the pouerty and contempt of the Cleargy remaining; then there were woodden Prieſts, golden liuings, now golden Prieſts, woodden liuings. The Garden of the Spouſe blaſted, her trees blemiſhed, her branches withered, her fruites vaniſhed, that as hee ſaid, No feare of God; ſo I ſay, no fruite for God in the land, and yet who is not thought a Profeſſor? who is not thought religious? It was worthily obiected to an vnworthy fellow in Rome, who putting on a graue countenance in the Senate was taken vp thus;Plutarch. Quis te ferat aedificantem vt Craſſus, caenantem vt Lucullus, loquentem vt Cato: who can abide thee building vaine-gloriouſly as Craſſus, banqueting riotouſly as Lucullus, and yet ſpeaking grauely as Cato: ſo may it bee asked, who can abide that thoſe that are as great Church-robbers as Nabuchodonoſor, as enuious as Haman, as riotous as Balthazar, as proude as Herod, as diſobedient as Corah, ſhould bee thought Religious, or ſhould offer to take the word of the Lord in their mouths, and yet hate to be reformed.