not the gospel at all, to preach and profess ends, and so all are fit to do, had we the repentance, yea, it is a prime point of preach- faculty to extract it. A spiritual mind draws ing the gospel; and here we find the great that which is symbolical with it out of all: preacher of the gospel, who is himself the such may fruitfully walk in the gardens and substance and subject of the gospel, this is orchards, and feed on the best, though they his doctrine, Except ye repent, ye shall all stir nothing. The great Lord is himself the likewise perish. There is no right preach. planter of his vineyard; his own hand sets ing of the gospel, but the doctrine of repen- each tree, and the soil is fruitful; there are tance must be in it; the drawing and turn- sap and moisture. This is to be understood ing of the soul to God, from whom it is gone of his visible church and ordinances; for the out by sin: this the gospel aims at; and planting here is that. Christians are often there is no preaching of repentance without compared to things living, growing, and the gospel. The law indeed discovers sin, fruitful; as to the vine and fig tree; there is but that is not enough to work repentance; high engagement to be so, (Isa. v.) and for there must be a door of hope opened to a real Christians are truly so. sinner, at which he may come in, hoping to be pardoned and accepted, upon returning and submitting; this the gospel only does. And whensoever the prophets preached repentance, there was somewhat that always expressed or imported the notion of the gospel; God declaring himself reconcileable, ready to forgive and receive the penitent.

And he sought fruit thereon. Good reason had he so to do, having so planted it.

Those trees that are left wild in the barren wilderness, no fruit is to be expected on them, at least no garden fruit, such as grows in the garden of God. Some natures have some kinds of fruits, and some sweeter than others, but they are but wild figs. God's Now, not speaking of the nature of repen- delight is to come into his garden, and there tance, which here were pertinent, I shall only eat his pleasant fruits. Natural men may, desire you to seek to know the nature of it after their fashion, be temperate, and patient, by feeling the power of it within you. Oh, and charitable; but to believe on God, and happy they that do! Were the sweetness of love him above themselves, and from such it known, we might persuade most by that; principles to do all they do, this is not to be but that cannot be known, till we be persuad-expected.

ed and brought to repentance. The delight Now, all that are planted in the church of in those tears, the pleasure in crucifying sin, God, are in name such trees as should have even the most pleasant sins; the soul then their sap in them, (that is, faith and love,) in its right motion, when turning towards and bear answerable fruits: they are called God, finds itself moved sweetly; but it is" trees of righteousness, the planting of the thrown, and distorted, aud disappointed, in Lord, that he may be glorified," Isa. Ixi. turning from him and following sinful lusts. But here, necessity is the argument, the highest necessity; if it may be necessary for you not to perish, then it is necessary for you to repent. Had any of you an ulcer, though painful to be lanced, yet if told it must be, else you would die, it would make you call for it, and entreat it. Lord, what is the madness of the minds of men! Do we believe that there is such a thing after all that is here, as perishing and saving, eternal death and eternal life; and can we think on any thing else so as to forget these, to be slight and unresolved concerning them, and yet eat, and please the flesh, and seek to make other things sure, and leave these to their hazard? The God who made your hearts persuade them; for who else can ?

3. He himself knows who are indeed such, and knows that the rest can bear no such fruit; yet in regard of outward dispensations and their own profession, He speaks after the manner of men; he comes and seeks fruit. Men that think they may live in the face of the church, and make use of his ordinances, and yet be as excusably barren of all the fruits of holiness as if they grew upon a common heath, it is strange they should not conceive their own folly, and know that God reckons otherwise, and according to the ground he hath set them in, and the manur. ing he bestows on them, looks for some suitable fruit.

But the most are thus; they consider not what they are, think it a kind of impertinent importunity to press them to holiness, to meekness, to bearing wrongs, to heavenlymindedness, to spiritual activity, and usefulness to others. Why, it is strange! What think ye, my brethren, are we Chris

The parable which follows, teaches the same doctrine of repentance, and that upon the motive of patience and forbearance. Particulars should not be overstrained and squeezed for morality; the main is, God's tians, or are we not? We have a name dispensation, and his expectation in his orchard the church.

Our Saviour is much in this way of teaching, calls in natural things to serve spiritual Malo sentire compunctionem, quam scire ejus definitionem. THOMAS A KEMPIS.

that we are active, and are dead; congregations are filled with such; and when the Lord comes and seeks fruit, in the greatest part, he finds none. If lies, oaths, cursings, &c., were the fruits, enough of these; but zeal for God, love to our brethren, self-denial,

aumility, if these be they, alas! where are John preached, "The axe is laid unto the they? So much preaching, sabbaths, fasts root of the trees; therefore every tree which and covenants; and where is fruit, the fruit bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down of the Spirit? Gal. v. Oh, empty leaves, and cast into the fire," Matt. iii. 10. God and some promising greenness, but the most is taking his axe, as it were, and fetching belie the hope they give. And we of this his stroke at you, and you know not how land, who are engaged so high, what could soon it may light, and you be cut down, and have been done more? Though lying far cut off from all hopes for ever, never to see a north, yet have we much of the gospel sun-day of grace more, nor hear a sermon more; shine, and are bound by our own promise, cut down and cast into the fire to burn, and and covenant, and solemn oath to God, to that never to end. Oh! for some soul to be more fruitful; yet this is still broke. Who be rescued, were it even now. Oh! To-day, that had seen our first meltings into tears," To-day if you will hear his voice, harden or fair buds of stirring zeal, could have ima- not your hearts." gined we should have been so barren ?

Now, the conference with the vine-dresser about it, though that is much for the fulness of the parable, yet may imply God's imparting of his thoughts concerning his church to his faithful ministers. Such are included under that name here; for he blames him not as neglective, but complains of the barrenness of the tree. In the cutting down may be some pointing at church censure; but, I conceive, it is rather to express God's purpose concerning the barren tree, than to give order or command about it. Doubtless, the Lord would have his vine-dresser sensible of the fruitlessness of his trees, though it be not by any notable neglect on their part.

These three years. This expresses the "reat patience of God, that spares so long, peaks not of cutting down at the very first. Chus of long time hath he waited on many of is many more years than to the strict number ere named; on how many of us a great part of our lifetime? Whence is it that we are not afraid of this word, as it were here sounding in our ears, Cut it down; why troubles it the ground? It takes up room and does no good, yea, it hinders and prejudices others, as all ungodly, fruitless persons in the church of God do.

The vine-dresser entreats and obtains a year more. This the faithful labourers of God will not fail to do; to preaching to his people, they will join much prayer for them, that they may be made fruitful, and mean time may be spared, and not perish in their unfruitfulness-will double their endeavours in the sense of that danger; to all other pains I will add this, the watering them with tears. God is gracious, and easy to be entreated, and forbears yet, and waits. Oh! it is not yet too late. Any of you that at length are stirred to any real desires of fruitfulness to him, I dare give you warrant to be confident of his not only forbearing upon such a desire, but of his favourably accepting of it, as a good sign, yea, as already a beginning of fruit. Indeed, in case of people remaining barren after all, the end will be to cut down ; and to every fruitless and godless person amongst you, it is not long to that day-it will be upon you ere you are aware.

As

Real Christians, though not altogether barren (that is impossible), yet are not so plentifully fruitful, little of the increases of God, such as he may be invited to his gar den for, such as the vine-dressers may rejoice in, yea the Master himself. The Lord maketh a kind of boast of us, as men will do of trees in their gardens, that they have much fruit, though possibly having a meaner appearance and show than most of the rest. Oh! what a joy and glory were it to our God, to have unobserved, obscure Christians abounding in sweet spiritual fruits, laden with fruit, and hanging the head; stooping the lower, still the more humble for it, referring all to himself, living to him, doing all for him. But, alas! we are empty vines, bring. ing forth fruit to ourselves, serving our own wills and humours, and barren to him. But for this end are we planted in the house of God, and ingrafted into the Son of God, that blessed living root, to be fruitful to his praise. It is his credit; " Herein is your heavenly Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit."

Now for this are requisite, 1st, Much prayer; for though here he speaks as an ordinary master, yet it is his secret influence does all, From me is thy fruit found; and prayer draws down that. 2d, Much faith in Christ, living to him, and drawing sap from him. Such as do all in his strength, and are much in application and attraction, shall be found the most abundant in all choice and sweet fruits; they that abide in him, that is, in the very actings of faith, are more in him than many others that are yet in him: but, alas! this is a thing we speak much, and know little of.

SERMON X.

PREACHED BEFORE MY LORD COMMIS-
SIONER AND THE PARLIAMENT,

NOVEMBER 14. 1669.

JOHN xxi. 22.

What is that to thee? Follow thou me. Of all that ever lived upon earth, the

most blessed was this handful and small man, though he err, if he do it calmly and company our Lord chose for his constant at- meekly, may be a better man than he who is tendants, to see his divine miracles, enjoy his stormy and furiously orthodox. Our busisweetest company, and to hear his divine doc-ness is to follow Jesus, and to trace his life trines. What a holy flame of love must have upon earth, and to wait his return in the burned in their hearts, who were always so near clouds. Had I a strong voice, as it is the the Sun of righteousness! It was indeed a sad weakest alive, yea, could I lift it up as a hour wherein that was eclisped, and the Lord trumpet, I would sound a retreat from our of life lay dead in the grave. And what a unnatural contentions and irreligious strivdeluge of joy was in their hearts when he rose ings for religion. Oh, what are the things again; and what a transport was it when we fight for, compared to the great things of they saw him ascend, and a shining cloud God? There must be a great abatement of kissing his feet, and parting him from them! the inwards of religion, when it runs wholly In the interval, as he had risen himself, so to a scurf. God forbid any to think, that he is raising them from their unbelief. St. except all be according to our mind, we must Peter, not content with a bare forsaking his break the bond of peace. If we have no Lord, had also denied him; but he falls not kindness to our brethren, yet let us have pity a-quarrelling, but speaks of love to him, on our mother, and not tear her bowels. and blows up these sparkles of love with this And, indeed, next to the grave and silent threefold question. St. Peter answers fervent- shades of death, a cottage in some wilderness ly, but most modestly; whereupon his Lord is to be wished for, to mourn for the pride gives him a service suitable to his love, and passion of mankind. How do the proFeed my sheep; for which none are quali-fane wretches take advantage from our breachfied but they that love him: but when he es! But if there be such here, because of grows bold to ask a question, he gets a grave the weakness, folly, and passions of some check and a holy command, What is that men, is it folly to follow Jesus? Are some to thee? Follow thou me. This was a ridiculous, and for that will you turn religion transient stumble in one who, but lately re-into ridicule? If you do, it will at last turn covered of a great disease, did not walk to a Sardonic laughter. Because we contend firmly. But it is the common track of most, for a little, is the whole an invention? Will to wear out their days with impertinent in- the pillars be brangled, because of the swarmıs quiries. There is a natural desire in men to of flies that are about them? know the things of others, and to neglect their There is an Eternal Mind that made all own, and to be more concerned about the things, that stretched out the heavens, and things to come, than about things present. formed the spirit of man within him; let us And this is the great subject of conversation: tremble before Him, and love the Lord Jesus. even the weakest minds must descant upon Our souls have indelible characters of their all things; as if the weakest capacities own excellency in them, and deep apprehencould judge of the greatest matters, by a sions of another state, wherein we shall restrange levelling of understandings, more ab-ceive according to what we have done upon surd and irrational than that of fortunes.earth. Was not Jesus, the Son of God, deMost men are beside themselves, never at clared to be such by his miracles, but chiefly home, but always roving. It is true a man by his resurrection from the dead? Have not may live in solitude to little purpose, as Do- these been received and transmitted to us, mitian catching flies in his closet. Many through all ages, many martyrs following noisome thoughts break in upon one when him through racks and fires, and their own alone; so that when one converseth with him- blood, to his glory? And shall we throw self, it had need be said, Vide ut sit cum off all these? Better be the poorest, weakbono viro. A man alone shall be in worse est, and most distempered person upon earth, company than are in all the world, if he with the true fear of God, than the greatest bring not into him better company than wit and highest mind in the world, if prohimself or all the world, which is the fane; or though not such, if void of any just fellowship of God and the Holy Spirit. or deep sense of the fear of God; for a livYet the matters of the church seem to con- ing dog is better than a dead lion. Some cern all, and so indeed they do; but every religious persons are perhaps weak persons, sober man must say, all truths are not alike yet, in all ages, there have been greater clear, alike necessary, nor of like concern- nobles, and more generous souls truly reliment to every one. Christians should keep gious, than ever were in the whole tribe of within their line. If it be the will of our atheists and libertines. great Master, that the order that hath been Let us therefore follow the holy Jesus. so long in the church continue in it, or not, Our own concernments concern us not, comWhat is that to thee? It is certainly a great pared to this. What is that to thee? may error to let our zeal run out from the excel- be said of all things besides this. All the lent things of religion to matters which have world is one great impertinency to him who little or no connexion with them. And contemplates God, and his Son Jesus. Great