day of their coming into their diocesses, or dignities, or parishes, or places, they have thus behaved themselves? Have they so taught, so preached, so warned, and that with tears night and day, all sorts of persons, whom they suppose themselves to relate unto? Have they made it their work to declare the mysteries of the gospel, and the whole counsel of God, and this both publicly and privately, night and day, according to their opportunities? It will be said indeed, that these things belonged to the duty and office of the apostles, but those that succeed them as ordinary overseers of the church, may live in another manner, and have other work to do. If they should carry it with that humility of mind as he did, and use intreaties with tears as he did, and preach continually as he did, they should have little joy of their office, and besides they should be even despised of the people. These things therefore they suppose not to belong unto them. Yea, but our apostle gives this whole account concerning himself unto the ordinary bishops of the church of Ephesus, ver. 17. 28. And in the close of it tells them, that he hath shewed them all things how they ought to do, ver. 35. And what he apprehended to be the duty of all to whom the dispensation of the word is committed, he manifests in his last solemn charge that he left with his son Timothy, a little before his death, 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2. "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine;" so, ver. 5. He did no more himself, than what he requires in Timothy, according to the proportion of his abilities. And the discharge of this work is not to be measured by particular instances of the frequency of preaching, but by that purpose, design and frame of heart, which ought to be in ministers, of laying out themselves to the utmost in the work of the ministry on all occasions, resolving to spend, and to be spent therein. I could easily shew. on how many accounts frequency and urgency in preaching of the word, is indispensably required of those unto whom the work is committed, that therein the rain may fall oft upon the earth. But I must not too far digress. The command of God; the love and care of Christ towards his church; the ends of God's patience and long-suffering; the future manifestation of his glory in the salvation of believers, and the condemnation of those that are disobedient; the necessities of the souls of men; the nature and kind of the way whereby God gives spiritual supplies by the ministry of the word; the weakness of our natural faculties of the mind in receiving, Heb. iv. 11. Isa. xxviii. 9, 10. and of the memory in retaining spiritual things, Heb. ii. 1. ch. xii. 5.; the weakness of grace, Rev. iii. 2. requiring con VOL. V. I tinual refreshments, Isa. xxvii. 3.; the frequency and variety of temptations, interrupting our peace with God, not otherwise to be repelled, 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.; the design of Christ to bring us gradually unto perfection, might all be pleaded in this case. But the law of this duty is in some measure written in the hearts of all faithful ministers, and those who are otherwise shall bear their own burdens. Again, It is common to the whole earth often to drink in the rain that falls upon it, though but some parts only of it prove fruitful, as it will appear in the following distribution of them. Whence we may observe, that, Obs. V. Attendance unto the word preached, hearing of it with some diligence, and giving of it some kind of reception, make no great difference among men; for this is common unto them who never become fruitful.-This is so plainly exemplified by our Saviour, in the parable of the several sorts of ground that receive the seed of the word, yet on various occasions lose the power of it, and never come to fruit-bearing, that it needs no farther consideration. And I intend not those only who merely hear the word and no more. Such persons are like stones, which when the rain falleth on them, it makes no impression into them, they drink it not in at all. It is no otherwise, I say, with many hearers, who seem not to have the least sense of what customarily they attend to. But those are intended in the text and proposition, who in some measure receive it, and drink it in. They give it an entrance into their understandings, where they become doctrinally acquainted with the truth of the gospel. And they give it some entrance into their affections, whence they are said to receive the word with joy. And moreover they allow it some influence on their conversations, as even Herod did, who heard the preachings of John Baptist gladly, and did many things thereon. All these things men may do, and yet at length prove to be that part of the earth, which drinks in the rain, and yet is absolutely barren, and brings forth thorns and briers. There is yet wanting the receiving of it in a good and honest heart: what this includes, will afterwards appear. And again, we may observe, that, Obs. VI. God is pleased to exercise much patience towards those to whom he once grants the mercy and the privilege of his word. He doth not presently proceed against them for and on account of their barrenness, but stays until the rain hath often fallen on the ground. But there is an appointed season and period of time, beyond which he will not wait for them any more, as we shall see. The distribution of this earth into several parts, with the different lots and events of them, is next to be considered. The first sort the apostle describes two ways. 1. By its fruit fulness. 2. By its acceptance with God. And this fruitfulness he farther manifests, 1. From the fruit itself which it bears, it is herb, or herbs. 2. From the nature and use of that fruit, it is meet for them by whom it is dressed. 3. The manner of it, it brings it forth. These things we must a little open in their order, as they be in the text. 1. Tixr, it bringeth forth.' TxTera Beravny. This word properly signifies the bringing forth of a woman that hath conceived with child, συλληψη εν γαστρι και τεξη ύιον, Lukei. 31. And so it is constantly used in the New Testament, and not otherwise but only in this place, and Jam. i. 15. ¿ sæiduμia ovaλabɣoα TIKTEI xg, in an elegant similitude he compareth the work of lust in temptation, to an adulterous conception in the womb of the adulteress, when at length actual sin is brought forth. The seeds of it are cast into the mind and will by temptation, where after they are warmed, fomented and cherished, sin that ugly monster comes forth in the world. So is this earth said to bring forth, as a womb that is naturally and kindly impregnated, in its appointed season. And therefore when the apostle speaks of the other sort, he changeth his expression for such a word as may suit a deformed and monstrous production. But the native power of the earth being cherished by the rain that falls on it, brings forth as from a teeming womb, the fruits of those seeds it is possessed withal. 2. It brings forth Boravny, generans herbam; the Rhemists render it grass,' causelessly and amiss. The word signifies such green herbs as are usually produced by careful culture, tilling or dressing; such as are for the proper and immediate use of men, and not of their cattle. The same with NW, Gen. i. 11. All sorts of useful green herbs, whether medicinal or for food, or beauty and ornament. 3. The nature of this herbal fruit is, that it is subros. Some render it by opportuna, and some by accommoda; meet' answers both. Those that use the former word, seem to respect the season wherein it brings forth the fruit. And this is the commendation of it, that it makes no delays, but brings forth in its proper time and season, when its owners and tillers have just ground and reason to expect and look for it. And it is an especial commendation of any thing that beareth fruit; and what is out of season is despised, Psal. i. 3. The latter word intends the usefulness and profitableness of the fruit brought forth in what season soever it be. We may comprise both senses, and justly suppose both of them to be intended. The Syriac expresseth it by a general word, nwn, which is or may be of use.' And the fruits of the earth, are not profitable unless they are seasonable. So James calls it τιμιον καρπον της γης, 'the precious fruit of the earth, which the husbandman waiteth for, until the earth hath received the former and latter rain, Jam. i. 7. Lastly, These herbs thus brought forth are "meet, servis do is xa: yewgreitai, to them by whom it is tilled," or even by whom; or by whom it is also tilled. The particle xa, is not superfluous or insignificant. It declares an addition of culture to the rain. For besides the falling of rain on the earth, there is likewise need of further culture that it may be made fruitful, or bring forth herbs seasonably which shall be profitable to men. For if only the rain fall on it, it will bring forth many things indeed, but if it be not tilled withal, for one useful herb, it will bring forth many weeds. As Virgil speaks in the case of husbandry, Quod nisi et assiduis terram insectabere rastris, Falce premes umbras, votisque vocaveris imbrem, The earth must be tilled from its nature and the law of its creation. And therefore Adam was to have tilled and wrought the ground in the garden even before the fall, Gen. ii. 16. And this is the principal concernment of him that intends to live on the field. The falling of rain on the earth is common to the whole. That which gives a field a peculiar relation to any, is, that he dresseth and fenceth and tilleth it. To these dressers the herbs that are brought forth are said to be meet; they belong to them and are useful for them. As may be rendered for whom,' or by whom.' In the first way, the chief owner of the ground, the lord of the field or vineyard, is signified. The ground is tilled or manured for his use, and he eats of the fruits of it. In the latter sense, those who immediately work about the ground in the tilling of it are intended. But there is no need to distinguish in this place between owner and dresser. For God as he is the great Husbandman is both. He is the Lord of the vineyard, it is his, and he dresseth and pruneth the vines, that they may bring forth fruit, John xv. Thirdly, The ground thus made fruitful, μεταλαμβανει ευλογίας TO TY DE, 'receiveth blessing of God.' And the blessing of God with respect to a fruitful field is two-fold. 1. Antecedent, in the communication of goodness, or fruit causing virtue to it. "The smell of my son, is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed," Gen. xxvii. 27. A field that abounds with blossoms, flowers and fruits yielding a sweet savour, being so made fruitful by the singular blessing of God. But this is not the blessing here intended. For it is supposed that this field is already made fruitful, so as to bring forth useful herbs, and therefore must be antecedently interested in this kind of bles sing, without which nothing can thrive or prosper. Wherefore, 2. God's benediction is taken for a consequent acceptation, or approbation, with care and watchfulness for a farther improvement. The blessing of God is at large described, Isa. xxvii. 2, 3. And there are three things included in this blessing of a fruitful field. 1. The owning, acceptation or approbation of it. Such a field God owns, and is not ashamed that it should be looked on as his. And this is opposed to the rejection of the barren ground afterwards mentioned; "is rejected." "is rejected." 3. The care, watchfulness and diligence that is used about it. God watcheth over such a field or vineyard to "keep it night and day that none should hurt it," watering it every moment, and purging the branches of its vines, to make them yet more fruitful; opposed to "being nigh unto cursing," that is wholly neglected or left to salt and barrenness. 3. A final preservation from all evil, opposed to the burning up of the barren earth with the thorns and briers that grow on it. These things being spoken only of the ground whence the comparison is taken, the application of them, though not expressed, to the spiritual things intended, is plain and easy. For, 1. The ground thus dressed, thus bearing fruit and blessed of God, are true and sound believers. So our Saviour declares it to be in the interpretation of his own parable to this purpose, Mat. xiii. They are such as receive the word of God in good and honest hearts, and bring forth fruits of it in several degrees. Such as having been ministerially planted and watered, have an increase wrought in them by the grace of God, 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7. 2. There is included herein the manner how they bring forth the fruits intended. And that is, that they bring forth in their lives, what was before conceived and cherished in their hearts. They have the root in themselves of what they bring forth. So doth the word here used signify, namely, to bring forth the fruit of an inward conception. The doctrine of the gospel as cast into their hearts, is not only rain but seed also. This is cherished by grace, as precious seed, and as from a natural root or principle in the heart, brings forth precious fruit. And herein consists the difference between the fruit-bearing of true believers, and the works of hypocrites or false professors. These latter bring forth fruits like mushrooms, they come up suddenly, have oft-times a great bulk and goodly appearance, but they are only a forced excrescency, they have no natural seed or root in the earth. They do not proceed from a living principle of them in their hearts. The other sort do first conceive, cherish and foment them in their hearts and minds, whence they bring them forth as from a genuine and natural principle. This |