is on either side fully declared by our Saviour himself, Luke vi. 43-45.

3. There are the herbs or fruits intended. These are they which elsewhere in the Scripture are called the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of righteousness, of holiness and the like. All that we do in compliance with the will of God, in the course of our profession and obedience, is of this kind. All effects of faith and love, of mortification and sanctification, that are holy in themselves, and useful to others, whereby we express the truth and power of that doctrine of the gospel which we do profess, are the fruits and herbs intended. When our hearts are made holy, and our lives useful by the gospel, then are we fruitful.

4. These herbs are said to be meet for them by whom or for whom the earth is dressed. As it is neither useful nor safe to press similitudes beyond their principal scope and intention, and to bring in every minute circumstance into the comparison; so we must not neglect what is fairly instructive in them, especially if the application of things one to another, have countenance and guidance given it in other places of the Scripture, as it is in this case. Wherefore to clear the application of this part of the similitude, we may observe,

1. That God himself is the great Husbandman, John xv. 1. And all believers are God's husbandry, 1 Cor. iii. 9. He is so the husbandman as to be the sovereign Lord and Owner of this field or vineyard, and he puts workmen into it to dress it. This our Saviour sets out at large in his parable, Mat. xxi. 33, &c. Hence he calls his people his " portion," and " the lot of his inheritance," Deut. xxxii. 9. He speaks as though he had given up all the world besides into the possession of others, and kept his people only to himself. And so he hath as to the espe cial blessed relation which he intendeth.

2. It is God himself who taketh care for the watering and dressing of this field. He dealeth with it as a man doth with a field that is his own; this he expresseth, Isa. v. 2. Mat. xxi. 33, 34. The dispensation of the word, and the communication of the Spirit to the church, with all other means of light, grace and growth depend all on his care, and are all supremely from him, as was shewed before. To this end he employeth his servants to work and dress it under him, who are labourers together with God, 1 Cor. iii. 9. because they are employed by him to do his work, and have the same end with him.

3. This tilling or dressing of the earth, which is superadded to the rain, or the mere preaching of the gospel denoted thereby, may be referred to three heads. 1. The ministerial application of the word to the souls and consciences of men, in the dispensation of all the ordinances of the gospel. This is the

second great end of the ministry, as the dispensation of the word in general, as the rain, is the first. 2. The administration of the censures and discipline of the church. This belongs to the dressing and purging of God's vineyard, and of singular use it is to that end, where it is rightly and duly attended to. And those who, under pretence hereof, instead of purging the vineyard, endeavour to dig up the vines, will have little thanks from him for their diligence and pains. 3. Afflic tions and trials. By these he purgeth his vine 'that it may bring forth yet more fruit; that is, he trieth, exerciseth, and thereby improveth the faith and graces of believers, 1 Pet. i. 7. Rom. v. 3-5. Jam. i. 2-4.

4. God expecteth fruit from this field, which is so his own, and which he so careth for. "I looked for grapes," Isa. v. 2. He sends his servants to receive the fruits of it, Mat. xxi. 34. Though he stand in no need of us or our goodness, it extends not to him, we cannot profit him, as a man may profit his neighbour, nor will we grow rich with our substance, yet he is graciously pleased to esteem of the fruits of gospel obedience, the fruits of faith and love, of righteousness and holiness, and by them will he be glorified, "Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit, John xv. 8. Mat. v. 16.

5. These fruits, when they are brought forth, God approveth of, accepteth, and farther blesseth them that bear them, which is the last thing in the words. Some think there is no use of these fruits unless they are meritorious of grace and glory. But God's acceptation of them here, is called his benediction, his blessing of them that bring them forth. Now a blessing cannot be merited; it is an act of bounty and authority, and hath the nature of a free gift that cannot be deserved. What doth a field merit of him by whom it is watered and tilled, when it bringeth forth herbs meet for his use; they are all but the fruits of his own labour, cost and pains. The field is only the subject that he hath wrought on, and it is his own. All the fruits of our obedience are but the effects of his grace in us. We are a subject that he is graciously pleased to work on. Only he is pleased in a way of infinite condescension, to own in us what is his own, and to pardon what is ours. Wherefore the blessing of God on fruit-bearing believers, consists in three things. 1. His approbation and gracious acceptance of them. So it is said that he had respect to Abel and his offering, Gen. iv. 4. He graciously accepted both of his person and of his sacrifice, owning and approving of him, when Cain and his were rejected. So he " smelt a savour of rest," from the sacrifice of Noah, Gen. viii. 21. And to testify his being well pleased therewith, he thence took occasion to renew and establish his covenant with him and his seed. 2. It is by increasing

their fruitfulness; every branch in the vine that beareth fruit, "he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit," John xv. 2. He multiplies the seed that is sown, and "increaseth the fruits of their righteousness," 2 Cor. ix. 10. This is the constant way of God in his covenant dealings, with thriving fruitful Christians; he so blesseth them as that their graces and fruits shall more and more abound, so as that they shall be flourishing even in age, and bringing forth more fruit to the end. 3. He blesseth them in the preparation he hath made for to give them an everlasting reward. A reward it is indeed of grace and bounty, but it is still a reward, a recompence of reward. For although it be no way merited or deserved, and although there be no proportion between our works, duties or fruits, and it; yet because they shall be owned in it, shall not be lost nor forgotten, and God therein testifies his acceptance of them, it is their reward.

Óbs. VII. Where God grants means, there he expects fruit. -Few men consider what is the state of things with them, whilst the gospel is preached to them. Some utterly disregard it any farther than as it is suited to their carnal interests and advantages. For the gospel is at present so stated in the world, at least many parts of it, that great multitudes make more benefit by a pretence of it or what belongs to it, and have greater secular advancements and advantages thereby, than they could possibly by the utmost of their diligence and ability in any other way, honest or dishonest, attain to. These esteem it according to their worldly interests, and for the most part no otherwise; they are merchants of souls, Rev. xviii. 11-13. 2 Pet. ii. 3. Some look on it as that wherein they are really concerned, and they will both take on themselves the profession of it, and make use of it in their consciences as occasion doth require. But few there are who do seriously consider what is the errand that it comes on, and what the work is, God hath in hand thereby. In brief, he is by it watering, manuring, cultivating the souls of men, that they may bring forth fruit to his praise and glory. His business by it, is to make men holy, humble, self-denying, righteous, useful, upright, pure in heart and life, to abound in good works, or to be like himself in all things. To effect these ends, is this holy means suited, and therefore God is justly said to expect these fruits where he grants this means. And if these be not found in us, all the ends of God's husbandry are lost towards us, which what a doleful issue it will have the next verse declares. This therefore ought to be always in our minds while God is treating with us by the dispensation of the gospel. It is fruit he aims at. it is fruit he looks for, and if we fail herein, the advantage of the whole, both as to our good and his glory, is utterly lost, which we must unavoidably account for. For this fruit God both expecteth, and will require. This is the

work and effect of the gospel, Col. i. 6. And the fruit of it, is threefold. 1. Of persons in their conversion to God, Rom. xv. 16. 2. Of real internal holiness in them, or the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22, 23. 3. The outward fruits of righteousness and charity, 2 Cor. ix. 10. Phil. i. 11. These God looket h to, Isa. v. 4. Luke xiii. 7. And he will not always bear with a frustration. A good husbandman will suffer thorns and other barren trees to grow in the field; but if a vine or fig-tree be barren in his garden, he will cut it down and cast it into the fire. However God will not always continue this husbandry, Isa. xxviii. Amos vi. 12.

Obs. VIII. Duties of gospel obedience are fruits meet for God, things that have a proper and especial tendency unto his glory. As the precious fruits of the earth which the husbandman waiteth for, are meet for his use; that is, such as supply his wants, satisfy his occasions, answer his labour and charge, nourish and enrich him; so do these duties of gospel obedience, answer all the ends of God's glory, which he hath designed unto it in the world. "Hereby," saith our Saviour," is my Father glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit."

And we must inquire how these fruits are meet for God. For, 1. They are not so, as though he stood in any need of them unto his glory. Our "goodness extends not unto him," Psal. xvi. 2. It doth not so, as though he had need of it, or put any value on it for its own sake. Hence, he rejecteth all those multiplied outward services which men trusted unto, as if they obliged him by them, because without them or their services, he is the sovereign possessor of all created beings and their effects, Psal. 1. 7-12. All thoughts hereof are to be rejected: see Job xxii. 2, 3. xxxv. 6-8. 2. They are not meet for God, as if they perfectly answered his law. For, with respect thereunto, all our "righteousnesses are as filthy rags," most unmeet to be presented unto him, Isa. lxiv. 6. And if he should mark what is amiss in us or them, "who should stand?" Psal. cxxx. 3. Much less, 3. Are they so meet for him, as that by them, we should merit any thing at his hand. This foolish presumption is contrary to the very nature of God and man, with that relation between them, which necessarily ensues on their very beings. For what can a poor worm of the earth, who is nothing, who hath nothing, who doth nothing that is good, but what it receives wholly from divine grace, favour and bounty, merit of him, who from his being and nature, can be under no obligation thereunto, but what is merely from his own sovereign pleasure and goodness?

They are, therefore, no otherwise meet for God, but in and through Christ, according to the infinite condescension which he is pleased to exercise in the covenant of grace. Therein

doth the Lord Christ, 1. Make our persons accepted, as was that of Abel, through faith in him, which was the foundation of the acceptation of his offering, Gen. iv. 4. Heb. xi. 4. And this is of grace also; it is to the praise of his glorious grace, wherein he makes us "accepted in the beloved," Eph. i. 6. And 2. He bears and takes away the iniquity that cleaves unto them as they proceed from us, which renders them unmeet for God. This was typified by the plate of gold, wherein was inscribed, "Holiness to the Lord," that was on the forehead of the high priest. It was, that he might "bear the iniquity of the holy things of the people," Exod. xxviii. 36-38. He bare it in the expiation he made of all sin, and takes it away. in the sight of God. And 3. He adds of the incense of his own mediation unto them, that they may have a sweet savour in their offering to God, Rev. viii. 3. On this foundation it is, that God hath graciously designed them unto sundry ends of his glory, and accepts them accordingly.

For, 1. The will of his command is fulfilled thereby; and this tends to the glory of his rule and government, Matt. vii. 21. We are to pray that the "will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven." The glory that God hath in heaven from the ministry of all his holy angels, consists in this, that they always, with all readiness and cheerfulness, do "observe his commands and do his will," esteeming their doing so, to be their honour and blessedness. For, hereby is the rule and authority of God owned, avouched, exalted; a neglect whereof was the sin and ruin of the apostate angels. In like manner, our fruits of obedience are the only acknowledgments that we do, or can make to the supreme authority and rule of God over us, as the one law-giver, who hath power to kill and keep alive. The glory of an earthly king consists principally, in the willing obedience which his subjects give unto his laws. For, hereby they expressly acknowledge, that they esteem his laws, wise, just, equal, useful to mankind, and also reverence his authority. And it is the glory of God, when the subjects of his kingdom do testify unto all, their willing, cheerful subjection unto all his laws, as holy, righteous and good, by the fruits of their obedience; as also, that it is their principal honour and happiness to be engaged in his service, John xv. 14. Hereby is our heavenly Father glorified, as he is our great king and law-giver. 2. There is in the fruits of obedience, an expression of the nature, power and efficacy of the grace of God, whereby also he is glorified, for "he doth all things to the praise of the glory of his grace," Eph. i. 6. In all the actings of lust and sin, in the drought and dust of barrenness, we represent an enmity against him, and contrariety unto him, acting over the principle of the first rebellion and apostasy fron