nal 5." Then we shall be able to crucify the flesh, to withstand the temptations of the devil, to overcome this whole world, and live above, so as to have our conversations in heaven, where our treasure is, where our dear Lord and Saviour is, where our inheritance and estate lies. Then we shall always live as under the eye of God, and have respect to him in every thing we do. Then all things here below will appear to us in their proper colours; for we shall look upon them as nothing in comparison of those great and glorious objects which our faith will continually represent unto us. Then we shall have fellowship with the Father, and with the Son, and with the Holy Ghost, protecting, assisting, and directing us upon all occasions. Then we shall be "stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord "."

What shall I say more? When we have once learnt to live with a constant belief of those things which God hath revealed to us in his holy word, although we never saw them, we shall then be every way as blessed as we can wish to be: blessed wheresoever we are, blessed in whatsoever we do, and blessed in whatsoever we have; blessed while we live, and blessed when we die; and all by him, in whom we believe, though we never yet saw him, even our ever blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for

ever.

52 Cor. iv. 17, 18.

61 Cor. xv. 58.

SERMON XII.

BEARING MUCH FRUIT, THE CHARACTERISTIC
OF CHRIST'S DISCIPLES.

JOHN XV. 8.

"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."

Of all the religions professed upon the face of the earth, there is none wherein men worship the true God aright, but only the Christian; neither is there salvation in any other: "For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved1," but the name of Christ. And, therefore, it must be acknowledged to be a great blessing, to be born and bred where this, the only true religion, is publicly and generally professed. But we must take heed that we do not take up with the bare profession, and so lose all the benefit of it, as many have done before us. When it was first planted by Christ, and propagated by his apostles, it throve to admiration, although for near three hundred years together it was no where received as the religion of the country, nor had any civil magistrates or laws made for it, but all against it: yet, nevertheless, it then spread itself, increased, and flourished, and brought forth fruit abundantly, to the glory of God, and the benefit of mankind. They who then

Acts iv. 12.

professed it really were what they appeared to be, and appeared to be as they were, far better than all other sorts of people besides; more pious toward God, and zealous for his honour; more meek and humble in their own eyes; more sober, and modest, and just, and kind, and charitable towards others; every way eminent in virtue and good works. But when it was publicly received into the Roman empire, and so by degrees became the religion of whole nations, then it began sensibly to decay; for men generally took it up, as they do their habits, only because it was in fashion; and professed themselves to be Christians, for no other reason, than that which made them heathens before,even because it was the religion of their country. Not but that there were still many who embraced it upon choice, and in good earnest: yea, doubtless, many more than there were before: but these were so few in comparison of those multitudes that came into it upon other accounts, that they could scarce be seen in the crowd; the far greatest part of those who professed it having no other design but only to profess it as their prince and fellow-subjects did, without ever troubling their heads about believing, and acting according to the principles and rules prescribed in it.

And so it is to this day: we have infinite cause to bless God, that the Christian is the only religion generally professed in the kingdom; that it is established by our laws; that we, in our very infancy, were admitted by baptism into it; and that we still continue to profess ourselves to be Christians, or the disciples of the ever-blessed Jesus Christ. But how great a blessing soever this may be in itself, it will not be so to us, unless we make a right use of it, by living up to what we profess; as, God knows, very few among us do: for being fully persuaded, as we ought, that we are of that religion wherein men may be saved, we take it for granted that we shall be so, without taking any farther care about it; and therefore go on in the outward profession of our religion, or else run, perhaps, into parties and factions, spending our zeal in hot dis

putes about the circumstances of it, till we have none left for the main substantial duties required in it; and, by consequence, never so much as aim at, much less come to, the end wherefore Jesus Christ revealed this religion to us, even that we may truly serve, honour, and glorify the Almighty Creator of the world, by doing the works which he for that purpose hath set us; and so living, as becometh those who are his disciples indeed, as well as by profession.

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This the great Founder of our holy religion foresaw, when he first laid the foundation of it upon earth; and therefore often forewarned us of it, particularly in the words which I have now read; wherein he, for that purpose, teacheth us these three lessons: 1. That they who profess themselves his disciples, should bear much fruit. 2. That it is by this that God is glorified: Herein," saith he, "is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." 3. That they, and they only, who thus bear much fruit, so as to glorify God, are truly his disciples: "So," saith he, "ye shall be my disciples." All which I shall endeavour, by his assistance, to explain so as that you may all learn how much it concerns you all to practise, as well as to profess, that holy religion which he our Lord and Master hath taught us.

First, therefore, in that our Lord here saith, "That it is by bearing much fruit that we glorify his Father, and become his disciples," he plainly declares it to be his will, and, by consequence, the duty of all who profess themselves to be his disciples, "to bear much fruit."

But that we may understand his meaning aright, we must first consider what is here meant by "bearing much fruit;" and then, why his disciples should all do So. As for the first, we must observe, that our Master is here teaching us that all the power we have of doing good comes immediately from him. And that we may the better apprehend it, he compares himself to a vine; his Father to an husbandman, that taketh care of that vine; and those who are baptized into, and profess

his religion, he compares to so many branches grafted into it to whom he therefore saith, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing"." Where, by "bringing forth much fruit," it is plain that he means the doing much good, the performing many such works as are proper for his disciples, as such, to do, by that power and Spirit which they receive from him; as a vine-branch brings forth grapes, suitable and proportionable to the juice and nourishment that is conveyed into it from the stock. And seeing he useth the same metaphor in my text, it must there also be understood in the same sense. Wherefore, by "bearing fruit," he means the doing such works, as, for the quality of them, are agreeable to the profession of his religion: and by "bearing much fruit," he means the doing of so many such works, as, for the quantity also, may exceed those which are done by men of other professions.

First, therefore, as to the quality, they are such works as Christ our Lord and Master hath set us, which he himself calls "good works3;" his forerunner, "Fruits meet for repentance';" his apostle calls them, "The fruits of righteousness 5:" such as are conformable to those eternal rules of justice and equity which he hath revealed to us in his Gospel, and enables his faithful people to perform by that Holy Spirit which he gives them for that end and purpose, which being the root and principle from which they flow, they are therefore called also, "The fruit of the Spirit." And that we may not be ignorant of what they are, the apostle hath reckoned them up particularly, and given us a catalogue of them, saying, "The

2 John xv. 4, 5.
Matt. iii. 8.

3 Matt. v. 16.

5

2 Cor. ix. 10. Phil. i. 11.