1. He who is not good in his relations, goes under the just suspicion of an hypocrite ; let a man seem to be a penitent, or zealot, yet if he bear not fruit proper to his station, he is no tree of righteousness, but some wild degenerate plant. There are some will pray, hear sermons, discourse well ; this is good : but " what means the bleating of the sheep ?" they are not good in their relations; this discovers they are foundered and unsound. A good Christian labours to fill his relations, and to go through all the parts of religion, as the sun through all the signs of the zodiac. I like not those Christians, who, though they seem to be travelling to heaven, yet leave the duties of their relations as a terra incognita^ which they never come near.
2. The excellency of a Christian is to bring forth proper fruit ; wherein lies the goodness of a nieniber in the body, but to discharge its proper office ? the eye is to see, the ear to lieur, ^c. So the excellency of a Christian is to brino: forth that fruit which God hath assigned to him : what is a thing good for which doth not do its proper work ? what is a clock good for that will not strike ? what is a ship good for that will not sail ? what is a rose good for that doth not smell ; what is that professor good for that doth not send forth a sweet perfume in his relation ? the commendation of a thing is when it puts forth its proper virtue.
3. Not to bring forth suitable fruit, spoils all the other fruit which we brina: forth. If a man were to make a medicine, and should leave out the chief ingredient, the medicine would lose its virtue. If one were to draw a picture, and should leave out an eye, it would spoil the picture ; there are many to whom Christ will say at the day of judgment as to the young man, Luke xviii. 22. " Yet lackest thou one thing." Thou hast prayed, and fasted, and heard sermons, " yet lackest thou one thing," thou hast not been good in thy relations.
4. Relative graces do much beautify and set off a Christian : it is the beauty of a star
to shine in its proper orb ; relative grace doth bespangle a Christian.
5. A good Christian brings forth season- able fruit, Psal. i. 3. he that bringeth forth fruit in his season ; every thing is beautiful in his time, Eccl. ill. 11. That may be good at one time, which at another may be out of season. There is a great deal of skill in the right timing of a thing ; duties of religion must be performed in the fit juncture of time.
1. Christian duties that relate to our neighbour must be observed In their season.
(1.) Our reproving others must be sea- sonable. Reproof is a duty ; when we see others walk irregularly, like soldiers that march out of rank and file, we ou^-ht mildly, yet gravely, to tell them of their sin, Lev. xix. 17. but let this fruit be brought forth in its season.
[1,] Do it privately; Matt, xviii. 15. "Go and tell him his faults between him and thee alone."
[2.] Do it when thou seest him in the best temper, not when his passions are up ; that were pouring oil on the flame ; but when his spirit is meekened and calmed: you put the seal on the wax when it is soft and pliable; there is a time when men's spirits are more flexible and yielding ; now is the fittest time to stamp a reproof upon them, and it is likeliest to take Imj^resslon. When Abigail reproved Nabal, It was in the right season; not when he was in wine, but when he was in his wits, and was fit to hear a reproof, 1 Sam. xxv. 37.
[3.] Another season for reproof is in the time of affliction : Affliction tames men's spirits, and now a word of reproof spoken prudentially may work with the affliction : a bitter potion is not refused if in case of ex- tremity of pain. Affliction opens tJie ear to discipline.
(2.) Our comforting others must be sea- sonable ; Prov. XV. 23. " A word snoken in due season, how good is it?" WIumi we see one fallen Into sin, and with Pef.er weeji- Insj bitterly, O now a word of comfort will do well. The incestuous Corinthiau being deeply humbled, the apostle calls for oil and wine to be poured into his wounds; 2 Cor. ii. 7. "Y§ ought rather to comfort him,"
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and the reason is given, " lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up of sorrow." Wlien the soul is wounded for sin, now bring the mollifying ointment of a promise, Jer. iii. 1. hang out free grace's colours, display the glory of God's attributes, his mercy and truth to the sinner ; wlien the spirit is broken, a word of comfort spoken in season, is the putting it in joint again, this is to bring forth seasonable fruit, when we give wine to them that are of a heavy heart; " Pleasant words are as an honey-comb, sweet to the soul." Job's friends pretended to comfort him, but instead of pouring oil into the wound, they poured in vinegar.
2. Duties of religion that relate to God must be performed in their season.