* That is, ' queries.' — G.
HOSEA XIV. 6, 7.] THE EETUENING BACKSLIDER. 849
Therefore let us e\er\ one consider with ourselves, wherefore God hath set us in the church in our particular standings. "Wherein let us remember this, that howsoever God may endure barrenness out of the church, in want of means, yet he will never endure it under means. It is better for a bramble to be in the wilderness, than in an orchard ; for a weed to be abroad, than in a garden, where it is sure to be weeded out, as the other to be cut down. If a man will be unprofitable, let him be unprofitable out of the church. But to be so where he hath the dew of gi'ace falling on him, in the means of salvation, where are all God's sweet favours, to be a bramble in the orchard, to be a weed in the garden, to be noisome in a place where we should be fruitful, will God the great husbandman endiu'e this ? He will not long put it up. But that he exerciseth his children with such noisome trees to try them, as he hath some service for these thorns to do, to scratch them. So, were it not for such-like services for a time, he would weed them out and bui'n them. For whatsoever is not for fi-uit, is for the fu-e. ' Yea, eveiy tree that bringeth forth not good fruit, shall be hewn down and cast into the fire,' Mat. iii. 10.
And the more to stir us up hereunto, let us know that wheresoever the dew of gi-ace falls, and where there is the means of salvation, that at that very time there is an axe, an instrument of vengeance, laid to the root of the tree, which is not struclj down presently, but ' it is laid to the root,' Mat. iii. 10; that is, vengeance is threatened to the tree, to that plant which hath the means, and brings not forth good fi-uit in time and season. "What is the end thereof ? To be hewn down and cast into the fii'e. As we see the church of the Jews, when Christ came, the Messiah, the great prophet of the chui'ch, never was there more means of salvation ; yet even then, what saith John Baptist ? ' Now,' even now, ' is the axe laid unto the root of the tree,' Mat. iii. 10 ; and indeed, in a few years after, the whole tree, the church of the Jews, was cut down. And, Rev. vi. 2, 4, we see, after the rider on the ' white horse,' which is the preaching of the gospel, there comes a ' red, bloody horse,' and ' a pale horse,' war and famine. After the ' white horse,' his triumphant chariot, the preaching of the gospel. If this take not place, that it win and gain not, vvhat follows after ? ' The red and the pale horse,' war, famine, and destruction. It will not be always with us as it is ; for the gospel having been so long preached, we having been so long planted in God's paradise, the church, if we bear not fruit, ' the axe is laid to the root of the tree.' God will strike at the root, and root up all. Therefore let every one in their place be fruitful.
Every one that is fraitful, God hath a special care of. If any tree were fruitful, the Israehtes in their conquest were to spare that, because it was useful, and they might have use of it, Deut. xx. 19, 20. So God will always spare fruitful trees, and have a special care of such in common cala- mities. Let us therefore be exhorted not only to bring forth fruit, but to bring forth fruit in abundance, to study to excel in good works. The word in the original is, * a standard-bearer ' (('), to stand before others in good works. As it is in Titus, 'labour to be as standai'd-bearers,' Titus iii. 8, to go before others in good works. Strive to out-go others in fruitfulness ; for therein is the excellency. For those both in the sight of God and men ai'e in most esteem who are most fi-uitful in their callings and places. The more we excel in fruitfulness, the more we excel in comfort ; and the more we excel this way, the more we may excel. For God will tend and prune good trees, that they may brmg forth more and better fruit, John xv. 2. And the more majesty we walk, with, the more we damp the enemies, seeing them all
350 THE EETURNING BACKSLIDEE. [SeRMON YIII,
under our feet. A growing Christian never wants abundance of encourage- ments, for he sees such grounds of comfort, as that he walks impregnable and invincible in all the discouragements of this world, breaking through all. As Solomon saith, it is a comely thing to see a lion walk, Prov. xsx. 29, 30. So much more it is to see a valiant, strong, well-grown Christian, who is bold as a lion, abound in good works.
It is said, ' His beauty shall be as the olive, and his smell as Lebanon." The olive of itself hath no sweet smell. Therefore it is made up by another resemblance,