men; they have still hopes to be better; and like men in a fever, they toss from one side of the bed to the other, in hope to find coolness and refreshment: but a soul that exercises itself in the ways of holiness tells every temptation, You would draw me away to my loss. Yet again, a heart void of grace is divided in the service of God, and therefore an unsettled heart; it is not united to fear God's name; it serves not the Lord without distraction; all its love, fear, joy, runs not one way; but having inclinations not wholly bestowed upon God, and several ways of the heart's outgoing from God being allowed, it is never safe and certain. When the scales are even in weight, they tremble and waver; sometimes one is up, sometimes another: they who will serve two masters, God and the creature, and are double-minded, and will divide their hearts between them, will often be waver

are in deed and in truth, and by nothing so much opposed as shadows and falseness. [2.] They who please themselves with appearances will never labour for the reality of holiness, nor truth in the inward parts; they are seldom reproved by others, nor is it so easy to fasten a reproof upon them as upon those who are void of all shows of religion; and so they go on in a miserable quietness and uninterruptedness to their own destruction. [3.] They who barely appear holy are of all others the most impudent, not blushing to be accounted such as their own consciences tell them they are far from being. Naomi was ashamed of herself, when the men of Bethlehem said, " Is this Naomi? Call me not," said she, "Naomi, call me Marah; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me," Ruth i. 20. But these say, Call us Christians, though they are no better than heathens; call us saints, though they are inwardly but rotten sepul-ing, and show themselves sometimes for religion, somechres; account us to be in the highest form of religion, though they have not as yet stepped over the threshold of religion's school; esteem us to be full, although we are altogether empty. True saints are ashamed of commendation, though they are full of worth; hypocrites glory in being commended, though they have nothing in them commendable. When men have not the thing, it is most unreasonable that they should have the name. When God gave Abram the name of Abraham, he told him there was a reason why he should be called by that name; "Thy name shall be Abraham, for a father of many nations have I made thee," Gen. xvii. 5. Abigail said concerning her husband, "As his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him," 1 Sam. xxv. 25; and if Christians be our name, true Christianity should be with us. Lastly, such clouds without water, appearing professors, render themselves of all others most inexcusable. If religion were bad, why did they so much as profess it? if good, why did they not more, even love it also? If they took upon themselves the title and trade of God's servants, why would they not do his work? If God be a Master, where is his fear? if a Father, where is his honour? If they would not be his servants, why would they be called so? If they would be called his servants, why would they not be so? How fearful should we then be of putting our souls off with shadows of goodness! Labour for that truth in the inward parts, which all the expressions of the outward man are not able to reach; and remember that hereafter all paint must fall off which is not laid in the oil of sincerity; and hypocrites shall be discovered and unmasked both to their own consciences, and the judgments of all others. Obs. 9. The empty are also unstable. These "clouds without water" are, by the apostle, said to be "carried about of winds." The apostle, 2 Pet. iii. 16, joins the unlearned and unstable together; and Heb. xiii. 9 he mentions the establishment of the heart with grace. A heart empty of saving knowledge and true holiness is soon unsettled; and needs must it be so, being not firmly united to and set into Christ by faith: unbelief and distrust make a man carried up and down like a meteor. He who is not built upon the rock can never stand: if a reed be not tied to some stronger thing, it can never be kept from bending and shaking: where grace, the fruit, is not, there Christ, the root, is not; and where there is no root, there is no stability. Further, where there is a total emptiness of holiness, there is an emptiness of peace and contentment: "There is no peace to the wicked." And he who wants true contentment, will ever be looking out for it where it is not to be had. Without joy life is no life; and if it is not gotten one way, another will be tried. will show us any good ?" is the language of natural

"Who

times for the world; grace fixes and weighs down
the heart for God and to God, and chooses him only.
Here is the true reason then, in general, why men
are so tossed and carried away from the truth of the
gospel, they are empty of the truth of grace; they
go from us, because they were never of us; they are
a land-flood, a cistern only receiving from without,
and void of an inward living principle and fountain.
Obs. 10. Christians should beware of unstedfast-
ness, of being carried away with any winds from
their holy stedfastness in the truth. "Continue in
the things which ye have learned," 2 Tim. iii. 14.
Be not as children tossed to and fro with every wind
of doctrine. To this end, (1.) Let the word of Christ
ballast your souls; store them with the knowledge
of saving principles of religion. Empty table-books
are fit to have any thing written in them, and a soul
empty of the knowledge of wholesome truths is a
fit receptacle for any error. Ye do err, saith Christ,
because ye know not the Scriptures, Matt. xxii. 29.
Stones will easily be removed, unless fixed upon a
foundation. He who buys commodities without
either weighing or measuring them, may easily be
deceived; the Scripture is the measure and balance
of every opinion. How easily may he be cheated
with errors instead of truth, who buys only in the
dark! Ignorant Christians are like infants which
gape, and take in whatever the nurse puts to their
mouths. (2.) Labour to get your hearts fastened to
the truth by love, as well as your heads filled with
the truth by light. He who never loved truth, may
easily be brought to leave truth, and to embrace error.
He who embraced truth he knew not why, will for-
sake it he knows not how; the heart which has con-
tinued deceitful under truth, may soon be deceived
by error; a literal, without an experimental know-
ledge of the truth, may quickly be drawn to error:
from that wherein we find neither pleasure nor pro-
fit we may easily be enticed. But when once we
feel the truth both enlightening and delighting, un-
loading its treasures of glory into our souls, quieting
our consciences, quelling our lusts, changing us into
the image of the Lord, quickening our graces, se-
ducers will not be able to cheat us of this jewel, be-
cause we know they can bring us nothing in exchange
for which we should barter it away. (3.) Let there
not be any one lust allowed within thee
to loosen thee from the truth. They
who are not sound in the fear of God,
may easily become unsound in the faith
of God. A remiss heart will close with remiss prin-
ciples. The mystery of faith must be held in a good
conscience, which some, saith the apostle, having cast
away, have made shipwreck of the faith, 1 Tim. i. 19;
he compares conscience to a ship, and faith to a
treasure therein embarked, which must needs mis-

Πᾶσαί δε αἱρέσεις
TOU OOPAFLEIR
Theoph.

in Rom, xvi.

|

So that four particulars we shall here explain in this similitude borrowed from bad trees; the lost estate and the spiritual misery of these seducers being set down by a fourfold gradation, or by four steps, each one rising to a further degree of wretchedness than the other, and the lower making way for the

1. When they seemed to have fruit, at the best it was decaying, withering.

2. This withering fruit proved no fruit; "without fruit."

3. This ceasing from fruit, or this no fruit, was joined with a total want of life in the trees ever to produce any more fruit; "twice dead."

4. This total want of life made an easy way for the loss of place and ground to continue in.

carry if the ship be cast away, any corrupt affection
entertained: the soul, like an unwalled and unfenced
city, lies open to the rage and rapine of and ruin by
any enemy. If seducers suit their bait to the un-
mortified lust of a sinner, he is easily made their
prey, Prov. xxv. 28. Particularly, [1] Beware of
pride; the proud Christian, like a light, puffed blad-higher.
der, will easily be puffed any way of error: a bird
of a very small carcass, and of many feathers, is
easily carried away with the wind. Pride is the
mother of heresy; it is the proud man who consents
not to "wholesome doctrine, but dotes about ques-
tions," I Tim. vi. 3, 4. Humility is the best fence
against error; a humble man is so small in his own
eyes, that the shot of seducers cannot hit him; and
lies so low, that all their bullets fly over him. God
teaches the humble, but the proud person is Satan's
scholar. [2] Fence thy soul against worldly-mind-
edness; a worldly heart will be bought and sold at
every rate. The truth can never be safe in the closet
of that heart which error can open with a golden
picklock. The covetous both make merchandise of
others, and will be made merchandise by others.
The hook of error is easily swallowed down by a
worldly heart, if it be baited with filthy lucre. Take
heed of being a servant of truth for gain, for if so,
thou wilt soon be a slave unto error for more gain.
[3.] Keep out of the wind of seducing doctors and
their doctrines. "Mark them who cause divisions,
and avoid them," Rom. xvi. 17. If it be dangerous
to be tempted by, what is it then to be tempters of
the devil! Turn away from such as creep into
houses, and lead souls captives, 2 Tim. iii. 5, 6. Eat
not of the banquets of him who hath been found to
mix poison in his dishes; let holy zeal, in this re-
spect, hinder civility. If these seducers come to you,
yet neither receive them into your houses, nor bid
them God speed. Shun the meeting-places of error
as the schools of impiety. Beware of false prophets,
who put on a sheepskin profession over a wolfish
purpose, "deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into the apostles of Christ," 2 Cor. xi. 13. The
devil never deceives in his own like-
cioni aliquando ness. Feed not like silly sheep upon
dicenti, Cognosce rotten grass because it is sweet and
luscious. Polycarp would entertain no
mogenitum acquaintance with Marcion, but termed
apostoli et horum him the first-born of Satan; and, as
Irenæus states, the apostles and their
disciples were so full of holy fear, that
they would not communicate with here-
tics in the world who had adulterated
the word. Let not Satan take us among
his own, lest he make us of his own.
Thus much for that second comparison, whereby
the apostle describes the sin and misery of these
seducers, viz. "clouds without water."

Polycarpus Mar

occurrenti sibi, et

nos; respondit, Cognosco te pri

Satan. Tantum

discipuli habuerunt timorem, ut

neque verbo tenus alicui eorum, qui

communicarent

adulteraverant veritatem, Iren. 1. 3. c. 3. pag. mihi 171.

III. He compares them to "trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots."

Two things principally are here considerable in this resemblance taken from bad and corrupt trees.

Their badness in consideration, 1. Of their fruits. 2. Of the trees themselves.

1. In consideration of their fruits; so our apostle

expresses,

(1.) The decay and withering of their fruits; "whose fruit withereth."

(2.) Their cessation from and privation of their fruit; their fruit was none; "without fruit.”

2. Their badness in consideration of themselves, the trees, which, (1.) Were irrecoverably dead; "twice dead." (2.) Deservedly therefore "plucked up by the roots."

1. When they seemed to have fruit, at best it was decaying and withering. The apostle saith that they were "trees whose fruit withereth." The word whereby he expresses it is 40vоTopiva, which, according to the different apprehensions of interpreters, has several interpretations affixed to it. The Vulgate renders it autumnales, autumn trees, or trees of autumn, from p0vónwрov, which sometimes signifies autumn; and such trees, say some, the apostle calls these seducers, because when trees at that time of the year begin to put forth and make show of bearing fruit, they bring not their fruit to perfect maturity, it being too late in the year, and men judge it to be a sign that the trees themselves also are withering, and shortly after will die. Others, rather explaining than opposing this interpretation, conceive that these words, dévopa povоrwoiva, intend arbores ultimi, finientis, extremi, senescentis autumni, trees of the latter end of autumn, or that part which is next to winter, because p0vówρоv properly signifies the ending, far-spent autumn, it being called so, παρὰ τὸ φθίνεσθαι τὴν ὀπώραν, a finiente autumno, from the going out or wasting away of autumn: and this, say they, may be the meaning of the apostle, that as at the end of autumn, toward the beginning of November, the fruit and leaves of trees fall off, and the trees themselves seem to wither and die; so these seducers, what show soever they made formerly, were at last empty and destitute, not only of fruit, all true worth and goodness, but also even of all appearances thereof; but this seems rather to be intended in the last branch, "plucked up by the roots." Others think that by devopa poivonwovà the apostle means arbores frugiperdas, such as spoil and destroy fruit, from plivav and onpay, which they make to be the same with ὀλλύειν τὸν καρπὸν, as if the apostle had intended that these seducers aimed by all they did and brought forth only to corrupt and spoil the church, even as fruit being rotten and putrified easily corrupts and infects that fruit which lies near it: but this seems not to be an apt beginning to that following gradation, of their being without fruit; it being worse to hurt others than not to be good ourselves. Others conceive that the word p0vonwpvà respects not here that time of the year which we call autumn, but only the nature of the fruit which these trees brought forth; namely, such as are withered, and altogether unprofitable, as if these trees were called pouvonwpivà, scil. ὧν φθίνει ἡ ὀπώρα, οι παρὰ τὸ φθίνεσθαι τὰς ἀυτῶν opaç, as bringing forth no fruit but what was corrupt and withered; the apostle hereby intending, that though these seducers seem to promise and make a show of good and wholesome fruit, yet wanting the vital moisture and inward vigour of faith, could bring nothing forth to maturity and perfection, but all their fruits were withered and corrupt. This interpretation of the withering and corruptness of their fruit, I conceive most genuine and suitable to the scope of

the apostle, though he should, as many learned men think he does, compare these seducers to autumn trees, the fruit of such trees being mostly but withered and immature, and not coming to its perfection. More particularly, two things are here further to be opened.

(1) What that fruit was which these seducers might have, and what kind of fruits these trees might bear.

(2.) What was the withering of that fruit.

(1.) What that fruit was which they might bear. There are three sorts of metaphorical fruits mentioned in Scripture which men, compared to trees, are said to yield.

1. The fruits of the sanctifying Spirit of God, (graces and works,) brought forth in the hearts and lives of the saints; called fruits, because they come from the Spirit of God as fruit from the tree, and are as pleasing to him as the pleasantest fruit is to us. Thus we read of "the fruits of the Spirit," Gal. v. 22; and "fruits of righteousness," Phil. i. 11. "Fruits meet for repentance," Matt. iii. 8. All comprehended by Paul, Eph. v. 9, where he saith, "The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth." Goodness being that quality contrary to malice or naughtiness, whereby a sinner is evil in himself. Righteousness opposed to injustice, whereby one is hurtful and injurious to others. Truth opposed to errors, heresies, hypocrisy, &c.

2. There are fruits which in themselves and their own nature are bitter, corrupt, poisonous, put forth not only by a corrupt tree, but by it as such, evil propter fieri, in themselves and their own nature; such fruits by which the false prophets were known, and whereby men may be known to be wicked men, grapes of gall, and bitter clusters, Deut. xxxii. 32; such works of the flesh as Paul mentions, "Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred," &c., Gal. v. 19.

3. There are other fruits which are not evil in themselves, unlawful or intrinsically evil in their own substance and nature, propter esse and fieri, because they are, or are done; but because they grow upon such trees, by reason whereof something which should make the production of them good is omitted, and sundry defects cleave unto them, and they have evil cast upon them by the agent.

And sundry fruits of this sort and rank there may be upon such trees as Jude speaks of. As,

(I.) The fruits of gifts, parts, and abilities in matters of religion, as preaching, praying, utterance. Of these speaks Christ, Matt. vii. 22, "Many shall say in that day, Lord, have we not prophesied," &c. And I Cor. xii. 1, they are called spiritual gifts, wrought by the Spirit; but are not sanctificantia, but ministrantia; not so sanctifying him in whom, but helping those for whom they are; as a rich man may bestow good and dainty diet upon a poor woman that nurses his child, not for her own sake, but that his child may be nourished: such fruits as these, indeed, may beautify grace, but yet grace must sanctify them. These may make us profitable to men, not acceptable to God.

and yet they are not good enough; not purifying the heart, but only perfecting the understanding; poured only on the head, not running down, like Aaron's ointment, to the heart and other parts; though making a man protestant in doctrine, yet leaving him to be a recusant in his life; carrying him out to believe the word as faithful, but not to embrace it as worthy of all acceptation; to shine with light, but not to burn with or work by love.

(3.) A third sort of these fruits might be some heated affections, sweet motions, "receiving the word with joy," Matt. xiii. 20; a finding some sweetness in the ordinances. Ezekiel was to his hearers as a lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, chap. xxxiii. 32. They who shall be cast into utter darkness may for a season rejoice in the light, John v. 35, and may have sorrow and grief about sin, Matt. xxvii. 3. The Israelites were oft deep in their humiliations; they sought God and returned, inquired early after God, Psal. lxxviii. 34: Ahab humbled himself, 1 Kings xxi. 17-29. And yet these fruits are not the best, they may spring up from a root not good; the pleasantness or sadness of the matter of any doctrine may cause suitable affections of joy or sorrow; the novelty or rarity of a doctrine may much delight; or the dexterity and ability of the deliverer, the suitableness of a clearly discovered truth to a hearer's understanding the apprehension of the goodness of spiritual things may stir up some desires; thus they cried out," Lord, give us evermore this bread;" thus Balaam desires to "die the death of the righteous;" yea, as some have observed, corrupt lusts in men, such as pride and self-seeking, may produce great affections in holy duties. The desire of applause may make men in public administrations enlarged in their affections. The more excellent a prayer or sermon is, the more carnal the heart of the performer may be; the stronger the invention is, the weaker the grace may be; and as ground full of mines of gold is oft barren of grass, so a heart full of grace may be barren of the ornaments of words and expressions.

(4.) A fourth sort of fruits, borne even by these afterward apostates, might be external appearances of conformity to the law of God, in avoiding all open and scandalous courses, and in performing the visible and outside acts of obedience: thus the Pharisee was not an extortioner, unjust, an adulterer, Matt. xviii. 11. Paul, touching the law, was blameless, Phil. iii. 6. The young man professed he had kept the law, in the letter of it, from his youth. The Pharisees paid tithes exactly, abhorred idolatry, made long prayers and frequent, were strict in the outward observation of the sabbath, professed chastity, temperance, &c. Thus it is said of these very apostates, that they had escaped the pollutions of the world, 2 Pet. ii. 20, and that they had been washed, ver. 22. And these fruits of outward conformity to the law of God are highly commendable; sincerity of grace can neither be nor be known without them; by them it resolves, as Elijah said, 1 Kings xviii. 15, to show itself; they are commanded by God, who, though he commands not the godly to fulfil the law perfectly, yet permits (2.) The second sort of these fruits which these them not to break it wilfully; and though by the trees might bear is a temporary faith, orthodox or presence of external obedience we cannot conclude sound judgment, assent to that which is the very salvation, yet by the absence thereof we may contruth of God's word; that there is a God, infinite include damnation to follow: these honour God, benefit all his glorious perfections; that there are three Persons; that Christ was God and man, &c., and that all who believe in him shall be saved. Thus some unconverted are said to believe for a while, Luke viii. 13; thus Simon Magus and Demas believed. These fruits are good in their kind, and without them there can be no holiness of life, nor happiness after death,

others. Though our righteousness satisfies not justice, yet in our unrighteousness we cannot be saved without injustice; nor is any man called a good man for the good which he has, but the good which he does: outward obedience strengthens true grace where it is, and is necessary to preserve a justified estate, though not as deserving it, yet as removing that which would