A SERMON Preached at NEWPORT IN THE ISLE of WIGHT, October 1648. In the time of the TREATY. BY ROBERT SANDERSON, D. D. Chaplain to the late KING, and Regius-Professor of Divinity in the University of OXON.  
London Printed by T. M. for Andrew Crook, at the Green Dragon in S. Paul's churchyard 1653.   

A SERMON PREACHED In the Isle of WIGHT, Before the late KING.  GALAT. 5. 22, 23. 
Ver. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith,  
Meekness, Temperance: against such there is no Law.  
HE that shall impartially look upon former and the present times, shall find that of Solomon exactly true, There is 
Eccles. 1. 9  no new thing under the sun: Vetus fabula, novi Histriones: The things we see done are but the same things that have been done, only acted over again by new Persons, and with a few new circumstances. It was in the Apostles times, and in the Churches of Galatia, even as it is with us in these days; False Teachers had crept in among them, who by their hypocrisy and pretensions of the Spirit, had so corrupted their Faith, that they were removed (after 
Gal. 1. 6.  a sort) unto another Gospel, and so extremely soured their Charity, that from provoking and envying, they were now 
5. 26. 5. 15.  grown to biting and devouring one another.  
The Apostle wondering at this so unexpected a change, [I marvel you are so soon removed, Gal. 1. 6.] to see them so befooled in their understandings, and bewitched in their affections, as to suffer so sore and sudden a decay in the two most Essential parts of Christian Religion, Faith, and Charity, thought it high time for him, after he had first schooled them [O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you] to offer this advice towards the allaying of those heats and 
Gal. 3. 1.  distempers that were the causes of this so sad and dangerous an alteration.  
The Remedy he prescribeth for that end [verse 16.] is short, but very sure, if they will follow it, Walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. As if he had said, You talk much of the Spirit, but you make it little appear in the fruit of your lives that you are led by the Spirit. The Spirit and the flesh are contraries, and they lust contrary things, verse 17. If you were as careful to walk in the Spirit, as you are to boast of it, you would not be so forward as now you are, by the cherishing of unbrotherly contentions, and other ways, to fulfil the Lusts of the flesh.  
An hard thing it is to bring an overweening Hypocrite to a true understanding of himself; for Pride and hypocrisy are two such things as few men are willing to own. That they might therefore with better certainty be able to discern whether they were indeed Spiritual, or but yet carnal, the Apostle proceedeth to describe the flesh and the Spirit, by sundry their different effects. A Catalogue we have for that purpose, of the works of the flesh, in seventeen particulars, in the three next verses before the Text; and than another Catalogue of the fruit of the Spirit, in nine Particulars, in the Text itself.  
Wherein we may observe three things, First, the Notion, or general Description of spiritual graces as they are here proposed: they go under this name, The fruit of the Spirit. Secondly, the particular species given in under that name or Notion; They are these nine, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance. Thirdly, a special privilege belonging to all and every the aforesaid particulars; to wit, exemption from the Law: Against such there is no Law.  
In the general Description (which is like to be our only business at this time) the thing we are to take notice of, is, the difference that may be observed between the Titles under which Saint Paul hath entered the several particulars of both sorts, as they are set down, the one in the beginning of verse 19 [The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, &c.] The other in the beginning of verse 22. [But the fruit of the spirit is Love, &c.] And these differences are four. First, Those effects of the former sort proceed originally from the flesh, these from the Spirit. Secondly, Those are rather styled by the name of Works, these by the name of Fruit; The Works of the flesh, but the Fruit of the Spirit. Thirdly, Those are set forth as many and apart, Works, in the Plural; these as many, but united into one Fruit, in the Singular. Fourthly, Those are expressly said to be manifest; of these, no such thing at all mentioned.  
The first difference which ariseth from the nature of the things themselves as they relate to their several proper causes, is of the four, the most obvious and important; and it is this, That whereas the vicious habits and sinful actions Catalogued in the former verses are the productions of the flesh; The graces and virtues specified in the Text, are ascribed to the Spirit, as to their proper and Original cause; they are not the Works of the flesh, as the former, but the Fruit of the Spirit.  
Where the first question that every man will be ready to ask, is, What is here meant by the Spirit?  
The necessity of expressing Supernatural and Divine things, by words taken from Natural or human affairs, hath produced another necessity of enlarging the significations of sundry of those words to a very great latitude; which is one special cause of the obscurity which is found in sundry places of Holy Scripture, and consequently of the difficulty of giving the proper and genuine sense of such places, and consequently to that (amidst so many interpretations of one and the same place, wh●lst each contendeth for that sense which himself hath pitched upon) of infinite Disputes and Controversies in point of Religion.  
Among which words, three especially I have observed, all of them of very frequent use in the New Testament; which, as they are subject to greater variety of significations than most other words are, so have they ever yet been, and are like to be to the world's end, the matter and fuel of very many and very fiery contentions in the Church. These three are Faith, Grace, and Spirit. Truly I am persuaded, if it were possible all men could agree in what signification each of these three words were to be understood in each place where any of them are found, three full parts, at least of the four, of those unhappy Controversies that have been held up in the Christian Church, would vanish.  
And of the three, this of the Spirit hath yet the greatest variety of significations. God in his Essence, the Person of the Holy Ghost, good Angels, evil Angels, extraordinary Gifts, wherewith the Apostles and others in the Primitive times were endowed; the several faculties of the soul, as understanding, affections, and conscience; the whole soul of man, Supernatural grace, besides many others not needful now to be remembered, all come under the appellation of Spirit. Much of the ambiguity of the word (I confess) is cut off, when it is opposed to flesh; yet even then also it wanteth no variety. The literal and mystical sense, the Ordinances of the old and new Testament, the body and the soul, sensuality and reason; the corruption of nature, and the grace of God; all these may (according to the peculiar exigence of several places) be understood by the terms of Flesh and Spirit.  
Generally the word Spirit (in the common notion of it) importeth a thing of subtle parts, but of an operative quality; so that the less any thing hath of matter, and the more of virtue, the nearer it cometh to the nature of a Spirit; as the Wind, and the quintessences of Vegetables or Minerals extracted by chemical operations. We use to say of a man that is of a sad, sluggish, and phlegmatic temper, that he hath no spirit; but if he be lively, active, quick, and vigorous, we then say, he hath a spirit in him. It is said of the Queen of Sheba, when she saw the Wisdom and Royal state of King Solomon, that there was no more spirit left in 
1 Kin. 10. 5.  her; that is, she stood mute and amazed at it, as if she had no life, speech, sense, or motion in her: the soul is therefore called a spirit, because it being itself no bodily substance, it yet actuateth and enliveneth the body, and is the inward Principle of life thereunto, called therefore, The spirit of life; And Saint James saith, The body without the spirit is dead; that 
Gen. ●2. 7 Jam. 2▪ 26  is, it is a liveless lump of flesh without the soul. So that whatsoever is Principium agendi internum, may in that respect, and so far forth borrow the name of a spirit; insomuch as the very flesh itself, (so far forth as it is the fountain of all those evil works mentioned in the foregoing verses) may in that respect be called a spirit, and so it is by Saint James, The spirit that is in us lusteth after envy, saith he; that is, in very deed, the flesh that is in us; for among the lusts 
Jam. 4 5.  and works of the flesh, is envy reckoned, in the very next verse before the Text.  
To come up close to the point, (for I fear I have kept off too long) as they stand here opposed, By Flesh, I take to be clearly meant the natural corruption of man; And by Spirit, the Supernatural grace of God: even as the same words are also taken in some other places; as namely, in that saying of our Saviour, John 3. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Which 
John 3. 6.  words may serve as a good Commentary upon this part of the Text: for they do not only warrant the Interpretation, but afford us also the Reason of it, under the analogy of a twofold Birth or Generation.  
The Generation, whether of Plants, or living Creatures, is effectual by that prolifical virtue which is in the Seed; Answerable therefore unto the twofold Birth spoken of in the Scriptures, there is also a twofold Seed. The first Birth is that of the old man, by Natural Generation, whereby we are born the sons of Adam. The second Birth is that of the new man, by Spiritual Regeneration, by which we are born the sons of God. Answerable whereunto, the first Seed is Semen Adae, the seed of Adam, derived unto us by carnal Propagation from our natural Parents, who are therefore called The fathers of our flesh; together wherewith is also 
Heb. 12. 9  derived that uncleanness, or corruption, which upon our first Birth cleaveth so inseparably to our nature, and is the inward Principle from which all the works of the flesh have their emanation. But then there is another Seed; Semen Dei, (as S. John calls it) the seed of the second Adam, Jesus Christ, God blessed for ever, derived unto us by the communication 
1 Ioh. 3. 9  of the Holy Spirit inwardly renewing us; together wherewith is also derived a measure of inherent, supernatural grace, as the inward Principle whence all these choice fruits of the Spirit do flow.  
So that upon the whole matter, these two points are clear: First, clear it is, that all the wicked practices recited and condemned in the foregoing verses, with all other of like quality, do proceed merely from the corruption that is in us, from our own depraved minds and wills, without any the least cooperation of the Holy Spirit of God therein. It cannot stand with the goodness of God to be the Principal, and neither with his goodness nor greatness to be an accessary in any sinful action. He cannot be either the Author, or the Abettor of any thing that is evil. Whoso therefore hath committed any sin, let him take heed he do not add another and a worse to it, by charging God with it; rather let him give God and his Spirit the glory, by taking all the blame and shame of it to himself, and his own flesh. All sinful works, are works of the flesh.  
Secondly, It is clear also, that all the holy affections and performances here mentioned, with all other Christian virtues and graces accompanying salvation, not here mentioned, (though wrought immediately by us, and with the free consent of our wills) are yet the fruit of God's Spirit working in us; that is to say, they do not proceed Originally from any strength of nature, or any inherent power in man's free will; nor are they acquired by the culture of Philosophy, the advantages of Education, or any improvement whatsoever of natural abilities by the helps of Art or Industry; but are in truth the proper effects of that supernatural grace, which is given unto us by the good pleasure of God the Father, merited for us by the precious blood of God the Son, and conveyed into our hearts by the sweet and secret inspiration of God the Holy Ghost; Love, Joy, Peace, &c. are fruits not at all of the Flesh, but merely, and entirely of the Spirit.  
All those very many passages in the new Testament, which either set forth the unframableness of our nature, to the doing of any thing that is good, [Not that we are sufficient of 
2 Cor. 3. 5. Rom. 7. 18.  ourselves to think a good thought. In me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing, and the like:] or else ascribe our best performance to the glory of the grace of God, [Without me you can do nothing. All our sufficiency is of God. 
John 15. 17. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 8. Phil. 2. 13  Not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. It is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed, and the like] are so many clear confirmations of this truth.  
Upon the evidence of which truth it is, that our Mother the Church hath taught us in the public Service, to beg at the hands of Almighty God, that he would endue us with the grace of his Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according to his holy Word: and again, [consonantly to the matter we are now in hand with, almost in terminis] that he would give to all men increase of grace, to hear meekly his Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; as without which grace, it were not possible for us to amend our lives, or to bring forth such fruits, according as God requireth in his holy Word.  
And the Reason is clear, because, as the Tree is, such must the fruit be; Do men look to gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 
Matth. 7. 16.  or can they expect from a salt Fountain, other then brackish water? certainly, what is born of flesh, can be no better than flesh. Who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean? or how can any thing that good is, proceed from a heart, all the imaginations of the thoughts whereof, are only and continually evil? If we would have the fruit good, reason will (and our Saviour prescribeth the same Method) that order be taken first to make the Tree 
Matth. 12. 23.  good.  
But you will say, it is as impossible so to alter the nature of the flesh, as to make it bring forth good Spiritual fruit; as it is to alter the nature of a Crab or Thorn, so as to make it bring forth a pleasant Apple. Truly and so it is: If you shall endeavour to mend the fruit, by altering the stock, you shall find your labour altogether fruitless. A Crab will be a Crab still, when you have done what you can; and you may as well hope to wash an Aethiopian white, as to purge the flesh from sinful pollution.  
The work therefore must be done quite another way, not by alteration, but by addition; that is, leaving the old Principle to remain as it was, by super-inducing (ab extra) a new Principle of a different and more kindly quality. We see the experiment daily in the grafting of Trees. A Crab-stock, if it have a cyon of some delicate Apple is artificially grafted in it, look what branches are suffered to grow out of the stock itself, they will all follow the nature of the stock; and if they bring forth any fruit at all, it will be sour and styptic; but the fruit that groweth from the graft, will be pleasant to the taste, because it followeth to the nature of the graft. We read of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, An engrafted word, James 1. Our carnal hearts are the old stock, which before 
Jam. 1 20.  the word of God be grafted in it, cannot bring forth any Spiritual fruit acceptable to God: but when by the powerful operation of his holy Spirit, the word which we hear with our outward ears, is inwardly grafted therein, it then bringeth forth the fruits of good living; so that all the bad fruits that appear in our lives, come from the old stock the flesh; and if there be any good fruit of the Spirit in us, it is from the virtue of that word of grace that is grafted in us.  
It should be our care then, since the Scriptures call so hard upon us for fruits, [To be fruitful in good works, to bring 
Col. 1. 10. Mat. 3. 8, 10.  forth fruits meet for repentance, &c.] and threaten us with excision and fire, if we do not bring forth fruit, and that good fruit too. It should be our care (I say) to bestow as much diligence about our hearts, as good husbands do about their fruit-trees: they will not Suffer any sucker, or luxuriant branches to grow from the stock; but as soon as they begin to appear, or at least before they come to any bigness, cut them off and cast them away; by so doing, the graft thrives the better, and brings forth fruit both sooner and fairer.  
God hath entrusted us with the custody and culture of our own hearts, as Adam was put into the Garden, to keep it, and to dress it; and besides the charge given us in that behalf, 
Gen. 2 15.  it behooveth us much for our own good, to keep them with all diligence: if we husband's them well, the benefit 
Prov 4. 23  will be ours; he looketh for no more but his Rent, (and that an easy Rent) the glory, and the thanks; the fruits wholly accrue to us, as usu-fructuaries; but if we be such ill husbands, so careless and improvident, as to let them sylvescere, overgrow with wild and superfluous branches, to hinder the thriving of the grafts, whereby they become ill-liking and unfruitful; we shall neither answer the trust committed to us, nor be able to pay our Rent, (we shall bring him in no glory) nor do ourselves any good, but run behind hand continually, and come to nought at last.  
It will behoove us therefore, if we will have our fruit in holiness, and the end everlasting life, to look to it betimes, lest some root of bitterness springing up, put us to more trouble 
Heb. 12. 15.  than we are aware of for the present, or can be well able to deal withal afterwards. The flesh will find us work enough to be sure, it is ever and anon putting forth spurns of Avarice, Ambition, Envy, Revenge, Pride, Luxury, some noisome lust or other: Like a rotten dunghill, that's rank of weeds, if we neglect them but a little, out of a thought that they can do no great harm yet, or that we shall have time enough to snub them hereafter, we do it to our own certain disadvantage, if not utter undoing; we shall either never be able to overcome them, or not without very much more labour and difficulty, than we might have done it at the first.  
In the mean time, whilst these superfluous excrescencies {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, (I know not how to call them) are suffered, they draw away the sap to their own nourishment, and so pine and starve the grafts, that they never come to good. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}▪ saith S. James: we'll translate it, Wherefore 
Jam. 1. 21.  laying aside; perhaps it may import a little more: the whole verse is worth the further considering, if we had time to insist upon it; it seemeth to allude throughout to the lopping off all those suckers or superfluous branches that hinder the prospering of Grafts; as if he had said, If you desire the holy word of God, which is to be grafted in your hearts, should bring forth fruit to the saving of your souls, suffer not these filthy and naughty superfluities of fleshly lusts to hinder the growth thereof, but off with them, away with them; and the sooner the better, that is, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}.  
I should from this point, before I had left it, (but that I have other things to speak to, and may not insist) have pressed two things more. First, the necessity of our Prayers. It is true, our endeavours are necessary; God that doth our work for us, will not do it without us; but without the assistance of his holy Spirit, all our endeavours are bootless; and we have no reason to presume of his assistance, if we think ourselves too good to ask it. We may not think we have done all our part toward fruit-bearing, when we have planted and watered, until we have earnestly solicited him to do his part too in giving theincrease, and Crowning our endeavours with success.  
Secondly, a duty of thankfulness; If by this good blessing upon our Prayers and endeavours, we have been enabled to bring forth any fruit, such as he will graciously accept, take we heed we do not withdraw the least part of the glory of it from him to derive it upon ourselves or our own endeavours: Non nobis, Domine, non nobis: Not unto us, O Lord by no 
Psal. 115. 1.  means to us but to thy Name be the glory. Enough it is for us i● we have the comfort inward, and shall have an immeasurable reward at the last, for the good we have done; (either of both which, is infinitely more than we deserve) but far be it from us to claim any share in the glory, let all that be to him alone. Whatsoever fruit therefore we bear, or how much soever, let us not be high minded thereupon, or take too much upon us; for we bear not the Root, but the 
Rom 11. 18.  Root beareth us; and when we have done our outmost endeavours, the fruit we bear, is still the fruit of the Spirit, and not the fruit of our endeavours.  
I have dwelled long upon this first difference, not so much because it was the first (though that sometimes falleth out to be the best excuse we are able to make for such prolixities) as because it is most material, as arising from the different nature of the things spoken of: whereas the three that follow are rather verbal, arising but from the different manner of the Apostles expressions in respect of the words.  
The first whereof (the 2d of the whole four) is, That the evil effects proceeding from the flesh, are called by the name of works; and the good effects proceeding from the Spirit, are called by the name of fruits. The Quere is, Why those & these, being both effects alike, they are not either both alike called works, or both alike called fruits; but the one works, the other fruits? The works of the flesh there, here the fruit of the Spirit?  
For answer whereunto▪ I shall propose to your choice two conjectures; the one more Theological, which is almost as new to me, as perhaps it will seem to you (for it came not into my thoughts till I was upon it;) the other more Moral and Popular. For the former, take it thus, Where the immediate Agent produceth a work or effect virtute propriâ, by his own power, and not in the virtue of a superior Agent; both the work itself produced, and the efficacy of the operation whereby it is produced, are to be ascribed to him alone so as it may be said properly & precisely to be his work. But where the immediate Agent operateth virtute alienâ, in the strength and virtue of some higher Agent, without which he were not able to produce the effect; though the work done, may even there also be attributed (in some sort) to the inferior and subordinate Agent, as the immediate cause; yet the efficacy whereby it was wrought cannot so properly be imputed to him; but ought rather to be ascribed to that higher Agent, in whose virtue he did operate.  
The Application will make it somewhat plainer. In all human actions, whether good or bad, the will of man is the immediate Agent, so that whether we commit a sin, or do a good work, inasmuch as it proceedeth from our free wills, the work is still our work howsoever. But herein is the difference between good and evil actions: The Will (which is naturally in this depraved estate corrupt and fleshly) operateth by its own power alone, for the producing of a sinful action, without any cooperation at all (as was said already) of God or his Holy Spirit; and therefore the sin so produced, is to be ascribed to the fleshly Will, as to the sole and proper Cause thereof, and may therefore very rightly be said to be the work of the flesh: But in the producing any action that is spiritually good, the Will operateth only as a subordinate Agent to the grace of the Holy Spirit, and in the power and virtue thereof. And therefore, although the good work may in some sort be said to be our work, because immediately produced by our Wills; yet it is in truth the fruit of the Spirit, and not of our Wills, because it is wrought by the power of that, and not by any power of our own Wills. Nevertheless, not I, but the grace of God with me. 
1 Cor. 15. 10.   
If this conjecture seem but a subtlety, and satisfy not, let it go; the other (I presume) will, being it is so plain and popular. The word fruit, mostwhat relateth to some labour going before. Hoc fructi ab labore pro his fero, in the old Poet: So in the Scriptures, Nevertheless, this is the fruit of my labour. The Husbandman that first laboureth, must be partaker 
Phil. 1. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 6.  of the fruits. Labour first, and then fruits. That which David calleth the labour of the hands, (Thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands) Psal. 128. Solomon calleth the fruit 
Psal. 128. 2. Prov. 31. 31.  of the hands, (Give her of the fruit of her hands) Prov. 31.  
The reason is, because no man would willingly undergo any toil or labour to no end, he would have something or other in his eye, that might in some measure recompense his pains; and that is called the fruit of his labour. Tully therefore joineth Praemium and Fructum together, as importing the same thing. Who planteth a Vineyard, but in hope to eat of the fruit of it? Or what Husbandman would Plow, 
1 Cor, 9 7.  and Sow, and Plant, and Prune, and Dig, and Dung, if he did not hope to find it all answered again when he cometh to inn the fruits? Spe fructûs dura ferentes. The first question in every man's thoughts, when he is importuned to any 
Hor. 2. Ep. 1.  thing of labour and business, is, Ecquid erit pretii? will it be worth my labour? what benefit shall I reap by it? what will be the fruit of my pains?  
In all deliberations, where two ways are offered to our choice, Wisdom would, that we should first weigh as advisedly and exactly as we can, the labour, and the fruit of the one against the other, and as we find those (rightly compared) to be more or less, to make our resolutions accordingly. We are called on hard on both sides; God commandeth us to serve him, Satan and the World solicit us to the service of sin: Promises there are, or intimations of fruit on both sides; Salvation to our souls on the one side, Satisfaction to our lusts on the other. Here then is our business and our wisdom, to compare what is required, and what is offered on both sides; to examine on the one side first, and then on the other, whether the work exceed the fruit, or the fruit the work.  
Now the Apostle, by the very choice of his words here, hath (after a sort) done the business, and determined the controversy to our hands. In the service of sin the toil is so great, that in comparison thereof, the benefit is as nothing; and in the service of God the benefit so great, that in comparison thereof, the pain is as nothing. Where the flesh ruleth all, the work exceedeth the fruit; and therefore without ever mentioning the fruit, they are called the works of the flesh: But where the Spirit of God ruleth, the fruit exceedeth the work; and therefore without ever mentioning the work, it is called the fruit of the Spirit.  
If in this passage only, this different manner of speaking had been used by the Apostle, it might perhaps have been taken for a casual expression, unsufficient to ground any Collection upon. But look into Ephes. 5. and you cannot doubt but it was done of choice, and with this very meaning; speaking there of the duties of Holiness, even as here, without any mention of work, he calleth them by the name of fruits; (The fruit of the Spirit, is in all goodness, and righteousness and truth, verse 9) But by and by, verse 11. speaking of sinful actions, he doth not only call them works, but positively, and expressly calleth them fruitless; Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness: Works, but without fruit; unfruitful works of darkness.  
This justifieth the Collection to be evident, and natural and without enforcement: The ways of sin are very toilsome, yet withal unfruitful; but in all spiritual labour, there is profit; the fruit will countervail the pains, and recompense it abundantly. We may not unfitly apply to these two his words in the Comedy; In his fructus est, in illis Opera luditur. 
Terent.   
The paths of sin seem indeed, at the first hand, and in the entrance, to be very pleasant and even. The devil, to draw men in, goeth before like a Leveller, and smootheth the way for them, but when they are in, he driveth them along, and on they must. Be the way never so dark and slippery, never so crooked and craggy, never so intricate or perplexed, being once engaged, they must go through it, per saxa, per ignes, stick at nothing (be it never so contrary to the Laws of God or men, to all Natural, Civil, or Religious Obligations; yea even to the Principles of common humanity and reason) that Avarice, Ambition, Revenge, or any other vicious Lust putteth them upon: Ambulavimus vias difficiles, they confess it at last, when it is too late, and befool themselves for it: We have wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction, we have gone through dangerous ways &c. Wisd. 5. They have wearied themselves to work iniquity, 
Wisd. 5. 7. Jer. 9 5. Hab. 2. 13.  saith the Prophet Jeremiah. And the Prophet Habbacuk, The people labour in the very fire. The Greek word that signifieth wickedness, cometh of another that signifieth labour. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. And how often in the Scriptures do we meet with such like Phrases asthese, to work wickedness, works of iniquity? Saint Chrysostom's eloquence enlargeth itself, and triumpheth in this Argument more frequently, and with greater variety of invention and amplification, then in almost any other; and he cleareth it often, and beyond all exception both by Scripture, and Reason, that the life of a wicked or worldly man, is a very drudgery, infinitely more toilsome, vexatious, and unpleasant, than a Godly life is.  
Now, if after all this drailing, the fruits would (though but in a scant proportion) answer the pains, it were the more tolerable: but there is no such matter; the sinner hath but his Labour for his Pains. Nay, I may say, it were happy for him, if he had but his Labour for his Pains, and that there were not a worse matter yet behind. The best they can hope in the mean time, is nothing but vanity, and vanity is nothing. Man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain, saith David. The 
Psal. 39 6  work disquietness, the fruit vanity. The people labour in the very fire, you heard but now from the Prophet, his very next words are, They weary themselves for very vanity. Saint Peter therefore 
Hab. 2. 13.  calleth the conversation of a sinner a vain conversation. And S. 
1 Pet. 1. 18  Paul putteth the question home to their consciences after a sort, challenging them to answer directly to it, if they could, What 
Rom. 6. 21.  fruit had ye then of those things? &c. Rom. 6.  
No great reason then, if we well consider it, why we should envy sinners, though they prosper never so much in wicked designs, and seem to reap the fruit of their labours in the success of their affairs. All temporal advantages of Wealth, Honour, Power, Pleasure, and the like, which are the utmost fruit that a sinner can fancy to himself of all his labours, have but the show and semblance, not the truth and reality of fruit; both because in the mean time they give not that satisfaction in the enjoyment, which was desired and expected from them in the pursuit, (as they write of the Apples of Sodom, that look very fair and full, and tempt the eye; but as soon as touched, Fathiscunt in vagum 
Solinus.  pulverem, like a Fussbal, resolve all into dust and smoke:) as also, because they have a very ill farewell with them at the last; Honey in the mouth perhaps, and that but perhaps neither; but Gall certainly in the stomach, if not rather rank poison. Know they not it will be bitterness in the end? Shame, Sorrow, and bitter repentance? and that is the best end imaginable of such bad beginnings: but without repentance, eternal death and damnation not to be avoided: For the end of those things (abused and continued in) is death.  
Let us not therefore either envy their prosperity, or yet follow their example: Wherefore should we lay out our money for that which is not bread, or our labour for that which satisfieth not? when 
Isa. 55. 1.  we drive a far easier trade, with far more profit another way; have less toil, and yet reap more fruit; and that is, by walking in the holy ways of God, and taking upon us the yoke of Christ, that (we are told) is an easy yoke, at least in comparison of the other, (that of Satan) and a light burden. And we have no reason to 
Mat. 11. 30  disbelieve it, Truth itself having told us so; especially considering that he putteth under the shoulder himself also, and by helping to bear with us, beareth off, in a manner, the whole weight from us, leaving no more for us to carry, then by the strength he giveth us he knoweth we are well able to bear, if we will but put to our good wills, and use that strength. Nay, do but compare the works themselves, and you must conclude, that his Commandments are more equitable, and less grievous than are the imperious commands of our own raging and exorbitant lusts. Will not any reasonable man, upon the hearing of the names of the things only, 
1 Joh. 5. 3.  presently yield, that Love, and Joy, and Peace, and Gentleness, (for example which are fruits of the Spirit, are far more lovely and desirable, more easy and delightful, fuller of sweetness and calmness, less toilsome and vexatious, then are Hatreds, and Debates, and Emulations, and Seditions, and murders, and those other works of the flesh?  
Now, if (as the task is easier, so the benefit be greater) what can excuse our folly, if we do not give up ourselves to be ordered by the guidance of the Spirit in every thing, rather than yield to satisfy the lusts of the flesh in any thing? And the benefit is greater: A sure reward (saith Solomon.) For God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of faith and love. A great reward, saith David; 
Prov. 11. 8. Heb. 6▪ 10. Psal. 19 11  and that many times for a very little work done: the giving of a Cup of cold Water to refresh a thirsty soul, shall not want its reward. It is our Apostles elsewhere, that we should always abound 
Mat. 10 42 1 Cor. 15. ult.  in the work of the Lord, and that upon this very ground, forasmuch as you know, (saith he) that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. If we labour in his work, we shall find the fruit of it in time.  
Only let us be content to stay the time, and not be thrusting in the Sickle, before the Corn be half ripe. The Husbandman, when he hath done his work in ear-ring and sowing, doth not look to receive the precious fruits of the earth into his Garners again the next day, or the next month; but he hath long patience for it, 
Jam. 5 7.  and whether it chance to be an early Harvest, or a late Harvest, he waiteth still, and taketh the season as it falleth: Even so have we need of Patience, that after we have done the will of God, and suffered according to the will of God, we may receive the promised reward; 
Heb. 10. 36 Gal. 6. 9 Heb. 10. 37.  for in due time we shall reap, if we faint not. The final reward is sure, veniens veniet, it will come at last, and not fail us; and it is so great withal (Copiosa nimis) that when it cometh, it will abundantly recompense all our Work yea and our Patience too.  
Nay, let me say, if that reward were not, nor any other world to come, yet the fruits we reap in the mean time, even in this world, from a godly life, is incomparably greater than any that the works of the flesh can yield us; even in the judgement of Heathen men, virtue ever carrieth its reward with it, as being Bonum propter se expetendum, a thing to be desired and embraced for its own worth, without respect to any further reward: and certainly, the evenness of the mind, and vacuity from those secret lashes, those horrors and fears that haunt a guilty conscience, and the sweet comfort and complacency that a righteous soul findeth in the sincere performance of his bounden duty to God and man, in eschewing evil and doing good, is a fruit infinitely more valuable than all the pleasures and sensualities of a wicked life. How happy then is he that truly serveth God; who both hath his Fruit in holiness onward (that is, the hundred, fold Mark 
Rom. 6. 22 Mar. 10. 30  10.)▪ and shall in the end, have everlasting life to boot.  
There are of the four Differences proposed, two more yet behind, which I must dispatch in few words. The 3d is, That the works of the flesh, are spoken of as many, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, works, in the Plural; but the fruit of the Spirit is spoken of as one, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, Fruit, in the singular; many works, but one fruit.  
There is such a connexion of virtues and Graces, that albeit they differ in their Objects and natures, yet they are inseparable in the Subject. As when many links make up one chain, pull one, and pull all: So he that hath any one Spiritual Grace in any degree of truth and eminency, cannot be utterly destitute of any other. But as for sin and Vices, it is not so with them; they are not only distinct in their kinds, natures, and definitions (for so are virtues too) but they may also be divided from one another, and parted asunder in respect of the Subject wherein they are. We are told Rom. 2. and if we were not told it, we could not but see reason enough otherwise to believe it; that a man may hate Idolatry, a work of the flesh, and yet love sacrilege 
Rom. 2. 22  well enough, a work of the flesh too. There is no necessity that a swearer should be an Adulterer, or an Adulterer a slanderer, or a slanderer an oppessor, or an oppressor a drunkard, or a drunkard a seditious person, and so of many other.  
The reason of the difference is, because all spiritual graces look one way, they all run to the same indivisible point, wherein they concentre; to wit, Almighty God, who is Bonum Incommunicabile, unchangeable and one: even as all moral virtue's concentre in the same common point of Right Reason: But sins which turn from God to follow the Creature, and vices which are so many deviations from the rule of Right Reason, do not only necessarily run towards the same point, but may have their several tendencies different one from another. Because though God be one, yet the creatures are manifold; and although the strait way from one place to another can be but one, yet there may be many crooked turnings, by-paths, and deviations. Even as Truth is but one and certain, but Errors are manifold and endless.  
The Spirit of God, whose fruits these are, is first a renewing Spirit: It createth a new heart in a man, whereby he becometh a kind of new creature; it disposeth him to obedience: 
Psal. 51. 10  And true obedience is copulative; it submitteth to the Commanders will entirely, it doth not pick and choose. The Spirit of God 
Gal. 6. 15.  is (secondly) a holy Spirit, (The holy Spirit of Discipline:) And such a holy Spirit will not brook to dwell in a soul that is subject to 
Wisd. 1. 4, 5.  sin, it will endure no such inmate: they can no more dwell together, than light can fellow with darkness; but where any grace is wanting, there must needs be the contrary sin to fill up the vacuity: And therefore, where that holy Spirit is, there cannot be a total defect of any holy grace. The spirit of God is also a loving Spirit, and sheddeth abroad the love of God in every heart it taketh possession of; and love is so comprehensive a grace, that it includeth all the rest, and so is, in effect, the fulfulling of the whole 
Rom. 13. 10.  Law. There is a thread of love that runneth through all the particular duties and offices of Christian life, and stringeth them like so many rich pearls into one chain. See 1 Cor. 13. throughout.  
A consideration not unuseful to quicken our care for the subduing of every sinful lust, and our endeavour to have every grace of the Spirit habituated in us; knowing that so long as we allow ourselves in any one sin, suffer any one lust of the flesh to remain in us unsubdued (at least in respect of desire and endeavour) there cannot be any one true grace of God in us. There are certain common graces of Illumination, which are the effects also of God's Spirit, and are therefore called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, spiritual gifts; & these indeed 
1 Cor. 12. 1. & 14. 1.  are given by dole, (alias sic, alias verò sic) knowledge to one, to another tongues, to another healings, miracles, &c. All by the same spirit, manifesting himself to sundry persons in sundry kinds, and measures, and dividing to every one severally as he will; but it is 
1 Cor. 12. 8. 10.  nothing so in the special graces of Sanctification; there is no distribution or division here; either all or none. He that certainly wanteth any one (at least in the desire and endeavour) may justly suspect, that all those he seemeth to have, are but so many counterfeits; all this variety of graces maketh but one fruit.  
The Last difference is, that the works of the flesh are expressly said to be manifest, ver. 19 but no such thing affirmed of the fruit of the Spirit. The most probable reasons of which difference are to my seeming, one of these two following; First, the commonness and frequency of those above these, everywhere abroad in the world. The works of the flesh, Adultery, Fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatreds, Emulation, Debate, Wrath, Strifes, Seditions, Heresies, Envying, murders, Gluttony, drunkenness, and such like, (I name them, because the bare recital of them will save me the labour of further proof) do so abound in all places, that you can scarce look beside them; turn your eyes which way you will, you shall see cursed examples of some or other of these every day, and in every street and corner. Alas, the works of the flesh are but too manifest.  
But the fruits of the spirit are not so, Love, Peace, gentleness, Faith, meekness, Temperance, and the rest: These are very thin grown in the world, they are rarities, not everywhere to be met withal; insomuch as David complaingly cryeth out, there is not one godly man left, Psal. 12. and Psal. 14. There is none that doth good, no not one: And the Prophet Jeremiah, when he had run to and fro in the streets of Jerusalem for the purpose to find out 
Jer. 51 etc  a man that executed Judgement, and sought after truth; when he had employed his legs, and his eyes, and his tongue in the search, he could not yet find the man he looked for. Hips and Haws grow in every hedge, when choicer fruits are but in some few gardens: And every soil almost yields stones and rubbish; but gold and precious stones are found in very few places.  
Secondly, the works of the flesh may be said to be manifest, and the fruits of the Spirit not so, with respect to our judgements of them, and the easiness of desiring the one more than the other. The works of the flesh are so manifestly evil, that no man of common sense can lightly be mistaken in them. Murder, sedition, drunkenness, adultery; it is not possible any man should be of such gross understanding, as to imagine they should be the fruits of God's holy Spirit; they are undoubtedly and manifestly to every man's apprehension, the works of the flesh; but as for the fruits of the Spirit, they are not so manifest, but that a man who hath not his senses very well exercised to the discerning of good and evil, may be easily deceived therein. Hypocrisy is spun oftentimes of a very fine thread, and the heart of man abounding with so much hypocrisy as it doth, and so much self-love, and uncharitableness withal, is the most deceitful thing (yea and the most deceivable too, actively and passively both) of any thing in the world. There are on the 
Jer. ●7. 9  one side so many Mock-graces and specious counterfeits, that carry a semblance of spiritual fruit, but are not the things they seem to be. And on the other side, inordinate love of ourselves partly, & partly want of charity towards our brethren, have so disposed us to a capacity of being deceived, that it is not a wonder, if in passing our judgements (especially where ourselves are concerned) we be very much and very often mistaken. It might rather be a wonder if we should not be sometimes mistaken.  
As most errors claim to be a little a kin to some truths, so most vices challenge a kind of Affinity to some virtue. Not so much from any proper intrinsical true resemblance they have with such virtues, as by reason of the common opposition they both have to one and the same contrary vice. As Prodigality hath some overly likeness with liberality, and so may hap to be mistaken for it; for no other cause but this only, that they are both contrary to covetousness, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, saith Aristotle truly, fallacy and deception for the most part arise from the appearance of some likeness or similitude; when things that are like, but not the same, are taken to be the same, because they are like. They that have given us marks of sincerity for the trial of our graces, have not been able to give us any certain rules or infalliable Characters, whereby to try the sincerity of those marks; so as to remove all doubting and possibility of erring.  
Whence I suppose, I may safely infer, that the certainty of a man's present standing in grace, but much more than of his eternal future Salvation (although I doubt not, but by the mercy of God, it may be attainable in this life, and that without extraordinary Revelation, in such a measure as may sustain the soul of an honest Christian with comfort) is not yet either so absolutely necessary, nor so void of fears and doubtings, as some perhaps have imagined.  
Not so necessary, but that a man may be saved without it. Many a good soul no doubt, there is in the world, that out of the experience of the falseness of his own heart, and the fear of self-deceit, and the sense of his own unworthiness could never yet attain to be so well persuaded of the sincerity of his own repentance, Faith and Obedience, as to think that God would approve of it and accept it. The censure were very hard, and a great violation it would be of charity, I am sure, and I think of truth also, to pronounce such a man to be out of the state of Salvation, or to call such his dis-perswasion by the name of despair, and under that name to condemn it. There is a common, but a great mistake in this matter: Despair is quite another manner of thing than many take it for. When a man thinketh himself so incapable of God's pardon, that he grows thereupon regardless of all duties, and neither careth what he doth, nor what shall become of him; when he is once come to this resolution, over shoes, over boots, I know God will never forgive me, and therefore I will never trouble myself to seek his favour in vain; this is to run a desperate course indeed, this is properly the sin of despair. But when the fear that God hath not yet pardoned him, prompteth him to better resolutions, and exciteth him to a greater care of repentance, and newness of life, and maketh him more diligent in the performance of all holy duties, that so he may be more capable of pardon: It is so far from being any way prejudicial to his eternal salvation, that it is in the readiest way to secure it.  
But where the greatest certainty is, that can be attained to in this life by ordinary means, it is not ordinarily (unless perhaps to some few persons at the very hour of death) so perfect as to exclude all doubtings. The fruits of the Spirit, where they are true and sincere, being but imperfect in this life, and the truth and sincerity of them being not always so manifest, but that a man may sometimes be deceived in his judgement concerning the same; it can hardly be, what between the one and the other, (the imperfection of the thing, and the difficulty of judging) but that the Assurance, which is wholly grounded thereupon, and can therefore have no more strength than they can give it, must be subject to fears, and jealousies, and doubtings.  
I speak not this to shake any man's comfort (God forbid,) but to stir up every man's care to abound and increase so much the more in all godliness, and in the fruits of the Spirit; giving all 
2 Pet. 1. 5.  diligence, by walking in the Spirit, and subduing the lusts of the flesh, to make his calling and election sure: Sure in itself, that he fail not of salvation in the end; and sure to him also, as far as he can, that his comfort may be the greater and sounder in the mean time.  
Now the God of all grace and glory, send the Spirit of his Son plentifully into our hearts, that we may abound in the fruits of godly living, to the praise of his grace, our present comfort in this life, and the eternal salvation of our souls in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
FINIS.