Use 3
USE III.
To quicken and encourage us all in our endeavours after fruitfulness. Does God take such particular notice of each of us? Let every Christian carry this thought upon his own heart, and make it an incentive and engagement to him, to endeavour to answer God's ends in this respect. And there are these three things which this thought should engage and excite us to.
1. To see that we bring forth good fruit. If God be so curious, let it make us to be so too. They that would approve themselves to an all-seeing and heart-searching God, had need to take heed to themselves, and beware of being imposed upon. God not only looks whether we bear, but what we bear; let us do so too: and here let us know, that the tree must be made good, if ever the fruit be good: grapes are not gathered of thorns. It should make all that call themselves Christians, to be afraid of living one day in a state of unregeneracy; for as long as we so do, we do nothing at all that will turn to account. See that you have a principle of grace within, and then take heed that your lives be the continued exercise of it.
2. To take care that we bear much fruit. When you have gotten grace into your hearts let it be your industrious endeavour to bring it forth into action through your whole life and conversation. The best of us have another law in our members, which will be putting itself forth, and doing of such works as must be burnt up: grace must be carefully nourished and excited, else it will be borne down and suppressed by the carnal part within us.
3. To be sure to bring forth secret fruits. Here is the least danger of hypocrisy. We may do many things which a love of applause and commendation from men may excite us to, but our secret service, which is done out of the reach of the eye and observation of others, is that which is in the least danger of deceiving us; because herein we have better evidence that we set God before us: and that you may be truly thus engaged, here is your help; to be always thinking, God is now at my right hand, his eye is upon me, and there are these three motives which the doctrine before us affords, to put us upon carefully and cheerfully doing thus.
1. If God sees, he will approve us if we thus do. He looks with great approbation upon the faithful endeavours of his children; it pleases him highly to see them engaged for him and his glory in all that they do. And what should please or satisfy us more or better, than that the God we profess to serve, takes content in our duties, and smells a sweet savour in them?
2. Thus only shall we answer the end of our being planted in God's vineyard. The reason why God looks so exactly, is, as we heard, because he would not miss his end, that if we answer it not one way, he may have it of us in another: and remember, if we do thus, it is the way for us to be continued in the vineyard, and have the constant influences of his grace; for to them that have, more shall be given: God will not be wanting to us, if we take heed to be faithful to him in our improvements, and therefore,
3. We shall not lose our labor. For if God observes in particular, then he will not forget to reward us in particular. There is a great recompense promised to them that are faithful, and it is a strong consolation to all such as are so, to consider that he who has thus promised, keeps the account of all the care and fidelity of his people, even to the most secret duty which they do in sincerity; and our Savior has given us this assurance, That our father that sees in secret will reward us openly.
