From Sorrow to Joy (Charles Spurgeon, 1834-1892)

John 16:20

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” 

Our Lord was very honest with His followers when any enlisted beneath His banner. He did not profess that they would find an easy service if they took Him to be their leader. Over and over again He stopped some young enthusiastic spirits by bidding them count the cost; and, when some said they would follow Him wherever He might go, He reminded them that though the foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests, yet He had no where to lay His head. He never duped any man. He told all the truth to them, and He could honestly say to them, "If it were not so, I would have told you." He kept back nothing which it was needful for them to know in enlisting under His name.

In this verse He reminds His people that they will have sorrow. Let no Christian forget that. Be he old or young, sorrow is an appointed portion for all mankind. And there is a sorrow which is the especial benediction of the saints. They shall have that sorrow if none others do.

Oh, young spirit, you have just found a Savior, and your heart is very glad. Be glad while you may, but expect not that the sun will always shine. Reckon for days of rain and days of frost and days of tempest, for come they will, and I tell you of them now lest when they come they should be strange to you and overwhelm you with confusion.

And oh, child of God, you have for many years been prospering; you have walked in the light of God’s countenance, and the Lord has made a hedge about you and all that you have, until you have prospered in the land like the Patriarch of Uz. Remember that evil days will come even to you as they did to Job, and expect them, for "in the world you shall have tribulation." This part of the inheritance of children, namely, the rod, will be quite sure to fall to your portion if you be one of the sacred family.

Our Savior, in the verse before us, not only tells His disciples that they will have sorrow, but He warns them that sometimes they would have a peculiar sorrow. When the world was rejoicing they would be sorrowing.

"The world shall rejoice," says He, "but you shall weep and lament." Now this is sometimes hard for flesh and blood. We cannot understand this riddle — God’s people sighing and God’s enemies laughing — a saint on the dunghill with dogs licking his sores and a sinner clothed in scarlet and faring sumptuously every day — a child of God sighing and groaning, chastened every morning, and an heir of Hell making the world ring with his merriment! Can these things be so? Yes, they are so, and we must expect them so to be; and if we read this riddle by the eye of faith, we shall understand it. Yet we shall see God working even in these mysterious circumstances, and dealing out the best to the best after all, and giving still the worst to the worst in the long run.

Now, our Lord, in order to sustain His servants under the ill news of sorrow and of special sorrow, gave them two thoughts. The first He put into three words — "a little while." And there is a whole mint of golden consolation here — "a little while." When things are only temporary, we put up with them. If we are traveling, and we come to an uncomfortable inn, we are off tomorrow, and therefore we make no great noise about it.

A painful operation has to be performed, but, when the surgeon tells us it will only occupy a second or two, we submit to it. "A little while " — it takes off the edge of sorrow. If it be but a minute, and then afterwards there shall be never-ending blessing coming out of it, oh, then we glory in the tribulation, and count it not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. Afflicted child of God, I commend to you those three words, "a little while." I beseech you to roll them under your tongue as a sweet morsel when your mouth is filled with the wormwood of sorrow. "A little while," and after that little while is over then it shall be "forever with the Lord." The other reflection which He gave them for their comfort is that which is furnished by our text, "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." May God the Spirit give us comfort while we think over these words.

And first, brethren, this language was strictly true with regard to the remarkable sorrow which was then coming upon them when our Lord spoke. You know the chapter. The Lord had been telling them of His death. They had been sitting around the table, and He had revealed to them the fact that He was about to be delivered into the hands of wicked men and be crucified, and that this would make them weep and lament; but concerning this He says, "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." We have also another sorrow coming out of that, namely, the sorrow that our risen Lord has gone away from us, has risen from Mount Olive and left His Church a widow; yet that sorrow, too, is turned into joy. Let us speak, then, about those two things.

You will soon see before you, brethren, a sacred feast. We are preparing tonight to come around the table on which we have the bread and wine which celebrate our Savior’s death. Now, it is a very pleasing thought that to celebrate the death of Christ we have not an ordinance that is full of sorrow. There is no rubric which tells us that we are to come clothed in mourning, that we are to come together as to a funeral, that dirges are to be sung, that violet colors, or such as represent sorrow are to be used. On the contrary, the ordinance which commemorates and shows the death of Christ is one of joy, if properly used. We come around a table, and sit there at our ease and eat and drink, for the death which was so sorrowful is turned into joy, and the memorial of it is meant to set it forth not as it was on the sorrowful side, but as it is to us on the joyful side. Our sorrow is in the symbol turned into joy.

Now, let us think of the sorrow of Christ’s death a moment. It was great sorrow to see Him suffer, sorrow unspeakable to see Him die. You mothers who love your sons, what a sword would have gone through your hearts if it had been your son who was nailed to the tree! You brothers who love your brothers, what pangs would have rent your spirit if he had been your brother who was hanging there. We would, if it had been possible, have spared Him the thirst, have spared Him the shame and spittle; we would have spared Him the nails and spared Him the crown of thorns. We can never think of His sufferings without smiting upon our breast with grief and saying — "Alas! my sins, my cruel sins, His chief tormentors were!" And as we look on His sufferings we ask: Oh, why should man offend, And make the Lord his Savior die?

Bitter ought to be our regret that ever we should have wandered from the path of right and made it necessary that our wanderings should be laid upon the Shepherd’s head. Woe, woe, woe unspeakable, that the elect of God should thus have multiplied their transgressions and have compelled their Savior to be smitten even to death for their sakes!

We sorrow, too, from another thought that in the death of Christ, sin for a time appeared to get the mastery over goodness. There He was, the perfect Man, content until they had washed their hands in His blood. When I see Him upon the cross, I seem to feel as if Satan, the old serpent, had bitten the heel of truth and poisoned it. I begin to tremble for truth and righteousness when I see thus the pure and perfect One laid low in the dust, but all these three sorrows put together, for His sufferings, for our sins and for the temporary triumph of evil, are at once turned into joy when we know that now the Savior has finished the atoning work, that He is accepted of His Father, that He has crushed the old dragon’s head, that He has given to sin and death and Hell a total defeat.

Brethren, there is nothing to sorrow for when we look at the cross now, for Jesus is again alive; He has glory about Him that He had not, and could not have had, if He had not stooped to conquer and bowed His head to death. The man Christ Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father exalted far above principalities and powers, and every name that is named. He sees of the travail of His soul, and He is satisfied, and instead of mournful dirges we say, "Bring forth Miriam’s timbrel yet again, and let us sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and his rider has He cast into the sea. All the host of His enemies has He drowned in the Red Sea of His atoning blood."

Moreover, brethren, we are gainers now. It is true our sin crucified Him, but our sin is gone. The last act of sin was sin’s own destruction. It pulled down the house upon itself like Samson, and there it died. Our sin is put away by the death of Christ. He has "finished transgression, and made an end of sin." And as for truth and righteousness, they are gainers, too. Now, on the cross the crisis of the great battle comes. Now is the prince of this world cast out. Now do righteousness and holiness and truth win the day, and that forever. Glory be unto God, we come to the memorial of the death of Christ as to a festival. Our sorrow is turned into joy.

And as to our Lord’s going away from us into Heaven, it does at first sight wear a very sorrowful aspect. We should be glad if He should occupy that chair tonight and say, "Take, eat; this is My body." Oh, what a happy crowd would you all be who love Him, if He stood in this pulpit tonight and showed you His hands and His feet. We would stand at the posts of the doors by the week together to get a sight of Him. If He had His throne in Jerusalem this day, what pilgrimages would we make if we might but come anywhere near His blessed person, and might kiss the very dust He trod upon! For what a precious Lord was He! Oh, in our times of sorrowing, if we could but once see His face, those dear lustrous eyes that seem to say, "I know your sorrows, for I have felt the same," that blessed countenance that would speak consolation, though it said not a word, and would say to every mourner, "I will help you. I have borne your burden of old " — would not it be a joy to see Him? Surely I should be glad enough to cease my ministry, and you might be glad enough, however useful you might be, to give up your work as the stars hide their diminished heads when the sun rises.

II. But, brethren, there is no cause for sorrow. I am talking idly for the moment now, for our sorrow is turned into joy. It is a great gain to us not to have the Savior here. And see you how it is? He said, "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you." Now, it is a nobler thing to have the Spirit of God dwelling in us than it would be to have Jesus Christ dwelling upon earth. For, as I have hinted, if He were on earth we could not all get at Him; He could only be in one place at a time, and how would the poor be able to get where He is? And if He wandered all the world yet in the natural order of things, it is only now and then He could come to one place, and so some of us would have to be pining all our lives to see Him. But now the Holy Spirit is here. The Holy Spirit is wherever believers are. "Know you not that He dwells in us forever?" And whereas we see nothing, this is all the better for us. A life of sight is for babes; a living by feeling is for poor puny infants, but the life of faith is for men in Christ Jesus, and ennobles us by taking away anything that is to be seen and giving us to walk after the unseen. "Though we have known Christ after the flesh," says the apostle, "yet now after the flesh know we Him no more." We have not Christ among us after the flesh, and we are glad of it, for now our faith is exercised and God loves faith, and faith makes men into true men in the sight of God, and ennobles them and makes them friends of God. For who was "the friend of God" like Abraham, who believed God? Faith, then, being so much more for our good than the most delightful sight, we have reason to thank God that Jesus is gone and that the Spirit is given.

Besides, beloved, Christ can serve our turn better where He is than He could here, What is He doing for us yonder in the unseen land? Why, know you not He has gone to take possession for us — gone ahead that He may say, "This Heaven belongs to My people; I am come here as their legal representative." The moment that He put that pierced foot of His upon the golden streets He said, "These streets belong to all whom I have redeemed with My blood, to all whom My Father gave Me, and they shall possess this, for lo ! I take possession of it." And inasmuch as there was something to do to make Heaven fit for us — I do not know what it was — what a joy it is to hear Him say, "I go to prepare a place for you." Why, brethren, Heaven was not fit for us any more than we were fit for Heaven until He went there, and He is getting it ready, so that when we come home we shall find our house furnished and all prepared.

When God made Adam, He did not make Adam first and suspend him in the air until he made Eden for him to live in, but He made the garden, fitted it for Him, and then He made the man and put him in it. And so our great Lord is gone to make Heaven fit for us, and He will come again and take us unto Himself that where He is we may be also. Now for this cause we are glad that He is not here. We comfort one another with these words, and we see how true was this promise of His, "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." Sorrow at His death, sorrow at His departing out of the world — these two sorrows are now" turned into joy."

We pause awhile and change the subject. I see before me still the preparation for the feast — for the supper, and therefore let me remind you that in coming to that table we experience a transmutation of spiritual emotions with regard to Him. I will show you what I mean. Some time ago, the Lord made us hungry and thirsty after righteousness. We could not any longer be satisfied with the world. We came to feel ourselves miserable. Our heart was pining for something. We had once been quite content with present joys, but, on a sudden, we were dissatisfied and felt a craving we had never felt before. Are you not glad of it, because when you come to the table here you see that there is bread to eat and wine to drink, emblems of the body and the blood of Christ? Do you know, when I sit down at a good table, what I feel thankful for? Two things, if I have got them.

First, for what is on the table; but, secondly, for an appetite. For a feast is a poor thing without an appetite. So, see you, the hunger and thirst which God has given us after Christ are turned into joy when we come to see Christ, for now we say, "How glad I am, how thankful I am that I could no longer remain content ! How happy am I that God gave me a distaste for all the joys of the world, for now I am the man that can enjoy a crucified Savior. Now I can eat His flesh, which is meat indeed, and drink His blood, which is drink indeed !"

Well, at the same time when we felt our hunger we had another sorrow, namely, that hungry as we were, we had not a crust in the house: we could not satisfy our own hunger, do what we would. We went about the world to try and find something to satisfy our need, but we could find nothing whatever. The husks that contended the swine would not content us. We wanted something more. I know at that time I had not a pennyworth of merits, though I had a mass of sins. I tried to pray, but my prayers could no more fill my soul than wind could. I tried to be diligent in hearing the word and doing good, but there is nothing to stay a hungry soul in all that we can do. But now today, today in the sight of that table and remembering this bread and wine, to picture Christ crucified the food of the soul, I am glad that I had not got anything to eat, because now I was driven to feed on Christ. Oh, what a blessed thing is an empty cupboard when it brings a soul to the Savior ! Our sorrow is turned into joy, and we call it a blessed famishing, a blessed emptiness, when we can have the emptiness and famishing removed by feeding upon an all-sufficient Savior.

So, you see again, our sorrow is turned into joy. And on the table of fellowship tonight we see the wine-cup, and while it represents to us our Savior as our refreshment, it also reminds us that we were once foul and needed to be washed in His blood. Now, it was a great sorrow to feel ourselves foul; it was a horror to discover that we were soiled from head to foot with scarlet sins. But, for my part, now that I have washed in the fountain filled with blood, I have forgotten my sorrow about sin. It is turned into joy. Oh, the blessedness of being made clean in Christ Jesus!

Why, I think if I had been Adam, and had never sinned, I should always have had some little fear that perhaps I had come short somewhere if I had to depend on my own merits, even if I hoped I was perfect. Now, sinner that I am, I entertain no fears, for I know Christ’s righteousness is perfect; I know His death cleanses from all sin; and so the sorrow about sin is turned into joy in the sense of perfect pardon and complete righteousness which belong to us through the precious blood of our dear Lord and Savior. Oh, when you come to the table, my dear brethren and sisters, lay aside all your griefs, whatever they may have been. Feel that if you must bring them with you they are transformed and transmuted on the road; for your sorrow since you have believed on Jesus is turned into joy.

III. Now, for a moment or two, let me remind you that this truth will hold good of all believers’ sorrows. Your sorrow shall be turned into joy. It shall be good of some of them today. God will make your present sorrows to be turned into joys. Do I address one person tonight who has been persecuted for Christ’s sake? Do I speak with one young person whose parents treat her ill because she follows Jesus? Brother, sister, your sorrow is turned into joy, even now, for, if you be persecuted for righteousness’ sake, happy are you. Not, happy shall you be, but happy are you. Even now you have a great honor put upon you: you are counted worthy not only to believe on the Lord Jesus but to suffer for His sake, At the thought of Him, then, that sorrow is turned into joy.

Perhaps I address some who are under very severe afflictions. Beloved brother, if the Lord shall reveal Himself in your afflictions, you will be very sorry to be rid of them; you will feel that they are even now turned into joy. Constantly, in reading Rutherford’s letters you meet with the expression of his wonder that his enemies should be so kind to him as they were. He speaks in a sort of holy sarcasm. They banished him, sent him away from where he was accustomed to preach the Gospel, but he said, "I find my Lord lives here and they have sent me into His arms. They would not let me preach," he says, "and now my Lord does make up for my dumb Sabbaths, for, whereas I may not speak, He speaks to me and cheers my soul," and it seems from his letters that, the more his enemies persecuted him, the more deep, the more high his joy became.

I, too, know such a thing as that, that pain can come upon you and grace can come with the pain, so that you feel thankful for it. I have heard saints of God say that they have had great losses, but that the love of God has flowed into their soul so that their losses they have reckoned to be their gains. We have heard of one that said, "Let me go back to my bed again; let me go to my pain again, for I had so much of Christ there that I would sincerely rather be always sick than lose the sickness and lose the love of my Lord."

Yes, beloved, He can, at this moment, turn your sorrows into joys. If you have a great lump of sorrow, you will have a great lump of joy, for He turns it all into joy. One touch of His finger can turn the granite stones into gold; bring them to His feet; ask Him to do it, and you shall be rich in joy tonight. Well, if it is not done at once, it will be done before long. It sometimes takes a little time for a sorrow to turn into a joy. It is rather an odd figure of Cowper’s, but it is a true one: The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

It takes a little time for our bitters to bloom out into sweetness, but they will. If you are praying for your dear child, praying for his conversion but do not see it, yet pray on, for your sorrow will be turned into joy. If you are in great trouble about your husband, or your brother, or your friend, whose conversion you are seeking, strive on still, for it will come. One day you shall have the joy of your heart, and your sorrow shall be turned into joy. And that trial you are laboring under just now — don’t faint under it; wait a little. It is a rough wind, but it is blowing you towards the port. It is a rough wave, but it is washing you on to the rock. It is not today that you will see it, nor tomorrow; but afterwards, and by-and-bye it will bring forth the comfortable fruits of righteousness, and you will rejoice.

And, mark you, if never in this world, yet in the blessed country "on the hither side of Jordan" your sorrow shall be turned into joy. It will be among the delights of Heaven, I do not doubt, to look back on the sorrows of life and to see how they ministered to our fitness for the better land.

There we shall make songs out of our sighs and music out of our mournings; only let us wait and be patient. The people of the world have the laughter today and we have the sighing; they shall have the sighing by-and- bye and we shall have the laughter.

God is like a certain great man who had in his house two sets of cups. Those cups were for his friends, and these were for his enemies; but they might take which they would. He knew his friends were wise; his enemies were fools. Now, these cups which were for his foes were very sweet; they sparkled on the brim; they flashed. The wine was red, and it moved itself aright. But they were warned that whoever drank these cups would find that the dregs were full of death. And his foes came in and drank and drank and laughed, and said the good man of the house loved them best, for he had given them the sweetest wines. But on the other table stood the cups that were ready for his friends, and his friends were wise, and they went to them, and the cups were very bitter — very bitter! Ah, how they set their teeth on edge and filled their mouths with wormwood ! But they knew that these were health-cups that would purge them of all disease and fill their frames with a vitality and force which magic could not give; and therefore these friends of his drank the cups with joy and thankfulness, for they knew that he had prepared them in love; and while they heard his enemies laughing at them they bore the laughter with composure, for they knew what the end would be.

Today the saints and the sinners in the world are like two armies on the eve of battle; you go through yonder tents. On the left side you will hear the sound of revelry; you shall see them enjoying the dance. Full bowls they quaff, merrily. Say they, "We go forth to battle and to victory tomorrow.!"

That is the camp of sin and of the enemy. Here you see the other camp; and the soldiers there make not merry. They are men of sober stuff. They have a solid joy within them, for they expect to win tomorrow; but they boast not. Each man is looking well to his buckler, seeing that his harness is complete and his sword well-sharpened; and you will hear at intervals the prayer, the cry to God, "Make strong our arms, and send us like thunderbolts upon our foes." Now, by tomorrow’s eve, you shall know what has become of them, for you mirthful and haughty cavaliers, with all their mirth, shall strew the field, and their carcasses shall be given to the dogs and to the fowls of Heaven. But you suppliant hosts there, though they be reviled as Puritans, shall dash through the hosts of their foes and shall lead their captivity captive.

In which camp would you wish to be? I have taken my choice, and I pray my brethren to take theirs, and may the Spirit of God rule their choice that they may take the bitter cups that are full of health and that they may go with the sober prayerful camp whose song of victory shall turn their sorrows into joys.

Brethren, if the saints’ sorrows are turned into joys, what are their joys? If their bitters are sweet, how sweet are their sweets ! And if the finger of Christ touching the things of life can make them sweet, how sweet must Christ Himself be! If He turns the water into wine, how rich must He be!

And if He turns on earth our sorrows into joy, what can the joys be where there are no sorrows, but where the joys are unalloyed and undiluted and last on forever! Blessed sorrows, blessed joys! Who would not be a believer when even his sorrows shall be turned into joys ?

IV. But lastly, this little text is a Gospel. I think it is a Gospel for all my hearers tonight. Your sorrows shall be turned into joys. Whoever among you shall come tonight to those dear feet that were pierced by the nails, and will come and trust in Jesus Christ to save him, shall have his sorrow turned into joy. Are you sorrowing for sin? It shall be pardoned, and in a moment joy shall fill your spirit. Do you sorrow because you are afraid you are not one of the elect? Come and trust in Jesus, and you shall make your election sure, and the doctrine that was so horrible to you shall be full of consolation. Are you mourning because you are unfit to come?

Come with all your unfitness, and you shall thank God that you were saved from making a fitness and were enabled to come as a sinner to Christ. Do you mourn because you have a hard heart? Come and trust Jesus, and He will give you a heart of flesh and you shall bless His name that you were another instance of His Almighty power to change the hearts of men.

I desire tonight that you would try my Lord and Master. I have known Him now more than two and twenty years. Two and twenty years ago, last Friday, I avowed my faith in Him in baptism, and I would not give Him a good character if He did not deserve it. I would not lie even for Him, I trust. But, oh, there was never such a Lord as He is! Sorrow He told us we should have, and we have had it, but He has always turned it into joy, and up to this moment I can say of Him, if I had to die like a dog and there were no hereafter, I would prefer to be a Christian; and if there were no joy about religion but the present joy which it gives to a believing heart, let me have it beyond all the joys of wealth, or fame, or honor. There is none like Christ. I would that some of you would come and take Him.

May His Spirit guide you and may you tonight become His disciples, and your sorrow shall be turned into joy. The Lord grant it for His name’s sake. Amen.

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The Secret of the Lord is with Those who Fear Him (J.C. Philpot, 1844)

Psalms 25:14

“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” 

There is no truth more offensive to the carnal mind, nor one more sweet to those taught of God than this—that true religion is of a spiritual and supernatural character. That God should dwell in man; that the blessed Spirit should condescend to be our teacher; that we know nothing except through this divine tuition; that all saving faith stands wholly and solely in the power of God; and that there is no true religion independent of the inward work and witness of God the Spirit in the conscience—such a creed as this may well raise up all the scorn of the natural mind. But take away the Spirit's work, and what is left? Nothing but a dead carcass of forms. There can be but two kinds of religion—the one external, and the other internal; the one natural, and the other spiritual; one that stands in forms and ceremonies, and the other that stands in the communications of mercy, grace, and truth out of the fullness of Jesus. So that if a man denies the inward teachings of the Spirit of God to be the sum and substance of religion, he has no other refuge but Popery; and, to be thoroughly consistent, he should declare himself a Papist at once; for there is no real stopping-place between vital religion wrought in the heart and conscience by the power of God the Spirit, and that which stands in external forms, rites, and ceremonies.

But it is the especial privilege of God's people, and when enjoyed it is the very comfort of their souls, that all vital godliness is wrought in their hearts by the power of God. They are well convinced that they have no more religion, and no less religion, than is brought into their conscience with divine power. To have a measure of this heavenly teaching, and to live under the enjoyment of it, constitutes all the happiness that a child of God can really feel here below. He learns this, not only from the presence of it when divinely communicated, but also from its absence when these blessed communications are withdrawn and suspended.

In the text we find the Holy Spirit speaking of "a secret." We need not wonder, therefore, that vital godliness is known but to a few. If it is "a secret," it is evident it is not understood and known by all; the very essence of a secret being that it is confined to a few. And if there be a secret in religion (and such the Holy Spirit declares there is), it shows that vital godliness is confined to those only to whom the secret is made known by the power of God.

But if we look at the text, we shall see there are certain characters spoken of to whom this secret is discovered, and a promise also is made to those characters with whom the secret is. Thus, if God enables, we may take up the text in three leading divisions, and show who the characters are that "fear the Lord"—how "the secret is with them"—and what a promise the Lord has made to such, "he will show them his covenant."
 

I. Who the characters are that "fear the Lord." How much fear is spoken of in the word of God! But in order to understand what the Holy Spirit means by the term, which he so frequently employs, "the fear of God," we must bear in mind that there are two distinct kinds of fear. There is a SERVILE fear which dwells in the carnal mind, and which devils, reprobates, and hypocrites may experience; as we read, "the devils also believe and tremble." (James 2:19.) Thus "Felix trembled," when Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come." (Acts 24:25.) And the mariners on board with Jonah "feared the Lord exceedingly" (Jonah 1:16), so that they offered sacrifices, and made vows. This is the fear of which we read, 1 John 4:18; "Perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment; he who fears is not made perfect in love." And it is the same fear which the Apostle Paul speaks of Rom. 8:15; "For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear." This then is a servile fear, that has its dwelling in the carnal mind; and was manifested in Adam, when he hid himself from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden; in Cain, when his countenance fell as being the murderer of his brother Abel; and which discovered itself also in Saul, in Ahab, in Herod, and in other characters of whom we read in the word of God.

But "the fear" to which so many blessings are annexed, and which is spoken of in the text, is the FILIAL fear that dwells in the new man of grace raised up by the Spirit of God, and is the sole privilege, the alone portion of those whom God has chosen in Christ, and made to be heirs of his glory. This filial fear is a new covenant blessing; as we read, "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." (Jer. 32:40.) It is also a grace of the Spirit. "Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." (Heb. 12:28.) And it is the beginning of wisdom. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Ps. 111:10.) It being the first grace in point of exercise that the Spirit of God draws forth in the conscience.

How many blessings are promised to and connected with this filial fear! For instance, we read, "The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him." (Ps. 33:18.) "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him." (Ps. 34:9.) "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord." (Ps. 112:1.) "The Lord will fulfill the desire of those who fear him." (Ps. 145:19.) In fact, you can scarcely find any blessing of the highest nature, which is not more or less connected with the fear of God.

And so far from this filial fear of the Lord being checked, much less cast out by divine manifestations, and by the shedding abroad of the love of God, it is only heightened thereby. The "fear of the Lord," that begins at the quickening of the soul into divine life, deepens with every fresh teaching, and is increased by every fresh communication. Being a member of the new man, it is nurtured by the food with which the new man is fed; and thus, as we make progress in the divine life, so far from this fear being weakened, it becomes more deepened and strengthened. Thus it is not only compatible with, but ever accompanies consolation and enjoyment; as we read, "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied." (Acts 9:31.) How these two things are brought together—"the fear of the Lord, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit;" and it is spoken of as the highest attainment of the church, when she is blessed with these two graces at the same time in lively exercise.

No, more, however high in filial confidence the soul may rise, fear will always rise with it. True confidence is strengthened just as filial fear is deepened; for we read, "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence." (Prov. 14:26.) So that so far from confidence, assurance, and enjoyment weakening fear, they only strengthen it. Let the soul rise to the highest point of divine consolation, fear will rise equally, I might say, increasingly with it. For the more we spiritually know of the character of God, the more will godly fear of his great majesty be experienced in the soul. Wherever, then, you find in yourself, or others, confidence, or what is called assurance, and do not see the fear of God accompanying it, be sure that such confidence does not spring from the inward teaching of God the Spirit in the soul. For the fear of God, so far from being weakened, much less annihilated or cast out by true confidence and the genuine consolations of God the Spirit, is only deepened and heightened thereby. Apply this test when you hear people speaking of their assurance; it will unmask a good many.

But this "fear of God" must have its foundation in some spiritual and experimental discovery of God. We cannot fear God until we know him; and we cannot know God until in some measure he reveals himself with power to our conscience. This, then, is the beginning of all true religion; this is the foundation of all vital godliness; this is the starting-place from which every living soul begins to run the race set before him—an inward discovery of the character of God by the revelation of the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures. This makes a deep, solid, abiding, eternal impression on the soul; for until the Spirit of God shows unto us and gives us to know something of the holy, spiritual, pure character of God, we cannot have any knowledge of him; and if we know him not, it is impossible for us to fear him.

But wherever the fear of the Lord is in the conscience, there will be fruits flowing out of it. We judge of a tree by the fruits it brings forth; and we judge of the extent of spiritual teaching by the effects manifested. If, then, the fear of the Lord be in our hearts, there will be certain effects and fruits flowing out of that fear. There will be, as this fear is in exercise, an abhorrence of evil, deadness to the world, separation in heart and spirit from those who are immersed in it—a desire to please God, and a fear to offend him; a living as under his immediate eye; there will be the workings of a tender conscience in our bosom; a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin; a flowing out of godly simplicity and sincerity, and an earnest desire to live and die under the immediate teachings and testimony of God in our conscience.

There are indeed many of the people of God who cannot rise in strong faith, nor feel an assurance that all their sins are pardoned; they cannot cry, "Abba Father," with an inward spirit of adoption; and yet know something spiritually and experimentally of the fear of God working in their conscience. This is quite distinct from the servile fear that they had in the days of their flesh, and quite distinct from the ebbings and flowings of natural conscience, and the workings of that slavish spirit which drove them in times past from the sins they committed into some faint and short-lived repentance. Those confessions and amendments were the mere ebbings and flowings of nature; hence there were no abidings in them. But where the fear of the Lord is, it is "a treasure;" (Isa. 32:6), therefore not easily spent; something abiding in the heart, like a fountain, which is perpetually casting out its waters in living streams.
 

II. But we pass on to consider—for this is the main drift of the text—What "the secret of the Lord" is, which is said "to be with those who fear him." What do we understand by the expression "secret!" It something not revealed, nor made known to everybody; something locked up and concealed from the majority, and discovered only to a favored few. All the inward teachings, leadings, guidings, and dealings of God the Spirit upon the conscience, are therefore included in the word, "the secret of the Lord;" for all these inward leadings and teachings are "hidden from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes." So that, with all their profession, they know nothing of the secret operation of God the Spirit in the conscience; their religion stands in forms and ceremonies, in rites and observances; it does not stand in the inward teachings of God the Spirit.

1. One part of "the secret of the Lord" is to show the very existence of a God. "He who comes to God," we read, "must believe that he is." (Heb. 11:6.) We cannot believe in the very being of a God, (at least such a God as the Scripture represents—a holy Jehovah, who compasses our path and our lying down, and is acquainted with all our ways,) until it is shown to us by the Spirit's teaching. So that all men in a state of nature are Atheists; no, all professors, devoid of the Spirit are the same. I do not say they are so doctrinally, but they are so practically; for until the Lord does in some measure spiritually make himself known to the conscience, all men actually live without God in the world.

But when the Lord does shine into the conscience, (for the "entrance of his words gives light,") we begin to feel that there is a God; that we are in his hand; that his eye searches all our ways; that go where we will he still accompanies us; that we cannot hide ourselves from his all-searching eye—and that he is such a God as the scriptures represent, who "will not clear the guilty," but is just, righteous, and pure, and hates sin with an absolute abhorrence.

It is a great thing to have this spiritual knowledge wrought in the conscience. O how much sin would this keep a man from! What a check to a light and frivolous disposition! What a bridle to a gossiping tongue! What a principle to bring out of the world! What a power to overcome the spirit of covetousness! What a whack upon the head of pride! What a turning out of doors of that base hypocrisy that our hearts are so full of! To carry about with us an abiding, inward feeling, "God sees me!" and feel ourselves living under his eye, looking down unto us, searching out our heart, and continually spying out all our ways, what a fountain of spiritual uprightness!

2. The Lord's providential dealings with us is a part also of "the secret" which is "with those who fear him." What a mercy it is to see the Lord's hand stretched out for us in a way of providence! Some people affect to despise the providential dealings of God. But, as some one has justly observed, such as see him only as the God of grace see but the half of his countenance. We must see and feel him as a God of providence also to see the full face of Jehovah. How sweet it is to trace the Lord's hand in providence; to look back on the chequered path that he has led us by; to see how his hand has been with us for good; what difficulties he has brought us through; in what straits he has appeared; how in things most trying he has wrought deliverance; and how he has sustained us to the present hour. Thus to trace out his dealings with us, is a main part of "the secret of the Lord" which is "with those who fear him."

Some people may laugh and jeer at the Lord's dealings in providence; but all this is little else than the mere spawn of a man's atheistical, infidel heart, that is continually denying him to be the God of providence as well as the God of grace. How sweet are providential favors when they come stamped with this inscription, "This is from the Lord!" How precious every temporal mercy becomes—our very food, lodging, and clothing! How sweet is the least thing when it comes down to us as from God's hands! A man cannot know the sweetness of his daily bread until he sees that God gives it to him; nor the blessedness of any providential dealing until he can say, "God has done this for me, and given that to me." When a man sees the providence of God stamped on every action of life, it casts a glory, beauty, and sweetness over every day of his life. Thus to see the Lord's hand is indeed a main part of "the secret of the Lord which is with those who fear him."

3. A sense of the Lord's presence. O this is indeed a part of the secret which is with those who fear his name. The Lord's presence! Who but the Lord's people know anything of that solemn feeling which that presence creates, and which Jacob expressed, when he said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. How awesome is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" (Gen. 28:16, 17.) What solemn feelings are produced in the mind under a sense of God's presence! How the Lord's presence turns night into day, makes every crooked thing straight, and every rough place plain! How it banishes all the gloom, melancholy, and despondency which hang over the soul! How it clears up every difficulty; and like the shining sun it drives away the damps and darkness of the night. If there is one thing to be coveted more than another, it is, that the Lord's presence might be more felt in our hearts; for it is "the secret of the Lord which is with those who fear him" to show to them and make them to feel his blessed presence.

4. The favor, the goodness, and the graciousness of the Lord brought with power into the conscience, is another part of "the secret which is with those who fear him." It is a secret, because it is only known to a few. It is a secret, because it is carried on in private between God and the soul. It is a secret, because never known until God the Spirit unfolds the mystery. It is this which makes the secret so mysterious and peculiar, that God's grace and favor should be given to such vile, filthy, polluted, unworthy, and unclean wretches, as every child of God knows and feels himself to be. It may indeed well astonish such, that favor should be shown them, that mercy should ever reach them, and that there should be any communication of it to visit and water their souls.

5. Communion with the Lord, so as to be able to talk to him, and find some access to his presence, is another part of "the secret which is with those who fear the Lord." What a different thing this is from mere wordy prayers! A man may fall upon his knees, utter words and sound words too, and be engaged for a long time in his devotions, and yet have no communion with God. On the other hand, he may be lying on his bed, sitting in his chair, or engaged in his daily occupation, and in a moment his heart may be caught up into communion with the Lord. But one five minute (or shall I say one minute, for these seasons do not last very long) communion with the Lord is better than being on our knees the whole day, supposing we could kneel so long, merely uttering words without a sense of inward fellowship with the Lord of life and glory. It is through this communion with the Lord that heavenly blessings are bestowed.

By communion with the Lord we—drink into his Spirit, learn his mind, know his will, taste his goodness, and receive from his fullness. And only so far as we are brought into communion with the Lord is there any communication of spiritual blessings to the soul. Sometimes it is with us as though a wall were built up between us and the Lord—we pray, but the voice never seems to reach the heavenly ear; there is no answer communicated; there is no seeing him, no getting near him, no pouring out of the heart before him; still less is there a receiving any communication from him. But when the soul is brought near to the Lord, these barriers are broken down, these walls fall, a measure of communion with him is enjoyed; and then there is a receiving out of his fullness, a communication out of him who fills all in all; a divine reception of his truth into the heart. So that by five minutes' communion with the Lord, we learn more, know more, receive more, feel more, and experience more than by a thousand years of merely studying the Scriptures, or praying to the Lord without his teaching and testimony. But this is a secret known only to those who fear God; and they at times are privileged and indulged with it.

6. The power of truth made known in the conscience is a part also of the secret which is with those who fear the Lord. What a powerful thing truth is, when it drops into the soul! The mere utterance of it is nothing. The most solemn truths are no more to me than the mere blowing of such a storm as we had last night, unless it is dropped with divine power into the heart and conscience. But truth, when it is accompanied with a divine power, fills the heart, enriches the soul, drives out all error and falsehood, and lifts up the soul Godwards. This is a secret which those know only who fear God. There is a great talk about religion in our day—well near every one is religious. But as to the inward operations and teachings of God the Spirit, whereby light, life, and power, are brought out of Christ's fullness into the heart, this still remains a secret. This cannot be got at by human exertions; this cannot be attained so easily as a nominal profession; this is still confined to those who fear God, and they sometimes feel so blessed a power in the truth as it is in Jesus, that they can live by it and die by it.

7. Communications from Christ—such as faith, hope, love, meekness, patience—every good gift and every perfect gift—to receive them into a soft heart; to know their working through a divine operation on the soul, this, too, is a branch of that secret which is known only to those who fear God. They know they cannot produce these things themselves, and yet they know the power of vital godliness consists in them. But to their astonishment the Lord does sometimes work in them that which they could not possibly work in themselves; and thus they find that a life of faith is a secret which they could not get at until the Lord himself was pleased to reveal it, and seal it with divine power in their conscience.

8. But just so far as we are led into an acquaintance with this secret, will it have a powerful effect upon us; and one will be, to bring us into union with those who are taught the same divine lessons, and bring us out from those who are not so taught. If any with whom this secret is, are wrapped up in dead churches, there will be an aching void felt; they will want to have the secret which they feel traced out from the pulpit; but there is no word to meet their case. They want to trace something of it, too, in the members of the church of which they form a part; but they do not find that in their case, "as in water face answers to face, so the heart of man to man." This inward want, sooner or later, brings them out of dead churches, from under dead ministers, and away from dead professors; and brings them into personal union and communion with the people who are taught by the Spirit of God.

And though they may still have (as we know we all have had) great prejudices, and even at times strong enmity, working against the peculiar people; and perhaps have to make great sacrifices, so that they hardly know what to do or say; yet when they are brought into union and communion with the spiritual family, it so overpowers every adverse feeling, that it makes them willing to take up the cross, and endure the shame, that they may live and die with the people of the living God. And thus we find the secret of spiritual communion with the people of God, and learn that the same secret is known to those who is known also to us; and thus there is a blessed fellowship and sweet participation in the consciousness of the same secret being with one another. What a union this creates, what love this kindles, what sweet emotions this produces in the bosom—to enjoy communion with Christ, and communion with the people of Christ! This is worth all the dead fellowship, all the vain esteem, and all the honors that the world can bestow—to be brought into a measure of divine communion with the Lord of life and glory, and into communion with the people of God—this secret is with those who fear God, and is worth a thousand worlds.

Now, you will observe that the text says, "The secret of the Lord IS with those who fear him." It speaks of it in the present tense, as something now known, felt, and enjoyed. It is not future, but present. So that if we have any evidence that we fear the Lord, we shall find something of this secret in our consciences. We may doubt and fear at times whether we know it aright; for our unbelieving heart ever breeds doubts and fears, and our desponding minds will ever put forth the spawn of despondency. Satan too will thrust in his fiery darts, and a thousand objections will shoot through the mind. But this does not destroy the reality of it; this will not throw down the Lord's building, nor injure the foundation. However the house may be rocked by the storm, or beaten by the winds, it stands fast forever, because it is founded upon a rock.

You who fear God, do you not find at times something of this secret? Would you go back to a dead profession in which perhaps you were wrapped up for years, when you tried to reform your habits, break off your bad practices, become religious; and yet all the time were unacquainted with the secret, and knew not the inward teachings of God the Spirit? Then there were no communications of light and life, no breathings and longings after the Lord, no desire to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection. You rested upon something external of your own to save your soul.

But when the Lord mercifully and graciously took you in hand, he battered down this proud natural religion, and laid it low in the dust, and by working powerfully in your conscience raised up his fear in your soul. Then you found something of which you were before completely ignorant; and since that time you have found spiritual religion, vital godliness, to consist in the inward teachings and leadings God the Spirit. You find now there is a secret in these things. If you speak of it to your relatives, they do not understand you; if you talk of it to those who are called "pious people," they cannot make you out; they think you are some mysterious being, whose religion they cannot fathom. But if you go into the company of God's people, and converse with them on spiritual matters, they know what you mean; and when you hear your experience described from the pulpit, and traced out in a hymn, or some experimental book, you feel a sweet going out of soul toward it; and you say, "If the man or book knew all that was passing in my heart, they could not describe my feelings more completely." This is to know something of the secret of the Lord—to have a secret and inward religion wrought with power in the conscience; and this is God's gift and God's work, and will shine when time shall be no more. If a man denies and scorns this, he had better go on to Rome; for if he has not those inward teachings and leadings of God the Spirit, he has no more true religion than if he were wedded to all the abominations of Popery.
 

III. But we find a PROMISE also in the text, and that you will observe runs in the future tense. "He will show them his covenant." The Holy Spirit has changed the tense here. "The secret of the Lord" (that is present possession) "IS with those who fear him; and he WILL show them" (that is something future), "his covenant." This shows, that while all the people of God, who fear his name, have the secret with them, that is, a measure of the secret, yet all the people of God have not the covenant revealed to them at the same time with the secret. The "secret" is in the present tense; the "showing of the covenant" is in the future. It is very sweet to see how the Holy Spirit has discriminated between these blessings. If, for instance, it had run thus, "the secret of the Lord is with those who fear him, and he shows to them his covenant," some doubting, desponding child of God might say, "How can I be one of those who fear God? for it says, God shows to them his covenant, and he has not shown it to me yet." But being put in the future tense, "he will show to them his covenant," it takes the form of a promise, and so is just adapted and sweetly suited to their needs.

The more we see what is the language of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures, the more we shall admire it. Men need not talk of improving the Scriptures; let them take what the Holy Spirit has delivered; for the more we are led into an experience of the truth, the more we shall admire the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in the way whereby he has revealed it.

But what is this COVENANT that the Lord will show those who fear him? It is the covenant that "stands fast for evermore;" the everlasting covenant of grace, which stands in the Person, love, blood, and work of the Son of God; the covenant made by a Triune Jehovah, on behalf of the elect, before the world was.

Those, then, who cavil at this covenant, who deny there is such a thing, who abhor the doctrines that flow out of it, who resist and rebel against sovereign election, discriminating grace, particular redemption by the blood of Jesus, and justification by his imputed righteousness, cannot, we know very well, be among the people who fear God, for if they feared God he would show to them his covenant. And if the Lord showed to them this covenant, this everlasting covenant, they would not call it "everlasting nonsense." If ever they had been shown election, and had felt its weight and power, if they had ever known it as a blessed part of the covenant, they would not kick at it, nor call it a damnable doctrine. If ever they had seen Christ's righteousness, or the beauty and grandeur of those covenant engagements, whereby the church stood justified in Christ from all eternity, they would not call imputed righteousness "imputed nonsense." So that no man, kicking and rebelling against the everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure, which was all David's salvation and all his desire (and I am sure if God be our teacher, it will be all our salvation and all our desire)—no man kicking and rebelling against this covenant, we may be sure, can fear God; for if he did, God would show it to him; and I am sure if God ever showed it to him, he would convince him of its truth, reality, and blessedness.

This covenant God shows to his people. And how deeply they need it to be shown to them! For what are they? Always fluctuating and vacillating, ever ebbing and flowing, perpetually tossed up and down. We need something that will stand. If we look at the workings of our minds, they are scarcely ever the same; sometimes up, and sometimes down; sometimes cheered, and sometimes discouraged; sometimes tried, and sometimes comforted; sometimes tempted, and sometimes delivered; sometimes in the dark, and sometimes in the light. As far as we are concerned, we pass through perpetual changes. Thus we prove we fear God; those who fear him not, know no changes; but those who fear him, are like the tide of the Thames, perpetually ebbing and flowing, and going backwards and forwards. We need, then, something which shall not ebb and flow as we do; we need something permanent, on which our feet may stand, and be planted there for eternity.

The Lord, then, shows to those who fear him his covenant—he shows to them how stable it is; that it stands fast forever and ever; that it endures, like himself, unchanging, and unchangeable, because it stands in his own eternal counsels, and is founded upon the engagements, love, blood, and work of his dear Son. The Lord shows those who fear him, that this covenant stands for evermore, and that they have an interest in it. What a suitable foundation for a poor tottering heart! The Lord in showing this covenant unto those who fear him, shows them that it is all of grace, and therefore meets all their unworthiness, and superabounds over all the aboundings of their sin; that it is more than a match for their aggravated iniquities, and will land them safe in glory, because God has determined to bring them there. Nothing but a covenant of grace can suit a poor exercised soul, who knows his helplessness and worthlessness; and the Lord shows this to those who fear him.

He shows them, also, that his covenant abides forever; that there is "no variableness, nor a shadow of turning" in it; that a vessel of mercy is not a child of God today, and a child of the devil tomorrow; and that whatever stripes he brings upon his back, whatever painful feelings he gets into by the Lord's chastening, these things do not cast him out of the covenant which stands sure. As we read Psalm 89:30-35, "If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgression with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David."

As the Lord the Spirit, then, shows them this covenant, and brings it with power into their hearts, it becomes all their salvation and all their desire. To live by it, and under the enjoyment of it; to have it more opened up, and to have fresh discoveries of it, to feel its sweetness, and live in the blessedness of it—this forms the leading desire of the soul. So that so far from rebelling against the covenant of peace, we want to have it more blessedly and powerfully revealed in the heart and conscience.

These, then, are the blessings which the Lord will show unto those who fear him. And what a mercy it is to be among those so taught and so led! But two characters will fight against these truths—those who know nothing beyond a servile fear, and those who know nothing but rash presumption and vain-confidence.

There are some in a profession of religion who have nothing beyond a servile fear; they have no divine teachings, but feel the workings of natural conscience, and the ebbings and flowings of fleshly conviction. But there is no promise for such; we know not what the Lord may do for them, but there is no promise for the workings of natural conviction, and the ebbings and flowings of servile fear. A man may have all the convictions of the damned, and yet be damned after all; he may have all the fears of Judas, and yet go where Judas is, unto "his own place."

Again. There is no promise made to those who are presumptuous and vain-confident, who rashly and recklessly rush into the solemn things of God. But the promise is to the poor, the needy, the exercised family of God, who by divine life, divine grace, divine leading and teaching, know something of spiritual fear, whose consciences have been made alive and tender before the Lord. To these it is promised, "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him, and he will show them his covenant."

The Lord in mercy deepen this fear wherever it is implanted, and show us that where this fear is, there every mercy is connected with it; that those in whose hearts he has caused it to spring up, he will lead safely on, until at length he brings them to see him as he is, and to sit down with him in glory!

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The Trees of Righteousness Blossoming and Bringing Forth Fruit (Thomas Watson, c. 1620-1686)

Philippians 1:11

“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” 

The blessed apostle in this chapter makes a solemn prayer to God for these Philippians; and, among the rest, he puts up two rare petitions for them:

First, that they might be sincere (verse 10).

Second, that they might be fruitful: "being filled with the fruits of righteousness."

Here observe:

1. The matter: "being filled with fruits."

2. The manner of production: "by Jesus Christ."

3. The end: "which are to the glory and praise of God."

DOCTRINE: Christians should above all things, endeavor after fruitfulness. The saints are called "trees of righteousness" in Isaiah 61:3. These rational trees must not only bring forth leaves—but fruit, "being filled with the fruits of righteousness." To further amplify this, there are two things to be inquired into:

QUESTION. How does a Christian bring forth fruit?

ANSWER. He brings forth fruit in the vine. By nature we are barren, and there is not one good blossom growing on us; but when by faith we are engrafted into Christ, then we grow and bear fruit. John 15:4: "Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me." Jesus Christ is that blessed Root which shoots up that sap of grace into His branches. The Pelagians tells us we have sufficiency of ourselves to bring forth good fruit; but how improper is this? Does not the root contribute to the branches? Is it not of Christ's precious fullness that we receive (John 1:16)? Therefore it is observable that Christ calls the spouse's grace His grace. Song of Solomon 5:1: "I have gathered My myrrh with My spice." Christ does not say, "your myrrh," but "My myrrh." If the saints bear any spiritual fruit, they are indebted to Christ for it; it is His myrrh. Hosea 14:8: "From Me is your fruit found."

QUESTION. What is that fruit which a sincere Christian brings forth?

ANSWER. It is inward fruit, outward fruit, kindly fruit, and seasonable fruit.

1. A Christian brings forth INWARD fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, and faith (Galatians 5:22). This fruit is sweet and mellow, growing under the Sun of righteousness. This is that ripe fruit which God delights to taste (Micah 7:1).

2. A Christian brings forth OUTWARD fruit. He brings forth the fruit of good speech. Proverbs 15:4: "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life." Gracious speeches fall from the lips of a godly man, as fruit does from a tree.

A Christian brings forth the fruit of good works (Colossians 1:10). God will say at the last day, "Show me your faith by your works" (James 2:18). A true saint does all the good he can, honoring the Lord with his substance; he knows he is to be in the world but a while, and therefore lives much in a little time, crowding up a great deal of work in a little time. It was Christ's speech not long before His suffering, "I have finished the work which You gave Me to do" (John 17:4). How can they be said to finish their work—who never began to work?

3. A Christian brings forth KINDLY fruit. "The godly man brings forth his fruit" (Psalm 1:3), that is, he brings forth that fruit which is proper for him to bear. But what is this kindly and proper fruit? It is when we are holy in our callings and relations. In a magistrate, justice is kindly fruit (Deuteronomy 16:19); in a minister, zeal (Acts 17:16); in a parent, instruction (Deuteronomy 4:10); in a child, reverence (Ephesians 6:1); in a master, a good example (Genesis 18:19; Ephesians 6:9); in a servant, obedience (1 Peter 2:18); in the husband, love (Ephesians 5:25); in the wife, submission (Ephesians 5:22); in a tradesman, diligence (Exodus 20:9); in a soldier, innocence (Luke 3:14).

A tree of God's planting brings forth his fruit, that which is suitable and proper. I shall never believe him to be godly, who does not bear kindly fruit. A man cannot be a sincere Christian—but a bad master. A sincere Christian—but a bad parent, does not sound well. That minister can no more be godly who lacks zeal—than that wine is good which lacks spirits; that magistrate can no more be good who lacks justice—than that pillar is good which is not upright. That child can no more be good who does not honor his parents—than a traitor can be said to be loyal. When Absalom rose up in rebellion against his father, the mule which he rode upon (as if she were weary of carrying such a burden) resigned her load up to the great, thick oak, and there left him hanging by the hair, between heaven and earth, as neither fit to ascend the one nor worthy to tread upon the other.

Let Christians be persuaded to bring forth proper and genuine fruit, and shine forth in their relations. He who is not godly in his relations goes under the just suspicion of being a hypocrite; let a man seem to be a penitent or zealous—yet if he does not bear fruit proper to his station, he is no tree of righteousness—but some wild, degenerate plant. There are some who will pray, hear sermons, discourse well; and this is good; but what does this bleating of the sheep mean? They are not good in their relationships; this reveals that they are unsound. A sincere Christian labors to fill his relationships. I do not like those Christians who, though they seem to be traveling to heaven—yet leave the duties of their relations, as a uncharted territory, which they never come near.

The excellency of a Christian is to bring forth proper fruit. Wherein does the goodness of a member in the body lie, but to discharge its proper office? The eye is to see, the ear to hear, and so on. So the excellency of a Christian is to bring forth that fruit which God has assigned to him. What is a thing good for—which does not do its proper work? What is a clock good for—which will not strike? What is a ship good for—which will not sail? What is a rose good for—which does not give forth its fragrance? What is that professor good for—who does not send forth a sweet perfume in his relationships?

The commendation of a thing, is when it puts forth its proper virtue.

Not to bring forth suitable fruit, spoils all the other fruit which we bring forth. If a man were to make a medicine and leave out the chief ingredient—the medicine would lose its virtue. If one were to draw a portrait and leave out an eye—it would spoil the picture. There are many to whom Christ will say at the day of judgment, as He did to the young man in Luke 18:22, "Yet lack you one thing. You have prayed, fasted, and heard sermons—yet lack you one thing—you have not been godly in your relationships."

Relative graces do much to beautify and set off a Christian. It is the beauty of a star to shine in its proper orb. Relative grace bespangles a Christian.

4. A sincere Christian brings forth SEASONABLE fruit. Psalm 1:3 speaks of "he who brings forth fruit in his season." Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that "everything is beautiful in his time." That may be good at one time, which at another time 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.

Christian duties which relate to our neighbor must be observed in their season. For example, our reproving others must be seasonable. Reproof is a duty; when we see others walk irregularly, like soldiers who march out of rank and file, we ought mildly—yet gravely, to tell them of their sin (Leviticus 19:17); but let this fruit be brought forth in its season.

Do it privately. Matthew 18:15: "Go and tell him his faults between him and you alone." Do it when you see him in the best temper, not when his passions are up—that would be like pouring oil on the flame. But only reprove him when it is seasonal—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 impression. 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 Samuel 25:37).

Another season for reproof is in the time of affliction. Affliction tames men's spirits, and then a word of reproof spoken prudentially may work with the affliction. A bitter potion is not refused if in case of extremity of pain. Affliction opens the ear to discipline.

Also, our comforting others must be seasonable. Proverbs 15:23: "A word spoken in due season, how good is it?" When we see one fallen into sin, and like Peter weeping bitterly—now a word of comfort will do well. When the incestuous Corinthian was deeply humbled, the apostle called for oil and wine to be poured into his wounds. 2 Corinthians 2:7: "You ought rather to comfort him." And the reason given was, "lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with sorrow." When the soul is wounded for sin, them bring the mollifying ointment of a promise (Jeremiah 3:1). Hang out free grace's colors; display the glory of God's attributes, His mercy and truth to the sinner.

When the spirit is broken, a word of comfort spoken in season is putting it in joint again. We bring forth seasonable fruit when we give wine to those who are of a heavy heart. Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul. Job's friends pretended to comfort him—but, instead of pouring oil into the wound, they poured in vinegar.

Duties of religion that relate to God must be performed in their season. Mourning for sin is a duty. God loves a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). How powerful with God is the weeping rhetoric which a poor sinner uses? Yet there is a time when weeping may not be so seasonable; when God has given us some eminent signal deliverance, and this mercy calls aloud to us to rejoice—but we hang our harps on the willows and sit weeping. This sadness is fruit out of season.

There was a special time at the Feast of Tabernacles when God called His people to rejoicing: "Seven days shall you keep a solemn feast unto the Lord your God—and you shall surely rejoice." Now if the Israelites had sat heavy and disconsolate at the time when God called them to rejoice, it would have been very unseasonable, like mourning at a wedding. When we are called to thanksgiving, and we mingle our drink with tears, is not this to be highly unthankful for mercy? God would have His people humble—but not ungrateful. It is the devil's policy either to keep us from duty—or else to put us upon it when it is least in season.

Rejoicing is a duty (Psalm 33:1). But when God, by some special providence, calls us to weeping, then joy is unseasonable. This is that which God complained of in Isaiah 22:12-13: "In that day the Lord Almighty called you to weep and mourn. He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins and to wear clothes of sackcloth to show your remorse. But instead, you dance and play." Occolampadius and others think it was in the time of king Ahaz, when the signs of God's anger, like a blazing star, appeared. Now to be given to mirth was very unseasonable, according to verse 14: "Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you until you die." It is a concise form of an oath, as if God had said, "I swear that it shall not by any prayer or sacrifice be expiated!"

To read at home when the word is being preached or the sacrament is being celebrated, is unseasonable, nay, sinful. As Hushai said in 2 Samuel 17:7, "The counsel is not good at this time." One duty is to prepare for another—but not to jostle out another; fruit must put forth seasonably. The great God who has appointed the duties of His worship has appointed also the time. If, when public ordinances are administered, any person, whether out of pride or sloth, shall stay at home, though he may have his private devotions—yet he brings forth fruit out of season, and let that man know he shall bear his sin.

Let all the trees of righteousness bring forth seasonable fruit. In prosperity, be thankful; in adversity, be patient. "To everything there is a season" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). The Psalmist said, "He appointed the moon for seasons" (Psalm 104:19).

To excite you to seasonable fruit, consider that the seasonableness of a thing, puts a value and preciousness upon it. Duties of religion performed in their season, are glorious. Creatures, by the instinct of nature, observe their season. Jeremiah 8:7: "Yes the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times." And shall not Christians observe their seasons—when to mourn and when to rejoice? Consider also that duties of religion not well timed are dangerous; mourning in a time of

joy, and private duties in time of public ones—are unseasonable and will prove harmful.

Application

I. Information.

This shows us who is a Christian in God's calendar, namely, the fruit-bearing Christian. As soon as the sap of grace is infused—it puts itself forth in evangelical fruit. No sooner was Paul converted than he became a plant of renown; he brought forth rare fruit—humility, faith, and heavenly mindedness. He was one of the most fruitful trees that God ever planted in His vineyard. When God changed the jailor from a wild tree to a tree of righteousness, he brought forth sweet and generous fruit. How kindly he treated the apostles! He set food before them and washed their wounds; he who was before their jailor, became then their nurse and physician!

II. Reproof. Here is an indictment against three sorts of people:

1. This reproves such as bring forth no fruit. Hosea 10:1: "Israel is an empty vine." Oh, how many unfruitful hearers there are who evaporate into nothing but froth and smoke, being like those ears of corn which are turned into straw! They give God neither the early fruit, nor the latter. There are many Christians who are like arbors, covered only with the leaves of profession; they may be compared to the wood of the vine which is good for nothing (Ezekiel 15:2). "He who has not the fruits of the Spirit—has not the Spirit, and he who has not the Spirit—is none of Christ's" (Romans 8:9). And if he is not Christ's, whose is he then? I fear the sin of this age is unfruitfulness. Never has there been more laboring in God's vineyard, and yet never has there been less fruit; instead of the fruitful fig tree and the pomegranate, we have abundance of barren willows growing among us. Ministers say they fear they spend their labor in vain; many are perverted, few converted.

To those professing Christians who are unfruitful, let me say four things:

First, unfruitfulness is a shame; barrenness of children was counted a great shame. For a tree in winter to be unfruitful is no great wonder; but in the spring andsummer, to be without fruit—is a reproach to the tree. So, in the winter of ignorance and popery—to have less fruit was less culpable; but in the springtime of the gospel, when the Sun of Righteousness has shined so gloriously in our horizon, now to be without fruit is a reproach not to be wiped away!

Second, what account can the unfruitful professor give to God? God will come with this question, "Where is your fruit?" A godly man dies full of fruit. Job 5:26: "You will approach the grave in full vigor, as a stack of sheaves is gathered in its season." The unfruitful professor comes to his grave, not with a stack of sheaves is gathered in its season—but as a bundle of worthless straw, fit only for the fire! It is good to think to ourselves what answer we shall give to God for our barrenness. The Lord has planted us in a rich soil, and He may say to us as He did to His vineyard in Isaiah 5:1-2 "My beloved has a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill. He plowed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with choice vines. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes—but the grapes that grew were wild and sour!"

Hilly places are judged the fittest for vines to grow in (Psalm 80:10), that is, in a very fat, rich soil. There the sun comes best, and is of more force for ripening the grapes. So may God say to us, "I have planted you in a hilly place. You have been higher than the nations round about you. You have even been lifted up to heaven with ordinances. The sunbeams of mercy, and Zion's silver drops, have fallen upon you—but where is your fruit? Your blessings have been great—but where is your fruit?" Whom God finds without fruit, He leaves without excuse.

Third, those who do not bring forth good fruit, shall never taste of the fruits that grow in heaven. Heaven is the garden of God, the paradise of pleasure, where the most rare, delicious fruits grow; there are fruits which the angels themselves delight to feed on. Now, if you do not bring God your fruit, you shall never taste His fruit. You who do not bring forth the fruits of righteousness, shall never taste the fruits of paradise. Oh, present Christ with your sweet spices; give Him your myrrh, your spiced wine. Your myrrh is, repentance; this, though it is bitter to you, is sweet to Christ. Those who have no myrrh or wine to give to God—shall never feed upon the Tree of Life which bears several sorts of fruit.

Fourth, think of the heavy doom which will be passed upon the unfruitful person. Matthew 25:30: "Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness." This man had not embezzled his talent—but because he did not trade with it and bring forth fruit—he was therefore sentenced.

This reproves such as bring forth evil fruit. They are not trees of the garden—but the wilderness; their hearts are a fruitful soil for sin! They bring forth pride, malice, superstition, and the like. This reproves such as bring forth good fruit—but to a bad end. Hosea 10:1: "Israel is an empty vine, he brings forth fruit unto himself." A man would be better to bring forth no fruit—as bring forth fruit unto himself.

QUESTION. What is it for one to bring forth fruit unto himself?

ANSWER. It is when all the good he does, is to magnify himself. The worm of pride gets into his fruit and spoils it. Prayer is good; but when a man prays only to show his gifts, this is to bring forth fruit unto himself.

Some take pride in their humbling confessions, which is as if Benhadad's servants had been proud when they came before the king with ropes around their necks (1 Kings 20:31). Works of mercy are good—but when a man gives alms not so much to feed the poor, as to feed his pride—then he brings forth fruit to himself, and this fruit is filled with worms. God will say to all such self-seekers, as once He did to the people of the Jews in Zechariah 7:5, "When you fasted and mourned, did you at all fast unto Me, even to Me?" Sinners, did you not bring forth fruit unto yourselves?"

III. Exhortation. Let this exhort all to fruitfulness. How happy would it be, if it might be said of us as it was of Joseph in Genesis 49:22, "Joseph is a fruitful bough!" We love to see everything fruitful; if there is a tree in our orchard, though covered with ever such fair leaves, we do not value it unless there is fruit. When you come into your garden, you complain if you see no fruit. We love to see fruitfulness everywhere, and why not in our hearts? Oh, let the precious grapes and figs we bear, give evidence that we are trees of God's planting.

We often plant trees to be a shade to the house. God cares for no such trees as are only for shade—He loves fruit. Arabia is called "Felix," because of the sweet fruits which grow there: frankincense, with other perfumes and spices. That Christian may be entitled "Felix," happy, who has the sweet fruits of the Spirit growing in his heart. Be fruit-bearing trees. This is the emblem of a sincere Christian: he is never without fruit, either blooming in his affections or fructifying in his life.

That I may persuade Christians to fruitfulness, I desire them to weigh these five things:

1. Fruit is that which God expects from us. We are His plants, and "Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit?" (1 Corinthians 9:7). Let us not be as Pharaoh's lean cows, which devoured the fat cows, and yet still were lean; let us not be still devouring sermons—yet never the fatter for them.

2. Fruitfulness is one of the most distinctive characteristics of a Christian. Proverbs 12:12: "The root of the righteous yields fruit." Fruitfulness distinguishes a saint from a hypocrite. The hypocrite is all for show and pretense; he has fair leaves—but "the root of the righteous yields fruit." Fruit can no more be separated from faith—than moisture from the air; it is the very definition of a branch in Christ; it bears fruit (John 15:2). As a man differs from a beast by reason, a beast differs from a plant by sense, and a plant differs from a stone by fruit—so a sincere Christian differs from a hypocrite by fruit. Fruitfulness puts a difference between the sound tree—and the hollow tree.

QUESTION. But may not hypocrites bring forth fruit?

ANSWER. They do not bring forth fruit in the Vine; they bring forth in the strength of their abilities, not in the strength of Christ.

Hypocrites bring forth something like fruit—but it is not the right fruit. The fruit they bear is not so sweet. The crab-apple tree may bear fruit as well as the pear-tree—but the pear excels in sweetness. The hypocrite may pray and give alms as well as a child of God—but there is a difference in the fruit. The fruit of the regenerate is wholesome; it is sweetened with faith and ripened with love. The hypocrite's fruit is sour and harsh; he does not bring forth sweet pomegranates—but crab-apples; not figs—but wild grapes.

The seeming fruit of hypocrites dies and comes to nothing. John 15:6: "He is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." The hypocrite's fruit is like the grass upon the housetops, which withers before it grows up (Psalm 139:6; Matthew 13:6).

3. Fruitfulness adorns a Christian. The fruit adorns the tree; a fruit-bearing Christian is an ornament to religion. The more fruitful the branch is, the more fair to look on. A dead tree, as it is unserviceable, so it is unattractive. A Christian, decked with the fruits of righteousness, is beautiful and glorious.

4. Fruitfulness is good evidence to show for heaven; the fruits of love, humility, and good works are (as Bernard said) seeds of hope, signs of predestination, and the happy foretastes of future glory. The righteousness of faith, is always accompanied with the fruits of righteousness. He who can show good, fruit goes full sail to heaven!

5. God delights in His fruitful trees. When His garden flourishes, He will walk there. He who curses the barren tree will taste of the fruitful tree. Song of Solomon 5:1: "I am here in My garden, My treasure, My bride! I gather My myrrh with My spices and eat My honeycomb with My honey. I drink My wine with My milk."

This exhorts those who do bear fruit—to bring forth more fruit. Do not think that you have enough fruit—but bring forth greater degrees of sanctity. John 15:2: "He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit." Grace is like the morning light which increases more and more—to the full meridian of glory. Christians should be like that ground in the parable which "produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted." (Matthew 13:8). He who has a little gold labors to increase it; and is not grace more precious than gold?

Some Christians have a little fruit, and they think that is well. They are like trees which have an apple or two growing on them to show that they are of the right kind. They are like the church of Philadelphia which had a little strength (Revelation 3:8). Just so, they have a little faith and a spark of love. Christ chides a little faith (Matthew 14:31). We "grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God" (Colossians 2:19). Christ compared the breasts of the spouse to clusters of grapes for their fruitfulness (Song of Solomon 7:7). Oh, labor to be Christians of high degrees! The apostle prayed that the love of the Philippians might abound yet more and more (Philippians 1:9).

Now that I may press Christians who have fruit—to bring forth more fruits of patience, humility, love, and the like. Consider that this is the end why we have continual cost laid out upon us—that we should bring forth more fruit. The Lord is still manuring us; not a week, not a day—but He is at continual cost with us. He rains down golden showers; and why is God at all this cost with us, but that we may bring forth more fruit?

The more fruit we bring forth, the more glory we bring to God. John 15:8: "Herein is My Father glorified—that you bear much fruit." Though it is a blessed sight to see any fruit, I would not discourage such as bear but two or three olive berries; it is a sign they are not dead trees. It is observable, the ground in the parable which brought forth a small amount of fruit—Christ called "good ground" (Matthew 13:8). If the farmer sees a thin ear which has but a little corn in it—yet he is glad to see some fruit, and he carries it into the barn. So, though you are a thin ear and do not have as much grace as others, God will not reject you. If there is any fruit, God will accept it. He who gained but two talents still heard, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" I say this that I may not discourage the weak Christian; though you have less fruit growing on you, you are too good a tree to be made fuel for the fire; you shall be transplanted into paradise!

But I also say, do not rest in small beginnings—but labor to put more oil in the lamp and be increasing your stock of grace; for the more fruit you bring forth, the more glory God has. Though the lowest degree of grace may bring salvation to you—yet it does not bring as much glory to God. It is observable in the text, when the apostle had said, "filled with the fruits of righteousness," he adds, "which are unto the glory and praise of God." It is a praise to the farmer, and commends his skill and industry—when the plants in his orchard thrive. Just so, when the plants of righteousness flourish, this is to the praise of God's glory. It is the highest end of the creature to bring glory to God. Better we lose our lives—than lose the end of our living.

The fuller we are of fruit, the more we are like Christ, who was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He received the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). This tree of life was ever bearing; and He brought forth several sorts of fruit—wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and so on. The more we are filled with the fruits of righteousness, the more we resemble the Sun of Righteousness. We were elected to this end—to be made like Christ (Romans 8:30); and we are most like this blessed Vine when we bear full clusters.

The more fruit a Christian brings forth, the more will Christ love him. "Surely now," said Leah, "my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!" (Genesis 29:34). When we bear much fruit, then Christ's heart will be joined to us. Christ will pardon a weak faith—but He will honor a great faith. It was not a sparkle of faith which Christ commended in Mary Magdalene—but flaming love. Luke 7:47: "She loved much." Christians, would you be like that beloved disciple who leaned on the bosom of Jesus? Would you have much love from Christ? Let Him have much fruit from you.

Bearing much fruit will usher in abundance of comfort into the soul in the hour of temptation. Satan will be sure to besiege the weakest Christian; all his darts fly that way, and a strong temptation may overcome a weak faith. But a flourishing faith stands like a cedar, and is not blown down by the wind of temptation. A strong faith can stop the mouth of the devil, that roaring lion.

A store of fruit will also give comfort in the hour of death. A little grace will make us above the danger of death—but high degrees of grace will make us above the fear of death. Oh, what joy it will be on the deathbed, when a Christian can bring his sheaves full of corn, when he can show the five talents that he has gained by trading, when there is not only a drop or two of oil—but his lamp full of oil! What if the devil shows God our debts—if we can show him our fruit? Oh, how sweet will death be! It will not be a destruction—but a deliverance. Death, like a whirlwind, may blow down the tree of the body—but it cannot blast the fruit of our graces. The trees of righteousness carry their fruit with them. Revelation 14:13: "Their works follow them." The Christian who abounds in holiness may say as Simeon did in Luke 2:29, "Lord, now let You Your servant depart in peace." He who bears but a little fruit departs in safety; but he who bears much fruit departs in peace.

Consider what need we have to be putting forth still more fruit; our graces are yet in their infancy. Indeed, in heaven this doctrine will be out of season; we shall not need to hear it. Then we shall be done growing, being arrived at our full stature. Then our light shall be clear and our love perfect; but while we live here, there is something lacking in our faith (1 Thessalonians 3:10). Therefore we need to increase the stock of grace and bring forth more fruit. Our grace is eclipsed with sin; our faith is full of unbelief. When the sun is eclipsed, it is by degrees getting out of the eclipse and it shines brighter and brighter, and will recover its perfect luster. So it must be with us: we must be getting out of the eclipse until we arrive at our perfect luster in glory.

He who does not increase to more fruitfulness, will soon be on the losing hand. He who has not more faith will quickly have less. "You have left your first love." It is with grace as it is with fire: if it is not fed and increased, it will soon decay. Such as do not thrive in their spiritual estate, we may perceive sadly to decline. Though a Christian cannot lose the seed of grace—yet he may lose the actings of grace and the comfort of grace. Therefore, bring forth more fruit. No sooner does a Christian begin to stand still—than you may perceive him going backward.

The more your fruit is increased, the more your glory is increased. He whose pound gained ten more, was made ruler over ten cities. If you would have your crown hung full of jewels, let your boughs be hung full of fruit.

IV. Direction. I shall here lay down some means to fruitfulness.

1. Be sensible of unfruitfulness. Any might have been fruitful in grace if they had not conceited themselves so; he who thinks himself fruitful enough—is barren enough. Be sensible of your needs; it is better to know your spiritual leanness, than presume. "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see." Revelation 3:17-18

2. If you would be fruitful, remove those things which will hinder fruitfulness, such as cherishing any secret lust in the heart. Sin indulged—is like vermin to the tree, which destroys the fruit. Grace cannot thrive in a sinful heart.

Avoid the love of riches. The cares of the world choked the seed, in Matthew 13. The love of sin poisons the fruit; the love of riches chokes it.

3. The third means to fruitfulness is weeping for sin. Moisture helps growth in trees; holy tears water the trees of God and make them more fruitful. Mary Magdalene, a weeping plant, how fruitful was she in love to Christ! Moist grounds are most fertile; the soul that is moistened and steeped in tears, is most fruitful. Never did David's graces flourish more, than when he watered his couch with tears.

4. If you would be fruitful, often apply the blood of Christ and His promises. Apply the blood of Christ. Naturalists say that blood applied to the root of some trees makes them bear better fruit. However that may be—I am sure that the blood of Christ applied to the heart makes it flourish more in holiness. None are so fruitful as a believer. "I know," said Paul, "whom I have believed." There was applying blood to the root of the tree; and how fruitful he was in zeal, love for Christ, and heroic courage! He who believes Christ died for him, never thinks he can do or suffer enough for Christ. When we read and pray, then we do but water the branches; when we believe, then we water the root of the tree and make it fruitful.

Apply the promises. Farmers have an art to nourish the root to make the tree bear better. The promises applied, are for nourishing of a Christian, and then he puts forth fruit more vigorously. The root of the pine tree watered with wine, causes it to flourish. The promises are as wine to water the trees of righteousness, whereby they spread and increase more in grace. Ever preserve the nourishment of the tree, if you would have it bear fruit. A pensive, dejected soul is less fruitful; but when through the promises a Christian's heart is cheered and comforted, then he is enriched with pleasant fruits. He becomes like a tree laden with fruit.

5. Another means to fruitfulness is humility. The low grounds are most fruitful. "The valleys are covered with grain." (Psalm 65:13). The humble heart is the fruitful heart. The largest and sweetest fruits of the Spirit, grow in a humble Christian. 1 Peter 5:5: "God gives grace to the humble." Paul called himself the least of saints—yet he was the chief of the apostles. The virgin Mary was low in her own eyes—but this lowly plant bore that blessed Vine which brought the fruit of salvation to the world.

6. If you would be fruitful in grace, be much in godly fellowship. Malachi 3:16: "Then those who feared the Lord spoke often one to another." It is observed that some plants will bear better near other trees, than when they grow alone—as is seen in the myrtle and olive trees. This holds true in divinity also: the trees of righteousness, when they associate and grow near together, thrive best in godliness. The fellowship of saints is an excellent means for fruitfulness. Christians increase one another's knowledge, strengthen one another's faith, and clear one another's evidences. When the trees planted in God's orchard stand at a distance and grow strange one to another, they are less fruitful.

7. If you would be fruit-bearing trees—be near the water of the sanctuary. Jeremiah 17:8: "He shall be like a tree planted by the waters, and that spreads out the roots by the river; her leaf shall be green, nor shall it cease from yielding fruit." The Word preached will not only make us knowing Christians—but growing Christians. Ministers are compared to clouds in Isaiah 5:6; their doctrine drops as the rain, and makes the trees of God fruitful. No wonder that they are barren trees and near unto cursing, who are not under the droppings of the sanctuary; a Christian can no more be fruitful without ordinances, than a tree without showers.

8. And last, if you would fructify quickly—go to God and implore Him to make you fruitful. God is called the gardener in John 15:1, and He has an art above all other gardeners. They can plant and prune trees—but if those trees are dead they cannot make them bear fruit. God can make the barren tree bear fruit. He can put life into a dead tree! (Ephesians 2:5)

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