A SERMON P R:,~,E~ PARED TO BE PREACHED ontheXth, ofFebruary, d. V. MncXXIV. being AS H.WE D NE S DAY. MATT H. Chap; III. Ver: VIiJ. Proferte Fructus igitur dignos Pocnitencire. 'Bring forth Fruits, therefore, "'Porthj· amendment oflife (or~ Repentance.) · Text,three points we havegonethr~ugh ; thefe three,' 'Proferte, Bring fqrth,be not alwayes carrying in : ' Prpfer~ teftllctm,Bring forth fruit ;Leaves will nor ferve: 3 Profer– tefm8& igitur, Bring forth fmits therefore: Wherefore ~ that fo you may efcape the wrath to come. There isnoway to efcape ir,bur that. Now we goeon. Bring forth frt~it.r therefore. Whatfmits? Fruits of re· ; fruits growing on a tree calledRetentance : For, ftuirs evercorrie m to thetreerhat carries them. Ifwe . brought forth :·_If brought forth itmufi be,therem~tfi bee a That tree is Repentance. . Sr. Johnin his whole Sermon runsall upon this metaphor oftree 249 ·' and (rutts, androot; that he, brings in Repentanceas atree, I have touched formerly. It feemesto refer us (this tree) ro anorher,rheforbidden tree. That tree had Gen.•.•r: frmt' Thistrrero havefo too. Tree fortree,fruit for fmit. Theworthy fruits ofRephntance, for theumvorthyfmitsof difobedien,;e. The fruit of that tree was our bane; fi t efrmto~ thts to beourmcdicim. Thefrttitof that madeiravcntur•tocome; The rntt of thts wtllturnc it away. firil \ 15 true; thefrt<its of this treeof Repentance, they were notprim.e iiiUntionil; 1 f Prtnctpally intended. There was another a more excellent planr,called the fi reeo Inbnocence; the fruit whereofwas,Nepeccetis, nottojin at all. There were no · rutttot ·r · h t h at,t tt were to be had. But,wherefh'all we fi!ld that ~ Where growcs t e ;ee t atbearesthatfimit ?Who is there thatjinneth not?.Thefiorbiddcnfruit was no Rom. J• •i' 100nertak b · - - - t• fi enN, ut, that tree witheredanddyed. ~:ould never be got ro !iirow in ourna• • lre mce• otalking of that, ' · - . J"h~~
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