PART III. ofgracious Affielibns. 293 doles by repeating the Afhertion ; Verfe 20. Wherefore by their 'Fruits ye 'hall know them. Again, Chap. 12. 33. Either make the Tree good, and his Fruit good ; or e fe make the Tree corrupt, and his Fruit corrupt. - ---As much as to fay, 'tis a very abfurd Thing, for any to fuppofe that the Tree is good, and yet the Fruit bad, that the Tree is of one Sort, and the Fruit of another ; for the proper Evidence of the Nature of the Tree is it's Fruit. Nothing elle can be intended by that lafiClaufe in theVerfe, For theTree is known by it'sFruit, than that tlaeTree ischiefly known by itsFruit,that this is the main & moff proper Diagnoffick by which oneTree is diffinguifhed from another. So Luke 6.4.4-EveryTree is known by his ozunFruit. Chriff no where fays,Ye fhall know the Tree by it's Leaves or Flowers, or ye fhall know Men by their Talk, or ye fhall know themby the good Story they tell of their Expe- riences,or ye fhall know them by theManner and Air of their (peaking, andEmphafis and Pathos of Exprelion, or by their fpeaking feelingly, or by making a very great Show by abundance of Talk, or by many Tears and affectionate Expreffions, or by theAffeetions ye feel in your Hearts towards them : But by their Fruits 'hall ye know them ; the Tree is known by it's Fruit ; Every Tree is known by it's own Fruit. And as this is the Evidence that Chriff has directed us mainly to look at in others, in judging of them, fo it is the Evidence that Chriff has mainly dire ked us to give to others, whereby they may judge of us ; Matth. 5. i 6. Let your Light fo Jhine before Men-, that others feeing your good Works, may glory y your Father which is in Heaven. Here Chriff direr`ts us to manifeft our Godlinefs to others. Godlinefs is as it were a Light that íhines in the Soul : Chrift direéts that this Light fhould not only Thine within, but that it fhouldf/hine out before Men, that they may fee it. But which Way (hall this be ? 'Tis by our good Works. Chrift don't fay, that others hearing your good Words, your good Story, or your pathetical Expreffii_ ions ; but that o- thers feeing your good Works, may glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Doubtlefs when Chriff gives us a Rule how to make our Light fhine, that others may have Evidence of it, his Rule is the beft that is to be found. And the Apofiles do mention a chriftian Practice, as the principal Ground of their Efleem of Perfons as true Chriflians. As the Apoflle Paul, in the 6th Chapter of Hebrews. There the Apoffle in the Beginning of the Chapter, fpeaks of them that have great com- mon Illuminations, that have been enlightened, and have tailed of the. heavenly Gift, and were made Partakers of the holy Gho, andhave tailed the good Word ofGod,and thePorvers of theWorld to come,that afterwards fall away, and are like barren Ground, that is nigh unto curling, whofe End is to be burned : And then immediately adds in the 9th Verfe, exprefling his Charity for the chriffian Hebrews, as having that Gi- ving Grace, which is better than all there commonIlluminations) But beloved, we are perfwaded better Things ofyou, and Things that accompany U 3 Salvation4
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