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beginnings, namely, by a few poor unlearned, fishermen, it was carried, as on eagles' wings, to the end of the earth, and in a short time subdued potent princes, who set themselves against it, to the admiration of all. In the Reformation, too, how strangely was it carried on! Wickliff, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague, paved a way and opened a door to Luther, who, with a few more, withstood the whole Popish interest, and so prevailed against them, that the locusts which came out of the bottomless pit were never able, by their smoke, to darken the light of the gospel again; but it brake forth more and more to the perfect day, even to all men's admiration. In many places it was carried on without the ruler's consent, yea contrary to his will; in Holland, France, Germany, Scotland, and many other countries; so wonderfully did this little grain spread. And in this nation, by what unexpected means was the Reformation carried on, by a prince who wrote against it, and set himself against it, and yet was instrumental in God's hand to carry on the work. God can make use of whom he pleases to do his work. Heathen Cyrus must be his servant to carry on his design. In the time of Athanasius, how did God vindicate his truth, by small means, against a world of Arians, and made him victorious against them all! "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart," Heb. iv. 12.

By the growth of this mustard seed is signified,

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further, not only the spreading abroad of the gospel, in the first promulgation of it, but also the growth of grace in a Christian's heart, which, though it have a small beginning, yet increases wonderfully; the latter end doth greatly increase, Job viii. 7. When the new creature, grace, is formed in the soul by the finger of God, it grows up to maturity till it comes to a perfect man. When God speaks a word secretly and suddenly to the heart, it fastens itself there, and never releases its hold till the work be done, and the new creature be formed. It is like Elijah's mantle when thrown upon Elisha, which made him leave his oxen and run after him, and desire only to kiss his father and mother, and he would follow him. The prophet said, "Go back again: for what have I done to thee?" 1 Kings xix. 19, 20. But he had done that which so influenced him, that he would not forsake him till he was taken up to heaven, and remained a prophet to his dying day. When God speaks home to the heart, the work is done; when Christ calls Peter and Andrew, James and John, they leave all to follow him, Matt. iv. 18-22. With his word there went forth a secret power, inclining them to follow: the woman of Samaria left her pitcher, and Matthew his toll-book, and Zaccheus his sycamore tree, yea half of his goods, at Christ's call. The smoking flax, it is said, shall not be quenched, and the bruised reed shall not be broken, till he bring forth judgment into victory, Matt. xii. 20. Christ cherishes not the strong oaks only, but the bruised reeds also: he despises not the day of small things, Zech. iv. 10. The least spark of

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fire may be cherished into a flame, and the least true grace will be growing; the very pantings after Christ, and dissatisfaction without him, are highly accounted of by him. The earthquake occasioned such a disquietude in the jailor, that he cried out, "What must I do to be saved?" Acts xvi. 30; and the preaching of Peter to those who put Christ to death, so reached their heart, that nothing would satisfy till they knew how they should be saved: so powerful is the word when applied by God to the heart.

O my soul, though the church of God be brought low, despair not yet, it has been so in former times, yet recovered; and Christ has told thee, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it," Matt. xvi. 18. God will yet say to these dry bones, Live; and if thy grace be feeble, despair not; if it be true, though but as a grain of mustard seed, it will spring. If thou art but smoking flax, thou shalt not be quenched; if a bruised reed, thou shalt not be broken.

O my God, blow upon that spark thou hast given me, that it be not extinguished; remove the ashes of corruption, that it may appear.

The stone cut out without hands-became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth, Dan. ii. 34, 35.

In the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it, Micah iv. 1.

XXXVIII.-UPON A CRAB TREE AFTERWARDS GRAFTED.

OBSERVING one tree in the orchard wild by nature, which, though it had the same husbandry as the rest, was dressed and pruned by the same hand, and digged and manured as the others were; though it grew in as rich a soil, and was refreshed with the same sun, and watered with the same showers, yet still it brought forth sour and unpleasant fruit; and neither art nor labour could alter it, till I caused it to be grafted, and so changed the nature of it, and then the same means used made it answer our expectation. This made me consider that this was the very reason why there was so much difference between persons that live under the same means of grace, under the same ministry, enjoying the same ordinances; yet some bear good fruits, some bad. Surely the fault is not in the means, but in the men. I have read of Melancthon, that when he came to preach the gospel, he preached with such convincing arguments, and so much Scripture light, that he was persuaded that he could have convinced any man; but after long trial he found the contrary, and was fain to confess that old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon. I have often wondered how drunkards, swearers, adulterers, or other debauched sinners, could sit

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unconcerned under powerful discourses, when both the chapter and verse of the Bible have been quoted where they are excluded heaven; but when I considered that Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but it is God that gives the increase, 1 Cor. iii. 6, my wonder ceased. Man can but speak to the ear, but God speaks to the heart. The same sun softens wax and hardens clay. When the sun shines, and the rain falls upon a fruitful pasture, it makes it more fruitful; but when upon the heath in the desert, it is little the better. The reason why one hearer bears good fruit and another bad, under the same ministry, is, the one is engrafted into Christ, the other is not, but grows upon the stock of nature. All the watering and manuring in the world will not make a thorn bring forth grapes, or a thistle figs. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit, so that the tree is known by his fruit, Matt. vii. 19, 20. "I am the vine," saith Christ," ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing," John xv. 5. When a man abides in the stock of nature, he can bring forth no savoury fruit to God. If the fountain be polluted, the streams cannot be clear. If the heart be bad, the life cannot be good. Of such God saith, "Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter," Deut. xxxii. 32. The vine is the evil nature, and the grapes are the wicked works. But when they are engrafted in the true Vine, they

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