144 UPON A FAIR BUT FRUITLESS TREE.

that talk like Christians, but I love to see men walk like Christians. When the actions are so dissonant to the words, I cannot think the heart and tongue agree.

O my soul, rather be good than seem so, rather bear fruit than leaves; for it is fruit and not leaves, substance and not a shadow, thy Lord expects. He requires good works as well as good words, intentions as well as pretences. "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips," Prov. xxvii. 2. Let a man do worthily in Ephratah, and he will be famous in Bethlehem; he need not be his own trumpeter. Honour follows virtue as the shadow does the substance: those that honour God, God will honour; but those that despise him, shall be lightly esteemed, 1 Sam. ii. 30. Set the crown upon God's head, and he will set the garland upon thine. Let thy own works, but not thy own words, praise thee, Prov. xxxi. 31. Do well, and thou needest not, with Jehu, proclaim thy own praises; if thy conversation give light, doubtless it will not be hid.

O my God, let me stand reproved in thy sight, and it matters not what man says of me. Give me truth in the inward parts, make me sound at the heart. Give me sincerity, and I shall then bear thee fruit.

I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God, Rev. iii. 1, 2.

XLII. UPON AN OLD, YET FRUITFUL TREE.

WHEN I saw an old tree which promised little, yet was richly laden, and had not only more fruit than those which were younger, and made a greater show, but the fruit was better also; it exceeded not only in quantity but also in quality the other trees-this observation made me think such a tree resembled much an aged Christian, an old disciple, as we read, Acts xxi. 16. Of such it may be noticed, that they usually bear more and better fruit than younger professors, their judgment being ripened and mellowed by experience, and themselves usually not so censorious and self-willed as the others are, who are apt to condemn all that are not just of their judgment, even though they may exhibit as much of Christ and a gospel conversation as themselves. This consideration brought to my mind what the psalmist says of such; "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing," Psa. xcii. 12-14. Those that draw sap from Christ, and are grafted into him, must needs bud and bloom, and bring forth fruit; these are the trees planted by the rivers of water, which bring forth

their fruit in their season, Psa. i. 3; for as aged men, so especially aged Christians, have their judgment ripened by experience, and mellowed by time; and their zeal is not a hot and furious zeal, without knowledge-a zeal, like that of the apostles James and John, who would have called for fire from heaven to consume the inhospitable Samaritans, as they said Elijah did, Luke ix. 54. Young professors, as I said, are prone to be censorious, apt to condemn those who cannot see with their eyes, or who differ from them, though it be in circumstantials and things of small concern; yea, perhaps, will disparage their graces, as if their own hearts, like Jehu's, were the touchstone of sincerity, and their own judgment the touchstone of truth. But aged Christians have learned Christ better, and studied their own hearts more, and will yield a grain of allowance to others, as knowing they need it themselves; and where they see the vitals of religion preserved, they will reach out the right hand of fellowship, though it be to men of a contrary persuasion, in lesser matters; yea, they will love them better and value them more than they do those of their own persuasion, in whom they cannot see such evident signs of grace. There is honourable mention made of an old disciple, Acts xxi. 16; a grey-headed, experienced Christian; a father, 1 John ii. 13. "Ye are they," said Christ," which have continued with me :-and I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me," Luke xxii. 28, 29. God will especially reward those that are aged servants. "Days should speak," said Elihu,

YET FRUITFUL TREE.

147

“and multitude of years should teach wisdom," Job xxxii. 7. It was a duty commanded by God, and yet is incumbent upon us, to "rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man," Lev. xix. 32; but then much more an old Christian. "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness," Prov. xvi. 31.

O my soul, own Christ wherever thou seest him, and make not thy own judgment the test to try all other men's; nor, with Jehu, thine own heart the touchstone to try others. Judge the tree by the fruit, not by the leaves; and professors not by their words, but by their works. Grow in grace as thou growest in years; so mayst thou be an old disciple.

O my God, make me fruitful, and let my fruit be pleasant to thy taste, and let the last be better than the first.

Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they both were well stricken in years, Luke i. 5—7.

That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, Titus ii. 2, 3.

I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee that which is convenient-being such an one as Paul the aged, Philem. 8, 9.

XLIII. UPON A LEAFY, YET BARREN TREE.

FINDING a tree that at a distance looked well, but which produced nothing but leaves when I expected better fruit, it reminded me of the fruitless fig tree, mentioned Mark xi. 12—14, which disappointed even Christ himself; for he being "hungry, and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet:" probably the time of ripe figs was not yet, but in his necessity he would have contented himself with those that were green; and being thus disappointed, he said, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever; and presently the fig tree withered away." Methinks this barren tree resembles many in our times, who have a form of godliness, but deny the power of it, 2 Tim. iii. 5 : they have leaves, but no fruit; a shadow, but no substance; they have a name to live, but are dead, Rev. iii. 1; they cry, "The temple of the Lord," when they regard not the Lord of the temple; they content themselves with a bare name, without the nature of Christians; they draw near to God with their mouths, and honour him with their lips, but their heart is far from him, Matt. xv. 8; all their holiness is in externals; they regulate their words and actions, but the heart is