Many make religion
their cloak and Christ their stalking-horse, and by that means cover
themselves and hide their own wickedness from men: but God seeth
their hearts, hath his print upon the heels of their feet, and
pondereth all their goings; and at last, when their iniquity is
found to be hateful, he will either smite them with hardness of
heart and so leave them, or awaken them to bring forth fruit. Fruit
he looks for, seeks, and expects, O thou barren fig-tree.
But what, come into the presence of God to sin What, come into the
presence of God to hide thy sin! Alas, man, the church is God's
garden, and Christ Jesus is the great Apostle and High-priest of our
profession. What, come into the house that is called by his name,
into the place where his honor dwelleth, where his eyes and heart
are continually--what, come there to sin, to hide thy sin, to cloak
thy sin! His plants are an orchard with pleasant fruits; and every
time he goeth into his garden, it is "to see the fruits of the
valley," and to see if the vines flourish and if the pomegranates
bud.
Yea, he came seeking fruit on this fig-tree. The church is the place
of God's delight, where he ever desires to be; there he is night and
day. He is there to seek for fruit, to seek for fruit of all and
every tree in the garden.
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