Goodwin - BV4500 G66 1650

8 The TryaII of ,,weft. Anf How the urc- fruitfull are in Chrifft Complain to hire that the hogs arc in his Vineyard, and doe much havock and fpoile therein ; and tell him that he is time Husbandman, who fnould take care for it. So they go on to pray, Returne, we befeech thee O Godof Hoes, looke downe from heaven, beholdand vifit this Vine, and the Vineyard which thy right h::ndhathplanted, y. 14, /5. 3. Obf. Twoforts ofbranches in this Nine, fruitful!andunfruitfulr, and the difference between temporary and true Weevers, as they are laid downe in the Tex:. We fee this Vine hath branches of two forts, fruitfu11 and un- fruitfull, which is the third thing to be obferved. And herein our Saviour followeth the fimilitude; for expe- rience (hews the like in Vines. Andwriters of Vines obferve it, and accordingly dill;inguifh the branches of Vines into 'ampi- narios, which bring forth naught but leaves, and FruEluarios, which bring forth fruit. The unfruitfull they are fuch as make profeffion of being in Chri[f to themfelves and others, and receive fome greenr,eÍfe from him, but no true fruit : for their profe/jïon they are bran- ches, for their emptineffe, unfruitfull ones. The onelyqueftion is, How fuch as prove unfruitfull, are Paid to be branches, and to be in Chrifl ; Every branch in me, c5c. Many comparifons there are of Chriff, as he hands in various relations to his Church : whereof fome ferve to expreffe one thingconcerning him, fome another. That of a Vine, here pre- Ems him onely as he was to fpreadhimfelfe into a vifible Church on earth, in the profellion ofhim : and fo confidered, he may have many branches that are unfruitfull. That other of An head over all the family in heaven and earth, which imports his rela- tiononely to that invifible company of his Church myfticall, which together make up that general! affembly fpoken of in Heb. r 2. which are his fulneffe, Eph. r. ult. And agreeable to this meaning, in comparing himfelfe to a Vine, in this large and common relation ofa root toboth forts of Profefors, true and falfe,.is that other expreffion allo, whereby he fees forth his Fa- thers officeswhen he calls him not áp,giNvgye-, a Vine-dref er, or

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