Head H. The natura! Stock, a dead Stod. •while they continue. on it. Many fermoos are pre~ched to no purpofe; bec~ufe there is no li(e to gi~e fenfat~on. Sleep~ ing men may be awakened; but the dead 'Cannot be raifed without a mi-racle: even fo the dead finner mufi remain fo. ,if he be not rell:ored to life .by a miracle of grace. Sf:tJOnd- , ly, the influences of heaven are loll: on fuch a tree: in V?in doth the rain fall upon it : in vain is it laid open to the winter-cold and frolls. The Lord ofthe viney?-rd dig:~ a– bout many a dead fod, b~n it is not ,bettered. Brttift t.~e fofJ! in a mortdr , his folly will not depart , Tho' he meets with many croifes, yet Ile retains his lufis: let him be laid on a fi ck-b c ~,\ be will there ly like a fick beaft, groaning uuw der his pa,in ; b:Jt not mourning for, nor turniog from, his fin. Let death itfelf fl:are him in the face; he will prefump– toufly mai1nain his hope, as if ne would Io·ok the grimmef– fenger out of countenance Sometimes tbere are common operations of the divine Spirit performed oo him: he is fent · home with a trembling heart; and with arrow,s o( convic• tion O:icking in his foul: but at length he prevails againA: thefe things. and turns as fecure as ever 'Jhird!y, Summer and winter are alike to~the branches of the dead fiock. V.Jhen , others about them are bu,dding, bloffoming, and – bringing fpnh fruit; there is no ch-ange on them : the dead Hock has no grpwing time at all. Perl'laps it may be diffi-. cult to know, in the winter, what trees are dead, and 'wlut ' are alive; biJt the fpring plainly difca~ers,it. There are fome fealons, wherein there is little life to be perceived, even a– mongfl faints; yet times of reviving ·come at leog~h. But · even when the vi:1e jl~uri./heth, aNd..the P'imegranatcJ bud ' forth -(wben faviog _grace is difcov·ering itfelf, bv ~ts iive:'l aCl:ings, wherefoever -itis) the [,-,anches on the old Hock are , {lill ~.Jtthercd ': when the dry boneL' are ·coming together, , , bone to bone, amongH faints . the fi1~ners bones are flill ' ly ing abouftbe grave's mouth. They are uee!; that cumber the · g'f"ound.' are near -to be cut down : and•wiH be cut down for the fire, if God in m'ercy prevent it ·not', by cutting them off "' from thadtock, _and ingrafring' them into another; . Laflly ; Onr ooatur~l ;ftock is a kil!i?tg flock; If the !lock dte , how can thebranche~dive? if the ,fap be· gone from the ; roo\ and heart~ the bra_nches mull needs wither.- In -Adcmz , i:i!:U die, 1 Co.r •.xv.- :z2. Tbe root died in , p;u~adije; .and l S:-' 3 _; aU !,
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