Head H. IJ!efltaken out qfthc nalttral Stock. 21~ ll I. \Vhat branches are taken out of the natural flock, , and grafted into this vine? A!t{. Thefe are the e/e{l, ar.d ·none other. ' They, and they only, are grafted into Chrijl ; and confequehtly none but they are cut {;Jffrom the kitting flock. For them alone he imerceeas, that t-hey 111ay be on~ in him and his Father, John ·xvii. 9, 23. Faith, the bond of this union; is given to none elfe : it is the faith ofGod't ele fl, Tit . i. 1. The ~ord p<!!feth hy many branches grow· ing on the na1ural fi9ck; and cuts off only here one, a nd _ there one 1 .and ·grafts them into the true vine, according as free love bath determined. Oft does he "pitch upon the me{~ unlikely bran-ch, Jeaving the top boughs; palli-ng" by the mighty,. and t/)e noble, and calling the weak, bafe, aYld d1)ijed, I Cor. i. 16, 27. Yea, he often leav:es the fait, ,, <ind irnooth~and cakes the rl:l ggedand knotty; ·andfuch wer:J fome ofyou, but ye are ·tiJJafoed, &c. 1 Cor. vi . 11. If we inquire why fo ? We find no othet reafon but becaufe they \vet·e chofen in him, Eph. i. 4· Pi"e,dejlinated to the a'f/opti• tin qf children -by Jejt.u Chrijl, v.e1'. 5. Thus are they ga• thered together in Chrifi ; while the refi are left g1owing on their natural fl:ock, to be afterwards ~ound up i.n bun– dles for the fire. \\Ther·efMe, to whomfoever the gofpe1 tnay come in vain, it/ will have a hleifed ttffea ·on God's e– Ject, AflJ xiii. 48 . As many as wer.e ·ordained to eternal life, lelieved. \Vhere the Lord ha-s much people, th~ gofpel will have much fuccefs, fooner' or lam~.r. Soch a's are to be faved will be added to the my!1ical body of Ch1ifi. Hew tin: branches are taken out-:{;j t.~e 11aturalflock., and · ingrafted into the jupernatund;1oc-h. IV. I' iHn to fh ew ho~v the brandres are cut 'o.ff from the ·flatur -al lto.ck the fidl Ada1n, and gr~fted into I h; true vine, the Lo rd f efm Cht:iH. l hanks to the hu'fban dman, n 1H t() the br:a'l'lch . th~ t is cut off from its n~tu1·a l Hock, a•nd graft– ed "into a new ooe The finner , in his coming off from the 1iri1: Hock , is paffive ; -and neither ean nor -will come df from it of his own accord, but clings to it. till almighty powe r rnak es hnn to fflli off Joh1J vi . 44· No 17Z~lfl can come tdttr; me, except the Father which hath fen! me, d;aw ht'm. Jir.d eh. v. 40. :re twill nQt C017le to 1Jle, that )'e might ht1ve 'lift. J :/ /
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