. Head {J. Th.t [pedal Care if the fluibandm·1?J· . 257 .fll.ll to the .ground; yet if the unwary child hold not by · b<:r, ·it roay fall backwards in her ~rms. ·to irs gte.at butt, · Thtis DmJid'sJall broke ,hi.s bone.J. I>fal. li. S. but it did · nat break the bon.d of hnron betwixt CHrifi and him : J:"be ~-holy S.jJtrit, the bond of that . unio.n; .was not t.ake.n from him, .ver .' 1 1 •. . • The Jajl .benefi.t llhall name, is, The fpecial·· care of t'he hnlbandman, John .x.v, 1, 2. 1am the true vi1;.e, atJdm.y Fq.• , the.r is the husbamlman,-Every branch .that bear.cth.frtti/', ·.he p.za-geth it , that it may br,ingforth' mQrefrui(. Bel.ie~er~, by virtue of. their union with Chrift, a1.e. the objeCt of God's · fpeci .af care and providence~ Myflical Chrifi is Go.d's vine, . cnher focieties in-, the world are but wi·ld olive ·tree~>. ·. The · , men of the .worLd . are but God's out- ·field; the fai·nlS are , J1is vineyard, which he has a .fpedal proprietvin, and a fpe- ·_ . c~al concern for, Cant' viii . 12. My _vineJard, tWhi~h .is , mine, i1 bif:;re me: He that £lumbers not, nor fle.eps. is the . k_eeper of it, he does keepjt; lfj1 fllZJ httrt it he rwi/1 . ke~;. ,Jt night. and day : he in whofe hand ,is .\:h~ dew of heaven, rwill rwate.r #every mo1tunt~ tfa·, xxvji 3:. He drt lfeth and ·;urgeth it, in order to further ftuit.fulnefs, Jol;z xv. 2. , He cuts off, the ·luxuriant twigs thf;!·t mar th~ fruitfulnefs .of _th.e braMh This .is done, efpecially .by .th~ word aod by ' the c~ofs or aitlitlions.· The faints need the minifiry of the w.nrd, .as much as the vineyard needeth one to . drefs and · p !une the vints 1 Cor ii1 9· We a_re labourtrs together -with God: ;·e are G.od's nusbandry ye are u'od'J budding• .A.nd they need the crois roo, 1 Pet . i 6. __ . And · •berefore, if we !hould recko~ the. crofs amoogfl tbe be.oefiis .flowing to believers from their union whh Ch1 ifi, l-' · j~.ige, · we iliouJd not recko.n it am· Is Sure I ·am, in· dreir fuf:. . - ftrm~s, .the\ ju:ffer 'With him. Rom. v•ii 1-7 A~od the a!fu– ,rances they hlive of',he crofs, hav e rather .the n:vturc sf a – pTom1fe, . ~sofa threatnin~, Pfal lxxxix . ·3o,_~1 .. 32• 33.' lf/:>iJ c:hi/drenfMfake m_t /aw, then wit/ fvijh their ·trtt-n:/: . gre(fkr rwitb•rhe rod, and their iniquity wit'h /lrip.n. · Ne~ vertbelt>f. m11 Loving ·kind.r~~fl will I ,,_ot utterly take fi~om·• IHm : nor J-ufler my ja.ithjuln~js to fail. . T~;s. Jo c k~· 1ike a tutor's engaging to ~ dymg ft~th.e,r . to t:., ke ce)re Clf·the, chil· drerdeft u.pon him' : tJUd to ;' ive tbem both vunure,;mc' admo· · ;Jiuon,Jor ~h~ir good. The covenant ofgrace .does uuly bt·at y 3··; tb~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=