Rotn. t T. EvIieJ.i,.=o. 462 Comfortable Perfcrmatiuet again]; defperation. Oliue tree, we the fciences which are grafted into.him, as it isRorn.i i . he is the foundation, wee the building, as the Apoftle affirmeth,Ephef.2.2o. z i . By reafon of which neere union, itcommeth topaf e, that thole things which apper- taime vnto Chrifl belong vnto vs, and ours vnto him, for asthe head deriueth fenfe and motion vnto the members; and as the Oliue tree and vine doe communicate their ver- tue, fatnefre, and lap vnto their branches and fciences, by which they hue andbring forth fruite,andas the foundation dothfutlaine and vphold all the building; fo doth our Si- ttiour Chrifl our head, roote and foundation communicate untovs his members and branches, the venue ofhismerits, and the iuice and rapofhis precious bloud,whereby wee are quickned and rcuiued who were dead in trefpaffes,our finnes wafhed away and purged , and wee made fruitfull in all righteoufneffe and holineffe, as in that his imputedrigh, teoufiteffe whereby wee are iuflified beforeGod, and that inherent righteoufneffebegun invs byhis holy fpirlt,where.. byweare iuflified before men, And as hee bath bellowed and communicated vnto vs his righteouft2eIre, death and obedience, fohath he taken vpon him fromvs all our finnes originall and a6tuall, ofcomtniflïon and omiffion, and in his owne perfonhath füffered all that punifhment,which we by them had deferued,fo as now he hauing taken vpon him our limes, and indued vs with his righteoufneffe, merit and obedience, wee neede not to feare the exaél rigour ofGods iufice,for by him and inhimwe are without finne,,pureand vndefiIed, and perfeóllierighteous in Gods fight. Neither (hall wee neede to fearc the violenceofall our fpirituallene- mies,forour head IefirsChri it is God almightie, and there- fore none fhall bee able toplacke vs out ofhis handsagainfl his will,andwe areas dearc vetohim as the members of his body,and therfore looke how loath any carefull headwould be to have anyofthemembers pulled from it by force and violence, fo loath and vnwilling will our Sauiour andhead be, to haue any ofhis members plucked from him. And therefore feeing he wan teth neitherwil nor power todefend . vs,,:vacnecdenot feare the ragingmalice and cunning vio- ienc
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