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Tan

4:

lohn

so.ts.

4$4.

How

*e..rrt.ay

know

whether

we be

effeg

ually

called.

bring

forth

fruit,that.

is,if

according

to that

meafure

ofgrace

and

gifts

ofGods

holy

fpirit,

which

our

Sauiour

Chrifl hath.

-

béflowed

vpon vs,we

fpend

our

liues in

Gods fèruice,which

himfelfhath

commanded, to the

end

that

we

may glorifie

his.

holy

name,we may

aífitre

our

flues

that

we are

true branches

of

this

vine,vvhich

our

Sattiour

wil

purgeardprune that

ixemay

bring forth

more

fruits,

as

he

bath

promifed,Iohn

i

5.2.Morem

otter,

whereas

Satan

obie&eth,

that

vvee

are

not

branches

of

.

this

vine,becaufe

at

fometirnes wee

can

Phew

no

fruits;

wee

are

to

a

nfxer,that

as

ÿ

earthly

vine

hath

not

alwaies

grapes,

no

not

fo

much

as

leaues

vpon

it,

and yet

not

vvithflanding

it

liueth,receiuing nourifhment from

the

roote,and bringeth

foorth

fruit in due

time

and

feafon

:

fo

the branches

o.

this

myflicall vine

are

fometime

without

the

fruites

of

good

workes,

yeas

haue

not

fo

much

to bee

feene

vpon

them,

as

the

faire

greeneleaues

of

an

outward

profeffion,

as

it

is

rnoli

vfuall

when

as

they

are

throughlie

nipped

'with

the

cold winter

of

tentations,

and

haue

all

their

beautie

blafted'

and blowne

away

with the

boifterous

blafts

of

Satans fierce

.

incounters;

and yet at the

fame

time

they

receiue

the

fap,

iuyce,and vertue

ofGods

fpirit

from their roote

Iefus Chrif+,

by

which

they

feemí_ng

dead,

doe hue and receiue

nourifh

--

ment;

vntill

at

Gods good

pleafure

the comfortable beames

of

his

loue and fauour do fhïne

vpon

them, with

which

their

frofen

hear-tes

being throughlie

warmed

doe againe

bring

foorth

not

onelie

the

leaues

ofprofeflion,

but

alfo

the ripe

fruites

of

godline%

and righteoufneffe,and

therfore

though

prefentlie

in fuchcafes wee haue

no

fruites

to

Phew,

yet

let

not

Satan

perfwade

vs

that

we

are not

true

branches

of

this

vine

:

for

if

We

can

call

to mind, that

euer in

former times

we

haue

brought

forth

any

right

and

kindlie

fruites

of

fan6lift-

cation

and true godlinefle,

we

are true branches of

the vine

Chríf

+,

which

hee will lop and

prune,and againe

make fruit

full

;

for

out

of

him

we

could

neuer

haue

brought

forth

fuck..

fruites:

and

thofe who are once

ingrafted

into

him

can

ne

--

uer poiliblie be plucked away

by

Satan,the

world,

or

all

the

powers

of

hell,

though (asI

Paid)

they may

for

atime

bee

...nipped

and

fhreudly

weather

beaten.