a Chrifiians Growth. 7 And ofall trees God hath moll care of his Vines, and regards them more then all the re[1 in the world. Is to honour the Father in all the workes tending to our fai- Vfe t. vation, as much as we honour the Son : IfChrilt be the Vine, his Father meanes to be the Husbandman : and indeed it may teach us to honour all the three Perfons in every work that is laving, for in all, they bear a dd1inet office; the Father hath not onely a hand in Eleftion, but alto in Sanaiftcation, con- cerning which this Parable was made. IfChri[l be the roote that affords us fap, whence all fruit buds, the Father is theHuf- bandma`n that watereth the Vine, gives the increafe, purgeth the branches, and is the root ofthat life which Chrifi affords to us : and then the Spirit alto comes in to have a work and influence herein alto ; for he is thefap, though not here mentioned, yet whkh is implyed, which lies hid in this Parable of the Vine, and appeares in all the fruits that are brought forth, therefore called, Gal. 5. Fruits of the Spirit. None of the three Perlons will be left out in any relation, or in any work, that is for our faivation. That ever three fo great Perlons fhould have a joynt care of our falvation and fancification,and we our felves neglea it I That they fhould be fo careful, we fo negligent and unfruit- full I Ifthey doe all fo much for us, what fhould not we endea- vour to do for our felves ? Be carefull of your words, thoughts, wayes, affeions, de- fires, all which are the fruits ofyour foules; for God takes no- tice 7>fe of all, he walkes in this his garden every day, and fpies out howmany raw, unripe, indigeíled performances, as Prayers, &c.' hang on fuch or filch a branch, what gum ofpride, what leaves, what luxuriant fprigs, what are rotten boughs, and which are found, and goes up and down with his pruning knifein his hand, and cuts and flafhes wherehe fees things amifle; he turnes upall your leaves, fees what fruit is under; and deals with men ac- cordingly. When the Church is in any diflrefre or mifery, goe to hirer Vfe r that is the Husbandman ; filch is the ufuall condition of this his Vine, fpread over the faceof the earth. Complain as they, Pfat. 80. i 2. why haft thou broken down her hedges, fear all they which pa e by .doe pluck her ? the hoare out ofthe wood loth wafle it. B a Corn-
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