Book II. c H R I s T THE R 0 0 T OF D A V I D. Chrift is and may fitly be called and compared to a Root. The Root of S 1 ' Grace. l. 2. Glory. METAPHOR. I. A Root is that from whence the Tree and Branches do proceed. Il. A Root is a Thing hidden in the Earth, and not obvious or vilible to the Eye. Ill. A Root hath Life, nay, it is the Center of Life: The Life of any Tree or Plant is princi– pally in the Root. IV. The Root beareth the Body of the Tree, and all the Branches thereof. V. The Root communicates Sap and Nouri!hment unto the .Bady, and all the Branches there– of. VI. The Body and Branches have a necelfary Dependance on the Root. . VII. There is much Life and Sap i11 the Root, when the Tree and Branches feem dead, dry, and faplefs. PARALLEL I. FROM the Lord J efus Chrift, the Root of David, all Believers do proceed : I am the Pine, ye are the Branches. See Chrifl the true Vine. I!. The Deity or Divine Natu"re of Jefus Chrift is a hidden Thing, cannot be feen with mortal Eyes. Chrift's Glory was vailed under AfRiEti– ons, Reproaches, Poverty, &c. as a Root is under the Earth. III. In the Lord J efus Chrift is Life; he is called the Way, the Truth, a;zd the Life, John v. 26. As the Father bath Life i;z himfelf, the Son alfo bath Life in himfelf. Life is in Chritt, as Sap is in the Root of a Tree. IV. The Lord Jefus Chrift, this Root bears up his Church, and every Member thereof, R•m. xi. V. The Lord J efus Chrifl: conveys Sap and Nouriihment to all his Church, and every parti– cular Believer or Branch thereof; hence he is called our Life, Col. iii. 3· VI. The Saints and Church of God have the like Dependance on the Lord J efus Chrift: With– out thee we can do nothing, John xv. 5· VII. There is much Sap and Life in Jefus Chrift for the Godly, when oft-times they feem like withered and dry Branches. VIII. As is the Soundnefs and VIII. The Goodnefs, Firmnefs, and SoundFirmnefs of the Root of a Tree, nefs of this Divine Root, the Lord J efus Chrift, the more found, firm, and ftable . !hews us the very happy, ftedfaft, and fecure State is theTree itfelf, with the Branches of the Church. This Root cannot fail nor decay, , thereof; thefe being likely to enand confequently the Church and People of God dure, when thofe that have no !hall endure and ftand againfi all the Storms and Root fall away. Blafts of the Devil, Antichrift, and all wicked IX. The Root is beft fecured of any Part of the Tree, being ex– cellently fortified by Nature in the Earth. Enemies, Matt. xiii. 16. IX. The Lord Jefus Chrift is fecured from Hurt and Danger, (whilft his Church is daily ex– pofed thereunto) being hid in God, as it were: You are dead, and your Life is hid with Chrifl in God, Col. iii. 3. X. Thofe that would utterly X. The Devil's grand Delign being utterly to deftroy theTree, ftrike at the Root. deftroy all the Godly, ihuck moft furiouOy at XI. The Root communicates of its Life and natural Virtue to the Tree and Branches. METAPHOR. I. NATURAL Roots of Trees and Plants are in theEarth. II. Natural Roots, as well as the Body and Branches, decay,grow Jefus Chri(!, the blelfed Root, Matt. iv. 5, 6. XI. Chrift communicates of his Spirit and Di– vine Nature to his Church: If the Root be holy, even fo are th• Branches. Beye holy, even as I am holy, Rom. xi. He that bath this Hope in him purijieth himfelf, even as he is pure, 1 John iii. 3· D IS PAR IT Y. I. BUT this blelfed Root, the Lord J efus Chrift is in Heaven, Heb. ix. 24 I!. This Root of Believers, the Lord J efus Chrift, never grows old, decays, nor dies: JefuJ 5 M Chrifl
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