.666 THE c H"U RC£ CO~Ii'ARED TO A V IN E. Book r:v. I N F E R E N C E S. 'I. BLESS God, that he hath provided fuc-h a Place of Refrefhr.1ent for poor weary Travellers. 11. You that look upon yourftlves to be Strangers and Pilgrims in this Wotld, may learn from hence where to take up your Lodging. Ill. Alfo it may inform God's People, and fan hful Minifters, what care they ought to take in receiving Men and \Nomen into the Church: Inn-keepers will examine all .fufpicious Perfons. CHURCH COMPARED TO A V IN E. 'l'hou hafl brought a Vine out of Egypt; thou hafl cafl out the Heatbm, and planted it., &c. Behold, and vijit this Vine, &c. Pfa!. lxxx. ~, 14. For our Vines have tender Grapes, &c. Cant. ii. J 5· Andflourijh as the Vine, Ilof xiv. 8. THE Church is compared to a Vine. M ET A PH 0 R. I. A Vine is no beautiful Planr, yer very fruitful; ir abounds with inward Sap. II. A Vine fpreads forth its Branches, and accordingly grows much in a fhort Time. PAR ALL EL. I. so the Church, although fl1e do not feem fo beautiful to carnal Ejes, yet fhe is very fruitful to God . The Trees of the Lord, that is, the Saints of God, are full of Sap, full of d1vine Vinue, or good Fruits, Pfal. civ. 16. !I. So the Lord's fpiritual Vine hath in former Times exceedingly fpread her Branches forth ; the Mountains are faid to be covered with the Shadow of ir, and rhe Boughs-thereof were like the goodly Cedars: She flretched out her Bra11ches to the Sea, and her Boughs unto the River, Pfal. Jxxx. 8, 9> 10, I!. Ifrael, God's ancient Vine, grew wonderfully; and to did the ·Gofpel-Vine, how did it in a little Time fpread forth its fpiritual Branches, EaUwards, and Weftwards, over many Nations and Kingdoms! She extended her Boughs into Parthia, Media, Mefopotamia, Egypt, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Ajia, Pamphilia, .Lj6ia, Spain, Italy, Englaild, &c. Ill. The Vine muft have much I!I. So God takes much pains with his Church; ·Pains taken with it; it needs Prun- -it is pruned and purged, that it may bring forth ing often, or elfe it will decay the more Fruit. John xv. 2 . IV. The -Vine is in itfelf bm a IV. So the Church is in herfelf but weak, and weak Plant, and therefore needs needs to be borne up by ChriU. God is the Under-propping. Strength of his People; they are wholly fupported V. Though the Vine have many Branches, yet all have a Sufficiency of Sap and Nourifhment from the Root,· to make them fruitful. VI. The Vine, if it be barren or unfruitful, is the moft unpro– fitable of any Tree, and fit for nothing but the Fire. Son of il-fan, what cometh of the Vine-'l'rte, above all other 'l'rees, and of tbe Vilze– Branches, wbich is amougft I he 'l'rees of the Fore)l? Shall Wood be takm thereof, to hang any Vejfel tbereon? Bebold, it is cafl into the Fire to be burnt. by him. V. So the Church, though fl1e have manv Members, yet all receive a o.ufliciency of Grace and divine Virtue of the Roar, viz. the Lord Jefus, to make them fruitful. V l. So are the Members of the vifible Church, if unfruitful, good for nought, but to be cut down, and caft into the Fire, as our Savior htm– felf fi1eweth, John xv. Therefore tbus faitb Jh< Lord, As lhe Vine-'l'ree that is among)l the 'Trees of the Forefl, which 1 have givm to the Fire to be confumed; fo will 1give the Inhabitants of Jeru– falem: I willJet my Face againfl them; the)' jha!l go out of one Fire, aild another Fire jhal/ tonfum< them : Andye jhall know that I am,tbe .Lord, &c. Ez.ek. xv. 6. THE .
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