67o THE CHURCH COMPARED TO A VINEYARD. Book IV. M E T A P H 0 R. P A R A L L E L. Vll. In the natural Body, beVII. So there is a wonderful Nearnefs, and twixt the Members and the Body bleffed Ur.ion between Jefus Chrift, and every there is a marvellous Nearnefs, or Member of his myftical Body: For we are i'dembers bleffed Union. of his Body, of his Flejh, and ofhis Bones, Eph. v. 30. VIII. The Body naturally inVlll. So the Church increafes in fpiritual creafes in Strength, Bignefs, and Strength, Bignefs, and Glory. The Church is but Beauty ; according to the Age of . fmall and weak now, in comparifon of what lhe the Body, is the Perfection and Ex- !hall be, when lhe is come to her full Growth, aml cellency of it. perfect State. There will be a great Addition to the Church in the latter Day: 'fhe Lord jha/1 rift upon thee, and his Glory jhall be feen upon thee; and the Geutilesjba/1 come to tlry Ligbt, and Kings to the Brightnejs of thy Rijing. Lift up thine Eyes round about, ami fee; all they gather themfe!ves together, they come unto thee; thy Sons jhall come from afar, and thy D aughters jhal! be nurfed at thy Side, &c. lja. lx. 2-9, to the End of tht Chapt<r, compared with Chap. lxvi. 8, g, IO. where you may read of the Multitude that !hall be added to her, and of the Abundance of her Glory. And as lhe fhall <>row in Bianefs fo likewil-;, fhe flJall increafe in Ipi ritual Knowledge, Faith, and Godlinef~ For the Earth jhal! be jilted with the Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, as the Waten cover the Sea, Hab. ii. I+- All the Officers, and glorious Gifts appertaining to them, that are given to the Church, are for the perfefling of the Saints, for the JVork of the Minijfry, for the edifying ofthe Body of Cbrifl, till we all come in the Unity of the Faith, mrd of 1he Know– ledge of the Sm of God, unto a perfect ~Man, unto the ll1etifure of the Stature of the Fulnefs of Chrifl, Eph. iv. 11, 12, 13, I+· I N F E R E N C E ~ I. THIS clearly !hews what infinite Benefit the Godly receive from Jefus Chrift, and what Dependency they have upon him. What can the Body do without the Head? . II. How happy are all true Believers! How near·and dear are they to the Lord Jefus 1 What greater!Union is there, than that between the Memb :rs and the Head! No Jvfan ever bated his own Ffejh, but nourijhetb and cheri)heth it, as the Lord th< Church, Eph. v. 29. Ill. What will become ofthofe evil and wicked Men, that feek to deftroy the Church and Saints of God! Do they not herein ftrive to break Chrift's Bones, and tear his Flelh in pieces? What will they do in the Day of Vengeance, when he comes forth to plead the Controverfy of Zion, !fa. lxiii. +· · IV. This reproves that Church, that pretends itfelfto be Chrill's Body, and yet Oigh rs and grievoufly neglects his Members, nay, his moft ufeful Members. The Church fhould be as careful and tender of her Minifters, as the natural Body is of its Eyes. Shall the Eye fuffer, or be in danger of being put out or fpoiktl, and the Hand refloie to relieve and defend it, when it is in its power? THE CHURCH COMPARED TO A VINEYARD. And the Vineyard which thy R ight-hand bath planted, Pfal. lxxx. 15. Now will Jjing to my Well-beloved, a Song of my Beloved, touching bis Vine)'ard, &c. For the Vineyard of the Lord of Hafts is the Hotife of lfrael, and the Men of J udah his pleafan! Plant, !fa. v. 1, 7· · A Vineyard, the Place where Vines are planted, metaphorically lignifieth the Church. The Church is compared to a Vineyard. MET A PH 0 R . I. THE Land that is made into a Vineyard, is a Piece of Ground taken out of a vVildernefs, or other corn mon Ground, deligned to that fpecial Ufe. IL A Vineyard is fenced or wall– ed in, to fecure it from wild Bealls, ~ PARALLEL. I. so the Church is taken out of the Wildernefs of this World, being feparated from all People, to be a peculiar People to God, 1 Pet. ii. 9· By Nature Saints were as barren and fruit– lefs as Sinners, Epb. ii. I, 2 . I!. So the Lord's Vineyard hath a Waif or Fence about it: Saith the L ord, I 1oiff be a Wall of
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