Book IV. THE CHURCH COMPARED TO A VINEYARD. 671 METAPHOR. and others, who may offend or hurt it. PARALLEL. of Fire unto her round about, lja. v. 2. Zecb. ii. 5• What ufe foever a Fence is to a Houfe, Garden, or Vineyard, the fame is God to his People. 1. Every one of his Attributes, as we have elfewhere fhewed you, is a Fence or Secu– rity to her; his Power is a Fence, his Vl'ifdom is a Fence, his Mercy is a Fence, his fpecial Providence is a Fence. 2. The holy Angels are as a Wall or Fence ro the· Church, and to every particular Saint; they were as a Wall of Safety to the Prophet, 2 Kings vi. 15, t6. 3· There is about the Church the Fence or Wall of Ordinances, Church-government, and Difcipline. The Reafon why God makes a vVall about his People, is opened under the Metaphor, God a Hujband-man; Pfal. xxxtv. 7· alfo·the Nature and Strength of it, to which we refer you. fi!!.uft. Perhaps fame may enquire, How much Ground doth this Hedge or Wall take in? .dnf r. It taketh in all the Bodies of God's People; no Difeafe, Sicknefs, or AftliCtion whatloever can come upon thofe that truly fear and ferve the Almighty, but what he lees in. This appears m the Cafe of Job; and by what David faith, My Life is in thy Hand, &c. 2. Thi; Wall comprehends more efpecially the Souls of Saints; no Temptation, Perfecution, or Trial, can come upon them, but what God lets in. His fpecial Eye, Care, ProteCtion, and divine Providence is fo over them, that not a Hair of their Heads fhall fall to the Ground without his Notice; that is, he harh inrerefted himfelf in all the Concernment< of his Children, yea, even in the finalleft Matters. 1 Cor. x. 131 Matt. x. 30. Luke xxi. 18. 3· This Wall takes in their Houfes, and all they have: Haft thou not made a Hedgt about him, and about his Houfe, and about all that he bath, 011 every Side? Job i. to. The Devil could not touch any of Job's Sheep, Oxen, or Affes, unril God opened the Door for him; much lds his Sons, Daughters, Body and Life. Suffer us, faid the unclean Spirirs to Chri(t, to go into the Herd of Swine. They could not defhoy thofe Swine, before permitted or fuffered by the Almighty. lll. A Vineyard is planted; the choice Things thargrowtherecome not up of themfelves. IV. A vineyard is digged up, and well-manured, before it be planted, which is not done without much Pains. V. A Vineyard hath many Vines planted in it, and not only fo, but al(o Fig-trees, Pomegranates, and mher excellent Fruit trees, Luke xiii. 6. Cant. vi. I 1. and vii. 12. Ill. So the Church is planted by the Lord, and every goodly Plant that grows therein. Hence God the Father is called an Hufbandman. The Men of lfrael are called his pltajallt Pla11ts, John XV.!, Jja. V. 7· IV. The Church of God and every gracious Soul, may be faid to be digged, or rhe fallow Ground of their Hearts by powerful ConviCtion broken up, and thereby prepared to receive the good Seed, or to have a Principle of Grace plant– ed in their Hearts, Hof. x. 12. V. So in the univerfal Church are many parti– cular Congr<gauons or Communities ofChri!tians, who are as fo many choice Vines in God's Sight; it alfo abounds with Plants, fame fruitful, and fame barren, as is fignified by our Savior. fie fPake alfo this Parable: A certain Ma11 had a Figtree pla11ted i11 his Vineyard, and be came and fought Fruit tbereon, and fowzd none, Luke xiii. 6. VI. A Vineyard needs much VI. So the Church of God muft have much pruning and watt'ring ; the Srones Pains taken with it, or it will foon dc.-cay; there alfo mufi: be gathen.:d our of it: is need of pruning, and cmring off fupcrfiuous hence there are Yine~drdfers apBranches, and gathering out other Things that of- . pointed to look after it. fend : Hence God hath appointed his faithful . Miniilers, who are ?Vorkers together with him, 2 Cor. VL 1. to take the Care and Charge of it. Hence Paul faith, I have plartted and Apolio wate,-ed, 1 Cor. iii. 6. · ' VII. Vineyards were wont to VII. So the Church of God is often vexed, be hurt by Foxes, by the wild and greatly hurt by Foxes, namely by falfe Teachers,
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