46+ Efay 30.11,13 Ioh.r s r,5. Ezek.x 5.3. The Life of Cbrif1. p entions,and affeaions in us which were in Chritt, his Rule mutt be ours,and his ends ours, and his Will ours. If there be any tuch exorbitancies, and fwellings out, as make the heart have quite another point and center to move to,other grounds to fixe upon, if men will defpife the Word, will not be par'd and regulated to the foun- dation, but will tray in opprefsion andperverfene(e,aud "ay on that ; this iniquity will at lengthprove a breach which commetbfuddenly at an infixant. Thirdly, this union is compared to an ingra ftatre of a branch in a tree, whereby the juice and nourifhment of the flock is conveyed,and the branch thereby quickned to bring forth fruit. W here by the way it is worth our no- ting that the Church is molt ufually in this particular compared to a Vine,and the branches of a Vine, to note that there is nothing of worth or expeecation in Chritli- ans,but their fruit. A man cannot made a pinne to fatten in a wall of the branch of a vine. An unfruitful' Chritli. an is the molt unprofitable Creature that is; there are no fecondarie ufes which can mediate (as I may fo (peak) for a dead vine, to keepe that from the fire : either it must be for fruit or for fuell; to all other purpoles it is utterly im- proper and unprofitable. Now wee mutt obferve, that a Branch may bee in a tree two waies. Firtt,by a meere corporali adherency,or continuation with the flocke ; by cleaving and flic- king to thebodie of the Tree; and fo every dead branch is in the Tree, as well as thofe that live : but this a- lone is not that which our Saviour requires, for fuch branches the husbandman will cut off and cati into the fire. Secondly by a reali participation ofthe life, fappe, and influences of the roote, which unto the former fort of branches, though offered, yet is not received, becaufe of the inward deadneffe and indifpofition that is in it : thus it is betweene Chrift and Chriffians. That which makes us to be in Chritt after any kin de of way is Faith. And
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