Serrrl. CXLIX. '19 S N CXLI.. The Neceiity of. Supernatural Grace, in order to à Chrií}ian Life. JOHN XV. 5. For without meye can do nothing. IN the beginning of this Chapter, our Saviour compares his Myfiical Body, that is his Church, to aVine, which his Father, whom he compares to a Hufband- man, bath planted. I am the trueVine, andmy Father is theHufbandman. To repre- fent to us the Union that is betwixt Chrift and all true Chriftians, and the influ- ence of Grace and fpiritual Life, which all that are united to him do derive and receive from him, he fets it forth to us by the refemblance of a Vine andBranches. As there is a natural vital Union between the Vine and the Branches, fo is there a fpiritual vital Unionbetween Chrift and the true Chriftians; and thisUnion is the caufe of our fruitfulnefs in the works of Obedience and a good life. There are foam indeed that feem to be grafted into Chrift by an outward Profeflion of Chri- ftianity, who yet derive no influence from him, fo as to bring forth Fruit, be caufe they are not vitally united to him ; thefe the Hufbandman will lop off, and take away, . as unprofitable and dead Branches, ver. 2. Everybranch in me that bear- etb not fruit, he taketh away; that is, they who only make an outward Profef lion of Faith in Chrift, but do not bring forth the Fruits of Obedience and a good life, fhall finally be feparated fromhim: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth morefruit. And besaufe all our fruitfulnefs depends upon our Union withChrift, as the fruitfulnefs of theBrauches depends upon their Union with the Vine, therefore he bids us be careful, that this Union be preferved and continued, ver. 4. Abide in me, and Iin you. We are planted in- to Chrift byFaith, and the belief of his Doctrine ; and we abide in him by a dun purpofe and refolution of Obedience. So they are faid to abide and continue in Chrift's Word, who obey and praítife his Doctrine, John 8. 3i. ThenPaid Jefus tó thofe Jews which believed on bim, Ifye continue in my word, then are ye my Difci- pies indeed. So St. James explains it, James r. 25. But whofo looketh into the per- fehl law of liberty, that is, the Chriftian Dofirine, and continueth: therein, How is that ? he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man (ball be bleffed in his deed. And r John 3.6. Whofoever abideth in him, finneth not. Abide in me, and I inyou. Chrift is faid to abide in us, by the continual aids and influences of his Grace and Holy Spirit : and if we abide inhim, by the refolu- tion of Obedience, his Grace and Afliftance will be continually derived to us, to bring this good refolution to effeft, and to enable us to bring forth Fruit. For as the branch cannot bear fruit of it fell, except it abide in the vine, no more canye, exceptye abide inme. I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that 'abideth in me, and I in bim, the fame bringeth forth much fruit. For without me, ye can do no- thing, ,w, th ét.C.é, out of me, being feparated fromme, yecan do nothing. There are two things to be explained in the words, and then I shall come to the Affertion or Propofition contained in them. Firf, What is here meant bybeing without Chr , or out of him. Secondly, In what fenfe, and with what limitations we are to underftand that, ex ,e(íion, we can do nothing. rzfl, What is here meant by being without Chrifl, or out of him. Out of me ye can do nothing; that it unlefs we be united to him, and byvirtue of that Uni- on derive from him the fupernatural aids and influences of his Grace, we can do nothing.
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