%or Plantedby theHeavenlyFather. a root ofJere, and hefhall arife to reigne over the Gentiles , and in him /hall the Gentiles truff. Then what wickednefle is this in the fons of men to think that any thing they plant (hall fland, or that they have any holinefle, love, purity, goodneße, power, wifedome or the like ? And why are menfiruous rags termedgraces ? For whatever is out ofJefus Chrift,and what- ever is not planted in man by theFather, and fo rooted in the Father.and in the eternal and ever bleffed Being,muft be roo- tedup. And take that for afecondufe, and know it for certain; for you muff receive it as an undeniable truth , that no other Tree ever did,doth,or (hall/land but onely this ; and indeed this is the Tree oflife in the Garden ofEden, Gen.3.24. And that fpoken of Rev. 2, 7. In the midft ofthe Paradije ofGod, and there is no other Treegroves or encreafes , or profpers but onelyHe , neither is there any True fruit, but what growes out of this root ; and thereforefor men to fay either inwordor praelice, that there is any other wifedome, any o- therfruit, any other power, anyother righteoufiteffe, is to rob Chrift ofhis honour, and to give that to man which alone is due whim : No , no, there is no other plant but He, none loved of the Father but He; he is the choife and chofen Olive, whofe fruit is 'onely accepted, and our actions onely as they are his actions : ifwe be inhim, we then arebranches in this Tree, and fo the root beares us and not we it,as molt men affert in theirpraüce,that they mull do, and they muff work, and they muli conforme themfelves toChrift; what's all this but they tobear the root and not the root them ? and they to bring forth Chrift, and not Chrift them. And there- fore men fhould be more cautious and underftand andmind, what they fay and do : When they fay Iwill do this, and can, and I muff perfornie this and that duty ; Alaffè poore creature, what canif thou do ? and who is it that beares thee ? canift thou bring forth God and JefusChrift and the Spirit ? or rather dothnot he beare and bring forth thee? haft thou any thingofthine own but evil ? haft thou any fruit unto holineffe ? any flower or bloffome that can be ac- cepted, which is not received from thisTree and from this Bb 2 toot? 187 Rom.1.5. [2. EIry 64, 6 Vfe 2, Gen.3.24, Rev. 2.7. Rom.6.22
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=