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Show 2. 'lJf<. The Applictttion of the Dollrine-. each of other: Let him that iJ guiltltJi t~r=>the fir{!ftone,T~e mi_l· chief is that thofc who are uppermof\10 fecular ad vantages wtll always~ount themfelves llrongefl,and thofe who are under,mull be • called the weak: ·whether the tirll be thef/rottg onu or no, mufi be left to Gods judgment; but admit they be, it iJthrir dut¥ to leu tbt infirmitiu of the w'"f<: But to pafs this branch of_ Application •. Secondly, Thi1 DoUri11e affordttb a woltderful re/uf to poor Cb~t· fti•nt; and that llpGn a double account. •· 'Ih•y may be Chrijl! V:infl tho11glr they have h11t tender Grapn. 2. That Clmf! wtU tak! a tmder care oftbofe hi1 Vinu, which h•v~ but twder Grapu. Thus it relieveth the fincere ChriOians. . . . FirO,Againi! di{co11ragementtfrom h'.'"felf,a finc_ereChnfltan hath no fcverer J<~dg than himfelf; reflecting upon hts o':"n ways, and teeing the imperfections of them, he refle<1s upon h1s ~tnowledg, and finds that weak, upon his duties, and finds them 1m perfeCt; and poffibly fhort of many others : he cann?t pray· ~s others pray, &c. this makes him judg and cond:mn lnmfclf, as 1fhe had no part,no interefi in the Lord Jefus Chnfi.l but be of good. che?r Chrifiian; all the Children of God are not of a fi-ze-; God hath m })is flock, fame Cheep., fome Lambs; in his Family, fome Childr~n, fame grown ones. His Church is like an ~range~tree,, whtch hath always upon it fame ripe, fome green frutt. H1s Vtne hath fome ripe, fome greener Grapes. If tho~ hafl Grapes, though they be but tender Grapes, though thy exeretfes of Grace b~-not fo ~ertec: l as others, yet thou hal\ an intereft in Chrifi, a relatton to ~1:u. Ii the root of the mmer be ill t.hee ; if thou beef\ a plant of R;tghteoufne! i;, though thy fiature be ~1ot fo taR; though thy fruit be not fo fair as anothers, y.et Gtld w1ll accept thee. z·. It relieveth us againfi the difcouragements we m•Y have fr•m tbr flit.htt and contempt·of o1be~1;you. u_fe to fa_y the_weak!fl g~u to tke waU; and it is too often fo, Ill Sptntual thmgs , h~ that ts firong fcorns and llighteth the·weak.The knowing man trtump_hethover him that is weal(_ ill F aitb,an<i he who thinks he (}ands trtumpheth over him whom he jt)dgeth fallen; fo crofs are we to the com· mands of Chritl, thlt int\ead of bearing one aHotber! bt~~deHJ, aud fo fi.lftUi~~g tbt l•wofCI;rif!; inflead of be~rJnr, the mjirmtttt~ of the roeak._, and not pleafl11g our {•lvn, men are ready to ad.d to thetr Bf~~ ~hrens burdens and lay more load upon them; yea If. the heft o. ~xamine our hearts we !hall find too much of thiS corrup.t~on in us ; men do not' ta-ke· that care of the Lptds little ones whthtceyh. , Ho-m 4-Chriflittn IH4.J ftno'//11 ifhil frNil he Grttpel. they ought to do ; weak Chrillians may often complain with the Spoufe, My mother~ Childrm "''" angry with m<, and this cannot but be a great difcouragement to a gracious and honell heart. But here's a relief: Chrijl hath a tmder care of thee, if the Father lov_es and tenderly cares for the little one, it may the bttter bear the lltghts and contempts of its Brethren or Si~crs. I hear fome Chrillians faying, If l were fore my fruits were but Grapt, though but ltltder·Grapet; but I doubt whether my fruit be Grapes or no?· would I purfue this, it would lead me into an enq<> iry, by what notes, the moral a{/ ion! of natural men may be difiingui( hed f~om the Spiritual ac:lions of men that are regenerate and born agatn, but l mull not run out too far in this difcourfe: in !hort. ·c. Grapes you know are thefmit of the Vuu. We ~re Chtifis . Vine~; _as we bear fruit to his glory, Chrill ( as I before hinted to you) ts our Vine, as we bringforth fruit in and by him he alfording us his gracidus influences, Job. 15·. I yemember c'hat wbet:~ ' Ptter hade made that noble confd!ion of his F•ith, wl,ich you have Mm. 16. t6.· Chrill m1dc that reply, v. 17. Bhffid art thou,S tm•n B" · 'Jona,F le[h·and blo•d hath not revealea tbi1 unto thff but my Fathrr which is in Heaven ; and indeed there is no frui; we can bring forth unto God, that we can take any comfort in but that mull be faid ofit. It mufi be fuch, asflr/h dnd btood can-: mt;n•ble~ny to produce;_ you know every ,plant hath its fpecifical h-mt. lt-1s no Grape wluch another plant can bring forth as well as the Vine. Mo[e1 never appeared to be the fervant of the moll high ~od till he_ came to do fomething the M"gicial/1 could not do: fhat qucfi1on of our SJviour then- was a pertinent quet'cion, 1Vnat do you morr tban othert?for verily a Chrillian mutt find that he dot~ fo":'ething more than others, before ever he can fatisfy himfelfln thts weighty thirtg. But you will f1y, how !hall! find a bottom here> Another may pray, hear Sermons, read the word', come to SJcraments, another may be jufl, temperate, liberal; I will tell thee Chrillian, All is brought to one word. and' that is Love ! If thou canfi fay, that thy Soullovetb-God. Th<tt's more than alt the Hypocrites, all theformalilts, all the natural men in the world can do. By this abide ifthou Clnfl fay Lord· thou that ~nowejl a~ tbingt,k..nowef/ tbat I love tbee. I cannot pray, i cannot fall as much. as another; but Lord I lov• thee the defire of m· heart i< toward thee, the-delight of my Soul i~ irr thee, llnte ~hat thoa hate1h This |
