Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

The Text explain d. State IIL
He compares, I fay, (i.) Himfdf to a Vine Stoclc,
/ am the Vine. He had been celebrating with his
Difciples, the Sacrament of his Supper, that Sign
and Seal of his Peoples Union with himfelf; and
had told them, He would drink no more of the Fruit
of the Vine, till he Jhould drink it new with them, in
his Father's Kingdom : And now he Ihcws himfelf
to be the Vine, from whence the Wine of their Con-
folation fhould come. The Vine hath lefs Beauty,
than many other Trees; but is exceeding fruitful ;
fitly repreienring the low Condition our Lord was
then in, yet bringing many Sons to Glory. But that
which is chiefly aimed at, in his comparing himfelf
to a Vine, is to reprefent himfelf as the Supporter and
Nounftoer of his People, in whom they live, and
bring forth Fruit. (2.) He compares them to ^ran¬
ches, ye are the Branches of that Vine. Ye are the
Branches knit to, and growing on this Stock,
drawing all your Life and Sap from it. It is a beau¬
tiful Comparifon; as if he had faid, I am as aVine,
ye are as the Branches of that Vine. Now there are
two Sorts ofBranches, (i.) Natural Branches, which
at firfl fpring out of the Stock. Thefc are the Bran¬
ches that are in the Tree, and were never out of it.
(2.) There are ingrafted Branches, which are Bran¬
ches cut off from the Tree, that firfl gave them Life;
and put into another, to grow upon it. Thus Bran¬
ches come to be on a Tree, which originally were
Aot on it. The Branches mentioned in the Text,
are of the latter Sort ; Branches broken off (us the
Word in the original Language denotes) namely,
from the Tree, that firfl gave.- them Life. None
of the Children of Men are natural Branches of
the fecond Adam, viz. Jefus Chrifl the true Vine;
they are all the natural Branches of »he firfl Adam,