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

344 Fruitfulnefs. State III.
ed, in his Law, he dare not in his Pra&ice put
afunder. ' i
Thus the Branches in Chrift, are full of good
Fruits. And thole Fruits arc a Ciufter of vital A- :
ftions, whereof Jefus Chrift is the Principle and
End : tfhe Principle ; for he lives in them, and
the Life they live is by Faith in the Son of God, !
Gal ii, 20. F’he End, for they live to Him, and
to them to live is Chrift, Philip, i. 21. The Duties
of Religion are in the World, like fatherlefs Chil-
dren, in Rags: Some will not take them in, becaufe
they never loved them, nor their Father : Some
take them in, becaufe they may be ferviceable to
them : But the Saints take them in, for their Fa¬
ther’s Sake, that is for Chrift’s Sake; and they
are lovely in their Eyes, becaufe they are like him.
O! Whence is this new Life of the Saints ! Sure¬
ly it could never have been hammer’d out of the
natural Powers of their Souls, by the united Force
of all created Power. In eternal Barrenncfs Ihould
their Womb have been Unit up ; but that being
married to Chrift, they bring forth Fruit unto God,
Rom. vii. 4.
If ye ask me, How .your Nourijhment, Growth,
and Fruitfulnefs may be forwarded ? I offer thefe
few Advices. (1,) Make lure Work, as to your knit¬
ting with the Stock, by Faith unfeign’d ■, and be¬
ware of HypocViify : A Branch tharis not found
at the Hcarc, will certainly wither. The Trees of
the Lord’s Planting are Irees of Righteoufnefs, Ifa.
Ixi. 3. So when others lade, they bring rortn Fruit.
Hypocrify is a Bifeafe in the Vitals of Religion,
"which will confumeallat length. ’Tis a Leak in the
Ship, that will certainly fink it. Sincerity of Grace
will make it lafting, be it never fo weak: As the
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