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

358 The ffecial Care State III.
whofc Hand is the Dew of Heaven, will water it
every Moment, Ifa. xxvii. 3. He drefl'eth andjl
furgeth it, in order to further Fruitfulnefs, John 11
xv. 2. He cuts off the luxuriant Twigs that mar - i
the Fruitfulnefs of the Branch. This is done, efpeci- . ■
ally by the iVordy and by the Crofs or Afflictions, ,
the Saints need theMiniftry of the Word, as much
as the Vineyard needeth one to drefs and prune i
the Vines, 1 Cor. iii. 9. We are Labourers together ; j
with God; ye are God’s Husbandry, ye are God’s
Building. And they ne,ed the Crofs too, 1 Pet. i. 6. ;
And therefore, if we fhould reckon the Crofs, a-
jnongft the Benefits flowing to Believers, trom i
their Union with Chrift, I judge, we fhould not
reckon amifs. Sure I am, in their Sufferings, they j
fuffer with him, Rom. viii. 17. And the Aflu-
rances they have of the Crofs, have rather the
Nature of a Promife, as of a itbreatmng, Pfal.
Ixxxix. 30, 31, 32, 33. If his Children forfake my
Law,—then will I vijit their ftranfgrejjion with :
the Rod, and their Iniquity with Stripes. Never- ]
thelefs, my loving Kindnefs will I not utterly take
from him: Nor fuffer my Faithfulnefs to fail. This
looks like a Tutor’s engaging to a dying Father, to
take Cate of the Children left upon him; and to
give them both Nurture and Admonition, for their
Good. The Covenant of Grace does truly beat
the Spears of Affliction, into pruning Hooks, to
them that are in Chrift, Ifa. xxvii. 9. By this there¬
fore fhall the Iniquity of Jacob , be purged, and this is
all the Fruit to take away his Sin. W hy then fhould
we be angry with our Crofs? Why ihould we be
frighted at it? The Believer muft take up bis Crofs,
and follow his Leader, the Lord Jefus Chrift. He
muft take up his ilk Days Crofs, Luke ix. 23. If
any