Secondly, there is no branch that is alive in the vine, but partakes of the sap and life of the same: by virtue of which the branch, though never so young and small, is discovered to be alive, and enabled to bring forth (in its season) such fruit, as whereby the same may be discerned. So it is hereby the spiritual branches, they cannot properly be called branches in the Apostles sense, but as they partake of the life and grace of Christ, (their true vine and olive tree) by which they appear (at the least) to be alive in him by faith, and enabled by the same to bring forth such fruits as may discover them to be in Covenant of grace, and so to be admitted ••to the privileges thereof; as, John 15.1, 7. Nature it self teacheth as much; for no man will admit of dead plants to be set in his vineyard, or grafted into a stock, but only such as are capable to comply with the same in the sap, and nourishment thereof, to the end it may grow and bring forth fruit; and so it is with Christ, who cometh not short of nature. And therefore he admits not of any dead plants to be set in his spiritual vineyard, nor dead members to be joined in his mystical body, but only such as are capable by faith to comply with the head. Neither took he for himself a compound body, consisting both of living and dead members, which all are that have not a living principle of grace and faith in him, which unbelievers have not, no nor all the Infants of believers, nor any at all, until they are born again of the Spirit, Joh. 3.5, 6. The Church of God, which is the mystical body of Christ, is not a mixed company, but only one substantial and royal substance suitable to her head and matter, by which she was produced, being the immortal seed of the Word. And therefore one holy, spiritual, uniform, compacted body, both for nature and ⟨p. 87⟩form, Cant. 6.9. Mal. 2.15. Ephes. 2.14. to 22. Job. 4.23. All which considered, proves the body of Christ, or Church of God under the New Testament not to consist of unbelievers, nor of Infants, neither in whole nor in part: and so the branches aforesaid, not to be understood of unbelievers, or infants, but of believers only.
Secondly, there is no branch that is alive in the vine, but partakes of the sap and life of the same: by vertue of which the branch, though never so young and small, is discovered to be alive, and inabled to bring forth (in its season) such fruit, as whereby the same may be discerned. So it is hereby the spirituall branches, they cannot properly bee called branches in the Apostles sense, but as they partake of the life and grace of Christ, (their true vine and olive tree) by which they appeare (at the least) to bee alive in him by faith, and enabled by the same to bring forth such fruits as may discover them to bee in Covenant of grace, and so to be admitted ••to the priviledges thereof; as, John 15.1, 7. Nature it self teacheth as much; for no man will admit of dead plants to be set in his vineyard, or graffed into a stock, but onely such as are capable to comply with the same in the sap, and nourishment thereof, to the end it may grow and bring forth fruit; and so it is with Christ, who commeth not short of nature. And therefore hee admits not of any dead plants to be set in his spirituall vineyard, nor dead members to bee joyned in his mysticall body, but onely such as are capable by faith to comply with the head. Neither tooke he for himself a compound body, consisting both of living and dead members, which all are that have not a living principle of grace and faith in him, which unbelievers have not, no nor all the Infants of believers, nor any at all, untill they are born again of the Spirit, Joh. 3.5, 6. The Church of God, which is the mysticall body of Christ, is not a mixt company, but onely one substantiall and royall substance suitable to her head and matter, by which she was produced, being the immortall seed of the Word. And therefore one holy, spirituall, uniforme, compacted body, both for nature and ⟨p. 87⟩forme, Cant. 6.9. Mal. 2.15. Ephes. 2.14. to 22. Job. 4.23. All which considered, proves the body of Christ, or Church of God under the New Testament not to consist of unbelievers, nor of Infants, neither in whole nor in part: and so the branches aforesaid, not to be understood of unbelievers, or infants, but of believers onely.
