Many comparisons there are of Christ,1 as he stands in various relations to his Church: whereof some serve to express one thing concerning him, some another. That of a Vine, here presents him only as he was to spread himself into a visible Church on earth, in the profession of him: and so considered, he may have many branches that are unfruitful. That other of An head over all the family in heaven and earth, which imports his relation only to that invisible company of his Church mystical, which together make up that general assembly spoken of in Heb. 12. which are his fullness, Eph. 1. ult. And agreeable to this meaning, in comparing himself to a Vine, in this large and common relation of a root to both sorts of Professors, true and false, is that other expression also, whereby he sets forth his Fathers office, when he calls him not [Greek or Hebrew], a Vine-dresser, or ⟨p. 9⟩a tiller of a Vineyard, in a strict sense, as Luke 13. 7. but [Greek or Hebrew], (as it were at large,) the Husbandman: As thereby denoting out, not simply and alone, that peculiar care that he hath to true believers only, that are branches of this Vine, (though including it) but withal importing that common care and providence which he bears to others of his creatures; and this because some of these branches of this Vine, are to him but as others out of the Church and of no more reckoning with him. The Fathers relation herein, answering to, and in a proportion running parallel along with that which Christ bears towards them: Those that Christ is head unto, those he is a Father unto: Those whom Christ is but as a Vine unto, Christ he is but [Greek or Hebrew], an Husbandman unto, whose office is seen, as well in cutting off such branches, as in pruning and dressing of those other.
Many comparisons there are of Christ,1 as he stands in various relations to his Church: whereof some serve to expresse one thing concerning him, some another. That of a Vine, here presents him onely as he was to spread himselfe into a visible Church on earth, in the profession of him: and so considered, he may have many branches that are unfruitfull. That other of An head over all the family in heaven and earth, which imports his relation onely to that invisible company of his Church mysticall, which together make up that generall assembly spoken of in Heb. 12. which are his fulnesse, Eph. 1. ult. And agreeable to this meaning, in comparing himselfe to a Vine, in this large and common relation of a root to both sorts of Professors, true and false, is that other expression also, whereby he sets forth his Fathers office, when he calls him not 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a Vine-dresser, or ⟨p. 9⟩a tiller of a Vineyard, in a strict sense, as Luke 13. 7. but 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, (as it were at large,) the Husbandman: As thereby denoting out, not simply and alone, that peculiar care that he hath to true beleevers onely, that are branches of this Vine, (though including it) but withall importing that common care and providence which he beares to others of his creatures; and this because some of these branches of this Vine, are to him but as others out of the Church and of no more reckoning with him. The Fathers relation herein, answering to, and in a proportion running parallel along with that which Christ beares towards them: Those that Christ is head unto, those he is a Father unto: Those whom Christ is but as a Vine unto, Christ he is but 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, an Husbandman unto, whose office is seene, as well in cutting off such branches, as in pruning and dressing of those other.
- 1Ans. How the unfruitful are in Christ.Ans. How the unfruitfull are in Christ.
