' They shall grow as the vine.'
Howsoever, the church which is the mother church gi'ows before in the fonner words : the new church that comes under her shadow, shall grow in the same manner. ' They shall grow as the lily ; their branches shall spread ;' and more, it is said here, ' They shall grow as the \ine.' It is a comparison delightful to the Holy Ghost, to compare Christ to a xine ; the church to a vineyard, and Christians unto vines, but such as draw all their moisture and fatness in them from Christ the true Adne, their sweet- ness being a derivative sweetness,
' They shall grow as the vine.'
1. The vine we know is a fruitful plant, as we read in the Judges, ix. 9, 13. The olive and the vine would not forsake their sweetness to be a king ; for it is said by them, that they revive God and man, being pleasing to them. So every true Christian is like a ^dne for fi-uitfulness. He is a tree of righteousness ; a plant of God's own planting ; a vine that spends himself in bearing fruit.
2. Again, as it is fruitful, so it is exceedingly fruitful, abounding in frait, So Christians are vines, not only for a little fruit that they bear, but be- cause they are abundantly fruitful, which is premised, that if they do as they should do, they shall be vines abundant in the work of the Lord.
3. And further, the vine as we Imow is never a whit the worse for prun- ing ; but is pruned and cut, as our Saviour speaks, ' that it may bring forth the more fruit,' John xv. 2. So the chm-ch and people of God are never a whit the worse for afflictions ; for as the best vines need dressing and pruning, the best ground ploughing, the best linen washing, the best metal the fire, to consume away the dross, the best things we use having something amiss, so the best Christians need dressing and purging from the great Husbandman, whereby they are not the worse, but the better; having thereby much corruption purged away from them. As the pruning of the vine makes it not the worse, but draws wild things from it, which would draw away the strength of the vine, a Christian is the better for his afflictions, wherein the glory of the church especially consists. For the church never thrived better than in Egj^pt, where they laboured to crush
860 THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON IX.
and to cut the vine. God brought his vine out of Egypt for all this, luaugre all the malice of the enemies. The church was never more glorious in its own seat than it was in Babylon under the captivity. How glorious then was the church in Daniel and others !
4. Again, to the outward appearance, the vine is a rugged, unseemly plant, being not sightly and beautiful to look on ; yet it is abundantly fruitful under that unsightliness. So if we look to the outward state and face of the church, it is nothing else to look to but a deformed company, defaced by affliction, lifeless here, as it were, ' having their life hid up with God in Christ,' Col. iii. 3, as the apostle speaks. Their life here is covered over with many afflictions, crosses, infirmities, and disgraces, whereunto they are subject, like unto other men. Therefore as it was the state of the Head to have no outward form or beauty, though inwardly he was all glorious, so the beauty of the church is inward ; for outward show, it being unsightly like the vine, crooked and uneven, there being nothing deUghtful in it, unless it be in regard of the fruit that comes from it. So it is with the church of God and particular Christians ; who, though in outward government they have not that policy and outward gloiy other governments have, 3'et there is an inward secret work of God's government of the church by contraries which exceeds all other policies, wherein he brings glory from shame, life by death. He brings down and lifts up. Wnen he is about his excellent work he humbleth first. This is an ordinary way. Therefore we must not take oflence at any outward deformity that we see in the church, and in God's children, when they seem to be trampled upon. They are but as Amines, unsightly to the eye ; they have a life, though it be a hidden one.
It is excellently set down by Ezekiel, Ezek. xv. 3, what the vine is of itself. It is serviceable for nothing. We cannot make a pin of it. It is such a brittle wood, as is good for nothing but to bear fniit. So, take a Christian that professeth religion, if he be not fruitful in his place, of all men he is the worst ; of all men he is either the best or the worst. As the vine, if it bear fruit, it is the best, though it be an unsightly tree ; but otherwise it is fit for nothing but the fii'e. Therefore let no man glory in his profession, that he is baptized, hears sermons, and reads. But where is thy fruit ? AVherefore serves the dressing and pruning of the vine but for fruit ? If there be no fr'uit, a Christian is the worst man that lives ; worst, in regard that he is bad under good means ; and in condition, he is the worst of all men, his torment is the greater. Those that are barren and unfruitful under means, the time will come that they will wish they had never enjoyed such a testimony against themselves.