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CHAP. II.
When ere you bud or graft,* 1.1 therein you see; How Christ, and souls must here united be.OBSERVATION.
WHen the Husbandman hath prepared his graffs in the season of the year, he carries them, with the tools that are necessary for that work, to the tree or stock he intends to ingraft; and having cut off the top of the limb, in some strait smooth part, he cleaves it with his knife or chissel, a little beside the pith; knocks in his wedge to keep it open, then (having prepared the graff, he carefully sets it into the cleft joyning the inner side of the barks, of graff and stock together (there being the main current of the sap) then pulls out his wedge, binds both together (as in barking) and clayes it up, to defend the tender graff and wounded stock, from the injuries of the Sun and rain.
These tender cyences quickly take hold of the stock, and having immediate coalition with it, drink in its sap, concoct it into their own nourishment, thrive better, and bear more and better fruits than ever they would have done upon their natural root, yea, the smallest bud, being carefully inoccu∣lated and bound close to the stock, will in short time become a flourishing and fruitful limb.
APPLICATION.
THis carries a most sweet and lively resemblance, of the souls union with Christ by faith; and indeed there is nothing in nature that shadows forth this great Gospel-my∣stery like it: 'Tis a thousand pities, that any who are im∣ployed about, or are but spectators of such an action, should terminate their thoughts (as too many do) in that natural