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

350 EjlalltfhmenU State III.
can be. The Lord will with the temptation alfo
make a Way to efcape, i Cor. x. 13. Calms are ne¬
ver ot any Continuance : There’s almoft always
fome Wind blowing; and therefore Branches are
rarely altogether at reft. But fometimes violent
Winds arife, which threaten to rend them from*.oft
their Stock Even fo it is with Saints ; they arc
daily put to it, to keep their Ground againft Temp¬
tation : But fometimes the Wind from Hell rifeth
fo high, and blows fo furioufty, that it makes even
Top-Branches to fweep the Ground ; yet being
knit to Chrift their Stock, they get up again, in
fpight of the moft violent Efforts of the Prince of
the Power of the Air, Pfal. xciv. 18. When 1 faidy
my Foot flippeth, <fhy Mercy, 0 Lord, held me up.
But the Chriftian improves by this Trial; and is
fo far from being damaged, that he is benefited by
it, in fo tar as it difcovers what hold the Soul has
of Chrift, and what hold Chrift has of the Soul.
And look as the Wind in the Bellows, which would
blow out the Candle, blows up the Fire: Even fo
it often comes to pafs, that fuch Temptations do
enliven the true Chriftian, awakening the Graces of
the Spirit in him; and, by that Means, difcover
both the Reality, and the Strength of Grace in
him. And hence, as Luther, that great Man of
God, faith, One Chrifiian, who hath had Experi¬
ence of temptation, is worth a fboitfand others.
Sometimes a ftormy Wind of trouble and Per-
fecution trom the Men of the World, blows upon
the Vine, i. e. myftical Chrift: But Union with
the Stock is a fufficient Security to the Branches.
In a Time of the Churches Peace and outward Pro-
fpcrity, while the Angels hold the Winds that they
Mow not, there are a great many Branches taken
up.