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

Head II. Support. 353
1 fiery Trial in the Furnace of Affliction, as Gold-
fmiths purge their Gold, Ifa. i. 25. s4nd I will
turn my Hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy
Drofs. But Dejlruffion is to the VeJJels of Earth;
they {hall be broken injhivers, as a Potter’s Veffel,
Ver. 28. Hnd the Deftru&ion (or Breaking) of the
franfgrejfors, and of the Sinners Jhall be together.
It feems to be an Allufion to that Law, for break¬
ing the Vejfel of Earth, when unclean; while Vejfels
of iVood, and confequently VefTels oiGold, were on¬
ly to be rinfed, Levit. xv. 12.
A Ninth Benefit is Support. If thou be a branch
ingrafted in Chrift, the Root beareth thee. The
Believer leans on Chritl; as a weak Woman in a
Journey, leaning upon her beloved Husband, Cant.
viii. 5. He ftays himfelf upon him, as a feeble old
Man Hays himfell on his Staft, Jfa. 1. 10. Hcrolls
himfelf ort him, as one rolls a Burden, he’s not a-
ble to walk under, off his own Back, upon another
who is able to bear it, Pfal. xxii. 8. Marg. There
are many Weights to hang upon, and prels down,
the Branches in Chrift the true Vine. But ye know,
whatever Weights hang on Branches, the Stock
bears all; it bears the Branch and the Weight that’s
upon it too.
Firfi, Chrift fupports Believers.in him, under a
Weight of outward 'troubles. That’s a large Pro-
mife, Ifa. xliii. 2. When thou pajfeft through the
Waters. Iivill be with thee: And through the Ri¬
vers they Jhall not overflow thee. See how David
was fupported under a heavy Load, 1 Sam. xxx. 6.
His City Ziklag was burnt, his Wives were taken
Captives, his Men fpoke of ftoning him : Nothing
was left him, but his God and his Faith; but by
his Faith, he encouraged himfelf in his'God. The
Z Lord