The Vigour, And Power, And Comfort Of

Great Winds And Storms Help Fruit-bearing Trees. So Also Do Corruptions And Temptations Help The Fruitfulness Of Grace And Holiness. The Storm Loosens The Earth Round Its Roots So The Tree Is Able To Get Its Roots Deeper Into The Earth, Where It Receives Fresh Supplies Of Nourishment. But Only Much Later Will It Be Seen To Bring Forth Better Fruit. So Corruptions And Temptations Develop The Roots Of Humility, Self-abasement And Mourning In A Deeper Search For That Grace By Which Holiness Grows Strong. But Only Later Will There Be Visible Fruits Of Increased Holiness.

Sin Aims Always At The Utmost; Every Time It Rises Up To Tempt Or Entice, If It Has Its Own Way It Will Go Out To The Utmost Sin In That Kind. Every Unclean Thought Or Glance Would Be Adultery If It Could, Every Thought Of Unbelief Would Be Atheism If Allowed To Develop. Every Rise Of Lust, If It Has Its Way Reaches The Height Of Villainy; It Is Like The Grave That Is Never Satisfied. The Deceitfulness Of Sin Is Seen In That It Is Modest In Its First Proposals But When It Prevails It Hardens Men’s Hearts, And Brings Them To Ruin.

I Did Not Hear What I Should Have Listened To.

When Someone Sets His Affections Upon The Cross And The Love Of Christ, He Crucifies The World As A Dead And Undesirable Thing. The Baits Of Sin Lose Their Attraction And Disappear. Fill Your Affections With The Cross Of Christ And You Will Find No Room For Sin.

A True Saving Knowledge Of Sin Is To Be Had Only In The Lord Christ: In Him May We See The Desert Of Our Iniquities.