The Root Of An Unmortified Course Is

It Is Not The Glorious Battlements, The Painted Windows, The Crouching Gargoyles That Support A Building, But The Stones That Lie Unseen In Or Upon The Earth. It Is Often Those Who Are Despised And Trampled On That Bear Up The Weight Of A Whole Nation.

If We Do Not Abide In Prayer, We Will Abide In Temptation. Let This Be One Aspect Of Our Daily Intercession: "god, Preserve My Soul, And Keep My Heart And All Its Ways So That I Will Not Be Entangled." When This Is True In Our Lives, A Passing Temptation Will Not Overcome Us. We Will Remain Free While Others Lie In Bondage.

It Must Be Observed, That The Best Of Men, The Most Holy And Spiritually Minded, May Have, Nay, Ought To Have, Their Thoughts Of Spiritual Things Excited, Multiplied, And Confirmed, By The Preaching Of The Word.

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.

Fill Your Affections With The Cross Of Christ That There May Be No Room For Sin.