Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

An Eighth benefit flowing from union with Christ is Establishment. The Christian cannot fall away, but must persevere unto the end, John x. 28. They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Indeed if a branch do not knit with the ⟨p. 204⟩stock, it will fall away when shaking winds arise: but the branch knit to the stock stands fast, whatever winds blows. Sometimes a stormy wind of temptation blows from hell, and tosseth the branches in Christ the true vine: but their union with him, is their security; moved they may be, but removed they never can be. The Lord "will with the temptation also make a way to escape," 1 Cor. x. 13. Calms are never of any continuance: there is almost always some wind blowing; and therefore branches are rarely altogether at rest. But sometimes violent winds arise, which threaten to rend them from off their stock. Even so it is with saints; they are daily put to it, to keep their ground against temptation: but sometimes the wind from hell riseth so high, and bloweth so furiously, that it makes even top-branches to sweep the ground; yet being knit to Christ their stock, they get up again, in spite of the most violent efforts of the prince of the power of the air, Psal. xciv. 18. "When I said my foot slippeth, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up." But the Christian improves by this trial; and is so far from being damaged, that he is benefited by it, in so far as it discovers what hold the soul has of Christ, and what hold Christ has of the soul. And lo•k as the wind in the billows, which would blow out the candle, blows up the fire: even so it often comes to pass that such temptations do enliven the true Christian, awakening the graces of the Spirit in him; and by that means, discover both the reality, and the strength of grace in him. And hence, as Luther, that great man of God, saith, One Christian who hath had experience of temptation, is worth a thousand others