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

Sometimes a stormy wind of trouble and persecution from the men of the world, blows upon the vine, i. e mystical Christ: but union with the stock is a sufficient security to the branches. In a time of the church's peace and outward prosperity, while the angels hold the winds that they blow not, there are a great many branches taken up, and put into the stock, which never knit with it, nor live by it, though they be bound up with it, by the bonds of external ordinances. Now these may stand a while on the stock; and stand with great ease, while the calm lasts. But when once the storms arise, and the winds blow; they will begin to fall off, one after another: and the higher the wind riseth, the greater will the number be that falls. Yea some strong boughs of that sort, when they fall, will, by their weight, carry others of their own kind, quite down to the earth with them; and will bruise and press down some true branches in such a manner, that they would also fall off, were it not for their being knit to the stock; in virtue whereof they get up their heads again, and cannot fall off▪ because of that fast hold the stock has of them. Then it is that many branches, sometime high and eminent, are found lying on the earth withered, and fit to be gathered up and cast into the fire, Matth. xiii. 6.

Sometimes a stormy wind of trouble and persecution from the men of the world, blows upon the vine, i. e mystical Christ: but union with the stock is a sufficient security to the branches. In a time of the church's peace and outward prosperity, while the ang•ls hold the winds that they blow not, there are a great many branches taken up, and put into the stock, which never knit with it, nor live by it, though they be bound up with it, by the bonds of external ordinances. Now these may stand a while on the stock; and stand with great ease, while the calm lasts. But when once the storms arise, and the winds blow; they will begin to fall off, one after another: and the higher the wind riseth, the greater will the number be that falls. Yea some strong boughs of that sort, when they fall, will, by their weight, carry others of their own kind, quite down to the earth with them; and will bruise and press down some true branches in such a manner, that they would also fall off, were it not for their being knit to the stock; in virtue whereof they get up their heads again, and cannot fall off▪ because of that fast hold the stock has of them. Then it is that many branches, sometime high and eminent, are found lying on the earth withered, and fit to be gathered up and cast into the fire,