We Ought As Much To Pray For

To The Sick Man The Physician When He Enters Seems To Have Three Faces, Those Of A Man, A Devil, A God. When The Physician First Comes And Announces The Safety Of The Patient, Then The Sick Man Says: "behold A God Or A Guardian Angel!

The Vigour, And Power, And Comfort Of Our Spiritual Life Depends On The Mortification Of The Deeds Of The Flesh.

Believers Obey Christ As The One Whom Our Obedience Is Accepted By God. Believers Know All Their Duties Are Weak, Imperfect, And Unable To Abide In God's Presence. Therefore They Look To Christ As The One Who Bears The Iniquity Of Their Holy Things, Who Adds Incense To Their Prayers, Gathers Out All The Weeds From Their Duties And Makes Them Acceptable To God.

Steadfastness In Believing Doth Not Exclude All Temptations From Without. When We Say A Tree Is Firmly Rooted, We Do Not Say The Wind Never Blows Upon It.

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.