Humility &Crosses

It is far more needful for us to have our spirits humbled under the cross , than to have the cross removed . The removal of the cross is needful only for the ease of the flesh , the humbling for the profit of our souls , to purify them , and bring them into a state of health and cure .The humbling of the spirit will have a mighty good effect on a crossed lot , but the removal of the cross will have none on an unhumbled spirit . The humbling will lighten the cross mightily for a time , and in due time carry it cleanly off. But the removal of the cross is not a means to humble the unhumbled ; though it may prevent irritation , yet the disease still remains .
Think how dangerous and hopeless a case it is to have the cross removed before the spirit is humbled ; that is , to have means of cure pulled away and blocked up from us , while the power of the disease is yet unbroken ; to be taken off trials before we have given any good proof of ourselves , and so to be given over to our Physician as hopeless.Thomas Boston

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