is with one that can pity pray for pardon yea multiply pardons It is with one that can have Compassion upon us when we are out of the way with one that hath an heart to fetch us again when we are gone astray with one that can pardon without upbraiding Blessed be God that life is in Christ For Now 't is sure to all the seed But Fourthly This Doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for life informs us of the evil of Unbelief that wicked thing that is the only or chief hindrance to the coming sinner Doth the Text say 〈◊〉 Doth it say And him that cometh I will in no wise cast out Then what an evil is that that keepeth sinners from coming to Jesus Christ And that evil is unbelief For by faith we come by Unbelief we keep away Therefore It is said to be that by which a Soul is said to depart from God because it was that which at first caused the world to go off from him and that also that keeps them from him to this day And it doth it the more easily because it doth it with a wile This sin may be called The White Devil for it often-times in its Mischievous doings in the Soul shews as if it was an Angel of Light Yea it Acteth like a Counsellor of Heaven Therefore a little to discourse of this evil disease First It is that sin above all others that hath some shew of reason in its attempts For it keeps the Soul from Christ by pretending its present unfitness and unpreparedness as want of more sense of sin want of more repentance want of more humility want of a more broken heart Secondly It is the sin that most Suiteth with the Conscience the Conscience of the coming sinner tells him that he hath nothing good that he stands inditable for Ten Thousand Tallents that he is a very ignorant blind and hard-hearted sinner unworthy to be once taken notice of by Jesus Christ And will you says Unbelief in such a case as you now are presume to come to Jesus Christ Thirdly It is the sin that most Suiteth with our Sense of feeling The coming sinner feels the workings of sin of all manner of sin and wretchedness in his flesh He also feels the Wrath and Judgement of God due to sin and oft-times staggers under it Now sayes unbelief you may see you have no grace for that which works in you is corruption You may also perceive that God doth not love you because the Sense of his Wrath abides upon you Therefore how can you bear the face to come to Jesus Christ Fourthly It is the sin above all others that most Suiteth with the Wisdom of our flesh the Wisdom of our flesh thinks it prudence to question a while to stand back a while to hearken to both sides a while and not to be rash sudden or unadvised in too bold a presuming upon Jesus Christ And this Wisdom Unbelief falls in with Fifthly It is that sin above all other that continually is whispering the Soul in the ear with mistrusts of the faithfulness of God in keeping promise to them that come to Jesus Christ for life It also suggesteth mistrust about Christs willingness to receive it and save it And no sin can do this so Artificiently as Unbelief Sixthly It is also that sin which is always at hand to enter an Objection against this or that Promise that by the Spirit of God is brought to our heart to comfort us and if the poor coming sinner is not aware of it it will by some evasion slite trick or cavil quickly wrest from him the Promise again and he shall have but little benefit of it Seventhly It is that above all other sins that weakens our Prayers our faith our love our diligence our hope and expectations It even taketh the heart away from God in duty Eightly Lastly This sin as I have said even now it appeareth in the Soul with so many sweet pretences to safety and security that it is as if it were Counsel sent from Heaven Biding the Soul be wise wary considerate well advised and to take heed of too rash a venture upon Believing Besure first that God loves you take hold of no promise untill you are forced by God unto it neither be you sure of your Salvation doubt it still though the testimony of the Lord has been often confirmed in you live not by faith but by sense and when you can neither see nor feel then fear and mistrust then doubt and question all This is the Devilish counsel of Unbelief which is so covered over with specious pretences that the wisest Christian can hardly shake off these reasonings But to be brief Let me here give thee Christian Reader a more particular description of the qualities of Unbelief by opposing Faith unto it in these Twenty five particulars First Faith believeth the word of God but Unbelief questioneth the certainly of the same Psal. 106. 24. Secondly Faith believeth the word because it is true but Unbelief doubteth thereof because it is true 1 Tim. 4. 3. Joh. 8. 45. Thirdly Faith sees more in a promise of God to help than in all other things to hinder But Unbelief notwithstanding Gods promise saith How can these things be Rom. 4. 19 20 21. 2 King 7. 2. Joh. 3. 4 12. Fourthly Fourthly Faith will make thee see love in the heart of Christ when with his mouth he giveth reproofs But Unbelief will imagine wrath in his heart when with his mouth and word he saith he loves us Mat. 15. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. Numb 13. 2. chap. 14. 3. Fifthly Faith will help the Soul to wait though God deferres to give but Unbelief will take snuff and throw up all if God make any tarrying Psal. 25. 5. Isa. 8. 17. 2 King 6. 33. Psal. 106. 13 14. Sixthly Faith will give comfort in the midst of fears but Unbelief causeth fears in the midst of comfort 2 Chro. 20. 20 21. Mat. 8. 26. Luk. 24. 36 37. Seventhly Faith will suck sweetness out of Gods rod but Unbelief can find no comfort in his greatest mercies Psal. 23. 4. Numb 21. 5. Eighthly Faith maketh great burdens light but Unbelief maketh light ones intollerably heavy 2 Cor. 4. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Mal. 1. 2 13. Ninethly Faith helpeth us up when we are down but Unbelief throws us down when we are up Mich. 7. 8 9 10. Heb. 4. 11. Tenthly Faith bringeth us near to God when we are far from him but Unbelief puts us far from God when we are near to him Heb. 10 22. Chap. 3. 12 13. Eleventhly Where Faith reigns it declareth Men to be the Friends of God but where Unbelief reigns it declareth them to be his Enemies Jam. 5. 23. Heb. 3. 18. Rev. 21. 8. Twelfthly Faith putteth a Man under Grace but Unbelief holdeth him under Wrath Rom. 3. 24 25 26. Chap. 4 16. Ephes. 2. 8. Joh. 3. 36. 1 Joh. 5. 10. Heb. 3. 17. Mark 16.
thou hast found glory in him glory that Surmounts and goes beyond Thou art more glorious than the mountaines of pray Psal. 76. 4. Fifthly What shall I say thou hast found Righteousness in him Thou hast found rest peace delight Heaven glory and eternal life Sinner be advised Ask thy heart again saying Am I come to Jesus Christ For upon this one question Am I Come or am I Not Hangs Heaven and Hell as to thee If thou canst say I am come and God shall approve that saying Happy Happy Happy man art thou but if thou art not come what can make thee happy Yea what can make that man Happy that for his not coming to Jesus Christ for life must be damned in Hell The Third Use a Use of Encouragement COming Sinner I have now a word for thee be of good comfort He will in no wise cast out Of all men thou art the blessed of the Lord the the Father hath prepared his Son to be a Sacrifice for thee and Jesus Christ thy Lord is gone to prepare a place for thee Joh. 1. 29. Heb. 10. Joh. 14. What shall I say to thee thou comest to a full Christ thou canst not want any thing for Soul or body for this World or that to come but it is to be had in or by Jesus Christ As it is said of the Land that the Dannits went to possess So and with much more truth it may be said of Christ He is such an one with whom there is no want of any good thing that is in Heaven or earth A Full Christ is thy Christ. First He is full of Grace Grace is sometimes taken for love and take it so here He is full of love never any loved like Jesus Christ. Jonathans love went beyond the love of Women but the love of Christ passes knowledge It is beyond the love of all the Earth of all Creatures even of Men and Angels His love prevailed with him to lay aside his Glory to leave the Heavenly place to cloth himself with flesh to be born in a Stable to be laid in a Manger to live a poor life in the World to take upon him our sicknesses infirmities sins curse Death and the Wrath that was due to man And all this he did for a base undeserving unthankfull people yea for a people that was at Enmity with him For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die But God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Much more then being now justified we shall be saved by his life For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 6 7 8 9 10. Secondly He is full of Truth Full of grace and truth Truth that is faithfulness in keeping promise even this of the Text with all other I will in no wise cast out Hence it is said that his words be true and that he is the faithfull God that keepeth covenant And hence it is also that his promise is called Truth Thou wilt fulfill thy truth unto Jacob and thy mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn unto our Fathers from the days of old Therefore it is said again that both himself and words are Truth I am the Truth the Scriptures of Truth thy Word is Truth thy Law is the Truth and my mouth aith he shall speak truth Joh. 14. 6. Dan. 10. 21. Joh. 17. 17. 2 Sam. 7. 28. Pro. 8. 7. Psal. 119. 142. Eccles. 12. 10. Isa. 25. 1. Mal. 2. 6. Acts 26. 25. 2 Tim. 2. 12 13. Now I say his word is truth and he is full of truth to fulfill his truth even to a Thousand Generations Coming sinner he will not deceive thee come boldly to Jesus Christ. Thirdly He is full of Wisdome He is made unto us of God Wisdome Wisdome to manage the affairs of his Church in general and the affairs of every coming sinner in particular And upon this account he is said to be head over all things 1 Cor. 1. Ephes. 1. Because he manages all things that are in the world by his Wisdom for the good of his Church all mens Actions all Satans Temptations all Gods Providences all Crosses Disappointments all things what ever are under the hand of Christ Who is the Wisdom of God and he ordereth them all for good to his Church And can Christ help it and be sure he can nothing shall happen or fall out in the world but it shall in despite of all opposition have a good tendency to his Church and people Fourthly He is full of the Spirit to communicate it to the coming Sinner he hath therefore received it without measure that he may communicate it to every member of his body according as every mans measure thereof is allotted him by the Father Wherefore he saith that he that comes to him Out of his belly shall flow rivers of Living water Joh. 3. 34. Tit. 3. 5 6. Acts 1. Joh. 7. 31 32 34 35 36 37 38. Fifthly He is indeed a store-house full of all the graces of the Spirit Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Here is more Faith more Love more Sincerity more Humility more of every Grace and of this even more of this he giveth to every Lowly Humble Penitent coming Sinner wherefore coming Soul thou comest not to a barren wilderness when thou comest to Jesus Christ John 1. 16. Sixthly He is full of Bowels and Compassion And they shall feel and find it so that come to him for Life He can bear with thy Weaknesses he can pity thy Ignorance he can be touched with the Feeling of thine Infirmities he can affectionately forgive thy Transgressions he can heal thy Back slidings and Love thee Freely His Compassions fail not And he will not break a bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax He can pity them that no Eye pities and be afflicted in all thy Afflictions Mat. 26. 41. Heb. 5 2. Chap. 2. 18 19. Mat 9. 2. Hos. 14. 4. Ezek. 16. 5 6. Isa. 63. 9. Psal. 78. 38. Psal. 86. 15. Psal. 111. 4. Psal. 112. 4. Lam. 3. 22. Isa. 42. 3. Seventhly Coming Soul the Jesus that thou art coming to is full of Might and Terribleness for thy Advantage He can suppress all thine Enemies He is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth He can bow all Men's Designes for thy Help He can break all Snares laid for thee in the Way He can lift thee out of all Difficulties where-with thou may'st be surrounded He is Wise in Heart and Mighty in Power Every Life under Heaven is in his Hand yea the Faln Angels tremble before him And he will save thy Life Coming-Sinner 1 Cor. 1. 24. Rom. 8. 28. Mat. 28. 18. Rev. 15.
Heb. 3. And therefore this Man is counted worthy of more glory than Moses even upon this account because more Faithful than he as well as because of the dignity of his person Therefore in him and in his truth and faithfulness God rested wel pleased and hath put all the government of this People upon his shoulders Knowing that nothing shall be wanting in him that may any way perfect this design And of this He to wit the Son hath already given a proof for when the time was come that his Blood was by Divine Justice required for their Redemption Washing and Changing he as freely poured it out of his Heâ—â—t as if it had been Water out of a vessel not sticking to part with his own Life that the life which was laid up for them in Heaven might not fail to be bestowed upon them And upon this account as well as upon any other it is that God calleth him his righteous servant Isa. 53. For his righteousness could never have been compleat if he had not been to the uttermost faithful to the work which he undertook It is also because he is faithful and true that in Righteousness he doth Judge and make Work for his peoples deliverance He will faithfully perform this trust reposed in him The Father knows this and hath therefore given his Elect unto him Thirdly The Fathers giving of them to Him to save them declares unto us that he is and will be gentle and patient towards them under all their provocations and miscarriages It is not to be imagined the tryals and provocations that the Son of God hath all along had with these people that have been given to him to save them indeed he is said to be a tryed stone for he has been tryed not only by the devil guilt of sin death and the curse of the Law but also by his peoples ignorance unruliness falls into sin and declining to errors in life in Doctrine Were we but capable of seeing how this Lord Jesus has been tryed even by this people ever since there was one of them in the world we should be amazed at his Patience and gentle Carriages to them It is said indeed the Lord is very pitiful slow to anger and of great mercy and indeed if he had not so been he could never have indured their manners as he has done from Adam hitherto Therefore is his pitty and bowels towards his Church preferred above the pitty and bowels of a mother towards her Child Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord Isa. 49. 15. God did once give Moses as Christs Servant an handful of this people to carry them in his bosom but no further than from Egypt to Canaan and this Moses as is said of him by the Holy Ghost was the Meekest man that was then to be found in the Earth yea and he loved the people at a very great rate yet neither would his meekness nor love hold out in this work he failed and grew pationate even to the provoking of his God to Anger under this work that God had laid upon him And Moses said unto the Lord wherefore hast thou afflicted thy Servant But what was the affliction Why the Lord had said unto him carry this people in thy bosom as a nursing father beareth the sucking child unto the Land that he sware unto their fathers Not I sayes Moses I am not able to bear all this people because it is too heavy for me if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out of hand and let me not see my Wretchedness Numb 11. 11 12 13 14. God gave them to Moses that he might carry them in his bosom that is that he might shew gentleness and patience towards them but he failed in the work he could not exercise because he had not that sufficiency of patience towards them But now it is said of the person speaking in the Text That he shall gather his Lambs with his arm shall carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead them that are with young Isa. 40. 10 11. Intimating that this was one of the qualifications that God looked for and knew was in him when he gave his Elect to him to save them Fourthly The fathers giving of them to him to save them declares to us that he hath a Sufficiency of wisdom to wage with all those difficulties that would attend him in his bringing of his Sons and Daughters unto glory He hath made him to us to be Wisdom yea he is called Wisdom it self and God saith moreover that he shall deal prudently And indeed he that shall take upon him to be the Saviour of the people had need be Wise because their adversaries are subtile above any Here they have to incounter with the Serpent who for his Subtilty out-witted our Father and Mother when their wisdome was at highest Gen. 3. But if we talk of Wisdom our Jesus is wise wiser than Solomon wiser than all men wiser than all the Angels he is even the Wisdom of God Christ the Wisdom of God 1 Col. 1. And hence it is that he turneth sin temptation persecutions falls and all things for good unto this people Rom. 8. Now these things thus concluded on do shew us also the great and wonderful love of the Father in that he should chuse out one every way so well prepared for the work of mans Salvation Herein indeed perceive we the love of God Huram gathered that God loved Israel because he had given them such a King as Solomon 2 Chro. 2. 11. But how much more may we behold the love that God hath bestowed upon us in that he hath given us to his Son and also given his Son for us All that the Father giveth me shall come In these last words there is closely inserted an answer unto the Fathers end in giving of his Elect to Jesus Christ. The Fathers end was that they might come to him and be Saved by him and that sayes the Son shall be done They shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Here therefore the Lord Jesus positively determineth to put forth a sufficiency of all Grace that shall Effectually perform this promise They shall come That is he will cause them to come by infusing of an effectual blessing into all the means that shall be used to that end As was said to the evil Spirit that was sent to perswade Ahab to go and fall at Ramah Gilead Go Thou shalt perswade him and prevail also go forth and do so 1 King 22. 22. So will Jesus Christ say to the means that shall be used for the bringing of those to him that the Father hath given him I say he will bless it effectually to his very end it shall perswade them and shall prevail also Else as I said the
Eternal Hence it is called the peace of God and That passeth all understanding Fourthly The person speaking in the Text hath enough of all things truly Spiritually good to satisfie the desires of every longing Soul And Jesus stood and Cried saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink And to him that is athirst I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely Joh. 7. 37. Rev. 21. 6. Fifthly With the person speaking in the Text is power to perfect and defend and deliver those that come to him for safegard All power saith he in heaven and earth is given unto Me Mat. 28. 18. Thus might I multiply instances of this nature in abundance But Secondly they that in truth do come to him do therefore come to him that they may receive it at his hand They come for light they come for life they come for reconciliation with God they also come for peace they come that their Soul may be satisfied with Spiritual good and that they may be protected by him against all Spiritual and Eternal damnation and he alone is able to give them all this to the filling of their joy to the full as they also find when come to him This is evident First From the plain declaration of those that already are come to him Being Justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access with boldness into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. Secondly 'T is evident also in that while they keep their eyes upon him they never desire to change him for another or to add to themselves some other thing together with him to make up their Spiritual Joy God forbid said Paul that I should Glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yea and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is thorough the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Philipians 3. 7 8 9. Thirdly 'T is evident also by their earnest desires that others might be made partakers of their blessedness Brethren said Paul my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved that is that way that he expected to be saved himself as he saith also to the Galatians Brethren saith he I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are That is I am a sinner as you are now I beseech you seek for life as I am seeking of it as who should say For there is a sufficiency in the Lord Jesus both for me and you Fourthly 'T is evident also by the Triumph that such men make over all their enemies both Bodily and Ghostly Now thanks be to God said Paul who causeth us always to triumph in Jesus Christ. And who shall separate us from the Love of Christ our Lord. And again O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of death is Sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thanks be to God who giveth us the victory thorow our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 35. 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. Fifthly 'T is evident also for that they are made by the Glory of that which they have found in him to suffer and endure what the Devil and Hell it self hath or could invent as a means to separate them from him Again Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or Sword as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus Rom 8. Shall come to Me. O the heart attracting glory that is in Jesus Christ when he is discovered to draw those to him that are given to him of the Father Therefore those that come of old rendered this as the cause of their coming to him And we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father Joh. 1. 14. And the reason why others come not but perish in their sins is for want of a sight of his glory If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the Glorious Light of the Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. There is therefore heart-pulling glory in Jesus Christ which when discovered draws the man to him wherefore by shall-come to Me Christ may mean when his glory is discovered then they must come then they shall-come to Me. Therefore as the True Comers come with Weeping and Relenting as being sensible of their own Vileness so again it is said That the Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Singing and Everlasting Joy upon their Heads they shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flye away That is at the Sight of the Glory of that Grace that shews it self to them now in the Face of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Hopes that they now have of being with Him in the Heavenly Tabernacles Therefore it saith again With Gladness and Rejoycing shall they be brought they shall enter into the King's Palace Isa. 35. 10. Chap. 51. 11. Psal. 45. 15. There is therefore Heart-attracting Glory in the Lord Jesus Christ which when discovered subjects the Heart to the Word and Makes us Come to him 'T is said of Abraham That when he dwelt in Mesopotamia the God of Glory appeared unto him Act. 7. 2. saying Get thee out of thy Country And what then why away he went from his House and Friends and all the World could not stay him Now as the Psalmist sayes Who is the King of Glory He answers The Lord mighty in Battle And who was that but He that spoiled Principalities and Powers when he did Hang upon the Tree Tryumphing over them thereon And who was that but Jesus Christ even the Person speaking in the Text Therefore he said of Abraham He saw his Day Yea saith he to the Jews Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my Day and he saw it and was Glad Psal. 24. 8. Col. 2. 14 15. Jam. 1. 1. Joh. 8. 56. Indeed the Carnal Man sayes at least in his Heart There is no Form or Comliness in
come For because he could swear by no Greater he swore by Himself That by Two Immutable Things in which it was impossible that God should Lie we might have a strong Consolation who have fled for Refuge to lay hold on the Hope set before us Heb. 6. 15 16 17 18. Sixthly Neither is it for want of great Examples of God's Mercy that have come to Jesus Christ of which we Read most plentifully in the Word Therefore it must be concluded It is for want of that which follows First It is for want of the Knowledge of Christ Thou knowest but little of the Grace and Kindness that is in the Heart of Christ Thou knowest but little of the Vertue and Merit of his Blood Thou knowest but little of the Willingness that is in his Heart to save thee And this is the reason of the Fear that ariseth in thy Heart and that causeth thee to doubt that Christ will not receive thee Unbelief is the Daughter of Ignorance Therefore Christ saith O Fools and slow of Heart to Believe Luk. 24. 25. Slowness of Heart to believe flows from thy Foolishness in the Things of Christ This is evident to all that are acquainted with themselves and that are seeking after Jesus Christ The more Ignorance the more Unbelief the more Knowledge of Christ the more Faith They that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee Psal. 9. 10. He therefore that began to come to Christ but the other day and hath yet but little Knowledge of him he fears that Christ will not receive him But he that hath been longer acquainted with him he is Strong and hath over-come the Wicked One 1 Joh. 2. VVhen Joseph's Brethren came into Egypt to buy Corn it is said Joseph knew his Brethren but his Brethren knew not him What follows Why great Mistrust of Heart about their speeding well specially if Joseph did but answer them Roughly calling them Spies and questioning their Truth and the like And observe it So long as their Ignorance about their Brother remained with them whatsoever Joseph did still they put the worst Sense upon it For instance Joseph upon a time bids the Steward of his House bring them Home to Dine with him to Dine even in Joseph's House And how is this resented by them Why they were afraid And the men were afraid because they were brought into their Brother Joseph's House And they said He seeketh occasion against us and will fall upon us and take us for Bond-men and our Asses Gen. 42. Chap. 43. What! Afraid to go to Joseph's House He was their Brother He intended to Feast them to Feast them and Feast with them Ah! but they were ignorant That he was their Brother And so long as their Ignorance lasted so long their Fear terrifyed them Just thus it is with the Sinner that but of late is coming to Jesus Christ He is ignorant of the Love and Pity that is in Christ to Coming-Sinners Therefore he doubts therefore he fears therefore his Heart mis-gives him Coming-Sinner Christ inviteth thee to Dine and Sup with him He inviteth thee to a Banquet of Wine yea to come into his Wine-Cellar and his Banner over thee shall be Love Revel 3. 20. Song 2. Chap. 5. But I doubt it sayes the Sinner But 't is answer'd He calls thee invites thee to his Banquet to his Flaggons Apples to his Wine and to the Juyce of his Pomgranate O I fear I doubt I mistrust I tremble in Expectation of the contrary Come out of the Man thou Dastardly Ignorance Be not afraid Sinner only Believe He that cometh to Christ he will in no wise cast out Let the Coming Sinner therefore seek after more of the good Knowledge of Jesus Christ Press after it Seek it as Silver and dig for it as for hid Knowledge This will embolden thee This will make thee wax Stronger and Stronger I know whom I have Believed I know him said Paul And what follows Why And I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that Day 2 Tim. What had Paul committed to Jesus Christ The Answer is He had committed to him his Soul But why did he Commit his Soul to him Why because he knew him He knew him to be Faithful to be Kind He knew he would not fail him nor forsake him And therefore he laid his Soul down at his Feet and committed it to him to keep against that Day But Secondly Thy Fears that Christ will not receive thee may be also a Consequent of thy earnest and strong Desires after thy Salvation by him For this I observe That strong Desires to have are attended with strong Fears of missing What a Man most sets his Heart upon and what his Desires are most after he oft-times most fears he shall not obtain So the Man the Ruler of the Synagogue had a great desire that his Daughter should live and that Desire was attended with Fear that she should not Wherefore Christ saith unto him Be not afraid Mark 5. 36. Suppose a Young Man should have his Heart much set upon a Virgin to have her to Wife If ever he Fears he shall not Obtain it is when he begins to love now thinks he some body will step in betwixt my Love and the Object of it either they will find Fault with my Person my Estate my Conditions or somthing Now thoughts begin to work she doth not like me or something And thus it is with the Soul at first Coming to Jesus Christ thou lovest him and thy love produceth Jealousy and that Jealousy oft-times beget Fears Now thou fearest the Sins of thy Youth the Sins of thine old Age the Sins of thy Calling the Sins of thy Christian Duties the Sins of thy Heart or somthing thou thinkest somthing or other will alienate the Heart and Affections of Jesus Christ from thee thou thinkest he sees somthing in thee for the sake of which he will refuse thy Soul But be content a little more Knowledge of him will make thee take better heart thy earnest desires shall not be attended with such burning Fears Thou shalt hereafter say This is mine Infirmity Psal. 77. Thou art Sick of Love a very sweet Disease and yet every Disease has some weakness attending of it yet I wish this Distemper if it be lawful to call it so was more Epidemical Dye of this Disease I would gladly do 't is better than Life it self though it be attended with Fears But thou cryest I cannot obtain Well be not too hasty in making Conclusions If Jesus Christ had not put his Finger in at the Hole of the Lock thy Bowels would not have been troubled for him Song 5. Mark how the Prophet hath it They shall walk after the Lord he shall Roar like a Lyon When he shall Roar the Children shall Tremble from the East They shall Tremble like a Bird out of Egypt and as a Dove out of the Land of Assyria