444 'CHrRIST THE CAPTAIN oF nuR SALVATION. Book II. SIMILE. . IV. A .Hen foon forgets her <Chickens, which fhe hatll'bred and 'brought qp. D I S PAR IT Y. IV. Chrifl: never-can, nor will forget his Saints. .Can a -Woman forget her fucking Child, that }he jhould not have Compajjion on the Son -of her ·Womb! ;yea, }he ma)', but 1 will not forget thee, Ija. xl¥iii, '4· IS, -16. 1 N F E R E N C E ~ L WHAT. great Encouragement doth this Similitude afford to all, yea to•the vilefl: •of S1nners? 0 what Compaflion -IS there m ChnH's Heart cowards you how 'Willing is he to gather you to himfelf! ' 1!. It alfo informs us of that great Blindnefs and horrid -Obfl:inacy which is in the Hearts of wicked Men ; How often would I have gaPhercd lfrael, and they would not bt ·gathered ! I would, but ye would not! How dare Sinners then to char<>e their eternal ·Overthrow, Perilhing, and Ruin upon the Lord J efus ChriO: ? Know~ 0 Sinner, thy Dejlruflion is of th;felf, Hof. xiii. 9· Ill. It alfo truly informs us, that all Safety and Salvation is in the Lord Jef~s ChriO:. ·Under his Wings we mufl: get if we would be fecure from the Enemy of our Souls, and ·be delivered from eternal Danger; Unto him foal/ the Gathering of th< <People be, Gen. xlix. .10. IV. Of what amazing Nature was the great CondefcenGon of the Bleffed Jefus, ·:who made himfe!J of 110 Reputation! became weak, poor, and fenGble of our Infirmities, touching the Fldh, that we might be jlrong, rich, and partake of his Perfettions, and glorious Fulnefs, Phi!. ii. 7· V. Here is alfo very much Comfort to a-Il true Believers, whoever they be, that are ~gathered b.y the Word and Spi rit unto ChriO:: He will fuccotlr, guide, revive, and defend them-for ever. He infirritely out-doth the Hen; his Bowels exceed the Bowels -of the tenderefl: Mother to her fucking Child. He is O:rong enough alfo, as well as tender, not only willing but able. Fear not Satan, he hath [wallowed up Death in ViCtory. :The Kite hath (as one obferves) as it were an aching Toath at the Chickens, ·fain would he make a Prey of them : So would the Devil of Believers. ChriO: knows how to preferve them, by garhering them all under his Wings. Soul, fear not, if ;thou art .under the ProteCtion of the Lord J efus ChriO:, thou art in faf<:ty from all .temporal and fpiritual Dangers. · VI. If ChriO: he ·fo tender and compaflionate unto Sinners, and feek to gather ,them unto -him; who will pit-y ,rhem if 1hey perifh at !all and are damned, when all is from their own vile, flubborn, and wilfull Obftinacy? . VII. If the Lord Jefus Chri!l be !o tender of, and kind to his Saints which he hath g.athered to :himfell~ an.d .fhekered under his Wings; then let this Doctrine teach l.hriflians in an efpecial Manner to be kind one to another, and tender one of another, and to do their utmofl: Endeavor to defend one another in this evil Day, from the <Common Enemy both of Body and Soul. VIII. This may ferve for fea!onable Reproof to all thofe, who profefs the Name of our Lord Jefus Chrill, and hope for Prefervation by him, and Shelter under his Win<>s, yet, inO:ead of endeavoring to the utmoft to help one another, revile, backbite and perfecute one another, for fmall and -circumO:antial Differences in Profeflion, and thereby give the common Enemy Advantage over them both, A dividedHoufe cannot .fland, Mark iii. 2 5· · CHRIST THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION. 'l'o make the -Captain of our Salvation perfeEt through Suffering;:., Heb. ii. 10 . ·THIS is a military Term, the Greek 'Hyrl'w', a Captain, ·being -~erived from ~yw, which figni6es eo lead ; and "PXw' alfo, a Captam, dwved from "fX"• wh1cll :!lonifies Beoinning, Chitf, or Govemment, denoung w a .borrowed Senft trom mth– .ta~y Comm~nclers; the Rule, Dominion and Principality .of Chrift over all, and that he leads his fpiritual Militia fafe through all Pmlsw .their Chnlban Warfare. Bewg (Q
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=