Ver. 6. the 17th Chapter of St. J O H N. Are in the Book of Lift, Phil. 4.3. yohn, Anna, Thomas, Clement, they are recorded and Chrift takes fuck fpecial notice of them, as if there were none other in the World. 2. Their Condition and Necefftties. How obfcure and poor foever they be in the account and reckoning of the World : Pfal. 34.6. This poor Man cried, and the Lord beard him. Poor Soul ! he is liable to filch Temptations, overwhelmed with fueh Troubles, he crieth to me to help him. It was the Theology of the Gentiles; Dü magnacurant, parva negligent, That the Divine Powers'did only take care of the great and weighty Concernments of the World, but negleeted the letter. !fa. 40. 2a. Why fayefi thou, 0 Jacob, and f eakefi, 0 Ifrael 5 my Way is bid from the Lord,and my Jntlg+. ment is paid over from my God s? Vfe 2. It perfwadeth us wholly and abfolutely to relign up our felves into Chrifl's Hands. The Father is wifer than we, he knoweth well enough what he did, when he commendeth us to his Son. Let us give up Bodies and Souls to Chrift, all that we have. Faith is often expreffed, by committing our felves to Chrift ; it anfwereth the Trutt the Father repofed in him. t Pet. 4. 19. Wherefore let them that fujer according to the Will of God; commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well- doing, as unto a faith - fill Creator. The Apo(tle knew what he did when he trufled Chrift with his Soul 2 Tim. t. I2. I know whom I have believed, and I am perfroaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him againfi that day. Is thy Soul laid a Pledg in Chriffs Hands ? It is no eafy Work : That we may know what it is, let me open it' a little. t. You mutt chiefly commit your Souls to him. Mott Menofe their Souls, to keep the Body. That which a Man chiefly looketh after, is his Jewels and precious Things, in a dangerous Time, to commit them to the Cuftody of a Friend. So a Chriftian, whatever becometh of him in the World, he is careful to lay up his Soul in Chrifi's Hands, that it may be kept from Sin, and the Confequents of Sin. Alas, while we have it in our own keeping, it will Coon mifcarry. Now concerning this committing the Soul to Chrift, let me obferve ; (t.) That this A& is mot fenfible in time of deep Troubles and Death, when we carry our Lives in our Hands, mitt Chrift with your Souls ; Pfal. 31.5. Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit : thou haft redeemed me, 0 Lord God of Truth. So Chrift, bike 23. 46. Father, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit. Can we trot Chrift upon the war- rant of the Gofpel, when Troubles are nigh, and Fears of Death ? Lord, take my Spirit ; as Stephen, Alts 7.59. Lord Jefus receive my Spirit. We mutt do it in our Life; efpecially as often as we renew Covenant ; but then molt fenfrbly when we come to die : Jefus Chrift is always the Depofitory of Souls; but when we come to die, or are in fpecial Troubles, then we are chiefly follicitous about our Souls ; as when a Houle is a burning, we are not careful about our Lumber, but run to fetch our Jewels, to put them in a fafe Hand. (a.) Whenever we do it, it mutt be an advifed A&. A Man mutt be fenfible of the Danger he is in, of the many Temptations to which-he iseàpofed, what a lorry keeper he is of his own Heart, (Satan could fetch a prey out of Paradife, judos out of Chrift's Company.) What Abilities Chrift hath, 2 Tim. 1. 12. 1 know whom I have'+believed,and I am perfuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him againfi that day. Prefumption is a Child ofDarkneG ; it cometh from Ignorance, and Incogitancy Faith is deliberate and advifed; a Chriftian can venture his Soul upon Chrift's Grace, notwithftanding Infirmities; upon Chrift'sPotyer, notwithttanding Temptations; this precious thing is daily in danger, yet I can truft it in Chrift's Hands ; he that made it, can belt keep it, and guide us by his Grace, and dire& s in this dangerous (3.) It mutt frill be accompanied with Come Confidence. We mutt be quieted, Iam perfuaded he it able to keep that which I have committed to him. We tbould not diftruft, when we have refigned our felves to the cate and tuition of his Spirit : Chtitt's charge will be fafe from danger. It is our weaknefs to be full of Doubts and Fears : We may be affaulted, but we are fate its the Father's Purpofe, and the Son's Prote &ion. Too much confidence in Santification, and too little in Juftifcatiòn will unféttle us. (4.) There muti be a are of Obedience, Lord Jefus receive my Spirit. Commit your Souls to him in well doing, I Pet.4.i9. Sins will weaken Trutt ; an impure Soul cannot be committed to Chrift's Cuftody. Would we commit Dung to a Friend to keep? There mutt be a giving up our felves to him in Love; as Well as committing our felves to hits
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