251 / 652
DISC. IX.1
FAITH
BtIL
T ON
KNOWLEDGE.
241
and
his
special
character, or
commission, as
one
appoint-
ed
to
take
care
of
souls.
I.
A
believer
knows
the
particular
and personal qua:.
lifications
of
Christ, which
render
him able
to
take
care
of
what
is
committed
to him.
Now
these
qualifications
depend
not
only
upon
the
constitution
of
his
person,
as
one in
whom
God and
man
are united,
but
also
upon
thelabours
of
his life,
and the
virtue
of
his sufferings, his
death,
his
resurrection,
and
his
exalted state.
Let
us
descend
a
little into
particulars
upon
this subject,
and
take
a
short
and pleasurable survey
how
well
our
Lord
is
qualified
to
take the charge
of
souls,
and
of
their eternal
welfare..
1.
He
has
almighty power, and can
secure whatsoever
is
committed
to him,
against
all
oppositions and dan-
gers
;
for
it
is
by him
that God
the
Father
created all
things,
and
he
háth
sufficient influence
over
all
the
works
of
his
hands
;
a divine
ability
to
save his
favour=
ites,
and destroy
all
that
oppose
:
to
ensafe them from
every peril
that
arises from
their
own
weakness,
and de-
fend them
against
every
adversary
that
designs mischief.
It
was by
him
that our
souls
were formed
at
first in his
own and
his
Father's
image
;
and
he can new
-mould
them into the same form,
though
it
be
quite defaced.
What
iniquity
is
there
in
nature, which
such
almighty
grace
cannot
subdue
?
What
wild
imagination,
or rebel-
lious thought,
in man, which
a
God cannot reduce
to
obedience
?
Should all the wicked
of
the
earth conspire
to
ruin
a christian,
what
could
the
impotent
malice
of
creatures
avail,
if
the
Creator
forbid their violence
;
or
if
he who
made them encompass
the saint
round
as
with
a
wall
of
brass,
and coyer him
as
with a shield
?
And
what can
Satan,
the
tempter or
the
destroyer
do,
if
Jesus
hold
him in his chain,
and forbid
him to
come nigh
the
believer
?
The
lion
of
the
great
deep
cannot
so
much
as
roar,
to affright the
meanest
lamb
of
the
flock,
without
the permission
of Christ their
Shepherd.
He
can
neither
tempt
us
from
our
duties,
nor
rifle us
of our
comforts,
if
the
Son
of God
command
him to silence.
And what
are
all the angels
in
heaven
but
the
servants
of
Christ,
etti
nzinistring
spirits,
sent
forth
to
secure them
that are
heirs
of
,salvation? Heb.
i.
14.
What
is
there
within
us, or without
us,
in
heaven, earth, or
hell,
that
ca,n
en-
VOL.
III,
1t