275 / 652
Dac,
x,]
FAITH
BUILT
ON
KNOWLEDGE.
4ß,^i
to the
saint,
that
the
powers
of
hell
are
all led captive,
and trodden
under foot
by
him who
is
the
guardian of hit
eternal
welfare
:
He
knows
that
his
Lord
will
save
him
from the
mouth
of the
lion,
"
will
deliver
hirn
from every
evil
work
;
and
will
preserve
him
to
his
heavenly king
-
dom;"
2
Tint.
iv.
17.
Under
a
sense
of
fresh
guilt,
and
sins
of
daily infir-
mity,
the christian mourns bitterly, because
of
his
fail-
ings
and
follies,
but
hopes for security from
ruining
transgressions, and
the
unpardonable
sin
;
because
the
virtue of
the
atonement
in which he
trusts
is
eternal
Christ
has
undertaken
to
preserve
him
from final
apos-
tacies,
though the best
of
saints are not
secured here from
the
workings
of
sin.
And
under
these
discomposures
of
mind, and the
fre-
quent
vexations and uneasinesses
in
the
things
of
this
life,
that
may
ruffle
their
tempers, had
it not
been
for
-their
acquaintance with
Christ,
they
had
been
sometimes
ut-
terly overcome
;
but
how
often have they
retired into
their
closets,
and left
the
tumult of their thoughts behind
them
in
the world, while
they went
converse with
him
by
prayer,
who
had
the care
of
their spiritual
concerns?
Or,
at
least, they have
cried unto the
Lord
because
of
those uneasy companions
;
have
_shook
them off
in
his
presence
with
holy anger,
and
returned
into
the world
again with serenity
in
their countenances, and victory and
peace,
in
their
souls.
'Ibis
strength
they derive from
their
blessed
Lord,
whom they
have chosen for
their di-
vine
guardian,
Under
the weakness
of
our
graces,
and the inconstancy
of
our
tempers, it
is
a
matter of
relief
to an
humble saint,
that
the
keeper
of
his
soul
is
compassionate, and pities
his
frailties;
is
almighty,
and
will
strengthen
him
under
his
weaknesses
is
unchangeable, the
same
yesterday,
to-
day,
and for
ever.
The
lambs
of
his flock
are
weak,
and
cannot
follow him in some
rugged and difficult
paths;
then
"
he
gathers the lambs
with his arms,
and carries
them
in
his
bosom
;"
Is.
xl.
11.
And
there are
some
of
the
sheep
of
his fold
that
are ready
to straggle into
for-
bidden
ways, to
wander abroad,
and
lose
themselves
in
the
wilderness
:
But
"
the
Lord
is
their Shepherd, he
restoreth their
souls,
and leads them again
into
the
why
pf
righteousness, for
his
name's sake
;"
Ps.
xxiii.
3.
In
an
hour
of
desertion,
when
God
has
withdrawn
his