Christ inviting sinners to come to him for rest

RULE. VIII.

Eighthly, When thy heart begins to come to Christ, give up thy self to the stream of Gods spirit, for the spirit of God will be stirring ever and anon, though not at all times alike. Thou art attending upon the Ordinances, and waiting when the spirit of God should come to draw thy heart to Christ, wait upon this stirring, and if thou feel the Spirit beginning to draw thy heart to Christ in any measure, Oh! then join with the work of the spirit of God, and give up thy soul to the stream of Gods spirit; do not thou draw back; it may be Gods spirit is drawing thy heart to Christ, and thou presently drawest back with discouraging thoughts, upon consideration of thy Vileness, and that thou art not humbled: now when thou feelest Gods spirit stirring in thee, give up thy soul to the strength of Gods spirit. As when a man goes to ⟨p. 152⟩learn to swim, he is not to lay down himself, and keep a paddling with his hands and feet, but there must be a giving up of himself to the water, Sometimes a man keeps ten times more stir to keep himself from drowning, then another that can swim; one that hath got the art of swimming, while the other sinks to the bottom, the water helps him, and he keeps himself above water. Just thus is the difference, between some that are troubled in their consciences for their sins. and others, between some that are coming to Christ and others. Some that are coming to Christ, and have not the right art of giving up themselves to Christ, they are sinking, and in mighty confusion of spirit, and keep such a do with their own hearts, and strange confused thoughts they have, and horror of spirit, and all because they fear they shall sink down to the bottom of destruction. Now there are others that are afraid of sinking and drowning as well as they, but coming to understand what the way of Christ is, and what it is to come to Christ, though they have nothing in themselves to keep them from sinking, yet they come to learn how to give up their souls to the stream of Gods spirit that carries them on to Jesus Christ in a more solid way, and with a great deal less trouble they come to Jesus Christ, and there they get into the ark and so are safe for ever. Whereas others they scrabble on the outside of the ark, as if a poor man should be scrabbling upon the ship, no body looks after him, he falls down and is drowned at last.