The Lord Christ therefore lets in this fear, that look as the Lord when he came to conquer the Canaanites, Exod. 23.27, 28. He sent his hornets before him, which were certain fears, which made their hearts faint in the day of battle, and by this subdued them; so the Lord Christ when he comes to conquer a poor sinner that hath long resisted him, and would go on to his own perdition, lets in these fears, that the soul shrinks in with the thoughts of its woeful estate, and cries out secretly, Lord what will become of me if I dye in this condition?1 Paul trembles astonished at his misery and wickedness, and now he begins to cry out;2 the Jailer was very cruel against Paul, but when the Lord Jesus comes to rescue him from this condition, you shall see him trembling. The Lord had let in that ⟨p. 67⟩fear, that now he is content to do any thing to be saved from the danger he saw he was now in; when a man sees danger and great danger near and imminent, now man naturally fears it: before Christ come, the soul may see its misery, but it apprehends it far off, and hoping to escape it, and hence doth not fear it;3 but when the Lord Jesus comes, he presents a mans danger, death, wrath, and eternity near unto him, and hence hath no hope to escape it, as now he is, and therefore doth fear; and seeing the misery exceeding great, he hath an exceeding great (though oft times deep) fear of it; as men near death and apprehending it so, begin then to be troubled, and cry out when it is too late. The Lord Jesus deals more mercifully with the elect, and brings death and eternity near them before they draw near to it; whiles it is called to day:4 the poor Jailer began to think of killing himself when fears were upon him, and so many under this stroke of Christ, have the same thoughts, because they see no hope; but this measure is not in all,5 this work is in all, Put them in fear oh Lord that they may know they be but men; before this fear comes, men are above God, and think they can stand it out against him; the Lord therefore lets in this fear to make them know they be but men, and that as ⟨p. 68⟩proud, and stout, & great as they are, yet tha• they are not above God, and that it is in vain to kick against the pricks, and go• on as they have done; for if they do, he will not endure it long.6
The Lord Christ therefore lets in this feare, that look as the Lord when hee came to conquer the Canaanites, Exod. 23.27, 28. He sent his hornets before him, which were certaine feares, which made their hearts faint in the day of battell, and by this subdued them; so the Lord Christ when hee comes to conquer a poore sinner that hath long resisted him, and would goe on to his owne perdition, lets in these feares, that the soule shrinkes in with the thoughts of its woefull estate, and cryes out secretly, Lord what will become of me if I dye in this condition?1 Paul trembles astonished at his misery and wickednesse, and now he begins to cry out;2 the Jay••ur was very cruell against Paul, but when the Lord Jesus comes to rescue him from this condition, you shall see him trembling. The Lord had let in that ⟨p. 67⟩feare, that now he is content to doe any thing to be saved from the danger he saw he was now in; when a man sees danger and great danger neare and imminent, now man naturally feares it: before Christ come, the soule may see its misery, but it apprehends it farre off, and hoping to escape it, and hence doth not feare it;3 but when the Lord Jesus comes, hee presents a mans danger, death, wrath, and eternity neare unto him, and hence hath no hope to escape it, as now he is, and therefore doth feare; and seeing the misery exceeding great, he hath an exceeding great (though oft times deep) feare of it; as men neare death and apprehending it so, begin then to be troubled, and cry out when it is too late. The Lord Jesus deales more mercifully with the elect, and brings death and eternity neare them before they draw neare to it; whiles it is call•d to day:4 the poore Jaylor began to think of killing himselfe when feares were upon him, and so many under this stroke of Christ, have the same thoughts, because they see no hope; but this measure is not in all,5 this work is in all, Put them in feare oh Lord that they may know they be but men; before this feare comes, men are above God, and think they can stand it out against him; the Lord therefore lets in this feare to make them know they bee but men, and that as
- 1Acts 9.6.
- 2Acts 16.
- 3Psal. 10.5.
- 4Acts 16.
- 5Psal. 9.20.
- 6Rom. 8.15.
