2. And as he 'will keep us by his prayer: so secondly, by his ruling Providence; for all power is given unto him, both in heaven, and in earth, Mat. 28.18. and this power he doth employ to preserve his servants from all the delusions of the sons of men. The Prophet Ezekiel complains of some, that thrust away, and shoulder out the people of God, Ezek. 34.21, 22, &c. but, saith the Lord, I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David: vers. 23, & 25. They shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. None of all the delusions of Antichrist, ⟨p. 165⟩none of all the power of Tyrants, not all the flattering world, nor all the persecuting world shall be able to shoulder off the Saints of God from him, 2 Tim. 1.12. I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day: and the Lord Jesus engageth both his own power, and his Fathers power for this end, Joh. 10.28, 29. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall they pluck them out of my hand: my Father, which gave them me, is greater then all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. Thus have you seen how Jesus Christ gives himself unto Abraham, and to his seed, to become one with us, to lead a miserable life, and dye an accursed death, thereby to redeem us from all our enemies unto a state of liberty, by an invaluable price, even by himself. And having thus had the Father drawing us unto Christ, (though the Father said little unto the soul who had been about him all this while, and so leaves the soul in no small distress) as the Fathers work is Power, so the Sons work is Liberty; and he revealeth to us our redemption; and reveals it so, that the soul is set in an earnest longing after Christ, (in whom there is a way to the Father) and a great mourning after him, hungering for him; so that nothing in heaven nor earth can satisfy him: in which case, the Lord doth give such strength and constancy unto the soul, in looking towards Christ, as encourageth him to expect refreshing in the end; though at present he looks at all that he hath attained as a parable in comparison of what he would ⟨p. 166⟩further enjoy in communion with Jesus Christ: but it often befalls the servants of God, as it did the Disciples of Christ; they were put unto new demurs, and doubtings:
2. And as he 'will keep us by his prayer: so secondly, by his ruling Providence; for all power is given unto him, both in heaven, and in earth, Mat. 28.18. and this power he doth employ to preserve his servants from all the delusions of the sons of men. The Prophet Ezekiel complains of some, that thrust away, and shoulder out the people of God, Ezek. 34.21, 22, &c. but, saith the Lord, I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David: vers. 23, & 25. They shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. None of all the delusions of Antichrist, ⟨p. 165⟩none of all the power of Tyrants, not all the flattering world, nor all the persecuting world shall be able to shoulder off the Saints of God from him, 2 Tim. 1.12. I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day: and the Lord Jesus engageth both his own power, and his Fathers power for this end, Joh. 10.28, 29. I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall they pluck them out of my hand: my Father, which gave them me, is greater then all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. Thus have you seen how Jesus Christ gives himself unto Abraham, and to his seed, to become one with us, to lead a miserable life, and dye an accursed death, thereby to redeem us from all our enemies unto a state of liberty, by an invaluable price, even by himself. And having thus had the Father drawing us unto Christ, (though the Father said little unto the soul who had been about him all this while, and so leaves the soul in no small distress) as the Fathers work is Power, so the Sons work is Liberty; and he revealeth to us our redemption; and reveals it so, that the soul is set in an earnest longing after Christ, (in whom there is a way to the Father) and a great mourning after him, hungring for him; so that nothing in heaven nor earth can satisfie him: in which case, the Lord doth give such strength and constancy unto the soul, in looking towards Christ, as encourageth him to expect refreshing in the end; though at present he looks at all that he hath attained as a parable in comparison of what he would ⟨p. 166⟩further enjoy in communion with Jesus Christ: but it often befals the servants of God, as it did the Disciples of Christ; they were put unto new demurrs, and doubtings:
