Be firong. to fire upon it, and (hoot his frownes like envenomed arrowes into it. This is hard work, and will trie the Chriftians mettal to purpofe. Yet fuch a mafculine fpirit we finde in that poore woman of CanJan, who takes up the bullets Chrift fbot at her, and with an humble boldneffe offaith fends them back again in her prayer. Fifthly, the believer is to perfevere in his Chriftian courfe to the end of his life, his. work and his life muff go off the fiage together. This addes weight to every other difficulty of the Chriftians calling : We have known many who have gone into the field, and liked the work of a fouldier for a battel or two, but loon have had enough, and come running home again, but few can bear it as a conftant trade. Many are loon engaged in holy duties, eafily perfwaded to take up a Profeffion of Religi- on, and as eafily perfwaded to lay it down ; like the new Moon, which fbines a little in the firft part of the night, but is down before half the night be gone ; -ate lightfome Profeffors in their youth, whofe old age is wrapt up in thick darkneffe of fin and wicked nefre; 0 this perfevering is a hard word I this ta- kingup the croffe daily, this praying alwayes, this watchingnight and day, and never laying afide our clothes and armour, I mean indulging our felves to remitand unbend in our holy wait- ingon God, and walking with God ; this fends many forrow- fui away from Chtiff, yet this is the Saints duty, to make Reli- gion his everyday work, without any vacation from one end of theyeare to the other. Thefe few inftances are enough to thew what need the Chriffian path of refolution. The application follower. This gives us then a reafon why there are fo many Profefrors, fe and fo few Chriflians indeed ; fomany that run, and fo few ob- tain ; fo many go into the field againft Satan, and fo few come out Conquerours ; becaufe all have a defire to be happy, but few have courage and refolution to grapple with the difficulties,that meet them in the way to their happineffe. All yrael came joy- fully out of Egypt under AdofeJ his conduet, yea, and a mixed miltitude with them, but when their bellieswere a little pinched withhunger, and their greedy defires of a prefent Canaandefer- red, yea, in (lead of peace and plenty, war and penury, they (like white-liver'd fouldiers) are ready to flie horn their colours, and
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