Book IV. THE CHURCH cALLED THE CITY oF GOD. 657 M E T A P H 0 R. P A R A L L E L. 3· Rich Citizens have abundance 3· So rich Citizens of Sion have abundance of .of precious Things, .rare Mer~han· ran: and precious Things in their \f\Tarehoufe~, .dizes to ddi<>ht in, as Gold, S1lver, viz. their Hearts, as Love, Peace, and Joy in .and many o;"her rich Commodities. the Holy Ghoft, Gal. v. 22. 4· Rich Men do not live upon 4· So rich Citizens of' Sion, though they work their Labor, as poor Men do. hard for God : I laboured more abundantly than Some rich Men work, and take as they all, 1 Cor. xv. 10. yet their Work is f11ect much Pains as the poorel~ Man in and pleafant to them, becaufe they work not for the City.; but their Work is plea· Life, or for a Livelihood; they reft not upon do– .{ant, and more delightful to rhem, ing, but live by F airh, Gal. ii. zo. But poor .than the Labor of-one that is very Saints live more upon doing than believing; they .poor. have but little of that, or any other Grace. 5· Rich Men-go finer, or are ge5· So rich Saints are more adorned with Garnerally more richly adorned, than ments of Humility, lf/itb the Ornamem of a n;eek ;the Poor; you may know a rich aild quiet Spirit, which is in tbe Sight of God cf •Citizen by his cofily Ornaments, great Price, 1 Pet. iii. 1, z, 3- They can deny by his rich Robes, and Chains of themfelves, are patient under Sufferings, endure •Gold"about his Neck. all Things contentedly for Chrill's fake; they have much Wifdom, as an Ornament of Graa upo11 their Head, and Chains of Gold about their Neck, Prov. i. 9· 6. Rich Citizens do ufuaily bring 6. So rich Saints, fuch as have much Grace, up their Childm1 more nobly, and who ace great l:ealers, and have got much by .g;ve them more Learning, and bertrading in lf>iriwal Things, bring up their Chi1· ter Education, than the Poru· gene~ dren more vu.tuouOy, and give them betltr Ed.u- .rallv do or can. eat ion; they give them better Counfcl, better Ex- . amples than others; they train them up in the Fear and Admonition of the Lord, raking God for a Pattern herein, who maketh the Word and Hod a Blefling to his Chil,lrtn, Gen. xviii. 19. Epb. vi. 4· Pjat. "CIV, 11, 12. 7· Rich Citizens live high, keep a good Table, in comparifon of what rhe Poor do, or are able. thcmfelves in Fatnefs; their good ii. 4· Prov. xv. 1 5· 8. Rich Citizens can bear Bur– thens, Taxarions,and Lo1ft:s,beuer than the Poor. 9· Rich Men can do for others; poor Men can do bm little for their poor Friends or Neighbours, when the Rich can do much. 10. Rich Men can bell: !hive with Difficulties, and live in Years of Scarcity, when others who have but jufl: from Hand to Mouth, are in fuchTimes in danger offtarving, or being reduced to great Extre– mities. XIX. Some Cities, though rich yet are in a comparative Senfe but fmall, but little Cities. 7· So thofe "ho are fpirirually rich, have many precious Mol'lcls, yea, bldfed Variety of choice Things; they arc often feafied by Chrirl:, and are with him in the 1-!ouie of Wine, and delight Confcience is to them a continual Feafl:, Cant. 8. So thof<: who are fpiritually rich, can bell: bear up under crof, Pravidences, P.erfecurion, and Lo!fes for Chrifl:'s fake. 9· So thofc that are rich in fpirirual Experience, in Faith, and good Works, can do much for weak Chriftians by Prayer, by Advice, and <>ood Coun– fel. Mofes did mighty Things by P~ayer for If– rae!, Exod. xvu. 11. The fervent Prayer of a righteous Man availeth much, ]anzes v. 16. 10. So thofe who are ftrong, and very rich in Faith, and all other Graces, are helped to bear up and pats through Difficulty, in Time of Want and Scarcity, better than weak or poor Chriftians will ; only God hath for their Comfort and En– coura\Sement promifed to fupply their Wants, and will, rf Gncere, alfo relieve them, that they !hall not faint or perilh in the Years of Famine, Pbit. iv. '9· Pfal. lxxxiv. 11. City, and but few Men in it, XIX. The City of God, in comparifon of great Baby/on, is but a fmall City norwithftanding all her Glory, Grandeur,_ and Greatnefs, (as you have heard ) fhe IS bur httle: '!'here was a little Luke xii. 32. This City is the Church of God, &c. 8 E Baby/on
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