Book IV. S A I N T S HEIRS. this \Vorld? Luther called all the 'l'urkijh Empire, but a Cruft God -eafts tO aDog. . Jll. An Heir among Men " •often deprived, by Force or Craft .of his Title, and turned out of all. ·COMPARED TO E A G L E s. 711 D I SPAR IT Y. what is there more? What can a Man a!k, or de– lire eo have? Would he have mo<e ·than all? Ill. But the Saints cannot by Force or F raud ·be deprived ·of their Title to eternal Life. That it may be fure and firm to them, It IS made over ,to them by the Oath of God. See Light. 'SAINTs ·COMPARED TO EAGLES. JJut they that wait upon the Lord )hall re;;ew their Strength, they jhall mount up with W ings as Eagles, !fa. xl. 3 I. . . . Whojati.<fieth thy Mouth with good 'Ihmgs, fo that thy Youth ts renewed .ftke the Eaglts, Pfal. ciii. 5· N ote. In fome Things ~he Saint~ ar.e likened to Eqg/es. S 1MILE. 1. AN Eagle is the chiefamongft the Fowls of the Air, as a Lion is the King or .chief among all the BeaUs af the Earth. PAR ALL EL. I. so the Saints are the chief of Men, the .Excellent, as Davidcalls them: 'Thou art my Lord, my Goodnefs extendetb 11ot to thee, but to .the Saints that are in Pbe Earth, and to the Excellent, in whom .is all n~y Delight, Pjal. xvi. 2, 3· The Righteous are faid to be more excel/m! than their Neighbor, Prov. xii.26. 'fhe World is not worthy .of them. Hence Jabez, that holy and gracious Man, is faid to be ~zore honorable than his Brethren. 1 Chron. iv. 9· A godly Man is of a more noble Extra6bon than the M en of the E arth. Saints have an honorabk Pedigree and Oefcent, they are born of God, are, as it were, of the Blood. Royal of Heaven, and nearly related ro the Prince of the K ings of the Earth. They daily converfe, have Communion and F.ellowlhip with the F ather, and the Son, the glorious Sovereign of all the World. They are delicately and moft fplendidly fed every Day. Others live and feed upon the empty Things of this World, nay, on the Duft of the Earth, on All:>es, Hulks, and Gravel, as the H oly Ghoft declares, 'They feed upon the Wind, .and fn4f in the Eajl Wind, Hof. xii. 1. Whill\ Believers feed on hidden Manna: He rats that which is good, and ·his Soul delights itfclf in Fatnefs. He is often had into the King's Wine Cellar, he is richly cloathed, hath more noble and honorable Titles than any Men on Earth. He hath a moll: glorious Retinue, viz. the heavenly Angels to attend him every Day. Never was King, if ungodly, fo attended, as the poorell: Saint in the World is. Saints are the chiet of all the Children of Men, as t.agb are chief of all the Fowls 0f the Air. 11. Eagles are quick-fighted, II. The Saints are very clear and quick-ftghted, they beho·!J a-far off. They have rhey •can lee a-far off, even from Earth to Heaven• .not only a quick and clear Sight, They through Chrifr can behold the Glor)' of God but a :very ftrong Sight, able to with ope11 J:<(ue, 2 Cor. iii. 18. They .can fee, and lnok fully upon the Sun ll:1ining in do pry into the kcret and hidden Mifteries of the his Strength. Hence the Proverb Golpel, and Covenant of Grace: 'l'he Secrets of the is, /\ Man that harh a cleat· and Lord are with them tbat fe,,r him, and he will)hew ftrong Sight, is Eagle-eyed. them his Co·venant, Pfal. xxv. 14 They fee the Ill. Eagles are very fwift Crea– ·tures·; they have long Wings, by which Means they fly with great Swiftnefs. Therefore Solomon call– ·ing upon us not to ltt our Hearts upon Riches, f:,ith, 'J'hey make themfelves Wings, and j/.y a.way as an Eagle, Prov. xxvii. 5· The Scriptures often exprefs the more . 3 Evil that is in the \eaft Sin, and can dilcern what the End of the Wicked will be. Ill. The Saints are very fwift and fpeedy in their Motions, when under the powerful Ope– ration of the ~pirit, or upon the Wings of Faitl1 and Love: I made hajle, &c. Pfal. cxix. 59, 6o. faith David. TJ>ey are laid to run, nay, fly like Eagles, or as Doves t0 the vVindows; they are many Times carried fwiftly along in the Way of their Duties, as upon Eagies Wings. The Mi– nifters of the Gofpel are let forth by an Angel flying
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