Book IV. s A I N T s coMPARED To -s o L n I ER s. S IMILE. by Blood ; they fuck and take in that, both young and old. PARALLEL. godly Man fpi rirually drinks the Blood of Chrift, (JI1Y Blood, faith. he, is Drink indeed,} as offered to him' both in the Promifes and Ordinances of the Gofpel. .A Saint could not live .a Moment, nor have any Subfifl:ence in Grace, if he had not, as the Eagle, Blood to dnnk. As a god ly Man lS nounfl1ed bv a believing Contemplation upon the Sulferings of Chrift, and the Effufion of his Blood. X. Youna Eao-les are ,borne, X . .So the Sau~ts are borne, fopponed, and carand carried0upm~ the Wings of ried by the Power and Arms·of the Almighty, ihe old Eacrle, and thereby are .who 1s pleafed to compare lumfelf to an f.agle: preferved . f~om the .Dangers of As an Eagle jlirf£th up her Noj!, jluttereth o·ver her Enemies. Young, JPrcadeth abroad her Wings, taketh them, and bearef.b them t!pon her ·Wings ; fo the Lord alone did lead him, •and there was no ftrange God witb him. Ye have feen what I did rmto the Egypt.ians, and ho·w I bore you upon Eagle's Wi11gs, a11d brought you to myfeif, De"t. xxxii. 11, 1 2 • . See Chriji compared to an Eagle. ·D ·I ·S P A R T Y. EAGLES have many·evil Qolalities: They are Birds of Prer, &c. yea, and a very · Vermin Sort of Creature; and upon that A ccount wicked Men are compared to Eagles, which is opened under th'at Head of Mct~phors concerning ungod;y Men and .l'erfecutors, . to which .we refer you. 'S 'A I N T s COMPARED TO s H .E -E P. "1\1Y Sheep hear my Voice, &c. John x• . '7· THE Saints may be compared to Sheep in many' RefpeCl:s: Sheep are harmlefs Creatures, meek, fociable, contemect with hard Commons, very tractable, patient, fruitfu l, and very profitable, are made a Prey to evil Beafts,..&c. upon all which Confiderations, and many others, the Saints are likened to ·Sheep, which is fully opened w;1der the Metaphor Flbck, to which we refer you. s 'A -I N T s ' COMPARED TO S'OL 'DI 'ERS. .'l'hot! therefore endure Ha,dnefs, as a goad Soldier of Jejits Chrifl, 2 'l'im. ii. 3· A Soldier i' taken in Scripture either properly, <p•<~w'"'' or. metaphorically. Properb•, it is underfbod of a Perfon that is employed in military Affairs, one that bears Arms, and is under military Command, Matt. viii. 9· Metaphorically, it is to be underftood of a ChriClian, that is engaged to n<>ht the . good Fight of Faith, under the Command of J efus Chrift, a<>ainft the Enemie~of rl1e Soul. This Title is not ~ppropriated only to Minifters, it is t~Ot a diferiminatin<> Title, · only to diClinguith them horn other Saints, as the Title of.Amba!Jador, Pt!}lor, fYatch– man, &c. but a Title that belongs to every Chrirtian, and Protdfor of Chrtll:. So that 'l'imothy is not called a Soldier, merely becaufe he was .•an Evangelift, but as he was a DJfc1ple, &c. Saints are compared to Soldiers; every true .Chl·i!l:ian is a fpiritual Soldier of .Jef.us Chrifr. M ET A PH 0 R. I. A Soldier is lifted under fame · Captatn or Commander;· he gives up his Name to him, and en .. · ters himfelf into his SerV-ice. .p A 'R A 'L 'L E 'L. I. so every true Chriftian lifteth himfelf under the Command of Jefus Chrift, who is the · Captain of our Salvation: .He gives.up his Name to him, to ierve him in all Uprightnefs, ~s be– cometh a faithful Soldier to do, making a folemn Covenant with Chrift, and his People, to be on ·their fide; and this is vifibly done.in Baptifm. ,g T I!. So
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