Book IV. S A ·I N T S COMP.'l.RE!> ·To S 0 L D I E R S. 719 METAPHO~ PARALLEL XVI. A Soldier mufi: expeCl: to XVI. So the Saints of God mufi: expeCt to enendure Hardnefs, and therefore dure Hardnefs. A Chriftian's Life is attended prepares himfelffor it. It is a Life with ·many Difficulties and AffliCtions, which they attended with many Hardfhips and mufi: endure as good Soldiers of Jefus Chrifi:. 1:-Je Difficulties; they often lie in the is no good Soldier, that cannot endure H ardnefs. Field and fare hard, when others But here it may not be am ifs to enquire, What is know' the want of norhino-. that Hnrdnefs that the Saints do and mufi: endure? Firjl; They mufi: endu~e all that Hardnefs, that either their Sins, or the Profeilion of the Gofpel, may expofe them unto. . . . . . . 1, Saints are expof:d to Hardl111ps by means of the~r Sms; therr own Imqmtres bring ""rear Sorrow and Trouble upon them. It made David many Times cry our, and w~ter his Couch with Tears. 2. Sin is not fwect ro a Saint in the commiting of it. He is overcome fometimes to do that which he hates, and his own Confcience afterwards forely lathes and wounds him for it. Sin brings not only H a,dl11ips upon the Soul, but many Times fore Dif– trefs upon rhe Body and Family, and a Blafi: upon a Man's outward Eftare. Secondly; A Saint meets with the Hardfhip of Self-denial; he bears the Pain of hav– ing a Right-hand Lufi: cm olf, and a Right-eye Lufi: pulled out; he parrs with the beft, the nearefi:, and choicefi: of his omward Enjoyments. Unlcfs a Man deny bimfelf of Fat/m·, Mother, Brethren, Siflers, Cbi/dren, Houfe, and Land, &c. for 1i'J fake, he is not worthy of me. This Hardnels fome cannot endure; the young Man could not bear it: When be heard this Dotlriiit, he wmt away very Jorrowful, &c. Matt. x: 22. 'l'hirdly; They <ndure the Hardnefs of Mortification, or of crucifying the Flelh, with the AffeCtions ~nd Lulls. CircumciGon was painful to the Body, and let me tell you, the Circumcifion of the Spirit is more hard and difficult to a Saint to undergo; Wbicb is made without Hands; cutting off the Forejkin of the Heart, or putting away 'the .Body ef Sin by the Circumcijion of Chrift. Mortify your Members which are upon the Earth. The killing of Sin, is as the killing or defi:roying the Members of the Body. Fourthly; Saints endure Hardnefs from Men. r. By hard Words. All the cruel Reproaches, Slanders, Revilings, Taunrings, Scof– fings, Backbitings, &c. that rhe Sons of Belial can invent, they aro forced to endure. '!'bey bend their 'l'ongues like their Bow for Lies, and tteir 'l'ongue is as an Arrow Jh•t out, Jer. ix. 8. The Tongues of fame Men are like cruel Weapons:. As with a Sword in my Bones, my Enemies reproach me, &c. Pfal. xlii. ro. The Sword in the Flefh is painful, but the Sword in the Bone is much worfe. Mockings are ranked amongft the great Sulferings ofthe Godly: Others had 'Trials of cruel Mockings, Heb. xi. i6. The Archers this way lhot hard at Jofeph; and what a poifonous Arrow did the Jews let Ay upon. Chrifi:! Behold a Drunkard, a !Fine· bibber, a Friend of Publicans m1d Sinners. He cajleth out Devils by Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils. As for this Fella<u, we know not from wbmce he is. Paul was accufed for being a pejlilent Fellow, a Mover of Sedition, and a Ring-leader of the Sett of the Nazarei/es, &c. Thefe Things are hard to bear. 2. There is the Hardnefs of Mens Hands, as well as of their Tonaues. Wichd Men, faith a learned Divine, have iron Hands, which many Times f0:h heavy upon the Soldiers of Chrifi:. How heavy was the Stroke ofCain upon his righteous Brother! And what heavy Hands did Pharaoh lay upon the lfraelites in Egypt! What Hatdlhips did the Primitive Saints endure, under the heathen Emperors, in the ten Petfecutions·r And what fore Sulferir.gs, and cruel Torments, hath the \-Voman's Seed borne and endured under the Papal Power! What Burnings, Roafiings, and Flayings alive' All along, from the Beginning to this Day, the Saints have endured great Hardnefs from wicked Men. See Heb. xi. 35· to the End. 'Ihey were tortured with Scourges, Bonds, and lmprifonments; they were jloned, they were fawn afunder, tempted, }lain ·with the Sword; tbey wandered about in Sheep:fkins, and Goats:fkins, in Deferts, and Mountains, and in Dens and Caves of the Earth, being dejlitute, a./flitted, tormented. Fifthly; Saints endllre Hardnefs from Satan. He comes out with open Mouth againft them, like a roaring Lion, feeking to deftroy them. Chrifi:'s Soldiers encounter with Devils, they wreale with Principalities and Powers; Satan daily lets tly his fiery Darts againft them, Eph. vi. Sixthly; •
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=