tJS s A I N T s COMPARED> TO pI L G R I M s. Book IV. M E T A l' I-I 0 R. PARALLEL. Care was, to know the State of the Saints to whom he wrote, and with whom he converfed. ' him. But for mv Part, I can– ' not think that Man to be happy, ' which hath no Friend to partici– ' pate in his Pleafures. A Man may more eafily bear the harde£1: Calamity with his ' Friend, than the grcateft Felicity alone, & c.' X. A Pilgrim fometimes meets X. So a fpiritual Pilgrim meets with divers with Enemies, ft~ch as !l:rive to Enemies in his Journey towards Heaven, who perfuade him to go back, telling !hive to difcourage him, and turn him back, like him, the Danger would be great, as the evil Spies ferved the Children of Ifrael,. and the Difficulty fuch, that the Numb. vi. '4· Time would fail me to tell yoll all Advantage he expeCts at the End their Names, neverthelefs I fhall difcover fome of of his Journey to receive, would thefe Enemies to you, that fo you who are bound not make a Recompence for his for the holy Land, may avoid the pernicious Pains and Labor. Counfel they frequently give, and be ftrengthened again!l the Difcouragemcnts they lay in the Way of true Piety. '· The firft is Fear. This is a very dangerous Enemy; he faith, there is a Lion in the Way, a Lion in the Streets, and many other evil Beafts, who will devour him, and tear him in pieces, if he proceed on in his intended Journey. ~here we Jaw the SonJ of Anak, the Sons of the Giants, &c. 2. The fccond is Unbelief: Ijball now one Day perijh by the Hands of Saul, 1 Sam. xxvii. 1, This Adverfary fuggefieth to the Soul, That it is doubtful whether there is any fuch glorious Land, or heavenly Country that he talks of, or no: Or if there be, yet, faith he, it is not poffible for you to find it; and that certainly you will fall fhort of it, and faint, before you come to the End of your Journey; your Sins, faith he, are fo great, that God will not forgive them. 3· The third is Sloth, a lazy Companion, that would have him fleep and Oumber away his precious Time, and not trouble his Head with Religion, but pleafe his fen– fual Appetite, telling him, that Heaven may be had with good Willies, and formal Prayer, by crying, L ord, have Mercy upon us, and, Chrift, have Jv[crcy ttpon us, &c. And if he have but Time, a little before he breathe out his la!t, on a Death-bed, but to cry unto God after this Manner, it will be fufficient. Though God's Word faith, 'I' he Soul that jinnetb, it foal/ die, Ezek. xviii. And, Except a Man be born again, he cmmot fee the Kingdom of God, John iii. 3· And, With•ut H~linefs no Man jhall fee the Lord, Heb. xii. It is only a holy Life, that is attended with a happy Death. 4· The fourth is one ·worldly-wife, a Perfon much in reque!t in thele Days, whofe Counfel many are ready to follow. What! faith he, art thou fuch a Fool, to expofe thyfelf to fuch great Sorrow and Suffering for Heaven, when thou maye!t have ic without half the Ado. Pity thy Wife and Children, fave thyfelf out of a Prifon, and hazard not thy Ell ate: For my Part, I came into the World raw, and I will not go out roa!l:ed; I will be of that Religion that is in Fafhion, and fet up by the fupreme Law of the Nation. Are you wifer than every Body? You meddle with Things too high for you, &c. Chri!t faith, Whofoever comes after me, and doth not deny him– felf, and take up his Crofs, cannot be my Difciple, Matt. xvi. 24, 25, and that his Saints in the World fhall have Tribulation. But this Man would fain make the Crofs of Chri!t to ceafe. Come Popery, and what will, by this .1\.rgument he mu!t and will conform to it; he will be of that Religion that i• uppermon. And thus he renders the A ponies and Primitive Chri!l:ians, and all the holy Mmyrs, Fools and Fanaticks; nay, worfe, Rebels, becaufe they did not conform to the Religion of their Superiors. 5 . The fifth 1:: nemy is one Nforalift, a very honeft Man, bur that Ignorance and Blindncfs of Mind has got fuch Rule in him. He faith, it is futlicient, and no more is required of us, but to do as we wo~ld be done Llnto, and pay every Man his own : And that if a Man can but get out ot the <~eep Ditch of Senfuallty, and flefhly De– bauchery, and lead a fpotlefs Life towards Man, he need not doubt of Heaven, nor trouble himfelf about Faith in Chrift, and Regeneration. Though our Savior ex– prcffiy fair h, Except your Righteoufnefs exceed the Righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Phari– fm, ye Jba/1 in IJO wije enter into tht Kzngdom of God, Matt. v. zo... And Paul faith, That he accounted his own R1ghteoufnefs, and all other external Pnv1leges and Attam– ments, that he ooce thought Gain to him, but Dzmg,for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Jefus
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