s A I N T s CCYMPAJ:ED TO w H E A T. Book IV. ·' his Flail, to feparate the Chaff from the 'A' heat. Thofe Acts of P rovidence, which ' fecm to be for their Hurt and Undoing, when they are thrcfbed "'it were by the < World, are on ly to make them appear what they are. But thus it faretl1 not with the 'Wicked, who Jlourifb not like the Palm Tree, but as the Grafs they pafs away.' Ceryl. IV. This may animate the Righteous, and greatly encourage them againfl Perfecu– tion. Why fhould they fear that which God turns to their great Advantage' 0 let us labor to improve Burdens, Affiietions and heavy Pre!fures, to the End God defigns them, and never more fear the wodt that Men can do unto us. 'l'be I<igbteous jbalt jlourifh like the Palm 'I'ree. V. Let us labor for Union, and flrengthen one another. combine as one Man in the Way of llolint-f< and Chrilrian Affection, <hat fo thereby we mav, like the tender Plants of tire Palm Tree, get Strengtn, and ftand when the Wind blows hardefr, and the Storms of rhe Ung0clly rile upon us. V!. This mav be alio Matter of Trial to us; we hereby may try ourfch·cs, and try our Graces. llow is it with you, Sirs, under SLlfterings? Do you grow and flourilh the more? If you wither and decay in Grace, in a Day of Trial, or when you are ender .Pre!fures and Aflli.:l:ion<, and cannot bear hard Things for Chrifr's Sake, ir clearly fbews you are none of God's Palm Trees. s A I N T s C011PARED TO wH EAT. Let both grow togetber till Harvefl, &c. Matt. xiii. 27, 28. But gather the Wbeat into my Barn, Ver. ;;o. THE Saints of God are in this Parable compared to Wheat, or goon Seed, but the \lvicked to Tares, and the End of the W"rld to theHarvefl:. Why Bdievcrs are compared to Wheat will appear by what follows. MET A PH 0 R. I. WHEAT is a precious Sort of Grain, che befl: of Grain. I!. ' Vheat is a very profitable Sort of Grain, it tends to the en– riching the H ufbandman ; he .ac– . counts ir his Treafure. Ill. Wheat will abide and live in the lharpefl: W inter, wbich•fome other Seed will nor. IV. Wheat is a fmall Seed, and when it is firfl: fown, it lies hid ; in Win(tr ir fcems as if jr wc:re quite dead; but when the Spring comes; it fwtedy revives again, and Jlourifbeth exceedingly. PARALLEL. 'l. THE Saints of God are a choice Ptople, the befr of Men. 'I'he Righteous are more excd– lwt than their N eighbors, Prov. xii. 26. I !. The Saints are ·a People profitable to the Vvorld many Ways. [See Salt.] Nay, and God 2C– coums them his ptcul~ar Treafure, !11all. iii. 17. Ill. So fincere Souls will endure the O>arpefr Trials. They will live in the Vi/inter Time of the Church, when others fall off, wither, die away, and . come to nothing. IV. The Godly are, in comparif.0n of the World, a fmall People, called a lttt!e Flock, Luk' xii. 02. And they lie hid as it were, fcarcely ieeming to be a People, whil!t the \Vi"ter of Per– fecuti on and Trouble, undtr the four f\1on:trchs of the vVorld, prednminate : Bm when the f17i.•tter is pafl, and the Spring T11ne of the Church !hall come; they n,.tll revive and cover the Earth, as Wheat doth the Lam! where it is lown, Cant. ii. 1 , , L ight is [ow11 for the Righteo11s, and Joy for the <.Tpright in Heart, Prvv. iv. 18. The G rowth of Saints in Times of Temptation cloth not alw:tys fc> vifil;>ly ap– pear. They are like Co1n fown, rhar lies under the Clods; bur when 1hey have taken fweer Root, they foon appear ro revive, and fprout forth like Wheat, by means of rhe Dew of Gcace, and fwcer Rays of the Sun of Righteoufnefs. 'I'hey Jball t·evive as the Corn, and grow as the Vine, aud the Scent thereofJba/1 be as the Wme of L ebanon, Hof xiv. 7· V. An Ear of Wheat that is full of Corn always hangs down irs Head, when that which is light and empty ihnds upright. V. So the Saints of God, or all fincere Souls, that have much Grace, are humble Ones, they hang down their Heads as it were, are cloathed •vith Humility, when Hypocrites, or empty Pro· fefi'ors,
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