s 'A IN T s 'COM PARED ' TO L I 0 N s. Book IV. Anf In their being valiant and courageous for the Truth. And this they fhe1v forth many Ways. 1. By their fpeaking for it when othus fpeak againft it. God's Truth, his Way, and People are commonly derided, and fpoke againl!; and he that is a fincere and valiant Chriftian, will, at all Times, when he fees there is need for it, vindicate it, and fpeak in the Behalf thereof. 2. In their endea-.•oring to clear it from Reptoach and Infamy. The Way or Truth of God is frequently reproached. (t.) It is called Error and Herefy: After that Way you call Hercjj, fo umjhip I tbc Cod of my Fathers, &c. Acts xxiv. 14. (2.) It is called Sediti~n. Hence Paul was accufed for being a Mover cf Sedition, Acts xxiv. 5· (3·) It is commonly called a new Docrrine: We would know what this new Dotlrine ,whereof thoufpcakeft is, Acts xvii. 19. · 3· They fhew their Courage in contending earneflly fer the Trmh; they will dif. 'pure and argue out the Matter in Behalf of Truth, and not give ttp. the J uil:nefs and Goodnefs of their Caule, as long as they are able to ftand by it, or by Force of t\r– .gument to maintain it. Paul upon this Account C1ith, he fought with Bee&qs at Ephe– fus, i.e. Men like Beafts, who r.CI:ed like Beail:s in oppofing the Trmh, 1 Ccr. xv. 32. 4· In their vifible profefling and public owning ot the Truth. They are not afraid nor afhamcd to confefs Chrift and his Ways before Men. Some· for fear of the Jews ·did not publicly own Jeflls Chrift in the Days of his Flefh; but fuch who are fincere ·will cro forth, bearing his Reproach, Heb. xiii. 13· Though Men forbid them, nav threa~en them, &c. yet they will preach Jefus Chrift, and profefs his Name, and maintain his Ordinances, and bleffed Infl:itutions. The Apoftles cned our, We can– not but Jpeak t/;e 'fhings which we have feen and heard, &c. Afts iv. 20. and v. 29. 5· They {hew their Courage in !offering for the Truth, when calied fo to do. (r.) They will fuffer Reproach for the Truth. (2.) They will fulfer Blows for the Truth. (3.) Imprifonment fur the Truth. (4.) Lois of their Goods. (5.) Banifh. ·ment. (6.) Yea, Death itlclf, when called to it, rather than deny Chrift, and the Truth. · 6. They will fl:and by the Trmh, when others tllrn their Backs upon it. Thus -did Paul. 7· They will maintain every Truth, but more efpecially that Truth which is moll: oppofed in the Day in which they live. It may be no Demonftration of Courage, to Hand up for, or maintain a Truth in one Age, which was a great Proof of Valor i~ another, when it was chiefly oppofed. Would it be any Sign of fpiri wal Courage now, to affirm God is God, and Baal is not? Yet that was in Elijah's Davs, 1 Kings xviii. Or would it be any Demonflration of Courage now, to affirm Jefi.ts of Naza– reth to be the true Savior ? Yet it was in the Apoftle's Time, becaufe it was the great 'Truth then oppoled. Chriftian Courage is now fhewed, by owning and maintaining thole Trllths of Chrifl: now oppofed, and which in fl:,wding by, do expofe the Pro– feffors thereof. Now that which cloth animate and embolden the Saints in the Day of Trial, m fl:anding up for Chrif1:, and his Ways, is: ( 1.) The SatisfaCtion they have touching the Truth of that which they profefs. It is God's Truth. ( 2 .) The Confideration of the Excellency of God's Truth: 'The JVord of God is pure, &c. Pfal. cxix. : . . . . . ( 3 .) The Confideratron of the Goodnefs ana Juil:nefs of their Call to luffor m Be– half of Truth; tor that 1s one Thmg wbrch mull: always be confidered. ( 4 .) The Goodn_efs of their Confciences, or the Evidences of their own Sincerity. A Hypocrite may tulfer fome Things, but at !aft hiS Courage wrll fail him. I have heard of a Captain, that principally would make choice of two Sorts of Men for his Soldiers, viz. either fincerc and godly Chriftians, or downright Atheiil:s, becaufe neither of them, he concluded, would be afraid to die : The true Chrifl:ian would not . be afraid of Death, becaufe he knew he fhollld go tO Chrift; and the Atheift would not be afraid of Death, becaufc he thought, or rather hoped, he fhould die as a Beaft, •md there would be an end of him. (s.) The Confideration of his having fo good a Second. A courageous and un– daunted Second oftentimes puts freih Courage into a Perfon that is O!ngled out to fight a Duel. Now a Chriltian has the Almighty and Terrible God to take his part, ESc. Fear
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