Book IV. s A "I 'N T s COMPARED TO I. I 0 N s. 751 Fear not, Wonn Jacob, I will help tllee, &c. !fa. xli. 14. I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee. So rhat we may boldly fay, 'The Lord is my Helper, I will not fear what Man can do ttnto me, 1-Jeb. xiii. 5, 6. (6.) The Certainty of getting the ViCtory, or overcoming at la!l:. As it is faid of Gad, it maybe faid of a Chriltian, th~ugh a Troop may overcome him, yet h~ fhall overcome at la!l:. Hence Saints are fard to be more than Conquerors, Rom. VIII. 37· For no Conqueror is certain, whilft he is in the ConOiet, that he fhal i at !aft obtam · the Conqudt. (7.) The Confideration of that exceeding great Reward, which they fhall receive when they have overcome, wonderiully adds Courage and Boldnefs unto them. Be thou faithful ttnto Death, and I willgive thee a Crown of Life, .Rev. ii. 10. MET A PH 0 R. I!. Lions are great Conquerors. Many other l!ea!l:s, though they l::e much bigger th>n they, yet they be not able to ftand betOI·e them. PARALLEL. I!. Saints are great Conquerors; through Chrift, they conquer Sin, Satan, the World, Death, and Hell; they are faid to be more than Conquerors, Rom. viii . 37· Ill. A Lion is a Creature that other Beafts are afraid of. Ill. So the Saints are Men that the Wicked oft– times fear; they dread the EffeCts of their Pray– ers. It is faid, that l'dary Q\1een of Scots was more afraid of the Prarer of John Knox, than of an Army of Twenty Thoufand Men. Herod was airaid of John Baptift. It hath been obferved, that fome wicktd l'erfons have been afraid to fwear, or carry it unfeemly, in 1he .Prefence of a godly Man. IV. A Lion is a very Jlrong IV.. The Saints are fo ftrong in the Lord, and Creature. the Power of his Might, that none, ei1her in Earth or Hell, are a Match for them. V. A Lion treadeth down, and maketh a Prey of his Enemies. V. So the Godly /hall in the latter Days make a Prey of all their J\d vrrfaries, be as terrible as an Army wirh Banners, when God brings them forth againft Baby/on. God will raife up the Som of Zion againfl the Sons of Greece, and make them as the Sword of a migbty Man. 'The J<enmant of J acob fha/l be amongjl tbe Gentiles, in the midfl of many People, as a Lion amongfl the llepfls of the 1-oref/, amongfl .a 1-/ock of Sheep, who if he go through, both t>·eadeth dowu, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver, Cant. vi. ro. Zech. ix. 13. lvlic. v. 8. D S P A R T Y. JN many Things the Righteous are not like to a Lion. A Lion hath many evil, de– vouring, and hurtful ~alities, and it is upon that Account wicked Men and the Devils are compared to Lions. N F E R E N C E ~ I. IN vain are the Saints by Men and Devils a/faulted; he that prevails againft them, muft alfo prevarl agarnft, and overcome the m1ghty God; and who is a Match for him? I!. This reproves, and may tend to fhame the timorous Chrirlian. \'Vhat! afraid to own Chrift, to ftand up for, and ftand by the Truth, when thou haft God to ftand up for thee, and ftand by thee! &c. Ill. Let Saints fhew themfelves bold and courageous in the Caofe and Intere!l: of God, and their Souls. A fearful timorous Spirit becomes not a Chriflian. Have you a good Caufe? Have you a good Call? Have you a good Conlcience? Have you a good Captain? What ·then do you fear? In the Strength of the Lord, be as bold as a Lion; and in order. thereunto, get rhe Truth into your AffeCtions, fee that you have rece1ved the Truth m the Love of 11: And be fore you approve yourfelves to be fin. cere; for it is Sincerity that emboldens .a Chriftian, and makes him valiant. SAINTS
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