Simile. | Parallel.
AN Eagle is the chief amongst the Fowls of the Air, as a Lion is the King or chief among all the Beasts of the Earth. | SO the Saints are the chief of Men, the Excellent, as David calls them: Thou art my Lord, 1my Goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the Earth, and to the Excellent, in whom is all my Delight. The Righteous are said to be more excellent than their Neighbour. 2The World is not worthy of them. Hence Jabez, that holy and gracious Man, is said to be more honourable than his Brethren. A godly Man is of a more noble Extraction than the Men of the Earth. Saints have an honourable Pedigree and Descent, they are born of God, are (as it were) of the Blood-Royal of Heaven, and nearly related to the Prince of the Kings of the Earth. They daily converse, have Communion and Fellowship with the Father, and the Son, the glorious Sovereign of all the World. They are delicately and most splendidly fed every day. Others live and feed upon the empty Things of this World, nay, on the Dust of the Earth, on Ashes, Husks, and Gravel; as the Holy-Ghost declares, They feed upon the Wind, 3and snuff in the East Wind: Whilst Believers feed on hidden Manna: He eats that which is good, and his Soul delights it self in Fatness. He is often had into the King's Wine-Cellar, he is richly clothed, hath more noble and honourable Titles than any Men on Earth. He hath a most glorious Retinue, viz. the heavenly Angels to attend him every day. Never was King (if ungodly) so attended, as the poorest Saint in the World is. Saints are the chief of all the Children of Men, as Eagles are chief of all the Fowls of the Air.
II. Eagles are quick-sighted, they behold afar off. They have not only a quick and clear Sight, but a very strong Sight, able to look fully upon the Sun shining in his Strength. Hence the Proverb is, A Man that hath a clear and strong Sight, is Eagle-eyed. | II. The Saints are very clear and quick-sighted, they can see afar off, even from Earth to Heaven. They through Christ can behold the Glory of God with open Face. 4They can see, and do pry into the secret and hidden Mysteries of the Gospel, and Covenant of Grace:5 The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, and he will show them his Covenant. They see the Evil that is in the least Sin, and can discern what the End of the Wicked will be.
⟨p. 147⟩III.
Simile. | Parallel.
AN Eagle is the chief amongst the Fowls of the Air, as a Lion is the King or chief among all the Beasts of the Earth. | SO the Saints are the chief of Men, the Excellent, as David calls them: Thou art my Lord, 1my Goodness extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the Earth, and to the Excellent, in whom is all my Delight. The Righteous are said to be more excellent than their Neighbour. 2The World is not worthy of them. Hence Jabez, that holy and gracious Man, is said to be more honourable than his Brethren. A godly Man is of a more noble Extraction than the Men of the Earth. Saints have an honourable Pedigree and Descent, they are born of God, are (as it were) of the Blood-Royal of Heaven, and nearly related to the Prince of the Kings of the Earth. They daily converse, have Communion and Fellowship with the Father, and the Son, the glorious Sovereign of all the World. They are delicately and most splendidly fed every day. Others live and feed upon the empty Things of this World, nay, on the Dust of the Earth, on Ashes, Husks, and Gravel; as the Holy-Ghost declares, They feed upon the Wind, 3and snuff in the East Wind: Whilst Believers feed on hidden Manna: He eats that which is good, and his Soul delights it self in Fatness. He is often had into the King's Wine-Cellar, he is richly cloathed, hath more noble and honourable Titles than any Men on Earth. He hath a most glorious Retinue, viz. the heavenly Angels to attend him every day. Never was King (if ungodly) so attended, as the poorest Saint in the World is. Saints are the chief of all the Children of Men, as Eagles are chief of all the Fowls of the Air.
II. Eagles are quick-sighted, they behold afar off. They have not only a quick and clear Sight, but a very strong Sight, able to look fully upon the Sun shining in his Strength. Hence the Proverb is, A Man that hath a clear and strong Sight, is Eagle-ey'd. | II. The Saints are very clear and quick-sighted, they can see afar off, even from Earth to Heaven. They through Christ can behold the Glory of God with open Face. 4They can see, and do pry into the secret and hidden Mysteries of the Gospel, and Covenant of Grace:5 The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant. They see the Evil that is in the least Sin, and can discern what the End of the Wicked will be.
⟨p. 147⟩
- 1Psal. 16.2, 3.
- 2Prov. 12.26. 1 Chron. 4.9.
- 3Hos. 12.1.
- 42 Cor. 3.18.
- 5Psal. 25.14.
