The whole-armour of GodThe vvhole-armor of God

§. 194. Of the causes why Christs Ambassadors are hardly used.

§. 194. Of the causes why Christs Ambassadors are hardly vsed.

1 Their message is as contrary to the disposition of the world as can be:¹ This ^qis darkness,^r That is light. Darkness cannot endure light: nothing can be so much against the hair (as we speak) against the heart of a carnal man, as the Gospel: it pierceth to the quick, and so maketh him to fret & fume, rage and rave against it, and the messenger thereof. For the world hath a peace of it own, wherein it is fast lulled asleep: when it is roused up by any messengers of the Gospel, like a Bear or a Lyon it bestirreth it self against him that disturbeth it, and⟨p. 553⟩ forgetteth all modesty and humanity. If it were a Father that brought this light of the Gospel to a carnal son, the son would hate and persecute the father for it: so the father the son, and one friend another: hence it is that Christ Jesus the Author of this Gospel, is said^f to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, &c. which is not said, to note out the proper end of Christs coming, but to show what followeth upon the sending of the light of the Gospel to carnal men, by reason of their wicked and obdurate hearts.

1 THeir message is as contrary to the disposition of the world as can be:¹ This ^q