The divine life in three treatises

Many a faithful Minister of Christ hath studied, and preached, and prayed, and wept for their peoples souls, and after all have been taken for their enemies, and used as such; yea even because they have done so much for them. Like the Patient, that being cured of a mortal sickness, sued his Physician at Law for making him sick with the Physic (But it is indeed our uncured patients only that are offended with us.) Paul was accounted an enemy to the Galatians, because he told them the truth. Ungrateful truth maketh the faithfullest Preachers most ungrateful. Is must seem no wonder to a Preacher of the Gospel, when he hath entreated, prayed and wept night and day for miserable souls, and laid his hands as it▪ were under their feet in hopes of their conversion and salvation, to find them after all, his bitter enemies, and seeking his destruction, that could have laid down his life for their salvation. Jeremiah seemed too impatient under this affliction, when he said [Give heed to me O Lord, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me: Shall evil be recompensed for good? Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them: Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword, &c. Jer. 18. 19, 20.

Many a faithful Minister of Christ hath studied, and preacht, and prayed, and wept for their peoples souls, and after all have been taken for their enemies, and used as such; yea even because they have done so much for them. Like the Patient, that being cured of a mortal sickness, sued his Physician at Law for making him sick with the Physick (But it is indeed our uncured patients only that are offended with us.) Paul was accounted an enemy to the Galathians, because he told them the truth. Ungrateful truth maketh the faithfullest Preachers most ungrateful. Is must seem no wonder to a Preacher of the Gospel, when he hath entreated, prayed and wept night and day for miserable souls, and laid his hands as it▪ were under their seet in hopes of their conversion and salvation, to find them after all, his bitter enemies, and seeking his destruction, that could have laid down his life for their salvation. Jeremy seemed too impatient under this affliction, when he said [Give heed to me O Lord, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me: Shall evil be recompenced for good? Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them: Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword, &c.