The Saints' Everlasting Rest

2. Consider also, as the wonderful raising of the Kingdom of Christ in the world, so the wonderful preservation and continuance of it. He sends out his Disciples as Lambs among Wolves, and yet promiseth them deliverance and success. His followers are every where hated through the world: their enemies are numerous as the sands of the sea: The greatest Princes and Potentates, are commonly their greatest enemies, who, one would think might command their extirpation, and procure their ruin with a word of their mouths: The learned men, and great wits of the world, are commonly their most keen and confident adversaries; who, one would think, by their wit should easily over-reach them, and by their Learning befool them, and by their policy contrive some course for their overthrow. Nay, (which is more wonderful then all) the very common professors of the Faith of Christ are as great haters of the sincere and zealous Professors, almost (if not altogether) as are the very Turks and Pagans: And those that do acknowledge Christ for their Saviour, do yet so abhor the strictness and spirituality of his Laws and ways, that his sincere subjects are in more danger of them, then of the most open enemies: whereas in other Religions, the forwardest in their Religion are best esteemed of. Besides, the temptations of Satan, the unwillingness of the Flesh, because of the worldly comforts which we must renounce, and the tedious strict conversation which we must undertake, these are greater opposers of the Kingdom of Christ then all the rest; yet in despite of all these, is this Kingdom maintained, the subjects increased, and these spiritual Laws entertained and obeyed; and the Church remains both firm and steadfast, as the rocks in the Sea, while the waves that beat upon it do break themselves in pieces.

2. Consider also, as the wonderful raising of the Kingdom of Christ in the world, so the wonderful preservation and continuance of it. He sends out his Disciples as Lambs among Wolves, and yet promiseth them deliverance and success. His followers are every where hated through the world: their enemies are numerous as the sands of the sea: The greatest Princes and Potentates, are commonly their greatest enemies, who, one would think might command their extirpation, and procure their ruine with a word of their mouths: The learned men, and great wits of the world, are commonly their most keen and confident adversaries; who, one would think, by their wit should easily over-reach them, and by their Learning befool them, and by their policy contrive some course for their overthrow. Nay, (which is more wonderful then all) the very common professors of the Faith of Christ are as great haters of the sincere and zealous Professors, almost (if not altogether) as are the very Turks and Pagans: And those that do acknowledg Christ for their Saviour, do yet so abhor the strictness and spirituality of his Laws and ways, that his sincere subjects are in more danger of them, then of the most open enemies: whereas in other Religions, the forwardest in their Religion are best esteemed of. Besides, the temptations of Satan, the unwillingness of the Flesh, because of the worldly comforts which we must renounce, and the tedious strict conversation which we must undertake, these are greater opposers of the Kingdom of Christ then all the rest; yet in despite of all these, is this Kingdom maintained, the subjects increased, and these spiritual Laws entertained and obeyed; and the Church remains both firm and stedfast, as the rocks in the Sea, while the waves that beat upon it do break themselves in pieces.