The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

To this Objection, we Answer: That those matters of fact cannot be denied, and yet the Doctrine is true; for, those oppressions and overwhelmings of the truth, were but for a while. The truth of God did abide the fire, even then, and afterwards prevailed more then ever. The Sun for a while, may be in an Eclipse, and hidden by black clouds, but at last it's light doth prevail. We do not say, that in every place, and at every time, truth always is extolled, and error condemned, but in time it will be. It's with the truths of Christ, as it was with Christ himself; he seemed to be overcome by his adversaries, he was dead and buried, yet he had a glorious Resurrection and Ascension. So that as God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption, so neither will he let his holy Truths. But as in Christ, his bones (by Gods providence) were not to be broken, the seat of strength, so neither can the bones of Truth be. The Apostle saith, The Day shall declare it; that is, the time appointed by God.

To this Objection, we Answer: That those matters of fact cannot be denyed, and yet the Doctrine is true; for, those oppressions and overwhelmings of the truth, were but for a while. The truth of God did abide the fire, even then, and afterwards prevailed more then ever. The Sunne for a while, may be in an Eclipse, and hidden by black cloudes, but at last it's light doth prevail. We do not say, that in every place, and at every time, truth alwaies is extolled, and errour condemned, but in time it will be. It's with the truths of Christ, as it was with Christ himself; he seemed to be overcome by his adversaries, he was dead and buried, yet he had a glorious Resurrection and Ascension. So that as God would not suffer his holy one to see corruption, so neither will he let his holy Truths. But as in Christ, his bones (by Gods providence) were not to be broken, the seat of strength, so neither can the bones of Truth be. The Apostle saith, The Day shall declare it; that is, the time appointed by God.

2. This abiding or decaying, must not be judged by carnal reason, but by the eye of Faith It's enough that to the godly and Believers, though but a few, truth is acknowledged, though the greater part of the world vote for an error. Christ himself was not owned for the Messiah, but by a very few that had the eye of Faith; the greater part denied him. To every mans eye, the Sun is less then the whole world, but to art it is far bigger. That therefore is said to abide the fire, which indeed, and to the eye of Faith doth so. Wisdom is justified of her Children,