Four useful discourses viz. ... /Four usefull discourses viz. ... /

First, If not: This sad Supposition. From hence the Point of Doctrine, or Note of Observation, is this:

That the Gospel doth sometimes go to places,¹ the Ministry of the Gospel is sometimes sent to places where it is rejected by Men: As before, If the Son of Peace, that supposes that where God doth send the Gospel, there are some Sons of Peace. So, If not; here's a Supposition that the Ministry of the Gospel, may be sent to a place, and yet there may be some that will reject this blessed Ministry. You know what is said of Christ himself, And well then may it be said of them he sends to Preach: When Christ Himself came to his own John 1. his own received him not: His own, Those that he had a peculiar right in, the People of the Jews; even such as were the only people that did profess the true God upon the face of the Earth: I beseech you observe it, When Jesus Christ came into the World, there was but a handful of people upon the face of the Earth, that did so much as profess the worship of the true God, but the generality of all the world, except a little Country of Canaan, that was a matter of Fourscore Miles one way, and but a very little another way; except that little Country, there was none upon the face of the Earth but worshipped the Devil; went according to the Imaginations of their own hearts, did not so much as acknowledge God in his worship; only I say, there was a little handful of ⟨p. 215⟩people in Canaan, and they were the children of Abraham, and Christ came to them, they were his own; you would think surely if Christ comes to them, seeing all the World else are Idolaters, they will entertain him. No, when Christ came Himself, the Blessed Son of God taking our nature upon him, who was the Brightness of the Glory of his Father; yet his own did not receive him. And we find it said directly, that Christ in his Ministry, in Luke 2. should be for a Stumbling-block to many, in ver. 34. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his Mother, Behold, this Child is set for the Fall and Rising again of many in Israel, and for a Sign which shall be spoken against. You have little cause therefore to be Discouraged, because you are spoken against. And we find that Christ Himself Preaching what poor Entertainment He had, no Marvel then, if this Supposition be concerning His Disciples: If not. It may possibly be, that some will not receive your Ministry? Do but observe what Entertainment Christ Himself had sometimes, when He went to Preach Himself, in