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

suppose you pray for a Child, or Friend, or Kinsman, you do not see that he is turned to God according to your prayers; but know, your prayer is not lost for all that; the blessing of your Prayer shall return into your bosom, and therefore be encouraged in every good work as Ministers should be encouraged in their Ministry, though they have not success; so you, every one in your measure, should be encouraged in every work that God hath called you unto; go on therefore with peace and with comfort in all the work that heretofore you have been so much discouraged in; for the reward is to your faithfulness, and not to the success of your Works.

The next to this is: Your peace shall Return; that is, as I showed you, it shall return with as much power and efficacy; for they may think thus, Lord, do we go to preach ⟨p. 244⟩to this People, and do they reject it; what hope shall we have that now the Gospel shall do good? it hath received a foil, and now the edge seems to be off, and never like to do good any where. No saith Christ, do not reason so, do not think that your Gospel hath lost the edge of it; it shall return to you again with as much power as ever it did at first. It is not so with the Gospel as with other things. Many things in the World, if once they receive a repulse, their edge is taken off; but the Gospel, though it doth receive a repulse, yet still the edge of it shall continue, and the power of it: this is that which the Apostle saith, 2 Tim. 2. 10. Wherein I suffer trouble as an evil-doer, even unto bonds; but the Word of God is not bound: Mark, though I suffer Bonds, yet the Word of God is not bound: I am slighted and contemned, I but the Word is not bound; the Word is the same that ever it was, though I be hated and cast out, that am the Minister of the Word; yet it remains in as much strength as ever it did: I indeed am cast into a Dungeon, but the Gospel will prevail; all the persecutions of Wicked men, all the scorn that is cast upon the Gospel by them, shall not take away the edge and power and life of the Gospel; but that shall continue as much as ever: all the rage of Hell, and Devils, and Tyrants shall not take away the power of the Gospel. Indeed they may restrain such and such men in the Preaching of it, but after they are dead and rotten, and roaring in Hell, the Gospel shall prevail. We find it so at this day, ever since Christ came, the Gospel hath been opposed by Ungodly men, yet it doth remain in as much life, and vigour, and power as ever it did; and I have no cause to question but it will prevail ere long, more than ever it did in the World; though its true, sometimes we find Ministers