Secondly, Shall I add, the discontents and divisions in the Nation, as Christ saith, A Nation divided against it self cannot stand; but I leave these things to your considerations; I do believe there is none here but will confess the Ark of God is in danger to be lost. But now where are our old Elis, to sit watching and trembling for fear of the Ark? Where is Phinehas his Wife, that would not be comforted, because the Ark of God was taken? Where are our Moses's? our Elijah's? our Uriah's? Where are they that lay to heart the dangers of the Ark? You complain of Taxes, and decay of Trading; of this civil burden, and that civil burden; but where is the man or the woman that complains of this misery, the loss of the Ark? Most of you are like Gallio, he cared not for these things; if it had been a civill m•ter, then he would have meddled with it; but for ⟨p. 24⟩Religion, he cared not for that: every man is troubled about meum and tuum, about civil concernments; but who lays to heart, who regards, what shall become of Religion? There is a strange kind of indifferency▪ and lukewarmness upon most peoples spirits; so they may have their Trading go on, and their civill Burdens removed, they care not what becomes of the Ark. There is a Text of Scripture, I shall not spend much time in opening it, but I would have you well consider it, Hos. 7. 9. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea grey hairs are here and there upon him, yet […] knoweth not. Shall I say, grey hairs are upon the Gospel? I come not hither to prophecy: I say not, the Gospel is dying, but I say it hath grey hairs: for you have had the Gospel a hundred years and above, and therefore it is in its old age: and I dare challenge any Scholar to show me an example of any Nation that hath enjoyed the Gospel for a hundred years together. Now that grey hairs is at a hundred years, is no wonder: well, grey hairs are here and there, and yet no man layeth it to heart.
Secondly, Shall I adde, the discontents and divisions in the Nation, as Christ saith, A Nation divided against it self cannot stand; but I leave these things to your considerations; I do believe there is none here but will confesse the Ark of God is in danger to be lost. But now where are our old Elys, to sit watching and trembling for fear of the Ark? Where is Phinehas his Wife, that would not be comforted, because the Ark of God was taken? Where are our Moses's? our Elijah's? our Uriah's? Where are they that lay to heart the dangers of the Ark? You complain of Taxes, and decay of Trading; of this civil burden, and that civil burden; but where is the man or the woman that complains of this misery, the losse of the Ark? Most of you are like Gallio, he cared not for these things; if it had been a civill m•ter, then he would have medled with it; but for ⟨p. 24⟩Religion, he cared not for that: every man is troubled about meum and tuum, about civil concernments; but who laies to heart, who regards, what shall become of Religion? There is a strange kind of indifferency▪ and lukewarmnesse upon most peoples spirits; so they may have their Trading go on, and their civill Burdens removed, they care not what becomes of the Ark. There is a Text of Scripture, I shall not spend much time in opening it, but I would have you well consider it, Hos. 7. 9. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet 〈…〉 knoweth not. Shall I say, gray hairs are upon the Gospel? I come not hither to prophecy: I say not, the Gospel is dying, but I say it hath gray hairs: for you have had the Gospel a hundred years and above, and therefore it is in its old age: and I dare challenge any Schollar to shew me an example of any Nation that hath enjoyed the Gospel for a hundred years together. Now that gray hairs is at a hundred years, is no wonder: well, gray hairs are here and there, and yet no man layeth it to heart.
