5 Difficulties and opposition do rather quicken then abase his endeavours; what adventures will he not make? what pains will he not take? what hazards will he not run for God? And as it is with the fire in the Smiths forge• that grows hotter and more violent when the water is sprinkled upon it, or as fire burns the most vehemently in a cold and frosty day: So that opposition that is made against a zealous man doth but make it the more eager and fervent by a holy Antiperistasis. Thus it was in the days of Christ, the harder it was to get to him, the more violent and restless were they till they came to him. They trod one upon another, being an innumerable multitude of people, Luke 12 1. Some forced their 1passage to Christ (as we say hunger doth to meat) through stone walls, Mark 2. 4. And 2when they could not come nigh unto Christ for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was, and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed, &c. Such was the temper of that Syrophoenician, whose zeal was not quenched but increased by opposition, though even Christ did set himself against her as an adversary; When Christ said, It is not meet to take the children's bread and give it to dogs, 3Mark 7. 27. Here is cold water (one would ⟨p. 37⟩think) enough to quench the zeal of many a professor, but the fire of her zeal made fuel of this cooling expression; She answered, Yet the dogs under the table, eat of the children's crumbs, verse 28. One compares a violent Christian to a burr, the more pains 4you take to get it off, it sticks the faster on: So a zealous Christian, the more you endeavour to pull him from God, he cleaves the closer to him. This was Davids disposition, when he danced before the Lord, when Michal despised him, and reproved him, and fell foul upon him for it; he answers, I will yet be more vile then thus, & will be base in mine own sight, for it was before the Lord, 2 Sam 6. 21, 22. And thus much for the third particular, the discovery of this 5holy violence. I now come to the fourth.
5 Difficulties and opposition do rather quicken then abase his endevours; what adventures will he not make? what paines will he not take? what hazards will he not run for God? And as it is with the fire in the Smiths forge• that growes hotter and more violent when the water is sprinkled upon it, or as fire burnes the most vehemently in a cold and frosty day: So that opposition that is made against a zealous man doth but make it the more eager and fervent by a holy Antiperistasis. Thus it was in the dayes of Christ, the harder it was to get to him, the more violent and restlesse were they till they came to him. They trod one upon another, being an innumerable multitude of people, Luke 12 1. Some forced their 1passage to Christ (as we say hunger doth to meat) through stone walls, Mark 2. 4. And 2when they could not come nigh unto Christ for the preasse, they uncovered the roof where he was, and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed, &c. Such was the temper of that Syrophenician, whose zeal vvas not quenched but increased by opposition, though even Christ did set himselfe against her as an adversary; When Christ said, It is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to dogs, 3Mark 7. 27. Here is cold vvater (one vvould ⟨p. 37⟩think) enough to quench the zeal of many a professour, but the fire of her zeal made fuel of this cooling expression; She answered, Yet the dogs under the table, eat of the childrens crumbs, verse 28. One compares a violent Christian to a burre, the more paines 4you take to get it off, it sticks the faster on: So a zealous Christian, the more you endevour to pull him from God, he cleaves the closer to him. This vvas Davids disposition, vvhen he danced before the Lord, vvhen Michal despised him, and reproved him, and fell foul upon him for it; he ansvvers, I will yet be more vile then thus, & will be base in mine own sight, for it was before the Lord, 2 Sam 6. 21, 22. And thus much for the third particular, the discovery of this 5
- 1Luke 12. 1.
- 2Mark 2. 4.
- 3Mark 7. 27.
- 4Verse 28.
- 52 Sam. 6. 21, 22.
