We must therefore learn not to be offended or discouraged by the paucity of sincere professors,1 no more then we are in a civill State by the paucity ⟨p. 117⟩of wise Counsellors and Politicians in comparison of the vulgar people. It is no strange thing at all in any societies of men to see the weaker part more then the wiser. If but few attend the right ways of the Lord, and walk in them, remember it is a work of wisdom, and such wisdom as cometh from above, and hath no seeds or principles in corrupt nature out of which it might be drawn: nay against which all the vigour of carnal reason doth exalt it self; so that the cmore natural wisdom men have, the more in danger they are to despise and undervalue the ways of God, as being better able to reason and to cavil against them, Math. 11.25. Act. 4.11. John 7.48. 1. Cor. 20.28.2.8. 2. Cor. 10.5, 6. Therefore first in the ministry of the word we must continue our labour, though Israel be not gathered, Isaiah 49.4, 5. We must stretch out our hands, though it be to a disobedient and gain saying people, Isaiah 65.2. whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, we must speak unto them, be they never so rebellious, Ezek. 2.7. and the reason is, because the word is never in vain, but it doth ever prosper in the work whereunto. God sends it, Isaiah 55.1•. If men be righteous, they walk; if wicked, they stumbled, and in both there is a sweet savour unto God, 2. Cor. 2.15. Gods work is accomplished, his glory promoted, the power of his Gospel commended in the one and the othere: ⟨p. 118⟩as the virtue of a sweet savour is seen as well by the Antipathy which one creature hath unto it, as by the Refreshment which another receiveth from it: the strength of a rock, as by holding up the house that is built upon it, so by breaking in pieces the ship that doth dash against it: the force of the fire, as well by consuming the dross, as by refining the gold: the power of the water, as well in sinking the ship that leaks, as in supporting the ship that is sound. The pillar of the cloud was as wonderful in the darkness which it cast upon the Egyptians, as in the light which it gave unto the Israelites, Exod. 14.20. The power of the Angel as great in striking terror into the soldiers, as in speaking comfort unto the woman, Math. 28.4, 5.
We must therefore learne not to be offended or discouraged by the paucity of sincere professours,1 no more then wee are in a civill State by the paucity ⟨p. 117⟩of wise Counsellors and Polititians in comparison of the vulgar people. It is no strange thing at all in any societies of men to see the weaker part more then the wiser. If but few attend the right wayes of the Lord, and walke in them, remember it is a worke of wisedome, and such wisedome as cometh from above, and hath no seeds or principles in corrupt nature out of which it might be drawne: nay against which all the vigour of carnall reason doth exalt it selfe; so that the cmore naturall wisedome men have, the more in danger they are to despise and undervalue the wayes of God, as being better able to reason and to cavill against them, Math. 11.25. Act. 4.11. Iohn 7.48. 1. Cor. 20.28.2.8. 2. Cor. 10.5, 6. Therefore first in the ministry of the word wee must continue our labour, though Israel be not gathered, Esay 49.4, 5. We must stretch out our hands, though it be to a disobediint and gain saying people, Esay 65.2. whether they will hear, or whether they will forbeare, we must speak unto them, be they never so rebellious, Ezek. 2.7. and the reason is, because the word is never in vaine, but it doth ever prosper in the worke whereunto. God sends it, Esay 55.1•. If men be righteous, they walk; if wicked, they stumbled, and in both there is a sweet savour unto God, 2. Cor. 2.15. Gods worke is accomplished, his glory promoted, the power of his Gospel commended in the one and the othere: ⟨p. 118⟩as the vertue of a sweet savour is seene as well by the Antipathy which one creature hath unto it, as by the Refreshment which another receiveth from it: the strength of a rock, as by holding up the house that is built upon it, so by breaking in pieces the ship that doth dash against it: the force of the fire, as well by consuming the drosse, as by refining the gold: the power of the water, as well in sinking the ship that leakes, as in supporting the ship that is sound. The pillar of the cloud was as wonderfull in the darknesse which it cast upon the Egyptians, as in the light which it gave unto the Israelites,
- 1Sect. 5.
- cPudet doctes homines ex discipulis Platonis fieri discipulos Christi &c. vid Aug. de civit. Dei l. 10. c. 29. & l. 13. c. 16. & Ep. 10▪
- d[Greek or Hebrew]. Clem. Alex. in prot•ephe.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Clem. Alex. in prot•ephe.
- eVultures unguento sugantur & scarabei rosa Plin, & Aelian. [Greek or Hebrew]. Clem. Paedag l. 2. c. 8 [Greek or Hebrew]. Plutarch. Quòd Stoici doceant absurdiora poetis. [Greek or Hebrew]. Nissen. Hom. 3. in▪ Cantic. [Greek or Hebrew]. Plutarch. in conjugalib. precept.Vultures unguento sugantur & scarabei rosa Plin, & Aelian. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Clem. Paedag l. 2. c. 8 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Plutarch. Quòd Stoici doceant absurdiora poetis. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Nissen. Hom. 3. in▪ Cantic. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Plutarch. in conjugalib. praecept.
