But then, there is another Observation, of a more Extensive Importance, to be made upon the Quick and Large Extent of my Fire: And that is, the wonderful Extent and Progress of many things in the World, which at first seemed some of the smallest Things in the World. If we Reflect upon Things o• a more Civil Aspect: was not the Load stone, and so the Compass, (invented by Flavio Goya, a Neapolitan, about the year 1470.) a Little Thing? But behold, how great a matter that Little Fire has kindled! Navigation is now Improved at an astonishing rate; and the Waters (as the Bible calls, the Sailors upon the Waters) Cover the Sea. But let us carry on the Reflection, unto the ⟨p. 175⟩cause of Religion. It were enough to awaken the Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ, unto a Timely Suppression of Heresies and Impostures, and (as the Scripture directs) not giving place no not for an Hour, unto them, when one sees, how great a matter, a little Fire has Kindled. Ari•• was a little Priest of Alexandria; yet that little Alexandrian Spark soon set the whole Christian World, on a Flame: Or, as Jerome expressed it, In Alexandria una Scintilla fuit, sed quia non statim Oppressa est totum orbem ejus flamma populata est. When Mahomet, that Filthy Whore master, who could not Write, nor indeed Read, first patched together his Non-sensical Alcoran, and this in so illiterate a City, that instead of Paper, they were forced first of all to write it on the Spadebones of Shoulders of Mutton, who would have dreamt, that it would flame out into an Empire, which in Eighty years time took in more Kingdoms and Countries, than ever the Romans could in Eight hundred: and that when it came to decline within four hundred years, there should spring out of i•s Ashes, many other Empires, whereof three are at this day, the most Potent on the face of the Earth? But then, let the Churches of the Lord, on the other hand encourage themselves when they see but, A Day of Small things, in regard of the Evangelical Interests. We read, Dan 2 35. A stone becoming a great Mountain, and Filling the whole Earth. The Christian Religion Preached upon ⟨p. 176⟩the Resurrection of our Lord, prevailed so far, that within a year or two, it was an Object for Persecution, an hundred and fifty Miles from Jerusalem.
But then, there is another Observation, of a more Extensive Importance, to be made upon the Quick and Large Extent of my Fire: And that is, the wonderful Extent and Progress of many things in the World, which at first seemed some of the smallest Things in the World. If we Reflect upon Things o• a more Civil Aspect: was not the Load stone, and so the Compass, (invented by Flavio Goia, a Neapoli•an, about the year 1470.) a Little Thing? But behold, how great a matter that Little Fire has kindled! Navigation is now Improved at an astonishing rate; and the Waters (as the Bible calls, the Sailors upon the Waters) Cover the Sea. But let us carry on the Reflection, unto the ⟨p. 175⟩cause of Religion. It were enough to awaken the Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ, unto a Timely Suppression of Hoeresies and Impostures, and (as the Scripture directs) not giving place no not for an Hour, unto them, when one sees, how great a matter, a little Fire has Kindled. Ari•• was a little Priest of Alexandria; yet that little Alexandrian Spark soon set the whole Christian World, on a Flame: Or, as Jerom expressed it, In Alexandria una Scintilla fuit, sed quia non statim Oppressa est totum orbem ejus flamma populata est. When Mahomet, that Filthy Whore master, who could not Write, nor indeed Read, first patch'd together his Non-sensical Alcoran, and this in so illiterate a City, that instead of Paper, they were forced first of all to write it on the Spadebones of Shoulders of Mutton, who would have dream't, that it would flame out into an Empire, which in Eighty years time took in more Kingdoms and Countrys, than ever the Romans could in Eight hundred: and that when it came to decline within four hundred years, there should spring out of i•s Ashes, many other Empires, whereof three are at this day, the most Potent on the face of the Earth? But then, let the Churches of the Lord, on the other hand encourage themselves when they see but, A Day of Small things, in regard of the Evangelical Interests. We read, Dan 2 35. A stone becoming a great Mountain, and Filling the whole Earth. The Christian Religion Preached upon ⟨p. 176⟩the Resurrection of our Lord, prevailed so far, that within a year or two, it was an Object for Persecution, an hundred and fifty Miles from Jerusalem.
