It is a Pleasant Criticism of Cocceius, that the Church is Compared unto a Garden of Nuts; partly because Good Men must, like Nuts, be well knocked and broken, before others can get that Good which is to be gotten out of them. If the Reader get any Good, by an ESSAY now put into his Hands, let him Adore the Faithfulness of the Glorious LORD, who Ordered a Servant of his, to be knocked with some Calumnies and Reproaches; which awakened him, (instead of Answering and Confuting them, as 'tis Easy for him to do.) to set himself upon Strengthening his Brethren with a Discourse on a CASE, wherein very many are concerned. It must be confessed that he had also in this ESSAY, a very particular Eye to Another Servant of God, whose Watchfulness and Faithfulness and Industry, had not Excused him from unkind usage (which every wise Man looks for) in an Evil World. Plutarch wrote a Treatise, De Capienda ab hostibus utilitate; how to Profit by ones Enemies. But Plutarch was a Stranger to such Maxims as this ESSAY is Composed of. And both the Author and his Friend, has great cause to take Satisfaction in the Divine Providence, that has brought them forth, for the Service of the People to whom we owe our All.
It is a Pleasant Criticism of Cocceius, that the Church is Compared unto a Garden of Nutts; partly because Good Men must, like Nutts, be well knock'd and broken, before others can get that Good which is to be gotten out of them. If the Reader get any Good, by an ESSAY now put into his Hands, let him Adore the Faithfulness of the Glorious LORD, who Order'd a Servant of his, to be knock'd with some Calumnies and Reproaches; which awakened him, (instead of Answering and Confuting them, as 'tis Easy for him to do.) to set himself upon Strengthening his Brethren with a Discourse on a CASE, wherein very many are concerned. It must be confess'd that he had also in this ESSAY, a very particular Eye to Another Servant of God, whose Watchfulness and Faithfulness and Industry, had not Excused him from unkind usage (which every wise Man looks for) in an Evil World. Plutarch wrote a Treatise, De Capienda ab hostibus utilitate; how to Profit by ones Enemies. But Plutarch was a Stranger to such Maxims as this ESSAY is Composed of. And both the Author and his Friend, has great cause to take Satisfaction in the Divine Providence, that has brought them forth, for the Service of the People to whom we owe our All.
