The saints everlasting rest

2. But what if some prove bad that are well brought up? It is not the generality of them. Will you say that Noah's family was no better than the drowned world, because there was one Ham in it? Nor David's, because there was one Absalom? Nor Christ's, because there was one Judas?

3. But what if it were so? Have men need of the less teaching, or the more? You have more wit in the matters of this world. You will not say, I see many labour hard, and yet are poor, and therefore it is as good never to labour at all: You will not say, many that go to school learn nothing, and therefore they may learn as much though they never go; or many that are great tradesmen break, and therefore ⟨p. 249⟩it is as good never to trade at all; or many plough and sow, and have nothing come up, and therefore it is as good never to plough more. What a fool were he that should reason thus! And is not he a thousand times worse, that shall reason thus for men's souls? Peter reasons the clean contrary way, If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear, 1 Pet. iv. 18. And so doth Christ, Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many shall seek to enter, and not be able. Other men's miscarriages should quicken our diligence, and not make us cast away all. What should you think of that man that should look over into his neighbour's garden, and because he sees here and there a nettle or weed among much better stuff, should say, Why, you may see these men that bestow so much pains in digging and weeding, have weeds in their garden as well as I that do nothing, and therefore who would be at so much pains? Just thus doth the mad world talk. You may see now that those that pray, and read, and follow sermons, have their faults as well as we, and have wicked persons among them as well as we: yea, but that is not the whole garden, as yours is; it is but here and there a weed, and as soon as they spy it, they pluck it up, and cast it away.