NOW 8. Tryall. fruit, when although the difficulties of doing duties become greater, and his means leffe, yet he continues to doe them, and this though it may be he doth no more then he did before. For a tree to bring forthmuch fruit in cold weather, or (landing in the fhade, is more then in fummer, or when it Bands in the fun. I know thy work, thy labour, [and thy patience] Rev. 2. 13: When a man thoughhe doe fewer works, yet with much labour, having it may be now a body growne weake ; or holds out in the pro- feffion ofthewayes of God, with more fcoffes, and hazarding more, in a place where Satans throne ù, this makes a little done for Chrift a great deale : So when a man thrives with a little trading, with (mall means ofgrace, and yet exceedeth thofe that have more; to pray, and to continue to doe fo, though the ftreame is again(t us, and gales ceafe ; to pray and to continue to pray, whenwe heare no anfwers but the contrary. It is noted ofDaniel, that he did the Kings 6ufineffe after he had been tick, Dan. 8.27. and fo he prayed (you know) when he ventured his life for it : when we have leffe straw to make the fame number ofbrickwith ; leffe wages, leffe encouragements, and yet doe as much work with chearfulneffe. 8. When a man though he doth leffe for the outward bulk, yet grows more wife and faithful( to lay out all his opportunities and abilities to thebell advantage, this is to bring forth more fruit. Thus Mofes who at firfl began to heare himfelfe all caufes both fmall and great, but in the end he gave over the lefíer cau- fes toothers, and referved the hearingof thegreater to himfelfe, Exec!. i 8. r o. yet dill he continued todoe more, and laid him- felfe out to the greater advantage :: His former courfe would in the end have killed him ; Tbon wilt wearaway like a leafe, faith 3ethro to him : So the Apoltle who flrived to preach theGofpell where Chrif had not been knowne, Rom. 15.2o. When a man fdr- beares leffer things to lay out all for the Churches advantage; leffe ventures himfelfe in a fmaller courfe (unle{fe particularly called to it) not out of fearfulneffe but faithfulneffe, and will lay all the flock on it in a greater:Young Chriflians are as young Fen- cers, they {hikehand over head, downe right blowes whereas if they would confider their brother, or a wicked man whom they would reprove, as skilfull fencers do, and at an advantage hit them
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