ENlleofS. Poi to Tilta. CHAP.I.I 3. the perfons oftheir teachers, refufe their do&rine though neuer Co true and profitable. Would men deale thus in ciuill things ? If fire 11iould take a towne in the night,and the watchmen beeing all fallen a (leep a flranger,nay a mans enemy fhouldgiue himwarnìngthat his houle were on fire, were it fafe for a man to tufh at it, becaufe hisenemy tellethhim fo ? No,neither would any be fo vnwife : and if the truth in an heathen Poets mouth, be fo entertained by the Apoftle himfelfe ; much more e- ucry díuine truth in the mouth of the ncane(l Minifter of the Gofpcl. Let the veffell be neuer foearthen, the treafureis hcauenly ; let the food benourifhable, hung, y Elias (lands notvpon it, whether an Angel or a rauen fettle it. Secondly, note, that this teflimonie beeing true, Titus might haue been difcouraged, and occafioned hereby to haue meditated of his departure from them as an hopeles people ; or to haue repined that the Apoflc fhould place him among fuch a companie ofbeals,rather then men. But yet Titus mull, and doch with couragegot on inhis work among then, andplowe vp to the Lord, eucn this lliffe ground. It is the lot of many gracious Miniflers,to becalled and planted among rude, barbarous, and beaflly people, Inch as there Cretians were, yea among iperous broods, who will reward their faithfull paints and traucll, in begetting them to God, with cxtrcmitie of wrong andviolence,Ier. 26.8. and little com- fort finde they, vnles the Lord give them abreathing time by the means of force Mikan: or other, v. 24. Now what mutt the Miniller doe in this cafe?Surcly,as he came not of his owne head, fo now is he not at his owne hand to remooue himfelfe at his pleafure. And ifise fhould depart vpon this ground ,hc Ihould perhaps meet with leffe comfort in leaning an uncomfortable people,then in (laying amongl them. IfGod bid Io- naT arife, and goe toAinixeh; but he will betake himfelfe ro a minitlerie ofmore credit and !cite labour; the Lord will teach himbefore he get to Tarthifh,thathe is not his owneman, and that no creature (hall (hotter him from trouble, whileP he flieth it as fat} as hecan. IfMoles be called to fpeake to Pharaoh, he mull not cxcufc the matter, Paying, But they will not beleewe me. The Lord is laid to bold the Minifiers in his hand and Chri(l thefesuen garres in his right hand, Reu. a . Fittl, in regard cf his difpofitionof them here and there at his pleafure. Secondly,ofhis pro- teiionof them in their labours.And tome he fendeth,and all the hearte- ning they haue of him before hand is, Bast they will not receitee thee, as Moles and force ofthe Prophets: and that is not all, but they mull pre- pare browes ofbraffe, their fhoulders tobeare reproaches and wrongs, their backs for ßripes, their feet for fetters and tiockes, yca,rheir neckes for the veryblocke it felle. In like mannerChrift fending out his difci- R a pies, 259 Min:Rcrs mull notbe daRou raged fó their dury,thongh they be to deal wich a brahaft, and wretched people. Rzod.4.t.
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