*Or if God, for holy reasons, should not prosper thy endeavours, it will be a comfort to thee, that thou hast done thy part; and thy conscience will be more easy, than if thou hadst distrusted God, and so never set about it. Perhaps he trieth thee hereby, and though it has not succeeded now, it may at another time. Perhaps thy very endeavours may stir up many to an imitation of thy zeal. But if thou shouldst be disappointed in all thy good purposes, shouldst thou conclude, that thy work of love had been in vain? Examine thyself, whether thy desire of open success in all things, be not the effect of pride lurking within? Be thou satisfied with the inward victory, a true Christian can never be deprived of; which consists in thy continuing unwearied in the patience of hope. 10. “But we can’t do all at once.” Thou unprofitable servant, shouldst thou therefore bury thy talent in a napkin, and do nothing at all? Thou knowest not what thou canst do, or rather, what God can do by thee. If thou wilt but lay aside the fear of man, and set out boldly in his strength, God is able to do for and by thee exceeding abundantly, above all that thou canst ask or think. 11. “However, we ought to go fair and softly to work, and to do what good we can, considerately and by degrees.” Ay, this is something indeed,――If we could but persuade the devil to go fair and softly too! But alas! _he walketh about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour_. What hast thou then to do, but to _resist him stedfast in the faith_, and to press on in the power of the Holy Ghost? The devil laughs at all thy fair and softly: give him but time, and he will not lose a moment. And the blood of those whom thy softliness hath destroyed, will God require at thy hands. 12. “But an edge too sharp is easily turned.” If thou wouldest infer hence, that we should not contend earnestly for the faith; that it is not always good to be zealously affected in a good thing; or that we may sometimes hide our zeal, wink at the faults of our neighbours, or otherwise dissemble with them: this is all false prudence; this is directly contrary to the cross of Christ. It is but just that we shew love and meekness towards all men; especially when we declare to them the overflowing kindness of God. But at the same time we must use all possible earnestness, lest our love be made a cloak for wickedness. And whenever we do not, unbelief and the fear of man are at the bottom of our hearts; however we labour by these specious words to excuse our being neither hot nor cold.