The Wolf and the Picture of a Sheep

“A wolf doth not worry a painted sheep, nor does the world annoy a mere professor. But when any are holy indeed, and of a strict innocency, they are hated, and cojitradicted, and spoken agai-nstP No one fights with a statue, but living soldiers are often in the wars: living Christians are sure to be assailed in one way or another. Let us therefore for once gather figs of thistles, and find comfortable fruit upon the thorns and briars of persecution. The world is no fool; it would not be so fierce against us if it did not see something about us contrary to itself; its enmity therefore is part evidence that we are the children of God. When we see wolves worrying the picture of a sheep we shall expect to see the ungodly scoffing at those who are like them.” If ye were of the world, the world would love his own.’’