41. Affairs at home being now settled to his
mind, in a way that faithless men who did not know him would have
thought impossible, his designs became greater and took a loftier
range. For, while all others had their eyes on the ground before
them, and directed attention to their own immediate concerns, and, if
these were safe, troubled themselves no further, being incapable of any
great and chivalrous design or undertaking; he, moderate as he was in
all other respects, could not be moderate in this, but with head erect,
casting his mental eye about him, took in the whole world over which
the word of salvation has made its way. And when he saw the great
heritage of God, purchased by His own words and laws and sufferings,
the holy nation, the royal priesthood, 1 Pet. ii. 9. in
such evil plight that it was torn asunder into ten thousand opinions
and errors: and the vine brought out of Egypt and
transplanted, Ps. lxxx. 9. the Egypt of
impious and dark ignorance, which had grown to such beauty and
boundless size that the whole earth was covered with the shadow of it,
while it overtopped mountains and cedars, now being ravaged by that
wicked wild boar, the devil, he could not content himself with quietly
lamenting the misfortune, and merely lifting up his hands to God, and
seeking from Him the dispersion of the pressing misfortunes, while he
himself was asleep, but felt bound to come to her aid at some expense
to himself.