SacT.III. Falte Skos ofGrace, 185 demnech : The Lord many times fuffereth unjult and deceitful! men to thrive for a while in the world, and foungodly men have much outward profperity. even Idolaters, when Godsown Church hath been much aided : David and 3ere- nsiah expoftulaeed with God about this, no wonder wicked men thought the bet- ter ofthemfelves, whenDavid a godly man was fo difcontented hereaf, that he thought all his integrityand pure worfhip of God was in vain : Yea the Hea- thens they havebu!ied themfelves, Plutarch and Seneca have on purpofe ieba- ted chis providence of God, Why it is many times fo íll with the godly, andout- wardly fo well with thewicked : but till Davidwent intoGods Sant'tuary, un- derilood Gods word, he was not fatisfied, but by that perceived they were in Ilippery places, and he began to think he would not have all their profperity, with the fad confequents of it ; and indeed it is never well with the wicked, though inabundance,andnever ill with the godly,though indeep extremities: fay ye to the righteous,irJha/ /6eWell with himSay ye to thewicketl,it fall be ill with him,fay it,GodsMinillers are boldly and peremptorily to pronóunce this ; that morfel which went down at fitft as fweec honey,will at laft be emptied like gravel out ache belly. Donot therefore cónclude achygreat mercies, it may be the manner and way may afford thee little comfort, itmay be that which thou think- efta demonitration of Gods love to thee,isan argumentofthy wickednefs; when mencome to great eltate,prefentlywe ask,How is it raifed?as the Geographers di- fpute about the fpringof Nilue : Outward mercies in Gods way are fweec and comforcable,but in unwarrantable andunlawful waies,tbey melt like wax before the fire, and befidesthey fling like a Scorpion, and bite like an Adder. Thirdly, 'Thereforemay we not traft in outward profperity, becaufe God .many times giveth a man all thegood things he fhall have in this life only; and afterwards there is nothing but everlaffing woe and mifery. Thus Abraham an- fweredDivesinhell, Rememberthoureceileciffgoodthingsinthy lifetime.NoW this is an heavy doom ifmen did rightly yónfider it. Thou haft much abundance, muchcafe, thou thrivef andgroweft fatin the world, thoueateft and drinkeft, and makell merry. Oh fear left God give thee all thy good things in this life only I What awonderfull changewr<s made. with Dives and Lazarus; the one havingonlygood in this lifemeeteth with only evil, not a drop ofwater to cool his tongue; the other having'uothingbut evil, meeteth with that which is al- togetherhappy. You may read in ?edges about Gideonsfleece, how thatwas firft allwer, andthen the floor dry, afterwards the floor was wholly wet, and the fleece dry. Thus Dives in this life, Soul, take thy cafe, for thou haft much good laidup for thee; in the other life, Soul trembleand plungethy felfin horrour, for thouhaft much torment and wrath treafured up for thee, all is changed. Fourthly, Therefore may we not trait in ehefe, becaufe we many times abufe them to a contrary end for which God gave them ; be gave them to be initru- ' ments ofmuch glory to God, andgood to others. If God give Thee honours, dignities, fucceffe, wealth, thouart tobe glad of'them no further then they may make thee ferviceable toGod ; Thou dolt not look at thy own Bale, thy ownprofit by them, but onlyattend unto the ferviceableneffe thou maieft be ca- pable ofthereby : But ob how rare is this ! Rich men are the greatell men in debt ofall others ; they are much to God, much to thepublick, much to others neceflities; now what comfort cane thou take if God bleffe thee with there things, if thou doll not alfofinde him mak ng thee thereby infirumental to his glory? If thoukeepell all the good mercies.God vouchfafeth`to thee, as the Ants and Pifmires do their grainand corn which they hide intheir littlehill, and as they fay; bite it that it maynot grow. Fifthly, They arenot to be relied on, becaufe though all power to get wealth and profperin the world, argue God is with thee, yet he maybe only with thee providentially and powerfully, not gracioufly ; As when Nebuchadnezzar con-. quered andprevailed; when Alexander became great, Auguflus happy. God B b was 4
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