r, ;6 Verf. r I.: tlrl_Pxpoftion upon the Bookof J O B. Chap. E proclaimed, that all they who would not forfake the worfhip of the true God,fhould be banned the Court, and fhould have-hea- vie penalties and fines laid upon them : prefently upon this (faith, the fiory)ail that were bafe,and carne to ferve him,only for ends went away, forfook the true God, and worthipped Idols. By this means he fbund out who were the true fervants of God , and whom he meant to make his own ; fuch as he fòund faithfuhto God he thought wouldprove faithful to him. What this exploras tory decree ofConftantius effected in his Court, the fame did that which the A,poltate J-ulian.fet forth in good earned againlf the d z>í s óv Chriftians. He no fóoner caufed it to be proclaimed, that whofo- XFeur»eeW ever would not renounce thefaith fhould be dilcarded his fervice o176 övTtis îCPi' and forfeit both life and eftate to his highdif leafure; but refent- pdvoi x, Ai Po- $ P p tc,?ópvoa ly upon the publication of that decree, they who were indeed Qa se,91aïe°ty ( Chriltians, and they who had onlythe title ofChriffians,prefented Éryívovro. themfelves,as it were,on a-common flag; to the view of all men. Socrat. lib, 3 Such as thefe are Willows, not Oaks. And as it was with Naomi cap. 13. and her two daughters in law, Orphab and Ruth : All the while that fhe was Naomi, beautiful, and had enough, they both flayed with her : but when once Naomi became Marab, bitter, and empty, then Orphan took her leaveofher, but Ruth abides with her. Here was the tryal,whether Orpbahor Ruth had the fincerer affèCtion to Naomi? Ruth lovedher mothers perfon, Orphan her eftate and outward prefernients. While Religionand profperity go together, it is hard to fay which a man follows;but whenonce they are forced to a feparation, where the heart was will foon be manifeft.The upright in heart are like,Ruth,whatfoever becometh of the Gofpel,they will be fharers with it in the fame condition,, be it aff í Lion, or be it profperity,be it comfort, or be it forrow; beit fair %gather, or be it foul, be it light, or be it darknefs, they will take t Zeir lot with it. This is a clear truth, that, whatfoever was the caufe ofour doitiLa thing, that being removed weceafe todo it ; ifoutward eom its and accommodations in the world, bethe caufe why we follow Chrii in the profefíion ofhis Gofpel, then as foonas ever they fail,our profeflion will fail too.When zeal is kindled.only with the beams of worldly hopes, when worldly hopes fail, our.zeal is extinct, andour endeavour is cut off with owr expeftation. We are next to confider the Lords grant ofSatans motion, 41nd the Lordfaidunto Satan , Behold all that he bath it in thy power, s
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