1 1 6 Chap. 4. An Expofition upon the Book of J O B. Ve: f. 17. it ?toy. r. and therefore they have that which is promifcd ; God faith, fa, to the righteous it fhall be well with him : when a righteous man is troubled, it is well with him ; therefore he hath that, which God prornifeth him , and when a wickedman profpereth,it is ill with him, therefore he bath that, which God threatneth againit him. Outwardmercy is judgment to wicked men, and their prof - perity is their undoing : therefore,do not think that God varies a tittle from the tenour of his word; when he faith, it (hall be ill with wicked men, and yet yore fee them profper; for it is never worfe with them, then when they profper,then when they think it is bell, and when the world thinks fo too ; the profperity offools fhnll deffroy them ; and what profperity is there in deftrudion ? The meat in their monthes, it a afevord in their bowels. 1fyou law the Lord formally fending fword to devour wicked men, you would think it juftice : the profperity of wicked men is as (harp as a Sword, that can butdeltroy, and fo doth this; It is their judgment, that they are withoutjudgments, andnot to be [mitten is theirfcourge. Now more particularly tò anrwer this objeóion about the ju- tlice ofGod.And it will be but needful., conlidering the times we live in, threaten us with a common deluge, or an overflowing fcourge, which may fweep away both good and bad together. Firtt,in reference to the godly. Are they in in a fadcitate out - wardly ? are they in greatafflitions ? I anfwer, though they are rfliiCfed, yet they profpet. When they are impoverifhed, they are enriched when they are as having nothing, they pafféfs all things. What is there I what can there'be, even in their faddeft eftate,. which doth not conduce to their good, vvhich vvill not be a be- nefit unto them ? For fiat, their troubles are but tryals,novv is there any hurt in a tryal,or perturbation in a probation ? Troubles try their graces, and their corruptions too. Trouble tryesgrace that it may be ho nourd,and corruption that it may be mortified ; there is nohurt in all this: rather it is a molt hippy condition,vvhichmakes grace confpicuqus : whereby a mans belt fide, his iniide ( wherein his glory lies The Kings Daughter isglcrions within) is turned out - vvard. Tha- Scripture (Dan. i i. 33, 34, 35.) is very pregnant to thepoint in hand ; vvhere the Prophet foretelling troublefome . times, faith, They that underfiand amon`ff the peoplefhal intruff many, yet they [hall fall by the [word, and by flame, by cap- tivity
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