Chap. 20. An Expofition upon the Book of J O B. Verf, 4 .i. may number the yearns which his profperitie bath lived, and the oldeff man may outlive it. I finde tome Interpreters ex prefng the wordby a local! diffance, rather then a difianceof time. The triumph ofthe wicked is neare , that is, it is not come from farre ; Its pedigree and originali is not from Heaven, the farre Country, but from the earth, to which he is a neighbour, and therefore ( as all earthly things) it is fading, tranfitorc',,, and quickly paffeth away. Hence obferve Firff, Wicked men may flourifb in great profperitie. Triumph is the height of profperitie, if ever HeathenRome were feeneinher glory, it was when her Cefars having gotten .fome great Vic`fory rode in triumph ; To fuch a ffate may a. -wicked man afcend. Ihave feen the wickedtingreat profperity, (faith David, Pfal. 37.) flourifbing likea green flay tree yea they mayflouri(h like the Ccdars ofLebanon, or like the Oaks of Bafban,Let not their profperity fcandalize the Saitits,or make them to Rumble. Someknow not what interpretation to put -upon it, or how to bear itwherefore lockeff thou upon them that deal treacher000 y? andhold fi thy tongue,when the wicked devou« -reth ¡he man that is more righteous than he, (Hab. t.. 13.) This point I have met with before, therefore I flail not flay upon it. But (which may eafily r0ke offthis fcandall), Obverve, fecondly ; chat a wickedmansprofperity is ofno continuance. It is but like a flame of[now before the Sun, foon defaced: "and melted down. It is but like Tome goodly Characters. drawn upon the fand s which the next puffe of wind blots out. He may havethe pleafure offin, but it is but for a feafon, his pleafures are fcarce fweet at all, his pleaftïres are at belt but a bitter fweete, and that fweetneffe which is in them.doth. 410t hold long ; The triumphing of the wicked isfhort, both be caufe lately begun,and becaufe it (ball loon end;yea ihort,ifwe ronfder the utmoft poflibilityof it continuance. How many .cafualties, decayes, changes, and decliningsare ready to invade :cad feaze upon it every moment. Further, The fhor_tneu1 oftheir triumph maybe con[idered ',tree wayese Fitha,
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