Chap. 20. An Expofaticn upon the I3ocF¿of J o B. Verf, 29. 60;° dement delivered to him,(2 Pet. 2. 21.) fo it had been better for a man not co have enjoyed worldly happineffe , then whilehe bath it, to be found out of the way of the holy commandement; feeing as the knowledge of truth, fo the fruition ofgood, ercreafe the ¡none, and fo the miferyof thefe who abuse and walke unworthy of them. And becaufe evil! men alaayes abufe the good which they enjoy, therefore the enjoyment ofgood is worie to them then the fuffering ofevil!. And as-God chaftens and ¡mites his owne children in love, fo he forbeares to Imite the wicked in anger ; Not tobe punifhed is their punifhment. The foareIl ifroake which revolting Ifraet felt, was expreffed in thefe words, Why shouldye befiricken any more (Ifa. r. 5.) When wicked men profper,it is a fore-runner of their perdition. So that if they have not mifery their portion in kind or in the letter at all times, yet they have it in truth and realitie. There is a threefold evil fpringing to a wicked man out ofhis prefent profperitie. Firít, Profperitie hardens his heart ; that's a fpirituall judge ment in temporal! enjoyments. Secondly, Profperitie is but fuelï to his tufts, it draws out and multiplies theads of fin. Now that which makes the heap of fingreater, makes the heap of wrath greater. Our fuffering ofevil! is not onely deferved, but proportioned by our doing ofevil!. Thirdly, Prefent profperitie hath this evil! confequent in it to him that is and continues evill, that, evil!, when it comes is the more grievous to him, by how much he had been the more a-ifranger to, and unacquainted with it. When God a&u- ally powres mifery in kind upon a wicked man who bath had a long time of worldly contentments, this makes him more miferable, becaufe he was in a feemingRate ofhappineffe. It will encreafe his forrow, wlyenGod comes toreckon withhim (as poffibly he will, in this iii, and'eis certainehe will in the life tocome) that he hath had à few yeares of joy. His fibre ¡oyes will lengthen his forrowes, and he will be for ever the more forrowfull, becaufe hebath had thefe tafts and glaunces of joy. For as the adlidions of a godly man are a blefling to him many wayes, and efpeciailly this way, becaufe as the 'ApoRle fpeaks(2 Cor.4.17) Ourlight aliítiois that are hutfor
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