Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v6

Char. 21. An Expofition«pon the Bsokof J o B. Verf, 26. utterly unlike forever; There they part, and (hail never meete in any neerneffe or lìkeneffe ofRate any more. In what condition death finds men, Judgment (hall deale with them. There isno worke nor device in the grave for the bettering or altering ofany manscondition, As men fall, fo they (hall rife, and then all men (hall be dealt with by the open rule of Juftice,even according to what the, bave done in the bedy,whether it be goodor whether it be evil/. The Lord hath fometimes made the difference between his people and the wicked very difcer- nable in temporal!s ; he bath difingui(hing mercies for his even in this life.(Mal. 3. i 8. )Then /hall ye return anddifcern between the righteous and the wicked. The Prophet (I conceive) doth not referre only (ifat all) to the ffate of the wicked and righteous in the world to come ; but to force eminent turn orchange which the Lord would make in this world,by vifible judgments upon the wicked, and falvations wrought for the righteous.Thus the Lord made a difference to the eye between his people and the o.£gyptians by the deathoftheir HIborn, and by drowning their huge Army in theSea. As in that, fo inall difpenfatìons wrought with an high andopen hand, 'tic eafie to return, anddifcern between the righteoni andthe wick ed. The difference between the righteousand wicked in their foul- ffate is alwayesgreat, but it is not alwayes plain, thena- tural! eye cannot fee it : the chara&er is too fpirituall for fuch a fight. Yet a time will come, whena carnal! eye fhall fee the difference and eafily difcern that there is a reward for the righteous, and that the wicked were but referved to a day ofwrath. And that though all lye down in theduff alike,yet when menare railed up out of theduff, a vaft unlikeneffe will appeare among them.They will appeare as unlike, as goats and Iheep, chaffe and wheate, as Gold and droffe, as light and darkneffe; Nor (hall any be like another in the face ofhis enjoyments, who is not like him in his heart and Spirit.

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