Fifty sermons preached at the parish-church of St. Mary Magdalene Milk-street, London, and elsewhere whereof twenty on the Lords Prayer / by ... Anthony Farindon ... ; the third and last volume, not till now printed ; to which is adjoyned two sermons preached by a friend of the authors, upon his being silenced.

The First SERMON. (Book 1)

JEREM. XII. 1. Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk (or reason the case with thee) of thy Judgments: Wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

THE most general Question which hath troubled the world, almost ever since it began, is that great Dispute, concerning the just and equal distribution of temporal blessings; how to reconcile the prosperity of the wicked, and the miseries of the righteous, with those common Attributes which we assign unto God: how it can consist with the Divine Wisdom and Justice to pro∣mote the designs of the ungodly, whom he abhors at the very Soul; and to crush and bear down those whom he calls by his own Name, stiles his peculiar people, and whom he esteems as the Apple of his Eye: For this objection hath gone through all degrees and qualities of men, high and low, rich and poor, miserable and happy, good and bad: the glorious flourishing and lofty sinner, whom God smiles upon, as Job speaks, he proves there is no Providence from his own success, because he goes smoothly on in his wickedness, without the least check or interruption; Therefore pride compasses him, therefore he sets his mouth against heaven, and * 1.1 his tongue walks through the earth, scorning both God and Man. And not only they, but the very people of God too, seeing this unequal dispensa∣tion, even they say, How does God know, and is there knowledge in the most * 1.2 high, v. 11. Nay, David himself professes, the thought of this came so cross him, as it had almost beat him down: My feet were almost gone, my * 1.3 steps had well-nigh slipt, v. 2. of the same Psalm, and he very hardly recove∣red himself, but breaks out into this amazement, Behold these are the un∣godly * 1.4 who prosper, they encrease in riches; as if he had said, I lookt to see the righteous upon thrones, and the vertuous gay and flourishing; but con∣trary to all expectation, Behold these are the ungodly who prosper, they increase in riches, which makes him cry out in the next verse, Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain; in vain have I washed my hands in innocency; a most desperate speech! and means thus; Let who will stand upon forms and niceties hereafter; let who will betray his being and livelyhood to a timorous conscience: I will be scrupulous no longer, no longer shall the formality of Laws and Religion tye me to be undone; if wickedness only thrives, I can be wicked too: Thus David, thus Habakkuk, and thus the Prophet Jeremy in this Chapter complains, who seeing the falsness and

treachery both of his friends and enemies, still prevail against him; and seeing the conspiracies of those Priests of Anathoth (where he was born too) never fail; though God had told him in the first Chapter, He had made him a defenced City, an iron Pillar, a brazen Wall, and that he would enable him, by his Divine assistance, to oppose the whole Nation; whilest he, alas, found himself but a Reed shaken with the wind, blown into a pri∣son with every breath of a base Informer: Seeing and considering this cross-dealing, and debating within himself, what this should mean, falls out into this Exclamation; Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee, &c.

Where you have a Proposition or Doctrine laid down, as certain; and then an Objection rais'd against this Doctrine. The Proposition, Righte∣ous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee. The Objection, which seems to oppose it, in these words, Yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments: Wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

I begin with the Proposition it self; Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I * 1.5 plead with thee.

Where you may observe the most singular piety and resolution of the Prophet, though Gods design look't never so strange unto him, and seem'd, as it were a meer contradiction, yet still he held fast to his Principle, That God was just, whatsoever became of him or his Cause; That whensoever he did plead and argue with God concerning his Dispensations, He assured himself thus much before hand, that God would overcome when he was judg'd; and that his Righteousness, like a glorious Sun, would break through all the clouds of opposition cast about it: Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee.

The Prophet did not preposterously conclude God just from the justice of his action; but, arguing backwards, inferred his proceeding to be just, because he himself is righteous: He does not first examine Gods wayes, and then pronounce him just, because he finds him so, but first takes this as granted, that God is true, be the action what it will: and then afterwards inquires into the Reason of it. And whosoever, in reasoning about Gods actions, shall argue otherwise, or use any other method, will run himself upon many rocks and perplexities, and at last find blasphemy in the con∣clusion.

For we read of many actions commended in Scripture, so horrid in themselves, as no Orator can invent a colour to excuse them, but because God enjoyn'd them.

Look upon Abrahams offering of his Son Isaac simply by it self, and that will seem a Sacrifice fitter for Moloch then a merciful God, who requireth not so much as a Lamb from our fould; but the Lord commanded it, and then the Patriarchs obedience stil'd him, for ever after, Gods friend.

Consider the action alone, without other Circumstances, and what a barbarous thing it was for the Israelites to dispossess the Canaanites of their lives and fortunes, who had done them no wrong; when the very Heathen call'd Alexander, but a more glorious Thief, for doing less? But God, when their sins were full, had devoted them to slaughter, and then they were call'd the Lords battels.

Davids most bitter curses and execrations would damn a Christian, if he should vomit them out of spleen; but when the Holy Ghost did dictate them, then they became the raptures of a zealous Prophet.

Think of Rahabs preserving the Spyes by a down-right lye; Sampson's killing of himself, with divers actions of this nature; and then let me see him who can name any one thing, which God cannot make lawful, either by doing it himself, or commanding it in others.

And yet it's a common saying amongst the Civilians and Schoolmen, That some things are in themselves immutable, which God himself cannot alter; plac'd, as it were, out of Gods reach: as that some things are not evil, be∣cause God hath forbidden them, but are bad in their own nature, before God hath laid any command concerning them at all; robbing God, as it were, of part of his Legislative power, which is to stamp every action, good, or bad, as it seems best to his Divine will and pleasure: Whereas, if you examine it rightly what they say, God, by his Almighty power cannot make such and such actions lawful, proceeds not from any Null-obliquity in the actions themselves, but because we have wrapt them up in irreconcilable terms.

As for instance, God cannot make it lawful for me to commit murder: for it is a plain contradiction, that ever it should be lawful to kill a man unlawfully; but then God can make it lawful for me to kill any one living, though I have never so neer a relation to him: So again, God cannot make it lawful for me to steal, because to steal is to take away another mans right or property, whilst it is his right; but God can make it lawful for me to possess my self of any thing which another has, by changing the property, and by giving me a right unto it; so that we may as infallibly conclude the action just, whatsoever it be, as we can assure our selves that God does it, or authorizes it to be done, though it seems to us never so irregular, and even to contradict the Law of Nature.

Well then does the Prophet Jeremy here lay down this as a Maxim, which he cannot deny, that God is just, though at first sight, the prosperity of the wicked seems to overthrow it; being if God does it, it must needs be just, because without any more ado God makes every action just by doing it, though we at present cannot find the reason of it.

Why? what would we have? would we be Gods our selves, and call the Lord to give us an accompt of all his Actions? would we appoint him a day to bring in all his Reasons before us, why he deals thus, and thus, with us? Is this that we desire, with the Prophet here, to dispute the Question with the Almighty, to circumscribe and bound him in, within our limits, to make a circle round about him, which he should not pass, but upon such causes, as our wisdoms shall think fit? But what a ridiculous thing is it in us, to cry up Gods Councels, as unsearchable; and fling him off, because we cannot comprehend him? First to confess his paths past finding out, and then renounce God, because we cannot track him? How childish does it shew in us, to acknowledge a Lord God, whose wayes are not our wayes, nor his thoughts as our thoughts, and yet bring him to our barr; set him before our Courts of Justice; and measure his actions by our line and plummet▪ which are things of another kind, quite of another nature from Gods, which bear no proportion to them at all: For he who pronounces of Gods actions, according to those rules of Justice we have, is guilty of the same vanity, as if he should measure length by breadth, and judge of colours by sound, which are toto genere diversa, and carry not the least Analogie to one another.

Seneca, in one of his heats, says, He would rather believe Drunkenness a vertue, then Cato vicious for being intemperate; A speech vain enough, in regard of him to whom he directed it; but most excellently true, if apply∣ed unto God: For we should rather believe Injustice to be Justice; that to kill, is to make alive; to fail our hopes, is to satisfie our longings; (as we think of Physicians Medicines, that to poyson, is to restore) rather then by conceiving otherwise, lay the least imputation upon Gods Truth, be∣cause we cannot reconcile his proceedings with our Reason. We do in∣deed heap up all the glorious titles upon God imaginable, call him the Al∣mighty

wise God, the Everlasting Councellor: but in our dealings with him, we do by retail, take them all back again to our selves, and when he comes to exact any duty or obedience from us, which is troublesome; then we cavil and murmur, as if He had no power at all, but were indeed a meer Idol. How could it happen else, that We, who will trust a Lawyer with our whole Estate, and, without any scruple, give him up all our Deeds and Writings, to manage, as he thinks fit; yet will not trust our God one moment? but as soon as ever we apprehend, that things do cross our In∣terests, presently we fall upon God, accuse his Judgments for the miscar∣riage, and as much as in us lies, would take the business quite out of his Hand, in seeking, by unlawful means, to preserve our selves? How (I say) can it be else, that we who dare commit our Lives into a Physitians hands, and never question his Method, though he put us to a new pain every hour, as if he studied only how to torment us most; will yet leave nothing to the Wisdom and disposing of God, without Articles, Conditions, at every turn, exacting an account of his Proceedings?

When the Jews admir'd how God could possibly lay aside his ancient people, and turn to the Gentiles, whom he never knew, St. Paul, Rom. 9. answers this Question, with another, saying, Who art thou O man, that re∣plyest against God? As if he had said, suppose I could not assign any Reason for this Action of Gods, would it therefore follow, He were unjust? 'tis God whom thou replyest against; and thou, who do'st reply, art but a man; God whose way is in the Whirlwind, and the Clouds are the dust of his feet, Nahum 1. 3. God unsearchable in his Councils, and Man so igno∣rant, that he knows not whether the ground he treads upon, stands still or moves; God, whose Thoughts do as far exceed our Thoughts, as the Heavens do the Earth; nay more, for the distance between us and the highest Star is known, and calculated; but the distance between us and God passes all Arithmetick; It is infinite.

Why then should we sawcily pry into the hidden Councels of God? If he hath let down a Veil before his Holy of Holies, how should we dare to tear it asunder, and prophanely break into his Mysteries? What? must we know before we will believe? have a Demonstration for all God does, to give us satisfaction? Why, perhaps we shall never answer Zeno's argument against Motion: and shall we therefore sit still all the days of our life, and say, we cannot stir? perhaps it is impossible to solve Pyrrho's objections against Reality, shall we therefore fondly conceit, that every thing we see, is but an appearance only? that it is but your fancy, that I seem now to speak, and nothing but your imagination, that you think you hear me; a•• ••f our whole life were but one continued Dream? And is it not as much madness to mistrust the truth and faithfulness of God, confirmed by so ma∣ny Clouds of Witnesses, evinced by so many Ages of Instances, because we cannot answer this one objection against It; because we cannot see through this one single particular of Providence?

Why then should we think it any indiscretion, with Abraham, to believe against Hope? or to be sure (though we have least reason to expect it) That the only way for a man to become a great Nation, is to kill his only Child; and the means to overcome Canaan, was to go alone, and a stran∣ger into it? Pray, why should we not believe our Saviour, that to save, is to loose; and to preserve, is to destroy? Why should we imagine our selves any wiser then St. Paul, who committed his body to God, until the last day, and perswaded himself that God was able to keep it until that day? 2 Tim. 1. 12. though it past through so many transmutations and changes, into beasts, fowl, and fish; nay, though it became part of ano∣ther Man, which is to rise together with him in the same Body? Yet this

seeming contradiction did not startle the Apostle; He was sure of the thing, though he knew not how it could come to pass; I know whom I have be∣lieved, says the Apostle in the same place. Yet though Almighty God might challenge our Obedience, without giving us account of his mat∣ters; though we ought to conclude the Lord righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, when to our eye of flesh he appears neither holy, nor righteous, but rather the contrary; though our understandings be shal∣low, and Gods Judgments profound; though the Well be deep, and we have nothing to draw; yet God like a most gracious Prince, when he might absolutely command, vouchsafes a reason why we should obey: submitting himself to our slender capacities, he appears at our Barrs, and to settle our wandring thoughts, to leave us quite without excuse; ex∣poses himself to be impleaded by us, to be judg'd by us, to be examined by us. Which leads me to the Objection, which seems to overthrow the Righteousness of God; Wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

The occasion of this Question, I told you, was, because the Prophets adversaries did continually prosper, and had power to do him hurt; not simply because the wicked prosper'd; but that by this their prosperity, they had means and opportunity to mischief him; to smite him with their tongue, by secret whisperings; and smite him with their fists, to hurry him from one prison to another; and at last clap him up in the Dungeon, sealing him up there unto unevitable destructi∣on.

Now the Prophet demands of God, in this Question; why he did not disappoint the plots and contrivances of all those, who had designed his ruine; being God had sent him as an especial Ambassador to his people? So as we may resolve the Question into this; Why does God suffer the wicked to have any Power to oppress the righte∣ous?

A Question, if we consider the time, in which the Prophet lived, not altogether idle or impertinent; for he lived under the Law, a Covenant of Works; unto which God had annexed Blessings and Cursings, in outward appearance, altogether temporal, Deut. 28. But, on the contrary, this Prophet found by sad experience, that he fled from his Enemies, and not they from him; that not they, but he groped at noon days, being cast into a Dungeon, which was only a larger Sepulchre; and that the Iron yoke was put upon his, not their necks: all which was contrary to the express words of the promise, as you may read at large in that Chapter: Which made him think God had forgotten to be gracious; and to ask, wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

Nevertheless, had the Prophet consider'd with himself rightly, he would not have thought this so strange a thing, even under the Law, where God seems to set bounds and terms, even to his Almighty power, and to confine his absolute Dominion and Royalty over the Creature, by making Promi∣ses, Oaths and Contracts with his People: Yet he never pass'd away the Land of Canaan, or any thing in it, so absolutely, but that still he reserv'd the title and propriety of it to himself: All souls are mine, saith the Lord, And the Land shall not be sold for ever, for the Land is mine, and ye are so∣journers and strangers with me, Levit. 25. 23. God granted the use of it to them, yet kept still the Right and full disposal of it to himself: for the Lord calls them (for all this Grant) but sojourners and strangers, who held what they possest, under God, and continued in it no longer then he gave them leave, from whom he might take it away, and bestow it on whom

he pleased: And truly, if we allow God the power but of a temporal Prince, and grant him to be King of Israel only; we must allow him the li∣berty of changing, altering, and dispensing with his own Laws: For we read how Nebuchadnezzar might slay whom he would, and whom he would he might keep alive within his own Realms, set up whom he would, and whom he would he might put down, Dan. 5. 3. And least you might imagine such an unlimited power, over the Subject, unlawful, God is said to give him this power, in the same verse: and can we think, for all his promises, the Lord of the whole Earth may not challenge as much Soveraignty, as a Prince but of a single Shire enjoyes? As then he, in whom the Supream pow∣er of a State resides, when he grants out property of life, liberty, and estate to his Subjects, does not by this Charter debar himself the liberty of ta∣king them away again, if the use of the Publick so require; in like manner God in that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Philo calls the Common-wealth of the Jews, Gods own peculiar Kingdom, where he reigned temporally, as the very Civil Magistrate of that Nation, never ty'd himself up so strictly, by his promises, as that he might not lawfully, for his own glory, and the good of his people, upon some extraordinary cases (as to purge, to correct, to punish, or for tryal of them) recal those good things he promised to the Righteous, and confer them upon the wicked: A most clear instance of this absolute Dominion in God, we see, in that under the Law, he punishes frequently one man for another; nay, a whole Common-wealth for the sin of one man; and, stranger yet, whole Ages of posterity, for the offence only of one single person: Which proves most evidently, God might, even under the Law (where the Holy One seem'd most to be limited) afflict, without any consideration of guilt or demerit, or else the punishment could not have justly past the offenders person. And this consideration, meerly, might have still'd the Prophet from asking this question.

But then that there should be some (perhaps in this very Congregation) who when they suffer (as they think) unworthily; some, who call them∣selves Christians, who demand of God, why he gives them up into the hands of a Tyrant, to suffer what they deserve not? That such ask it, is a wonder to me far greater then the Question it self: Have you so learn'd Christ? Pienty, Peace, and Victory over Enemies, these, indeed, were the blessings under the Law, when God did not think fit (as yet) to discover fully the Joyes of a better life, he tempted Israel with the bliss of this; and instead of Heaven, shewed them Canaan: But when it pleased him, by Christ, to reveal unto us a new Heaven, and a New Earth; a Resurrection and an eternal weight of glory, ready to crown all such as do believe and practise; then he proposes loss of estate, and loss of friends, poverty, scorn, shame, nakedness, imprisonment, and death it self, to his Disciples: for these, I, these are the blessings of the Gospel; and by his example he proved them to be so: For what Crown had he, but of Thorns? what Scepter but of Reeds? or where was he ever lifted up, but upon the Cross? Prosperity? Why, were I to study for an Argument to render a Church suspected for a false One, I would object the outward splendor of it: not that God does not bestow sometimes temporal blessings upon his chosen people, even under the Gospel, to refresh and recover their wearied Spi∣rits after a difficult tryal: But this, I say, is quite besides the promise of the Gospel; a thing extraordinary in respect of it: Prosperity? If this proves the goodness of a Cause, how many Arguments can the Turk alledge to assert his Mahomet? Every battel he wins is a new Objection a∣gainst us, and every Town he takes in Christendome, he gets ground of us in our Religion also: What would become of the glorious Martyrs, if it should be a blemish to suffer? Why did St. Paul call his scars, the marks of

the Lord Jesus? which, were this true, they were the stigmata, and brands of guilt: and when the Apostle gloried in his infirmities and troubles, then he did but cry up his own sins: Nay, upon this account, we cannot possi∣bly quit the eternal Son of God, whose whole life was but one continued Passion; We, we Christians should wonder that wicked men do not alwayes prosper; We should admire how it comes to pass that they do ever miss of their designs; that a Traytor does not ever escape Justice, and the Oppressor does not alwayes hold his prey? Which made some pious Chri∣stians to reverence and esteem Affliction so much, to think it so proper and peculiar to a Christian, as many times they have doubted of their Calling and Election, upon no other ground but this, because they did not find themselves miserable enough: therefore for want of others to do it for them, they persecuted their own selves, and gave away their Estates, when no body else would take them from them: Like noble Souldiers, they grew weary of peace and ease; and like the Fencer in Rome, who was sick when he could venture his life but once a day.

And this is so certain and evident, that, if you examine this Question strictly, it will appear an Objection rais'd, not out of any desire to clear Gods Justice, or that true Holiness might be promoted upon the Earth, or out of any consideration that concerns the glory of God, but meer∣ly out of Calamity, and a By-respect of our own, which I shall shew you plainly, and then the Objection will fall to the ground of it self.

As first, Men ask this Question, Why do the wicked prosper, because we [ 1] do not see the usefulness of Affliction, nor sufficiently apprehend what rare and admirable effects it doth produce: which, amongst the rest, is Patience: 'tis something indeed, when a sinner suffers the punishment he hath deserved meekly and humbly; yet he that dares sin, durst likewise, if he could, resist the punishment due to that sin; and when he doth suffer, who doth the sinner oblige in suffering? Not God; for it troubles him to punish; He swears, as he lives, he would not do it? What praise is it, what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you endure it pa∣tiently, says the Apostle, 1 Pet. 2. 20. No: this only is true Patience, Patience indeed, when we suffer for doing well: And, pray tell me, How can men bear injuries, if there be no wicked men to do them? or how could a man loose his own, were there no violence to wrest it out of his hands? If you suppose a robbery, you must suppose a Thief too; where there is a Re∣bellion, there must be a Rebel, and a Traytour, where there is a Treason, for he that is born of God cannot sin, 1 John 3. 9. He, such an one, cannot be the Instrument of any wrong; for when he does unrighteously, he ceases to be righteous: Abel would never have killed Cain, nor would the Isra∣elites have oppressed Pharaoh: Paul would never have imprisoned the Romans, nor the Martyrs have kill'd their Persecutors; and so we should have lost all these glorious examples of Constancy and Zeal, if God had not given leave to such wicked acts: lost the very priviledge of a Christi∣an, which he injoyes above the Saints in Heaven, which is to suffer: Nay, had there been no Priests and Elders to take away his life, Christ had not dyed; and then, as St. Paul argues, You had been yet in your Sins: When we suffer for sin, we do (as the Latin's, best of all tongues express it) da∣re poenas, give in exchange for some unlawful gain, or pleasure, either our body to the Executioner, or our estates to the Exchequer: this is a due debt, which we stand obliged to see satisfied: But when we suffer for doing well, and yet take it patiently, God will in a manner take this as a courtesie from us, as St. Peter implyes, 1 Pet. 2. 20. You need not won∣der then, why our Saviour bids his Disciples be exceeding glad at their

afflictions; why Peter and John went away rejoycing when they suffered for the Name of Jesus? Why St. Paul was so far from fearing it, that he long'd for his dissolution? Why the Primitive Christians did so much court and admire danger, ruin, and destruction, for thus we glorifie God, and thus he glorifies us again, in accounting us worthy, and admitting us to suffer for his sake, that as the Apostle says, At last we may receive the peaceable fruits of Righteousness.

Besides, if good men were not opprest, we could not have so fair an opportunity to exercise our Charity: I confess we should pity those, whom their own folly hath brought into Calamity, whom Lust and Ryot have cast upon the Bed of Sickness, or whom Pride and Vanity have impo∣verished and thrown into Prison: But whom the Zeal of Gods house hath eaten up, and consumed, whom strictness of Conscience hath brought low and diminished, who is poor only, because he durst not be rich for fear of doing ill, this is such an Object of Charity, as a man would travel the world to find out, were there not too many nearer home. Our formerly religious Ancestors have run to Jerusalem to view the pretended Reliques of our Saviour, whether true or no: and thought it worth a pilgrimage to fetch a piece of the wood he suffered on, though perhaps it were a chip of the next Block: whereas in sheltring the afflicted, we bring Christ himself into our Houses, for he acknowledges whatsoever is done to his poor suf∣fering Members, is done to himself. It was one of the promises Christ made to his Disciples, that they should alwayes have the poor amongst them, Matth. 26. to assure us, we should never want an opportunity to exercise that most powerful vertue of Charity which can lay so many obligations upon God to hear us, to pardon us, and to reward us both with the bles∣sings of this, and a better life; so that if you will but consider how much your own Interest does engage you to help and assist the oppressed, you will scarce find in your hearts to call that Liberality, which benefits the Giver more than the Receiver, but rather confess, by dispersing thus, you shew greater Charity to your selves, then to others. For where can you place your money more securely, then when you make God your Debter? or how can you lay out what you have to greater advantage, then by pur∣chasing Heaven with it? one would think to build Churches to the honour of God, is a most high piece of Devotion: Melius est hoc facere, says St. Jerome, quàm repositis opibus incubare; 'tis better indeed to bestow our wealth thus, then keep it by only to look upon. The Holy Father speaks slightly of this kind of Charity, in respect of that which relieves the poor, and values one single Alms well placed, as a greater Munificence farr, then the erecting of the most stately Cathedral: For as St. Chrysostome argues upon the same subject, to build Christ a magnificent Palace, and at the same time suffer him himself in his poor Members to wander up and down for want of a lodging; to offer to his Church a Golden Chalice, and de∣ny him a Cup of cold water; to cover his Altars with the richest furniture, whilst he himself goes about naked, is just as if you should see a man almost starv'd with cold and hunger, and then instead of feeding, and cloathing him, you should set up a Golden Statue to his honor, and let him pine with hunger: though the other be commendable, yet certainly this expresses our Piety most, when we supply the wants of the Necessitous, and give the poor and needy a good occasion to bless God, and trust to his Providence hereafter; because thus we build up a Living Temple, which in the Apo∣stles phrase is Every true, and sincere Christian. How much more then should you feed your Minister, who so often has fed you? who for your sakes, has, with St. Paul, dyed daily, by venturing himself every hour, and by standing continually with his brest quite open to receive every clap

of Thunder, that came against him: So that though he be not a Martyr, yet he is a Confessor (who is next to a Martyr) because he was ready to dye in this good Cause, though he be yet alive, and God preserve him so: therefore in common Gratitude you ought to assist him now in his distress, seeing his Zeal to keep you stead fast in the true Faith, has brought him in∣to it. Methinks, I say, you should a little consider him now at parting: for the Question is not now, whether Tythes be due Jure Divino, or, whe∣ther the Law of the Gospel, as well as the Law of Moses, require you to give such a measure and proportion to your Minister; but I ask you now whether you will give a man a cup of cold water in the name of a Pro∣phet? Whether you think your selves bound in conscience, not to let him starve at your doors as useless, whom you have praised and admired so much? this will be Charity indeed: then you will give, whereas before you did but pay. But on the other side, to say, there goes a good Preacher, 'tis pity he hath nothing to live on, to give him the wall, or your hat in the street, and then be glad in your hearts, you are past by him, to drink his health at your full Tables, whil'st he is ready to perish for hunger, to bring him to your very door in a complement, and then turn him out, is the same piece of Charity, as the Apostle mentions, as if one should say to the hungry, get a good meal, or to the naked, put on your cloaths, when he hath none left to cover him: and be sure what you give, give to God, ra∣ther then to the man: And be not like the Ravens who fed Elijah, that knew not what glorious thing it was to feed a Prophet.

Secondly, No man asks this Question, Why does the way of the wicked [ 2] prosper? but upon a false presumption of his own Righteousness, because, as he conceives, he does not deserve what persecution is laid upon him: and whosoever he be complains thus, if God should lay his sins in order before him proceeding from his evil thoughts, to his evil actions, from his sins of ignorance, to his sins of malice and despight against God, would ra∣ther think it reasonable to charge Gods Mercy as too remiss, then his Ju∣stice, as too severe. Why does God suffer the wicked to distress the Righ∣teous? The Supposition is notoriously false; there hath not happened such a Case since the world began; If, for any ends of his own, God would af∣flict a righteous man, he could not possibly find one to exercise this pow∣er upon: Perhaps you did never commit Adultery, but did you never cast a lascivious glance? Perhaps you did never stab a man with your dagger, but did you never run one through with your tongue? and though you did not kill your Brother, yet have you not been so much as angry with him, without a cause? Now he that commits the least sin, deserves the Curse, as well as he that commits the greatest, for as St. James excellently gives the reason, for the same God did forbid one, as the other; and he who stands at the door here, is as well out of the Church, as he who is 1000 miles off, though not so far. He that saith he hath no sin lyes, saith the Apostle; at the very heart, he lyes; St. Paul knew nothing by himself, yet for all that he would not quit himself, but refers that wholly to God, He that judges me is the Lord, 1 Cor. 4. 4. who knew his heart better then he himself did: And David cryes out, Cleanse me from my secret sins, O Lord; Sins which fly our sight, that steal from us in crouds, or borrowed shapes, so slighly, as man (who is the most absurd flatterer of himself) cannot discern them: As pride in decency, malice in zeal, hypocrisie in devotion, boasting in charity, covetousness and extortion under the name of providing for our families: wherefore when we meet with those terms of Holy, Just, and Righ∣teous given unto men in Scripture, we must not conceive them so, as if they were absolutely Just, Holy, and Righteous, no more than we can say, there is pure earth, or pure water, without the commixture of any other Ele∣ment:

But when we are said to be innocent, 'tis either meant, in foro hu∣mano, because the Law of man can take no hold of us, though God, the searcher of all hearts, may; as St. Paul saith, He was blameless, but not perfect, Phil. 3. Or as righteous Lot in wicked Sodom was, because he loathed to do such horrid things as they did; though he committed Incest, so soon as ever he came forth; or else because God seeing our Hearts and Intentions towards him, is pleased to cover our slips and failings with his mercy, as David is said to have done all things well, excepting the mat∣ter of Uriah; not that he could, indeed, clear himself from all guilt (for whosoever marks his story, will find many foul actions besides this of Uriah) but because he did not lye dead in any sin but this; for he had a Child before ever he thought he had committed Adultery.

The Prophet Habakkuk puts the Question into more reasonable terms; who inquires not Why the wicked should devour the Righteous? but, Why the wicked should devour the man, who is more righteous then he? A man may be more righteous, yet not righteous neither: Perhaps he did not deserve it from this, or that man, but from God he did: As David deserved not the disloyalty from Saul, Absolom, and his familiar Friend, yet he deser∣ved so much from God, as it was counted an escape when his Child only lost his Life: The Lord also hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not dye, saith Nathan to him.

But with what face can we complain against God? We of this sottish and sinful Nation, whose sins are risen so high, as we may very well con∣clude, we were markt out to fulfill all the wickedness which is to fore∣run the day of Judgment. Do we murmur because our fears have compas∣sed us, when our Sins have beset us round about? A Nation wholly divi∣ded between Debauchery and Hypocrisie; between open profaneness, the Sin of Sodom, and Lying unto God, the Sin of those Priests and Elders which crucified our Saviour: What if our Churches be thrown down, when we have profaned them by our empty formality? by bringing our Bodies thither, but leaving our minds and hearts fast with some lust at home. This, this was the Idolatry they so often twitted us withal, these were the Images and Pictures we set up in Churches, our empty Bodies that stood here without Souls and Hearts, to attends Gods Service: What? would we call God to protect Stones and Morter? when nothing besides zeal, holiness, and fervency of Devotion, these are the Encania, which do san∣ctifie, consecrate, and make a Temple.

The last thing which moves us to ask this Question, Why the wicked pro∣sper? [ 3] is, because we think them in a better condition then they are: Envy not the ungodly, sayes the Psalmist, as if the main ground of our Impatience were our Envy, because we so earnestly dote on these earthly vanities, as we grow mad with such as injoyes them from us, and charge the most righteous God for bestowing them on others, as this very Prophet does in the seventh Chapter, whereas we quite mistake their Condition: The Ob∣jection supposes a false thing: For wicked men did never prosper in the world, unless you will call it Happiness for a man to assure Gods wrath upon himself, and to have a liberty to improve his sins, and increase his damnation: and this he does, if you will believe Scripture to be the word of God; for this, which you call prosperity, engages us most certainly to punishment: The threats of Jonah saved Niniveh, though God had set down the very day, in which he would destroy it: But when we go finely on, in a wicked course of life, when we raise an Estate, by false-dealing, this flatters us to go still further, to put off the evil day far from us, and cause the Seat of violence to draw near us, Amos 6. 3. to pull our Lusts still closer and closer to us, but remove the thought of Gods Judgments farther

and farther off, till at last we will not believe that he does see, that he does understand, and, which is worse, till we imagine God approves and blesses our sins, because we thrive by it: like Ephraim, who concluded, God should find no iniquity in all his labours, because he was rich: when, at that very time, he held the ballance of deceit in his hands, Hos. 12. 8. It is the last of Gods Judgments when he throws away the Rod, when he will smite us no more; when he lays down his pruning knife, and will dress his Vineyard no more; when he will not pour us out, and wrack us any long∣er, bus lets us settle upon the Lees, to putrifie and corrupt; when God gives us over to our vile affections, and delivers us over to Satan already; when he hath bound up our sins in a bundle, as the Prophet saith, Hos. 13. 12. and laid them by himself, till the day of his Feast, his Sacrifice, his Banquet; for these are the terms by the which the Scripture expresses Gods laughter, mirth, and jollity, when he means to glut himself with the bloud of his Adversaries.

Again, we do not only assure our Damnation, but encrease it, by our seeming Prosperity, by having power to commit more and more sins, to treasure up wrath, to proceed from evil to evil, to add iniquity to ini∣quity, and so raise mischief to the height, till God cannot in Honour and Justice spare us, nor Mercy it self save us. How long, O Lord! O Lord holy and true, dost thou not judge and revenge our bloud upon them that dwell on the earth, 'tis the loud cry of the martyred Saints, Rev 6. 11. who receive this answer in the next verse, That they should rest yet for a little season, un∣til their fellow servants also, and their brethren, that should be killed, as they were, should be fulfilled: as long as there remained one Saint to destroy, they should live and govern. That (as our Saviour tells the Pharisees) upon them might come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, even since the beginning of the world: Did men consider this, would they believe wicked men happy, because they laugh and sing? because they have as many Cly∣ents pressing upon them here, as they shall have worms crowding to them in the Graue? Alas! we should rather pity and pray for them, as much, as if we saw them, like the Lunaticks in the Gospel, cutting and tearing their own flesh: For the Lord is not slack, he is but fitting up, and preparing all this while, whetting his Sword, bending his Bow, making ready his Arrows, putting on his Armour, and then the Lord will go out with a shout, as the Psalmist says, and all the world shall say, Verily there is a reward for the Righteous, verily there is a God that judges the earth.

Why then art thou troubled, O my soul, or why art thou disquieted within me? trust in the Lord, who will yet deliver thee: For the Devil himself cannot so much as stir without Gods leave, as appears by many Examples in Job and the Gospel too, and wicked men are but Gods Instruments, his Hammer, and his Hatchet, as the Prophet Isaiah calls them, with which he cuts, carves, polishes, and works our hearts; which otherwise would remain rude stone for ever.

Think of this, and it will still the murmuring Spirit when it is within thee, and when ever this Tempter doth assault thee to ask this Question, Wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper? do as the Prophet does in this Text, Enquire of God, talk and discourse with God; for it is not the wit of Seneca, the gravity of Plutarch, nor the distinctions of Epictetus, which can solve this Objection, but the Gospel only; which tells us of a Judgment to come, and a Resurrection, without which, we of all men would be most miserable, as the Apostle himself acknowledges, to let others run away with the profit and pleasure of this world, whilst we brutishly look on, and pine for hunger: Nor, which is worse, let us in our desperate humors go into the house of mirth, to drown the cry of our wants, with the noise of a rio∣tous

jollity: What would you forget your miseries? I thought you had with St. Paul, gloried in your Tribulations, if ye know ye are innocent: then are you miserable indeed, when by your murmuring and repining, you go from one Hell to another; from poverty here, to eternal torments hereafter.

Oh, rather let me entreat you all to wait, wait, I say, upon God; do not through your impatience, loose your affliction, and the benefit of that hour, wherein every one of you shall say, It is good for me that I was afflicted; tarry the Lords leisure; stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord: For all this will have a good issue, at least, in the other world, if not in this: Where God shall wipe every tear from our eyes, turn our howling into sing∣ing, * 1.6 when he shall bring forth the eternal weight of Glory, which is laid up for all that shall endure unto the end: and so Lord Jesus come quickly.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 73. 9.
• * 1.2

  v. 11.
• * 1.3

  v. 2.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 73. 12.
• * 1.5

  Proposition.
• * 1.6

  Phil. 1. 12. 13.