The Balance of the Sanctuary, Treatise · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. That not all outward proſperitie is a ſigne, that the Lord loueth that man to whom he ſendeth the ſame.
SIth by all that which is ſaid before it manifeſtly appeareth, that God many times ſendeth great wealth and proſperitie to the vngodly, it is euident and not to be contradicted, that not all wealth & proſperitie is a ſigne or token that God fauoureth that man to whom he giueth it, for the Lord our wonderfull God giueth in his wrath and anger to ſome men that which they wiſh and deſire; as he gaue Quailes to the Children of Iſraell at their deſire, but they dyed while they were eating of them, Numb. 11. Many a man hath earneſtly deſired, and alſo obtained that which in the end was his ouerthrow. So that it is moſt certaine, that the wealth and proſperitie of the vngodly is nothing elſe, but as it were a paſturing of Beaſtes for the day of ſlaughter. This God taught Ieremie, when touching the proſperitie of the vngodly hee looked into and ſearched the wayes of God; Righteous art thou O Lord, when I plead with thee, yet let me talke with thee of thy Iudgements. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked proſper? Wherefore are all they happie that deale very trecherouſly? Thou haſt planted them, yea, they hauehave taken roote, they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit, thou art neere in their mouth, and farre from their reines. But thou O Lord knoweſt me, thou haſt ſeene me and tryed mine heart towardes thee. Put them out like ſheepe for the ſlaughter, and prepare them for the day of ſlaughter, Iere. 12. 1. 2. 3. This is the cauſe why thoſe that proſper in this world reioyce, though they are vngodly, they glory in themſelues becauſe all things goe well with them, and are perſwaded, that it ſhall alwaies be ſo with them, yea, and that God fauoureth and liketh them, which notwithſtanding is not ſo. The Lord often times in this life giueth great wealth and proſperitie, and whatſoeuer they wiſh or deſire, vntounto thoſe, to whom after this life he will giuegive hell and vtter damnation for their reward: Gods wayes in theſe thinges are not like the wayes of men: to thoſe that men hate and cannot abide, they wiſh no good, no not ſo much as may continue the twinckling of an eye. But it is not ſo with our God, hee endureth the veſſels of wrath with great patience, & beares long with the vngodly, to ſee if they will once repent and turne from their wicked waies, and feare that good God, from whom they hauehave receiued ſo many good things, which if they doe not, but …ll continue in their wickednes, Then vndoubtedly, ſuch is the caſe of the vngodly, that the more wealth and proſperitie they hauehave in this world, the more hated and accurſed of God they are. For this is moſt certaine, that there can come no greater plague in the world then this to the Children of men, when doing euill it falleth out well, as they imagine with them: for thereby they imbolden themſelues in their wicked wayes, and take ſuch a courſe that they ſhun no wickedneſſe, and then that draweth more vntounto them, which the Pſalmiſt ſayth, When the wicked ſpring like the graſſe, and when all the workers of iniquitie flouriſh, it is that they ſhall be deſtroyed for euer, Pſal. 92. 7. Therefore the Prophet cryeth out againſt the Children of this world, in this manner; ſaying, O that they were wiſe, that they vnderſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end, Deut. 32. 29. Reioyce not then, you Children of the world, becauſe you flouriſh and proſper here, for behold and ſee that it ſtandeth thus with you, as long as you feare not the Lord, for you can finde nothing to make for you out of any place in the word of God, but that Gods intent and meaning is, to feed you in this fatt paſture for the day of ſlaughter, Ier. 12. 3. And that in this world hee will bring that vponupon you which you deſerue; as it hapned to Abſolon, Hammon, and others. This is moſt certaine, you ſtand vponupon ſlipperie ground, and God that iudgeth you is ſtrong, and in the twinckling of an eye can throw you downe. God, I ſay, whom you feare not (and therefore is againſt you) comes to Iudgement as a theefe in the night. Therefore looke before hand, that you ſtand vponupon your gard; turne ſpeedily vntounto him, and repent, leaſt with the couetous rich man, for a ſhort and tranſicorie worldly life you bee ſoone carried away from hence into euerlaſting paine and damnation.