A Golden Chain

For the effecting of this, God exerciseth wicked men and reprobates in this life with divers particular desertions, and that after this manner. He bestoweth all sorts of benefits on them as on his own servants: but yet so, as that he withdraweth that part of his benefit, which hath the promise of life eternal annexed to it in the word. And in this matter he dealeth as a man that sets many trees in his orchard, but so as he takes away the heart or the pith thereof. And this the Lord doth either in temporal or spiritual benefits.

For the effecting of this, God exerciseth wicked men and reprobates in this life with diuers particular desertions, and that after this maner. He bestoweth all sorts of benefits on them as on his owne seruants: but yet so, as that he withdraweth that part of his benefit, which hath the promise of life eternal annexed to it in the word. And in this matter he dealeth as a mā that sets many trees in his orchard, but so as he takes away the heart or the pith thereof. And this the Lord doth either in temporall or spirituall benefits.

I. For temporal benefits, as wealth, honour, liberty, outward peace, the Lord dealeth very bountifully with them:¹ He makes his sun to shine upon the just and unjust: he fills their bellies with his hid treasures: and as David saith, I fretted at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked: for there is no bonds in their death, but they are lusty and strong, they are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued as other men. ²But yet he holds back that which is the principal ⟨p. 676⟩thing, and the very glory of these benefits, that is,³ the right use of them. For that a man may purely use Gods creatures, two things are required. First, his person must stand just and sanctified before God by faith in Christ. For until a mans person please God, his work shall never please him. Secondly, he must use the same creatures purely: which is done partly by invocation of Gods name, and partly by referring them to their set and appointed ende; which are Gods glory, a mans own and his neighbours good. But all this is flat contrary in the ungodly man. For first, he is forth of Christ, so that his person stands unjust before God. And therefore all his actions (even those which otherwise are lawful and good) in him are mere sins. Secondly, he useth Gods gifts and blessings with an evil conscience. For by reason of his want of grace to believe, he cannot resolve himself, that God as his father doth bestow his blessings on him as his beloved child in Christ; yet as a thief and an usurper, against his conscience he useth them. Add further, the creatures are used of him without invocation: for such an one can not pray; and therefore he doth but as the swine in the orrest, which feedeth on the mast, but never looketh up to the tree whence it falleth. Thirdly, he useth Gods gifts to evil ends: because either he makes an idol of them by setting his heart on them, or else he employeth them to riot, pride, and the oppression of godly men. A master of music hath his house furnished with musical instruments of all sorts: and he teacheth his own scholars artificially to use them, both in right tuning of them, as also in playing on them: there comes in strangers, who admiring the said instruments, have leave given them of the master to handle them, as the scholars do: