A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

§. Sect. 1 The first scandal arising from the prosperity of the wicked.

§. Sect. 1 The first scandall arising from the prosperity of the wicked.

And thus have I showed what are the usual impediments which the world and worldly men use to hinder us in the ways of godliness, both in respect of their judgement and affections, their words and actions. Now we are to entreat of such as arise from scandals and offences, which they commonly cast in our way, as stumbling blocks, to discourage us in the course of Christianity. The first whereof, is the flourishing estate of wicked worldlings, who prosper in their sinful courses, and abound in riches, honours, and pleasures, as though they were highly in Gods favour, and were approved of him in all their courses, seeing they enjoy above all others, so many testimonies of his love, and exceed all other men in outward blessings. And this the wise Solomon observed in his time: There is (saith he) a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there ¹be just men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous; I said that this also is vanity. This was it which had almost made holy Davids foot to slip, to offend against the generation of Gods children, and to ²conclude, that he had cleansed his heart, and washed his hands in innocency in vain, when he observed the great prosperity of the wicked, and how they thrived in all their courses. This brought Jeremiah to a stand, and made him so bold as to reason the matter with God, concerning the administration of his righteous Judgements; Wherefore (saith he) doth the way of ³