Second Prop. That neither Gods favour nor his anger can be known, [merely] by his outward dispensations. No man knoweth either Love or hatred by the things that are before him. Men have very shrewdly erred by judging of Gods favour, or wrath by his outward dispensations. When the Psalmist took his mark by this, how sorely was his faith shaken, and his feet almost gone? When he beheld the Godly in affliction and under suppression; and the wicked prospering in their wickedness. The 73 Psalm gives you a true account, what a sad bout he had by this. He observed they had no bonds in their death, and they were not plagued like other men. Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart could wish. They were very wicked and yet very prosperous. Full of sin, and yet full of pleasure, and riches and all outward accommodation. Whereas on the other side, he observed that he was afflicted, and other ⟨p. 88⟩of the Godly with him. And was tempted from this, that God did regard the wicked so much, or more than he did the Godly. And therefore 'tis a very dangerous mistake among the multitude. Many think on the one side, that because God doth prosper them, and bless them as he doth, that therefore they are in the favour of God: for if they were not, he would never deliver them, and carry them through so many troubles as he doth, if he did not love them. This is a dangerous mistake. And so some on the other hand, because God doth afflict them here, that therefore he hath mercy for them hereafter. They have their hell here, and therefore they shall not go to hell hereafter. Alas man! thou mayst have thy hell begun here, and lengthened out hereafter to all eternity. Thou canst not say from this, that thou shalt escape the torments of hell: but notwithstanding all this, thou mayst hear God say to thee at last as to Dives, Son remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things: but now thou art tormented.
Second Prop. That neither Gods favor nor his anger can be known, [meerly] by his outward dispensations. No man knoweth either Love or hatred by the things that are before him. Men have very shrewdly erred by judging of Gods favor, or wrath by his outward dispensations. When the Psalmist took his mark by this, how sorely was his faith shaken, and his feet almost gone? When he beheld the Godly in affliction and under suppression; and the wicked prospering in their wickedness. The 73 Psalm gives you a true account, what a sad bout he had by this. He observed they had no bonds in their death, and they were not plagued like other men. Their eyes stand out with fatness, they have more than heart could wish. They were very wicked and yet very prosperous. Full of sin, and yet full of pleasure, and riches and all outward accommodation. Whereas on the other side, he observed that he was •fflicted, and other ⟨p. 88⟩of the Godly with him. And was tempted from this, that God did regard the wicked so much, or more than he did the Godly. And therefore 'tis a very dangerous mistake among the multitude. Many think on the one side, that because God doth prosper them, and bless them as he doth, that therefore they are in the favor of God: for if they were not, he would never deliver them, and carry them through so many troubles as he doth, if he did not love them. This is a dangerous mistake. And so some on the other hand, because God doth afflict them here, that therefore he hath mercy for them hereafter. They have their hell here, and therefore they shall not go to hell hereafter. Alass man! thou mayst have thy hell begun here, and lengthened out hereafter to all eternity. Thou canst not say from this, that thou shalt escape the torments of hell: but notwithstanding all this, thou mayst hear God say to thee at last as to Dives, Son remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things: but now thou art tormented.
