Spiritual refining

The last day we delivered one main cause of the silencing, or stupefying those Dictates and Principles of natural light, which provoke to that which is good, though very imperfectly and defectively. We now proceed to a second ground; and that may be an imprudent and sinful consideration of the government and administration of things below. That it hath fared ill with those that have done ¹well; and on the contrary, that those who have been very heinous in wickedness, have yet prospered, and had great abundance; hath been a great tempest to put out that little spark in mens hearts: which consideration made the Poet say, Solicitor nullos, saepe putare Deos, He was tempted to think there was no God, when he looked upon the administration of things below. This sate heavy on the heathens spirits, whereupon they have made Tractates upon this question, Why it sometimes falls ill to a good man, and well to a wicked, as Seneca and Plutarch, wherein they have behaved themselves in some measure well, gravely acquitting Gods providence; and had they enjoyed Scripture-light, they had easily waded through that deep: And it is no wonder that these blasts have made Heathens stagger and reel too and fio, for we have the eminent Cedars in Gods Church almost overturned by it. David, a godly man, greatly exercised in several conditions, though always finding God turning stone into bread for him, when he was in any wilderness, yet how pitifully doth he toil and labour under this temptation? Psal. 73. that those who were wicked, they prospered, they had their hearts desire; they had no pangs, nor troubles; and this did so far prevail, that in a sudden passion, he speaks like an Atheist, Verily, I have washed my hands in innocency and have cleansed my heart in vain. On monstrous speech, and dreadful to come out of a godly mans mouth: to say, it was a vain thing to fear God, a vain thing to walk justly and innocently, if he had done wickedly, he should have prospered better. But this was only a sudden motion, an imperfect suggestion of the flesh, not a settled deliberate principle; therefore he quickly recovers, calls himself a foolish and ignorant beast, goeth into the Sanctuary of God, and there understands aright; yea, and as a man in a great inward heat and agony, but getting some ease and respite, saith, Truly God is good to israel, even to the clean in heart;

THe last day we delivered one main cause of the silencing, or stupifying those Dictates and Principles of naturall light, which provoke to that which is good, though very imperfectly and detectively. We now proceed to a second ground; and that may be an imprudent and sinfull consideration of the government and administration of things below. That it hath fared ill with those that have done