Fourthly, Wicked men, they do somewhat for God here, some kind of service, that is at least materially a service for God: and God will not have them clamour upon Him, that they have nothing for their work; God will give to every one something for what they do for Him, though it be never so little, here in this world. You have a famous place for that in Ezekiel, 29. 18, 19, 20. Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, caused his Army to serve a great service against Tyre, yet had he no wages for his Army, (saith God) he had no wages for his service; well, therefore, God He enquires about this, and seems to complain, that when a Nebuchadnezzar did Him any service, yet he should be all this while without his wages; therefore (saith God) Behold! I will give the Land of Egypt unto him, he shall take a spoil and a prey, and that shall be his wages; He will give him wages for what he doth. Many wicked men God doth make use of in divers services, and much refreshing and good, His Churches shall have from them; the Lord causes the very Earth to help the woman; earthly men to be of use to the Church, and God will not be beholding to them for their work; A throne may serve to stop a gap, though it be but a thorn bush, and if it serve to stop a gap, and be of any use, it hath that Benefit by it, all that while it is kept from the fire, whereas were it not of use, it might presently be brought to the fire. An argument by the way, to provoke all men to be of as much use to the Church of God as possibly they can, it may be ⟨p. 306⟩that is the very thing that keeps thee from the fire; thou art a thorn, but God hath use of thee, and therefore brings thee not to the fire; but if thou once comest to be un-useful, the fire is the next thing thou shalt hear of. I remember Austin (in his 5th Book, De Civitate Dei, and the 12. Chap.) speaks of the Romans, that had such a flourishing condition for a while, and he gives that for one Reason, the Romans had brave spirits, they were men that had excellent moralities, and had Heroic kind of spirits, and were delivered from that baseness of spirit, that other people had, and therefore God showed some kind of respect unto them; here many instances might be in that kind. That's the fourth.
Fourthly, Wicked men, they do somewhat for God here, some kind of service, that is at least materially a service for God: and God will not have them clamour upon Him, that they have nothing for their work; God will give to every one something for what they do for Him, though it be never so little, here in this world. You have a famous place for that in Ezekiel, 29. 18, 19, 20. Nebuchadnezzer King of Babylon, caused his Army to serve a great service against Tyrus, yet had he no wages for his Army, (saith God) he had no wages for his service; well, therefore, God He enquires about this, and seems to complain, that when a Nebuchadnezzer did Him any service, yet he should be all this while without his wages; therefore (saith God) Behold! I will give the Land of Egypt unto him, he shall take a spoil and a prey, and that shall be his wages; He will give him wages for what he doth. Many wicked men God doth make use of in divers services, and much refreshing and good, His Churches shall have from them; the Lord causes the very Earth to help the woman; earthly men to be of use to the Church, and God will not be beholding to them for their work; A thron may serve to stop a gap, though it be but a thorn bush, and if it serve to stop a gap, and be of any use, it hath that Benefit by it, all that while it is kep from the fire, whereas were it not of use, it might presently be brought to the fire. An argument by the way, to provoke all men to be of as much use to the Church of God as possibly they can, it may be ⟨p. 306⟩that is the very thing that keeps thee from the fire; thou art a thorn, but God hath use of thee, and therefore brings thee not to the fire; but if thou once comest to be un-useful, the fire is the next thing thou shalt hear of. I remember Austin (in his 5th Book, De Civitate Dei, and the 12. Chap.) speaks of the Romans, that had such a flourishing condition for a while, and he gives that for one Reason, the Romans had brave spirits, they were men that had excellent moralities, and had Herotick kind of spirits, and were delivered from that baseness of spirit, that other people had, and therefore God shewed some kind of respect unto them; here many instances might be in that kind. That's the fourth.
