Thirdly, Observe a vast difference between godly and wicked men, between the foolish and the wise. When a godly man withers in his outward estate, and is plucked up by the roots, yet God loves him; when a godly man is poor, God loves him, when he is sick, God loves him, when he is in prison, God loves him, when he is in disgrace, God loves him, and when the world hates him most, then God usually shows, that he loves him most; The world cannot cast a godly man into any condition, but he meets with the love of God in it; his estate may vary and vary, change and change a thousand times, but the love of God towards him is unchangeable. On the other side, we see in the text, when a wicked man takes root, and the branches of his outward estate bear fruit abundantly, God curseth him; when he is at ease, God is angry with him. That place is very observable (Zech. 1. 15.) I am very sore displeased with the Heathen, that are at ease; the Heathen were at ease, yet God was extremely displeased with them. ⟨p. 194⟩When a wicked man is in health God curseth him, when he is rich God curseth him, when all men honour admire and flatter him, God abhorreth, hates and detests him; he can be in no condition, but he is sure to meet with the curse of God. As a foolish man, a wicked m•n, gives God many things, but he never gives God his love, or his affection; A wicked man may give God prayers, but he doth not give him his love; he may give him praises, but he never gives him any love; he may give God his purse, but he gives not his love or his heart; whether such a fool praiseth God, or prayeth to God, or giveth unto God, he hateth God. So likewise, whatsoever God gives to a wicked man he hates him, whatsoever he bestows on him he curseth him: This should awake men rooted in the earth, to consider whether they are under the influences of Gods eternal love, as well as under the influence of temporal blessings: This is the ground of Davids conclusion, Psal. 37. 16. A little that the righteous hath, is better than the riches of many wicked: the reason is this, because many ungodly ones, swimming in a full sea of riches, have not so much as one drop of the love of God, nor one beam or ray of the light of his countenance shining upon them:
Thirdly, Observe a vast difference between godly and wicked men, between the foolish and the wise. When a godly man withers in his outward estate, and is pluckt up by the rootes, yet God loves him; when a godly man is poore, God loves him, when he is sick, God loves him, when he is in prison, God loves him, when he is in disgrace, God loves him, and when the world hates him most, then God usually shewes, that he loves him most; The world cannot cast a godly man into any condition, but he meets with the love of God in it; his estate may vary and vary, change and change a thousand times, but the love of God towards him is unchangeable. On the other side, we see in the text, when a wicked man takes roote, and the branches of his outward estate beare fruit abundantly, God curseth him; when he is at ease, God is angry with him. That place is very observeable (Zech. 1. 15.) I am very sore displeased with the Heathen, that are at ease; the Heathen were at ease, yet God was extreamely displeased with them. ⟨p. 194⟩When a wicked man is in health God curseth him, when he is rich God curseth him, when all men honour admire and flatter him, God abhorreth, hates and detests him; he can be in no condition, but he is sure to meet with the curse of God. As a foolish man, a wicked m•n, gives God many things, but he never gives God his love, or his affection; A wicked man may give God prayers, but he doth not give him his love; he may give him praises, but he never gives him any love; he may give God his purse, but he gives not his love or his heart; whether such a foole praiseth God, or prayeth to God, or giveth unto God, he hateth God. So likewise, whatsoever God gives to a wicked man he hates him, whatsoever he bestowes on him he curseth him: This should awake men rooted in the earth, to consider whether they are under the influences of Gods eternall love, as well as under the influence of temporall blessings: This is the ground of Davids conclusion, Psal. 37. 16. A little that the righteous hath, is better than the ricehes of many wicked: the reason is this, because many ungodly ones, swimming in a full sea of riches, have not so much as one drop of the love of God, nor one beame or ray of the light of his countenance shining upon them:
