The spiritual estate of a righteous man is so strong, and ordered in all things, that he can neither totally nor finally fall from it, or lose it, Grace is above these hazards. But the temporal estate of a righteous man may be lost, both totally and finally. Riches, and health and honour, are like themselves, whosoever is their master, fading and perishing. A righteous man hath a higher tenure of things below, and holds them upon better terms then a wicked man doth; yet he holds them but for a term, they are not enduring substance to him, as not to others. A little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked (Psal. 37.16.) But the righteous may be deprived of what he hath, as soon as any of the wicked. (Eccles. 9.1.) No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him; all things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; as is the good so is the sinner, and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath. Externals distinguish not internals. No mans spiritual estate is knowable by the view of his temporal. Say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and I will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, (Ezek. 21.3.) And what will the Lord do with it? Will he not bath it in the blood of his enemies, and sheath it in the bowels of ⟨p. 311⟩wicked men? he will: but shall it be bathed in the blood of none else? The next words resolve the doubt, And I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. It is a terrible sentence: sword, famine, pestilence make no difference of men or manners; they know neither faces nor hearts. The best in a Nation may taste the bloody cup, and feel the cold iron in their bowels, together with the worst. The green tree, and the dry tree may be devoured by the same fire, as the Prophet shadows good and bad, or, as some think, good and better, falling into the same calamity (Ezek. 20.47.) with which that of Christ (Luk. 23.31.) seems more agreeable. The basket of good figs goes into captivity with the basket of evil figs, under which the good and bad among the Jews were typed, Jer. 24.1, 2, 3.
The spiritual estate of a righteous man is so strong, and ordered in all things, that he can neither totally nor finally fall from it, or lose it, Grace is above these hazards. But the temporall estate of a righteous man may be lost, both totally and finally. Riches, and health and honour, are like themselves, whosoever is their master, fading and perishing. A righteous man hath a higher tenure of things below, and holds them upon better terms then a wicked man doth; yet he holds them but for a terme, they are not enduring substance to him, as not to others. A little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked (Psal. 37.16.) But the righteous may be deprived of what he hath, as soon as any of the wicked. (Eccles. 9.1.) No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him; all things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; as is the good so is the sinner, and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath. Externals distinguish not internals. No mans spirituall estate is knowable by the view of his temporall. Say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and I will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, (Ezek. 21.3.) And what will the Lord doe with it? Will he not bath it in the bloud of his enemies, and sheath it in the bowels of ⟨p. 311⟩wicked men? he will: but shall it be bathed in the bloud of none else? The next words resolve the doubt, And I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. It is a terrible sentence: sword, famine, pestilence make no difference of men or manners; they know neither faces nor hearts. The best in a Nation may taste the bloudy cup, and feel the cold iron in their bowels, together with the worst. The green tree, and the dry tree may be devoured by the same fire, as the Prophet shadows good and bad, or, as some thinke, good and better, falling into the same calamity (Ezek. 20.47.) with which that of Christ (Luk. 23.31.) seems more agreeable. The basket of good figs goes into captivity with the basket of evil figs, under which the good and bad among the Jews were typed, Jer. 24.1, 2, 3.
