way, because the ungodly will not walk with him. He will do the part of a righteous Governour, though he forefee that men will not do the part of obedient fubjects. But his primary end fhall be attained upon the Righteous, in the fucceffes of his grace, as his Secondary end fhall be upon the Difobedient, in the honour of his vindictive fuftice. This is the fenfe of the words which I have now read to you. Which 1. Defcribe the ungodly. 1. By their prefent way of fin. 2. And by their future ftate of mifery. Their fin is defcribed by, 1. The occafion. 2. The act. 3. The habit. Profperity and cafe is the occafion: turning away from God, and rejecting bis cornfel is the act: And folly or fimplicity is part of the habit. Simplicity is here taken for finful foolishness, and not as it is often for commendable fincerity. Whether you you read it [The turning away] or [the ease] of the fimple, it is all one as to the fcope and use that I fhall now make of it, both being included as to the fenfe in the other words. Felly is mentioned both as the cause of their abufe of profperity, and as the effect of profperity fo abused. Because they are fools, they turn Gods mercies to their own deftruction: And becaufe they profper, they are confirmed in their folly. 2. The words defcribe the godly. 1. By their obedience; they [hearken unto Chrift.] 2. By their priviledge or reward: they [fhall dwell fafely, and be quiet from fear of evil.] We fhall begin with the first and fhew you. 1. That it is fo, that [the profperity of fools defreyeth them:] 2 How folly and profperity concur to their deftruction: or how profperity befooleth and defroyeth ftroyeth them. 3. How we fhould all improve this truth to our best advantage. I. Scripture and experience concur in proving the truth of the conclu fion. L 1. Though God tell us in his Word of a difficulty that all muft conquer that will be faved, yet it is a greater extraordinary difficul ty, that he tells us of as to the rich and profperous in the world; fuch a difficulty as is pathetically expreft by this interrogation, Luke 18.24. [How hardly ball they that bave riches enter into the Kingdom of God?] fuch a difficulty as is expreffed by this proverbial comparifon, ver. 25. [For it is easier for a Camel to go through a needles eye, then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God] fuch a difficulty as caft the hearers into admiration, and made them ask, v.26. [Who then can be faved ?] such a difficulty difficulty as is to man an impoffibility, v. 27. and leaves only this hope, that [Things are poffible to God, that are impoffible to man.] 2. And though its faid of men indefinitely that it is but few that shall be faved, yet is it noted of the rich and profperous that its few of them among those few, or few in comparison of other forts of men, that fhall be faved, fob. 7.48. [Have any of the Rulers or ef the Pharifes believed on him?] I Cor. 1. 26. [For ye See your calling brethren, how that not many wife men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chofen the foolish things of the world to confound the wife, and God hath chofen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are defpifed,bath God chofen; yea and things that are not, to bring to to nought things that are, that no flefh fhould glory in his prefence.] And therefore Scripture fpeaketh in fuch general language, as if falvation had been almost appropriated to the poor, and the rich had been excluded, becaufe of the rarity of their falvation, Luke 6. 24, 25. But wo unto you that are rich, for ye have received your confolation: wo unto you that are full, for ye shall bunger wo unto you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.] Jam. 2. 5,6. [Hearken my beloved brethren: hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? but ye have defpifed the poor. Do not rich men opprefs you, and draw you before the judgement-feats? Do they not blafpheme that worthy name by which you are called?] And therefore when Chrift would defcribe a wicked miferable man, he doth |