It is an excellent note of Livy, ConsiUa callida, prim'd specie Iceta tradatu dura, eventu tristia. Sinful policies, in their first appear- ances, are pleasant and pt-omising, in their management difficult, in their event sad. Some by sinful ways have gotten wealth ; but that scripture hath been verified in their experience, Prov. x. 2. " Treasures of wickedness profit nothing C Either God hath blown upon it by a secret curse, that it hath done them no good, or o-iven them such disquietness m their consciences, that they have been forced to vomit it up, ere they could find peace, Job xi. 13, 14, 15.
That which David gave in charge to Solomon, hath been found experimentally true by thousands, 1 Chron. xxii. 12, 13. That the true way to prosperity, is to keep close to the rule of the word. And that the true reason why men cannot prosper, is their for- saking that rule, 2 Chron. xxiv. 20.
It is true, if God have a purpose to destroy a man, he may for a time suffer him to succeed and prosper in his sin for his greater hardening. Job xii. 6. But it is not so with those whom the Lord loves, their sinful shifts shall never thrive with them.
3. The word prohibits your trust and confidence in the crea- ture, even in the greatest and most pow'erful among creatures, Psal. cxlvi. 3. It tells us that it is better to trust in the Lord than in them, Psal. cxviii. 8. It forbids our confidence in those crea- tures that are most nearly allied and related in the bonds of nature to us, Micah vii. 5. It curseth the man that gives that reliance to the creature, which is due to God, Jer xvii, 5.
Consult the events of providence in this case, and see whether the word be not verified therein ? Did you ever lean upon an Egyptian reed, and did it not break under you, and pierce as well as deceive you ? O how often hath this been evident in our expe- rience ! whatsoever we have over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon, God hath from time to time broken it, and made us to see the vanity of it ; so that we findj the readiest course to be rid of our comforts, is to set our hearts inordinately or immoderately upon them : for our God is a jealous God, and will not part with his glory to another. The world is full of examples of persons de- prived of their comforts, husbands, wives, children, estates, &c. upon this account, and by this means : If Jonah be overjoyed in his gourd, a worm is presently prepared to smite it. Hence it is that so many graves are opened for the burying of our idols out of our sight. If David say. My mountain shall stand strongs I shall not be moved ; the next news he shall hear, is of darkness and trou- ble, Psal. xxx. vi. 6, 7. O how true and faithful do we find these
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Sayings of God to be ! Who cannot but put to his seal, and sa}'. Thy words are truth ?
4. The word assures us, that sin is the cause and inlet of afflic- tion and sorrow, and that there is an inseparable connection betwixt them, Numb, xxxii. 23. " Be sure your sin will find you out," that is, the sad effects and afflictions that follow it shall find you out: So Psal. Ixxxix. 80, 31, 32. " If his sons forsake ray law, ^ I will visit their iniquities with rods."
Enquire now at the mouth of proA^dence, whether this be indeed so, according to the reports of the word. Ask but your own expe- riences, and you shall find, that just so providenoe hath ordered it all along your way. When did you grow into a secure, vain, car- nal frame, but you found some rousing, startling providence sent to awaken you ? When did you wound your consciences with guilt, and God did not wound you for it, in some other of your beloved enjoyments ? Nay, so ordinary is this with God, that from the ob- servations of tlieir own frames and ways, many Christians have foreboded and presaged troubles at hand.
I do not say that God never afflicts his people, but for their sin ; for he may do it for their trial, 1 Pet. iv. 12. Nor do I say, that God follows every sin with a rod ; for who then should stand before him ? Psal. cxxx. 3. But this I say, that it is God's usual way, to visit the sins of his people with rods of affliction, and this is in mercy to their souls. Upon this account it was, that the rod of God was upon David, in a long succession of troubles upon his kingdom and famil}^, after that great prevarication of his, 2 Sam, xii. 10. And if we would carefully search out the seeds and prin- ciples of those miseries under vrhich we or ours do groan, we should find them to be our own turnings aside from the Lord, according to that, Jer. ii. 19- Jer. iv. 18. Have not all these cautions and threatenings of the word been exactly fulfilled by providence in your own experience ? Who can but see the infallible truth of God in all that he hath threatened ! And no less evident is the truth of the promises to all that will observe how providence makes them good every day to us. For consider,
5. How great security God hath given to his people in the pro- mises, that no man shall lose any thing, by self-denial, for his sake. He hath told us, Mark x. 29, 30. " Verily, I say unto " you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or ^\ sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for " my sake, and the gospePs, but he shall receive an hundred fold " in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, *' and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to " come eternal life."
Though that vile apostate^ Juhan, derided this promise, yet
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thousands and ten tliousands have experienced it, and do at this day stand ready to set their seal to it. God hath made it good to his people, not only in spirituals; inward joy and peace; but even in temporals also : instead of natural relations, who took care for them before, hundreds of Christians shall stand ready to assist and help them : so that though they have left all for Christ, yet they may say with the apostle, 2 Cor. vi. 10. " As having no- " thing, and yet possessing all things.'' O the admirable care and tenderness of providence over those that, for conscience sake, have left all, and cast themselves upon its immediate care ! Are there not at this day to be found many so provided for, even to the envy of their enemies, and their own admiration .f' Who sees not the faithfulness of God in the promises, that hath but an heart to trust God in them !
6. The word of promise assures us, that whatever wants and straits the saints fall into, their God " will never leave them, nor " forsake them,'' Heb. xiii. 5. That he will be with them in trou- ble, Psal. xci. 15.