Object. If God be so just, why then does the way of the wicked prosper ? Why are those that desire to be faithful with God so afflicted and calamitous ? This is a wind that hath shaken the tallest cedars in Lebanon. The choicest saints of God have been exceedingly hurried and tossed to and fro in their thoughts by this objection against the righteousness of God: Jer. xii. 1, 'Righteous art thou, 0 Lord; yet let me plead with thee.' He holds fast this principle, but yet, Lord, saith he, I am not satisfied ; ' Let me talk to thee of thy judg- ments,' that I may be better informed ; ' why doth the way of the wicked prosper?' So David: Vs. Ixxiii. 1, ' Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart ;' but yet the wicked thrive and prosper, and there is no bands in their death. So Hab. i. 13, ' Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil,' &c. Lord, saith he, I
444 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CLIII,
know tliou art a holy God ; but wliy can thy providence then look upon them in the Avorld that deal treacherously and })erversely ? The clearest-sighted saints may he so bemisted many times that they are not able to reconcile God's dispensations with his nature and attributes,, and so quarrel with and reproach and impeach his providence. Yea, the heathens, that knew little of sin and righteousness, were troubled at the afflictions of the good and the flourishing of the wicked, and questioned the being of a God upon this account ; and therefore there are two heathens which have written two worthy treatises to vindicate the- providence of God. Seneca hath written one treatise, Cur male bonis, et hene malis, to show why the good may be afflicted, though there be a God ; and Plutarch hath ■written another treatise, De sera numinis vindicta, why the wicked may be spared, and suffered to flourish in the world, though there be a God to take notice of human affairs. These heathens had a sense of this difficulty, for it is an obvious- objection.
I answer — In general God's dispensations are just, though we see not the reason of them. The saints hold tlieir principle : Lord, I confess thou art righteous, Jer. xii. 1 ; Hab. i. 13. The justice of God must be acknowledged in all his dealings with us and others, though it appear not to our reason, which indeed cannot discern well ; and therefore is unmeet to judge of such high matters as these are : Ps. xxxvi. 6, * Thy righteousness is like the great mountains, thy judg- ments are a great deep.' The judgments of God are such a deep as we cannot easily fathom the bottom of ; and therefore, though we do not see the justice of it, we must believe it, and prefer faith above sense. The Lord may deal otherwise in many things with us than we can express, and see the reason of liis doing ; and yet he is always just and holy in his proceedings, and it is the duty of his people to believe it: Ps. xcvii. 2, 'Clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.' Augus- tine's words are a good comment upon that passage. The judgments of God, saith he, are sometimes secret, but always just, swpe occulta^ nunquam injusta. We know not what to make of it ; clouds and darkness are round about it. Ay ! but though they are unsearchable and secret, they are managed with great judgment and rectitude.
But more particularly to come to speak to the things mentioned in the objection. As to the flourishing of the wicked, four things to that : —
1. God's word doth sufficiently declare his displeasure against them, though his providence doth not. There is scntentia lata, sed dilata : Eccles. viii. 11, ' Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.' Mark, there is a sentence pronounced against evil men, but the Lord doth not put the sentence in execution. The sentence is passed against them, both sententia Icgis, the sentence of the law ; and so it is said he is condemned already, John iii. 18. Nay, there is scn- tentia jiid ids, tiie sentence which the judge passeth upon a sinner; for he ratiiieth the sentence of the law ; what is bound upon earth is bound in heaven. Well, the warrant for execution is signed, yet the execution is suspended for just and wise reasons. Sin is not less
VeR. 137.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 445