Chapter 10: Wicked men have pleasures in ways of sin, while God's people endure much hardship in ways of holiness
THe second point is, that God sometimes gives wicked men pleasure in the ways of sin, whilesthe suffers his own people to endure much affliction. The Israelites make the brick, and are under sore bondage, and the Egyptians dwell in houses, living in jollity and mirth. Thus it was with Elijah, he must flye for his life, and live in caves, and be fed by ravens, whilest four hundred false prophets are fed deliciously at Jezabels table. While the King and Haman sits drinking in the city, Shushan is in perplexity, Esther 3:15 Job says of the wicked, Thatthey take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the soundof the Organ, they spend their time in wealth; but of himself he says, that his calamity was heavier then the sand of the sea, that the arrows of the Almighty were within him, that the poyson of them drank up his spirit, that the terrors of God did set themselves in battle array against him. Chap. 6. 1, 2, 3. And David says of the wicked, that they are not in trouble as other men, their eyes stands out with fatness, they have more then their heart could wish; but for himself, all the day long he was plagued, and chastened every morning, Psalm 73. Christ tells his Disciples, the world shall rejoice, but they shall have trouble.
But why does God thus suffer wicked men, to enjoy their pleasure thus in the ways of sin?
First, here is their portion, they are never like to have any other consolation, but that they have here, here is their All. This is as it were their Kingdom; They are upon their own dunghil.
Secondly, God has time enough hereafter to torment them, to make sin bitter unto them, and therefore he does not care though they have their pleasure, and go on for a while in the enjoyment of their delights: And God has time enough to glorifie his Saints, to give them everlasting consolation, and therefore although here they be cut short of the pleasures of the flesh, God does not regard that.
Thirdly, God hereby would show to all the world, his own fulness, and how little he esteems of these carnal things; they are but bones, therefore he gives them to dogs; they are but swill, even the very cream of them, therefore he lets swine have them. Luther in his Comment upon Genesis, cap. 21. has a notable vilifying expression of the great things of the world, which God gives to wicked men; The Turkish Empire, says he, as great as it is, it is but a crust of bread, which the rich master of the family casts to dogs: When retainers, when dogs have such allowance, it is a sign of a great deal of plenty in the house.
Fourthly, God grants pleasure and prosperity in just judgement to them, to ripen their sin, to harden them in it. The Sun-shine of prosperity ripens the sins of the wicked apace, and so fits them for destruction; this hardens them against the ways of God, it makes them bless themselves in their way, They spend their days in wealth, therefore they say to God, depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of your ways; What is the Almighty, that we should servehim? There is no truer misery, then false joy, says Bernard. There is a great difference between the prosperity of the wicked, and that which the godly have; God carries his people when he exalts them, as the Eagle her yong upon her wings, he exalts them to safety, according to that expression that we have, Job 5:11 that those which mourn, may be exalted to safety; but when God exalts the wicked, he lifts them up as the Eagle lifts up her prey in her talons, he lifts them up to destroy them. It was a speech of Augustine upon the 26 Psalm; Many aremiserable, by loving hurtful things, but they are more miserable by having them; it is not what men enjoy, but the principle from whence it comes, that makes them happy.
Fifthly, God is a patient God, and in the day of his patience, even the wicked are suffered to enjoy their hearts desire.
Obj. But it may be said, God is patient towards his people, and yet they are afflicted.
Answ. Those afflictions that come upon Gods people, may better stand with the glory of patience, then if the same things should be upon the wicked, because in the afflictions of the Saints, there is no revenge, there is no hatred in them, but if God should inflict the same things upon the wicked, they would come out of revenge against them, and hatred of them, and so there would not be such manifestation of that glory of patience, that God has to manifest here in this world.
Hence let Gods people learn not to be greedy in their desires after outward pleasures; they are but the portion of dogs and reprobates. It is true, godly men may have them, but never as their portion, God has afforded you better pleasures, has he not reserved better things for you? As when we enjoy outward prosperity, we must not bless ourselves in it, because it is that which wicked men have; so when we are afflicted, our hearts must not be dejected, because we are only deprived of that, which God gives most many times to those that he hates most. God will keep his people from being prevailed against by this temptation. David was in this temptation, Psalm 73. but he says, verse 23. that God held him by his right hand: When men see how the world lives in pleasure, and the Saints are afflicted, they are in danger of stumbling, but God holds his own by his right hand, that they fall not.
Secondly, let us learn, not to envy the men of the world, who live in pleasures, who wallow in the sensual delights of this life. The reason why they take so much delight in such things, is, because they know no better, they seek after no better.
Ambrose in his first Book de officiis, brings in godly men objecting thus, Why do the wicked rejoice? why do they riot it out? why do not they labor as well as I? He answers, They have not put in for the crown; yea, says he, if you object thus, the wicked may answer you as the spectators in their Olympiack games, if those that labor and wrastle in them, should call the spectators, and say, Come you, and labor, and strive here as well as we; the spectators would answer, You without us shall get the glory of the crown, if you overcome.
Besides, there is little cause we should envy all their jollity, they must give an account for it, and dear. When a Soldier was to dye for taking a bunch of grapes against the Generals command, and going to execution he went eating his grapes, one of his fellows rebuked him, What, are you eating your grapes now? The poor man answers, I pray you friend do not envy me these grapes, for they cost me dear; so they did indeed, for they cost him his life: and so will these vain delights of wicked men, they will cost them their lives.
And yet further consider, ere long things will turn, Gods people shall have pleasure, and the world shall have afflictions: Affliction did I say? nay, Misery with torment; time is at hand, when it shall be said to every wicked man, Son, remember in your life time you hadst pleasure, and my servants who walked faithfully with me had affliction, but now you art tormented, and they are comforted. Time is at hand when that Scripture shall be fulfilled, Esay 65. 13, 14. Behold, my servants shall eat, and ye shall be hungry; my servants shall drink, and ye shall be thirsty;my servants shall rejoice, and ye shall be ashamed; my servants shall sing for joy of heart, and ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
Thirdly, let not wicked men bless themselves in the enjoyment of their pleasures; you have no other then thousands have had before you, who are now in Hell. If that you have were of any great worth, you might be sure you should not have it; if you knew how the Lord brings about your destruction by your pleasures, you would have little cause to rejoice in them; Haman rejoiced, when Esther invited him rather then others to the banquet, but if he had known that in his banquet there was a snare laid for his life, his heart would have faln, it would have been but a sad banquet to him: certainly there is a great deal of evil, and misery, and wrath, in being suffered to go on with delight and pleasure in a sinful way.
Bernard says, when God spares men in a sinful way, it is because God is not only angry with men, but hates them, he calls his mercy more cruel then all indignation. Origen in his Sermon upon Ex. 20. quotes that place, Hos. 4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom; and he has this pathetical expression upon it, God chastiseth every soul whom he loves: but would you hear the terrible voyce of Gods indignation, hear him by the Prophet Hosea, when he had reckoned up many wicked things which the people had committed, and he adds this, I will not visit your daughters when they commit whoredom; this is terrible, this is in the height. And Bernard speaking of the same thing, in the 42 Sermon upon the Canticles, At the hearing only of this, says he, I tremble, then God is most angry, when he shows no anger; God keep me from this mercy, this kinde of mercy is worse then all anger.
Luther has an expression much like, upon the 37. of Genesis, O unhappy, and miserable men, whom God leaves to themselves, not resisting their lusts; wo to them whose sins God seems to wink at. And Jerome writing to a sick friend, has this expression, I account it a part of unhappiness, not to know adversity, I judge you to be miserable, because you have not been miserable. Bernard in his Book de consolat. cap. 3. Freedom from punishment, is the mother of security, the step-mother of vertue, the poyson of Religion, the moth of holiness. Yea, this was seen by the purblinde eyes of the Heathen. Seneca in his fourth Chapter of his Book of Providence, has the same words, that before was said of Jerome, Ijudge him miserable, that was never miserable. And Demetrius, Nothing seems more unhappy to me, then he to whom no adversity has happened. It were easie to multiply abundance in this kinde; it may be, testimonies of men may have some force to prevail with such, who are given up by God to their pleasures, to the enjoyment of earthly prosperity, and sensual delights; certainly they are not so happy as they judge themselves to be; that which God denies to another in mercy, he may give you in wrath. And thus much for this. I come to that which is a main thing in Moses choice.
