CHAP. XI. Concerning REWARDS and PUNISH MENTS. THE HERE be many that fay, Who will fhew us any Good? O fear the Lord: For they that fear him thall not want any good Thing. b What Man is he that defireth Life, and loveth many Days, that be may fee Good? Depart from Evil, and do Good; feek Peace, and purfue it. • Hearken not unto the Words of them that fay unto every one that walketh after the Imagination of his own Heart, No Evil fhall come upon you. Lo this, we have fearched it, fo it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy Good. The Hand of God is upon all them for Good that feek him; but his Power and his Wrath is against all them that forfake him. And God will punish the Men that fay in their Heart, The Lord will not do Good, neither will he do Evil. f I was envious at the Foolish, when I faw the Profperity of the Wicked. They are not in Trou a Pfal. 4. 6. Jer. 23. 16, 17. 1. 12 Pfal. 34. 9, 10. f Pfal. 73 3 5° b Pfal. 34. 12, 14 Ezra 8. 22. • Zeph. ble ble as other Men; neither are they plagued like other Men. Behold, thefe are they who profper in the World;, they increase in Riches, yea, are mighty in Power. Verily, I have cleanfed my Heart in vain, and wafhed mine Hands in Innocency. So foolish was I and ignorant, until I went into the Sanctuary of God; then understood I their End, how are they brought into Defolation, as in a Moment! They are utterly confumed with Terrors. A brutish Man knoweth not, neither doth a Fool understand this: When the Wicked fpring as the Grafs, and when all the Workers of Iniquity do flourish, it is that they fhall be destroyed for ever. h Thefe are the Men of the World, which have their Portion in this Life; and have no Inheritance in the Kingdom of Chrift and of God. The Wicked fay unto God, Depart from us; for we defire not the Knowledge of thy Ways. What is the Almighty, that we fhould ferve him? And what Profit thould we have if we pray unto him? Surely it is vain to ferve God; and it profiteth a Man nothing that he should delight himfelf with God. They have faid alf, that all Things come alike to all; there is one Event to the Righteous and to the Wicked, to the Good, and to the Clean, and to the Unclean: As is the Good, fo is the Sinner, and he that fweareth as he that feareth an Oath. Let us therefore eat and drink, for To-morrow we die. 1 Thus doth their Heart carry them away, and they turn their Spirit against God: For they believe not that they thall return out of Darkness. Let not him that is deceived truft in Vanity; for Vanity fhall be his Recompence. A Book of Remembrance is written before the Lord, for them that fear him, and that think upon his Name: And they fhall be mine, (faith the Lord of Hoits) in the Day when I make up my Jewels; and I will fpare them, as a Man fpareth his own Son that ferveth him. Then thall ye return, and discern between the Righteous and the Wicked; between him that ferveth God, and him that serveth him not." • Wo unto them that say, Let him make speed and haften his Work, that we may fee it, and let the Counsel of the Holy One of Ifrael draw nigh and come, that we may know it. For the Day of their Calamity is at hand, and the Things that fhall come upon them make haste. P Behold, faith the Lord, I come quickly, and my Reward is with me, to give every Man according as his Work shall be. REWARDS to the RIGHTEOUS. Godlincfs is profitable unto all Things; hav ing Promife of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come. The Lord will render to every Man his Righteousness and his Faithfulness. He will recom penfe his Work; and a full Reward fhall be given him of the Lord. The Lord will give Grace and Glory; and no good Thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. All Things work together for Good to them that love God. "Be ye ftrong therefore, for your Work shall be rewarded. And be careful to maintain good Works; for thefe Things are good and profitable unto Men.. W w Thou, O God, wilt keep him in perfect Peace, whofe Mind is ftayed on thee. Thou wilt blefs him indeed, and keep him from Evil, that it may not grieve him. The Way of the Lord is Strength to the Upright. They fhall dwell fafely, and be quiet from fear of Evil. They thall not be afhamed in the evil Time. y Great Peace have they, O Lord, which love thy Law; and nothing fhall offend them. The Fear of the Lord tendeth to Life; and he that hath it fhall abide fatisfied: He shall not be vifited with Evil. a And who is he that will harm you, if ye Followers of that which is good? be Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous; but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. Job 33.26. Rom. 8. 28. 1 Chron. 4. 10. 18, 19. 3.13. w Ifa. 26. 3. I Sam. 26. 23. Ruth 2. 12. s Pfal. 84. 11. u 2 Chron. 15.7. Titus 3.8.1 * Prov. 10. 29: Prov. 1. 33. z Prov. 19. 23. y Pfal. 119. 165. b Pfal. 34. 19. Pfal. 37. a Pet. The The Wicked watcheth the Righteous, and feeketh to lay him; but the Lord will not leave him in his Hand. God will hide him from the fecret Counsel of the Wicked; and will deliver him from unreasonable and wicked Men which have not Faith. Remember, I pray thee, Who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the Righteous cut off? • Whofo keepeth the Commandment shall feel no evil Thing. f The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations. And God is faithful, who will not fuffer them to be tempted above what they ate able; but will with the Temptation alfo make a Way to escape, that they may be able to bear it. Set your Hearts unto all the Words of this Law, which is fet before you. For it is not a vain Thing for you, becaufe it is your Life; and through this Thing ye fhall prolong your Days. h Keep therefore and do them; for this is your Wisdom and your Understanding. And happy is the Man that findeth Wifdom: For Length of Days is in her right Hand, and in her left Hand Riches and Honour. Her Ways are Ways of Pleafantnefs, and all her Paths are Peace. i If thou fhalt keep the Commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his Ways; the Lord shall open unto thee his good Treasure, and bless Pfal. 37. 32, 23. Pfal. 64. 2. e Ecclef. 8. 5. 2 Theff. 3. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 13. Deut. 32. 47. d Job 4.7. g Deut. h Deut. 4. 6. Prov. all |