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der before; they abused his patience that waited for ⟨their repentance⟩, and now they feel the punishment of their ⟨sin⟩ in the exquisite torments of the soul: and, full of ⟨fear⟩ and terror, expect greater at the resurrection of the ⟨body⟩. If it seem strange to you, that God should suffer ⟨the⟩ righteous to be at the mercy of the wicked, behold ⟨the⟩ rich man in torment looking up to Abraham, and ⟨begging⟩ for a drop of water to ⟨cool⟩ his tongue; and ⟨Abraham⟩, without any compassion of his son, defending ⟨the⟩ justice of God's dealing with him and the poor ⟨beggar⟩ that lay at his door.
Behold the goodness and severity of god!
'His goodness,' leading the righteous into all the ⟨ways⟩ of discipline and trial, proving their obedience in ⟨the⟩ most dangerous temptation, both from that ⟨pleasure⟩ which their nature covets, and that pain which their ⟨nature⟩ abhors: that when the world and the flesh, and ⟨the⟩ devil have assaulted them with all their weapons, ⟨they⟩ may get an entire and perfect victory, and their ⟨integrity⟩ may have the clearest evidence, and they may ⟨be⟩ confirmed in faith, and made strong, and constant, ⟨and⟩ persevering in virtue, and, after their good and ⟨faithful⟩ service, 'enter into their master's joy.
'His severity,' suffering the wicked sometimes to ⟨be⟩ pampered with fulness of delight, and satisfied in ⟨all⟩ their desires, and sometimes to be afflicted with ⟨crosses⟩ and disappointments, and tempted with miseries ⟨and⟩ plagues to the utmost impatience, that they also may ⟨be⟩ tried, and that the wickedness which would lie ⟨concealed⟩ for want of occasion, may break out and be ⟨brought⟩ to light, that in the variety of conditions, they may ⟨be⟩ led, if they will themselves, into the commission of ⟨all⟩ sins, and may add iniquity to iniquity till the ⟨measure⟩ be full, that God may be glorified in the day of ⟨visitation⟩ and the revelation of that righteous ⟨judgment⟩ (which how hard soever they may seem now) will ⟨plainly⟩ resolve all the problems and riddles of Providence.
The sum of what hath been said, is, That it is ⟨unavoidably⟩ necessary for things to fall out to the good ⟨and⟩ the bad indifferently and uncertainly: To no ⟨judgment⟩ can be made by what happens to men, of their ⟨grief,⟩
