should translate it i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Residuum irarum Cinges Vatablus Thou shalt gird the remainder of their wrath or of their fiercenes The meaning is this Suppose a mans heart be neuer so full fraught with enuy hatred malice wrath and reuenge let him be as fierce and furious as is possible God may indeed suffer him and he will suffer him to exercise so much of his corruption and proceed so farre in his fiercenesse as he seeth expedient and vsefull for the forwarding of other his secret and just and holy appointments and so order the sinfull fiercenes of man by his wonderfull prouidence as to make it seruiceable to his ends and to turne it to his glory but looke whatsoeuer wrath and fiercenes there is in the heart of a man ouer and aboue so much as will serue for those his eternall purposes all that surplusage that ouerplus and remainder whatsoeuer it be he will gird he will so bind hamper and restraine him that he shall not be able to goe an inch beyond his tedder though he would fret his heart out The fiercenes of man shal turne to thy praise so much of it as he doth execute and the remainder of their fiercenes thou shalt refraine that they execute it not Be he neuer so great a Prince or haue he neuer so great a spirit all is one hee must come vnder No difference with God in this betwixt him that sitteth on the throne and her that grindeth at the mill k Psal. 76.12 He shall refraine the spirit of Prinâ—â—â—nd is wonderfull among the Kings of the earth in the last verse of that Psalme §. 34. with the reason of both Now of the truth of all that hath beene hitherto spoken in both these branches of the Obseruation viz. that first there is a restraint of euill and then secondly that this restraint is from God I know not any thing can giue vs better assurance taking them both together then to consider the generality and strength of our Naturall corruption Generall it is first in regard of the Persons ouerspreading the whole lumpe of our nature there is not a child of Adam free from the common infection a Psal. 14.2 They are all corrupt they are altogether become abominable there is none that doth good no not one Generall secondly in regard of the subiect ouerrunning the whole man soule and body with all the parts and powers of eyther so as b Esay 1.6 from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head there is no whole part c Ioh. 3.6 Whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh and d Tit. 1.15 to them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their mind and conscience is defiled and e Gen. 6.5 All the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts are onely euill continually Generall thirdly in regard of the Obiect averse from all kind of good f Rom. 7.18 In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and prone to all kind of euill g Psal. 36.4 He hath set himselfe in no good way neither doth he abhorre any thing that is euill Adde to this generality the strength also of our corruption how vigorus and stirring and actiue it is and how it carryeth vs headlongly with full speed into all manner of euill h Ierem. 8.6 As the horse rusheth into the battell so as we haue no hold of our selues neither power to stay our selues till we haue runne as farre as we can and without the mercy of God plunged our selues into the bottome of the bottomelesse pit Lay all this together and there can be no other sufficient reason giuen then this restraint whereof we now speake why any one man should at any one time refraine from any one sin being tempted thereunto whereinto any other man at any other time hath fallen being alike tempted Euery man would kill his brother as i Gen. 4.8 Cain did Abel and euery man defile his sister as k 2. Sam. 13.11 Amnon did Thamar and euery man oppresse his inferiour as l 1. King 21 16. Ahab did Naboth and euery man supplant his betters as m 2. Sam. 16.3 Zibah did Mephibosheth and euery man betray his Master as n Math. 26.15 Iudas did Christ euery man being as deepe in the loines of Adam as either Cain or Iudas or any of the rest Their nature was not more corrupt then ours neither ours lesse corrupt then theirs and therefore euery one of vs should haue done those things as well as any one of them if there had not beene something without and aboue nature to withhold vs and keep vs backe therefrom when we were tempted which was not in that measure afforded them wheÌ„ they were tempted And from whom can we thinke that restraint to come but from that God who is the Authâ—r the Lord of nature and hath the power command and rule of Nature by whose grace and goodnesse we are whatsoeuer we are and to whose powerfull assistance we owe it if we doe any good for it is he that setteth vs on to his powerfull restraint if we eschew any euill for it is he that keepeth vs of Therefore I also withheld thee from sinning against mee And as to the third point in the Obseruation it is not much lesse euident then the two former namely that this Restraint as it is from God so it is from the Mercy of God §. 35. That this Restraint is from the Mercy of God Hence it is that Diuines vsually bestow vpon it the name of Grace distinguishing between a twofold Grace a speciall renewing Grace and a CoÌ„mon restraining Grace The speciall renewing Grace is indeed so incomparably more excellent that in comparison therof the other is not worthy to be called by the name of Grace if we would speake properly and exactly but yet the word Grace may not vnfitly be so extended as to reach to euery act of Gods prouidence whereby at any time he restraineth men from doing those euils which otherwise they would doe and that in a threefold respect of God of Themselues of Others First in respect of God euery restraint from sinne may be called Grace in asmuch as it proceedeth ex mero motu from the meere good will and pleasure of God without any cause motiue or inducement in the man that is so restrained For take a man in the state of corrupt nature and leaue him to himselfe and thinke how it is possible for him to forbeare any sinne whereunto he is tempted There is no power in Nature to worke a Restraint nay there is not so much as any pronenesse in nature to desire a restraint much lesse then is there any worth in Nature to deserue a restraint Issuing therefore not at all from the powers of Nature but from the free pleasure of God as a beame of his mercifull prouidence this Restraint may
all in the sinfull defect and obliquity of a wicked action There is a naturall or rather transcendentall Goodnes Bonitas Entis as they call it in euery Action even in that whereto the greatest sinne adhereth and that z Mali author non est qui omnium qua sunt author est quia in quantuÌ„ sunt in tantum bona sunt August 83. Quest. 21. Goodnes is from God as that Action is his Creature But the Euill that cleaueth vnto it is wholly from the default of the Person that committeth it and not at all from God And as for the Euils of Paine also neither are they of Gods making a Wisd. 13.16 Deus mortem non fecit saith the Author of the Booke of Wisedome God made not death neither doth he take pleasure in the destruction of the liuing but wicked men by their words and workes haue brought it vpon themselues b Osc. 13.9 Perditio tua ex te Israel Os. 13. O Israel thy destruction is from thy selfe that is both thy sinne whereby thou destroyest thy selfe and thy Misery whereby thou art destroyed is onely and wholly from thy selfe Certainly God is not the cause of any Euill either of sinne or Punishment Conceite it thus not the Cause of it formally and so farre forth as it is Euill For otherwise we must know that materially considered all Euils of Punishment are from God for c Amos 3.6 shall there be euill in the City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3.6 In Euils of sinne there is no other but onely that Naturall or Transcendentall goodnesse whereof wee spake in the Action which goodnes though it be from God yet because the Action is Morally bad God is not said to doe it But in Euils of Punishment there is ouer and besides that Naturall Goodnesse whereby they exist a kind of Morall Goodnes as wee may call it after a sort improperly and by way of reduction as they are Instruments of the Iustice of God and whatsoeuer may bee referred to Iustice may so farre forth be called good and for that very goodnes God may be said in some sort to bee the Author of these euils of Punishment though not also of those other euils of sinne In both we must distinguish the Good from the Euill and ascribe all the Good whatsoeuer it be Transcendentall Naturall Morall or if there any other to God alone but by no meanes any of the Euill Wee are vnthankefull if we impute any Good but to him and wee are vniust if wee impute to him any thing but good Secondly §. 8. The second from the goodnes of the least Creature guesse we at the d See Wisd. 13.1 c. excellent goodnes of the great Creator e A Gell. 1. Noct Attis 1. Ex pede Herculem God hath Imprinted as before I said some steps and footings of his goodnes in the Creatures from which we must take the best scantling we are capable of of those admirable and inexpressible and vnconceiuable perfections that are in him There is no beholding of the body of this Sunne who dwelleth in such a f 1. Tim. 6.16 glorious light as none can attaine vnto that glory would dazle with blindnesse the sharpest and most Eagly eye that should dare to fix it selfe vpon it with any stedfastnes enough it is for vs from those g Tantae hae formaâ—um varieta in rebus conditis quid nisi quidam sunt radij Deitatis demonstrantes quidem quid vere sit a quo sunt non tamen quid fit prorsus destâ—ienâ—es Bern. Ser. 31. in Cant. rayes and glimmering beames which he hath scartered vpon the Creatures to gather how infinitely he exceedeth them in brightnes and glory h Bern. ibid. De ipso vides sed non ipsum We see his but not him His Creatures they are our best indeed our only instructers For though his reuealed word teach vs what we should neuer haue learned from the Creatures without it yet fitted to our capacity it teacheth no otherwise then by resemblances taken from the Creatures i Rom. 1.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Paul calleth it Rom. 1. the whole Latitude of that which may be knowne of God is manifest in the Creatures and the invisible things of God not to be vnderstood but by the things that are made S. Baesill therfore calleth the world k Basil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very schoole where the knowledge of God is to be learned and there is a double way of teaching a twofold method of trayning vs vp into that knowledge in that schoole that is to say l â—quin 1. quâ— 11.12 Per. Viâ—â— negationis and per viam Eminentiae First m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc. 1. de fid Orthod 4. Viâ negationis looke whatsoeuer thou findest in the Creature which fauoureth of defect or imperfection and know God is not such Are they limited subiect to change composition decay c Remoue these from God and learne that he is infiniâ—e simple vnchangeable eternall Then Viâ Eminentiae looke whatsoeuer perfection there is in the Creature in any degree and know that the same but infinitely and incomparably more eminently is in God Is there Wisedome or Knowledge or Power or Beautie or Greatnesse or Goodnesse in any kinde or in any measure in any of the Creatures Affirme the same but without measure of God and learne that he is infinitely wiser and skilfuller and stronger and fairer and greater and better In euery good thing so differently excellent aboue and beyond the Creatures as that though yet they be good yet compared with him they deserue not the name of good n Mark 10.18 There is none good but one that is God Mark 10. None good as hee simply and absolutely and essentially and of himselfe such The Creatures that they are good they haue it from him and their goodnes dependeth vpon him and they are good but in part and in some measure and in their owne kinds Whensoeuer therefore we finde any good from or obserue any goodnes in any of the Creatures let vs not bury our meditations there but raise them vp by those stayres as it were of the Creatures to contemplate the great goodnes of him their Creatour We are vnhappie truants if in this so richly furnished schoole of Gods good Creatures we haue not learned from them at the least so much knowledge of him and his goodnes as to admire and loue and depend vpon it and him Looke vpon the Workemanship and accordingly judge of the Workeman Euery Creature of God is good surely then the Creator must needs excell in goodnesse §. 9. The third Thirdly there is in men amongst other cursed fruites of selfe-loue an aptnes to measure things o Non ex sui naturae sed ex suo commodo vel incommodo August 12. de Ciuit. 4. not by the leuell of exact Truth but by the modell
of their owne apprehensions Who is there that cannot fault anothers worke The p Plin. 35 Nat. hist. 10. Cobler could espy something amisse in Apelles his master-piece because the picture was not drawne just according to his fancy If a thousand of vs heare a Sermon scarce one of that thousand but he must shew some of that litle wit he hath in disliking somthing or other There the Preacher was too elaborate here too loose that point he might haue enlarged contracted this he might haue beene plainer there shewed more learning here that obseruation was obuious that exposition enforced that proofe impertinent that illustration common that exhortation needlesse that reproofe vnseasonable one misliketh his Text another his Method a third his stile a fourth his voyce a fifth his memâ—ry euery one something A fault more pardonable if our Censures stayed at the workes of men like our selues and q Lucian in Hermotimo Momus-like we did not quarrell the workes of God also and charge many of his good Creatures either with manifest ill or at least wise with vnprofitablenes r See Sirac 39.16 17. c. Why was this made or why thus what good doth this or what vse of that It had perhaps beene better if this or that had neuer bin or if they had beene otherwise Thus we sometimes say or thinke To s Ne tanti artificis opus in aliquo reprehendere vanitate humanae temeritatis audeamus August 12 de Ciuil 4. rectifie this corruption remember this first clause of my Text Euery Creature of God is good Perhaps thou seest not what good there is in some of the Creatures like enough so but yet consider there may bee much good which thou seest not Say it giueth thee no nourishment Possibly it may doe thee t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc. 2 de fid Orthod 12. seruice in some other kinde Say it neuer yet did that yet it may doe hereafter Later times u Quam multae animalia hoc primun cognovimus seculo quidem multa venientis aeui populus ignota nobis Sci. Senec. 7. Nat. qu. 31. haue found out much good vse of many Creatures whereof former ages were ignorant and why may not after times find good in those things which doe vs none Say it neuer did nor euer shall do seruice to man although who can tell that yet who knoweth but it hath done or may doe seruice to some other Creature that doth seruice to man Say nor that neither yet this good thou mayst reape euen from such Creatures as seeme to affoord none to take x â—Vtitur quibusdam assumendis respuendis ad valâ—tudinem quibusdam toleâ—aÌ„dis ad patiEntâ—am quibusdam ordinaÌ„â—is ad tusticiam quibusdam consideranilis ad alâ—quod vecitatis documentum August 83 quest 25. knowledge of thine owne ignorance and to humble thy selfe thereby who art so farre from comprehending the essence that thou canst not comprehend the very workes of God The most vnprofitable Creatures profit vs at least this way y Bern. Serm. 5. in Cant. Visu sinon vsu as Bernard speaketh if not to vse them yet to see in them as in a glasse Gods wisedome and our owne ignorance And so they doe vs good if not z Ibid. cedendo in cibum if not exhibendo ministerium in feeding and seruing vs yet exercendo ingenium as the same Bernard speaketh in exercising our wits and giuing vs a sight of our ignorance §. 10. A Doubt remoued But yet those Creatures which are apparantly hurtfull to vs as Serpents and Wild-beasts and sundry poysonous plants but aboue all the Diuels and cursed Angels May we not say they are ill and justly both blame and hate them Euen these also are good as they are the Creatures of God and the workmanship of his hands It is onely through sinne that they are Euill eyther to vs as the rest or in themselues as the Diuels These now wicked Angels were glorious Creatures at the first by their owne voluntary transgression it is that they are now the worst and the basest And as for all the other Creatures of God made to doe vs service they were at the first and still are good in themselues if there cleaueth to them any euill whereby they become hurtfull to vs that is by accedent and wee haue to thanke none but our selues for that For who or what could haue harmed vs if we had beene followers of that which was good It was a Rom. 8.10 not of their owne accord but through our sinfulnesse that the Creatures became subiect vnto vanity and capable eyther to doe or to suffer ill They had beene still harmelesse if we had bin still faultlesse it was our b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. in Gen. Hem. 25. sinne that at once forfeited both our innocency and theirs If then we see any ill in them or finde any ill by them let vs not lay the blame our wreake our hatred vpon them let vs rather bestow our blame and hatred where it is most due the blame vpon our selues the hatred vpon our sinnes If Balaam had done iustly he should haue spared the c Numb 22.27 c. Asse and haue corrected himselfe but the false Prophet doth the fault and the poore beast must beare both blame and strokes When we suffer we curse or at the easiest blame the Creatures this weather that floud such a storme hath blasted our fruites sanded our grounds shipwrackt our wares and vndone vs when alas these haue neyther heart nor strength against vs but what our selues put into them by our sinnes Euery sence of euill thereof in or from the Creatures should worke in vs a sence of our disobedience vnto God should encrease in vs a detestation of the sinnes we haue committed against God should teach vs by condemning our selues to acquite the good Creatures of God which as they are good in themselues so should they haue beene euer and onely good vnto vs if wee had beene true to our selues and continued good and faithfull seruants vnto God They are all good doe not thou accuse any of them and say they are euill doe not thou abuse any of them and make them euill Hitherto of the first Point the Goodnesse of the Creatures §. 11. Obseru 11. Our Liberty to the Creatures Euery Creature of God is good Followeth the second which is their vse consisting in their lawfulnesse vnto vs and our liberty vnto them euery Creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused Nothing That is most agreeable to the argument of the former verse nothing fit for food but more generally and so I rather thinke the Apostle intendeth it no Creature of God whereof we may haue vse or service in any kinde whatsoeuer Nothing which may yeeld vs any comfortable content for the support of this life in point of health ease profit delight or otherwise with due sobriety and other requisite
vs much more when he maketh vs forbeare to sinne then when hauing sinned he forbeareth to punish and as much cause haue we to acknowledge his mercy and to reioyce in it when he holdeth our hands that we sinne not as when he holdeth his owne hands that hee strike not For I also withheld thee from sinning against mee How Did not Abimelech sinne in taking Sarah or was not that as f Psal. 51.4 euery other sinne is a sinne against God Certainely if Abimilech had not sinned in so doing and that against God God would not haue so plagued him as he did for that deed The meaning then is not that God withhelâ— â—im wholly from sinning at all therein but that God withheld him from sinning against him in that soule kind in that high degree as to defile himselfe by actuall filthines with Sarah which but for Gods restraint he had done Therefore suffered I thee not g Segtuag hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h Vulg. hic Non dimisâ—ts that is I did not let thee goe I did not leaue thee to thy selfe or most agreeably to the letter of the Text in the i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew Non dedi or non tradidi I did not deliuer or giue That may be non dedi potestatem I did not giue thee k H. A. hic leaue or power and so giuing is sometimes vsed for suffering as Psal. 16. l Psal. 16.10 Non dabis sanctum tuum Thou wilt not suffer c. and m Gen. 31.7 Exod. 3.19 12.23 NuÌ„ 22.13 Iud. 1. â—4 15.1 Ester 9.14 elsewhere Or non dedi te tibi I gaue thee not to thy selfe A man cannot be put more desperately into the hands of any enemy then to be left in manu consilij sui deliuered into his owne hands and giuen ouer to the lust of his owne heart Or as it is here translated I suffered thee not We should not draw in God as a partie when we commit any sinne as if he ioyned with vs in it or lent vs his helping hand for it we doe it so alone without his helpe that we neuer doe it but when he letteth vs alone and leaueth vs destitute of his helpe For the kind and manner and measure and circumstances and events and other the appurtenances of sinne God ordereth them by his Almighty power and prouidence so as to become seruiceable to his most wise most just most holy purposes but as for the very formality it selfe of the sinne God is to make the most of it but a sufferer Therefore suffered I thee not To touch her Signifying that God had so farre restrained Abimilech from the accomplishment of his wicked and vncleane purposes that Sarah was preserued free by his good prouidence not onely from actuall adulterie but from all vnchast and wanton dalliance also with Abimelech It was Gods great mercy to all the three parties §. 30. Obser. IIII. Gods Restraint of mans sinne that he did not suffer this euill to be done for by this meanes he graciously preserued Abimelech from the sinne Abraham from the wrong and Sarah from both And it is to be acknowledged the great mercy of God when at any time he doth and he doth euer and anon more or lesse by his gracious and powerfull restraint withhold any man from running into those extremities of sin and mischiefe whereinto his owne corruption would carry him headlong especially when it is set a gogge by the cunning perswasions of Sathan and the manifold temptations that are in the world through lust The Points then that arise from this part of my Text are these 1. Men doe not alwayes commit those evils their owne desires or outward temptations prompt them vnto 2. That they doe it not it is from Gods restraint 3. That God restraineth them it is of his owne gracious goodnes and mercy The common subiect matter of the whole three points being one viz. Gods restraint of mans sinne we will therefore wrap them vp all three together and so handle them in this one entire Obseruation as the totall of all three God in his mercy oftentimes restraineth men from committing those evils which if that restraint were not they would otherwise haue committed This Restraint whether we consider the measure or the meanes which God vseth therein §. 31. With the measure and meanes therof is of great variety For the measure God sometimes restraineth men a Totò from the whole sinne whereunto they are tempted as hee withheld Ioseph from consenting to the perswasions of his mistres sometimes onely á Tanto and that more or lesse as in his infinite wisedome he seeth expedient suffering them perhaps but onely to desire the euill perhaps to resolue vpon it perhaps to prepare for it perhaps to begin to act it perhaps to proceed farre in it and yet keeping them backe from falling into the extremitie of the sinne or accomplishing their whole desire in the full and finall comsummation thereof as here he dealt with Abimelech Abimelech sinned against the eighth commandement in taking Sarah iniuriously from Abraham say he had beene but her brother and he sinned against the seuenth commandement in a foule degree in harbouring such wanton and vnchast thoughts concerning Sarah and making such way as he did by taâ—ing her into his house for the satisfying of his lust therein but yet God withheld from from plunging himselfe into the extremity of those sinnes not suffering him to fall into the act of Vncleannes And as for the meanes whereby God withholdeth men from sinning they are also of wonderfull variety Sometimes he taketh theÌ„ off by diverting the course of the corruption turning the affections another way Sometimes he awaketh naturall Conscience which is a very tender and tickle thing when it is once stirred and will boggle now then at a very small matter in comparison ouer it will doe at some other times Somtimes he affrighteth them with apprensions of outward Euils as shame infamy charge enuy losse of a friend danger of humane Lawes and sundry other such like discouragements Sometimes he cooleth their resolutions by presenting vnto their thoughts the terrours of the Law the strictnes of the last Account and the endlesse vnsufferable torments of Hell-fire Somtimes when all things are ripe for execution hee denyeth them opportunity or casteth in some vnexpected impediment in the way that quasheth all Somtimes he * Quosdam praescions Deus multa peccare posse flagellat eos infirmitate corporis ne peccent vt eis vtilius sit fraugi languo ribus ad salutem quam remanere incollumes ad damntionem Hug. 2. de Animae disableth them and weakeneth the arme of flesh wherein they trusted so as they want power to their will as here he dealt with Abimelech And sundry other wayes he hath more then we are able to search into wherby hee layeth a restraint vpon men and keepeth them backe from many
the sight of God as any of these thou art a proud Pharisee which perhaps they are not To let thee see thou art a Pharisee doe but giue me a direct answere without shifting or mincing to that Question of St. Paul b 1. Cor. 4.7 Quis te discrevit Who hath made thee to differ from another Was it God or thy selfe or both together If thou sayest it was God thou art a dissembler and thy boasting hath already confuted thee for what hast thou to doe to glory in that which is not thine c Ibid. If thou hast receiued it why doest thou glory as if thou haddest not receiued it If thou sayest it was from thy selfe what Pharisee could haue assumed more All the shift thou hast is to say it was God indeed that made the difference but he saw somthing in thee for which he made thee to differ thou acknowledgest his restraint in part but thine owne good nature did something If this be all thou art a very Pharisee still without all escape That Pharisee neuer denyed God a part no nor the chiefest part neyther he began his vanting prayer with an acknowledgment of Gods worke d Luk. 18.11 I thanke thee O God that I am not like other men It was not the denyall of all vnto God but the assuming of any thing vnto himselfe that made him a right Pharisee Goe thy way then and if thou wilt doe God and thy selfe right deny thy selfe altogether and giue God the whole glory of it if thou hast bin preserued from any euill And from thy brothers fall besides compassioning forlorne Nature in him make a quite contrary vse vnto thy selfe euen to humble thee thereby with such like thoughts as these * Gal. 6.1 considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted Am I any better then hee or better mould then he or better temperèd then he Am not I a child of the same Adam a vessell of the same clay a chip of the same blocke with him why then should I be * Rom. 11.20 high-minded when I see him fallen before me why should I not rather feare least my foot slip as well as his hath done I haue much cause with all thankefulnesse to blesse God for his good prouidence ouer me in not suffering me to fall into this sinne hitherto and with all humility to implore the continuance of his gracious assistance for the future without which I am not able to auoyd this or any other euill Secondly since all restraints from sinne §. 43.2 How to entertaine the meanes God affoordeth vs of restraint by what second meanes so euer they are conueyed vnto vs or forwarded are from the mercifull Prouidence of God whensoeuer wee obserue that God hath vouchsafed vs or doth offer vs any meanes of such his gracious restraint it is our duty joyfully to embrace those meanes and carefully to cherish them and with all due thankfulnes to blesse the name of God for them Oh how oft haue we plotted and proiected and contriued a course for the expediting of our perhaps ambitious perhaps couetous perhaps malicious perhaps voluptuous designes and by the prouidence of God some vnexpected interuening accident hath marred the curious frame of all our proiects that they haue come to nothing as a Spiders webbe spunne with much art and industry is suddenly disfigured and swept away with the light touch of a besome How oft haue we bin resolued to sinne and prepared to sinne and euen at the pits brinke ready to cast our selues into hell when he hath plucked vs away as he plucked a Gen. 19 16. Lot out of Sodome by affrightments of naturall Conscience by apprehensions of dangers by taking away the opportunities by ministring impediments by shortening our power by sundry other meanes Haue wee now blessed the name of God for affording vs these gracious meanes of preuention and restraint Nay haue we not rather bin enraged thereat and taken it with much impatience that we should be so crossed in the pursuite of our vaine and sinfull desires and purposes As wayward Children cry and take pet when the Nurse snatcheth a knife from them wherewith they might perhaps cut their fingers perhaps haggle their throates or putteth them backe from the wells mouth when they are ready with catching at babies in the water to type ouer and as that merry madman in the Poet was in good earnest angry with his friēds for procuring him to be cured of his madnes wherein he so much pleased himselfe as if they could not haue done him a greater displeasure b Herat. 2. satir. Pol me occidistis amici Non seruastis such is our folly We are offended with those that reproue vs testie at those that hinder vs impatient vnder those crosses that disable vs yea wee fret and turne againe at the powerfull application of the holy word of God when it endeauoureth to reforme vs or restraine vs from those euils wherein we delight Let vs henceforth mend this fault cheerfully submit our selues to the discipline of the Almighty and learne of holy Dauid with what affections to entertaine the gracious meanes he vouchsafeth vs of restraint or preuention as appeareth by his speeches vnto Abigail when she by her wisdome had pacified his wrath against Nabal whose destruction he had a little before vowed in his heat c 1. Sam. 25.32 c. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy aduice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shed blood and from auenging my selfe with mine owne hand He blessed God as the cause and her as the instrument and her discreet behauiour and aduice as the meanes of staying his hand from doing that euill he had vowed with his mouth and was in his heart purposed to haue done Thirdly since we owe our standing to the hand of God who holdeth vs vp without whose restraine we should fall at euery turne §. 43.3 To pray vnto God to restraine our corruptions and into euery temptation we cannot but see what need we haue to seeke to him dayly and hourely to withhold vs frō falling into those sins wherunto either our corrupt nature would leade vs or outward occasions draw vs. We may see it by the fearfull fals of Dauid Peter men nothing inferiour to the best of vs how weake a thing man is to resist temptation if God withdraw his support and leaue him but a little to himselfe Which made Dauid pray to God that he would a Psal. 19 13. keepe backe his seruant from presumptious sinnes He well knew though he were the faithful seruāt of God that yet he had no stay of himself but vnles God kept him back he must on and he must in and he must in deepe euen as farre as to Presumptious sinnes No man though he be neuer so good hath any assurance as vpon his owne strength though it be