Chan. 36. e4o Evpafitiontepon the Boakof J ®s. Verf. 6. A ThornHedge keeps the Failure, that térange Cattle break not in, and eat it up. Wicked men are as Bryarsand Thorns, and they are fuffered to live, becaufe the Lord canmake life of them as a Fence to his people. When the Serpent calf out of his mouth water as a Flood after the wernan (the Church ) that he rnigkt cuufe her to bccarr,edaway of the Flood,then the Earth(that is, earthly, carnal men ) helped the woman ( Rev. r e. 15, 16e) The Lord ufed bad men to do that good 'work, the prefervationoi' his diffreifed and perfecuted Church. Thirdly, As theLord fuflers many wicked men to live, that they maybe brought out of their fins, fo he fullers others to lire that they may fill up the meafure of their fins. Why did the Lord preferve the Amerttes ? was it becaufe he loved or liked them ? no,but becaufe theywere not then ripe for Judgment, ( Gen. is. I6.) The Iaieruuty of the "fluorites is not yet full. Some wicked thenare toEll up their dayes, that they may fill up the meafure of their Fathers fins, by their own, a3 Chris} threatned the Scribes and Pharifees, (Math. 2 3.3z.) Such a grant of life, though for a thoufand years, is worfe than a thoufand Deaths. w Fourthly, we may anfwer, Thewicked are not fo muchprefer- red from, as referred unto further wrath, (z Pet. 2. 9.) The Lord%sweth how to deliver thegodly oat of tenoptations, and to re- ferve the uujúi unto the day of judgment, to be punifhed. God doth not prefently punish all the wicked, nor take away their lives ; there is a day of Judgment coming, and till thatday c&nie, their lives are preferred, as perfonsreferved untoJudgment. Fifthly, VVhen wicked men are Paid to be out ofthe Lords Prote&iein, confider, There is a'twafold Prone&ion Firfi, or- dinary ; Secondly, extraordinary. The Lord Both preferve and prote& wicked men in an ordinary, not in an extraordinary way ; he doth not work wondermuch lets miracles, to preferve them, as he often Both for the prefervation ofhis own people. God will not be at fuch cofi in preferring of wicked men, as he is at in thepreferving the lives and liberties of his eminent Servants ; rather than they (hall perifh, or not be preferred, he will fom- tinges work a miracle, and put Nature out of its courfe, to fave their liver. When Chore three VVorthies were call into the midi( of the burning fiery Furnace, God flopt the rage of that furious Element; that the Fire 'had`no ?own-upe» their bodyes? nor 191
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