I c8 Chap. 33. ton Fxpofition upon the Book, of J o $. Verf, t t, Rational creatures often go beyond the commands of God; but neither they, nor any creature, can go beyond the counfel of God : They who tranfgrefs or paf s over the line of his revealed will , cannot pals over the lineof his fecret will. The Lord fe- cretly puts a (top to all creatures, ashere, to the fea. How ex- travagant foever mens fpirics are, or their praaices are , yet they are under an over- ruling power. The fea bath continued under this command ever fince God made it ; it hath gone no further than the Lord would. Though it bea truth that the fea bathbro- ken vifible and natural , yea artificial banks , and bounds, and bars; yet it bath never broken thole fpecial invifible banks,bounds, Deus' non fibi and bars,which Godbath made for it,hisdecree.WhenGodgave ens serum leges thePea vifible banks,and bounds and bars, he did not intend them axu2 per, que. for banks,and bounds,and bars to his ownwill; and therefore he cum like; mu- fometimes bids the Pea go beyond and break its vifible bounds tore. and bars. He commanded a general deluge in Noah: time; then all was lea, no dry land appeared : And though we have the Lords promife that he will never deftroy the world , how finful foever, by an univerfal deluge any mo.-e (ggen. 9. sr.) yet Hi- ifories and experiences have toldus therehave beenmany parti- cular inundationsof the fea , breaking its anciently known bounds andbars; neverthelels it never did nor ever fha11 break the bars of this word , hitherto (halt thoucome , but nofurther. The di- vine pillar of this (Ne pltuultra) No further, funds inviolable. If the feabreak bounds at any time , 'cis becaufe God hath given it a fpecial commiflion to dofo , for the puni(hment ofmen,who break their bounds by fin. The fea is (till Gods prifoner , and goes not out of chafe doors which God bath Pet up and barred, without his licence ; it flits not a foot from the decreed place which God broke up for it , but as he lengthens its chain, Thirdly, Note ; To God alone that power betons! , which keeps the Pea within compafr. It is not the (ands, northe banks, nor the rocks, that can do ir. The water is a very barbarous and head-ftrong element, none can put a bridle into the lips of it , but God himfelf. A late Hifto- sian, fpeaking of the fitge of Roch,!, faith there wasa fiupen- dies
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