232 Chip. I 6. An Elofition upon the Bookof $ O B. verfg.. wife man. When jofeph was follicited by his Mifirefs to com- mit folly with her, he anfwers , How can I do this great wick- ednefr, andfin againft God( Gen. 39. 9. ) jofeph wanted nei- .ther power , nor opportunity to do that wickednefs , yet he faith, How can I do it ? Paul and his fellow, Apoflles had wit and parts fufñcient to oppofe the truth, yet he faith ( a Cor, i3. 8.)We can do no- thing againfl the truth, but for the truth. Paul was a great do- er, and he faith (.Phil,q,i3 ) I can do all things through Chrifl Jlrengthening ofme but Paul could donothing to the difho- nour of Chrift, lloubtlefs Paul could have maintained an ar. gument, and drive on an objedion as far as another man , a- gainti the truth , if he would have in himfelf to it,and have made that his buunefs , but he had not a minde to do it : The bent of his fpirit did not lie that way , he was all for Chrift, and the Gofpel ; he was a Gyant for the truth, but an Infant, a weakling, as weak as water againft it ; he had nei. ther an underftandiug to conceive , nor a tongue to fpeak to the differviceof Jefus Chrift. Nara iu + ?ur It is a good obfervation of one of the Ancients, upon this .quidfare a place, A Jeff man declares what he can do, but that he may not tuft, fed no defert JuJlice, heforbears to do what he can. The providence )uflitiam d°fq of God fetsbounds to the power of a holy man ; but the fpi- rat, quod fa rit of God fets bounds to the power of a carnal man; if a carnal serepotuir de- clinat.Grcg. man keep withincompafs at any time, it is becaufe he is re ftrained ; but a godly man keeps within compafs, becaufe he is renewed. Leben tells jecob (Gen.3 t 29.) It is in thep wer of my hand to do thee hurt : And why did not Laban hurt fa- cob ? Was it from any principle of love or righteoulnefs in La- bans breatt? ThaText is silent in that, andLeben himfelf Teems to tell us, whence it was, in the fame Verfe, The,God of your Fathers fpak,e unto me yeflernight , faying, Take thou heed that thou fpeak,not to Jacob,&c. And thishis fpeaking to Laban, Jacob calis,Gods rebuking ofLaban (ver, 42.) implying, that if God hadnot flopt him,he would have done him hurt. i t was more thin once in the power of pav ds hand , to hurt,.,yea, to flay Saul , and he was (trongly moved. fome his great Officers to do it , Yet he strongly refuted to do it , or to fuller it tobe done , becaufe it would have beentin irrhim to doe it, himfelf being a private perfon, and the way in
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