f I N D W b: i li I NG- SIN. 471 And thefe are fome of the ways whereby God is pleated to hinder the bringing forth. of conceived. fin, by oppofing himfelf andhisprovidence to to the poRrer of the finning creature. And we may a little in our image take a brief view of the great advantages to faith, and the church of God, which may be found in this matter. As, [r.] This may give us a little infight into the ever to be adored providence of God, by thefe and the like ways in great variety obftrufting the breaking forth of fin in the world. It ishe who makes thofe darns, and (nuts up thofe flood gates of corrupted nature, that it (hall not break forth in a deluge of of filthy_abominations to overwhelm the creation with confufion and diford- er. As it was of old, fo it is at this day ; Every thought and imagination of the heart of man is evil, andthat continually. That all the earth is not in all places filled with violence, as it was ofold, is meerly from the mighty hand of God working effeftually for the obftrucling of fin. From hence a- lone it is, that the high ways,ftreets and fields, are not all filled with violence, blood, rapine, uneleannefs, and every villaüy that the heart of man can con- ceive. O the infinite beauty of divine wifdom and providence in the go- vernment of the world : for the confervation ofit afks dayly no lets power and wildo.n, than the firft making of it did require. [2.] If we will look to our own concernments, they will in a fpecial man- ner inforce us to adore the wifdom and efficacyof the providence of God, in ftopping the ,progrefs of conceived fin. That we are at peace in out houfes, at rat in our beds, that we have any quiet in our enjoyments, is from hence alone. Whole perfon would not be defiled, or deliro ed ? . Whole habitation would not be ruined ? Whole blood almuft would not be flied, if wicked men had power to perpetrate all their conceived fin ? It may be the ruin of fume of us hath been conceived a thoufand times. We are beholden to this providenceof obftrudingfin, for our lives, our families, our eftates,. our liberties, for whatfoever is, or may be dear unto us. For may we not fay fometimes withthe Pfalmifl, Pfal. lvii. 4. My foul is among lyons, and I lie even among them that are fet on fire, even the foss of risen, whofe -teeth are (pears and arrows, and their tongue a fbarp fword. And how is the deliverance of men contrived from fuch perlons, Pfal. lviii. 6. God breaks their teeth in their mouths, even the great teeth of theyoung lyons. He keeps this fire fromburning, or quencheth it when it's ready to break out into a flame. He breaks /heir fpears and ar- rows, fo that fometimes we are not fo much as wounded by them : fame he cuts off and deftroys, fome he cuts fhort in their power, Tome he deprives of the-inflruments whereby alone they can work, fosse he preventsof their defired opportunities, or diverts by other objefts for their tufts, and often- times canfetis them to fpend them among themfelves one upon another. We may fay therefore with the Pfalmifi, Pfal. civ. 24. 0 Lord, howmanifold are thy works, in wifdom haft thou made them all, the earth is full -of thy riches; and with the prophet, Hof. xiv. 9. Who is wife and he fliall underhand thefe things, prudent and be flail know them ; all the wayr of the Lord are right, andthe jufl Atli/ walk in them, but the tranfgreffors(ball fall therein. [3.] If thefe and the like are the ways whereby God obviates thebring- ing forth of conceived tin in wicked men, we may learn hence how ferable their condition is, and- in what perpetual torment for the molt part they fpend their days : they are like a troubledfea, faith the Lord, that cannot reg. As they endeavour that others may have no peace, fo it is certain that themfelves have not any ; rise principle of fin is not impaired nor wcakned in them, the will of finning is not taken away: they have a Addddd womb
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