ON HOSEA XIV. -VERSE 8. 231 or malice directed unto ends morally wicked, this proceedeth from the viciousness and defect which is in the second cause making use of God's gifts unto his own dishonour. 2. The providence of God hath a notable hand in the guiding, ordering, and disposing of these actions, as sinful, unto the ends of his own glory in the declaration of his power, wisdom, and justice, unto which the sins of wicked men are perforce carried on, contrary to those ends which they them- selves in sinning did propose unto themselves. As an artificer useth the force of natural causes unto artificial effects : as a huntsman useth the natural enmity of the dog against the fox or wolf, unto the preservation of the lambs which otherwise would be destroyed ; though the dog himself by nature is as great an enemy to the lamb as the fox. As the Pha- risees were as great enemies to religion as the Sad - ducees, yet Paul wisely made use of their enmity amongst themselves for his own preservation and deliverance from them both. Nothing more usual than for God to manage and direct the sins of men to the bringing about of his own purposes and counsels, Gen. 1. 20. 1 Sam. ii. 25. 1 Kings ii. 26, 27. 2 Sam. xii. 11. compared with 2 Sam. xvi. 22. Isa. x. 5 -7. Acts iv. 28. Psa. lxxvi. 10. But now unto gracious actions; which belong not at all unto nature as nature, but only as inspired and actuated with spiritual and heavenly principles, a more singular and notable influence of God is required, not only to the substance of the action, but more especially to the rectitude and goodness of it ; for we have no sufficiency of our- selves, not so much as unto the first offers and be- ginnings of good in our thoughts, 2 Cor. iii. 5. When we are bid to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, it must be in dependence on the power, u2
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