Disappointments are acts of grace, when we are acting against grace; If God stop us from doing evil, not only by his word, but by blows, or by a hedge of thorns, yea if he stop us by a drawn sword, it is a great mercy. Though God throw us to the ground (as he did Saul, afterwards Paul, when he went with a bloody purpose to vex and persecute the Saints (Acts 9.) let us count our selves exalted, and rejoice in it more then in any worldly exaltation. 'Tis a rich mercy to be kept from executing an evil purpose, though by our own poverty and outward misery. The doing of that which is sinful, is worse then any thing that can be done to us, or endured by us, as a stop against sin. Sin ⟨p. 303⟩hath death in it; sin hath wrath in it; sin hath hell in it; sin hath Devil and all in it; therefore to be kept from sin, let it be by what means it will, if by pains and pining sicknesses, if by reproaches and disgraces, yea if by death, we have cause to bless God. The greatest and sorest Judgement which God pours upon sinful men, is to let them alone in or not to withdraw them from their sins. To be suffered to go on and prosper in sin, is the worst of sufferings, the last of Judgements, the next Judgement to hell it self, and an infallible sign of an heir of hell. Thus the wrath of God waxed hot against Israel when he gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own Counsel (Psal: 81.11.) This was the highest revenge that God could take upon that sinful people. He said a little before, Israel would none of me; when God wooed them they were so coy, they would have none of him; and then, said he, go on, take your fill of sin; I give you up to your own hearts lusts. The Lord did not say, I gave them up to the sword, to the famine, or to the pestilence, but to their own hearts lusts, and to walk on in their own way; That person or people may be sure, God hath purposed evil against them, whom he will not withdraw from their evil purposes. The severity of the wrath of God against the Gentiles is expressed and summed up in this (Rom: 1.26, 28.) He gave them up to vile affections; he gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do things which were not convenient. A natural man left to himself, will soon do such things as nature it self abhorreth and blusheth at. The same dreadful doom is denounced (Rev: 22.11.)
Disappointments are acts of grace, when we are acting against grace; If God stop us from doing evill, not onely by his word, but by blowes, or by a hedge of thorns, yea if he stop us by a drawn sword, it is a great mercy. Though God throw us to the ground (as he did Saul, afterwards Paul, when he went with a bloody purpose to vex and persecute the Saints (Acts 9.) let us count our selves exalted, and rejoyce in it more then in any worldly exaltation. 'Tis a rich mercy to be kept from executing an evill purpose, though by our owne poverty and outward misery. The doing of that which is sinfull, is worse then any thing that can be done to us, or endured by us, as a stop against sin. Sin ⟨p. 303⟩hath death in it; sin hath wrath in it; sin hath hell in it; sin hath Devill and all in it; therefore to be kept from sin, let it be by what means it will, if by paines and pining sicknesses, if by reproaches and disgraces, yea if by death, we have cause to blesse God. The greatest and sorest Judgement which God powres upon sinfull men, is to let them alone in or not to withdraw them from their sins. To be suffered to goe on and prosper in sin, is the worst of sufferings, the last of Judgements, the next Judgement to hell it selfe, and an infallible signe of an heire of hell. Thus the wrath of God waxed hot against Israel when he gave them up to their owne hearts lusts, and they walked in their owne Councel (Psal: 81.11.) This was the highest revenge that God could take upon that sinfull people. He sayd a little before, Israel would none of me; when God wooed them they were so coy, they would have none of him; and then, said he, goe on, take your fill of sin; I give you up to your owne hearts lusts. The Lord did not say, I gave them up to the sword, to the famine, or to the pestilence, but to their owne hearts lusts, and to walke on in their own way; That person or people may be sure, God hath purposed evill against them, whom he will not withdraw from their evill purposes. The severity of the wrath of God against the Gentiles is exprest and summ'd up in this (Rom: 1.26, 28.) He gave them up to vile affections; he gave them up to a reprobate mind, to doe things which were not convenient. A naturall man left to himselfe, will soone doe such things as nature it selfe abhorreth and blusheth at. The same dreadfull doome is denounced (Rev: 22.11.)
