A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

First, The strong hand of his providence. Secondly, The powerful hand of his Grace, and sometimes God puts both these hands to it, in a mixed way of Providence and Grace together; these are as it were God's left hand and his right hand; by the one he over-rules the actions, and by the other he over-rules the hearts of Men, and both almightily.

First, The strong hand of his providence. Secondly, The powerful hand of his Grace, and sometimes God puts both these hands to it, in a mixt way of Providence and Grace together; these are as it were God's left hand and his right hand; by the one he over-rules the actions, and by the other he over-rules the hearts of Men, and both almightily.

¹First, God frequently withholds Men from the Commission of Sin, by a strong hand of Providence upon them, frequently he doth so, and that he doth not so always, is not because he is defective, either in Power or Goodness, whereby he should restrain them from evil, but because he is Infinite in Wisdom, whereby he knows how to bring good out of evil; and therefore, before I proceed to lay down those several ways that Providence takes to hinder the commission of sin, I shall premise this, That it is no taint at all to the pure Holiness of God, that he doth by his Providence concur to those wickednesses of Men, that if he pleased he might prevent and hinder; that God doth so is clear, for Providence is not so often a restraint from sin, as it is a powerful temptation unto Sin; it is a temptation as it administers Objects and Opportunities, and as it suits them both unto the lusts of Men; thus Cain killed his Brother Abel by a Providence, and Achan stole the wedge of gold; Judas betrayed his Master, and the Jews Crucified him by a Providence; yea, all that villainy that ever was acted under the Sun, was all brought forth out of ⟨p. 265⟩the cursed Wombs of Mens lusts, and made fruitful by God's Providences, neither is it hard to conceive how God should without sin himself, concur to sin in others, since his most Sovereign Will being above all Law, cannot possibly fall under any guilt; we are obliged to keep back Men from the commission of sin, when it is in our power to do it, but no such obligation lies upon God, though he can easily keep all wicked Men in the World from ever sinning more; yea, though they are so tied up, that they are not able to sin without his permission and concurrence, yet he permits wisely, concurs holily, and yet notwithstanding at last punishes justly. In brief God doth whatever Man doth, for as the Prophet saith, he works all our works in us and for us, and in him we live, move, and have our beings; and yet in one and the same action Man sins and God is holy, because Man acts contrary to that Law which God hath set him, but God himself is subject to no Law, besides his own Sovereign Will, and where there is no Law, there is no transgression, as the Apostle speaks in