A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

The next Thing is, to show you how God hinders the commission of Sin in a way of Grace; but I shall leave this till another time, and make some Application of what hath now been spoken.

The next Thing is, to shew you how God hinders the commission of Sin in a way of Grace; but I shall leave this till another time, and make some Application of what hath now been spoken.

And First then, See here the sad and woeful Estate of wicked men, whom Grace doth not change, but only Providence restrain. ⟨p. 277⟩A mere restraint from Sin, when the Heart continues fully set and bent upon it, must needs cause torment and vexation; their own Corruptions urge them forward; but God's Providence, that meets them, and crosses them at every turn, and that disappointment that they meet with, when they fully resolve upon Sin, causes great vexation of Spirit; as God will torment them hereafter for their Sins, so he torments them here, by keeping them from their Sins. All the wicked in the world are strangely hampered by God's Providence, as so many Bulls in a Net, that though they struggle, yet they cannot possibly break through; and by their struggling, they only vex and weary themselves. God doth, as it were, give up the hearts of wicked men to the Devil, only he ties their hands; let them intend and imagine as much Evil and Mischief as they can, yea, as much as Hell can inspire into them, yet none of these shall execute any of it otherwise than as God permits them. Now, if there be any real pleasure in Sin, it is in the execution of it; that which men take in plotting and contriving of it, is merely the ⟨p. 278⟩delight of a Dream and Fancy; and herein lies the exceeding wretchedness of wicked men, that though Providence almightily hinders them in the execution of Sin, yet Justice will justly punish their intention and plotting of it.

And First then, See here the sad and woful Estate of wicked men, whom Grace doth not change, but only Providence restrain.