A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Fourthly, Hath God's Providence so many Ways and Methods to hinder the Commission of Sin, why then we may be assured that he will never permit it, but when it shall redound to his own Praise and Glory. It is an excellent Saying of ⟨p. 280⟩S. Austin, He that is most good will never suffer evil unless he were also most wise; whereby he is able to bring good out of evil. And therefore when we see wicked men let alone to accomplish their hellish designs, we may then quiet our selves with this, God knows how to make his own advantage out of their wickedness; he knows how from such Dung and Filth to reap a most fruitful Crop of Glory to himself: The Rage of Man, says the Psalmist, thou wilt restrain, and the residue thereof shall turn to thy praise; that wickedness which God doth not restrain, he will make redound to his own Praise and Glory.

Fourthly, and lastly, This may establish our hearts in peace, when we see the wickedness of Men most raging and violent, why they cannot sin unless God gives them a power; as Christ told Pilate, Thou hast no power over me, in John 19.10. except it be given thee from above. And certainly that God that gives them a power to sin, still keeps a power in his own hands to limit them in their Sins; and when their Lusts are most unruly, he can say to them, hitherto shall ye ⟨p. 281⟩go, and here shall your proud Waves be stayed: He stints them and bounds them, and he also can totally restrain them when he pleaseth, and when it shall be most for his own Praise and Glory.

Now as God doth thus keep Men back from the commission of Presumptuous Sins by a strong hand of Providence: So sometimes he doth by his Grace, and this Grace is either merely restraining, or else it is sanctifying and renewing; both of them are of very great force and efficacy, by the one he holds Men back from Sin, and by the other he turns them against Sin. You have doubtless heard much concerning Sanctifying and Restraining Grace, but yet that your Notions and Apprehensions of them may be more clear and distinct, I shall give you the difference that there is betwixt these two in several particulars;