The child's portion, or, The unseen glory of the children of God asserted and…

Pro. 7. By all their plots and practi••• against Gods cause wicked men cannot carry their design one hairs breadth beyond the bounds which God hath set them in his Decree. Might we be admitted to look upon those ancient Records, and then compare the doings of the enemies against God, we should find them exactly to agree: Men are in the Scripture compared to many and great waters, and their tumults compared to the roaring waves of the Sea dashing against the Rocks: These waters many times swell into billows, and break with impetuous fury, as if they scorned to be comprehended and ⟨p. 211⟩bounded within the sandy bars which are laid for them; but, as Gods decree hath laid out their limits, and sixth their bounds, so his providence ties them up powerfully, that for all their noise and rage they cannot get a step further, Job. 38. 8, to 11. Psal. 65. 7. Which stilleth the noise of the Seas, the noise of their waves, also the tumults of the People. When wicked men think they have done never so much, they have but fulfilled God's counsel, and not their own, Psal. 76. 10. The wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. God's hand holds the Flood-gates, and as the waters lie still till he pulls them up, so when he hath let out so much as serves his turn, he shuts them down again in a moment, and not a drop gets out but at his appointment. If men purpose contrary to what God hath purposed, theirs must fall, for his shall stand; and whiles they seek to defeat, they shall in that very thing be the instruments of bringing it about; as we see in Joseph's brethren, who in what they supposed had made his dreams abortive, helped forward their accomplishment.

Pro. 7. By all their plots and practi••• against Gods cause wicked men cannot carry their design one hairs breadth beyond the bounds which God hath set them in his Decree. Might we be admitted to look upon those ancient Records, and then compare the doings of the enemies against God, we should find them exactly to agree: Men are in the Scripture compared to many and great waters, and their tumults compared to the roaring waves of the Sea dashing against the Rocks: These waters many times swell into billows, and break with impetuous fury, as if they scorned to be comprehended and