1. We may by the Divine Restraining Grace be kept from the Commission of the Sin of Murder; and this is a blessed Deliverance from Blood-guiltiness. We are through' Grace all of us (I trust) one only excepted, free of this Guilt; and ever shall be so. But then it is God that has kept, prevented and delivered us from it; and He must hereafter keep us, or we shall fall into it. For we are Incident to it through' the horrid Corruption that is in our Nature; and the very best of us are by no means our own Keepers. There is no Sin, but what the vile and cursed nature of man is prone to, and capable of; and the same vile Nature is common to us all. Esau had Murder in his heart, when he came out against his Brother Jacob; and so had Josephs Brethren, when they cast him into the Pit; but God kept them however from it. GOD left David to fall into it, to show him the wickedness that was in his heart. GOD left Simeon and Levi, ⟨p. 17⟩Joab and Absalom, and others to fall into it, on one temptation or another. Are we Better by Nature than they? No, but God has kept us from their Temptations, or Restrained us when tempted. When the Prophet of the Lord told Hazael the Syrian of the Murders, Cruelties and Barbarities which he would in time commit against Israel; He answered with detestation, But what? is thy Servant a Dog, that he should do this great thing? such abhorred & enormous wickedness: Yet he did it afterward; like a dog he rent and tore and devoured; He proved as much a brute and beast of prey, how impossible soever he before-hand thought it of himself. And indeed the Angers, Passions, & Wraths of men are so violent; that it is a wonder of the Divine Restraining Grace, & a marvellous Instance of the Power and Providence of God that there are not many Murders to one committed in the World. How does Madness and Rage and mortal Hatred glare out in mens looks, and words, and gestures? How easily do they grow Outrageous, and strike or draw? From whence come blows Fightings, & Duels, and Stabbing (more base and cruel than all the rest) but from mens lusts which ⟨p. 18⟩war in their Members? So that the Sin is in our Nature; though by the Divine Mercy so few are left to it.
1. We may by the Divine Restraining Grace be kept from the Commission of the Sin of Murder; and this is a blessed Deliverance from Blood-guiltiness. We are thro' Grace all of us (I trust) one only excepted, free of this Guilt; and ever shall be so. But then it is God that has kept, prevented and delivered us from it; and He must hereafter keep us, or we shall fall into it. For we are Incident to it thro' the horrid Corruption that is in our Nature; and the very best of us are by no means our own Keepers. There is no Sin, but what the vile and cursed nature of man is prone to, and capable of; and the same vile Nature is common to us all. Esau had Murder in his heart, when he came out against his Brother Jacob; and so had Josephs Brethren, when they cast him into the Pit; but God kept them however from it. GOD left David to fall into it, to shew him the wickedness that was in his heart. GOD left Simeon and Levi, ⟨p. 17⟩Joab and Absalom, and others to fall into it, on one temptation or another. Are we Better by Nature than they? No, but God has kept us from their Temptations, or Restrained us when tempted. When the Prophet of the Lord told Hazael the Syrian of the Murders, Cruelties and Barbarities which he would in time commit against Israel; He answered with detestation, But what? is thy Servant a Dog, that he should do this great thing? such abhorred & enormous wickedness: Yet he did it afterward; like a dog he rent and tore and devoured; He prov'd as much a brute and beast of prey, how impossible soever he before-hand tho't it of himself. And indeed the Angers, Passions, & Wraths of men are so violent; that it is a wonder of the Divine Restraining Grace, & a marvellous Instance of the Power and Providence of God that there are not many Murders to one committed in the World. How does Madness and Rage and mortal Hatred glare out in mens looks, and words, and gestures? How easily do they grow Outrageous, and strike or draw? From whence come blows Fightings, & Duels, and Stabbing (more base and cruel than all the rest) but from mens lusts which ⟨p. 18⟩war in their Members? So that the Sin is in our Nature; though by the Divine Mercy so few are left to it.
