Thirty-Six Sermons, Collection of sermons 1 · Group of sermons 3 · Sermon 6

Thirty-Six Sermons · Collection of sermons 1 · Group of sermons 3 · Sermon 6

p. 269AD POPULUM.

The Sixth Sermon.

At St. Paul's Cross London, April 15. 1627.

Gen. XX. 6.

And God said unto him in a dream; Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thine heart: For I also withheld thee from sinning against me; therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

FOR our more profitable understanding of which words, it1. is needful we should have in remembrance the whole story of this present Chapter; of which story these words are a part. And thus it was. Abraham cometh with Sarah his Wife, and their Family, as a Stranger, to sojourn among the Philistines in Gerar: covenanteth with her before-hand, thinking thereby to provide for his own safety, because she was beautiful, that they should not be to know that they were any more than Brother and Sister. Abimelech, King of the place, heareth of their coming, and of her beauty; sendeth for them both; enquireth whence, and who they were; heareth no more from them, but that she was his Sister; dismisseth him; taketh her into his house. Hereupon God plagueth him and his House with a strange Visitation; threatneth him also with Death; giveth him to understand, that all this was for taking another Mans Wife. He answereth for himself. God replieth. The Answer is in the two next former Verses. The Reply in this, and the next following Verse.

His Answer is by way of Apology: he pleadeth first Ignorance; and then, and2. thence, his Innocence, [aaVerse 4, 5▪ And he said, Lord wilt thou slay also a righteous Nation? Said not he unto me, She is my Sister? And she, even she her self said, He is my Brother: in the integrity of my heart, and innocency of my hands, have I done this.] That is his Plea. Now God replieth: of which Reply, letting pass the remainder in the next Verse, which concerneth the time to come, so much of it as is contained in this Verse, hath reference to what was already done and past; and it meeteth right with Abimelech's Answer. Something he had done; p. 270and something he had not done: he had indeed bbVers. 2.taken Sarah into his House, but he had ccVers. 4.not yet come near her. For that which he had done, in taking her; he thought he had a just excuse, and he pleadeth it: he did not know her to be another mans Wife; and therefore, as to any intent of doing wrong to the Husband, he was altogether innocent. But for that which he had not done, in not touching her; because he took her into his house with an unchast purpose; he passeth that over in silence, and not so much as mentioneth it. So that his Answer, so far as it reached, was just: but, because it reached not home, it was not full. And now Almighty God fitteth it with a Reply, most convenient for such an Answer: admitting his Plea, so far as he alledged it, for what he had done, in taking Abraham's Wife, having done it simply out of ignorance [Yea, I know thou didst this in the integrity of thine heart:] and withal supplying that which Abimelech had omitted, for what he had not done, in not touching her; by assigning the true cause thereof, viz. his powerful restraint, [For I also withheld thee from sinning against me, therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

In the whole Verse we may observe, First, the manner of the Revelation; 3.namely, by what means it pleased God to convey to Abimelech the knowledge of so much of his Will, as he thought good to acquaint him withal: it was even the same, whereby he had given him the first information, at Verse 3. it was by a dream, [And God said unto him in a dream:] and then after, the substance of the Reply; whereof again the general parts are two. The former, an Admission of Abimelech's Plea, or an Acknowledgment of the integrity of his heart, so far as he alledged it, in that which he had done, [Yea, I know that thou didst it in the integrity of thine heart.] The latter, an Instruction or Advertisement to Abimelech, to take knowledge of Gods goodness unto, and providence with him, in that which he had not done: it was God that over-held him from doing it, [For I also withheld thee from sinning against me, therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

By occasion of those first words of the Text, [And God said unto him in a 4.dream:] if we should enter into some Enquiries, concerning the nature and use of Divine Revelations in general, and in particular of Dreams: the Discourse as it would not be wholly impertinent, so neither altogether unprofitable. Concerning all which these several Conclusions might be easily made good. First, that1. God revealed himself and his Will frequently in old times, especially before the sealing of the Scriptures-Canon aaforeign Heb 1. 1.Heb 1:1in sundry manners: as by Visions, Prophecies, Extasies, Oracles, and other supernatural means; and namely, and amongst the rest, by bbNum 12. 6. Joel 2. 28. Job 33. 14, 16. foreign, Homer. Iliad. foreign.Num 12:6Joel 2:28Job 33:14Job 33:16Dreams. Secondly, that God imparted his Will by such kind of supernatural Revelations, not only to the godly and faithful, (though to them most frequently, and especially:) but sometimes also to Hypocrites within the Church, as to cc… Sam. 10. 10.Saul and others: yea, and sometimes even to Infidels too out of the Church, as to ddGen. 41. 25, 2….Gen 41:25Gen 41:2Pharaoh, eeNum. 14. 2, 4, &c.Num 14:2Num 14:4Balaam, ffDan. 2. 28, 45.Dan 2:28Dan 2:45Nebuchadnezzar, &c. and here to Abimelech. Thirdly, that since the Writings of the Prophets…. and Apostles were made up, the Scripture-Canon sealed, and the Christian Church by the preaching of the Gospel, become Oecomenical: Dreams, and other supernatural Revelations, as also other things of like nature, as Miracles, and whatsoever more immediate and extraordinary manifestations of the Will and Power of God, have ceased to be of ordinary and familiar use: so as3. now, we ought rather to suspect delusion in them, than to expect direction from4. them. Fourthly, that although God have now ggIsa. 8. 20.Isa 8:20tied us to his holy written Word, as unto a perpetual infallible Rule, beyond which we may not expect, and against which we may not admit, any other direction, as from God: yet he hath no where abridged himself of the power and liberty, even still to intimate unto the Sons of men the knowledge of his Will, and the glory of his Might, by Dreams, Miracles, or other like supernatural manifestations; if at any time, p. 271either in the want of the ordinary means of the Word, Sacraments and Ministry, or for the present necessities of his Church, or of some part thereof, on for some other just cause, perhaps unknown to us, he shall see it expedient so to do. He hath prescribed us: but he hath not limited himself. Fifthly, that because the5. Devil and wicked Spirits may suggest Dreams, probably foretel future events foreseen in their causes, and work many strange effects in Nature, applicando activa passivis; which because they are without the sphere of our comprehension, may to our seeming have fair appearances of Divine Revelations or Miracles, when they are nothing less: for the avoiding of strong delusions in this kind, it is not safe for us to give easie credit to Dreams, Prophecies, or Miracles, as Divine, until upon due trial there shall appear, both in the End whereto they point us, a direct tendance to the advancement of Gods Glory; and in the Means also they propose us, a aaSee Deut. 13, 1, &c.Deut 13:1conformity unto the revealed will of God in his written Word. Sixthly, that so to observe our ordinary Dreams,6. as thereby to bbContra onirocriticos. See Aquin. 2. 2. q. 95. 6. Joh. Sarisb. 2. Policr. 17. Petr. Bles. Epist. 65.divine or foret…l of future contingents, or to forecast therefrom good or ill-luck (as we call it) in the success of our affairs; is a silly and groundless, but withal an unwarranted, and therefore an unlawful, and therefore also a damnable Superstition. Seventhly, that there is yet to be made a lawful, yea, and a very profitable use, even of our ordinary Dreams: and of the observing thereof: and that both in Physick and Divinity. Not at all by foretelling particulars7. of things to come: but by taking from them, among other things, some reasonable conjectures in the general, of the present estate both of our Bodies and Souls. Of our Bodies first. For since the predominancy of ccSecundum morum & humorum varietates, variantur & somnia Alia namque vident sanguin…i, alia colerici, alia flegmati…i, alia melancholici, Auctor. de spir. & anim. cap. 25. apud. August. Tom. 3.Choler, Blood, Flegm, and Melancholy: as also the differences of strength, and health▪ and ddIuxta etiam infirmitatum diversitates diversa accidunt somnia. Ibid.diseases, and distempers, either by diet, or passion, or otherwise, do cause impressions of different forms in the fancy: our eeforeign. Arist. cap. 1. de divinat. ex insom.ordinary dreams may be a good help to lead us into those discoveries, both in time of health, what our natural constitution, complexion, and temperature is; and in times of sickness, from the rankness and tyranny of which of the humours the malady springeth. And as of our Bodies; so of our Souls too. For since our Dreams, for the most part ffa dream cometh through the multitude of business, Eccles. 5. 2. Res, quas in vita usurpant, homines cogitant, curant, vident. Quaequae agunt vigilantes, agitantque, ea si cui in somnis accidant, minus miruth est. Aretius. Quaecunque mentis agitat infestus vigor, ea per quietem sacer & arcanus refert veloxque sensus. Senec. in octav. Act. 4. See Delt. Ibid.Eccl 5:2Acts 4look the same way, which our freest thoughts encline; as the Voluptuous beast dreameth most of pleasures, the Covetous wretch most of profits, and the proud or Ambitious most of praises, preferments, or revenge, the observing of our ordinary Dreams may be of good use for us unto that discovery, which of these three is our Master▪ sin, (for unto one of the three every other sin is reduced) gg1 Joh. 2. 16.1 John 2:16The Lust of the flesh, The Lust of the Eyes, or the Pride of Life.

But concerning Revelations and Dreams, It shall suffice to have only proposed these few Conclusions without farther enlargement: the manner of Gods revealing his will here to Abimelech, by Dream, being but an incidental Circumstance upon the bye, and not belonging to the main of the present story. We will therefore without more ado proceed to the substance of Gods Reply, in the rest of the verse: and therein begin with the former general part, which is Gods Admission of Abimelech's Plea and Apology for himself. The ground of whose Plea was Ignorance, and the thing he pleaded, his own Innocency, and the integrity of his heart: and God who is the searcher of all hearts, alloweth the allegation, and acknowledgeth that integrity, [Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart.]

p. 272The bbforeignOriginal word here translated Integrity, is rendred by some ccforeign T…rg. Chald.Truth, 6.by others ddforeign Sept.Purity, and by others ffSimplici corde. Vulgar.Simplicity: and it will bear them all, as signifying properly ggIn the perfection of thy heart. H. A.Perfection or Innocency. You would think by that word, that Abimelech had in this whole business walked in the sight of God with a pure, and upright, and true, and single, and perfect heart. But alas, he was far from that. God hhVer. 17, 18.plagued him and his for that he had done: and God doth not use to punish the Carcass for that, wherein the heart is single. Again, God withheld him, or else he would have done more and worse: and it is a poor perfection of heart; where the active power only is restrained, and not the inward corruption subdued. Besides, Sarah was taken into the house, and there kept for lewd purposes: and how can truth and purity of heart consist with a continued resolution of sinful uncleanness? Abimelech then cannot be defended, as truly and absolutely innocent: though he plead Innocency, and God himself bear witness to the Integrity of his heart. For had his heart been upright in him, and sincere, in this very matter of Sarah, he would never have taken her into his house at all, as he did. But that he pleadeth for himself, is, that in this particular wherewith it seemed to him God by so threatning him did charge him, in wronging Abraham by taking his Wife from him, his Conscience could witness the innocency of his heart, how free he was from any the least injurious purpose, or so much as thought, that way. It was told him by them both, that she was his Sister; and he knew no other by her than so, when he took her into his house, supposing her to be a single Woman: if he had known she had been any man's Wife, he would not for any good have done the man so foul an injury, nor have sinned against his own soul, by defiling anothers bed: In the integrity of his heart, and innocency of his hands, he did what he had done. This is the substance of his Allegation, and God approveth the integrity of his heart so far; viz. as free in this particular from any intent, either to injure Abraham, or to sin against the light of his own Conscience, by committing Adultery with anothers Wife.

The meaning of the words thus cleared: we may observe in them three things.7. First, the fact, for which Abimelech pleadeth; and that was, the taking of Sarah, 1.who was anothers Wife, into his House. Secondly, the ground of his plea;2. and that was his Ignorance: he knew not when he took her, that she was anothers wife. Thirdly, the thing he pleadeth upon that ground; and that was his3. Innocency and the integrity of his heart. Each of these three will afford us some observable instruction for our use. And the first thing we will insist upon from these words, shall be, The grievousness of the sin of Adultery, hateful even in the judgment of those men, who made small or no conscience at all of Fornication. See how this is raised from the Text. Abimelech's heart never smote him fortaking Sarah into his House, so long as he supposed her to be but a single Woman: led with the common blindness and custom of the Gentiles, he either knew not or considered not, that such Fornication (though in a King) was a sin. But the very frame of his Apology sheweth, that if he had known her to be another mans Wife; and yet had taken her, he could not then have pretended the integrity of his heart, and the innocency of his hands as now he doth, and God alloweth it: but he should have been foreign, his own heart would have condemned him for it, and he should therein have sinned grosly against the light of his own Conscience.

It cannot be doubtful to us, who by the good blessing of God upon us, have8. his holy Word to be bbPsal. 119. 105.Ps 119:105A light unto our feet, and a Lanthorn unto our paths, from the evidence whereof we may receive more perfect and certain information, than they could have from the glimmering light of depraved Nature; I say, it cannot be doubtful to us, but that all Fornication, how simple soever, is a sin foul and odious in the sight of God, and deadly to the Committer. As first p. 2731.being opposite directly to that cc1 Thes. 4. 3, 4.1 Thess 4:31 Thess 4:4holiness and honour, and sanctification, which God prescribeth in his will. Secondly, causing usually consumption of ddProv. 5. 10.—6. 26. Job 31. 12.Prov 5:10Job 31:12estate, 2.rottenness of ffProv. 5. 11Prov 5:11bones, and loss of ggProv. 6. 33. Prov. 7. 22, 23.Prov 6:33Prov 7:22Prov 7:23good name. Thirdly, hhHos. 4. 11. 4.Hos 4:11Hos 4:4stealing away the heart of those that are once ensnared therewith, and bewitching them even unto perdition in such powerful sort, that it is seldom seen, a man once brought under by this sin, to recover himself again, and to get the victory over it. Fourthly; putting over the guilty to the severe kkHeb. 13. 14Heb 13:14immediate judgment of God himself; who3. for this sin slew of the Israelites in one day ll1 Cor. 10. 8.1 Cor 10:823 or mmNum. 25. 9.Num 25:924 thousand. And having fifthly, one singular deformity above all other sins in all other kinds, that it is a direct sin nn1 Cor. 6. 18.1 Cor 6:18against a man's own body; in depriving it (by making it the instrument of filthiness, and the pp1 Cor. 6. 15.1 Cor 6:15members of an harlot) of that honour whereunto God had ordained it, to be a bb1 Cor. 6. 15.1 Cor 6:15member of Christ, and cc1 Cor 6. 19.1 Cor 6:19the Temple of the 5.Holy Ghost.

But yet of this foul sin the Gentiles made no reckoning; So long as they abstained from ddViri licitò se errare credunt, si solo abstineant adulterio: meretricios autem úsus tanquam legi naturae suppeter… putant. Ambros. 2. de Abrah. 11. Solo stupro atque adulterio condemnato, passim per lupanaria & ancillul… libido permittitur. Hier. Ep. 30. Usum scortorum terrena civitas licitam turpitudinem fecit. Aug. 14. de Civitat. 18.married persons, it never troubled their Consciences to defile themselves with those that were single by fornication; because they esteemed it either as no sin, or as one of the least. It was not only the fond speech of an9. indulgent and doating old Father in the excuse of his licentious Son in the Comedy, ffMitio apud Terent. in Adelph. 1, 2.Non est flagitium mihi crede adolescentulum scortari; (and yet he spake but as the generality of them then thought:) but it was the serious plea also of the grave Roman Orator, in the behalf of his Client, in open Court, before the severity of the sage & Reverend bench of Judges, ggCicer. pro Caelio.Quando hoc non factum est? Quando reprehensum? Quando non permissum? And, Datur omnium concessu, &c. hh1 Thes. 4. 5.1 Thess 4:5Nor in the lust of concupiscence, (saith St. Paul) as the Gentiles which know not God. An error so universally spread, and so deeply rooted in the minds and in the lives of the Gentiles; who kkEph. 4. 18, 19.Eph 4:18Eph 4:19having their understanding darkned through the ignorance that was in them, because of the blindness of their hearts, wrought such uncleanness, not only without remorse, but even with greediness: that the Apostles had much ado with those men, whom by the preaching of the Gospel they had converted from Gentilism to Christianity, before they could reclaim them from an Error so inveterate both in the judgment and practice. St. Paul therefore, as it both became and concerned him, being llRom. 11. 13. Gal. 2. 7. 1 Tim. 2. 7. & 2 Tim. 1. 11.Rom 11:13Gal 2:71 Tim 2:72 Tim 1:11the Apostle and Doctor of the Gentiles, often toucheth upon this string in his mmAs Rom. 1. 29. & 13. 13. 2 Cor. 12. 31. Gal. 5. 19. Eph. 4. 19. & 5. 3. &c. Col. 3. 5. 1 Thes. 4. 3, &c.Rom 1:29Rom 13:132 Cor 12:31Gal 5:19Eph 4:19Eph 5:3Col 3:51 Thess 4:3Epistles written unto the Churches of the Gentiles. But no where doth he set himself more fully and directly; with much evidence of reason and strength of argument, against this Sin and Error, than in the nn1 Cor. 5. 19.—11. 6, 9.— & 7. 1. &c.—10. 8.1 Cor 5:19first Epistle he wrote to the Corinthians: because among them this sin was both it self most rife in the practice (the ppHinc foreign pro scortari. Hadr. Jun. in Adag. & foreign habet Aristoph. in Plut. Act 1. Scen. 2. Qu… supra mille prostare ad fanum Veneris quod est in Corintho scribit, Strab. 8. Geograph. Atque hinc natam paroemiam. foreign. Bourdin, in Comment. ad Aristoph. Thesmophor.Acts 1Corinthians being notedly infamous for lust and wantonness;) and it was also as much qq—Libidinis quae nusquam gentium regnabat impunitiùs, quàm Corinthi.slighte… there as any where: many of them thinking that the rrErasm. Paraphras. in 1 Corinth. in Argumen.body was made for fornication, as the belly for meats; and that fornication was as fit and convenient for the body, as meats for the belly. Out of which consideration, the Apostles in that first General Council, holden at Ierusalem, Acts 15. thought it needful by Ecclesiastical Canon, among some other indifferent things for the Churches peace, to lay this restraint upon the converted Gentiles, that they should bbActs 15. 28, 29.Acts 15:28Acts 15:29abstain from Fornication. Not, as if Fornication were in it self an indifferent thing, as those other things were; nor, as if those other things were in themselves and simply unlawful, as Fornication was: but the Apostles did therefore joyn Fornication, and those other indifferent things p. 274together in the same Canon; because the Gentiles accounted fornication a thing as indiffereut, as what was most indifferent. Some remainders of the common error there were, it seemeth, among some Christians in St. Augustine's days: who both ccQuod aliquando qui committunt, nescio qua perversitate contemnunt; & nescio unde sibi testimonia nulla & vana conquirunt, dicentes, Peccata carnis Deus non curat. August. Serm. 16. de verb. Dom c. 1. Ista punienda & nimium gra via mala, id…o à multis viris sine ullo timore Domini committuntur, quia ita à pluribus in consuetudinem missa sunt, & ita vilia vel levia ducuntur, ut nec jam inter gravia crimina putentur. Serm. de Temp. 143.relateth the opinion, and confu…th it. And some in the Popish Church have not come far behind herein: so many of them I mean as hold that ddDurand 4. distinct. 33. q. 2. & alii.Simple fornication is not intrinsecally, and in the proper nature of it, a sin against the Law of Nature; but only made such, by divine positive Law. A strange thing it is, and to my seeming not less than a ffMysterium iniquitatis. 2 Thes. 2. 7.2 Thess 2:7mystery, that those men that speak so harshly of Marriage which God hath ordained, should withal speak so favourably of fornication which God hath forbidden: preposterously preferring the disease which springeth from our corruption, before the gg1 Cor. 7. 2.1 Cor 7:2remedy which God himself hath prescribed in his Word. But howsoever, if some Christians have spoken, and written, and thought so favourably of fornication, as (to their shame) it appeareth they have done: the less may we marvel, to see Abimelech, a King and an Infidel, allow himself the liberty to continue in the sin of hhUnderstand that in this passage concerning Abimelech, I use the word Fornication us it doth include Concubinatum also.Fornication; and yet notwithstanding such allowance, stand so much upon his own innocency, and integrity, as he doth.

God forbid, any man that heareth me this day, should be so either ignorant 10.or uncharitable, as to conceive all, or any of that I have yet said, spoken to give the least shadow of liberty or excuse to Fornication, or any uncleannes, which St. Paul would not have so much as bbEph. 5. 3.Eph 5:3named among the Saints;—not named with allowance, not named with any extenuation, not named but with some detestation. But the very thing, for which I have spoken all this, is to shew how inexcusable the Adulterer is: when even those of the Gentiles, who by reason of the ccEph. 4. 18.Eph 4:18darkness of their understandings, and the want of Scripturelight, could espy no obliquity in Fornication; could yet through all that darkness see something in Adultery, deservedly punishable (even in their judgments) with death. They could not so far quench that ddforeign.spark of the light of nature which was in them, nor ffRom. 1. 18.Rom 1:18hold back the truth of God in unrighteousness: as not by the glympse thereof, to discern a kind of reverend Majesty in God's holy Ordinance of Wedlock, which they knew might not be ggHeb. 13. 4.Heb 13:4dishonoured, nor the bed defiled by Adultery, without guilt. They saw, Adultery was a mixt crime, and such as carried with it the face of Injustice as well as Uncleanness; nor could be committed by the two offending parties, without wrong done to a third. And therefore if any thing might be said colourably to excuse Fornication, (as there can be nothing said justly;) yet if any such thing could be said for Fornication, it would not reach to excuse Adultery; because of the injury that cleaveth thereunto. Against Fornication God hath ordained bb1 Cor. 7. 2.1 Cor 7:2Marriage as a Remedy: what a beast then is the Adulterer, and what a Monster, whom that remedy doth no good upon? In the marriage-knot, there is some expression and representation of the Love-covenant betwixt ccEph. 5. 23.Eph 5:23Christ, and his Churoh: but what good assurance can the Adulterer have that he is within that Covenant, when he breaketh this Knot? Every married person hath ipso facto surrendred up the right and interest he had in and over dd1 Cor. 7. 4.1 Cor 7:4his own body, and put it out of his own into the power of another: what an arrant Thief then is the Adulterer, that taketh upon him to dispose at his pleasure that which is none of his? But I say too well by him, when I compare him but to a thief; Solomon maketh him worse than a Thief. [ffProv. 6. 30, &c.Prov 6:30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfie his soul, when he is hungry, &c. But whoso committeth Adultery with a Woman, lacketh understanding: he that doth it, destroyeth his own soul, &c.] Where he maketh p. 275both the injury greater, and the reconcilement harder, in and for the Adulterer, than for the Thief. Nay, God himself maketh him worse than a Thief in his Law: in his Moral Law, next after Murther placing ggExod. 20. 13, 15.Exod 20:13Exod 20:15Adultery before Theft, as the greater sin; and in his Iudicial Law, punishing hhExod. 32. 1, &c.Exod 32:1Theft with a mulct▪ but kkLev. 20. 10. Deut. 22. 22.Lev 20:10Deut 22:22Adultery with Death, the greater Punishment. To conclude this first point; Abimelech, an Heathen-man, who had not the knowledge of the true God of Heaven to direct him in the right way; and withal a King, who had therefore none upon earth above him, to control him if he should transgress: would yet have abhorred to have defiled himself knowingly by Adultery with another mans Wife, although the man were but a stranger, and the woman exceeding beautiful. Certainly Abimelech shall one day rise up in judgment, and condemn thy filthiness and injustice, whosoever thou art, that committest, or causest another to commit Adultery: llRom. 1. 32.Rom 1:32Who knowing the judgment of God▪ that they which do such things are worthy of death, either dost the same things thy self, or hast pleasure in them that do them; or being in place and office to punish incontinent persons, by easie commutations of publick penance for a private pecuniary mulct, dost at once both beguilty thine own Conscience with fordid Bribery, and embolden the Adulterer to commit that sin again without fear, from which he hath once escaped without shame, or so much as valuable loss.

And thus much for that first Observation. The next thing, we shall observe11. from Gods approving of Abimelech's answer, and acknowledgment of the integrity of his heart, is, That some ignorance hath the weight of a just excuse. For we noted before, that Ignorance was the ground of his Plea. He had indeed taken Sarah into his house, who was another mans Wife: but he hopeth, that shall not be imputed to him as a fault, because he knew not she was a married woman; the parties themselves (upon enquiry) having informed him otherwise. And therefore he appealeth to God himself, the trier and judger of mens hearts, whether he were not innocent in this matter: and God giveth sentence with him, [Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thine heart.] Where you see his ignorance is allowed for a sufficient excuse.

For our clearer understanding of which point (that I may not wade farther12. into that great question, so much mooted among Divines, than is pertinent to this story of Abimelech, and may be useful for us thence, viz. Whether or no, or how far, Ignorance and Error may excuse, or lessen sinful Actions proceeding therefrom, in point of Conscience) let us first lay down one general, certain, and fundamental ground, whereupon indeed dependeth especially the resolution of almost all those difficulties, that may occur in this, and many other like Questions. And that is this. It is a condition so essential to every sin to be Voluntary; that all other circumstances and respects laid aside, every sin is simply and absolutely by so much greater or lesser, by how much it is more or less voluntary. For whereas there are in the reasonable soul three prime Faculties, from whence all humane Actions flow; the Understanding, the Will, and the sensual Appetite or Affections: all of these concur indeed to every Action properly Humane; yet so, as the Will carrieth the greatest sway, and is therefore the justest measure of the Moral goodness, or badness thereof. In any of the three there may be a fault, all of them being depraved in the state of corrupt nature; and the very truth is, there is in every sin (every complete sin) a fault in every of the three. And therefore all sins, by reason of the blindness of the Understanding, may be called Ignorances; and by reason of the impotency of the Affections, Infirmities; and by reason of the perverseness of the Will, Rebellions. But for the most part it falleth out so, that although all the three be faulty, yet the obliquity of the sinful Action springeth most immediately and chiefly from the special default of some one or other of the three. If the main defect be p. 276in the Understanding, not apprehending that good it should, or not aright: the sin arising from such defect we call more properly a sin of Ignorance. If the main defect be in the Affections, some passion blinding or corrupting the Judgment; the sin arising from such defect we call a sin of Infirmity. If the main defect be in the Will with perverse resolution bent upon any evil: the sin arising from such wilfulness we call a Rebellion, or a sin of Presumption. And certainly these sins of Presumption are the bbGraviùs quidem infirmitate, quam ignorantia; sed multo graviùs studio, quam infirmitate peccatur. De poenit. d. 3. ex Gregor.greatest of the three, because the wilfullest: and those of Ignorance the least, because there is in them the least disorder of the Will, which doth its office in some measure, in following the guidance of the understanding: the greater fault being rather in the understanding, for misguiding it. And of sins of Ignorance, compared one with another, that is ever the least, wherein the defect is greater in the understanding, and in the will less.

From this Principle do issue sundry material conclusions: and namely, amongst13. many other, most pertinently to our purpose these two. The one; that all Error and Ignorance doth not always and wholly excuse from sin. The other; that yet some kind of Ignorance and Error doth excuse from sin, sometimes wholly, but very often at least in part. The whole truth of both these conclusions, we may see in this one action of Abimelesh, in taking Sarah into his house. In him there was a twofold Error; and thence also a twofold Ignorance. The one was an Error in universali, (Ignorantia Iuris, as they call it;) concerning the nature of Fornication: which being a heinous sin, he took to be either none at all, or a very small one. The other was an error in particulari, (Ignorantia Facti) concerning the personal condition and relation of Sarah to Abraham: whose Sister he thought her to be, and not Wife, though she were both.

That former Ignorance (Ignorantia Iuris) in Abimelech, was in some degree14. voluntary. For Abimelech had in him the common Principles of the Law of Nature; by the light whereof, if he had been careful to have improved it, but even so far as right reason might have led a prudent and dispassionate natural man, he might have discerned in the most simple Fornication such incongruity with those Principles, as might have sufficiently convinced him of the unlawfulness thereof. It is presumed, that all Ignorance of that, which a man is bound to know, and may know, if he be not wanting to himself, is so far forth wilful. Now Abimelech was bound to know, that all carnal knowledge of man and woman out of the state of Wedlock was simply unlawful; and so much, if he had not been wanting to himself in the use of his Naturals, he might have known: and therefore it was a kind of wilful ignorance in him in some degree, that he did not know it. And therefore further, he cannot be wholly excused from sin, in taking Sarah, notwithstanding both that, and his other ignorance: for although he did not know her to be Abraham's Wife, yet he knew well enough she was not his own wife; and being not so to him, whatsoever she was to Abraham it skilled not, he should certainly not have taken her. To plead Ignorance, that he knew not Fornication to be a sin, would little help him in this case. For men must know, they stand answerable unto God for their Actions; not meerly according to the knowledge, which they ought & might to have had, those means considered, which he had afforded them of knowledge. Those means, even where they are scantest, being ever sufficient, at the least thus far, bbRom. 1. 20.Rom 1:20foreign, as the Apostle speaketh, Rom. 1. to leave the transgressor without excuse, and to make void all pretensions of Ignorance.

That Error then did not wholly excuse Abimelech from sin; because his Ignorance 15.was partly wilful: yet we may not deny, but even that error did lessen and extenuate the sinfulness of the Action something, and so excuse him in part: à tanto, though not à toto. Because it appeareth by many evidences, that his ignorance therein was not grosly affected and wilful: and look how much measure you abate in the wilfulness, so much weight you take off from the sin. The light p. 277of Nature, though to a man that could have made the best of it, it had been sufficient to have discovered the vicious deformity, and consequently the moral unlawfulness of Fornication; yet was it nothing so clear in this particular, as in many other things that concerned common equity, and commutative Iustice. Besides, common Opinion, and the Custom of the times, and Consent (though corrupt Consent) of most Nations, in making but a light matter of it; might easily carry him with the stream, and make him adventure to do as most did▪ without any scruple, or so much as suspicion of such foul wickedness, in a course so universally allowed and practised. These respects make his wilfulness less, his ignorance more pardonable, and his sin more excusable. And I make no question, the premisses considered, but that Abraham's sin in denying Sarah to be his Wife (notwithstanding ccVers. 12.the equivocating trick he had to help it) was by many degrees greater, than was Abimelech's in taking her: as being done more against knowledge, and therefore more wilfully. Abimelech's sin in taking her, though with some degrees of wilfulness, being yet a sin rather of Ignorance: whereas Abraham's sin in denying her, was a sin of Infirmity at the least, if not much rather a sin of Presumption.

Now although this former Error (Ignorantia Iuris) could not wholly excuse16. Abimelech from sin in what he had done, but in part only; for he sinned therein, by giving way to unchaste desires and purposes, against the seventh Commandment: yet that other Error of his (Ignorantia Facti, in mistaking a married woman for a single) doth wholly excuse his fact from the sins of injustice, in coveting and taking another mans Wife, against the eighth and the tenth Commandments. He had not the least injurious intent against Abraham, in that kind and degree: and therefore though he took his wife from him indeed, yet not knowing any such matter by her, especially having withal made ordinary and requisite enquiry thereafter, it must be granted he did it unwittingly, and therefore unwilfully: and therefore also unsinfully, as to that species of sin. S. Augustine saith truly, Peccatum ita est voluntarium, ut, si non sit voluntarium, non est peccatum: without some consent of the will, no complete actual sin is committed. Such ignorance therefore, as preventeth à toto, and cutteth off all consent of the will, must needs also excuse, and that à toto, the Actions that proceed there-from, from being sins. It is clear from the words of my Text, that Abimelech's heart was sincere in this action of taking Sarah, from any injury intended to Abraham therein; although de facto he took his wife from him: because he did it ignorantly.

By what hath been spoken, we may see in part, what kind of Ignorance it is,17. that will excuse us from sin, either in whole, or in part; and what will not. Let us now raise some profitable Inferences from this Observation. First, our Romish Catholicks often twit us with our fore elders. [What, say they, were they not all down-right Papists? Believed, as we believe? Worshipped, as we worship? You will not say, they all lived and died in Idolatry, and so are damned. And if they were saved in their faith, why may not the same faith save us? And why will not you also be of that Religion that brought them to Heaven?] A motive more plausible, than strong: the Vanity whereof our present Observation duly considered and rightly applied fully discovereth. We have much reason to conceive good hope of the salvation of many of our Fore-fathers: who, led away with the common superstitions of those blind times, might yet by those general truths, which by the mercy of God were preserved amid the foulest overspreadings of Popery, agreeable to the Word of God, (though clogged with an addition of many superstitions and Antichristian inventions withal) be brought to true Faith in the Son of God; unfeigned Repentance from dead works; and a sincere desire and endeavour of new and holy Obedience. This was the Religion, that brought them to Heaven; even Faith, and Repentance, and Obedience. This is p. 278the true, and the Old, and Catholick Religion: and this is our Religion, in which we hope to find salvation; and if ever any of you that miscal your selves Catholicks come to Heaven, it is this Religion must carry you thither. If together with this true Religion of Faith, Repentance, and Obedience, they embraced also your additions, as their blind guides then led them; prayed to our Lady, kneeled to an Image, crept to a Cross, flocked to a Mass, as you now do: these were their spots and their blemishes; these were their aa1 Cor. 3. 12.1 Cor 3:12hay and their stubble; these were their Errors and their Ignorances. And I doubt not, but as S. Paul for his blasphemies and persecutions, so they obtained mercy for these sins, because they did them ignorantly in misbelief. And upon the same ground, we have cause also to hope charitably of many thousand poor souls in Italy, Spain, and other parts of the Christian World at this day: that by the same blessed means they may obtain mercy and salvation in the end, although in the mean time through ignorance they defile themselves with much foul Idolatry, and many gross Superstitions.

But the ignorance that excuseth from sin, is Ignorantia Facti, according to13. that hath been already declared: whereas theirs was Ignorantia Iuris, which excuseth not. And besides, as they lived in the practice of that worship which we call Idolatry, so they died in the same without repentance: and so their case is not the same with S. Paul's, who saw those his sins, and sorrowed for them, and forsook them: But how can Idolaters, living and dying so without repentance, be saved? It is answered, that ignorance in point of fact, so conditioned as hath been shewed, doth so excuse à toto; that an Action proceeding thence, though it have a material inconformity unto the Law of God, is yet not formally a sin. But I do not so excuse the Idolatry of our Fore fathers, as if it were not in it self a sin, and that (without repentance) damnable. But yet their Ignorance being such as it was: nourished by Education, Custom, Tradition, the Tyranny of their Leaders, the fashion of the times, not without some shew also of Piety and Devotion; and themselves withal, having such slender means of better knowledge: though it cannot wholly excuse them from sin without repentance damnable, yet it much lesseneth and qualifieth the sinfulness of their Idolatry; arguing that their continuance therein was more from other prejudices, than from a wilful contempt of Gods holy word and Will. And as for their Repentance, it is as certain, that as many of them as are saved, did repent of their Idolatries; as it is certain no Idolater, nor other sinner, can be saved without Repentance. But then there is a double difference to be observed, between Repentance for ignorances, and for known sins. The one is, that known sins must be confessed, and repented of, and pardon asked for them in particular, every one singly by it self, (I mean for the kinds, though not ever for the individuals) every kind by it self, at least where God alloweth time and leisure to the Penitent, to call himself to a punctual examination of his life past, and doth not by sudden death, or by some disease that taketh away the use of reason, deprive him of opportunity to do that: Whereas for Ignorances, it is enough to wrap them up all together in a general and implicite Confession, and to crave pardon for them by the lump, as David doth in Psalm 19. [aaPsal. 19. 12.Ps 19:12 Who can understand all his Errors? Lord, cleanse thou me from my secret sins.] The other difference is, that known sins are not truly repented of, but where they are bbProv. 28. 13.Prov 28:13forsaken; and it is but an hypocritical semblance of penance without the truth of the thing, where is no care, neither endeavour, of reformation. But ignorances may be faithfully repented of and yet still continued in. The reason; because they may be repented of in the general, and in the lump, without special knowledge that they are sins: but without such special knowledge they cannot be reformed. Some of our fore-fathers then, might not only live in Popish Idolatry, but even die in an Idolatrous act, breathing out their last with their lips at a Crucifix, and an Ave-mary in their thoughts: and yet have truly repented, (though but in the general, and in the p. 279crowd of their unknown sins) even of those very sins; and have at the same instant true Faith in Jesus Christ, and other Graces accompanying salvation.

But why then may not I, will some Popeling say, continue as I am, and yet19. come to Heaven, as well as they continued what they were and yet went to Heaven? If I be an Idolater, it is out of my Error and Ignorance▪ and if that general Prayer unto God at the last, to forgive me all my Ignorances, will serve the turn, I may run the same course I do without danger or fear: God will be merciful to me for what I do ignorantly. Not to preclude all possibility of mercy from thee, or from any sinner: Consider yet, there is a great difference between their state and thine, between thine ignorance and theirs. They had but a very small enjoyance of the light of Gods Word, aaMat. 5. 15.Matt 5:15hid from them under two bushels for sureness: under the bushel of a Tyrannous Clergy, that if any man should be able to understand the books, he might not have them; and under the bushel of an unknown tongue, that if any man should chance to get the books, he might not understand them. Whereas to thee, the light is holden forth, and set on a Candlesti…k; the books open; the language plain, legible, and familiar. They had eyes, but, saw not: because the light was kept from, and the land was dark about them, as the bbExod. 18. 21, 23.Exod 18:21Exod 18:23darkness of Egypt: But thou livest as in a Goshen, where the light encompasseth thee in on all sides; where there are ccJoh. 5. 35.John 5:35burning and shining lamps in every corner of the land. Yet is thy blindness greater, (for who so blind, as he that will not see?) and more inexcusable: because thou ddMat. 13. 15.Matt 13:15shuttest thine eyes against the light, lest thou shouldest see and be converted, and God should heal thee. Briefly, they wanted the light, thou shunnest it: they lived in darkness; thou delightest in it: their ignorance was simple; thine affected and wilful. And therefore although we doubt not, but that the times of their ignorance God eeActs 17. 30.Acts 17:30winked at; yet thou hast no warrant to presume, that God will also in these times wink at thee, who ffLuke 7. 30.Luke 7:30rejectest the counsel of God against thine own soul, and for want of gg2 Thes. 2. 10, 11.2 Thess 2:102 Thess 2:11love and affection to the truth, are justly given over to strong delusions, to believe Fables, and put thy confidence in things that are lies. So much for that matter.

Secondly, Here is a needful admonition for us all, not to flatter our selves for20. our ignorance of those things, that concern us in our general or particular Callings: as if for that ignorance our reckoning should be easier at the day of judgment. Ignorance indeed excuseth sometimes, sometimes lesseneth a fault; but yet not all ignorance, all faults; not wilful and affected ignorance, any fault. Nay, it is so far from doing that, that on the contrary it maketh the offence aaIgnorantia directe & per se voluntaria auget voluntarium, & per consequens peccatum. Aquin. 1. 2. qu. 76. 4.much more grievous, and the offender much more inexcusable. A heedless servant, that bbLuk. 12. 48.Luke 12:48neither knoweth, nor doth his Masters will deserveth some stripes. A stubborn servant that knoweth it, and yet transgresseth it, deserveth more stripes. But worse than them both is that ungracious servant, who fearing his Master will appoint him something he had rather let alone, keepeth himself out of the way beforehand, and micheth in a corner out of sight, of purpose that he might not know his Masters will; that so he may after stand upon it when he is chidden, and say, He knew it not: such an untoward servant deserveth yet more stripes. Would the Spirit of God, think you, in the Scripture so often call upon us to ccProv. 2. 3, 4, 7. & 23. 23.Prov 2:3Prov 2:4Prov 2:7Prov 23:23get the knowledge of Gods will, and to increase therein; or would he commence his ddHos. 4. 1.Hos 4:1suit against a land, and enter his action against the people thereof, for want of such knowledge, if ignorance were better or safer? Oh, it is a fearful thing for a man to eeSee Prov. 1. 24, &c.Prov 1:24sha… instruction, and to say, he desireth not the knowledge of God. ffPsal. 36. 3.Ps 36:3Noluerunt intelligere, ut bene agerent. When men are once come to that pass, that they will not understand nor seek after God; when they ggJoh. 3. 20.John 3:20hate the light, because they take pleasure in the hhEph. 5. 11.Eph 5:11works of darkness; when they iiImpia mens odit etiam ipsum intellectum: & hom… aliquando nimium mente perversa timet intelligere, ne cogatur quod intellexerit facere. Aug. de ver. Apost. ser. 13.are afraid to know too much, lest their hearts should condemn them for not doing thereafter; when like the kkPsal. 58. 4.Ps 58:4deaf Adder they stop p. 280their ears against the voice of the charmer, for fear they should be charmed by the power of that voice out of their crooked and Serpentine courses; when they are so llEx intentio ne voluntatis ad peccandum provenit, quòd aliquis vult subire ignorantiae damnum, propter libertatem peccandi. Aqu. 1. 2. 76. 4.resolved to take freedom to sin, that they chuse to be still Ignorant, rather than hazard the forgoing of any part of that freedom: what do they, but even run on blindfold into hell? And through inner, post along unto mmforeign. Mat. 25. 30.Matt 25:30utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth? nnBern. de 12. grad. humil.Frustrà sibi de ignorantia blandiuntur, saith S. Bernard, qui, ut liberius peccent, libenter ignorant. S. Paul so speaketh of such men, as if their case were desperate▪ [oo1 Cor. 14. 38.1 Cor 14:38 If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant:] as who say; if he will need… be wilful, at his peril be it. But as many as desire to walk in the fear of God with upright and sincere hearts, let them thirst after the knowledge of God and his will, as the ppPsal. 41. 2.Ps 41:2Hart after the rivers of waters; let them qqProv. 2▪ 3, 4.Prov 2:3Prov 2:4cry after knowledge, and lift up, their voices for understanding; let them seek it as silver▪ and dig for it as for hid treasures; let their feet tread often in Gods Courts, and even wear the thresholds of his house; let them delight in his holy Ordinances, and rejoyce in the light of his Word; depending upon the ministry thereof with unsatisfied ears, and unwearied attention, and feeding thereon with uncloyed appetites: that so they may see, and hear, and learn, and understand, and believe, and obey, and increase in wisdom, and in grace, and in favour with God and all good men.

But then in the third place consider, that if all ignorance will not excuse an offender,21. though some do: how canst thou hope to find any colour of excuse or extenuation, that sinnest wilfully with knowledge, and against the light of thine own Conscience? The least sin thus committed; is in some degree a Presumptuous sin, and carrieth with it a contempt of God: and in that regard is aaQuo quisque meliùs sapit, eò deterius delinquit. Greg. in Pastorali.greater than any sin of Ignorance. bbJam. 4. 17.Jas 4:17To him that knoweth, to do good, and doth it not, to him it is a sin, saith S. Iames: Sin beyond all plea of excuse. S. Paul, though he were a cc1 Tim. 1. 13.1 Tim 1:13Persecutor of the truth, a Blasphemer of the Lord, and injurious to the Brethren; yet he obtained Mercy, because he did all that ignorantly. His bare ignorance was not enough to justifie him: but he stood in need of Gods mercy, or else he had perished in those sins for all his ignorance, but yet who can tell, whether ever he should have found that mercy, if he had done the same things, and not in ignorance? Ignorance then, though it do not deserve pardon▪ yet it often findeth it: because it is not joyned with open contempt of him, that is able to pardon. But he that sinneth against knowledge, doth Ponere obicem, (if you will allow the Phrase, and it may be allowed in this since:) he doth not only provoke the Iustice of God by his sin, (as every other sinner doth) but he doth also damm up the Mercy of God by his contempt, and doth his part to shut himself out for ever from all possibility of pardon; unless the boundless overflowing mercy of God come in upon him with a strong tide, and with an unresisted current break it self a passage through. Do this then, my beloved Brethren. Labour to get knowledge, labour to increase your knowledge, labour to abound in knowledge: but beware you rest not in your knowledge. Rather dd2 Pet. 1. 5, 7.2 Pet 1:52 Pet 1:7give all diligence, to add to your knowledge Temperance, and Patience, and Godliness, and Brotherly kindness, and Charity, and other good graces. Without these, your knowledge is unprofitable; nay, damnable. eeEccles. 1. 18.Eccl 1:18Qui apponit soientiam, apponit dolorem; is true in this sence also. He that increaseth knowledge, unless his care of obedience rise in some good proportion with it, doth but lay more rods in steep for his own back, and increase the number of his stripes, and add to the weight and measure of his own most just condemnation. Know this, that although Integrity of heart may stand with some ignorances, as Abimelech here pleadeth it, and God alloweth it: yet that mans heart is devoid of all singleness and sincerity, who alloweth himself in any course he knoweth to be sinful, or taketh this liberty to himself, to continue and persist in any p. 281known ungodliness. And thus much for our second Observation.

I add but a Third; and that taken from the very thing which Abimelech here22. pleadeth, viz. the integrity of his heart; considered together with his present personal estate and condition. I dare not say, he was a Cast-away: for what knoweth any man, how God might, after this time, and even from these beginnings, deal with him in the riches of his mercy? But at the time, when the things storied in this Chapter were done, Abimelech doubtless was an unbeliever, a stranger to the Covenant of God made with Abraham, and so in the state of a carnal and meer natural man. And yet both he pleadeth, and God approveth, the innocency and integrity of his heart in this business, [Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thine heart.] Note hence, That in an unbeliever, and natural man, and therefore also in a wicked person and a cast-away, (for as to the present state, the unregenerate and the Reprobate, are equally incapable of good things,) there may be truth and singleness, and integrity of heart in some particular actions.

We use to teach, and that truly, according, to the plain evidence of Scripture, 23.and the judgment of the ancient Fathers against the contrary tenet of the latter Church of Rome▪ that all the works of unbelievers and natural men, are not only stained with sin, (for so are the best works of the faithful too;) but also are really and truly sins: both in their own nature, because they spring from a corrupt fountain, for aaJoh. 3. 6.John 3:6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and it is impossible that a bbMat. 7. 18.Matt 7:18corrupt tree should bring forth good fruit▪ and also in Gods estimation, because he beholdeth them as out of Christ, ccMat. 3. 7.Matt 3:7in and through whom alone he is well pleased. St. Augustin's judgment concerning such mens works is well known, who pronounceth of the best of them, that they are but splendida peccata, glorious sins▪ and the best of them are indeed no better. We may not say therefore, that there was in Abimelech's heart, as nor in the heart of any man, a legal integrity; as if his person, or any of his actions were innocent, and free from sin, in that perfection which the Law requireth. Neither yet can we say, there was in his heart, as nor in the heart of any unbeliever, an Evangelical integrity▪ as if his p…rson were accepted, and for the persons sake all or any of his actions approved with God, accepting them as perfect, through the supply of the abundant perfections of Christ then to come. That first and legal integrity supposeth the righteousness of works, which no man hath: this latter and Evangelical integrity, the righteousness of Faith, which no unbeliever hath; no mans heart being, either legally perfect, that is in Adam; or Evangelically perfect, that is out of Christ. But there is a third kind of integrity of heart, inferiour to both these, which God here acknowledgeth in Abimelech; and of which only we affirm, that it may be found in an Unbeliever and a Reprobate: and that is, a Natural or Moral integrity; when the heart of a meer natural man is careful to follow the direction and guidance of right reason, according to that light (of Nature, or Revelation) which is in him, without hollowness, halting, and hypocrisse; Rectus usus Naturalium, we might well call it: the term were fit enough to express it; had not the Papists and some other Sectaries, with sowring it by the Leaven of their Pelagianism, rendred it suspicious. The Philosophers and learned among the Heathen, by that which they call a good conscience, understand no other thing than this very Integrity whereof we now speak. Not that an Unbeliever can have a good conscience, taken in strict propriety of truth, and in a spiritual sence. For the whole man being corrupted through the fall of Adam; the conscience also is wrapped up in the common pollution: so that ddTit. 1. 15.Titus 1:15to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled, as speaketh St. Paul, Tit. 1. and being so defiled, can never be made good, till eeHeb. 10. 22.Heb 10:22their hearts be sprinkled from that pollution, ffHeb. 9. 14.Heb 9:14by the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered p. 282himself without spot to God, and till the Conscience be purged by the same blood from dead works to serve the living God, as speaketh the same Apostle. Heb. 9. and 10.

But yet a good Conscience in that sence as they meant it, a Conscience morally 24.good, many of them had; who never had Faith in Christ, nor so much as the least inkling of the Doctrine of Salvation. By which, aaRom. 2. 14.Rom 2:14Not having the Law, they were a Law unto themselves; doing by nature many of the things contained in the Law: and choosing rather to undergo the greatest miseries, as shame, torment, exile; yea, death it self, or any thing that could befal them, than wilfully to transgress those rules, and notions, and dictates of piety and equity, which the God of Nature had imprinted in their Consciences. Could heathen men and unbelievers have taken so much comfort in the testimony of an excusing Conscience, as it appeareth many of them did; if such a Conscience were not in the kind (that is Morally) Good? Or how else could St. Paul have made that protestation he did in the Council, [bbActs. 23. 1.Acts 23:1 Men and Brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day:] At least, if he meant to include, (as most of the learned conceive he did) the whole time of his life, as well before his conversion, as after? Balaam was but a cursed Hypocrite, and therefore it was but a Copy of his countenance, and no better, (for his heart even then hankered after cc2 Pet. 2. 15.2 Pet 2:15the wages of unrighteousness) when he looked asquint upon Balak's liberal offer, with this answer. ddNum. 22. 18.Num 22:18If Balak would give me his house full of Gold and silver, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. But I assure my self, many thousands of Unbelievers in the world, free from his hypocrisie, would not for ten times as much as he there spake of, have gone beyond the Rules of the Law of Nature written in their hearts, to have done either less or more. Abimelech seemeth to be so affected; at least, in this particular action and passage with Abraham: wherein God thus approveth his integrity, Yea I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thine heart.

The Reason of which moral integrity in men unregenerate and meerly natural, 25.is that imperium Rationis, that power of natural Conscience and Reason, which it hath and exerciseth over the whole man: doing the office of a Law-giver, and having the strength of a Law; [eeRom. 2. 14.Rom 2:14 They are a Law unto themselves] saith the Apostle, Rom. 2. As a Law, it prescribeth what is to be done: as a Law, it commandeth that what is prescribed be done: as a Law, it proposeth rewards and punishments, accordingly as what it prescribeth and commandeth, is done or not done. Abimelech's own Reason, by the light of Nature informed him, that to take another mans Wife from him was injurious; and enjoyneth him therefore, as he will avoid the horrors and upbraidings of a condemning heart, by no means to do it. Resolved accordingly to do, and to obey the Law of Reason written in his heart, before he durst take Sarah into his house, he maketh inquiry first, whether she were a single woman, or a wife; and therefore, although (upon mis-information) he took another mans wife, unwitting that she was so, he pleadeth here, and that justly, the integrity of his heart. And from obedience to the same Law, especially, spring those many rare examples of Iustice, Temperance, Gratitude, Beneficence, and other moral vertues, which we read of in Heathen men, not without admiration: which were so many strong evidences also of this moral integrity of their hearts.

A point that would bear much enlargement, if we intended to amplifie it by26. Instances; and did not rather desire to draw it briefly into use, by Inferences. A just condemnation, it may he first, to many of us, who call our selves Christians, and Believers, and have many blessed means of direction and instruction for the due ordering of our hearts and lives which those Heathens wanted: yet come so many paces, nay, leagues, short of them, both in the detestation of vicious and gross enormities, and in the conscionable practice of many offices of p. 283vertue. Among them, what strictness of Iustice? which we either slack or pervert. What zeal of the common good? which we put off each man to other, as an unconcerning thing. What remission of private injuries? which we pursue with implacable revenge. What contempt of honours, and riches? which we so pant after, so adore. What temperance and frugality in their provisions? wherein no excess satisfieth us. What free beneficence, to the poor, and to pious uses? whereto we contribute penuriously and with grudging. What conscience of Oaths and Promises? which we so slight. What reverence of their Priests? whom we count as the scum of the people. What loathing of swinish drunkenness? wherein some of us glory. What detestation of Usury, as a monster in nature? whereof some of ours make a trade. Particularities are infinite, but what should I say more? Certainly, unless our righteousnesses exceed theirs, we shall never come to heaven: but how shall we escape the nethermost hell, if our unrighteousnesses exceed theirs? aaRom. 2. 27.Rom 2:27Shall not Uncircumcision which is by nature, if it keep the Law, judge thee, who by the Letter and Circumcision dost transgress the Law? said St. Paul to the Iew: Make application to thy self, thou that art a Christian.

Secondly, if even in Unbelievers, and Hypocrites, and Castaways there may27. be in particular actions, integrity and singleness of heart: then it can be but an uncertain Rule for us to judge of the true state of our own and other mens hearts, by what they are in some few particular actions. Men are indeed that, not which they shew themselves in some passages, but what they are in the more general and constant tenor of their lives. If we should compare Abimelech and David together, by their different behaviour in the same kind of temptation, in two particulars of the sacred History, and look no farther, we could not but give Sentence upon them quite contrary to right and truth. We should see Abimelech on the one side, though allured with Sarah's beauty: yet free from the least injurious thought to her husband, or adulterous intent in himself. We should behold bb2 Sam. 11. 2, &c.2 Sam 11:2David on the other side, inflamed with lust after Bathsheba, whom he knew to be another mans Wife: plotting first, how to compass his filthy desires with the Wife: and then after, how to conceal it from the Husband; by many wicked and politick fetches: and, when none of those would take, at last to have him murthered, being one of his principal cc2 Sam. 23. 39.2 Sam 23:39Worthies, in a most base and unworthy fashion, with the loss of the lives of a number of innocent persons more: besides the betraying of Gods cause, the disheartning of his People, and the incouragement of his and their enemies. When we should see and consider all this on both sides, and lay the one against the other: what could we think but that Abimelech were the Saint, and David the Infidel; Abimelech the man after Gods own heart, and David a stranger to the Covenant of God; Yet was David all this while within that Covenant: and (for any thing we know, or is likely) Abimelech, not. Particular actions then, are not good evidences either way: as wherein both an unbeliever, awed sometimes by the Law, of natural Conscience, may manifest much simplicity and integrity of heart; and the true Child of God, swayed sometimes with ddRom. 7. 23.Rom 7:23the law of sinful concupiscence, may bewray much foul Hypocrisie, and infidelity. But look into the more constant course of both their lives: and then may you find the Hypocrite and the unbeliever wholly distinguished from the godly: by the want of those right marks of sincerity that are in the godly: no zeal of Gods glory; no sense of original corruption; no bemoaning of his privy Hypocrisie and secret Atheism; no suspicion of the deceitfulness of his own heart; no tenderness of Conscience in smaller duties; no faithful dependance upon the providence or promises of God for outward things; no self-denial, or poverty of spirit; no thirst after the salvation of his brethren, and the like: none of these, I say, to be found in any constant manner in the general course of his life; although there may be some p. 284sudden light flashes of some of them now and then in some particular Actions: Measure no mans heart then, especially not thine own, by those rarer discoveries of moral integrity in particular actions: but by the powerful manifestations of habitual grace, in the more constant tenor of life and practice.

We may learn hence thirdly, not to flatter our selves too much upon every28. integrity of heart; or to think our selves discharged from sin in the sight of God, upon every acquital of our own Consciences: when as all this may befall an Hypocrite, an Unbeliever, a Reprobate. When men accuse us of hypocrisie or unfaithfulness; or aaPsal. 35. 11.Ps 35:11lay to our charge things we never did: it is, I confess, a very comfortable and blessed thing, if we can find protection against their accusations in our own hearts, and be able to plead the integrity thereof in bar against their calumniations. Our integrity (though it be but Moral, and though but only in those actions wherein they charge us wrongfully) and the testimony of our own consciences, may be of very serviceable use to us thus far, to make us regardless of the accusations of unjust men: that one testimony within shall relieve us more, than a thousand false witnesses without can injure us. bb1 Cor. 4. 3.1 Cor 4:3With me it is a very small thing, saith St. Paul, that I should be judged of you, or of mans judgment: as if he should have said, I know my self better than you do; and therefore so long as I know nothing by my self of those things, wherein you consure me, I little reckon what either you, or any others shall think or say by me. We may by his example make use of this; the inward testimony of our hearts being sufficient to Iustifie us against the accusations of men: but we may not rest upon this; as if the acquital of our hearts were sufficient to justifie us in the sight of God. St. Paul knew it, who durst not rest thereupon: but therefore addeth in the very next following words. cc1 Cor. 4. 3, 4.1 Cor 4:31 Cor 4:4Yea, I judge not mine own self; for I know nothing by my self, yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me, is the Lord. Our hearts are close, and false; and nothing so ddJer. 17. 9, 10.Jer 17:9Jer 17:10deceitful as they: and who can know them perfectly, but he that made them, and can search into them? Other men can know very little of them: our selves something more: but God alone all. If therefore when other men condemn us, we find our selves aggrieved: we may remove our cause into an Higher Court; appeal from them to our own Consciences, and be releived there. But that is not the Highest Court of all; there lieth yet an appeal further and higher than it, even to the Iudgment seat, or rather to the Mercy-seat of God: who both can find just matter in us, to condemn us, even in those things wherein our own hearts have acquitted us; and yet can withal find a gracious mean to justifie us, even from those things wherein our own hearts condemn us. Whether therefore our hearts condemn us, or condemn us not: ee1 Joh. 3. 20.1 John 3:20God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things. To conclude all this Point, and therewithal the first general part of my Text; Let no Excusations of our own Consciences on the one side, or confidence of any integrity in our selves, make us presume we shall be able to stand just in the sight of God, if he should enter into judgment with us: but let us rather make sute unto him, that since we cannot ffPsal. 19. 19.Ps 19:19understand all our own errors, he would be pleased to cleanse us from our secret sins. And on the other side, let no accusations of our own Consciences, or guiltiness of our own manifold frailties and secret hypocrisies, make us despair of obtaining his favour and righteousness: if denying our selves, and renouncing all integrity in our selves, as our selves, we cast our selves wholly at the footstool of his mercy, and seek his favour in the face of his only begotten Son Iesus Christ the righteous.

Of the former branch of Gods reply to Abimelech, in those former words of29. the Text, [Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart] hiherto. I now proceed to the latter branch thereof, in those remaining words [For I also with-held thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to p. 285touch her.] foreign The word signifieth properly to hold in or to keep back; aaVarablus in Schol. hic.Retinui, or bbJunius hic.Cohibui, or as the Latine hath it, ccVulgar. hic.Custodivi te: implying Abimelech's forwardness to that sin; certainly he had been gone, if God had not kept him in, and held him back. The Greek word rendreth it, ddSeptuag. hic.foreign, I spared thee: and so the Latin Parcere, is sometimes used for impedire or prohibere, to hinder, or not to suffer: as in that of eeVirg. Eclog. 3.Virgil, Parcite oves nimium procedere. Or taking parcere in the most usual signification, for sparing: it may very well stand with the purpose of the place; for indeed God spareth us no less, indeed he spareth us much more, when he maketh us forbear sin, than when having sinned he forbeareth to punish; and as much cause have we to acknowledge his mercy, and rejoyce in it, when he holdeth our hands that we sin not, as when he holdeth his own hands that he strike not. For I also with-held thee from sinning against me. How! Did not Abimelech sin in taking Sarah, or was not that as ffPsal. 51. 4.Ps 51:4every other sin is, a sin against God? Certainly, had not Abimelech sinned in so doing, and that against God, God would not have so plagued him as he did, for that deed. The meaning then is; not, that God with held him wholly from sinning at all therein; but that God with held him from sinning against him in that foul kind and in that high degree, as to defile himself by actual filthiness with Sarah, which but for Gods restnaint he had done: [therefore suffered I thee not] ggSeptuag. hic.foreign hhVulg. hic.Non demisi te, that is, I did not let thee go: I did not leave thee to thy self; or most agreeable to the letter of the Text in the iiforeignHebrew, non dedi, or non tradidi; I did not deliver, or give. That may be, non dedi potestatem, I did not give thee kkH. A. hic.leave or power, and so giving is sometimes used for suffering, as Psal. 16. llPsal. 16. 10.Ps 16:10Non dabis sanctum tuum, Thou wilt not suffer, &c. and mmGen. 31. 37. Exod▪ 3. 19. & 12. 23. Num. 22. 13. Judg. 1. 24. & 15. 1. Esther 9. 14.Gen 31:37Exod 3:19Exod 12:23Num 22:13Judg 1:24Judg 15:1Esth 9:14elsewhere. Or non dedi te tibi, I gave thee not to thy self. A man cannot be put more desperately into the hands of any enemy, than to be left in manu consilii sui, delivered into his own hands, and given over to the lust of his own heart. Or as it is here translated, I suffered thee not. We should not draw in God as a party, when we commit any sin, as if he joyned with us in it, or lent us his helping hand for it: we do it so alone, without his help, that we never do it, but when he letteth us alone, and leaveth us destitute of his help. For the kind and manner, and measure, and circumstances, and events, and other the appurtenances of sin, God ordereth them by his Almighty power and providence so, as to become serviceable to his most wise, most just, most holy purposes: but as for the very formality it self of the sin, God is (to make the most of it) but a sufferer; [Therefore suffered I thee not, To Touch her.] Signifying that God had so far restrained Abimelech from the accomplishment of his wicked and unclean purposes, that Sarah was preserved free by his good providence, not only from actual adultery, but from all unchaste and wanton dalliance also with Abimelech.

It was Gods great mercy to all the three Parties, that he did not suffer this30. evil to be done: for by this means he graciously preserved Abimelech from the sin, Abraham from the wrong, and Sarah from both. And it is to be acknowledged the great mercy of God, when at any time he doth, (and he doth ever and anon more or less) by his gracious and powerful restraint with-hold any man, from running into those extremities of sin and mischief, whereinto his own corruption would carry him headlong, especially when it is agog by the cunning perswasions of Satan, and the manifold temptations that are in the world through lust. The points then that arise from this part of my Text, are these, 1. Men do not always commit those evils, their own desires, or outward temptations prompt them unto. 2. That they do it not, it is from Gods restraint. 3. That God restraineth them, it is of his own gracious goodness and mercy. The common subject matter of the whole three points, being one, viz. Gods restraint of mans sin; we will therefore wrap them up all three together, and so handle them, in this one entire Observation, as the total of all three. God in his mercy p. 286oftentimes restraineth men from committing those evils, which if that restraint were not, they would otherwise have committed.

This Restraint, whether we consider the Measure, or the Means which God31. useth therein; is of great variety. For the Measure; God sometimes restraineth men à toto, from the whole sin, whereunto they are tempted; as he withheld Ioseph from consenting to the perswasions of his Mistress: sometimes only à tanto, and that more or less, as in his infinite wisdom he seeth expedient; suffering them perhaps but only to desire the evil, perhaps to resolve upon it, perhaps to prepare for it, perhaps to begin to Act it, perhaps to proceed far in it, and yet keeping them back from falling into the extremity of the sin, or accomplishing their whole desire in the full and final consummation thereof; as here he dealt with Abimelech. Abimelech sinned against the eighth Commandment, in taking Sarah injuriously from Abraham, say he had been but her brother; and he sinned against the seventh Commandment in a foul degree, in harbouring such wanton and unchaste thoughts concerning Sarah, and making such way as he did (by taking her into his house) for the satisfying of his lust therein: but yet God with-held him from plunging himself into the extremity of those sins, not suffering him to fall into the act of uncleanness. And as for the Means whereby God with-holdeth men from sinning; they are also of wonderful variety. Sometimes he taketh them off, by diverting the course of the corruption, and turning the affections another way. Sometimes he awaketh natural Conscience; which is a very tender and tickle thing, when it is once stirred, and will boggle now and then at a very small matter in comparison, over it will do at some other times. Sometimes he affrighteth them with apprehensions of outward Evils; as shame, infamy, charge, envy, loss of a friend, danger of humane Laws, and sundry other such like discouragements. Sometimes he cooleth their resolutions, by presenting unto their thoughts the terrors of the Law, the strictness of the last Account, and the endless unsufferable torments of Hell-fire. Sometimes, when all things are ripe for execution, he denieth them opportunity, or casteth in some unexpected impediment in the way, that quasheth all. Sometimes he **Quosdam praesciens Deus multa peccare posse, flagellat eos infirmitate corporis, ne peccent; ut eis utilius sit frangi languoribus ad salutem, quàm remanere incolumes ad damnationem. Hug. 2. de. Anim.disableth them, and weakneth the arm of flesh wherein they trusted, so as they want power to their will; as here he dealth with Abimelech. And sundry other ways he hath, more than we are able to search into, whereby he layeth a restraint upon men, and keepeth them back from many sins and mischiefs, at least from the extremity of many sins and mischiefs, whereunto otherwise Nature and Temptation would carry them with a strong current. Not to speak yet of that sweet, and of all other the most blessed and powerful restraint which is wrought in us by the Spirit of Sanctification, renewing the soul, and subduing the corruption that is in the flesh unto the obedience of the Spirit; at which I shall have fitter occasion to touch anon.

In the mean time, that there is something or other, that restraineth men from32. doing some evils, unto which they have not only a natural proneness, but perhaps withal an actual desire and purpose; might be shewn by a world of instances: but because every mans daily experience can abundantly furnish him with some, we will therefore content our selves with the fewer, aaSee Gen. 31. 23, &c.Gen 31:23Laban meant no good to Iacob, when taking his Brethren with him, he pursued after him seven days journey in an hostile manner: and he had power to his will, to have done Iacob a mischief, Iacob being but imbellis turba, no more but himself, his wives and his little ones, with his flocks and herds, and a few servants to attend them, unable to defend themselves, much more unmeet to resist a prepared enemy: yet for all his power, and purpose, and preparation, Laban, when he had overtaken Iacob, durst have nothing at all to do with him, and he had but very little to say to him neither; The worst was but this, [Thus and thus have you dealt with me. And bbGen. 31. 23.Gen 31:23It is in the power of mine hand to do you hurt: p. 287but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying; Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad:] See the story in Gen. 31. The same Iacob had a Brother, as unkind as that Uncle, nay, much more despitefully bent against him than he; for he had vowed his destruction, (ccGen. 27. 41.Gen 27:41 The days of mourning for my father are at hand, and then I will slay my Brother Jacob;) and although the ddIbid. v. 44. 45.Mother well hoped, that some few days time and absence would appease the fury of Esau, and all should be forgotten; yet eeGen. 31. 38.Gen 31:38twenty years after the old grudge remained; and upon Iacob's approach, ffGen. 32. 6.Gen 32:6Esau goeth forth to meet him with 400 men, armed (as it should seem) for his destruction: which cast ggIbid. v. 7, 8.Iacob into a terrible fear, and much distressed he was, good man, and glad to use the best wit he had, by dividing his Companies, to provide for the safety at least of some part of his charge. And yet behold at the encounter, no use at all of the 400 men, unless to be spectators and witnesses of the joyful hhGen. 33. 4, &c.Gen 33:4embraces and kind loving complements that passed between the two brothers, in the liberal offers and modest refusals each of others courtesies; in the 32 and 33 of Genesis. A good Probatum of that Observation of Solomon, iiProv. 16. 7.Prov 16:7When a mans ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Balaam the Conjurer, when the king Balak had cast the hook before him, baited with ample kkNum. 22. 7, 17.Num 22:7Num 22:17rewards in hand, and great promotions in reversion, if he would come over to him and curse Israel; had both Covetousness and Ambition enough in him to make him bite: so that he was not only ll2 Pet. 2. 15.2 Pet 2:15willing, but even desirous, to satisfie the King; for he loved the wages of unrighteousness with his heart, and therefore made mmNum. 23. 13, 14, 17, 28.Num 23:13Num 23:14Num 23:17Num 23:28trial (till he saw it was all in vain) if by any means he could wring a permission from God to do it. But when his nnNum. 24. 3, &c.Num 24:3eyes were opened to behold Israel, and his mouth open that he must now pronounce something upon Israel: though his eyes were full of Envy, and his heart of Cursing, yet God put a parable of Blessing into his mouth: and he was not able to utter a syllable of any thing other than good concerning Israel, in 22 and 24 of Numbers.

In all which, and sundry other instances, wherein when there was intended before-hand33. so much evil to be done, and there was withal in the parties such a forward desire, and such a solemn preparation to have it done: and yet when all came to all, so little or nothing was done, of what was intended, but rather the contrary: it cannot first be imagined, that such a stop should be made, but by the powerful restraint of some superiour, and over-ruling hand; neither may we doubt in the second place, that every such restraint, by what second and subordinate means soever it be furthered, is yet the proper work of God, as proceeding from, and guided by his Almighty and irresistible providence. And as for that which hapned to Balaam, that it was Gods doing, the evidence is clear; we have it from the mouth of two or three witnesses. The Wizard himself confesseth it, aaNum. 22. 13.Num 22:13The Lord will not suffer me to go with you, Num. 22. The King that set him on work upbraideth him with it; bbNum. 24. 11.Num 24:11I thought indeed to promote thee to great honour: but lo, the Lord hath kept thee back from honour, Num. 24. And Moses would have Israel take knowledge of it; ccDeut. 23. 5.Deut 23:5The Lord, thy God would not hearken unto Balaam, but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing, because the Lord thy God loved thee, Deut. 23. It was God then that turned Balaam's curse into a blessing, and it was the same God, that turned Laban's revengeful thoughts into a friendly Expostulation; and it was the same God, that turned Esau's inveterate malice into a kind brotherly congratulation. He that hath set ddJob 38. 8, 11.Job 38:8Job 38:11bounds to the Sea, which, though the waves thereof rage horribly, they cannot pass, (Hitherto shalt thou go, and here shalt thou stay thy proud waves;) and did command the waters of the eeExod. 15. 8.Exod 15:8Red Sea to stay their course, and stand up as on heaps; and by his power could enforce the waters of the ffPsal. 114. 3.Ps 114:3River Iordan, to run quite against the Current up the Channel; he hath ggProv. 21. 1.Prov 21:1in his hands, and at his command the hearts of all the sons of men, yea, though they be the greatest p. 288Kings and Monarchs in the world, as the Rivers of waters: and can wind and turn them at his pleasure, inclining them which way soever he will. hhPsal. 76. 10.Ps 76:10The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise (saith David in Psal. 76. 10.) and the fierceness of them shalt thou retain: the latter clause of the verse is very significant in the Original, and cometh home to our purpose, as if we should translate it, iiforeign Residuum irarum …inges. Vatablus.Thou shalt gird the remainder of their wrath, or of their fierceness. The meaning is this. Suppose a mans heart be never so full fraught with envy, hatred, malice, wrath, and revenge, let him be as fierce and furious as is possible; God may indeed suffer him, and he will suffer him to exercise so much of his corruption, and proceed so far in his fierceness, as he seeth expedient and useful for the forwarding of other his secret, and just, and holy appointments, and so order the sinful fierceness of man by his wonderful providence, as to make it serviceable to his ends, and to turn it to his glory: but look whatsoever wrath and fierceness there is in the heart of a man, over and above so much as will serve for those his eternal purposes, all that surplusage, that overplus and remainder whatsoever it be he will gird; he will so bind, and hamper, and restrain him, that he shall not be able to go an inch beyond his tedder, though he would fret his heart out. The fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise, so much of it as he doth execute: and the remainder of their fierceness thou shalt restrain, that they execute it not. Be he never so great a Prince; or have he never so great a spirit, all is one, he must come under. No difference with God in this, betwixt him that sitteth on the Throne, and her that grindeth at the Mill: kkPsal. 76. 12.Ps 76:12He shall refrain the spirit of Princes, and is wonderful among the Kings of the earth, in the last verse of that Psalm.

Now of the truth of all that hath been hitherto spoken in both these branches34. of the Observation, (viz. that first there is a restraint of evil; and then secondly, that this restraint is from God) I know not any thing can give us better assurance, taking them both together, than to consider the generality and strength of our Natural corruption. General it is first, in regard of the persons; overspreading1. the whole lump of our nature: there is not a child of Adam free from the common infection; aaPsal. 14. 2.Ps 14:2They are all corrupt, they are altogether abominable, there is none that doth good, no not one. General secondly, in regard of the subject, 2.over-running the whole man, soul and body, with all the parts and powers of either, so as bbIsa. 1. 6.Isa 1:6from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is no whole part. ccJoh. 3. 6.John 3:6Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh; and ddTit. 1. 15.Titus 1:15To them that are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but even their mind and Conscience is defiled; and eeGen. 6. 5.Gen 6:5All the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts are only evil continually. General thirdly, in regard of the object: averse from all kind of good,3. (ffRom. 7. 18.Rom 7:18 In me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing:) and prone to all kind of evil. (ggPsal. 36. 4.Ps 36:4 He hath set himself in no good way, neither doth he abhor any thing that is evil.) Add to this generality, the strength also of our corruption: how vigorous, and stirring, and active it is, and how it carrieth us headlongly with full speed into all manner of evil, hhJer. 8. 6.Jer 8:6As the horse rusheth into the battel; so as we have no hold of our selves, neither power to stay our selves, till we have run as far as we can, and without the mercy of God plunged our selves into the bottom of the bottomless pit. Lay all this together, and there can be no other sufficient reason given, than this restraint whereof we now speak, why any one man should at any one time refrain from any one sin being tempted thereunto; whereinto any other man at any other time hath fallen, being alike tempted. Every man would kill his brother, as iiGen. 4. 8.Gen 4:8Cain did Abel; and every man defile his sister, as kk2. Sam. 13. 11.2 Sam 13:11Amnon did Thamar; and every man oppress his inferiour, as ll1 Kings 21. 16.1 Kgs 21:16Ahab did Naboth, and every man supplant his betters, as mm2 Sam. 16. 3.2 Sam 16:3Zibah did Mephibosheth; and ever man betray his Master, as nnMat. 26. 15.Matt 26:15Iudas did Christ: every man being as deep in the loyns of Adam, as either Cain or Iudas, or any of the rest. Their p. 289nature was not more corrupt than ours, neither ours less corrupt than theirs: and therefore every one of us should have done those things, as well as any one of them, if there had not been ooNullum peccatum est quod unquam fecerit▪ homo, quod non possit facere alter homo, si Creator desit à quo factus est homo. August. …oliloq. cap. 15.something without and above nature to withhold us, and keep us back therefrom, when we were tempted; which was not in that measure afforded them, when they were tempted. And from whom can we think that restraiut to come, but from that God, who is the Author and the Lord of nature, and hath the power, and command and rule of Nature; by whose grace and goodness we are whatsoever we are: and to whose powerful assistance we owe it, if we do any good (for it is he that setteth us on;) and to his powerful restraint, if we eschew any evil (for it is he that keepeth us off.) Therefore I also with-held thee from sinning against me.

And as to the third point in the Observation, it is not much less evident than35. the two former; namely, that this Restraint, as it is from God, so it is from the Mercy of God. Hence it is that Divines usually bestow upon it the name of Grace: distinguishing between a twofold Grace; a special renewing Grace, and a Common restraining Grace. The special and renewing Grace is indeed and so incomparably more excellent, that in comparison thereof the other is not worthy to be called by the name of Grace, if we would speak properly and exactly; but yet the word [Grace] may not unfitly be so extended, as to reach to every act of Gods providence, whereby at any time he restraineth men from doing those evils, which otherwise they would do; and that in a threefold respect: of God, of themselves, of others. First, in respect of God, every restraint from sin, may be called Grace; inasmuch as it proceedeth ex mero motu, from the meer good1. will and pleasure of God, without any cause, motive, or inducement in the man that is so restrained. For, take a man in the state of corrupt nature, and leave him to himself; and think, how it is possible for him to forbear any sin, whereunto he is tempted. There is no power in nature to work a restraint: nay, there is not so much as any proneness in nature to desire a restraint: much less then is there any worth in Nature, to deserve a restraint. Issuing therefore, not at all from the powers of Nature, but from the free pleasure of God, as a beam of his merciful providence, this Restraint may well be called Grace. And so it may be secondly, 2.in respect of the Persons themselves: because, though it be not available to them for their everlasting salvation; yet it is some favour to them more than they have deserved, that by this means their sins (what in number, what in weight) are so much lesser, than otherwise they would have been; whereby also their account shall be so much the easier, and their stripes so many the fewer; aaChrysostom in Gen. hom. 25. & alibi sape.St. Chrysostom often observeth it, as an effect of the mercy of God upon them, when he cutteth off great offenders betimes with some speedy destruction: and he doth it out of this very consideration, that they are thereby prevented from committing many sins, which if God should have lent them a longer time, they would have committed. If his observation be sound; it may then well pass for a double mercy of God to a sinner, if he both respite his destruction, and withal restrain him from sin: for by the one, he giveth him so much longer time for repentance, which is one Mercy; and by the other, he preventeth so much of the increase of his sin, which is another Mercy. Thirdly, it may be called Grace, in respect of other men. For in restraining men from doing evil,3. God intendeth, as principally, his own glory, so withal the good of mankind; especially of his Church, in the preservation of humane society; which could not subsist an hour, if every man should be left to the wildness of his own nature, to do what mischief, the Devil and his own heart would put him upon, without restraint. So that the restraining of mens corrupt purposes and affections proceedeth from that bbTit. 3. 4▪Titus 3:4foreign, (as the Apostle somewhere calleth it) that love of God to mankind, whereby he willeth their preservation: and might therefore in that respect bear the name of grace, though there should p. 290be no good at all intended thereby to the Persons so restrained. Just as those foreign, those spiritual gifts, which God hath distributed in a wonderful variety for the edifying of his Church, though they oftentimes bring no good to the receiver, are yet stiled graces in the Scriptures, because the distribution of them proceedeth from the gracious love and favour of God to his Church, whose benefit he intended therein. God here restrained Abimelech; as elsewhere he did Laban, and Esau, and Balaam, and others not so much for their own sakes, though perhaps sometimes that also; as for their sakes, whom they should have injured by their sins, if they had acted them. As here Abimelech for his chosen Abraham's sake; and Laban and Esau for his servant Iacob's sake; and Balaam for his people Israel's sake. As it is said in Psal. 105. and that with special reference (as I conceive it) to this very story of Abraham, ccPsal. 105. 14.Ps 105:14He suffered no man to do them wrong, but reproved even Kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm: He reproved even Kings, by restraining their power, as here Abimelech; but it was for their sakes still, that so Sarah his anointed might not be touched, nor his Prophet Abraham sustain any harm.

We see now the Observation proved in all the points of it. 1. Men do not always36. commit those evils, they would, and might do. 2. That they do not, it is from Gods restraint, who with-holdeth them. 3. That restraint is an act of his merciful providence, and may therefore bear the name of Grace: in respect of God, who freely giveth it; of them, whose sins and stripes are the fewer for it; of others, who are preserved from harm the better by it. The Inferences we are to raise from the Premisses for our Christian Practice and comfort, are of two sorts: for so much as they may arise from the consideration of Gods Restraining Grace, either as it may lye upon other men, or as it may lye upon our selves.

First, From the consideration of Gods restraint upon others; the Church,37. and Children, and servants of God may learn, to whom they owe their preservation, even to the power and goodness of their God, in restraining the fury of his and their enemies. We live among aaEzek. 2. 6.Ezek 2:6Scorpions, and bbMat. 10. 16.Matt 10:16as sheep in the midst of Wolves; and they that ccPsal. 69. 4.Ps 69:4hate us without a cause, and are mad against us, are more in number than the hairs of our heads: And yet as many and as malicious as they are, by the mercy of God still we are, and we live, and we prosper in some measure, in despight of them all. Is it any thanks to them? None at all. The ddGen. 3. 15.Gen 3:15seed of the Serpent beareth a natural and an immortal hatred against God, and all good men: and if they had horns to their curstness, and power answerable to their wills, we should not breath a minute. Is it any thanks to our selves? Not that neither: we have neither number to match them, nor policy to defeat them, nor strength to resist them; weak, silly eeLuke 12. 32.Luke 12:32little flock, as we are. But to whom then is it thanks? As if a little flock of sheep escape, when a multitude of ravening Wolves watch to devour them, it cannot be ascribed either in whole, or in part, either to the sheep in whom thereis no help, or to the Wolf in whom there is no mercy; but it must be imputed all and wholly to the good care of the shepherd, in safe-guarding his sheep, in keeping off the Wolf: so for our safety and preservation in the midst, and in the spight of so many Enemies, ffPsal. 115. 1.Ps 115:1Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, whose greatest strength is but weakness; much less unto them, whose tendrest ggProv. 12. 10.Prov 12:10mercies are cruel; but unto thy Name be the Glory. O thou hhPsal. 80. 1.Ps 80:1Shepherd of Israel, who out of thine abundant love to us, who are the iiPsal. 95. 7.Ps 95:7flock of thy Pasture, and the sheep of thy hands, hast made thy power glorious in curbing and restraining their malice against us. kkPsal▪ 107. 8, 15, &c.Ps 107:8Ps 107:15Oh that men would therefore praise the Lord, for his goodness, and declare the wonders that he doth for the children of men! Wonders we may well call them; indeed they are Miracles: if things strange, and above, and against p. 291the ordinary course of Nature may be called Miracles. When we read the stories in the Scripture, of llDan. 6. 23.Dan 6:23Daniel cast into the Den among the Lions, and not touched; of the mmDan. 3. 27.Dan 3:27three Children walking in the midst of the fiery furnace, and not scorched; of a nnActs 28. 5.Acts 28:5viper fastning upon Pauls hand, and no harm following: we are stricken with some amazement, at the consideration of these strange and supernatural accidents; and these we all confess to be miraculous escapes. Yet such Miracles as these, and such escapes, God worketh daily in our preservation: notwithstanding we live encompassed with so many fire-brands of hell, such herds of ravening Wolves, and Lions, and Tygers, and such numerous ooMat. 3. 7.Matt 3:7generations of vipers: I mean wicked and ungodly men, the spawn of the old Serpent, who have it by kind from their father, to thirst after the destruction of the Saints and servants of God; and to whom it is as natural so to do, as for the fire to burn, or a Viper to bite, or a Lion to devour. O that men would therefore praise the Lord for this his goodness, and daily declare these his grea… wonders, which he daily doth for the children of men.

Secondly, since this restraint of wicked men is so only from God, as that nothing38. either they, or we, or any Creature in the world can do, can with-hold them from doing us mischief, unless God lay his restraint upon them: it should teach us so much wisdom, as to take heed how we trust them. It is best and safest for us, as in all other things, so in this, to keep the golden mean, that we be neither too timorous nor too credulous. If wicked men then threaten and plot against thee yet fear them not: God can restrain them if he think good, and then assure thy self they shall not harm thee. If on the other side, they cologue and make shew of much kindness to thee, yet trust them not: God may suffer them to take their own way, and not to restrain them, and then assure thy self they will not spare thee. Thou maist think perhaps of some one or other of these, that sure his own good nature will hold him in; or thou hast had trial of him heretofore, and found him faithful as heart could wish; or thou hast some such tye upon him by kindred, neighbourhood, acquaintance, covenant, oath, benefits, or other natural or civil obligation, as will keep him off, at least from falling foul upon thee all at once. Deceive not thy self; these are but slender assurances for thee to abide upon. Good nature! alas where is it? Since Adam fell, there was never any such thing in rerum natura: if there be any good thing in any man, it is all from Grace; Nature is all naught, even that which seemeth to have the preeminence in nature, aaRom. 8. 7.Rom 8:7foreign, is stark naught. We may talk of this and that, of good natured men, and I know not what! But the very truth is, set grace aside, (I mean all grace, both renewing and restraining grace) there is no more good nature in any man than there was in Cain and in Iudas. That thing, which we use to call good nature, is indeed but a subordinate means or instrument, whereby God restraineth some men more than others from their birth, and special constitution from sundry outragious exorbitances, and so is a branch of this restraining grace whereof we now speak. And as for thy past Experience, that can give thee little security: thou knowest not what fetters God laid upon him then, nor how he was pleased with those fetters. God might full sore against his will, not only restrain him from doing thee hurt, but also constrain him to do thee good: as sometimes he commanded bb1 King. 17.1 Kgs 17the Ravens to feed Eliah; a bird so ccforeign. Arist. 6. hist. Anim. 6. Pellunt nidis pullus sicut & corvi. Plin. 10. Nat. hist. 12.unnatural to her young ones, that they might famish for her, if God did not otherwise provide for them; and therefore it is noted in the Scripture as a special argument of Gods Providence, that he feedeth the ddPsal. 147. 9. Job 38. 41. Luke 2. 24.Ps 147:9Job 38:41Luke 2:24young Ravens that call upon him. But as nothing that is constrained is durable, but every thing when it is constrained against its natural inclination, if it be let alone, will at length eeusque recurrit. Horat. 1. Epist. 10.return to his own kind, and primitive disposition, as these Ravens which now fed Eliah, would have been as ready another time to have pecked out his eyes: so a Natural man is a natural man still, howsoever over-ruled for the present: and if God as he hath hitherto p. 292by his restraint with-held him, shall but another while with-hold his restraint from him; he will soon discover the in bred hatred of his heart against good things and men, and make thee at the last beshrew thy folly in trusting him, when he hath done thee a mischief unawares. And therefore if he have done thee seven courtesies, and promise fair for the eighth; yet trust him not; for there are ffProv. 26. 25.Prov 26:25seven abominations in his heart. And as for whatsoever other hank thou maist think thou hast over him, be it never so strong: unless God manacle him, with his powerful restraint, he can as easily unfetter himself from them all, as ggJudg. 16. 9. 12.Judg 16:9Judg 16:12Samson from the green Withs and Cords wherewith the Philistines bound him. All those forementioned relations came in but upon the bye, and since: whereas the hhGen. 3. 15.Gen 3:15hatred of the wicked against goodness, is of an ancienter date, and hath his root in (corrupt) Nature: and is therefore of such force, that it maketh void all obligations, whether civil, domestical, or other, that have grown by virtue of any succeeding contract. It is a ruled case, iiMat. 10. 36.Matt 10:36Inionisi domestici, A mans enemies may be they of his own house. Let not any man then, that hath either Religion or Honesty, have any thing to do with that man; at least, let him not trust him more than needs he must, that is an Enemy either to Religion or Honesty. So far as common Humanity, and the necessities of our lawful Occasions and Callings do require, we may have to do with them, and rest upon the good providence of God for the success of our affairs even in their hands, not doubting but that God will both restrain them from doing us harm, and dispose them to do us good so far as he shall see expedient for us: but then, this is not to trust them, but to trust God with them. But for us to put our selves needlesly into their hands, and to hazard our safety upon their faithfulness by way of trust; there is neither wisdom in it, nor warrant for it. Although God may do it, yet we have no reason to presume that he will restrain them for our sakes, when we might have prevented it our selves, and would not: and this we are sure of, that nothing in the world can preserve us from receiving mischief from them unless God do restrain them. Therefore trust them not.

Thirdly, if at any time we see wickedness set alost, bad men grow to be great, 39.or great men shew themselves bad, sinning with an high hand, and an arm stretched out, and God seemeth to strengthen their hand by adding to their greatness, and encreasing their power; if we see the aaHab. 1. 13.Hab 1:13wicked devouring the man that is more righteous than he, and God hold his tongue the whilst; if we see the ungodly course it up and down at pleasure which way soever the lust of their corrupt heart carrieth them without controul, like a wild untamed Colt in a spacious field, God (as it were) laying the reins in the neck, and letting them run: in a word, when we see the whole world out of frame and order: we may yet frame our selves to a Godly patience, and sustain our hearts amidst all these evils with this comfort and consideration; that still God keepeth the reins in his own hands, and when he seeth his time, and so far as he seeth it good, he both can and will, check, and controul, and restrain them at his pleasure; as the cunning Rider sometimes giveth a fiery horse head and letteth him fling and run as if he were mad; he knoweth he can give him the stop, when he list. The great bbPsal. 104. 26.Ps 104:26Leviathans, that take their pastime in the Sea, and with a little stirring of themselves can make ccJob 41. 31, 32.Job 41:31Job 41:32the deep to boyl like a pot, and cause a path to shine after them as they go; he can ddIbid. ver. 5.play with them as children do with a bird: he suffereth them to swallow his hook, and to play upon the line, and to roll and tumble them in the waters but anon he striketh the hook through their noses, and fetcheth them up, and layeth them upon the shore, there to beat themselves without help or remedy, exposed to nothing but shame and contempt. What then if God suffer those that hate him to prosper for the time, and in their prosperity to Lord it over his heritage! What if Princes should eePsal. 119. 23.Ps 119:23sit and speak against us ffIbid ver. 161.without p. 293a cause, as it was sometimes David's case! Let us not fret at the injuries, nor envy at the greatness of any; let us rather betake us to David's refuge, to be ggIbid ver. 23.occupied in the statutes, and to meditate in the holy Word of God. In that holy Word we are taught, that the hearts even of Kings, how much more then of inferiour persons, are in his rule and governance, and that he doth dispose and turn them, as seemeth best to his godly wisdom; that he can hhPsal. 76. 12.Ps 76:12refrain the spirit of Princes, iiPsal. 149. 8.Ps 149:8bind Kings in Chains, and Nobles in links of Iron; and though they kkPsal. 2. 6.Ps 2:6rage furiously at it, and lay their heads together, in consultation how to break his bands, and cast away his cords from them, yet they imagine but a vain thing; whilst they strive against him on earth, he laugheth them to scorn in heaven; and maugre all opposition, will establish the Kingdom of his Christ, and protect his people. Say then the great ones of the World exercise their power over us, and lay what restraints they can upon us: our comfort is, they have not greater power over us, than llRegum timendorum in propriosgreges, Reges in ipsos imperium est Iovis. Hor. 2. Carm. Od. 1.God hath over them; nor can they so much restrain the meanest of us, but God can restrain the greatest of them much more. Say our enemies curse us with Bell, Book and Candle: our comfort is, God is able to return the curse upon their own heads, and in despight of them too, mmDeut. 23. 5.Deut 23:5turn it into a blessing upon us. Say they make warlike preparations against us to invade us: our comfort is, God can nnPsal. 48. 7.Ps 48:7break the Ships of Tarshish, and s…atter the most ooPsal. 69. 4.Ps 69:4invincible Armadoes. Say they that hate us be more in number than the hairs of our head: our comfort is, the very ppMat. 10. 30.Matt 10:30hairs of our head are numbred with him, and without his sufferance not the least qqLuke 21. 8.Luke 21:8hair of our heads shall perish. Say (to imagine the worst) that our Enemies should prevail against us, and rrPsal. 106. 41.Ps 106:41they that hate us should be Lords over us for the time: our comfort is, he that loveth us is Lord over them, and can bring them under us again, when he seeth time. In all our fears, in all our dangers, in all our distresses, our comfort is, that God can do all this for us: our care should be by our holy obedience to strengthen our interest in his protection, and not to make him a stranger from us, yea an enemy to us, by our sins and impenitency; that so we may have yet more comfort, in a chearful confidence, that God will do all this for us. The Assyrian, whose ssIsa. 10. 7.Isa 10:7ambition it was to be the Catholick King, and universal Monarch of the World, stiling himself the great King, (ttIsa. 36. 4.Isa 36:4 thus saith the great King, the King of Assyria; when he had sent uuIsa. 27. 28, 29.Isa 27:28Isa 27:29messengers to revile Israel and an Army to besiege and destroy Ierusalem: yet for all his rage he could do them no harm, the Lord xxIsa. 10. 12.Isa 10:12brought down the stout heart of the King of Assyria, yyIsa. 37. 33.Isa 37:33put a hook in his nose, and a bridle in his lips, and made him return back by the way by which he came, without taking the City, or so much as casting a bank, or shooting an arrow against it. Nay, he that is indeed zzJob 41. 34.Job 41:34the great King over all the children of pride, and hath better title to the stile of most Catholick King than any that ever yet bare it, whose Territories are large as the Earth, and spacious as the Air, I mean the Devil, the aaEph. 2. 2.Eph 2:2Prince of this World; he is so fettered with the chain of Gods power and Providence, that he is not able with all his might and malice, no not though he raise his whole forces and muster up all the powers of darkness and Hell into one band, to do us any harm in our souls, in our bodies, in our children, in our friends in our goods, no not so much as our very bbMat. 8. 31. 32.Matt 8:31Matt 8:32Pigs, or any small thing that we have, without the special leave▪ and sufferance of our good God. He must have his Dedimus protestatem from him or he can do nothing.

Fourthly, since this restraint is an act of Gods mercy, whom we should strive40. to resemble in nothing more aaLuke 6. 46▪Luke 6:46than in shewing mercy: let every one of us, in imitation of our Heavenly Father, and in compassion to the souls of our Brethren, and for our own good, and the good of humane society, endeavour our selves faithfully the best we can to restrain, and with-hold, and keep back others from sinning. The Magistrate, the Minister, the Housholder, every other man in his p. 294place and calling, should do their best, by rewards, punishments, rebukes, incouragements, admonitions, perswasions, good example, and other like means to suppress vice, and restrain disorders, in those that may any way come within their charge. Our first desire should be, and for that we should bend our utmost endeavours, that if it be possible, their hearts might be seasoned with grace and the true fear of God: but as in other things, where we cannot attain to the full of our first aims, **Cicero.Pulchrum est (as he saith) in secundis tertiisve consistere; so here we may take some contentment in it, as some fruit of our labours, in our Callings, if we can but wean them from gross disorders: and reduce them from extremely debaucht courses to some good measure of Civility. It ought not to be, it is not our desire, to make men Hypocrites; and a meer Civil man is no better: yet to us, that cannot judge but by the outward behaviour, it is less grief when men are Hypocrites, than when they are Prophane. Our first aim is, to make you good: yet some rejoycing it is to us, if we can but make you less evil. Our aim is, to make you of Natural, holy and Spiritual men: but we are glad, if of dissolute, we can but make you good Moral men: if instead of planting Grace, we can but root out Vice: if instead of the power of godliness in the reformation of the inner man, we can but bring you to some tolerable stayedness in the conformity of the outward man. If we can but do this, though we are to strive for that, our labour is not altogether in vain in the Lord. For hereby, first, mens1. sins are both less and fewer: and that secondly, abateth somewhat both of the 2.number and weight of their stripes, and maketh their punishment the easier: and thirdly, there is less scandal done to Religion; which receiveth not so much soil3. and dis-reputation by close hypocrisie, as by lewd and open prophaneness: Fourthly, 4.the Kingdom of Satan is diminished, though not directly in the strength, for he loseth never a Subject by it: yet somewhat in the glory thereof, because he hath not so full and absolute command of some of his subjects as before he had, or seemed to have. Fifthly, much of the hurt that might come by evil example, is5. hereby prevented. Sixthly, the people of God are preserved from many injuries 6.and contumelies, which they would receive from evil men, if their barbarous manners were not thus civilized; as a fierce Mastiff doth least hurt, when he is chained and muzled. Seventhly and lastly, and which should be the strongest motive of all the rest, to make us industrious to repress vicious affections in others;7. it may please God these sorry beginnings may be the bbIn ipsis improbis dum formidato supplicio fraenatur faculta…, invocato Deo sanatur voluntas. Aug. Tom. 2.fore-runners of more blessed and more solid graces. My meaning is not, that these Moral restraints of our wild corruption, can either actually or but vertually prepare, dispose, or qualifie any man for the grace of Conversion and Renovation; or have in them Virtutem seminalem, any natural power which by ordinary help may be cherished and improved so far as an Egg may be hatched into a Bird, and a kernel sprout and grow into a tree; (far be it from us to harbour any such Pelagian conceits;) but this I say, that God, being a God of Order, doth not ordinarily work but in order, and by degrees, bringing men from the one extreme to the other by middle courses: and therefore seldom bringeth a man from the wretchedness of forlorn nature to the blessed estate of saving grace, but where first by his restraining grace in some good measure he doth correct nature, and moralize it. Do you then that are Magistrates, do we that are Ministers, let all Fathers, Masters, and others whatsoever, by wholsom severity (if fairer courses will not reclaim them) deter audacious persons from offending, break those that are under our charge of their wills and wilfulness, restrain them from lewd and licentious practices and company, ccLev. 19. 17.Lev 19:17not suffer sin upon them for want of reproving them in due and seasonable sort, ddJude ver. 23.snatch them out of the fire, and bring them as far as we can out of the snare of the Devil to God-ward; and leave the rest to him. Possibly, when we have faithfully done our part, to the utmost of our power; he will set in graciously, and begin to do his part, in their perfect conversion. If by p. 295our good care, they may be made to forbear swearing, and …ursing and blaspheming; they may in time by his good grace be brought to eeEccles. 9. 2.Eccl 9:2fear an Oath: If we restrain them from gross prophanations upon his holy-day in the mean time; they may come at length to think his Sabbath ffIsa. 21. 13.Isa 21:13a delight: If we keep them from swilling, and gaming, and revelling, and rioting, and roaring, the while; God may frame them ere long to a sober and sanctified use of the Creatures: and so it may be said of other sins and duties. I could willingly inlarge all these points of Inferences, but that there are yet behind sundry other good Uses, to be made of this restraining Grace of God, considered as it may lye upon our selves; and therefore I now pass on to them.

First, There is a root of Pride in us all, whereby we are apt to think better 41.of our selves, than there is cause: and every infirmity in our Brother, (which should rather be an item to us of our frailty) serveth as fuel to nourish this vanity, and to swell us up with a Pharisaical conceit, that forsooth we are aaLuk. 18. 11.Luke 18:11not like other men. Now, if at any time, when we see any of our brethren fall into some sin, from which by the good hand of God upon us we have been hitherto preserved, we then feel this swelling begin to rise in us, as sometimes it will do: the point already delivered may stand us in good stead, to prick the bladder of our pride, and to let out some of that windy vanity; by considering, that this our forbearance of evil, wherein we seem to excel our brother, it not from nature, but from grace; not from our selves, but from God. And here a little let me close with thee, whosoever thou art, that pleasest thy self with odious comparisons, and standest so much upon terms of betterness; Thou art neither extortioner, nor adulterer, drunkard, nor swearer, thief, slanderer, nor murtherer; as such and such are. It may be, thou art none of these: but I can tell thee what thou art, and that is as odious in the sight of God as any of these: Thou art a proud Pharisee, which perhaps they are not. To let thee see thou art a Pharisee, do but give me a direct answer, without shifting or mincing, to that Question of St. Paul, bb1 Cor. 4. 7.1 Cor 4:7Quis te discrevit? Who hath made thee to differ from another? Was it God, or thy self, or both together? If thou sayest, It was God; thou art a dissembler, and thy boasting hath already confuted thee: for what hast thou to do to glory in that which is not thine? ccIbid.If thou hadst received it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? If thou sayest it was from thy self; what Pharisee could have assumed more? All the shift thou hast, is to say, it was God indeed that made the difference, but he saw something in thee for which he made thee to differ: thou acknowledgest his restraint in part, but thine own good nature did something. If this be all, thou art a very Pharisee still, without all escape. That Pharisee never denied God a part, no nor the chiefest part neither: he began his vaunting prayer with an acknowledgment of Gods work, (ddLuk. 18. 11.Luke 18:11 I thank thee O God that I am not like other men.) It was not the denial of all unto God, but the assuming of any thing unto himself, that made him a right Pharisee. Go thy way then, and if thou wilt do God and thy self right, deny thy self altogether, and **Gratiae tuae deputo, & quaecunque non feci mald. Aug. 2. Confes. 7.give God the whole Glory of it, if thou hast been preserved from any evil. And from thy brothers fall, besides compassioning forlorn Nature in him, make a quite contrary use unto thy self; even to humble thee thereby with such like thoughts as these, eeGal. 6. 1.Gal 6:1Considering thy self, lest thou also be tempted, [Am I any better than he? Of better mold than he? Or better tempered than he? Am not I a Child of the same Adam, a vessel of the same clay, a chip of the same block, with him? Why then should I be ffRom. 11. 20.Rom 11:20high-minded, when I see him fallen before me? Why should I not rather fear, lest my foot slip, as well as his hath done? I have much cause with all thankfulness to bless God for his good Providence over me, in not suffering me to fall into this sin hitherto: and with all humility to implore the continuance of his gracious assistance for the future, without which I am not able to avoid this or any other evil.]

p. 296Secondly, since all restraints from sin, by what second means soever they are42. conveyed unto us, or forwarded, are from the merciful providence of God, whensoever we observe that God hath vouchsafed us, or doth offer us, any means of such his gracious restraint; it is our duty joyfully to embrace those means, and carefully to cherish them, and with all due thankfulness to bless the name of God for them. Oh how oft have we plotted, and projected, and contrived a course for the expedition of our, perhaps ambitious, perhaps covetous, perhaps malicious, perhaps voluptuous designs: and by the providence of God some unexpected intervening accident hath marred the curious frame of all our projects, that they have come to nothing; as a Spider's web spun with much art and industry is suddenly disfigured, and swept away with the light touch of a besom. How oft have we been resolved to sin, and prepared to sin, and even at the pits brink ready to cast our selves into hell: when he hath plucked us away, as he plucked aaGen. 19. 16.Gen 19:16Lot out of Sodom, by affrightments of natural Conscience, by apprehensions of dangers, by taking away the opportunities, by ministring impediments, by shortning our power, by sundry other means? Have we now blessed the name of God for affording us these gracious means of prevention and restraint? Nay, have we not rather been enraged thereat, and taken it with much impatience, that we should be so crossed in the pursuit of our vain and sinful desires and purposes? As way-ward children cry and take pet, when the Nurse snatcheth a knife from them, wherewith they might perhaps cut their fingers, perhaps haggle their throats; or putteth them back from the wells mouth when they are ready, with catching at Babies in the water, to tip over: and as that merry mad man in the Poet, was in good earnest angry with his Friends for procuring him to be cured of his madness, wherein he so much pleased himself, as if they could not have done him a greater displeasure, bbHorat 2. Epist. 1.—Pol me occidistis amici,—Non servatis—: such is our folly. We are offended with those that reprove us; testy at those that hinder us; impatient under those crosses that disable us: yea, we fret and turn again at the powerful application of the holy word of God when it endeavoureth to reform us, or restrain us from those evils wherein we delight. Let us henceforth mend this fault; cheerfully submit our selves to the discipline of the Almighty; and learn of holy David with what affections to entertain the gracious means he vouchsafeth us of restraint or prevention: as appeareth by his speeches unto Abigail, when she by her Wisdom had pacified his wrath against Nabal, whose destruction he had a little before vowed in his heart, cc1 Sam. 25. 32, &c.1 Sam 25:32Blessed …e the Lord God of Israel that sent thee this day to meet me; and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging my self with mine own hand, He blessed God as the Cause; and her, as the Instrument; and her discreet behaviour and advice, as the Means of staying his hand from doing that evil, he had vowed with his mouth, and was in his heart purposed to have done.

Thirdly, since we owe our standing to the hand of God, who holdeth us up;43. without whose restraint we should fall at every turn, and into every temptation: we cannot but see what need we have to seek to him daily and hourly to with-hold us from falling into those sins, whereinto either our corrupt nature would lead us, or outward occasions draw us. We may see it by the fearful falls of David and Peter, men nothing inferiour to the best of us, how weak a thing man is to resist temptation, if God withdraw his support, and leave him but a little to himself. Which made David pray to God that he would aaPsal. 19. 13.Ps 19:13keep back his servant from presumptuous sins. He well knew, though he were the faithful servant of God, that yet he had no stay of himself; but, unless God kept him back, he must on, and he must in, and he must in deep, even as far as to presumptuous sins. No man, though he be never so good, hath any assurance, as upon his own strength, though it be never so great, that he shall be able to avoid any sin, p. 297though it be never so foul. When a Heathen man prayed unto Iupiter, to save him from his Enemies; one that over-heard him would needs mend it with a more needful prayer, that Iupiter would save him from his Friends: he thought they might do him more hurt, because he trusted them; but as for his Enemies he could look to himself well enough, for receiving harm from them. We that are Christians, had need pray unto the God of Heaven, that he would not give us up into the hands of our professed Enemies: [and to pray unto God, that he would not deliver us over into the hands of our false-hearted Friends: but there is another prayer yet more needful, and to be pressed with greater importunity than either of both, that God would save us from our selves, and not give us up into our own hands; for then we are utterly cast away. There is a way-ward old man that lurketh in every of our bosoms, and we make but too much of him: than whom, we have not a more spightful Enemy, nor a more false Friend. Alas! we do not think, what a man is given over to, that is given over to himself: he is given over to bbRom. 1. 16.Rom 1:16Vile Affections; he is given over to a ccIbid. ver. 28.Reprobate Sense; he is given over to ddEph. 4. 19.Eph 4:19commit all manner of wickedness with greediness. It is the last and fearfullest of all other judgments, and is not usually brought upon men, but where they have obstinately refused to hear the Voice of God, in whatsoever other tone he had spoken unto them; then to leave them to themselves, and to their own counsels. [eePsal. 81. 11, 12.Ps 81:11Ps 81:12 My people would not hear my Voice, and Israel would none of me: so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust, and let them follow their own imaginations.] As we conceive the state of the Patient to be desperate, when the Physician giveth him over, and letteth him eat, and drink, and have, and do, what, and when, and as much as he will without prescribing him any diet, or keeping back any thing from him he hath a mind unto. Let us therefore pray faithfully and fervently unto God, as Christ himself hath taught us, that he would not, by leaving us unto our selves, ffMat. 6. 13.Matt 6:13lead us into temptation, but by his gracious and powerful support deliver us from all those evils, from which we have no power at all to deliver our selves.

Lastly, since this Restraint, whereof we have spoken, may be but a common 44.Grace, and can give us no sound nor solid comfort if it be but a bare Restraint, and no more: though we ought to be thankful for it, because we have not deserved it; yet we should not rest, nor think our selves safe enough, till we have a well-grounded assurance, that we are possessed of an higher and a better Grace, even the grace of sanctification. For that will hold out against temptations, where this may fail. We may deceive our selves then, (and thousands in the world do so deceive themselves:) if upon our abstaining from sins, from which God with-holdeth us, we presently conclude our selves to be in the state of grace, and to have the power of godliness, and the spirit of sanctification. For between this restraining grace, whereof we have now spoken, and that renewing grace whereof we now speak; there are sundry wide differences. They differ first, in their fountain. Renewing Grace springeth from the special love of God towards those that are his in Christ: Restraining Grace▪ is a fruit of that general mercy of God, whereof it is said in the Psalm, that aaPsal. 145.Ps 145his mercy is over all his works. They differ secondly, in their extent: both of Person, Subject, Object and Time. For the2. Person; Restraining Grace is common to good and bad: Renewing Grace proper and peculiar to the Elect. For the Subject; Restraining grace may bind one part or faculty of a man, as the hand or tongue, and leave another free, as the heart or ear: Renewing grace worketh upon All in some measure, sanctifieth the whole man, bb1 Thes. 6. 23.Body, and soul, and spirit, with all the parts and faculties of each. For the Object; Renewing grace may with-hold a man from one sin, and give him scope to another: Restraining grace carrieth an equal and just respect to all Gods Commandments. For the Time; Restraining grace may tie us now, and by and by unloose us: Renewing grace holdeth out unto the end, more or p. 298less, and never leaveth us wholly destitute. Thirdly, they differ in their Ends. 3.Restraining Grace is so intended chiefly for the good of humane society, especially of the Church of God, and of the members thereof; as that indifferently it may, or may not, do good to the Receiver; but Renewing Grace is especially intended for the Salvation of the Receiver, though Ex consequenti it do good also unto others. They differ fourthly, and lastly, in their Effects. Renewing Grace 4.mortifieth the corruption, and subdueth it, and diminisheth it; as water quencheth fire, by abating the heat: but Restraining Grace only inhibiteth the exercise of the corruption, for the time, without any real diminution of it either in substance or quality; as the ccDan. 3. 25.Dan 3:25fire wherein the three Children walked, had as much heat in it at that very instant, as it had before and after, although by the greater power of God, the natural power of it was then suspended from working upon them. The Lions that spared Daniel were Lions still, and had their ravenous disposition still; albeit God ddDan. 6. 22.Dan 6:22stopped their mouths for that time, that they should not hurt him: but that there was no change made in their natural disposition, appeareth by their entertainment of their next guests, whom they devoured with all greediness, eeIbid. ver. 24.breaking their bones before they came to the ground. By these two instances and examples, we may in some measure conceive of the nature and power of the restraining Grace of God in wicked men. It bridleth the corruption that is in them for the time, that it cannot break out; and manacleth them in such sort, that they do not shew forth the ungodly disposition of their heart: but there is no real change wrought in them all the while; their heart still remaining unsanctified, and their natural corruption undiminished. Whereas the renewing and sanctifying grace of God, by a real change of a Lion maketh a Lamb; altereth the natural disposition of the soul, by draining out some of the corruption; begetteth a new heart, a new spirit, new habits, new qualities, new dispositions, new thoughts, new desires; maketh a ffEph. 4. 24.Eph 4:24new man, in every part and faculty compleatly New. Content not thy self then with a bare forbearance of sin, so long as thy heart is not changed, nor thy will changed, nor thy affections changed; but strive to become a new man, to be ggRom. 2. 2.Rom 2:2transformed by the renewing of thy mind; to hate sin, to love God, to wrestle against thy secret corruptions, to take delight in holy duties, to subdue thine understanding, and will, and affections, to the obedience of Faith and Godliness. So shalt thou not only be restrained from sinning against God, as Abimelech here was; but also be enabled, as faithful Abraham was, to please God: and consequently assured with all the faithful children of Abraham, to be hh1 Pet. 1. 5.1 Pet 1:5preserved by the Almighty power of God through faith unto salvation. Which Grace, and Faith, and Salvation, the same Almighty God, the God of Power, and of Peace, bestow upon us all here assembled, ii1 Cor. 1. 2.1 Cor 1:2With all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both theirs and ours: even for the same our Lord Jesus Christs sake, his most dear Son, and our blessed Saviour and Redeemer: To which blessed Father, and blessed Son, with the blessed Spirit, most holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, be ascribed by us and the whole Church, all the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, from this time forth and for ever.

Amen.