Degree, to the felling of Jofeph by his Brethren. Their felling him for a Slave, which was intended by them to keep him in perpetual Bondage, and to prevent his having that Superiority over them which his Dreams had feemed to portend, was over-ruled by Divine Providence for opening a Way to the eminent Dignity he was afterwards raised unto, so much for his own and their Benefit. This he takes Notice of to them in a very pathetical Manner. As for you, ye thought Evil against me, but the Lord meant it unto Good, to bring to pass, as it is this Day, to fave much People alive. Gen. 1. 20. The Plot

which Haman formed, and was fuffered to carry far for the Deftruction of Mordecai and the whole People of the Jews, proved, by a wife over-ruling Providence, the Occafion of the Advancement of Mordecai to the highest Honours, and of the Jews being established in a more firm and flourishing Condition than before. There is no Action or Event in that whole Story, but what fingly and feparately taken is natural; the feveral Perfons concerned acted freely, and fome of them with a very ill Intention, yet the Incidents and Conjunctures were fo laid together, as plainly hewed that the whole was under the fuperior Direction of a most wise Providence,

How

How often has God made grievous and cruel Perfecutions fubfervient to the farther spreading and Diffufion of Religion, and to the Eftablishment of his Church, which it was defigned to fubvert! St. Paul's Bonds, and the preaching of Chrift out of Envy and Strife, with a View to add Affliction to his Bonds, was over-ruled to the Furtherance of the Gofpel. Phil. i. 12, 13, 15, 16, 18. And it may be frequently obferved in the ordinary Course of Things, that God makes ufe of the injurious Actions of bad Men for exercifing the Graces and Virtues of his Children, their Faith, their Patience, their Conftancy and Fortitude, their Self-denial and Refignation, their Meeknefs, and Readiness to forgive Injuries, and to render Good for Evil. These are Difpofitions which tend highly to the Glory of God, and to fhew forth the Beauty of Religion, and the Energy of its divine Principles; and which both furnish excellent Examples to others, and will upon the whole be of great Advantage to good Men themselves, to render them more meet for Heaven, and encrease their future Reward.

I fhall conclude this Difcourfe with taking Notice of an Objection which hath been often urged against Divine Providence, drawn from fuffering fo much Sin and

Wicked

Wickedness in the World. If there be a wife and righteous God who governeth the World by his Providence, why doth he not interpofe to put a stop to the abounding Wickedness of Men? Since if he be almighty he is able to do it, and if he be infinitely holy, he must be supposed to be willing to do it.

Several Confiderations might be infifted upon to take off the Force of this Ob-jection.

Firft, It ought to be obferved, that God actually doth in his fovereign Providence prevent many bad Actions which would otherwise be committed. And if we had but a full View of all the Evils which are thus prevented, we fhould, inftead of allowing ourselves to find Fault, be fenfible of our great Obligations to a wife and good Providence, for reftraining and fetting Bounds to the Wickedness of Men. God often fo ordereth Circumftances, that Men have not an Opportunity given them to bring their finful Purposes into Act. There are Obstacles laid in their Way, which difappoint their Designs, fo that their Hands cannot execute their Enterprize. Job. v. 12. and the mischievous Devices which they have imagined, they are not able to perform. Pfal. xxi. II. There are innumerable evil Actions which are as it were ftifled in the Birth;

2

Birth; and it may be justly faid, that there is comparatively but a small Part of the Wickedness actually perpetrated in the World, which would be perpetrated, were it not for the over-ruling Agency of Divine Providence. And in many Cafes, where God doth not fee fit wholly to prevent Mens bad Actions, yet he fo limiteth and restraineth them, that they are not able to effect all the Evil they defigned, or which their Actions had a natural Tendency to produce. He holdeth them as it were in a Chain, so that they cannot go their utmoft Lengths in doing Mischief, and faith to them as to the raging Sea, Hi therto fhalt thou come, and no farther.

But fecondly, It must be confidered, that there is no total preventing of Sin in the present State of Mankind, without abfolutely destroying the Liberty of human Will and Actions, which would be in no wife confiftent with the Wisdom of God as a moral Governor, or with the Nature of Man as a moral Agent. Sin properly and originally confifteth in the evil Întentions and Difpofitions of the Heart or Mind. For the outward Actions feparated from these are not properly Sins. And how could these be prevented, except God fhould miraculously by his Almighty Power fo work upon the Minds of all Men, as to

hinder any evil Thoughts or Intentions from rifing there? And to do this ordinarily and perpetually, would be inconfiftent with that Freedom of thinking and choofing, which belongeth to us as we are reasonable moral Agents. And as to the outward Actions it would equally abridge human Liberty, if Men were in all Cafes hindered from acting according to their Intentions. This could not be done without putting a perpetual Conftraint upon Men, and quite altering the Courfe and Order of the World, and the Nature of this State of Trial and Difcipline. Besides, how could Men's evil Intentions appear to be justly punished, if they were never fuffered to break forth into Act? The Justice and Righteousness of God could in that Cafe fcarce be made openly manifeft.

Thirdly, It must be farther confidered, that God hath done all that was proper for him as a moral Governor to hinder Men from committing Sin. For he hath given the most holy and excellent Laws to direct them in the full Extent of their Duty, and hath enforced thofe Laws by the most powerful and important Sanctions.

He hath in his Word both made the most glorious and encouraging Promises to Holiness and Obedience, and hath declared in the ftrongeft Manner his juft Deteftation of