Quest. But how doth God deliver ?
Am. By keeping us from occasions, or by ministering strength if occa- sions be offered. By giving occasions of good, and by giving a heart to entertain those occasions. He preserves us from evil works, (1) bij plant- ing the graces of faith and of fear in tis, whereby we are preserved ; and by peace, which guards om- souls from despair and tumultuous thoughts. Yea, he preserves us from evil works, through faith, unto his heavenly kingdom, Phil. iv. 7.
In a word, (2) God preserves his children by making them better, by weak- ening corruptions, by his Spirit stirring up a clear sight and hatred of the same in them, and by withdrawing occasions which might prevail over us, and by keeping us from betraying ourselves unto them ; by chaining up Satan until our strength be such as may encounter him. A great mercy it is, though little thought on, that God letteth not loose Satan upon us every moment. How should this stir us up, with David, to thankfulness and dependence upon God.
He delivers also wicked men from dangers, not out of any love to their persons, but because he hath some base service for them to undertake, to exercise the patience of his childi-en, and vex others better than themselves, which is not fit for godly men to do. They are only God's rod, and their deliverance is no preservation, but a reservation to worse mischief. It is not a bettering deliverance.
But God delivers his, gi'aciously, not only from danger, but from those evil works they are subject to fall into in their danger. It is not ill to suffer iU, but to do iU. For doing ill makes God our enemy ; suffering ill doth not. Doing ill, stains and defiles the soul, and blemisheth the image of God in us ; suffering iU doth none of this. Doing ill, hinders communion and acquaintance with God ; suffering ill doth not. God is more immediately acquainted with the soul in suffering ill. Doing ill is the cause of all ills ; suffering iU comes from doing ill. The ill of sin, is the ill of ills, because it is evil itself, and the cause of all other whatsoever. We may thank our ill in doing, for our ill in suffering ; and therefore the apostle is well assured what he says, ' The Lord will deliver me from every evil work,' not from every inward infirmity and weakness, but from every evil work that is scan- dalous and offensive to him.
VOL. I. X
322 THE saint's safety in evil times.
It is an aggravation of ill when it is manifested ; for then it either taints or grieves others. Indeed so soon as the resolution of the soul hath passed it, when the will resolves on such a thing, it is done, both in good and evil, before God. But in regard of the world, and of the church we live in; the bringing of the work upon the stage, as it were, is an aggravation of evil ; because, besides the hurt which is done to evil men, good men are either hurt or vexed at it. Therefore the apostle saith, ' the Lord will deliver me from every evil work.' This, a Christian should especially labour for, that God in all things would keep him free from sin. Yea, this differenceth a Christian from another man. Take a carnal man when he is like to fall into danger, he studies how to get out of suffering evil, not how to prevent doing evil ; he plots, devises, and entangles himself in his own wit, and inakes the matter worse by equivocation, and such like sinful courses, as we might learn from the papists, if we had not enough from our own breast. But Paul's care was to be delivered from evil works. For a man indeed is never overcome, let him be never so vexed in the world by any, till his conscience be cracked. If his conscience and his cause stand upright, he prevails still ; ' in all these things we are more than conquerors,' Rom. viii. 37, saith the apostle. The meaning is, sufferings cannot quell our courage, they cannot stain our conscience, they do not hurt the cause, but it gets victory in despite of them ; so that our courage is undaimted and our conscience abides unstained. Let it be our care therefore to take heed of evil works. Look into the world and see what is the care of most men we converse with, Oh, if they can get such a place, if they can get such an estate ! Aye, but it cannot be had without sinful abasement, without cracking of con- science, and unlawful engagement. Oh, say they, it is no matter, God will pardon all, I care not so I may have my wish. This is the heart of many graceless persons that are not led with heavenly respects. But take a Christian, and he had rather beg, do anything in the world, than do a thing unworthy his profession, unbeseeming the gospel, or that high calling where- unto he is called. ' Shall such a man as I do this ?' Neh. vi. 11 ; he will not, and therefore his care is to take heed of ill works ; for then he is sure to have God his friend, who hath riches and honour enough for him, because ' the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof,' Ps. xxiv. 1. This is the care of a judicious well-instructed Christian.