even to the least, by his most wise and holy providenced, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. H. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently i dom is from generation to generation: Ver. 35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Psal. CXXXV. 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. Acts xvii. 25. Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; Ver. 26. And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. Ver. 28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Job, Chapters xxxviii, xxxix, xl, xli. e Matth. x. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. Ver. 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Ver. 31. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. d Prov. xv. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Psal. civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. Psal. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. e Acts xv. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Psal. xciv. 8. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? Ver. 9. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? Ver. 10. He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? Ver. 11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. f Eph. i. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Psal. xxxiii. 10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. Ver. 11. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. g Isa. lxiii. 14. As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord. caused him to rest; so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name. Eph. iii. 10. To the intent that now, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly. places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Rom. ix. 17. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared. throughout all the earth. Gen. xlv. 7. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Psal. cxlv. 7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. II. h Acts ii. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. i Gen. viii. 22. While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease. Jer. xxxi. 35. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name. Exod. xxi. 13. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. With Deut. xix. 5. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live. 1 Kings xxii. 28. And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you. Ver. 34. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. Isa. x. 6. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Ver. 7. Howbeit he meaneth III. God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, abovem, and against them", at his pleasure. IV. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men, and that not by a bare permission ", but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. III. Acts xxvii. 31. Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Ver. 44. And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land. Isa. Ív. 10. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; Ver. 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Hos. ii. 21. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord: I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; Ver. 22. And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. Hos. i. 7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. Mat. iv. 4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Job xxxiv. 10. Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. m Rom. iv. 19. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: Ver. 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; Ver. 21. And being fully persuaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. n 2 Kings vi. 6. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Dan. iii. 27. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. IV. Rom. xi. 32. For God hath con cluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. Ver. 33. Othe depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Ver. 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. With 1 Chron. xxi. 1. And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 1 Kings xxii. 22. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Ver. 23. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee. 1 Chron. x. 4. Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith, lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword and fell upon it. Ver. 13. So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; Ver. 14. And enquired not of the Lord therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. 2 Sam. xvi. 10. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so ? Acts ii. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Acts iv. 27. For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, Ver. 28. For to do whatso ever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. P Acts xiv. 16. Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 9 Psal. lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. 2 Kings xix. 28. Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, there fore I will put my hook in thy nose, and and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to his own holy ends; yet so as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the creature, and not from God; who, being most holy and righteous neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin. V. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God, doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption, and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled; and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends. VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God as a righteous judge, for former sins, doth blind and harden*, from them he my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.. Gen. 1. 20. But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Isa. x. 6. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Ver. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. Ver. 12. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Je rusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. James i. 13. Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: Ver. 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Ver. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 1 John ii. 16. For all that is in the world, the Just of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Psal. 1, 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. V2 Chr. xxxii. 25. But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Ver. 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled him self for the pride of his heart, (both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,) so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah, Ver, 31. Howbell, in, the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2 Cor. xii. 7. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. Ver. 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. Ver. 9. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Psal. Ixxiii. throughout. Psal. Ixxvii. 1. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. Ver. 10. And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. Ver. 12. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. [Read the intermediate Verses in the Bible] Mark xiv. from the 66th verse to the end, with John xxi. 15. So, when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith un-to him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. Ver. 16. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Ver. 17. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou met Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep VI. Rom. i. 24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves. not only withholdeth his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts'; but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had2, and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sina; and withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan: whereby it comes to pass, that they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softening of others c. VII. As the providence of God doth, in general, reach to all creatures; so, after a most special manner, it taketh care of his church, and disposeth all things to the good thereofa. Ver. 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature. Ver. 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. Rom. xi. 7. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded Ver. 8. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear) unto this day. y Deut. xxix. 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. z Mat. xiii. 12. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Mat. xxv. 29. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he hath. a Deut. ii. 30. But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day. 2 Kings viii. 12. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. Ver. 13. And Hazael said, But what! is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. b Psal. lxxxi. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. Ver. 12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. 2 Thess. ii. 10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Ver. 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; Ver. 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. c Exod. vii. 3. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. With Exod. viii. 15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. Ver. 32. And Pharach hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. 2 Cor. ii. 15. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. Ver. 16. To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life and who is sufficient for these things? Isa. viii. 14. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence, to both the houses of Israel; for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 1 Pet. ii. 7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, Ver. 8. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed. Isa. vi. 9. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Ver. 10. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. With Acts xxviii. 26. Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: Ver. 27. For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. VII. d 1 Tim. iv. 10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. Amos ix. 8. Behold, the eyes of CHAP. VI. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof. OUR UR first parents being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, sinned in eating the forbidden fruit. This their sin God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory. II. By this sin they fell from their original righteousness, and communion with God, and so became dead in sind, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body. III. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord. Ver. 9. For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. Rom. viii. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Isa. xliii. 3. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Ver. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Ver. 5. Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west. Ver. 14. Thus saith the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. I. a Gen. iii. 13. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 2 Cor. xi. 3. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. b Rom. xi. 32. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. II. Gen. iii. 6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. Ver. 7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Ver. 8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Ecel. vii. 29. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. Rom. ii. 23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. d Gen. ii. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Eph. ii. 1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. e Tit. i. 15. Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. Gen. vi. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Rom. iii. 10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Ver. 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Ver. 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Ver. 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre: with their tongues they have used deceit: the poison of asps is under their lips: Ver. 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Ver. 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood: Ver. 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways: Ver. 17. And the way of peace have they not known: Ver. 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes. III. Gen. i. 27. So God created man in his own image: in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Ver. 28. And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And Gen. ii. 16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; Ver. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Acts xvii. 26. And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of And |