fins of angels and men o, and that not by a bare permission p but fuch as hath joined with it a most wife and powerful bounding q, and otherwise ordering, and governing of them, in a manifold difpenfation, to his own holy ends r; yet fo, as IV. Rom. xi. 32. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. V 33. O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unfearchable are his judgments, and his ways paft finding out! v. 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 Ifrael, and he moved David against them, to fay, Go number Ifrael and Judah. With 1 Chr. xxi. 1. And Satan ftood up against Ifrael, and provoked David to number Ifrael. Kings xxii. 22. And the Lord faid unto him, Wherewith? And he faid, I will go forth, and I will be a lying fpirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he faid, Thou fhalt perfuade him, and prevail alfo: go forth, and do fo. y. 23. Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a lying fpirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee Chr. x. 4. Then faid Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy fword, and thruft me through therewith; left thefe uncircumcifed come, and abufe me. But his armour-bearer would not, for he was fore afraid. So Saul took a fword, and fell upon it. v. 13. So Saul died, for his tranfgreffion which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and alfo for afking counfel of one that had a familiar fpirit, to enquire of it; v. 14. And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he flew the him, and turned the kingdom unto David the fon of Jeffe. 2 Sam. xvi. 10. And the king faid, What have I to do with you ye fons of Zeruiah? fo let him curfe, because the Lord hath faid unto him, Curse David. Who fhall then say, Wherefore haft thou done fo? Acts ii. 23. Him, being delivered, by the determinate counfel and fore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and flain, Acts iv. 27. For of a truth against thy holy child Jefus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Ifrael were gathered together, v. 28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. p Acts xiv. 16. Who in times paft fuffered all nations to walk in their own ways. q Pfalm lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man fhall praise thee: the remainder of wrath fhalt thou restrain. 2 Kings xix. 28. Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nofe, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou cameft. r Gen. 1. 20. But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pafs, as it is this day, to fave much people alive. Ifaiah x. 6. I will fend him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath' will I give him a charge to take the fpoil and to take the prey, and to tread Chap. V. the finfulness 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 fin. V. The most wife, righteous and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a feafon his own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to chaftife them for their former fins, or to discover unto them the hidden ftrength of corruption, and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled t; and to raise them to a more clofe and constant dependence for their fupport upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of fin, and for fundry other juft and holy ends v. tread them down like the mire of the freets. v. 7. Howbeit, he meaneth not fo, neither doth his heart think fo, but it is in his heart to deftroy, and cut off nations not a few. v. 12. Wherefore it fhall come to pafs, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion, and on Jerufalem, I will pu nish the fruit of the ftout heart of the king of Affyria, and the glory of his high looks. James i. 13. Let no man fay when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. V. 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own luft, and enticed. v. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variablenefs, neither fhadow of turning. 1 John ii. 16. For all that is in the world, the luft of the flesh, and the luft of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Pfalm 1. 21. These things haft thou done, and I kept filence: thou thoughteft that I was altogether fuch an one as thy felf: bu I will VI. As reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. V. t 2 Chr. xxxii. 25. But Hezekiah rendred 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 Jerufalem. v. 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart (both he and the inhabitants of Jerufalem) fo that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. v. 31. Howbeit, in the bufinefs of the ambaffadors. of the princes of Babylon, who fent 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 Ifrael, and he moved David against them to fay, Go number Ifrael and Judah. v2 Cor. xii. 7. And left I fhould be exalted above measure, through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the fleth, the meffenger of Satan to buffet me, left I fhould be exalted above measure. v. 8. For this thing I befought the Lord thrice, that it might depart VI. As for thofe wicked and ungodly men, whom God as a righteous judge, for former fins, doth blind and harden w, from them he not only with-holdeth his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts x; but fometimes alfo with-draweth the gifts which they had y, and expofeth them to fuch objects as their corruption makes occafion of fin z; and withal, gives depart from me. v. 9. And he faid unto me, My grace is fufficient for thee: for my ftrength is made perfect in weakness. Moft gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may rest upon me. Pfalm lxxiii. throughout. Pfalm Ixxvii. 1. I cried unto God with my voice: even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. V. 10. And I faid, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the moft High. v. 12. I will meditate alfo of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. (Read the intermediate verfes in the Bible.) Mark xiv. from the 66 verfe, to the end, with John xxi. 15. So when they had dined, Jefus faith to Simon Peter, Simon, fon of Jonas, loveft thou me more than these? He faith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knoweft that I love thee. He faith unto him, Feed my lambs. v. 16. He faith to him again the fecond time, Simon fon of Jonas, loveft thou me ? He faith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knoweft that I love thee. He faith unto him, Feed my fheep. v. 17. He faith unto him the third time, Simon, fon of Jonas, loveft thou me? Peter was grieved, because he faid unto him the third time, loveft thou me? And he faid unto him, Lord, thou knoweft all things; thou knoweft that I love thee. Jefus faith unto him, Feed my sheep. them VI. w Rom. i. 24. Wherefore God alfo gave them up to uncleannefs, through the luft of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bo dies between themselves: v. 26. For this caufe God gave them up unto vile affections: For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: v. 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? Ifrael hath not obtained that which he feeketh for, but the election hath obtained it,and the reft were blinded. v. 8. According as it is written, God hath given them the fpirit of flumber,eyes that they should not fee,and ears that they fhould not hear, unto this day. x Deut. xxix. 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to fee, and ears to hear, unto this day." y Matth. xiii. 12. For whofoever hath, to him fhall be given, and he fhall have more abundance: but whofoever hath not, from him fhall be taken away, even that he hath, Mat. xxv. 29. For unto every one that hath fhall be given, and he fhall have abundance: but from him that hath not fhall be taken away, even that which he hath. z Deut. ii. 30. But Sihon king of Hellbon would not let us pafs by him: for the Lord thy God hardned his fpirit, them over to their own lufts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan a: whereby it comes to pass, that they harden themselves, even under those means which God ufeth for the foftning of others b. fpirit, and made his heart obftinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day. 2 Kings viii. 12. And Hazael faid, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Ifrael: their strong holds wilt thou fet on fire, and their young men wilt thou flay with the fword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. V. 13. And Hazael faid, But what, is thy fervant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, the Lord hath fhewed me that thou fhalt be king over Syria. a Pfal. lxxxi. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice: and Ifrael would none of me. v. 12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts luft, and they walked in their own counfels. 2 Theff. ii. ro. And with all deceivableness of unrighteoufnefs in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth; that they might be faved. v. 11. And for this cause God fhall fend them strong delufion, that they fhould believe a lie. v. 12. That they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleafure in unrighteousness. b Exod. vii. 3. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my figns and my wonders in the land of Egypt. With Exod. viii. 15. But when Pharaoh faw that there was refpite, he hardned his heart, and hearkned not unto them; as the Lord had faid. v. 32. And Pharaoh hardned his heart at this time VII. As alfo, neither would he let the people go. 2 Cor. ii. 15. For we are unto God a fweet favour of Chrift,in them that are faved, and in them that perish. v. 16. To the one we are the favour of death unto death; and to the other, the favour of life unto life and who is fufficient for there things? Ifa. viii. 14. And he shall be for a fanctuary; but for a stone of ftumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the houfes of Ifrael, for a gin, and for a fnare to the inhabitants of Jerufalem. 1 Pet. ii. 7. Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious: but unto them which be difobedient, the ftone which the builders difallowed, the fame is made the head of the corner v. 8. And a ftone of ftumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which ítumble at the word, being difobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. Ifa. vi. 9. And he said, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and fee ye indeed, but perceive not. v. 10. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and fhut their eyes: left they fee 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 fay, Hearing ye fhall hear, and fhall not understand: and feeing ye fhall fee, and not perceive. v. 27. For the heart of this people is waxed grofs, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; left they fhould fee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with VII. As the providence of God doth, in general, reach to all creatures; fo, after a moft fpecial manner, it taketh care of his church, and difpofeth all things to the good thereof c. CHAP. VI. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof. UR firft parents being feduced by the fubtilty and temptation of Satan, finned in eating the forbidden fruit a. This their fin, God was pleafed, according to his wife and holy counsel, to permit, having purpofed to order it to his own glory b. II. By this fin they fell from their original righteoufnefs, and communion with God c, and fo became dead in fin d their heart, and should be converted, and I fhould heal them. VII. c 1 Tim. iv. 10. For there fore we both labour, and fuffer reproach, because we truft in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, fpecially of thofe that believe. Amos ix. 8. Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the finful kingdom, and I will deftroy it froni off the face of the earth; faving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, faith the Lord. v. 9. For lo, I will command, and I will fift the house of Ifrael among all nations, like as corn is fifted in a fieve, 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 purpofe. Ifa. xliii. 3. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Ifrael, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ranfom, Ethiopia and Sheba for thee. v. 4. Since thou was precious in my fight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. v. 5. Fear not for I am with thee, I will bring thy feed from the east, and gather thee from the weft. v. 14. Thus faith the Lord, your Redeemer, the holy One of Ifrael, for your fake I have fent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whofe cry is in the fhips, I. a Gen. iii. 13. And the Lord God faid unto the woman, What is this that thou haft done? And the woman faid, The ferpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 2 Cor. xi. 3. But I fear leaft by any means, as the ferpent beguiled Eve through his fubtilty, fo your minds fhould be corrupted from the fimplicity that is in Chrift. b Rom. xi. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. II. c Gen. iii. 6. And when the woman faw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be defired to make one wife; she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alfo unto her husband with her, and he did |