Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar? he said unto them, Why tempt ye me?-Mark xii. 14, 15; Luke iv. 2. When the Jews had asked Jesus, | a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer; for all that do these things, are an abomination unto the Lord; and because of these abominations, the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.— Deut. xviii. 10–12. 14. 20. The Jews tempted Christ, that they might have to accuse him about the woman taken in adultery.-John viii. 4-6. Ananias and Sapphira are said to tempt the Lord by their lying about the sale of their possessions.-Acts v. 1-10. Now, therefore, why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?-Acts xv. 10. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.-1 Cor. x. 9. God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.-James i. 13. CHAPTER LXVII. OF WITCHCRAFT: OR DEALING WITH THOU shalt not suffer a witch to live. The soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off, &c. A man also, or a woman, that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death.-Levit. xx. 6. 27. Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.-Levit. xix. 31. When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for (or to the meeting of) enchantments.Numb. xxiv. 1; xxiii. 23; Josh. xxiii. 7. There shall not be found among you any, &c. that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. -1 Sam. xv. 23. Saul said unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. And Saul went to her, and said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up whom I shall name, &c. which she did (though she hazarded her life by it.)-1 Sam. xxviii. 7, &c. What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her witcherafts are so many?-2 Kings ix. 22. Manasseh, &c. observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards.-2 Kings xxi. 1. 6; 2 Chron. xxxiii. 6. The workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, &c. did Josiah put away.-2 Kings xxiii. 24. So Saul died for his transgression, &c. and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it.-1 Chron. x. 13. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people, the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers, like the Philistines. Isa. ii. 6. When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?-Isa. viii. 19. Stand thou with thy enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail, &c. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things which shall come upon thee.-Isa. xlvii. 12, 13. The king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to shew the king his dreams.-Dan. ii. 2. 10; iv. 7; v. 7. I will cut off witchcraft out of thy hand, and thou shalt have no more soothsayers.-Micah v. 12. Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well favoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.-Nahum iii. 4. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers.-Mal. iii. 5. If I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out?-Luke xi. 19. There was a certain man called Simeon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.-Acts viii. 9. They found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus, &c. who sought to turn away the deputy from the faith, &c. Then Saul said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, &c.-Acts xiii. 6—10. A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination (or of Python) met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying, &c. which spirit Paul cast out.-Acts xvi. 16— 18. Certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, when they saw Paul cast out evil spirits, attempted to do the same, in the name of the Lord Jesus; but the evil spirit overcame them: upon which many of them which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them.-Acts xix. 13-16. 18, 19. The works of the flesh are manifest, &c. witchcrafts.-Gal. v. 19, 20. Sorcerers (among others) are to have their part in the lake which burneth, &c.-Rev. xxi. 8. Without are dogs and sorcerers, &c.-Rev. xxii. 15. OF A CHAPTER LXVIII. HARDENED HEART, AND GOD'S GIVING MEN UP TO HARDNESS OF ᎻᎬᎪᎡᎢ. THE Lord said unto Moses, &c. See that thou do all these wonders before Pharaoh, &c. but I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall not let the people go.-Exod. iv. 21; vii. 13, 14; viii. 15. Sihon, king of Heshbon, would not let Israel pass by him: for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, that he might deliver him into thy hand.-Deut. ii. 30. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.-Ps. cv. 25. O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear?—Isa. lxiii. 17. Thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.-Jer. v. 3. They hearkened not unto me, nor inclined to me, but hardened their neck; they did worse than their fathers.-Jer. vii. 26. Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.-Hosea iv. 17. Jesus spake to the wilful Jews in parables, Because (said he) they seeing, see not, &c. for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see, &c. and should be converted, and I should heal them.Matt. xiii. 13-15; Acts xxviii. 25— 27. According to which prophecy, their judicial hardness was evident in their persecuting Christ to the death, notwithstanding the apparent evidence that he was the Son of God, both be- | the truth, but had pleasure in unfore his death, in his death, and in his righteousness.-2 Thess. ii. 10–12. resurrection. Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, &c. that they which see might be made blind, &c. He said to the Pharisees, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.-John ix. 39. 41. Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah had said, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, &c.-John xii. 37. 39, 40. They are without excuse, because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened, &c. wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, &c. for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections, &c. and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, (or a mind void of judgment,) being filled with all unrighteousness.-Rom. i. 21, &c. God saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, &c. and whom he will be hardeneth. -Rom. ix. 15. 17, 18. Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it; and the rest were blinded (or hardened) according as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber; eyes that they should not see.-Rom. xi. 7-10. If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, &c. should shine unto them.-2 Cor. iv. 3, 4. By these three was the third part of men killed, &c. and the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, &c.-Rev. ix. 18. 20, 21. Men were scorched (or burned) with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues; and repented not to give him glory, &c. They gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven, and repented not of their deeds.-Rev. xvi. 9-11. 21. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still.-Rev. xxii. 11. CHAPTER LXIX. OF VAIN CURIOSITY: OR BEING WISE ABOVE WHAT IS WRITTEN. SECRET things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the works of this law.-Deut. xxix. 29. Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, &c. that we may do thee honour? And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret (or wonderful) ?—Judges xiii. 17, 18. Jesus said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.-Acts i. 6, 7. These things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself, and to Apollos, for your sakes, that you might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written.-1 Cor. iv. 6. CHAPTER LXX. Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; and for this cause God shall OF GOD'S PROVIDENCE IN THE DISPOSAL send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not OF ALL EVENTS. THINE, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, &c. both riches and ho nour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.-1 Chron. xxix. 11, 12. Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.-Prov. xxvii. 1. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches.-Jer. ix. 23. O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise: he taketh the wise in their own craftiness; and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. They meet with darkness-Jer. x. 23. (or cannot perform any thing) in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.-Job v. 12-14. The Lord, &c. in whose hands is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind, &c. behold he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.-Job xii. 10. 14. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, &c.-Ps. xxxiii. 10, 11. Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west: but God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.-Ps. lxxv. 6, 7. God, that made the world, &c. 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.-Acts xvii. 24. 26. I will not see you now by the way, but I trust to tarry awhile with you, if the Lord permit.-1 Cor. xvi. 7. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, &c. him, therefore, I hope to send, &c. But I trust in the Lord, that I also myself shall come shortly.—Phil ii. 19. 23, 24. Now God himself, and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.-1 Thess. iii. 11. Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the mor Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain: it is vain for you to rise up early, &c.-row. For what is your life? It is even Ps. cxxvii. 1, 2. : Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, and that very day his thoughts perish.-Ps. cxlvi. 3, 4. A man's heart deviseth his way; but the Lord directeth his steps, &c. The lot is cast into the lap: but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.-Prov. xvi. 9. 33. Man's goings are of the Lord: how can a man then understand his own way?-Prov. xx. 24. There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel, against the Lord.-Prov. xxi, 30. a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.James iv. 13—15. CHAPTER LXXI. OF RESIGNATION TO, AND CONTENT- TIONS. ISRAEL'S murmuring and discontent Ps. lxxviii. 18; Numb. xi. 4-10. of Aaron, were devoured by fire for their sins, &c. Aaron held his peace. -Levit. x. 1—3. The children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.-Judges x. 15. When Samuel had told Eli what God had threatened against his house, because of his sons' wickedness, Eli said, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.-1 Sam. iii. 15--18. David said, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it and his habitation. But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.--2 Sam. xv. 25, 26. When Hezekiah was threatened by Isaiah, for his having shewed to the messengers of the king of Babylon his treasures, he said, Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken.-2 Kings xx. 16-19. Job, when he had lost all, said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.-Job i. 20, 21. Job said, What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?-Job ii. 10. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more; that which I see not, teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do so no more.— Job xxxiv. 31, 32. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it.-Ps. xxxix. 9. Woe to him that striveth with his Maker, &c. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?-Isa. xlv. 9. When Israel was in Babylon, God tells them, If they would stay there, he would bless them; but if ye say, No, but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, &c. then that all those judgments, from which they would fly, should follow them thither.-Jer. xlii. 9-17. Wherefore doth a living man complain, (or murmur,) a man for the punishment of his sins?-Lam. iii. 39. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause.—Micah vii. 9. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, &c. and the fields shall yield no meat, &c. yet I will rejoice in the Lord.Hab. iii. 17, 18. In your patience possess ye your souls.-Luke xxi. 19. Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust, &c. neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed, &c.-1 Cor. x. 6. 14. The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom (or whereby) the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.-Gal. vi. 14. I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content: I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where, and in all things, I am instructed; both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.-Phil. iv. 11–13. Godliness with contentment is great gain: for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out: and having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.-1 Tim. vi. 6-8. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.-Heb. xiii. 5. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, &c.-James i. 12. Submit yourselves therefore to God: resist the devil, &c.-James iv. 7. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may |