VII.

The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by, and to ordain them to dishonour and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice. r

r Mat. xi. 25, 26. Rom. ix. 17, 18, 21, 22. II Tim, ii, 19, 20. Jude, 4. I Pet. ii. 8.

VIII.

The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, s that men attending the will of God revealed in his word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence and admiration of God, u and of humility, diligence and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel. w

s Rom. ix. 20, 11,35. Deut. xxix. 29. II Pet. i. 10. u Eph. i. 6. Rom. xi. 33. w Rom. xi. 5, and vi. 20. II Pet. i. 10. Rom. viii- 33. Luke; *. 20.

CHAP. IV.

Of Creation.

T pleased God the Father, Son and holy

of his eternal power, wisdom and goodness, 6 in the beginning to create and make of nothing the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days and all very good. c

a Heb. i. 2. John i. 2. 3. Gen i. 2. Job xxvi. 13. & xxxiii. 4. 6 Rom. 1. 20. Jer. x. 12. Psal. civ. 24. & xxxiii. 5, 6., c Gen i. Chap. Heb. xi. 3. Col. i. 16. Acts xvii, 24.

II.

After God had made all other creatures, he created man, male and female, d with reasonable and immortal souls, e endued with knowledge, righteousness and true holiness, after his own image, f having the law of God written in their hearts, g and power to fulfil it; h and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change. Besides this law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; which whilst they kept they were happy in their communion with God, & and had dominion over the creatures. /

Coll.

h Eccl

d Gen. i. 27. e Gen. ii. 7. Eccl. xii. 7. Luke xxiii. 43. Mat. x. 28. f Gen. i. 26. 10 Eph. iv. 24. g Rom. ii. 14, 15. vii. 29. i Gen. iii. 6. Eccl. vii. 29. iii. 8, 9, 10, 11, 23. Gen. i. 26, 28, 17.

k Gen. and i

CHAP. V.

GOD

Of Providence,

OD the great creator of all things, doth uphold, a direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things b from the great est even to the least c by his most wise and ho ly providence, d according to his infallible fore knowledge, e and the free and immutable coun sel of his own will, f to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness and mercy.g

a Heb. i. 3. b Dan. iv. 34, 35. Psal. cxxxv 6. Acts xvii. 25, 26 28, 29 Job xxxviii, xxxix, xl, xli, chapters. c Mat. x. 29 30, 31. d Psal civ. 24. xv. 3. and cxlv. 17. e Acts xv. 18. Psal. xciv, 8, 9, 10, 11. Eph. i. 11. Psal. xxxiii. 10, 11. g Isa. Ixiii. 14. Eph. iii. 10. Rom ix. 17. Gen. xlv. 17. Psal. cxlv. 17.

II.

Although in relation to the fore-knowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly; h yet by the same providence he ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of the second causes, either necessarily freely or contingently. i

h Acts ii. 23. i Jer. xxxi. 35. Exod. xxi. 15. Gen. viii. 22. Deut. xix. 5. 1 Kings xxii. 28, 34. Isa. x. 6, 7..

III.

God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, k yet is free to work without, / above, m and against them at his pleasure. n

k Acts xxvii. 31, 44. Isa. Iv: 11. Hos. ii. 21, 22. / Hos. i. 7. Mat. iv. 4. Job xxxiv. 10. m Rom. iv. 19, 20, 21. n II Kings vi. 6. Dan. iii.

37.

IV.

The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom and the infinite goodness of God, so far manifést themselves in his providence, in that his determined counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall and all other sins of angels and men. • (and that not by a bare permission) / which al30 he most wisely and powerfully boundeth. 9 and otherwise ordereth and governeth in a manifold dispensation, to his own most holy ends, r yet so as the sinfulness thereof proceedeth only

from the creature, and not from God, who be ing most holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be the author or approver of sin. s

Rom. xi. 32, 33, 34. II Sam. xxiv. 1. with I Chron. xxi. 1. I Kings ii. 3, 22, 23. I Chron. x. 4, 13, 14. II Sam. vi. 10. Acts ii. 23. and iv. 27, 28. f Acts xiv. 16. q Psal. Ixxvi. 10. II Kings xix. 28. r Gen. 1. 20 Isa. x. 6, 7, 12. s Jam. i. 18, 14, 17. I John ii. 16. Psal. 1. 21.

V.

The most wise, righteous and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and the corrup tion 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, t 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. u

t II Chron. xxxii. 25, 26, 31. II Sam. xxiv, 1. u II Cor. xii. 7, 8, 9. Psa. lxxiii. per tot Psa. lxxvii. 1, 10, 12. Mark xiv. 66, to the end. John xxi. 15, 16, 17.

VI.

As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God as a righteous judge, for former sins, doth