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CHAP. IV.

OF CREATION.

1. In the beginning it pleased God the Father, (A) Son, and Holy Spirit, for the manifestation of the glory of (B) his eternal power, wisdom and goodness, to create or make the world, and all things therein, (c) whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good.

(A) John i. 2, 3.-The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. Heb. i. 2.-By whom also he made the worlds. Job xxvi. 13.-By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens.

(B) Rom. i. 20.-For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.

(c) Col. i. 16.-For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. Gen. i. 31.And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

2. After God had made all other creatures, he created (D) man, male and female, with (E) reasonable and immortal souls, rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being (F) made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness; having the law of God (G) written in their hearts, and power to fulfil it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was (H) subject to change. (D) 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.

(E) Gen. ii. 7.--And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

(F) Eccles. vii. 29.- God hath made man upright. Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Gen. i. 26.--And God said,

(G) Rom. ii. 14, 15.-For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts.

(H) 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.

3. Besides the law written in their hearts, they received (1) 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 (K) over the creatures.

(1) 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.

(K) Gen. i. 28.-And Got blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over he fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

CHAP. V.

OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

1. God the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom, doth (A) uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the (B) least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, according unto his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his (c) own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness and mercy.

(A) Heb. 1. 3.-Upholding all things by the word of his power. Job xxxviii. 11.— And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed. Isa. xlvi. 10, 11.-Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. Ps. cxxxv. 6.-Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. (B) Matt. X. 29, 30, 31.-Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. rear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

(c) Eph. i. 11.-Predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass (D) immutably and infallibly; so that there is not anything befals any (E) by chance, or without his providence; yet by the same providence he ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either (F) necessarily, freely, or contingently.

(D) 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. (E) Prov. xvi. 33.—The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

(F) 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.

3. God in his ordinary providence (a) maketh use of means, yet is free (H) to work without, (1) above, and (K) against them at his pleasure.

(G) Acts xxvii. 31, 44.--Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. 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. lv. 10, 11.-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: 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.

(H) Hosea i. 7.-But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their Goa, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

(1) Rom. iv. 19, 20, 21.-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: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but

was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

(K) 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.

4. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that his determinate counsel (L) extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men; and that not by a bare permission, which also he most wisely and powerfully (M) boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth, in a manifold dispensation to his most holy (N) ends; yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and not from God, who being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or (o) approver of sin.

(L) Rom. xi. 32, 33, 34.-For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how ur searchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 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. 1 Chron, xxi. 1.-And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

(M) 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 nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. Ps. lxxvi. 10.Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou

restrain.

(N) 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, 7, 12.-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. 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. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upen Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the Fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

(0) Ps. 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. 1 John ii. 16.-For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

5. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations and the corruptions 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, (P) 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 other just and holy ends.

So that whatsoever befals any of his elect is by his appointment, for his glory, (Q) and their good.

(P) 2 Chron. xxxii. 25, 26, 31.-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. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself 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. Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire 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.

B

(a) Rom. viii. 28.-We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

6. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous judge, for former sin doth (R) blind and harden; from them he not only withholdeth his (s) grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understanding, and wrought upon in their hearts; but sometimes also withdraweth (T) the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to such (U) objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin; and withal, (x) gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass that they (r) harden themselves, under those means which God useth for the softening of others.

(R) Rom. 1. 24, 25, 26, 28.-Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves; who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 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: 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. Chap. xi. 7, 8.-What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (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.

(s) 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.

(T) Matt. 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

(u) 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, 13.-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 strongholds 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. And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? and Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.

(x) Ps. lxxxi. 11, 12.-But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels. 2 Thess. ii. 10, 11, 12.-With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(Y) Exod. viii. 15, 32.-But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go. Isa. vi. 9, 10. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not, and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 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. 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8.-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, 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.

7. As the providence of God doth in general reach to all creatures, so after a more special manner it taketh care of his (z) church, and disposeth of all things to the good thereof.

(z) 1 Tim. iv. 10.-The living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. Amos ix. 8, 9.-Behold the eyes of 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. 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. Isa. xliii. 3, 4, 5.-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. 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. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west.

CHAP. VI.

OF THE FALL OF MAN, OF SIN, AND OF THE PUNISHMENT THEREOF.

1. Although God created man upright and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which had been unto life had he kept it, (A) and threatened death upon the breach thereof, yet he did not long abide in this honour; (B) Satan using the subtilty of the serpent to subdue Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who without any compulsion did wilfully transgress the law of their creation, and the command given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit, which God was pleased according to his wise and holy counsel to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory.

(A) Gen. ii. 16, 17.-And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; 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.

(B) Gen. iii. 12, 13.-And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 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. Our first parents by this sin fell from their (c) original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them, whereby death came upon all; (D) all becoming dead in sin, and wholly defiled (E) in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.

(c) Rom. iii, 23.-For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (D) Rom. v. 12.-Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

(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. 10-18.-As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit: the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.

3. They being the (F) root, and by God's appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation, being now (G) conceived in sin, and by nature children (H) of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects (1) of death, and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal, and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus (K) set them free.

(F) Rom. v. 12-19.-Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For

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