blind and harden, w from them he 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 had, y and exposeth them to such objects, as their corruption makes occasion of sin; z and withal gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, a whereby it comes to pass that they. harden themselves under those means even which God useth for the softening of them. b

w Rom. 1. 24, 26, 28. Rom. xi. 7, 8. H Deu. xxix. 4. Mat. xiii. 12. Mat. xxv. 29. z Deu. ii 30..II Kings viii. 12, 13. a Psa. viii. 11, 12. b Exod. vii. 3. and viii. 15, 33. II Cor. ii, 14, 16. Isa. viii. 14. I Pet. ii. 7, 8. Isa. xvi. 9, 10. with Acts xxviii. 26, 27.

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 for the good thereof. c

c I Tim. iv. 10. Amos ix. 8, 9. Rom. viii. 28. Isa. xliii. 3, 4, 5, 14.

CHAP. VI.

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

G

OD having made a covenant of works and life thereupon, a with our first parents, and all their posterity in them 6 they being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan did wilfully transgress the law of their creation, and break the covenant in eating the forbidden fruit. c.

a Rom. x. 5. 6 Rom. v. 12, 13. I Cor. xv. 21, 22. c Gen iii. 13. II Cor. xi. 3.

II.

By this sin they, and we in them, fell from original righteousness and communion with God, d and so became dead in sin, e and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body. f

d Gen. iii. 6, 7, 8. Eccl. vii. 29. Rom. iii. 23e Gen. ii. 17. Eph. ii. 1. ƒTit. i. 15. Gen. vi. 5. Jer. xvii. 9. Rom iii. 10, to 19.

III.

They being the root, and by God's appointment standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, g and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posteri

ty descending from them by ordinary genera

tion. h

g Gen.i. 27, 28. Gen. ii. 16, 17. Acts xvii. 26. Rom. v. 12, 15, 16. 17, 18, 19. Cor. xv. 21,22,45.49 h Psal. li. 5. Gen. v. 3. Job xiv. 4. and xv. 14.

IV.

From this original corruption whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled and made opposite to all good, i and wholly inclined to all evil, k do proceed all actual transgressions. /.

i Rom v. 6, and viii. 7, and vii. 18. Col. i: 21. k Gen. vi. 5. and viii. 21. Rom. iii. 10, 11, 12. / Jam. i. 14, 15. Eph. ii. 2, 3. Mat. xv 19.

V.

This corruption of nature during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; 2. and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself and all the motions thereof are truly and properly sin. n

m I John i. 8 10. Rom vii. 14, 17, Jam. iii. 2. Pro. xx. 9. Eccl. vii, 20. vii. 5, 7, 8, 25. Gal. v. 17.

VI.

18, 23.

n Rom.

Every sin both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, o doth in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is

bound over to the wrath of God, g and curse of the law, r and so made subject to death, ⚫ with all miseries spiritual, temporal u and eter nal. w

o J John, iii. 4.

Rom. xx. 15, and iii. 9, 19. 9 Eph ii. 3. r Gal. iii. 10. Rom i. 23.

t Eph. iv. 18, u Rom. viii. 20. Lam. iii. 39. Mat, xxv. 41. II Thes. i. 9.

CHAP- VII.

Of God's Covenant with Man.

HE distance between God and the creat

THE

ure is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience to him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of life, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which he hath been plea sed to express by way of covenant a

a Isa. xl. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Job ix. 32, 33. Psa. cxiii. 56, and c. 2, 3. Job xxii. 2, 3, and xxxv. 7, 8. Luke xvii. 10, Acts xvii. 24, 25.

II.

The first covenant made with man, was a Covenant of works, 6 wherein life was promised

o Adam, and in him to his posterity, c upon condition of perfect and personal obedience. d 6 Gal. iii. 12. c Rom. x. 5, and v. 12 to 20. / Gen. ii. 17. Gal. 3. 10.

III.

Man by his fall having made himself unca pable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, e commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein he freely offereth: unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them Faith in him that they may be saved, f and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life, his holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe.g

e Gal. iii. 21. Rom. iii. 20, 21. Gen iii. 5. Isa. xlii. 6. ƒ Mark xvi. 15, 16. John iii. 16. Rom. x. 6, 10. Gal. iii. 11. g Ezek. xxxvi, 26, 27, John vi. 44, 45.

IV.

This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with` all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed. h h Heb. vii. 22. and ix. 15, 16, 17. Luke xxii 20. I Cor. xi. 25.