difpenfation, to his own holy ends”; yet so, as 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 wise, righteous and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and the core ruption 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';

of the stout heart of the king of whom is no variableness, neim Assyria, and the glory of his ther shadow of turning. high looks.

V. s 2 Chrob. 32, 25, 26, 31. r i John 2. 16. For all that But Hezekiah rendered not ais in the world, the lust of the gain according to the benefit flesh, and the lust of the eyes done unto him ; for his heart and the pride of life, is not of was lifted up: therefore there the Father, but is of the world. was wrath upon him, and upon Pfal. 50. 21. These things haft Judah and Jerusalena. Notthou done, and I kept filence : withstanding Hezekiah humThou thoughtest that I was al. bled himself tor the pride of together such a one as thyself: his heart, both he and the ini but I will reprove thee, and set bitants of Jerusalem, fo, that them in order before thine eyes.

the wrath of the Le came -See also, James 1. 13, 14, not upon them in te days of 17. Let no man fay when he is Hezekiah.-Howlicit, in the tenipted, I am tempted of God; business of the ambassadors of for ‘God cannot be tempted the princes of Babylon, who with evil, neither tempteth he lead unto him to enquire of the any man :-But every man is wonder that was done in the tenspred, when he is drawn, am land, God left him to try him, way of his own luf, wd ch. that he might know all that riced.- Every good gift, and

was in his heart. every puree gift is from a- 1 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9, and bove, and cometh down from left I should be exalted above the sucher of ights, with measure through the a Juidance

and to raise them to a more close and constant dependance for their support upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future occasions of fin, and for sundry other just and holy ends

VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God as a righteous judge, for former fins, doth blind and harden', from them he not only with-holdeth his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts"; but sometimes also

;

of the revelations, there was fections ; for even their women given to me a thorn in the did change the natural use inflesh, the messenger of Satan to that which is against na. to buffet me, left I should be ture:-And even as they did exalted above measure.--For not like to retain God in their this thing I besought the Lord knowledge, God gave them thrice, that it might depart over to a reprobate mind, to from me. And he said unto do those things which are not me, My grace is sufficient for convenient. What then? Ifthee: for my strength is made rael hath not obtained that perfect in weakness. Most which he seeketh for, but the gladly therefore will I rather election hath obtained it, and glory in my infirmities, that the rest were blinded. Ac. the power of Chrift may rest cording as it is written, God upon me. Psal. 73. throughout, hath given them the spirit of Psal. 77. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, flumber, eyes that they should 7, 8, 9, 10, 12.

not see, and ears that they 66th. v. ro the end, John 21. should not hear unto this day. 15. 16. 17.

w Deut. 29. 4. Yet the Lord VI. v Rom. 1. 24, 26, 28. hath not given you an heart to & 11. 7, 8. Wherefore God perceive, and eyes to fee, and also gave them up to unclean. ears to hear, unto this day. ness through the lufts of their * Mat. 13. 12

But whoown hearts, to dishonour their socver hath not, from him shall own bodies between them. be taken away even that he selves ;-For this cause God hath. See Mat. 25, 29. gave them up unto vile af

Mark 14.

withdraweth the gifts, which they had*; and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin'; and withal, gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan”; whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God useth for the softening of others

men

y 2 Kings 8. 12, 13. And shall send them strong deHazael said, Why weepeth my lufion, that they should be. lord? and he answered, Be- lieve a lie ; that they all might cause I know the evil that be damned, who believed not thou wilt do unto the children the truth, but had pleasure in of Israel: Their strong holds unrighteousness. wilt thon set fire, and their Exod. 8.

15, 12.

But young men wilt thou say with when Pharoah saw that there the sword, and wilt dash their was respite, he hardened his children, and rip up their wo- heart, and hearkened nor un

with child, -And Ha- to them; as the Lord had said: zael said, But what, is thy fer- And Pharoah hardened his vant a dog, that he mould do heart at this time also, neither this great thing? And Elisha would he let the people go. answered, The Lord hath shew. 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16. For we are ed me that thou falt be king unto God, a sweet favour of over Syria.

Christ in them that are saved, z Pfal. 81. 11, 12. But my and in them that perish :-To people would not hearken to the one we are the favour of my voice; and Israel would death unto death; and to the none of me,--So I gave them other, the favour of life unto up unto their own hearts' luft; life. Ifai. 8. 14. And he shall and they walked in their own be for a fanctuary; but for a counsels. 2 Theff. 2. 10, 11, stone of stumbling, and for a 12. And with all deceivable rock of offence to both the ness of unrighteousness in them houses of Israel, for a gin, and that perish; because they re- for a fnare to the inhabitants ceived not the love of the of Jerusalem. See also Exod. truth; that they might be 7. 3. i Pet. 2. 7. 8. Ifai. 6. saved. And for this cause God 9, 10. with Acts 28. 26, 27.

VII. As the providence of God doth, in general, reach to 'all creatures; fo, after a most special manner, it taketh care of his church, and disposeth all things to the good thereof.

Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and

of the Punishment thereof.

UR first parents, being seduced by the subO.

, in eating the forbidden fruit”. This their sin God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counfel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory'.

VII. b Anos 9. 8, 9. Be- them who are the called achold, the eyes of the Lord cording to his purpose. God are upon the finful king- 1, a Gen. 3. 13. And the dom, and I will destroy it wonian said, The serpent befrom off the face of the earth; guiled me, and I did eat. 2 Cor. saving that I will not utterly II. 3. But I fear lest by any destroy the house of Jacob, means, as the serpent beguil. faith the Lord - For to, I will eď five through his subtilty, command, and I will sift the fo your minds should be corhouse of Israel among all na- rupted from the fimplicity that tions, like as corn is fifted'in a is in Christ. fieve, yet shall not the least b Rom. II. 32. For God grain fall upon the earth. Rom. hath concluded them all in un8. 28 And se know that all belief, that he might have things work together for good mercy upon all. to them that love God, to

II. By this fin they fell from their original righteousness, and communion with God', and so became dead in fin", and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body".

III. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this fin was imputed', and the fame death in fin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their pofterity, descending from them by ordinary generation

II. c Gen. 3. 7, 8. And the of his heart, was only evil coneyes of them both were' open- tinually. Jer. 17. 9. "The heart ed, and they knew that they is Jeceitful above all things, and were naked : and they sewed desperately wicked; who can fig-leaves together, and made know it ? See also Rom. 3• 10. themselves aprons :- And they to the 19th ver. heard the voice of the Lord Ill. f Acts. 17. 26. And God walking in the garden in hath made of one blood, all nam the cool of the day; And Adam tions of men, for to dwell on and his wife hid themselves all the face of the earth, and from the presence of the Lord hath determined the times be. God amongst the trees of the fore appointed, and the bounds garden. Eccl. 7. 29. Lo, this of their habitation; and Gen. only have I found, that God 2. 16, 17. with Rom. 5. 12, hath made man upright ; but 15x16, 17, 18, 19; and I. Cor. they have fought out many in- 15.21, 22, 45, 49. For since ventions. Rom. 3. 23. For all by man came death, by man have finned and come sort of came also the resurrection of the the glory of God.

dead : For as in Adam all d Eph. 2. I. And you bath die, even so in Christ shall all be quickened, who were dead in be made alive :, and so it is trespasses and fins. Rom. 5. written, The first man Adam

Wherefore, as by one was made a living soul; the man sin entered into the world, last Adam was made a quickenand death by fin; and fo death ing Spirit. And as we have passed upon all men, for that all borne the image of the earthy, have finned.

we shall also bear the image of e Gen. 6. 5. And God saw the heavenly. that the wickedness of man was & Pfal. 51. 5. Behold, ! great in the earth, and that every was hapen in iniquity ; and in imagination of the thoughts sin did my mother conceive