1. while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures'. CHAP. V. Of Providence. direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things ", from the greatest even to the least“, by his most wise 1 1 garden ; and I was afraid, because I me, and I blessed the most High, was naked; and I hid myself. V. 11. and I praised and honoured him that And he said, Who told thee that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten everlasting dominion, and his kingilaj of the tree, whereof I commanded dom is from generation to generation. thee that thou shouldest not eat ? V. 35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and army of heaven, and among the inwas taken habitants of the earth; and none 1 Gen. i. 26. And God said, Let can stay his hand, or say unto him, us make man in our image, after our What doest thou ? Psal. CXXXV. 6. likeness : and let them have domi- Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that nion over the fish of the sea, and did he in heaven, and in earth, in over the fowl of the air, and over the seas, and all deep places. Acts the cattle, and over all the earth, xvii. 25. Neither is worshipped with and over every creeping thing that men's hands, as though he needed creepeth upon the earth. Ver. 28. any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, And God blessed them; and God and breath, and all things. Ver. 26. said unto them, Be fruitful, and mul- And hath made of one blood all natiply, and replenish the earth, and tions of men, for to dwell on all the subdue it; and have dominion over face of the earth, and hath determinthe fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living ed the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. V. 28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being ; as certain also of 5. press image of his person, and up your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Job, Chapholding all things by the word of ters xxxviii, xxxix, xl. xli. his power, when he had by himself © Matth. X. 29. Are not two sparpurged our sins, sat down on the rows sold for a farthing ? and one of Majesty on high. them shall not fall on the ground with- . iv . 34. And, at the end of out your Father. V. 30. But the very up mine eyes unto heaven, and V. 31. Fear ye not therefore, ye are mine understanding returned unto of niore value than many sparrows. d Prov. hairs of your head are all numbered. wise and holy providenced, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will", to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy .. II. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge 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 second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently! III. God d Prov. xv. 3. The eyes of the didst thou lead thy people, to make Lord are in every place, beholding thyself a glorious name. Eph. iii. 10. the evil and the gocd. Psal. civ. 24. To the intent that now unto the O Lord, how manifold are thy works! principalities and powers in heavenly in wisdom hast thou made them all: places might be known by the church the earth is full of thy riches. Psal. the manifold wisdom of God. Rom. cxlv, 17. The Lord is righteous in all ix. 17. For the scripture saith unto his ways, and holy in all his works. Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose e Acts xv. 18. Known unto God have I raised thee up, that I might are all his works from the beginning shew my power in thee, and that my of the world. Psal. xciv. 8. Under name might be declared throughout stand, ye brutish among the people : all the earth. Gen. xlv. 7. And God and, ye fools, when will ye be wise ? sent me before you, to preserve you Ver. 9. He that planted the ear, shall a posterity in the earth, and to save he not hear? he that formed the eye, your lives by a great deliverance. shall he not see? Ver. 10. He that Psal. cxlv. 7. They shall abundantly chastiseth the heathen, shall not he utter the memory of thy great goodcorrect? he that teacheth man know ness, and shall sing of thy righteousledge, shall not he know? Ver. 11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of 11. h Acts ii. 23. Hin, being deman, that they are vanity. livered by the determinate counsel f Eph. i. 11. In whom also we and foreknowledge of God, ye have have obtained an inheritance, being taken, and by wicked hands have predestinated according to the pur crucified and slain. pose of him who worketh all things i Gen. viii. 22. While the earth after the counsel of his own will remaineth, seed-time and harvest, Psal. xxxiii. 10. The Lord bringeth and cold and heat, and summer and the counsel of the heathen to nought: winter, and day and night, shall not he maketh the devices of the people of cease. Jer, xxxi. 35. Thus saith the none effect. V. 11. The counsel 6f the Lord, which giveth the sun for a Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts light by day, and the ordinances of of his heart to all generations. the moon and of the stars for a light & Isa. Ixiii. 14. As a beast goeth by night; which divideth the sea, down into the valley, the Spirit of when the thereof roar ; the Lord caused him to rest ; so the Lord of hosts is his name. Exod. ness. waves III. God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without', above ", and against them ", at his pleasure. IV. The BOUL Exod. xxi. 13. And if a man lie not maketh it bring forth and bud, that all in wait, but God deliver him into it may give seed to the sower, and he his hand; then I will appoint thee a bread to the eater : Ver. 11, So and place whither he shall fee. With shall my word be that goeth forth Deut. xix. 5. As when a man goeth out of my mouth: it shall not return into the wood with his neighbour to unto me void, but it shall accomplish odhew wood, and his hand fetcheth a that which I please, and it shall pro stroke with the axe to cut down the sper in the thing whereto I sent it. tree, and the head slippeth from the Hos. ii. 21. And it shall come to pass ake helve, and lighteth upon his neigh, in that day, I will hear, saith the 10. bour, that he die; he shall flee unto Lord; I will hear the heavens, and the one of those cities, and live. 1 Kings they shall hear the earth. Ver. 22. xxii. 28. And Micaiah said, If thou And the earth shall hear the corn, And he said, shall hear Jezreel. | Hos. i. 7. But I will have mercy bose you. Ver. 34. And a certain man upon the house of Judah, and will drew a bor at a venture, and smote save them by the Lord their God, of the harness: wherefore he said by sword, nor by battle, by horses, God unto the driver of his chariot, Turn nor by horsemen. Mat. iv. 4. But thine hand, and carry me out of the he answered and said, It is written, host, for I am wounded. Isa. x. 6. Man shall not live by bread alone, but I will send hini against an hypo- by every word that proceedeth oui of and against the people the mouth of God. Job xxxiv, 10, of my wrath will I give him a charge, Therefore hearken unto me, ye men to take the spoil, and to take the of understanding : Far be it from prey, and to tread them down like God, that he should do wickedness, de the mire of the streets. Ver. 7. and from the Almighty, that he weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he III. k Acts xxvii. 31. Paul said to was about an hundred years old, the centurion, and to the soldiers, neither yet the deadness of Sara's Except these abide in the ship, ye womb. Ver. 20. He staggered not cannot be saved. Ver. 44. And the at the promise of God through unrest, some on boards, and some on belief; but was strong in faith, givbroken pieces of the ship; and so it ing glory to God: Ver. 21. And came to pass that they escaped all being fully persuaded, that what safe to land. Isa. Iv. 1o. For as the ha he had promised he was able also to rain cometh down, and the snow, perform. from heaven, and returneth not thi 1 2 Kings vi. 6. And the man of f; ther, but watereth the earth, and God said, Where fell it? And he shewed critical nation; are ave arch and not che of wrath of man shall praise thee : IV. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men, and that not by a bare permission P, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding", and otherwise ordering and governing of shewed him the place. And he cut said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw down a stick, and cast it in thither, thy sword, and thrust me through and the iron did swim. Dan. iii. 27. therewith; lest these uncircumcised And the princes, governors, and cap come and abuse me. But his armourtains, and the king's counsellors, bem bearer would not, for he was sore ing gathered together, saw these nien, afraid. So Saul took a sword, and upon whose bodies the fire had no fell upon it. Ver. 13. So Saul died power, nor was an hair of their head for his transgression which he comsinged, neither were their coats mitted against the Lord, even against changed, nor the smell of fire had the word of the Lord, which he kept passed on them. not, and also for asking counsel of IV. O Rom. xi. 32. For God hath one that had a familiar spirit, to enconcluded them all in unbelief, that he quire of it ; Ver. 14. And enquired might have mercy upon all. v. 33. not of the Lord: therefore he slew O the depth of the riches both of the him, and turned the kingdom unto wisdom and knowledge of God! how David, the son of Jesse. 2 Sam. unsearchable are his judgments, and xvi. 10. And the king said, What his ways past finding out! Ver. 34. have I to do with you, ye sons of For who hath known the mind of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord, or who hath been his the Lord hath said unto him, Curse counsellor ? 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. And David. Who shall then say, Whereagain the anger of the Lord was fore hast thou done so ? Acts ii, 23. kindled against Israel, and he moved Him, being delivered by the deterDavid against them to say, Go, minate counsel and foreknowledge number Israel and Judah. With of God, ye have taken, and by 1 Chron. xxi. 1. And Satan stood up wicked hands have crucified and against Israel, and provoked David slain. Acts iy. 27. For of a truth to number Israel. 1 Kings xxii. 22. against thy holy child Jesus, whom And the Lord said unto him, Where thou hast anointed, both Herod and with ? And he said, I will go forth, Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and I will be a lying spirit in the and the people of Israel, were gamouth of all his prophets. And he thered together, Ver. 28. For to do said, Thou shalt persuade him, and whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel prevail also: go forth, and do so. determined before to be done. Ver. 23. Now therefore, behold, P Acts xiv. 16. Who in times past the Lord hath put a lying spirit in suffered all nations. to walk in their the mouth of all these thy prophets, own ways. and the Lord hath spoken evil con 9 Psal. lxxvi. 10. cerning thee. 1 Chron. X. 4. Then Surely the the of them, in à manifold dispensation, to his own holy ends"; yet so as the sinfulness 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 sin". V. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God, doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations, and the corruption 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 liumbled"; and to raise them man: which thou camest. the remainder of wrath shalt thou Ver. 14. But every man is Bestrain . 2 Kings xix. 28. Because tempted, when he is drawn away thy rage against me, and thy tu of his own lust, and enticed. Ver. 17. mult, is conie up into mine ears, Every good gift, and every perfect therefore I will put niy houk in thy gift, is from above, and cometh down nose, and hiy bridle in thy lips, and from the Father of lights, with whom I will turn thee back by the way by is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 1 John ii. 16. For all that Cen. I. 20. But as for you, ye is in the world, the lust of the flesh, thought evil against me; but God and the lust of the eyes, and the nieant it unto good, to bring to pride of life, is not of the Father, pass, as it is this day, to save much but is of the world, Psalm l. 21. people alive. Isa. x. 6. I will send These things toast thcu done, and I kim against an hypocritical nation, kept silence: thou thoughtest that and against tle people of my wrath I was altogether such an one as will I give him a charge, to take thyself: but I will reprove thee, the spoil , and to take the prey, and and set them in order before chine to tread theiu down like the mire eres. of the streets. Ver. 7. Howbeit he V. 12 Chron. xxxii. 25. But Hem meaneth not so, neither doth his zekiah rendered not again, accordheart think 60 ; but it is in his heart ing to the benefit done unto him : to destroy and cut off natious not a for his heart was lifted up; there. few. Ver. 12. Wherefore it shall firre there sras wrath upon him, come to pass, that, when the l.ord and upou Judah and Jerusalem, hath performed his whole work Ver. 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiab upon mount Zion, and on Jerne buonhled hiaiself fur the pride of salem, I will punish the fruit of the his heart, (both he and the inhabicout heart of the king of Assyria, tints of Jerusalem,) so that the and the glory of his high looks. wrath of the Lord cane not upoa James i, 18. Let no man say them in the days of Hezekiah V. 31. when he is tempted, I am tempted Howbeit, in the business of the aniof God: for God cannot be tempted bassadors of the princes of Bubylon, with evil, neither temptech he' any who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder |