IV. The Almighty Power, unfearchable Wif dom, and infinite Goodness of God fo far manifeft themselves in his Providence, that it extendeth it felf even to the first Fall, and all other Sins of Angels and Men, and that not by a bare Permiffion P, but fuch as hath joined with it, a most wife and powerful Bounding, and otherwise ordering, and govern IV. Rom. 11. 32. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief,that he might have mercy upon all. v. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unfearchable are his judgments, and his ways paft finding out! v. 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counseller? 2 Sam. 24. 1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Ifrael, and he moved David against them, to fay, Go number Ifrael and Judah. With 1 Chr. 21.1. And Satan ftood up against Ifrael, and provoked David to number If rael. 1 Kings 22. 22. And the Lord faid unto him, Wherewith? And he faid, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou fhalt perfwade him, and prevail alfo: go forth, and do fo. v. 23. Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a lying fpirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee. I Chr. 10. 4. Then faid Saul to his armour-bearer,draw thy fword, and thruft me through therewith; left thefe uncircumcifed come, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer, would not, for he was fore afraid. So Saul took a fword, and fell upon it. v. 13. So Saul died, for his tranfgreffion which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of theLord which he kept not, and alfo for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; v. 14. And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he flew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the fon of Jeffe. 2 Sam. 16. 10. And the king faid, What have Ito do with you,ye fons of Zeruiah? fo let him curse, because the Lord hath faid unto him, Curfe David. Who fhall then fay, Wherefore haft thou done fo? Acts 2. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counfel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and flain: Alts 4. 27. For of a truth against thy holy child Jefus, whom thou haft anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Ifrael were gathered together, . 28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determi ned before to be done. P Acts 14. 16. Who in times paft fuffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 9 Pfal. 76. 10. Surely the wrath of man fhall praise thee: the remainder of wrath fhalt thou reftrain. 2 Kings 19. 28. Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I governing of them, in a manifold Difpenfation, to his own holy Ends: Yet fo, as the Sinfulnefs thereof proceedeth only from the Creature, and not from God, who being moft Holy and Righte ous, neither is, nor can be the Author or Approver of Sin V. The most Wife, Righteous, and Gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a Seafon 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 humbled '; and to raise them to a more close and conftant De will put my hook in thy nofe, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou cameft. penof God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. v. 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own luft, and enticed. v. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither fhadow of turning. 1 John 2.16. For all that is in the world, the luft of the flesh, and the luft of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Pfalm 50. 21. These things haft thou done, and I kept filence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether fuch an one as thy felf: but I will reprove thee, and fet them in order before thine eyes. * Gen. 50. 20. But as for you, ye thought evil againft me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pafs, as it is this day, to fave much people alive. Ifaiah 10. 6. I will fend 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. v. 7. Howbeit, he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think fo, but it is in his heart to deftroy, and cut off nations not a few. v. 12. Wherefore it fhall come to pass, that V. 2 Chron. 32. 25. But Hezekiah when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion, and on Jerufalem, I will punifh the fruit of the flout heart of the king of Af fyria, and the glory of his high looks. f James 1. 13. Let no man fay when he is tempted, I am tempted rendred 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 Jerufalem. v. 26. Notwithftanding, Hezekiah humbled himfelf for the pride of his heart (both he pendance for their Support upon himself, and to make them more watchful against all future Occafions of Sin, and for fundry other just and holy Ends". VI. As for those wicked and ungodly Men, whom God as a righteous Judge, for former Sins doth blind and harden w, from them he not only he and the inhabitants of Jerufalem) fo that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. v. 31. Howbeit, in the business of the embassadors of the princes of Babylon, who fent unto him to enquire 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. 2 Sam. 24. 1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Ifrael, and he moved David against them, to fay, Go number Ifrael and Judah. V 2 Cor. 12.7. And left I fhould be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the meffenger of Satan to buffet me, left I fhould be exalted above measure. v. 8. For this thing I befought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. v. 9. And he faid unto me, My grace is fufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Moft gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may reft upon me. Pfal. 73. throughout. Pfal. 77. 1. I cried unto God with my voice: even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. v. 10. And I faid, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the moft High. v. 12. I will meditate alfo of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. [Read the interme withdiate verfes in the Bible.] Mark 14. from the 66. v. to the end, with John 21. 15. So when they had dined, Jefus faith to Simon Peter, Simon Son of Jonas, loveft thou me more than these? He faith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knoweft that I love thee. He faith unto him, Feed my lambs. v. 16. He faith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, loveft thou me? He faith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He faith unto him, Feed my fheep. v. 17. He faith unto him the third time, Simon, fon of Jonas, loveft thou me? Peter was grieved, because he said unto him the third time, Loveft thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knoweft all things; thou knoweft that I love thee. Jefus faith unto him, Feed my sheep. VI. w Rom. 1. 24. Wherefore God alfo gave them up to uncleanness, through the lufts of their own hearts, to difonour their own bodies between themselves; v. 26. For this caufe God gave them up unto vile affections: For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: v. 28. 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. Rom 11.7. What then? Ifrael hath not ob withholdeth his Grace, whereby they might have been enlightned in their Understandings, and wrought upon in their Hearts; but fometimes alfo withdraweth the Gifts which they had', and expofeth them to fuch Objects as their Corruption makes Occafion of Sin: And withal, gives them over to their own Lufts, the Temptations of the World, and the Power of Satan: Whereby it comes to pass, that they harden themselves, even under thofe Means, which God ufeth for the foftning of others. obtained that which he feeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the reft were blinded. v. 8. According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of flumber, eyes that they should not fee, and ears that they should not hear unto this day. * Deut. 29.4. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to fee, and ears to hear, unto this day. y Matth. 13. 12. For whofoever hath, to him fhall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him fhall be taken away, even that he hath. Mat. 25. 29. For unto every one that hath fhall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away, even that which he hath. VII. As dren of Ifrael: their ftrong holds wilt thou fet on fire, and their young men wilt thou flay with the fword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. v. 13. And Hazael faid, But what, is thy fervant a dog, that he fhould do this great thing? And Elisha anfwered, The Lord hath fhewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria: a Pfal. 81. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice: and Ifrael would none of me. v.12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts luft: and they walked in their own counfels. 2 Thef. 2. 10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth; that they might be faved. v. 11. And for this caufe God shall send them ftrong delufion, that they should believe a lie. v. 12. That they all might be damned, who believed not the truth,but had pleasure in unrighteousness. b Exodus 7.3. And I will harden Pharaohs heart, and multiply my figns and my wonders in the land of Egypt. With Ex. 8. 15. But when Pharaoh faw that there was refpite, he VII. As the Providence of God doth in general, reach to all Creatures; fo after a moft fpecial manner, it taketh Care of his Church, and disposeth all Things to the good thereof. CHAP. he hardned his heart, and heark- grofs, and their ears are dull of hearned not unto them; as the Lord ing, and their eyes have they closed; had faid. v. 32. And Pharaoh hard- left they should fee with their eyes, ned his heart at this time also, nei- and hear with their ears, and underther would he let the people go. ftand with their heart, and should be 2 Cor. 2. 15. For we are unto God a converted, and I fhould heal them. fweet favour of Chrift, in them that are faved, and in them that perish. v. 16. To the one we are the favour of death unto death; and to the other, the favour of life unto life: And who is fufficient for these things? Ifa. 8. 14. And he fhall be for a fanctuary; but for a stone of ftumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Ifrael, for a gin, and for a fnare to the inhabitants of Jerufalem. 1 Peter 2.7. Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious: but unto them which be difobedient, the ftone which the builders difallowed, the fame is made the head of the corner. v. 8. And aftone of ftumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being difobedient, whereunto alfo they were appointed. Ifa. 6. 9. And he faid, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and fee indeed, but perceive not. v. 1o. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and fhut their eyes: left they fee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underftand with their heart,and convert and be healed. With Acts 28. 26. Saying, Go unto this people, and fay, Hearing ye fhall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye fhall fee, and not perceive. v. 27. For the heart of this people is waxed VII. 1 Tim. 4. 10. For therefore we both labour,and fuffer reproach, because we truft in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of thofe that believe. Amos g. 8. Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the finful kingdom, and I will deftroy it from off the face ofthe earth; faving that I will not utterly deftroy the house of Jacob, faith the Lord. v. 9. For lo, I will command, and I will fift the houfe of Ifrael among all nations, like as corn is fifted in a five, yet fhall not the leaft grain fall upon the earth. Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Ifa: 43. 3. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Ifrael, thy faviour : I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. v. 4. Since thou waft precious in my fight, thou haft been honourable, and I have loved thee:therefore will I give men for thee,and people for thy life.v.s. Fear not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy feed from the east, and gather thee from the weft. v. 14. Thus faith the Lord your redeemer, the holy One of Ifrael,For your fake I have fent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the fhips. 1. Gen. |