VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care ', that men attending the will of God revealed in his word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election? So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God", and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation, to all that sincerely obey the Gospel ".

СНАР.

wise and prudent, and hast revealed Lord God, and our Lord Jesus them unto bahes. Ver. 26. Even Christ. 1 Pet. ii. 8, And a stone of so, Father, for so it seemed good in stumbling, and a rock of offence, thy sight. Rom. ix. 17. For the even to them which stumble at the script're saith unto Pharaoh, Even word, being disobedient, whereunto for this same purpose have I raised also they were appointed. thee up, that might shew my VIII.'s Rom. ix. 20. Nay but, o power in thee, and that my name man, who art thou that repliest might be declared throughout all the against God? shall the thing formearth. Ver. 18. Therefore hath he ed say to him that formed it, Why mercy on whom he will have mercy, hast thou made me thus ? Rom. and whom he will he hardeneth. xi. 33. O the depth of the riches Ver. 21. Hath not the potter power

both of the wisdom and knowledge over the clay, of the same lump to of God! how unsearchable are his make one vessel unto honour, and judgments, and his ways past findanother unto dishonour? Ver. 22. ing out! Deut. xxix. 29. The secret What if God, willing to shew his things belong unto the Lord our wrath, and to make his power God: but those things which are known, endured with much long- revealed belong unto us and to suffering the vessels of wrath fitted our children for ever, that we may to destruction? 2 Tim. ii. 19. Never- do all the words of this law. theless the foundation of God stand- t 2 Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the eth sure, having this seal, The Lord rather, brethren, give all diligence knoweth them that are his. And, to make your calling and election let every one that nameth the name sure: for if ye do these things, of Christ depart from iniquity. V. 20. ye shall never fall. But in a great house there are not Eph. i. 6. To the praise of the only vessels of gold and of silver, but glory of his grace, wherein he hath also of wood and of earth; and some made us accepted in the Beloved, to honour, and some to dishonour. Rom. xi. 33. (See letter Simmediately Jude, verse 4. For there are certain foregoing.] men crept in unawares, who were w Rom. xi. 5. Even so then at before of old ordained to this con- this present tine also there is a demnation, ungodly men, turning rennant according to

the electhe grace of our God into lascia

Ver, 6. And if by viousness, and denying the only grace, then is it no more of works:

otherwise

S

tion of grace.

CHAP. IV. of Creation. IT pleased God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost', for the

manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness", in the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein, whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good o.

II. After God had made all other creatures, le cieated

mian,

otherwise grace is no more grace, of the world are clearly seen, being But if it be of works, then it is no understood by the things that are more grace : otherwise work is no made, even his eternal power and more work. Ver. 20. Well; because Godhead; so that they are withe of unbelief they were broken off, out excuse. Jer. x. 12. He hath and thou standest by faith. Be not made the earth by his power, he high-minded, but fear. 2 Pet. i. 10. hath established the world by his [See letter i immediately foregoing.] wisdom, and hath stretched out the Rom. viii. 33. Who shall lay any heavens by his discretion. Psal. thing to the charge of God's élect? civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are It is God that justifieth. Luke x. 20. thy works! in wisdom hast thou Notwithstanding in this rejoice not made them all : the earth is full of that the spirits are subject unto thy riches. Psal. xxxiii. 5. He loveth you: but rather rejoice, because righteousness and judgment : the your names are written in heaven. earth is full of the goodness of the

I. a Heb. i. 2. Hath in these last Lord. Ver. 6. By the word of the days spoken unto us by his Son, Lord were the heavens inade, and whom he hath appointed heir of all all the host of them by the breath things, by whom also he made the of his mouth. worlds. John i. 2. The same was [The whole first Chapter of Gen.] in the beginning with God. Ver. 3. Heb. xi. 3. Through faith we unAll things were made by him ; and derstand that the worlds were framwithout him was not any thing ed by the word of God, so that made that was made. Gen, i. 2. things which are were not And the earth was without form made of things which do appear. and void ; and darkness was upon Col. i. 16. For by him were all the face of the deep: and the Spirit things created that are in heaven, of God moved upon the face of the and that are in earth, visible and

Job xxvi. 13. By his Spirit invisible, whether they be thrones, he hath garnished the heavens; his or dominions, or principalities, or hand hath formed the crooked ser- powers; all things were created by pent. Job xxxiii. 4. The Spirit of him, and for him. Acts xvii. 24. God hath made me, and the breath God, that made the world, and all of the Almighty hath given me life. things therein, 'seeing that he is

seen

man, male and female", with reasonable and immortal souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after his own image', having the law of God written in their hearts, and power to fulfil ith; and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change'. Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evilk; which

while

II. d Gen. i. 27. So God created tiles, which have not the law, do by man in his own image; in the nature the things contained in the image of God created he him : male law, these having not the law, are a and female created he them.

law unto themselves: Ver. 15. Which e Gen. ii. 7. And the Lord God shew the work of the law written in formed man of the dust of the their hearts, their conscience also ground, and breathed into his nostrils bearing witness, and their thoughts the breath of life; and man became the mean while accusing or else ex. a living soul. With Eccl. xii. 7. cusing one another. Then shall the dust return to the h Eccl. vü. 29. Lo, this only have earth as it was; and the spirit shall I found, that God hath made man return unto God who gave it. And upright; but they have sought out Luke xxiii. 43. And Jesus said unto

many inventions. him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day i Gen. iii. 6. And when the woshalt thou be with me in paradise. man saw that the tree was good for And Mat. x. 28. And fear not them food, and that it was pleasant to the which kill the body, but are not able eyes, and a tree to be desired to to kill the soul; but rather fear him make one wise ; she took of the fruit which is able to destroy both soul and thereof, and did eat, and gave also body in hell.

unto her husband with her, and he f Gen, i. 26. And God said, Let did eat.

Eccl. vii. 29. [See letter h us make man in our image, after immediately foregoing.] our likeness ; and let them have k Gen. ii. 17. But of the tree of dominion over the fish of the sea, the knowledge of good and evil, thou and over the fowl of the air, and shalt not eat of it; for in the day over the cattle, and over all the that thou eatest thereof thou shalt earth, and

every creeping surely die. Gen. iii. 8. And they thing that creepeth upon the earth. heard the voice of the Lord God Col. iii. 10. And have put on the walking in the garden in the cool of new man, which is renewed in the day: and Adam and his wife hid knowledge, after the image of him themselves from the presence of the that created him. Eph. iv. 24. And Lord God amongst the trees of the that ye put on the new man, which garden. Ver. 9. And the Lord after God is created in righteousness God called unto Adam, and said unand true holiness.

to him, Where art thou ? Ver. 10. % Rom. ii. 14. For when the Gen- And he said, I heard thy voice in the

garden

over

while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures'.

CHAP. V. Of Providence. GOD, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold",

direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things ", from the greatest even to the least“, by his most

wise

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 kingof 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 V. 23. Therefore the Lord God sent earth are reputed as nothing: and him forth from the garden of Eden, he doeth according to his will in the to till the ground from whence he 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

2

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 ed the times before appointed, and of the air, and over every living the bounds of their habitation. V. 28. thing that moveth upon the earth. For in him we live, and move, and

1. a Heb. i. 3. Who being the have our being; as certain also of brightness of his glory, and the ex- your own poets have said, For we press image of his person, and up- 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 right hand of the Majesty on high. them shall not fall on the ground with.

o Dan. iv. 34. And, at the end of out your Father. V. 30. But the very the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted hairs of your head are all numbered. up mine eyes unto heaven, and V. 31. Fear ye not therefore, ye 'are mine understanding returned upto of niore value than many sparrows.

wise and holy providence, 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 ordereti them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently,

III. God

e

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 good. 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

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 ïi. 23. Him, 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 ac ording 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

Jer, xxxi, 35. Thus saith the none effect. V. 11. The counsel of 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

8 Isa. lxiii. 14. As a beast goeth by night ; which divideth the sea, down into the valley, the Spirit of when the

ness.

cease,