written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.1 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 and holy providence,d 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.g Gen. ii. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen. iii. 8. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. Ver. 9. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? Ver. 10. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden; and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. V. 11. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof Icommanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? Ver. 23. Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. I Gen. i. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Ver. 28. And God blessed them; and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. I. a Heb. i. 3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his pow er, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. 6 Dan. iv. 34. And, at the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. V. 35. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Psal. cxxxv. 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places. seas all worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. Ver. 26. And hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined 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 your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Job, Chapters xxxviii, xxxix, xl, xli. c Matth. x. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. V. 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. V. 81. Fear ye not therefore, ye are II. Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.i of more value than many sparrows. d Prov. xv. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Psal. civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wis dom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches. Psal. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. e Acts xv. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Psal. xciv. 8. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and, ye fools, when will ye be wise? Ver. 9. He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? Ver. 10. He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? Ver 11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. fEph. i. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Psal. xxxiii. 10. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none ef fect. V. 11. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. g Isa. lxiii. 14. As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest; so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name. Eph. iii. 10. To the intent, that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Rom. ix. 17. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Gen. xlv. 7. And God sent me before you, to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. Psal.cxlv. 7. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. II. b Acts ii. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. i Gen. viii. 22. While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease. Jer. xxxi. 35. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night; which divideth the sea, when the waves thereof roar; the Lord of hosts is his name. Exod. xxi. 13. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. With Deut. xix. 5. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live. 1 Kings xxii 28. And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you. Ver. 34. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host, for I am wounded. Isa, x 6. I will send 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. Ver. 7. Howbeit, he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off nations not a few. ! 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 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, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a 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.s III. k Acts xxvii. 31. Paul said to the centurion, and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Ver. 44. And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship; and so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land. Isa. Iv. 10. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow, from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring "forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: Ver. 11. So shall my word be that goth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Hos. ii. 21. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord; I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth. Ver. 22. And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil, and they shall hear Jezreel. I Hos. i. 7. But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. Mat. iv. 4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Job xxxiv. 10. Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. m Rom. iv. 19. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb. Ver. 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: 21. And being fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able also to perform. Ver. n 2 Kings vi. 6. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim. Dan. iii. 27. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these me upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. IV. o Rom. xi. 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 unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Ver. 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsel lor? 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. With 1 Chron. xxi. 1. And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 1 Kings xxii. 22. And the Lord said tinto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and 1 will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Ver. 23. Now, therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee. 1 Chron. x. 4. Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not, for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. Ver. 13. So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; Ver. 14. And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David, the son of Jesse. 2 Sam. xvi. 10. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? Acts ii. 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Acts iv. 27. For of a truth a gainst thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, Ver. 28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. p Acts xiv. 16. Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. q Psal. lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. 2 Kings xix, 28. Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest. r Gen. 1. 20. But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Isa. x. 6. I will send 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. Ver. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. Ver. 12. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon, mount Zion, and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. s James i. 13. Let no man says when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: Ver. 14. But every man is tempted, 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 humbled; 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 sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends." when he is drawn away of his own Just, and enticed. Ver. 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 shadow of turning. 1 John ii. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Psalm 1. 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. V. t 2 Chron. xxxii. 25. But Hezekiah rendered not again, according to the benefit dene unto him; for his heart was lifted up; therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Ver. 26. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, (both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,) so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. V. 31. Howbeit, in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent 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. xxiv. 1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. u 2 Cor. xii. 7. And lest I should be exalted above measure, through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. Ver. 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. Ver. 9. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Psal. Ixxiii. throughout. * Psal. lxxvii. 1. I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. Ver 10. And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. Ver. 12. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. [Read the intermediate Verses in the Bible.] Mark xiv. from the 66th verse to the end, with John xxi. 15. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. Hesaith unto him, Feed my lambs.Ver. 16. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Ver. 17. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved, because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou know. est that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. |