VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God as a righteous judge, for former sins, doth blind and harden," from them he not only withholdeth his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened in their understandings, and wrought upon in their hearts ; but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had,y 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.

VI. w Rom. i. 24. Wherefore God spirit, and made his heart obstinate, also gave them up to uncleanness, that he might deliver him into thy through the lusts of their own hearts, to hand, as appeareth this day. 2 Kings dishonour their own bodies between viii. 12. And Hazael said, Why weepthemselves. Ver. 26. For this cause eth my Lord ? And he answered, Be. God gave them up unto vile affections: cause I know the evil that thou wilt for even their women did change the do unto the children of Israel: their natural use into that which is against strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and natore. Ver. 28. And even as they their young men wilt thou slay with did not like to retain God in their the sword, and wilt dash their children, knowledge, Godigave them over toare. and rip up their women with child. probate mind, to do those things which Ver. 13. And Hazael said, But what! are not convenient. Rom. xi. 7. What is thy servant a dog, that he should then ? Israel hath not obtained that do this great thing? And Elisha anwhich he seeketh for, but the election swered, The Lord hath shewed me hath obtained it, and the rest were that thou shalt be king over Syria. Blinded. Ver. 8. (According as it is

a Psal. Ixxxi. 11. But my people written, God hath given them the spi- would not hearken to my voice, and rit of sluniber, eyes that they should Israel would none of me. Ver 12. not see, and ears that they should not So I gave them up unto their own hear,) unto this day.

hearts' luşt; and they walked in their * Deut. xxix. 4. Yet the Lord hath own counsels. 2 Thess. ii. 10. And not given you an heart to perceive, and with all deceivableness of unrighteouseyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this ness in them that perish; because they day

received not the love of the truth, that ý Matth. xiii. 12. For whosever they might be saved. Ver. 11. And hath, to him shall be given, and he for this cause God shall send them shall have more abundance : but who strong delusion, that they should besoever hash not, from him shall be lieve a lie ; V.12. That they all might taken away even that he hath Mait. be damned who believed not the truth, Xxv 29 For unto every one that hath but had pleasure in vnrighteousness. shall be given, and he shall have abun- 6 Exod. vii. 3. And I will harden dance: but from him that hath not, Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my shall be taken away even that which signs and my wonders in the land of he hath.

Egypt. With Exod. viii. 15. But % Deut. ii. 30 But Sihon king of when Pharoah saw that there was reHeshbon would not let us pass by him; spite, he hardened his heart, and hear. for the Lord thy God hardened his kened not unto them; as the Lord

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

1

CHAP. VI. Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the

Punishment thereof.

UR first parents being seduced by the subtilty and

temptation of Satan, sinned in eating the forbidden

had said. V.32. And Pharaoh har- and their ears are dull of hearing, and
dened his heart at this time also, nei their eyes have they closed ; lest they
ther would he let the people go. should see with their eyes, and hear
2. Cor. ii. 15. For we are unto God with their ears, and understand with
a sweet savour of Christ, in them that their heart, and should be converted,
that are saved, and in them that perish, and I should heal them.
Ver. 16. To the one we are the savour VII. c 1 Tim. iv. 10. For therefore
of death unto death, and to the other we both labour, and suffer reproach,
the savour of life unto life; and who is because we trust in the living God,
sufficient for these things? Isa. viii. who is the Saviour of all men, spe-
14. And he shall be for a sanctuary: cially of those that believe. Amos
but for a stone of stumbling, and for ix. 8. Behold, the eyes of the Lord
a rock of offence, to both the houses of God are upon the sinful kingdom,
Israel; for a gin, and for a snare, to and I will destroy it from off the
the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 1 Pet. face of the earth; saving that I
ii. 7. Unto you therefore which be will not utterly destroy the house
lieve he is precious : but unto them of Jacob, saith the Lord. Ver. 9.
which be disobedient, the stone which For,lo, I will command, and I will sift
the builders disallowed, the same is the house of Israel among all nations,
made the head of the corner. Ver. 8. like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet
And a stone of stumbling, and a shall not the least grain fall upon the
rock of offence, even to them which earth Rom. viii. 28. And we know
stumble at the word, being dis- that all things work together for good
obedient; whereunto also they were to them that love God, to them who
appointed. Isa. vi. 9. And he said, are the called according to his purpose,
Go and tell this people, Hear ye in. Isa. xliii. 3. For I am the Lord thy
deed, but understand not; and see ye God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saq
indeed, but perceive not. Ver. 10. viour : I gave Egypt for thy ranson,
Make the heart of this people fat, and Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Ver 4,
make their ears heavy, and shut their Since thou wast precious in my sight,
eyes ; lest they see with their eyes, thou hast been honourable, and I have
and hear with their ears, and under- loved thee; therefore will I give men
stand with their heart, and convert, for thee, and people for thy life. Ver,
and be healed. With Acis xxviii. 26. 5. Fear not ; for I am with thee: I
Saying, Go unto this people, and say, will bring thy seed from the east, and
Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not gather thee from the west. Ver. 14.
understand ; and seeing ye shall see, Thus saith the Lord, your Redeemer,
and not perceive. V. 27. For the the Holy One of Israel, For your sake
heart of this people is waxed gross, I have sent to Babylon, and have

fruit. This their sin, God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory b.

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

IIL. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed', and the same death in sin and corrupted brought down all their nobles, and the are pure : but onto them that are de Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. filed and unbelieving is nothing pure,

I. a Gen. iii. 13. And the Lord but even their mind and conscience is God said unto the woman, What is defiled., Gen. vi. 5. And God saw this that thou hast done? And the that the wickedness of man was great woman said, The serpent beguiled, in the earth, and that every imaginame, and I did eat. 2 Cor. xi. 3. But I tion of the thoughts of his heart was fear, lest by any means, as the serpent only evil continually, Jer. xvii. 9. The beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so heart is deceitful above all things, and your minds should be corrupted from desperately wicked, who can know it! the simplicity that is in Christ. Rom. ii. 10. As it is written, There is

6 Rom. xi. 32. For God hath con- none righteous, no, not one: Ver. 11. cluded them all in unbelief, that he There is none that understandeth, might have mercy upon all.

there is none that seeketh after God: II. c Gen. iii. 6. And when the wo- Ver. 12. They are all gone out of the man saw that the tree was good for way, they are together become unprofood and that it was pleasant to the firable ; there is none that doeth good, eyes, and a tree to be desired to make no, not one. Ver. 13. Their throat is one wise ; she took of the fruit there. an open sepulchre; with their tongues of, and did eat; and gave also unto they have used deceit; the poison of her husband with her, and he did eat. asps is under their lips : Ver. 14. Ver. 7. And the eyes of them both Whose mouth is full of cursing and were opened, and they knew that they bitterness : Ver. 15. Their feet are were naked: and they sewed fig-leaves swift to shed blood: Ver. 16. Derogether, and made theniselves apronsstruction and misery are in their ways: Ver. 8. And they heard ihe voice of Ver. 17. And the way of peace have' the Lord God walking in the garden they not known: Ver. 18. There is in the cool of the day: and Adam and no fear of God before their eyes. his wife hid themselves from the pre III. f Gen. i. 27. So God created sence of the Lord God amongso the man in his own image, in the image trees of the garden. Eccl. vii. 29. Lo, of God created he him : male and fe. this only have I found, that God haih male created he them. Ver. 28. And made man upright; but they have God blessed them; and God said unto sought out many inventions. Rom. iii. them, Be fruitful, and multiply and 23. For all have sinned, and come short” replenished the earth, and subdue it: of the glory of God.

and have dominion over the fish of the d Gen. ii. 17. But of the tree of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and knowledge of good and evil thou shalt over every living thing that moveth not eat of it: for in the day that thou upon the earth. And Gen. ii. 16. And catest thereof, thou shalt surely die. the Lord God commanded the man, Eph. ii. 1. And you hath he quickened, saying, of every tree of the garden who were dead in trespasses and sins. thou mayest freely eat: Ver. 17. But Tit.i. 15. Unto the pure all things of the tree of the knowledge of good

E

nature conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation 8.

IV. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good h, and wholly inclined to all evil), do proceed all actual transgressions k. and evil thou shalt not eat of it: for 8 Psal. li. 5. Behold, I was shapen in the day that thou eatest thereof, in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother thou shalt surely die. And Acts xvii. conceive me. Gen. v. 3. And Adam 26. And hath made of one blood all lived an hundred and thirty years, and nations of men, for to dwell on all the begat a son in his own likeness, after. face of the earth, and hath determined his image, and called his name Seth, the times before appointed, and the Job xiv. 4. Who can bring a clean bounds of their habitation With thing out of an unclean? not one. Job Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one xy. 14. What is man, that he should man sin entered into the world, and be clean ? and he which is born of a death by sin; and so death passed woman, that he should be righteous ? upon all men, for that all have sinned. : IV. b Rom. y., 6. For when we Ver. 15. But not as the offence, so were yet without strength, in due also is the free gift. For if through time Christ died for the ungodly. Ron. the offence of one many be dead; viii 7. Because the carnal mind is enmuch more the grace of God, and the miry against God; for it is not subject gift by grace, which is by one man, to the law of God, neither indeed can Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto ma- be. Rom. vii. 18. For I know that in ny. Ver. 16, And not as it was by me (that is, in my. flesh) dwelleth no one that sinned, so is the gift : for good thing: for to will is present with the judgment was by one to condem- me; but how to perform that which nation; but the free gift is of many is good I find not. Col. j. 21. And you offences unto justification. Ver. 17. that were sometime alienated, and eneFor if by one man's offence death mies in your mind by wicked works, reigned by one i. much more they yet now hath he reconciled. which receive abundance of grace, i Gen, vi. 5. And God saw that the and of the gift of righteousness, shall wickedness of man was great in the reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Ver. earth, and that every imagination of 18. Therefore, as by the offence of the thoughts of his heart was only evil one, judgment came upon all men to continually. Gen. viii. 21. And the condemnation ;, even so, by the righ-. Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the teousness of one, the free gift came Lord said in his heart, I will not again, upon all men unto justification of life. curse the ground any more for man's Ver. 19. For as by one man's disobe sake; for the imagination of man's dience many were made sinners; so heart is evil from his youth: neither by the obedience of one shall many be, will I again smite any more every made righteous. And 1 Cor. xy 21. thing living, as I have done. Rom. iii. For since by man came death, by man 10. As it is written, There is none ame also the resurrection of the dead. righteous, no, not one : Ver. 11. There Ver. 22. For as in Adam all die, even is none that understandeth, there is so in Christ shall all be made alive. none that seeketh after God. Ver. 12, * Ver. 45, And so it is written, The They are all gone out of the way, they first man Adam was made a living are together become unprofitable; there, soul, the last Adam was made a quick is none that doeth good, no, not one., ening spirit. IV. 49. And as we have de James i. 14. But every man is borne the image of the earthy, we shall: tempted, when he is drawn away of also bear the image of the heavenly, his own lust, and enticed. Ver. 15.

V. This corruption of nature, during this life doth remain in those that are regenerated !: and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin".

VI. Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary there. unto ", doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God P, and curse Then when lust bath conceived, it m Rom. vii

. 5: For when we were bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it in the flesh, the motions of sins, which is finished, bringeth forth death. Eph. were by the law, did work in our memii. 2. Wherein in time past ye walked bers to bring forth fruit unto death. according to the course of this world, Ver. 7. What shall we say then? Is according to the prince of the power the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had of the air, the spirit that now worketh not known sin, but by the law; for I in the children of disobedience. Ver. 3. had not known lust; except the law Among whom also we all had our con- had said, Thou shalt not covet, Ver. versation in times past, in the lusts of 8. But sin, taking occasion by the our iesh, fulfilling the desires of the commandment, rought in me all Hesh and of the mind; and were by manner of concupiscence. For with. narure the children of wrath, even as out the law sin was dead. Ver. 25. I Dihers. Matt. xv. 19. For out of the thank God, through Jesus, Christ our heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, Lord. So then with the mind I myadulteries, fornications, thefrs, false self serve the law of God; but with witness, blasphemies.

the flesh the law of sin. Gal. y. 17. For V. 1 1 John i. 8. If we say that we the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these the truth is not in us. Ver. 10. If we are contrary, the one to the other; so say that we have not sinned, we make that ye cannot do the things that ye him a liar, and his word is not in us. would, Rom vi. 14. For we know that the VI. n 1 John jii. 4. Whosoever com. law is spiritual : but I am carnal, sold mitteth sin transgresseth also the law: under sin Ver. 17. Now then, it is no for sin is the transgression of the law. more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth o Rom. ii. 15. Which shew the in me. Ver. 18. For I know that in work of the law written in their me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no hearts, their conscience also bearing good thing: for to will is present with witness, and their thoughts the mean me; but how to perform that which while accusing, or else excusing one is good I find not. Ver. 23. But I see another. Rom. ii. 9, What then ? are another law in my members warring we better than they? No, in no wise: against the law of my mind, and bring- for we have before proved both Jews ing me into captivity to the law of sin and Gentiles, that they are all under which is in my members. James iii. sin. Ver. 19. Now we know that what 2. For in many things we offend all, things soever the law saith, it saith to If any man offend not in word, the them who are under the law: that same is a perfect man, and able also every mouth may be stopped, and all to bridle the whole body. Prov. xx. 9. the world may become guilty before Who can say, I have made my heart God., clean, I am pure from my sin ? Eccl. p. Eph. ii. 3. Among whom also we vii. 20. For there is not a just man all had our conversation in times past, upon earth, that doeth good, and sin in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the neth not.

desires of the Aush and of the mind,