Chrift, by his Spirit working in due Seafon; are juftified, adopted, fanctified, and kept by his Power through Faith unto Salvation p. Neither are any other redeemed by Chrift, effectually called, juftified, adopted, fanctified and faved, but the Elect only q. • Rom. 8. 30. Eph. 1. 5. 2 Thef. 2. 13. t Pet. 1. 5. 9 John 17.9. Rom. 8. 28. to the End. John 6. 64, 65. John 10. 26. John 8. 47. 1 John 2. 19.

VII. The rest of Mankind, God was pleased, according to the unfearchable Counfel of his own Will, whereby he extendeth, or withholdeth Mercy, as he pleafeth, for the Glory of his Sovereign Power over his Creatures, to pafs by; and to ordain them to Difhonour and Wrath, for their Sin, to the Praise of his glorious Jufticè r.

r Mat. 11, 25, 26. 2. 19, 20. Jude 5. 4.

Rom. 9. 17, 18, 21, 22. 2 Tini. 1 Pet. 2, 8.

VIII. The Doctrine of this high Mystery of Predeftination is to he handled with special Prudence and Caref, that Men attending the Will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding Obedience thereunto, may, from the Certainty of their effectual Vocation, be affured of their eternal Election t. So fhall this Doctrine afford Matter of Praise, Reverence, and Admiration of God u, and of Humility, Diligence, and abundant Confolation to all that fincerely obey the Gospel w.

29. t 2 Pet.

Rom. 9. 20. Rom. 11. 33. Deut. i. io. a Eph 1. 6. Rom. 11. 33. Rom. 11. 5, 6, 20. 2 Pet. i. io Rom. 8. 33. Luke 10. 20.

CHA P. IV.

Of Creation.

IT

pleafed God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft a, for the Manifeftation of the Glory of his eternal Power, Wifdom, and Goodnefs b, in the Beginning, to $ 3

create,

13.

a Heb. i. 2. John 1. 2, 3. Gen. 1. 2. Job 26. Job 33. 4. 6 Rom. 1. 20. Jer. 10. 12. Pfal. 104. 24. Pfal. 33.5, 6.

create, or make of nothing, the World, and all Things therein, whether visible or invifible, in the Space of lix Days, and all very good c.

c Gen. Ift Ch. Heb. 11. 3.

Col. 1. 16. Acts 17.

24.

II. After God had made all other Creatures, he created Man, Male and Female d, with reafonable and immortal Souls e, indued with Knowledge, Righteoufness, and true Holinefs, after his own Image f, having the Law of God written in their Hearts g, and Power to fulfil it ; and yet under a Poffibility of Tranfgreffing, being left to the Liberty of their own Will, which was fubject unto Change i. Befide this Law written in their Hearts, they received a Command, not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; which while they kept, they were happy in their Communion with God k, and had Dominion over the Creatures /.

d Gen. 1. 27. e Gen. 2. 7. with Eccl. 12. 7. and Luke 23. 43. and Mat. 10. 28. ƒ Gen. 1. 26. Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24, g Rom. 2. 14, 15. h Eccl. 7. 29. Gen. 36. Eccl. 7. 29. k Gen, 2. 17. and 3. 8, 9, 102 11, 23. Gen. 1. 26, 28,

CHAP. V.

Of Providence.

Od the great Creator of all Things, doth uphold 4, I direct, difpofe, and govern all Creatures, Actions, and Things b, from the greatest even to the leaft c, by his most wife and holy Providence d, according to his infallible Fore-knowledge e, and the free and immutable

1

a Heb. 1. 3. b Dan. 4. 34, 35. Pfal. 135. 6. Acts 17. 25, 25, 28. Job 38, 39, 40, 41 Chapters. e Mat 10. 29, 30, 31. d Prov. 15. 3. Pfal. 104. 24. Pfal. 145. 17. e Acts 15. 18. Pfal. 94. 8, 9,

IO, II.

table Counsel of his own Will f, to the Praife of the Glory of his Wisdom, Power, Juftice, Goodness, and Mercy g.

f Eph. 1. 11. Pfal. 33. 10, 11. g Ifa. 63. 14. Eph. 3. 10. Rom. 9. 17. Gen. 45. 7. Pfal. 145.7.

II. Although, in Relation to the Fore-knowledge and Decree of God, the firft Cause, all Things come to pafs immutably, and infallibly h: Yet, by the fame Providence, he ordereth them to fall out, according to the Nature of fecond Caufes, either neceffarily, freely, or contingently i.

h Acts 2. 23. i Gen. 8. 22. Jer. 31. 35. Exod. 21. 13. with Deut. 19. 5. 1 Kings 22. 28, 34. Ifa. 10.

6, 7.

III. God, in his ordinary Providence, maketh Use of Means k, yet is free to work without /, above m, and against them at his Pleasure n.

k Acts 27. 31, 44. Ifa. 55. 10, 11. Hofea 2. 21, 22. /Hofea 1. 7. Mat, 4. 4. Job 34. 10. m Rom. 4. 19, 20, 21. 2 Kings 6. 6. Dan. 3.27.

IV. The almighty Power, unfearchable Wisdom, and the infinite Goodness of God, fo far manifest themselves in his Providence, that it extendeth itfelf even to the first Fall, and all other Sins of Angels and Men o, and that not by a bare Permiffion p, but fuch as hath joined with it a most wife and powerful Bounding q, and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a manifold Difpenfation, to his own holy Ends r: Yet fo, as the Sinfulness thereof proceedeth only from the Creature, and not from God, who, being moft holy and righteous, neither is, nor can be the Author or Approver of Sinf

• Rom. 11. 32, 33, 34. 2 Sam. 24. 1. with 1 Chron. 21. I. Kings 22. 22, 23. 1 Chron. 10. 4, 13, 14. 2 Sam. 16. 10. Acts 2. 23: and 4: 27, 28. p Acts 14. 16. q Pfal. 76. TO. 2 Kings 19. 28. r Gen. 50. 20. James I. 13, 14, I John 2.

Ifa. 10. 6, 7, 12. 16. Pfal. 50. 21.

17.

V. The most wife, righteous, and gracious God, doth oftentimes leave for a Season his own Children to manifold Temptations, and the Corruptions of their own Hearts, to chastise them for their foriner Sins, or to dif cover unto them the hidden Strength of Corruption, and Deceitfuluefs of their Hearts, that they may be humbled t, and to raise them to a more close and conftaut Dependence for their Support upon himlelf, and to make them more watchful against all Future Occafions of Sin, and for fundry other juft and holy Ends u.

t 2 Chron. 32 25, 26, 31. 2 Šam. 21. 1. u 2 Cor.12. 7, 8, 9. Pfal. 73 throughout Pfal. 77 1,10, 12. Mark 14. 66 to the End, with John 21. 15, 16, 17.

VI. As for thofe wicked and ungodly Men, whom God, as a righteous Judge, for former Sins, doth blind and harden w, from them he not only withholdeth his Grace, whereby they might have been inlighted in the'r Understandings, and wrought upon in their Hearts *; but fometimes also withdraweth the Gifts which they hady, and expofeth them to fuch Objects as their Corruption makes Occasion of Sin z: And withal, gives them over to their own Lufts, the Temptations of the World, and the Power of Satan a; whereby it comes to pass that they harden themfelves, even under thofe Means which God ufeth for the foftning of others b.

w Rom. 1, 24, 26, 28. Rom. 11. 7, 8. * Deut. 29. 4. Mat. 13. 12. Mat. 25. 29. z Deut. 2. 30. 2 Kingi 8. 12, 13. a Pfal. 81. 11, 12. 2 Thef. 2. 10, 11, 12 b Exod. 7. 3 with Exod. 8. 15, 32. 1 Cor. 1. 15, 16. lfa, 8. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 7, 8. Ifa. 6. 9, 10 with Acts 28. 26, 27,

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 difpofeth all Things to the Good thereof c.

è 1 Tim. 4. 10. Amos 9. 8, 9. Rom. 8. 28. Ifa. 43: 3, 4, 5, 14.

CHAP.

CH A P. VI.

Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment ther cof.

UR first Parents, being feduced by the Subtilty and Temptation of Satan, finned in eating the forbidden Fruit a This their Sin, God was pleafed, accor ding to his wife and holy Counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to his own Glory b.

a Gen. 3. 13. 2 Cor. 11. 3. b Rom. 11. 32.

II. By this Sin they fell from their original Righteous nefs and Communion with God c, and to became dead in Sina, and wholly defiled in all the Faculties and Parts of Soul and Body e.

c Gen. 3. 6, 7, 8. Ecclef. 4. 29. Rom. 3. 23. dGen. 2. 17. Eph. 2. 1. e Tit. 1. 15. Gen. 6. 5. Jer. 17. 9. Rom. 3. 10, to 19.

III. They being the Root of all Mankind, the Guilt of this Sin was imputed f, and the fame Death in Sin, and corrupted Nature, conveyed to all their Pofterity defcending from them by ordinary Generation g.

fGeb. 1. 27, 28. and Gen. 2. 16, 17. and Acts 17. 26. with Rom. 5. 12, 15, to 19. and 1 Cor. 15. 21, 22, 45, 49 g Pfal. 51. 5. Gen. 5. 3. Job 14. 4. and 15. 14.

IV. From this original Corruption, whereby we are utterly indifpofed, difabled, and made oppofite to all Good A, and wholly inclined to all Evil i, do preceed all actual Tranfgreffons *.

A Rom. 5. 6. and 8, 7. and 7. 18. Col. 1. 21. Gen. 6. 5. Gen. 8. 21. Rom. 3. 10, 11, 12. k James 1. 14, 15. Eph. 2. 2, 3. Mat. 15. 19.

V. This Corruption of Nature, during this Life, doth femain in those that are regenerated / : And, although

It

1 John 1. 8, 10. Rom. 7. 14, 17, 18, 23. James 3. 2. Prov. 20. 9. Eccl. 7, 20.