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ven Devils, and wicked Men, are under the Providence of God: Matth, viii. 31. So the devils befought him, faying, If thou caft us out, fuffer us to go away into the herd of swine.' And evil Actions, as well as good, are within the Verge of it: Gen. xlv. 7. 'And God fent me before you, to preferve you a pofterity in the earth, and to fave your lives by a great deliverance." Yea, there is not any thing whatsoever, be it ever fo fmall or cafual, that falls out without the Pro, vidence of God: Matth. x. 29. 30. 'Are not two

fparrows fold for a farthing? and one of them ' fhall not fall on the ground without your Father, But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." The Works of Providence about the Creatures, are the preferving of them, and the governing of them and their Actions, Providence preferves the Creatures, fuftaining them in Being, and providing for their Support: Heb. i. 3. Upholding all

things by the word of his power.' Pfal. cxlv. 15. 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveft them their meat in due feafon. Thou openeft thine hand, and fatisfieft the defire of every living thing.' No Creature whatfoever could keep itself in Being one Moment: But upon God's withdrawing the upholding Hand of his Providence, it would immediately return to nothing: Heb. i. 3. Providence governs the Creatures and their Actions, difpofing of them according to the divine Purpose: Prov. xxi. 1. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he turneth it whitherfoever he will.' Eph. i. 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predeftinated. according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will.' Pro

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vidence governs finful Actions, permitting them, bounding them, and over ruling them to Good? Acts xiv. 16. Who in times paft fuffered all nations to walk in their own ways.' Pfal. lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man fhall praife thee : the remainder of wrath fhalt thou reftrain.' Gen. I. 20. But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pafs, as it is this day, to fave much people alive.'

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The Properties of the Works of Providence are thefe: They are most holy, wife, and powerful: Pfal. cxlv. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.' Pfal. civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wifdom haft thou made them all.' Dan. iv. 35. 'He doth according to his own will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: ' and none can stay his hand, or fay unto him, What dost thou?' Wherefore, God is not the Author of Sin; no more than he who rides a crooked Horfe, is the Caufe of his halting: James i. 13. Let no man fay when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempt

ed with evil, neither tempteth he any man.' Al Difpenfations of Providence are wifely ordered: Deut. xxxii. 4. 'He is the Rock, his work is perfect for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity; juft and right is he.' And Providence cannot mifs of its Defigns and Ends: xlvi. 10. My counfel fhall ftand, and I will do all my pleasure.'

The Rule of the Works of Providence, is the Decree of God; whereof they, and the Works of Creation, are an exact Accomplishment: Eph. i, 11. In whom alfo we have obtained an inheri

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tance, being predeftinated according to the purpofe of him who worketh all things after the • counsel of his own will.'

Queft. 12. What Special Act of Providence did God exercife towards Man in the Eftate wherein he was created?

Anf. When God had created Man, he entered into a Covenant of Life with him, upon Condition of perfect Obedi ence; forbidding him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, upon the Pain of Death.

EXPLICATION.

The Special Act of Providence towards Man newly created, was, God's making a Covenant of Life and Happiness with him. There are two Covenants for Life and Happiness to Man: And they are, the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace: Gal. iv. 24. For these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.'

The first Covenant was the Covenant of Works. It was made in Paradife, and before the Fall. The Parties contracting in it, were God and Adam: Gen. i. 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eateft thereof, thou fhalt furely die But Adam reprefented all Mankind, as the Parties contracted for: Gen. ii. 17. forecited. Compared

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with Rom. v. 12. By one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned.' There was no Mediator of this Covenant; for as yet there was no Breach, by Sin, betwixt God and Man.

The Condition of the Covenant of Works, was perfect Obedience: Gal. iii. 12. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doth them, shall live in them.' And it was to be perfect, in re fpect of Parts, Degrees, and Continuance: Gal iii. 1o. For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curfe: for it is written, Cur fed is every one that continueth not in all things 'which are written in the book of the law to do them. Matth. xxii. 37. Jefus faid unto him, Thou fhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy 'mind.' So the leaft failing in any Part or Degree of Obedience, or for never fo fmall a Time, would have broken this Covenant. The Law that was the Rule of this Obedience, was the Law of the ten Commands, and the Law forbidding to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil: Gal. iii. 10. and Gen. ii. 17. forecited. That Tree grew in Paradife, Gen. in 9. There was no Virtue in it to improve Men in Knowledge, as the Devil falfely fuggefted, Gen. iii. 5. For "God doth know, that in the day ye eat there

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of, then your eyes fhall be opened: and ye fhall be as gods, knowing good and evil.' Compared with John viii. 44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lufts of your father ye will do; he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, becaufe there is no truth in him. When he fpeaketh a lye, he fpeaketh

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' of his own: for he is a lyar, and the father of it.' But that Name was put upon this Tree, to intimate, that by eating of it, Man would know to his fad Experience, the vaft Difference between Good and Ill: Wherefore that Tree with that Name, was of Ufe, to be a Warning-piece to Man to beware of evil. Now, Adam knew the Law of the ten Commands, as they were impreffed on his Heart in his Creation: Rom. ii. 1 5. Which fhew the work of the law written in their hearts, their confcience.alfo bearing witnefs, and their thoughts the mean while accufing, or elfe excufing one another.' He knew the Law of the forbidden Tree, by Revelation, Gen. ii. 17. forecited. And he had fufficient Ability for the perfect Obedience required, Eccl. vii. 29. God made man upright.'

The Promife of the Covenant of Works, was a Promife of Life Gen. ii. 17. forecited. The Life promised was twofold; namely, one to be afforded him, during the Courfe of his probationary Obedience, another to be afforded him at the perfecting of it. The Life to have been afforded to Man during the Course of his probationary Obedience, was natural Life continued in Vigour and Comfort, and fpiritual Life continued in Favour and Fellowship with God, Gen. ii. 17. forecited. This was the Reward of Obedience in Hand. The Life to have been afforded him at the perfecting of his Course, was eternal Life in confummate Happinefs: Matth. xix. 16. 17. And behold, one came and faid unto him, Good master, what good thing fhall I do that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.' And this was the Reward of Obedience in Hope. Adam, if he had continued obedient, could

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