Provision for all-Providence incomprehensible.

Mat. 10. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Ac. 17. 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. [See 250.]

530. Does God provide for all?

Ps. 104. 4. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth: And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart. 21. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. 27. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. That thou givest them, they gather: thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good.

Mat. 5. 45.

He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Mat. 6. 26. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. 28. Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

531. Are the ways of providence incomprehensible?

Ps. 36. 6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep.

Divine displeasure.

Ps. 77. 19. Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footseps are not known.

Ps. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

Pr. 25. 2. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing. Ec. 3. 11. No man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Rom. 11. 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! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be given unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Punishment of the Wicked.

532. Is God displeased with the wicked?

Num. 32. 14. Ye are risen up in your father's stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord.

Dt. 25. 16. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.

Ps. 5. 5. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Ps. 7. 11. God is angry with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

Ps. 10. 3. The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth.

Divine displeasure.

Ps. 11. 5. The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth. Ps. 76. 7. Who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?

Pr. 8. 13. Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.

Pr. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart, are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

Pr. 15. 9. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. 26. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord.

Jer. 12.8. My heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.

Hos. 9. 15. All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house, I will love them no

more.

Hos. 13. 7. Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them. I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, I will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion.

Nah. 1. 6. Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

Rom. 2. 8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil; of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.

Rev. 6. 16. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Danger of losing the soul.

533. Are sinners liable to lose their souls forever?

Is. 33. 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Mat. 5. 22. Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 29. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Lk. 9. 43.

Mat. 7. 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because, strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Mat. 16. 25. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Lk. 9. 24.

Mat. 18. 8. Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

Mat. 23. 33. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Lk. 12. 4. Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, Fear him.

I

say

unto you,

Probation.

Heb. 4. 1. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

534. Is this life a state of trial for eternity?

Mat. 3. 10. The axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

Mat. 5. 25. Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily, I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Lk. 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

Heb. 10. 26. If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Rev. 22. 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

[See Mat. 25. Parable of the ten virgins and of the