Page:Humbleadviceofas00west.djvu/21

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ning of them, in a manifold diſpenſation to his own holy ends[1]: 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[2].

V. The moft wife, righteous, and gracious GOD doth oftentimes leave for a feafon his owne children to manifold temptations, and the cor-ruption of their owne hearts, to chaftife them for their former finnes, or to difcover unto them the hidden ſrength of cor-ruption, and deceitfulneffe of their hearts, that they may be humbled[3]: and to raife them to a more close and conftant dependence for their fupport unto himfelf, and to make them more watchfull againft all future occaſions of ſin, and for ſundry other juſt and holy ends[4],

VI. As for thoſe wicked and ungodly men, whom GOD as a righteous Iudg, for former ſinnes doth blind and harden[5], from them he not only withholdeth his grace, whereby they might have been inlightened in their underſtandings, and wrought upon in their hearts[6]; but ſometimes alſo with draweth the gifts which they had[7], and expoſeth them to ſuch objects as their corruption makes occaſions of ſin[8]: and withall, gives them over to their own luſts, the temptatians of the world, and the power of Satan[9]: whereby it comes to paſs that they harden themſelves, even under those means, which GOD uſeth for the ſoftning of others[10].