SERM. Secondly, There is another inftance which XII. may deferve to be briefly confidered by itfelf, namely, that of our blefied Lord, who was God as well as man, and, as fuch, poffeffed of all poffible Divine perfections; of whom it is faid nevertheless, that he was tempted of the Devil, and this too even to fuch exceffive wickednefs, as to fall down and worship him.

1

But this will admit a very easy answer, when we remember that the word temptation is used ambiguoufly. Sometimes it implies the actual seduction or withdrawing men to fin, and, at other times, no more than a bare endeavour or attempt to do it. In the former fenfe, it is affirmed of God, that he is not to be tempted, i. e. he cannot, by any arts, be feduced or drawn afide to evil. But, in the latter fenfe, we are acquainted in the gofpel, that our blesfed Lord was tempted of the Devil; which, whilft it fufficiently betrays the Tempter's infolence, does but the more illuftriously display the glory and holiness of him who conquered the temptation. And thus far of the objections made against the Apostle's firft affertion. Those made against the

2. Second, That God tempteth not any man, are more numerous, and fhall, for method's fake, be diftinguished under fix claffes. It is objected,

(I.) That

(I.) That there are manifeft examples in SERM. fcripture of men that have been tempt- XII. ed by God.

(II.) That we read of fome exprefs commands or appointments made by him to do evil.

(III.) That that evil in which men were the immediate Agents, is often attributed to Almighty God.

(IV.) That God is fometimes represented as the Cause and Author of our inward principle of vice, or naughtiness of heart

(V.) That he foreknows and foretells the fins of men, and sometimes makes them fubfervient to the fulfilling of his own Decrees. And,

(VI.) That the experience we have of our own propenfity to evil, cannot be otherwife accounted for. The

(I.) FIRST of thefe, that there are manifeft examples in fcripture of men that have been tempted by God, is chiefly fupported by the following inftances.

First, It is alledged from Gen. xxii. 1. that it came to pass (after Abraham had fojourned many days in the land of the Philiftines) that God did tempt Abraham.

But temptation, it ought to be remembered, is an equivocal term, and may be distinguished into two forts; (1.) outward, of afflictions or other occafions that are of

fered,

SERM. fered, in the courfe of Providence, to exXII. ercife our virtue, when vice would conduce moft to our temporal eafe or fatisfaction, and virtue will expofe us to much hazard and danger, which are called temptations, because they try or prove the man that is exercised by them, as gold is tried in the fire, and fo make confpicuous and evident his faith, hope, patience, humility, and the like; or elfe detect his undiscovered fins, fuch as infidelity and hypocrify, but are not really any caufe of his falling into them. And (2.) inward, by influencing the temper and difpofition of our minds, and thefe are called temptations, because by them the affections of the foul are feduced and drawn afide to pursue wrong objects, from whence proceed ill thoughts and contrivances, ill words and actions.

In the former fenfe, to tempt is but to try our fincerity, which cannot be fo fully manifefted, whilft our fecular interest is promoted by the fhew of virtue, but will hardly be fufpected when our continuance in virtue fhall expofe us to disgrace or pain, or other inconveniencies. In the latter fenfe, it fignifies to incline or perfuade us to do evil, by ufing all artful means to biafs. and work on our affections. In this fenfe, St. James may well be understood, when he here denies God to be the Author of temptation; or, if it has any reference to

outward

outward temptations, it can be only with a SER M. view to that apoftacy or falling into fin XII. which fometimes follows them, not as any natural effect (for then it would be conftant) but as the remote, uncertain confequence, depending upon other caufes; for every man (as it follows in the next verfe) is thus tempted, not barely by being tried or proved, but when he is drawn away of his own luft or enticed.

So that, if this Text concerning Abraham, and fuch other paffages as mention God for the Author of temptation, are to be taken in the other fenfe, there will be found no contradiction or inconfiftency between them, but the fame God who tempteth not any man by difpofing him to fin, may yet take fuch methods of trying his fincerity, as do fometimes ferve to illuftrate and manifeft his virtue, and prove at other times occafions of his falling into fin.

Let this, in the mean time, be remembered, which was hinted before, that his fall is not properly the effect of that temptation, but of his own naughtiness and infincerity or negligence, which that temptation detects and publishes. For God deals with us as with free Agents, and offers fuch measures of his grace, as may supply the weakness, and conquer the corruptions of our nature. He is faithful therefore, and will not fuffer us to be tempted above that we VOL. III.

U

are

SERM. are able, but will, with the temptation, also XII. make a way to efcape, that we may be able to bear it. So that he who falls, has all the blame to himfelf: Had no temptation overtaken him, he had not, for that reafon, been more fincere, only his infincerity had been more covered and concealed; or at leaft he departs from his integrity, when he had fufficient strength and power offered to retain it.

That Abraham's temptation was of this kind, the circumftances of the ftory may abundantly convince us; for we read, that when Abraham had ftretched forth his hand, and took the knife to flay his fon, an Angel, (viz. the Angel of the covenant) having firft ftay'd him from the bloody execution, speaks to him in this phrafe; Now I know that thou fearest God, feeing thou haft not with-held thy fon, thine only fon, from me*. For, how could that be other than a trial of his obedience, which (when he had fhewn his refolution) he was not fuffered to perform? If it had been a temptation of an ill defign, why was he not permitted to go through with it? Or, to what purpofe is there fuch particular mention of the circumftance of time-Now I know that thou feareft God if this temptation were not meant to try whether he feared God or no.

It will perhaps be matter of furprize,

* Gen. xxii, 10, 12.

that