Sermons Concerning Grace and Temptations, Sermon 3
AN ACCOUNT OF GODS TEMPTATIONS.
Gen. XXII. 1, 2.
And it came to paſs after theſe things, that God did tempt Abraham, and ſaid unto him, Abraham. And he ſaid, Behold here am I.
And he ſaid, Take now thy Son, thine only Son Iſaac, whom thou loveſt, and get thee into the land of Moriah: and offer him there for a burnt-offering, upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
THIS Chapter preſents you with a ſtory that hath no parallel; all ages have ſtood amazed at it, not knowing whether they ſhould more wonder at Gods Command, or Abrahams Obedience. Here is an admirable compoſure or mixture of joy and ſadneſs, ſadneſs and joy: you may (ſo we do it with holy reverence) liken it to a Comedy, whoſe property (as ſome have ſaid) is to begin with trouble, and end in cheerfulneſs. The ſubject-matter of this ſtory is Abraham tempted to ſacrifice his Son Iſaac, or (if you pleaſe) God tempting Abraham to ſacrifice his only Son. You have here,
1. The Temptation.
2. The effect of it.
Firſt, The temptation is, that Abraham muſt ſacrifice his Son.
Secondly, The effect of it was an Obligation upon Abraham to perform this ſervice: and therefore you ſhall find at the third verſe, that Abraham roſe up early in the morning, and ſadled his aſs, to diſpatch quickly what he was commanded: Gods Command, and Mans Obligation are [Relatum & Correlatum] Relatives. Indeed Gods Command, and the Creatures Obedience are not Relatives, for where God commands, obedience doth not always follow; but his command, and our obligation to obey, are Relatives, ſecundum eſſe, the one doth neceſſarily put the other in being.
In the temptation you have,
1. The efficient, God.
2. The act, did tempt.
3. The ſubject of the Temptation, Abraham, God did tempt Abraham.
4. The means whereby God did tempt him, by giving him an extraordinary command [ſuch as was never before nor ſince given to any man] for the Father to ſheath his ſacrificing knife in the throat of his own ſon, verſe the ſecond: Where the Hebrew words are wondrous emphatical:—
foreign Take now thy Son, thine only one, [or thy only begotten one, unigenitum, ſo ſome render it] whom thou loveſt, even Iſaac. Rabbi Salomon obſerves a Gradation, thus, Take thy Son, but ſaith he [that is, Abraham] I have two Sons, therefore ſaith God, foreign thine only ſon: ſaith Abraham, either of them is the only ſon of their mother, therefore ſaith God, foreign, him whom thou lovest: ſaith Abraham, I love both, therefore ſaith God, Iſaac, whom thou loveſt ſo well.
But how was Iſaac his only ſon, when he had Iſhmael alſo? becauſe he had Iſhmael, therefore the ſeptuagint render it [foreign] thy beloved one; ſo at the 12 and 16 verſes the ſeptuagint render foreign.
But Iſaac was his only Son remaining in his Family, for Iſhmael was gone: Thy only ſon by thy wife, thy legitimate Son as oppoſed to Iſhmael, begotten of the Bond-woman: thy only ſon to whom the promiſe is made, and of whom the Meſſiah is to come: foreign take him now; do thou thy ſelf take him, and offer him for a burnt-offering; do thou do it by thy ſelf, not by another; by thy own hand, not by anothers.
This Command of God was juſt, and no ways contrary to that ſtanding Law, foreign, thou ſhalt not kill: For though it be unjuſt, and againſt that law for any man to take away the life of a party not guilty of a Capital Crime, deſerving death; yet juſt it is, and God may juſtly command man to take away the life of a perſon never ſo innocent, for theſe reaſons.
1. Becauſe that law [thou ſhalt not kill] did not bind God.
2. And chiefly [a poteſtate Dei], from the Authority of God, becauſe God is the ſupream Lord, and hath [jus vitae & necis in omnes], an abſolute Dominion of life and death over all, which no creature hath, or can have.
3. [A potentia Dei], the power of God: And that,
1. Becauſe God could reſtore life taken away, and raiſe up Iſaac again: which man cannot do, nay, it is above the ſphere of all created activity.
2. God, if he never reſtore the life on earth that he takes away, yet he can give a better life, an everlaſting life in the room of it: You ſee then the command was juſt, and this was the Medium, or the means whereby God tempted Abraham.
5. The end of this Command was,
1. To try Abraham, and make proof of him, whether he loved God, or his Son Iſaac more.
2. And to manifeſt unto Abraham himſelf, his faith and love to God.
3. And to make him a rare example and pattern of both to all future generations.
6. You have the circumſtance of time, when God tempted Abraham, or (if you will) the order and ſucceſſion of this temptation, at the firſt verſe. After theſe things foreign. Indeed foreign ſignifies words: But that ſignification cannot ſtand here; it ſignifies (as foreign in the Greek alſo) things and matters: Which will give occaſion to explain a Text to you, Pſal. 65. 3. Iniquities prevail againſt me, as for our tranſgreſſions, thou ſhalt purge them away. Where, by iniquities you muſt by no means underſtand Davids iniquities or ſins (as if he had ſaid, My ſins or iniquities prevail againſt me), but the iniquities or unjuſt courſes of his adverſaries, they prevailed againſt him.
But the words are foreign, words of iniquity; words, put for things, things, or matters of iniquity, not Davids own, but his Adverſaries practiſed by them againſt him; that is, their unjuſt courſes prevailed againſt him to the trouble and vexation of him, and of Gods People; yet, ſaith he, as for our tranſgreſſions (which had given their Adverſaries ſuch power againſt them), thou [upon our ſerious ſeeking of thee] haſt purged them away, that is, haſt pardoned them.
Well then, to return to my Text, God tempted Abraham after theſe things, that is, thoſe things that went before; but how long this was after, it appears not by the Text, ſave only, that Iſaac was then of ſufficient age and ſtrength to carry a burden of wood for ſacrifice, being then (as Joſephus ſaith) fiveAntiq. lib. 1. cap. 14. and twenty years old, Abraham one hundred and twenty five, and Sarah one hundred and fifteen: though the Hebrews (ſome of them) ſay that Iſaac was thirty ſeven years old.
After theſe things God tempted Abraham, after all the preceding paſſages of his life, more particularly, after ſo many and ſo great promiſes made to him by God, concerning the multiplication of his ſeed by Iſaac, or after ſo many temptations he had paſſed through already; God brings up this in the Reer, and tempts him again.
The Hebrews (as Paulus Fagius relates) ſay, that Abraham was tempted ten times by God.
1. When he was commanded to leave his Countrey, and his Kindred.
2. When he was driven by the famine, to go and ſojourn in Egypt.
3. When Sarah was taken off him by Pharaoh, and he in danger of his life, and ſhe of her honour.
4. When he fought againſt the four Kings, of whom Lot was taken priſoner.
5. When he married his maid Hagar, becauſe he ſeemed in vain to expect Iſſue from Sarah.
6. When Hagar had conceived by him, being uſed hardly by Sarah, ſhe fled away.
7. When he was commanded to be circumciſed, being now an old man.
8. When Sarah was taken from him again by King Abimelech.
9. When he was commanded to baniſh Hagar and his Son Iſhmael out of his Family for ever.
10. When he was commanded to ſacrifice Iſaac: here was a long ſeries or chain of Temptations, and the laſt link was the heavieſt.
We come now to the Explanation of the words, the Text ſaith, That God tempted Abraham: It will be neceſſary to underſtand the meaning of it: for to tempt is a ſhrewd word, Satan is called the temptex, and it is aſcribed here to God. I anſwer, to tempt in the Hebrew is foreign, and ſometimes foreign, and this is the word in my Text here.
foreign, And God did tempt Abraham: In the Greek foreign and foreign, to which the word foreign is a-kin, it is the ſame properly with [Experiri, or periculum facere] to try one, to make tryal of, to take the experience of. And ſo the Schools deſcribe it, [Tentare eſt proprie Aquinas 22. ae. q. 97. art. 1.experimentum ſumere de eo qui tentatur], to Tempt is to make a tryal or experience of him who is tempted: And ſo Heſychius ſaith that foreign is properly foreign; Experimentum capere, to take an experiment or tryal of.
And thus God tempted Abraham, that is, made a tryal of, he tryed Abraham what he would do, whether he were good mettal or no, whether his dependance on God, and love to him were true gold, or counterſeit.
And for God to make tryal of a ſervant, cannot carry ſo much as a ſhadow of evil in it, and therefore it might well have been tranſlated thus, It came to paſs that God tryed Abraham.
2. Again, you muſt know, that to tempt or try another, is the effect of ignorance: For (as Aquinas ſaith) [Nullus 22 ae. … 97. ar. 2.experimentum ſumit de eo, de quo eſt certus], no man makes a tryal of him, of whom he is certain, what or who he is, or what he can do.
The end of tryal is to know, I ſay, we therefore try, another, that we may inform our knowledg: and therefore all proper temptation ſprings from ignorance or doubting. When we try a man by ſome experience, whether he loves us or no, it is becauſe we know not, but would know whether he loves us: when we are aſſured of his love to us, we try him no longer.
Queſt. You will ſay then, How could God try Abraham? Did not God who made the heart, know the heart of Abraham? Did not God who knows all things, know that Abraham feared God? Certainly God who knows the thoughts a-far of, knew Abraham, and all that was in Abraham, and what Abraham would do; he knew before-hand Abrahams affections to him, and therefore how is it ſaid, that God tempted Abraham?
Anſw. There is a two-fold tryal.
Firſt, A proper: And
Secondly, A metaphorical tryal.
1. To try properly, is [actio neſcientis] an action of him who knows not the heart, of him whom he trys and tempts; for (as you heard) he trys that he may know: [Tentatio propria eſt latentis animi alicujus exploratio], A proper tempting, is the trying of a mans mind or diſpoſition that lyeth latent and out of our ſight: We know not what is in him, and therefore we try him: And thus God tempted not, tryed not Abraham: he needed not this tryal, that he might know Abraham: Neither did Abrahams ſacrificing his Son add any thing to Gods Knowledg. But,
2. There is a metaphorical tryal, or a temptation by ſimilitude, when God doth a thing like unto thoſe, who try that they may know; men make tryal, that they may know, and God acted in this thing like to men: and therefore he is ſaid to tempt or try Abraham, though he knew all before he tryed him. I conclude with that excellent expreſſion of Caſſiodorus, [Tentat Deus ut erudiat, homo ut ſc…at, Diabolus ut ſeducat],Pſal 26. The Devil tempts that he may ſeduce, man tempts that he may know, or learn, but God tempts that he may teach or inſtruct.
So then God tempted Abraham, that is, he commanded that work whereby Abraham was tempted or tryed, but he did not try or tempt Abraham to gain any further Knowledg to himſelf.
Object. But you will ſay, It ſeems the contrary: for when Abraham would have really ſlain his ſon Iſaac, ſaith God, Now I know that thou feareſt God, ſeeing thou haſt not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me.
Anſw. I might here cumulate the Anſwers both of the ancients and moderns.
1. Some underſtand it [me tanimice] that God ſhould be then ſaid to know, when he makes others know [Significando per efficientem cauſam id quod efficitur], by the efficient cauſe, ſignifying the effect: as we ſay [Dies laetus] a joyful day, becauſe it makes men joyful, and [Frigus pigrum] dull or ſlow, cold, becauſe it makes men ſlow and dull; Triſtis lupinus (ſaith Virgil) ſad Lupine (a kind of pulſe, Pliny) becauſe it makes men ſad.
And according to this Hypotheſis, foreign in Kal, ſhould be put for foreign in Hiphil, and thus Saint Auguſtine, (lib. 4. de Geneſ. ad liter. chap. 9.) Nunc cognovi, id Tom 4. in queſt ſuper Geneſ. queſt. 57, 58. Et ſermone Domini in monte, lib. 2. cap. 14. So Tom 9. in Johannem tract 43. & Tom. 10. ſermone 72.eſt, nunc feci, ut cognos ceretur], Now, I know, that is, now I have made that it may he known: and [Tom. 5. de Civitate Dei, Lib. 16. Cap. 32.] Nunc ſcivi, id eſt, nunc ſciri feci. Pſal. 78. Nunc cognovi, id eſt, nunc feci te cognoſcere; ignotus enim ſibi quilibet eſt ante interrogationem Tentationis, probatus autem Abraham factus eſt cognitus ſibi. After the ſame manner doth Chryſoſtom expound it, writing upon the place [foreign]; now I have made known to all men, how thou worſhippeſt God with a ſincere love.
2. Others underſtand it of Gods Approbation, for [Verba notitiae] words of knowledg, with the Hebrews, [accipiuntur cum affectu & effectu] ſignifie affection: Now I know that thou feareſt God, that is, I approve this work of thy Obedience as an eminent teſtimony of thy filial fear, and ſincere love. Hilarius, ſcientia Dei dupliciter conſideratur, vel ut notitia futuri, vel, ut approbatio facti: illo modo Deus omnia novit ab aeterno, hoc quaedam in tempore, dum rem, quam cognoſcit, aperte approbat, eamque ſibi probari luculenter declarat.
3. Others underſtand it of a practical or experimental Knowledg: God perfectly knew Abrahams mind before: but now he ſees and beholds it in the work it ſelf. If we take it in this ſenſe, it is but a making God to ſpeak here [more hominum], duplicate page duplicate page who when they have made tryal of a thing, ſay then that they perfectly know it.
4. I conceive that God ſpeaks here foreign, for the Lord ſpeaks with man after the manner of men: ſo that when he ſaith, Now I know that thou feareſt God, the plain meaning is, Thou haſt done that thing at my Command, by which, had thine affection been hid from me, it would have been made evident, how dearly thou feareſt and loveſt me.
God is ſometimes pleaſed to tempt and try his people: OrDoctrine. thus, The Lord God thinks it good to tempt or make tryal of his Children. You muſt take notice, in Scripture you ſhall find; Firſt, That God is ſaid to tempt man. Secondly, AndCamero. pag. 185. col. 1. man is ſaid to tempt God. But we read not in Scripture, that the good angels, or devils are tempted. The reaſon whereof may without abſurdity be enquired (if it can be found out) becauſe they are alſo intellectual and rational creatures, and it is the rational nature that is ſubject to Temptation: And the reaſon ſeems to be this, becauſe
The holy angels, ſuch is their condition, that they indiſſolubly adhere to God: the evil angels, or devils, ſuch is their condition, that they immutably adhere to evil: and therefore Temptation here hath no place.
But now it is otherwiſe with man: his condition is mutable, and his ſtate is a ſtate of Temptation; he hath yet heaven to loſe, and hell to fall into; if he takes not care; as long as he is in this life, he is in the way of winning or loſing, and therefore here he is upon the ſtage of Temptation.
But the Devils are in their center, out of which they cannot be moved: The devils cannot be changed, and the holy angels cannot be altered.
Queſt. But upon this account (you will ſay) there is no ground at all why God ſhould be tempted, for he is unchangeable.
Anſw. God in himſelf is ſuch, that he cannot be tempted; yet by the ignorance of man, it comes to paſs that God is tempted.
But I ſay, in Scripture you ſhall find that,
1. God is ſaid to tempt man. And,
2. Man is ſaid to tempt God.
1. Man is ſaid to tempt God; and this is, when a man makes a tryal of God, whether he be wiſe, or powerful, just, or true and good.
To tempt or try God, may be ſometimes good, and ſometimes bad.
1. Sometimes there is a good and lawful tryal and tempting of God: When we humbly and ſubmiſſively put him to do ſomething to confirm our faith. Thus Gideon tried and provedJudg. 6. 37, 38, 39, 40. the Lord: Gideon tempted or proved God, but 'twas acceptable to God, becauſe he did it ſimply with an humble heart. But,
2. To tempt God, is for the moſt part taken in an ill ſenſe: I ſay, there is a ſinful tempting of God, and it ariſeth either out of diſtruſt, or impatience, or raſh preſumption, or pride, or too much confidence: of this you may read in Exod. 17. 2, 7, When the people wanted water, 'tis ſaid, They did chide with Moſes: and Moſes ſaid unto them, Why chide you with me? Wherefore do you tempt the Lord? At the ſeventh verſe, And he called the name of the place Maſſah and Meribah, becauſe of the chiding of the children of Iſrael, and becauſe they tempted the Lord, &c.
2. God is ſaid in Scripture to tempt man: which is the buſineſs of my Text, and the ſubject of this preſent Diſcourſe: And herein I ſhall (God willing) ſhew you four things:
1. That God doth tempt man.
2. It ſtands with Gods Holineſs to tempt man, his Holineſs and Righteouſneſs to tempt man.
3. Why God tempts man.
4. How God doth tempt man.
1. God he doth tempt man: he doth tempt and try men. He makes experience, and tryeth what they are, and what is in them: When the children of Iſrael came to Marah, theExod. 15. 25. waters were bitter, and the people murmured, ſaying, What ſhall we drink? And God ſhewed Moſes a tree, which when he had caſt into the waters, the waters were made ſweet; and (ſaith the Text) there he proved them. So in Exod. 16. 4, they murmur for want of bread, And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you: and the people ſhall go out, and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. God tempts his people, and it is to try them and prove them, whether they will ſerve him, and his deſigns. And in Deut. 8. 2, Thou ſhalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee theſe forty years in the wilderneſs, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldſt keep his Commandments, or no. So that to prove, is no more than to tempt, and to tempt is no more than to prove: God led Iſrael through the wilderneſs, through many difficulties, it was to prove and tempt them to know what was in their hearts.
Object. But it is ſaid in James 1. 13, 14, that God tempts no man; Let no man ſay when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man when he is tempted, is drawn away of his own luſt, and enticed. Here it is ſaid, that God tempts not any man, yet it is ſaid in my Text, That God tempted Abraham: How can theſe ſtand together?
Anſw. There is a two-fold way of Temptation.
1. There is Tentatio probationis.
2. There is Tentatio ſeductionis.
1. There is a tempting by way of Tryal or Probation: and thus God (as ye heard) tempted Abraham to try his Obedience: and he tempts his people to prove their graces; he preſents them with Trials, that their graces may be known, or their pride diſcovered, and brought low.
There is a tempting by way of ſeducement: and thus is James to be underſtood, that God tempts not any man, that is, he ſeduceth and enticeth no man to ſin: he ſuggeſts no evil, nor inſtilleth any impure thoughts, nor caſts any ſinful inſuſions into the heart: Thus, be ſure of it, God he tempteth not, either by inward ſolicitation, or by ſuch an outward diſpenſation, as may inforce to ſin; he that is the ultor or avenger of ſin, cannot be the Author of ſin: Thus let his people look upon him, he trieth their obedience, but doth not ſtir them up to ſin.
2. It ſtands with Gods Holineſs and Righteouſneſs to tempt and try his people. That you may underſtand this, you muſt know that,
1. There are Temptations which are good. And
2. There are Temptations which are evil. Gods Temptations or Tryals of men are very good; for as you heard, God cannot tempt to ſin; and our anſwer to that Text in Jam. 1. 13, would reſolve you here, and untie this knot: Yet for farther Dilucidation, I pray you underſtand, that to make a Temptation good, there are three things required.
1. He that tempts or tries another, muſt have [jus tentandi] a Right or Authority to do it.
2. He muſt have a juſt and good end.
And Thirdly, He muſt tempt or try in a juſt way, or by righteous means.
1. He that tempts or tries another, muſt have jus tentandi, a juſt Right or Authority to do it: and this Right God hath to tempt and try men: For they are his creatures, and the work of his hands: He hath a glorious Soveraignty and Dominion over Angels and Men which he made: Have not parents a power to try the Obedience of their Children, ſo the means they uſe be juſt and lawful? May not a General try the Valour and skill of his Soldiers? and do not you try and prove the ſwiftneſs of your horſe? Nay, may not a mam (a juſt meaſure being obſerved) try his own ſtrength?
Seeing then God is the ſupream Rector and Governour of the World, ſurely he hath an undoubted Right and Authority to tempt and try the diſpoſitions of men, and the virtue of his Saints.
2. To make a temptation good, he that tempts or tries, muſt have a juſt and good end: and this leads us to the
3. Point, why God tempts and tries his people: and that is three-fold,
1. His own Glory.
2. To manifeſt the vertues of his people.
3. To manifeſt and draw out their infirmities.
1. One end why God tempts and tries his Saints, is to manifeſt and diſcover their graces, virtues, and perfections; and this was one reaſon why God tempted Abraham; God tryed Abraham, that it may be known that he feared God: Did not God know it before? Yes: but, Sirs, God ſpeaks after the manner of men; he deals with man, after the manner of men: God knew Abraham loved him, and feared him, but God ſpeaks to Abraham as a man, Now I know that thou feareſt me, and lovest me: God will have the graces, vertues, and perfections of his Saints manifeſted and diſcovered.
2. Another end why God tempts and tries his people, is to diſcover and draw out their infirmities: [ Ʋt latens creaturae vitium patefiat], that ſome latent vice or ſin of the Creature may be made manifeſt: Thus the Text ſaith concerning Hezekiah, 2 Chr. 32. 31.That in the buſineſs of the embaſſadors of the princes of Babylon, who ſent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.
Sirs, Hezekiah, God had appeared in doing great wonders for him; when Sennacherib came with a great Army againſt him, the Lord ſent an Angel which cut off all the mighty men of Valour, and the Leaders and Captains in the Camp of the King of Aſſyria; then there came Embaſſadors from the King of Babylon to Honour and Court Hezekiah, becauſe God had done ſo much for him: By this tranſaction Hezekiah grew proud, and God let him alone, and left him, to try him: It is one of Gods glorious works to tempt a proud man, and leave him to himſelf. Obſerve the difference between the ſecond temptation: Firſt when he tempts a man to diſcover his graces, this is from God himſelf; but when God tempts to diſcover ſin, it is the cauſe of him who is tempted, and not in God who tempts him.
3. The third end why God tempts his people, is for his glory. Job was tempted moſt ſadly; and though the temptation was executed by Satan, yet it was inſtituted and appointed by Gods Ordination.
God had owned Job for his ſervant, and his brave ſervant too, for an upright man, one that feared God, and eſchewed evil: Have you ſo good and high an opinion of him, ſaith Satan? do but touch his eſtate, and his body, and he will curſe thee to thy face: ſayſt thou ſo, ſaith God? tempt him, ſaith God, and try him to the uttermoſt, I will give thee a Warrant and Commiſſion to do it: Satan ſets upon him, as far as God enlarged his Commiſſion: and Job was grievouſly afflicted, yet found upright in the main, ſteel to the back, and made Gods word good: How did God gain glory over Satan here? Glory to his truth: what God had ſaid of Jobs commendation, Job verified: Glory to his Holineſs, that he kept upright and gracious ſervants: Glory to his excellency and all-ſufficiency, that his ſervants will not part with him for any other maſter; let their afflictions and hardſhips in his ſervice, be what they will; they will not change their God, he is a better Lord and Maſter with afflictions, than the World is or can be with all ſugar'd-ſops of honour or proſperity: his ſervice is worth all their afflictions and ſorrows in it; that poverty with God, is better than riches, and reproaches with God are better than honours: How is Gods worth and glory magnified here by Jobs Temptations?
2. God gains Glory from his Saints themſelves, I ſay, his tempted Saints: They will afterwards admire, and adore, and thank, and praiſe him, that his Soveraignty would make uſe of them unworthly wretches, for his ſervice, and honour them with any employment for him: that his free grace would give them grace to engage for him, rather than ſin: that his power would bear them up with ſtrength under their trials and temptations, for they aſcribe all, both Combat and Victory, to his power, ſaying, Who was ſufficient for theſe things? that his power ſhould be made perfect in their weakneſs; that he ſhould by weak inſtruments do ſuch great things; preſerve ſmall ſparks of fire in ſo great a Sea of trials, and keep weak candles alive in the face of ſuch ſtrong winds and aſſaults; that God by ſuch poor twigs as they are, ſhould beat the old great ſerpent: Oh, this makes much for the praiſe of his power, that his mercy ſhould watch over them in their temptations, and turn all to their good, refine them from their droſs, accept what was good in them, and pardon what is evil, and at laſt deliver them out of all; I tell you, when God ſhall appear, he will be glorified and admired in all his Saints for theſe things, even for their trials and temptations.
3. If the Saints do stumble and fall when they are tried by God, yet it makes for his glory: What makes for their good, makes for his glory, when by their fall ſome ſecret ſin is diſcovered, as pride or ſelf-confidence; their latent diſpoſitions are made known, and their hearts are expoſed to their view; doth not this make to the glory of his wiſdom? When their ſin is cured by ſinning, doth not he appear a moſt skilful phyſitian? When being wounded by their fall, they are healed and pardoned, doth not this make to the glory of his mercy? Do they not cry out, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneſt iniqnity? When they riſe again out of ſin, and grow more ſtrong by their falls; when they are raiſed, where others break their necks, doth it not make to the glory of his power? So that every way, Gods trials and temptations make for his glory; they make for their good, and therefore for his glory: God tempts the godly and the ungodly, he doth it for his glory: By Abrahams temptation his faith was brought to light; by Hezekiahs temptation, his pride was detected.
And therefore the temptation whereby God tries man, cannot but be good, and always good, as it proceeds from God, although ſometimes man abuſeth it to his hurt; for (as we ſaid) God tempts both the godly and the ungodly, and the event in both is ſometime good, and ſometime bad; as men are either confirm'd by the grace of God, or being deſtitute of it, are left to themſelves; although God always makes the event [otherwiſe bad enough] to turn at laſt to the godly to their good, that by their falls coming to ſee and acknowledg their weakneſs and infirmity, they may with ſo much more diligence (through Gods grace) work out their ſalvation with fear and trembling.
And thus (as we hinted before) by Abrahams temptation, his glorious faith was tried and brought forth to light: By Hezekiahs temptation, his vanity and weakneſs was detected, that ſo he might walk afterwards with more caution and humility.
3. To make a temptation good, he that tries, muſt do it in a juſt way, by good and lawful means: for we muſt not do evil, that good may come: and God will not do evil, that good may come of it; nay God is ſo holy, that he cannot do evil that good may come of it.
And this leads us to the fourth point:
4. How God doth tempt and try: and here I muſt tell you, that God doth tempt and try men two manner of ways:
1. Immediately.
2. Mediately.
Immediately, By himſelf.
Mediately, By inſtruments, by Satan, ſometimes; by wicked men other times; but always juſtly. How doth God try and tempt his people?
1. He tries and tempts his people by giving them Commands. We try our children by giving them ſomething to do: ſome ſpecial command to obey: God tempts his Children by commanding them ſometimes ſuch things as are difficult and offenſive to nature, ungrateful and diſpleaſing to the fleſh, abſurd to reaſon: Thus he tempted Abraham in my Text, by a command, he commanded him to ſacrifice his Son, his only Iſaac: Thus Chriſt commanded the young man to go and ſell all, and follow him: Unhappy man! that had the command, but had no love to obey the command: For when he heard ſuch a command, he went away ſorrowful, for he had great poſſeſſions. Matth. 19. 22.And why went he away ſorrowful? that Chriſt ſhould command that which he was not willing to perform.
Sirs, This is the caſe of many of you, Gods Commands are your tryals, and God commands you to repent and leave ſin preſently; and you go away ſorrowful: God commands you to part with your beloved ſin, your ſweet or profitable ſin, and you go away ſorrowful.
2. God tempts by afflictions and perſecutions, and theſe are great Temptations, and make the heart heavy: there is ſpiritual joy and outward heavineſs at the ſame time; wherein 1 Pet. 1. 6.ye greatly rejoyce, though now for a ſeaſon ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations; that is, afflictions; their ſalvation in Chriſt made them rejoyce, their temptations at the ſame time made them heavy: here was ſowre and ſweet, gladneſs and heavineſs (like the twilight) at the ſame time, in the ſame ſubject together.
Sirs, ſirs, God will tempt his; if you be his, God will tempt you with afflictions, he will make you know what metal you are of, and therefore will one time or other throw you into the furnace.
3. God tempts and tries his people by the proſperity of the wicked, and this to weak nature is a ſore affliction; when their own affliction, and ſinners proſperity face one another, they ſee themſelves in poverty, and Gods Enemies wealthy; they ſee themſelves peſtered with ſickneſs, and ſinners frolick in their health and jollity; their own bones withered, and the bones of the ungodly full of marrow; Oh! ſometimes, it is a temptation as keen as a Razor, Verily, I have cleanſed my heart in Pſal. 73. 13. 14.vain, and waſhed my hands in innocency. Why? what is the matter? do you ask me? ſaith he it is becauſe it is in vain to ſerve the Lord; for while the ungodly proſper, I am plagued all the day long, and chaſtened, every morning.
4. God tempts by mercies, by giving men mercies, talents and opportunities, to ſee what they will do with them, and how they will improve them: And thus God hath tempted you kindly, and tried you ſweetly a long time with Mercydays, and Goſpel-days; oh the golden ſeaſons of grace that have for many years dropt upon you! Oh the melting dews of ſalvation, and refeſhing ſhowres of peace and liberty that have daily wet you! ſo that you have been as a water'd garden, and God hath been trying you with theſe all this while: and where's the fruit ye have brought forth? where's your growth of grace? Well, look to it: God will reckon for them: And thus God tempts and tries ſinners with his patience and long-ſuffering, he hath made his ciſterns to run with Wine of proſperity and health upon them: And knoweſt thou not, O man, that the goodneſs of God leads thee to repentance? Oh take heed: Sinner, thou haſt been long upon thy trial: I ſay, God hath been trying how theſe would work.
5. God tempts by objects and occaſions. As ſometimes you will lay a piece of money in the way of a child or ſervant, to try their faithfulneſs, and prove their truth, whether they will pilfer or ſteal yea or no; that you may know whether you may truſt them hereafter, or not; ſo doth God tempt and try the Sons of men, by preſenting them with objects and occaſions; that is, unlawful objects, and occaſions to ſin. This is an holy Act of God, for he doth not move the heartGod tempted or tryed Joſeph, when he had an opportunity: but behold brave Joſeph, ſaith he, How can I do this great wickedneſs and ſin againſt God? to ſin, only preſents the outward object to try the heart.
The goodly fruit of the tree of knowledg was a ſtanding object in our parents eye to try them every day: It was there in their eye, yet forbidden fruit; they could not but ſee it, yet they muſt not touch it.
So, Sirs, Gods Providence preſents you with various objects, it preſents ſome with beauties, with honours, with a rich protion, with a wedg of gold; What ſhould we do now in this caſe? ſay, here's a temptation, a trial from the Lord upon me; and be ſure we be jealous of our eye and affections.
Some (it may be) will think Providence lays this object in my way, therefore I may be medling with it: Oh no; we muſt not make the Providence, but the Precept of God our only Rule: and know that God tempts us, and tries us by objects and occaſions.
6. God tempts by delays: Sinners tempt God by their delays of repentance, and God tempts his people by his delay of anſwers; they pray, and he defers; they preſs him to anſwer, and he delays: God (as you heard) promiſed Abraham a Son, and by his delay (as it were) denieth performance; for delay bears the image and ſemblance of denial: and God makes him wait five and twenty years for performance. Afflictions are heavy, they are biting and cutting temptations: A ſhort affliction ſeems long, but length of affliction adds weight unto it, and puts many grains into it; Oh! it is a ſore temptation; and yet thus God tempts and tries his people; they call to day, and he comes not; then they cry, and cry aloud, and yet he hears not: and this makes them cry, How long, how Pſal. 35. 17.long, Lord! Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Reſcue my ſoul from their deſtructions, my darling from the lyons. How long, Pſal. 79. 5.Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever? ſhall thy jealouſie burn like fire?
Theſe how longs are great temptations to our natures: and this may be thy caſe, poor ſoul, and then you will find this how long a bitter temptation.
7. God alſo tempts by way of Denial, and in ſome things this is a ſore trial; for if delay be a great temptation, Denial muſt needs be a very great one; we ſue to God for a thing that is deſirable, we long for it, and God ſaith, no, to our ſuits: We ask for the life of ſuch a friend, or relation, and God replies with a negative vote; we lift up our hands for deliverance out of the Cloud of ſuch afflictions, and the hand of God makes it thicker and darker on us: we move God for great mercies, and he gives us great Denials: This is to put our ſubmiſſion to the trial, to put our reſignation to his Will and Wiſdom, to the trial; our patience under his Soveraignty; to the trial.
Ʋſe 1. Did God tempt Abraham? what, Is God himſelf wont to tempt and try his people? How ſhould this make us walk before the Lord in fear and trembling? Pray and tremble, profeſs and tremble; meditate and tremble?
Sirs, It is no wonder to hear that Satan will tempt us, or that the world will tempt us, or to hear that our own fleſh or corruption will tempt us, all this is no wonder; but to hear that the Great God himſelf will try and tempt us, that God will be at this work with us, and ſet upon us, ah! what a wonder and aſtoniſhment is it! How ſhould it fill our hearts with fear and reverence! How ſhould we entertain this truth with holy and humble trembling! Surely, this ſhould extinguiſh onr frolicks, and annihilate our pride, and awaken our ſecurity: God himſelf is reſolved to be a tempter, I mean, to try his people, and call their graces out to ſervice: Oh! then watch, and pray, and fear; for the Devil to come and charge you with his Piſtol, is matter of fear enough; but if God himſelf will come with his Piſtol cock't and charg'd upon you, oh! this is formidable: I ſay then, watch, and pray, and fear.
Ʋſe 2. Learn here to act faith: you muſt act faith in the greateſt and moſt gain-faying temptations: Difficulties and Impoſſibilities are the true objects of faith; you muſt believe, when it ſeems a contradiction to believe: Abraham was to believe that he ſhould have an innumerous poſterity in Iſaac, and yet he is commanded to kill Iſaac: Can theſe two ſtand together? Iſaac ſhall live to be the Father of many Nations, and yet Iſaac ſhall dye by the hand of his Father: When Iſaac is once gone, where is my ſeed? where is my bleſſing? And yet Abraham believes, and his faith triumphs over the difficulty: his faith makes him an acute logician, and ſolves the knot of contradiction: Abraham knew that he had to do with a God: he believed that God for his promiſe ſake would raiſe up the ſame Iſaac, when he had kill'd him.
Sirs, It is hard and myſterious to believe, when Gods own Providences ſeem to croſs his own promiſes: Yet then we muſt believe, I ſay believe in God, when his own Providences ſeem to go againſt his own promiſes: God will one time or other be as if he were killing you; now, Sirs, to believe is a work indeed, and you muſt now believe.
Queſt. How ſhall we in this eaſe, at this dead-lift, believe and act faith?
Anſw. 1. Fill the ſoul with Gods infiniteneſs: Gods way is not your way (ſaith faith), nor his thoughts as your thoughts; but as the Heavens are above the earth, ſo are his thoughts beyond yours, and his ways beyond yours: Faith lodgeth this principle in the ſoul, that God is infinite; and having laid that principle there, when difficulties and diſcouragements ariſe, ſaying, You ſee now in what diſtreſs you are brought, now you ſee there is no hope at all of your deliverance; true indeed, ſaith the believer; I ſee there's no way in reaſon, in any ones reaſon, but God is infinite: I ſee many difficulties, but God is infinite: the ſoul by faith being filled with the apprehenſions of Gods Infiniteneſs, is carried unto him through all difficulties and diſcouragements: Now to him that is able to Eph. 3. 20, 21.do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us: Ʋnto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jeſus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
2. Let thy faith lay up, and lay hold on this principle, that Gods love is immutable: Soul, whom God once loves, he ever loves: hath he loved thee? then he can never unlove thee: With him there's no variableneſs nor ſhadow of turning: Fix here then, it is a ſtrong electuary in a day of fainting: afflicted Saint, what's the matter? My ſtroaks are from God himſelf: yet he loves thee: But God hath hid his face from me yet he loves thee.
3. Act faith in temptation, that God will be with you: he will be at thine elbow; you know that bleſſed promiſe, I will not fail thee, nor forſake thee.
4. In trials and temptations act your faith in this, that God governs and moderates all temptations; there's never a temptation, but it is from Divine ordination, and therefore is managed by the reins of Divine moderation: ſo that as the expert Rider rules the horſe, and the skilful Coach-man by his dexterity guides the Coach; ſo the wiſe and merciful God governs the temptation, he holds the temptation in his hand with Curb and Bridle; he allots it its bounds, and graciouſly preſcribes its meaſure, ſo that it ſhall not be upon you out of meaſure; Oh! what a rare comfort is this to a poor ſoul, that a God ſo good, circumſcribes temptation within limits; it may flow in upon you, but ſhall not over-flow you; I ſay, it ſhall not overflow the banks, God himſelf will keep and bound it within its channel; its Waves may drench you, but they ſhall not drown you: The Great God that ſaith to the Sea, Hitherto ſhall thy proud waves go, and no farther, the ſame God ſits upon the waters of every temptation.
5. In all your trials and temptations, act your faith upon this principle, that God will extract good out of them; this is the Royal prerogative of God to do ſo; it is his peculiar, and he will do ſo; it is ſpoken of him as one of his incommunicable excellencies, that God commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs: It is the property of the Devil to draw evil out of good, and darkneſs out of light; but it is the ſweet property of a gracious God to draw good out of evil, and light out of darkneſs; he will turn the ſhadow of death into the morning; tempted ſouls, the Lord who tries you, will extract good out of your trials and temptations.
Ʋſe 3. Expect a perpetual ſucceſſion of temptations: [Tota fidelium vita tentatio eſt] all the life of Believers is a temptation. When one leaves you, look certainly for another: In your new birth you are born to temptations; this life is but a long chain of ſucceſſive and continued temptations: The temptations of Abraham were many: ſome caſting up the accounts of his temptations that are recorded, reckon them to be ten; it may be, I may find more: concerning his habitations, he was to change them thrice.
1. He left his own Native Country (at Gods Command) and quit all his kindred, and dwelt in Charran.Act. 7. 3, 4.
2. From thence he went (at the ſame command) into Canaan; whither muſt he go? to a place he knew not, to men that knew not him.
3. And there God gave him no inheritance in it, no not ſo Act. 7. 5.much as to ſet his foot on, which ſeems to be [foreign], a gift, and no gift; to promiſe to give him a land, and then to give him not a foot of land in it, a ſhrewd temptation!
4. Then there was a famine in the land of Canaan, and Abraham Gen. 12. 10.was fain to go down to Egypt; Canaan doth not afford him bread, which yet he muſt believe ſhall flow with milk and honey to his ſeed.
5. In Egypt he was tempted about Sarah his wife, and he ſaidGen. 12. 11. to 17. ſhe was his ſiſter. And Pharaoh took her into his houſe; he was under danger of his life, and (which was worſe) his wife was under danger of her chaſtity.
6. Then when he came into Canaan again, Lots HerdsmenGen. 13. and his fell out, where they ſhould feed their cattel, and they did ſeparate from one another, and Lot choſe him all the plain of Jordan; he had brought Lot along with him, and nouriſhed him as his child in his boſom, and now to be uſed ſo unkindly by Lot, here's another temptation.
7. Then Lot his kinſman is taken priſoner, and Abraham isGen. 14. fain to engage himſelf in a War againſt four Kings, for the reſcue of Lot taken Captive.
8. Then he was afflicted for want of an heir, and complains to God, What wilt thou give me, ſince I go childleſs?Gen. 15. 2.
9. Then again, as he is offering ſacrifice, and the Sun was going down, an horrour of great darkneſs fell upon him, and heGen. 15. 12, 13. received ſad news from God, that his ſeed ſhould be a ſtranger in a land that is not theirs, and ſhall ſerve them, and they ſhall afflict them four hundred years.
10. Then he is tempted with the delay of performance: GodGen. 16. 1. promiſed him a Son, but tries him ſorely with delay of performance; the execution of performance is put off: And Sarai Abrahams wife bare him no children: Abraham was old ere he had the promiſe and hope of a Son; and ſtill the older, the more uncapable; yet God makes him wait five and twenty years for performance.
11. Then at his wifes perſwaſion he goes in to Hagar herGen. 16. 5. maid, and ſhe brings him a Son called Iſhmael, and there falls out diſcord and contention between Sarai and Hagar, and Sarai chides Abraham for it, and lays the blame upon him.
12. Then God commands him to be circumciſed, and to circumciſe all his ſeed, and all that were in his houſe: AndGen. 17. 24. Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumciſed in the fleſh of his foreskin. Indeed circumciſion was the ſign of the Covenant, and Abraham was not only content to wait for God, but alſo to ſmart for him: God bids him cut his own fleſh, and he is willing to carry this painful mark of the love of his Creator, not regarding the ſoreneſs of his body for the confirmation of his ſoul.
13. Then he is tempted again by Abimelech, and ſaith, thatGen. 20. 2. Sarai his wife was his ſiſter, and Abimelech takes Sarai his wife from him.
14. Then he is ſorely tempted again by the ejection of his Son Iſhmael: for Sarah ſaid unto Abraham, Caſt out the bondwoman Gen. 21. 10, 11.and her ſon: for the ſon of this bond-woman ſhall not be heir with my ſon, even with Iſaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abrahams ſight, becauſe of his ſon.
15. Then he is tempted here: God commanded him to kill and ſacrifice his Son; all the former were but eaſie tasks of faith to this: all ages have ſtood amazed at this, to ſacrifice his Son! All the other were but mole-hills to this great Mountain: Doſt thou take pleaſure in humane ſacrifice? or if thou wilt have it, muſt I be the Monſter of all parents to do it? muſt my hands deſtroy the fruit of mine own loins? If thou wilt have him, muſt I my ſelf do it? what none elſe, but I my ſelf muſt do it? A temptation moſt tranſcendent! and yet this follows after all the reſt.
Sirs, What ſay you? Do you think to live quiet? you have been tempted, and now you hope. to be quiet: miſtake not, look for more ſtill, and more yet, and more continually: Do you think at the end of a temptation, there's an end of temptations? No, no: they muſt begin again: God hath more work for you to do: God will not ſuffer his ſervants to loiter and ſit idle: Haſt thou been afflicted, and tried, and tempted? thou wilt be ſo again: God will not give over with thee: and therefore expect a perpetual ſeries of temptations.
Ʋſe 4. Think not the worſe of the ſtate of grace, becauſe of trials and temptations: Be not diſcouraged in it: It is God, the gracious God that tempts Abraham, and will tempt and try his Saints: and theſe temptations the Devil makes uſe of to work your hearts back again: When ye were in your natural condition, then your heart was quiet, your conſcience quiet, and the devil quiet, and your friends quiet, and did not ſpeak evil of you; and the world quiet, and did not hate you nor trouble you: But now you begin to look toward Jeſus Chriſt, now conſcience condemns, now the Devil accuſeth, now your friends, your former friends, they ſpeak evil of you, the world abuſeth you, your neighbours ſcorn and moleſt you: I appeal to thee [man or woman] in thine own ſoul; Doſt thou not think that thy former condition was an ungodly condition? Yes, I confeſs, yes; and yet then thou waſt quiet, then conſcience quiet, then friends quiet, then Satan quiet, but now conſcience accuſeth, and now Satan accuſeth, and the world accuſeth, and friends ſpeak evil: Oh, ſay then, my condition is now far better; when I was bad, and my condition was dangerous, then all was quiet, and therefore my condition now with trials and temptations is far better.
When I was going to hell, all was quiet; when I was like to be loſt, then all was quiet, and therefore I will not change ſtates with my ſelf for all the world; I would not be in my former loſt condition with all my quietneſs for a thouſand worlds: I will prize my condition of faith and grace with trials and troubles infinitely above my former condition, come what will come: Gods Wormwood is better than the Devils Honey. Well then, be not diſcouraged, 'twas God that did, and doth try his Saints.
Ʋſe 5. Compoſe and frame your hearts for hard ſervices: ſtore up ſtrength for great and ſtrong encounters: God hath difficult work for his people to do; it may be, Saint, he hath employed thee hitherto but in eaſie ſervice, and thou thinkeſt it will be always ſo: but thou art miſtaken.
You know not what dear Iſaac, what precious jewel God will have thee part with, and ſacrifice to him.
And therefore be up at work, labour hard for grace, to fit you for hard ſervices: The little Bee, when 'tis ſeaſon with her, is upon the wing of Diligence, ſhe is out in the morning, goes to every flower, brings in to her hive, and ſtores up for winter, and wilt not thou do ſo?
Shall the Bee; the little Ant be wiſer than thou art? have they ſouls to ſave? and yet they provide for nature, and lay up for difficulties: Awake then, awake; ſhall thoſe ſilly creatures be at work, and wilt thou loiter? Go to the Ant, thou ſluggard, conſider her ways, and be wiſe.
Many of you [I fear] will miſcarry in your trials and temptations through your preſent loiterings: It hath been honeymoon with many of you, whilſt others have been chastned every morning, and you think it will be ſo ſtill: and this undoes you: you think God will put you to no harder work than he hath done, and ſo you overthrow your ſelves.
There's never a perſon in this Congregation knows what day of difficulty and temptation is coming over him; not one of you knows what hot ſervice God hath yet for you: Little did Abraham think a day before, to hear that command from God, Go and ſacrifice thy Son, thy only Son Iſaac: Little doſt thou know, how ſoon God will ſay to thee, Be ſick, be afflicted and terrified in conſcience; how ſoon he may withdraw his face, give thee up to doubtings and terrors: little doſt thou know how ſoon God may ſay unto thee, as he did to Moſes, Go up to mount Nebo and dye: Oh then, ſtore up ſtrength for great and hard ſervices and temptations.
Ʋſe 6. Expoſe not your ſelves unto temptations: It is ſaid here in the Text, that God did tempt Abraham: Abraham did not ſeek temptation, but God did tempt Abraham; to ſeek temptation is a ſin; but when God tempts us, it is a way to honour: When we expoſe our ſelves to temptation, a thouſand to one but we fall and break a limb, an arm or a leg; but when God tempts us, if we ſeek to him, and keep to his rules, we may expect a bleſſing.
Chriſt teacheth us to pray, Lord, lead us not into temptation: but ſurely we are not to lead our ſelves into temptation.
1. Ye heard, that to a lawful temptation; he that tempts and trieth, muſt have [jus tendandi] a right and authority to tempt; God being our Lord, and the ſupream Rector, having abſolute government over us, hath [an foreign] an Authority to tempt us and try our graces: but we are not our own, we are his, and not our own; we are not at our own command, nor in our own power; we may not do what we will with our ſelves, and therefore we may not offer our ſelves to temptation.
2. When God tempts us, and leads us out into the field of Trial, we may expect his help and preſence: his aſſiſtance goes along with his temptations: But when we tempt our ſelves, and put our ſelves to trials and troubles, we can expect no ſucceſs, nor look for Gods Aſſiſtance, becauſe we are out of Gods way: let him that brings us in, bring us off again: If God bring us into temptation, he will bring us off; but if we bring our ſelves into temptation, we muſt bring our ſelves off again.
Ʋſe 7. Saints, look upon your daily afflictions, as your temptations.
1. They are ſent from God upon you, as your temptations, to try you and refine you: Obſerve then with what humility you receive them, for they are ſent to try your humility; obſerve with what patience and meekneſs you bear them, for they come to try your patience: obſerve into what nutriment you concoct them, for you muſt feed upon them, and eat them, to kill corrupt humours, and to breed good blood and ſpirits: I ſay, obſerve then what fruits they bring forth, for though they are not joyous, but grievious for the preſent: Heb. 12. 11.yet afterward they yield, (or God looks they ſhould yield) the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs unto them which are exerciſed thereby. God will come to you, as the Maſter did to the fig-tree, to ſeek fruit on you: I muſt tell you, God expects as much fruit from your temptations, as from your mercies: Gods Eye is upon you, he looks what you are doing.
2. Afflictions (per accidens, through our corruptions) are great temptations to ſin, and therefore you had need obſerve your ſelves ſtrictly under your daily afflictions: I ſay, they are great temptations to ſin: for though it be ſaid of Chriſt, that he was in all points tempted like as we are, yet Heb. 4. 15.without ſin: But in our infirmity of the fleſh, we are ſeldom tempted by afflictions, without ſin: Although affliction doth not quite vanquiſh and overcome us, yet always almoſt at the very firſt on-ſet, it doth (like a great blow) dizzy the brain, and makes us give back: If we be not thrown down, yet we reel and ſtagger; and ſometimes it lays us flat, and our faith lyes ſprawling upon the ground: In affliction there are two things:
1. Senſation. And
2. Temptation.
1. In affliction there is Senſation [doloris ſenſus] the ſenſe of pain and grief, and this Chriſt felt as well as we: we cannot, and he could not taſte affliction without pain: as we are affected with Dolour, when evils lye upon us; ſo was Chriſt, he felt ſharp and keen pain. and thus Chriſt was tempted in all things, and in the ſame manner, as we are, as to ſenſe of pain and grief, yet without ſin. But,
2. In affliction there is alſo temptation to ſin: and becauſe it is ſo true, that great temptations ariſe out of afflictions, therefore are afflictions Antonomaſtice called temptations, they tempt ſadly to murmuring and impatience, to wrangling and expoſtulation with God, to unbelief and doubting of his love, nay, to caſt off God: Doth God himſelf tempt me thus, and afflict me thus? and ſhall I ſerve ſuch a Maſter? Ah! look how ye are under your daily afflictions.
Ʋſe 8. Doth God tempt Abraham, Abraham his friend? Then you may be the tempted, and yet the beloved of the Lord: God tempts and tries his dear ones: all's in love.
1. He tempts his dear ones; he tempts thoſe whom he loves dearly: Abraham was high in Gods Books, one of his intimate and boſom-acquaintance, and yet God tempts Abraham: Nay, to give you a greater inſtance than Abraham, Jeſus Chriſt was tempted: I ſay, Jeſus Chriſt was Heb. 4. 15.in all points tempted like as we are, and yet the beloved of the Lord: he was the tempted, and yet the beloved of the Lord: he was tempted foreign eminently, ſuperlatively, more than us all, and yet he was beloved of the Lord; foreign eminently and ſuperlatively above us all.
So that ye may be the tempted, and yet the beloved of the Lord: nay, Jeſus Chriſt was tempted of God himſelf: he was not only tempted by the tempter, but by his dear Father, God himſelf: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me?
2. All is in love: he tempts in love: he not only tempts his beloved, but he tempts them in love: that he may love them the more, and they in the Iſſue love him the better: How much more did God love Abraham, when he ſaw him forget himſelf to be a Father, and his own child to be his Son, for his ſake?
By my ſelf have I ſworn (ſaith the Lord) for becauſe thou Gen. 22. 16, 17.haſt done this thing, and haſt not withheld thy Son, thine only Son: That in bleſſing, I will bleſs thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy ſeed as the ſtars of the heaven, and as the ſand which is upon the Sea-ſhore: and thy ſeed ſhall poſſeſs the gate of his enemies: And did not this meſſage from heaven (think you) kindle a greater flame of love in Abrahams boſom toward God? without doubt it did: God loves Abraham more, Abraham loves God more than ever he did: When Abraham ſaw Gods deſign, and had his Son delivered ſafe to him again, How was his heart filled with a ſpiritual torrent of joy! He gained the experience of Gods love to him, and of his love to God, and would not have unwiſhed the temptation again upon any terms.
3. God tempts, and all is in wiſdom: God tempts his Beloved in wiſdom: he corrects his Children, as well as his Enemies; but when he corrects them, it is in much prudence and wiſdom.
Queſt. But how ſhall I know that God tempts me for my good? How ſhall I know that God afflicts me, and tempts me in love.
1. Why, firſt, becauſe he loves thee: whom he loves, he tempts and proves them in love: you imagine he loves you, but you do not feel that he loves you: the ſenſe of Gods love would put all theſe out of doubt.
2. You may know he tempts you in love, if ye be faithful unto him in temptations: if you depart not from God in the day of temptation: God is trying and tempting his people at this day, and it may be it will be a ſad day, and a dark day of temptation; it may be it will be a ſtrong day of temptation, and of long temptation: and you would know whether he tempts you at this day in love, then make choice of ſuffering rather than ſin, of affliction rather than defection: The Heb. 10. 38.juſt ſhall live by faith (ſaith the Apoſtle) that is, ſhall hold out by faith in the day of temptation: But if any man draw back, my ſoul (ſaith God) ſhall have no pleaſure in him.
Would ye know whether God proves you at this day, and tries you in love? then put on the whole armour of God, that ye Eph. 6. 11, 14.may be able to ſtand againſt the wiles of the Devil. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, &c. Watch ye, 1 Cor. 16. 13.ſtand faſt in the faith, foreign, quit your ſelves like men: be ſtrong. Stand faſt in the liberty wherewith Chriſt Gal. 5. 1.hath made us free, and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage. Stand faſt in one ſpirit, with one mind, ſtriving together Phil. 1. 27, 28.for the faith of the Goſpel. And in nothing terrified by your adverſaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of ſalvation, and that of God. So ſtand faſt in the Phil. 4. 1.Lord, my dearly beloved.
3. Cleanſe your hearts from hypocriſie: ſee that your ſouls are right before the Lord, and then Gods Temptations are all in love: all goeth right with upright hearts: The upright Prov. 11. 20.in their way are his delight.
4. You may know whether God tempts you in love, by the iſſue and fruits of your temptations. Abraham ſin'd in temptation, and Saints may ſin in temptation: In a temptation you would know whether you ſhall hold out; I will not propheſie, but I will give you a ſign: have you held out through former temptations? thou mayſt hold out through others.
Ʋſe 9. You beloved of the Lord, bear Gods Temptations with willingneſs and patience: The Apoſtle ſtirs up the Hebrews to learn practically this leſſon: Deſpiſe not thou the chaſtening Heb. 12. 5, 9.of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.
Furthermore (ſaith he) we have had Fathers of our fleſh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: ſhall we not much rather be in ſubjection unto the father of ſpirits, and live?
Gods Temptations are your gain: not your loſs, but yourGods Temptations are your gain, therefore bear them with willingneſs and patience. 2 Cor. 4. 16. gain: if he tempts you by loſſes, your loſs is your gain: your wants will be your riches, your outward poverty will be your ſpiritual wealth: what you loſe one way, you'l get another: what you loſe in the fleſh, you'l get in the ſpirit: Though the outward man periſh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day, ſaith Bleſſed Paul; the ſoul grows new, as the body by preſſures grows old: Afflictions may make thy outward face look withered and aged, but thine inward man grows young and vigorous by them.
It is good for me (ſaith David) that I have been afflicted. Now then, bring your heart to this, and bear all the temptations of the Lord with willingneſs and patience.
Ʋſe 10. See God on the top of every trial or temptation: God (ſaith the Text) did tempt Abraham: you will ſay, God tempted Abraham by word of mouth, by an expreſs command; Is God wont to tempt and try men thus in theſe days?
I anſwer, no, you heard that God doth tempt and try men two manner of ways:
1. Immediately, by himſelf: thus he tempted Abraham, thus was Chriſt led by the Spirit to be tempted in the wilderneſs.
2. Mediately, by means and inſtruments, by Satan ſometimes, by wicked men other times; yea, by Saints alſo ſometimes, as the Lord Chriſt was tempted by Peter, when he ſpake of his ſufferings, Be it far from thee, Lord: this ſhall not be unto Matth. 16. 22. Job 2. 9.thee. And Job was tempted by his own dear wife, Curſe God, and dye. And this is the Order of God at this day: you ſee the means, the inſtruments of temptation; but though God be not ſeen, yet he ſtands upon the top of every temptation; no wheel moves in the world, but by the direction and counſel of the firſt mover: There is a concatenation of cauſes, and God is at the upper end of the chain, and nothing can be done by any link of the chain of ſecond cauſes, without the firſt cauſe.
In the fourth to the Hebrews, there it is ſaid that Jeſus Chriſt Verſ. 15.was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin: Mark it, his Temptations were in all points like ours; Temptations may be taken,
1. For ſufferings: Or,
2. For temptation to ſin, as having a power or cauſality moving us thereunto: As for Chriſts ſufferings, they were exactly like unto ours: To that end he took a Body and Soul, and in his ſtate of humiliation lay actually under them, and felt them: As for temptation to ſin, that is inward and outward: Inwardly indeed he was not tempted, but outwardly he was, by men and devils, more than ever man was, and was tempted to the ſame kind of ſins (at leaſt ſome of them) which we being tempted to commit, yet he never ſinned.
Now the Apoſtle tells you there, that he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities: [We have not an High prieſt which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities]; Nay, becauſe he was tempted like as we are, he cannot but be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, that is, he cannot but be inwardly affected with the ſenſe of our temptations. Sirs, your temptations touch him, the temptations that you feel touch him: his very bowels are full of the feeling of your infirmities, he is acted with mercy and compaſſion towards you, and he would have man to know it: That which is the object of his compaſſion, is our infirmities, that is, ſins of the ſoul, and pains of the body, but chiefly ſin; infirmity here is ſin and puniſhment, ſin and ſuffering, which makes our caſe very miſerable: Some will think that Chriſt is not touched with the feeling of my ſins, others will think Chriſt is not touched with the feeling of my ſorrows: but ye are miſtaken, poor ſouls, ye are miſtaken; ſaith the Apoſtle, we have an High prieſt that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, with the ſenſe and feeling of both, of your ſin and guilt, of your ſorrows and ſufferings: Whatever troubles you, troubles Chriſt: and the reaſon why he is ſo ſenſible of our ſad conditions, is, becauſe he was tempted in all points like unto us: Chriſt as God, is infinitely merciful; but he became man, tempted man, that he might be ſenſible of our infirmities with our own humane affections; that he might pity man with the affections of a man, with ſuch affections as we are wont to pity one another; and therefore he was not only man, but a tempted man, becauſe experimental knowledg, and practical ſenſe, is the moſt effectual.
Hearken then, you tempted ſouls, how deeply is Chriſt touched with the feeling of your infirmities, who was himſelf a tempted man, as ye are; he was in all points tempted like unto us: This is that wonderful way which God by his profound Wiſdom contrived to make his mercy greater (and in ſome ſort) more than infinite: he would have a kind of knowledg of mans infirmities, which as God, and Infinite, he could never have.