Sermons Concerning Grace and Temptations, Sermon 4
AN ACCOUNT OF MANS TEMPTATIONS.
Pſalm. LXXIX. 41. Yea they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Iſrael.
THIS Pſalm is [foreign, and foreign] Exhortative and Inſtructive.
1. The Pſalm is [foreign] Suaſive and Exhortative; in the firſt verſe, Give ear, O my people, to my law: encline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2. The Pſalm is [foreign or foreign] Inſtructive and Teaching; I ſay, for their choice Inſtruction, and gathered out of the Records of Gods Providence towards his own people, the Jews; at the ſecond verſe, I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark ſayings of old: which we have heard and known, and our Fathers have told us: We will not hide them from Verſ. 3. 4.their children, ſhewing to the generations to come the praiſes of the Lord, and his ſtrength, and his wonderful works that he hath done, &c. And that which the Pſalmiſt would inſtruct them in, is to obey God, and adhere to him in dependance and ſubjection: And not to be as their Fathers, a ſtubborn and Verſ. 8.rebellious generation, that ſet not their heart aright: and whoſe ſpirit was not ſtedfaſt with God. He warns them againſt Rebellion, becauſe their Anceſtors and Fathers ſinned at that rate, and were ſeverely puniſhed by God. Where you may obſerve by the way,
Obſerv. That to ſay, our Fore-fathers did thus and thus, therefore ſo will we, is no good argument: Shall we be wiſer than our Forefathers? yes, that you muſt, or elſe you may ſmart for it. The Holy Ghoſt here tells them, that they muſt not be as their Fathers; no ſirs, you muſt be better than your Forefathers, the Light of the Goſpel ſhould make you far better; and time ſhould make you better, and experience ſhould make you better; the example of Fore-fathers is not to be followed, except wherein they followed the Lord.
What time the Prophet (whoever he was) penned this Pſalm, is uncertain; yet becauſe he gives us the Hiſtory of the Rebellion of the Iſraelites in the wilderneſs, and in the land of Canaan, down to David when he was King; it therefore ſeems probable, that it was written either in the later days of David, or elſe in the days of Solomon. The Pſalm contains a long ſeries and concatenation of Gods kindneſſes to Iſrael, and Iſraels ingratitude towards God, and then the Divine puniſhments upon that ungrateful people.
Gods free love drops benefits and wonders upon them, and then their ingratitude extorts puniſhments from him: Thus it pourtrayes Gods dealings of mercy with his people, and never in juſtice, but when mercy was abuſed.
The Method and Contexture of the Pſalm, is to ſet out one while Gods benefits to Iſrael; another while their ungratefulneſs to God, and then his juſt puniſhments upon them: thus it looks like Hangings of Arras, pictured with interchanged Rows of various Colours.
The benefits of God to Iſrael are ſtupendious, and therefore their ſins againſt ſuch a God are prodigious; to enumerate both, as they lye in order, would fill up too much time; among their ſins, you may caſt an eye upon one or two of them in my Text, Yea they turned back, and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Iſrael.
In the words, there are two ſins mentioned.
1. They tempted God.
2. They limited the Holy One of Iſrael.
As for that expreſſion, foreign which we tranſlate, [and they turned back] that is, ſay ſome, to go back again into Egypt, or as others, returned back to their old wont of Rebellion, I ſay, it hath no ſuch meaning here; it is an Hebraiſm, and ſhould be rendred, [they returned and tempted] that is, [ſaepius tentaverunt], they often times tempted him, or they tempted him again, as in Gen. 26. 18. In the Hebrew it is, and Iſaac returned and digged, for he digged again: and ſo we tranſlate it there: and in Dan. 9. 25. 'tis in the Hebrew, The ſtreet ſhall return and be built, for it ſhall be built again: So here, and they returned, and tempted God, that is, they tempted God again. And as they tempted God, ſo they limited God, foreign, and they limited the Holy One of Iſrael, that is, they put bounds to his power, thinking thus with themſelves, [Illud poteſt, hoc non poteſt], that he could do, this he cannot do, as it is in the twentieth verſe: He ſmote the rock, and the waters guſhed out—but can he give bread alſo? can he provide fleſh for his people? He is called here foreign, the Holy of Iſrael, (a defect of the ſubſtantive, and is to be ſupplied, as Iſa. 5. 16.) that is, the Holy God of Iſrael.
1. He that is holy in himſelf, and ſanctifieth thoſe that areLev. 20. 8. Ezek. 20. 12. his: I am the Lord which ſanctifie you.
2. And the holy of Iſrael, who was in Covenant with them, and was to be worſhipped, and ſerved by them; and ſeparated them from all other Nations to be a holy people to himſelf.
But the other expreſſion, or ſin of Iſrael, is the ſubject of my diſcourſe, foreign, and they tempted God. Where you have,
1. The ſubject, or agent, they, that is the people of Iſrael.
2. Their action, or ſin, they tempted.
3. The object, God, they tempted God, nay, they returned, and tempted God; that is, they tempted him again and again: as it is in Numb. 14. 22. And have tempted me now theſe ten times. In our laſt diſcourſe, you heard that God tempts man: And it came to paſs, that God did tempt Abraham. NowGen. 22. 1. you ſhall hear, that Man tempts God: and that is the Obſervation.
Sinful man is ſo bold and impudent, as to tempt the Lord God: Doctrine. Iſa. 7. 13.And herein, as Iſaiah ſaid, Hear ye now, O houſe of David; Is it a ſmall thing for you to weary me? but will ye weary my God alſo? So may I ſay unto you, Hear ye now, Is it a ſmall thing unto you to tempt men, to tempt one another? but will ye tempt God alſo? In the handling of this point, I muſt ſhew you,
Firſt, What it is to tempt God: To tempt one in the General, is to make a tryal of one.
1. Either concerning his Qualities, whether he be good, or bad, whether he be real, or counterfeit.
2. Or concerning his good will and affections to you. Thus you will make a tryal of a friend, that profeſſeth love to you; it may be you will go to him, and ask to borrow a ſum of money of him, only to try him, and his good-will to you: and this is to tempt him.
3. Or concerning his abilities; What a man can do. Thus we try Scholars in the Univerſity, for their degrees; and thus perſons, learning, and parts are (or ought to be tryed) when they enter into the ſacred function of the Miniſtry, whether they are fit for that great work of the Lord: thus we ſet men to preach or expound Scripture, to try them how they can preach or expound the Scripture: And this is to tempt them. And thus the Sons of men tempt God, and try him. To tempt God is to make a tryal of him, whether God be amnipotent, or faithful, and true in his word; I ſay, to make a tryal, whether God knows and ſees our actions, or whether God can do ſuch a thing, or will do ſuch a thing for you; and this is to tempt God, and thus men tempt the Knowledg of God, and the Power of God, and the Will of God.
And thus you may tempt God [verbis vel factis], in words, or in deeds. To tempt in Scripture hath a threefold acceptation:
1. Sometimes it ſignifies to try, to make a tryal of one: and thus men tempt God (as you have heard).
2. To provoke and irritate; and thus ſome take it in the 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Chriſt, as ſome of them alſo tempted: Let us not tempt, that is, provoke Chriſt, as it is in verſ. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealouſie? are we ſtronger than he? They that provoke God, do (as it were) challenge him into the field, and try what he can do, or what he will do.
3. To tempt [in Scripture] is to ſollicite to evil: as when Satan tempted Chriſt, and tempts men, and when one ſinner tempts another to ſin; and thus alſo men tempt God, ſinful men will tempt God to ſin, they will try whether they can draw God in to ſin with them.
Secondly, The Schools diſtinguiſh mans Temptation of God, firſt into a direct, and ſecondly interpretative tempting of God.
1. A direct tempting of God, is when a man by word or deed intends to tempt God, and try him whether he be wiſe, or good, or can, or will do ſuch a thing; when we intend to tempt God, then it is a direct and intentional Temptation of God.
2. There is an interpretative tempting of God; when though we intend not to tempt him, yet we do the ſame thing which he doth, who hath a deſign and deſire to tempt God: So that this ſin may be committed, when you do not intend it; you may tempt God, when you have no expreſs purpoſe to do it; when you do that which is ordinable to nothing elſe, but to make a tryal or experience of God, and to prove his Power, or Goodneſs, or Knowledg.
As when a man goes on in a wretched courſe of life, and yet hopes to find mercy at the hour of death, he intends not (it may be) to try Gods mercy, yet he doth that which is good for nothing but to make an experience of his mercy.
3. You muſt know that,
1. There is a good or lawful tempting of God.
2. There is a ſinful tempting of God: There is a commendable, and there is an unwarrantable tempting of God.
1. There is a good and commendable temptation of God, which is lawful; which is ſo, when it ſprings,
1. A bono principio, from a good principle, or an holy heart and purpoſe.
2. When it is done in a lawful way, or by a good action.
3. When it is bottomed upon a good ground; that is,
1. When we have a call from God to it, his command and promiſe to bear us out.
2. When we have a juſt neceſſity to do it.
4. It is a lawful tempting of God, when it tends to a good end: This is a lawful tempting of God, when it proceeds from a good principle, and is done by good means, and tendsTentatio bons eſt quae ex principio bono ſeu animo ſancto, ac bono medio ſeu mode… bonum finem tendit. to a good end, and (as you heard alſo) is bottomed upon a good ground, a lawful call, and a juſt neceſſity to tempt and try God.
1. To make our tempting and trying of God lawful and good, it muſt ſpring from a good principle, or an holy heart, that is, a love of knowing the Truth, or Power, or Juſtice of God: When we make a Tryal of God out of love to God, and his glorious Attributes, that we may be raviſhed with the beauty and ſplendour of them.
2. It is a lawful tempting of God, when we have a command to try him: and then we ſin in not tempting God, Iſa. 7. When the Lord had promiſed what he would do for Judah, and the houſe of David, and what he would do againſt Syria and Ephraim, (ſaith he to encourage Abaz faith) in ver. 11. Ask thee a ſign of the Lord thy God: ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. As if he had ſaid, For the confirmation of thy faith, and the aſſurance of the truth of Gods word, ask a ſign, that is, try God by asking ſomewhat to be done, ſome unuſual and extraordinary thing to be done by him; thus make a tryal and experience of him, whether he means as he ſaith, whether his heart agrees with his word; to know this, ask a ſign, make a tryal, put him to it: No, ſaith Ahaz, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. YouVerſ. 12. would think this was Religiouſly, but it was Hypocritically ſpoken; he pretended he would not ſin, that if he ask't a ſign, he ſhould go againſt the Command in Deut. 6. 16. Ye ſhall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Maſſah. As if a man ſhould tempt God, by doing that which he is invited by God himſelf to do. Ahaz here had a Command to try God: it was Gods gracious indulgence, and kind condeſcent to Ahaz to bid him ask a ſign, that is, if thou art hard to believe me, ask a ſign, and try me, I give thee this offer, but he would not; it was his rebellion not to tempt or try God, when he had a Command to tempt and try him. And herein was his ſin alſo the greater, becauſe God would have given King Ahaz a ſign, not for himſelf only, but for the edification and inſtruction of the whole people; and therefore he is reproved, as an hinderer of the common good, and publick ſalvation, in that he would not ask a ſign.
3. It is a lawful tempting or tryal of God, when there is a juſt neceſſity; when we really ſtand in need of his extraordinary appearance: when ordinary means fail, then to truſt in him, and expect his unuſual preſence, it is not unlawful. Thus when Pharaoh purſued Iſrael, and his Army was in the Rear of them, and the Red-ſea before them, Moſes ſaid unto them, Stand ſtill, and ſee the ſalvation of the Lord, which Exod. 14. 13.he will ſhew to you, to day. And when the children of Iſrael were in the wilderneſs, and could have no bread, nor could meet with water, then they were to try what God could do for them, and to expect relief from him out of the ordinary courſe: they were called by God into the wilderneſs, and therefore had a call to try God, and ſeek experiments of his mercy and power for them.
4. It is a lawful tempting of God, when it is to a good end.
1. As for confirmation of our faith: thus Gideon tempted, or proved God, Judg. 6. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 verſes. And Gideon ſaid unto God, If thou wilt ſave Iſrael by mine hand as thou haſt ſaid, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor: and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the the earth beſide, then ſhall I know that thou wilt ſave Iſrael by mine hand, as thou haſt ſaid. And it was ſo for he roſe up early on the morrow, and thruſt the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. Where faith he at the 39th verſe foreign, let me tempt, or prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece. Gideon being conſcious of his own infirmity and weakneſs, and out of a deſire to obey God, and for the confirmation of his faith, and his more cheerful obedience in a moſt dangerous deſign which God had ſet him upon, asked, and obtained a ſign: I ſuppoſe he ask'd this ſign by an inſtinct and impulſe from God himſelf.
2. When it is for Gods glory, and the publick good; for the ſalvation of ſouls, and the progreſs of the Goſpel, and the ſplendour of Chriſts name: And thus the Apoſtles prayed that God would be with them in their Miniſtry, by ſtretching forth his hand to heal, and that ſigns and wonders might Acts 4. 29, 30.be done by them.
2. There is a ſinful tempting of God: A ſinful tempting of God is, which wants thoſe conditions, or ingredients ſpoken of before. Briefly thus, [Quae principio, medio, aut fine peccat], a ſinful tempting of God is, that which fails in principle, means, or end. You ſhall ſee an inſtance of this ſinful tempting of God in Matth. 22. 15. to 22. Then went the Phariſees, and took counſel, how they might intangle him in his talk. And they ſent out unto him their diſciples, with the Herodians, ſaying, Maſter, we know that thou art true, and teacheſt the way of God in truth, neither careſt thou for any man; for thou regardeſt not the perſons of men. Tell us therefore, what thinkeſt thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caeſar, or not? But Jeſus perceived their wickedneſs, and ſaid, Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money, and they brought unto him a penny. And he ſaid unto them, Whoſe is this image, and ſuperſcription? They ſay unto him, Caeſars. Then ſaith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caeſar, the things Verſe 21.that are Caeſars; and unto God, the things which are Gods.
They came to Chriſt, that they might tempt him, that is, to try what he would ſay, to ſee what words would drop from him, which they might gather up to his hurt: And their tempting of Chriſt ſprang not,
1. From an holy, but a wicked principle, not a love of knowing the juſtneſs and truth of Chriſt, but an hatred of him.
2. The Medium, or means they uſed, was as bad; they commended him to the s…ies, that they might cut his throat. [Maſter, we know that thou art true, and teacheſt the way of God in truth, neither careſt thou for any man; for thou regardeſt not the perſon of men. Tell us therefore, what thinkeſt thou? Is it lawful to pay tribute unto Caeſar, or not? Did ye ever hear ſuch gilded flattery? Though they ſpake nothing but truth, yet nothing did they ſpeak in truth, here was no ſincerity in their ſpeech, but a cunning ſimulation of his goodneſs, honeſty, and fidelity.
3. Their end was bloody and cruel, in all theſe fair ſpeeches they ſought the blood of Chriſt; they tempted him, that Verſ. 15.they might entangle him in his ſpeech.
1. Here was an intentional tempting of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. They tempted him with their words.
3. Their end was to deſtroy him.
Again, in a ſinful tempting of God, this is alſo another ingredient, when we make a tryal of him, [Sine vocatione, ſine neceſſitate, ſine cauſa], without a call, without neceſſity, without a cauſe.
Laſtly, Sinful tempting of God, is either [in exceſſu, or defectu] in the exceſs, or defect.
1. In the defect, when God is tempted, by our unbelief, diffidence, diſtruſt, and doubting of his power, preſence, promiſes, and will, to do any thing for us; ſo men tempt God, [Omittendo quod oportet] in omitting what ought to be done by them.
2. In the exceſs; when God is tempted, [nimia confidentia], by too much confidence; when with the abuſe of his promiſes, and the neglect of the Divine Method and Order he hath preſcribed, they will preſume of Gods Preſence, and ſeek a tryal of his aſſiſtance, and expect his mercy and preſervation. To conclude, when men in doing what theySive faciendo quod non oportet, ſive omittendo quod oportet. ought not, or in omitting what they ought to do, [Neglectu licitorum, vel uſu illicitorum], in the neglect of things lawful, or the uſe of things unlawful, they ſeek a tryal, or experiment of the favour or power of God, they tempt him ſinfully: and of this ſinful tempting of God doth our Doctrine ſpeak, when it ſaith, Sinful man is ſo bold and impudent, as to tempt the Lord God. And of this I ſhall ſhew you,
1. That ſinful man is ſo bold as to tempt and try God.
2. It is a ſin thus to tempt and try the Lord God.
3. Why doth ſinful man tempt and try God?
4. And then, what we have ſhewed but in the general, we ſhall ſhew you in particulars, what it is to tempt God in a ſinful way.
1. Sinful man is ſo bold as to tempt God: You may ſee this in the 18th verſe of this Pſalm, And they tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their luſt. And in my Text, They tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Iſrael. And at the 56th verſe, They tempted, and provoked the moſt high God, and kept not his teſtimonies. And when I ſay, that ſinful man is ſo bold as to tempt God, I wrap up the godly alſo in this expreſſion: For, though they are godly, yet they are not perfectly godly; indeed they are ſinfully godly, I mean, they have ſin in them mingled with their godlineſs; I ſay then, that good and gracious men ſometimes tempt the Lord.
Zacharias tempted God: The Scripture gives him and hisLuk. 1. 6. wife this character, That they were both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord, blameleſs: and yet Zacharias ſinfully tempted God. You know, while he was executing the Prieſts office, there appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord, and told him, Thy wife Elizabeth ſhall bear thee a Son, and thou ſhalt call his name Verſ. 13.John.
But Zacharias ſaid unto the Angel, [foreign];Verſ. 18. whereby ſhall I know this? Here he tempted and tryed God, verbis, in words or ſpeech; How ſhall I know the truth of God in this meſſage? For I am an old man, and my wife wellſtricken in years; that is, we are both unlikely for ſuch a thing; and therefore [foreign]; How ſhall I knowCornelius a lapide in loc. this? by what ſhall I know it? that is, give me a ſign, ſhew me a miracle to prove the truth of what thou promiſeth: and the Angel gave him a ſign, but 'twas a ſign of rebuke, he ſtruck him ſpeechleſs for it, he hanged up a ſign at his mouth, Behold, thou ſhalt be dumb, and not able to ſpeak, until Verſ. 20.the day that theſe things ſhall be performed: He ſhall ask no more queſtions for forty weeks, becauſe he asked this one diſtruſtfully.
2. It is a ſin thus to tempt and try the Lord God.
1. Becauſe it is againſt the Royal Command: his Regal Authority hath forbidden us to tempt him, ye ſhall not tempt Deut. 6. 16.[or try] the Lord God, and therefore Jeſus Chriſt himſelf durſt not do it. When Satan, having ſet him upon a Pinacle Matth. 4. 5, 6, 7.of the Temple, ſaid unto him, If thou be the Son of God, caſt thy ſelf down: Chriſt ſaid unto him, It is written, [that is in Deut. 6. 16. There (ſaith Chriſt) it is written] Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
2. To tempt and try God, is againſt the Reverend and Religious reſpect to God, which the creature ſhould bear toward him: we may tempt our inferiour, but it is boldneſs to tempt our ſuperiour.
3. In every ſuch Temptation, or tempting of God, there is an undervaluing of God. Will the Lord be gracious unto me? I will try him: thus we tempt the goodneſs of the Lord: thus we tempt God, becauſe we ſuſpect his Power, and his Goodneſs and Ability.
3. Why does ſinful man tempt God, and try him?
1. Sometimes it ſprings from unbelief, and doubting of Gods Power, and his Promiſes, Exod. 7. 17. Is the Lord among us or not? In the wilderneſs of the Children of Iſraels tempting of God, was a doubting of Gods Care and Providence, and Power and Wiſdom, of which they had ſo many arguments, aſſurances, and promiſes from him.
In Numb. 14. 22. Their tempting of God ten times, ſprang from their not believing him in all his ſigns which he had ſhewed Verſ. 11.among them, and what that unbelief was, appears by their words at the 2d verſe, Would God that we had died in the Verſ. 13.land of Egypt, or would God we had died in this wilderneſs: And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the ſword, that our wives, and our children ſhould be a prey? Thinking that God could not preſerve them, or elſe would not go along with, but leave them to be devoured by the people of the land: as you may ſee at the 9th verſe. Now if you ask, why ſinful men tempt God, it is from unbelief; ſometimes it ſprings from preſumption, believing more than God has promiſed: they hope to be ſaved, although they live in ſin; they are too confident, and have too much faith, they are over-believing.
4. What is it ſinfully to tempt and try God? You muſt know (as you have heard already) that man may tempt God, [Et in exceſſu, & in defectu], both in the exceſs, and in defect.
1. They tempt God, who neglect ſecond cauſes, and uſeNeglectu licitorum. not means which God hath preſcribed: when thou expecteſt God alone to help thee, or give thee a mercy, which thou oughteſt to come to by thy own labour and co-operation, this is to tempt and try both the Power and the Will of God.
They that will not labour with their hands, but put it upon God to provide for them, theſe tempt the Lord: they that will not manage their eſtates, but put it upon God to help them, they ſin moſt grievouſly. It is true, Gods Providence doth all things, yet thy Providence muſt work with his Providence, as a ſervant under it.
In Prov. 10. 22. It is ſaid, The bleſſing of the Lord, it maketh rich: and yet at the 14th verſe, it is ſaid, The hand of the diligent maketh rich. How ſtand theſe two together? they are not oppoſita, but ſubordinata, not oppoſites, but ſubordinate the one to the other.
Gods bleſſing makes rich, as the principal cauſe, and the diligent hand makes rich, as the inſtrumental cauſe under Gods bleſſing: there muſt be a wheel in the middle of a wheel, the wheel of diligence in the wheel of Gods bleſſing: there muſt be a hand in a hand, the hand of diligence in the hand of bleſſing: the diligent hand cannot make rich without Gods bleſſing, and Gods bleſſing will not make rich without a diligent hand. So they tempt God, that divide the ſpirit from the Ordinance; that look for Revelations and diſcoveries without Goſpel-ordinances; that look for grace without the Word; that look for light without the candle of the Miniſtry; that neglect Sabbaths, neglect Ordinances, and ſit at home and ſay, God will give them faith. Ah ye true Phanaticks! for Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: the word cannot work grace without the ſpirit, the ſpirit ordinarily will not work grace without the word. So they tempt God, that look for God to ſubdue their ſins, and they do nothing; God muſt maſter their luſts, and unruly deſires, but themſelves will not ſtrive, nor faſt, nor pray, nor deny themſelves, nor wound their fleſh. As if an Army ſhould ſtand in Battalia againſt the Enemy, and not ſtrike one ſtroke; were not this a mad tempting of God, and horrid ſelf-murder? Up, ſirs, then, and your ſelves fight the good fight of faith againſt your luſts: Victory over ſin is a mercy which thou muſt come to, by thy own labour and co-operation: 'tis God indeed that hews down the ſtrong oaks of our luſts, but the Ax wherewith he doth it, muſt be in our hands: If ye through the ſpirit mortifie Rom. 8. 13.the deeds of the body, ye ſhall live. So they tempt God, that will go in the way of means, but not far enough: many will pray againſt ſin, but not practiſe againſt ſin: as if a ſick man ſhould pray for his health, but will take no phyſick for his health; or he that hath a dangerous wound ſhould pray to be healed, but will apply no plaiſter: they that pray for their children, but do not educate them, inſtruct, reprove, correct them, they tempt God, in that they do not uſe all the means; for as Solomon ſaith, Fooliſhneſs is bound in the heart Prov. 22. 15.of a child: but the rod of correction ſhall drive it far from him.
They that argue, if we are elected, we ſhall be ſaved, though we live as we liſt, and if we are not elected, we ſhall be damned, though we live never ſo holy, and endeavour never ſo carefully; theſe tempt God egregiouſly: for God electing to the end, elects alſo to the means; hence that ſaying; [Praedeſtinatio eſt praeparatio gratiae in praeſenti, & gloriae in futuro], Predeſtination is a preparation of grace for the preſent, and of glory for the future.
And therefore, whereas thou ſayſt, If I am elected, I ſhall be ſaved, though I live as I liſt, the inference is moſt falſe; for then,
1. Converſion and Grace ſhould be commanded in vain, and becauſe predeſtination alone ſhould bring men to heaven; which is a fooliſh conceit, I ſay, predeſtination alone brings no man to Heaven; it is but the firſt link of the chain.
2. Election or Predeſtination carrieth the means to ſalvation in the Womb of it; ſo that this conditional propoſition, though Paul continues a blaſphemer, yet by vertue of his Election, he ſhall be ſaved, is ſo far from being true, that the contrary ought to be inferred; if Paul be not converted, 'tis impoſſible he ſhould be ſaved, though elected, becauſe God who elected Paul to be ſaved, elected him to be ſaved by converſion, not by rebellion; by faith, not by unbelief.
And whereas thou ſayſt, if I am not elected, do what I can, live I never ſo holy, though I ſhould believe, and repent, I ſhall be damned by reaſon of the infallible decree.
I anſwer: There was never any ſuch decree at all in the Divine Will, of damning any man, though he believed and changed his life, and returned to God: I tell thee, there was never any ſuch Decree at all in the Divine Will, but the contrary, which God would have eſtabliſht for ever as moſt ſure and certain; and promulged abroad to all men, That whoſoever believes, ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life, and he that will have the ſon, ſhall have life. Oh comfort! unſpeakable comfort! and therefore come in, ſouls, come in and take Chriſt, ye ſinners, and fear not Reprobation, ye ſhall be ſaved. Sirs, let me in ſhort give ye a bleſſed word, fear ſin, and fear not reprobation: if ye fear ſin, reprobation can do ye no hurt.
To conclude, as long as you remain unconverted, to preſume of your election, [Stultitiae eſt] it is folly; to affirm your reprobation, [Inſaniae eſt] it is madneſs: for this is to praedamn thy ſelf, or damn thy ſelf before-hand; that is, you cannot ſay, you are elect, till you are converted; to ſay, you are a reprobate, though yet unconverted, is to ſtop up your way (with your own hands) unto ſalvation.
To caſt our ſelves upon any immediate providence, when means fail not, is to tempt God, to diſobey inſtead of believing God: we may challenge God on his word, we may not ſtrain him beyond it Thus, Satan when he had ſet Chriſt upon the Pinacle of the Temple, bade him, If thou be the Son of God, caſt Mat. 4. 5, 6.thy ſelf down. Satan would have perſwaded Chriſt, by caſting himſelf down, to make tryal whether God would deal with him as a Son, that is, preſerve him, or no: But Jeſus ſaid unto him, It is written, thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy Verſ. 7.God. Chriſt replieth, that this is a tempting of God; for,
1. Chriſt needed no ſuch evidences of his being the Son of God, for there came a voice from heaven, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleaſed. This was ſufficient teſtimony,Mat. 3. 17. he needed not another proof, ſuch as Satan would have him to give.
2. There were ſteps in the Temple, by which Chriſt might deſcend, and therefore needed not to tempt God, or put him to ſuch an Act of immediate Providence to preſerve him; we muſt not deſire God to give any extraordinary proofs of his care of us, when he hath provided the ordinary means for our ſafety.
Yet let me tell you, that when all means ſeem to lye dead before us, then to caſt your ſelf upon immediate providence, for God to work, is no ſinful tempting of God; and therefore I ſaid, to caſt your ſelves upon any immediate providence, when means fail not, is to tempt God: but when all means have left you, then to truſt God, and try what he will do, is no tempting of God: Did not Jehoſhaphat with the whole Church do ſo? We have no might againſt this great company: 2 Chron 20. 12.neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee; that is, to look and try what thou wilt do. Sirs, Is God tyed to means, or will you tye God to means? when means fail, will God fail his people?
Yes, you'l ſay, in this very point lieth the caſe, for when all means are gone, and have left us, it is a ſign that God is leaving and giving over to help; for as means preſenting it ſelf, is a ſign of Gods Will to help, ſo when all means are gone, 'tis a ſign that God is giving over to help: and therefore we muſt ſit down, and leave off to act faith.
This is indeed a rational arguing, according to nature, but not according to faith: and therefore let me tell you, you are quite miſtaken; for when death ſits upon the lips of the ſecond cauſe, and ſpeaks nothing but terror, then, even then, you are to believe, and put God to work for you: Although Habbak. 3. 17. 18, 19.the fig-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall the fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive ſhall fail, and the fields ſhall yield no meat, the flock ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no herd in the ſtalls; yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation: The Lord God is my ſtrength, and he will make my feet like hindes feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. Here the Church believes, when all means are out of the way.
This is no tempting of God, becauſe you have his promiſe: the promiſe and faith is the buckle and claſp fit for one another; now the Lord do's not only promiſe to help his children, but he promiſes to help when all means fail: When the poor Iſa. 41. 17, 18and needy ſeek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirſt, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Iſrael will not forſake them: I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midſt of the valleys: I will make the wilderneſs a pool of water, and the dry-land ſprings of water.
Ah, ye Chriſtians! that you would believe at this day: Will ye only believe when means are ſtrong, and have life in them? ye have read of the unbelief of the people of Iſrael, when they were in the wilderneſs, they wanted ordinary proviſion, and they murmured, and were full of unbelief, ſo that the Lord was angry with them, and ſlew them, and they never came into the land of Canaan: but I pray, what was their unbelief, for which God did ſlay them? was it this that they did not believe when they had means? No; but that they did not believe when all means failed, this was their unbelief. You ſay you are afraid to believe, when you have no means, becauſe God hath commanded you to uſe the means: But know, I pray you,
1. There is a time when God takes away the means to try our faith: And how doeſt thou know, whether this be not the day and the time? Thou ſayſt thou canſt not believe, becauſe means fail; it may be, it is the time of thy tryal, God ſends this time of purpoſe to try thee.
2. God hath commanded you to uſe the means when you have them, but where hath God forbidden you to truſt in him when you have no means?
2. God is tempted, when men are addicted too much to the means: as Thomas, when the diſciples told him, We have John 20. 25.ſeen the Lord; ſaid he, except I ſhall ſee in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thruſt my hand into his ſide, I will not believe. What was this but to tempt Chriſt? Sirs, when we preſcribe God the manner, the meaſure, then we tempt and try God.
3. They tempt God, that uſe unlawful means; for all thatƲſu illicitorum. own a God, will grant that all means work in vertue of the firſt cauſe, and can do nothing without a Divine Preſence, and therefore all expect Gods bleſſing in the uſe of means. We (ſay you) muſt uſe the means, and God muſt give the bleſſing, and therefore when ye uſe unlawful means, ye tempt God to co-operate with means unlawful; you try him whether he will beſtow his concurrence with you in a way unlawful; you prove him whether he will make his Providence go along with you in indirect means to ſerve your end: He that tells a lye to prevent a danger, or ſave his life, tempts God, and trys him to favour, and bleſs that lye unto his ſafety.
4. Men tempt the Knowledg of God, when they make tryal, whether God is acquainted with things below, and knows what they are doing. When Ananias and Saphira ſold theirActs 5. 9. poſſeſſion, and kept back part of the price, ſaith Peter, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the ſpirit of the Lord? Whether theſe did purpoſely go about to tempt the Spirit, or no, is queſtioned; if ſo, then it was an intentional and direct tempting of the Spirit: However, though they did not intend it, yet 'twas an interpretative tempting of the Spirit, that is, it is called a tempting of the Spirit, and taken to be ſuch, becauſe it was ſuch a fact, as they could do no more, who had intended to tempt the Spirit.
But how was the Spirit of God tempted in this Act of theirs? The act did tend, (though it may be, they did not intend it), I ſay, the act did tend to this, to make a tryal, whether the Spirit knew their fraud, or not, and knowing of it, whether he would puniſh it: Their act ſpake in this language (as if themſelves had ſaid), Can it be, that the Spirit ſhould know or find out our deceit? And ſo the meaning of Peters words [How is it, that ye have agreed together to tempt the ſpirit of the Lord?] is this, How is it that ye haveDeodat. in loc. agreed together to make a prophane tryal, whether he knew your fraud, or no? As if by this ſecret and fraudulent conveyance, you would try or make an experience whether the ſpirit were privy to your deceit, or no.
Thus, Sirs, when men ſin in ſecret, they tempt Gods Knowledg; it may be not of ſet-purpoſe, but their actions tend to it: Is Gods eye upon us? can we not ſin, but God muſt know it? can we be no-where out of his Preſence? Their actions behind the curtain, put God to the tryal, whether he ſeeth them, or no.
Hypoorites tempt Gods Knowledg: they do (as it were) make a tryal, whether the beams of his Knowledg reach the dark center of their hearts, and his eyes read their cunning ends, and ſelf-deſigns: to play the Hypocrites, and carry on private Intereſts under the veil of profeſſion; what is it, but to try whether they cannot hide their plots from God?
But oh fools! for, doth the influence of the Sun and Stars pierce down into the deep boſom of the earth, and there beget mettals and minerals, and ſhall not Gods Knowledg much more reach the heart of man? The Lord knows the thoughts Pſal. 94. 11.of man, that they are vanity.
5. They tempt God, who without a call caſt themſelves into danger, to make tryal whether God can, or will deliver them. Scripture teacheth us, that when danger is upon us, we may hope well, relying on God for help; but we muſt not caſt our ſelves raſhly into danger, that God may help: we may truſt God in difficulties, that he will help, but we muſt not throw our ſelves into difficulties, expecting God to help. This was Satans method of tempting Chriſt, he would have hadMat. 4. 5, 6. Chriſt to caſt himſelf down from the Pinacle of the Temple, that is, throw himſelf into danger, and try whether God would not preſerve him, For it is written (ſaith he) he ſhall Pſal. 91. 11, 12.give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they ſhall bear thee up: leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone. But ſaith Chriſt, Thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God, that is, by caſting thy ſelf without a call into danger: for Satan, though he alledged Scripture, yet hides ſome words which ſhew the meaning of it. The Pſalmiſt ſays, He ſhall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways: and what are thy ways, but actions agreeable to thy calling, and thy duty? And thus he ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, that is, in thoſe courſes that are appointed thee of God.
But theſe words, To keep thee in all thy ways, the Devil leaves them out, and clips the ſentence, and therefore Chriſt tells him, It is written again, thou ſhalt not tempt the Lord thy God; that is, by going out of our way, and caſting our ſelves into danger without a call, and then ſay the Lord will deliver us. It had been contrary to Chriſts way, and his duty, to have thrown himſelf down from the Pinnacle of the Temple: he had gone out of his way, had he done ſo.
Sirs, when we go out of Gods precincts, we go out of Gods protection: a King undertakes the ſafety of his Subjects, whilſt they travel within due hours, and keep the Kings high-way, elſe not: ſo hath God promiſed to preſerve us, and his Angels to take charge over us, while we hold his way.
If a man ſhould throw himſelf into a deep River, where in an ordinary way he could not but be drowned, and ſay, God is able to preſerve me, and make me ſwim out; you will ſay, he is a mad-man, his faith is frenzy, and 'tis a moſt horrid and prodigious tempting of God.
So they tempt God, that engage themſelves to afflictions, to poverty, loſs of eſtate, without a call: and therefore they that ſuffer, muſt be ſure they have a good ground, and a good cauſe, and truth of their ſide, elſe they ſinfully tempt God to provide for them.
Hitherto I refer wilful and indiſcreet marriages: when perſons, neither of whom have any competent ſubſiſtence, ſhall marry together; they know not how to live and maintain themſelves, and yet ſay, God will provide, this is to tempt God: they caſt themſelves into the diſaſter of irremediable poverty, and into the deep gulph of a thouſand ſorrows and temptations, and yet ſay God will provide, what is this, but a ſottiſh and ſinful tempting of the Lord God? So they that expoſe themſelves to the occaſions and temptations of ſin, ſaying God will keep them from ſin, theſe tempt God.
As ſervants that will venture to live in Papiſts houſes, and ſay, God will preſerve us from contagion, or when ſervants caſt themſelves into a prophane family, and ſay, God (I hope) will not ſuffer me to be the worſe for it, or when ſerious chriſtians ſhall make choice to tye themſelves in marriage to prophane and carnal perſons: or when a man ſhall engage himſelf to ſinful company, and ſay, Though they be naught, God will keep me, and take care of me, all theſe tempt God: as if a man ſhould throw himſelf into the fire, and ſay I ſhall not burn, God will keep me; or, as if a man ſhould run himſelf into an houſe where the plague is, and ſay, God will keep me from infection.
6. God is tempted, when we are not ſatisfied with his revealed will, ſufficiently made known to us, but require further arguments, and ſo put him to the tryal. And thus we may tempt God in point of Doctrine; when we will not ſit down content (I ſay) with the revealed will of God, when we refuſe to believe that which is teſtified to be his Will, but require more arguments thereof, as of a matter ſtill uncertain. Acts 15. 7.When ſome Teachers would have impoſed Circumciſion upon the believing Gentiles, Peter argued againſt it:
1. Becauſe God ſent him to Preach the Goſpel to Cornelius, and his Family, and others his Kinſmen and Friends, whom he had called together, all of them uncircumciſed Gentiles. God would have the Goſpel Preached to them, and they accordingly had, and received the faith, and yet were not circumciſed: this was one argument, why they ſhould not be circumciſed.
2. God alſo (ſaith Peter) gave them the Holy Ghoſt, even Verſ. 8.as he did unto us: and by this, God which knoweth the hearts bare them witneſs; that is, by giving them the Holy Ghoſt, teſtified from heaven, that they were accepted of him, though they were not circumciſed; and therefore, ſaith he, Why tempt Verſ. 10.ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the diſciples? Ye tempt God by urging Circumciſion upon them; that is, your laying that yoke on the Gentile-Chriſtians after ſuch evidences of Gods will to the contrary, is a tempting of God.
Sinners, you thus tempt God, you tempt God, who believe not his clear dictates, but call into queſtion his certain commands. God commands ye to be holy, and to walk ſtrictly and exactly; yet you doubt of it, whether it be ſo or no; you think you need not be ſo holy: though the Command revealed is clear as the Sun, yet you doubt whether God himſelf be ſo ſtrict, or whether his will is, that you ſhould walk by ſo ſtrict a rule; now you tempt God, and try him whether he made ſuch Commands ſeriouſly, or in jeſt, whether he be in earneſt, or in ſport, when he ſaith, Be ye holy, for I am holy.
7. They tempt God, that lay unneceſſary yokes upon the necks of the diſciples. As Peter ſaith, Why tempt ye God, to Act. 15. 10.put a yoke upon the neck of the diſciples, &c. Deodate gives this gloſs upon it, Why do ye make a raſh tryal without any neceſſity or command, even with danger of ſiniſter ſucceſs, whether God will give them the will to ſubmit themſelves to a burthen ſo odious to them, and the power of bearing it, without being moved to impatience and revolt? arguing, that ſuch a courſe was to make the poor Gentile-Chriſtians to revolt from the Goſpel of Chriſt.
8. Doubting hearts tempt the Lord, Can the Lord forgive? or will the Lord forgive ſuch a ſinner as I am? This comes to that paſs in the 78th Pſalm. v. 18, 19. They tempted God in their heart, they ſaid, Can God furniſh a table in the wilderneſs? Poor ſouls, let us pity one another: our doubting, is a tempting of God: let us then throw our ſelves upon his free promiſe, and fear nothing.
9. Men may tempt God in holy duties.
1. When we perform holy duties in our ſins: and here we tempt God [in exceſſu] in the exceſs, with too much confidence: men will pray to God in their ſins, they will approach his Preſence, face him in duties, call him father, be bold with him in their addreſſes, come every day before him, and yet keep their ſins. Call him father, and yet hate the Saints; what an impudent tempting of God is this? they challenge him to be their God, and yet hate holineſs: they will perform religious duties, and yet ſcorn at Religion.
2. We tempt God in holy duties, by cold and indifferent performance. Sirs, conſider, oh conſider ſeriouſly, you pray, it may be, but you pray with ſlightneſs of heart; there is a certain wantonneſs, and trifling diſpoſition in the heart, that you are wont to be ſuperficial and imperfect in your ways: perhaps you will not leave off duties, but you do them; as if you did them not, without heart, in a looſe, lazy, formal, lifeleſs manner; now ye tempt God, both the majeſty and the mercy of God is deſpiſed: and can God be well-pleaſed with ſuch things? If ye offer the blind for ſacrifice, is it not evil? Mal. 1. 8.and if ye offer the lame and ſick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governour; [that is, try him with ſuch a gift], and will he be pleaſed with thee, or accept thy perſon? No: he will not; ſhewing that when you offer ſuch gifts to God, you do but tempt him, and try his patience. It is an high preſumption, and temptation of God, to offer that to God, which we durſt not do to a ſuperiour mortal man; to perform duties to God with a ſlight heart, it is a ſlighting of God.
3. A man tempts God in holy duties, when we do them to try God what he will do for us, in things of which we have no promiſe: as when men have tryed all ways and means of their own to be rich, and all will not do; now they will become religious, and ſet up duties in their families, to try this way alſo; if God will proſper them in the world, and give them of the dew of heaven, and the fatneſs of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: and here is a double ſin,
1. In that they make Religion to ſerve the world, and ſubordinate Divine duties to carnal and earthly ends: here Religion is the means, and the world ſet up as the end: the end is always (in the intention of the agent) nobler than the means: they that worſhip God for the world, have an higher eſteem of the world, than they have of God or his worſhip.
They tempt God to give them outward things, which (it duplicate page duplicate page may be) he will not: thus Balaam tempted God.
10. They tempt God, who dare God, and try his patience, 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Chriſt, as ſome of them alſo tempted, and were deſtroyed of ſerpents. Neither let us tempt Chriſt, that is, let us not by our provoking ſins dare Chriſt, and try his patience, whether he will make good upon us his threats againſt ſin: when we go on in ſin, we make (as it were) undue tryals of his mercy and patience: to tempt God,Grotius in locum. is to make an experiment how far his patience will go, and how long it will endure and hold out.
11. They tempt God, who try him whether he will not be better than his word: Sinners cannot deny, but the Word of God ſaith, Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, 1 Cor. 6. 8, 9.nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor covetous, nor extortioners ſhall inherit the kingdom of God. They ſee this, they that are guilty of theſe ſins, ſee this, and cannot deny it; yet they hope, that though this be Gods word, yet he will be better than his word. We hope God will not be ſo ſtrict, and ſo ſevere as he ſaith; we truſt he will give a relaxation, and will not do all he ſaith in his word; if God will be as preciſe as his word, we are undone; if God will be no better than his word, wo to us.
O ye tempters of God! how can ye be ſaved? I ſay, this is to tempt God, whether he be firm to his own word, or no; conſtant to his own ſayings, or no; this is, Facere Deum ludionem & ridiculum, I ſay, this is to make God a meer ſtageplayer, ridiculous in his moſt grave tranſactions: What is this, but to make him light and unconſtant to his moſt ſolemn pronunciations?
12. They tempt God, who live in known ſins againſt the manifeſt word of God; they make a tryal of him, whether he will puniſh them for their ſins, or no: whether he can be angry, or will be angry with ſin, or no: this is Interpretativa tentatio, a tempting of God by Interpretation. Sirs, as oft as men ſin againſt their own conſciences, they do preſumptuouſly tempt God, or try whether God will be juſt, or no; whether he be holy, or no: thou loveſt ſuch a ſin, and liveſt in it; now thou tempteſt God, whether he loves it and likes it alſo; and at length thou thinkeſt that God is ſuch a one as thy ſelf.
13. They tempt God, who attempt things above their parts and power, confiding in the Divine aſſiſtance, which is not promiſed them: thus many tempt God by entring into the Miniſtry; they undertake a great work, and are not underlaid with a ſtock of abilities, but they venture upon confidence of Divine aſſiſtance: but where has God promiſed thee his aſſiſtance? he never promiſed his aſſiſtance to thoſe that are unable: he fits for the Miniſtry, but never promiſed aſſiſtance to the unfit.
14. They that put off their repentance from the preſent to the future-time, and doubt not but God will give them grace and converſion whenſoever they liſt, tempt God exceedingly. To repent, and turn to God, is a work above the ſphere of mans ability: who can change his own heart? Oh! but God will meet me with his aſſiſtance hereafter: poor man, Who told thee ſo? I am ſure God never did.
15. They tempt God, who bring Gods Actions to the teſt and tryal; who ſubject his dealings to unjuſt examinations.
16. To conclude. Some men tempt God to ſin, were he capable of ſuch a temptation. Indeed James ſaith of God,Jam. 1. 13. that he is foreign, God cannot be tempted with evil, or tempted to evil; yet many are ſo audacious as to tempt God to do evil.
Ʋſe 1. The Ʋſe is this. Oh let this point humble us: for who of us have not been tempters of the Lord, both in our days of unregeneracy, and ſince we gave up our names unto him; both in our days of unbelief, and ſince alſo in our days of faith?
When we loved and lived in ſin, how did we continually tempt God, and ſince he manifeſted and revealed himſelf unto us, how oft, how oft have we tempted him moſt unkindly, and unfriendly? God may ſay to every one of us, You Numb. 14. 22.have tempted me theſe ten times: How have we indulged known ſins? and favoured ſecret luſts, and prayed free-grace to accept of us in our beloved ſins, and tryed his mercy to pardon us in our love to ſin againſt his revealed will?
How coldly have we prayed againſt an endeared corruption? nay have we not ſecretly prayed, oh! that God would ſpare me this ſweet ſin? oh! that God were of my mind, that I might enjoy this pleaſing ſin: have we not at leaſt tacitly wooed God to a compliance with us! and how indifferently have we conflicted with our pleaſing ſins, as if we were loth to over come them?
How often have we tempted God with our impatience, our murmurings, our unbelief and diſcontents? How often in our afflictions have we called God to an account, brought his Actions to the teſt, and ſubjected his dealings to our unjuſt examinations? and tryed them by our touchſtone?
Ʋſe 2. The ſecond Ʋſe. Oh then let us take heed of this great ſin of tempting God: Sirs, you may truſt him, you may not tempt him: God by all his promiſes meant to encourage your faith, not your preſumption.
1. To tempt God, is a grieving of God: The Pſalmiſt brings in God ſpeaking thus to the Jews, When your Fathers Pſal. 95. 9, 10.tempted me, and proved me, and ſaw my works: Forty years long was I grieved with this generation. Tempting of God through unbelief, and not ſubmitting to his Government, is a vexing of his Spirit, and a provoking of him to reject the ſinner; Forty years long was I grieved with this Verſ. 11.generation—unto whom I ſware in my wrath, that they ſhould not enter into my reſt: They tempted God, and this grieved him, and vexed him, and then he ſware, they ſhould not enter his reſt.
2. To tempt God, is a deſtroying ſin: Neither let us tempt 1 Cor. 10. 9.Chriſt, as ſome of them alſo tempted, and were deſtroyed of ſerpents.
Ʋſe 3. A laſt Ʋſe ſhall be to give you ſome antidotes, and then I have done.
1. You muſt get the clear eye of faith: by faith ſometimes we underſtand the promiſes; when we do not, the work of faith is to commit the ſoul to God, as unto a faithful creator: Faith will tell thee, when God frowns upon thee, he loves thee: Faith will help thee to commit thy ſoul unto God, Jobs afflictions made way for him to heaven.
2. Stay his leaſure, whatever your wants and conditions are, ſtay his leaſure, go not before God, ſtay his leaſure; if thou wilt be but content to ſtay Gods leiſure, thou wilt never go out of the way: ſet faith and grace at work to help thee to look upon the time as ſhort: the mercy when it comes, will be infinitely ſweeter than if thou ſhouldſt pull it off with thine own hand: this will help thee to wait Gods leiſure.
3. Contentation is a rich antidote againſt tempting of God. The defect of this Contentation leads us into many temptations and ſins, both againſt God, while we murmur at his will and dealings with us.
And againſt our neighbour, whoſe proſperous eſtate, being better than ours, we envy at. And therefore, ſirs, if we have food and rayment, let us be therewith content, that we may not trouble the waters, nor diſquiet God nor our own ſouls.