Of Tempting Christ, Section 10 – Section 11
SECT. X.
It is a Tempting of Providence, to uſe unlawful, or ſuſpected Means to accompliſh our Deſires, or ſupply our Wants.
Fifthly. IT is another Inſtance of Tempting God as to his Providence, when we make uſe of unlawful or ſuſpected Methods to accompliſh that which we deſire. Many ſick People, by reaſon of Impatience under Pain, from the Fear of Death, or over-eager Deſires of a ſpeedy Recovery, will venture to make uſe of ſuch things in order to it, as have no natural Virtue or Influence towards ſuch an Effect: As the pronouncing of ſuch or ſuch hard words, to charm away the Diſeaſe, the carrying ſuch or ſuch things about them, uſing Taliſmanical Figures, &c. and many other ſuch Methods, whereof no tolerable Account can be given, but that the Effect, when there is any, muſt proceed from a very ill Cauſe, or what we have reaſon to ſuſpect to be ſo.
I could mention Inſtances of ſad Effects of uſing ſuch Methods of Cure: Among others there is one *By my Reſpected Friend Mr. J M, Letters to a ſick Friend, 8o, Letter 15.printed, of a Gentlewoman having an Ague, a Beggar gave her a Charm to hang about her Neck, bid her not read it, but when ſhe was cured, burn it. The Miniſter of the Pariſh (being a ſober, learned, and pious Conformable Divine) came caſually to viſit her: She telling him the Medicine, and the Cure which had attended it, threw it into the Fire in his Preſence; but he catching it, read it; the words were, Ague, farewel, till you and I meet in Hell. Upon hearing of which ſhe fell into her Ague again, with greater Violence than ever; and alſo into a deep Melancholy, which occaſion'd her to lay violent Hands on her ſelf.
THE like may be ſaid for Amulets, and things uſed to preſerve from Infection in a time of Peſtilence, or for Security of Mens Perſons in a time of War; or of Herbs and Plants to preſerve from Witchcrafts, and Power of Evil Spirits. Such things, I mean, which can have no natural Efficacy to produce the deſired Effect; as Charms, and Spells, and Magical Arts, and many inſignificant Forms of Words, with their ſeveral Modes and Manners of Pronunciation, uſed to avert Evils from themſelves, or their Subſtance, their Fruits, &c. which many, amongſt the *See Dr. Towerſon on the Firſt Commandment, Part 8. And Mr. Incr. Mather's Eſſay for recording of Illuſtrious Providences, 8o. Chap. 8. p. 248, 254. and 264, 284. at large.Romaniſts, do commonly make uſe of, with great ſhew of Devotion.
THESE things are granted by all to have no natural Aptitude for theſe Effects; and therefore muſt receive their Force, either from God, or from the Ʋſer, or from the Devil. Not from God, for there is no Divine Revelation on which to bottom ſuch a Faith, which the Apoſtles had in the Miracles they wrought. If we expect it, either from our Selves, or from the Devil; it is to give the Glory that is due to God, either to Satan, or to our Selves When we uſe any ſuch Means with the expectation of Succeſs, it is a kind of Magick which the Devil himſelf owns, and gives Life to: So is i… to uſe any Arts, Rites, or Ceremonies, not underſtood, of which we can give no Rational or Divine Account: Tho he may not be viſibly and corporally preſent, or require preſently any farther Covenants from the Uſers of them.
THE Devil, no queſtion, is preſent at his own Rites and Ceremonies, tho Men diſcern him not; and may, upon the uſe of them, ſecretly produce thoſe Effects, which may gain Credit to them. They fence themſelves, as one ſaith, with the Devil's Shield, againſt the Devil's Sword: Tho the Perſons have no Intention of making Application to the Devil; yet if they make uſe of ſuch Means for their Preſervation from Diſeaſes or Dangers, or for the attaining of other Purpoſes, they are chargeable with this Guilt, becauſe the Succeſs cannot reaſonably be expected from any other, but Satan. Eſpecially if we will continue in ſuch a Practice, after the expreſs Cautions given by God againſt the uſe of ſuch things, and his Deteſtation of them, declared by caſting out the *Levit. 19. & 20.6, 23. & Deut. 18.10, 11, 12.Nations that poſſeſſed the Land of Canaan, before the Iſraelites, upon this very Account.
SECT. XI.
Of laying Wagers concerning the future Determinations of Divine Providence.
Sixthly. IMIGHT under this Head, add a modern Inſtance of Tempting the Providence of God, or that which I think is a very bold Trifling with it; for Men to lay conſiderable Wagers, and make a Trade of it likewiſe, upon the future Determinations of Providence, about the Succeſs of Fleets, and Armies, &c. Whether ſuch or ſuch a beſieged Town ſhall be taken, and delivered up upon ſuch a Day or no. I would fain ask what Direction there is from the Word of God, or what Example of holy Men in Scripture, or in former Ages, to countenance this Practice. What Encouragement have Men to pray for the Bleſſingof Heaven every Morning, upon ſuch new Methods of getting Money? If you pray for Succeſs in theſe Wagers, you muſt ſometimes contradict another part of your own Prayers, for the Progreſs of the Reformed Religion, and the Welfare of England; and if you wage one with another, God cannot hear one of you, without denying the other, who lays on the other ſide. If Men loſe an Eſtate, or bring themſelves and Families to Poverty or Straits, by ſuch Methods as theſe; they will be apt to have many uneaſy Thoughts about it, and hardly will be able to ſay with Job, It was the Lord who gave, and who hath taken away, Bleſſed be his Holy Name.
BESIDES that, it argues ſomething in the Temper of Mens Minds, that is worſe than the thing it ſelf, viz. the want of a due Concern about the Publick Affairs of Europe, and of what God is doing in the World. But it not only diſcovers an ill Temper of Mind, but has a very great Influence to make it worſe. As has been obſerved of ſeveral who have fallen into this new way of Trade.
SOME ſuch Reflections, it may be, would reach unto other doubtful ways of Trade in this City. But I pretend not to underſtand Matters of Trade ſufficiently, ſo as to give a poſitive Opinion in theſe Affairs; but earneſtly deſire you would remember, and conſider this, That, in doubtful Caſes, the ſafeſt ſide is to be choſen. And thus for Tempting God as to his External Providence.