Of Tempting Christ, Section 6
SECT. VI.
The many ways of implicit, indirect Tempting Chriſt. Some Inſtances with reſpect to his Truth.
Secondly. THERE is an Implicit, Indirect Tempting of God; as to his Truth, Power, Knowledg, Providence, Grace, Patience, &c. whereof we may be many ways guilty.
I. AS to the Truth of God. When we disbelieve what he hath promiſed or threatned, and queſtion his Fidelity to make it good. This is contrary to the Nature and Office of Faith, whoſe Excellency it is to give Glory to God, by believing in the moſt difficult Caſes. Many a convinced Sinner, under the ſenſe of his former Guilt, when he ſees the Aggravations of his Folly, and of his Rebellion, does thus tempt God, by doubting of the Truth of his Word to pardon and forgive ſuch Sinners as he, tho he ſhould never ſo truly and unfeignedly Repent Whereas God has expreſly told us, that if the Wicked forſake his Way, and the Ʋnrighteous Man his Thoughts, he will multiply Pardons: And that the Blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from all Sin. Many a melancholy, timerous Chriſtian, under the ſenſe of their own Weakneſs, may likewiſe incur this Guilt, by queſtioning the Grace of God to enable them to perſevere, by reaſon of the preſent Temptations they meet with, or thoſe they expect: Tho God has told us, that his Grace ſhall be ſufficient, and that he will not ſuffer us to be tempted above what we are able; and that he who hath begun a good Work, will carry it on, and perfect it to the Day of Chriſt.
GOD had expreſly promiſed to bring the Jews into the Land of Canaan; but their Journey had been long and tedious, they were diſcouraged becauſe of the Way, they were founder'd in their Patience, and could not ſtay God's Leiſure; and therefore queſtioned his Word of Promiſe; and ſo they tempted him concerning his Truth.
BUT it is more common to tempt him with reſpect to the Truth of his Threatnings. As if he were not reſolved to fulfil his Word againſt thoſe who are finally Impenitent, and Unbelieving. Tho he hath told us, That he that made them will will ſhew them no Mercy: And that the Wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, with All of every Nation that continue to forget God: And that Chriſt ſhall be revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire, to render Vengeance to them that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel: Yet Sinners believe it not, they will venture to ſee what will become of the Threatning: By a like Preſumption with thoſe, Iſa. 5.19. Let him make haſte, and haſten his Work, that we may ſee it: Let the Counſel of the Holy One of Iſrael, and his threatned Vengeance draw nigh and come, that we may know it.
THE firſt Impoſture, by which the Devil tempted and allured our firſt Parents, was of this kind; Ye ſhall not ſurely die. As if the threatning of Divine Wrath againſt obſtinate and incorrigible Sinners, had more of Terror in it, than of Truth; and that Men ſhould never be called to an Account hereafter, for what they do in this World: at leaſt ſhould never be condemned to Eternal Torments, tho they live and die in their Unbelief, and Impenitence. As if God would be more merciful than his Threatnings can import, tho he hath told us, how far his Mercy ſhall reach, and to whom, and that the Day of his Patience is concluded at fartheſt with the Day of our Death. But thus to preſume againſt expreſs Scripture, that there ſhall be no Judgment, and no Hell, or that it ſhall not be Eternal, when it is as expreſly ſaid that the Wicked ſhall go away into Everlaſting Puniſhment, as the Righteous into Life Eternal; this is to Tempt God with reſpect to his Truth. Men in the Vigor of their Strength, when their Spirits are inflamed with Wine, and their Hearts hardened by Atheiſtical Company and Diſcourſe, may dare to talk thus preſumptuouſly; but we find the ſame Perſons on a ſick Bed, when they approach to the other World, and apprehend they can ſtay no longer in this, have commonly other Apprehenſions of theſe things: their Hearts ſink, their Courage fails them, and they would rather die the Death of the Righteous, however they formerly derided the Folly of their Life.