Therefore, in the way of faith, God's transacting our sin upon Christ is most satisfying to the spirit: "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. liii. 6). Now, we would lay it upon God by odious aspersions of his power and providence; for, if we could once make God a sinner, we should be secure. You see, we do not fear men that are as faulty as ourselves. They need pardon as well as we; and therefore is it that the soul doth so wickedly design to bring God into a partnership and fellowship of our guilt. Partly, through a wicked desire that is in men to blemish the being of God. Man naturally hateth God, and our spite is shown this way, by polluting and profaning his glory, and making it become vile in our thoughts; for, since we cannot rase out the sense of the Deity, we would destroy the dread and reverence of it. It is a saying of Plutarch, Malo de me dici nullum esse Plutarchum quam malum esse Plutarchum; de Deo male sentire quam Deum esse negare pejus duco. We cannot deny God, and therefore we debase him, which is worst, as it is better not to be than to be wicked. We think him as 66 one of us" (Psa. 1. 21); and the apostle saith, we turn his glory into a lie" (Rom. i. 25). Well then, beware of this wickedness of turning upon God. The more natural it is to us, the more should we take heed We charge God with our evils and sins divers ways.

sin of it.

1. When we blame his providence, the state of things, the times, the persons about us, the circumstances of providence, as the laying of tempting objects in our way, our condition, &c. ; as if God's disposing of our interests were a calling us to sin. Thus Adam, "The woman which thou gavest me, she gave me, and I did eat" (Gen. iii. 12). Mark, it is obliquely reflected upon God, "The woman which thou gavest me. So many will plead the greatness of their distractions and incumbrances: God hath laid so many miseries and discouragements upon them, and cast them upon such hard times, that they are forced to such shifts; whereas, alas, God sendeth us miseries not to make us worse, but to make us better, as Paul seemeth to argue in 1 Cor. x. 13, 14: if they did turn to idolatry, the fault was not in their sufferings and trials, but in themselves. Thus you make God to tempt you to sin, when you transfer it upon providence, and blame your condition rather than yourselves. Providence may dispose of the object, but it doth not impel or excite the lust: it appointeth the condition, but Satan setteth up the snare. It was by God's providence that the wedge of gold lay in Achan's way, that Bathsheba was offered naked to David's eye, that the sensual man hath abundance, that the timorous is surprised with persecution, &c.: all these things are from God, for the fault lieth not here. The outward estate, or the creatures that have been the occasions of our sinning, cannot be blamed, as beauty in women, pleasantness in wine. These are good creatures of God, meant for a remedy; we turn them into a snare. The more of God's goodness or glory is seen in any creature, the greater check it is to a temptation; for so far it is a memorial of God; and therefore some have observed, that desires simply unclean are most usually stirred up towards deformed objects. Beauty in itself is some stricture and resemblance of the divine majesty and glory, and therefore cannot but check motions altogether brutish. It is very observable that of the apostle Peter, “The corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Pet. i. 4): the world is only the object, the cause is lust. The reason why men are covetous, or sensual, or effeminate, is not in gold, or wine, or women, but in men's naughty

affections and dispositions. So also it is very observable, that when the apostle John would sum up the contents of that world which is opposite to the love of God, he doth not name the objects, but the lusts. The fault is there. He doth not say, Whatsoever is in the world, its pleasures, or honours, or profits, but the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life; and addeth, "These are not of the Father, but of the world" (1 John ii. 16); that is, not of God, as riches, and honour, and other outward things are; but these are parts of that world that man hath made, the world in our own bowels, as the poison is not in the flower, but in the spider's

nature.

2. By ascribing sin to the defect and faint operation of the divine grace. Men will say, they could do no otherwise, they had no more grace given them by God. "The foolishness of man perverteth his ways, and his heart fretteth against the Lord" (Prov. xix. 3). They say it was along of God, he did not give more grace: "they corrupt themselves in what they know" (Jude 10), and then complain, God gave no power. Men naturally look upon God as a Pharaoh, requiring brick where he gave no straw. The servant in the Gospel would make his master in the fault, why he did not improve his talent: “I knew thou wert a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strowed; and therefore I went and hid the talent" (Matt. xxv. 24), as if that were all the cause.

3. When men lay all their miscarriages upon their fate and the unhappy stars that shone at their birth. These are but blind flings at God himself, veiled under reflections upon the creatures. Alas, "who is it that bringeth out Mazzaroth in his season? that ordereth the stars in their course? is it not the Lord?" To this sort you may refer them that storm at any creatures, because they dare not openly and clearly oppose themselves against Heaven, as Job curseth the day of his birth (Job. iii. 3) as if it had been unlucky to him, and others curse some lower instruments.

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4. When men are angry they know not why. They are loth to spend any holy indignation upon themselves. Therefore, feeling the stings and gripes of conscience, they fret and fume and know not why. They would fain break out against God, but dare not; as David himself, " David was displeased because the Lord had made a breach upon Vezzah" (2 Sam. vi. 8): he was angry, but could not tell with whom to be angry: he should have been angry with his own folly and ignorance. Wicked men break out apparently. They shall fret themselves, and curse their God, and their King, and look upward; and they shall look to the earth," &c. (Isa. viii. 21, 22). Sin proving unhappy vexeth the soul, and then men curse and rave, and break out into indecencies of passion and madness, accusing God, and providence, and instruments, and any but themselves: so, "They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their plagues" (Rev. xvi. 21), the madness of their rage breaketh out into open blasphemy. But in the children of God it is more secretly carried. There is a storming in their hearts, but they dare not give it vent; as Jonah (chap. iv.) was vexed, and surcharged with passion, but knew not upon whom to disgorge it.

5. Most grossly when you think he useth any suggestion to the soul, to persuade it and incline it to evil. Satan may come, and by the help of fancy and the senses, transmit evil counsel to the soul; but God doth not, as more fully hereafter. "Whatsoever is beyond these cometh of evil” (Matt.

v. 37). In the original it is i

There

ovnpou, not only of the evil heart, but the evil serpent; from the devil, and our corruption, if it be beside the rule. is Satan's counsel in all this, not the Lord's.

6. When you have an ill understanding and conceit of his decrees, as if they did necessitate you to sin. Men will say, Who can help it? God would have it so, as if that were an excuse for all. Though God hath decreed that sin shall be, yet he doth neither infuse evil, nor enforce you to evil. God doth not infuse evil: that which draweth you to it, is your own concupiscence, as in the next verse. He doth not give you an evil nature, or evil habits; these are from yourselves. He doth enforce you; neither physically, by urging and inclining the will to act; nor morally, by counselling and persuading or commanding you to it. God leaveth you to yourselves, casteth you in his providence, and in pursuance of his decrees, upon such things as are a snare to you. That is all that God doth, as anon will more fully appear. I only now take notice of that wickedness which is in our natures, whereby we are apt to blemish God, and excuse ourselves.

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III. From that [He cannot be tempted with evil,] That God is so immutably good and holy, that he is above the power of a temptation. Men soon warp and vary; but he cannot be tempted. There is a wicked folly in man, which maketh us measure God by the creature; and because we can be tempted, think God can be tempted also: as suppose, enticed to give way to our sins, why else do they desire him to prosper them in their evil projects? To further unjust gain, or unclean intents; as the whore had her vows and peace-offerings (Prov. vii. 14), to prosper in her wantonness. And generally we deal with God as if he could be tempted and wrought to a compliance with our corrupt ends, as Solomon speaketh of sacrifice offered with an evil mind (Prov. xxi. 27); that is, to gain the favour of Heaven in some evil undertaking and design. Thus the king of Moab hoped to entice God by the multitude of his sacrifices, seven altars, seven oxen, seven rams" (Numb. xxiii. 1). And the prophet saith, of some that thought to draw God into a liking of their oppression, "Blessed be God I am rich" (Zech. xi. 6). So in these times wicked men have a pretence of religion, as if they would allure the Lord to enter into their secret, and come under the banner of their faction and conspiracy. Oh what base thoughts have carnal men of God! No wonder the word of God is made a nose of wax, when God himself is made an idol or puppet, that moveth by the wire of every carnal worshipper. Oh check this blasphemy; God cannot be tempted, he is immutably just and holy : "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity" (Habak. i. 13). Iniquity shall never have a good look from him. Oh then, how should we tremble that are easily carried aside with temptation! How can you stand before the God that cannot be tempted? The uses of this note are two.

1. It is an inducement to get an interest in God, and more communion with him. A believer is "made partaker of the Divine nature” (2 Pet. i. 4). Now, the more of the Divine nature in you, the more you are able to stand against temptations. We are easily carried aside, because we have more of man than God in us. We are so mutable, that, if all memory of sin and Satan were abolished, man himself would become his own devil; but God is at the same stay. Oh let us covet more of the Divine nature, that, when the

tempter cometh, he may find the less in us. resemble God as in immutable holiness.

We do in nothing so much

2. You may make use of it to the purpose in hand. When natural thoughts rise in us, thoughts against the purity of God, say thus, Surely God cannot be the author of sin, who is the ultor or the avenger of it: he he is at the same pass and stay of holiness, and cannot warp aside to evil. Especially make use of it, when any thing is said of God in Scripture which doth not agree with that standing copy of his holiness, the righteous law which he hath given us. Do not think it any variation from that immutable tenour of purity and justice which is in his nature, for he cannot be tempted; as when he bade Abraham offer his son, it was not evil, partly because God may require the life of any of his creatures when he will; partly because, being the lawgiver, he may dispense with his own law: and a peculiar precept is not in force when it derogateth from a general command; to wit, that we must do whatsoever God requireth. So, in bidding them spoil the Egyptians, God is not bound to our rule. The moral law is a rule to us, not to himself, &c. In all such cases, salve the glory of God, for he is åñεípasos kaкõv, altogether incapable of the least sin or evil. IV. From that [Neither tempteth he any man.] tempter. The author of all good cannot be the author of sin. God useth many a moving persuasion to draw us to holiness, not a hint to encourage us to sin. Certainly they are far from the nature of God that entice others to wickedness, for he tempteth no man. Man tempteth others many ways.

That the Lord is no

1st, By commands, when you contribute your authority to the countenancing of it. It is the character of Jeroboam, that he made Israel to sin: "Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that made Israel to sin." It is again and again repeated. The guilt of a whole nation lieth upon his shoulders. Israel ruined him, and he ruined Israel. So "Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and do worse than the heathens" (2 Chron. xxxiii. 9). Mark, he made them: their sins are charged upon your score. In the seventh of the Revelations, where the tribes are numbered, Dan is altogether left out, and Ephraim is not mentioned. Dan was the first leading tribe that by example went over to idols (Judges xviii. 30), and Ephraim by authority. So some give the reason.

2dly, By their solicitations and entreaties, when men become panders to others' lusts. "With much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him" (Prov. vii. 21). Mark, she caused him to yield, and then forced him: first he began to incline, and then he could no longer resist. When such Evahs lay forth their apples, what evil cometh by it! Solicitations are as the bellows to blow up those latent sparkles of sin which are hidden in our natures, into a flame.

3dly, Those that soothe up or encourage men in their evil ways, calling evil good and good evil. Like Ahab's prophets, their word is, “Go up and prosper." They cry peace, peace, to a soul utterly sunk and lost in a pit of perdition. Oh how far are these from the nature of God! He tempteth no man; but these are devils in man's shape, their work is to seduce and tempt, murderers of souls, yea (as Epiphanius calleth the Novatians) murderers of repentance.* Dives in hell had more charity: he would have

* Τοὺς φονεῖς τῆς μετανόιας. Epiphan.

some to testify to his brethren, lest they came into that place of torment (Luke xvi. 28). But these are factors for hell, negotiate for Satan, strengthen the hands of the wicked, and (which God taketh worse) discourage and set back those that were looking towards heaven. So the apostle, they" allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them that live in error (2 Pet. ii. 18); Tous oνTwс ȧпоpεúуоνтαç, really or verily escaped; that is, had begun to profess the Gospel Or as some copies have ὀλίγως ἀποφεύγοντας, having a little escaped from error; thence the Vulgar, eos qui paululum effugiunt, with which the Syriac and Arabic translations agree;* and so it showeth how ill God taketh it, that the early growth and budding of grace should be blasted, and as soon as they began to profess any change, that a seducer should set them back again, and entangle those that had made some escape, and were in a fair way to a holy life. This is Satan's disposition outright; the dragon watched for the man-child as soon as he was born (Rev. xii. 4), and these make advantage of those early tendencies and dispositions to faith which are in poor souls; for, while they are deeply affected with their sins, and admiring the riches and grace of Christ, they strike in with some erroneous representations, and under a colour of liberty and Gospel, reduce and bring them back to their old looseness.

If God tempteth no man, then it informeth us that God cannot be the author of sin. I shall here take occasion a little to enlarge upon that point. I shall first clear those places which seem to imply it; then, secondly, show you what is the efficiency and concurrence of God about sin.

First, For the clearing of the places of Scripture. They are of divers ranks. There are places that seem to say that God doth tempt, as “God tempted Abraham” (Gen. xxii. 1); so in many other places; but that was but a trial of his faith, not a solicitation to sin. There is a tempting by way of sin, and a tempting by way of seducement.f God trieth their obedience, but doth not stir them up to sin. But you will say there are other places which seem to hint, that God doth solicit, incite, and stir up to sin, as 1 Chron. v. 26, God stirred up the spirit of Pul, the king of Assyria, to carry away the Jews captive; but that was not evil, to punish a hypocritical nation, but just and holy, a part of his corrective discipline; and God's stirring implieth nothing but the designation of his providence, and the ordering of that rage and fury that in them was stirred up by ambition and other evil causes, as a correction to his people. So also "the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David to number the people" (2 Sam. xxiv. 1). But compare it with 1 Chron. xxi. 1, and you shall see it is said, Satan stood up and provoked David to number the people; and so some explain one place by the other, and refer that "he" to Satan: 66 'The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and HE;" that is, the Devil. Or it may be referred to the last antecedent, "the Lord," whose anger is said to be stirred up; "he moved," that is, permitted Satan to move, by withdrawing himself from David. God moved permissivé, Satan efficaciter God suffered, Satan tempted; for God is often in Scripture said to do that which he doth but permit to be done, as to "awaken the sword against the man, his fellow" (Zech. xiii. 7); that is, to stir up all that rage

So see Jerom., lib. 3, contra Jovin. et Aug. de Fide et Operibus, cap. 25. + Diabolus tentat, Deus probat. Tertul. de Orat.