own door, and he hath reafon to blame himself for all the evil that he does.

First, That God is not the author of fin, that he is no way acceffary to our faults, either by tempting or forcing us to the commiffion of them. For if he were, they would neither properly be fins, nor could they be juftly punished. They would not properly be fins, for fin is a contradiction to the will of God; but fuppofing men to be either tempted, or neceffitated thereto, that which we call fin would either be a mere paffive obedience to the will of God, or an active compliance with it, but neither way a contradiction to it. Nor could thefe actions be juftly pu nifhed: for all punishment fuppofeth a fault, and a fault fuppofeth liberty and freedom from force and neceffity; fo that no man can be juftly punished for that which he cannot help, and no man can help that which he is neceffitated and compelled to.

And though there were no force in the cafe, but only temptation, yet it would be unreafonable for the fame perfon to tempt and punish. For as nothing is more contrary to the holiness of God, than to tempt men to fin; fo nothing can be more against justice and goodness, than first to draw men into a fault, and then to chaftize them for it. So that this is a principle which lies at the bottom of all religion, That God is not the author of the fins of men. then,

And

Secondly, That every man's fault lies at his own door, and he has reafon enough to blame himself for all the evil that he does. And this is that which makes men properly guilty, that when they have done amifs, they are confcious to themfelves it was their own act, and they might have done otherwife; and guilt is that which makes men liable to punishment; and fear of punishment is the great reftraint from fin, and one of the principal arguments for virtue and obedi

ence.

And both thefe principles our Apoftle St James does here fully affert in the words which I have read unto you: Let no man fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with

evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of bis own luft, and enticed.

In which words thefe two things are plainly contained.

1. That God doth not tempt any man to fin: Let' no man fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth be any man.

2. That every man's fault lies at his own door, and he is his own greatest tempter: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own luft, and enticed.

I. That God doth not tempt any man to fin: Let no man fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth be any man. In which words there are three things to be confidered.

1. The propofition which the Apostle here rejects, and that is, That God tempts men: Let no man fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God.

2. The manner in which he rejects it: Let no man fay fo. By which manner of fpeaking, the Apoftle infinuates these two things: ft, That men are apt to lay their faults upon God; for when he fays, Let no man fay fo, he intimates, that men are apt to say fo, and it is very probable that fome did fay fo; and, zdly, That it is not only a fault, but an impious af fértion, to say that God tempts men. He speaks of it as a thing to be rejected with detestation: Let no man' Jay; that is, far be it from us to affirm a thing fo impious and difhonourable to God.

3. The reafon and argument that he brings against it: For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempt eth he any man.

1. The propofition which the Apoftle here rejects, and that is, That God tempts men: Let no man fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. Now, that we may the more diftinctly understand the meaning of the propofition which the Apostle here rejects, it will be very requifite to confider what temptation is, and M.m-2

the

the feveral forts and kinds of it. To tempt a man,, is, in general, nothing elfe but to make trial of him in any kind what he will do. In fcripture, temptation is commonly confined to the trial of a man's good or bad, of his virtuous or vitious inclinations. But then it is fuch a trial as endangers a man's virtue, and if he be not well refolved, is likely to overcome it, and to make him fall into fin. So that temptation does always imply fomething of dangerthe worst way. And men are thus tempted, either from themfelves, or by others; by others chiefly these two ways.

1, By direct and downright perfuafions to fin.

2dly, By being brought into fuch circumftances as will greatly endanger their falling into it, though. none folicit and perfuade them to it.

ift, By direct and downright perfuafions to fin.. Thus the devil tempted our first parents, by reprefenting things fo to them, as might on the one hand incite them to fin, and on the other hand weaken and loofen that which was the great curb and restraint. from it. On the one hand he reprefents to them the advantages they fhould have by breaking God's command: God deth know, that in the day ye eat thereof,. then your eyes fhall be opened; and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. On the other hand, he reprefents the danger of offending not to be fo great and certain as they imagined: The ferpent faid unto the woman, Ye shall not furely die. And the devil had fo good fuccefs in this way of tempting the firft Adam, as to encourage him to fet upon the fecond, our bleffed Saviour, in the fame manner; for he would have perfuaded him to fall down and worship him, by offering him all the kingdoms of the world, and. the glory of them. And thus bad men many times tempt others, and endeavour to draw them into the fame wicked courfes with themselves. Solomon reprefents to us the manner and the danger of it, Prov. i. 10. 11. 13. 14. My fon, if finners entice thee, confent thou not. If they fay, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without caufe we fhall find all precious fubftance, we shall

fill our houfes with spoil: Caft in thy lot amongst us, let 25 all have one purfe. This is the first way of temptation.

And to be fure God tempts no man this way. He offers no arguments to man to perfuade him to fin; he no where propofeth either reward or impunity to finners; but on the contrary gives all imaginable encouragement to obedience, and threatens the tranf greffion of his law with most dreadful punishments.

2dly, Men are likewife tempted, by being brought into fuch circumstances, as will greatly endanger their falling into fin, though none perfuade them to it; and this happens two ways: when men are remarkably befet with the allurements of the world, or affaulted with the evils and calamities of it; for either of these conditions are great temptations to men,. and make powerful affaults upon them, efpecially when they fall upon those who are ill difpofed before, or are but of a weak virtue and resolution.

The allurements of the world are ftrong tempta.. tions; riches, and honours, and pleasures; they are the occafions and incentives to many lufts. Honour and greatness, power and authority, over others, efpecially when men are fuddenly lifted up, and from a low condition, are apt to tranfport men to pride and infolency towards others. Power is a strong liquor which does easily intoxicate weak minds, and make them apt to say and do indecent things. Man that is in honour, and underftandeth not, is like the beafts that perish; intimating, that men who are exalted to an high condition, are very apt to forget themselves, and to play the fools and beafts. It requires great confideration, and a well poifed mind, not to be lifted up with one's condition. Weak heads are apt to turn and grow dizzy, when they look down from a great height.

And fo likewife eafe and profperity are a very flippery condition to moft men, and without great care, do endanger the falling into great fins. So Solomon obferves, Prov. i. 32. For the turning away of the fimple fhall flay them, and the profperity of foots

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Shall destroy them. For this reafon Agur maketh his prayer to God, that he would give him neither poverty nor riches, but keep him in a mean condition, because of the danger of both extremes: Prov. xxx. 8.. 9. Give me not riches, left I be full, and deny thee. Both the eager defire, and the poffeffion and enjoyment of riches, do frequently prove fatal to men. So our Saviour tells us elfewhere very emphatically, Matth. xix. 23. 24. Verily I fay unto you, that a rich man fall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.. And again I fay unto you, It is easier for a camel to go, through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. St Paul likewife very fully declares unto us the great danger of this condition, 1 Tim. vi. 9. 10. But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a fnare, and into many foolifh and hurtful lufts, which drown men in deftruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all. evil: which while feme coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many forrows.

But the greateft bait of all to flesh and blood is fenfual pleafures: The very prefence and opportunity of thefe, are apt to kindle the defires, and to inflame the lufts of men, especially where thefe temptations meet with fuitable tempers, where every fpark that falls catcheth.

And on the other hand, the evils and calamities of this world, especially if they threaten or fall upon men in any degree of extremity, are ftrong temptations to human nature. Poverty and want, pain and fuffering, and the fear of any great evil, efpecially of death, thefe are great ftraits to human nature, and apt to tempt men to great fins, to impatience and difcontent, to unjuft and difhoneft fhifts, to the forfaking of God, and apoftafy from his truth and religion. Agur was fenfible of the dangerous tempta tion of poverty, and therefore he prays against that, as well as against riches: Give me not poverty, left being poor 1 fteal, and take the name of the Lord my God in vain; that is, left I be tempted to theft and perjury.

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