Therefore if God be the Fountain of both sweet and bitter or good and evil, it must be in a different way to each; which is to the good directly, to the evil indirectly through the object's own abuse of his blessed gifts; as Jordan's unoffending head may be the fountain directly of a sacred stream, and indirectly of all the chilling draughts, and muddy whirlpools, and drowning waves by which it is liable to be troubled and embittered. And, as ng one would doubt the original life and purity of a piece of water, because through natural circumstances it has become stagnant and putrid; so neither ought we to doubt the original life and purity of all that is, because from circumstances as obvious as the causes of stagnation and putrescence the greater part of what we see and feel unfortunately belies its origin. Or, considering judicially as well as pathologically, if a judge be the author of evil, to a culprit in decreeing, and the executioner in inflicting his punishment, then likewise may God be accounted the chief author of all the evil that is in the world, since it happens alike to all," for all have sinned;" (Rom. iii. 23;) and the adversary of God may be deemed his second or assistant in promoting the evil that God enjoins: but it is much fairer, to account the culprit himself the author of the evil that he endures, and the procurer of his own mishap; while God appears the beneficent Judge turning partial evil to general good, and the devil his willing instrument so far as goes to the evil, its improvement being allotted by God to other hands: even to one in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." (Eph. i. 7.)

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To conclude this account; it may appear from what has now been observed, that the evil imputed to God in Scripture can be no evil with him; as it was shewn before, that when God tempts to evil it may be good even for the person tempted, according to his motive. But as we perceived one difficulty in comprehending the possible production of a creature free to do evil, so we may an equal,

if not greater, in comprehending by what sign, or in what manner any such creature should be able to know, when he was really tempted or directed by God to a thing so opposite to his own nature as that. Therefore,

4, Taking for example the case of Abraham the patriarch; it may well be said that "God did tempt Abraham," (Gen. xxii. 1,) if he ever put him upon committing so foul an outrage upon humanity as the death of his innocent son. But by whatever signal could Abraham be satisfied of the order coming from God,-if it were possible, for an act so diabolical in itself and so revolting to the feelings of a fond parent to come from him; when he "stretched forth his hand, and took the knife, to slay his son ?" (Ib. 10.) It is merely said that "God said." (Ib. 1.) But how did he say?-by what sensible means and with what authentic evidence proportioned to the magnitude of the word? If it was uttered in a voice of thunder accompanied with lightnings and earthquakes, the patriarch could not be sure it was God that spake; since an evil demon was supposed to possess the same faculty. Abraham was an absolute prince in his family; and as such accountable to God alone for his conduct: but should any father in Christendom be ordered and enabled or permitted by Divine Providence to go through with such an attempt at this time, he would have to satisfy not only himself but others likewise of the certainty of his commission; which would be a hard-we may say an impracticable undertaking. And either God must have revealed himself to mankind differently in the time of Abraham from what he does at present, or credulity and superstition have set men above the humble use of reason and evidence in those days, to make them think of such a revelation. The horrid practice of offering their sons and their daughters unto devils, (Ps. cvi. 36,) which was very rife perhaps in Abraham's days, might have made its evidence easier than we should expect perhaps from our priests but these were what Abraham had no occasion

for, and consequently could not be misled by, officiating himself in his tent. Still however we need not doubt, that God spake to Abraham consciously and intelligibly, because we know not how Abraham could know it: nor that his knowing it made all right, religious and excellent, And whenever God shall think fit to speak to us, there will be no danger of our not hearing him, whether we be dead or alive; and it may then be soon enough for us to know more of the mode, while in the mean time it signifies little how the voice of God may be discernible to those to whom he does not address himself directly any how, if he does indirectly by the lusts and prejudices by which they are led away. "For many be called, but few chosen," (Matt. xx. 16,) says our blessed Saviour. God speaks to all of us in his holy word; offering thereby the same salvation to all, enjoining to all the same general duties, and threatening alike with a decided reprobation all by whom his offers and threatenings should be disregarded. But, as it is a very easy and not uncommon evasion with wicked servants to plead their deafness or slowness of apprehension, when they have no mind to know their duty, so is it for them likewise to bewilder themselves with objections and difficulties when they have no mind to do it: and that is not for their interest.

For, if we read in one passage of scripture before explained*, that " God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man," we read in other passages as decidedly both of men's tempting God, and of his tempting them. In a passage of the Psalms, which is precious. enough of itself, and also endeared to us by daily use, we read for example, "To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works ;" (Ps. xcv. 8, 9;) shewing directly how evil men tempt God;

* P. 374.

and by implication on the other hand, how God tempts them; such being a part of his "works" here alluded to,

as it is also said, “ Then sent he Moses, his servant, and Aaron whom he had chosen: and these shewed his tokens among them, and wonders in the land of Ham." (Ib. cv. 26, 27.) "And in very deed, for this have I raised thee up, (said he to Pharaoh by those servants, namely Moses and the other,) for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth." (Exod. ix. 16.)

Of the second part, or God's tempting mankind, especially-there can be no doubt: and indeed it would seem superfluous to pray that he would not do this, if there was not some chance of his doing it. He may not tempt men directly; as, how can he? but by his angels, by one another, and by every ingredient whether intellectual, spiritual, or corporeal in each: also for different purposes according to what men are; and namely, as they may be either more good or evil. Thus, he will tempt some to an evil purpose or effect, to rage and rankle like Pharaoh and his Egyptians; whose hearts were hardened, so that "they would not let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken by Moses." (Exod. ix. 35.) They were hardened first by themselves, and next by God; or hardened by God through themselves; like some to whom I have alluded before now. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." (Rom. i. 28.) And on the other hand, some he will tempt to good purpose for them; as well as to an agreeable purpose-a merciful purpose for himself; to submit, believe, and obey, and "that their faith may be found in the day of the Lord laudable, glorious and honourable " to their own comfort also, and the edification of others, as well as his approbation: for so it happened to the fathers of old, and to Abraham, their chief, especially, as before signified; who "all died in the faith."

(Heb. xi. 13.) So it is clear that temptations are necessary to the formation of positive worth; and that with good things too, as well as with evil: for if we were not attracted by the good things of this world, as honour, love and friendship,-how could we give the preference to another; as the aforesaid fathers did? (Ib. 14, &c.)

We know, that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Rom. viii. 28.) And therefore even in defeat some may find more good than others in victory when they are tempted, being of the number of "those who love God:" as it happened by St. Peter and the other apostles, when they were tempted for the cause of Christ, and fell at first so unworthily: for upon his submission and apprehension by the ruling powers, they all, as we read, "forsook him and fled." (Matt. xxvi. 56.) But that such a failure in the highest duty was specially ordained by Providence, "that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled,” (Ib.,) and not occasioned by any fault or false principle in Peter and the rest, is evident from their future behaviour in the cause of Christ, as well as from their previous determination, to stand by him at all hazards; when "Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended:" (Ib. 33:) and again, “Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all his disciples." (Ib. 35.) And it was no ill turn for them all, if they were taught hereby to feel their proper dependence: and "that the purpose of God according to the election, might stand, not of works; but of him that calleth." For "he hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth." (Rom. ix. 11, 18.) And now, having considered his part in respect of temptation and evil, and of temptation especially, which is the doctrine of the subject, it may be well to consider

our own.

§2. Our part respecting evil generally, and in either