per

indeed, we may be tempted with evil, and therefore S ERM. we are likely enough to tempt others: but we ought CXVI. not to do fo. It is contrary to holiness and goodnefs, to the temper and difpofition of the most fect being in the world. GoD tempts no man; nay, it is the proper work and employment of the devil, 'tis his very trade and profeffion; he goes about feeking whom he may betray into fin and deftruction. To this end he walks up and down the earth, waiting all opportunities and advantages upon men to draw them into fin; fo that we are his factors and inftruments, whenever we tempt men to fin.

Let thofe confider this, who are fo active and bufy to feduce men into any kind of wickedness, and to inftruct them in the arts of iniquity, who tempt men into bad company and courfes, and take pleafure in debauching a virtuous perfon, and make it matter of great triumph to make a fober man drunk, as if it were fo glorious an action to ruin a foul, and deftroy that, which is more worth than the whole world. Whenever you go about this work, remember whose instruments you are, and whofe work you do, and what kind of work it is. Tempting others to fin is in fcripture called murder, for which reafon, the devil is faid to be "a murderer from the be"ginning," because he was a tempter. "Who

"foever committeth fin is of the devil :" but whofoever tempts others to fin, is a fort of devil himself.

Thirdly, fince GOD tempts no man, let us not tempt him. There is frequent mention in fcripture of mens tempting God, i. e. trying him as it were whether he will do any thing for their fakes, that is mif-becoming his goodness, and wisdom, and faith

H 2

CXVI.

SER M. faithfulness, or any other of his perfections. Thus the Ifraelites are faid to have " tempted God in "the wilderness forty years together," and in that space, more remarkably ten times. The meaning of which expreffions is, that when God had promifed Abraham to bring his feed into the land of Canaan, that people, by their great and repeated provocations of GoD, did often provoke him to have destroyed them, and confequently to have fail'd of the promise which he made to the fathers. The devil likewife tempted our SAVIOUR to tempt GOD, by cafting himfelf down from the pinacle of the temple, in confidence that the angels would take care of him but our SAVIOUR anfwers him, "It " is written, thou shalt not tempt the LORD "thy GOD." From which inftance it appears, that men are faid to tempt GoD, whenever they expect the protection of his providence in an unwarrantable way. GOD hath promised to take care of good men but if they neglect themselves, or willingly caft themselves into danger, and expect his providence and protection, they do not truft God, but tempt him; they try whether GOD's providence will countenance their rafhness, and provide for them, when they neglect themselves; and protect them from thofe dangers to which they wilfully expofe themselves.

So likewife if we be negligent in our callings, whereby we should provide for our families; if we lavish away that which we should lay up for them, and then depend upon the providence of GOD to fupply them, and take care of them, we tempt GOD to that which is unworthy of him; which is to give approbation to our folly, and countenance

our floth and carelefnefs. We cannot feduce GOD, S ERM. and draw him to do any thing that mif-becomes CXVI, him, but we tempt him in expecting the care and protection of his providence, when we wilfully run our felves into danger, and neglect the means of providing for our own fafety. And thus I have done with the firft great principle contain'd in the text; viz. "That God is not the author of the fins "of men." I proceed now to the

Second," that every man is his own greatest "( tempter. ." "But every man is tempted, when "he is drawn afide of his own luft, and enticed." GOD does not tempt any man to fin: but every man is then tempted, when by his own luft, his irregular inclination and defire, he is feduced to evil, and enticed; deλea Cóue, is caught as it were with a bait, for fo the greek word fignifies.

In which words the apoftle gives us a true account of the prevalency and efficacy of temptation upon men. It is not because GOD has any defign to enfnare men in fin; but their own corruption and vicious inclinations feduce them to that which is evil. To inftance in the particular temptations the apostle was speaking of, perfecution and fuffering for the cause of religion, to avoid which, many did then forfake the truth, and apoftatiz'd from their christian profeffion. The true caufe of which, was not the providence of GOD, which permitted them to be expos'd to thofe fufferings; but their inordinate love of the good things of this life, and their unreasonable fears of the evils and fufferings of it; they valued the enjoyments of this prefent life, more than the favour of GOD, and that eternal happi

CXVI.

SER M. nefs which he had promis'd to them in another life; and they feared the perfecutions of men, more than the threatnings of GoD, and the dreadful punishments of another world. They had an inordinate affection for the ease and pleasure of this life, and their unwillingness to part with ease, was a great temptation to them to quit their religion; by this bait they were caught, when it came to the trial.

And thus it is proportionably in all other forts of temptations. Men are betrayed by themselves, and the temptation without hath a party within them, with which it holds a fecret correspondence, and which is ready to yield and give confent to it; fo that it is our own confent, and treachery to our felves, that makes any temptation mafter of us, and without that we are not to be overcome; every

man is tempted, when he is drawn afide of "his own luft, and enticed." It is the luft of men complying with the temptations which are offer'd to us, which renders them effectual, and gives them the victory over us.

In the handling of this argument, I fhall from thefe words of the apostle obferve to you these two things:

First, that as the apoftle doth here acquit GoD from any hand in tempting men to fin, fo he does not afcribe the prevalency of temptation to the

devil.

Secondly, that he afçribes the prevalency of temptation to the luft and vicious inclinations of men, which feduce them to a compliance with the temptations that are prefented to them;

every

man

CXVI.

"man is tempted, when he is drawn afide of his S ER M. own luft, and enticed." Thefe two obfervations shall be the fubject of my prefent discourse.

"own

First, that as the apoftle doth here acquit GOD. from any hand in tempting men to fin, so he does not ascribe the prevalency and efficacy of temptation to the devil. That he acquits GOD, I have fhewn at large in my former difcourfe. It is evident likewife, that he does not afcribe the efficacy and prevalency of temptation to the devil; for the apoftle in this difcourfe of his concerning temptations, makes no express mention of the devil; he supposeth indeed, that baits are laid for men, "every man is "tempted, when he is drawn afide of his own luft, " and enticed;" i. e. when he plays with the baits that are laid for him, and fwallows them. And the fcripture elsewhere frequently tells us, that the devil is very active and bufy to tempt men, and is continually laying baits before them; but their own lufts are the cause why they are caught by them.

And I do the rather infift upon this, because men are apt to lay great load upon the devil, in the bufiness of temptation, hoping thereby either wholly, or at least in a great measure, to excufe themselves; and therefore I fhall here confider, how far the devil by his temptations is the caufe of the fins which men by compliance with thofe temptations are drawn into.

Firft, it is certain that the devil is very active and busy to minister to them the occasions of fin, and temptations to it. For ever fince he fell from GOD, partly out of enmity to him, and partly out of envy and malice to mankind, he hath made it great bufinefs and employment to feduce men

his