A discourse of tempting Christ by John Shower.

To the READER.

I Shall not need to urge the Ʋseful∣ness of asserting the Divinity of our Blessed Saviour, from every Scripture-Medium, that will prove, or illustrate it, to argue the first part of this Discourse to be seasonable, so far as this Text may be improv'd to con∣firm it. And the the many ways of Tempting God (particularly with re∣spect to his Providence) which are afterwards mention'd, may help the Conviction and Recovery of some who are guilty, and prevent the Sin of others in the like kind.

What I preach'd on this Subject, (at a Time when many in this City needed it) against laying great Wa∣gers upon the future Determina∣tions of Divine Providence, (as to the Success of Fleets and Armies abroad, &c.) it offended some who had

been drawn into the Snare, and it may be got Money by it; while others, having smarted for their Rashness and Pre∣sumption, thank'd me for the Warning, and promised to take it, wishing they had done it sooner.

To the Instances of Tempting God, as to his Power and Providence, may be added the false and lying Wonders, which the Jews were addicted to. Their Rabbins, and their Talmud mention strange Stories of this kind. They had frequent Exorcisms by Invocation of the God of Jacob. They had Amu∣lets, and Ligatures, and confident Assertions, that God gave Power to his Law, his Name, and Attributes, when thus applied by them, to heal Diseases, and work Signs and Wonders, because their Law was of Divine Original.

A Description of a Charmer (Chober) among the Jews is thus given by † Maimonides.

He is a Charmer who speaks words of a

strange Language, and without Sense, and in Foolishness thinks that these words are profitable: That if one say so or so to a Ser∣pent or a Scorpion, it cannot hurt a Man; and he that saith so or so unto a Man, he cannot be hurt, &c. He that whispereth over a Wound, or readeth a Verse out of the Bible; likewise he that readeth over an In∣fant, that it may not be frighted, or that lays the Book of the Law, or the Philacteries upon a Child that it may sleep; such are not only a∣mong Enchanters or Charmers, but of those that generally deny the Law of God, because they make the words of the Scripture, Medicine for the Body, whereas they are not, but for the Soul, as it is written, Prov. 3.22. They shall be Life unto thy Soul.

Many strange and undoubted In∣stances may be given of Evil Spirits exorcised and dispossest, by the Invoca∣tion of the God of Abraham, Isaac,

and Jacob, even by Pagans, as well as by Jews; or by Christians mention∣ing the Name of Jesus Christ: that many who did not own the Faith, either of Jews or Christians, yet attested upon their own Experience the Vir∣tue of those Names. It would yet be a Tempting of God, for us to use those Names, and expect the like Suc∣cess, because without a Warrant.

As to what is said of Tempting Providence, by using unlawful or suspected Methods to accomplish our Desires, and by rash Appeals to Hea∣ven to decide in doubtful Cases, &c. I might add † many more Examples, particularly concerning Waters of Pro∣bation:

‖ Waters which had Virtue to discover and chastise the Sinner,

whilst they cleared the Innocent; as Heathen Writers affirm of Olachas, and other Rivers, which were wont to put off their Natures, and be∣come Fire to the guilty Person; of the Crateres Palichorum, and the Sardinian Fountains, which did strike the Thief, or perjured Per∣son, blind or dead; of the Indian Brachmans probatory Waters, and many others of that kind. And as the Jews say, with much better ground, of those of Jealousy, which being used according to the Prescri∣ption of their Law, to try the Chastity of any Woman, of whom her Husband should be jealous, did cause the guilty Thigh to rot, and had no like Effect upon the Inno∣cent; I say with better ground, for had they failed upon Trial, the Jews could not have own'd that Law for Sacred, which left them such a standing Lie.

But for us to ex∣pect God's Decision of Right and Wrong, of Innocence or Guilt, by such

like Methods, would be to Tempt him.

I shall only add a Passage out of a late. Author to the purpose of the tenth Section.

What shall I say of our common Crosses and Charms? The Devil fights with us like a Par∣thian flying; pretends himself to be vanquish'd by us, that he may the better conquer us, through Supersti∣tion, by his Flight? So what shall I say to your other set Forms of Words, the Sieve and Sheers, and such o∣ther Trifles and Gewgaws? If Words do any thing really, it must be through Faith; and if Faith be once so powerful, it can easily effect without a set Form like Conjuring; but if Words prove powerful without Faith, latet Anguis in Herba, we have all the reason in the World to apprehend some Delusion from our common Enemy the Devil.

There is one thing, which may be re∣ducible to this Head of Tempting Christ, which may be objected against some Passages in a little Book I lately printed, viz. Some Account of the Holy Life and Death of Mr. Gea∣ring, &c. that they may encourage People, under Trouble of Mind, to ex∣pect, that by opening the Bible, the first place they look into, should by Divine Direction be suitable for their Support and Relief; or it may add to their Affliction and Melancholy, if they do not succeed in such an Attempt, as others have done. 'Tis true, I there relate only Matter of Fact, as I found it written, without intimating that I ap∣prove or disapprove of such a Practice. But lest any should take occasion to ex∣pect the like, and be troubled if they do not; I must freely acknowledg, that I know of no ground we have, in that way to look for present suitable Counsel, or Consolation. The Holy Spirit is not limited, and may sometimes direct, and guide an humble doubting Christian.

But 'tis more advisable to consider, and enquire what Promises and Examples of Holy Scripture, are most adapted to your Case, and proper for your Support.

To open the Book, and expect that the first Chapter, and Verse you cast your Eyes on, should just answer your Case, and administer Resolution or Comfort, is without sufficient Ground or War∣rant, and is a kind of limiting God, and so a Tempting of him. For what reason hath any Man to believe, that God will certainly discover, and reveal himself that way, to fatisfy his Doubts?

May a Divine Blessing accompany this serious Admonition and Warning, to take heed how we Tempt God, by any of the various Methods here ex∣plain'd.

J. S.

London, March the 8th, 169¾

Notes

• Lightfoot Hor. Heb. in Mat. 24. Vol. 2. p. 243.
• †

  Maimonides de Idolat. c. 11. §. 10, 12.
• See many Authors cited by Dr. Whitby, in his Excellent Discourse of the Certainty of the Christian Faith in general, &c. 8^o. 1671. Annot. on Ch. 1. §. 3.
• †

  P. Molinaei Vates, lib. 3. c. 21, 22, 23. de Ju∣dicio per singulare Certamen, quae vulgaris Purgatio in Jure Canonico appellatur. De Purgatione per Aquam ferventem, aut prunas, aut ferrum candens, & per Aquam frigidam, &c.
• ‖

  Dr. Whitby, Ib. chap. 1. §. 5.
• Mr. Freke's select Essays, 8^o. of Divination and Astrology, p. 23, 24.