A discourse of tempting Christ by John Shower.

SECT. II. (Book 2)

Of the Person tempted, and sinn'd against by the Jews, Jesus Christ. His Existence before his Incar∣nation prov'd against the Soci∣nians.

I. LET us consider this Ex∣ample of the Jews. We are cautioned not to tempt Christ,

as They also tempted him. Before I speak to the Nature of their Sin, and the Punishment of it, whereof we have a more particular account, Numb. 21. it will be necessary to enquire who is the Person offended, how the Jews in the Wilderness can be said to have tempted Christ so long before his Incarnation; which is the Apostle's Charge here, and the Ground of his Admonition to us, not to incur the like Guilt.

THE Socinians, and others who disown the Divinity of our Blessed Saviour, are here perplexed, to evade the force of the Argument for the Existence of Jesus Christ, before he was born of the Virgin Mary: For the Scripture speaks frequently concerning the Jews as tempting Jehovah, and of their being pu∣nished for it in the Wilderness; and it is plain that this Passage re∣fers unto that time, by the men∣tion of their being destroyed by Ser∣pents. Now it was for tempting

of Christ, says the Apostle, that they were so destroyed: Therefore Christ is Jehovah, the true God, and did exist before his Incarna∣tion.

THERE are three things they pretend, whereby to weaken the Force of this Argument. 1. Some of them will have it to be a Created Angel who led the Jews in the Wil∣derness, and whom they tempted, and sinned against. Others say that Moses is to be understood by the word Christ, and that their Sin was in tempting him. A third sort find fault with our Translation, and that this Verse ought to be read, either thus, Neither tempt ye God, as they tempted him; or thus, Neither tempt ye Christ, as they tempted God.

I. AS to the first Evasion, con∣cerning a Created Angel: Not only is there no such Charge against them in the History, as tempting

of an Angel; nor is an Angel any where said to be tempted by the Jews. But the Angel of the Co∣venant who conducted them in the Wilderness, is said to be Jehovah, who led them by a Pillar of Cloud by Day, and of Fire by Night, Exod. 13.21. compared with Chap. 23. ver. 21. where he is called an Angel. But what is said of him will by no means agree to a created Angel. Behold I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, obey his Voice, provoke him not: for he will not pardon your Trans∣gressions, &c.

II. WITH as little reason is Moses pretended by Socinus to be here meant, as the Person tempted by the Jews. It is true, they spake against Moses, and strove with him, Exod. 16.2, 4. and God was pro∣voked by it, as if it had been done

against himself. * 1.1 But they are ne∣ver said to tempt Moses. And he himself doth plainly distinguish their Sin here referred to, from their stri∣ving with him, and speaking against him, Exod. 17.2. and ver. 7. com∣pared. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And he called the Name of the place Massah, and Me∣ribah, because of the chiding of the Children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord amongst us? To pretend therefore that this is the sense, Neither tempt ye Christ as they tempted Moses, is neither agreeable to Grammar or Reason: For the same Person sinned against by them, we are cautioned not to offend; not to sin after the like manner, against the same Object; not to tempt Christ, as they did.

The Greek Particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, will so carry it.

III. THE other Pretence or Ca∣vil against our Translation, hath as little Strength. There is one Ma∣nuscript here in England, we are told, wherein this Verse is thus read, Neither tempt ye God, as they tempted him. But tho that Manu∣script be pretended to be very an∣tient, there are others of greater Antiquity that read it as we do: And, except one or two of the antient Writers of the Church, who read it the Lord, Neither tempt ye the Lord, and explain it still of Christ; except them, it hath been proved against the Socinians that all Co∣pies of this Epistle, Manuscript and Printed, and all the Versions of the Greek and Latin Fathers, from the end of the second Century until now, do all read it as we do; Nei∣ther tempt ye Christ, as they also tempted him.

BUT others will say it may be read thus, Neither tempt ye Christ as they tempted God. It were e∣nough to reply to this, that there is no such word in the Text. But what the Socinians would gain, if we should allow it, I cannot see. Neither tempt ye Christ, as the Jews tempted God. Hereby they equal at least, if not prefer Christ unto God. As Christians sinning against Christ, answers to the Jews sinning against God; so Christ temp∣ted by Christians, answers unto God tempted by the Jews: And there∣fore if the Sin and Punishment of the Israelites be proposed as our Warning, the Force of the Example is lost, if it be not an equal Sin, or greater, for us to tempt Christ, than for the Israelites to tempt God. And if it be proposed as a Type, the Argument is yet stronger, and the Preference is given unto Christ. Either way will conclude that he is not a Creature, and that he did exist

before his Incarnation; otherwise these Jews in the Wilderness could not have sinned against him. And thus for the Person sinned against, Neither tempt ye Christ, as they also tempted him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See Mr. Daillé Serm. in loc. and J. Placaei Di∣sput. 12m in loc. 4to. p. 130. de Argumentis quibus efficitur Christum prius suisse quam in utero B. Virginis, &c.