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How we may be guilty of the like Sin, Explicitly and Directly, or Implicitly. Two Instances of the former.
BUT I proceed from the Con∣sideration of their Sin, and Punishment, to enquire into the Na∣ture and Kinds of our Tempting Christ, how far we may now be guilty: That we may not tempt Christ as They did. And consider∣ing
that all Power and Authority is committed unto him, that the Government of the World is upon his Shoulders, that the Father hath committed all Judgment unto the Son, that the Administration of the Kingdom of God in this World, is in the Hands of Christ the Mediator; every undue and unnecessary Trial which we make of the Truth, or Power, or Knowledg, or Grace, or or Providence, or Patience of God, is a Tempting of Christ: unto whom we are related as our Lord and King, under whose immediate Government we all are, and by owning of our Christianity avow our selves to be. Therefore every tempting of God is a tempting of Christ. And by reason of our clearer Knowledg of the Messiah, and our Christian Profession, we may be guilty of a more criminal tempting of Christ than ever the Jews were, and with many higher Aggravations.
IN general, to tempt God or Christ, is to make a needless un∣due Trial, or Inquiry concerning his Attributes, or his Will; what God doth know, or can do, or will do. And this may be either implicitly, as the Language of our Hearts and Lives; or by a more direct and ex∣plicit Tempting of him. The For∣mer is more common: but let me name two special Instances of the Latter. As,
I. WHEN we demand an un∣necessary Discovery of the Divine Power, to confirm and prove that which is sufficiently proved already. This is a direct explicit tempting of God and Christ. Tho God had given the Jews sufficient Evidence of his Power, in the various Miracles which he wrought for them in Egypt, and in the astonishing man∣ner of their Deliverance out of it, and afterwards at the Red Sea, and in the Wilderness; yet we have
frequent Instances of their Unbe∣lief and Murmur, doubting of the Divine Power upon every Occasion. Can he furnish a Table in the Wil∣derness? Can he give Bread also, and provide Flesh? Tho he gave Manna in the Morning, and Quails in the Evening, and their Bread was mi∣raculously rained down from Hea∣ven; yet they questioned whether he can give Water too. And some of the Jews tell us, the Manna had the virtue to quench the Thirst, as well as to satisfy Hunger. And tho God had condescended, twice to give them Water out of a Rock, as at Rephidim, and at Horeb; yet do they demand another Proof of his Power and Presence, viz. a Ta∣ble furnished with Flesh. This was a direct tempting of God.
THUS the Scribes and Pharisees, after our Saviour had sufficiently proved his Divine Commission by
many undeniable Miracles, they would have him do some new Feat for their sakes. Master, say they, we would fain see a sign from Heaven. They would try whether he could do such things, as the Prophet Elias did. They had scarce wiped their Eyes, since they saw a Sign and a Miracle, sufficient to convince them; but that is not enough, they would see another; as if he had not wrought any before. To the like purpose they speak when he was upon the Cross, if he would then come down; that is, if he would give them a Miracle in their own way, and of their own chusing, then they would believe.
IT is well known, that the Cessa∣tion of Miracles is one pretence of Infidelity in our Age, tho a very un∣reasonable one. Not to mention the late Account of † some Won∣ders
of Providence that are matter of Discourse amongst us at present, (as what is next to Miracle at least; for I leave these things to be further considered, enquired into, and re∣flected upon, by those that have Opportunity, and Capacity for it.) The Pretence is unreasonable, not to believe the Scripture for want of more Miracles, when the New Testament, and the Divine Com∣mission of Christ, has been already confirmed by many and sufficient Signs and Wonders. It is therefore a Tempting of God, to demand a further Discovery of his Almighty Power, in this, and in every Age, to confirm that which was proved by Miracles in former Ages. And that the same Doctrine of the Gos∣pel was attested by Miracles for∣merly, we have as great Assurance, as the Nature of the thing is capa∣ble of: And he is very unreasonable who will desire more Evidence, or not be satisfied with that. But our
Lord has told us, that, with most Men that make this Objection, it is meer Cavil: For if they will not believe Moses and the Prophets. And we may add upon the like ground, If they will not believe Christ and his Apostles, after the Evidence of so many Miracles; neither would they believe, tho one should rise from the dead. (The Miraole, of all others, which these Men are most like to pitch upon, if they might have their Choice.) No, nor if all the Miracles mentioned in the Gospel were done before their Eyes.
II. IT is a direct Tempting of God, and Christ, to demand some Extra∣ordinary Divine Manifestation, to attest his Kindness, and prove his Presence, when he has sufficiently done it already. When, notwith∣standing the Promises that God hath made, and the Experience that we and others have had of his Fide∣lity to them; we must have some
Extraordinary Sign of his Love and Favour to encourage us, or we will not believe. The Jews in the Wilderness are charged with this, Exod. 17.7. And the place was called Massah, Temptation, as a Me∣morial of it: as it was also called Meribah, upon the account of their childing, striving, and contending there. They questioned whether God was among them, unless he would do thus and thus, as they desired. After all the Proof which they had of his Presence, they would not believe it without far∣ther Testimony, and Evidence in their own way. Now to doubt and disbelieve the Divine Favour and Presence, after such peculiar Experience, and Attestation as he had given them, is plainly to Tempt him. They believed not God, saith the Psalmist, and trusted not in his Salvation. Tho he had commanded the Clouds from above, and opened the Doors of Heaven. They sinned still,
and believed not for his wonderous Works. They turned back, and temp∣ted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his Hand, nor the Day when he delivered them from the Enemy. Psal. 78.22, 32, 41, 42.
AFTER this manner, the Devil tempted Christ to throw himself down from the Pinacle of the Tem∣ple; If thou be the Son of God. To which our Saviour replies, It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. That is,
I am sufficiently satisfied that God is my Father, I do not question his Care over me, I am satisfied of his gracious Presence with me, I need no such new Trial of his Kindness and Love.
IF at any time we are ingaged in any special Work and Duty, and meet with Opposition therein; but have the Promise of God to en∣courage
us to go on, and have the Experience of his former Goodness and Power in difficult Cases, as those Jews had: For us to distrust God, without farther and new Signs of his Favour, is directly to Tempt him. The Israelites fell often into this Fault: tho they had seen his Works of Power, as in di∣viding of the Sea; some Works of Majesty and Terror, as in the Thun∣der and Lightning, Fire, Smoke and Earthquake, at the giving of the Law; some of his Severity a∣gainst Sin, as in drowning of the Egyptians, in the Punishment of Korah, Dathan and Abiram; and the Plagues that befel themselves; and had also Experience of many Works of Favour, Kindness and Grace, and of a watchful Providence for their constant Protection and Supply, Guidance and Conduct; and here∣by had the highest Security that God would accomplish his Promises to them: They yet questioned
and doubted after all. They some∣times professed their Faith and Con∣fidence in God, upon some new Ap∣pearance or some mighty Work of Providence for their sakes. Upon such an Occasion we read that the People feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his Servant Moses, Exod. 14.31. But upon the next difficult Trial, they forgat the Kind∣ness of Heaven, they renounced their own Experience, they despi∣sed the Faithfulness of God, which before they acknowledged, and are again guilty of Murmuring and Unbelief.
THIS kind of tempting of God many amongst us may be guilty of: when, after eminent Preservations in a time of Danger, or wonderful Deliverances from threatning Death, or other peculiar Favours of Divine Providence, we will not thereby be led to Repentance and Obedi∣ence, to Trust and Dependance; but overlook all that God has done
for us, as if it were nothing, unless he will do somewhat more. As if all his former Works had nothing in them of Value, or Obligation, or Encouragement. Which leads me to consider the next thing.
Psal. 78.17, to v. 20.
Mat. 8.11. & 16.1.
Viz. The Cure of the French Girl, and of Mrs. Sa∣vage.
Matth. 4.6.