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CXIV.

"on them that know not GOD," but on them that S ER M. have known him, and yet "obey not the gospel "of his Son." And if all this will not move us to prepare our felves to do our LORD's will, we deserve to have our stripes multiplied. No condemnation can be too heavy for those who offend. against the clear knowledge of God's will, and their duty.

Let us then be perfuaded to fet upon the practice of what we know; let the light which is in our understandings, defcend upon our hearts and lives; let us not dare to continue any longer in the prac tice of any known fin, nor in the neglect of any thing which we are convinced is our duty, and "if "our hearts condemn us not," neither for the neglect of the means of knowledge, nor for rebelling against the light of God's truth fhining in our minds, and glaring upon our confciences," then "have we confidence towards GoD: but if our "hearts condemn us, GoD is greater than our "hearts, and knows all things."

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SERM.
CXV.

The first

SERMON

CXV.

The fins of men not chargeable upon
GOD; but upon themselves.

JAMES i. 13, 14.

Let no man fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of GOD; for GOD cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth be any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own luft, and enticed.

N

TEXT to the belief of a God, and his providence, there is nothing more fundamentally neceffary to the practice of a good fermon on life, than the belief of these two principles, "that this text. "GOD is not the author of fin," and "that every "man's fin lies at his own door, and he hath rea"fon to blame himfelf for all the evil that he "does."

First, that GOD is not the author of fin," that he is no way acceffary to our faults, either by tempting or forcing us to the commiffion of them. For if he were, they would neither properly be fins, nor could they be justly punished. They would not properly be fins, for fin is a contradiction to the will of GoD; but fuppofing men to be either tempted or neceffitated thereto, that which we call fin, would either be a meer paffive obedience to the will of God, or an active compliance with it, but neither way a contradiction to it. Nor could thefe actions be justly

punished;

CXV.

punifhed; for all punishment fuppofeth a fault, SERM. and a fault fuppofeth liberty, and freedom from force and neceflity; fo that no man can be juftly punished for that which he cannot help, and no man can help that which he is neceffitated and compell'd to. And tho' there were no force in the cafe, but only temptation, yet it would be unreasonable for the fame perfon to tempt and punish. For as nothing is more contrary to the holiness of God than to tempt men to fin; fo nothing can be more against justice and goodness, than firft to draw men into a fault, and then to chaftife them for it. So that this is a principle which lies at the bottom of all religion," that God is not the au"thor of the fins of men." And then,

Secondly, "that every man's fault lies at his own "door, and he has reafon enough to blame him"felf for all the evil that he does." And this is that which makes men properly guilty, that when they have done amifs, they are confcious to themfelves it was their own act, and they might have done otherwife; and guilt is that which makes men liable to punishment; and fear of punishment is the great restraint from sin, and one of the principal arguments for virtue and obedience.

And both thefe principles our apostle St. James does here fully affert in the words which I have read unto you. "Let no man fay, when he is tempted, "I am tempted of GOD; for GOD cannot be temp"ted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of "his own luft, and enticed."

In which words, thefe two things are plainly

contained.

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First,

SERM.

CXV.

First, that God doth not tempt any man to fin. "Let no man fay when he is tempted, I am temp❝ted of GOD; for GoD cannot be tempted with " evil, neither tempteth he any man.'

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Secondly, that every man's fault lies at his own door, and he is his own greatest tempter. "But "every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of "his own luft, and enticed."

I. That GOD doth not tempt any man to fin. "Let no man fay, when he is tempted, I

am tempted of GOD; for GoD cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." In which words, there are three things to be confidered.

First, the propofition which the apostle here rejects, and that is, "that GOD tempts men, "Let

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no may fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God."

Secondly, the manner in which he rejects it. "Let no man fay fo." By which manner of speaking, the apoftle infinuates these two things. 1. That men are apt to lay their faults upon GOD: for when he fays, let no man fay fo," he intimates, that men are apt to say so, and it is very probable that fome did fay fo; and 2dly, that it is not only a fault, but an impious affertion to fay that GOD tempts men. He fpeaks of it as a thing to be rejected with a deteftation. "Let no man fay;" that is, far be it from us to affirm a thing fo impious and difhonourable to God.

Thirdly, the reafon and argument that he brings against it," for GoD cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.'

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CXV.

First, the propofition which the apoftle here rejects, S ERM. and that is," that GOD tempts men :" "let no man "fay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God." Now that we may the more distinctly understand the meaning of the propofition, which the apostle here rejects, it will be very requifite to confider what temptation is, and the feveral forts and kinds of it. To tempt a man, is, in general, nothing elfe but to make trial of him in any kind what he will do. In fcripture, temptation is commonly confin'd to the trial of a man's good or bad, of his virtuous or vicious inclinations. But then it is fuch a trial as endangers a man's virtue, and if he be not well refolved, is likely to overcome it, and to make him fall into fin. So that temptation does always imply fomething of danger the worst way. And men are thus tempted, either from themselves, or by others; by others chiefly thefe two ways.

fin.

First, by direct and downright perfuafions to

Secondly, by being brought into fuch circumftances as will greatly endanger their falling into it, tho' none folicit and perfuade them to it.

First, by direct and downright perfuafions to fin. Thus the devil tempted our first parents, by reprefenting things fo to them, as might on the one hand incite them to fin, and on the other hand weaken and loosen that which was the great curb and restraint from it. On the one hand he reprefents to them the advantages they should have by breaking God's command. "GOD doth know that in the day ye eat "thereof, then your eyes fhall be opened, and ye fhall be as gods, knowing good and evil." On

the

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