uptm the Epi.ftJe of JAM E s. Vs Rs.q. aftde,becaiife we havem~r~ ~fman thenGod in us : We ..are fo mu– table, that ifall memory of fin and Satlln were abolilhed, man him-· [elfwould become his own devil ; but God is at the fame fiay : Oh let us covet more of the divine nature, that when the tempter comech, he may find thele{s in UJ. We do in nothing fo much re– femble God, as in immutable holinefs. 2. You may make ufe of it to the purpofe in hand: when natural thoughts rife in us, thoughts againfi the purity of God, fay thus, furely God cannot be the Author of fin, who is theultof' or the a– venger ofit; he is at the fame pafs andftt!tJ of holinefs, and cannot warp afide to evil. Efpecially make ufe ofit, when any thing is faid of-God in Scripture which cloth not agree with thatHanding Copy of his holinefs, the righteous Law which he hath givenus: do not think it any variation from that immutable tenour of purity and jufiice which is in his nature, for he cannot be tempted; as when hebade Abrah~~tm offer hisfon, ·cwas not evil, partly becaufe God may require the life ofany of his creatures when he will; partly be– caufe,being the Lawgiver,he may difpenfe with his own Law:and a peculiar precept is not in force when it derogateth from a general command ; to wit, that we mufi do whatfoever God requireth : 97 So in bidding them fpoil the Egyptiaas, God is not bound to our rule ; the Moral Law is a rule to us, not to himfelf, &c. In all fuch cafes, falve the Glory of God, for he is c£71'~&->@- iGrJ.~ti:v, altogegether uncapable of the leafi fin or evil. · . . . . 4· From that [neither tempteth he any man.] That the Lord Oh/er'tltlt. 4• is no tempter; the eAuthor ofall good cannot be the r!Author of fin. God ufeth many amoving perfwajion to draw us to holinefs, not an hint to encourage us to fin ; certainly they are far from the_ nature of God that imice others .to wickednefs, for he tempteth no man.. M!J,n tempteth odiers many ways. . ·· r. By commands, when you contribute your authority to the countenancing ofit: ~ris the character of Jeroboam, that he made lfrael tofin, Jeroboam the fon ofN ebt~t that made Ifrael to fin : ·ris again and again repeated; the guilt ofan whole Nation lyeth uponhislbouldc:rs; /frae/rnined him, and he ruinedl[rae/. So 2 Chron, 33· 9· Manneffehmade Judahcmd the inhabit~tnts ofJe– rufalc"! ~o err, am:l do_ Worfe then tiJe heathens: Mark, hemade them; .their fins are charged upon your fcore : In the feventh of theRevelations, where theTribes are numbred, l);~n i~ altogether . - 0 ·-·· left
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