Temptations to Evil, not from God. i 3 Being himfelf, and thereby partaking of S E R nR. thofe pleafures which bear the nearefi re- I. femblance to his own eternal and immutable blef ednefs ; fo he conflantly careth for that favourite workmanfhip of his hands. Of all the nations of men, who are made to dwell on the face of the earth, none are without witnefs of their maker's mercies, for he continually Both them good, finding them rainfrom heaven, and fruitful feafons, and filling their hearts with fa'od and glad - nefs. Now if fuch lenity and kindnefs be the charater of the divine adminifiration, what is the tendency of it ? Is it to tempt men, to lead them to fin, which is rebel- lion againfi himfelf, and againfi their own reafon ? That hath been the event, indeed, with many of them, but by a moft ungrate- ful abufe of his goodnefs and forbearance, which naturally ought to have led them to repentance. But when men had wilfully corrupted their ways, and turned the bounty of God into lafcivioufnefs, giving themfelves up to work wickednefs with greedinefs, providence hath fometimes interpofed in a different manner, that is, by awful judg- ments, very terrible defolations fuddenly fpread over nations or cities. But how have filch difpenfations been conducted, and with what
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