li 22 Temptations to Evil, mot from God. S E R M. let us always be fenfible of the weaknefs of I. our own underftandings, and with the greateft charity to others, afraid for ourfelves, of en- tering into abfirufe fpeculations out of our depth, particularly fuch as may have even a remote tendency to difparage the moral cha- rafter of the Supreme Being, the belief of which, in the fulleft and cleareft manner, is the true foundation of religion, and of a conftant abhorrence of all fin. It is natural for men to make excufes for their faults, which tend indireUly to lay blame even upon their maker; of this we have an early example in the reprefentation which Mofes giveth of the divine proceedings to the con - viftion of Adam after his fall ; when he was challenged for his tranfgreffion, he en- deavoureth, in forne meafure, to excufe him- felf by laying the fault, firft, on another, who was inftrumental in it, and more re- motely on God himfelf; let us not cover our tranfgrefl ons like Adam, which job difclaitneth, chap. xxxi. 33. efpecially by fuch pretences as tend to reproach the ho- linefs of God, by infinuating that he hath any the leafs accefìion to them, but acknow- ledge that we ourfelves are the compleat eaufes of all the moral evil ever committed by us, This
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