96 VERS.Ij. AnExpo.fiti9rt,withNote.r C~AP.I· [wading, or commanding you to it ; God leaveth J9U to Jour felve.r, cafieth you in his providence, and in porfuance of his de– crees upon fuch things as are afnare toyou,that~s all that God doth, as anon will more fully appear :I only now take notice of thilt wic. kednefs which is in our naturn, whereby we are apt to blcmifo Obf:r at 3 God, and excufe our {elve.r. - 'Je v ' • 3· From that [He cannot be tempt e,d with evil, J That God is fo immutably good and holy, that he is above thdpower of a tern. ptation, Men foone warp aud vary,but he cannot be tempted. There is a wicked folly in man, which maketh us meafure God by the creature ; and becaufe we can be tempted, think God can be tem– ptt:d afjo : as fuppofe, intifed,to give way to our fins, why elfe do they dd1re him to profper them in their evil projetls ? To further unjufi gain, or unclean intents ? As the whore, Prov. 7· 14. had her Vows an.d"Peace offerings, to profper in her wantonnefs) and generally we deal with God as if he could be tempted and wrought to acompltance with<>ur corrupt ends, as Solomon fpeakethof S"– crifice 6jfered with an evil minde, Prov. 21, 27. that is, to gaine the favour of heaven in fome evil undertaking and defign. Thus the King ofMoab h(!)ped to intife·God by themultitudeof his facri– tices ,[even Aftan,fevcnOxen,feven Rams,Numb. : z. And the Prophet, offome that thought to draw God into a liking of their cppreffion,Zech. 1 x.6.Bfej{cd be God I am rich: So in thefe times wicked men have a pretence ofReligion, as if they wouldallme the Lord to enter into their fecret, and come under ~he banner of their faction and confpiracy. Qhwhat bafe rhoug ·1ts have carnal men @_f God! No wonderche Wordofqod is made a-nofl•of wax, when Godhimfel(is. mad~an idolor Puppet , .t~at movethby the wireof every carnal worthtpp~r! Oh check rms blafphemy; Godcannot be tempted, he is immutally jufi and holy; Habak.: I. I 3• Thou art ofpurer eyes then to behold evil, and cansti$Ot look,. on iniquity: l mquity thall never have a go!Jd look.. from him; Oh then, how thould we tremble that are eaGiy carried afide with tempration! How can you Hand-before the God that cannot be tempted ? Ufes of this Note are two. , , I. ·r is an mducement to gee an interell in God,and more commu. nion with him; a believer is made partak.fr-ofthe divine rM<Ure, 2 r et. 1 ·4· Now the more of the divine nature in you, the mori!· ' YOU are able to fiand againft temptations:· We are eafily carried aGde,
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