ji 436 TheSins of Men not chargeable upon God. Vol. I. Second place, Confider the Nature and Kind of the Argument, which the Apoftle here ufeth, Let no Manfay, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God ; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any Man. It does not reje& this impious Propofition barely upon his own Authority ; but he argues againft it from the Nature and Perfe&ion of God ; and therein appeals to the common Notions of Mankind concerning God. We might very well have refted in his Authority, being an Apoftle commiffìoned by our Saviour, and extraordinarily affifted and witneffed to, by the Miraculous Gifts of the f1o= ly Ghoft, wherewith he was endowed. But he condefcends to give a Rea- fon of what he fays, and appeals to the common Principles of Mankind, For all Men will readily agree to this, that God bath all imaginable perfect;. on : but it is a plain imperfe&ion to be liable to be tempted to Evil, and therefore God cannot be tempted to Evil. And if fo, it is as irnpofitble that he fhould tempt others to it ; for none can have either an inclination or in- tereft to feduce others to Evil, but thofe who have been firft feduced to it themfelves. Now in this Method of Arguing, the Apoftle teacheth us one of the fureft ways of Reafoning in Religion ; namely, from the Natural Notions which Men have of God. So that all Do&rines plainly contrary to thofe Natural Notions which Men have of God, are to be reje&ed, what Authority foever they pre- tend to; whatever plainly derogates from the goodnefs or juftice ofGod, or any other of his Perfe&ions, is certainly falfe, what Authority foeter it may claim from the Judgment of Learned and Pious Men ; yea tho' it pretend to be countenanc'd from the Texts and Expreflions of Holy Scripture. Becaufe nothing can be entertain'd as a Divine Revelation, which plainly contraìilts the common Natural Notions which Mankind have of God. For all Refoning about DivineRevelation, and whether that which pretends to be fo, bereally fo or not, is tobe govern'd by thofe Natural Notions. And if any thin that pretends to be a Revelation fromGod, fhould teach Men that there is ncGod, or that he is not Wife, and Good, and Jolt, and Powerful ; this is 1?eafon enoughto rejeá it, howconfident foever the pretence be, that it is a Divin Re- velation. And ifany thing be, upon good grounds in Reafon, received for a Dine Revelation, (as the Holy Scriptures are amonglt Chriftians) no Man ougt to be regarded, who from thence pretends to maintain any Do&rine contras to the Natural Notions, which Men have of God ; fuch as clearly contradi&sis Holinefs, or Goodnefs, or Jul ice, or do by plain and undeniable Confegace make God the Author of Sin or the like ; becaufe the very attempt to proveay fuch thing out of Scripture, does ftrike at the Divine Authority of thofe Bdks. For if they be fromGod, it is certain they can contain no fuch thing. So at noMan ought to fuller himfelf to be feduced into any fuch Opinions, upon e- tence that there are expreflions in Scripture, which feem to countenance tin. For if they really did fo, the Confequence would not be the confirmingof fh Opinions ; but the weakningof the Authority of the Scripture it felf. For ft fo many Arguments as any Man can draw from Scripture for any fuch Opin't, fo many Weapons he puts into the hands of Atheifts against the Scripturtt felf. I do not fpeak this, as if I thought there were any ground from Scripte for any fuch Do&rive, I am very certain there is not. And if there be o particular expreffions, which to prejttdic'd Men may feern to import any fa thing, every Man ought to govern himfelf in the interpretation of fu paffages, by what is clear and plain, and agreeable to the Brain Scope at Tenour of the Bible, and to thofe Natural Notions which Men have of Gr, and of his Perfetions. For when all is done, this is one of the fur ways of Reafoning in Religion ; and whoever guides himfelf, and fteers this Compafs, can never err much : but whoever fullers himfelf to be 1 away by the appearance of fome more obfcure Phrafes in the expreflions Scaiptu
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