[3.] There is a sinful tempting of God, and this is done two ways : — (1.) Generally every transgression, in a general sense, is a tempting of God: Num. xiv. 22, • They have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice.' Every eminent and notable provocation of theirs is called a tempting of God. Hereby they make trial of God's justice, whether he will execute vengeance upon them or no. Thus we tempt Christ when we fall into any voluntary and known sin, we put it to the trial what he will or can do ; we enter into the lists with God, provoke him to the combat : 1 Cor. x. 22, 'Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?' We try whether God will be so severe as his threatening speaks him to be, as if we would make some experiment of liis anger, justice, and power. This kind of tempting of God is compounded of infidelity and presumption. There is infidelity in it when we dare sin against the clear light and checks of conscience, and venture upon his threat- enings. You cannot drive a dull ass into the fire that is kindled before him : Pro v. i. 17, ' Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.' And there is presumption in it, therefore these voluntary acts of rebellion are called presumptuous sins : Ps. xix. 13, ' Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins.' Gross and scandalous sin- ners are described to be such as tempt God : Mai. iii. 15, ' And now we call the proud happy ; yea, they that work wickedness are set up ; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.' And Ananias and Sapphira are said to ' tempt the Holy Ghost,' Acts v. 9. By open voluntary sins men dare God to his face ; by secret sins we put it to the trial whether God be an all-seeing God, and will discover this hypocrisy. Both conclude they shall do well enough, though they break his laws, and run wilfully upon evil practices forbidden by his law.
(2.) More particularly we tempt God two ways — in a way of dis- trust or presumption Both these arise from imbelief, though they seem to be contrary extremes ; for though presumption may seem to arise from an over-much confidence; yet if it be narrowly searched into, we shall find that men presume upon unwarrantable courses, because they do not believe that God will do what is meet to be done in his own time or in his own way. As, for instance, had the Israelites be- lieved that God, in his own time, and in his own way, would have destroyed the Canaanites, they would not have presumed, against an express charge, to have gone against them without the ark and with-
292 CHRIST'S TEMPTATION. [SeR. IV.
out Moses, as they did: Num. xiv. 40, to the end: they presumed to go up unto the hill-top, and then they were discomfited. But pre- sumption in some being most visible, in others distrust, therefore we make two kinds of them.
[1st.] In a way of distrust. And that is done several ways, but all agree in this : not content with what Grod hath done already to settle our faith, we prescribe means of our own, and indent with him upon terms of our own making. So the Israelites, Exod. xvii. 7, ' And he called the name of the place Massali, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?' They had sufficient signs of God's presence — the pillar of a cloud and fire, that went before them by day and by night ; but they would have signs of their own. So the Jews are said to tempt Christ, because they sought a sign from heaven : Mat. xvi, 1, ' The Pharisees also, with the Sadducees, came, and, tempting, desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven.' He had given sufficient evidence of his mission and divine power in casting out devils and healing the sick and diseased; but they would have a sign from heaven, some sign of their own prescribing. The devil is ready to put such thoughts into our minds. If God be with us, let him show it .by doing this or that ; and we are apt to re- quire stronger proofs of God's power and presence with us than he alloweth. This is a frequent sin now-a-days, and men are many ways guilty of it.
First, Some will not believe the gospel except they see a miracle or hear an oracle. Christ representeth their thoughts, Luke xvi. 30, ' Nay, father Abraham, if one went to them from the dead, then they would repent.' They would have other ways of assurance than God alloweth, and are not content with his word and works, by which he revealeth himself to us, but will, at their own pleasure, make trial of his will and power, and then believe. These tempt God, and therefore no wonder if God will not do for them that which they require.
Secondly, Some will not believe God's providence, but make question of liis power and goodness, and care over us and our welfare, when he hath given us sufficient proof thereof. When he hath taken care to convince our infidelity by supplying our wants, and hath done abun- dantly enough already for evidencing his power, justice, and truth, and i'eadiness to help us, we will not believe unless he give us new and extraordinary proof of each, such as we prescribe to him : Ps. xcv. 9, 10, ' When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.' 'They saw his works, were fed with miracles, and clothed with miracles, yet they must have new proof still. Two ways of tempting him as to his providence the scripture mentions : —