The counfels of God concerning mens SERM. fins, and the agency of his providence about I. them, not in over-ruling the iffue, but in afcertaining, and by its influence determining them, as intending events, ought also to be confidered with the utmost caution. That from eternity he forefaw all things which ever come to pafs, even the worst actions of his creatures, is a principle which, I hope, may be maintained with great safety; for fimple prefcience hath no manner of effect on the futurity of things, more than bare knowledge hath on what is prefent; and to fuppofe that he actually doth, and had before determined to bring good out of the evil works to the being, of which he is no way acceffary, is most worthy of his perfect rectitude and goodness. But a peremptory decree concerning the being of of fuch evil works, and in purfuance of it, a positive influence on the agent, nay, and as it is called, an inward physical predetermination to effect them; thefe notions, I am afraid, cannot well enough be reconciled to the moral perfections of the deity, though I do not question but fome have gone into them with very pious intentions, and even from a mistaken respect to his abfolute su→ premacy and independence. My brethren,

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let

SERM. let us always be fenfible of the weakness of

I.

our own understandings, and with the greatest charity to others, afraid for ourselves, of entering into abftrufe fpeculations out of our depth, particularly such as may have even a remote tendency to difparage the moral character of the Supreme Being, the belief of which, in the fulleft and clearest manner, is the true foundation of religion, and of a conftant abhorrence of all fin. It is natural for men to make excuses for their faults, which tend indirectly to lay blame even upon their maker; of this we have an early example in the representation which Mofes giveth of the divine proceedings to the conviction of Adam after his fall; when he was challenged for his tranfgreffion, he endeavoureth, in fome measure, to excuse himfelf by laying the fault, firft, on another, who was inftrumental in it, and more remotely on God himself; let us not cover our tranfgreffions like Adam, which Job disclaimeth, chap. xxxi. 33. efpecially by fuch pretences as tend to reproach the holinefs of God, by infinuating that he hath any the leaft acceffion to them, but acknowledge that we ourselves are the compleat caufes of all the moral evil ever committed by us.

I.

This leadeth us to the other confideration SER M. for illuftrating the neceffity and importance. of the apostle's doctrine in the text, namely, the great advantage and ufefulness of it to the ends of religion; and with this illuftration I fhall conclude the prefent discourse, recommending to you the feveral particulars which fhall be mentioned, as the proper practical improvement of this fubject. And, first of all, that God is not tempted with evil, neither tempteth any man, tendeth to preferve in our minds the highest esteem and reverence for him. It is not poffible for us to have a veneration for a tempter, it is a character in which corruption and illwill meet, and they are both deteftable. In proportion ftill as we believe and confider God's hatred of fin, and that he is fo good as unalterably to will the prevention of it, and to do always every thing which is fit and reasonable to be done, and worthy of his other perfections, in order to it; our respect for him, as the best and most excellent of all beings, will remain and increase; and it will diminish as we entertain any contrary notions, and with it all religious difpofitions will be abated. Secondly, This doctrine tendeth to beget and confirm in us an utter abhorrence of fin, because

SERM. it is the thing God hateth, and will have I. nothing to do, no kind of communication

with it. The opinion which many of the Heathens had of their deities as immoral, tended to fpread vice among them, and make it honourable; let this be a prefervative to us from it, that our God is perfectly free from all moral turpitude himself, and he is too good and too pure to give any kind of it the leaft countenance in his worshippers. But how often do men mifconftrue the divine conduct, fo as to find a pretence for imagining that, at leaft, he is not displeased with their fins, whereby they harden themfelves in wickednefs? Thus in Pfal. 1. 21. finners are reprefented as abufing God's patience to their encouragement in finful cour fes, as if it were to be understood that he countenanced and abetted them, which is a kind of tempting. I kept filence, and thou thoughteft that I was fuch an one as thyfelf. But let us always cherish this perfuafion in our minds, that fin is an abomination to him, and that he would have all his reafonable creatures to abftain from it, without which it is impoffible to pleafe him. Thirdly, let us remember that though we are in a state of infirmity, and muft expect to be tempted, yet this is our comfort and encouragement,

that

I.

that God is no party to thefe temptations, SERM, but declareth himself in oppofition to them. The directly oppofite interefts of moral good and evil, in this world, have their oppofite friends and abetters; but fupreme power and wisdom cannot be on the fide of evil. The caufe, therefore, of virtue Thall finally triumph, which may encourage us refolutely to adhere to it. This is not merely a pleafing fpeculation. In the general, every good man ftruggling with temptations, may apply it to his own cafe, and betake himself to God, as not an unconcerned spectator of what the fcripture calleth a spiritual warfare, and the good fight of faith; but as utterly averse to the defign of temptations, and as the the friend of conflicting virtue, who, according to his promise, will not fuffer his fervants to be tempted above their ability. St. Peter telleth us, that the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, 2 epist. ii. 9. and he biddeth us hope from the power of God, as well as his wifdom for who, faith he, 1 epift. iii. 13. is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good. Let us therefore always put ourselves under the divine protection, and pray, as our Saviour hath taught us, lead us not into temptation; either by thy good providence

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