8 Moses finding the Israelites to murmur for water, calleth the murmuring, a tempting of God, because it did not proceed of infirmity, seeing they had tasted of, and felt the wonderful mercies of God for them, far greater than this was to give them drink: for by the former miracles they knew that God was able and also willing to help them, and therefore seeing they still murmured, Moses calleth this a tempting of God, whereas before when they murmured divers times, yet he did bear with them, as such as did offend of infirmity. Where we see that God dealing with us as with them, hath borne with the time of our ignorance, and we may all confess, that the Lord doth not deal with us according to the works of our own hands: but if we will be ignorant still, and despise instruction, or after we have had experience of his goodness, if then we will presume to tempt God, it is fearful, when we know the great goodness of the Lord, and have experience of the same in our selves, Psal. 93. 2. When we know it is a sin which we commit, and yet we will tempt God whether he will punish or no, as Peter rebuked Ananias, Act. 5. and Paul rebuked those who in vain excuses would eat in Idols temples, saying, do you provoke the Lord, 1. Cor. 10. And this was the temptation with which the devil tempted1 our Saviour, saying, cast thy self down. But Christ answered and said, if I should so do without Gods commandment, I should deny his providence which only watcheth over men in their ways. And thus he putteth away the devil; this then is to tempt God, and this Moses meaneth when he rebuked the people, saying, why tempt ye the Lord? that is to say, You know your sin well enough, the dealing of the Lord with you is manifest, and mine also; now add not rebellion unto sin, but if you sin, then do you tempt the Lord: ⟨p. 816⟩The Lord in Psalm. 95. passeth over other sins, and maketh th•• or•• of temptation. […] be sware, &c. Now let us consider when we fall into some sin which we know no•, the Lord is merciful, but if we then, when we know it is a sin by the law of God, and when we have felt every way the hand of God upon us, and the spirit of God checking us2 for it, and that the Lord hath used means to bring us out of it, if then (I say) we sin, this is a plain tempting of God.
8 Moses finding the Israelites to murmur for water, calleth the murmuring, a tempting of God, because it did not proceed of infirmitie, seeing they had tasted of, and felt the wonderfull mercies of God for them, farre greater than this was to giue them drinke: for by the former miracles they knew that God was able and also willing to helpe them, and therefore seeing they still murmured, Moses calleth this a tempting of God, whereas before when they murmured diuers times, yet he did beare with them, as such as did offend of infirmitie. Where we see that God dealing with vs as with them, hath borne with the time of our ignorance, and we may al confesse, that the Lord doth not deale with vs according to the workes of our owne hands: but if we will be ignorant still, and despise instruction, or after we haue had experience of his goodnesse, if then we will presume to tempt God, it is fearefull, when we know the great goodnesse of the Lord, and haue experience of the same in our selues, Psal. 93. 2. When we know it is a sinne which we commit, and yet we will tempt God whether he will punish or no, as Peter rebuked Ananias, Act. 5. and Paul rebuked those who in vaine excuses would eate in Idols temples, saying, doe you prouoke the Lord, 1. Cor. 10. And this was the temptation with which the diuell tempted1 our Sauiour, saying, cast thy selfe downe. But Christ answered and said, if I should so doe without Gods commandement, I should denie his prouidence which only watcheth ouer men in their waies. And thus he putteth away the diuell; this then is to tempt God, and this Moses meaneth when he rebuked the people, saying, why tempt yee the Lord? that is to say, You know your sinne well enough, the dealing of the Lord with you is manifest, and mine also; now adde not rebellion vnto sin, but if you sinne, then do you tempt the Lord: ⟨p. 816⟩The Lord in Psalm. 95. passeth ouer other sinnes, and maketh th•• or•• of temptation. 〈…〉 be sware, &c. Now let vs consider when wee fall into some sinne which we know no•, the Lord is mercifull, but if we then, when we know it is a sinne by the law of God, and when we haue felt euery way the hand of God vpon vs, and the spirit of God checking vs
- 1What it is to tempt God.
- 2To sin against knowledge is a tempting of God.
