Take another place in Isay 7. You may read, of a confederacy between the King ⟨p. 270⟩of Assyria and the King of Israel, to come up against Judah and Jerusalem. And in the second Verse you read, how the hearts of the men of Judah were moved, even as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. Now in this their fear and danger God sends a Prophet to them, to tell them he would be their security if they would trust on him, the third and fourth Verses, Be quiet, fear not, neither be fainthearted,— I will help you,—Verse 7. But notwithstanding all this, their fear prevailed against their faith, whereupon God sends the Prophet again in the tenth Verse, and bids the King Ask a sign, either in the depths below, or height above,—That is, if he desired to have his faith confirmed by any visible sign, either in Heaven or Earth, God would condescend so far to the weakness of his faith to afford it to him; but yet his fears prevailed against his faith, and against all the security God offered, and he puts all this off very cunningly, Verse 12. I will not ask a sign, neither will I tempt God. One would think he spake well, he would not tempt God in asking a sign, he would believe on his bare word: doth not Christ blame the Scribes and Pharisees for asking a sign? ⟨p. 271⟩but it is one thing to ask a sign when God doth not offer it, and merely out of temptation too; as the Scribes & Pharisees did: another thing, to refuse a sign when God tenders it, and that for the confirming of their faith. That he spake wickedly: The 13. verse tells you, Is it a small thing to weary men, but your will weary God also; Indeed the meaning is, he will not tempt God; That is, he will not trust God, he would not trust on Gods promise, Gods security; he would run to the arm of flesh, provide the best means for his own safety; for he would not trust on Gods security, he would rather trust to the provision fear could make, then to the provisions faith could find in God. *Sometimes we tempt God in trusting upon God in the neglect of means, and sometimes we tempt God in the trusting upon means in the neglect of God, so did he: See 2 King. 16.5. to the 10. verse.
Take another place in Isay 7. You may reade, of a confederacy between the King ⟨p. 270⟩of Assyria and the King of Israel, to come up against Iudah and Ierusalem. And in the second Verse you read, how the hearts of the men of Judah were moved, even as the trees of the wood are moved with the winde. Now in this their feare and danger God sends a Prophet to them, to tell them he would bee their security if they would trust on him, the third and fourth Verses, Be quiet, fear not, neither be fainthearted,— I will helpe you,—Verse 7. But notwithstanding all this, their feare prevailed against their faith, whereupon God sends the Prophet againe in the tenth Verse, and bids the King Ask a signe, either in the depths below, or height above,—That is, if he desired to have his faith confirmed by any visible signe, either in Heaven or Earth, God would condescend so farre to the weaknesse of his faith to afford it to him; but yet his feares prevailed against his faith, and against all the security God offered, and he puts all this off very cunningly, Verse 12. I will not ask a signe, neither will I tempt God. One would thinke he spake well, he would not tempt God in asking a signe, he would beleeve on his bare word: doth not Christ blame the Scribes and Pharisees for asking a signe? ⟨p. 271⟩but it is one thing to aske a signe when God doth not offer it, and meerly out of temptation too; as the Scribes & Pharises did: another thing, to refuse a signe when God tenders it, and that for the confirming of their faith. That hee spake wickedly: The 13. verse tels you, Is it a small thing to weary men, but yor will weary God also; Indeed the meaning is, he will not tempt God; That is, he will not trust God, hee would not trust on Gods promise, Gods security; he would run to the arm of flesh, provide the best means for his own safety; for he would not trust on Gods security, hee would rather trust to the provision feare could make, then to the provisions faith could finde in God. *Sometimes we tempt God in trusting upon God in the neglect of means, and sometimes we tempt God in the trusting upon means in the neglect of God, so did he: See 2 King. 16.5. to the 10. verse.
- *In periculis non bebemus otiose pendere a divino auxilio, sed omnia facere quae sunt in nostra potestate.— Quamvis credamus in Deum, faciamus tamen quae facienda sunt ne praetermittentes ea Deum tentare videamur. Aug.
