Answ. Tempt the Lord say ye? Dost thou know what it is for to tempt the Lord? It is said o• the Children of Israel, That they tempted the Lord, and said, Is God amongst us? And when thou sayest after all the experience of Gods pre•ence with thee, Is God with me? Is hot this rather for to tempt the Lord? It is said of the Children of Israel, That they tempted the Lord, and limited the Holy One of Israel: and when you limit God, and say, I shall never receive this Mercy, for now I do see the contrary; Is not this rather for to tempt the Lord? Properly, and according to Scripture Phrase, to tempt the Lord, is to put God upon a trial for the satisfying of ones lust; and therefore if you look into Psal. 78. you shall find that these two go together, at verse 18. They tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their Lust: To put God upon a work for the satisfying of ones Lust, is indeed to tempt the Lord: Every putting God upon a trial, is not a tempting God; but to put God upon a trial for the satisfying of ones lust, this is to tempt the Lord: And therefore it is said, the wicked Jews came to our Saviour Christ, tempting him, and saying, Show us a sign. Gideon desired a sign, and yet he did not tempt the Lord, Why? Because he did not desire a sign to satisfy his Lust, but to strengthen his Faith. But now these Jews came, and desired a sign to satisfy their Lust; and therefore saith our Saviour Christ unto them; Ye wicked, and Adulterous Generation: How comes the word [Adulterous] in there? Why look as it is with a woman that is n•ught, filthy, and unworthy; her Husband sending a Message to her, and warning her to take heed of such Company; when the Messenger comes, I doubt saith she, whether you come from my Husband, or no; and what sign have you, that you come from my Husband? she knows that he comes from her Husband, but because she may go on in her sin, she asketh a sign; How may I know that you come from my Husband? So it was with these wicked Jews, they asked a sign that so they might go on in their sins; whereupon our Saviour saith, Ye wicked, and Adulterous Generation. But now, when a poor, doub•ing, fearing, trembling soul, shall desire to believe, and would fain have some token from the Lord to strengthen his Faith, he is not Adulterous then, nor doth he tempt the Lord, nor presume: for is it presumption for a man to keep the Sabbath day? No, Why?
Answ. Tempt the Lord say ye? Dost thou know what it is for to tempt the Lord? It is said o• the Children of Israel, That they tempted the Lord, and said, Is God amongst us? And when thou sayest after al the experience of Gods pre•ence with thee, Is God with me? Is hot this rather for to tempt the Lord? It is said of the Children of Israel, That they tempted the Lord, and limited the Holy One of Israel: and when you limit God, and say, I shal never receive this Mercy, for now I do see the contrary; Is not this rather for to tempt the Lord? Properly, and according to Scripture Phrase, to tempt the Lord, is to put God upon a tryal for the satisfying of ones lust; and therefore if you look into Psal. 78. you shal find that these two go together, at verse 18. They tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their Lust: To put God upon a work for the satisfying of ones Lust, is indeed to tempt the Lord: Every putting God upon a tryal, is not a tempting God; but to put God upon a tryal for the satisfying of ones lust, this is to tempt the Lord: And therefore it is said, the wicked Jews came to our Savior Christ, tempting him, and saying, Shew us a sign. Gideon desired a sign, and yet he did not tempt the Lord, Why? Because he did not desire a sign to satisfie his Lust, but to strengthen his Faith. But now these Jews came, and desired a sign to satisfie their Lust; and therefore saith our Savior Christ unto them; Ye wicked, and Adulterous Generation: How comes the word [Adulterous] in there? Why look as it is with a woman that is n•ught, filthy, and unworthy; her Husband sending a Message to her, and warning her to take heed of such Company; when the Messenger comes, I doubt saith she, whether you come from my Husband, or no; and what sign have you, that you come from my Husband? she knows that he comes from her Husband, but because she may go on in her sin, she asketh a sign; How may I know that you come from my Husband? So it was with these wicked Jews, they asked a sign that so they might go on in their sins; whereupon our Savior saith, Ye wicked, and Adulterous Generation. But now, when a poor, doub•ing, fearing, trembling soul, shal desire to beleeve, and would fain have some token from the Lord to strengthen his Faith, he is not Adulterous then, nor doth he tempt the Lord, nor presume: for is it presumption for a man to keep the Sabbath day? No, Why?
