2 Though their temptations be great. Some Persons delight in iniquity, they take pleasure in rudeness, and intemperate practices: But there be others that do not delight in sin; they can handsomely avoid it, they do not choose it: Except they be under some great necessity they will not do it: They are afraid to sin, they think it is dangerous, and have some care to avoid it. But sometimes they force themselves to sin: They are reduced to difficulties, and cannot tell how well to avoid it. It is a dangerous thing not to do it. If Naaman do not bow himself in the house of Rimmon, the king will be in a rage with him, take away his office, it may be take away his life, and so he complies; 2 Kings 5.18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow my self in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this. So Jeroboam forced himself to set up the Calves at Dan and Bethel. He thought if the people went up to Jerusalem to worship, they would return to Rehoboam, and kill him; therefore he must think of some expedient to deliver himself in this strait: 1 King 12.27.28. Whereupon the king took council, and made too calves of gold; and said to them, it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem, behold thy gods O Israel, which brought thee up out of the ⟨p. 122⟩land of Egypt. He was driven by appearing necessity to take this wicked course. So the stony ground hearers were willing to retain the profession of the true religion, but the case was such that they thought they could not well do it; Mat 13.21. When tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. They would have chose to have lived and died in the profession of the truth, but they cannot brook confiscation, and prisons, and death; and so they must be excused if they drop their profession. So Achan and Gehozi had singular opportunities to get an estate; if they live twenty years, they are not like to have such an advantage, and they force themselves to borrow a point, and break the law of God. They lay a necessity on estate, and liberty, and life, but not upon obedience. If a man be willing to serve God in ordinary cases, but excuse himself when there be great difficulties, he is not godly.
2 Though their temptations be great. Some Persons delight in iniquity, they take pleasure in rudeness, and intemperate practices: But there be others that do not delight in sin; they can handsomely avoid it, they do not chuse it: Except they be under some great necessity they will not do it: They are afraid to sin, they think it is dangerous, and have some care to avoid it. But sometimes they force themselves to sin: They are reduced to difficulties, and cannot tell how well to avoid it. It is a dangerous thing not to do it. If Naaman do not bow himself in the house of Rimmon, the king will be in a rage with him, take away his office, it may be take away his life, and so he complies; 2 Kings 5.18. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow my self in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this. So Jeroboam forced himself to set up the Calves at Dan and Bethel. He thought if the people went up to Jerusalem to worship, they would return to Rehoboam, and kill him; therefore he must think of some expedient to deliver himself in this strait: 1 King 12.27.28. Whereupon the king took council, and made too calves of gold; and said to them, it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem, behold thy gods O Israel, which brought thee up out of the ⟨p. 122⟩land of Egypt. He was driven by appearing necessity to take this wicked course. So the stony ground hearers were willing to retain the profession of the true religion, but the case was such that they thought they could not well do it; Mat 13.21. When tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. They would have chose to have lived and died in the profession of the truth, but they cannot brook confiscation, and prisons, and death; and so they must be excused if they drop their profession. So Achan and Gehozi had singular opportunities to get an estate; if they live twenty years, they are not like to have such an advantage, and they force themselves to borrow a point, and break the law of God. They lay a necessity on estate, and liberty, and life, but not upon obedience. If a man be willing to serve God in ordinary cases, but excuse himself when there be great difficulties, he is not godly.
