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one another, and towards all men; that || cy of the creature; and the agency of

he would cause us to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;" "till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man; unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." That he would "guide us by his counsel and afterwards receive us to glory."

EXPOSITION OF JAMES i, 13, 14. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth ke any man; But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

the creature is the effect of the agency of God. But the agency of God is one thing, and the agency of the creature is another thing. When God, by his agency causes a man to walk, it is the man that walks, and not God. It is proper to say that it is God who causes the man to walk, but it is not proper to say, it is God that walks. It is the man that walks. The scriptures ascribe to God an agency in whatsoever comes to pass, and they ascribe to the creature an agency in many things. But the scriptures do not confound things which are distinct. They ascribe to God the agency which belongs to him, and to the creature the agency which belongs to him. AccordThis passage of Scripture has beening to them it is God that gives repenthought inconsistent with the doctrine | tance, while it is man that repents; it is that God decrees and causes the wick- God that gives faith, while it is man that ed actions of men. The Scriptures believes; it is God that works in man indeed, represent that God worketh all || to will and to do of his good pleasure, things after the council of his own will, while it is man that wills and does acthat he turned the heart of the Egyp-cording to God's good pleasure. And tians to hate his people, that he moved this is not only the case with respect to David to number Israel, that he stir-their good actions, but also with resred up the spirit of the Assyrian kings to oppress and enslave the ten tribes, that he put in the hearts of the kings of the earth to agree and give their kingdom to the beast, that he hardened the spirit of Sihon, and made his heart obstinate, that he put a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab's prophets, that he set the people of Israel one against another, that he made the prophet to err from God's ways, which passages plainly teach that God not only decress the wicked actions of men, but employs his own agency in bringing them to pass. But in this passage it is denied that God tempts any man. How can this be true, if he decrees and causes whatever comes to pass? Here let it be remarked that if we would discover the truth, we must not confound things which are perfectly distinct. The cause and the effect, are different things. The agency of God is not the agency of the creature; nor is the agency of the creature the agency of God. The agency of God is the cause of the agen-representing it in false colors, as a desiTM

pect to their wicked actions. It was God that turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people; but it was the Egyptians, and not God that hated his people. It was God that moved David to say, Go number Israel and Judah, but it was David that said, Go number Israel and Judah.

As the scriptures do not confound the agency of God, with the agency of man, so neither do they confound the agency of God with the agency of satan. Both may be exercised in bringing an event to pass; but the agency of one is not the agency of the other. God might cause satan to go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab's prophets, and yet it might not be proper to say that God was a lying spirit.

Having premised these things, let us apply them to the passage of scripture under consideration. It is said, that God does not tempt any man. If the word tempt is taken here in its usual sense, which is to entice or persuade to sin, by

rable thing, then it is certainly not true || the other. Satan tempts men, but he that God tempts any man. Satan is the has no power to cause them to com. tempter. It is he that entices us to sin, ply with the temptation. If he had, by placing before our minds a false he would always cause a compliance, view of things, and representing sin as but he does not. Sometimes when a good thing. God may, in his prov-men are tempted, they resist the tempidence, lead us into temptation. He tatlon. It is God's prerogative to may, for wise reasons, cause Satan to govern all his creatures and all their tempt us. But if he does so, still the actions. He has their hearts in his agency of God and the agency of Sa-hand, and turns them whithersoever tan, are perfectly distinct. If God cau- he will. But whether he does this or ses Satan to tempt us, the act of tempt-not, has no relation to the question ing is the act of Satan, and not the act whether he tempts them or not; of God. Just as when God causes a as that is a different thing. If it should man to walk, the act of walking is be said that God does tempt men, it the act of the man, and not the act would not follow that he causes them of God. So also, if God cause a man to comply with the temptation. Sato comply with a temptation, this is a tan does one, but not the other; so different thing from tempting him.|| God may do one and not the other, The act of tempting is the act of Sa- The two things are as distinct and untan, the act of complying with the connected, as any two things in the temptation is the act of the man, and universe. the act of causing a compliance is the act of God. Thus, in the case of David, we read, in 1 Chron. xxi, 1. "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel." And in 1 Sam. xxi, 1. "And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go number Israel and Judah " Here are three different agents brought||cludes a compliance with the temptainto view, the Lord, David and Satan. And what is done by one is not done by the other. Satan tempted David to have the people numbered, God moved David to comply with the temptation, and order it done, and David complied with the temptation and performed the thing.

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If it should be objected here, that the words tempt and to be tempted, in the passage under consideration, are not to be taken in their usual sense, but seem to imply something more; as when it is said, every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed; to be tempted seems to mean to be enticed into sin, and in

tion; and that consequently, when it is said a man is not tempted of God, it amounts to this, that a man is not caused to comply with the temptation, by any act of God. To this it maybe answered,

If to be tempted, in this place, means to be enticed into sin, and includes the act of compliance with the tempIt is evident, therefore, that if the tation, still there is nothing inconsistent word tempt, in the passage under con- with the doctrine of God's decreeing sideration, is to be taken in its usual and causing whatsoever comes to pass. sense, it may be said with truth, that || Nothing is brought into view but the God does not tempt any man; and yet it || act of Satan in presenting the temptamay be true, that he decrees and cau- tion, and the act of the man in comses all the actions of men, whether plying with it. Satan makes use of good or evil. Tempting men to sin, our lusts as the means of his operations. and causing them to sin, by moving || He makes use of our animal appetites, them to comply with the temptation, to entice us to unholy desires; and are things perfectly distinct from each then he makes use of these, to entice other. And it does by no means fol- us to outward acts of transgression. low, because a being performs one of Let us substitute, in the passage under these actions, that he also performs consideration, the words entice into

P VL. II.

sin for the word tempt, and the words ture. If God's causing us to act as we enticed into sin for the word tempted, do, would free us from blame, it must and see how it will read. "Let no be because the blame-worthiness lies man say, when he is enticed into sin, in the cause of the action, and not in I am enticed into sin of God, for God the nature of the action itself. But to cannot be enticed into sin, neither en- say this, leads into the very difficulty ticeth he any man into sin. But every it is intented to prevent. For if the man is enticed into sin, when he is blame-worthiness does not lie in the drawn away of his own lust and enti- nature of the action, but in its cause, ced." Though it should be true, that then it does not lie in any thing that is God causes man to comply with the an effect. It must always be transtemptation, when it is presented, it ferred from the effect to the cause; would not follow that he perform- and so we shall go back from step to ed the act of presenting it, or that step, through the chain of second cauhe performed the act of complying ses, till we arrive at the first cause of with it. The act of presenting the all things, which is God. The blametemptation and the act of complying worthiness, therefore, is not to be with it, are all that are brought into transferred from the action to its cause, view, and denied of God. God does but it lies in the nature of the action itnot entice men into sin, by presenting itself. And consequently the blame of all before them in false colours, and representing it as a desirable thing. This is the part of Satan. When God operates upon men's hearts, and turns them whithersoever he will, he does it in a different manner. And when God causes the man to comply with the temptation, it is not God that complies with the temptation, but the man.

our wicked actions belongs to us, let the act of causing them be performed by whom it will. When, therefore, the scriptures ascribe the blame of our wicked conduct entirely to us, and at the same time teach that God decrees and causes whatsoever comes to pass, there is no contradiction between them, but they are perfectly consistent and harmonious.

It may be objected, further, that the design of the passage evidently is, to It may be objected further, that if teach that the blame of our wicked we ought not to ascribe to God the conduct belongs to us, and not to God; act of tempting men to sin, because it and that the sense of it is this: "Let is a sinful act, then we ought not to no man justify himself in his wicked- ascribe to God the act of causing them ness, by casting the blame upon God, to comply with the temptation, which for the blame does not belong to God, must be much more sinful. For if it but to himself." But that if God de-is sinful to entice a man to sin, by precrees and causes all the actions of men,senting motives to persuade him to then the blame does not belong to them, but to God; and consequently, that the passage must be understood to deny that God decrees or causes the wicked actions of men.-To this it may be answered:

act wrong, as Satan does, when he tempts men to sin, although this is not sufficient to cause him to sin, how much more must it be sinful to perform such an operation upon his mind, as to cause him to comply with the temptation, and make him act wickedly, when Satan could not do it. Is not this saying, that when Satan has done all he can to make man sin, and his power fails, God interposes, and assists him to accomplish his purpose?

The blame of a wicked action belongs to the person whose action it is. Our actions are our own. The turpitude of a wicked action consists in the nature of the action itself, and not at all in its cause. By action is here meant the action of the mind, the dis-To this it may be answered. position, which expresses itself by the When Satan tempts man to sin, he external action. A malicious spirit is does it by presenting things in a false bad spirit, and odious in its own na- light, presenting sin as a desirable

REASONABLENESS AND IMPORTANCE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.

thing. He is guilty of falsehood. || God caused those men to comply with God cannot lie. Therefore, God can- these temptations, and put his Son to not tempt man, in this sense. But be- death, Satan perhaps thought he had sides being guilty of falsehood, Satan accomplished his purpose. But how does wrong, when he uses his influ- much was he mistaken! These were ence to make men sin; for two other the very means which infinite wisdom reasons. He does what he has no had contrived to accomplish that work right to do, and he does it with a wick- of redemption, and thus effectually to ed intention. The government of the bruise the serpent's head, and destroy universe is not committed to his hands. his power and influence, He has no right to do any thing himself, or to influence others to do any thing but what God has commanded. THE But when he tempts man to sin, violates the divine commands himself, FAITH, has of late ages, been a suband does what he can to make others ject of much derision, by men of scido the same. And besides, he acts ence, falsely so called, and vain Phiwith a wicked intention in all this. It losophers. But is it an unreasonable is impossible for any creature to do thing for God to demand, and for us to these things with any other than a give him our faith? Who among us wicked intention. But God does right can pretend to understand all things when he governs all his creatures and necessary to rational comfort and satall their actions, and causes whatsoev-isfaction, unless it be by faith? Some er comes to pass, because it is his pre- things, indeed, we know by intuition; rogative to govern the universe, and some by experience, and some by reahe always designs and accomplishes soning and deduction. We know good by what he does. He always that we exist, and are rational, volunacts according to the dictates of infi-tary agents. We know that we are nite wisdom and goodness. He knows sinful, vile and miserable; prone to what events will best promote the the worst of deeds, and exposed to the highest interests of the universe, and it greatest of human miseries; that we behoves him as the supreme governor are every moment, liable to death.to cause those events to take place. We may go far in the science of numAnd he uniformly brings to pass those bers, and measures, and proportions. events, and prevents all such as would By the medium of the senses, and by have a contrary tendency. He does reasoning on sensible objects, and on not assist Satan to accomplish his matters of experience we acquire a wicked purposes, but he makes use of certain degree of knowledge. We obSatan, as an instrument in accomplish-tain some information of the vast fabing his own glorious and benevolent purposes. He so overrules all the efforts of Satan and wicked men, as to make them instruments in promoting that very cause they intend to oppose. Satan intends to dishonor God, but God intends to glorify himself. Satan will be disappointed, and even his present seeming success, will only serve to increase his ultimate confusion and disgrace. When Satan sought to accomplish the death of Christ, and tempted Judas and Pilate, and the Jews to effect it, he meant to defeat the work of redemption. And when

ric, called the universe: But we know not, by the light of nature, whether indeed it be a fabric, strictly speaking, or an eternal, uncreated system. It is "through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear." It is also through faith that we understand any thing, concerning the end of the world, and an eternal state. On these important points, mankind greatly need instruction; and yet instruction can be embraced, only by faith. Is it not reasonable, to look to

by the light of nature, we have no better prospect in the world to come than in this world. Destitute of a gleam of hope, and unable to discover the possibility of forgiveness, or even of reformation, and deliverance from the dominion of sin, what can be more reasonable and important, than the christian faith? By this faith there is a discovery of an honorable plan of forgiveness, and complete satisfaction. A foundation is laid for a joyful hope; a hope which is as an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast. Surely, they who set at nought the christian faith, are totally unable to of fer an equal ground of comfort. In health and prosperity, they can boast of reason and philosophy; but after all, they find themselves utterly at a loss, how one sin can be forgiven, or one soul purified.

God for information, on these impor- discover. To plead for mercy is vain, tant and inscruitable subjects? The unless we have a revelation of divine man who refuses to look to heaven for mercy. We plead in vain for an exlight, on the great subjects of immor-emption from pains and death: And tality, is proud in weakness; for he must always have the mortification to feel and acknowledge, that he is to tally ignorant of a future state: He can only conjecture, whether he, and all others, shall be happy or miserable; or even whether man shall be something or nothing, forever. Surely, in this view, faith in God is reasonable, and highly important. Possibly, we may be derided for believing there is a God. “No one hath seen God at any time." Nor is it possible to embrace the idea of an infinite, eternal unchangeable Deity, but by faith. Accor dingly, they who despise the very idea of faith, deny the Divine Existence.— They consider the world as being eternal, and governed only by chance. But even embracing this opinion, is an exercise of their faith though faith is the object of their contempt. Do they know that the world is eternal, But even admitting, what is wholly and governed by chance? Or is it only inadmissible, that some few men of untheir belief, their weak conjecture?— common talents, and most peculiar adAlas! must an infidel profess his faith,vantages for improvement, might posin the act of opposition to the very idea sibly hit on the just ground of forgiveof faith? Must he exceed all men in ness and salvation; yet what would credulity, to make out that he is incre- become of the great mass of mankind, dulous? Surely, it is vain for any man whose souls are as precious as the souls to attempt a vindication of himself in of philosophers, and whose salvation discarding the idea of faith in God.—is of equal importance? Wretched inTo look for instruction to him that deed must be the state of mankind, if nade us, is certainly reasonable and they are to depend on the last extent important, of human philosophy, to discover the Having considered the reasonable-way of salvation! Will it be said, that ness and importance of faith, in a general view, let us proceed to a more direct consideration of the subject, as it respects the christian faith.

Among the things learned by experience, nothing is more clearly and perfectly known, than the sin and misery of mankind. And in this state of sin and misery, man must continue forever, if he shall exist so long, unless some effectual remedy appear. To decide whether any remedy be possible; and if possible, in what it must consist, is beyond human ingenuity to

the learned few, having made the discovery, might point it out to their brethren? In this case, the multitude must embrace it by faith; and by faith in whom? In Hume, in Voltaire, in Paine! But what are their credentials? What is their authorty? Do they agree among themselves? Or indeed, have they any system, or any serious, candid principle of religion? Was it not their grand object to promote unbelief, and to discounteance religious practice? Of the way of life and peace, they were as ignorant, as the mean

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