William Perkins on tempting God by neglecting the means of preservation

Status
Not open for further replies.

Reformed Covenanter

Cancelled Commissioner
Fifthly, they tempt God, that refuse or neglect the ordinary and necessary means of their preservation, either for body or soul: as he that being to go over a water, will leave the bridge which is the ordinary way, and adventure dangerously through the water: for herein he seeks a needless experience of God’s power: so do they also that neglect or contemn God’s holy ordinance for the saving of men’s souls in the ministry of the word.

Now to this kind of tempting God doth Christ apply this commandment in this place; as if he should say, when God hath afforded unto men an ordinary means for their help and safety, they are not to refuse the same, and seek for safety from God extraordinarily. I am now in a dangerous place I confess, upon this pinnacle, yet there is some ordinary way to get down as stairs or ladder; and therefore unless I would tempt the Lord my God, I may not cast my self down and thereby seek for extraordinary preservation, as thou persuadest me. Thus also they sin that go into places of great danger without a calling: so Peter sinned in thrusting himself into Caiaphas’ hall, a place of temptation, as by lamentable experience he found too true.

For the reference, see:

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top