Question 127

And leade vs not into temptation: But deliuer vs from euill.

Here some make one, some two petitions: but we are not to striue, so that nothing of the doctrine be taken away, but that this be made plaine. Now they are rather two partes of one petition. Leade vs not into temptation, is a petition of deliuerie from future euil: Deliuer vs from euil, is a petition of deliuerie frō present euil.

The special questions.

1 What temptation is

There are two causes of temptations. The one is from God: the other from the Diuel and the flesh. The temptation, wherby God tempteth vs, is a tryal of our faith, godlines, and obedience by the Crosse, and other encumbrances, which are opposed to euery one, that our faith, patience, and constancie may be manifested and made knowen both to our selues and others. So God is said to haue tempted Abraham, Joseph, Job, Dauid. The temptation, whereby the Diuel, and our flesh, and the wicked also tempt vs, is euerie soliciting to sinne, which soliciting it selfe also is sinne. So the Diuel tempted Iob, that hee might seduce and withdrawe him from God, whom hee had before loued, and serued: albeit the matter fell out otherwise than the Diuel would haue it. Here is vnderstood by the name of temptation that temptation of God, that is, the trial of our faith, godlines, and patience, which God worketh by whatsoeuer lets or hinderances of our saluation, as by all euils, by the Diuel, the flesh, our lusts, the world, afflictions, calamities, the crosse, that our faith, constancie, and hope may bee made knowen vnto our selues & others. Obiection. But God tempteth no man. Aunswere. God tempteth no man, that is, by soliciting him to sinne, or euil: but hee tempteth by proouing and trying vs. The Diuels, the woorld, our flesh tempt vs, that is, solicite vs to euils, and withdrawe vs from God. But God as he tempteth no man, and yet is said to haue tempted Abraham, Iob, Dauid, that is, to haue tried their faith and constancie by afflictions, & the crosse: so by the same he trieth our faith, hope, patience, loue, inuocation, constancy, whether we wil or no worship & serue him also in afflictions.

Hereby we easily vnderstand, seeing temptation is attributed vnto the Diuel, & to the corrupt lusts and inclinations of men, in what sense God maie bee saide to tempt, or not to tempt men. For Satan tempteth, both offering occasions of sinning without, and instigating within to sinne, thereby to drawe men headlong into destruction, and to reproch God. Corrupt inclinations tempt: because they bend and are prone to actions by god forbidden. But god tempteth not to destroy vs, nor to cause vs to sin, but to trie & exercise vs, when either hee sendeth calamity vpon vs, or permitteth the Diuel, or men, or our flesh, to prouoke & inuite vs to sin, hiding for a while his grace, & efficacy in preseruing & ruling vs, that our faith & constācy may be made more known & apparant, not verily vnto god himself (as who frō euerlasting knoweth what & how much it is, and how much also hereafter it shall bee by his fauour and blessing) but vnto our selues and others, that so also a trust & full persuasion of gods presence & protection, may be confirmed in vs by the examples of our deliueraunce, and in others a desire of folowing our example may be kindled, through the beholding of our perseuerance, and that in al of vs maie be raised and stirred vp true gratitude and thankefulnes towards god, who deliuereth his out of temptations. So Gen. 22. God tempteth Abraham commaunding him to sacrifice his sonne Jsaack. Exod. 15. He is said to haue tempted the people with want of water. Exod. 16. Hee commandeth Manna to be gathered, as much as was sufficient for euery daie, that hee might tempt, or prooue the people, whether they woulde walk according to his Lawe, or no. Deutr. 13. Hee is said to tempt the people by false Prophetes, that he might know, whether they loued him with al their heart, and with al their soule. 2. Chron. 32. Jn the embassage of the Princes of Babel, god left Hezechia to tempt, or try him, and to know al that was in his heart. Wherefore this praier, which christ taught vs, Lead vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euil, speaketh not simply of al trial & manifestation of our faith and godlinesse, vnto which also Dauid offereth himselfe of his owne accord, Psal. 26. saying, Proue me O Lord, and trie me: examine my reines and mine heart. And Saint Iames speaketh not of our triall, but of our incitement to sinne, cap. 1.13. Let no man saie when hee is tempted, J am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with euil, neither tempteth he anie man. But euery man is tempted when he is drawn awaie by his owne concupiscense and is entised. Then when lust hath conceiued, it bringeth foorth sinne: and sinne when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

It is also hereby manifest, how god punisheth the wicked, or chastiseth or tempteth the godlie by euil spirites, neither yet is hee the cause or partaker of those sinnes, which the diuels commit. For, that by the wicked the wicked are punished, or the good chastised, or exercised, it is the righteous and holy work of Gods diuine will: but that the wicked execute the iudgement of God by sinning, that commeth not so to passe by any fault of god himself, but through the proper corruptiō of the wicked, and such as themselues haue purchased, god neither willing, nor allowing, nor working, nor furthering their sinne, but in his most iust iudgement only permitting it, when exequuting and accomplishing by them his owne work and counsel, either he reueileth not at al his wil vnto them, or moueth not their will, to haue his reueiled will as the ende and leuill of their action. This difference of the works of God, & the diuel, & euen Gods working of his iust work by the Diuel, but permitting only the sinne of the Diuel, is euidently confirmed by the story of Iob, cap. 1. & 2. where God purposeth to try Iob, but the Diuell to destroie him. The same is likewise confirmed by the story of Achab 1. King. 22. and by that prophecy of the Apostle concerning Antichrist. 2. Thessal. 2. where the Diuel seduceth men to destroy them, and God wil haue them to be seduced thereby to punish them, and suffereth the Diuel by sinning to execute and fulfil his wil.

2 What is, To lead into temptation

When god is said to lead vs into temptation, it is meant, that God according to his most iust will and iudgement trieth vs. Now, to lead vs into temptation, wherewith the Diuel tempteth vs, is, that God permitteth the diuel to solicite vs. Lead vs not into temptation, that is, Suffer vs not to be tempted aboue our power: neither suffer the diuell so to tempt vs, that either we sinne, or wholy reuoult from thee. Obiection. Temptations which are good in respect of god, are euil in respect of the diuel, and yet notwithstanding into them doth god lead vs: Therefore god is the cause of sinne. Aunswere. This reason conteineth a fallacy of the accident. They are sinnes in respect of the diuell, because hee will thereby allure vs to sins: in respect of God they are not sinnes, because they are a trial, and a reclaiming of vs from sinnes; as also, because they are a confirmation and strengthening of our faith. Wherefore as temptations are trials, chastisementes, martyrdomes, they are sent of God: but as they are euill, and sins, God wil them not, because, to wil them, is, to approoue and work them. Now we here in this petition pray against both, (which also wee briefly touched before) namely our trial, & allurement or soliciting to sinne. For we desire first, that God wil not tempt vs to try vs, but yet with a condition of his wil & pleasure, & if he do tempt vs, yet that he wil not tempt vs aboue our strength: & that also he will giue vs strength. Secondly, we desire, that he wil not suffer the Diuel, or the world, or our owne flesh to solicite vs to sinne; or if he suffer them, that yet himselfe wil bee present with vs, that we fal not wholy into sinnes.

3 What is, To deliuer vs from euill

By the name of Euill some vnderstand heere the Diuell, some sinne, some death: but the best is to comprehend in it al euils both of crime & pain, whether they be present, or to come. When as then we desire that God will deliuer vs from euil, we desire, 1. That he wil send no euil on vs, but deliuer vs from al euils present and to come, both of crime, and paine. 2. That if he send on vs any euils, that he would mitigate them in this life, and turne them vnto our saluation, that they maie be good and profitable vnto vs. 3. That he wil at length in the life to come, fully and perfectlie deliuer vs, and wipe awaie euerie teare from our eies. Wee must obserue that this petition is so the last of al the rest, as that from this we return to the former from whence we began. He is our perfect Sauiour; but he shal not be a perfect Sauiour, without this petition. The later part of this petition being opposed by way of contrariety to the former part, sheweth how the former part is to be vnderstood. For when he saith, But deliuer vs from euil, it sheweth that we shall be lead into temptations, and euils, and that therefore we must subiect our will vnto the will of God, & pray that we fal not into euils, if it be his wil, or that he wil deliuer vs, if we be fallen into euils.

4 Why this petition is necessarie

This petition is necessarie, 1. In respect of the multitude and power of our enemies, and the greatnes of euils, and our owne weaknes and infirmitie. 2. In respect of the former petition, for the obteining thereof: because our sinnes are not remitted, except we persist in faith and repentance. If then we wil that God remit and pardon vs our sinnes, wee must stand stedfast in faith and repentaunce: but steadfast wee shall not stand, if we bee tempted aboue our strength, if wee fal into sinnes, if lastly we reuoult from God himselfe. Obiection. We are not to praie against such things as are good, and profitable for vs. The temptations of god, as trials, diseases, pouertie, sending of false Prophetes, are good things, and profitable vnto vs: wee are not therefore to praie against the temptations of god. Aunswere. The Minor conteineth a fallacy of the accident. Wee are not to pray against such things as are good and profitable, that is, which are by themselues profitable or good. But afflictions, trials, crosses, and other temptations are by themselues euil and vnprofitable, and not good. But yet they are good, and profite vs onely by an accident: which accident is the mercie of God accompaning them, without which they are not only not profitable, but also a part of death, & a most present way to death both temporall, and eternall. Wherefore as afflictions and crosses are euil by themselues, so farre foorth wee praie against them; but as they are good and profitable vnto vs that beleeue, so we praie not against them; or, wee praie not against that good which concurreth with afflictions & the crosse, but against the crosse it selfe, & afflictions, which are by themselues euil, because they destroie nature. So also we pray against death, as being euil by it selfe; and christ himselfe also praied against it, Matth. 26.39. Let this cup passe from me; neuertheles not as I wil, but as thou wilt. As then death was a destruction, a torment, and euill, so Christ praied against it, and woulde it not; yea neither woulde the Father himselfe it, as it is so considered. But as Christs death was a Raunsome on the crosse, so both Christ, and the Father would the same.

2 Obiection. What things God wil, those things ought we not to refuse: But God wil our temptations: Therefore we maie not refuse them. Answere. What things God wil, those we ought not to refuse, that is, in such respect, as he wil that we suffer them, with a submitting of our will vnto his diuine will; or such things, as he simply wil. But God wil not simplie temptations, nether in this respect, as they are a destruction, but as they are exercises of faith and praier, or martyrdomes, or a trial of our conscience: and in this respect and so farre we ought also to wish them but not simply. And that we are not simply to wil or wish temptations, or afflictiōs, it hereby easily appeareth, because it is patience, to suffer them: which it should not be, but rather our duty, if we ought simply to wishe them, neither might wee praie against them. God will not therefore that wee wish for euils, as euils, but as euils are good, so wil he haue vs to bear them patiently.

3 Obiection. What thou shalt not obtaine, that thou desirest in vaine. But we shal not obtaine, neuer to fal into temptation. Wherefore in vaine doe we desire it. For al that will liue godlie in Christ Jesu, must suffer persequutions. Aunswere. This is a fallacy putting that for a cause, which is no cause. For therefore desire we that we be not lead into temptation, not because we are wholy to be deliuered, but, 1. Because wee are deliuered from manie things, in which we should perish, if wee should not request deliueraunce. This is a cause sufficient. 2. That those euils also into which we fal, maie be good and profitable vnto vs. And to those which desire in general deliueraunce wil God graunt these two so great blessings. But yet notwithstāding by reason of the remaines of sinne in vs hee wil haue this benefit to be imperfect, which neuerthelesse we are to aske wholy with submitting of our will vnto the will of God, and with ful persuasion, that in the, life to come we shall wholie attaine vnto it.

Now we are to obserue the order, & coherence of these petitions. 1. The Lord commaunded vs to desire the true knoweledge of God, & his promise, which is the cause of al other his blessings. 2. Hee willeth vs to desire, that god woulde gouerne vs by his spirite, and so continually preserue, and confirme vs in this knowledge. 3. That euerie of vs maie do and fulfil thereby his duty in his vocation and calling. 4. That he would giue vs those things whereby euery one may doe his duty, namely corporall blessinges. The fourth petition then agreeth with the former: because, if we must at al be in our own vocation and calling, we must liue, and haue thinges necessary for the mainteinaunce of our life. 5. He adioineth next after the petition of spiritual and corporal blessings, a verie fit obiection of our vnwoorthines: That thou maiest giue vs spiritual & corporal blessings, forgiue vs our debts. Wherefore the fift petition is the ground and foundation of the rest, which being ouerthrown, the rest fal to ground. For if thou resolue not, that thou hast god gracious and fauourable vnto thee, how shalt thou haue him to be merciful? how shalt thou continu in that knowlege, which thou hast not? how shalt thou doe thy duty, and the wil of God, seeing thou art his enemy, and endeuourest the contrarie? how shalt thou ascribe al things to god? how shal they turn to thy saluation? 6. After the petition of spirituall and corporall blessinges, there followeth lastlie the petition of our deliueraunce from euils both present and to come. And from this last petition we returne againe to the first: Deliuer vs from all euils both of crime & pain, both present & to come, that we maie know thee to be our perfect sauior, & so thy name may be hallowed & sanctified of vs.