A Guide to Go to God, Petition 6 · Section 176 – Section 181
§. 176. Of freeing God from being Author of ſinne.
Q. CAn God be an Author of ſinne?
A. No verily. It is the greateſt blaſphemie that can be to auouch, or conceit any ſuch thing of God. There is no one thing ſo contrarie to another, not white to blacke, not darkneſſe to light, not death to life, as ſinne to God. That which is ſaid of lying, may more generally bee ſaid of ſinne,Heb. 6. 18. It is impoſſible (and that in the moſt ſtrict and abſolute kinde of impoſſibilitie that can be) It is impoſſible that God ſhould ſinne,Why it is impoſſible that God ſhould be acceſſarie to ſinne. or be a cauſe, or Author of ſinne. This we ought to beleeue and profeſſe, 1. becauſe his ſupreme and abſolute power is ſuch as it ought not to bee called into queſtion. Is it fit to ſay to a King, thou art wicked? and to Princes, ye are vngodly? Iob 34. 18, 19.how much leſſe to him that accepteth not the perſon of Princes, &c? 2. becauſe the perfection of his puritie is ſuch as it admitteth no mixture.1. Ioh. 1. 5. God is light, and in him is no darkneſſe at all. Iam. 1. 17.3. Becauſe he is the originall fountaine of all goodneſſe:Iam. 3. 11. ſo as if this principle (doth a fountaine ſend forth at the ſame place ſweet water and bitter?) bee infallibly true of any fountaine, it is without contradiction moſt true of this originall fountaine. On theſe and other like grounds, wee may well know that God hath power to giuegive, with-hold, or withdraw what hee will, and when hee will: and to ſupport or forſake whom hee will: and that he is not bound to that law which hee hath ſet to his creatures, nor to giuegive an account to any. Yea we ought to acknowledge God to bee as moſt pure in his nature, ſo moſt iuſt in all his counſels, words and workes: and if wee cannot fully and clearely vnderſtand how the forenamed actions concerning leading into temptation can bee attributed vntounto God, and yet God freed from all acceſſarineſſe to ſinne, to lay our hands vponupon our mouthes, and to aſcribe it to the ſhallowneſſe of our owne apprehenſion: but no way to charge God with folly or ſinne. Among the Principles which without all gaine-ſaying ought to bee beleeued, this is one of the prime,Pſal. 5. 4. that the Lord is a God that hath no pleaſure in wickedneſſe: hee can no way be acceſſarie thereto. But beſides this abſolute ſoueraignty and perfect puritie of God, other particular reaſons of Gods dealing with men in this kinde may bee giuen, and thoſe ſo clearely iuſt and equall, as any one, but ſuch an one as is blinded in his minde by the god of this world, may diſcerne the iuſtice and equitie thereof. For
1. Where God permitteth Tempters to tempt men,The ends of all Gods actions moſt iuſt, it is for good and iuſt ends, as to try and proue mens faith, courage, wiſedome, patience, and other like graces, all which were by this meanes proued to bee ſound and great in Iob: Deut. 13. 3.or elſe to diſcouer their weakeneſſe and ſecret wickedneſſe, that they may neither bee too ſecure, nor ouerbold and ſelfe-conceited. By this meanes and for theſe ends wasaMat. 26. 33, &c Peters weakeneſſe diſcouered.
2. Where God biddeth,God ſendeth tempters as a iuſt Iudge. ſendeth or inſtigateth Tempters to tempt men, as in the caſes ofb1. Kin 22, 20. Ahab, of thecRom. 1 24, 26. Gentiles, and ofd2. Theſ. 2. 11, 12. Antichriſtians, it is as a iuſt iudge to puniſh former tranſgreſſions, ſo as theſe Tempters are therein executioners of Gods iuſtice.
3. Where God leaueth men to themſelues, and withholdeth his aſſiſtance,God with-holds his aſſiſtance to make man know himſelfe. it is to giuegive euident demonſtration that man without God is nothing: no more able to ſtand of himſelfe then a child that is new-borne. Now there is great need that man ſhould bee euidently conuicted hereof,2. Chro. 32, 31. leſt hee be too preſumptuous of his owne ſtrength, and neglect God.
4. Where God with-draweth his Spirit, or any grace from man,fMat. 4. 25. it is as a iuſt puniſhment for abuſe thereof. In this reſpect God tooke away his Spirit from Saul. Mat. 25, 28.Compare 1. Sam. 10 9. & 11. 6. with 1. Sam. 16. 14.
To conclude this point,God turnes all to good. ſo farre is God from being any way acceſſarie to ſinne by leading into temptation, as contrarily he turneth the euill thereof vntounto good.2. Cor. 4. 6. For as at firſt he brought light out of darkneſſe, ſo euer ſince by his Almightie power, vnſearchable wiſedome, and perfect puritie hath he brought good out of euill. Good to himſelfe, by making the glorie of his iuſtice in puniſhing, of his pittie in ſuccouring, of his power in ſupporting, of his faithfulneſſe in deliuering, of his wiſedome in catching the ſubtill in their owne craftineſſe, and diſappointing their plots and practiſes, and of other his properties to ſhine forth the brighter. Good alſo to his Saints, as Ioſeph ſaid to his brethren, Ye thought euill againſt me, Gen 50. 20. foreignbut God meant (or diſpoſed) it vntounto good. Thus though the temptation be euill, yet God is good euen in leading into temptation.
§. 177. Of mans diſabilitie to reſiſt temptation.
Q. WHat doctrines doth praying vntounto God, not to leade vsus into temptation, teach vsus?Fruſtra rogantes deum dicimus, ne nos inducas in tentalionem, ſi hoc in noſtra poſi tum ſit poteſtate. Aug. Epiſt. 89.
A. 1. Man is not able of himſelfe to ſtand againſt temptations. If he were, what cauſe of feare had he to bee lead into temptation? The Prophet well knew this, who ſaid, aIer. 10, 23.O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himſelfe…it is not in man that walketh to direct his ſteps: and the Apoſtle, who ſaid,b2. Cor. 3. 5. Wee are not ſufficient of our ſelues to thinke any thing of our ſelues. If man cannot direct his ſteps, nor of himſelfe thinke any thing, can he withſtand all tempters, & keepe himſelfe from all temptations?
This diſabilitie is come vponupon vsus by ſinne, which hath depriued vsus of all that ſpirituall ſtrength which God at our firſt creation gaue vsus.How man came to be diſabled. ForcEccl. 7. 31. God made man righteous, euendGen. 1. 27. after his owne image: by vertue whereof man had power to remaine ſtedfaſt in that eſtate, and to withſtand all Tempters, ſo, as not to be ouer-come with any temptation: onelyonly that power was left to his owne power and free will: which he abuſing, voluntarily yealded to the temptation of Satan, and depriued himſelfe of all ſpirituall ſtrength and life: and now by nature iseEphe. 2. 1. dead in ſinne: no way able to reſiſt any temptation further then God doth giuegive him grace and ſtrength ſo to do. Therefore he ſaith not, without me ye can do little, but, nothing.Non ait, ſine m… parum, ſed nihil poteſtis facere. Aug in Iob. tract. 81.
Hereby the vanitie of ſuch as are preſumptuous in their owne ſtrength (whereinfMat 26. 35. Peter failed too much) and of ſuch as arrogantly boaſt of any thing that is in man, is diſcouered. gRom. 11. 18.S. Paul fore warneth Chriſtians to take heed hereof,The follie of preſumption. and very emphatically thus enforceth this point,h1. Cor. 4. 7. what haſt thou that thou diddeſt not receiue? Now if thou diddeſt receiue it, why doeſt thou glorie as if thou hadſt not receiued it?
Hereby alſo we are taught both Humiliation for this naturall impotencie which man hath brought vponupon himſelfe:Matter of humiliation. and Abnegation of all goodneſſe,Quandorogamus ne in tentationem venianius, admonemur infirmitatis noſtrae. Cypr. de orat. Do. §. 19. and confidence in our ſelues. IfiReu. 5. 4. Iohn ſaw cauſe to weepe for mans diſability to ſearch into the Records of Gods counſell: how much more cauſe hauehave we to weepe, and to be humbled euen in duſt & aſhes for our naturall impotencie to withſtand temptations which are ſo dangerous to our ſoule? and in denial of our ſelues to ſay,Rom. 7. 18. I know that in me dwelleth no good thing.
§. 178. Of Gods ouer-ruling power in Temptations.
Q. VVHat other doctrine maybe gathered from this deprecation directed to God?
A. God hath an ouer-ruling hand in all temptations. Potens eſt dominus qui abſtulit peccatum veſti… & delicta veſtra donaui…, tueri & cuſtodire vos aduerſum diaboli aduerſantis inſidias. Aug. de verb. Dom. c. 28.The Lord who hath taken away your ſinne, and pardoned your offences, can preſerue and keepe you from the wiles of your aduerſarie the diuell. He can either keepe vsus ſafe from all: or he can giuegive vsus ouer into the power of eueryevery one. Otherwiſe there would not be ſuch cauſe of flying to him in time of temptation, as in this Petition is implyed. But true is that of Saint Peter, The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptations: and this of Saint Paul, God is faithfull, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able.2. Pet. 2. 9.
As the ſupreme ſoueraigntie and abſolute power which God hath ouer all creatures doth euidently proue the point (For who hath reſiſted his will? 1. Cor. 10. 13.If he ſay to a Tempter go, he goeth: or come, Gods power ouer tempters.he commeth: or do this, he doth it.) ſo the care which he taketh of his Church to prouide for it,Rom. 9. 19. to protect it, to keepe it ſafe from all dangers,Mat. 8. 9. and to bring it to reſt and glorie in heauen, doth ſhew the reaſon why he retaineth an ouer-ruling hand in all temptations.Gods care ouer his Church. Though in wiſedome he ſuffer tempters to aſſault his children, yet he will order the aſſault ſo as it ſhall not preuaile againſt them, no nor turne to their damage, but rather to their aduantage: for the effecting whereof he holds the raines in his owne hands, to let them looſe, or hold them in, as hee ſeeth cauſe.2. King. 19. 28. That which God ſaid to Semacherib, (I will put my hooke in thy noſe, and my bridle in thy lips) he doth to all the tempters of his Church. This care of God ouer his Church the Pſalmiſt doth thus excellently ſet forth in theſe words,Pſal. 105. 14, 15 He ſuffered no man to do them wrong, yea he reprooued Kings for their ſakes, ſaying, Touch not mine annointed, and do my Prophets no harme.
Learne we hereby in all temptations,Truſt in God▪ & feare him more then tempters. and in all ſtraits, whereunto thereby we are brought, to looke vntounto God, (as Iehoſaphat did,2. Chro. 20. 12. when by reaſon of the multitude of his mightie enemies he knew not what to do,Qui deo ſe committit diabolum non timet. Aug. loc. citat.) and to feare God more then them which tempt vsus: for on this ground we may with confidence ſay, The Lord is my helper, I will not feare what any Tempter can do. For there may be ſure and ſafe defence from all thoſe euils which Satan doth plot and practiſe againſt vsus,Heb. 13. 6. if God deliuer vsus.A cunctis aduerſis quae contra nos molitur ini. micus poteſt eſſe fida & firma tutelo, ſi nos deus liberet. Cypr. de Orat. Dom. §. 19.
§. 179. Of the reſtraint of the power of Tempters.
Q. VVHat third Doctrine doth the direction of this deprecation vntounto God teach vsus?
A. The power of ſuch as tempt vsus is limited. This is euident by the reſtraint of the arch-tempter Satan, who ſetteth all on worke,Reu. 20. 23. euen he, when God pleaſed, was bound a thouſand yeares. And though he deſired to hauehave the diſciples,See the whole Armour of God Treat. 1. Part. 3. §. 22. in Eph. 6. 12. that he might ſift them as wheate, yet could he not, as he deſired, preuaile ouer them. Something hee did: but hee came farre ſhort of his deſire.
By this meanes the Lord giueth euident proofe that his power extendeth it ſelfe ouer the moſt mightie and malicious enemies that his Church hath:Gods enemies forced to ſee his power. and forceth them to ſay, This is the finger of God. Exod. 8. 19.Yea by this meanes his Church euen in this world is kept ſafe,The Church kept ſafe. ſo as the gates of hell cannot preuaile againſt it. For if Satan and his inſtruments had power to do what they will,Math. 16. 18. the whole Church ſhould ſoone be deuoured.1. Pet. 5 8. Her aduerſarie the diuell, like a roaring Lyon, walketh about, ſeeking whom to deuoure.
We all who are members of the true Church,Encouragemēt againſt temptations. though euen in that reſpect we are the more tempted and aſſaulted, hauehave iuſt cauſe to reioyce, and to comfort and encourage our ſelues againſt the many temptations of Sathan, and other tempters. Though they deſire and ſeeke our vtter ruine, yet are they reſtrained: they cannot at cheiue what they deſire and ſeeke. They are like to a fierce maſty dog that is chained, and can go no further then to the length of his chaine. On this ground the Lord giueth this aduice,Reu. 2. 10. Feare none of theſe things which thou ſhalt ſuffer: behold the diuell ſhall caſt ſome of you into priſon, that you may be tried: and yee ſhall hauehave tribulation ten daies, &c. The particular number (Some of you, not all) The kinde of perſecution (caſt into priſon, not, put to the ſword) and the determinate time (ten daies not perpetually) doe all imply a reſtraint: and thereupon he inferreth his exhortation, Feare none of thoſe things, &c. on the ſame ground Chriſt hauing foretold his Diſciples that in the world they ſhould hauehave tribulation,Iohn 16. 33. addeth this encouragement, be of good cheare, I hauehave ouer-come the world.
This reſtraint of the power of tempters doth further miniſter iuſt occaſion of praiſing God,Bleſſe God for reſtaining tēpters. and ſaying, Bleſſed bee the Lord: Pſal. 124. 6, 7.who hath not giuen vsus as a prey to their teeth. Our ſoule is eſcaped as a bird out of the ſnare of the foulers: the ſnare is broken, and we are deliuered. Fitly, to enforce the equity of this duty, I may apply to our preſent purpoſe, that which Chriſt ſaid of the fierce perſecution of the Iewes, Except the tempters power were limited,Mat. 24. 22. there ſhould no fleſh be ſaued; but for the Elects ſake it is reſtrained.
Next to the Perſon leading, The Parties lead into temptation are to be conſidered. They are compriſed vnderunder this particle vsus, which being a word of the plurall number includeth more them our ſelues: and it being of the firſt perſon hath relation to the Preface.
§. 180. Of the extent of our deſires for others freedome from Temptation.
Q. VVHat inſtruction doth this particle vsus, being of the plurall number, teach vsus?
A. Our deſire muſt bee for the ſpirituall freedome of others as well as of our ſelues. Mutuis vaetis nos inuicem foueamus, …uſtodiamus: oremus pro lapſis vt erigantur: oremus pro ſtantibus, vt non ad ruinas vſque tententur, &c. Cypr. Epiſt. 31 §. 6This deſire made S. Paul ſend to know the faith of the Theſſalonians,a1 Theſ. 3. 5. leſt by ſome meanes the Tempter had tempted them. This alſo made himb2 Cor. 11. 2, 3 iealous ouer the Corinthians, andcGal 5. 12. When Tempters preua…le God is diſhonored. zealous againſt thoſe tempters that had crept in among the Galathians.
Tempters ſeeke to deface Gods Image in his Saints, which if they doe, they impeach his glory: yea if they get any of the Saints into their ſnares, they willdIſa 52 5. continually blaſph…me the Name of the Lord, and ſay in ſcorne and deriſion,eEzek. 36. 20. Tempters enboldned. Theſe are the people of the Lord.
The ſnares alſo which tempters lay,f1 Tim. 6. 9. drowne men in perdition and deſtruction, if they be faſt held thereby. And if they preuaile againſt ſome; they will be the more bold to ſet on others, as Senacherib who by the victories which he had got againſt other nations was ſo fleſhed, as he thought God could not deliuer Ieruſalem out of his hands. Thus by the aduantages which Satan getteth againſt others,2 King. 18. 33. &c. wee our ſelues are in great danger.
The zeale therefore which we ought to hauehave of Gods glory, The louelove we owe to our brethren, and the care which lyeth on vsus for our owne ſafetie, require that we ſeeke others ſpirituall freedome as well as our owne.
When…oeuer thou feeleſt the burden of any temptation,In thy triall… think of others. or diſcerneſt the danger thereof, think of others that hauehave the ſame common enemies that thou haſt, and by reaſon thereof are in the ſame common condition: and thinke not all well enough when thou haſt found ſome aſſiſtance againſt them or freedome from them.Ioh. 17. 11, &c. Remember how mindefull of others Chriſt was in the houre of his triall and temptation. Expreſſely it is ſaid of him,Heb. 2. 18. In that he himſelfe hath ſuffered being tempted, hee is able to ſuccour them that are tempted. Though we hauehave not ſuch power to ſuccour, yet according to our power wee ought to hauehave ſuch a minde.
§. 181. Of that ſubiection wherein Saints are to Temptations.
Q. VVHat inſtruction doth the relation of this particle vsus to the Preface, teach vsus?
A. Gods children are not exempted from temptations. They who call God Father, and who teſtifie their due reſpect to him, are taught to pray againſt temptations, which were not needfull to be taught, if they were not ſubiect thereto. Runne thorow the Scripture, obſerue the liues of thoſe Saints which are there recorded, and you ſhall finde the Doctrine abundantly proued. Take one example, which may be in ſteede of all. Chriſt the deareſt of Gods children, the Sonne of his louelove, in whom his ſoule delighted, was oft ſoarely tempted, both byaMat. 4. 1, &c. Satan himſelfe, and alſo by hisbMat. 16. 1.—22. 18. inſtruments. If hereupon it be demanded, what the priuiledge of Saints ouer and aboue the wicked is in regard of temptation, I anſwer, very great: both in that they are aſſured ofc1 Cor. 10. 13. ſufficient ſtrength, ſo as they ſhall not be vanquiſhed by any:Rom. 8. 28. and alſo that eueryevery temptation ſhall in the iſſue turne vntounto their good.
ThedHeb. 12. 5. &c. lo…e which God beareth to his-children, and the fatherly care that he taketh of them,Flagellatum video & emendatum, & alium ſuſpicer quàm vnum eſſè …x filys? Bern. Epiſt. 23. moueth him to proue them, to exerciſe them, to ſcoure them, to keepe them vpright, to make them wiſe, watchfull, and euer well prepared by temptations. BeſideseReu. 12. 4. Satans greateſt malice is againſt them.
It is therefore no good inference which many make, that God is angry with them, and loueth them not, that hee is not their Father,God is not angry with all that are tempted. nor they his children, becauſe hee ſuffereth them to be tempted. This was the inference which the friends of Iob made of his trialls and temptations. ButfIob. 42. 7. Gods owne cenſure of their diſputation ſheweth the non-conſequence thereof. The truth is, that they who finde themſelues wholy freed from temptations hauehave moſt cauſe to doubt of Gods fatherly louelove to them, and care ouer them. The Apoſtle pronounceth ſuch to be gHeb. 12. 8.baſtards, and not ſons. If wee well conſider the eſtate of the Church,Si inagnum illud eccleſiae corpus conſiderare libet, facile ſatis aduertimus, longè acrius impugnari ſpirituale, viros ipſius eccleſiae, quam carnales. Bern in Pſal. 91. Serm 7. we may ſoone finde that ſuch as are ſpirituall are much more feircely aſſaulted then ſuch as are carnall. The more ſure Satan is of any, the more quiet, and ſecure he ſuffers them to be. A Lyon runneth and roareth after that prey which is out of his clutches: but that which he hath brought into his den, and is ſure of, he can ſuffer to be ſtill, and quiet, till he meane to deuoure it. So Satan.hLuk. 11. 21. foreign. While a ſtrong man armed keepeth his Palace, the things which he hath, are in peace. Woe to them that are in ſuch peace within Satan that ſtrong mans palace.