A Golden Chain, Part 14
Lead vsus not into temptation, but deliuer vsus from euill.
1. The Coherence.
IT might seeme to some, that this petition is superfluous, for what neede hee care for temptations, that hath the pardon of his sinnes? but our Sauiour did not teach vsus thus to pray without speciall reason. 1. Because forgiuenesse of sinnes, and grieuous temptations be inseparable companions in this life: which thing we find to be true, both in Gods word and in Christian experience: for there is no man in this world so beaten, and buffeted with temptations, as the penitent sinner that cries most bitterly for the pardon of his sinnes. This is the estate that fewe men in the world are acquainted with. For many are neuer troubled with temptation, but liue in all peace and quietnes both in bodie and soule. Luk. 11.21. When the strong man armed keepes his hold, the things that hee possesseth are in peace. Whereby is signified, that the wicked of the world being possessed of Satan, are not a whit molested by him with any temptations: neither neede he trouble them, seeing hee hath them at commandement to doe what he wil. But when a man once begins to make conscience of sinne, and to sue vntounto the Lord for pardon of his offences, and still continues in dislike of sinne and Satan: then the enemie bestirres him, and vseth all meanes to bring that man to confusion: he offereth all maner of temptations to molest him, & neuer affoards this poore sinner any rest. Hereupon, for feare of beeing ouercome, hee must pray continually vntounto the Lord, that hee may not be lead into temptation.
Here some Christian conscience may reason thus. No man is so troubled with sinne and Satan, as I: therefore I am not in Gods fauour, but am a plain castaway. Ans. If pardon of sinne and temptations goe togither, all is contrary. If thou hadst no griefe for sinne, no buffettings of thine enemies, the flesh, the world, and the deuil, thou couldst not be in Gods fauour, but vnderunder the power of Satan: now this great measure of the spirituall temptations, is a signe rather of Gods louelove. For whome God loues, the deuill hates; and where God workes in louelove, the deuill workes in malice.
2. Secondly, this petition is ioyned with the former to teach vsus, that as wee must be carefull to pray for pardon of sinnes past: so also we must endeauour to preuent sinnes to come: we must not fal againe into our old sinnes, neither must we be ouertaken with new sinnes.
2. The meaning.
THese wordes be but all one petition: which hath two parts, the latter being a declaration of the former. Lead vsus not into temptation: howe is that done? by deliuering vsus from euill.
Temptation] Temptation is nothing els, but the enticement of the soule or heart, either by the corruption of mans nature, or the alluremēts of the world, or the deuill, to any sinne. Iam. 1.15. God tempts no man: that is, God mooues no man to sinne.
Lead vsus not] Or carrie vsus not into temptation. To be led, is to be ouercome of the temptation when it preu…iles and wholly gets the victorie: so as men tempted are brought to perdition. Then the meaning is this… When wee are mooued or entised to sinne, Lord keep vsus that we bee not ouercome; and giuegive thou an issue with the temptation.
Quest. God is iust and cannot sinne: but if he lead men into temptation shal he not be the author of sinne? Ans. Indeed many fearing to charge God with sinne, read the words thus, Suffer vsus not to be ledde. But the text is very plaine, Lead, or carrie vsus not. And the scriptures elsewhere, vse the like phrases of god. Exod. 7.3. God is said to harden Pharaohs heart. 2. Sam. 24. 1. The Lord mooued Dauid to number the people. 2. Thess. 2.11. God sent strong delusions that men might beleeue lies. These and such like places hauehave a speciall meaning, thus to be gathered. There is no action of man, or of the deuill, absolutely euill: but although in some respects it be euill, yet in some other it is good: for wee are not to thinke that as there is a maine or absolute good, so also there is a maine or absolute euill. Thus then, temptation being an action, it is not in eueryevery respect euill: but in some good, in some euill. And so farre forth as it is good, the Lord workes it: but as it is euill, he doth not worke it, but willingly permits it to be done by man and Satan.
1. And there be foure respects in which God may be a worker in temptations and yet be free from sinne. I. First, he tempteth by offering occasions & obiects to trie whether a man will sinne or not. A master suspecting his seruant, which in word professeth fidelitie, laies a purse of money in his way, to trie if he will steale it: which if he steale, he hath found by watching him, a secret thiefe; and so hath laid him open for deceiuing any more. Nowe, this trying of him is no sinne, though he sinne in stealing. In the same manner tempteth God his owne seruants, to prooue and trie them. Deut. …3.3. Thou shalt not harken vntounto the wordes of the prophet or dreamer of dreames: for the Lord thy God prooueth you to knowe whether ye louelove the Lord your God with all your heart.
2. Secondly, God leades into temptation by withdrawing his grace. Neither can this be a sinne in God: because he is bound to no man to giuegive him grace. And here is a difference between the tempting of God and Satan. God holds backe grace when he tempts, the deuill suggests euill motions.
3. EueryEvery action so farre forth as it is an action is good, and of God. Act. 17. 28. In him we liue, mooue, and hauehave our being. Therfore god is a worker in temptations, so farre forth as they are actions. One man kils another: the very moouing of the bodie in the doing of this villanie is of God: but the wickednes of the actiō is from man, and the deuil. A man rides vponupon a lame horse, and stirs him: the rider is the cause of the motion, but the horse himselfe of the halting in the motion. So God is authour of the action, but not of the euill of the action.
4. The fourth way is in regard of the end. God tempts his seruants onelyonly to correct and humble them for their sinnes, and to trie howe they will abide the crosse, and to mooue them the more to louelove him. Deut. 8.2. God afflictes the children of Israel, to trie them whether they would keepe his commandements. 2. Chr. 31.31. He trieth Ezechias to see what was in his heart. The deuils ende in tempting, is onelyonly to bring the partie to destruction. Thus we neede not feare to say, that God in some respects doth tempt his owne seruants.
Deliuer vsus from euill] That is, free vsus from the power of the flesh, the deuil, and the world. Some take euill in this place onelyonly for the deuill, but wee may take it more largely for all spirituall enemies. 1. Ioh. 5.19. The whole world lieth in euill. vz. VnderUnder the power of sinne and Satan. These words (as I hauehave said) are a proofe and explanation of the former: for when a man is deliuered from euill, he is not led into temptation: the cause being taken away, the effect ceaseth.
3. The vses.
1. HEnce we learne what a righteous God, Iehoua is, that can worke in euill actions, and yet be void of sinne.
2. Whereas we say, lead vsus not, &c. Wee note that the deuill in temptation… can goe no further then God permits him.
3. We are not to pray that temptations be quite taken from vsus, or that wee be wholly freed from them: but that they doe not ouercome vsus. For it is the Lords wil that his Church should be tempted. Nay, Dauid desired some kind of temptations. Psal. 26.1. Prooue me, O Lord. And Iames saith, Account it for exceeding ioy, when ye shall fall into diuers temptations. Iam. 1.2.
4. Note also that eueryevery man by nature is the bondslaue of sinne and Satan. For where is deliuerance, there was a bondage first. This confutes the Papists who maintain free wil: for we are dead in sinne by nature, as a man in a graue; and we must still pray thus till we be fully deliuered.
4. Wants to be bewailed.
THe corruption, which in this petition we ought to mourne for, is the cō tinuall rebellion of our wicked natures; and our pronenesse to yeeld vp our selues in eueryevery temptation to sinne & Satan. And the remnants of the old bondage vnderunder Satan must be grieuous and irkesome vntounto vsus, and wee must bewaile them bitterly. The Iewes in a bodily captiuitie, wept when they remembred Sion. Psal. 1.27. How much more should wee weepe, when wee feele the lawe of our members rebelling against the lawe of our mindes, and leading v… captiue to sinne.
5. Graces to be desired.
THe contrarie blessing to be desired, is that God would stablish vsus by his free spirit. Psal. 51.12. Which is so called, because it sets vsus eueryevery day more and more at libertie out of the reach of sinne and Satan.