The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 3 · Petition 6
THE SIXT PETITION.
AND leade vsus not into temptation: But deliuer vsus 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 vsus not into temptation, is a petition of deliuerie from future euil: Deliuer vsus 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 vsus, is a tryal of our faith, godlines, and obedience by the Croſſe, and other encumbrances, which are oppoſed to eueryevery one, that our faith, patience, and conſtancie may be manifeſted and made knowen both to our ſelues and others. So God is ſaid to hauehave tempted Abraham, Ioſeph, Job, Dauid. The temptation, whereby the Diuel, and our fleſh, and the wicked alſo tempt vsus, 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 hauehave 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 vntounto 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 vsus. The Diuels, the woorld, our fleſh tempt vsus, that is, ſolicite vsus to euils, and withdrawe vsus from God. But God as he tempteth no man, and yet is ſaid to hauehave tempted Abraham, Iob, Dauid, that is, to hauehave tried their faith and conſta…ie by afflictions, & the croſſe: ſo by the ſame he trieth our faith, hope, patience, louelove, inuocation, conſtancy, whether we wil or no worſhip & ſerue him alſo in afflictions.
Hereby we eaſily vnderſtand, ſeeing temptation is attributed vntounto 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 vsus, nor to cauſe vsus to ſin, but to trie & exerciſe vsus, when either hee ſendeth calamity vponupon vsus, or permitteth the Diuel, or men, or our fleſh, to prouoke & inuite vsus to ſin, hiding for a while his grace, & efficacy in preſeruing & ruling vsus, that our faith & conſtācy may be made more known & apparant, not verily vntounto 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 vntounto our ſelues and others, that ſo alſo a truſt & full perſuaſion of gods preſence & protection, may be confirmed in vsus 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 vsus 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 hauehave tempted the people with want of water. Exod. 16. Hee commandeth Manna to be gathered, as much as was ſufficient for eueryevery 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 vsus, Lead vsus not into temptation, but deliuer vsus from euil, ſpeaketh not ſimply of al trial & manifeſtation of our faith and godlineſſe, vntounto 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 eueryevery 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 hauehave 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 vntounto them, or moueth not their will, to hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vsus into temptation, it is meant, that God according to his moſt iuſt will and iudgement trieth vsus. Now, to lead vsus into temptation, wherewith the Diuel tempteth vsus, is, that God permitteth the diuel to ſolicite vsus. Lead vsus not into temptation, that is, Suffer vsus not to be tempted aboue our power: neither ſuffer the diuell ſo to tempt vsus, 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 vsus: 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 vsus to ſins: in reſpect of God they are not ſinnes, becauſe they are a trial, and a reclaiming of vsus 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 vsus to try vsus, but yet with a condition of his wil & pleaſure, & if he do tempt vsus, yet that he wil not tempt vsus aboue our ſtrength: & that alſo he will giuegive vsus ſtrength. Secondly, we deſire, that he wil not ſuffer the Diuel, or the world, or our owne fleſh to ſolicite vsus to ſinne; or if he ſuffer them, that yet himſelfe wil bee preſent with vsus, that we fal not wholy into ſinnes.
3 What is, To deliuer vsus 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 vsus from euil, we deſire, 1. That he wil ſend no euil on vsus, but deliuer vsus from al euils preſent and to come, both of crime, and paine. 2. That if he ſend on vsus any euils, that he would mitigate them in this life, and turne them vntounto our ſaluation, that they maie be good and profitable vntounto vsus. 3. That he wil at length in the life to come, fully and perfectlie deliuer vsus, 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 vsus from euil, it ſheweth that we ſhall be lead into temptations, and euils, and that therefore we muſt ſubiect our will vntounto the will of God, & pray that we fal not into euils, if it be his wil, or that he wil deliuer vsus, 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 vsus 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 vsus. The temptations of god, as trials, diſeaſes, pouertie, ſending of falſe Prophetes, are good things, and profitable vntounto vsus: 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 vsus onelyonly by an accident: which accident is the merciemercy 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 vntounto vsus 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 vntounto 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 hauehave vsus 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 Ieſu, 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 vntounto vsus. 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 vsus hee wil hauehave this benefit to be imperfect, which neuertheleſſe we are to aske vvholy with ſubmitting of our will vntounto the will of God, and with ful perſuaſion, that in the, life to come we ſhall wholie attaine vntounto it.
Now we are to obſerue the order, & coherence of theſe petitions. 1. The Lord commaunded vsus to deſire the true knoweledge of God, & his promiſe, which is the cauſe of al other his bleſſings. 2. Hee willeth vsus to deſire, that god woulde gouerne vsus by his ſpirite, and ſo continually preſerue, and confirme vsus in this knowledge. 3. That euerie of vsus maie do and fulfil thereby his duty in his vocation and calling. 4. That he would giuegive vsus thoſe things whereby eueryevery 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 hauehave 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 giuegive vsus ſpiritual & corporal bleſſings, forgiue vsus 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 vntounto thee, how ſhalt thou hauehave 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 vsus 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 vsus.