Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

406 Hot) God is [hid to tempt, or lea into temptation. which we pray. The perfon ; Do not thou lead us. Which when fome have confidered they have chofen rather to read thus, and do not thou permit or fifer us tote led into tentation. But we muff not teach our Saviour to fpeak ; but rather with humi- litie learn the true meaning of his fpeech. Objeli. Yea but, fay they, this prayer is fuperfiuous: For Godtempteth no man, as James faith, chap. r. 13. `Anfw. It is one thing to tempt, and another thing to lead into tentation : as it is one thing to execute pu- nifhment on an evil -doer; and another, to deliver him over to an executioner: the one is the ad of the judge; the other of the hangman. Objeci. Yea, but we mull underfland this of permiffion onely, or elfe we !hall make God the authour of finne. Anfiv. God doth not onely permit men to be tempted How God but alto leadeth into tentation. The like phrafes may be faid p to tempt. are ufuall in the Scriptures: Exod. 7. 3. Induravit cor Pharaonis, he hardened Pharaohs heart. Ifai.63. 17. o Lord, why hall thou made us erre fr om thy wayes, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Rom. I.24, 26, 28. 2. Them 2. i r . God f Ball fend them flrong de- luf on. All which words do fìgnifie not onely a per- miffion but alfo a work of God, C4ipyicte and yet notwithflanding he is not the authour of finne. In every tentation, even unto evil, God hath an hand: And the fame tentation which proceedeth from Sa- tan or our own corruption may alfo be faid to come from God. But in the fame tentation we are to diflinguifh the work of God, which is good; from the work of the fleth or of the devil, which is evil. As