Downame - BV209_D69_G6_1640_v1

4o8 Now God is faid to tempt, or lead into temptation. triall offinning:2.By withholding and withdrawing his grace, which he is not bound to vouchfafe Un- to any,but in juflice might deny to all: 3. By giving them over either to their own lulls or to the tenta- tions of the devil, who is his executioner, as a jufi punifhment of their former finnes. And in this fenfe God is faid to harden mens hearts:not that he maketh them of foft hard, but, being hard already, giveth them over to their own corruptions and the tentati- ons of Satan further to be hardned ; which hard - neffe they further gather to themfelves, willingly committing finne with greedineffe. Now this the Lord may do moff jufly : For when men have hardned themfelves , what fhould bind God to (often them e He kith mercy on whom he will, by foftning them: andwhom he will not have mercy on, them in jufice he hardneth. And who (hall con - flrain him to thew mercy in foftning where in ju- flice he may harden e This muff teach us, i . not to difpute with God, but to juflifie him in all his judgements, which in juftice he might exercife upon all, howfoever in mercy he fpareth fome: and 2. to be thankfull unto him for vouchfafing us to be in the number of thole whom in mercy he fo fofteneth, when in juflice he might have hardned us. Thus we fee in what fenfe the Lord is faid to lead men intotentation : not that he fuffereth them one- ly to be led; but alto that he giveth them over to be tempted , and in the tentation to take the foil. 2. Whereas our Saviour teacheth us thus to pray, That the Lord would not leadus into tentation, we ga- ther