1. The Coherence
These words be but all one petition: which has two parts, the latter being a declaration of the former. Lead us not into temptation: how is that done? By delivering us from evil.
Temptation] temptation is nothing else, but the enticement of the soul or heart, either by the corruption of man's nature, or the allurements of the world, or the devil, to any sin. (James 1:15) God tempts no man: that is, God moves no man to sin.
Lead us not] Or carry us not into temptation. To be led, is to be overcome of the temptation when it [reconstructed: prevails] and wholly gets the victory: so as men tempted are brought to perdition. Then the meaning is this: When we are moved or enticed to sin, Lord keep us that we be not overcome; and [reconstructed: give us] an issue with the temptation.
Quest. God is just and cannot sin: but if he lead men into temptation shall he not be the author of sin? Ans. Indeed many fearing to charge God with sin, read the words thus, Suffer us not to be led. But the text is very plain, Lead, or carry us not. And the scriptures elsewhere, use the like phrases of God. (Exodus 7:3) God is said to harden Pharaoh's heart. (2 Samuel 24:1) The Lord moved David to number the people. (2 Thessalonians 2:11) God sent strong delusions that men might believe lies. These and such like places have a special meaning, thus to be gathered. There is no action of man, or of the devil, absolutely evil: but although in some respects it be evil, yet in some other it is good: for we are not to think that as there is a main or absolute good, so also there is a main or absolute evil. Thus then, temptation being an action, it is not in every respect evil: but in some good, in some evil. And so far forth as it is good, the Lord works it: but as it is evil, he does not work it, but willingly permits it to be done by man and Satan.
- 1. And there be four respects in which God may be a worker in temptations and yet be free from sin. 1. First, he tempts by offering occasions and objects to try whether a man will sin or not. A master suspecting his servant, which in word professes fidelity, lays a purse of money in his way, to try if he will steal it: which if he steal, he has found by watching him, a secret thief; and so has laid him open for deceiving any more. Now, this trying of him is no sin, though he sin in stealing. In the same manner God tempts his own servants, to prove and try them. (Deuteronomy 13:3) You shall not listen to the words of the prophet or dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God [reconstructed: proves] you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart. - 2. Secondly, God leads into temptation by withdrawing his grace. Neither can this be a sin in God: because he is bound to no man to give him grace. And here is a difference between the tempting of God and Satan. God holds back grace when he tempts, the devil suggests evil motions. - 3. Every action so far forth as it is an action is good, and of God. (Acts 17:28) In him we live, move, and have our being. Therefore God is a worker in temptations, so far forth as they are actions. One man kills another: the very moving of the body in the doing of this villainy is of God: but the wickedness of the action is from man, and the devil. A man rides upon a lame horse, and stirs him: the rider is the cause of the motion, but the horse himself of the halting in the motion. So God is author of the action, but not of the evil of the action. - 4. The fourth way is in regard of the end. God tempts his servants only to correct and humble them for their sins, and to try how they will abide the cross, and to move them the more to love him. (Deuteronomy 8:2) God afflicts the children of Israel, to try them whether they would keep his commandments. (2 Chronicles 32:31) He tries Hezekiah to see what was in his heart. The devil's end in tempting, is only to bring the party to destruction. Thus we need not fear to say, that God in some respects does tempt his own servants.
Deliver us from evil] That is, free us from the power of the flesh, the devil, and the world. Some take evil in this place only for the devil, but we may take it more largely for all spiritual enemies. (1 John 5:19) The whole world lies in evil, namely, under the power of sin and Satan. These words (as I have said) are a proof and explanation of the former: for when a man is delivered from evil, he is not led into temptation: the cause being taken away, the effect [reconstructed: ceases].
