Lead Us Not into Temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil

1 The Coherence.

It might seem to some, that this petition is superfluous: for what need he care for temptations, that has the pardon of his sins? But our Savior did not teach us thus to pray without special reason. 1. Because forgiveness of sins, and wonderful temptations, be inseparable companions in this life: which thing we find to be true, both in God's word, and in Christian experience: 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 sins. This is the estate, that few men in the world are acquainted with, for they are never troubled with temptation, but live in all peace and quietness, both in body and soul. (Luke 11:21) When the strong man armed keeps his hold, the things that he possesses are in peace. Even so, the wicked of the world, being possessed of Satan, are not a whit molested by him with any temptations; neither need he, seeing he has them at commandment, to do what he will. But when a man once begins to make conscience of sin, and to sue to the Lord for pardon of his offences, and still continues in dislike of sin and Satan: then the enemy bestirs him, and uses all means to bring that man to famine: he offers all manner of temptations to molest him, and never affords this poor sinner any rest. Hereupon, he for fear of being overcome, continually must pray to the Lord, that he may not be led into temptation.

Here some Christian conscience may reason thus. No man is so troubled with sin and Satan, as I, therefore, I am not in God's favor, but am a plain castaway. Answer: If pardon of sin, and temptations go together, all is contrary. If you had no grief for sin, no buffeting of your enemies, the flesh, the world, and the devil, you could not be in God's favor, but under the power of Satan: now this great measure of the spiritual temptations, is a sign rather of God's love: for whom God loves, the devil hates: and where God works in love, the devil works in malice.

2. Meaning.

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 1:13) 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 prevails and gets the victory. Then the meaning is this. When we are moved or enticed to sin, Lord keep us, that we be not overcome: and give us an issue with the temptation.

Question. God is just, and cannot sin: but if he lead men into temptation, shall he not be the author of sin? Answer. 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 worthy 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 thus to think, that as there is a main good, so also there is a main 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 him 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, that 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 tempts God his own servants to prove and try them. (Deuteronomy 13:3) You shall not hearken to the [illegible] of the Prophet or dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proves 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. Again, 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 motion. So God is the author of every 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 for to say, that God in some respects does lead his servants into temptations.

[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 ceases.

3. The uses.

1. Hence we learn, what a righteous God, Jehovah is, that can work an evil action, and yet be void of sin.

2. Whereas we say, Lead us not, etc., we note, that the devil in temptations can go no further, than God permits him.

3. We are not to pray, that temptations be quite taken from us, or that we be wholly freed from them: but that they do not overcome us. For it is the Lord's will, that his Church should be tempted. Indeed, David desired some kind of temptations (Psalm 26:1): Prove me O Lord. And James says, account it for exceeding joy, when you shall fall into diverse temptations (James 1:2).

4. Note also, that every man by nature is the bondslave of sin and Satan. For where there is deliverance, there was a bondage first. This confutes the Papists, who maintain free-will: for we are dead in him by nature, as a man in a grave; and we must still pray thus, till we be fully delivered.

4. Wants to be bewailed.

The corruption, which in this petition we ought to mourn for, is, the continual rebellion of our wicked natures; and our proneness to yield up ourselves in every temptation to sin, and Satan. And the remnants of the old bondage under Satan, must be grievous and irksome to us, and we must bewail it very bitterly. The Jews in a bodily captivity, wept when they remembered Zion (Psalm 127). How much more should we weep, when we feel the law of our members rebelling against the law of our minds, and leading us captive to sin.

5. Graces to be desired.

The contrary blessing to be desired, is, that God would establish us by his free spirit (Psalm 51:12), which is so called, because it sets us every day more and more at liberty out of the reach of sin and Satan.