1. And there be four respects in which God may be a worker in temptations and yet be free from sin. I. First, he tempteth by offering occasions & objects to try whether a man will sin or not. A master suspecting his servant, which in word professeth fidelity, lays a purse of money in his way, to try if he will steal it: which if he steal, he hath found by watching him, a secret thief; and so hath laid him open for deceiving any more. Now, this trying of him is no sin, though he sin in stealing. In the same manner tempteth God his own servants, to prove and try them. Deut. •3.3. Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of the prophet or dreamer of dreams: for the Lord thy God proveth you to know whether ye 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. Act. 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. Deut. 8.2. God afflicts the children of Israel, to try them whether they would keep his commandments. 2. Chr. 31.31. He trieth Hezekiah to see what was in his heart. The devils end in tempting, is only to bring the party to destruction. Thus we need not fear to say, that God in some respects doth tempt his own servants.
1. And there be foure respects in which God may be a worker in temptations and yet be free from sinne. I. First, he tempteth by offering occasions & obiects to trie whether a man will sinne or not. A master suspecting his seruant, which in word professeth fidelitie, laies a purse of money in his way, to trie if he will steale it: which if he steale, he hath found by watching him, a secret thiefe; and so hath laid him open for deceiuing any more. Nowe, this trying of him is no sinne, though he sinne in stealing. In the same manner tempteth God his owne seruants, to prooue and trie them. Deut. •3.3. Thou shalt not harken vnto the wordes of the prophet or dreamer of dreames: for the Lord thy God prooueth you to knowe whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your heart.
2. Secondly, God leades into temptation by withdrawing his grace. Neither can this be a sinne in God: because he is bound to no man to giue him grace. And here is a difference between the tempting of God and Satan. God holds backe grace when he tempts, the deuill suggests euill motions.
3. Euery action so farre forth as it is an action is good, and of God. Act. 17. 28. In him we liue, mooue, and haue our being. Therfore god is a worker in temptations, so farre forth as they are actions. One man kils another: the very moouing of the bodie in the doing of this villanie is of God: but the wickednes of the actiō is from man, and the deuil. A man rides vpon a lame horse, and stirs him: the rider is the cause of the motion, but the horse himselfe of the halting in the motion. So God is authour of the action, but not of the euill of the action.
4. The fourth way is in regard of the end. God tempts his seruants onely to correct and humble them for their sinnes, and to trie howe they will abide the crosse, and to mooue them the more to loue him. Deut. 8.2. God afflictes the children of Israel, to trie them whether they would keepe his commandements. 2. Chr. 31.31. He trieth Ezechias to see what was in his heart. The deuils ende in tempting, is onely to bring the partie to destruction. Thus we neede not feare to say, that God in some respects doth tempt his owne seruants.
