An evident display of Popish practises, or patched Pelagianism Wherein is mightily cleared the…An euident display of Popish practises, or patched Pelagianisme Wherein is mightelie cleared the…

IT is of necessity, that whether thou wilt or no thou confess that the word of tempting is no [Greek or Hebrew] signifying many things. For it is plainly written in Deuteronomy of the evil Prophet, The Lord trieth your and in the same book, the Lord saith, that he tempted the people forty years in the wilderness: and in another place God tempteth Abraham. Yea men also are said to tempt God: and Paul adviseth that we try our selves. Yet James denieth, that any is tempted of the Lord, but rather of his own lust, that is, of the mean whereby Satan tempteth us, or we are tempted of other men, or of our selves. For the Lord is said after his manner to tempt us, that is, to approve, that laying before us the occasion of manifesting of our mind to be manifested, either our selves may understand what we be, least flattering our selves, we deceive our selves, but that rather when we know our weakness, we may begin to repent, or that our dissembling may be manifest to others. Hence it is that by the name of Temptation is eftsoons understood affliction, because it trieth our faith.¹ So Paul adviseth us, that we try our selves, that is, examine diligently whether we be in the faith as himself doeth very well interpret. So we are forbidden to tempt GOD, that is, to seek to find out his mind, as if we doubted of his faith, and by ⟨p. 212⟩this mean to provoke his patience to anger. Also Satan tempteth, and therefore he is called a Tempter. We also tempt one an other, and concupiscence is said to tempt us. All which, when they are spoken, the name of Temptation agreeth not with God, sith it declareth nothing else, but a soliciting to evil, which by no means can have place in God. Yet God is said to lead into temptation, that is, when he useth the work of Satan, or of some other, that he may accomplish his decree, doth he therefore tempt? in no wise. For, even then he is not the Author of evil, except it be, that he is to be thought evil, when he executeth his judgements, or useth our falls to the listing up, and finally, confirming of us, and instruction of the whole Church.

IT is of necessitie, that whether thou wilt or no thou confesse that the word of tempting is no 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 signifying many things. For it is plainely written in Deuteronomie of the euill Prophete, The Lord tryeth your and in the same booke, the Lorde sayth, that he tempted the people forty yeres in the wildernesse: and in another place God tempteth Abraham. Yea men also are sayde to tempte God: and Paule aduiseth that we trye our selues. Yet Iames denyeth, that any is tempted of ye Lord, but rather of his owne luste, that is, of the meane wherby Satan tempteth vs, or we are tempted of other men, or of our selues. For the Lord is sayde after his manner to tempt vs, that is, to aproue, that laying before vs the occasion of manifesting of our mind to be manifested, eyther our selues may vnderstand what we be, least flattetering our selues, we deceyue our selues, but that rather when we knowe our weakenesse, we may beginne to repent, or that our dissembling may be manifest to others. Hence it is that by the name of Temptation is eftsones vnderstoode affliction, bycause it tryeth our fayth.