and God himselfe sent the lieng spirit vnto A∣chab; neither was
Abraham tempted by anie other than by God. Adde also, that in permissi∣on there is the will of God; and séeing it is ma∣nifest concerning the thing it selfe, what dooth the changing of the word profit? But go to, let vs sée what ill comes of it, if tempting be attribu∣ted vnto God. Verelie no euill, naie rather it is méet for him, and it becommeth his nature, who indeuoureth to reueale his righteousnesse and mercie in all things. They that be tempted, doo belong either vnto the chosen, or vnto the damned; either they be godlie, or else vngodlie. If
[they be] vngodlie, as their sinnes may be punished with other sinnes (which is declared in the first chapter to the Romans) so they may be punished with temptations, that through them they may fall hedlong into diuers euils, wherby they may be iudged woorthie of euerlasting pu∣nishment. If [they be] godlie, God by temp∣ting them declareth and testifieth what account he maketh of them; he is present foorthwith, he deliuereth them, crowneth them, and rewar∣deth them like conquerours, with manie and honorable gifts: or else if they fall, that fall is but for a time, and at last (euen as Paule said) it hath an happie issue. Thereby their faith, hope, and charitie is increased, while they perceiue them∣selues to be holpen, and by the great fauour of God to ouercome their enimies: or else bicause they be lightened from the burden of their sinnes.
9 But in the meane time let vs make an∣swere to those reasons, which séemed to persuade vs otherwise.
Iames, when he denieth that God dooth tempt,
dooth not vtterlie denie it; but he denieth him to tempt after that maner, which those carnall christians of his time affirmed him to tempt: as who should saie, when they sinned, they should haue béene without blame: as our
Libertines are reported to saie at this daie, namelie that God dooth all things in vs; and that therefore sinne is nothing: no not robbe∣ries, murthers, adulteries, and such like. Indéed we grant, that God dooth all things; but the re∣spect of Gods dooing, and our dooing of them is diuers. Men, in that they doo those things, they sinne; as they which are not led vnto those things of an intent that they may worke togither with God; neither are they constreined or compelled vnto those things against their wils; naie ra∣ther, they would be angry with them that should let them from sinning. Wherefore let them aske their owne conscience, & then they shall plainlie sée, whether they sinne against their will, or to the intent they may gratifie God; or else not ra∣ther to satisfie their owne vnbrideled lust.
Now by the like reason saith Iames, God dooth not so tempt you, as the cause & falt of those things, which yée doo naughtilie and wickedlie, should be laid against him. Ye be tempted by your owne concupiscence; that is, yée therefore fall into your owne wickednesse, to the intent yée may satisfie your gréedie lust. Wherfore that which the apostle there ment, and would in some respect to be denied, he vttered by an absolute deniall. But Paule, when he saith,
that
God maketh a waie to escape with the temptation, certeinlie he speaketh of those temptations, wherewith the godlie and elect are sometimes vexed; whereby doubtlesse they haue for the most part, not onelie an escaping, but also a reward. But in that we doo not so well perceiue, how it is not repugnant with the iustice of God, to pu∣nish sins, and to driue [men] vnto them by temp∣ting, that is no maruell; for God can doo more than we can vnderstand. Dauid said once, as touching the knowing of these secret iudgments in the 73. psalme; that he was verie pensiue,
and that his gréefe was intolerable, vntill he en∣tered into the sanctuarie of God. Wherefore let vs constantlie beléeue, that whatsoeuer God dooth, he dooth it iustlie; neither let vs withdrawe from his prouidence or power, anie of those things that be doone: but if we vnderstand not how they be agréeable vnto his iustice, or how they be repugnant therewith, let vs with humi∣litie beléeue.
10 But let vs procéed. Since they be of God, whether may we praie to be rid of them? Let vs distinguish temptations;
either they be aduer∣sities, or else they be suggestions vnto wicked déeds: if they be aduersities, we must not praie to be pressed with no aduersities, séeing it is plainelie told vs by
Paule;
They that will liue godlie in Christ must suffer persecutions. And Christ offereth the crosse vnto his to be borne, in a maner all their life long: but if we doubt of fainting in those persecutions, or that the glorie of God be hindered by them, we may praie, that he will remooue them from vs.
Paul praied,
and would haue it praied for, that he might be deliuered from the persecutions, which were readie for him in Iurie. Moreouer, if our flesh be fraile, while affliction lasteth, and we praie the father deuoutlie, that he will deliuer vs, if it be his pleasure; yet neuerthelesse, in preferring his will before our owne will, we offend not by such a request: which thing Christ taught vs, when he praied to his father in the garden.
But if we consider the saints, while they constantlie, through the grace of God, behaue themselues in these temptations, we shall perceiue, that they reioise in them;
for
Tribulation worketh pati∣ence, patience experience. And Peter in the first chapter of his first epistle, saith; that There is ioie to the saints in temptations: yea and Paule dooth glorie in his aduersities.
The which