Consider 2dly, in what sense we here beg of God "not to lead us into temptation;" since, as St. James says, chap, i, 13, "God is not a tempter of evils, and he tempteth no man," viz., so as to incite, allure, or provoke to sin. No certainly; such temptations as these cannot be from God, who is essentially good, and ever abhors sin; but they are from the world, the flesh, and the devil; yet as these never have power to tempt us, but with God's permission, nor strength to overcome us, but when we neglect to apply in a proper manner to God for his grace; therefore we make use of this expression, to signify our total dependence on God, and to beg that he would not give the enemy any power over us, nor suffer us to give ourselves up to him. Moreover, as those trials, which God often sends for the exercise of our virtue, and for the proof of our fidelity, are also in Scripture called temptations; such as afflictions, crosses, pains, &c., of which God is certainly the author and distributor; we beg of him, by these words, Lead us not into temptation, that with relation to all such trials as these, he would ever have regard to our weakness, and never lay upon us any load above our strength.
