Chapter IX. 30. The sixth petition is, “And bring309 us not into temptation.” Some manuscripts have the word “lead,”310 which is, I judge, equivalent in meaning: for both translations have arisen from the one Greek word which is used. But many parties in prayer express themselves thus, “Suffer us not to be led into temptation;” that is to say, explaining in what sense the word “lead” is used. For God does not Himself lead, but suffers that man to be led into temptation whom He has deprived of His assistance, in accordance with a most hidden ar- rangement, and with his deserts. Often, also, for manifest reasons, He judges him worthy of being so deprived, and allowed to be led into temptation. But it is one thing to be led into temptation, another to be tempted. For without temptation no one can be proved, whether to himself, as it is written, “He that hath not been tempted, what manner of things doth he know?”311 or to another, as the apostle says, “And your temptation in my flesh ye despised not:”312 for from this circumstance he learnt that they were stedfast, because they were not turned aside from charity by those tribulations which had happened to the apostle according to the flesh. For even before all temptations we are known to God, who knows all things before they happen. 31. When, therefore, it is said, “The Lord your God tempteth (proveth) you, that He may know if ye love Him,”313 the words “that He may know” are employed for what is the real state of the case, that He may make you know: just as we speak of a joyful day, because it makes us joyful; of a sluggish frost, because it makes us sluggish; and of innumerable things of the same sort, which are found either in ordinary speech, or in the discourse of 44 learned men, or in the Holy Scriptures. And the heretics who are opposed to the Old Testa- ment, not understanding this, think that the brand of ignorance, as it were, is to be placed upon Him of whom it is said, “The Lord your God tempteth you:” as if in the Gospel it were not written of the Lord, “And this He said to tempt (prove) him, for He Himself knew what He would do.”314 For if He knew the heart of him whom He was tempting, what is it that He wished to see by tempting him? But in reality, that was done in order that he who was tempted might become known to himself, and that he might condemn his own despair, on the multitudes being filled with the Lord’s bread, while he had thought they had not enough to eat. 309 Inferas…inducas, as the Vulgate. 310 Inferas…inducas, as the Vulgate. 311 Ecclus. xxxiv. 9, 11. 312 Gal. iv. 13, 14. The English version renders “my temptation,” but “your temptation” is the reading of the oldest mss. 313 Deut. xiii. 3. 314 John vi. 6. Chapter IX 108 Chapter IX