Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 70 – Section 71
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE SIXT PETITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER. LXX.
HAVING DONE WITH THE FIVE FIRST Petitions of the Lords Prayer: the ſixt and the laſt is now to be opened.
1 THis laſt Petition, is rightly placed after all the reſt; and eſpecially next after the firſt. For firſt, ſeeing wee doe heere alſo craue of our God, thoſe thinges which make for our ſaluation: order requireth, that after we hauehave in the former Petition, begged the remiſsion of our ſinnes, we ſhould heere deſire the ſtrength of the Spirit, whereby, wee might bee daily enabled to ſtand againſt all temptations.
2 For although our ſinnes are forgiuen vsus, yet are wee neuer ſo cleared of them, but the reliques of the fleſh doe ſtill remaine in vsus, whereby our aduerſarie doeth driue vsus vntounto diuers ſinnes. Wherefore wee deſire, that the Lorde would not ſuffer vsus to be ouercome by the Deuill, and the luſts of our fleſh, which doe continuallie warre againſt vsus.
3 Nowe becauſe wee wraſtle not with fleſh and blood, that is, with thoſe enemies, which we are able to gainſt and by our owne ſtrength: but againſt the powers of the Aire, that is, againſt Sathan himſelfe, who doth continuallie as a roaring Lyon lie in wait for vsus, and prouoke vsus to ſin: this Petition is altogeather neceſſarie for vsus, that thereby wee may obtaine ſpirituall armour at Gods hands.
4 This requeſt conſiſteth of two partes; the Petition it ſelfe and the declaration thereof: The Petition is, LEAD VSUS NOT INTO TEMPTATION.] the declaration of it is, [BVT DELIVER VSUS FROM EVIL.]
5 In theſe wordes, [LEAD VSUS NOT, &c.] is ſhewed, that neither the Deuill himſelfe, nor any other aduerſarie can doe ought againſt vsus, but by the Lordes permiſision, and as farre as he will permit them.
6 By the worde LEAD, as alſo by many other that are found in the Scripture, (as to harden, to deliuer vp into a reprobate ſenſe, &c.) is not ment a bare permiſsion of God onelyonly (as ſome thinke,) but a permiſsion joyned with the decree and ordinance of God, who doth vſe the woorke of Sathan, and the concupiſcence of men, either for the puniſhing of ſin with ſin, or for the chaſtiſemēt of his children.
7 Now the Lorde is ſaid to lead thoſe into temptation, whom in his juſt judgement, he giueth ouer vntounto ſathan, or their own wils.
8 Neither are wee for this cauſe to thinke, that God is the Author of ſinne: for what ſo euer he willeth, the ſame doth hee will juſtlie and holilie, and his action euen in that temptation wherevnto men do yeeld, is altogeather without ſinne, wheras the action of Sathan, and thoſe that obey him, is both vnjuſt and altogeather ſinfull.
It is without cauſe therefore, that ſome doe gather out of this doctrin, that we make God to be the author of ſinne.
9 Neither are we taught ſimplie to pray, that we be not tempted at all, but that wee bee not lead into temptation. For it profiteth vsus to bee ſometimes tempted, but we pray, that wee be not ouercome of the temptation, and ſo offend God.
10 The word TEMPTATION, or to TEMPT, is of a double ſignification: for ſometimes it ſignifieth to ſift or to trie, and ſometimes to lead vntounto euill. God therefore is ſaide one way to tempt, and Sathan another. Sathan, that hee may deſtroy, condemne, and ouerthrow; but God to the end that by trying his, he may ſee what ſtrength is in them not becauſe God knoweth not what is man; but partlie to teach his children to knowe themſelues, and partlie that he may manifeſt the hypocrites.
11 Now there are diuers and almoſt infinite ſortes of temptations: for ſome of them are raiſed within vsus onelie by our owne concupiſcence, which afterward are augmented by Sathan: others are adminiſtred vntounto our concupiſcence by the wonderfull deluſions of Sathan: Againe, wee are ſometimes prouoked vntounto wickednes from the right hand, that is, by flatteries, and the falſe reſemblaunce of right and profite; otherwhiles from the left, that is, by threats and terrors.
12 And from all theſe doe wee deſire, that our God would deliuer vsus, by enabling vsus with his ſtrength: that ſo dwelling vnderunder his protection and defence, we may firmlie ſtand againſt all the aſſaults of Sathan.
13 So the worde DELIVER, doeth admoniſh vsus of our weakeneſſe, and ignorance. For, if wee were able by our owne ſtrength to withſtand temptations, wee ſhoulde not ſtand in need to craue ſtrength and aide elſe where: This our deliuerance from ſinne then, is not in our ſelues, neither doth it depend vponupon our ſelues, but onelie vppon the ſtrength, grace, and merciemercy of God.
Heere are confuted both the meere Pelagians, who dreame that Sathan and our corruption, may be ouercome by our owne ſtrength: and alſo the half Pelagians the Papiſts, who imagine a concurring togeather of nature and of grace: and thoſe alſo who teach, that the grace of regeneration once begun, is ſufficient for vsus, to gaine the victorie.
14 For wee are borne the ſeruants of ſinne, and the grace of regeneration beeing begun, ſtandeth in neede of the ſupport of new graces, to confirm the ſame & to make it effectuall.
15 Yet are not wee therefore turned into ſtockes, that in gaining the victorie ouer Sathan, we ſhould bee vſed as dead inſtruments onelie, ſeeing both to will and to do, is giuen vntounto vsus.
16 It is not greatlie materiall, whether by the worde [EVILL] in this place, wee vnderſtand the Diuell or ſinne dwelling in vsus.
17 To conclude, we deſire in this petition, that we be not ouerwhelmed by anie temptation; but contrariwiſe, that leaning vponupon the power of God, working within vsus, ſinne and Sathan beeing ouercome, we may all our daies, liue in true holineſſe.
Defended by MATHEVV ROBERTVS of Lorraine.
PRINCIPLES VPONUPON THE CONCLVSION OF THE LORDS PRAYER. LXXI.
1 HAuing hytherto expounded the Petitions of the Lords Praier: it nowe remaineth, that wee open the ſhutting vp of them, contained in theſe wordes, [FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOME, THE POVVER AND THE GLORIE FOR EVER.]
2 There are two thinges eſpeciallie contained in this concluſion: firſt, the confirmation of our faith, that is, of the aſſurance which we hauehave, that we ſhall be heard of God who both will, and can giuegive vsus what we aske.
3 Next is ſet downe the end, whereunto wee ought to referre all the things, that we craue in this Prayer: namlie, to his praiſe and glorie.
4 And this is the moſt ſure foundation of our praiers, when as we know that they are to be directed vntounto GOD, vntounto whome all power, glorie, and dominion dooth appertaine.
5 For if our praiers were to bee commended vntounto the Lord, in our owne worthineſſe (which is none at all) there is no mortall man that durſt (without ſingular temeritie) ſo much as open his lips, much leſſe, preſent his praiers before his majeſtie.
6 But now, though we be moſt miſerable, and bare of all thinges, yet can we not be deſtitute of ſufficient truſt & confidence in praier, ſeeing our Fathers kingdome, power and glorie, cannot be taken away from him.
7 By the word [KINGDOME] is meant, the right and authoritie to beare rule: this confeſsion then dooth attribute vntounto God, the moſt ſoueraigne and free rule ouer all creatures, whereby he gouerneth euerie where, and ouer all.
8 The POVVER which is mēcioned in the ſecond place, doth point out the abilitie and power to execute this gouernment: which power is ſo ſoueraigne and ſo mightie, that nothing is able to reſiſt the ſame. So that God is able to giuegive vsus all things, ſeeing hee hath this power in his hand; which is alſo ioyned with exceeding merciemercy and bountifulneſſe.
9 Thirdlie and laſtlie, by the word GLORIE is declared the praiſe and honour of God, whereunto wee are to referre all our thoughts and deedes, as to their laſt and final end.
10 The word AMEN ſignifieth as much, as that which we aske is ſure and certainlie ratified: neither is it adioyned as a portion of the praier, but to the end that it may both declare the ſinceare deſire and affection, whereby we wiſh to be heard in Praier, and alſo may teſtifie the ſtaiednes of our faith.
11 Seeing to giuegive thankes then, we ought to conſider theſe three things, which this ſhort ſentence of Chriſt doth containe. Firſt, that we remember thoſe peculiar benefits which we hauehave receaued at Gods hand: as DAVID beeing deliuered from the danger of warre ſaith: [Thou haſt deliuered mee Lord from death, and from the enemie, &c.
12 Next, that we aſcribe whatſoeuer we hauehave obtained to hauehave proceeded from the meere liberalitie of God, and not to anie worthineſſe or merites of our owne.
13 Brieflie, that thereby wee may be more and more confirmed in faith, and may be raiſed vp to the hope of receauing other, yea and greater benefites from his majeſty. For our God is not wearie in dooing vsus good.
14 VnderUnder this forme which is euerie way moſt perfect we holde that there is contained, whatſoeuer we ought to ſeek at Gods hand, ſo that it is to be accounted for the rule of all our praiers.
Wherefore it is not well done of the Latine Churches in that they hauehave omitted this clauſe and end of the Lords Praier, though ſometimes they vſe the ſame elswhere.
Defended by MATHEVV SCARRO of Geneus.