Exposition of the Lords Prayer, Treatise · Part 14
And lead us not into temptation, 6. Petition.but deliver us from evill.
FIrst for the Coherence, in that our Saviour having taught us to pray for remission of sinnes, now teacheth us to pray for sanctification, and for grace and vertue to bee kept from the power of sinne and Sathan. The point is. That,
It is not enough to hauehave pardon of sinne past, but Observat. wee must pray for power and grace to resist sinne and Sathan in time to come.
For else we shall be as bad as ever we were before: Therefore David when he was as sure that his sinne was forgiven, as that God was true; yet that would not satisfie him, but he laments his originall sinne and his rebellion, and prayes for a new heart, and a right spirit, and that God would Psal. 51.stablish him with his free spirit; that hee might not be under the bondage of sinne: so that having apprehended the remission of his sinnes, he labours to be delivered from the corruptions of his heart, that he might not fall into the like mischeife againe. For in truth there can bee no comfort in the remission of sinnes, as long as strong passions and unrulie lusts doe remaine: And, where sinne and lust is strong, faith and hope are feeble: therefore if we would beleeue the remission of our sinnes, and hauehave joy in the same, wee must pray for preservation against sinne, as well as forAn incouragement to studie for sanctification to subdue sinne. remission of sinne. And hereunto we should be stirred up, yea the rather, because when wee hauehave remission of our sinnes, then the Devill hath the greatest quarrell against us: before that when we carry the Devils image, he can accord with us very well; but when we are converted, and carrie the image of God, (which the DevillGen. 3. doth hate) then he knowes us to be such as will tread on his head; and therefore he is the more violent against us with horrible temptations, to overthrow us. And then likewise our flesh beginnes to stirre more, to bee more unrulie and strong, and to shew what it is when God begins to worke.
And therefore this should teach us to joyne these two Petitions together, and to bee instant with the Lord to purge our nature, as well as to take away the guilt of our sinnes: for, to desire pardon for that which is past with teares and sorrow, is but to make God an earthly Father, as our children will say, forgiue me and I will doe so no more: and yet in truth, if God giuegive them not grace, they will doe so againe, for wee cannot amend our nature, but we must come unto the Lord for pardon for that which is past, and for grace against the time to come: for el…e we shall be as bad as ever we were, and worse too, if God doe not helpe us in continuance.
To reproue those, that having sinne in their Vse 1 hearts, and their consciences being terrified, can and will be very earnest with God to forgiue them, and then they thinke all is well: as who should say, their corruptions would meddle no more with them, the devill would tempt them no more, and so when they fall into a miserable relapse, then they will tell us, it is their nature, and their custome to be froward and distempered. But if they would as earnestly pray for sanctification, as for justification, God would as well helpe them against the corruption of their nature, as against the guilt of their consciences.
Oh, But say they, they hauehave asked pardon often. Object.
But why hauehave you not intreated the Lord to Answ. heale you also? for he is not a Physition, that can heale the outside onelyonly, but he can heale the inside likewise: and therefore come unto God, and confesse your speciall sinne, covetousnesse, or pride, or whatsoever it be, and beseech the Lord to plucke out this, to take away your proud and froward heart, and then when the heart is healed, it will be an evident demonstration that your sinne is forgiven.
It is for consolation unto Gods Children, that Vse 2 find by good effects, that they are not contented to hauehave pardon for their sinnes, but with teares and cryes craue sanctification, as well as justification. When with feeling they can pray against the strength of their temptations, and their corruptions, they may be sure that they hauehave remission of their sinnes, since they hauehave the effect thereof, viz. to be instant for sanctification, as Paul saith, before the law came hee was Rom. 7.aliue, but when Ananias was sent unto him to wash away his sinnes by baptisme, and the Lord had assured his conscience of the remission of them, then all his woe was for want of sanctification &c. The evill that I would not, that doe I, &c. O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this bodie of death? Say not then, I doubt I shall not overcome these infirmities, hath not God bid you pray for sanctification, as well as for justification? and hath not he promisedEzek. that he will write his lawes in your heartsIer. as well as to wash you from all your filthinesse? therefore be instant in time, for he would never hauehave bid you aske it, nor given you his Covenant to performe it, except he had beene able and readie to bestow it.
And lead us not &c. Christ would hauehave us to use those termes, and not as some doe, Let us not be led, &c. but [lead us not] or carry us not, &c. Whence obserue. That,
Sathan, the flesh, and the world, can doe nothing, Observat. further then God will hauehave them.
And therefore we need not say, permit us not to be led, but lead us not, for except God doe lead us, the devill cannot, for he is chained, thatIude. 6. though the devill might seeme to be able to doe great matters, yet God doth reserue him in chaines.
Oh! But is not the devill full of windings and Object. turnings, and will he not at length get out?
No, he is kept in everlasting chaines, viz. of Answ. the power, and providence, and eternall decree of God, and under darknesse likewise, so that he is full of terrors and horrours, by reason of the wrath of God already. And yet there is a worse matter behind, namely, the judgement of the great day, when he shall be payd home in full measure: the sentence of the Iudge is past, and he is kept in prison till the day of execution, and no Iudge hath a prisoner so safe, as God hath the devill chained by the hooke of his providence: so that what can he doe, but that which God appoints him? So we see, there were a LegionMark. 5. 12. of devils in a poore man, which Christ cast out, who be sought him, that he would send them into the heard of swine, &c. Though they were but swine, and the swine of wicked men, that could not abide Christ, yet a whole Legion of devils could not touch one swine, till Christ sent them. If Christ should hauehave said unto them, if you hauehave any power in your selues goe; they could not hauehave gone, and therefore they pray Christ to send them, and if they cannot touch one swine, much lesse any servant of God, man or woman whosoever. So God tells the Church of Smyrna, that the Devill should Rev.cast some of them into prison for tenne dayes, before the Devill dealt with them, God set him downe what he should doe, and how long he should afflict them, not so little time as they would, nor so long time as hee would afflict them; and then he shewes what should bee the effect of the temptation, namely, that they might be tryed and refined: the Devils end was, that they might be discouraged, but Gods end, that they might be polished and reformed, so Luk. 4. it is said, when the Devill had finishedLuk. 4. all his temptation, he departed from Christ; if hee should hauehave gone as farre as he would, he would hauehave tempted him all his life, for hee is never wearie of doing mischiefe, and hee is of such impudencie, that he is never ashamed and therefore its said, when he had finished all his temptations, &c. that is, when hee had done his taske that God had appointed him, when he had gone through with his message, he had no more to say, and then he departed: so when he sets upon any, the Lord appoints how long, and how much he shall tempt them, and when he hath done his worke, to giuegive over.
This is first, for consolation unto Gods Children Ʋse. 1 that are at peace with God, they shall be sure that no temptation shall befall them for their hurt: if that the wolfe could never touch the sheepe, but when the shepheard would, the sheepe Simile. should hauehave no hurt; and if a malefactor could not touch the child, further then his father would appoint him, surely the child should be in little danger. So all Christians are Gods sheepe, bought with the bloud of his sonne, and we are Gods children, and he loues us, even as he loues Christ himselfe: and we shall be led into temptations,Iohn 17. no further then our Father and our shepheard will, therefore it cannot goe amisse with us.
But, What if witches and sorcerers should come Object. neere us?
What if they should, they can never hurt us, Answ. except God will lead us into temptation: and God will not lead us so farre as shall be any way for our hurt.
Secondly, It is for Instruction, if we would not Vse 2 hauehave the Lord lead us into temptation, then let us labour for peace with God, and not provoke him by our pride, for then we are in danger to be led into temptation; as Peter and David were: if we nourish such corruption within, the Lord will bring us to humiliation that way, yet not for our hurt, for we are alwayes in the bosome of our shepheard Iesus Christ: but the Lord may punish sinne with sinne, and bring shame and anguish upon us, and in tryals, that is the sorest temptation, when the devill is set to whip us. As if a Father should say to his child, truely, Simile. I will whippe you no more, but Ile send for the notablest malefactor and hangman in a Countrey to doe it, that were a sore punishment: especially, if he could not onelyonly whippe the bodie, but the soule of the childe. And soMeanes how not to be led into temptation. it is when the Lord lets the devill loose to scourg us; now therefore consider the meanes which might keepe us from this: which are;
First, to beare a fervent louelove to the word of God, 1. Fervencie of louelove to the word. Prov. 2. 20.and never to be led from it, though great temptations come, yet if the knowledge of the word delight our soules, it will so sweeten our hearts with good affections, that we shall not be overcome, but, if our affection to the word doe decay, and dulnesse creepe upon us, then are we neere to be Psal. 81. 12.led into temptation. It is said of the Iewes, as when they would not hearken unto Gods voice, then he gaue them up unto their owne hearts lust, that is to be led into temptation So when we hauehave no word of God to checke us, nor worke of the spirit to tame us, no friend to admonish us, nor any helpe from heaven to reforme us, but runne on in sin boldly & carelesly, as it is 2 Thes. 2. 10. so tis with us, Seeing they did not receiue the truth in the louelove of the truth, therfore the Lord gaue them 2 Thes. 2. 10.up to strong delusions, to beleeue lyes &c. They had no pleasure in the word, and could they liue without pleasure? nay surely, but then, they take pleasure in unrighteousnesse, and so the word was but a vexation unto them: then God giues them up to strong delusions to beleeue lyes, that Sathan should delude them, and they should bee strongly perswaded to evill, for, delusion is a Delusion what.strong perswasion of that which is false, as faith is a strong perswasion of that which is true: and as faith depends upon the word of God, and is wrought by the spirit of God; so delusion depends on the opinion of men, and is wrought by the spirit of Sathan: So when men delight too much in their child, and set their hearts upon Simile. their commodities, they are in danger to be deluded: and when they will not be Gods schollers, God will see what Sathan can doe with them, which is one cause why God giues men up to Sathan for a time, because they louelove the things of this life, more then the things of eternall life.
Secondly, we are taught hereby, to take heed Ʋse 2 of securitie and confidence in earthly things, for if we trust in any thing in this world, wee shall grow secure and carelesie, and then we shall not walke in feare and trembling, but in a fleshly boldnesse, after which the next neives is, that our inward sinnes are punished with outward sinnes: that was the beginning of all Davids Psal.trouble, when in his prosperitie he said hee should never he cast downe: why? because his mountaine was so strong; if he had said because God is strong, then he might hauehave stood, but he staid upon fleshly reason, because he had many men and good store of money, and strong walles &c. Therefore he thought he should never be cast downe, but so soone as he came to pride and boasting, he was cast downe, God turned away his face, and withdrew his grace, and set Bathsheba before him: and then he fell to adultery, murther, and cloaking of his sinne, and that at length wakened him. So Peter, Christ Math. 26.foretold him, that he was weake and would deny him, he thought himselfe strong enough: if all the world should forsake Christ, he will fight for him, and sticke to him, and never forsake him. If he had said, Lord thou hast seene more in me then I see in my selfe, indeed it is in my nature to deny thee, strengthen me that I may not, &c. then he had beene safe, but standing on his owne strength, he quickly denies Christ, sweares and curses, and falls into many evils, but after the resurrection, Christ comes unto him, and askes him, Peter lovest thou mee more then these? as though he should say, Peter you madeIohn. 21. your bragges that you had more louelove to me, then all the world besides, what say you now, doe you louelove me more then these? Oh no, hee would not boast of his valor any more, but he sayes meekely, Lord thou knowest that I louelove thee, he had left his comparison now: if a man should hauehave asked Peter before he had fallen, you say you will never forsake your master, where I pray you hauehave you this strength? from your selfe, or from Christ, he would not hauehave said from Christ, because he prayed not for it, and Christ told him, that it was not in him; but hee thought it to be in his owne nature, that he had had more valor and worthinesse in him, then a thousand of them. But when men come to this bragging and boasting, then the next newes, and the best newes for them is, that they fall into some grosse sinne to waken them: as we see in Simile. a Lethargie, which is a kind of falling sicknesse, that brings men into a great slumber, the best way that Physitions can take, is to giuegive them receipts that may cast them into a pestilent burning fever, because their sences are benummed and dead, to waken them, and dry up the humors that benumme and besot them: so it is with Gods children, when they grow carelesle God casts them into a burning fever, and lets Sathan and their owne corruptions loose; that so they may fall into some grosse sinne, and consequently into shame and sorrow, into anguish and feare, that every body may rebuke them, which is their best medicine, as it was for David and Peter: but if we would louelove the word of God unfainedly, and walke in humilitie and feare, and not trust on riches, nor strength, nor any earthly thing, those would be the best preservatiues to keepe us from temptation.
But here may arise a question, how this can Quest. goe currant, that God should lead us into temptatition, Iames 1.since its said, that God tempteth no man, and a reason is added, because he himselfe cannot be tempted? one wicked man tempts another, because he himselfe is tempted first. The adulterer corrupts a woman, because he himselfe is corrupted first, and so the devill being naught himselfe, he would hauehave no body good, and therefore tempted our first parents.
Therefore its said, that God can tempt no man, Answ. because he himselfe is not tempted: the meaningHow God is said to lead us into temptation. whereof is, that God soliciteth no man to evill, nor puts ill into any mans nature, he being the fountaine of all goodnesse, yet he may be said, to lead into temptation.
First, by with-drawing his grace and holy spirit, when we waxe proud, and will not be ruled.
And then, by setting occasions before us, which are very forcible to draw us to evill, when Gods grace is taken from us. As we see in David, when the baite was layd before him, he was quickly gone: and so Peter he would fight, and doe such wonders at first, &c. but God sets him in such a place, where a poore silly maid might examine him, and presently he faintly denies his Master, lyes and sweares, and had no valor in the world. For, when occasions are offered, all the strength of the flesh consumes as waxe before the fire. If a man would say, I hauehave a bodie that the fire will not heate, the best way to convince sinne, is to put a coale to sinne: So Achan confesseth that he saw a little wedge of gold, and two Babylonish Iosh.garments, that he coveted them and tooke them when no body was by: hee saw the coast was cleere, there was a good bootie, and there was enough for the Tabernacle beside; the Lord did not put this into him, but this occasion discovered Simile. what was in him: that occasion made not Achan naught, no more then the fruit makes the tree naught, but that manifested what he was.
By letting Sathan and their owne corruption loose: as its not much, that when the sheepe will Simile. not be guided by the shepheard, they should be exposed to the woolfe. So when originall sinne is let loose, the devill sets it forward, and yet neither is this against mens wills, but they runne violently into sinne, and good it may be for them in conclusion: for since they hauehave not been thankefull, that God hath heretofore restrained the rage of Sathan and sinne, so that all the fault is in our selues, for having opportunitie, they sinne willingly and readily.
Then the end is good. First, in the wicked,Why God leads the wicked into temptation. to discover their hypocrisie, and that God may hauehave the more glory thereby. Iudas, and Achitophel had they not beene discovered, they should hauehave beene reputed as good men as any in the world. David had not a friend which hee could trust more then Achitopel, what my familiar friend (sayth he) we who tooke sweet counsell together, and went to the house of God, &c. butPsal. when a baite was laid before him, then hee shewes his traiterous heart, and none could hauehave given more beastly and pernicious counsell against David then he did, whereby he purchased to himselfe shame and destruction.
Secondly, in the godly, when they are secureThe end why God leads the godly into temptatiō. and proud, to humble them, waken them, and to make them sit surer all their life after, as it did David and Peter; David would bragge no more neither would Peter boast of his louelove, but (saith he) Lord thou knowest that I louelove thee, truely and unfainedly, though weakly. The second branch of the Petition is.