The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 3 · prayer · Question 127
ON THE 52. SABBATH.Queſt. 127. What is the ſixth petition?
Anſw. Leade us not into temptation, but deliver us from evill: that is, Becauſe we our ſelves are ſo feeble and weake by nature, that we cannot ſtand ſo much as one moment or inſtantaJohn 15.5. Pſal. 103.14., and our moſt deadly enemies, Sathanb1 Pet. 5.8. Epheſ. 6.12., the worldcJohn 15.19., and our owne fleſhdRom. 7.23. Gal. 5.17., doe inſtantly oppugne and aſſault us; uphold thou us, and eſtabliſh and ſtrengthen us by the might of thy ſpirit, that we may not in this ſpirituall combate yeeld as vanquiſhed, but may ſo long ſtoutly withſtand themeMat. 26.41. Marke 13.33., untill at length we get full and perfect victoryf1 Theſſal. 3.13. & 5.23..
The Explication.
HEre ſome make one, ſome two petitions; but we are not to ſtrive, ſo that nothing of the doctrine be taken away, but that this be made full and plaine. Now they are rather two parts of one petition. Leade us not into temptation, is a petition of delivery from future evill: Deliver us from evill, is a petition of delivery from preſent evill.
The ſpeciall Queſtions.
1. What Temptation is.
THere are two cauſes of temptation: Two kinds of tempting. 1. Gods tempting. Gen. 22.1. Pſal. 139.1. Deut. 13.3. 1 Pet. 1.6. & 4.12.The one is from God; the other from the Divell and the Fleſh. The temptation, whereby God tempteth us, is a triall of our faith, godlineſſe, repentance, and obedience, by whatſoever encumbrances, which are by God oppoſed to every one: as, by all evils, by the devill, the fleſh, luſts, the world, afflictions, calamities, the croſſe, &c. that our faith, patience, and conſtancy may be manifeſted and made knowne both to our ſelves and others. So God is ſaid to have tempted Abraham, Joſeph, Job, David. Lord, thou haſt proved me. So God is ſaid to tempt his people by falſe Prophets, and to try us by the croſſe. The temptation whereby the Devill, and our fleſh, and the wicked alſo tempt us, is every ſoliciting to ſinne; which ſoliciting it ſelfe alſo is ſin.2. The Devils temptation. Job 1. & 21. So the Devill tempted Job, that he might ſeduce and withdraw him from God, whom he had before loved and ſerved; albeit the matter fell out otherwiſe then the devill would have it. Object. But God tempteth no man. Anſw.James 1.13. God tempteth no man; that is, by ſoliciting him to ſinne, or evill: but he tempteth by procuring and trying us. The Devill, the World, our Fleſh, tempt us; that is, ſolicite us to evils, and withdraw us from God. But God ſo tempteth no man: and yet he is ſaid to have tempted Abraham, Job, David; that is, to have tried their faith and conſtancy by afflictions and the croſſe: ſo by the ſame he trieth our faith, hope, patience, love, invocation, conſtancy, whether we will or no worſhip and ſerve him alſo in affliction.
Hereby we eaſily underſtand, ſeeing temptation is attributed unto the Devill, and to the corrupt luſts and inclinations of men, in what ſenſe God may be ſaid to tempt, or not to tempt men. For Sathan tempteth, both offering occaſions of ſinning without, and inſtigating within to ſin, thereby to draw men headlong into deſtruction, and to reproach God. Corrupt inclinations tempt; becauſe they bend, and are prone to actions by God forbidden. But God tempteth, not to deſtroy us, nor to cauſe us to ſin, but to try and exerciſe us, when either he ſendeth calamity upon us, or permitteth the Divell, or men, or our fleſh to provoke or invite us to ſin; hiding for a while his grace and efficacy in preſerving and ruling us, that our faith and conſtancy may be more knowne and apparent, not verily unto God himſelfe (as who from everlaſting knoweth what and how much it is, and how much alſo hereafter it ſhall be by his favour and bleſſing) but to our ſelves and others, that ſo alſo a truſt and full perſwaſion of Gods preſence and protection may be confirmed in us by the examples of deliverance, and in others a deſire of following our example may be kindled, through the beholding of our perſeverance, and that in all of us may be raiſed and ſtirred up true gratitude and thankfulneſſe towards God, who delivereth his out of temptations. So God tempteth Abraham, commanding him to ſacrifice his ſon Iſaac.Gen. 22. Exod. 15.25. & 16.4. He is ſaid to have tempted the people with want of water. He commandeth Manna to be gathered, as much as was ſufficient for every day, that he might tempt or prove the people, whether they would walke according to his Law or no. He is ſaid to tempt the people by falſe Prophets, Deut. 13.3.that he might know, whether they loved him with all their heart, and with all their ſoule. In the embaſſage of the Princes of Babel, God left Hezekiah to tempt or try him, 2 Chron. 32.31.and to know all that was in his heart. Wherefore this prayer which Chriſt taught us, Leade us not into temptation, but deliver us from euill, ſpeaketh not ſimply of triall and manifeſtation of our faith and godlineſſe; unto which alſo David offereth himſelfe of his owne accord, ſaying: Prove me, O Lord, and try me: examine my reines, and mine heart. Pſal. 139.23. James 1.13.And Saint James ſpeaketh not of our triall, but of our incitement to ſin. Let no man ſay when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evill, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawne away by his owne concupiſcence, and is enticed. Then when luſt hath conceived, it bringeth forth ſin: and ſin, when it is finiſhed, bringeth forth death.
It is alſo hereby manifeſt, how God puniſheth the wicked, or chaſtiſeth or tempteth the godly by evill ſpirits, neither yet is he the cauſe or partaker of thoſe ſinnes, which the Divels commit. For, that by the wicked the wicked are puniſhed, or the good chaſtiſed or exerciſed, it is the righteous and holy worke of Gods divine will: but that the wicked execute the judgement of God by ſinning, that commeth not ſo to paſſe by any fault of God himſelfe; but through the proper corruption of the wicked, and ſuch as themſelves have purchaſed, God neither willing, nor allowing, nor working, nor furthering their ſinne; but in his moſt juſt judgement only permitting it, when, executing and accompliſhing by them his owne worke and counſell, either he revealeth not at all his will to them, or moveth not their will, to have his revealed will as the end and levell of their action. This difference of the works of God, and the Devill, and even Gods working of his juſt worke by the Devill, but permitting only the ſin of the Devill, is evidently confirmed by the ſtory of Job: Job 1. & 2.Where God purpoſeth to try Job, but the Devill to deſtroy him. The ſame is likewiſe confirmed by the ſtory of Achab, 1 Kings 22. 2 Theſ. 2.and by that prophecy of the Apoſtle concerning Antichriſt, where the Divell ſeduceth men to deſtroy them, and God will have them to be ſeduced thereby to puniſh them, and ſuffereth the Devill by ſinning to execute and fulfill his will.
2. What is, to leade into temptation.
WHen God is ſaid to leade us into temptation, it is meant, that God, according to his moſt juſt will and judgement trieth us. Now, to leade us into temptation, wherewith the Divell tempteth us, is, that God permitteth the Divell to ſolicite us. Now we here in this petition pray againſt both (which alſo we briefly touched before) namely,What here we pray againſt. our triall, and allurement, or ſoliciting to ſinne. For we deſire, 1. That God will not tempt us to try us, but yet with a condition of his will and pleaſure; and if he do tempt us, yet that he will not tempt us above our ſtrength: and that alſo he will give us ſtrength. 2. We deſire that he will not ſuffer the Divell, or the world, or our owne fleſh to ſolicite us to ſin: or if he ſuffer them, that yet himſelfe will be preſent with us; that we fall not wholly into ſins. The meaning then is, Leade us not into temptation; that is, ſuffer us not to be tempted above our power, neither ſuffer the Devill ſo to tempt us, that either we ſin, or wholly revolt from thee. Ob. Temptations which are good in reſpect of God, are evill in reſpect of the Divell, and yet notwithſtanding into them doth God leade us: Therefore God is the cauſe of ſin. Anſ. This reaſon containeth a fallacy of the accident. They are ſins in reſpect of the Devill, becauſe he will thereby allure us to ſinnes: in reſpect of God they are not ſinnes, becauſe they are a triall, and a reclaiming of us from ſinnes; as alſo, becauſe they are a confirmation and ſtrengthening of our faith. Wherefore, as temptations are trials, chaſtiſements, martyrdomes, they are ſent of God: but as they are evill, and ſinnes, God will them not (to wit, as, To will them, is to approve and worke them;) but onelyonly permitteth them.
3. What is, To deliver us from evill?
BY the name of Evill ſome underſtand here the Divell, ſome ſinne, ſome death: but the beſt is to comprehend in it all evils both of crime and paine, whether they be preſent, or to come; yea, and the Divell himſelfe, the author, and Grandcomplotter,foreign. 1 John 2.14. Mat. 5.37. or Arch-contriver of all miſchiefes, who is called that wicked one, by a ſignificant propriety of ſpeech. I write unto you young men, becauſe yee have overcome the wicked. Whatſoever is more then theſe, commeth of Evill. Cyprian underſtandeth this petition of evils; that is, of all adverſities and afflictions, which the enemie attempteth againſt us, from which we can have no ſure guard, except God protect and deliver us. When as then we deſire that God will deliver us from evill, we deſire, 1. That he will ſend no evill on us, What here we pray for.but deliver us from all evils preſent and to come, both of crime and paine. 2. That if he ſend on us any evils, that he would mitigate them in this life, and turne them unto our ſalvation, that they may be good and profitable unto us. 3. That he will at length in the life to come fulfill and perfectly deliver us, and wipe away every teare from our eyes.
4 Why this petition is neceſſary.
THis petition is neceſſary, 1. In reſpect of the multitude and power of our enemies, and the greatneſſe of evils, and our owne weakeneſſe and infirmity. 2. In reſpect of the former petition, for the obtaining thereof: becauſe our ſinnes are not remitted, except we perſiſt in faith and repentance. If then we will that God remit and pardon us our ſinnes, we muſt ſtand ſtedfaſt in faith and repentance: but ſtedfaſt we ſhall not ſtand, if we be tempted above our ſtrength, if we fall into ſinnes, if laſtly we revolt from God himſelfe. Object. We are not to pray againſt ſuch things as are good, and profitable for us: The temptations of God, as trials, diſeaſes, poverty, ſending falſe Prophets, are good things and profitable unto us: We are not therefore to pray againſt the temptations of God. Anſ. The Minor containeth a fallacy of the accident. We are not to pray againſt ſuch things as are good and profitable; that is, which are by themſelves profitable or good. But afflictions, trials, croſſes, and other temptations are by themſelves evill and unprofitable, and not good. But yet they are good, and profit us only by an accident: which accident is the mercy of God accompanying them, without which they are not only not profitable, but alſo a part of death, and a moſt preſent way to death, both temporall and eternall. Wherefore as afflictions and croſſes are evill by themſelves, and deſtroy nature, ſo far forth we pray againſt them: but as they are good and profitable unto us that beleeve, ſo we pray not againſt them: or, we pray not againſt that good which concurreth with afflictions, and the croſſe: but againſt the croſſe it ſelfe, and afflictions, which are by themſelves evill, becauſe they deſtroy nature. So alſo we pray againſt death, as being evill by it ſelfe: and Chriſt himſelfe alſo prayed againſt it.Mat. 26.39. Let this cup paſſe from me: As then death was a deſtruction, a torment, and evill, ſo Chriſt prayed againſt it, and would it not: yea, neither would the Father himſelfe it, as it is ſo conſidered. But as Chriſts death on the Croſſe was a ranſome for the ſins of the elect, ſo both Chriſt, and the Father would the ſame. Nevertheleſſe, not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Object. 2. What things God will, thoſe things ought we not to refuſe. But God will our temptations. Therefore we may not refuſe them. Anſw. What things God will, thoſe we ought not to refuſe; that is, in ſuch reſpect, as he will that we ſuffer them, with a ſubmitting of our will unto his divine will; or ſuch things as he ſimply will. But God willeth not ſimply temptations neither, in this reſpect, as they are a deſtruction, but as they are exerciſes of faith and prayer, or martyrdomes, or a tryall of our conſtancy: and in this reſpect, and ſo far, we ought alſo to wiſh them, but not ſimply. And that we are not ſimply to will or wiſh temptations or afflictions, it hereby eaſily appeareth, becauſe it is patience to ſuffer them: which it ſhould not be, but rather our duty, if we ought ſimply to wiſh them, neither might we pray againſt them. God will not therefore that we wiſh for evils as evils: but as evils are good, ſo will he have us to beare them patiently.
Object. 3. What thou ſhalt not obtaine, that thou deſireſt in vaine: But we ſhall not obtaine, never to fall into temptation: Wherefore in vaine do we deſire it. 2 Tim. 3.12.For all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer perſecution. Anſ. This is a fallacy, putting that for a cauſe which is no cauſe. For therefore deſire we that we be not led into temptation, not becauſe we are wholly to be delivered; but, 1. Becauſe we are delivered from many things, in which we ſhould periſh, if we ſhould not requeſt deliverance. This is a cauſe ſufficient. 2. That thoſe evils alſo into which we fall, may be good and profitable unto us. And to thoſe which deſire in generall deliverance, will God grant theſe two ſo great bleſſings. But yet notwithſtanding, by reaſon of the remaines of ſin in us, he will have this benefit to be imperfect: which nevertheleſſe we are to aske wholly, with ſubmitting of our will unto the will of God, and with full perſwaſion, that in the life to come we ſhall wholly attaine unto it.
The uſe of this petition is,The uſes of this petition., Confeſsion of our infirmity. Mat. 25.41.A confeſsion of our infirmity in ſuſtaining or bearing the very leaſt temptations, that no man inſolently and proudly lift up himſelf, as Peter did, when he profeſſed that he would die with Chriſt: nor account the glory of his confeſſion and ſufferings for his own, ſeeing the Lord himſelfe teacheth us humility, ſaying: Watch and pray, that yee enter not into temptation. 1 Cor. 10.12.He that thinketh he ſtandeth, let him take heed leſt he fall. A declaration of the miſeries of this life.A declaration of the miſeries of this life, leſt we ſhould wexe ſecure, and love and cleave to the world. A confeſsion of Gods providence.A confeſſion of Gods providence, whereby (as Cyprian teſtifieth) is ſhewed, that the Divell can effect nothing againſt us, except God firſt permit him: that ſo our whole feare and reverence might bend to God-wards, ſeeing in our temptations that wicked one can doe nothing, except power be given him of God. Now the Divell hath power over us, according as our ſinnes reigne in us: as it is ſaid; Who gave Jacob for a ſpoile, Eſay 42.24.and Iſrael to the robbers? did not the Lord, becauſe we have ſinned againſt him? For they would not walke in his wayes, neither be obedient unto his Law. And this power indeed is given him to a double end: either to our puniſhment when we offend; or to our glory when we are tried, &c. Thus far Cyprian.
The order and coherence of the petitions.Now we are to obſerve the order and coherence of theſe petitions. 1. The Lord commandeth us to deſire the true knowledge of God and his promiſe, which is the cauſe of all other his bleſſings. 2. He willeth us to deſire, that God would governe us by his Spirit, and ſo continually preſerve and confirme us in this knowledge. 3. That every of us may doe and fulfill thereby his duty in his vocation and calling. 4. That he would give us thoſe things whereby every one may doe his duty, namely, corporall bleſſings. The fourth petition then agreeth with the former: becauſe if we muſt at all be in our own vocation and calling, we muſt live and have things neceſſary for the maintenance of our life. 5. He adjoyneth next after the petition of ſpirituall and corporall bleſſings, a very fit objection of our unworthineſſe: That thou mayeſt give us ſpirituall and corporall bleſſings, forgive us our debts. Wherefore the fifth petition is the ground and foundation of the reſt, which being overthrowne, the reſt fall to ground. For if thou reſolve not, that thou haſt God gracious and favourable unto thee, how ſhalt thou have him to be mercifull? How ſhalt thou continue in that knowledge which thou haſt not? How ſhalt thou doe thy duty, and the will of God, ſeeing thou art his enemy, and endeavoureſt the contrary? How ſhalt thou aſcribe all things to God? How ſhall they turne to thy ſalvation? 6. After the petition of ſpirituall and corporall bleſsings, there followeth laſtly, the petition of our deliverance from evils both preſent and to come. And from this laſt petition, we returne againe to the firſt: Deliver us from all evils both of crime and paine, both preſent and to come, that we may know thee to be our perfect Saviour, and ſo thy name may be hallowed and ſanctified of us.