Milk for Babes, Questions · Question 44 – Question 45
44. Q. What is the ſixt Petition?
A. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill.
Here thou prayeſt to remove the laſt impediment which hinders the hallowing of Gods name, that is, ſinnes to come, What is prayed for in the ſixt petition.and the iſſues of them. Thou art born to honour God, and thou prayeſt that thou maiſt anſwer Gods end. This thou canſt not do, as thou oughteſt, without grace in Gods Kingdome, exerciſe of grace, in the doing of Gods will, and the ordinary ſupplies and additions of this life's neceſſaries: and therefore thou craveſt them. But becauſe thou canſt not have theſe without a pardon of the guilt of ſinne, and a power againſt the filth of ſinne: therefore as thou diddeſt crave that in the former; ſo thou craveſt this in this latter petition. None owe more to God, then they whoſe ſinnes are pardoned: Joh. 5.14.therefore he that ſaith, thy ſins are forgiven thee, ſaith alſo, ſinne no more. None are more in danger then they whoſe ſinnes are forgiven: for when the unclean ſpirit is gone out he is never quiet till he return with ſeven Devils worſe then himſelf. Matth. 12.Hence Chriſt teacheth thee after forgive us our ſinnes, to pray, not to lead us into temptation.
Thou firſt, prayeſt againſt temptation, not that of tryall: for God will make proof of thy wiſedome, faith, hope, and charity, Gen. 22.1.as he tempted Abraham: but that of ſeducement, by which thou art ſeduced from the way of God, 1 Theſ. 3. 2 Pet. 1.and perſwaded to the way of ſinne. This the Devill, and the corruption that is in the world through luſt, ſets on upon thee, by the force of adverſitie, or by the fraud of proſperity to gain thee to their party. Thou would'ſt not bee led into theſe temptations, that is, thou doeſt not deſire to be found trading that way, and ſo, juſtly to be given over to the power of thy enemies, and to be deſerted by God. Rom. 1.24.26.28. Pſal. 77.7, 8, 9.Tempted thou muſt be ſo long as thou art militant; but thou would'ſt not, for a world, that God ſhould lead thee into them, by leaving thee to thy ſelf, Pſal. 119.8. 1 King. 22. 1 Chr. 21.1.and letting Satan juſtly looſe upon thee, and leaving thee under his power. Secondly, thou prayeſt for deliverance from evill. By Evill, thou muſt underſtand that evill one, the evill of ſinne, and that evill thou deſerveſt for being drawn. That evill one is Satan, Joh. 17.15. 1 Joh. 2.13. & 5.8.who is full of power, malice, methods, depths, and aſſiſtants to negotiate for him. The evill of ſinne, he draws thee unto, is continuance in ſinne as a thing loved, and liked, and preſuming to lay hold of the promiſes without faith, and of ſafety without holineſſe. The evill thou deſerveſt for being drawn, is an evill conſcience, and the full ſhowre of miſeries whereto thou maiſt bee ſubject in this life, and in the life to come. By Deliverance, thou muſt underſtand, prevention of evils, that they ſet not upon thee as Philiſtims upon Sampſon: ſupply in evils, that they oppreſſe thee not no more then Daniel in the Lions Den: and full deliverance from evils that they deſtroy thee not, no more then they did Joſeph, when the irons entred into his ſoul.
Vſe. Therefore (my childe) labour to make good uſe of this Petition. Thou wouldſt take on grievouſly if God ſhould ſay unto thee, I will not forgive thy ſinnes. It is as ſure as if God had ſpoken it, that he will not do it if thou wouldſt have onelyonly pardon for ſinne, and not power againſt it. They that truely deſire a pardon do zealouſly deſire preſervation. Wilt thou ask pardon to day, and wilfully trade in ſinne to morrow? Shall thy preſent prayer be but a preparation to thy future ſinning? God forbid. Conſider, that thou haſt gotten nothing by ſinne but blowes. That Satan aymes at thy ſoul in drawing thee to ſinne. That glorious Saints have now, and then, been caught in the ſnares of ſinne. That many evils attend thee, if thou ſinne, both of further ſinne, and miſery. Therefore pray, and pray, for prevention of ſinne, that thou maiſt have power againſt ſin: that thou maiſt not be left to temptations: that thou maiſt not love them, or have thy heart hardened by them. And for deliverance from evill, pray, that Satan do not captivate thee: that thou mayeſt not love, and like, and continue in ſinne: that the ill of a wicked conſcience be removed; and thou be everlaſtingly preſerved from hell, and condemnation. Tell me now once more,
45. Q. What is the concluſion of this Prayer?
A. For thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, for ever, Amen.
Here is an allegation of reaſons, The ſumme of the concluſion of prayer.why thou prayeſt and truſteſt to be heard: and a confident expectation of an anſwer from God. The reaſons why thou truſteſt to be heard are five. Firſt, becauſe thine is Kingdome. Whether ſhould ſubjects go, but to them that have Kingdome, to free them from diſtreſſes? Secondly, becauſe thine is power. Whether ſhould weaklings go but to power? Power will help weakneſſe. Thirdly, becauſe thine is Glory. If thou help me, thou wilt glorifie thy ſelf. If thou help me, I ſhall glorifie thee. Fourthly, becauſe thine is The Kingdom, Pſal. 47. Pſal. 72.The power, and The glory over all. For generality, God is King over all the earth, and for ſuperiority, all Kings ſhall fall down before him. Why ſhouldeſt thou not truſt to be heard by ſuch a God? Fifthly, becauſe all theſe are thine for ever: for God onelyonly hath immortality: therefore why ſhouldſt thou not depend upon him that lives for ever, and can help for ever? Theſe are thy reaſons.
The confident expectation of Gods anſwer is in this word, Amen: By this thou ſealeſt thy conſent, and doeſt ſignifie thy deſire, and confidence. And thou muſt do it. For it is but a toy for one man to ſay the prayer onelyonly, and another man to ſay Amen. Amen is part of thy devotion, and all, both Miniſters and people, or all others, that pray muſt ſay, Amen.
Uſe. Therefore (my childe) once more hear this word of exhortation. Uſe all theſe reaſons, and this Amen ſo, as thou maiſt pray with ſucceſſe, and confidence. O my God, am not I in thy Kingdom? Art not thou the God of power? Will it not end in thy glory, which was alſo the end why thou madeſt me? And do'ſt not thou only live for ever, everlaſtingly to help me? I cannot but depend upon thee, and confidently ſay Amen,
So be it.