desire that God would give them repentance, that thereby his name may be
glorified, and his interest promoted, whatever becomes of our name and
usefulness in the world.—When we are enabled to exercise such a frame of
spirit as this in forgiving those that have injured us, we have ground
to hope, that when we pray for forgiveness, the great God, who is the
author of all that grace which we exercise in forgiving others, will
grant us this invaluable privilege.
Having explained this petition, we shall now consider it as a directory,
that so we may put up our requests to God, agreeable thereunto:
Accordingly we are to cast ourselves before his footstool, with humble
confession of sin, and imploring forgiveness from him, to this purpose:
“We adore thee, O Lord, as a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts, and hast revealed thy wrath
from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men: We
acknowledge that we are, by our transgressions, become debtors to thy
justice; our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespasses
grown up unto the heavens; and thereby we have deserved to be banished
out of thy sight, and cast into the prison of hell, without hope of
being released from thence. We are not able to stand in judgment, and
therefore we dread the thoughts of appearing before thine awful
tribunal, as an absolute God. If thou shouldest contend with us, we
cannot answer for the least sin that we have committed; and it would be
an injury to thy justice, and an increasing of our guilt, to expect or
desire, that thou shouldest pardon our sins without receiving
satisfaction for them, which we are sensible that we are not, nor ever
shall be able to give thee. But we bless thy name, that thou hast sent
thy well-beloved Son into the world, who gave his life a ransom for thy
people; by which means thy justice is satisfied, thy law fulfilled, and
all thy perfections infinitely glorified: He hath finished
transgression, made an end of sin, made reconciliation for iniquity, and
brought in everlasting righteousness; which is to and upon all them that
believe. Thou hast therefore given us leave, and encouraged us to come
to thee by faith, to plead with thee for redemption and forgiveness
through his blood, according to the riches of thy grace. In him thou art
a God, pardoning the iniquity, and passing by the transgressions of the
remnant of thine heritage: Therefore we pray for this invaluable
privilege as those who humbly hope and trust that we have those graces
wrought in us, which are an evidence of our having Christ’s
righteousness imputed to us, for which we bless thee; and, in
particular, that thou hast enabled us to forgive all the injuries that
are done us by our fellow creatures; which are very small and
inconsiderable, if compared with those affronts which we daily offer to
thy Majesty. We beseech thee, grant that this, and all other graces, may
more and more abound in us, that thereby our evidences of an interest in
Christ’s righteousness may be more strong and clear; that though we
daily contract guilt by our transgressions, we may be enabled to
conclude for our comfort, that there is no condemnation to us, and that
iniquity shall not be our ruin.”
Footnote 121:
_See vol. II. 289-290 and vol. III. 72._
Footnote 122:
_See Quest. CLII._
Quest. CXCV.
QUEST. CXCV. _What do we pray for in the sixth petition?_
ANSW. In the sixth petition, [which is, _And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil_,] acknowledging that the most
wise, righteous, and gracious God, for divers holy and just ends,
may so order things, that we may be assaulted, foiled, and for a
time, led captive by temptations, that Satan, the world, and the
flesh, are ready, powerfully to draw us aside and ensnare us; and
that we, even after the pardon of our sins, by reason of our
corruption, weakness, and want of watchfulness, are not only subject
to be tempted, and forward to expose ourselves unto temptations; but
also, of ourselves, unable and unwilling to resist them, to recover
out of them, and to improve them, and worthy to be left under the
power of them; we pray, that God would so overrule the world, and
all in it; subdue the flesh, and restrain Satan; order all things,
bestow and bless all means of grace, and quicken us to watchfulness
in the use of them, that we, and all his people may, by his
providence, be kept from being tempted to sin; or, if tempted, that,
by his Spirit, we may be powerfully supported and enabled to stand
in the hour of temptation, or, when fallen, raised again and
recovered out of it, and have a sanctified use and improvement
thereof; that our sanctification and salvation may be perfected,
Satan trodden under our feet, and we fully freed from sin,
temptation, and all evil for ever.
Our Saviour having, in the foregoing petition, exhorted us to pray for
forgiveness of sins, whereby the guilt of past crimes may be removed; in
this he advises us to pray against temptation, lest being overcome
thereby, we should contract fresh guilt, and walk unbecoming those who
hope for, or have obtained forgiveness from God. In order to our
understanding of which it will be necessary for us to premise something
tending to explain the meaning of the word _Temptation_. Accordingly it
may be taken in a good sense: Thus God himself is sometimes said to
_tempt_, or rather, which is all one, to _try_ his people. This he does
by the various dispensations of his providence, whether prosperous or
adverse. And sometimes by his commands, when he puts us upon the
performance of difficult duties, that he might prove us, whether his
fear is before us: In this respect he is said to have tempted Abraham,
proved his faith, and discovered his readiness to obey his command in
offering Isaac; and, after he had tried his faith, he commends him, when
he says, _Now I know that thou lovest God_, Gen. xxii. 1, 12. And
sometimes he is said to tempt, or _allure_, to what is good, Hos. ii.
14. to invite his people to do those things which redound to his glory
and their real interest; and in this sense we may and ought to tempt
others, to persuade, and, as much as in us lies, engage their affections
to the performance of what is good: Thus the apostle advises us to
_consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works_, Heb. x.
24.
We are not to understand the word _temptation_ in these senses in this
petition; but it is to be taken for our being tempted to sin, in which
respect God never tempts any one: Thus the apostle says, _Let no man
say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted
with evil; neither tempteth he any man_, James i. 13. neither ought we
to tempt one another thereunto. This being premised, we come more
immediately to explain this petition: In which we shall consider some
things which are supposed; and also the subject-matter thereof.
I. There are several things supposed, when we are taught to pray, _Lead
us not into temptation_. As,
1. That man, in this imperfect state, is very much exposed to
temptations. The world is always ready to present its alluring objects,
which are suited to the corruption of our nature, and therefore too
easily complied with: And this is farther promoted by Satan’s
suggestions, who is daily endeavouring to entangle us in the snare that
is laid for us.
2. As we are daily tempted to sin, so we are in great danger of being
overcome thereby; which arises not only from the methods used to draw us
aside from God, and the many secret snares laid for us, that are not
easily discerned, but principally from the treachery of our own hearts,
which are deceitful above all things, and very apt to incline us to
commit those sins which bring a great deal of guilt with them. It also
proceeds sometimes from a want of watchfulness; whereby the enemy comes
upon us undiscovered, and we are overcome before we are aware of it; the
temptation offers itself, and we are unable, but willing, to resist it.
And, if fallen by it, this tends still more to weaken us, so that we
cannot recover ourselves from the pit into which we are plunged; we also
find it very difficult, if God is pleased, at any time, to suffer us to
fall by temptations, to improve them aright to his glory and our own
good.
3. It is farther supposed, that God may suffer his people, though their
sins are pardoned, and their souls sanctified, to be tempted, and
sometimes even foiled and led captive for a time; which may give us
occasion to consider,
(1.) In what sense he may be said to tempt, or lead his people into
temptation. This he does, though without being the author of sin,[123]
[1.] Objectively; when his providential dispensations, which, in
themselves, are holy, just, and good, offer occasions of sin; which,
nevertheless, would not ensue hereupon, did not our corrupt nature lay
hold on them as such, and abuse them: Thus all God’s works of providence
or grace, may prove temptations to men; as the Psalmist, speaking of the
_prosperity of the wicked_, intimates, that it raised his envy, Psal.
lxxiii. 3. and elsewhere he considers the blessings of common providence
as proving a temptation, to carnal security and indifferency in
religion, to some of whom it is said, _Because they have no changes,
therefore they fear not God_, Psal. lv. 19. and, on the other hand,
afflictive providence sometimes prove temptations to us to murmur and
entertain hard thoughts of God.—Moreover, his threatenings are
oftentimes abused, and some thereby tempted to think him severe and
unmerciful; others complain of his commandments as grievous, because he
does not give them those indulgencies to sin which their corrupt natures
desire. In these respects God may be said to lead into temptation;
nevertheless, we are not to pray, that he would alter the methods of his
providence, or make abatements as to the duties which he commands us to
perform; but rather, that he would not suffer us to make a wrong use of
them.
[2.] God leads into temptation permissively, when he does not restrain
the tempter, which he is not obliged to do, but suffers us to be
assaulted by him, and, at the same time, denies the aids and assistance
of his grace, to prevent our compliance therewith; so that when we pray
that he would _not lead us into temptation_, we desire that he would
prevent the assault, or fortify us against it, that, through the
weakness of our grace, or the prevalency of corruption, we may not
comply with the temptation.
(2.) We shall now consider the reason why God thus leads his people into
temptation, or suffers them to be tempted: or what are those holy, wise,
just, and gracious ends, which he designs thereby; and,
[1.] It cannot be expected that it should be otherwise, when we chuse to
go in the way of temptation, or indulge those corruptions, whereby we
are inclined to yield to it: In this case, God’s judicial hand appears,
as he punishes for one sin, by suffering us to be tempted to another.
[2.] God hereby gives us occasion to see our own weakness, and the
deceitfulness of our hearts, and the need we have of his grace, to
prevent our falling by temptation: Thus it is said, that God _left
Hezekiah_, 2 Chron. xxxii. 31. compared with 2 Kings xx. 15. when he
sinned in shewing the ambassadors of the king of Babylon the treasures
that he had in his house, in which this good king discovered too much
pride; whereas it had been better had he shewn them the bed he lay on,
when he was nigh unto death, and taken occasion from thence, to give God
the glory of his miraculous recovery which was the reason of their being
sent to compliment him upon it: In this respect _God left him to try
him, that he might know all that was in his heart_.
[3.] God does this, that, when we experience the superior force of our
spiritual enemies, we may, by faith and prayer, have recourse to his
almighty power and grace. Thus when the apostle Paul was in danger of
being _exalted above measure_, through Satan’s temptations, he says,
_For this I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me_, 2
Cor. xii. 8.
[4.] He suffers this, that we may herein have an instance of the
imperfections of this present state, and be induced to press after, and
long for, that state of perfect freedom, not only from sin, but
temptation, which is reserved for us in heaven.
[5.] We are led into temptation, that hereby we may see the necessity of
making use of the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand our
ground. As the soldier will not put on his armour but when he is going
to engage the enemy; so God has ordained that our life should be a
perpetual warfare, and that we should be continually exposed to the
assaults of our spiritual enemies, that we may always be prepared for
them, having _the girdle of truth, the breast-plate of righteousness,
the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God_, Eph. vi. 14-17. He also suffers this,
that we may, in the end, know what it is to conquer, and have the
pleasure and satisfaction arising from hence, and that he may have the
glory of this victory.
[6.] God suffers this, that he may cure our sloth, and excite us to
greater watchfulness, as those who are never wholly out of danger: Thus
the apostle says, _Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the
Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour_, 1
Pet. v. 8. and our Saviour advises his disciples, to _watch and pray,
that they enter not into temptation_, Matt. xxvi. 41.
[7.] God suffers us to be tempted, that we may know the depths of Satan,
which we should otherwise be unapprized of; and that thereby we may be
more prepared to make resistance, and, when we are enabled to overcome,
may be better furnished to direct others, who are liable to like
temptations, how they should behave themselves under them, and to
encourage them to hope that they should be delivered, as we have been.
4. It is farther observed, that though God suffers his people to be
tempted, and even foiled, and led captive, yet this is only for a time.
In this the temptations of believers differ from those of the
unregenerate, who are _taken captive by Satan at his will_, 2 Tim. ii.
26. Whereas it is said concerning the believer, that it is only _for a
season_; and that, _if need be, he is in heaviness through manifold
temptations_, 1 Tim. i. 6. This leads us to consider,
II. The subject-matter of the petition, when we pray that God would _not
lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil_. The only difficulty
in laying down the method in which this is to be insisted on, arises
from the indeterminateness of the word _evil_; of which, there are
various senses given by them, that explain the Lord’s prayer.
Some understand by it, the evil one, or the Devil; and then one part of
this petition may be considered as exegetical of the other: So that, not
to be led into temptation, is the same as, to be delivered from the
assaults of Satan, the evil one, that we may not be brought under his
power, or become vassals to him, as complying with his temptations.
Others understand the word in a more large sense, as an intimation of
our desire to be delivered from evil of all kinds, and that either from
the evil of sin, or the evil of afflictions, which are the consequence
of sin. If we take it for a deliverance from the evil of sin; this
respects the guilt thereof, and the punishment that is due to it; and
then it differs little or nothing from the subject-matter of the
foregoing petition, when we pray, that God would _forgive us our sins_;
or if, on the other hand, we take it for deliverance from the evil of
sin, as it includes in it a branch of sanctification, that is, from the
dominion and slavery of sin, then it is well connected with the former
petition; for when we pray for pardon of sin, we ought also to pray for
deliverance from the reigning power thereof. And it is very well
connected with our praying against temptation; for it is, in effect, to
desire either that we may not be assaulted by the tempter, or that we
may not be drawn aside to sin against God thereby.
As for the evil of affliction, I cannot think that this is intended by
this expression, because the opposition between it and our deliverance
from temptation, would not appear to be so just as we must suppose it
is, unless we take temptation itself to be an affliction; and then it is
the same as though we should say, deliver us from temptation, that we
may not be afflicted therewith; which we must be supposed to be, by
reason of the danger we are in of falling thereby.
By passing by these critical remarks on the sense of the words, _Deliver
us from evil_, we shall consider the subject-matter of this petition,
under two general heads, _viz._
_First_, We shall enquire what are the temptations which we are exposed
to.
_Secondly_, How we are to pray that we may not be led into them; or, if
we are, how we may be delivered from the evil consequences that will
arise from our compliance with them, which is principally implied in
those words, _Deliver us from evil_.
_First_, What are those temptations which we are exposed to: These are
of various kinds, all which take their rise either from the world, the
flesh, or the Devil. Their manner of acting, indeed, is different; yet
they are very often united in their assaults, from whence we are in
perpetual danger of being overcome, if God, by his grace, is not pleased
to interpose.—And,
1. We shall consider the temptations that we meet with from the world.
These are either such as arise from the solicitations of those whom we
converse with therein, who, under a pretence of friendship, persuade us
to sin: Thus we read of some who _entice others to lay wait for blood_,
and desire those whom they would ensnare into this crime, to _cast in
their lot among them_, Prov. i. 10-14. but we are advised, not to
consent to, or be confederate with them: Or else they arise from those
things in the world which present themselves to us, and are temptations
to sin, in an objective way, being not so much the cause as the occasion
thereof; and, in many instances, the use thereof is lawful, while the
abuse alone proves hurtful to us: This is what we shall principally
confine ourselves to at present, and shew how the good and evil things
of the world, or the various conditions in which we are, whether
prosperous or adverse, prove temptations to us.
(1.) The good things of the world, or the various conditions in which we
are, whether prosperous or adverse, prove temptations to us.
(2.) The good things of the world are sometimes a snare to us, or an
occasion of sin, _viz._ the riches, honours and pleasures thereof: Thus
our Saviour speaks, Matt. xiii. 22. of the _care of this world_, that
is, either to gain or increase of it; and the apostle speaks of some who
had _forsaken the right way, following the way of Balaam, who loved the
wages of unrighteousness_, 2 Pet. ii. 15. or acted contrary to his
conscience for gain; and Felix perverted justice to obtain a bribe,
concerning whom it is said, _He hoped that money should have been given
him of Paul, that he might loose him_, Acts xxiv. 16. And we read of
others that _will be rich_, that is, who immoderately pursue the gain of
the world, that hereby _fall into temptation, and a snare, and many
hurtful lusts_, 1 Tim. vi. 9. And the honours of the world are a
temptation to others; Thus our Saviour says, _How can ye believe, which
receive honour one of another_, John v. 44. And others are ensnared by
the pleasures of the world, who are stiled _lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God_, 2 Tim. iii. 4.
And, indeed, we often find, that the necessary duties or enjoyments of
life, such as eating, drinking, and recreation; and the various
relations we stand in to others prove a temptation to us. Many things
are so, as they are used unseasonably, immoderately, and without a due
regard to the glory of God, which ought to be our highest end in all
worldly enjoyments; and, indeed, whatever has a tendency to draw forth
our corruption, may be said to be a temptation to us: Sometimes the
prosperous condition of others has this effect upon us: Thus Cain,
beholding Abel to have a more visible token of the divine regard to his
person and offering than he had, hated and _slew him_, Gen. iv. 5, 9.
And Joseph’s being a favourite in his father’s house, and honoured by
God, in having divine dreams, gave occasion to his brethren to envy him;
who first designed to slay him, and afterwards, out of malice, sold him
into Egypt. And when Joshua saw Eldad and Medad prophesying, supposing
that this belonged only to Moses; and that it was a lessening of his
honour, for them to pretend to this privilege, he desires that they
might be _forbid_; but this was plainly a temptation; for Moses gives
him a check, intimating that he did not well in _envying_ them _for his
sake_, Numb. xi. 29.
Moreover, we often find, that our own condition in the world, when we
enjoy the outward blessings of providence, proves a temptation: Some are
like the vessel that is in danger of being overset by having too much
sail, and no ballast to keep it steady: In like manner, the abundance of
this world, without the grace of God, to sanctify and set bounds to our
affections, will oftentimes prove a snare to us. Some are hereby tempted
to covetousness, than which, nothing is more preposterous; yet nothing
more common. This seems to be supposed in the Psalmist’s advice; _If
riches increase, set not your heart upon them_, Psal. lxii. 10. and it
is an intimation, that our desires often increase with our substance, so
that the more we have, the more we want, and are less disposed to
contribute to the necessities of others: We have an instance of this in
Nabal, whose answer to the obliging message, sent by David to him, _Say
ye to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be
to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. Give, I pray thee,
whatsoever cometh to thine hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son
David_, 1 Sam. xxv. 6, 8, 11. argued him to be of a churlish
disposition, and that his prosperous circumstances in the world were a
temptation to his corruptions, having no sense of gratitude for those
favours that he had received from him and his men, while they resided in
the wilderness, and were conversant with those that kept his flocks
there. It would have been a more plausible excuse, had he alleged the
danger that might accrue to him thereby: or, that it was possible that
Saul might hear of it, and deal with him as he had done with Abimelech,
and the other priests, at Nob, for that small respect that he had shewed
him: But this be takes no notice of, but treats him morosely, when he
says _Shall I take my bread and my water, and my flesh, that I have
killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence
they be_. This manifested him to be a _man of Belial_, as Abigail
confesses, when she says, _Nabal is his name, and folly is with him_,
ver. 25.