the power of the flesh the deuill and the world Some take euil in this place only for the deuil but wee may take it more largely for all spirituall enemies 1. Iohn 5. 19. The vvhole world lyeth in euill vz. Vnder the power of sinne and Satan These words as I haue said are a proofe and explanation of the former for when a man is deliuered from euill he is not led into temptation the cause being taken away the effect ceaseth 3. The vses 1. HEnce wee learne what a righteous God Iehoua is that can work an euill action yet be void of sinne 2. Whereas we say Lead vs not c. We note that the deuil in teÌ„ptations can go noe further then God permits him 3. Wee are not to pray that temptations be quite taken from vs or that we be whollie freed froÌ„ them but that they doe not ouercome vs. For it is the Lordes wil that his Church should be tempted Nay Dauid desired some kind of temptations Psal. 26. 1. Prooue me O Lord. And Iames saith account it for exceeding ioy when ye shall fal into diuers temptations Iam. 1. 2. 4. Note also that euery man by nature is the boÌ„dslaue of sin Satan For where is deliueraÌ„ce there was a bondage first This confutes the Papists who maintain fre-wil for we ar dead in him by nature as a man in a graue and we must still pray thus til we be fully deliuered 4. Wants to be bâ—wailed THE corruption which in this petition we ought to mourn for is the continuall rebellion of our wicked natures our pronenes to yeeld vp our selues in euery temptation to sin and Satan And the remnants of the old bondage vnder Satan must be grieuous and irkesome vnto vs and we must bewaile it very bitterly The Iewes in a bodily captiuitie wept vvhen they remembred Sion Psal. 127. Howe much more should we weep when we feele the lawe of our members rebelling against the lawe of our minds leading vs captiue to sin 5. Graces to be desired THE contrary blessing to bee desired is that God woulde stablish vs by his free spirit Ps. 51. 12 which is so called because it settes vs euery day more more at liber tie out of the reach of sin Satan For thine is the kingdome the power and glory for euer 1. Meaning THese words containe a reason of all the former petitions whereby we are mooued to craue thinges needfull at Gods hand Thine is Earthly kinges haue kingdome power and glorie Dan. 2. 37 Yet not from themselues but froÌ„ God whose vice-gerents they are on earth Therfore to make a difference betwene Gods kingdome power and glory those of earthly kings it is said thine is the kingdome c. that is God hath all these in himself and from himself and they from him The kingdome These wordes 1. Chron. 29. 11. at fully expounded Thine O Lord is greatnesse power and victorie and praise for al that is in heauen earth is thine thine is the kingdome thou excellest as head ouer al c. The kingdome is said to bee Gods because hee is absolute possessor and owner of al things that are and also hath soueraigne rule ouer all things at his will Nowe out of this first propertie of God we may gather a strong motiue to induce vs to pray vnto him alone For seeing all thinges are his both in heauen and earth whatsoeuer therefore wee must come to him for the graces and blessings which wee desire The power Oftentimes earthly princes haue kingdomes yet want power but God hath kingdom power also yea his power is infinite and he can do al that he wil more then hee will as for those things which come of impotencie he cannot do theÌ„ for if he câ—ld he should not be omnipotent And as he is omnipotent in himselfe so all the power which any creture hath is from him alone Question Howe can this be seeing the deuill hath power to sinne which is not from God Ansâ—er To sinne is no power but rather a want of power otherwise all the strength and power that Satan hath is of God And from this second property is taken another motiue to moue vs to pray vnto God Because all power being his wee can neuer do any of the thinges which we aske but by power receiued from him Thine is the glory This thirde propertie of God ariseth from the two former for seeing the title interest in all things and the power whereby they are disposed and gouerned is of God therefore it followes that all glory is his yea in him is fulnes of glory and the glory of the creature is all of him To sinfull men belonges nothing but shame and confusion Dan. 9. verse 7. This third propertie ministreth a thirde motiue to induce men to pray vnto God alone For seeing all glory by right is his therefore wee must invocate his holy name that in so doing we may giue him the glory due vnto him For euer The words in the originall are for ages Nowe an age signifies the space of an hundred years but here it is taken for eternitie because eternitie is nothing but the multiplication of ages And as eternitie is heere noted by ages so on the contrary we reade that eternitie is takeÌ„ for a certaine and distinct time Gen. 17. 8. God promiseth Abraham to giue him the lande of Canaan for an euerlasting possession that is for a long season For els Abrahams seede shuld inherite the lande vntill this time which it doth not Wherfore as often the whol is put for the part vz. eternitie for a certaine time so here the part is put for the whole an age for eternitie This also maketh a difference betweene earthly Princes and the mightie Iehouah They haue kingdome power and glory for a short time but hee absolutely and for euer 2. The vses 1. HEre wee learne in praier to abase our selues before God and vtterly to deny all that is in vs. Kingdome power glory is all his not ours wee are no better then rebels and traitors to him if we haue any good thing it is froÌ„ him euen the grace whereby we pray And hee that in praier will not confesse this shal no more be heard then the insolent begger that wil not acknowledg his want 2. Secondly againe in praier we learne that we must be perswaded of two things and build vpon them Gods power and will his power in that he is able his wil in that he is careful to performe our requests as it was noted in the preface the first of these is set out in his kingdome and power The second is noted in that glory is his 2. Cor. 1. 20. For al the promises of God in him ar yea Amen vnto the glory of God 3. And hence wee gather that praier and thanks-giuing must go together for as in the six petitions wee made request to GOD so in these wordes
theÌ„ Manie there are which pray for pardon at Gods hande but they cannot brooke it that they should forgiue their neighbours Herevpon come these sayinges I may forgiue him but I will not forget him He may come in my Pater-noster but hee shall not come in my Creed Behold the deuils logicke which makes malice to bee charitie Blinde people play with the Lords prayer as the flie doeth with the candle till she bee burnt for the more they pray these words the more they call for vengeance against theÌ„selues Iam. 2. 13 Lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euil 1 The Coherence IT might seem to some that this petition is superfluous for what need he care for temptations that hath the pardon of his sinnes But our sauiour did not teach vs thus to pray without speciall reason 1. Because forgiuenesse of sinnes and wonderfull temptations bee inseperable companions in this life which thing wee finde to be true both in Gods word and in Christian experience there is no man in this world so beaten and buffeted with temptations as the penitent sinner that cries most bitterlie for the pardon of his sins This is the estate that fewe men in the worlde are acquainted with for they ar neuer troubled with temptation but liue in all peace quietnes both in bodie and soule Luke 11. 21. When the strong man armed keepes his hold the thinges that he possesseth are in peace Euen so the wicked of the world being possessed of Satan are not a whit molested by him with any temptatioÌ„s Neither need he seeing hee hath them at commandement to doe what he wil. But when a man once begins to make conscience of sin and to sue vnto the Lord for pardon of his offences and still continues in dislike of sinne and Sathan then the enemie bestirs him and vseth all means to bring that man to famine he offereth all maner of temptations to molest him and neuer affoord this poore sinner anie rest Hereupon hee for feare of being ouercome continuallie must pray vnto the Lord that he may not be led into temptatioÌ„ Here some christian conscience may reason thus No man is so troubled with sin and Satan as I Therefore I am not in Gods fauour but am a plaine cast-away Ans. If pardon of sinne and temptations goe together al is contrarie If thou hadst no griefe for sin no buffeting of thine enemies the flesh the world and the deuil thou couldst not be in Gods fauor but vnder the power of SataÌ„ now this great mesure of the spiritual temptations is a signe rather of Gods loue For whoÌ„ God loues the deuil hates and where God workes in loue the deuill workes in malice 2. Meaning THese wordes be but all one petitioÌ„ which hath two parts the latter being a declaration of the former Lead vs not into temptation how is that done by deliuering vs from euill Temptation Temptation is nothing els but the entisement of the soul or heart either by the corruption of mans nature or the allurements of the world or the deuill to any sinne Iam. 1. 13. God temptes no man That is God moues no man to sinne Lead vs not Or carrie vs not into temptation to be led is to be ouercome of the temptation wheÌ„ it preuailes and gets the victorie Then the meaning is this When wee are mooued or entised to sin Lord keepe vs that wee be not ouercome and giue thou an issue with the temptation Question God is iust and cannot sinne but if he lead men into temtation shall he not be the authour of sinne Answer Indeed many fearing to charge God with sin read the wordes thus suffer vs not to be led but the text is very piaine leade or carrie vs not And the scriptures elsewhere vse the like phrases of God Exod. 7. 3. God is said to harden Pharaos heart 2. Sam. 24. 1. The Lorde mooued Dauid to number the people 2. Thes. 2. 11. God sent strong delusions that men might beleeue lies These and such like places haue a woorthie meaning thus to be gathered There is no action of man or of the deuil absolutely euil but although in some respects it be euill yet in some other it is good for we are not thus to think that as there is a maine good so also there is a maine euill Thus then temptation being an action it is not in euery respect euill but in some good in some euill And so farre forth as it is good the Lord workes it but as it is euill he doth not worke it but willingly permits it to be done by him Satan 1. And there be foure respects in which God may be a worker in temptations and yet be free from sinne 1. First he tempteth by offering occasions and objects to trie whether a man will sinne or not A maister suspecting his seruaÌ„t that in worde professeth fidelitie layes a purse of money in his way to try if he will steale it which if he steal he hath found by watching him a secreete theefe and so hath laide him open for deceiuing any more Nowe this trying oâ— him is no sin though he sinne in stealing In the same manner tempteth God his owne seruants to prooue and trye them Deut. 13. 3. Thoâ— shalt not harken unto the 〈◊〉 of the Prophet or dreâ—amer of dreames in the Lord your God proâ—◠〈…〉 whether yee loue the â—â—rd your God with al your hart 2. Secondly God leades into temptation by withdrawing his grace Neither can this be a sinne in God because he is bound to no man to giue him grace And heere is a difference betweene the tempting of God Sathan God holds backe grace when hee tempteth the Deuill suggesteth euill morions 3. Euery action so far foorth as it is an action is good of God Act. 17. 28. In him we liue mooue and haue our being Therfore God is a worker in temptations so far forth as they ar actions One man killes another the very mouing of the body in the doing of this villanie is of God but the wickednes of the action is from man and the deuill Againe a man rides vpon a lame horse and stirres him the rider is the cause of the motion but the horse himselfe of the halting motion So God is the author of euery action but not of the euill of the action 4. The fourth way is in regarde of the end God tempts his seruaÌ„ts only to correct and humble them for their sinnes and to trye howe they will abide the crosse and to moue them the more to loue him Deut. 8. 2. God afflictes the children of Israell to trie them whether they would keepe his commandements 2. Chron. 32. 31. He trieth Hezekiah to see what was in his hart The deuils end in tempting is onely to bring the partie vnto destruction Thus we neede not for to say that God in some respectes doth leade his seruants into temptations Deliuer vs from euill that is free vs from
sins generally Psa. 19 6. Lastly hence it is manifest that there is noe iustification by workes Our sinnes are debtes so also are all workes of the lawe Now how can any man discharge one debt by another 4. Wants to be bewailed THe wantes to be bewailed are the burden of our sinnes and the corruptions of our natures the wickednes of our liues and the sinnes of our youth and of our old age Psal. 40. 12. My sinnes haue taken such hold vpon me that I am not able to looke vp they are more in number then the haires of my head therefore mine heart hath failed me Thus with Dauid we are to trauell and grone vnder this burden but this griefe for sin is a rare thing in the world Men can mourne bitterly for the thinges of this life but their sinnes neuer trouble them And further this sorrowe must be for sinne because it is sinne though there were neither hell nor deuill nor conscience to accuse nor Iudg to reuēge 5. The grace to be desired THe grace which wee must desire is the spirit of grace and deprecations Zacha. 12. 10. It is that worke of the spirit whereby wee are inabled to call to God for the pardone of our sinnes A man hauing offēded the laws of a Prince and being in danger of death will neuer rest or be at quiet till hee haue gotten a pardon euē so they which feele and see their sinnes hauing this spirite are so mooued that they can neuer be at rest till in praier they be eased of their sins A man may I graunt babble and speake many wordes but hee shall neuer pray effectually before hee haue this spirit of praier to make him crie Abba Father For worldly cōmodities all can pray but learn to pray for the want of Christ. As vve forgiue our debts 1. Coherence THese wordes be a part of the fift petition for it is put down with a condition Forgiue vs as we forgiue others and these wordes depend on the former as the reason thereof and it is taken from the comparison of the lesse to the greater thus if wee who haue but a sparke of mercie doe forgiue others then doe thou who art the fountaine of mercie forgiue vs but we forgiue others therefore do thou forgiue vs. Thus Luk. 11. 4 hath it Forgiue vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue The Papists gather a contrarie doctrine they say Forgiue vs as we forgiue making our forgiuing a cause for which God is mooued to forgiue vs. But we are to know that our forgiuing is no cause but a sign that God wil forgiue vs. 2 The meaning QVestion Whether is a man bounde to forgiue all debts Answer The word debt in this place is not vnderstoode of debt that is ciuill and comes by lawfull bargaining but of hurtes and dammages which ar done vnto vs in our bodies goods or good name as for the former ciuil debts a man may exact them so he doe it with shewing of mercie 2 Question How may anie man forgiue trespasses seeing God onlie forgiues sin Answer In euerie trespasse which anie do to their neighbours ther be two offences one to God another to man In the first respect it is called a sin which God onlie forgiues In the other respect it is called an injurie or dammage so man may forgiue it When a man is robbed the law is broken by stealing and the injurie that is done is against a man that hath his goods stolne This injurie as it is an injurie a man may forgiue but as it is a sinne he can not but God onlie 3 Quest. Whether may a man aright pray this petition and yet sue him at the law who hath injured him An. Yea for a man may in an holie maner sew another for an injury and as a souldier in lawful warre may kill his enemie and yet loue him so may a man forgiue an injurie and yet seeke in a Christian maner the remedie but in doing of this wee must obserue fiue thinges 1. We are to tak heed of all priuate revenge and inward hatred which if we conceiue wee doe not forgiue 2. We must take heed of offence and haue care that our doinges bee not scandelous to the Church 3. Our sutes must be taken in hand to maintaine godly peace for if all injuries were put vp there would bee no ciuill state or gouernment 4. It must be that the partie offending may bee chastised and bee brought to repentance for his fault for if many mē were not repressed they woulde growe worse 5. Law must bee the last remedie as Physitions vse desperate remedies when weaker wil not serue euen so must we vse law as the last meanes when all other faile The dealing of the worlde in this case is no example for vs to follow For through rage and stomacke they will abide no priuate agreement and therefore they vse the law in the first place so did the Corinthians but what saith Paule 1. Cor. 6. 7. It is vtterlie a fault among But if the Lawe bee vsed aright a Christian may sue at Law and loue the partie sued for there is difference betweene dealing against a man before a Magistrate and the dealing of one priuat man with another For priuate dealing is commonlie reuenge and therefore vnlawfull 3. The Vse THE vse of this clause is verie profitable for it shewes vs a liuelie signe whereby our consciences may bee assured of the pardon of our sinnes Indeed manie vse these wordes long and often yet finde no assurance of pardon and the cause is because they haue no desire of Gods mercie nor willingnes to forgiue men which if they had then the forgiuenes of their sinnes should hereby be sealed vnto them Wherefore if any wold be perswaded of Gods mercie in this point let them discend into their owne soules and search them narrowlie if they can finde their heartes as readie to forgiue as they are readie to desire forgiuenes at Gods hand then they may assure themselues of Gods mercie in Christ as we are taught by our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 7. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtaine mercie Consider these comparisons A man walking vnder a wal in a cold sunnie day is heated of the wall which first receiued heat from the Sunne So he that sheweth mercie to others hath first receiued mercie from God Also take a peece of waxe and put to a seale it leaueth an impression or marke like it selfe in the waxe which when a man lookes on he doth certainlie know that ther hath bin a seale the print whereof is left behind Euen so it is in euery one that hath readinesse to forgiue others by it a Christian may easilie know that God hath sealed to him the forgiuenesse of his sinnes euen in his heart Therefore let men looke into their hearts whether they haue any affection to forgiue others for that is as it were the print in their harts of Gods mercy toward