a secondary respect Whereunto we may adde the practice of the godly Gen. 28. 20. 1. Kings 8. 33 35 37. Prov. 30. 8. and the precept of our Saviour Christ teaching us to say Give us this day our daily bread It cannot be denied but that in asking temporall things many do erre either asking them chiefly or absolutely but as we must ask and seek them in a secondary respect so also conditionally so farre forth as they stand with the glory of God and our own spirituall good But these outward things are not to be cared for and therefore not to be prayed for Christ doth not forbid curam providentiae sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curam solicitudinis diffidentiae the care of providence but carking care and diffidence Phil. 4. 6. Be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be manifested And where they think these things unworthy the Lords gift they must understand that his providence submitteth it self to the lowest creature and he giveth food to all even the basest creatures The mind in and by prayer is to be lifted up to God and not to be depressed to things below But when we pray for temporall things the mind is not elevated but depressed When we so ask temporall things for themselves resting in them as the end our mind is depressed and our heart is set upon them but not so when they are asked as means to further Gods glory and our own spirituall good CHAP. XXXIV Of Deprecation NOw followeth Deprecation which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The evil which we do deprecari that is desire either to be delivered from whether in whole ut avertatur that it may be averted or in part ut mitigetur that it may be mitigated if it be upon us or to be kept and preserved therefrom if we be in any danger thereof ut antevertatur that it may be prevented is either the evil of sinne or the evil of punishment In the former we pray that our sinnes may be removed and taken away that is that we may be delivered either from the guilt of sinne which is our justification or from the fault and corruption which is our sanctification In prayer for the forgivenesse of sinne these things specially are required First in the action it self confession of sinnes And of this Augustine speaketh excellently Hortatur nos saepius Scriptura ad medicamenta fugere confessionis Non quòd Deus indigeat confessione nostrâ c. The Scripture doth often exhort us to flee to the medicine of confession not that God needeth our confession unto whom all things are present which we think speak and do but because we cannot otherwise be saved unlesse we confesse penitently that which we have done amisse negligently He that accuseth himself in his sinnes the devil hath not whereof to accuse him in the day of judgement If at least confessing he do by repenting blot out what he hath done and doth not again renew them c. Let the sinner whilest he liveth confesse the sinnes which he hath committed because confession is fruitlesse in hell neither doth repentance there profit to salvation Behold now is the day of salvation now is the time acceptable to God now is the time of pardon to the penitent but after death there will be a time of vengeance for those that neglect to confesse their sinnes For all wicked men have bitter repentance in torments but it doth not profit theÌ„ for pardon but their conscience toâ—…tureth them for the increase of their pains which they suffer c. All hope of pardon consisteth in confession So Aâ—… fratres in Eremo Serm. 30. O honto ne tardes converti ad Deum c. O man saith he do not delay to turn unto God Examine thy mind search all the secrets of thy heart consider before thou comest to confession that thy heart hath sinned in coveting evil things thine eye in beholding vanity thy mouth in speaking falshood thine eare in hearing lies thy hand in perpetrating blows and murders c. Let therefore thine heart griâ—…ve thine eye weep thy mouth pray without interâ—…ssion thine eare heare the word of God thine hanâ—… give alms c. thy feet come to Church thy knees bow and labour c. And do not deferre it For God hath promâ—…sed pardon to the penitent but he hath not promised life till to morrow to him that delayeth it Thus much Augustine Now this confession is both prositable and necessary It hath the promise of forgivenesse So to the hiding of our sinnes is pardon denied 1. John 1. 8 9. If we deny our sâ—… we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us but we bewray our selves to be hypocrites If we consesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that 〈◊〉 and forsaketh them shall have mercy We see this verified in the example of David For while he concealed his sinne the hand of the Lord was heavy upon him to afflict him Psal. 32. 3 4. but when he confessed and acknowledged his iniquity the Lord forgave him his sinne vers 5. Assoon as David reproved by Nathan confessed his sinne the Propher presently assureth him that his sinne was forgiven 2. Sam. 12. Now this confession is to be made of unknown sinnes generally Psal. 19. 13. of known sinnes particularly together with the aggravating circumstances Psal. 51. 4 5. and in both we are freely to acknowledge what we hâ—…ve deserved â—…or the same Ezra 9. 6 7. Dan. 9. 4 5. that judging our selves we may not be judged of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 31. and that the Lord when he judgeth may be justified Psal. 51. 4. To which purpose we are to abhorre our selves in dust and ashes Job 42. 6. and to behave our selves before the Lord as Benhadad and â—…is followers before Ahab the King of Israel 1. Kings 20. 31. And that this confession may be made accordingly we are in our preparation both to try and examine ourselves by the law of God to find out our sinnes which we are seriously to confesse Lam. 3. 40 41. and also labour that we may see and feel our miserie in respect of them that labouring and being wearied under the burden of them we may out of an humble and contrite soul poure out our supplications unto the Lord. The neglect whereof is reproved Jer. 8. 6. And that we may obtein forgivenesse we are also to come in charitie being as desirous to forgive our brethren that have offended us as we desire to be forgiven of the Lord Matth. 6 14 15. See Ecclus 28. 2 3. 1. Tim. 2. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without wrath And likewise we are to repent of those sinnes the pardon whereof we desire For that is pretended in our asking forgivenesse that is both to be sorie
sonnes and the application thereof Matth. 21. 28 29 30. Neither may we think that we shall obtein our prayers unlesse we be desirous to perform Gods will For if we will not do his will why should we think that he will do ours Prov. 28. 9. John 9. 31. We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth If we ask any thing saith S. John 1. Epist. 3. 22. we receive it from him because we keep his commandments and do those things which are acceptable in his sight If therefore we be desirous and carefull to obey Gods will we need not doubt having these testimonies of a true faith but that both we and our prayers are acceptable unto God For our selves our Saviour affirmeth that those be his brothers and sisters that do the will of his Father that is in heaven Matth. 12. 50. And the holy Ghost giveth this testimony unto David that he was a man according to Gods own heart who would do all his will Acts 13. 22. And elsewhere the Scriptures ascribe blessednesse to those that do the will of God Luke 11. 28. For our prayers John 15. 7. Psal. 34. 15 17. And as we are to do the will of God in generall so more especially those branches of his will which after a more speciall manner are called his will His will is if we would be saved we should come to the knowledge of his truth and not live in ignorance 1. Tim. 2. 4. that we should turn unto him and not go on in our sinnes Ezek. 33. 11. that we should believe in Christ 1. John 3. 23. that we should be sanctified dying unto sinne and living unto righteousnesse 1. Thess. 4. 3. Mich 6. 8. 1. Pet. 2. 15. that we should be patient in troubles and thankfull unto him in all things 1. Thess. 5. 18. And as we are to do the will of God so must we deny our own wills and renounce the desires of the world Duties respecting the manner And as touching the manner We are not to rest in opere operato in the deed done but as we pray that we may do the will of God on earth as the angels do it in heaven so must we endevour to imitate their manner of obedience And albeit we cannot attein to that full perfection which is in them yet we are to strive towards it and therefore we are not to content our selves with that smal measure whereunto we have atteined but still we are to labour that we may grow up in grace seeing whilest we live here we are in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and growing age But let us come unto particulars 1. The Angels do the will of God in knowledge and so must we or else all our worship of God is but will-worship and all our religion but superstition Knowledge is the stern without which we rove and wander like a ship wanting a stern it is the light without which we walk in darknesse not knowing whither we go Without knowledge we have no faith and without faith it is impossible to please God And therefore miserable is our estate if we please our selves in ignorance 2. The Angels do the will of God sincerely uprightly labouring alwayes to approve their obedience to the Lord so must we obey the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with eye-service as men-pleasers but from our soul and heart Ephes. 6. 6. Rom. 6. 17. in singlenesse and uprightnesse of heart labouring to approve not onely our outward actions but also our inward affections and cogitations to the Lord knowing that he looketh not as man looketh but he especially respecteth the heart and according to the disposition of the heart esteemeth of men Without this uprightnesse all our obedience is but hypocrisie and all the graces which we seem to have but glorious sinnes c. 3. The Angels do the will of God willingly and chearfully their whole delight being to do Gods will so must we worship the Lord with upright hearts and willing minds 1. Chron. 28. 9. knowing that forced obedience proceeding onely from servile fear as it is violent so it is but momentany and therefore but counterfeit But we must worship the Lord in faith love and hope and consequently with chearfulnesse willingnesse and delight for when the love of God is shed abroad in mens hearts by the holy Ghost men have assurance that their obedience and service is acceptable unto God and so they are encouraged in all chearfulnesse to offer their obedience as a free-will-offering to the Lord. First To whom much is forgiven they love much Luke 7. 47. and secondly those that have true love to them the commandments of God are not grievous 1. John 5. 3. the yoke of Christ is light Nihil difficile amanti Nothing is hard to a lover To Jacob his seven yeares troublesome service seemed to be short and pleasant Gen. 29. 20. If therefore we truly love God we will take delight to do his will And thirdly if we have assured hope of salvation by Christ and live in expectation of happinesse we shall contemne all the difficulties of this life as not worthy the glory that shall be revealed and joyfully proceed in our way to life because of the joy that is sâ—…t before us Let us therefore hold fast by this anchor for if we leave this hold we shall eftsoon fall away into worldlinesse whither the surges of worldly desires carry us And in this behalf as we are to imitate the example of the Angels so also of Jesus Christ whose meat it was to do his Fathers will John 4. 34. and therein also was his delight Psal. 40. 8. Facere voluntatem tuam Deus mi delector O my God I delight to do thy will Psal. 122. 1. Isai. 54. 13. 4. The holy Angels do the will of God readily speedily so ought we without delay put in execution the coÌ„mandments of God behaving our selves towards our heavenly Master as the Centurions servants to their master Matth. 8. 9. Doth the Lord call thee thou must answer with David the type of Christ Ecce venio Behold I come Psal. 40. 7. Doth the Lord bid thee seek his face answer with that heavenly echo of the Psalmist Psal. 27. 8. Thy face Lord will I seek It is the will of God that thou shouldst turn unto him break off without delay the course of thy sinne and turn unto the Lord. Knock at the doore of thy heart Open thine immortall gate that the King of glory may come in Doth he call thee to repentance to day If yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Deferre not repentance but to day before to morrow repent Seek the Lord whilest he may be found and call upon him whilest he is near Isai. 55. 6. Doth he call us to triall and affliction let us take up our crosse and
come uponus and upon all his chosen servants The means are to be prayed for of the coming of Christs kingdome II. Now because this kingdome cometh by means we are also to pray for them The means are either outward or inward The outward are the preaching of the word and Christs government by his minâ—…ters The preaching of the word which is the Gospel of the kingdome of God is such a notable means of the coming of the kingdome that it is called the kingdome of God For whereas there be three degrees of this coming our Vocation Justification and Sanctification every one of them ordinarily is wrought by the preaching of the word We are called outwardly by the Gospel We are justified by faith faith cometh by hearing of the word Rom. 10. 17. We are sanctified by the word of truth by the preaching of the word we are begotten unto God Therefore we are to pray that the word of God may have a free passage and be glorified 2. Thess. 3. 1. and also that the preaching of the word and Gospel be not taken from us or as Matth. 21. 43. that the kingdome of God be not taken from us but continued to us and our posterity And because there cannot be preaching of the word except there be preachers Rom. 10. 14. we are taught to pray Matth. 9. 38. that God would send forth labourers into his harvest that he would furnish them with Vrim and Thummim gifts sufficient Ephes. 6. 19. that he would clothe them with righteousnes Psal. 132. 9. that he would open unto theÌ„ a doore of the word that they may speak the mysterie of Christ Col. 4. 3. And because there cannot be ordinarily learned guides and scribes taught unto the kingdome of God except they be first trained up in good literature we are to pray also for the Universities and schools of the prophets which are the seminaries and seed-plots of the Church The second outward means is the government of Christ by his servants both in the Church and Commonwealth In the Church by the Ministers and governours exercising in the name of Christ admonition suspension excommunication For whom we are to pray That they may execute their offices according to the will of God as shall most serve for the advancement of the spirituall kingdome of Christ and defacing of the kingdome of sin and Satan That the people submit themselves to the censures of the Church and be reclaimed thereby In the Commonwealth by Magistrates who are Gods ministers also c. Rom. 13. whom God hath advanced that they might be nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers to the Church Isai. 49. 13. For whom also we are to pray 1. Tim. 2. 2. That after the example of David Josias Ezechias they may reform religion defend the truth profession of it suppresse idolatry and superstition punish sinne c. That the subjects may live in all obedience unto them as unto the ordinance of the Lord. The inward means is the operation of Gods Spirit in the souls of men For it is the Spirit of God which maketh the outward means effectuall and without which neither the preaching of the word nor the other means of government will any whit prevail 1. Cor. 3. 7. Deut. 29. 4. It is the Spirit of God who in the ministery of the word knocketh at the doore of our hearts and inlighteneth our minds to understand it John 16. 13. he leadeth us into all truth 1. John 2. 20 27. he teacheth us he openeth our hearts to listen unto it as he did the heart of Lydia Acts 16. 14. he maketh the word the savour of life unto life For without the Spirit the word is a dead letter the Scripture a sealeâ—… book without him we cannot say that Jesus is Christ without him we cannot pray c. He mollifieth our hearts and worketh in us that godly sorrow working repentance never to be repented of which stirreth up in us earnest desires and maketh us to call upon God with sighs unspeakable and is therefore called the Spirit of supplication He worketh in us the assurance of our reconciliation with God which we call faith and is therefore called the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father c. He sanctifieth us throughout mortifying sinne and raising us up into newnesse of life Ezech 36. 26 27. working in us all sanctifying and saving graces and is therefore called the Spirit of grace and so every grace is called by the name of the Spirit because it is a gift of the Spirit as the Spirit of wisdome and revelation Ephes. 1. 17. Isai. 11. 2. In this petition therefore we desire that the Lord would grant us his Spirit which he hath promised Luke 11. 13. and that by this Spirit he would rule and reigne in us and quicken us that being animated thereby we may behave our selves as members of Christ c. ruled and guided by his sanctifying Spirit The impediments of Gods kingdome to be prayed against III. Lastly because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let it come seemeth to import and presuppose some obstacles and impediments whereby this kingdome is hindered we do also pray that these may be removed The impediments are these First the three main enemies of our salvation are also the chief oppugners of the kingdome of grace the Devil World and Flesh. The devil seeketh by all means the ruine of the Church in generall Revel 12. and also of the particular members Whilest this strong man possesseth his hold that is every naturall man all things are at quiet but when the Lord by his word and Spirit draweth any out of the kingdome and power of darknesse then he bestirreth him and by all tentations both by himself and his instruments he seeketh to entangle him in sinne When the seed of the word is sown in the hearts of men he carrieth it away as the birds do the corn which fall on the wayes Matth. 13. 19. or he blindfoldeth them that they shall not see the light of the gospel Ephes. 4. 4. or if they understand it he carrieth them away captive to the obedience of his will If they be called to repentance he perswadeth them to deferre it They may repent hereafter as well c. If to amendment of life he telleth them that if they be elected they may live as they list if rejected they cannot be saved If to humiliation that it is a doctrine that belongeth to notorious sinners c. Moreover he opposeth himself to the Ministers and their ministery Zech. 3. 1. he suborneth false teachers and is a lying spirit in their mouthes Therefore we pray that the Lord would bind Satan dissolve his works and tread him under our feet Rom. 16. 20. The second is the world and the lusts thereof which choke the seed of Gods word Matth. 13. 22. the glorious shew of this world 1. Cor. 7. 31. By these Satan as by nails naileth men to the earth that
newnesse of life In those for whose sinnes he died and rose again for their justification the spirit of Christ is effectuall to apply the merits of his death to the mortifying of their sinnes and the vertue of his resurrection to their vivification which is called the first resurrection And therefore unlesse thou diest to thy sinnes and risest again unto newnesse of life thou canst have no sound assurance that Christ died for thy sinnes and rose again for thy justification And therefore as we desire the pardon of our sinnes so must we labour to renounce them that we may not onely be freed from the guilt but also delivered from the corruptions themselves True repentance as it mourneth for sinnes committed and craveth the pardon of them so is it carefull for the time to come not to commit that which ought to be mourned for Having thus spoken of the order and coherence of this petition we are now to speak of the words themselves In which two things are conteined first a deprecation or request for the pardoning of our sinnes and secondly a reason for the confirmation of our faith in obteining the same In the request it self we are first to speak of the meaning of the words and then to gather from thence such uses as they afford 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debts according to the propertie of the Syrian language in which our Saviour spake signifieth sinnes For the Syrians call him that sinneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is debtour and sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debt as appeareth by the Chaldean paraphrase on Gen 50. 17. Psal. 1. 1. Bezain Matth. 23. 16. But this may be also evidently proved by conference of other places in the new Testament as Matth. 23. 16 18. The Pharisees conceit was that if a man did swear by the temple or the altar that it was nothing but if he did swear by the gold of the temple or the gift upon the altar that then he was a debtour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in Luke 13. those whom Christ in the second verse calleth sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fourth verse he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debtours So in this chapter our Saviour setting down a proof of the reason of this petition for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14 15. But most plainly in Luke 11. 4. where the words of this petition are thus set down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And forgive us our sins for we also forgive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that is in debt to us that is which hath offended us Now the reason why sinnes are called debts is because for our sinnes we ow punishment For as a man having entred into bonds to perform such and such covenants or else to incurre the forfaiture and penalty conteined in the obligation is subject to the forfaiture if he perform not the covenant so we being bound by most strait obligations to perform obedience to all the commandments of God or else to incurre the penalty comprised in the law which is the obligation or handwriting that is against us Col. 2. 14. are subject to the penalty that is the fearfull curse of God both in this life and in the world to come if we perform not the covenants For as in the law there are two things 1. praeceptum commanding or forbidding and 2. sanctio threatning punishment against the â—…nsgression of the precept so in every sinne therâ—… are two things answerâ—…ble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fault transgressing the law and the reatus binding over the transgressour to the punishment In respect of which punishment every offendour of the law is a debtour untill either the debt be remitted him or else he hath born the punishment which is without end Whereas therefore we pray that the Lord would forgive us our debts we do not onely desire that the Lord would forget the fault but also that he would remit the punishment unto which the guilt of our fault doth bind us over And therefore foolish is the opinion of the Papists who hold that the Lord many times forgiveth the fault and reteineth the punishment For sinne is called a debt in respect of the punishment which we ow for it and therefore this debt is not remitted if the punishment be reteined Again the mercy of the Lord pardoneth no sinne for which his justice is not satisfied Neither must we so desire the Lord to be mercifull as that we would have him forget his justice Every sinne therefore as it deserveth death so is it punished with death or else the justice of God is not satisfied It is punished I say by death either in the party himself to whom it is not forgiven or in Christ in the behalf of the party to whom it is forgiven For every sinne therefore that is forgiven Christ hath satisfied the justice of God in bearing the punishment therefore God doth not punish them whose sinnes he forgiveth in Christ neither can it stand with his justice to punish the same sinne twice onâ—… in Christ and again in the faithfull for whom Câ—…rist hath suffered So that we cannot say that the Lord punisheth them whose sinnes he forgiveth except we will affirm either that the Lord is unjust or that the merits of Christ were unsufficient and unperfect both which are blasphemous Therefore as there is no condemnation so there is no punishment to those that are in Christ Jesus Chastised they may be after their sinnes are forgiven for the example of others and their own amendment as David was 2. Sam. 12. but punished they never are The affliction which the children of God do bear is not a punishment to satisfy for their sinne but either a triall or a chastisement either to cure or prevent sinne in them When we are judged we are chastised c. 1. Cor. 11. 32. And as the opinion of the Papists is foolish so the practice of those men is sottish who when they are indebted unto their neighbour or have incurred a forfeiture are never in quiet untill they have got that debt discharged or remitted and yet the same men being in infinite debt to the Lord which although they had the whole world they are not able to discharge notwithstanding take no thought for this debt noâ—… earnestly sue for pardon but securely go on in their sinnes as though by continuall increasing of their debt they should the more easily discharge it much like to him that having got a burden of wood and finding it too heavie should cut down more to adde unto the weight or as it is in the ridiculous proverb of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot carry a goat lay upon me an ox Now these debts are of sundry sorts Some are originall sinnes some actuall some inward others outward some of omission others of commission some of ignorance others of knowledge some of infirmity others of presumption some
themselves inclined And thus he worketh effectually in the hearts of men carrying them captive to the obedience of his will 2. He useth other men as his instruments sometimes friends sometimes foes Friends So he used Jobs wife and friends to â—…empt him to despair Peter to disswade Christ from the work of our redemption Abishai to tempt David unto revenge Jezebel to egge on Ahab to all wickednesse Sometimes he useth foes As when they are incensed by them unto anger malice and desire of revenge For these are the works of the devil and he that yieldeth to these things giveth place to the devil Ephes. 4. 27. So Shimei was the instrument of the devil and his â—…ongue set on fire from hell Jam. 3. 6. set on work by Satan to provoke David to impatience and sinne 3. Sometimes he useth as hath been said the desires of the world as his baits and snares therein cunningly fitting the severall humours of men by offering the bait of pleasure to the voluptuous of profit to the covetous of preferment to the ambitious of honour and renown to the vainglorious Thus although in vain he assaulted Christ Matth. 4. Sometimes by threatning future dangers and crosses he setteth upon the weak and inconstant Sometimes by aggravating the present troubles either in respect of the greatnesse or the length or something extraordinary in them or by comparisons with others to move them to impatience or to bring them to despair II. The tentations of the devil serve either to overthrow mens faith or obedience Their faith partly by infecting their judgements with errours partly by casting doubts into their mind or contrariwise causing them to presume First That he may infect men with errours he is many times a lying spirit in the mouthes of those that take upon them to be teachers of others Secondly he useth to cast doubts into mens minds concerning Gods love towards them concerning their election justification and salvation And his especiall motives hereunto are 1. the calamities of this life 2. the conscience of sinne As touching the former It is the usuall practice of the devil to perswade men being in affliction that they are not in Gods favour either in respect of their continuance or greatnesse or by comparison of their distressed estate with the prosperity of others This was the main argument that the devil used to assail the faith of Job with by his wife and friends That because he was so greivously afflicted he was not the friend of God but an hypocrite and this assault made him sometimes to stagger 13. 24. Why hidest thou thy face from me and esteemest me as thine enemie So David Psal. 22. 1. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But this tentation is the most effectuall when comparison is made with others Psal. 73. 12 13. Jer 12. 1. And although reply be made that the Lord many times doth greivously afflict his own children he will alledge that never any was so afflicted either for the length or for the greatnesse c. The second motive is conscience of sinne committed For the devil that extenuateth a sinne when it is to be committed making of a mountain a mole-hill when it is committed he will aggravate the same and of a mole-hill make a mountain perswading a man that his sinne is greater then may be forgiven as we see in Cain and Judas On the other side he tempteth men to vain presumption that it may occupie the room of faith As when he bringeth mere naturall men into a conceit of themselves that they have a good faith to God that they love him with all their hearts that they are highly in Gods favour First by flattering them in their ignorance and blindnesse For the more ignorant and sottish a man is in Christianity the greater conceit commonly he hath of himself Secondly by making them please themselves in the performance of some outward works wherein Popish devotion consisteth Mich. 6. 6. Luke 18. 12. Thirdly by comparing themselves with others that be notorious sinners Luke 18. 11. Fourthly by letting them see the falls of others that seem forward professours he maketh them please themselves in their ignorance and security as if all profession of religion were but hypocrisie and they in the onely way Fifthly by consideration of their great prosperity which as Solomon saith slayeth fools Prov. 1. 32. The tentations of Satan touching obedience serve either to withdraw men from good or to draw them to evil Of the former there be so many examples as there are duties to be performed As namely in the duties of piety and of Gods worship as 1. Hearing of the word Either he keepeth men from coming to heare or when they are come he withdraweth away their minds by putting other matters into their heads or when they have heard he stealeth away the seed of Gods word out of their hearts or by the allurements of the world choketh it 2. Prayer Either he keepeth men from prayer saying as Job 12. 15. What will it profit us to call upon him or if they do he laboureth by all means to withdraw their minds from that heavenly exercise by suggesting other and for the most part worldly cogitations 3. As touching the sacrament Either he nourisheth men in hatred c. that they are unfit to come or when they do come instead of examining and looking into themselves they busie themselves in looking into the sufficiencie of the minister examining the worthynesse of other receivers or prying into their behaviours whether they sit or kneel or how they behave themselves Of the latter sort there be so many examples as there are sinnes forbidden Whereunto he sometimes provoketh men by suggestion as he did David 1. Chron. 21. 7. to number the people and Judas to betray his Master John 13. 2. Sometimes allureth by desires of the world which are his baits Sometimes inticeth by the counsel or example of others which are his instruments Sometimes and most ordinarily abuseth a mans own corruption which is his bawd Sometimes he draweth thereunto as a means to escape danger as an evasion out of trouble c. So foolish are men that they can be perswaded by the devil to seek an issue out of some bodily trouble or danger with the hazard of their souls Sometimes he clotheth sinne with the cloke of vertue So much breifly shall serve to have spoken of tentations as they are provocations to evil Against which we pray not that we be not tempted but that the Lord would not in his fierce wrath for a punishment of our sinne lead us into tentation nor give us over to our own concupiscences to be hardned in sinne or to the world to be carried away with the desires thereof or to the devil to be overcome in tentation to be carried away captive to the performance of his will For howsoever men willingly run into these tentations as the beast goeth
chearfully to the slaughter yet there can be no greater judgement inflicted upon a man in this life then to be given over to his own lusts or to the allurements of the world or tentations of the devil Now this giving over men in tentation is that which our Saviour calleth leading into tentation Of which we are now to speak Lead us not into or rather bring or carrie us not into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where first we must note the persoâ—… to whom we speak secondly the thing against which we pray The person Do not thou lead us Which when some have considered they have chosen rather to read thus And do not thou permit or suffer us to be led into tentation But we must not teach our Saviour to speak but rather with humilitie learn the true meaning of his speech Yea but say they this prayer is superfluous For God temptâ—…th no man as James saith chap. 1. 13. It is one thing to tempt and another thing to lead into tentation as it is one thing to execute punishment on an evil-doer and another to deliver him over to an executioner the one is the act of the judge the other of the hangman Yea but we must understand this of permission onely or else we shall make God the authour of sinne God doth not onely permit men to be tempâ—…ed but also leadeth into tentation The like phrases are usuall in the Scriptures Exod. 7. 3. Induravit cor Pharaonis he hardened Pharaohs heart Isai. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us erre from thy wayes and hardened our heart from thy fear Rom. 1. 24 26 28. 2. Thess. 2. 11. God shall send them strong delusion All which words do signifie not onely a permission but also a work of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet notwithstanding he is not the authour of sinne In every tentation even unto evil God hath an hand And the same tentation which proceedeth from Satan or our own corruption may also be said to come from God But in the same tentation we are to distinguish the work of God which is good from the work of the flesh or of the devil which is evil As it cometh from God it is either a triali or a chastisement which are works of mercy or a punishment which is a work of justice But as it cometh from Satan or the flesh it is a provocation unto evil and therefore a sinne Such is the wisdome and goodnesse of the Lord that he knoweth by evil instruments to effect his own good work The tentation of Job proceeded from God and from Satan God by that means tried his patience the devil provoked him to impatience and despair When David numbred the people it is said that God moved him so to do 2. Sam. 24. 1. and Satan provoked him to number the people 1. Chron. 21. 1. Gods work was a chastisement of David and punishment of the people Satans work an incitation to sinne When Pharaoh deteined the people of Israel it is said that God hardned his heart and that Pharaoh hardned his heart Exod. 8. 15 32. and 9. 34. As it came from God it was a punishment as from himself a fruit of his own flesh and so a sinne Again we must further distinguish betwixt the tentation of God and of the flesh and the devil The flesh when it tempteth sendeth forth evil concupiscences which allure men to evil and withdraw from God Jam. 1. 14. The devil when he tempteth casteth into mens minds either by himself or by means ill motions and suggestions God doth not instill into mens minds ill motions as the devil and the flesh do But he is said to tempt in these respects 1. By offering the occasion or the object of sinne for our triall howsoever we through our own corruption or instigation of Satan take occasion by the triall of sinning 2. By withholding and withdrawing his grace which he is not bound to vouchsafe unto any but in justice might deny to all 3. By giving them over either to their own lusts or to the tentations of the devil who is his executioner as a just punishment of their former sinnes And in this sense God is said to harden mens hearts not that he maketh them of soft hard but being hard already giveth them over to their own corruptions and the tentations of Satan further to be hardned which hardnesse they further gather to themselves willingly committing sinne with greedinesse Now this the Lord may do most justly For when men have hardned themselves what should bind God to soften them He hath mercy on whom he will by softning them and whom he will not have mercy on them in justice he hardneth And who shall constrain him to shew mercy in softning where in justice he may harden This must teach us 1. not to dispute with God but to justifie him in all his judgements which in justice he might exercise upon all howsoever in mercy he spareth some and 2. to be thankfull unto him for vouchsafing us to be in the number of those whom in mercy he so softeneth when in justice he might have hardned us Thus we see in what sense the Lord is said to lead men into tentation not that he suffereth them onâ—…ly to be led but also that he giveth them over to be tempted and in the tentation to take the foil 2. Whereas our Saviour teacheth us thus to pray That the Lord would not lead us into tentation we gather this consolation That howsoever we are assaulted continually by the flesh the world and the devil yet we shall not be overcome except the Lord himself lead us into tentation Satan goeth about continually like a roring lion seeking whom he may devoure but he cannot tempt except it please God to bring us upon the stage as he did Job nor in tempting overcome us unlesse the Lord give us over into his hands For he that is in us is greater then he that is in the world 1. John 4. 4. And if we be born of God the evil one shall not touch us to hurt us 1. John 5. 18. The devil desireth to sift and to winnow us as wheat but our Saviour hath prayed for those that believe in him that our faith may not fail Luke 22. 32. The devils could not enter into the herd of swine without speciall leave Neither could Satan touch the cattel of Job untill he had commission from God and further then his tedder he cannot go Seeing therefore in all tentations the Lord ruleth the action and overruleth the tempter our duty is in all tentations to flee unto him praying that he will not lead us into tentation So much of the person to whom we make this request Let us now consider the thing against which we pray That we be not led into tentation Our Saviour doth not teach us to pray that we be not tempted at all For it is not an evil