The Fifty-second Lord’s Day

52 The Fifty-second Lord’s Day
On the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
In this petition the business is about the evil of sin in respect to its dominion which it has over men. Concerning dominion, we have first the petition, lead us not, and secondly its declaration or opposition, but deliver us. In the petition, we pray against this evil and its twofold cause, of which the first is the proper cause of sin — intending it — which is the temptation of the Devil, or the Devil tempting us to sin. Now temptation is nothing more than an argument proposed to us, whereby we are induced to be persuaded and drawn into sin. The other cause that is looked at in this petition is not properly the cause of the sin, nor any efficient or author of it. Rather it is a governour and orderer of the sin itself, and of the tempting to sin, and of the effects of both. But it is the true cause of the evil of punishment that follows sin.1 And this is God’s effectual and powerful way of working with sin, or exercising his providence, which is usually called God’s permission, although it is more than a bare and idle permitting. The explication of this petition is in praying for what is contrary to this evil, that we prayed against in the words lead us not; this evil is prayed against from God’s gracious acting towards us, which is contrary to leading us into temptation; for it is called a delivering or plucking us out of temptation.2
Doctrine 1. The guilt of former sins that have been committed, altogether deserves that we should be quite given over to temptations and sins at God’s hands. 
This is gathered from the connexion in which first, forgiveness of sins is sought,3 and then deliverance from temptations, and evil for sin. 
Reason 1. Because sin being an aversion, or turning away from God, therefore it deserves that he should turn himself and his grace away from us.
Reason 2 . Because for sin, we both give ourselves up as servants to sin, and servants to the one that tempts to sin. We therefore deserve directly and very rightly that we should be given to those masters that we ourselves have chosen.
Reason 3. When we rush into sin, we neglect that grace of God by which we might have been preserved from sin; and therefore we deserve to be deserted by him.
Use 1. Of Admonition: that we all the more take care to keep ourselves from sin.
Use 2 . Of Direction: that we daily seek from God the forgiveness of our sins, even for this end: that we are not further given up to sin and to temptation, but that we may be preserved from both.
Doctrine 2. Whoever has forgiveness of sins, or seriously seeks after it, has a desire and true purpose to abstain and keep themselves from sinning in time to come.
1 “Evil of punishment” does not refer to God’s justice being evil, but that the punishment is painful. 
2 That is, we pray against being led into temptation (which occurs by God’s permission), and we pray for God’s grace in delivering us from it. 
3 The fifth petition, forgive us our debts, etc.
This is also clear from the connexion of these two petitions.1
Reason 1. Because otherwise they would not truly abhor sin, and so they would show themselves altogether indisposed and not qualified for remission of sins. 
Reason 2. Because otherwise they would not be thankful to God who forgave them their sins.
 Reason 3. Because otherwise that forgiveness would be in vain if they should again purpose to themselves to return to the like condition in which they were before. 
Use. Of Reproof: of those who seem to wish for forgiveness of sin, but in the meantime have no care to fly from sin. 
Doctrine 3. Whoever desires to keep himself from sin should also keep himself from all temptations and occasions that lead into sin.
It is clear from the petition, which prays against temptations to sins. 
Reason 1. Because the end of such temptations is sin, and the misery that follows upon sin.
Reason 2. Temptations are so many, so subtle, and so powerful, that unless with great care we take heed to ourselves, it cannot be but that they lead us into sin. 
Reason 3. Because of ourselves we are carried that way, and incline towards this, that by giving way to temptations, we may betray our own souls to the tempter.
Use . Of Admonition: to those who, from too much security and boldness, rashly expose themselves to the danger of various temptations and enticements to sin; for temptation is not to be desired and sought after, but as wisely as we can, to be shunned; and where that cannot be, it is to be stoutly and courageously repulsed.
Doctrine 4. Our Father that is in Heaven, also disposes of our temptations according to his own good pleasure.
For thus it is held out to us here, that it is he that either leads us into temptation, or causes us not to be brought into it, but kept from it. 
Reason 1. Because he exercises his providence in guiding and measuring every temptation. Reason 2. From him depends the strengthening of our souls against such temptations as we are troubled with. 
Reason 3. From him depends the issue of the temptation itself, together with its effects which follow from it, either of their own nature or by accident.
Use 1 . Of Comfort: because from this we may have comfort against all temptations, that we are never fully led into them, as in 1 Corinthians 10:13, No other temptation has overtaken you, except what usually befalls men; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able; but will with the temptation, also make a way to escape so that you may be able to bear it.
Use 2. Of Exhortation: to thanksgiving, that we are not led to this and that temptation; because this should not be attributed to our own strength and wisdom, but to the grace of God. 1 That is, the fifth petition, forgive us our debts; and this sixth, lead us not into temptation.
Use 3 . Of Admonition: that with horrour, fear, and trembling, we pray chiefly against this judgment of God which he exercises upon many sinners when he leads them into manifold temptation.
Doctrine 5. It is a great benefit of God towards his own, that he so delivers them from evil that they are not delivered into temptation. 
This is hence gathered, in that this is sought from God by doubling the same petition in this manner, lead us not into, but deliver us from. 
Reason 1 . Because a mischief to man lies in the prevalence of temptations when he is not only tempted and led somewhere into temptation, but also led into it so as to be wrapped in it, held entangled in it, after the will of the tempter Satan, and so he is kept captive in the slavery of sin.
Reason 2. Because so great is the force of temptations, and such is our nature’s slipperiness and deceitfulness, that we cannot be delivered from this evil of temptation, but by God.
Reason 3 . Because God does not deliver all; but of his just judgment, he allows many to be led into temptation of whom a great part (for all we know) were no worse than we ourselves who yet are delivered from them.
Use . Of Direction: 1. What evil we should chiefly pray against to be delivered from at God’s hands; namely, not against outward afflictions, which are also temptations; nor yet against all other temptations absolutely; but against that deadly evil of sin in them that is intended to us by Satan, both by afflictions and all others of his temptations — which in truth are often times no less dangerously couched in prosperity, than in adversity. 2. How we should wholly depend upon God for deliverance from this evil, and so give him the glory.
On the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer
For thine is the Kingdom, power, and glory, etc.
This is the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, in which two things are contained; 1. The confirmation of all the foregoing petitions. 2. The obligation of our affection that moves us to offer up these petitions to God, and in some way moves God also to hear the petitions offered. The confirmation is taken from the causes which concur in God for strengthening our confidence about the hearing of our petitions at his hands. The efficient cause is, 1. The right and authority of God by which he can and may dispense and dispose of all, according to his own pleasure; and here it is called the Kingdom of God, for thine is the Kingdom; that is, the sovereignty, the supreme dominion, and right. 2. The same efficient is also that power of God, or his might, whereby he is able to put into execution all to what he has right; that is, all that he pleases, or whatever he will: Thine is the power. 3. The final cause is his own glory: Thine is the glory. All of which are illustrated by their adjunct of duration, not for a time only, and then either to cease or to pass to another; but for ever and ever — or as the Old English had it, unto ages of ages, or worlds of worlds — or world without end, as it now goes; that is, to all eternity. The obligation or sealing up of our affection is in the word of acclamation, Amen, whereby is shown, 1. The strength of our desire with which we follow after all these things that were proposed in these petitions. 2. The strength of our faith whereby we rest in and rely on God’s mercy for them all. 3. Of our hope, whereby we look for and wish that God would ratify and hold firm all our petitions, in the same manner as he does the promises to which he himself has prefixed this same word of strong asseveration1 (for it is of both), Amen, Amen; that is, Verily, Verily, a kind of oath — and thus hold our acclamation as firm as his own asseveration; and that is beyond exception.
Doctrine 1. No petition or prayer ought to be made to God without some praise of his name at least implied. 
This is hence gathered, that in the very brief pattern of petitions, a solemn praise of the name of God is subjoined, however it may be in the order, to confirm all the foregoing petitions. Reason 1. Because it is not ourselves that we should only or chiefly look at in the worship of God; but it is the honour of God’s name that we should so much regard. 
Reason 2. Because this is a most powerful motive to obtain what we seek, if in all things we give God his glory. 
Reason 3. Because it is a chief part of worship.
Use . Of Reproof: against our negligence on this behalf, to be so wholly taken up with the things that belong to our own necessities, that we neglect giving God his honour by duly praising his name; when yet it is the sole thing aimed at in this prayer of our Lord’s, that the glory of God may have the first and last place, as the Alpha and Omega of all his worship, the beginning and the end of rightly serving him. For the first petition is about the hallowing or glorifying of his name; and the last conclusion is the extolling and praising of him to the same glory. 
1 A declaration that is made emphatically (as if no supporting evidence were necessary). 
Doctrine 2. It does very much to strengthen and confirm us in our prayers, if we set before our eyes the infinite sovereignty and right, and the infinite might, and glory of God. From the words, Thine is the Kingdom, power, and glory.
Reason 1 . Because it appears from this that we rightly, and as just order requires, fly to God in our prayers, and seek all good things from him; because only he has the absolute right and might to dispense all these things, as his own honour and glory require.
Reason 2 . Because it appears from this that we may have certain and sure confidence that he will hear our prayers, because it is as easy for him to do all this, as to will it; and it belongs also to his glory in some way to will it.
Reason 3 . Because from this we are taught both in what manner, and for what end, we ought to look for the accomplishment of our desires; namely, in such a manner as will seem good to God, according to that wisdom and power of his whereby he exercises sovereignty of kingdom and command, or dominion in all things, and in such a manner as may most glorify his name.
Use . Of Direction: that we use these and like titles of God in our prayers, not for a fashion, but from religious reflection1 and intention, so that our prayers may be more powerful from the greater feeling and abundance of our hearts.
Doctrine 3. All things that uphold our faith and our prayers, are from the everlasting and eternal God.
From these words, For ever and ever. It makes for the same purpose if we consider that all things that sustain our faith and our prayers, are in the eternal God — unto eternity, or for ever and ever, etc.
Reason 1. Because from this it appears that God is now the same, and he is such to us and to any other that called upon his name2, as he was from the beginning of the world.
Reason 2 . Because from this we are confirmed in this: that God will still remain our God unto eternity, even when he will cease by changeable dispensations to do us any more good as he does here, because then we shall be settled in the possession of our last and highest good.
Use. Of Direction: for the right use of this divine attribute of eternity.
Doctrine 4. While we pray, and especially towards the end of prayer, we ought to put forth our petition with all earnest desire, and lively strength of faith and of affections. From the word, Amen.
Reason 1 . Because this word is at the end of our prayer, as if it had come to its perfection, so there at the end, we ought to exercise the perfection of our faith, affection, conscience, and desire.
Reason 2 . Because every natural and kindly motion grows stronger and faster towards its end; otherwise if it is flashy in the beginning, and flags towards the end, it is a token that it was forced or framed upon some wrong ground, and it will not prove durable and kindly to the end.
Reason 3. Because our affection at the end of prayer, should then act from the re-doubled and re-collected force and power of all the affections going before.
1 Originally “resentment” – the state of holding something in the mind as a subject of contemplation, or of being inclined to reflect upon it; feeling; impression. 
2 The citations in the original text read either “Isa or Psalms 59:1; Psalms 51:17.” These verses do not appear to be relevant.
Reason 4 . Because by this means in a way we re-double our whole prayer, while first we propose all our petitions one by one in order, with their own measure of desire and affection; and thereafter we press vehemently and earnestly for them all together, so that they may all be granted to us; and so according to our earnestness, we rest confident that they will.
Use . Of Reproof: against the negligence of men on this behalf, which has grown so great that now it has gone out of use among us, to signify our affections, or strong wishes and desires, by saying Amen — as the Apostle witnesses and says that all Christians of old were taught to say Amen, and used to practice it, 1 Corinthians 14:16.1
FINIS
1 1 Corinthians 14:16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen " at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?