Of God's leading us into Temptation.

Quest. 106.

HAT do we pray for in the fixth Petition?

WHA

A. In the fixth Petition, which is [And lead us not inte Temptation, but deliver us from evil] we pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to Sin; or fupport and deliver us when we are tempted.

Q. 1. Why is this Petition joined to the former with the copulative And?

A. Because it will be but little Advantage to have former Sins pardoned; and to be left to the Power and Practice, to the Love and Trade of Sin for the future, Ezek. xviii. 26. When a righteous Man turneth away from his Righteousness, and committeth Iniquity, and dieth in them; for his Iniquity that he bath done, fhall he die.

Q. 2. What is meant by Temptation?

A. In general, a Trial or Probation of what is in us, or of what we will do.

Q3. What is meant by Temptarion here?

A. Temptation to Sin and Wickedness.

Q. 4. How may we be faid to be tempted to Sin?

A. (1.) Effectually by our felves, and our own Hearts, Jam. i. 14, 15. But every Man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own Luft, and enticed. Then when Luft hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin; and Sin when it is finished, bringeth forth Death. (2.) Formally, with an Intention to draw into Sin, and so we are tempted of the Devil, 1 Chron. xxi. 1. And Satan ftood up against Ifrael, and provoked David to number Ifrael, Matt. iv. 1, 3. Then was Jejus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness, to be tempted of the Devil. And when the Tempter came to him, he said, if thou be the Son of God, command that thefe Stones be made Bread. (3.) Innocently and blamelefly, and fo God is faid to tempt, 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. And again, the Anger of the Lord was kindled againft Ifrael, and he moved David against them to say, go number Ifrael and Judah.

Q5. How many ways may God be faid to tempt to evil? A. (1.) By withdrawing his Grace either common or fpecial, 2 Chron. xxxii. 31. Howbeit, in the Business of the Ambajadors

Ambafadors of the Princes of Babylon, who fent unto him to enquare of the Wonder that was done in the Land, God left bim tó try him, that he might know all that was in his Heart. (2.) By permitting Satan and wicked Men to tempt, 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. He moved David against them, to say, go number Ifrael and Judah. With 1 Chron. xxi. 1. Satan stood up against Ifrael, and provoked David, Matt. iv. 1. Then was Jejus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness, to be tempted of the Devil. (3.) By prefenting Occafions in his Providence, which he knows will be abused to Sin, as in the Fall of Adam, the hardening of Pharaoh, &c.

other

Q. 6. What do we beg in this Petition? A. We beg that we may not by any of thefe, or any ways, whereby the holy God may be faid to lead into Temptation, be led thereinto, Pfal. cxli. 4. Incline not my Heart to any evil Thing, to practice wicked Works with Men that work Iniquity; and let me not eat of their Dainties, Pfal. xix. 13. Keep back thy Servant also from presumptuous Sins, let them not have Dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I fhall be innocent from the great Tranfgreffion.

Q. 7. What is meant by evil?

A Some understand it of the Devil, but the best Meaning is Sin, which is the Evil of Evils; and makes the Devil evil, and is the worft of Evils the Devil can bring upon us, and is ufually fo understood in Scripture, Pfal. xcvii. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate Evil. Ifa. i. 16. Ceafe to do Evil, Amos v. 15. Hate the Evil, and love the good, Rom. xii. 9. Abbor that which is Evil.

Q. 8. What by Deliverance from Evil is meant ?

A. That if God fees meet to permit us to be tempted by Satan and the wicked without, or by our own Hearts within to fin; or occafionally by his Providence, that he will not leave us, but undertake for us, that we may not be led into Sin thereby, but by his Grace be made more than Conquerors, Pfal. li. 10. Create in me a clean Heart, O God, and renew a Right Spirit within me, Pfal. cxix. 133. Order Ny Step, in thy Word; and let not any Iniquity have Dominion over me. According to his Promife, 1 Cor. x. 13. But God is faithful, who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, 2 Cor. xii. 9. And be faid unto me, my Grace is fufficient for thee; for my Strength is made perfect in Weakness.

What is the first Inference?

A. That Sin is the worst of Evils.

Q. 10. What is the fecond Inference?

A. That without God's Grace we can never withstand, but shall be overcome by every Temptation, 2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are fufficient of our felves to think any Thing us of our felves; but our fufficiency is of God, Joh. xv. 5. For without me ye can do nothing.

Q. What is the third Inference?

A. That we must do all we can to keep our felves from Temptation, and to engage the Grace of God with us in Temptation, by Prayer, by pleafing the Spirit of God, by. looking to Jefus, &c.

Quest. 107.

W

Of the Conclufion.

HAT doth the Conclufion of the
Lord's
's Prayer teach us?

A. The Conclufion of the Lord's Prayer, which is, [For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory, for ever, Amen.] teacheth us to take our Encouragement in Prayer from God only, and in our Prayers to praife him, afcribing Kingdom, Power and Glory to him, and in Teftimony of our Defice, and Affurance to be heard, we fay, Amen.

Q. 1. Why is the Conclufion joined to the Particle För ? A. To teach us that therein are included Arguments or Reafons to prefs God withal, and to prevail with him for Audience.

Q. 2. But is it lawful to argue with God, and to urge him with Reasons in Prayer?

A. It is not only lawful, but expedient, yea highly commendable; as is feen in the Saints Prayers. In Mofes's, Numb xiv. 13. And Mofes faid unto the Lord, then the Egyptians fhall hear it (for thou broughteft up this People in thy Might from among them). Ver 19. Pardon, I beseech thee, the Iniquity of this People, according unto the greatness of thy Mercy, and as thou haft forgiven this People, from Egypt, even until now. In Joshua's, Chap. vii. 7. And Joshua Jaid, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore haft thou at all brought this People over Jordan to deliver us into the Hand of the Amorites, to deftroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other

Side Jordan. Ver. 9. For the Canaanites, and all the Inhabitants of the Land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the Earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great Name? In Afa's, 2 Chron. xiv. 11. And Afa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no Power: Help us, O Lord our God, for we reft on thee, and in thy Name we go against this great Multitude: O Lord thou art our God, let not Man prevail against thee. In Jehofaphat's, 2 Chron. xx. 6. And faid, O Lord God of our Fathers, art not thou God in Heaven? and ruleft not thou over all the Kingdoms of the Heathen? and in thine Hand is there not Power and Might, fo that none is able to withstand thee. And Hezekiah's, 2 Kin. xix. 15. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and faid, O Lord God of Ifrael, which dwelleft between the Cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the Kingdoms of the Earth, thou haft made. Heaven and Earth. Ver. 19. Now therefore, O Lord our God, &c.

Q3. But to what Purpose can we think to prevail with God by our Arguments and Importunity?

A. They are not used as though we would put God in Remembrance of any Thing; or would prevail with God to do that for us which he is unwilling to give.

Q4. Why then ?

A. For our own Profit, for the enlarging of our own Hearts, for the exciting of our Fervency, for the exerting of Faith, Hope, Zeal, Charity, &c. in Prayer, and fo to prepare our felves for the Mercy, that we may the more gratefully receive it, and the more fruitfully employ it. Q. 5. How many Arguments are in this Conclufion ? A. Three.

Q6. From whence are they taken ?

A. From God's Kingdom, from his Law, and from his Glory.

Q. 7. What Kingdom is here meant ?

A. God's univerfal, effential and abfolute Kingdom, wherein may be, and is involved his fpecial Kingdom over the Church.

Q. 8. What are the Arguments from hence?

A. Because all that we can pray for in this Prayer, is for the Advancement and perfecting of this his Kingdom, by

the

the Destruction of all Perfons and Things that oppose it, and the Completion of his Dominion over all his Subjects ; therefore he would grant all these Requests.

Q9. What is another?

A. (2.) Because he being fuch an abfolute Lord and So vereign, has an undeniable Right, and unquestionable Au thority to give and grant all we afk, and to effect and bring to pafs all we beg; for all Perfons and Things are his own, and at his Disposal, Matt. xx. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own.

Q. 10. What is meant by Power?

A. God's effential, infinite, irresistible Power, whereby he can do what he pleases, Pfal. cxxxv. 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleafed, &c.

Q. 11. What is the Argument from hence?

A. That we afk nothing from God, but what he can do with infinite Eafe; in despite of all the Oppofition that Hell, Earth, and Heart can make to the contrary, Phil. iii. ult. According to the working, &c. Eph. iii. 20. Now unto him that is able, &c.

Q. 12. What is meant by Glory?

A. Not his effential Glory, which no Man or Angel can ever apprehend.

Q. 13. What Glory then?

A. His declared and acknowledged Glory; even the Accomplishment of all his Decrees by his Providence; and then the Love, the Adoration and the Praifes, the Self-dedications of Angels and Saints returned to him for the fame.

Q. 13. What is the Argument or Motive from hence? A. That feeing the Subftance of every Request does directly tend to, and will perfectly end in this Glory of God, when they are fully answered; therefore he would gradually anfwer them while we are here, and perfectly at last, to the Advancement of his Glory now, and the Completion of it then, 1 Chron. xxix. 11. Thine, O Lord, is the Greatness, and the Power, and the Glory, &c. Jof. vii 9. And what wiltthou do unto thy great Name, Ifa. xlii. 8. I am the Lord, that is my Name, &c. Ifa. xlviii. 11. For my own jake, even for my own fake will I do it, &c.

Q. 15. Why is Amen added?

A. Because