CHAPTER XV

OF THE SIXTH PETITION

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION

QUESTION I

How great is the Danger, lest, after receiving the Remission of Sins, we again relapse into Sin

When the children of God, having obtained the pardon of their sins, and being inflamed with the desire of giving worship and veneration to God, long for the kingdom of heaven, and when, engaged in the performance of all the duties of piety toward the divine Being, they depend entirely on his paternal will and providence; then it is, no doubt, that the enemy of the human race employs the more actively all his artifices, and prepares all his machinery to attack them so violently, as to justify the apprehension, that, wavering and altered in their resolutions, they may relapse into sin, and their condition thus become far worse than before. To them may justly be applied these words of the apostle: It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

QUESTION II

In what manner Christ wished to fortify us against the Snares of our most Cunning Enemy

Therefore doth Christ our Lord command us to offer this petition, to the end that we may commend ourselves daily to God, and implore his paternal care and assistance, nothing doubtful that when destitute of his protection, we must be caught in the snares of our most crafty enemy. Nor is it in this rule of prayer alone that he hath commanded us to beg of God not to suffer us to be led into temptation; he does the same in his address to his apostles, just upon the moment of his death, after he had declared them clean. he admonishes them of this duty in these words: Pray that ye enter not into temptation. This admonition, reiterated by our Lord, imposes a heavy obligation on pastors to spare no pains in inciting the faithful to a frequent use of this prayer, that, beset as men hourly are their enemy the devil, with, so many serious dangers of this sort, they may assiduously address to God, who alone can repel those dangers, the prayer, Lead us not into temptation.

QUESTION III

From what Reasons men may best understand the Necessity of this Petition

The faithful people will understand the paramount necessity of the divine assistance, if they but reflect on their own weakness and ignorance, if they recall to mind these words of Christ our Lord: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak; and if they consider the grievous and destructive calamities that must befall men through the instigation of the devil, if they be not upheld and assisted by the heavenly right hand. What dearer example can there be of human infirmity than that which the holy choir of the apostles affords? Evincing, as they had before done, such resolute courage, they however, at the very first alarm, abandoned the Saviour, and fled. A still more striking illustration is presented to us in the conduct of the prince of the apostles, who, when he, loud in professing extraordinary fortitude and love towards Christ our Lord, and confiding much in himself, had said, Though I should die with thee, yet I will not deny thee, yet a short time after, affrighted by the voice of a poor servant-maid, he affirmed with an oath that he knew not the Lord. Doubtless his strength was not equal to his intense alacrity; but if, by the frailty of human nature, in which they confided, men of eminent holiness have fallen into most grievous sin, what have not others to fear who are very far inferior to them in holiness.

QUESTION IV

To how many, and how great Temptations the Life of Man is exposed

The pastor, therefore, will place before the eyes of the faithful people the conflicts and dangers in which we are continually engaged, whilst the soul dwells in this mortal body, assailed as we are on all sides by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Of the effects of anger, of lust, in us, who has not had sad experience to his cost? Who is not harassed by their assaults? Who feels not their stings? Who burns not with these smouldering torches? In truth, so numerous are these assaults, so varied these attacks, that it is extremely difficult to escape some grievous wound. Besides the enemies that dwell and live within us, there are also those most sharp foes, of whom it is written: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

QUESTION V

How grievous are the Assaults of Demons upon us, according to the opinion of St. Paul

The efforts of our inward conflicts are seconded by the attacks and attempts of the devils from without, who assail us openly, and insinuate themselves also by stratagems into our souls; insomuch, that it is not without difficulty that we can beware of them. These the apostle calls princes, on account of the excellence of their nature (for by nature they are superior to man, and to all other visible creatures); he calls them powers, because they excel not only by their nature, but also by their power; he calls them rulers of the world of darkness, for they rule not the world of light and glory, that is to say, the good and the pious; but the gloom and darkness, that is, those who, blinded by the defilement and darkness of a wicked and guilty life, are delighted to have the devil for a leader, the prince of darkness. He also calls the evil demons the spirits of wickedness; for there is a wickedness of the flesh and of the spirit. The wickedness of flesh inflames the appetite to sensual lusts and pleasures; the spirits of wickedness are wicked purposes and desires, which belong to the superior part of the soul, and are more criminal than the former, in proportion as mind itself and reason are superior. This wickedness of Satan the apostle denominates in the high places, because its chief aim is to deprive us of the inheritance of heaven. Hence we may understand that the power of the [infernal] enemies is great, their courage undaunted, their hatred enormous and unmeasured; that they wage against us a perpetual war with such fury, that with them there can be no peace, no cessation of hostilities.

QUESTION VI

Of the Boldness and Perversity of the Devil in Tempting

How bold they are, we may form an idea from the words of Satan recorded by the prophet, I will ascend into heaven; he attacked our first parents in Paradise; he assailed the prophets; he beset the apostles, and, as our Lord declares in the gospel, he would sift them as wheat; nor was his audacity abashed even by the presence of our Lord himself! His insatiable cupidity and unwearied diligence are thus expressed by St. Peter: Your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Nor are we tempted by one demon only, for sometimes a host of demons combine in the assault against us individually. This was avowed by the evil spirit, who, when asked his name by Christ our Lord, replied, My name is legion, that is, a host of demons, which had tormented that unhappy being; and of another it is written, He taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

QUESTION VII

Why the Pious are harassed by Demons, more than the Wicked

There are many who, because they feel not in themselves the impulses and assaults of the devil, imagine that the whole matter is fictitious. No wonder that such persons are not attacked by the devil, to whom they have surrendered at discretion. They possess neither piety nor charity, nor any other virtue worthy of a Christian, and are hence entirely subject to the dominion of the devil; and becoming as they do his willing abodes, there needs no temptation to insure their overthrow. But those who have dedicated themselves to God, leading a heavenly life upon earth, are the chief objects of the assaults of Satan; against them he harbours most malignant hatred, for them he is every moment laying snares. The history of the Sacred Scriptures abounds in examples of holy men, whom, although firm and resolute, he perverted by violence or artifice. Adam, David, Solomon, and others, whom it were tedious to enumerate, experienced the violent assaults and crafty cunning of demons, which human wisdom and strength are unable to combat. Who then can esteem himself sufficiently secure in his own resources? Hence the necessity of offering to God pure and pious prayer, that he suffer us not to be tempted above our strength, but make issue with temptation, that we may be able to bear it.

QUESTION VIII

Demons cannot tempt Men as much, or as long as they desire

But should any of the faithful, through weakness of mind or ignorance of the truth, feel terrified at the power of the devils, they are to be encouraged, when overtaken by the storm of temptation, to take refuge in this harbour of prayer, for the power and pertinacity of Satan, however great, are not, in his utter hatred of mankind, such as to enable him to tempt or torment as much, or as long, as he pleases; but all his power is governed by the control and permission of God. Of this we have a most conspicuous example in Job, nothing belonging to whom could the devil have touched, had not God said, Behold, all that he hath is in thy hand; whilst, on the other hand, he himself, with his children, and all that he possessed, would have been at once destroyed by the devil, if God had not added, Only put not forth thy hand upon himself. So restricted is the power of devils, that, without the permission of God, they could not enter even into the swine mentioned by the Evangelists.

QUESTION IX

Meaning of “Temptation”

But to understand the force of this petition, it is necessary to point out the meaning of the word temptation, as here employed, and also, what it is to be led into temptation. To tempt, is to make trial of him who is tempted, that, eliciting from him what we desire, we may extract the truth. In this sense of the word, God does not tempt; for what is it that is unknown to God? All things are naked and opened to his eyes. Another species of temptation consists in pushing our scrutiny rather far, when we have some further object in view, either for a good or an evil purpose; for a good purpose, as when some one’s worth is thus tried, in order that having been ascertained and known, it may be rewarded and honoured, and his example proposed to others for imitation, and that, in fine, all may therefore be excited to give praises unto God. This is the only sort of temptation consistent with God; and of it we have an example in these words of Deuteronomy: The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul. In this sense God is also said to tempt those who are his, when he oppresses them with want, disease, and other calamities, with a view to try their patience, and in them to present to others an example of Christian duty. We read that Abraham was thus tempted to immolate his son, by which fact he became a singular example of obedience and patience, to the remembrance of men for ever: thus also is it written of Tobit, Because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee.

QUESTION X

In what manner the Devil Tempts Men

Men are tempted for an evil purpose, when they are impelled to sin or destruction; and this is the peculiar province of the devil; for he tempts mankind with the view of deceiving and precipitating them into ruin; and, therefore, is he called in Scripture, the Tempter. In those temptations, at one time stimulating us from within, he makes use of the agency of the affections and passions of the mind; at another time assailing us from without, he makes use of external things, of prosperity to puff us up with pride, or of adversity to break our spirits. He sometimes employs as his emissaries and scouts depraved men, particularly heretics, who, sitting in the chair of pestilence, scatter the deadly seeds of evil doctrines, unsettling, and precipitating headlong their adherents, who draw no line of distinction between vice and virtue, and are of themselves inclined to evil.

QUESTION XI

In what manner any one is said to be Led into Temptation

We are said to be led into temptation, when we yield to temptation. And we are so led in a twofold manner; first, when abandoning our position, we rush into the evil to which we are allured by the temptations of others. God tempts no man thus; for to no one is God the author of sin, nay, he hates all who work iniquity; and accordingly we also read in St. James: Let no man, when he is tempted, say, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted of evil. Next, he too is said to lead us into temptation, who, although he himself does not tempt us, nor co-operate in tempting us, yet, having it in his power, does not prevent us from being tempted, or from yielding to temptations. In this manner God indeed suffers the good and the pious to be tempted, but leaves them not unsupported by his grace. Sometimes, however, we fall, being left to ourselves by the just and hidden judgment of God, in punishment of our crimes.

QUESTION XII

The Blessings of God sometimes lead us into Temptation

God is also said to lead us into temptation, when we abuse, to our own destruction, the blessings which he hath bestowed upon us as the means of salvation; and, like the prodigal son, dissipate in luxurious living our Father’s substance, yielding to our evil desires. In such circumstances we may truly say what the apostle hath said of the law: The commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto deaths. Of this Jerusalem, as Ezekiel testifies, affords an apposite exemplification. Enriched and adorned by God with every sort of embellishment, insomuch that God said by the mouth of that prophet, Thou wast perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee; yet, loaded with an accumulation of divine gifts, that city, far from evincing gratitude to God, from whom she had received, and was still receiving, so many favours; far from making use of those heavenly blessings for the end for which they had received them, the attainment of her own happiness, cast away the hope and idea of celestial fruit [Jerusalem], most ungrateful to God her Father, was sunk in abandoned luxury, looking only to the enjoyment of her present abundance. On this subject Ezekiel dwells at considerable length, in the same chapter. Those, therefore, who convert into instruments of vice the abundant means of virtuous deeds, with which he has blessed them, are equally ungrateful to God as was Jerusalem.

QUESTION XIII

In what manner we are to understand the Words of Scripture, when God is said to Tempt Man

But it behoves us particularly to observe this usage of Scripture, which sometimes signifies the permission of God in language which, if taken literally, implies, as it were, a positive act on the part of God, for in Exodus we read: I will harden the heart of Pharaoh; and in Isaiah: Make the heart of this people; and the apostle writes to the Romans: God delivered them up to vile affections, and to a reprobate mind. These and similar passages, we are not at all to understand as implying any positive act on the part of God, but his permission only.

QUESTION XIV

In this part of the Prayer we do not ask Freedom from all Temptation, but that we may not be Deserted by God in Temptation

These things premised, it will not be difficult to know what we pray for in this petition. We ask not to be entirely exempted from temptation, as man’s life is a temptation upon earth; and this is useful and advantageous to the race of man; for in temptations we are taught to know ourselves, that is, our own weakness, and to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God; and by fighting manfully, we expect to receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away; for he also that striveth for the mastery is not crowned, except he strive lawfully; and as St. James saith: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. But if we are sometimes hard pressed by the temptations of the enemy, it will cheer us much to reflect, that we have a High-priest to help us, who can have compassion on our infirmities, tempted himself in all things.

What, then, do we here pray for? We pray that, unforsaken by the divine assistance, we may not yield to temptation, deceived by the wicked one; nor may give up the victory, worsted in the contest; that the grace of God may be at hand, to refresh and invigorate us on the evil day, when our own strength fails.

QUESTION XV

In what manner we should Beseech Assistance from God in our Temptation

We should therefore implore the assistance of God in general under all temptations, and when assailed by any particular temptation, we should have recourse in particular to prayer. This we find to have been done by David under almost every species of temptation; for against lying he prays in these words: Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; against covetousness thus: Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness; and against the vanities of this life, and the allurements of concupiscence, he makes use of this prayer: Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. We therefore pray that we may not yield to evil desires, nor be wearied in enduring temptation; that we turn not aside from the way of the Lord; that in adversity as in prosperity we may preserve equanimity and fortitude; and that God may not in any respect deprive us of his protection. We pray, in fine, that God my tread Satan under our feet.

QUESTION XVI

How Victory may be borne off from Temptation, and by what means it may be obtained

It remains that the pastor exhort the faithful people to those things, which in this petition should constitute the chief objects of their thoughts and meditations. In offering this prayer, it will be found most salutary, if, aware of our extreme weakness, we distrust our strength; and, placing all our hope of safety in the goodness of God, and relying on his protection, we encounter even the greatest dangers with greatness of soul, calling to mind particularly the many instances of persons, who, animated with this hope, and armed with this resolution, were delivered by God from the gaping jaws of Satan. When Joseph was surrounded on every side by the burning torches of a furious woman, did not God rescue him from the extreme peril, and exalt him to glory? Did he not preserve Susannah in safety, when beset by the ministers of Satan, and on the very point of being made the victim of a nefarious sentence? Nor should this excite our surprise, for her heart, saith the prophet, had confidence in the Lord. Distinguished is the praise and the glory of Job, who triumphed over the world, the flesh, the devil! There are many similar examples, by which the pastor should diligently exhort his pious people to that hope and confidence.

QUESTION XVII

Christ is the Standard-Bearer in our Conflict, all the Holy are Comrades, and they who follow them not, are Cowards

The faithful should also reflect, under what leader they have to fight against the temptations of the enemy, no other than Christ our Lord, who was victorious in the same combat. He himself conquered the devil: he is that stronger man, who coming upon the strong armed man, overcame him, deprived him of his arms, and stripped him of his spoils. Of his victory over the world, we read in St. John, Have confidence; I have overcome the world; and in the Revelation he is called the conquering lion; and is said to have gone forth conquering, that he might conquer; and by this his victory he has given to his followers the power to conquer. The epistle of the apostle to the Hebrews abounds with the victories of holy men, who through faith subdued kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions; and what follows. Whilst we read of such achievements, let us also take into the account the victories every day won by men eminent for faith, hope, and charity, in their inward and outward conflicts with the devil; victories so numerous and so signal, that, were we spectators of them, we should deem no event more frequent, none more glorious. Of the defeat of these enemies St. John says: I have written to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

QUESTION XVIII

In what manner the Devil may be Overcome by us

Satan, however, is overcome not by indolence, sleep, wine, revelling, lust; but by prayer, labour, watching, abstinence, continence, chastity: Watch ye and pray, that ye enter not into temptation, is, as we have already said, the admonition [of our Lord]: they who make use of these weapons in that conflict are sure to put the enemy to flight; for from those who resist the devil, he is sure to flee. In these victories, however, which are achieved by holy men, let no one indulge self-complacency, nor presumptuously flatter himself, that by his own exertions he is able to withstand the hostile temptations and assaults of devils: for this is not within the power of human nature, nor the competency of human frailty.

QUESTION XIX

In what manner Strength to Conquer is given us by God

This strength, by which we lay prostrate the satellites of Satan, is given by God, who maketh our arms like a brazen bow; by whose aid, the bows of the mighty men are broken, and they are girt with strength; who giveth us the protection of salvation; whose right hand receiveth us; who teacheth our hands to fight, and our fingers to war; so that, for the victory, we should give thanks, and be grateful to God alone, by whose inspiration and assistance alone we are able to conquer. This grateful acknowledgment is exemplified in the conduct of the apostle: Thanks be to God, says he, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. The voice from heaven in the Revelation also proclaims God to be the author of our victories: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down; and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. That to Christ our Lord belongs the victory obtained over the world and the flesh, we learn from the same authority: They shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them. On the cause and manner of conquering temptation, let thus much suffice.

QUESTION XX

The Rewards which await the Victors in the Spiritual Conflict

These things explained, the pastor will propose to the faithful people the crowns prepared by God, and the eternal amplitude of rewards destined for those who conquer: he will cite divine authorities to this effect from the same revelation: He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second death; and in another place: He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels; and a little after, our God and Lord himself thus addresses John: Him that shall overcome, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go out no more; he then says: To him that overcometh, I will grant to sit with me in my throne; even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne. Finally, having unveiled the glory of the saints, and the never-ending bliss which they shall enjoy in heaven, he adds, He that overcometh, shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.