II. The subject-matter of the petition, when we pray that God would not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. The only difficulty in laying down the method in which this is to be insisted on, arises from the indeterminateness of the word evil; of which, there are various senses given by them, that explain the Lord’s prayer.

Some understand by it, the evil one, or the Devil; and then one part of this petition may be considered as exegetical of the other: So that, not to be led into temptation, is the same as, to be delivered from the assaults of Satan, the evil one, that we may not be brought under his power, or become vassals to him, as complying with his temptations.

Others understand the word in a more large sense, as an intimation of our desire to be delivered from evil of all kinds, and that either from the evil of sin, or the evil of afflictions, which are the consequence of sin. If we take it for a deliverance from the evil of sin; this respects the guilt thereof, and the punishment that is due to it; and then it differs little or nothing from the subject-matter of the foregoing petition, when we pray, that God would forgive us our sins; or if, on the other hand, we take it for deliverance from the evil of sin, as it includes in it a branch of sanctification, that is, from the dominion and slavery of sin, then it is well connected with the former petition; for when we pray for pardon of sin, we ought also to pray for deliverance from the reigning power thereof. And it is very well connected with our praying against temptation; for it is, in effect, to desire either that we may not be assaulted by the tempter, or that we may not be drawn aside to sin against God thereby.

As for the evil of affliction, I cannot think that this is intended by this expression, because the opposition between it and our deliverance from temptation, would not appear to be so just as we must suppose it is, unless we take temptation itself to be an affliction; and then it is the same as though we should say, deliver us from temptation, that we may not be afflicted therewith; which we must be supposed to be, by reason of the danger we are in of falling thereby.

By passing by these critical remarks on the sense of the words, Deliver us from evil, we shall consider the subject-matter of this petition, under two general heads, viz.

First, We shall enquire what are the temptations which we are exposed to.

Secondly, How we are to pray that we may not be led into them; or, if we are, how we may be delivered from the evil consequences that will arise from our compliance with them, which is principally implied in those words, Deliver us from evil.

First, What are those temptations which we are exposed to: These are of various kinds, all which take their rise either from the world, the flesh, or the Devil. Their manner of acting, indeed, is different; yet they are very often united in their assaults, from whence we are in perpetual danger of being overcome, if God, by his grace, is not pleased to interpose.—And,

1. We shall consider the temptations that we meet with from the world. These are either such as arise from the solicitations of those whom we converse with therein, who, under a pretence of friendship, persuade us to sin: Thus we read of some who entice others to lay wait for blood, and desire those whom they would ensnare into this crime, to cast in their lot among them, Prov. i. 10-14. but we are advised, not to consent to, or be confederate with them: Or else they arise from those things in the world which present themselves to us, and are temptations to sin, in an objective way, being not so much the cause as the occasion thereof; and, in many instances, the use thereof is lawful, while the abuse alone proves hurtful to us: This is what we shall principally confine ourselves to at present, and shew how the good and evil things of the world, or the various conditions in which we are, whether prosperous or adverse, prove temptations to us.

(1.) The good things of the world, or the various conditions in which we are, whether prosperous or adverse, prove temptations to us.