The Sixth Petition

99] And lead us not into temptation.

100] We have now heard enough what toil and labor is required to retain all that for which

we pray, and to persevere therein, which, however, is not achieved without infirmities and

stumbling. Besides, although we have received forgiveness and a good conscience and are

entirely acquitted, yet is our life of such a nature that one stands to‐day and to‐morrow falls.

Therefore, even though we be godly now and stand before God with a good conscience, we

must pray again that He would not suffer us to relapse and yield to trials and temptations.

101] Temptation, however, or (as our Saxons in olden times used to call it) Bekoerunge, is of

three kinds, namely, of the flesh, of the world, and of the devil. 102] For in the flesh we dwell

and carry the old Adam about our neck, who exerts himself and incites us daily to inchastity,

laziness, gluttony and drunkenness, avarice and deception, to defraud our neighbor and to

overcharge him, and, in short, to all manner of evil lusts which cleave to us by nature, and to

which we are incited by the society, example and what we hear and see of other people,

which often wound and inflame even an innocent heart.

103] Next comes the world, which offends us in word and deed, and impels us to anger, and

impatience. In short, there is nothing but hatred and envy, enmity, violence and wrong,

unfaithfulness, vengeance, cursing, raillery, slander, pride and haughtiness, with superfluous

finery, honor, fame, and power, where no one is willing to be the least, but every one desires

to sit at the head and to be seen before all.

104] Then comes the devil, inciting and provoking in all directions, but especially agitating

matters that concern the conscience and spiritual affairs, namely, to induce us to despise and

disregard both the Word and works of God, to tear us away from faith, hope, and love, and

bring us into misbelief, false security, and obduracy, or, on the other hand, to despair, denial

of God, blasphemy, and innumerable other shocking things. These are indeed snares and

nets, yea, real fiery darts which are shot most venomously into the heart, not by flesh and

blood, but by the devil.

105] Great and grievous, indeed, are these dangers and temptations which every Christian

must bear, even though each one were alone by himself, so that every hour that we are in

this vile life where we are attacked on all sides, chased and hunted down, we are moved to

cry out and to pray that God would not suffer us to become weary and faint and to relapse

into sin, shame, and unbelief. For otherwise it is impossible to overcome even the least

temptation.

106] This, then, is leading us not into temptation, to wit, when He gives us power and

strength to resist, the temptation, however, not being taken away or removed. For while we

live in the flesh and have the devil about us, no one can escape temptation and allurements;

and it cannot be otherwise than that we must endure trials, yea, be engulfed in them; but we

pray for this, that we may not fall and be drowned in them.

107] To feel temptation is therefore a far different thing from consenting or yielding to it. We

must all feel it, although not all in the same manner, but some in a greater degree and more

severely than others; as, the young suffer especially from the flesh, afterwards, they that

attain to middle life and old age, from the world, but others who are occupied with spiritual

matters, that is, strong Christians, from the devil. 108] But such feeling, as long as it is against

our will and we would rather be rid of it, can harm no one. For if we did not feel it, it could

not be called a temptation. But to consent thereto is when we give it the reins and do not

resist or pray against it.

109] Therefore we Christians must be armed and daily expect to be incessantly attacked, in

order that no one may go on in security and heedlessly, as though the devil were far from us,

but at all times expect and parry his blows. For though I am now chaste, patient, kind, and in

firm faith, the devil will this very hour send such an arrow into my heart that I can scarcely

stand. For he is an enemy that never desists nor becomes tired, so that when one temptation

ceases, there always arise others and fresh ones.

110] Accordingly, there is no help or comfort except to run hither and to take hold of the

Lord's Prayer, and thus speak to God from the heart: Dear Father, Thou hast bidden me pray;

let me not relapse because of temptations. Then you will see that they must desist, and

finally acknowledge themselves conquered. 111] Else if you venture to help yourself by your

own thoughts and counsel, you will only make the matter worse and give the devil more

space. For he has a serpent's head, which if it gain an opening into which he can slip, the

whole body will follow without check. But prayer can prevent him and drive him back.