218 AZUA SERMON VIII. MATT. VI. 13. But deliver us from Evil. HIS petition being joyn'd by the particle but,to the foregoing against Temptations, hath been generally taken for no more than an illuftration of it; as if the fenfe of both had been, "fo prevent us from falling into Temptations, "that we may be deliver'd from the danger of falling into Evil, or fin. This interpretation probably might be the reason why this last article was, as Origen and St. Austin obferve, wanting in the antient copies of a St. Luke, However 4 Τὸ δὲ ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τὸ πονηρὰ παρὰ τῷ λεκα σεσι Ts. Origen. de Oratione. Evangelifta Lucas in oratione However all the Antients, who have comaented upon this Prayer, have so interpreted this last article of it, as to give it a distinct fenfe from the foregoing; and as in the one against Temptations they exprefs'd the matter of their fins, fo in this against Evil the cause and promoter of them. I fhall therefore endeavour to fhew what is here meant by Evil. Secondly, The neceffity of praying to be deliver'd from fuch Evil. First, What is here meant by Evil. Our modern interpreters have generally understood by Evil those calamities which befal men, either in their temporal or fpiritual condition. They apply the word as being general to natural or moral Evil, and therefore mean by it either the external harms which they fuffer, or the fins which they commit. But most certainly this is not a true sense of the dominicâ petitiones non feptem fed quinque complexus eft--at verò quod ille (Matthæus) in ultimo pofuit, ifte non pofuit, D, Aug. ad Laur. The words are likewife wanting in the vulgar Latin. Origen gives this reafon for the variation; that our Saviour, speaking in St. Matthew to the multitude exprefs'd himself fuitably to their capacities; but in St. Luke he taught his disciples, who had a better understanding, to pray, and therefore had no occafion to exprefs himself so much at large. word: word: for tho' we can never either improperly or unfeasonably pray for deliverance from fuch Evil, yet that request is fufficiently fet forth in the foregoing Petition against Temptations. We in that exprefs our fears of Evil in general; in this, those from the great adversary of man, and the promoter of thefe Temptations, the Devil. The Greek word (T8 wovngs) signifies not the harm which we fear, but the author of it; and therefore it fhould not be render'd, deliver us from evil, but deliver us from that evil one; meaning by that the tempter, who, as b The ambiguity of both the English and Latin word in this place hath made the fenfe dubious. But the Greek F wovngs is very clear, being always in St. Matthew apply'd to perfons; tho' it is to be confefs'd, that the word is us'd promiscuously in fome others of the facred writers. However, worneg's fignifies the tempter only. Matt. xiii. 19. 1 John ii. 13. ch. iii. 2. ch. v. 18. And as the word is in these places tranflated the wicked or evil one, fo fhould it have been in this. There is the fame mistake committed, 1 John v. 19. ¿ xóoμ☺ xã I ¿v Twovne, the world lieth in wickedness; where it should be tranflated in that wicked one; meaning within the compass of his dangerous power. Thus likewife Ephef. vi. 16. rà ßéan I worney Weavę wa should be more properly translated, the fiery darts of that wicked one. The word & wong therefore fignifies truly and properly the Devil, and was fo interpreted by the Fathers. Vide Orig. Tert. Cypr. Greg. Nyffen. de Orat. Chryfoftom in locum, St. St. Chryfoftom upon the place obferves, is fo call'd by way of eminency, for his tranfcendent rebellion against Heaven and malice to mankind. We therefore here pray for deliverance. from those fnares, which our great and dangerous adverfary is ever laying for us. Thofe evil Angels that kept not their first estate endeavour vainly to recover it, by bringing the whole Creation into the fame dreadful state of corruption and mifery. They are therefore made the occafions of fin, and all the evils of mortality, according to that of the wife man, By envy of the Devil fin entred into the world, and death by fin. But the New Testament is very exprefs and clear in this point; That we wrestle not against flesh Ephef. vi. and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against fpiritual wickedness in high places. This our adverfary from his power and influence is call'd the God of this Eph. ii. 2. world, the Prince of this world, and the Prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience. It is farther obfervable, that the Gospel makes the abridging of this power of the tempter one of the effects of Christianity. 12. 31. Luke x. 18. John xii. Now, faith our Saviour, is the Prince of this world caft out: And he, in another place, tells his Disciples, for their encouragement, to caft out Devils; that he had beheld Satan, as lightning, fall from Heaven. St. Paul Heb.ii. 5. therefore obferves, that God had not put in Subjection to Angels the world to come; meaning, probably, by this, that he had refcu'd the state of Christianity from that influence of evil fpirits, to which the world was subject before the coming of our Saviour. The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the Devil; and the effects of that manifestation have evidently appear'd, in ftopping both his violence and delufions, whereever the Gospel hath been fully establish'd. The great number of Demoniacks in the first ages, before the full fettlement of Chriftianity, and the very few inftances of them in any age fince, are a fufficient proof of this point. The power of this enemy is, under the Sunfhine of the Gofpel, confin'd both in the extent and the effects of it. It is now permitted to tempt, but not to hurt and deftroy; and by that providence, which makes even the wrath of man to praife it, is turn'd to our benefit. His reftlefs and malicious endeavours, thro' the bleffing of Christianity, defeat their own defigns. They, by the trials which they bring upon |