The Sixth Petition

We have now heard enough of the trouble and effort required to receive and keep all for which we pray, and of the infirmities and struggles that accompany such effort. Moreover, although we have obtained forgiveness and a good conscience, and are wholly absolved, yet such is life that one stands today and falls tomorrow. Therefore, although we be godly and have a good conscience toward God, yet we must ever pray that he suffer us not to relapse, and to yield to trials and temptations. Temptation, or as our Saxons of old called it, Bekörung (allurement), is of three kinds: of the flesh, of the world, and of the devil. We dwell in the flesh, and the old Adam is always astir in us. He exerts himself and daily incites us to unchastity, indolence, gluttony and drunkenness, to avarice and deceit, to acts of fraud and deception against our neighbor; in fact, to all kinds of evil lust inborn in us and aroused by the companionship and example of others, and by what we hear and see, things which injure and inflame an innocent heart.

Then comes the world with word and deed to offend and drive us to anger and impatience. In short, there is in it nothing but hate and jealousy, enmity, violence and injustice, unfaithfulness, vengeance, cursing, railing, slander, pride and arrogance, with fondness for luxury, honor, fame and power; where no one wishes to be least, but every one desires to sit at the head and to be seen before all men. And in addition to these comes the devil, who worries and harasses us on all sides, but especially occupies himself with things pertaining to the conscience and spiritual matters. His main object is to lead us to ignore and utterly cast away both God's Word and works, to tear from us faith, hope and love, and to bring us into unbelief, false confidence and obstinacy; or else to drive us into despair, atheism, blasphemy and innumerable other shocking sins. Now, these are indeed snares and nets; yea, the actual fiery darts which, not flesh and blood, but the devil, shoots in the most venomous form into our hearts.

Great and grievous indeed are the perils and temptations every Christian must bear, grievous even if each temptation come alone. Being, throughout this troublous life, harassed, hounded and driven from all sides, we are constrained every hour to plead and to cry that God may not permit us to become indolent and weary, and to relapse into sin, disgrace and unbelief. Otherwise it is impossible to overcome the most insignificant trial.

When God gives us power and strength to resist temptation, even though it be not removed, that is "leading us not into temptation." Since we live in the flesh, and have the devil prowling about us, no one can escape temptations and allurements. It cannot be otherwise than that we must suffer temptations, yea, be entangled in them; but here we pray that we may not fall into and be overwhelmed by them. There is a great difference, then, between experiencing temptation and yielding to it—saying yes to it. We all must experience it, though not to the same degree; some have more and stronger temptations than others. For instance, the young are tempted especially by the flesh, while older people are tempted by the world. Others, who are occupied with spiritual things—that is, strong Christians—are tempted by the devil. But no one can be harmed by the mere feeling of temptation so long as it is against our will and we prefer to be rid of it. If we did not feel it, it could not be called a temptation. But to consent to it is to give it loose rein and neither resist it nor pray for help against it.

Hence, we Christians must be armed for temptation and expect incessant attacks; then no one will go ahead securely and heedlessly as if the devil were far from him, but will at all times expect his attacks and resist his blows. For though I now be chaste, patient and gentle, and stand firm in faith, the devil shall yet, this hour, send into my heart such an arrow that I scarce can stand. For he is a foe that never desists nor wearies; when one temptation is discontinued, others and new ones always arise. At such times our only help or comfort is to take refuge in the Lord's Prayer and appeal to God from our hearts, saying: Dear Father, thou hast bidden me to pray; let me not fall through temptation. Thus you will see the temptation weaken and finally be overcome; whereas if you venture to help yourself with your own thoughts and counsel, you will only make the matter worse and give the devil more chance. For he has a serpent's head, and wherever it finds an opening into which to pry, his whole body wriggles in after it, unimpeded. But prayer can restrain and repel him.