A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

1. From the Evil which the Devil designs against us. Both bad and good Men have need to make this Prayer: Bad Men have need; Good Men will have a Heart certainly to pray thus to God, if they consider their Danger.

(1.) Natural and unconverted Men, they are under the Power of the Devil, if they were sensible of it; for the Devils are said to be Rulers of the Darkness of this World, Ephes. 6. 12. By which is meant the Wicked, Ignorant, and carnal part of the World, whether they live in Gentilism, or within the Pale and Line of Christ's Communion, over all those that live in their unrenewed state of Sin and Ignorance; over all these, Satan hath an Empire and Dominion. And mark, when God carried on his Kingdom in in a way of sensible Manifestation, by Visions, Oracles, and Miracles: So did Satan visibly govern the Pagan World by Apparitions, Oracles, lying Wonders, and sensible manifestations of himself. But now, when God's Kingdom is Spiritual, The Kingdom of God is within you, Luke 17. 21. So by proportion, Satan's Kingdom is Spiritual too, he rules in the Hearts of Men, though they little think of it. All natural Men, whether they be Pagans or Christians, though outwardly and apparently they may renounce the Devil's Kingdom, and do not seem to have such open communion with him, as the Gentiles that consult with his Oracles, and were instructed by his Apparitions, acted by his Power, and offered Sacrifice to him: But Spiritually, all natural Men are under the Devil; for, 1 Jo. 3. 8. He that committeth Sin, is of the Devil; that is, he belongeth to him. How is he of the Devil? They are his Children, ⟨p. 480⟩Acts 13. 10. O thou Child of the Devil. And they are his Subjects, he ruleth in them; he hath a Kingdom among Men, which by all means he goeth about to maintain;