Thus far we have prayed that God's name be honored by us,and that His kingdom prevail among us;in which two points is comprehended all that pertains to the honor of God and to our salvation,that we receive as our own God and all His riches.But now a need just as great arises,namely,that we firmly keep them,and do not suffer ourselves to be torn therefrom.For as in a good government it is not only necessary that there be those who build and govern well,but also those who make defense,afford protection and maintain it firmly,so here likewise,although we have prayed for the greatest need,for the Gospel,faith,and the Holy Ghost,that He may govern us and redeem us from the power of the devil,we must also pray that His will be done.For there will be happenings quite strange if we are to abide therein,as we shall have to suffer many thrusts and blows on that account from everything that ventures to oppose and prevent the fulfillment of the two petitions that precede.
For no one believes how the devil opposes and resists them,and cannot suffer that any one teach or believe aright.And it hurts him beyond measure to suffer his lies and abominations,that have been honored under the most specious pretexts of the divine name,to be exposed,and to be disgraced himself,and,besides,be driven out of the heart,and suffer such a breach to be made in his kingdom.Therefore he chafes and rages as a fierce enemy with all his power and might,and marshals all his subjects,and,in addition enlists the world and our own flesh as his allies.For our flesh is in itself indolent and inclined to evil,even though we have accepted and believe the Word of God.The world,however,is perverse and wicked;this he incites against us,fans and stirs the fire,that he may hinder and drive us back,cause us to fall,and again bring us under his power.Such is all his will,mind,and thought,for which he strives day and night,and never rests a moment,employing all arts,wiles,ways,and means whichever he can invent.
If we would be Christians,therefore,we must surely expect and reckon upon having the devil with all his angels and the world as our enemies,who will bring every possible misfortune and grief upon us.For where the Word of God is preached,accepted,or believed,and produces fruit,there the holy cross cannot be wanting.And let no one think that he shall have peace;but he must risk what whatever he has upon earth --possessions,honor.house and estate,wife and children,body and life.
Now,this hurts our flesh and the old Adam;for the test is to be steadfast and to suffer with patience in whatever way we are assailed,and to let go whatever is taken from us.
Hence there is just as great need,as in all the others,that we pray without ceasing:"Dear Father,Thy will be done,not the will of the devil and of our enemies,nor of anything that would persecute and suppress Thy holy Word or hinder Thy kingdom;and grant that we may bear with patience and overcome whatever is to be endured on that account,lest our poor flesh yield or fall away from weakness or sluggishness."Behold,thus we have in these three petitions,in the simplest manner,the need which relates to God Himself,yet all for our sakes.For whatever we pray concerns only us,namely,as we have said,that what must be done anyway without us,may also be done in us.For as His name must be hallowed and His kingdom come without our prayer,so also His will must be done and succeed although the devil with all his adherents raise a great tumult,are angry and rage against it,and undertake to exterminate the Gospel utterly.But for our own sakes we must pray that even against their fury His will be done without hindrance also among us,that they may not be able to accomplish anything and we remain firm against all violence and persecution,and submit to such will of God.
Such prayer,then,is to be our protection and defense now,is to repel and put down all that the devil,Pope,bishops,tyrants,and heretics can do against our Gospel.Let them all rage and attempt their utmost,and deliberate and resolve how they may suppress and exterminate us,that their will and counsel may prevail:over and against this one or two Christians with this petition alone shall be our wall against which they shall run and dash themselves to pieces.
This consolation and confidence we have,that the will and purpose of the devil and of all our enemies shall and must fail and come to naught,however proud,secure,and powerful they know themselves to be.
For if their will were not broken and hindered,the kingdom of God could not abide on earth nor His name be hallowed.
The Fourth Petition.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Here,now,we consider the poor breadbasket,the necessaries of our body and of the temporal life.It is a brief and simple word,but it has a very wide scope.For when you mention and pray for daily bread,you pray for everything that is necessary in order to have and enjoy daily bread and,on the other hand,against everything which interferes with it.Therefore you must open wide and extend your thoughts not only to the oven or the flour-bin but to the distant field and the entire land,which bears and brings to us daily bread and every sort of sustenance.For if God did not cause it to grow,and bless and preserve it in the field,we could never take bread from the oven or have any to set upon the table.
