precept as being a dutie most straitly injoyned and a principall part of that worship and service which we ow unto God This necessitie is not absolute but if we will avoid his curse Jer. 10. 25. 2. Necessitate medii necessitie of the means as being the means ordained by God for the obteining of all good things which he hath either purposed or promised to bestow upon us for our good so that if we ask aright we have if we ask not we have not as S. James saith chap. 4. 3. Necessitate signi necessitie of the signe as being a necessarie signe and cognizance of all true Christians who are described in the Scripture to be such as call upon the name of God As contrariwise the foolish Atheist who saith in his heart There is no God is deciphered by this note that he doth not call upon the Lord Psal. 14. 4. In which respects the holy man Daniel held the performance of this dutie so necessary that when the king had published a decree which might not be revoked That whosoever should ask a petition of either God or man save of the king for thirtie dayes he should be cast into the lions den he chose rather to be cast into the den of the lions then to omit this dutie but thirty dayes Dan. 6. neither did he omit it one day see vers 10. CHAP. IX Who are to perform the dutie of prayer ANd thus you have heard that it is required of all to call upon God Now let us consider what is required in all those that do call upon him That I expressed in the definition when I defined prayer to be a speech of the faithfull or as the holy Ghost styleth them also the righteous the godly the Saints of God Where by the way note that all faithfull and true Christians are righteous are godly are the Saints of God And thus are they to be qualified who will either pray unto God or praise him For prayer the holy Ghost saith that every one that is godly shall pray unto God Psal. 32. 6. and the prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 1. 16. For praise and thanksgiving unto God be glory in the Church saith the Apostle Ephes. 3. 21. that is in the company of the faithfull And so David Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his give thanks at the remembrance of his holinesse Psal. 30. 4. It is true that all the works of God do praise him as the matter of his praise but the Saints do blesse him as the instruments of his praise Psal. 145. 10. For both see Psal. 50. 14 15 16. where the Lord as he commandeth the faithfull to whom his speech is directed v. 5 7. to offer unto him thanksgiving and to call upon him in the day of trouble so he taketh exception against the wicked But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee But here we are carefully to consider who are the godly and righteous lest we exclude from hope of being heard those whom the holy Ghost doth not exclude There is therefore a twofold righteousnesse mentioned in the Scriptures the one Legall the other Evangelicall According to the legall righteousnesse none can be said to be righteous who doth not perfectly and perpetually perform whatsâ—…ever the law which is the Divine rule of perfect righteousnesse doth prescribe For if a man do not abstein from all things forbidden if he do not also the things commanded if he do not all and that in that manner and measure which the law prescribeth if he do not continue in doing all the things required but breaketh the course of his obedience by any one sinne though but of omission though but in thought he is notwithstanding all his obedience by the sentence of the law not onely a sinner but also accursed Gal. 3. 10. By this righteousnesse no man since the fall of Adam could be said to be righteous Christ onely excepted but we had all need to pray with David Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified viz. by the works of the law Gal. 3. 16. For there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles 7. 20. Yea in many things we offend all saith S. James chap. 3. 2. And if we say we have no sinne saith S. John 1. epist. 1. 8. we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Wherefore the law concludeth all under sinne and consequently under the curse Gal. 3. 22. So that there is no man so godly and righteous but in himself by the sentence of the law he is a sinner Which serveth notably to confute the Popish hypocrites which teach that none are justified but such as are formally just by a righteousnesse inherent in and performed by themselues that is habituall and actuall according to the law of God and that no man who is a sinner in himself by reason of sinne inherent can be said to be justified But whatsoever Pope-holy men do conceive of themselves we must confesse with the forenamed Apostles that we are sinners in our selves and had need daily to pray as our Saviour taught them for the forgivenesse of our sinnes and so to appeal from the sentence of the Law to the promise of the Gospel for the law hath concluded all under sinne that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal. 3. 22. The Evangelicall righteousnesse is that which without the Law is revealed in the Gospel whereby men that are sinfull in themselves I mean believing sinners and penitent sinners are accepted of God as righteous in Christ. And it is twofold For it is either imputed to a believing sinner as the righteousnesse of justification or infused and so inherent in a repentant sinner as the righteousnesse of sanctification The former is perfect and not inherent being the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith The other is inherent but not perfect being our new obedience wrought in us by the spirit of regeneration In respect of the former it is said that the righteous man shall live by his faith In respect of the latâ—…er that he is a righteous man which worketh righteousnesse And this twofold righteousnesse must of necessitie concurre in the same partie c. By the doctrine thereforâ—… of the Gospel he is a righteous a godly man a Saint of God who doth believe and repent And this is to be understood not onely of those who are indued with perfect faith and repentance or the higher degrees thereof but even of the lowest degrees of true faith and unfeignâ—…d repentance So that whosoever truly assenting in â—…is judgement to the promises of the Gospel concerning salvation by Christ doth earnestly in his heart desire
hath the promise both of temporall benefits Prov. 22. 4. The reward of humility is riches glory and life and spirituall Prov. 3. 34. grace Prov. 11. 4. wisdome Prov. 22. 4. the fear of God and finally blessednesse Matth. 5. 3. And therefore let us follow the counsel of James chap. 4. 10. to cast down our selves before the Lord and he will lift us up and of Peter 1. epist. 5. 6. to deck our selves inwardly with lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble In the examples also of the godly we may observe that the most holy men have most abased themselves when they have come into Gods presence Abraham the father of the faithfull making request to God in behalf of the Sodomites acknowledgeth himself to be but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. Jacob who was called Israel because by his wresting in prayer he prevailed with God confesseth himself lesse then the least of Gods mercies Gen. 32. 10. David a man according to Gods own heart in the humility of his soul desireth the Lord not to enter into judgement with him c. Psal. 143. 2. And 2. Sam. 6. 22. he professeth that he would be vile before the Lord. Isaiah the prophet at whose prayer the sunne went back being admitted into the presence of God crieth out that he was a man of polluted lips Daniel a man greatly beloved humbly acknowledgeth his sinnes and refuseth to come in his own worthinesse Dan. 9. 18. and likewise Ezra chap. 9. 6. The Centurion of whom our Saviour testifieth that he had not found the like faith in Israel Matth. 8. 8. professeth himself to be unworthy that Christ should come under his roof The woman of Syrophenicia to whom our Saviour gave testimonie that great was her faith confesseth her self to be but as a dog in comparison of the Israelites Mat. 15. 27. The repenting prodigall received to favour confesseth himself unworthy to be called a son Luke 15. 21. The Publicane who went home justified shewed great signes of humilitie Let us therefore avoiding the proud conceit of all Pharisaical Popish justitiaries who are not afraid to present themselves before God trusting in their own merits follow the advice of Paul Rom. 12. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as some expound it to go the same way with the humble so we shall come to the same end of the way which is the salvation of our souls the which unlesse we be humble even as children we cannot attein But he that is humble as a child shall be the greatest in the kingdome of heaven Matth. 14. 3 4. Now these two graces whereof I have last spoken faith and humilitie must necessarily go together For we must not be so humblâ—…d in regard of our unworthinesse in our selves but that notwithstanding we are to trust in Gods mercy accepting of us in Christ we are so to have affiance in the mercies of God merits of Christ that we disclaim all worthines in our selves Here therefore they offend 1. Who come to God in a Pharisaicall conceit of their own worthinesse for which they presume to be heard If it be obiected that the faithfull sometimes alledge their own pietie in their prayers as an argument to obtein their desires as David Psal. 86. 2. Hezekiah Isa. 58. 3. I answer 1. They alledge their own pietie as a gift of God and testimonie of his favour to confirm their faitâ—… not ascribing it to their own desert but to the favour grace of God by which they do confesse that they are what they are 1. Cor. 15. 10. For it is the nature of true faith to strip him where it is of all praise that all glory may be given unto God Psal. 115. 1. Non dignitatem suam sed dignationem Divinam allegant They alledge not their own dignitie but Gods acceptance 2. Because the promises of hearing our prayers are restrained to the godly they alledge their piety as a testimonie to their own souls that the promise belongeth to them 1. John 3. 22. Non hoc dico quin accâ—…a gratia siduciam donet orandi Sed non oportet ut in 〈◊〉 constituat quisquam fiduciam impetr andi Hoc solum conferunt haec promissa dona ut ab cadem misericordia quae tribuit haec sperentur etiam ampliora that is I do not say this because grace received doth give confidence in praying For none ought in it to place their trust of obteining But these gifts promised do onely conferre this that of that mercy which giveth these things we may also hope for greater More particularly for Davids prayer Preserve my soul for I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one on whom thou hast shewed great mercie save thy servant that trusteth in thee For Gods promise is not to fail them that put their trust in him For Hezekiah The Lord had promised David That his sonnes if they walked before him in uprightnesse should not want a sonne to succeed them in the crown Whereas therefore the prophet Isaiah brought this message to Hezekiah being sick that he should die having yet no issue he desireth the Lord to remember that he had walked uprightly before him and therefore intreateth the Lord that according to his promise he might not die without a sonne to succeed him and so obteined the lengthening of his dayes for fifteen yeares in which time God granted him a sonne to succeed him 2. Those that pray ambitiously to be seen and praised of men for such hypocrites have their reward Matth. 6. 5. Nisi humilitas omnia quaecunque bene fecimus praecesserit comitetur consecuta fuerit praeposita quam intueamur apposita cui adhaereamus imposita quâ reprimamur jam nobis de aliâ—…uo bono facto gaudentibus totum extorquet è manu superbia Vitia quippe caetera in peccatis superbia verò etiam in rectè factis timenda est nè illa quae laudabiliter facta sunt ipsius laudis cupiditate amittantur Unlesse humilitie do precede accompanie and follow all whatsoever we have well done and be preposed that we may behold it and apposed that we may adhere unto it and imposed that thereby we may be repressed pride will wring out of our hand all we have done whilest we rejoyce of our doing any good deed For other vices are to be feared in our sinfull actions but pride onely is to be feared in our good deeds lest those things which are laudably done be lost by our greedie coveting of praise 3. Those that pray with spirituall pride and ostentation as the Brownists being proud that they are able to conceive as it were ex tempore a prayer unto God and with such varietie as to use no set form nor twice to use the same words 4. Those that by their prayer look to satisfie for their sinnes and to merit at the hands of God as the Papists For
to be made partaker of Christ and hiâ—… merits and unfeignedly resolveth in his will to acknowledge Christ to be his Saviour and to rest upon him alone for salvation he doth believe to justification And whosoever being displeased with himself for his sinnes doth unfeignedly desire and truly purpose amendment of life he doth repent to sanctification And he that but thus believeth and repenteth is within the latitude of those faithfull and righteous men whose prayers are acceptable unto God and whose persons are accepted yea blessed of him Matth. 5. 3 4 5. and 11. 28. Psal. 34. 18. Examples of Manasseh 2. Chron. 33. 13. the Publicane Luke 18. And these beginnings of faith and repentance do alwayes concurre in our regeneration or conversion unto God For in regenerating us tâ—…e holy Ghost doth ingenerate in us the grace of faith and contrariwise CHAP. X. None but the faithfull can pray effectually and acceptably NOw how necessarie it is that he which prayeth acceptably should be a righteous or faithfull man indued with some measure of true faith and unfeigned repentance it may appear both by manifest reasons and manifold testimonies of holy Scriptures wherein the promise of hearing the prayer is restrained to the righteous and all hope of being heard denied to the wicked First then it is necessary that he who calleth upon God should be indued with faith For how shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10. 14. and Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. and likewise with repentance For unlesse a man repent he reteineth a purpose to go on in sinne and this his impenitencie or sinne not repented of is as a wall of separation between God and him God heareth not impenitent sinners as hereafter we shall shew Secondly before our prayers or other actions can be accepted of God our persons must be accepted in Christ Neither can the fruit be good while the tree is bad neither can we hope to prevail with God by intreaty whiles we do not desire to be reconciled unto him but as we were born the children of wrath so his wrath abideth upon us John 3. 36. and we do continue in our enmitie against God Thirdly there is no accesse to God but through Christ by the holy Ghost Ephes. 2. 18. and 3. 12. But the unbelieving and impenitent sinner as he hath no part in Christ so is he void of the holy Ghost Fourthly it cannot be but that the prayer of the unbelieving and impenitent sinners is very absurd and odious in Gods sight because they ask many times such things as they do not desire and promise such things as they do not mean to perform and bear the Lord in hand that they be such men then whom they are nothing lesse going about to deceive the Lord with their mouthes and with their lips speaking lies unto him Psal. 78. and in all their prayers and praises concerning spirituall things playing the notorious hypocrites before God For the manifestation whereof let us take a brief survey of the Lords prayer whereof the impenitent sinner is not able to utter one word aright and if not of that then of none for that is the summe of all First therefore they call God their Father in Christ when as they are nothing lesse then his children For he that committeth sinne is of the devil 1. John 3. 8. and his children they are whose works they do John 8. They say Our Father Give us as though in brotherly love they prayed for the whole brotherhood of the faithfull whereas they being void of Christian charitie seek onely themselves and have no part in the communion of Saints They direct their prayers to God who is in heaven infinite in majestie glory and power themselves being on earth vile and base creatures Eccles 5. as if they came in great humility in respect of their own unworthinesse and reverence in respect of the glorious majestie of God whereas indeed they rush into the presence of God with lesse regard and speak unto him with lesse reverence then they would to a mortall man who is but a little their superiour They call him Father noting his love which art in heaven noting his power as if they believed that their prayers should be granted as being assured that God is both willing and able to grant their desires and yet have no faith in God and therefore call not upon him aright in whom they have not believed In the first place they beg the advancement of Gods glory as if that were more deare unto them then their own good whereas in truth they have no zeal of Gods glory but unto it preferre the obteining of any worldly and sinfull desire They pray that his name may be sanctified which they do daily pollute with their mouthes and by their lives do cause it to be blasphemed They desire that his kingdome may come and that his will may be done as though they did first seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse whereof indeed they have no studie or care but are wholly addicted to worldly desires They pray that the kingdome of grace may be advanced and that God would rule and reigne in them by his Spirit according to his word when they are in the number of those who say We will not have this man to reigne over us resisting the spirit and casting the word behind their backs They pray that the kingdome of glory may be hastened by the speedy coming of Christ unto judgement and yet desire nothing lesse then the second coming of Christ. They desire that Gods will may be done which themselves will not do The will of God is their conversion and sanctification that they should abstein from those sinnes whereunto they are more specially addicted but though they know it to be the will of God that they should turn unto him they will not turn that they should leave their speciall sinnes they will not leave them as the drunkard his drunkennesse the whoremaster his fornication c. and yet like egregious hypocrites do pray that they may do the will of God as it is done in heaven that is after an angelical manner readily chearfully speedily uprightly faithfully constantly fully when as in truth they do the will of God no otherwise then the devils in hell which howsoever in respect of their intent rebell against the will of God yet if you respect the event they become maugre their spite the instruments to bring to passe that which God hath willed and decreed They crave bread at the hands of God as if a small thing would content them when they desire excesse of riches neither can be satisfied with abundance They crave daily bread or as the word signifieth such a portion of temporall blessings as God shall judge most expedient for them as if they meant not to be their own carvers but in these outward things resigned themselves into the hands
who are like himself But the faithfull who are at peace with God have also joy in the holy Ghost whereby they do rejoyce in God in all estates not onely in time of peace prosperity but also in time of adversity Rom. 5. 3. Yea the greatest afflictions of this life are to be born of the godly not onely meekly and patiently but also comfortably and thankfuly For 1. as God in all his judgements remembreth mercy so must our faith apprehend his mercy as well as our sense apprehendeth his judgements And therefore we ought to say with Job chap. 13. 15. Though he kill me yet will I trust in him 2. Because the faithfull have this priviledge that as nothing can hurt them Isai. 54. 17. so all things even their afflictions do work together for their good Rom. 8. 28. 3. Because God afflicteth them for their good whether by triall or chastisement 4. Because with the outward affliction he vouchsafeth inward comfort 2. Cor. 1. 5. 1. Sam. 30. 6. Acts 16. 25. Psal. 94. 19. 5. Because the afflictions of the faithfull though for sinne are under their desert and in them the anger of God is carried not against their persons but against their sinne 6. Because of those other favours of God which in their afflictions they do enjoy Desinentes contristari propter ea quae non habemus de rebus praesentibus gratias agere debemus Ceasing to grieve for those things we have not we are to give thanks for things which we presently have 7. Because though positive blessings are wanting yet there are alwayes innumerable privative blessings for which we are to give thanks Consider the evils we have deserved and the dangers whereunto we are exposed Consider that by our sinnes we have deserved all the plagues denounced in the law Deut. 28. 15. not onely in this life but also in the world to come Whilest therefore our condition is better then those in hell we have cause to prayse God who hath not dealt with us after our sinâ—…es nor rewarded us after our iniquities Psal. 103. 10. Lam. 3. 22. Now if they are bound to prayse God that are not consumed how much more have we cause to prayse God whom he hath not onely not consumed but hath heaped and multiplied his mercies upon us both privative and positive And as at all times we are to prayse God so in solemn festivalls ordained to that end such as was that of Purim Esth. 9. and ours of the Fifth of November for our marvellous deliverance from that horrible conspiracy of the Papists by the gunpouder-treason FINIS A GODLY AND FRUITFULL EXPOSITION OF THE LORDS PRAYER Shewing the meaning of the words and the duties required in the severall Petitions both in respect of prayer it self and also in respect of our lives PHIL. 4. 6. Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God ¶ Printed by Roger Daniel Printer to the Universitie of Cambridge Ann. Dom. MDCXL MATTH 6. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LUKE 11. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TO call upon the name of God by hearty and effectuall prayer is a duty in it self most excellent to God most glorious to our selves most profitable and necessary But such is the blindnesse and ignorance of our minds the dulnesse and hardnesse of our hearts that we know not either how to pray or what to ask Like to Zebedee's children Matth. 22. 20. We ask we know not what and as Paul speaketh Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to pray as we ought Wherefore our Saviour Christ in abundant mercy towards us that he might relieve our wants in this behalf hath set down a prescript form of prayer whereby we are to frame ours commanding us when we do pray to pray thus In which words as he forbiddeth us not to use this prayer so he doth not alwayes bind us to use the same words For here two extremities are to be avoided the first of the Brownists who think it unlawfull to use the prescript form of these words the second of the Papists who superstitiously insist in the very words and syllables themselves As touching the first Our Saviour commandeth us thus to pray and more plainly Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say Our Father c. Therefore unlesse it be unlawfull to obey the expresse commandment of our Saviour Christ it is lawfull to use these words Secondly the book of Psalmes doth prove that we may have set forms of prayers Psal. 86. is a form of prayer to be used in affliction The 92 is Psalmus in diem Sabbati A Psalme for the Sabbath The 102 Oratio pro paupere A Psalme for a poore man The 136 A solemn form of thanksgiving 2. Chron. 7. 6. and 20. 21. For the second when Christ commandeth to pray thus he doth not tie us to the words but to the things We must pray for such things as herein summarily are conteined with such affections as are herein prescribed For we must understand that our Saviour Christ propoundeth this prayer as a brief summe of all those things which we are to ask For as the Creed is summa credendorum the summe of things to be believed the Decalogue summa agendorum the summe of things to be done so the Lords Prayer is summa petendorum the summe of things to be desired But as all things particularly to be believed are not particularly expressed in the Creed nor all things to be done in the Decalogâ—… so neither are all things particularized in the Lords prayer for which we are to ask And therefore it is lawfull nay expedient and necessary often to descend into the particulars themselves For the proving whereof we have so many arguments as there are prayers of the godly recorded in the word For though all of them may be referred to this prayer or some part thereof yet none of them are conceived in the same words And moreover Matthew and Luke in setting down this prayer are not curious in observing the same words And therefore superstitious is the opinion and practice of the Church of Rome who think that the bare repetition of these words in an unknown tongue without understanding or faith is ex opere operato meritorious as though our Saviour Christ had prescribed these words to be used as a charm c. First whereas our Saviour Christ propoundeth this form we may be assured that it is a perfect pattern of prayer that nothing ought to be asked which is not in it conteined For in him are all the treasures of the wisdome and knowledge of God Col. 2. 3. He knoweth what is acceptable unto God what is needfull for us therefore in this prayer is conteined whatsoever is either fit for God to grant or for us to ask By this then as a pattern we are to form our prayers and as by a rule we are to examine them
charitable mind towards the society where we live towards our brother who hath offended us and towards our selves First towards the society 1. If the offense be such as according to the laws of the society is to be punished by order of justice for that punishment it is not in our power to remit 2. If the offense be dangerous to the society either in respect of Gods judgement or in respect of contagion then is it good the fault should be puâ—…ished that evil may be taken from among us and the judgement of God prevented and others may see and fear and fearing their punishment may not follow their example in which respects most meet and necessary it is that the insolency and outrage of wicked men should be restrained Secondly as touching the party If he cannot be reclaimed by private means we are to seek that by publick authority he may be reclaimed and brought to repentance and we are to take heed left by our patience our neighbour become worse Thirdly concerning our selves We may provide for our safetie for the time to come rather then by too much bearing to expose our selves to the wrongs and injuries of the wicked For if it were not lawfull for godly men to complain to the Magistrate c. there would be no measure nor no end of indignities offered unto them And albeit we are to esteem every wrong offered unto us as an affliction laid upon us by the Lord and are therefore to bear it patiently not seek to wreak our selves upon our brother who is but the instrument or rod by whom the Lord doth correct us yet we are in this as in all other afflictions to use such means as the Lord doth offer unto us of deliverance out of the same and not be like wayward children which having taken a fall will not rise The means which God hath appointed in this behalf is the publick authoritie of the magistrate who is the minister of God for the good of them that do well as for the rest he beareth not the sword for nought but is the minister of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an avenger unto wrath unto those that do evil Rom. 13. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As signifieth not equalitie For as the heavens are higher then the earth so doth his mercy excell the greatest love amongst men as the love of the father Matth. 7. 11. and of the mother Isai. 49. 15. And by how much his love is greater by so much he is the slower to wrath or revenge Hos. 11. 9. I will not exercise my fierce wrath in destroying Ephraim for I am God and not man Had our Saviour been but a man as his Apostles were but men although good men he would perhaps have been as ready to call down fire from heaven upon the Samaritanes as they Luke 9. 54. Had the Lord who was offended been no more mercifull towards Niniveh then the Prophet Jonah whom they had not offended Niniveh had been destroyed Jonah 4. 1. Therefore equality is not here to be understood but likenesse For although we cannot be equall with the Lord yet we must be like him And as it is Matth. 5. 48. Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect But our perfection consisteth in uprightnesse And therefore although we cannot forgive and love in the like measure yet we must in like quality that is in truth So that the meaning is We desire the Lord to forgive â—…s for even we also unfeignedly forgive our brethren Whenas therefore we do professe that we do so forgive as we desire to be forgiven and that we desire so to be forgiven as we forgive this teacheth us that our forgivenesse and reconciliation with our brethren should not be from the teeth outward and by halves but sincere intire Many men will speak friendly to their neighbour when malice is in their hearts Psal. 28. 3. and are contented that a skin should be drawn over their festred malice making outwardly a shew of reconciliation and forgivenesse whenas inwardly they retein a secret grudge in their hearts And again others will say Well I may forgive him but I shall never forget him c. But these men rather call for vengeance then mercie at Gods hands desiring so to be forgiven as they forgive And therefore as we desire the Lord not onely in word but also in deed and in truth to forgive us so must we forgive our brethren that have offended us even from our hearts Matth. 18. 35. And as we desire that the Lord would not onely forgive the punishment but also forget the fault it self and cast it into the bottom of the sea Mich. 7. 19. so must we also forgive and forget the wrongs done unto us So much of the words Vses The use which from hence ariseth is threefold viz. of Instruction Consolation and Reproof For I. those who either desire to make this prayer aright or hope to have their prayer heard are here taught how to behave themselves towards their brethren namely that they be in charity with all men and if it be possible and as much as in them lieth to be at peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all men Rom. 12. 18. For whereas it cannot be avoided but that in this life we shall both sinne against God and offend one another therefore our Saviour hath taught us to joyn these two together the desiring of peace of conscience and reconciliation with God and the seeking of outward peace and reconciliation with men And first he that hath offended his brother his duty is to seek reconciliation with him before he can look for reconciliation with God as our Saviour teacheth Matth. 5. 23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the altar seeking reconciliation with God and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee that is that thou hast offended thy brother for which thou hast made him no satisfaction leave there thine offering c. So in the Law the Lord ordained that whosoever had offended his neighbour and came to seek reconciliation with God by offering sacrifice he should first make his brother amends whom he had offended the same day that he offered for his trespasse Lev. 6. 5. and then forgivenesse is promised of the Lord v. 7. Out of our Saviours words Luke 17. 3 4. it may be gathered that it is the duty of him that hath offended to acknowledge his fault with promise of amendment to him that is offended And this duty though very late was performed by Josephs brethren Gen. 50. 17. But many when they have offended a man they do hate him so much the more as Amnon did Thamar 2. Sam. 13. 15. and are further from reconciliation then the party offended Because they having deserved ill of him as their conscience telleth them therefore they expect ill from him and consequently hate him And of such the Italian proverb is true He