back this I knâ—…w for God is for me Psal. 86. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee for thou wilt answer me In the merits of Christ whereby we are accepted and in his intercession whereby our prayers are made acceptable Heb. 10. 22. And in this sense also we are to pray in the name of Christ that is not onely with desire that for Christs sake we may be heard but also with perswasion and some measure of assurance that for Christs sake we shall be heard John 16. 23. To call upon God in the name of Christ implyeth two things 1. To desire that for Christs sake we may be heard 2. To believe that for Christs sake we shall be heard That we are thus to pray in faith appeareth both by testimonies reasons Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God For as Bernard saith How shall be please God whom God doth not please for he that believeth not maketh God a liar 1. God is to be worshipped with a willing mind and chearfull heart 1. Chron. 28. 9. which cannot be done in prayer unlesse we be perswaded that our prayers are accepted of God 2. There is no accesse unto God but by Christ John 14. 6. nor to Christ but by faith To come unto God Heb. 11. 6. and unto Christ is to believe in him John 6. 35. Through Christ we have boldnesse and entrance with confidence but it is by faith in him 3. What benefit we reap by Christ we receive by faith For which cause the same benefits which we have by Christ are ascribed to faith And therefore as without Christ we can do nothing John 15. 5. nothing belonging to a spirituall life which may be acceptable to God so without faith we can do nothing and much lesse pray as we ought For without faith we are without Christ and by faith we are ingrafted into him I believed and therefore I spake that is with faith I called upon God Psal. 116. 10. 4. It is the prayer of faith which is available and acceptable Jam. 5. 15 16. 5. The promises made to prayer are to be understood with the condition of faith Matth. 21. 22. If ye believe Which may be understood of this more generall faith or the speciall This is hard to be performed by a sinfull man c. impossible to be performed by a Papist without speciall revelation For he cometh in his own worthinesse yet knoweth not whether he be worthy or not Qualis erit ista oratio O Domine ego quidem an exaudire me velis dubius sum sed quia anxietate premor ad te confugio si dignus sum mihi succurras What a kind of prayer is this O Lord I am doubtfull whether thou wilt heare me or no But because I am pressed with anxietie I flie unto thee and if I be worthy help me Vide Calv. Instit. 3. 20. 12. But we know that in our selves we are unworthy and yet believe that in Christ we are accepted Our faith is grounded not on our own worthinesse in our selves but on the love and promises of God and on the merits and intercession of Christ. For though we be sinners in our selves yet believing in Christ God the Father justifieth us Though we know not how to pray or what to ask as of our selves yet God the Spirit maketh intercession for us in helping our infirmities and teaching us to pray according to God And though our praiers be unperfect and unworthy to be offered to God yet Christ our Saviour sitteth at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us Rom. 8. 26 27 33 34. and perfuming the incense that is the prayers of the faithfull with the odours of his own sacrifice Revel 8. 3. CHAP. XIX Of Humility required in prayer HItherto we have spoken of the mind Now we are to enquire what is required in the heart In the heart three things are requisite humilitie reverence and heartinesse The first respecting our selves the second God the third the things for which we do invocate For the first That properly is said to be humile which is even with the ground Where therefore it is required that we should humble our selves before the Lord when we call upon him it is meant that we should abase our selves as it were to the ground to which purpose the faithfull were wont in the Eastern Churches to cast themselves down to the ground when they called upon God laying aside all manner of conceit of our own worthinesse whereby we might be lifted up in our selves and acknowledging our own nullitie and unworthinesse in our selves to appear in the presence of God For compared unto God we are as nothing or as lesse then nothing Isa. 40. 17. And therefore when our Saviour took upon him our nature he is said as it were to have annihilated himself Phil. 2. 7. For this cause prayer in Hebrew is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath affinitie with the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which fignifieth to fall or cast down our selves To teach us to humble our selves before God when we call upon him And to the same purpose Augustine defineth prayer thus Oratio est mentis devotio i. conversio in Deum per pium humilem affectum Prayer is the devotion of the mind that is a conversion unto God by an holy and humble affection How necessary and profitable this is to be indued with humility when we call upon God may appear both by the testimonies of Gods word and examples of the godly Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hearest the prayer of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilâ—… cause thine eare to heare Psal. 7. 12. He forgetteth not the cry of the humble Luke 18. 9. our Saviour telleth us a parable of a Pharisee and a Publicane which went to pray The Pharisee cometh in a conceit of his own worthinesse the Publicane in conscience of his sinfulnesse The Pharisee in a brave manner thanketh God that he was not a sinner like other men the Publicane in most humble manner acknowledgeth himself to be a sinner and craveth pardon for his sin But what was the issue of their prayer Which speedeth better the humble sinner or the proud justitiarie The Publicane goeth home justified the Pharisee remaineth in his sin according to that John 9. 41. And the reason is because as our Saviour saith every one that exalteth himself shall be brought low and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted To this accordeth Psal. 138. 6. The Lord is high yet he beholdeth the lowly but the proud he knoweth a farre off Psal. 51. 17. The sacrifices of the Lord that is that which he esteemeth above all sacrifices are a contrite spirit a broken and contrite heart he will not despise meaning that he doth in speciall manner
and 22. 2 c. Where by the way we may note that where the word of God and gospel of the kingdome is truly preached there is the kingdome consequently the Church of God and therefore that may be also verified of us which our Saviour Christ speaketh of the Jews that the 〈◊〉 of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 17. 21. This preaching of the word is also called the arm of God Isa. 53. 1. whereby â—…e pâ—…lleth 〈◊〉 oâ—…t of darkâ—…sse into ligâ—… and out of the power of Sataâ—… 〈◊〉 God Acts 26. 18. But especially the Lord ruleth in our hearts by his Spirit drawing us unto his Soâ—…e bending and bowing us to the obedience of his word inlightening our minds and 〈◊〉 our hearts and leading us into all truth c. â—…ortifying sinne aâ—…d corruption in us and renewing us unto holinesse of life The end of this kingdome is the kingdome of glory And therefore Christ saith to his Church Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock c. For therefore doth he pull us out of the kingdome of darknesse and bring us into the kingdome of grace that by faith we may have remission of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 26. 18. By reason of the certainty hereof it is said that those that believe have everlasting life John 5. 24. and are translated from death unto life that those whom God hath justified he hath also glorified Rom. 8. 30. The kingdome of glory in respect of us is the blessed estate of the godly in heaven when as God shall be all in all 1. Cor. 15. 28. where God hath prepared such things for them that love him as neither the eye of man hath seen nor eare heard nor c. 1. Cor. 2. 9. What this word come signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adveniat This word Come is diversly to be expounded according to the divers significations of the kingdome of God The universall kingdome or kingdome of power is said to come when it is manifested and made apparent that all things are guided by the power and providence of God Here therefore we are taught to pray That the Lord would vouchsafe to advance his kingdome bring all things into subjection under his feet and also that all men may acknowledge this universall kingdome of God ruling all things according to the counsel of his will and may willingly submit themselves to the government of this absolute Lord who hath placed his seat in heaven and his kingdome ruleth over all That he would subdue his enemies Psal. 110. 2. governing them with an iron rod Revel 12. 5. and 19. 15. and bruising them like a potters vessel Psal. 2. 9. That he would execute his holy and eternall decrees both in the generall government of the world and also in the saving of the elect and destroying the reprobate to his own glory working all things according to the counsel of his will And albeit this kingdome cannot be resisted or hindred maugre all the enemies thereof yet we are to pray that it may come and that he would exalt his kingdome as before glorifie his name not meaning thereby to move God but to shew the concurrence of our will with Gods will and our affection towards the advancement of Gods kingdome and zeal towards his glory Secondly the kingdome of grace is said to come unto us whenas it is either begun erected in us or continued and increased amongst us And in this behalf we are taught to pray not onely for the coming of this kingdome but also for the granting of the means whereby it cometh also removing the impediments of the coming I. As touching the coming it self we are to note out of this word That we come not to this kingdome of grace of our selves but this kingdome cometh unto us and in coming preventeth us as our Saviour speaketh Luke 11. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is come upon you for we naturally are the bondslaves of Satan and subjects of the kingdome of darknesse out of which bondage we are not able to come except the Lord do pull us and as our Saviour saith John 6. 44. No man cometh to the Sonne bâ—…t whom the Father draweth Wherein appeareth the undeserved mercy of God in preventing us in seeking that which was lost in being found of them that sought him not in coming to them that neither could nor would through their own default come unto him And secondly because there must be alwayes a daily progresse in this kingdome and work of grace in this life therefore we are taught to pray daily that this kingdome may come Now let us see how this kingdome cometh and what it is which here we ask Of the coming of this kingdome there be three degrees The first is the pulling and drawing us out of the kingdome of Satan and power of darknesse unto God which is our effectuall calling whereby we are brought from the spirituall bondage of sinne and Satan into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and are made fellow-citizens of the Saints domestici Dei of the houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. And this calling is wrought by this means First to us sleeping in our sinnes the word of God is sent to rouse us the law shewing us our sinnes and the punishments due for them the Gospel promising salvation upon the condition of faith and repentance Secondly the spirit of God concurring with the word inlighteneth our minds to understand the word of God inclineth our minds to attend thereunto mollifieth our hard and stony hearts in the sight and sense of sinnes and then travelling under the burden of them with wearinesse he stirreth up in us a hunger and thirst after the righteousnesse of Christ and reconciliation with God and teacheth us to pray with sighs which cannot be expressed Secondly when the Spirit of God applieth the merits and efficacy of Christs death and resurrection to the justification of the sinner and by degrees worketh in him faith and assurance of the pardon of his sinnes whereupon followeth peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost In which three tâ—…e Apostle saith that the kingdome of God doâ—…h consist Rom. 14. 17. Thirdly when Christ our King ruleth and reigneth in our hearts by his word and Spirit tâ—…aching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly justly and holily in this present world expecting the happy hope and glorious appearance of the great God our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2. 12 13. that is when by his Spirit he applieth the merits of his death to the mortifying of sinne in us and of his resurrection to raise us up to newnesse of life And this we desire not onely for our selves but also for the whole company of the elect That the Lord would from all sorts gather his Church electing them from the world engraffing them into his Son justifying them by faith and sanctifying them by his Spirit That he would
day our daily bread But first let us consider the order of the petition in respect both of those which go before and also which follow In respect of the antecedents our Saviour speaketh Matth. 6. 33. First seek the kingdome of God which is that which we desire in the second petition and his righteousnesse which we desire in the third and then all these things which we begge in the fourth shall be cast unto us Therefore preposterous is their care and study who first labour for temporall benefits and post off the seeking of Gods kingdome and his righteousnesse untill the end of their dayes c. And whereas this petition is set after the third we are taught before we ask temporall benefits to submit our will to the will of the Lord saying with our Saviour Not my will O Father but thine be done As touching those that follow it may be demanded why we are taught to ask for temporall benefits before spirituall blessings Is it because we are more earnestly to desire them Nothing lesse In the spirituall blessings which afterward we ask namely justification and sanctification the happinesse of a Christian man in this life doth consist and therefore they are in judgement to be esteemed and in affection desired above all worldly things which without the spirituall graces are nothing worth For what will it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul Mark 8. 36. Therefore the Psalmist Psal. 4. 6. saith Many say Who will shew â—…s any good that is worldly profit But Lord life thou up the light of thy countenance for so shalt thou give me more joy and gladnesse then when their wheat and wine did abound So John 6. 27. But the reason why we are first taught to ask temporall things is this 1. Because it is an easier matter to depend upon the providence of God for the maintenance of this life then to rely on his mercy for the salvation of our souls and therefore the Lord would have faith trained up by the easier that we may learn to repose our trust in him for the greater Therfore those which make profession of their faith in God concerning their salvation and have not learned to rely upon his providence for temporall matters but seek the same by unlawfull means are greatly to fear lest they deceive themselves with an opinion of faith for if they trust him not for the lesse how will they believe him for the greater 2. Because the things of this life are amongst those things which we ask of the least value therefore in medium quasi â—…gmen conjiciuntur Homericâ scilicet dispositione In medio infirma they are cast as it were into the middle raâ—…k according to Homers method placing infirm things in the middle And the rather because in all speeches the heat of affection sheweth it self most in the beginning and in the end And therefore elsewhere this order is inverted Prov. 30. 7 8. The meaning of the words Bread by a Synecdoche signifieth not onely food in which sense it is often used in the Scripture Gen. 31. 54. Exod. 18. 12. but also all other commodities of this life serving either for necessity or Christian delight which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as John speaketh 1. Epist. 3. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 15. 12. the Latines victum So Gen. 3. 19. Prov. 30. 8. Ale me pane demensi mei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feed me with bread of my allowance or portion The reason why the holy Ghost comprehendeth all the commodities of this life under the name of bread is 1. Because of all commodities food is most necessary and among food bread 2. Because he would teach us to moderate our desires Rom. 13. 14. and not to covet after superfluities as the Israelites did after quails and were buried in the graves of lust Num. 11. Sit oratio quae pro temporalibus est circa solas necessitates restricta Let prayer which is for temporall blessings be restrained to our necessities alone And so the Syriack readeth Da nobis panem necessitatis nostrae Give us the bread of our necessity 3. To teach us contentation that if we have but necessaries as food and raiment yea but bread we should be therewith content 1. Tim. 6. 8. Heb. 13. 5. Phil. 4. 11. If God give more we are to be thankfull if but bread we are to be content John 6. 11. for the five barley-loaves and two little fishes Christ gave thanks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Our bread is that portion of temporall blessings which God hath assigned to every of us to be atteined by good and lawfull means Prov. 30. 8. Whereas our Saviour directeth us to ask for our bread he teacheth us 1. To be content with that lot and portion which God assigneth unto us and not to coyet other mens goods 2. That we get our goods by lawfull means Ephes. 4. 28. For that onely is ours which we have got by lawfull means as by inheritance or by the works of our calling c. that we may eat the labours of our own hands Psal. 128. 2. And if we must eat our own bread we must walk diligently in our callings for he that will not labour let him not eat 2. Thess. 3. 10. And verse 12. he exhorteth them that lived idly and therefore inordinately that they would work with quietnesse and eat their own bread 3. That God would give unto us a profitable use of those things which we have Many men want even that which they have and therefore had need to pray that God would give them even that which is theirs already Eccles 6. 2. A man is not said to have that which he doth not use Matth. 25. But we are to pray not onely that we may use and enjoy his gifts but also that he would blesse the use and fruition of them unto us For when a man doth with comfort enjoy that which he hath it is the gift of God Eccles 3. 12. and 5. 17 18. and therefore to be begged of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our daily bread This word is diversly expounded Some expound it supersubstantiall or above substance that is that bread which is above all substance and better then all wealth and riches meaning thereby our Saviour Christ which is that bread of God which came down from heaven John 6. 33. But this exposition seemeth to be farre fetched agreeing neither with the words of the Petition nor yet with the whole body of the prayer For first the word it self if you derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth rather agreeing to our substance or added to our substance as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that sense hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insum or adsum not supersum then exceeding above substance as the Grâ—…k authours teach Neither do I see how we may aptly desire Christ to be given unto us whom
not performed in that mannâ—…r and measure which his law requireth and therefore every one had neâ—…d to pray as Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement c. Secondly because whatsoever obedience we can perform it is a debt and duty Luke 17. 10. When we have done all that is commanded wâ—… must say that we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 12. and 13. 8. Gal. 5. 3. Now certain it is that we cannot â—…atisfie debt with debt but noâ—… withstanding our latter obedience we shall be debtours in respect of the former debt unsatisfied Seeing â—…herefore we are not able to satisfie for the least of our sinnes our Saviour hath taught us to say not with â—…hat serâ—…ant Matth. 18. 26. Havâ—… 〈◊〉 Master I will satisfie but Lord remit takâ—… away and blot 〈◊〉 our offenses Furthermore we are taught to pâ—…ay that the Lord would remit our debts that is not onely forgive the fault but also 〈◊〉 â—…he punishment in râ—…spect whereof sinnes are called debts And therefore it cannot be truly said thaâ—… God forgiveth the â—…ault and 〈◊〉 the punishment for which wâ—… our selves must â—…atisfie either in this life or in purgatory For if God should 〈◊〉 of us satisâ—…action for those 〈◊〉 which he pardoneth in Christ it would follow 〈◊〉 that â—…ither the sufferings of Christ were unsufficient or else that the Lord is unjusâ—… 〈◊〉 iâ—… is absâ—…rd that sinne â—…eing 〈◊〉 the punishment should be reteined For sinne is â—…he causâ—… of punishment and the cause being taken away the 〈◊〉 also is removed And again wherâ—…as sinne iâ—… 〈◊〉 increased in respect of that infinite Majestie and justice of God whiâ—…h is violated 〈◊〉 it is that we cannot satisfie for it before we have eâ—…dured endlesse puâ—…ishment which will never be Whereas therefore our Saviour Christ teacheth us thus to pray he sheweth that we cannot be discharged from thesâ—… our debts by our own satisfaction or merits oâ—… any other means but onely by the free remission of them and imputatâ—…on of Christs righteousnesse And this is to be understood not onely of our great and grievous sinnes but also of our lesse offenses which the Papists call veniall and erroneously hold not to be mortall neither need the death and merits of Christ for their expiation but may by the holy-water-sprinkle or by episcopall benediction or by knocking of the breast be taken away As therefore every sinne great or small deserveth death and is also punished with death either in Christ or in the sinner himself and as the bloud of Christ doth purge us from all iniquitie 1. John 1. 7. so that by him we have remission of all our sinnes so are we to pray that the Lord would for the precious merits and righteousnesse of our Saviour Christ remit all our sinnes both more and lesse from which we could by no other means be delivered but by the merits of Christ. But here it may be objected Our sinnes were forgiven in baptisme Acts 2. 38. therefore we need not now the forgivenesse of them Some answer That because we sinne after baptisme therefore we ought after baptisme to pray that the Lord would forgive our sinnes But this answer is not sufficient considering that in baptisme is sealed the remission of sinnes not onely past but also for the time to come during the whole course of our life For otherwise baptisme had need to be reiterated I answer therefore That we feeling the burden of our sinnes pray that the forgivenesse of sinnes which was represenâ—…ed and sealed unto us in baptisme may indeed be granted unto us and that we may feel in our selves the fruit and effect of our baptisme For we must not think that the Sacraments absolutely conferre grace to every receiver but onely upon those conditions which are conteined in the promises of the Gospel whereof baptisme is a seal Now the Gospel promiseth remission of sinnes and salvation onely to them that believe and therefore the Sacrament sealeth and assureth remission onely to them that believe For we ask forgivenesse onely for the righteousnesse of Christ but the righteousnesse of Christ is there imputed to righteousnesse where it is apprehended by faith In which sense we are said to be justified by faith alone and by faith to have remission of sinnes And therefore in this petition we desire that the Lord would work in us true faith that being united unto Christ and made partakers of his merits we may have not onely forgivenesse of sinnes but also aâ—…surance thereof by the anointment of the holy Ghost the Spirit of adoption crying in our heartâ—… Abba Father c. And because none attein to that measure of assurance but that it is mingled with some doubting therefore all had need to pray that the Lord would increase their faith and more and more assure them of the pardon of their sinnes Vs. This teacheth us to pray not onely for the remission of our own sins but also of our brethren it being a duty of charity to desire and to further the salvation of our brethren And this duty as it belongeth to all so especially to those that are governours of others either in the Church or Commonwealth Examples of Moses who oft stood in the gap Psal. 106. 23. Exod. 32. 21 32. Num. 14. 19. Samuel 1. Sam. 12. 23. Neither are we to pray for our friends and well-willers alone but also for them that hate and persecute us according to the precept and practice of our Saviour Matth. 5. 44. Luke 23. 34. and the holy martyr Stephen Acts 7. 60. And as we are to pray the Lord to forgive them so must we as willingly forgive them as we desire to be forgiven of the Lord neither can we in truth of heart desire God to forgive them if we do not Duties in prayer The duties which here we are taught to perform in prayer are either more peculiar to this kind of deprecation or common The former is Confession which must concurre with Deprecation of pardon and goeth before pardon as appeareth Psal. 32. 3 5. Prov. 28. 13. 1. John 1. 9. Num. 5. 7. Examples 2. Sam. 12. 13. Luke 15. 21. Now this confession is to be made of unknown sinnes generally as Psal. 19. 12. of known sinnes particularly Isai. 59. 12 13. And to this end it will be profitable to examine our hearts and our lives by the law of God taking a view of the duties therein commanded and vices forbidden that we may particularly see and acknowledge what duties we have omitted and what vices we have committed The common duties That we pray in fervency faith and perseverance That we may pray in fervency we must have both a true sense of our wants and earnest desire to have the same supplyed The wants which we are to bewail are 1. our manifold sinnes and transgressions for which we are to be grieved that
happy whose sins are forgâ—…ven but those that are poore in spirit are happy Matth. 5. 3. therefore their sinnes are forgiven Whereas contrariwise if we be proud and have a Pharisaicall conceiâ—… of our selves it is a fearfull signe that we remain in our sinnes John 9. 41. Luke 18. 14. II. If we would have forgivenesse of our sinnes we must believe in Christ. For by faith alone we have jusâ—…ification and remiâ—…sion of sinnes Acts 26. 18. because faith alone apprehendeth the merits and righteousnesâ—…e of Christ whereby we are justified Now this and the former must go together We must be cast down in our selves acknowledging our selves that we are no better in our selves then the firebrands of hell and yet withall we must relie upon Christ and his merits being perswaded that notwithsâ—…anding our manifold sinnes yet the Lord will receive us iâ—…to his love and favour imputing unto us the righteousnesse of his Sonne and coveâ—…ing us therewith as with a garment If thus we believe in Christ we need not doubt of the pardon of our sins because Christ having satisfied the justice of his 〈◊〉 for all the sinnes of 〈◊〉 which believe in him the remission therefore of sinnes to them that believe is a work not onely of mercy but also of justice 3. If we would truly make this prayer viz. in hatred of sinne have any assurance to our own souls that our sinnes are forgiven we must repent of those sinnes which we desire to be remitted and forsake those sinnes which we would have the Lord forgive Ezek. 18. 21 22. At what time soever c. Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth his sinnes and forsaketh them c. And therefore as Isaiah exhorteth chap. 55. 7. let the wicked forsake his way c. If therefore we would effectually crave the pardon of our sins we must have a true purpose of heart and resolution to forsake them And if we would have assurance that according to our prayer our sinnes be forgiven we must have a true endeavour to leave them and to perform the contrary duties If therefore we have neither purpose in our hearts nor â—…ndeavour in our lives to forsake our sinnes we may not look that the Lord will pardon them If in my heart I regard wickednesse c. Psal. 66. 18. For the Lord heareth not sinners that is who do not repent of their sinnes nor have a true purpose to leave them John 9. 31. Prov. 28. 13. 4. If we make this prayer in faith and truly believe in God for the forgivenesse of our sinnes this perswasion will have this effect in us to make us fear to sinne and by sinne to displease and dishonour God There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal. 130. 4. The bounty of the Lord must draw us to repentance Rom. 2. 4. Nay further those that believe their sinnes are forgiven them and are perswaded of Gods love and favour shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost they cannot choose but love him much who hath forgiven them much Luke 7. 47. and shew forth their love in keeping his commandments 5. If in prayer we unfeignedly desire faith and assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes then we will be most carefull in our lives to use and to use aright the means of begetting and increasing this faith as the hearing of the word receiving of the Sacraments c. 6. If we truly desire reconciliation with God in Christ then will we seâ—… in all things to please him For if we please our selves in displeafing him as the very nature of sinne is to displease God how can we perswade our selves that we are reconciled unto God or desire so to be 7. If we would have any assurance that our sinnes are forgiven we must be ready to forgive our neighbours the offenses which they commit against us For if ye saith Christ Matth. 6. 14. forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye do not c. But of this more in the reason Here therefore is discovered the hypocrisie of those men 1. who crave pardon of sinne in a Pharisaicall conceit of their own perfection freedome from sinne 2. who have no true hatred of sinne nor purpose to leave it 3. who please themselves in displeasing God and yet would seem to desire reconciliation with God 4. who desire faith and yet neglect and contemne the means 5. who with the ungracious servant looking to have pardon of ten thousand talents of his master would not remit a small debt to his fellow-servant Matth. 18. 28. whom he ought to have loved for his Masters sake c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These words are a solemn profession unto God of our brotherly love serving both to confirm our faith in obteining pardon and also to 〈◊〉 our love to God who hath forgiven us much in the love of our brethren for his sake For whereas divers men making this prayer for pardon of sinne either do not believe at all the pardon of their sinne or else deceive themselves with an opinion of faith not loving him of whom they look for pardon nor their brethren for his sake but with the ungracious servant Matth. 18. 28. exact small debts of their brethren and revenge offenses committed against them as though they could love God and yet hate their brother therefore our Saviour teacheth us to adde to the petition this protestation that if we be able to make it in truth we may be assured of the forgivenesse of our sinnes and not be deceived as many are in our assurance First therefore because we are so full of infidelity and diâ—…idence that we are hardly brought to believe in particular the forgivenesse of our own sinnes and consequently to make this prayer in faith our Saviour teacheth us to use this notable argument not so much to move God as to confirm our selves drawn from the lesse to the greater As we â—…lso forgive c. or as it is more plainly set down in Luke For even we also forgive c. And the reason standeth thus If we who have not so much pitie in regard of thine abundant mercy as is a drop of water in comparison of the Ocean sea if we I say be readie to forgive the offenses and injâ—…ries done against us then no doubt thou wiâ—… forgive our offenses which we from the bottom of our hearts confesse unto thee with deprecation of pardon But even we Lord whose mercy is as nothing in comparison of thine arâ—… readie to remit offenses committed against us and therefore as we earnestly crave pardon so we do unfeignedly believe that thou wilt forgive us our sinnes The connexion of the proposition is necessarie For as we say Quod in minori valet valet etiam in majori That which is of force in the lesser is of force also in the greater If a drop of pity in us doth wash
of the coming of Gods kingdome 1. The Devil 2. The World Matth. 6. 24. 3. The Flesh The hypocrisie of many detected Things to be believed We must expect I. with faith II. with earnest desire 1. of eternall life 2. of Christs coming III. With patience qui In Psal. IV. With vigilancy 3. We must remain constant in Gods love 4. We must walk worthy of God 5. We must so live as ready to meet Christ. In Matth. Hypocrisie detected All that God willeth is properly good Of the things which God willeth Quest. Whether Gods will be alwayes done Answ. How can the wicked sin seeing they do Gods will Answ. How sinne is by Gods decree Answ. Gods secret and absolute will is not here meant John 6. 4â—… Cyprian Gal. 6. 10. We must pray according to Gods will We must do Gods will as the Angels 1. In knowledge Heb. 11. 6. 2. In sincerity 3. Willingly Rom. 8. 18. 4. Readily and speedily 5. Fully and totally 6. Constantly 7. Faithfully The hypocrisie of many discovered How things apperteining to our own good are to be asked The ordâ—… Why we ask temporall blessings before spirituall Ulpian Why all commoditieâ—… are comprehendedunder the name of bread Bernard What ouâ—… bread signifieth What is meant by daily bread Piscat The evils that accompany riches The evils that accompany poverty The same measure is not convenient for all men In what respect God is said to give God giveth onely the usâ—… of all God onely blesseth us in the use 1. Cor. 13. Quest. Answ. That it is lawfull to provide for the time to come Cautions Object 1. Answ. Object 2. Answ. We ought to ask temporall blessings of God 2. We must ask them aright Peculiar duties Generall duties Joâ—… 1. 21. The second common duty is Faith 1. generall 2. speciall Hypocrisie of worldlings discovered Two main benefits required in the two last petitions Justification and Sanctification The order We must be justified before we can be sanctified The connexion with the former petition Psal. 4. 6. The connexion with the latter petition Parts That our sinnes are debts The reason why sinnes are called debts The Papists confuted who hold that God forgiving the fault reteineth the punishment Their practice foolish who deâ—…rre their repentance What is meant by our trespasses What is meant by this word foâ—…give By this petition we are put in mind of our misery and Gods mercy No man can satisfie Gods justice for his sinnes proved Reason 1. 2. 3. â—… Object Answ. 1. Duties are 1. more peculiar 2. more common Meditations to increase our sorrow for sinne The graces which we desire The necessity 1. of the remission of our sinnes 2. of faith 1. We must be adorned with humility 2. We muâ—…t believe in Christ. 3. We must repent of our sinnes 4. We must fear by sinne to offend God 5. We muâ—…t use means to increase our faith 6. We must labour to please God 7. We must forgive our neighbours Hypocrisie discovered The reason confirming our faith in the assurance of râ—…mission 2. Reason why these words are added Our forgiving no cause of Gods forgiving us What is meant by debters Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Object How we can be said to forgive Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Object 2. Answ. That it is lawfull to to seek help from the Magistrate with these cautions observed 1. 2. 3. What is meant by As we Not equality but likenesse here to be understood That our forgiving should be sincere and not feigned A threefold use of these words Uses for instruction 1. He that hath offended must soek for 〈◊〉 2. How we are to behave our selves towards those who have offended us Duty 1. Means to moderate our anger Duty 2. Reasons moving us to forgive 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason Pretenses of those who will not forgive taken away 4. Reason Duty 3. 4. We must labour to win him An use of consolation An use of reproof The coherence and order Being freed from sinne we must become the servants of righteousnes Those whom God pardoneth the devil tempteth The necessity of this prayer Not to be lead into temptatiâ—…n The latter part of the petition expoundeth the former Of probations and trials Of Gods trialls 1. by prosperity 2. by afflictionâ—… Of tentations for and unto evil I. Of the flesh II. of the world 1. By words 2. By example 3. By the desires thereof By evils and crosses III. of the devil 1. Tentations of errours and heresies Of doubting Of presumption Tentations touching obedience 1. in hearing the word 2. in prayer 3. in â—…he sacrament Tentations drawing men unto evil Object Answ. Object Answ. How God may be said to tempt A consolation Satan can neither tempt nor overcome without Gods permission That it is not evil to be tempted but good to Gods children In Psal. 60. What is meant by Deliver us from evil How we are to pray against tentations How we must pray against tentations of the flesh How we must pray against the tentations of the world How we must pray against the tentations of the devil That we must pray for these graces in assurance of faith This conclusion authenticall and necessarie Our faith confirmed by this conclusion by three reasons drawn from three of Gods attributes What is meant by thine is the kingdome The kingdome of grace and glory Psal. 24. 1. The difference between the power of God and the creatures Everlasting kingdome power and glory belongeth to God These words are a form of praising God What Amen importeth and signifieth Duties to be performed 〈◊〉 Hypocrisie discovered
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 latter 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 therefore 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 unfeigned repentance So that whosoever truly assenting in his judgement to the promises of the Gospel concerning salvation by Christ doth earnestly in his heart desire 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 the 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 â—…imes 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 â—…n 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 câ—…me 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 yeâ—…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
rather that they were freed from all subjection unto God they abuse God in making their prayer and pray against themselves that God would advance his kingdome and make his enemies his footstool or break them with his iron sceptre like a potters vessel Secondly in regard of the kingdome of grace first those that will not have Christ to reigne over them by his word and spirit but cast off his yoke of subjection Luke 19. 14. Psal. 2. 3. sonnes of Belial such mock God when they say this prayer 2. Those who living in ignorance and sinne and consequently in spirituall bondage please themselves as if they were free John 8. 33. and therefore do not truly desire that Gods kingdome may come because they have no sense of their own misery c. 3. Those that seek not the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse but set themselves to seek their own carnall and worldly desires 4. Those magistrates ministers people that seek not the advancement of Christs kingdome in themselves contemning the word quenching the spirit nor yet in others As for those Magistrates who in stead of cherishing the Church do persecute it in stead of advancing Gods kingdome do deface it erecting superstition and idolatry suppressing vertue advancing vice or those Ministers that deprive the people of the food of their souls and like dry nurses hunger-starve them or those men whosoever that labour to withdraw men from allegeance unto God all those oppose themselves to the kingdome of grace and therefore being enemies in making this prayer do ask their own confusion For our Saviour Christ sheweth himself to be a King as well in subduing his enemies as in preserving his subjects Psal. 110. 1. Psal. 2. 6. 5. Those that follow the temptations of the devil the desires of the world and lusts of the flesh and please themselves in so doing they are not guided by the Spirit of Christ but are enemies to his crosse Phil. 3. 19. and souldiers in Satans camp As therefore we desire the kingdome of grace so let us seek it c. Of the coming of the kingdome of glory which we here desire Thirdly we desire that the kingdome of glory may come that is that the number of the elect being accomplished and all Gods enemies subdued Christ would hasten his coming to judgement to our full redemption and glorification that God may be all in all Here therefore we pray 1. That God would hasten the coming of Christ unto judgement and to that end would accomplish the number of the elect and subdue all his enemies under his feet 2. That this kingdome may come unto us and that it may be possessed of us and to that end would make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and would free and keep us from all evil unto his own everlasting kingdome 2. Tim. 4. 18. and would by his power through faith preserve us unto everlasting life 1. Pet. 1. 5. Vses 1. Dutie in our lives We must earnestly desire the coming of Christ and believe that it shall come and that to our salvation 2. Wants to be bewailed First the want of faith by reason of the conscience of our manifold sinnes which make a separation between God and us and make the remembrance of the judgement terrible unto us so that we cannot desire the coming of Christ to judgement as we ought Secondly the worldlinesse of our minds in that we are all more or lesse overtaken of the desires thereof and not so wained from the world as becometh pilgrimes on earth so that many of us are so farre from desiring another life that they could be content to live here for ever Thirdly our sinnes must be as an heavie burden unto us that being weary we may earnestly desire to be dissolved and so disburdened of them Rom. 7. 23 24. Phil. 1. 23. Fourthly we must bewail and be weary of the sinnes of the world whereby Gods name is dishonoured his kingdome hindred his will neglected that so we may truly desire that an end may be put to these evil dayes and may say How long Lord holy and true Revel 6. 10. We must believe 1. That Christ will come to judgement and that there will be a kingdome of glory after this life for these two articles of our faith are here presupposed For if we be in the number of those mockers of whom Peter foretold 2. Epistle 3. 4. that believe not this second coming of Christ c. we shall but mock God if we make this petition 2. That Christ will come to our salvation and that we shall be inheritours of that kingdome for we cannot else truly desire his coming c. Duties in our lives I. We must give all diligence to make our calling and election sure For by this means an entring shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting kingdome of the Lord c. 2. Pet. 1. 10 11. II. If we pray in faith that our request may be granted we must expect Christs second coming And we must expect it with faith fervency patience and vigilancie With faith that is with perswasion assurance that Christ will come to our full redemption For whē a man can truly say by faith that our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversation is in heaven he will also adde with the Apostle from whence we look for a Saviour Phil. 3. 20. and consequently expect it with chearfulnesse and not with unhappy Felix tremble at the mention of judgement For howsoever it shall be a day of unspeakable terrour to the wicked yet to the godly it shall be a day of singular comfort For then the Lord shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Revel 7. 17. For which cause it is called the time of refreshing Acts 3. 19. And therefore our Saviour Christ Luke 21. 28. biddeth the faithfull to lift up their heads c. because the day of their full redemption both body and soul draweth near Secondly we must expect with earnest desire 1. eternall life 2. the coming of Christ Tit. 2. 13. For how can a man faithfully expect and certainly look for happinesse who doth not also earnestly desire it therefore the Apostle saith that we who have the first-fruits of the Spirit do sigh within our selves expecting the adoption that is the heavenly inheritance whereunto we are adopted and the redemption of our body at the second coming of Christ Rom. 8. 23. Secondly we are with desire to expect the second coming of Christ looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God 2. Pet. 3. 12. But there are many who with Balaam desire salvation but how few that desire the second coming of Christ Yet this is made a note of a true Christian to love and desire it 2. Tim. 4. 8. For as Th. Aquinas saith Qui diligit amicum cum desiderio exspectat eum He that loveth his friend expecteth him with longing desire
And also they who believe that Christ is their Saviour they will also desire his coming And as the creature earnestly waiteth for that time which Acts 3. 21. is called the time of the restitution of all things which now are subject to vanity Rom. 8. 20. for then the heaven earth shall be renewed 2. Pet. 3. 13. so we also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit sigh within our selves waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our bodies Rom. 8. 23. Then is the time of Christs marriage with his Church and of our conformation with him in glory 1. John 3. 2. For when he shall appear we shall be like unto him If then the second coming of Christ shall be a day of refreshing of full redemption of Christs marriage with his Church then those who hope to be partakers of these benefits are espoused unto Christ by faith will with as earnest desire expect his second coming as the loving bride doth the marriage-day Wherefore as it is Revel 22. 17. the Spirit and the bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and v. 20. Come Lord Jesu come quickly And so the Lord hath taught us here to pray And therefore if we will pray unto the Lord in truth we must labour to attein unto this assurance of faith that being assured of Gods everlasting love towards us in Christ we may earnestly desire the Lord that an end being put to these evil dayes he would hasten the coming of Christ. Neither let us think that we have well profited in the school of Christ untill we do with desire expect his coming Thirdly we must expect with patience For he that is saved in hope as all the faithfull are in this life expecteth with patience that which he hopeth for For hope is not of that which is seen If therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 25. we hope for that which we see not we do by patience expect it And surely in respect of this coming of Christ to our salvation we had need of patience Heb. 10. 36. For as Peter hath prophesied of these last dayes there are come mockers walking after their lusts who say Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3. 4. but the holy Ghost answereth Heb. 10. 37. Yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Dearly beloved saith the Apostle Peter 2. Epist. 3. 8 9. be not ignorant of this one thing that one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day The Lord is not slack as concerning his promise as some men account slacknesse but is patient towards us and would have none to perish but would have all men come to repentance viz. that the whole company of the elect may be fulfilled Therefore as Isaiah saith Qui crediderit nè festinet Let not him that believeth make haste For seeing the Lord in patience towards us deferreth his coming and the fulfilling of his promise we ought with patience to expect it Sustine ipsum saith Augustine sustinuit te If he waited patiently untill thou shouldest amend thy bad life then do thou also patiently wait untill he crowneth thy good life Fourthly we must expect the coming of Christ with vigilancie having our loyns girt and our lights burning like the vigilant servants Luke 12. 35 36 37 40. and the wise virgins Matth. 25 not like the ungodly servant who saith in his heart My master deferreth his coming c. Luke 12. 45. nor the foolish virgins who sleeping in securitie and contenting themselves with the shining lamp of an outward profession at the coming of the bridegroom were shut out III. The third duty So to live in this expectation as that neither prosperity nor adversity shall be able to remove us from the love of God being stayed with the anchor of hope Heb. 6. 19. apprehending and expecting the heavenly joyes set before us in respect whereof all the prosperity and pleasures of this life are to be contemned and all adversities patiently to be indured For those that have this assured expectation contemne all the prosperity of the world as mere vanity in respect of the glory that shall be revealed and therefore are crucified to the world and mind heavenly things c. Again this expectation swalloweth up the sense of all temporall afflictions as experience hath taught us in the martyrs For the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 18. Therefore as the Apostle exhorteth Heb. 12. 1 2. let us having such a cloud of martyrs with patience runne the race that is set before us looking to Jesus c. Jacob for the promised reward viz. the marriage of Rachel thought his seven yeares troublesome service to be but eaâ—…ie and short how much more ought we chearfully to bear all the afflictions of this life as light and momentany in respect of that superexcellent weight of glory And for this cause also we are to comfort our selves in all distresses in the expectation of a better life IV. We must walk worthy of God who hath called us to his kingdome and glory 1. Thess. 2. 12. and live as it becometh those that have this hope 1. John 3. 3. For every one that indeed hath this hope namely that he shall be like the Sonne of God purifieth himself as he is pure that he may be in some measure like to him in grace in this present world as he hopeth to be like him in glory in the life to come And let us remember that if we have hope for the end we must be carefull of the means as being the necessary forerunners of glorification faith repentance sanctification And in this expectation must the duties of piety justice and sobriety be performed Tit. 2. 13. V. We must so live as if we were alwayes ready to meet Christ Jesus in the clouds and to this end set before us continually Christ sitting in judgement that we may alwayes labour to be such as then we desire to appear that we depart not from Christ ashamed 1. John 2. 28. And surely what can be more forcible to draw men to repentance and to stirre them up to vigilancie then the meditation of the judgement to come a continuall expectation of Christ coming in the clouds Recordare novissima Remember thy end saith he Ecclus 7. 36. and thou shalt not sinne For where this cogitation is once settled that we shall appear before the judgement-seat of Christ it will not suffer a man to be in quiet untill he be settled in such a state as that he may with boldnesse appear before the Judge Therefore the coming of Christ to judgement is used as a forcible argument to draw us to repentance Acts 17. 30. 2. Pet. 3. 10 11 12 c. These things if we do we shall with chearfulnesse expect the coming of Christ and when
hoard up for many years The fifth petition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And forgive us our trespasses even as we forgive them that trespasse against us IN the former petition we were taught to ask temporall blessings for the maintenance of this present life Now in this petition and in the last our Saviour teacheth us to ask spirituall blessings for the obteining of a better life Of spirituall blessings in this life there be two chief heads whereunto all the rest may be referred viz. our justification and sanctification For in these two the covenant of grace and the benefits which in this life we receive by Christ do consist Heb. 10. 16 17. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my laws in their hearts and in their minds I will write them and their sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more And the covenant that the Lord made with Abraham concerning the promised seed was this That he would give us that we being delivered out of the 〈◊〉 â—…f 〈◊〉 enemies that is Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. having by Christ remission of our sinnes and justification we should worship him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Luke 1. 73 74 75. And these are the benefits which should be preached in Christs name repentance and forgivenesse of sinnes Luke 24. 47. Seeing therefore the summe of all the benefits which in this life we receive by our blessed Saviour consisteth in these two we may be resolved that in these two the happinesse of a Christian in this life doth consist For whereas the Lord sware to Abraham that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed Gen. 22. 18. Zâ—…chary being filled with the holy Ghost expoundeth that blessednesse to confist in these two Luke 1. 73. And indeed whereas there are two degrees of our happinesse the one begun in this life the other complete in the life to come that is to be esteemed our happinesse in this life whereby the perfect happinesse of the life to come is obteined Now whom God hath chosen and called to salvation them he justifieth and whom he justifieth c. Rom. 8. 30. And this appeareth to be true also in the particulars Psal 32. 1. Revel 20. 6. Seeing therefore the benefits which we have by Christ in this life and consequently our happinesse consisteth in those spirituall graces which our Saviour here teacheth us to crave of God it followeth necessarily that both in our affections we should desire and in our judgements esteem these spirituall graces farre above all earthly and temporall things esteeming all other things as 〈◊〉 and duâ—…g yea as losse in comparison thereof Phil. 3. 8 9 10. For what will all temporall benefits avail us if God do not forgive our sinnes and stablish us by his free Spirit Surely no more then the good pasture profiteth the beast that is fatted for the slaughter And therefore as these blessings are absolutely necessary to our salvation and of farre greater value then all temporall benefits so are they absolutely to be craved of God and with greater fervencie and affection But let us consider the order and the coupling of this petition with that which went before and also that which followeth Our Saviour teacheth us in the former place to crave temporall benefits as the lesse that our faith having been exercised in the lesse might be confirmed in the greater that is that we having learned to depend upon Gods providence for our maintenance in this life might the more firmly relie upon him for our justification and salvation for if we have not learned to trust in him for the lesse it is not likely that we should believe in him for the greater The order in respect of that which followeth standeth thus We are taught to desire freedome from the guilt of our sinnes before deliverance from the corruption because our reconciliation with God in Christ and justification by faith in order of nature goeth before our sanctification howsoever in time the beginning of our sanctification concurreth with justification From whence ariseth both an instruction for carnall men and a consolation for the godly For if justification goeth before sanctification then it is certain that we cannot be sanctified unlesse first we be justified and reconciled unto God in Christ. And this order the holy Ghost teacheth us Luke 1. 74. That being redeemed c. For untill our reconciliation as we our selves are enemies so all our actions are hatefull unto God And therefore men had not need to please themselves in their naturall estate and by their security suffer as much as in them lieth the bloud of Christ to fall upon the ground but rather to be most forward carefull and desirous to be reconciled unto God in Christ and that his merits and righteousnesse may be imputed unto them considering that whatsoever they do before they be reconciled unto God and justified is no better but sin whereby they hoard up wrath against the day of wrath c. The consolation which ariseth from hence is most singular For if men cannot die unto sinne unlesse first they be justified then those that labour to forsake their sinnes and truly purpose amendment of life and endevour to please God in dying to sinne and living to righteousnesse may be assured that they are justified by faith and reconciled to God in Jesus Christ c. And so much of the order Let us now consider of the coupling of this petition both with that which went before and also that which followeth with the former Give us this day our daily bread And forgive c. Which teacheth us that we should not so wholly be addicted to the commodities of this life but that we should withall and most principally labour for spirituall graces perteining to a better life There be many saith the Psalmist which say Who will shew us any good that is any worldly profit c. but as touching the forgivenesse of their sinnes and their reconciliation with God in Christ as touching the application of Christs death and resurrection not onely to their justification but also their sanctification of these things they have no care nor desire c. But howsoever the world saith Who will shew us any good yet we must say But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Shew thou thy self favourable and mercifull in forgiving our sinnes for that will bring peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost far exceeding all worldly comforts We must therefore not onely labour for the meat which perisheth but much more for the meat which endureth to everlasting life John 6. 27. For what would it profit us if we could gain the whole world if our sinnes being not forgiven us we should be amerced with the losse of our souls Mark 8. 36. With the latter Forgive
us our sinnes c. And lead us not into temptation c. Which teacheth us that we are to desire as to be freed from the guilt of our sinnes so also from the corruptions because they are things that are inseparably coupled together forgiving of sinnes in God and forsaking of sinnes in us Therefore those which sever these things as most do deceive themselves Luke 1. 73 74. 2. Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 5. 24. Our Saviour as he is our redemption and justification so also he is our sanctification and therefore that which he did for us in his flesh he worketh in us by his spirit viz. a dying unto sin and a rising again unto newnesse of life In those for whose sinnes he died and rose again for their justification the spirit of Christ is effectuall to apply the merits of his death to the mortifying of their sinnes and the vertue of his resurrection to their vivification which is called the first resurrection And therefore unlesse thou diest to thy sinnes and risest again unto newnesse of life thou canst have no sound assurance that Christ died for thy sinnes and rose again for thy justification And therefore as we desire the pardon of our sinnes so must we labour to renounce them that we may not onely be freed from the guilt but also delivered from the corruptions themselves True repentance as it mourneth for sinnes committed and craveth the pardon of them so is it carefull for the time to come not to commit that which ought to be mourned for Having thus spoken of the order and coherence of this petition we are now to speak of the words themselves In which two things are conteined first a deprecation or request for the pardoning of our sinnes and secondly a reason for the confirmation of our faith in obteining the same In the request it self we are first to speak of the meaning of the words and then to gather from thence such uses as they afford 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debts according to the propertie of the Syrian language in which our Saviour spake signifieth sinnes For the Syrians call him that sinneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is debtour and sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debt as appeareth by the Chaldean paraphrase on Gen 50. 17. Psal. 1. 1. Beza in Matth. 23. 16. But this may be also evidently proved by conference of other places in the new Testament as Matth. 23. 16 18. The Pharisees conceit was that if a man did swear by the temple or the altar that it was nothing but if he did swear by the gold of the temple or the gift upon the altar that then he was a debtour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in Luke 13. those whom Christ in the second verse calleth sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fourth verse he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debtours So in this chapter our Saviour setting down a proof of the reason of this petition for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 14 15. But most plainly in Luke 11. 4. where the words of this petition are thus set down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And forgive us our sins for we also forgive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one that is in debt to us that is which hath offended us Now the reason why sinnes are called debts is because for our sinnes we ow punishment For as a man having entred into bonds to perform such and such covenants or else to incurre the forfaiture and penalty conteined in the obligation is subject to the forfaiture if he perform not the covenant so we being bound by most strait obligations to perform obedience to all the commandments of God or else to incurre the penalty comprised in the law which is the obligation or handwriting that is against us Col. 2. 14. are subiect to the penalty that is the fearfull cuâ—…se of God both in this life and in the world to come if we perform not the covenants For as in the law there are two things 1. praeceptum commanding or forbidding and 2. sanctio threatning punishment against the transgression of the precept so in every sinne there are two things answerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fault transgressing the law and the reatus binding over the transgressour to the punishment In respect of which punishment every offendour of the law is a debtour untill either the debt be remitted him or else he hath born the punishment which is without end Whereas therefore we pray that the Lord would forgive us our debts we do not onely desire that the Lord would forget the fault but also that he would remit the punishment unto which the guilt of our fault doth bind us over And therefore foolish is the opinion of the Papists who hold that the Lord many times forgiveth the fault and reteineth the punishment For sinne is called a debt in respect of the punishment which we ow for it and therefore this debt is not remitted if the punishment be reteined Again the mercy of the Lord pardoneth no sinne for which his justice is not satisfied Neither must we so desire the Lord to be mercifull as that we would have him forget his justice Every sinne therefore as it deserveth death so is it punished with death or else the justice of God is not satisfied It is punished I say by death either in the party himself to whom it is not forgiven or in Christ in the behalf of the party to whom it is forgiven For every sinne therefore that is forgiven Christ hath satisfied the justice of God in bearing the punishment therefore God doth not punish them whose sinnes he forgiveth in Christ neither can it stand with his justice to punish the same sinne twice once in Christ and again in the faithfull for whom Christ hath suffered So that we cannot say that the Lord punisheth them whose sinnes he forgiveth except we will affirm either that the Lord is unjust or that the merits of Christ were unsufficient and unperfect both which are blasphemous Therefore as there is no 〈◊〉 so there is no punishment to those that are in Christ Jesus Chastised they may be after their sinnes are forgiven for the example of others and their own amendment as David was 2. Sam. 12. but punished they never are The affliction which the children of God do beâ—…r is not a punishment to satisfy for their sinne but either â—… triall or a chastisement either to cure or prevent sinne in them When we are judged we are 〈◊〉 c. 1. Cor. 11. 32. And as the opinion of the Papists is foolish so the practice of those men is sottish who when they are indebted unto their neighbour or have incurred a forfeiture are never in quiet untill they have got that debt discharged or 〈◊〉 and yet the same men being in 〈◊〉 debt to the Lord which although they had the whole world they are not able to discharge not withâ—…anding
take no thought for this debt nor 〈◊〉 sâ—…e for pardon but securely go on in their finnes as though by continuall increasing of their debt they should the more easily discharge it much like to him that having got a burden of wood and finding it too heavie should cut down more to adde unto the weight or as it is in the ridiculous proverb of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot â—…arry a goat lay upon me an ox Now these debts are of sundry forts Some are originall sinnes some actuall some inward others outward some of omission others of commission some of ignorance others of knowledge some of infirmity others of presumption some against God some against our neighbours and some against our selves In respect of all and every whereof we are every of us debtours unto God and therefore had need to pray that he would forgive us all and every of our debts Psal. 51. 9. which how many and great they are we may easily know if we will diligently look into our obligation and examine our lives by the law of God c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our In this word confession of sinne is included For it is in effect thus much O Lord we have sinned against thee have mercy therefore on us O Lord according to thy goodnesse and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away our offenses Wash us from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes For we acknowledge our transgressions and our sinnes are alwayes before us Psal. 51. 2 3. Therefore with asking of pardon confession of sinne is conjoyned And this form of prayer is prescribed to be used of the perfectest men in this world as of the Apostles because there is no man that doth good upon the earth and 〈◊〉 â—…ot Eccles 7. 20. If we say saith the holy Apostle John that we have no sinne we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes 〈◊〉 purge us from all iniquity If we say that we have not sinne we make him aliar and his truth is not 〈◊〉 1. John 1. 8 9 10. Here therefore both the Catharists which dream of perfection in this life and also the Pelagians and Papists which hold that a man may fully and perfectly keep the law of God in this life are confuted For such cannot make this petition except they will mock God as all those do that have a conceit of their own perfection Which conceit is in not onely the Catharists and Papists but also in the greatest part of ignorant and secure men who affirm that they love God with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves they never did any man hurt they never doubted of their salvation For howsoever the Scripture speaketh of perfect men and such as walked in all the commandments of God yet certain it is that thereby is meant the uprightnesse of their will and endeavour not the perfection of their obedience which uprightnesse notwithstanding the Scripture calleth perfection the Lord accepting the will for the deed so that upright men may indeed be said to be perfect but in affectu potiùs quà m effectu in their affections rather then their actions Forgive The Lord in forgiving sinnes as he is mercifull so is he just 1. John 1. 9. Neither doth he forgive any sinne for which his justice is not satisfied by the obedience and sufferings of Christ Rom. 3. 26. He is therefore said to forgive our sinnes when as he inputeth them not unto us but accepting of the obedience and sufferings of Christ as a full ransome and satisfaction for them washing away our sâ—…nnes in his bloud covering them with his righteousnesse imputing our sinnes to Christ and his obedience to us so that wâ—… howsoever sinfull in our selves appeaâ—… righteous before him in Christ. When as therefore we do pray for the forgivenesse of our sinnes we do not so desire him to be mercifull as that we would have him forget his justice but we come unto him in the name and mediation of Christ in whom he is well pleased beseeching him to accept of his obedience sufferings as a full satisfaction for our sinnes For remission of sinnes as it is a free work of mercy in respect of us who neither can deserve pardon nor satisfie his justice so in respect of Christ who hath satisfied for us it is a work of justice Now whereas our Saviour Christ doth teach every one of us every day to ask forgivenesse with assurance to be heard we are put in mind both of our misery and Gods mercy Our misery who day by day commit sinne and therefore have need every day to crave remission of our sinnes Gods mercy and long suffering who though he be offended every day yet he is ready to forgive their sinnes who comâ—… unto him by hearty and earnest prayer confessing their sinnes and craving pardon of them But this mercy and long-suffering of God must not encourage us to presume but invite us unto repentance Rom. 2. 4. and 6. 1. Ecclus 5. 4 5 6. Psal. 130. 4. There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared Joel 2. 13. and encourage us to call upon him This long-suffering of God is to be imitated of us For if he be content to forgive us that finne against him every day then ought we freely to forgive them that offend us c. though it be to seventy times seven times Agaiâ—… iâ—…e very one of us be he never so righteous is bounâ—…â—…o make this prayer that God â—…ould freely reâ—…it our 〈◊〉 then it followeth that none of us can discharge the debt oâ—… by any thing which we arâ—… able to perform satisfie for our sinnes but eiâ—…her they must be freely remitted for Christs sake or elfe we must suffer the punishment due for them Divine remission and humane satisfaction cannot stâ—…nd together We must crave remisâ—…ion therefore we cannoâ—… satiâ—…fie Remissâ—…on of finnes and justification are free Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. Isai. 43. 25. but in satisfaction there is 〈◊〉 Therefore those that trust to their own merits and use this prayer they mock God and condemn themselves They moâ—…k God because they desire him to forgive their sinnes which they do not desire should be forgiven them but trust to satisfie for tâ—…em They condemn themselves because they confesse themselves to be debtours unto God unlesse he remit their debt and yet stand not to his remission but to their own satisfaction by which they appeal to his justice rather then implore his mercy And that no man can satisfie by any works of obedience the justice of God for his sinnes it may further appear by these reasons 1. Because our best obedience is unperfect and ouâ—… righteousnesse like unto a polluted clout and therefore if God should enter into judgement with us he might justly condemn us for our best actions as being