A Guide to Go to God, Petition 5 · Section 161 – Section 162
§. 161. Of graces to be prayed for in regard of the pardon of our owne ſinnes.
Q. VVHat are the particular good things for which wee are taught to pray by vertue of the Fift Petition?
A. 1. Such as concerne the Petition it ſelfe.
2. Such as concerne the condition annexed to it. The things which concerne the Petition it ſelfe hauehave reſpect to the pardon both of our owne, and of others ſinnes. For wee are taught to ſay in the plurall number and firſt perſon, Forgiue VSUS OVR treſpaſſes.
Q. What are the things that concerne the pardon of our owne ſinnes to be prayed for?
A. 1. Knowledge of the nature of ſinne: how horrible a thing it is: into what a wofull plight it bringeth the creature, making it a debter to the reuenging iuſtice of God.Deut. 28. 15, 16, &c. For this end doth the Law diſtinctly ſet downe the curſes which by ſinne are pulled on man.
2. Knowledge of a mans owne ſinnes. How he himſelfe being guilty of ſinne is a debter to God: and in that reſpect in a moſt wofull eſtate. This did Dauid well know when he ſaid, I know mine iniquitie: and Iob who ſaid, Behold, I am vile.Pſal. 51. 3. Iob 40. 4.
3. Sence of the burden of ſinne. All the knowledge that can be had of the horribleneſſe of ſinne, and of the multitude and hainouſneſſe of the ſinnes whereof wee ſtand guilty, will not ſufficiently moue vsus to be eaſed of the burden of them, till we feele the weight thereof lying on our owne ſoules, and euen oppreſſing them. This made Dauid ſo earneſtly deſire God not to rebuke him in anger: For of that earneſt ſute he rendereth this reaſon, Mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head: as an heauy burden they are too heauy for me.Pſal. 38. 1, 4.
4. A broken heart, and contrite ſpirit. A man may feele the heauy burden of ſinne, and yet not ſeeke to bee eaſed: but lye vnderunder it as a beaſt: or as one that deſpaireth of all helpe. But if the heart be truely broken, and touched to the quicke with the ſence of ſinne, it will not let a man reſt till hee hauehave obtained pardon.Pſal. 51. 17. In that Pſalme where Dauid moſt earneſtly craueth pardon, he ſheweth that he had a broken heart.
5. Humble confeſſion of ſinne. For this Petition is a plaine acknowledgement thereof. WithoutfProu 28. 13. confeſſion there is no hope of pardon: butg1. Ioh. 1. 9. Pſal 32. 5. promiſe of pardon is made to him that confeſſeth his ſinne.
6. Earneſt deſire of pardon. That we may be freed from the guilt and puniſhment of ſinne. To confeſſe ſinne and not to deſire pardon, is but to put in an euidence againſt our ſelues. This is that which is moſt diſtinctly expreſſed in this Petition: and which hath euer been performed by all the Saints.
7. Knowledge of Gods free grace and rich mercy. Without this, though a man neuer ſo much feele the burden of ſinne, he hath no ſure ground, nor can hauehave any heart to ſeeke pardon. It appeareth that Dauid was well inſtructed therein,Pſal. 51. 1. in that hee doth ſo much plead and preſſe it.
8. Vnderſtanding of the ſacrifice of Chriſt. What that ſacrifice was;i1. Pet. 1. 19. the pure and precious bloud of the Sonne of God. By whom it was offered vp;kHeb. 9. 14. by himſelfe thorow his eternall Spirit. For whom; euen for vsus l1. Tim. 1. 15.miſerable ſinners. To what end; to be m1. Tim. 2. 6.a ranſome for our ſinnes: that ſo ſatisfaction might be made to Gods iuſtice for the ſame. This ſacrifice added to God… merciemercy ſhewes how perfectly Gods mercy and iuſtice meet together in mans Redemption. No maruell then thatn1. Cor. 2. 2. Saint Paul deſired to know nothing but Ieſus Chriſt and him crucified.
9. A right diſcerning of the perfection euen of the actiue obedience of Chriſt, and of the end thereof: how heeoMath. 3. 15. fulfilled all righteouſneſſe: and howpRom. 5. 19. we are made righteous thereby. Thus we may ſee how the debt of obedience which wee owe, and are not able to performe, is performed by our ſurety, and we by reaſon thereof are accepted as righteous.
10. An high eſteeme of Chriſt. For Chriſt, the great things that he hath done and ſuffered, and the many great benefits which iſſue from thence are not for hogges, that as vile things will trample them vnderunder feet.Phil. 3. 8. Saint Paul accounted all things but loſſe and dung in compariſon of Chriſt.
11. Hungring and thirſting after Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe. Luke 1 53.Theſe are they that ſhall be ſatisfied and filled; Math. 5. 6.and in that reſpect are bleſſed.
12. Faith in the pardon of ſinne. All the forenamed points without this,Ioh. 5. 24. will but aggrauate a poore ſinners miſery. This is it that bringeth a quietus eſt, Luke. 7. 50.a full diſcharge with it. In the diſeaſe and diſtreſſe of the ſoule thorow ſinne, Chriſt will ſay as he did to ſuch as were afflicted in body,Math. 8. 13.—9. 22. As thou haſt beleeued, ſo be it vntounto thee: Thy faith hath made thee whole.
13. Peace of conſcience. Rom. 5. 1.This followeth faith, and giueth good euidence to the ſoule of the diſcharge thereof from ſinne.
Theſe are eſpeciall graces, that reſpect the pardon of our owne ſinnes.
§. 162. Of graces to be prayed for in regard of the pardon of others ſinnes.
Q. VVHat things in regard of the pardon of others ſinnes are to be prayed for?
A. 1. Compaſſion by reaſon of them. Conſidering the wofull plight where into ſinne bringeth men, our bowels ought to be moued thereat.Mar. 3. 5. It is noted of Chriſt that he grieued for the hardneſſe of the Iewes hearts. Was there not great compaſſion in him that thus prayed for others,Exo, 32. 31, 32. Oh this people hauehave ſinned a great ſinne: yet now if thou wilt forgiue their ſinne: and if not, blot me out of thy Booke. This compaſſion will make vsus as earneſt for the pardon of the ſinnes of others as of our owne.
2. Humiliation for them.Ezr, 9. 3. Good Ezra was ſo deiected and humbled for the ſinnes of others, as hee rent his garment and Mantle, and pluckt off the haire of his head, and beard, and fell downe aſtonied.
3. Confeſſion of them. It was vſuall with the Saints to confeſſe vntounto God the ſins of others. For which purpoſe the confeſſions ofdExod. 32. 31. Moſes, ofeEzr. 9. 6, 7. Ezra, offNeh. 1. 6. Nehemiah, ofgNeh. 9. 16, &c the Leuites, of hDan. 9. 20.Daniel, and of others are worthy to be obſerued. Humiliation and confeſſion of others ſinnes is an euidence of an holy zeale of Gods glory. Feare of the iuſt vengeance of ſinne may make vsus humble our ſelues for our owne ſinnes, and penitently confeſſe them to God. But to be ſo affected for others ſinnes, as it ſheweth a brotherly fellow-feeling, ſo an holy indignation againſt ſinne, as it is a ſinne offenſiue to the diuine Maieſtie.
4. Supplication for the pardon of them. This is the maine dutie expreſſely taught in this Petition. It is an eſpeciall meanes of obtaining pardon for others ſinnes. But it is not in our own power to doe it?iZac. 12. 10. It is a gift of the Spirit, and a gift promiſed. We may therefore, yea and we muſt pray for it. And hauing it, then ſay to God as Moſes did,kNum. 14. 19. Pardon, I beſeech thee, the iniquitie of this people: and as Chriſt did,lLuke 23. 34 Father, forgiue them: and as Stephen did,mAct. 7. 60. Lord lay not their ſinne to their charge.
Theſe are principall graces to bee prayed for, by vertue of the maine Petition.