A Guide to Go to God, Petition 5 · Section 164 – Section 167
§. 164. Of the things for which thankes is to be giuen by vertue of the Fift Petition.
Q. WHat are the particular good things for which by vertue of the Fift Petition we are to be thankefull?
A. 1. Such as concerne Gods forgiuing vsus our treſpaſſes.
2. Such as concerne our forgiuing other men their treſpaſſes.
They which concerne Gods forgiuing vsus, are ſuch as follow:
1. Gods free grace, In that for his owne ſake, without any deſert of ours he paſſeth by and pardoneth our ſinnes. In this reſpect doth the Prophet magnifie him,Mic. 7. 18. and ſay, Who is a God like to thee, that pardoneth iniquitie, &c. He retaineth not his anger for euer, becauſe he delighteth in mercy.
2. Gods rich mercy: In that notwithſtanding our many, foule, and hainous ſinnes, the ſpring of his grace is not dryed vp, but he is pleaſed to forgiue them all. This incited Paul to make knowne his thankefull minde to God.1. Tim. 1. 12, 13, 14, &c.
3. Gods long-ſuffering, In that he hath not taken that aduantage againſt vsus, which we from time to time hauehave giuen him: but rather by his patience hath led vsus vntounto repentance.Pſal. 103. 8. The perſon that duely conſidereth how many iuſt occaſions hee hath giuen to God to cut him off, and to giuegive him his portion with the damned and Deuils in hell, being brought to ſome aſſurance of the pardon of ſinne, cannot but heartily bleſſe God for his good and great patience towards him.
4. Chriſt Ieſus. Math. 1. 21.Hee it is that ſaueth people from their ſinnes. This is the greateſt matter of thankſgiuing that euer was, or can be giuen to ſonnes of men.Luke 1, 46, 47. The Virgin Mary therefore at her firſt conception of him,Luke 2. 10. magnifyeth the Lord. The Angell that firſt brought the newes of Chriſts Birth, proclaimeth it to be a glad tidings of great ioy. —14.Yea a Quire of heauenly ſpirits ſang praiſe thereat, ſaying, Glory to God in the Higheſt.
5. The obedience which Chriſt yeelded to the Law. For our ſakes it was:1. Cor. 30, 31. vntounto vsus is he made righteouſneſſe, that we might glory in the Lord.
6. The ranſome which hee paid for vsus. Among many other bleſſings for which the Apoſtle giueth thankes,Col. 1. 12. 14. the bloud of Chriſt by which wee hauehave forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, Heb. 9. 12.is one. And well may it bee one. For by it eternall Redemption is obtained.
7. The Interceſſion which Chriſt continueth to make for vsus. Rom. 8. 34.Herein doth the Apoſtle after an holy manner triumph, which is an eſpeciall kinde of glorifying God. Great cauſe hauehave wee ſo to doe. For hereby all the vertue and efficacy of Chriſts ſacrifice, is applyed to vsus.
8. The Goſpell, whereby all the forenamed bleſſings are reuealed.Col. 1. 3, 5, 6. Expreſſely doth the Apoſtle giuegive thankes for this. All the rich treaſures of the myſterie of Godlineſſe would be of no vſe to vsus, if by the Goſpell they were not opened to vsus.
9. The Sacraments, whereby remiſſion of ſinnes is ſealed vp,Acts 8. 39.—16. 33, 34. and ſo ratified and aſſured vntounto vsus. When the Eunuch, and the Iayler were baptized, they reioyced: which being done ſpiritually in the Lord, it includeth a praiſing of God. And to ſhew that the holy communion is a matter of thanksgiuing, the Apoſtle ſtileth it,1. Cor. 10 16. foreign. the cup of bleſſing: And from the Primitiue times of the Church vnderunder the Goſpell it hath beene called the Euchariſt, foreign Grata beneficij recordatio.that is A gratefull commemoration of a thing.
10. Sight, and ſence of ſinne, and ſorrow for the ſame. Theſe are preparing graces, needfull for ſuch as expect pardon of ſinne.2. Cor▪ 7. 9. The Apoſtle reioyced and thanked God for theſe graces in the Corinthians. aLuke 7. 47.They are euidences of remiſſion.
11. Vnderstanding of the myſteries of the Goſpell. The Goſpell is a light that reuealeth thoſe myſteries. But what is light without ſight? A blind man in the brighteſt ſun-ſhine receiueth no benefit by the Sunne. The Apoſtle therefore that preached the Goſpell to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 1. 4, 5.thanked God that they were enriched in all knowledge.
12. Faith in the Lord Ieſus. mLuke 7. 50.By it pardon is obtained. Concerning it thus ſaith the Apoſtle,Epheſ. 1. 15, 16. After I heard of your faith in the Lord Ieſus, I ceaſe not to giuegive thankes for you.
13. The fruits of faith, as a quiet conſcience, a ioyfull heart, and comfortable ſpirit and ſuch like.2. Cor. 1. 4. Theſe being kindely wrought, giuegive euidence of our diſcharge of ſinne.
14. Meanes and euidence of pardon giuen to others. As wee pray for the pardon of others ſinnes, ſo wee muſt be thankefull for the euidences which wee ſee thereof. In this reſpect the Church of the Iewes glorified God for repentance to life granted to the Gentiles. Acts 11. 18.This their repentance was an euidence of Gods mercy in pardoning their ſinnes.
Theſe are good things for which God is to be praiſed by vertue of the Fift Petition.
§. 165. Of the things for which thankes is to be giuen by vertue of the condition annexed to the Fift Petition.
Q. VVHat are the particular good things for which thankes is to be giuen to God by reaſon of the condition annexed to the Petition?
A. 1. All the euidences of Gods indulgences towards vsus in pardoning our ſinnes. For to this end is our profeſſion of forgiuing others heere expreſſed: where therefore there is ſuch an euidence, as we may boldly make profeſſion thereof, wee ought to be thankefull for it. Thus doth S. Paul giuegive thankes, as for faith in the Lord Ieſus, Col. 1. 3, 4.ſo for louelove to all the Saints, an euidence thereof.
2. The meanes whereby wee are kept from taking reuenge. Thus did Dauid bleſſe God for ſending Abigail to keepe him from auenging himſelfe with his owne hand.1. Sam. 25. 32, 33.
3. The alteration of our wrathfull and reuengefull nature. We could not in truth make this profeſſion,Rom. 6. 17. We forgiue, if our nature were not altered.1. Tim, 1. 13.
4. That meaſure of brotherly louelove which we hauehave.2. Theſ. 1. 3. Without louelove all ſhew of forgiuing is but a meere ſhew.
5. A ſpirit of meekeneſſe, Iam. 3. 17.and patience. Theſe and other like graces make vsus readie and willing to forgiue. This Spirit commeth from aboue: Eph. 1. 3.and is one of thoſe ſpirituall bleſſings for which God is to be bleſſed.
6. An heart ſeaſoned with truth. 1. Chro. 29. 13, 17.By vertue thereof we are emboldned, euen in relation to Gods forgiuing vsus, to ſay, As we forgiue.
Hitherto of the matter of Thankſgiuing which the fift Petition affordeth.
§. 166. Of Duties required in regard of deſire of pardon of our owne and others ſinnes.
Q. VVHat Duties are we to endeuour after by vertue of the fift Petition?
A. Both ſuch as concerne the Petition it ſelfe, and alſo the Condition annexed to it.
In regard of the Petition we ought
1. To acquaint our ſelues with the Law of God. This is needfull becauſe 1.aRom. 3. 20.—7. 7. By the Law is the knowledge of ſinne. See the whole Armour of God. in Eph. 6. 16.Thereby therefore wee ſhall know what ſinners we are, and in how great need we do ſtand of pardon. 2.b2. King. 22. 19. Acts 2. 37.—24. 26. By the Law is mans ſoule humbled,Treat. 2. part. 6. § 20. pricked and broken, and thereby prepared to ſeeke pardon. 3. By the Law man is ſtript of all ſelfe-conceipt. cRom. 3. 19.EueryEvery mouth is ſtopped and all the world made guiltie thereby.
2. To be well inſtructed in the Goſpell, and in the promiſes thereof, asdLuk. 1. 4. Theophilus was. For 1.eActs 26. 18. by the Goſpell the grounds of pardon are reuealed. 2.fRom. 10. 8. Eph. 1. 13. By it faith is wrought. 3.gRom. 10. 15. Eph. 6. 15. By it the conſcience is quieted.
3. To partake of the Sacraments. ForhRom. 4. 11. they are ſeales of our diſcharge.
4. To confeſſe our ſinnes to God. For i1. Ioh. 1. 9.if we confeſſe our ſinnes, God is faithfull and iuſt to forgiue vsus our ſinnes.
5. To aske pardon. This is the dutie here expreſſely ſet downe.
6. To beleeue pardon. ForkMar. 1. 15. faith is a dutie required of all to whom the Goſpell is Preached.
Theſe are duties that concerne the pardon of our owne ſinnes.
Duties required in regard of the extent of this Petition for the pardon of others ſinnes as well as our owne, are theſe that follow.
1. To take notice of the ſinnes of others, That ſo we may the better diſcerne what great cauſe there is to pray for them. For this end they which eſpied the great ſinnes of the Iewes, told Ezra thereof.Ezr. 9. 1.
2. To make knowne to other men ſinning, their ſinnes. Thus may they be brought to be humbled and to find mercy for them; as Dauid was humbled and found mercy.2. Sam. 12. 7, 8.
3. To make confeſſion of them to God, Exo. 10. 6.As Ezra, Daniel and others did, and procured pardon.
4. To pray for pardon for them, Dan. 9…As the forenamed Saints did. For by a faithfull and feruant prayer of the righteous, if one hauehave committed ſinnes they ſhall be forgiuen him.Iam. 5. 15, 16.
Theſe duties the Petition it ſelfe requireth.
§. 267. Of Duties required by reaſon of our Profeſſion to forgiue others.
Q. VVHat Duties are required by vertue of the Condition annexed to the fift Petition.
A. 1. To take notice of Gods mercifull dealing with vsus. For this is the ground of the kinde of profeſſion here made, As we forgiue. Gen. 50. 20.Ioſeph taking notice of Gods good prouidence towards him, made him the more kind to his brethren.
2. To follow God in his goodneſſe. Eph. 5. 1.A point expreſſely enioyned by the Apoſtles. They that do not imitate God, cannot make this profeſſion, As we forgiue.
3. To put on ſuch graces as may make vsus readie to forgiue. Theſe are Bowels of mercies,Col. 3 12, 13. kindneſſe, humbleneſſe of minde, meekneſſe, long-ſuffering, forbearing one another, &c. Without theſe a man will not be brought to forgiue wrongs.
4. To put away reuengefull paſſions. Col. 3. 8.As water extinguiſheth ſparkes of fire, ſo a reuengefull humour putteth away all good motions and intentions of forgiuing.
5. To accept of all meanes of attonement offered, 1. Sam. 25. 35.As Dauid accepted to the meanes which Abigail vſed to pacifie his wrath. This will bring vsus to forgiue.
6. To offer reconciliation, Gen. 13. 8.as Abraham did. There are ſome of ſo crabbed a diſpoſition as they will neuer be reconciled, though they bee the wrong doers, except they be ſought vntounto. Except therefore we ſeeke to them, there will be no reconciliation: and if there be no reconciliation how can it be thought that we can ſay in truth, Wee forgiue?
7. Not to yeald to ſuch as incite vsus to reuenge. 1. Sam. 25. 8, 9.Hereof we hauehave a worthie patterne in Dauid. 2. Sam. 29. 21, 22 23.If we hearken to ſuch as ſtirre vsus vp to reuenge, we may be brought euen againſt our owne mind and diſpoſition to take reuenge.
8. Actually to forgiue. Col. 3. 13.This is it which we plainly profeſſe. We mocke him, who will not be mocked, and the truth is not in vsus, if wee vtter this condition, and do not indeed forgiue.
9. To make peace betwixt others. For wee profeſſe in the plurall number of others as of our ſelues that WE forgiue; we muſt therefore endeauour that others may ſo do. And herein ſhall we be bleſſed.Mat. 5. 9. Bleſſed are the peace-makers.
Hitherto of the Duties which both the Petition it ſelfe, and alſo the Condition annexed thereto require.