A Guide to Go to God, Petition 5 · Section 145
§. 145. Of the force of this Particle As in the condition annexed to the fift Petition.
Q. VVHat doth this Particle, As, import, whereby the condition is limited to the Petition?
A. A reſemblance betwixt Gods dealing with vsus, and our dealing with others. This reſemblance conſiſteth not in equality, quantity, or meaſure; but in equity, quality and manner: that as God according to his ſurpaſſing greatneſſe is mercifull, ſo wee according to our poore and meane ability ſhould alſo be mercifull, though not in ſuch a degree, yet in ſuch truth, and that freely and fully, as God forgiueth,
This note of reſemblance therefore,Difference betwixt the reſemblances in the third and fift Petitions. is not here vſed as it was in the third Petition. For
1. There that from whence the reſemblance is taken is more eminent. Here much meaner. It is there taken from thoſe that are in heauen. But here from vsus on earth.
2. There it noteth a patterne for doing. Here, an euidence of doing.
3. There it is vſed for direction, to ſhew what wee ſhould doe. Here for imitation, to declare what we endeuour to doe.
Q. Doth not the manner of ſetting downe this reſemblance by way of condition, import that our forgiuing goeth before Gods?
A. No. For it hath relation to our aſſurance of Gods forgiuing vsus, not to the act of forgiuing, as it is in God himſelfe: as if more amply we ſhould ſay, Lord, by that readineſſe which thy Spirit hath wrought in vsus to forgiue our debters, wee hauehave an euidence of thy readineſſe to forgiue vsus, in faith therefore we craue forgiueneſſe of thee. After this manner reaſoneth the Apoſtle in theſe words,1. Ioh. 4. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and hee in vsus, becauſe he hath giuen vsus of hit Spirit.
To forgiue our brother is a fruit of brotherly louelove. Brotherly louelove ſprouteth from our louelove of God.1. Ioh. 4. 19. But wee louelove God, becauſe he loued vsus firſt. Gods louelove therefore goeth before our louelove. And God forgiueth vsus, before wee forgiue our brother. But as the life of a tree which cauſeth the fruit thereof, is diſcerned by the fruit, ſo Gods louelove in forgiuing vsus, which cauſeth vsus to forgiue our brother, is by our forgiuing of our brother diſcerned, and thereby alſo we come to hauehave aſſurance thereof.
Obiect. Saint Luke ſetteth downe this clauſe, with a cauſall Particle,Luke 11. 4. thus, For we alſo forgiue, &c. whereby he implyeth that our forgiuing one another is a cauſe that moueth God to forgiue vsus.foreign. And if it be a cauſe it muſt needs goe before. For the cauſe is before the effect, at leaſt, in order of nature.
Anſw. That Particle FOR doth not alwayes note the cauſe, but many times the effect, eſpecially when the effect is a ſigne and euidence of the cauſe.Luk. 7. 47. As, where Chriſt ſaid of that deepely penitent women, Her ſinnes which are many are forgiuen, for ſhe loued much. That her louelove is there noted as an effect of Gods forgiuing her is euident by the queſtion going before,Luk. 7. 41, 42, 43 and the anſwer made thereto. The queſtion was this, A Creditor had two debters: the one owed fiue hundred pence, and the other fifty: And when they had nothing to pay, he frankely forgaue them both. Tell me, which of them will louelove him moſt? The anſwer was this, He to whom he forgaue moſt. Is not louelove in this queſtion and anſwer, expreſſely noted to be the effect of forgiueneſſe? In the ſame ſence, reſpect and relation is louelove, vſed in this application of that Parable, Her ſinnes which are many are forgiuen, for ſhe loued much: Her much louelove declareth that many ſinnes are forgiuen her. Thus is this Particle FOR ordinarily vſed as a note of the effect or ſigne in our common ſpeech: As when we ſay, There is fire, for I ſee ſmoake. This tree hath life, for it ſprouteth. The Sunne is riſen, for behold ſunſhine.