A Golden Chain, Part 12
Forgiue vsus our debts.]
1. The Coherence.
THis is the fift petition and the second of those which concerne our selues: in the former we craued temporall blessings, in this and the next which followeth, we craue spirituall blessings. Where we may note, that seeing there is two petitions, which concerne spirituall things, and but one for temporall; that the care for our soules must be double, to the care of our bodies. In the world men care for their bodies, their hearts are set for wealth and promotion: they can be content to heare the word on the Sabbath, yet neither then, nor in the weeke day doe they lay it vp in their hearts, and practise it, which argues that they hauehave little or no care for their soules.
Question. What is the cause that first we craue things for the bodie, and in the second place those which concerne the soule? Ans. The order of the holy Ghost in these petitions is wonderfull: for the Lord considers the dulnes and backwardnes of mens natures: and therefore he traines them vp, and drawes them on by little, euen as a schoolemaster doth his yong schollers: propounding vntounto them some small elements and principles, and so carrying them to higher points. For the former petition is a step or degree to these two following. The ruler by the healing of the bodie of his child is brought to beleeue in Christ. Ioh. 4.53. He then that will rest on Gods merciemercy for the pardon of his sinnes, must first of all rest on Gods prouidence for this life: and he that can not put his affiance in God for the prouision of meate and drinke, how shall he trust Gods merciemercy for the saluation of his soule? Here we may see the faith of worldlings: they say that God is mercifull, and that they beleeue in Christ: which can not be true: seeing in lesser matters, as meate and drinke, they distrust God, as appeares by their couetousnes. Againe, by this order we are taught as earnestly to seeke for the pardon of our sinnes, as we seeke for temporall blessings.
2. The meaning.
DEbt] By debts sinnes are meant, as it is in Luke 11.4. and they are so called, because of the resemblance betweene them. For euen as a debt doth bind a man, either to make satisfaction, or else to goe to prison: so our sinnes binds vsus either to satisfie Gods iustice, or else to suffer eternall damnation.
Forgiue] To forgiue sinne, is to couer it, or not to impute it. Psal. 32.1. And this is done when God is content of his mercy to accept the death and passion of Christ as a sufficient payment & ransome for mans sinnes, & so to esteeme them as no sinnes. And here vnderunder this one benefit of remission of sinnes, all the rest of the same kinde are vnderstoode, as iustification, sanctification, redemption, glorification, &c.
3. The vses of the words.
HEnce we may learne many lessons: the first is, that seeing we must pray thus, Lord forgiue, &c. we are to hold, that there is no satisfaction to gods iustice for sinne by our workes, no not in temporarie punishments: but that the doing away of our sinnes is of Gods meere fauour: for to forgiue and to satisfie be contrarie: wherefore the doctrine of humane satisfactions, taught in the Church of Rome, is vyle and deuilish.
2. Secondly, whereas we are taught thus to pray continually from day to day, we note the great patience & long suffering of God, that suffers and forbeares still, and doth not poure out his confusion vponupon vsus, though we offend his maiestie day by day. This teacheth vsus like patience towards our brethren: we our selues can not put vp the least iniurie and forbeare but one day, and yet we desire that God would forgiue vsus daily to the ende of our liues.
3. Again we may obserue, that there is no perfect sanctification in this life, seeing we must eueryevery day to the end craue the pardon of our sinnes. Therfore wicked is the opinion of the Catharists or Puritans, which hold that men may be without sinne in this life.
4. And when we say, forgiue, not me but vsus: we are put in mind to pray, not onelyonly for the pardon of our owne sinnes, but likewise for our brethren and enemies, Iam 5.17. Confesse one an other, and pray one for an other: for the praier of the righteous auaileth much, if it be feruent. And as some thinke, the praier of Steuen was a meanes of the conuersion of Saul.
5. Also we note that before praier for pardon of sinne, must goe a confession of sinne: for whereas we say, forgiue our debts, we confesse before God that we are flat bankrupts and not able to discharge the least of our sinnes: this appeares 1. Ioh. 1.9. If we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull to forgiue vsus. And it was practised by Dauid, Psal. 51. and 32.5. The manner of making confession is this: knowne sinnes, and those which trouble the conscience, are to be confessed particularly; but vnknowne sinnes generally, Psal. 19.12.
6. Lastly, hence it is manifest, that there is no iustification by workes. Our sinnes are debts, and so also are all workes of the law: and it were a fond thing to imagine that a man might discharge one debt by another.
4. Wants to be bewailed.
THe wants to be bewailed are the burthen of our sinnes and the corruptions of our natures, and the wickednes of our liues, and the sinnes of our youth, and of our old age, Psal. 40. 12. My sinnes hauehave taken such hold vponupon me, that I am not able to looke vp: they are more in number then the haires of my head: therefore mine heart hath failed me. Thus with Dauid we are to trauel & grone vnderunder this burthen: but this griefe for sinne, is a rare thing in the world. Men can mourne bitterly for the things of this life, but their sinnes neuer trouble them. Againe, this sorrow must be for sinne, because it is sinne, though there were neither hell to torment, nor deuill or conscience to accuse, nor iudge to reuenge.
5. Graces to be desired.
THe grace which we must desire, is the spirit of grace and deprecations. Zachar. 12.10. which is that gift of the holy Ghost, whereby we are inabled to call to God for the pardon of our sinnes. A man hauing offended the laws of a prince, and beeing in daunger of death, will neuer be at quiet till he hauehave gotten a pardon: euen so they which feele and see them sinnes hauing this spirit, are so mooued, that they can neuer be at rest, till in praier they be eased of the burthen of their sinnes. A man may, I graunt, babble and speake many wordes, but he shall neuer pray effectually, before he hauehave this spirit of praier to make him crie, Abba, father. For worldly commodities all can pray: but learne to pray for the want of Christ.