Exposition of the Lords Prayer, Part 12
Forgiue vsus our debts.
1. Coherence.
THis is the fift petition, & 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 be two petitions, which concerne spirituall thinges, & but one for temporall; that the care for our soules must be double, to the care for our bodies. In the world men care for their bodies, their hearts are sette for wealth and promotion: they can be content to heare the worde on the Sabboth, yet neither then, nor in the weeke day do they lay it vp in their heartes, and practise it, which argues, that they hauehave litle or no care for their soules.
Question. What is the cause, that first we craue things for the body, & in the second place, those which concerne the soule? Ans. The order of the holy Ghost in these petitions is wonderfull: for the Lorde considers the dulnes and backewardnes of mens natures: therefore, he trains them vp, and draws them on by litle, euen as a schoolmaister doth his young schollers: propounding vntounto them some elements and principles, and so carrying them to higher pointes. … the former petition is a steppe or degree to these two following. He that will rest on Gods … so the pardon of his … of al, rest on Gods providence … this life, and hee that cannot put his affiance in God for the prouision of meat and drink, how shall he trust in Gods merciemercy for the saluation of his soule? Here wee may see the faith of worldings: they say that God is mercifull, and that they beleeue in Christ: which how can it be true? Seeing in les…er matters, as meate and drinke, they distrust God, as appears by their couetousnes.
2. The meaning.
DEbts) By debts sins ar meant, so it is in Luke 11. 4. and they are so called, because of the resemblance betwene them. For euen as a debt doth bind a man, either to make satisfaction, or else to goe to prison: so our sinnes bind vsus, either to satisfie Gods iustice, or els 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 merciemercy to accept the death and passion of Christ, as a sufficient paiment and ransome for mans sinnes; and so to esteeme them as no sinnes. And here vnderunder this one benefit, all the rest of the same kind are vnderstood, as iustification, sanctification, redemption, glorification, &c.
3. The vses of the vvords.
1. HEre we may learn many lessons; the first is, that seeing we must pray thus, Lord forgiue, &c. We must hold, that there is no satisfaction to Gods iustice for sinne by our workes; no not in temporary punishments: but that the doing away of our sinnes, is of Gods meere fauour: for, to forgiue and to satisfie be contrary: wherefore the doctrine of humain satisfactions, taught in the Church of Rome, is vile and diuelish.
2. Secondly, we are taught thus to pray continually, from day to day: where we note the great patience and long suffering of God: in that we offending daily, yet he suffers and forbears still, and doeth not powre out his confusion vponupon vsus. This teacheth vsus, like patience towards our brethren: we cannot put vp the least iniury, and forbear but one day, yet we desire that god wold forgiue vsus all our liues long.
3. Againe, we may obserue, that there is no perfect sanctification in this life, seeing we must eueryevery day, to the end, craue the pardō of our sinnes. Therefore, 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 minde to pray, not onelyonly for the pardone of our owne sinnes, but likewise for our brethren and enemies. Iam. 5. 17. Confesse one to another, and pray one for another for the praier of the righteous auaileth much, if it be feruent And as so…ne think, the praier of Steuen was a meanes of the conuersion of Saule.
5. Also we note, that before praier for pardon of sinne, must go a confession of sinne: for whereas we say, forgiue our debts, we confes before God, that we ar stat banckrouts, and not able to discharge the least of our sinnes; this appears 1. Ioh. 1. 9. If vve confesse our sinnes, he is faithful to forgiue vsus: And it was practised by Dauid, Psalm. 51. and 32. 5. The maner of making confession is this; knowen sinnes, and those which troble the conscience, are to be confessed particularlie: but vnknown sins generally. Psa. 19
6. Lastly, hence it is manifest, that there is noe iustification by workes. Our sinnes are debtes: & so also are all workes of the lawe. Now, how can any man discharge one debt by another?
4. Wants to be bewailed.
THe wantes to be bewailed are the burden of our sinnes, and the corruptions of our natures, & 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 trauell and grone vnderunder this burden: but this griefe for sin, is a rare thing in the world. Men can mourne bitterly for the thinges of this life, but their sinnes neuer trouble them. And further, this sorrowe must be for sinne, because it is sinne, though there were neither hell nor deuill, nor conscience to accuse, nor Iudg to reuēge.
5. The grace to be desired
THe grace which wee must desire, is the spirit of grace and deprecations. Zacha. 12. 10. It is that worke of the spirit, whereby wee are inabled to call to God for the pardone of our sinnes. A man hauing offēded the laws of a Prince, and being in danger of death, will neuer rest, or be at quiet, till hee hauehave gotten a pardon: euē so, they which feele and see their sinnes, hauing this spirite are so mooued, that they can neuer be at rest, till in praier they be eased of their sins A man may, I graunt, babble and speake many wordes, but hee shall neuer pray effectually, before hee hauehave this spirit of praier, to make him crie, Abba Father. For worldly cōmodities all can pray: but learn to pray for the want of Christ.