Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 69
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE FIFT PETITION OF THE LORDS PRAIER. LXIX.
1. SEeing, we hauehave in the former Principles made the ſecond part of the Lordes Praier to be two-folde, ſo that the things contained therein, were ſhewed to be either corporall or ſpirituall: It followeth, that hauing alreadie dealt with the corporall, we now come to the handling of the ſpirituall things.
2 Now, all the ſpirituall things which belong vntounto our ſaluation, and which Chriſt teacheth vsus to ſeeke at Gods hands, are referred vntounto true repentaunce; the which as it hath two parts; ſo the ſame is contained in two Petitions.
3 True repentance conſiſteth firſt, in that wee bewaile our ſinnes, and by faith deſire them to be done away: next, that we be careful not to commit thoſe things againe. The former of theſe is contained in this fift, the latter in the next, which is the laſt Petition.
4 The neceſsitie of this Petition, is no leſſe then the aequitie of it: For ſeeing all men, by reaſon of their ſins, are ſo hatefull in the ſight of God, that they can hauehave no hope of aeternall life, except the Lord pardon thē their offences: ſurely, there is none but may ſee, what gret neceſsity ther is of this Petition: whoſoeuer therefore deſireth to be ſaued, he is to know, that this petitiō is very needful for him
5 The reaſon of the aequitie of it is the ſame, for there is nothing more aequall, then that wee ſhould daily craue the remiſsion and pardon of our ſins, at the handes of our mercifull God, whome we continually offend.
I We cannot therefore but condemne the Pelagians, who thought that this Petition was to bee vſed for modeſties cauſe: the which modeſtie is nothing els, but blaſphemous impudencie.
II We deteſt alſo, the madnes of the Catheriſts, Coeleſtinians, Anabaptiſts, and all ſuch monſters, who dreaming themſelues to be perfect and free from all ſpot of ſinne, do deny, that they hauehave any need of this Petition.
III And the Nouatians, who leaue no hope of remiſsion, vntounto them that hauehave fallen into any ſinne, after that they hauehave once receiued Baptiſme.
6 This Petition, that we may come vntounto the particular opening of it, hath two partes: In the former whereof we are taught, what we ought to craue, namely the free remiſsion of all our ſinnes whatſoeuer they bee, by and for, Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.
7 There are foure things then contained in this Petition. 1. a confeſsion of our ſinnes, who hauehave made vsus guiltie of aeternall death. 2. The great patience and clemency of God towardes vsus is commended, who doth not onelie beare with vsus, who daily offend him, but alſo doth pardon eueryevery one of vsus, ſo many ſinnes. 3. Out of the proper ſignification of the worde foreign FORGIVE, we gather that the remiſsion of our ſinnes is a free gift. 4. The word foreign DEBT, which the Syrians call CHIBAH, doeth teach vsus, that all our ſinnes, (which are heere figuratiuelie and according to the propriety of the Syrian tong, called DEBTS, are whollie forgiuen vsus.
The Papiſts therefore, are mad with their merits, and diſtinctions betweene the puniſhment and the offence, between mortall and veniall ſinnes, as they define them; though we doe not denie ſome ſins to bee greater then others; and who flie vntounto their ſatisfactions, as beleeuing that their ſins are not wholie done away by Chriſt onelyonly.
8 VsUs] Chriſt would hauehave vsus to vſe this worde, to the end we might learne, not onelyonly to be carefull of our owne ſaluation, but alſo of our brethrens: and this is true louelove, which is ſo much commended vntounto vsus.
9 In the other part of this Petition, we are taught what our dutie is.
10 Namely, that following the example of our moſt mercifull Father, we ſhould trulie forgiue all treſpaſſes vntounto thoſe that hauehave offended vsus, which is one of the ſpeciall effects of true louelove.
11 Now this ſecond part is added, that we may rightly craue the remiſsion of our ſinnes, and ſo may come vntounto prayer with true faith and repentance; the marke whereof, is louelove towards our neigbour.
12 Neither are we bound, onelyonly to forgiue thoſe that hauehave offended vsus: but euen to louelove them no leſſe then our ſelues.
13 The word AS, doth not paint out the cauſe, degree, or aequalitie of the forgiuing, proceeding from vsus, with the remiſsion which wee craue at Gods hand: but it ſetteth downe the reſemblaunce thereof after a ſort, and our willingnes therevnto.
14 This worde then is added as a ſigne, whereby wee might be confirmed, that God hath ſo certainlie forgiuen vsus our ſinnes, as we are aſſured, that we hauehave forgiuen our neighbours, and that we are voyd of all hatred, enuie, and reuenge.
15 Now we forgiue our neighbours their ſinnes, as far as they concerne vsus, and not in regard that they hauehave offended God, whome hee eſpeciallie offendeth, whoſoeuer hee be, that treſpaſſeth againſt his neighbour.
16 Whoſoeuer then, deſireth his ſinnes to be forgiuen him, and hath not forgiuen his neighbour; or hauing forgiuen him in words, doth intend to be yet reuenged: hee doth againe deſire, that God would not remit him his ſins, but to take puniſhment of them.
17 Yet is it lawfull for a Chriſtian, to ſeeke redreſſe by the Magiſtrate, of the injurie that is done vntounto him, both that thereby, the ſocietie of men may bee preſerued, and that lewd men be not incouraged to abuſe the patience of the good; but yet ſo, as all deſire of priuate reuenge, and al offence be auoyded.
Wrongfully therefore, did IVLIAN the Apoſtata gather out of this doctrine, that Chriſtians did take awaie the authoritie of the Magiſtrate, and the vſe of lawes.
Defended by SAMVEL BOYSSYNVS Occitanus.