The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 3 · Petition 5
THE FIFT PETITION.
AND forgiue vsus our debts, as we forgiue our debtors.
This petition is a notable confeſsion of the church, wherein ſhe acknowledgeth and bewaileth her ſins: & it is withal a conſolation, that the Church ſhall receiue remiſsion of ſinnes, according to Chriſts promiſe. Now Chriſt in this petition, will, 1 That we acknowledge our ſinne. 2 That we thirſt after remiſſion of our ſinnes, becauſe it is granted to them onlie that deſire it, and who do not tread vnderunder foot the bloud of the Son of god. 3. That our faith bee exerciſed: becauſe this petition confirmeth our faith, and again this petition floweth from faith. For faith is the cauſe of praier: and praier is the cauſe of faith, as concerning the encreaſing of faith.
The ſpecial Queſtions.
1 What Chriſt here calleth debts.
2 What is remiſſion of ſinnes.
3 Why we are to deſire remiſſion of ſinnes.
4 How ſinnes are remitted vntounto vsus.
1 WHAT CHRIST HERE CALLETH DEBTS.
CHriſt calleth al our ſins debtes, both originall & actuall, and thoſe both of fact, and omiſſion. And they are called debts, becauſe they make vsus debters to god either of obedience or puniſhment which we are to pay. For when we ſin, we doe not giuegive, nor perfourme vntounto god, what we owe vntounto him: & as long as we giuegive not this vntounto him, ſo long we remaine debters.
2 What is remiſſion of ſinnes.
THE creditor is ſaid to Remit the debter, when he neither requireth the debt of him, nor puniſheth him. Remiſſion of ſinnes, is, That god wil not impute any ſinne vntounto vsus, but doth receiue vsus into fauour, pronounceth vsus iuſt and righteous, and accounteth vsus for his ſons, of his meere and free mercy, for Chriſts ſatisfaction performed by him for vsus, imputed vntounto vsus, & apprehended of vsus by faith: And that therefore hee wil not puniſh vsus for our ſin, but endoweth vsus with iuſtice, and euerlaſting life, becauſe the remiſſion of ſinne taketh away the puniſhment thereof. For ſin and puniſhment, are correlatiues: put ſin, and you put puniſhment; take away ſinne, and puniſhment is alſo taken away. Obiection. When we deſire, that god will remit vsus our ſins, we deſire that god wil inuert the order of his iuſtice. Anſwer. The conſequence of this reaſon is falſe. For we deſire remiſſion of ſinnes, for the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, for which they are remitted vntounto vsus, and therefore our ſins are not remitted vsus with any breach of gods iuſtice, becauſe they are remitted vsus with recompence made for them. Reply. If they be remitted with recompence made for them, Then god dooth not remit vsus our ſinnes freely. Anſwere. They are remitted with recompence, & therefore not freely, in reſpect of Chriſt: but they are remitted freely, in reſpect of vsus: becauſe hee receiueth not ſatisfaction of vsus but of Chriſt, who hath fully ſatisfied him for vsus. Reply. Then is not yet this freely, becauſe wee hauehave merited it in Chriſt. Aunſwere. That merit is not our merite, becauſe the father gaue vsus his ſonne freely, who meriteth without any merit of ours comming between: and that merit of Chriſt is imputed vntounto vsus through grace: therefore freely for that merit are our ſinnes remitted vsus: whereupon alſo it is truely and wel added, that for Chriſts ſatisfaction our ſins are not imputed to vsus. For we deſire not, that god would do contrary vntounto his iuſtice, & would not account vsus in mind for ſinners; but that he would impute vntounto vsus anothers righteouſnes, that is, the righteouſnes of Chriſt, wherewith we being clothed, our ſins alſo may be couered.
3 Why we are to deſire remiſſion of ſinnes.
WE are to deſire remiſsion of ſinnes, 1. That we maie be ſaued, becauſe without remiſſion of ſinnes we cannot be ſaued. And this benefite God giueth not but onelyonly to thoſe that deſire it. 2. That we may be put in minde of the remnauntes of ſinnes, which are euen in the holieſt men; and that to this ende, that repentaunce maie euermore encreaſe. Wherefore wee are daily alſo to beg and deſire remiſſion of ſinnes. 3. That wee maie deſire and receiue the former bleſſings, becauſe without remiſſion of ſins, thoſe bleſsings either are at al not giuen, or are giuen to our deſtruction. So the wicked doe indeed often receiue them, but not for their ſaluation, as turning rather to their condemnation. Obiection. What wee hauehave, that we neede not deſire. But the godly hauehave remiſſion of ſinnes: Therefore the godly hauehave no need to deſire it. Anſ. The godly indeed hauehave remiſsion; but not wholy, neither alſo as concerning continuaunce, but only as touching the beginning thereof. This remiſſion muſt verily be continued; and God alſo doth continue it to them, vntounto whom hee remitteth their ſinnes in his ſonne: yet with this condition, that they daily pray for and deſire that continuaunce. Although then god hath remitted vntounto vsus our ſinnes; yet hee will notwithſtanding that we aske and deſire pardon for them, and therefore we deſire, that, what ſins wee commit or ſhal commit, the ſame god would remit vntounto vsus.
4 How our ſinnes are remitted vntounto vsus.
OVR ſinnes are ſo remitted vntounto vsus as wee forgiue and remit our debters. And this Chriſt added, 1. That we may rightlie deſire remiſſion of ſinnes, and ſo that we may come to pray with true faith & repentance, a ſigne and token whereof is the louelove of our neighbour. 2. That when wee finde in our ſelues true faith and repentance, we may ſo hauehave a certain argument and comfort in vsus, that we are of the number of them, vntounto whom remiſſion is promiſed, and that therefore wee ſhal doubtleſſe obtaine remiſſion of ſins: when as we may be certainly aſſured by this, that we our ſelues remit vntounto others from our heart their treſpaſſes againſt vsus, that we pleaſe God, albeit many remnaunts of ſinne are dwelling as yet within vsus. Obiection. 1. He that remitteth not, is not remitted. We remit not. Therefore we are not remitted. Aunſwere. He that remitteth not fully and perfectly, is notwithſtanding remitted, ſo that hee remitte truely and ſincerely. Obiection. 2. Chriſt willed vsus to deſire, that God will ſo remitte vsus our ſinnes, as wee remitte our debters. But wee doe not perfectlie remit our debters. Therefore he willed vsus to deſire, that god wil not perfectly remitte vsus our ſinnes. Anſ. This is a fallacy of ſpeech deceiuing by miſcōſtring a word. For the particle (as) in this petition dooth not ſignifie the degree of remiſſion, or a compariſon of our remiſſion with that remiſſion, wherewith God remitteth vsus our ſinnes, but it ſignifieth the kinde of remiſſion, namely the trueth and ſincerity of our remiſſion, whereby wee forgiue others from our hart, and with a readie wil of forgiuing them: or, (to ſpeak ſhorter) heere is not made a compariſon according to degrees, but according to the truth of the thing, or according to the trueth of remiſſion: ſo that the meaning is, ſo perfectly God remitteth vsus our ſinnes, as we truly and certainely remitte and forgiue our neighbour: or, Forgiue vsus our debts, becauſe we forgiue our debters. Reply. Then is our remiſſion of others the cauſe why God remitteth vsus. Anſwere. This a fallacy putting that for a cauſe, which is no cauſe. For our remiſſion, wherwith we forgiue others, though not perfectly, yet ſincerely, is only an argument and teſtimony vntounto vsus, that god wil remit vsus our ſinnes. For our remiſſion and forgiuing of others cannot merit. 1. Becauſe it is vnperfect. 2. Albeit it were perfect, yet ſhould it not merit, becauſe what we now perfourme, that we owe vntounto god. For were it ſo that we did now perfourme perfect obedience to god, yet were wee bound of duty to perfourme it. Reply. But neuertheles yet here is betokened an equalitie of remiſſion in vsus and god. Aunſwere Not an equality, but a likeneſſe and ſimilitude of the kinde of remiſſion. Obiection. 3. He that remembreth iniuries, and is deſirous of reuenge, doth not truly remit and forgiue. But we all remember iniuries, and are deſirous of reuenge. Therefore we doe not truly remit and forgiue. Aunſwere. They that remember iniuries, that is, without a reſiſtance and diſlike of this remembraunce, or with a yeelding thereto, doe not truely remit. If then wee withſtand and reſiſt the remnauntes of ſinnes, which as yet cleaue faſt vntounto vsus, and doe not yeelde vntounto them, nothing hindereth why wee maie not bee ſaide to remitte others truelie and from our heart, and ſo alſo to attaine vntounto that, in regarde where-of this particle (as) was added of Chriſt, to wit, (which before alſo we mentioned) to deſire and pray rightly. Now we rightly pray and deſire in faith and repentance, both which this petition confirmeth. Faith is confirmed and ſtrengthned by this petition, becauſe when we truely remit our neighbour, we may and ought certainly to reſolue, that our ſins are alſo remitted vsus, and ſo hauehave we a good conſcience, & are aſſured that we are heard, according to this promiſe of Chriſt, Math. 6.14. Jf ye doe forgiue men their treſpaſſes, your heauenlie father will alſo forgiue you. True repentance alſo is confirmed and increaſed in vsus by this petition. For by this petition we are prouoked and incited to true repentaunce, the chiefe part whereof is the louelove of our neighbour. For if we will be forgiuen, we muſt forgiue others. Both cauſes are conteined in the word of Chriſt before alleaged out of Matthewe; as alſo in the reſt which are preſently added in the ſame place in Matthewe, by way of oppoſition. If yee doe forgiue men their treſpaſſes, your heauenlie father will alſo forgiue you; that is, aſſure your ſelues alſo that your heauenly father heareth you. In which worde is comprehended the confirmation of our faith. But if yee doe not forgiue men their treſpaſſes, no more will your father forgiue you your treſpaſſes. In theſe words is added a ſpurre to repentance. Obiection. 4. Paul obtained remiſſion, neither yet did he forgiue al of them their treſpaſſer; becauſe he ſaith, 2. Tim. 4.14. Alexander the Copperſmith hath done me much euil: the Lord rewarde him according to his woorkes. Therefore it is not neceſſarie that we ſhoulde forgiue. Anſwere. There is a threefold remiſſion or forgiuing▪ 1. Of reuenge. This belongeth to all men: becauſe all men ought to remit and forgiue reuenge. Hereof ſpeaketh this petition, and this Paul did forgiue Alexander. 2. Of puniſhment. This, as all can not inflict, ſo neither can all remit; but neither they alſo, vntounto whom yet the ſame otherwiſe is committed, ought alwaies to remit this, but onelyonly for certaine cauſes. For God will hauehave the execution of his iuſtice and Lawe. But Paul forgaue Alexander the puniſhment alſo, as much as concerned himſelfe, yet hee will notwithſtanding hauehave him puniſhed of God, but with a condition, that is, if hee perſiſt in ſinne. 3. Of iudgement. This is not alwaies remitted: becauſe it is written, Mat. 10.16. Bee yee ſimple, as Doues; and wiſe, as Serpents: that is, let vsus not call him good, who is euil, or contrarily. Wherefore we are alſo to reteine a true iudgement concerning others. For God who forbiddeth lying, will not hauehave vsus to iudge of knaues that they are honeſt men: but hee will hauehave vsus to diſcerne the good from the bad.