The Guide Unto True Blessedness, Section 44 – Section 45
SECT. XLIIII. Of the fift Petition.
Q. VVHat are the words of the fift Petition?
A. eMat. 6.12 Luk. 11.4And forgiue vsus our debts, as euen we forgiue our debtors: where, beſides the petition, is a reaſon added for confirmation thereof.
Q. What is the meaning of the words?
A. Firſt, by [debts] we muſt vnderſtand ſinnes (as Saint Luke expoundeth the metaphor,) and that not in themſelues, as breaches of the Law of God (for who would ſay that wee owe and are to pay ſinne vntounto God?) but with reſpect to the puniſhment, and ſatisfaction, due to Gods iuſtice for the offence of ſinnes. For our debt properly beingaRom. 8.12. & 13.8. Gal. 5.3 obedience, whereto we were bound vnderunder penaltie of all the curſes of the Law, eſpecially eternall death; we all in Adam forfeited that bond, whereby thebLuc. 13.4. Mat. 18.24 &c. Rom. 6.23 penaltie became our debt, and is daily encreaſed in vsus all by ſinning.
Secondly, by [forgiueneſſe] we vnderſtand ſuch remiſsion, as may agree with Gods iuſtice, which will not endure him to bee a looſer: wherefore it is forgiueneſſe of vsus, by taking payment ofcIob. 33.24. another, euen of our ſuretie d1. Joh. 2.2.Ieſus Chriſt, in our behalfe.
Thirdly, by ſaying [vsus] & [ours] weePſ. 130 7 8. & 51.28 include with our ſelues, in this petition, as many as are in Chriſt, enabled, by a true faith, to lay hold on him, & to plead his paiment and ſatisfaction.
Fourthly, vnderunder one part of our Iuſtification, to wit, the remiſsion, or not imputation of ſinnes vntounto death, by meanes of the ſatisfaction of Chriſts ſufferings, wee doe alſo conceiue the other part, which is the imputation of his holineſſe vntounto life eternall, as implyed vnderunder the former, and inſeparablya2. Cor. 5.21. annexed thereto
Fiftly, when we ſay, [as we] or [for we alſo forgiue, &c.] we argue with the Lord, not from merite, butbMat. 6.14, 15. from the modell of Gods grace in vsus; which, beeing incomparably inferiour to the merciemercy and louelove of God, and yet diſpoſing vsus to forgiue and let fall (in regard of hatred or priuatecRom 12.19 reuenge) any wrongs and iniurie of our brother againſt vsus, may bothdNeh 5.19 ſtirre vp the compaſsion of the Lord toward vsus his children, andeIam. 2.13 aſſure vsus of the attaining of this our requeſt.
Q. What doe wee then aske of God in this Petition?
A. Fiue things: Viz.
Firſt grace, feelingly tofPſal. 51.3 know, and frankely to confeſſe, without excuſe, or extenuation, the great debt of our ſinnes, and our vtteraPſa 130.3. & 143.2 inabilitie to ſatisfie for the ſame, or for the leaſt part thereof.
Secondly the power ofbLuk. 17.5 faith, to lay hold on thecEſay 53.5 meritorious ſufferings, & obedience of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, vntounto our full iuſtification.
Thirdly, thedRom. 8.15, 16. teſtimonie of the ſpirit of Chriſt, exemplifying, and applying the generall pardon of ſinnes, once for all granted to vsus at our conuerſion, vntounto the ſeuerall ſinnes, & debts, of eueryevery day and moment of our life.
Fourthly wee pray for remiſsion of ſin, not as intending, our ſelues, to vndergoe theeIer: 14.7 puniſhment, or any part therof, but contrariwiſe that the whole debt (which is properly the puniſhment, as hath been ſhewed) may be accepted at the hands of Chriſt our ſuretie, and we fully diſcharged, and acquitted; ſo thatfPhil. 3.8, 9 nothing may remaine on our account, but the righteouſnes of Chriſt, whereby the fauor & kingdome of God is purchaſed for vsus.
Laſtly, that we may not be deſtitute of ſo important anaMar. 11.25 1. Joh. 3.14 argument, both to plead for mercy with God, and to aſſure our ſelues of ſucceſſe (and ſo with the hypocrite, by mocking the Lord, bring a curſe vponupon our ſelues, in ſtead of a bleſsing) we deſire of God a portion of that mercy, which is ſo abundant in him, that we may bee tenderly affected one towards another,bEphe. 4.32 Col. 3.13 forgiuing one another, euen as God for Chriſts ſake forgiueth vsus.
SECT. XLV. Of the ſixt Petition.
Q. VVHat are the words of the ſixt, and laſt Petition?
A. cMat. 6.13 Luc. 11.4.And lead vsus not into temptation, but deliuer vsus from euill.
Q. What is the meaning of theſe words?
Firſt by [temptations] are meant whatſoeuer things, by the corruption of our nature, are vntounto vsus occaſions of ſinne, asdPro. 30.9 proſperitie, aduerſitie, &c.
Secondly, when we ſay [lead vsus not] wee acknowledge that God, though aJam. 1.13he tempteth no man vntounto euill, yet ſometimesbMat. 4.1 leadeth men into temptations of probation; and that
1. By vnuſuall probatorie precepts, ascGe 22.1, &c when he commanded Abraham to kill his ſonne.
2. By ſending andDeut. 8.16 extraordinarie meaſure of proſperitie, or aduerſitie.
3. By letting looſe Satan (his bandog) toe2. Cor. 12 7 buffet and moleſt the godly, as Paul: or tof1 Kin. 22.22. ſeduce the wicked, as Ahabs Prophets.
4. By deſertion, leauing men to themſelues; whethergHoſ. 5.15 for a time, ash2. Chron. 32.31 Hezekiah in the buſineſſe of the king of Babels Embaſſage: or vtterly, as thoſe, whom hee iuſtly giueth vp to their owneiRo. 1.26, 28. luſts, and thekAct. 5.3 power of Satan.
Thirdly by [deliuering] is meant a forcible lRom. 7.24reſcuing of our nature, neither able, nor willing, to help it ſelfe out of theſe dangers.
Fourthly by [euill] is meant, either them1. Joh. 5.18, 19. euill one, Satan, who pretendeth to hauehave power ouer vsus: or the effect of temptation, which, without the ſpeciall grace of God, is extreamely euill to wit,a1. Tim. 6 9 ſinne, and damnation.
Laſtly, vnderunder one part of Sanctification, that is, the auoiding and mortifying of ſinne, is implyed theb2. Cor. 7.1 Rom. 6.11 other part alſo, which is abilitie vntounto new obedience.
Q. What doe wee then aske of God in this Petition?
A. That ſinne maycRom. 6.1, 2 not onelyonly bee pardoned vntounto vsus, but alſo mortified in vsus, and wee raiſed vp to new obedience; whereto belong theſe ſix things Viz.
Firſt, that ſeeingdIob 1.10 wee cannot bee tempted without the will of God, nore2. Cor. 12.9 reſiſt without his power, if it bee his bleſſed will, he would giuegive vsusfPro. 30.8. neither pouerty nor riches, nor any ſuch thing, as may endanger our ſpirituall eſtate.
Secondly, that hee wouldg2. Cor. 12.8 tye vp Satan, and reſtraine his malice, and power, or elſe make vsush2. Cor. 2.11 wiſe to know; and auoide his ſtratagemes:iIoh. 17.15. preſerue vsus from the euill that is in the world: and abate the power ofkRo. 7.14, 25. corruption, that is within vsus.
Thirdly, that in temptations (if hee ſee good to proue vsus,) he would alwaies ſtand by vsus with his grace, toa1. Cor. 10.13 Iud. ver. 24 keepe vsus from falling, and to giuegive vsus anbEſay 27.9. holy vſe of our tryals.
Fourthly, that, leauing vsus at any time to our owne weakeneſſe, for our humiliation, hee would graciouſlycPſal. 51.12 raiſe vsus vp againe, with encreaſe of ſpirituall ſtrength and courage.
Fiftly, that hee would put an end to all tryals, and to theſe daies of conflict, in his owne good time,dRom. 16.20 treading Satan, with his forces, for euer vnderunder our feete.
Laſtly, that he wouldeHeb. 13.21. encreaſe and perfect the worke of his grace in vsus, enabling vsus to euerie good worke, and in ſtead of temptations to the contrarie, affording vsus all helpes vntounto well-doing, as good examples, holy counſels, and encouragements, &c.