Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 1 · Part 17
Now to the matter of petition, things wee pray for in this petition.
Quest. What are the things we pray for in this petition. Forgiue vsus our debts, as we forgiue our debters?
Answ. Sixe things especially.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Mat. 9.12. Psal. 130.3.4. Psal. 143.2.Answ. This; mercy from God in and through Christ, for the pardon of all our sinnes: we finding our selues to stand in neede of Gods mercy, and being fitted for the receiuing of it, for a man will neuer aske that which hee needs not, or whereof hee feeleth no want: hee that is sicke and feeles his sicknesse, he only will seeke and aske meanes of health.
Quest. How are we fitted for the receiuing of Gods mercy, for the pardon of our sinnes?
Answ. By three things.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Answ. This;Rom. 3.20. & 7.7. a true sight and knowledge of our sinnes and the crse of the Law due to sinne; wee being brought to a sight and knowledge of our sinnes, and conuinced of them by the Morall Law of God. Galath. 3.19. It was added because of the transgressions (that is) for reuealing of sinne and the punishment thereof, and for conuincing of men touching their sinnes.
Quest. What is the second thing by which we are fitted for the receiuing of Gods mercy, for the pardon of our sinnes?
Answ. This;Ezra. 9.5.6.7. Dan. 9.7.8. Luk. 15.21. Act. 2.37. a true sense and feeling of the waight and burthen of our sinnes, and a true apprehension of the intollerable burthen of Gods wrath due to the least of our sinnes, and so a true touch of conscience, or compunction of heart for them.
Quest. What is the third thing by which we are fitted for the receiuing of God mercy, for the pardon of our sinnes?
Answ. This: an humble, hearty, willing,1 Ioh. 1.9. Iob 31.33. Ezra. 9.6. Luk. 15.18.19 Luk. 18.13. and free confession and acknowledgement of our sinnes to God, and that particularly, of our knowne sinnes without excuse or extenuation, arising from hope of ease and pardon, and withall a full purpose, and resolution of heart to forsake them: out of an hatred and wearinesse of sinne, and a loathing of it because it is sinne.
Quest. May not men make a sound and comfortable confession of their sinnes to God in the time of their sicknesse, or when they lie vnderunder the hand of God in some great distresse?
Answ. A confession and acknowledgement of sinne, may be made to God, in truth and with comfort in the time of sicknesse, and other great distresse: but if confession of sinne duplicate page duplicate page be only forced out through sicknesse, or other great distresse: as the confession of a Malefactor is by the wracke, or some other torture; and if that sicknesse or distresse were not, or were remoued, men would not confesse their know sinnes; then is that confession comfortlesse, and no better then the cofession of Cain. Gen. 4.13. and of Pharaoh. Exod. 10.16. and of Iudas. Mat. 26.4
Quest. Is a particular confession of knowne sinnes, alwaies necessarie?
Answ. No, it is not: if a man humble himselfe for his sins with a purpose to confesse them particularly, and be preuented by time, so as he cannot lay them open as he would; then a generall confession will be accepted of God, as appeares in the Thiefe on the Crosse, who being preuented by death, made no particular confession of his sinne, yet on his generall confession hee was accepted. Luke. 23.41.42.43.
Quest. What if a man see his sinnes and feele the waight of them, and be truely touched in conscience for them, and desire to confesse them to God, and yet is not able to vtter the words of confession; may he then bee fitted for the receiuing of Gods mercy for the pardon of them, or no?
Answ. A man seeing and feeling the waight and burden of his sinnes, and being truly touched in conscience for them; doe heartily, truly, and soundly desire to confesse them to God, and be hindered by the greatnes of griefe, or weaknesse of body, or the like; yet he is then fitted for the receiuing of Gods mercy for the pardon of them. Psal. 32.5. I thought (saith Dauid) I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vntounto the Lord, and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne. Luke. 15.18. The Prodigall purposed to confesse his sinne; then verse. 20. the Text saith when hee was yet a farre off, his Father saw him, and had compassion on him; then verse. 21. followes his confession, Mat. 26.75. we reade of Peter weeping bitterly, but not a word of any confession; no doubt hee purposed to confesse his sinne, but it may be his griefe was so great that hee could not vtter it in words, but the Lord accepted that his sound purpose expressed not in words but in bitter teares, and vouchsafed mercy to him.
Obiection Hosea. 14.3. It is said, take to you words, and turne to the Lord, and say vntounto him, take away all iniquitie and receiue vsus graciously; so will we render the Calues of our lippes. It seemes then that words of confession of sinnes are simply necessary, that we may be fitted for the receiuing of Gods merciemercy for the pardon of our sinnes.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus: that place is to be vnderstood of publike humiliation for sinne, in which the words of confession of sinnes must alwayes be vsed: but in priuate humiliation for sinne by priuate persons, words of confession of sinnes, are fit, conuenient, and profitable, yet not alwaies simply necessary: for a man may pray effectually for the pardon of his sinne, and yet vtter neuer a word. Exodus. 14.15. 1 Sam. 1.13. and the spirit doth pray in Gods Children somtimes with sighs vnutterable. Rom. 8.26.
Que. What is the second thing we pray for in this petition, Forgiue vsus our debts, as we forgiue our debters?
Answ. This: merciemercy from God, in and through Christ, for the pardon of those sinnes wee hauehave committed, and falne into againe, after repentance of frailty and against our purpose, wee being truly humbled for them: for Christ heere bids vsus pray for the pardon of sinnes indefinitely Luke. 17.4. Christ bids vsus forgiue our brethren that sinne against vsus seauen times in a day, if they seeke it at our hands: and much more will the Lord, who is infinite in merciemercy, forgiue vsus some sinne committed, againe and againe, on our true repentance. 1 Iohn. 2.1 2. Hee speakes to the regenerate, that if they sinne they hauehave an Aduocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the iust. Gen. 12.19. and then Gen. 20.2.
Quest. Is not a relapse and falling into sinne againe after repentance, a desperate case and hopelesse?
Answer. No: it is a dangerous case, as a relapse into some strange disease is dangerous, and may cost a man the losse of his life: but yet a relapse into sinne, is not desperate and hopelesse, because it is pardonable and may be forgiuen. Isai. 1.16.17.
God calls Apostataes to repentance with promise, if they bee turned to him. vers. 18.
Quest: What is the third thing we pray for in this petition, Forgiue vsus our debts, as we forgiue our debters?
Answ. This: that God would by his good spirit apply to vsus the pardon of our sins daily, and by the same Spirit would more and more witnesse to vsus, and assure vsus that our sinnes are pardoned, and strengthen our faith to full assurance of it, we being already iustified in his sight. Rom. 8.5.16. Galat. 3.14. By faith we receiue the spirit, (that is) more fully and manifestly dwelling in vsus, to our sanctification and assurance, touching our redemption, and the pardon of our sinnes. 2 Cor. 1.22. Ephes. 1.13. The spirit is compared to a seale, becaue he confirmes vsus in our faith, and assurance of the pardon of our sinnes.
Quest. What reason is there for it, that we being already iustified, and hauing our sinnes forgiuen, are still to seeke and craue forgiuenesse at the hands of God?
Answ. Because it is needfull that God should as well continue his grace and fauour to vsus, touching the pardon of our sinnes, as giuegive it to vsus at the first: and that God should actually pardon our sinnes daily committed: hence Dauid prayed for actuall forgiuenesse of sinnes: Psalme 51.1. though Nathan had told him that his sinne was forgiuen. 2 Sam. 12.13.
Quest. What is the fourth thing we pray for in this petition, Forgiue vsus our debts, as we forgiue our debters?
Psal. 103.…2.13 Malac. 3.17. Isai. 53.5. 2 Pet. 2.24.Answ. This; that God would spare vsus, as a Father doth his children, remouing from vsus, for the merit of Christ his death, all those punishments which our sinnes might iustly bring vponupon vsus: for, forgiuenesse is no forgiuenesse, if there be not remission both of the guilt of sinne, and of all punishment due for the same.
Quest. Doth not God for the merit of Christ his death, pardon the fault and eternall punishment of sinne, and yet retaine a temporarie punishment to be inflicted on them that hauehave sinned: so say the Papists?
Answ. No, he doth not; remission of sinnes and redemption by the blood of Christ, are equiualent, of equall reach and signification. Ephes. 1.7. Colos. 1.14. And redemption by the blood of Christ, is freedome from the curse of the Law, which is both of all plagues heere in this world, and all paines and torments after this life is ended.
Quest. How may it farther appeare, that God pardoning the fault & eternall punishment of sin, be retaines a temporary punishment to be inflicted on them that hauehave sinned.
Answ. By two reasons especially.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Answ. This: If God inflict any punishment on him whose sinnes are taken away by the blood of Christ, as John. 1.29. Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the World: then is he vniust, it is all one as to require payment and satisfaction of a debt forgiuen, which were most vniust: but there is no iniustice with God, and therefore he retaines not a temporarie punishment to be inflicted on them that hauehave sinned.
Question. What is the second reason by which it may appeare, that God pardoning the fault and eternall punishment of sin, he retaines not a temporarie punishment to be inflicted on them that hauehave sinned?
Answ. This: If it bee true that when God doth not pardon sinne, hee retaines the punishment of it; then it followes necessarily on the contrary, that when hee doth forgiue sinne hee retaines not any punishment due to it.
Obiection. Some whose sinnes are pardoned, hauehave notwithstanding, sicknesse, pouertie, contempt, and other temporarie euils laid on them: therefore it seemes though sinne be forgiuen, yet all the temporarie punishment is not remoued from them that hauehave sinned.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; sicknesse, pouertie, and the like; to them who hauehave the pardon of their sinnes, are corrections and fatherly chastisements, and are laid on them for many good ends; as to worke in them amendment, and care to avoid sinne, and for the exercise of faith, triall of their patience, and stirring vp the languishing graces of the spirit of God ready to die in them; and so they are tokens of Gods louelove, & not punishments of sinne forgiuen, nor proceeding from an angrie and displeased God. Heb. 12.6.
Quest. What is the fift thing we pray for in this petition, Forgiue vsus our debts, as we forgiue our debters?
2 Cron. 13.18.19. Psal. 51.18. Iam. 5.15. 1 Ioh. 5.16.Answ. This; mercy from God, in and through Christ for the pardon of the sinnes of others that belong to Gods election; that others as well as our selues belonging to Gods election may hauehave their sinnes pardoned.
Quest. May we pray that God would pardon the sinnes of open notorious wicked persons or no?
Answ. It being vnknowne to vsus how the Lord will deale with men, that yet liue in impenitencie and grosse sinnes, and seing they are of our owne flesh, we are to pity them, and in commiseration of them hoping the best in charity, wee may pray, that if they belong to Gods election, the Lord would hauehave merciemercy on them, and pardon their sinnes. Exod. 32.31. Moses prayed earnestly and vehemently for the pardon of the peoples sinne, hauing committed a great sinne. 1 Sam. 15.25. Samuel mourned and prayed for Saul. It is supposed that the Lord had mercy on Saul at Steuens prayer Acts. 7.60.
Quest. May not our prayers, wee being true beleeuers, bee availeable for other true beleeuers, who are weake in faith, and tender hearted, and are so oppressed with the waight of their sinns, as they can only sigh and groane out their requests to God for the pardon of them, but cannot vtter and expresse their requests?
Answ. Yes, they may, if they be offered vp to God in faith, and with feruencie: for herein lies a principall part of the communion of Saints, that a poore weake member of the Church, whose prayers are only sighs and groanes, is partaker of all the holy prayers of all the people of God dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth,Rom. 12.5. Iam. 5.16. 1 Cor. 12.25.26 his fellow members.
Quest. What is the sixt thing that we pray for in this petition, Forgiue vsus our debts, as we forgiue our debters?
Answ. This; that God would by his grace dispose our hearts to a ready, willing, free and full forgiuing of others,Ephes. 4.32. Coloss. 3.12.13 and would make vsus able truly to say, wee forgiue others who hauehave offered or done vsus wrong, bringing detriment or hurt to vsus, in our bodies, goods or good name, euen as God for Christ his sake forgiueth vsus.
Quest. Why is it needfull that wee so pray, that God would dispose our hearts to a ready, willing, free, and full forgiuing of others?
Answ. For two reasons especially.
Quest. What is the first of those?
Ans. This;Tit. 3.3. Galat. 5.20. Gen. 27.41. because by nature we are backward & altogether vnwilling to forgiue such as hauehave offered, or done vsus wrong. Wee commonly plead many things against it; as that the matter is so grieuous and so foule, wee could forgiue any wrong but this; that wee hauehave deserued better at their hands that wrong vsus; and we neuer meant them harme: or wee hauehave often forgiuen them the like offence before, with warning that they should neuer doe the like; and such like.
Quest. What is the second reason?
Answ. This: because our ready, willing, free, and full for giuing of others,Mar. 11.25.26 Mat. 5 7. 1 Ioh. 3.14. will bee an argument both to pleade for merciemercy with God, and also to assure vsus that wee are such persons to whom Gods merciemercy belongs, for the pardon of our sinnes.