A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 48
CHAP. 48.
Of the fifth Petition.
The things that cōcerne our ſpirituall life.
Petition 5. wherein we pray for Iuſtification, conſiſting in
Forgiueneſſe of ſinne.
Imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe.
Petition 6. for ſanctification. Chap. 52.
MAT. 6. 12. And forgiue vsus our debts, as we forgiue our debtors.
Q. THus much of that Petition which concerneth our bodily life, thoſe other which concerne our ſpirituall life follow: viz. the fifth, and ſixth; what is the fifth Petition?
A. Forgiue vsus our debts, as wee forgiue our debtors.
Q. What are the parts thereof?
A. The petition it ſelfe, and a reaſon to inforce it.
Q. What is the ſumme of that which we deſire in the petition?
A. Firſt, the forgiueneſſe of our ſins, which is the firſt part of our Iuſtification. The neceſſity whereof is ſet forth heere by a contracted compariſon, drawne from ſuch debtors as are not able to pay their creditors: wherein our ſinnes are compared to ſuch debts, as we are not able by any meanes to make ſatisfaction for, and for which we are to looke for extremity of puniſhment in the Iuſtice of God, if it pleaſe not him to forgiue the ſame.
Q. What doe we then more ſpecially pray for herein?
A. Firſt, that wee may hauehave a true knowledge and feeling of our ſinnes, both originall and actuall. Secondly, that aPſal. 51. 3.we make an humble and franke confeſſion of them, and of our inability to make any the leaſt ſatisfaction for them.
Q What vſe is there of the confeſsion of our ſinnes?
A. Great: for that we hauehave naturally a ſenſleſnes Pſal. 36. 2. Eccleſ. 4. 17. 1. Sam. 15. 20. Pſal. 51. 3. Act. 22. 4. 1. Tim. … 15. Pſal. 32 3. 4. Prou. 28 13. 1 Iohn. 1. 8. 9. Iohn 7. 20. 1. Sam. 2. 19. Pſalm. 19. 12.of ſinne; or elſe being conuinced thereof, wee are readie to leſſen it, and make it light. The contrary whereof appeareth in the children of God.
Q. How can a man confeſſe his ſinnes, being not known, and without number.
A. Thoſe that are knowne, wee muſt expreſly confeſſe; and the other that are vnknowne, and cannot be reckoned, generally.
Q. How appeareth it, that we are not able to make ſatiſfaction?
A. Firſt, becauſe by the Law, as by an obligation, Deut. 27 26. Galath. 3. 10.eueryevery one is bound to keepe it wholly, and continually, ſo that the breach thereof euen once, and in the leaſt point, maketh vsus preſently debtors; and there is no man that can either auoid the breach of it, or when he hath broken it, make amends vntounto God for it: conſidering that whatſoeuer hee doth after the breach, is Eſay 64. 6. Luk. 17. 19.both imperfectly done: and if it were perfect, yet it is due by obligation of the law, and therefore cannot go for paiment, no more then a man can pay one debt with another; conſidering alſo that the due recompence of the leaſt breach, is euerlaſting death of body and ſoule: ſo that our eſtate heerein is like his that oweth ten thouſand Talents, and is not able to pay one farthing.
Q. But are wee not able to ſatisfie ſome part of it, as a man in great debt is ſometimes able to make ſome ſatisfaction, eſpecially if he hauehave day giuen him?
A. No: and therefore we are compared to a child Ezech. 16. 4. 5.new borne, not able to helpe himſelfe: and to captiues cloſe ſhut vp in priſon & fetters, kept by a ſtrong Luk. 4. 18. Luk. 11. 21.one; ſo that there is as ſmall likelihood of our deliuerance out of the power of Satan, as that a poore lambe ſhould deliuer it ſelfe from the gripes and pawes of a lion.
Q. What elſe doe we pray for, then in this Petition?
A. That wee may bee freed from them by ſuch meanes as God hath ordained, and will ſtand with his wiſedome and Iuſtice; and therefore wee are taught, being preſſed with the burthen of our ſinnes) to flee Mat. 11. 28. Pſal. 25. 11. 18. & 51. 1. Neh. 13. 22.vntounto the mercy of God, and to entreat him for the forgiueneſſe of our debt, euen the cancelling of our obligation, that in law it bee not auaileable againſt vsus: in which reſpect, the preaching of the Goſpell is compared Luk. 4. 19.to the yeere of Iubilee, when no man might demand his debt of his brother. Alſo that wee may obtaine this at Gods hands, by the onelyonly blood and ſufferings of Chriſt, as the onelyonly ranſome for ſinne; and not fancie with the Papiſts, that we are freed from our Mat. 26. 28. Act. 5. 31. & 10. 43. & 13. 38. 1. Iohn 1. 7. & 1. 2. Epheſ. 1. 7.originall ſinne by Baptiſme; and that wee may make ſome part of ſatisfaction for our actuall ſinnes, by whipping and ſcourging our ſelues, &c. which is abominable ſuperſtition.
Q. Doe we here pray for the forgiueneſſe of the ſinnes of this day, as before for the bread of this day?
A. Not onelyonly for them, but alſo for all that euer we Pſal. 25. 7.hauehave done at al times before, to the end that we might-be the further confirmed in the aſſurance of the remiſſion of all our ſinnes.
Q. What further doe we pray for in this petition?
A. For the imputation of righteouſneſſe, which is the ſecond part of our iuſtification: for as Chriſt hath taken away our ſinnes by ſuffering; ſo he hath alſo clothed vsus with his righteouſneſſe, by fulfilling of the Law for vsus. For as in the former petition, by bread, was vnderſtood all neceſſities belonging to this bodily Dan. 9. 24. Zach. 3. 4. 5. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Reuel. 19. 8.life: ſo in this, vnderunder the firſt part of iuſtification, is comprehended the other part alſo, by the like figure of ſpeech.
Q. What need was there of this?
A. Becauſe we cannot appeare naked before God: for as it is not enough for a beggar (to come before a King) to want his ragges, vnleſſe he hauehave conuenient Gen 41. 14. 42.apparell and ornaments: ſo for vsus it is not enough to hauehave our filthineſſe done away, vnleſſe we be clothed with conuenient righteouſneſſe.
Q. What elſe doe we pray for here?
A. We pray for the ſpirit of prayer, whereby (with Zach. 12. 10. Mark 9. 24.griefe and ſorrow for our ſinnes, wee may craue pardon for our ſinnes, and encreaſe of faith.
Q. So much of the petition: how is the reaſon drawne?
A. From the leſſe to the more, thus: if we wretched ſinners vponupon earth can forgiue others; how much more will the gracious God of heauen forgiue vsus? if Matth. 7. 11.we (hauing but a drop of mercy) can forgiue others; much more will God, who is a ſea full of grace; eſpecially when wee by forgiuing, ſometimes ſuffer loſſe; whereas God by forgiuing vsus looſeth nothing.
Q. To what vſe ſerueth this reaſon?
A. It ſerueth not onelyonly to moue the Lord to forgiue Mat. 5. 7. & 6. 14. Mark 11. 25. 1. Iohn 2. 10.our ſinnes, but to be a note alſo to certifie vsus, whether or no our ſinnes are forgiuen vntounto vsus.
Q. Doth not God onelyonly forgiue ſinne: how then can wee forgiue ſinne?
A. We forgiue not ſinne ſo farre forth as it is committed againſt God, but only as it bringeth griefe and hurt vntounto vsus.
Q. Doth this reaſon tie God to forgiue vsus?
A. No otherwiſe then by his gracious and free promiſe; Mat. 18. 24. 28.for it is a neceſſarie conſequent and fruit of the other, and not a cauſe; conſidering the inequality betweene our debt vntounto God, and mens debts vntounto vsus.
Q. VVherein ſtandeth the inequality?
A. Firſt, in the number of our debts to God, being compared to ten thouſand; mens debts to vsus, to one hundred. Secondly, in the waight; our debts to God being compared to talents, and thoſe to men being compared to pence.
Q. How ariſeth this great inequality in the waight?
A. From the great inequality betweene God and man: for if to ſtrike a King bee much more hainous then to wound or kill a poore ſubiect; what is it then to offend God, who is infinitely greater then all the Kings of the earth?
Q. What is to be gathered of this?
A. That as this is a teſtimonie to our hearts, that if Mat. 6. 15. Eſay 1. 15. Mat. 5. 23. 24. 1. Tim. 2. 8.we can heartily forgiue others, God will forgiue vsus: ſo on the other ſide, if wee can ſhew no fauour to others, we may looke for none at the hands of God; and therefore to pray without forgiuing ſuch as hauehave offended vsus, were not onelyonly a meere babling; but alſo a procuring of Gods wrath more heauily againſt vsus.
Q. What learne you from hence?
A. The hypocriſie of many, which aſſuring themſelues in great confidence of the forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes, yet cannot finde in their hearts to forgiue others.
Q. Are we hereby bound to forgiue all our debts?
A. No verily; we may both demand our debts, Exod. 22. 9.and if there be no other remedie, goe to law, if it be in a ſimple deſire of Iuſtice; yet ſo, that if our debtors bee not able to pay, wee are bound in dutie to forgiue Eſay 58. 3. Deut. 22. 27. & 24. 12. 13. Job. 24. 3. 9.them, or at leaſt to hauehave a conſcionable regard of their inability.
Q. What further learne we by this reaſon?
A. That as our forgiueneſſe is nothing, vnleſſe the danger of impriſonment be taken away, which vnability of paying the debt doth draw with it: ſo it auaileth Pſal. 32. 5. Gal. 3. 13. Epheſ. 2. 16.vsus nothing to hauehave our ſins forgiuen vsus of God, vnleſſe the puniſhment alſo be forgiuen.
Q. What followeth of this?
A. The erroneous conceits of the Papiſts, that teach, that the ſinne and guilt of our ſinnes is taken away by Chriſt; but that wee muſt ſatisfie for the puniſhment of them: wherein they make God like vntounto thoſe who will ſeeme to forgiue, and yet keepe a ſecret grudge in their hearts; watching all occaſions and aduantages for reuenge, ſuch as ſay, they will forgiue, but not forget.