Sins There is a twofold Debt which Man oweth to God 1. A Debt of Duty 2. A Debt of Punishment 1. A Debt of Duty Worship and Obedience this is a Debt we owe to God In this sence it is said Rom. 8. 12. We are Debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh In which Negative the Affirmative is clearly implied that we are Debtors to God to live to God Debtors to the Spirit to live after the Spirit By the Law of Creation we were not appointed to serve and please the Flesh but to serve God Luke 17. 10. When you have done all those things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable Servants we have done that which was our Debt or Duty to do Obedience Worship and Service is a Debt we owe to God by virtue of that Interest which he hath in us and Command he hath over us And so you have that Speech Gal. 5. 3. that we are Debtors to the whole Law as we come under the Obedience of it 2. A Debt of Punishment which we are fallen into through the neglect of our Duty Punishment is due to us as Wages Rom. 6. 23. The Wages of Sin is Death God hath as it were made a Contract with us that if we will sin we must take our Wages we must take what it comes to Now in this Petition when we say Forgive us our Debts we do not desire to be discharged of the Duty we owe to God but to be acquitted of the Guilt and Punishment The Faults or Sins that we are guilty of oblige us and bind us to the Punishment and therefore Sins are called Debts The original Debt we owe is Obedience and in case of Default the next Debt we owe is Punishment Look as in a Contract and Bond if the Party observe not the Condition then he is liable to the Forfeiture So God dealt with Man by way of Covenant and the Tenor of it was exact Obedience and this Covenant had a Sanction or an Obligation annexed in case Obedience was not exactly performed we should be accursed and suffer all manner of Misery in this Life and the next Now by the Fall we incurr'd this Penalty and therefore as lost and undone Creatures we run to God's Mercy and beg him to forgive the Debt or the Forfeiture of that Bond of Obedience wherein Man standeth bound to God by the Law A little to make it good before I come to the Body of the Petition let me shew how Sin is a Debt wherein it agrees That will appear if you can consider 1. Our Danger by Sin 2. Our Remedy from Sin In both the Parts you will find Sin is considered as a Debt First If you consider our Danger by Sin 1. There is a Creditor to whom the Debt is due and that is God Luke 7. 41. when he would set out God's Mercy he saith There was a certain Creditor which had two Debtors c. God is there set forth under the Notion and Similitude of a Creditor God is a Creditor partly as our Creator and partly as a Lawgiver and partly as a Judg. As our Creator and Benefactor from whom we have received all that we have It was the Lord that gave to every Man his Talents to trade withal to some more to some less Mat. 25. Thus God hath trusted us with Life and all other Blessings But then as a Law-giver If God had given us Life Strength Parts Wealth that we should do with them what we would tho the Gift would oblige us in point of Gratitude to serve our Benefactor yet we had not been so responsible for our Defaults But we are under a Law to serve him and honour him that made us and gave us what we have God did not dispossess himself of an Interest in them He did not give them to us as Owners and Proprietors to do with them what we would but he gave them to us as Stewards our Life and Employment here is a Stewardship Nay God is not only a Law-giver but also a Judg he will call us to an Account He doth oblige us as a Creator but imposeth a Necessity upon us of obeying and serving him as a Law-giver and not only makes a Law but will take an Account of Men how they observe the Law of their Creation There will a Time come when the Lord of those Servants will come and reckon with them and require his own with Usury Luke 19. 23. He will require this Debt and Service at our Hands else we must endure the Penalty Well this is the Connection He that abuseth God's Mercy as a Creator offends him as as Law-giver and is justly punished by him as a Judg. There are many never think of this therefore are not sensible of these great Relations nor that they shall answer for all their Talents Strength and Time and Advantages they have in the World Thus there 's a Creditor 2. As a Debtor is bound to make Satisfaction to the Creditor or else is liable to the Process of the Law which may be commenced against him So are we all to God Bodies and Souls we are become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 guilty before the Lord Rom. 3. 19. So we translate it We are under the Sentence of the Law liable to the Process of his revenging Justice and one day God will pursue his righteous Law against us All the fallen Creatures are quite become Bankrupt we can never pay the original Debt of Obedience therefore must be left to lie under the Debt of Punishment 3. Look as Debts stand upon Record and are charged upon some Book of Account that they may not be forgot So God hath his Book of Account a Book of Remembrance as it is called Mal. 3. 16. All our Words Speeches Actions they are all upon Record what Means we have enjoyed what Mercies what Opportunities what Calls and what Messages of his Love and Grace Iob 14. 17. My Iniquity is sealed up in a Bag. As Mens Writings or Bonds which they have to shew for their Debts owing to them are sealed up in a Bag so Iob useth that Similitude Thus is Sin represented as a Thing that is upon Record and cannot be forgotten Many times we lose the Memory of what we have done in Childhood and Infancy but all is upon Record and your Iniquities vvill one day find you out tho you have forgotten and think never to hear of them more 4. A Day of Reckoning will come when God will put the Bond in Suit and all shall be called to an Account Sometimes God reckoneth with Sinners in part in this World but surely in the next Death is but the Summons to come to an Account with God Luke 16. 2. Give an Account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward That Passage of the Parable is applicable to Death That when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting Habitations ver 9. When the Soul is turned out of Doors
and grow weary of the Devil's Government tho it be but out of a Principle of Self-love Isa. 26. 13. O Lord other Lords besides thee have had dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name Yea but as soon as we begin to have any serious thoughts of that miserable State in which we are Satan interposeth dealing with us as Pharaoh did with the Israelites The Israelites complain their Bondage was very sore what doth Pharaoh He doubles the Burthen Exod. 5. 17. You are idle c. So that out of Bondage of Soul they would not hearken to Moses Just so Satan deals with us When Souls begin to be serious and to leave off fleshly and worldly Lusts and to give up themselves to God that they may be directed in the way of Holiness and obtain eternal Life then he doubles our Burthens Corruptions are never more stirring than after some Conviction Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment came Sin revived and I died not only as to a deeper sense of the Guilt of it but as to its strugling for Life The Bullock at the first yoaking is most unruly so we which are unaccustomed to the Yoke when we begin once to take it upon us there 's a mighty backwardness Fire at first kindling makes abundance of Smoke so when Conviction is stirring Corruption is more exaâ—perated The Devil is very jealous of the first Beam of Light which breaks into the Heart and of every Ordinance which conveys it therefore sets Corruptions at work that it may appear to be a vain hope of ever escaping his Clutches So Men are tired and give over and think it is to no purpose But if Light increases to more Trouble the Devil seeks to elude the Importunity of it by delay as Pharaoh put off Moses and Aaron still by delay Or else by compromising and compounding the Business as Pharaoh when he saw the People would go God would have them go then they shall not go far Exod. 8. 28. So if Men will be thinking of Christ's Service and coming under his Government they shall go but not far they shall come and pray and come and hear now and then and make a general Profession but not too far in Christ's Quarters he is afraid of that Just as Pharaoh stood hucking still They must go a good way into the Wilderness otherwise it should be an Abomination to the Egyptians yet their little Ones must stay If People will not only hear and pray but begin to reform and cleanse their Lives yet he must have a Pledg some Lust as a Nest-Egg left in the Heart some darling Sin that must keep up the Devil's Empire Then they must leave their Herds then leave their Flocks no not a Hoof. Ah! how long is it when we are under this Power of Darkness ere we are free and get rid of the Government of Satan 6. We can never be sure that Satan is wholly cast out until Christ be seriously received and entertained as Lord and King until he dwell and rule in the Heart by Faith Alas there may be some Brabble now and then between us and our Sins and some partial Dislikes but until you heartily consent to take another King that you will be governed and ordered by you are not his subjects but remain in the same State Iohn 1. 12. As many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name We are Children of the Devil before under his Standard and Government but when we receive him then we are under another King another Power When we receive what God offered receive Christ as Lord and King when the whole Soul opens the Door to Christ that the King of Glory may come in and dwell with us and reign over us then is his Kingdom set up The first Offer of the Gospel is Christ as Prince and Saviour Acts 5. 31. And the main thing the Business sticks at is Christ's Regal Power Luke 19. 14. We will not have this Man to reign over us Now when we receive him with all our Hearts and tho before we had but mean thoughts of him now he begins to be welcome to us and with the dearest Embraces of our Souls we entertain him and with a willing Resignation we give up our selves not only by a Consent of Dependance to rest upon him for Reconciliation with God but by a willing Subjection to obey him and give up the Keys of the Heart and lay them at Christ's Feet as Paul Acts 9. 16. Lord what wilt thou have me to do When you desire nothing more but that his Kingdom might come the King of Glory himself than that he might bring Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy-Ghost until then you are not entred into his Kingdom 7. Christ is not received and entertained as Lord and King but where his Laws are obeyed Col. 2. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him If you receive him as Lord and King so also obey him And Heb. 12. 28. We receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and godly Fear In this Prayer first we say Thy Kingdom come and then presently we add Thy Will be done We do but prattle over the Lord's Prayer and say it with our Lips only until we are resolved to do what God would have us to do love and hate fear and rejoice as God directs Until we are brought to this Frame we do not in good earnest say Thy Kingdom come An earthly King will do according to his Will Dan. 11. 3. So Christ stands upon his Will in his Law If you have taken God for your God and Jesus Christ for your King then say with David Psal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God It is an universal Maxime His Servants you are whom you do obey Where is your Obedience If Subjects of Grace Every Thought is brought in subjection 2 Cor. 10. 5. You will watch not only against your irregular Actions but every Thought which lifts up it self against the Obedience of Christ. There will be a greater Tenderness upon us not to break any of the holy Laws which belong to Christ's Government Hereby you may know whether you come under another King Do you fear a Commandment That is the Description of a good Man Prov. 13. 13. It is not he that feareth a Punishment but he that feareth a Commandment when the Heart is brought under an Awe of Christ's Laws So that when a Man is tempted to Sin O I dare not the Lord hath commanded me the contrary this is more than if a flaming Sword stood in his way When we have such workings of Heart when we are tempted to this and that Sin so when we are doing any Duty tho irksom to Flesh and Blood yet it is the Will of my
improving our Talents Our Lord will come and reckon with his Servants Luke 19. 15. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven WE are come to the third Petition which is fitly subjoined to the former In the Preface we own our Relation to God Our Father in the first Petition we express our Care of his Glory in the second our Desires of his Kingdom and now we beg Obedience to his Will We may judg of our Respect to his Name and Kingdom by our Obedience to his Will without which we neither sanctify his Name nor submit to his Kingdom The Kingdom of God implieth two things his Government over us or the Privileges which we enjoy thereby 1. As it is taken for his Government over us so there is a fair Connection between these two Requests Before we pray that God would rule us and now for a soft and pliable Heart that we may be ruled by him Christ is not our King when we do our own Will These two are distinct Government is one thing and Obedience to it another As Mat. 6. 33. The Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof they are distinguished The Kingdom of God we plead for in the second Petition and here for the Righteousness thereof that Christ may not be a Titular Prince and Sovereign as certainly he is when we do our own Will Every Sovereign stands upon his own Will and the more absolute still the more his Will is to be looked upon as a Law and Rule Now God being so absolute a Soveraign it is but fit his Will should be done in the perfectest Manner Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven 2. If you take the Kingdom of God for the Privileges of his Government especially if they be considered in their Consummation and final Accomplishment for that which the Scripture calls the Kingdom of God by doing God's Will we enter into his Kingdom See Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven It is not the Blandishment of a spiritual Complement but a true and hearty Subjection to the Will of God that availeth in God's Kingdom and is intended by this Petitionary Clause Thy Will be done Here consider I. The Substance of the Petition II. The Circumstances thereof The Substance of the Petition Thy Will be done The Circumstances are two The Place where which indeed intimateth the Persons by whom by Men here upon Earth Then the Manner is set down in a Comparison Vpon Earth as it is in Heaven Let me first open these Passages then observe somewhat I. The Substance of the Petition Thy Will be done and there 1. The Matter about which it is conversant the Will of God 2. The Request about it Thy Will be done First The Matter of the Request Thy Will God's Name was under consideration in the first Petition his Kingdom in the second and now his Will And then here 's a Note of Appropriation Thy Will in contradistinction to all others God's Will it signifieth two things either his Decree concerning future Events or else that which God hath revealed concerning our Duty his intended or commanded Will. The first is spoken of Rom. 9. 19. Who hath resisted his Will that is his Decree and his Purpose And the second his revealed Pleasure concerning our Duty is spoken of 1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the Will of God even your Sanctification The Will not of his Purpose but it is his Law his revealed Pleasure Now it is not meant here of God's Decree or secret Will Why God's secret Will that is not known therefore how can it be done upon Earth To that all are subject Reprobates Devils But here this Petition speaks of a Will which is to be done in conformity to the good Angels Again we may without Sin will that which God wills not by his secret Will as the Life of a sick Parent which God purposeth to take away Nay a Man may fulfill this secret Will and yet perish for ever as Iudas and many which break his Commandments and yet fulfil his Decrees that do that which God had determined before to be done in his secret Purpose as it is said Acts 2â— 2â— To do that which his Hand and Counsel had determined before to be done Therefore his secret Will is not here meant but the Will of God revealed Therefore let me here distinguish again The Will of God is revealed two ways in his Word and in his Works the one to be done by us the other to be done upon us the one is Voluntas de nobis God's Will concerning us the other Voluntas in nobis God's Will in us and to be done by us the one maketh way for our Active the other for our Passive Obedience Our Active Obedience hath respect to his Laws and Commands but our Passive to his Providence we shew as much Obedience in the one as in the other in Patience as in Holiness For as in Holiness we own God as the supream Law-giver so in Patience we own him as the supreme Lord that hath a Dominion over all Events and all things which fall out in the World In the one we pray Vt nihil Dei displiceat nobis that nothing which comes from God may provoke us to unseemly Passion in the other we pray Vt nihiâ— nostrum displiceat Deo that nothing which comes from us may provoke God by unseemly and undâ—tiful Carriage We principally pray for the latter here that we may fulfil his Will revealed in the Word and yet the other cannot be excluded Take but this Reason because the Saints in Scripture express their Subjection to God's Providence in Words very agreeable to this Request to the Form of this Petition as those Believers when they saw God had determined Paul's Journey to Ierusalem when he went bound in the Spirit notwithstanding the Dangers of it and their Loss by his Departure they said The Will of the Lord be done Acts 21. 14. And Christ himself speaking of his Passion Mat. 26. 39. Not as I will but as thou wilt And not my Will but thine be done Luke 22. 42. So that we pray both for the one and the other tho with a plain difference why For our Active Obedience must be even without a conditional Desire that the Commands of God should be repealed we cannot so much as desire God should disannull his Law and repeal those Statutes he hath enacted Yet we may desire conditionally if God see â—it the removal of our Affliction and that Condition of Life to which we are determined by his Providence The Commandment is not grievous in it self 1 Iohn 5. 3. yet the Affliction in its own Nature is grievous Heb. 12. 11. We may desire more knowledg of God's Law yet we may not desire more experience of Affliction the one is more absolutely necessary than
hereafter 1 John 2. 17. The VVorld passeth away and the Lusts thereof but he that doth the VVill of God abideth for ever Those things that our Wills carry us to they perish The Inclination of our Heart carrieth us to the World Riches Honours Pleasures but the Will of God carrieth us to an everlasting Estate The World passeth away and the Lusts thereof There will a time come when those things we will and are so strongly addicted to and lust for will be gone we shall have no Relish no Savor in them no Appetite to them When Men are leaving the World then they cry out how the World hath deceived them but now he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever Never any repented of doing the Will of God this will stick by us to all Eternity and bring us to everlasting Happiness Vse 1. To shew how far they are from any sincere respect to God that upon the least occasion transgress his Will and break through Bonds and Restraints God hath set to them The Heart is never right but when it lieth under the awe of a Command Many will fear a Punishment but it is said Prov. 13. 13. He that feareth the Commandment if the Commandment stands in his way he dares not break through it is more than a Hedg of Thorns or if Lions stood in the way But on the other side when Men make no bones of a Commandment when they will transgress for a pair of Shoes as the Prophet saith when every small Temptation is enough to draw them off from God it sheweth how little sincere respect they have to God Vse 2. It serves to press us to a more tender regard to the Will of God To this end consider these Motives Mot. 1. His absolute Authority to command 1 Tim. 6. 15. Who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords His Will is enough I am the Lord you shall do thus and thus 2. Consider the Equity of what he hath commanded Rom. 7. 12. The Commandment is holy and just and good Nothing God commandeth but what is agreeable to his own Nature and what is suited to our Benefit It is no burden to live justly soberly and holily in Communion with God It is not a Burden but a great Advantage The Yoke of Christ is a bountiful Yoke Our Service and Duty hath its own Reward in the very Mouth and Bosom of it It is no great wrong to us to govern our Affections to live soberly chastly and in the Exercise of holy Services here is nothing but what raiseth and sublimates the Nature of Man If the Commandment of God had been to offer our Children in Sacrifice or any of those Barbarities which were practised among the Gentiles yet this had been enough I am the Lord But when he hath given such holy and good Commands which makes you live more like Men like reasonable Creatures you should be tender of the Lord 's Will. 3. To be given up to our own Will is a great Judgment When the Lord hath a mind to destroy a People he gives them up to their own Will Psal. 81. 12. Israel would none of me so I gave them up unto their own Heart's Lust and they walked in their own Counsels It is the greatest Judgment which can be laid upon any Creature that he may have his own Will A Man may be given up to Satan yet recover 1 Cor. 5. 5. Deliver such a one to Satan for the Destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus He may be given up to Satan for his Exercise and Trial but when he is given up to himself to the sway of his own Heart to be besotted with his own Counsels and to have his own Lusts what a heavy Judgment is this When Balaam would not be satisfied God said to him Go Numb 22. 35. He had his Answer before again and again but he would be inquiring still Go and that was his Punishment 4. It is the truest Liberty to be subject to the Will of God Then when the Son of God shall make you free you shall be free indeed John 8. 36. How doth the Son of God make us free not from Duty but for Duty He that lieth under the dominion and power of any Sin is a very Slave But then are we free indeed when we are loosed not from a due Subjection to God but from the Power of the Devil It is not Liberty to be free to do what we please Good or Evil but the more determined we are to Good the more Freedom for that 's a Liberty which comes nearest to the Liberty of God who is a most free Agent and yet cannot sin such a Liberty is in God Christ and the Angels in Heaven surely they do not live a slavish Life that are ever praising and lauding of God It will be the greatest pleasure in the issue to deny our own Will and do the Will of God The more we are inlarged for this the greater is our Happiness then we have the Happiness of the Spirits of just Men. None among Men have greater Happiness than glorified Saints yet none have less of their own Will Why should we account that a Bondage which is part of our Happiness In Heaven glorified Spirits there are not complaining of any Burthen yet they have no Will of their own but they will and nill as God doth 5. He that hath a Heart bent to do the Will of God he hath the clearest knowledg of the Mind of God John 7. 17. He that will do the Will of God he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God It is not the sharpness of Parts that pierceth into a Truth especially into a controverted Truth when the Dust of Contention is raised but he that is most close in walking with God it is he that knoweth his Mind A blunt Iron when hot and in the Fire will pierce deeper into an Inch-Board than a sharper Tool that is cold So a Man that hath pure Affections for God a Heart to do the Will of God pierceth deeper many times into controverted Truth and sees more of the Mind of God in that Truth than a Man of Parts doth There are many Mistakes about the Will of God now make Conscience of Obedience do not consult with the Interest of your own private Passions and then you shall know the Mind of God It is just with God to with-hold the Light from them that consult with their Lusts and Interests and carnal Humors for these blind the Mind and only like and dislike Things as they shall relish with their Lusts. 6. God will surely punish the Violation of his Will This implieth two things 1. That God takes notice of it he observes whether his Will be done yea or no. The Rechabites were tender of the Commandment of their dead Father which could not take cognizance of their Actions but it