to his justice he knowing that no person in the Godhead was capable as God onely to performe any act of satisfaction to God knowing likewise that no meere creature could be of all-sufficient power and worthinesse to satisfie his justice or to stand as a Mediator betweene God and man they being at enmitie by reason of sinne He therefore in his infinite wisedome and of his rich and free grace did ordaine his onely begotten Sonne the second person in Trinity now Iesus Christ our Lord by whom he made man and all things else and in whom all things consist that he should become man by assuming into the person of his dietie the very nature of man consisting of bodie and soule to subsist in the dietie by a personall union being to be verie God and very man in one person who being thus qualified to be a Mediatour Rom. 5.17 18 19. 1. Cor. 15.45 he ordained him to be a second Adam as a common root and to stand as a suerty in the stead of all those whom he co-ordained should be ingrafted into him and which should be made members of him and be saved by him Wherefore he together ordained that with mans nature he should assume the guilt of sinne Isa 53.4 2. Cor. 5.21 Rom. 8.3 and to be accounted as a sinner and by God himself to be proceeded against as against a notorious sinner For which cause hee was to be accursed not only by being made subject to humane infirmities but to be arraigned condemned and withall to have the fiercenesse of the wrath of God due to sinners poured out and executed upon him And that hee should dye the accursed death that by death he might expiate sinne and through death hee might overcome death and destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 even mans greatest enemie which is the devill All this our Saviour took upon him and perfectly fulfilled Philip. 2.8 being obedient even to the death of the crosse upon which he made that one oblation by the merit and efficacie whereof Ephes 2 15 hee slew the enmity and made the attonement between God and us having obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 and became the author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 perfecting for ever them that are sanctified in that by the power of his dietie he conquered and rose from the death Act. 2.24 it being unpossible that he should be holden of it Heb. 8.1 and is set downe on the right hand of the throne of majestie in the heavens Heb. 7.25 ever living to make intercession for them Thus you see the first of those requisites which go before remission of sinnes namely satisfaction of Gods justice by the merit of those things which Christ Iesus did and suffered in mans stead Hee sheading his bloud as he himselfe saith for many for the remission of sinnes Mat. 2◠28 The worth and efficacie of this satisfaction made and redemption purchase◠by the precious bloud of Christ was greater than onely to merit at Gods hands that now his justice being satisfied he might forgive sinnes and save men if he would upon any such possible condition as hee should please to appoint and accept for Christ by his death resurrection and intercession deserved and procured that God should actually forgive Iob. 17.19 1. Thes 5.9 10. and also give grace and eternall life to all those to whom Christ was ordained to bee an head and a Saviour Act 3.31 even to all those whō from before the beginning of the world Ioh. 17 2. God gave unto Christ and were ordained to beleeve in Christ and that should be united to him by his Spirit A second thing required before that a mans sinnes shall be forgiven Rom. 10. ◠10. is beleefe and faith in Christ Iesus For faith is the condition of the new Covenant published in the Gospell Ioh. 6.29 and i◠is the bond of our spirituall union with Christ on our part and is the meane and instrument whereby wee receive Christ and do relie upon him Ioh. 1.12 and whereby we do apply him with all his merits and benefits unto our selves unto our salvation Ioh. 6.35 This the Scriptures do hold so usefull and necessarie that they ascribe our justification by forgivenesse of our sinnes unto it Rom 5.1 God accounting our faith as he did Abrahams Ro 4.3 5. unto righteousnesse But how is our faith accounted for righteousnesse not as it is a gracious qualitie inherent in us and a part of our sanctification but as it hath relation to Christ who is our righteousnesse and is the sole object of our faith unto justification for which cause we hold against the Papists that we are justified by faith onely Of this it is that all both Prophets Christ himselfe Ioh. 3 16. Act. 10.43 and all the Apostles have witnessed namely that through Christs name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive forgivenesse of sinnes By faith in Christ I meane such a faith as is a sound a lively and an effectuall faith such a faith as hath faith in the Law unto conviction of sinne and unto penitence for sinne going before it and a faith in the precepts both of the Gospell and of the Law unto repentance of sinne and holinesse of life concurring with and following after it This condition of beleeving which doth qualifie a man for and which doth interest a man into the benefit of Christs redemption is not left as Adams standing or falling was in the hands of a mans free will for so there might have beene a possibilitie that all Christs sufferings might have been in vaine and none might have beene saved namely if none would beleeve But Christ dyed and rose againe not onely to satisfie Gods justice in the behalfe of all which were to be saved but also to give them faith that they might indeed be saved For it is apparant by the Scripture that the end why Christ dyed and gave himselfe a ransome for many was not Mat. 10.28 that onely hee might satisfie Gods justice in which satisfaction mans redemption doth virtually consist but that also God by him might give faith unto all which were ordained to eternall life Act. 13.47.48 by which their redemption and salvation purchased with Christs bloud might actually in the time appointed by God exist and take effect in them For faith is one of those blessings wherewith God blesseth Eph. 1.3.4.15 in and through Christ all whom he chose in him before the foundation of the world It was not enough for mans redemption and salvation Heb. 10.14.15.16.17 that Christ by his once offering of himselfe should onely beginne to save man but by the same he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Wherefore the promise of the new covenant is as the holy Ghost witnesseth that hee will put his lawes in their hearts and
in their mindes hee will write them that is hâ—e will give them faith repentance and their sinnes and iniquities hee will remember no more Here we see that God promiseth to give knowledge of him and faith in him as well as to forgive their sinnes nay therefore hee giveth faith and the knowledge and feare of him that in a way of mercy mixed with justice he may forgive that so as he saith 〈◊〉 righteousnesse being ou◠〈◊〉 faith Rom. 3.26 God might be just 〈◊〉 justifier of him which beleeveth in Iesus Christ elsewhere is said to have given himselfe for us Tit. 2.14 that hee might redeeme us from all iniquity which cannot be meant by satisfying Gods justice onely that so God if hee pleased might forgive iniquity and that man if hee pleased might beleeve as the diefiers of mans free will would have it but that he might purifie us to himselfe which he worketh by his spirit in the exercise of our * Act. 15.9 faith to be a people zealous of good workes This is the very end why God raised Christ and exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour namely to give repentance as well as forgivenesse of sinnes He doth not say Act. 5.32.32 to give forgivenesse of sinnes to the Israell of God if they will beleeve and repent but he saith absolutely to give repentance that is faith and amendment of life that their sinnes past might actually be forgiven Though faith be not in the text named yet it is understood in the word repentance faith being the first part of repentance whereby an unbeleever turneth from his unbeliefe and becommeth a beleever from whence followeth the whole change of a man by repentance to new obedience In this sense repentance is also taken Acts 2.28 as will appeare if we compare Saint Pauls answer to the Iaylours question Acts 16.31 with that of Saint Peters both answering to one and the same question in effect Peter saith Repent and be baptized Paul saith Beleeve and be baptized So that if Christ dyed and rose againe to give repentance and remission of sinnes he dyed and rose againe and was exalted to give faith and forgivenesse of sinnes Faith considerable in and about forgivenesse of sinnes is either primary or secondary The first is a beleeving in Christ that through him our sinnes may be forgiven and that we through him may bee saved The second is a beleeving that our sinnes are forgiven and that by Christ we shall be saved The first is a single and direct act of the soule Ioh. 1.12 receiving Christ and relying upon Christ and upon the promise of forgivenesse and salvation by him by vertue whereof a man is united to Christ and is ingrafted into him and before God is justified The second is a reflect act of the soule whereby in a mans conscience he hath some spirituall sense that he doth beleeve in Christ and that God hath forgiven him his sinnes and hath justified him through Christ by which act God doth by his spirit speake peace and comfort to a mans soule which is not that faith whereby wee stand just before God but that whereby we are assured our sinnes are forgiven and that we are in state of grace through Christ The primarie faith is that which is to bee chiefly prayed for in the behalfe of our selves and others before conversion The secondary faith is chiefly to be prayed for in the behalfe of our selves and others after we beleeve and are in state of grace and salvation Christs righteousnesse wherby a man is justified before God in that it was performed by Christ for man unto God is virtually and in way of right mans righteousnesse even before he doth actually beleeve and that because by the decree of God the Father and in the purpose of Christ it was performed for all that should through him beleeve But this righteousnesse of Christ is not accounted to a man nor yet is his in possession and use untill he doe indeede beleeve I speake of men of yeeres by that primary faith before spoken of nor yet is Christs righteousnesse ours in any comfortable sense of it to our selves untill we beleeve by that secondary faith before mentioned Now secondly I am to shew what it is to have sinnes to be forgiven Forgivenesse in proper speech is an act of Gods mercy in not imputing or accounting to a man his sinnes and thereupon in not punishing him for sinne Which act is called also in Scripture a taking away sinne A covering of sinne a blotting out of sinne a casting it behind his backe and the like To forgive sinne not to impute sinne and to be justified and discharged from the guilt and punishment of sinne is all one Act. 13 38.39 Here the sense of forgivenesse of sinne is to be inlarged and taken synechdocically for our whole justification and salvation that is not onely for freedome from guilt and punishment of sinne unto eternall death but also for acceptation unto favour by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto eternall life In this justification these two things are to be considered First the very act of forgivenesse of mans person in respect of Gods not accounting him a sinner Secondly the application and manifestation thereof unto a mans selfe wherby a man hath assurance that his sinnes are pardoned and doth actually injoy the benefits that follow forgivenesse Forgivenesse in both these respects are here meant That this may bee fully and plainely understood consider the whole order of justification It is first in the gracious purpose of the Father to forgive and justifie a sinner wherefore with the Sonne and holy Ghost he did fore-appoint him thereunto Secondly it is in the Sonne who being God and man did actually by his death and resurrection purchase this forgivenesse Thirdly it is in the holy Ghost who doth actually apply the grace and merit of Christ and so maketh a sinner capable of the favour and mercy of the Father through the merit of the Son When this application is made Christ actually by way of intercession presenteth the sinner unto his Father who thereupon doth actually receive him into favour Now after this act of acceptance of a man into favour is passed with GOD through Christ then the holy Ghost doth make application of it unto the conscience of him that is accepted In the justification of a sinner there is a blessed concurrence of the speciall acts of the three Persons in the blessed Trinity God the Sonne having made satisfaction doth also make intercession for him God the Father having imputed his sinnes to his surety Christ ceaseth to account them unto him and accounting Christs righteousnesse to him hee accepteth of him as most righteous The holy Ghost having made an inseparable union betweene Christ and the sinner he doth seale and ratifie this his justification unto him It must be diligently observed that though justification be but one individuall
Reas 3 Heaven is the place into which all Christians hope to enter and where they hope to dwell for ever good reason therefore that they should accustome themselves to the manners of that place before hand Ob. These examples cannot bee knowne Sol. Answer they may because God hath revealed in his word how the Angels obey him And in what manner Christ obeyed his Father on earth in the same manner the Saints his members doe in heaven Ob. These examples are of such perfection that no man can attaine to the like Answer Sol. though men on earth cannot bee as perfect as their copie yet the better the example is the nearer they may learne to come to perfection Once man could have obeyed and againe shall obey perfectly And it appeares by the examples proposed that it is possible that creatures may doe the will of God perfectly Whereas man is most prone Vse 1 to imitation let him learne hereby to follow examples to some purpose Imitate the Angels and Saints As Christ obeyed on earth and as the Scriptures report that the Angels have done in like manner must every one of us do The particulars hereof see in the next point Let every one therefore unto the precepts and rules of well-doing present to their thoughts the actions of those that have done according to those rules By this meanes we shall better understand the rule and be heartened to put it in practise because it sheweth a possibility that it may be done In doing thus we shall every day grow better and yet not be proud for we shal daily see something before us to which we must aspire to which yet we have not attained Vs 2 Here is an Apologie for all those good Christians which shun the examples of the worst men not onely making the best men on earth their patternes but goe one straine higher they looke unto the obedience of the Angels in heaven This Scripture is their warrant which must alwaies bear them out against the scoffes of prophane and loose men that content themselves vvith a meere form and outvvard face of godlinesse vvho if they be moved to an exacter course of practice they ansvvere vvith a scoffe What would you have us Saints and Angels on earth Answer them againe with this point They must be as Angels here or they do not understand what they say when they say in earth as it is in heaven If they understand what they say they mocke God in that they meane not as they speake and deale prophanely to mocke at the performance of that by another for which they themselves did seeme solemnly to pray They may be told they must obey God like Angels and Saints upon earth or they shall never be Saints and as the Angels in heaven Learne here with what honour the Angels and Saints departed should be honoured by men on earth namely with the honour of admiration and imitation of their graces As for adoration of their persons both God forbiddeth it and they themselves do abhorre it with See thou do it not Revel 22.9 In earth as in heaven This pointeth to an heavenly manner of doing Gods wil whence we learne Doct. 4 Prayer must be made and care had that Gods will be done in an holy manner The heavenly manner as well as the lawful matter of doing Gods will must be observed Eph. 6.6 Servants are exhorted to do the will of God from the heart Not onely to do Gods will but from the heart Our Saviour instructeth his disciples in the right manner of giving almes and of fasting and prayer in this sixth of Matth. Reason 1 Gods commandments do require as well the right manner as the matter of obedience for such is the tenour of the Commandment Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy minde Matt. 22.37 The good or evill manner of Reas 2 doing a good deed proveth or discovereth the sincerity or hypocrisie of the heart which is the chiefe thing which God hath an eye unto in everie action Before use can well be made it must bee considered what is requisite in the right manner of doing Gods will wherefore observe these directions 1 First if a good thing bee well done it must be done wittingly and purposely not as bruit creatures or wicked men who may fulfill Gods wil but are not aware that they do it 2 In faith beleeving that it is lawfull for them to do it else it is sinne Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 3 In integritie of heart from an habite and true disposition to keep all the commandments as well as that one which actually he doth keepe for the present else if he allow himselfe in the breach of any one Iam. 2.10 God holdeth him guilty of all And it is the propertie of a good conscience to will to live honestly in all things Heb. 13.18 4 In sinceritie which is when a good thing is done unfainedly Eph. 6.6 Doing the will of God from the heart and from right grounds not for selfe respects onely or chiefly or for by ends but with ayme at pleasing of God and bringing honour to his Name For all things must be done to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10.31 5 Constantly a good conscience will endeavour to do well alwayes Act. 24.16 6 In humility reverence and holy feare of God whose work they do As the Angels observe all the former rules so do they this also For the Seraphims cover their faces with their wings Isa 6.2 and the foure and twenty Elders fall on their faces and cast their crownes before the Throne Revel 4.10 and 5.8 7 Speedily Psal 18.44 Dan. 92. making no delay This was taught by the wings of the Seraphims wherwith they did flie Isa 6.2 David said I made haste and delayed not to keepe thy commandments Psal 119.60 8 Lastly Psal 110.3 Psal 40.8 the will of God must bee done with a willing minde cheerfully and with delight David saith It was his delight to walke in the paths of Gods commandments Psal 119.35 And it was our Saviours meat and drinke to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his worke Ioh. 4.34 By these particulars it appeareth what is further to be prayed for and striven after what also is to be prayed against on the contrarie and avoyded according to the purpose of this third petition The uses follow Vse 1 All formall and hypocriticall Christians also all meere civill honest men which thinke they bee good men and that they have done God good service when they have done onely the matter and outside of some good works may see that they do palpably deceive thēselves If they preach pray heare receive the Sacrament keepe the Church pay everie man his owne and shew now and then some scraps of mercie though there was neither integrity sinceritie nor constancie at all in those actions they thinke God
act in respect of the Father Son holy Ghost in the first act of Faith and conversion of a sinner whereby the person of a man stands justified before God and shall without intercision of justification and losse of this favour of God stand before the barre of Gods tribunall and is and alwaies shall be absolutely justified and acquitted from all sinnes past present to come because all obligations hand-writings against him are in that act cancelled and blotted out he forgiving all trespasses Colos 2.13.14 Yet it must be knowne that of this act there is as it were a double sentence First in Court of heaven at which time the elect in Christ have their names inrolled in the booke of Gods effectuall calling and are numbred among the just which sentence can never be revoked or blotted out this is that which was passed with God that I may so speake after the manner of men in the first act of conversion Secondly this sentence of forgivenesse is passed in the court of the conscience of him that had the former sentence pronounced for him in heaven This sentence is the second act of the holy Ghost wrought in this manner First after that a sinner is cōvinced of his guiltines of sin and of his damnable condition because of his sinne then forgivenesse is offered and pronounced to the eare in that gracious promise of salvation to all that beleeve in Christ Iesus which promise is proclaimed in the ministerie of the Gospell in which light of the Gospell he sheweth unto a man possibility of salvation setting before him I speake of men of yeeres and understanding Christ the meanes of salvation and by this meanes the holy Ghost worketh faith in Christ then confession and griefe for sinne then prayer to aske forgivenesse and grace to live godly and then doth witnesse to his spirit that he is accepted of God Thus sentence is pronounced in the conscience from whence ariseth sense of Gods love which is called the shedding abroad of the love of God in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 also sense of the loving countenance of God Psal 4.6 7. which is the signe of his loving kindnesse and is that speech of God by which he doth say to our soules he is our salvation and then ariseth in our hearts peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost This sentence of forgivenesse unto the conscience hath different degrees it is sometimes more cleare in the apprehension of the soule somtimes more dimme yea sometimes quite blotted out in the counterpane of our release or copie of our acquittance as it was with David Psal 51. so that a person perfectly just before God hath sometime little or no sense or apprehension of it in his owne conscience but doubteth whether he be in state of grace or no. Which happeneth because of the staine and guilt of new sinnes which guilt abideth in the conscience untill a man do confesse his sinnes repent and aske forgivenesse and by a renewed faith apply forgivenes by which meanes the evidence of his pardon is againe by the holy Ghost exemplified and sentence by this new application is againe pronounced in his conscience whence ariseth new assurance of salvation and renewed joy in the holy Ghost This is that justification which for distinction sake Divines call justification by parts or continued or repeated justification or new application of one and the same justification which justification though in respect of the sentence pronounced in heaven is one individuall act whereby a man standeth alwayes just before God yet in respect of the pronouncing of that sentence to the heart it is not actually applyed neither can a particular sinne be said to be everie way actually forgiven untill after it have beene committed is confessed and repented of nor untill forgivenesse be asked and until the holy Ghost hath made new application thereof unto the conscience through renewing of faith by which a man doth againe and againe as new sinnes are committed apply the merits of the bloud of Christ unto his soule Also it must be knowne that the sentence of pardon which is passed in heaven with God is not fully executed untill the last degree of it when sentence of absolution shall be pronounced by Christ Iesus Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matt. 25.34 It must moreover be conceived and held that notwithstanding this distinction of justification betweene an absolute justification in respect of God and a justification by parts in respect of application to mans conscience there are not two kindes of justification a first and a second as the Papists hold but one and the same justification considered in different respects In respect of Gods actuall acceptation of a mans person justification is absolute but in respect of the actuall application and manifestation of Gods acceptation unto a mans conscience justification is by parts and degrees When a man alreadie justified asketh forgivenesse he doth not ask a new justificatiō but a second or new application of pardon unto the conscience of those particular sinnes which are daily committed together with continuance of Gods favour and more cleare evidence that he is sealed up unto the day of redemption The third thing to be spoken of for the better understanding the word forgive concerneth the effects following the apprehension thereof these are Peace of conscience Rom 5.1 Ro. 14.17 and joy in the holy Ghost These things touching justification and remission of sinnes being opened we may understand what is prayed for when we say Forgive sinnes Wee pray first that those which belong unto Gods election but are not yet converted may be accepted of God through Christ Iesus God not imputing their sinnes to them but unto Christ whereby they are freed from the curse We pray likewise that Christs righteousnes may be imputed to them that they beleeving in Christ might bee saved and for that cause pray that they may beleeve Secondly wee pray that our selves and others being justified and accepted into favour it would please the Lord to continue this his favour and that he would signifie and make the same knowne to our hearts and consciences daily by a new testification of the holy Ghost accompanied with a new application of pardon for new sinnes daily committed and that wee may have more and more assurance of our perfect redemptiō at the day of judgement and that we may have peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost in the meane time The particular circumstances in this Petition come next to bee laid open which are three First the connexion of this Petition by this copulative and that is As well forgive sinnes as give daily bread The second is the person who is to forgive that is God the Father through the satisfaction and mediation of the Sonne by the application of the holy Ghost Thus much is implyed in forgive in which
pardoned But when a man by a lively faith doth lay hold on Christ for pardon the same faith doth draw vertue from Christ whereby 〈◊〉 doth kill sinne and is quicknâ—â— in the inward man And nothing maketh man so fearefull to offend and carefull to please God for time present and to come as a firme perswasion of Gods love to him in pardoning his sinnes past Now this pardon must be sought for in Christ and must be applied by faith because Christ Iesus is the Mediator who hath satisfied for sinne and hath made a way for Gods mercy and faith is the onely instrument on mans part to apply this remission and redemption The particulars comprehended in this point may easily be gathered by that which hath beene said in the interpretation of forgive namely that in asking forgivenesse wee aske freedome from the guilt and punishment of all sinne wee aske eternall life together with reference to the meanes namely Christ therefore wee 〈◊〉 faith to apply Christ and a daily certificate by the spirit that our sinnes are pardoned Also wee aske assurance and the fruits of assurance of forgivenesse in this life viz. peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost The particulars being remembred the uses follow If forgivenesse of sinnes bee Vse 1 so desireable they are then to be held extreamely foolish and beyond measure sinfull that of all things care and look least after forgivenesse and the making of their salvation sure unto them If they have offended and are in danger of punishment by the lawes of man then if by petition or bribe satisfaction or by any other meanes they can procure either commutations releasements or pardons they will spare no paines this way Or if they can make sure to themselves and to theirs large temporall estates it is all that they doe labour to make sure in this life but they are altogether negligent in seeking remission of sinnes by Christ Iesus they have no thoughts of making their calling and election sure Nay because they would be thought to have reason for what they doe in not seeking for assurance of salvation they would make themselves and others beleeve that it is impossible to be attained and that to be sure of salvation is high presumption If they can provide for their bodies they will trust God with their soules they hope that he that made them will save them they confesse they bee sinners and who are not Thus sleightly they passe over their Iustification a matter of the greatest consequence of any thing that can concerne them But what doth this argue but that they are ignorant senslesse of their miseries for if they knew they were cast and condemned they would as in case of life and death begge pardon as a prisoner at the barre would beg for his life If these men did not love their sinne and flatter themselves presuming of God that he will be mercifull notwithstanding their abhominable sinnes they would never neglect that invaluable benefit of remission of sinnes But let them not catch hold and rest on these presumptuous hopes they will deceive them for they be but the hypocrites hopes like spiders webs the Beesome of death putteth an end to them all Then God will shew that he can be mercifull to the vessels of mercy and yet be just in the damnation of all that neglect so great salvation offered by such gracious meanes as by 〈◊〉 pardon if they would heartily aske it This should move all men to Vse 2 pray and used all means to obtaine remission of sinnes and assurance thereof to their conscience He that is in danger of an execution upon his body to imprisonment or to death or that hath not evidence for his lands and possessions cannot rest nor have any quiet untill he have a pardon and have gotten better evidence Motives inducing to the asking forgivenesse Were we but spirituall to apprehend the miseries that abide men untill sinne be pardoned namely that we are exposed to Gods eternall wrath and if we did prize heaven at so high a rate as it deserveth it being an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the heavens and if we did but well consider that if the pardon of the sins even of Gods people be not made knowne and sure to their hearts though their sins shall not damne them indeed and for euer Psal 32. Psal 51 yet they damne them in their owne sense and feeling for a time through horror of conscience as it was with David And if we did but consider that the peace of God passeth all understanding and that there is nothing would make us so comfortable to our selves nor so fruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ as assurance of salvation and if we held him to be onely the blessed man whose transgression is forgiven Psal 32.1 and whose sinne is covered wee would use all meanes to have faith in Christ we would importune God and give him no rest untill hee had pardoned our sinnes and sealed the pardon to our conscience by his Spirit which is the seale of our redemption Forgive The person of whom Forgivenesse is asked is our Father which is in heaven wherefore it followeth It is God that forgiveth sins Doct. 2 Yea because our Saviour directeth us to aske forgivenesse of none but of God wee may conclude that it belongeth to God onely to forgive sinnes I Isa 43.25 even I am hee saith God which blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes Daniel saith To the Lord our God belongeth mercies and forgivenesses Dan. 9.9 With the Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption Psal 130.7 And it was a true position among the Iewes that none could forgive sinnes but God onely Mark 27. Reas 1 To forgive iniquitie transgression Exod. 34 7. and sinne is a branch of his name therefore peculiar to God Reas 2 Every sinne is committed against God yea those sinnes which are committed against our neighbour David when hee had committed adultery and murther Psal 51.4 said Against thee onely have I sinned Reas 3 Sinne is of an infinite nature being committed against a perfect and most holy law and against an infinite God so that there must be infinite merit in the Mediator and infinite mercy in him which through the Mediator shall pardon sinne which infinitenesse is onely to be found in God Men are to forgive their brethren Ob. therefore not GOD onely Distinction must be made Sol. that in one and the same act there may be a trespasse against man because it wrongeth him also there is offence against God because it is sinne namely a transgression of his Law Men may and must forgive the wrong and trespasse against themselves but must not nay cannot forgive the sin against God Ministers are allowed by God himselfe to remit sinnes Ob. Ioh. 20.23 Sol. Ministers remit sinnes ministerially in Christs name pronouncing onely Gods forgiving of sinne as Nathan said to
David 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath put away thy sinne But they doe not forgive sins authoratively as from themselves Vse 1 This condemneth the abhominable presumption of the Pope who daily taketh upon him to forgive sins Vse 2 This must teach all that would have pardon of sinne to seeke onely unto God and not to any creature living or dead Vse 3 This is comfortable to all that need and desire remission It is well for them that GOD doth not put them over to others but reserveth this power of pardoning of sinnes to himself they that come to him may be assured that he will and can forgive them Psal 86.5 for David saith He is plenteous in mercy unto all them that call on him What though our sinnes have abounded both for greatnesse and number The grace of him that pardoneth aboūdeth much more For with God is plenteous redemption Psal 130.7 All that beleeve this have Vse 4 had their sinnes pardoned must admire and praise the name of God saying with heart and voyce Who is a God like thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Micah 7.18 And with David Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name who forgiveth all thine iniquities Psal 103.1.3 Forgive this implieth a free gift wherefore if justification be by forgivenesse of sinne we may conclude Salvation is by the free grace Doct. 3 of God The Apostle saith We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 3.24 Also he saith And you hath he quickened being dead in your sinnes having of his grace forgiven you all trespasses so the word forgive there signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.13 And God himselfe saith I even I blot out thy transgression for mine owne sake Isaiah 42.25 Either salvation must be of grace Reason or of works for it cannot be of both Rom. 11.6 for then grace were no grace or works were no works But salvation is not of works therefore of meere grace according to that of the Apostle By grace are ye saved through faith not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Ephes 2.8.9 Quest But it may bee demanded how salvation can be said to be of Gods grace when as full satisfaction was made by Christ unto the justice of God whereby it was purchased and merited for us I answer Answ That the justification and salvation of a man to whom God hath given faith should be of Gods grace and yet of merit and therefore of justice herein is no contrarietie if we distinguish and consider different respects In respect of Christ our justification and salvation is of merit and is an act of Gods justice but in respect of us it is of grace and is an act of Gods mercy It is true that salvation is purchased for us but who did it was it not God the Sonne Man did not nor yet can he purchase his owne redemption And though we be saved by that purchase of Christ how were we ordained thereto How was Christ ordained and became a purchaser for us How came we to have the Gospell preached and to have faith by the preaching thereof and the earnest of the Spirit joyned to our faith Is not all this of Gods free grace Therefore the Apostle when hee speaketh of redemption through Christs bloud hee addeth through his rich grace Eph. 1.4.5.6.7 Had man stood in equall tearmes with God when he entred into covenāt with him and the tenour of the covenant had beene that he must keepe the Law or be damned except he himselfe could procure a sufficient suertie to suffer and be damned for him If man had then procured for himself such a suertie and the same suertie had made satisfaction in this case Gods aquitting the offender had beene a meere act of justice But Adam stood bound alone without a suertie and he having sinned both the new covenant and the suertie in whom it was established and all the meanes whereby a sinner is saved are of Gods gracious appointment accomplishment and acceptance he glorifying himselfe by saving sinfull man in a way as well of infinite mercie as of infinite justice Hence it is sith the price was of Gods gracious ordination and was payed by Christ as well very God as very man the greater the price and satisfaction was the greater is the mercie and grace of God in pardoning by such a meanes So that free grace in God and such a purchased redemption by God for man can stand well together Indeed our salvation in respect of Christ is purchased for he hath paid deare for it Therefore when hee doth mediate for us to his Father hee can and doth hold forth his merits and satisfaction for us that his Father may see that now the Law is satisfied he may without impeachment of his justice bee mercifull to such whom Christ doth present unto him But in respect of us salvation is everie way of Gods free grace Vse 1 This doth evidently overthrow all doctrine of merit of works both before and after conversion Before conversion all men are dead in sinnes and trespasses without faith and cannot please God After conversion if a man could do the will of God in all things it were but his due debt The paiment of rent orderly in time to come is no sufficient discharge and payment of debts rents or arrerages behind unpaid but alas when we have done all that is commanded the best must say Luk 17.10 he is an unprofitable servant Vse 2 How comfortable is this to afflicted and burdened sinners that see no worth in themselves and finde that they have nothing in them to pay for a release or ransome here yet they may see grace yea free grace in God If we will but aske forgivenesse 2. Cor. 5.20 and accept forgivenesse for God sueth to us by his Ministers to be reconciled to him and if we would bee thankfull for forgivenesse his name and nature is to be gracious hee must deny himselfe if he do not of his free grace forgive and save us Forgive doth import remitting of guilt and punishment of sinne Whence sith justification is by forgivenesse this followeth All that are truly justified are Doct. 4 freed from all guilt and all punishment of their sinnes The Apostle saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 He saith likewise Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 Reason 1 Christ Iesus bare all the guilt and punishment which was due unto man Isa 53.4.5.6 for it is said He bare our griefes and carried our sorrows And he was wounded for our transgressions and the Lord laid on him the iniquitie of us all And Christ is said By himselfe to have purged our sins Hebr. 1.3 Wherefore if
to their remembrance and doe so affright their conscience that their soules are much perplexed through despaire All these inconveniences would be avoided if they had asked forgivenesse of every dayes sinnes every day But of all men they are most too blame that make no care of obtaining forgivenesse till age death when often times death giveth them no warning or if it doe paines and sicknesse take up the whole man that as for the most part they have no heart because their hearts are hardened through long custome of sinne so they have time little enough then to attend and seeke ease and health for the body which is in the sense of miserie And then it shall be just with God to reject them in sicknesse and old age which in their health and youth would not accept of forgivenesse when he offered it Wherefore it shall be every Vse 4 mans greatest wisedom to aske pardon and to make his peace with God every day It is not safe to suffer sinnes to lye long unconfessed and unpardoned lest it fester Greene wounds are soonest cured with most ease to the Patient if David had â—akeâ— pardon for his adulterie that day he did 〈…〉 it he had not murthered Vriah for sinnes lying unpardoned beget other sins daily And if he had relented at the bloudie fact of killing Vriah and presently repented it would not have cost him so much horror of conscience as it did Aske pardon therefore every day then wâ— sinnes bee more particularly confessed and more distinctly and earnestly prayed against and pardon will bee sooner granted and that with lesse horror of conference Vse 5 Whereas committing of sin after knowledge and Falling oft into the same sinnes doth much affright and burden the heart of many of Gods deare children in so much that they are affraid to come so oft to God for pardon of the same sinne yea sometimes they doubt whether they be in state of grace This Doctrine doth serve to remove this doubt and these feares This salve which Christ hath prescribed to cure such sores sheweth that it is incident to his owne Disciples to have need of it And sith hee hath appointed a remedie for sinnes committed after conversion namely every day to aske forgivenesse more assurance of his favour let us daily use this remedy assuring our selves that this daies sinnes confessed and prayed against shal be forgiven as well as any committed and forgiven heretofore As the body hath relapses into the same diseases and the same physicke may be used to recure them so the soule hath relapses and the same remedy which before hath done good may and must be used againe to recover them Vs that is all such who in judgement of charitie now are or may bee Gods children Hereby our Saviour teacheth Doct 6 Every Christian ought to desire and indeavour that others may have their sinnes pardoned and their soules saved as well as their owne Our Saviour saith Father forgive them Luke 23.34 If a man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not unto death he shall aske and hee shall giue him life for them 1 Ioh. 5.16 Daniel he prayed for forgivenesse of the sinnes of the people Dan. 9.19.20 Reas 1 The like glory of Gods free grace doth manifest it selfe in their salvation as in the salvation of ones selfe Reas 2 Herein they shall shew their greatest love unto them by praying for the greatest good unto them namely forgivenesse of sinne and peace with God Love to the Church common Reas 3 wealth doth require it for while the sinnes of Gods people remaine unpardoned they doe decline and grow worse and worse and the whole Church and State is exposed unto Gods judgements This moved Ezra to pray for the people fearing lest God should bee angry with them till he had consumed them because they had married strange wives Ezra 9.10.14 Wherefore all that hinder Vse 1 those meanes of salvation which should worke in their neighbours a sight of sinne griefe for it and faith in Christ are much to be blamed whether they withstand the preaching of the Gospell that it cannot bee preached in the places where they dwell or whether they use all devices to keepe them from hearing the word where it is preached or doe use any inticing or compulsive meanes to draw them into sin Thousands there be of this sort grosse hypocrites as they are for they will say Forgive us when yet they take all courses to clogge others with the guilt and make them obnoxious to the temporall and eternall punishment of many sins if ever they had obtained pardon themselves they would not thus hinder the meanes of forgivenesse of the sinnes of their neighbours Vse 2 Let all that professe the name of Christ do what in them is to procure the salvation of their brethren pray for them shew them their miserie shew them Gods mercie use all meanes that they may beleeve and as for such as doe beleeve but yet are full of doubtings pray unto God that he would say to their soules that he is their GOD. Thus doing you shall honour God and give good proofe that your owne sinnes are pardoned you shall shew love to your neighbour and you shall be a meanes to convert a sinner and comfort a distressed soule Lastly whereas the sinnes of Vse 3 many fearefull and tender hearted Christians doe oppresse them that they as they think cannot pray for forgivenesse they onely can grone and sigh out requests but cannot expresse them such as these may take comfort and raise up their spirits by thinking on this Doctrine What though they cannot satisfie themselves in their owne prayers they must not be so uncharitable as to thinke that others cannot pray Yes they can pray and must and doe pray for the forgivenesse of your sinnes Live upon their stocke when yee have little of your owne The Papists talke of a Treasury of the Church wherein are reserved the overplus of the merits of Saints that when men lacke merits of their owne the Pope may furnish them with some merits of others This treasurie is but a fiction but this doctrine commendeth unto you the true Treasury of the Church First Christ Iesus who commanded all Christians on earth to pray one for another he did pray for you Ioh. 17. and he ever liveth to make intercession for you Heb. 7.25 Next him all faithfull Christians doe according to the will of God pray for you which prayers of theirs are daily offered up by Christ for you Out of this treasurie of others prayers you shall assuredly obtaine pardon for all their fervent prayers cannot but availe with the Lord because they pray for you by his appointment as you see in this text Vs that is such as were mentioned in the former petition for whom they aske bread namely their living neighbors whence note Forgivenesse of sinne is to be Doct. 7 asked for the living not for the dead If it were a
on Christ Iesus who is the surety for man And be wee sure to confesse and aske forgivenesse of this debt and never give over untill it have pleased God to seale an acquittance unto our consciences by his Spirit which he will give to all that aske it This wee should doe Luk. 11. â—5 because sinne is a debt and that of most dangerous consequence Debts Our Saviour doth not say debt as speaking of one debt or of one kinde of debt but hee saith debts that is all kinde of sinnes as well veniall as mortall if we may use that distinction as well small as great From hence observe Doct. 10 Whosoever would be justified before God must be beholding to God for the free forgivenesse of all his sinnes as well as of any David saith Hee forgiveth all thine iniquities Psal 103.3 Reas 1 All sinnes are mortall and of themselves damnable For Cursed is every one that conâ—inueth not in all things written iâ— the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 Wherefore if all sinnes be not pardoned a man abideth under the curse there denounced Reas 2 All sinnes are veniall and pardonable in Christ to all beleevers and penitent persons therfore they may expect pardon of all as well as of any one This confuteth the tenent of Vse 1 Papists which hold that such sinnes which they call veniall doe not deserve hell and may be done away by crossing and knocking the brest by holy water by any worke of charitie and such slight satisfactions Let all that will be saved be Vse 2 glad they may bee beholding unto GOD for pardon of all their sinnes and let us aske for remission of all sinnes God can as well pardon all and the greatest sinnes as one of the least and the least sinne hath need to be pardoned as well as the greatest for a Musket shot will kill as well as the shot of a great Ordenance As we forgive our debters These words are the reason serving to strengthen the faith of such as are to aske forgivenesse Here therfore we learne Doct. 11 In asking forgivenesse of sinne it is meet that reasons be used to expresse what ground a man hath to aske and to expect forgivenesse Thus David yeeldeth reasons why God should have mercy on him first from his tender mercy then from his owne confession of his sins then from his faith in Christ and from the effects which would follow upon Gods shewing mercy to him all which may be plainely seene in Psal 51.1.3.7 c. Reason Apt reasons serve much to imbolden and incourage a sinner to come before God and this he hath need of because Satan hath many devices to keepe him from asking forgivenesse as sometimes to hide from his sight the uglinesse and danger of sinnes causing him to forget his sinne or to thinke there is no great need of pardon Iâ— this fetch of his will not prevaile then he setteth all his sins before him and stretcheth them upon the tenters of aggravation making them seeme bigger than they are pleading Gods wrath and justice against them Now against arguments of discouragements and feares reasons of asking forgivenesse are very usefull They are therefore to blame Vse 1 who aske forgivenesse of their sinnes and yet cannot render a true reason why they should expect forgivenesse Let all that would breake Vse 2 through all discouragements and would aske forgivenesse of their sins with confidence furnish their hearts with strong arguments taken from Gods nature and Gods commandement to aske and from Gods promise of forgivenesse or from their misery and capablenesse to be forgiven or the like that when they come to GOD in prayer though they are not to goe about to perswade God with arguments to grant that which of himselfe he is not inclined to yet they may use arguments to perswade themselves to aske and hope for forgivenesse As we forgive them that trespasse against us Note here those which make this petition must be able to say truely they forgive others that thereby they may approve themselves to be capable of forgivenesse from God and that they have good reason to expect it Hereby we learne Doct. 12 Whosoever would have God forgive them their sinnes they must be able truely to say they forgive all other their trespasses against them Our Saviour saith If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses Mat. 6.14.15 Also he saith When yee stand praying forgive if yee have ought against any Mark 11.25 God hath expresly commanded Reas 1 every Christian to forgive one another Eph. 4.32 Col. 3.13 Now if man will not for his sake at his commandement forgive one hundred pence why should hee expect that God should forgive him ten thousand talents at his intreatie God hath promised forgivenesse Reas 2 to all that from their heart forgive their brethren their trespasses Mat. 18.35 Mat. 6.14 15. To forgive another in mercy Reas 3 and compassion towards men and in conscience towards God this is a signe that God hath already begun to forgive us because that our forgivenesse of our neighbour is but a reflexe of Gods former forgiving of us for Gods love to us first maketh us love our brethren Now if we can assure our selves God hath begun to pardon us wee may assure our selves hee will againe pardon our sinnes if we aske it Ob. It doth belong onely to God to forgive trespasses Sol. In every wrong done to man there is a double trespasse one against man another against God whose commandement is broken by that trespasse done to man Now it is most true that God onely can forgive the sinne and trespasse against him and no man must presume to forgive the sin comitted against God onely hee is to intreate God to forgive the sinne committed in the wrong done to him as Stevâ— did Acts 7.60 who said Lord lay not their sinne to their charge But forgivenesse spoken of in the point is of forgivenesse not of the sinne but of the wrong and trespasse against man The Scripture alloweth men to require their debts Ob. and if they be wronged to complaine to the Magistrate and for that cause both magistracie and judiciall constitutions were set up in the common-wealth of Israel therefore it may seeme all trespasses are not to be remitted In every wrong done unto us Sol. there are two things concurre First defect of love in him that wrongeth us which is apt to beget the like defect in us to cause us to cease to love him yea to spite and seeke revenge The second thing is there is some hurt or damage groweth either to our name life or goods which worketh in us that are wronged desire of satisfaction and recompence for the hurt done unto us The first of these namely their ill will to us must alwayes be forgiven so that all ill will in us to them and all
Scripture is that we should abhorre that which is evill and cleave to that which is good Rom. 12.9 Reas 1 For Iustification and Sanctification are so inseparably conjoined that no man hath his sins forgiven who hath not withall the fruit of it unto repentance and holinesse of life here in this life This I shall make evident by these arguments following 1 It is one part of the new Covenant of grace that men should be holy and for that cause God hath not onely required holiness to be shewne on their part but hath promised as well to write his Law in the hearts of his people Heb. 8.10.12 as to be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and not to remember their sinne 2. It is one end to which God hath chosen men in Christ to be holy Eph. 1.4.5 and without blame before him in love as well as to be adopted children by Christ to obtaine everlasting life 3. It is the end of the office and comming of our Saviour Iesus Christ and of the merit and efficacy of his death resurrection and intercession not onely that beleevers should obtaine forgivenesse of sinne and everlasting life but that so many as the Father gave unto him might beleeve repent and live holily and righteously in this present world Tit. 2.14 hee purging them to himselfe to be a peculiar people zealous of good workes 4. It is the end of the Scriptures not onely to lay the foundation of faith for the remission of sinnes that through consolation thereof Ioh. 15 4. Ioh. 17.7 Eph. 5.26 beleevers might have hope but also to sanctifie and cleanse them from the filthinesse of their sinnes that they might be holy and without blemish 5. It is the end of everie Christian mans profession and calling 1. Thess 4.7 not only to beleeve and hope to be saved by Christ but also to be holy and to become the servant of Christ 6. It is the end why God sendeth his Spirit into their hearts and causeth it to dwell in his children Rom 8.16 not onely to be a spirit of adoption to witnesse to their spirits that they are Gods children but also to be a spirit of sanctification to worke out the stony heart Ezâ—k 36.26 27. and to frame in them a new heart causing them to walke in his statutes and to do them 7. It is the end of the Sacraments the seales of the new Covenant not onely to signifie and seale remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ but also that by him all that beleeve in him being ingrafted into the similitude of his death and resurrection Rom. 6.4 5 6. should dye unto sinne and walke in newnesse of life These things considered it is most apparant that justification and sanctification are never severed in one and the same partie wherefore he that prayeth for and expecteth to be justified must also pray and indeavour to approve himselfe to be sanctified A second generall reason why all Christians should pray for and labour after holinesse is because if a man be not holy and righteous in this life he is not capeable of true glory and happinesse in heaven in the life to come and that whether we respect God or a mans selfe remaining in his sinne God will not admit him let him make what claime hee can unto the kingdome of heaven his put off shall be Luk 13.27 Depart from me I know you not ye workers of iniquity For without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 But suppose it were possible that a sinfull man might be admitted into heaven heaven would be no heaven to him The place persons and exercises there would be tedious and a vexation unto him For all things there are things of God holy and spirituall most contrarie to the disposition of a natural and carnall man 1. Cor 2.14 God saith The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God they are foolishnesse unto him To whom Gods ordinances and presence in them as in hearing praying and praising God and to whom holy company and holy conference is tedious in this life the same heart and affections remaining even these and the like things would be an hell to them even in heaven For to make a man happy even in heaven it is needfull that the faculties and powers of his soule be so fully rectified and perfected that hee may comprehend and enjoy the object that thing wherein mans happinesse doth consist Now though Gods presence in his glory and in his goodnesse which is the object of mans happinesse is alwayes in heaven yet if the understanding the will and the affections of a man be not sanctified and thereby made capeable of and suteable to the object what content and joy can he take therein It is with the reasonable soule in the apprehension of intellectual and spiritual things as it is with the senses in bodily objects Colours though never so orient and various yet they can give no delight to a blinde or ill-affected eye Sounds though never so melodious cannot delight a deafe or ill-affected eare Meat and drink though never so well relished and delicious cannot delight him whose pallat is out of taste nay the best do savour and taste ill with such a one Even so the most spirituall things in heaven would be so farre from delighting a carnall and unholy man that they would seeme to his fancy very foolishnes and they would be to him a very vexation Vse 1 It is therefore an intolerable fault for a man to professe the name of Christ and yet to live ungodly Num. 23.10 this is the fault of too many who desire to have their sinnes forgiven but desire not to have them mortified they desire to go to heaven like cursed Balaam when they dye but endeavour not to be holy while they live But as if this were not enough to be sinfull themselves many do make a jest at all conscionable living in others and a scorne of all that endeavour to keep a good conscience in all things and yet will expect that Christ shall save them How hath the devill deceived these men yet thousands are justly given over to this strong delusion If any of you shall happen to cast your eyes on these lines consider the Doctrine in hand and learne that for certaine he that is not holy in this life shall not bee happy in the life to come For whomsoever God justifieth Rom. 6. those he sanctifieth and whosoever have faith to partake of Christs merits do by the same faith partake of the vertue of Christs death to the killing of sinne and of the vertue of his life and resurrection to the quickening of the inward man And at the day of judgement all that professe Christ and yet obey not the Gospell of Christ 2 Thes 1.8 shall be burnt in flames of Gods vengeance as well as those which know not the Gospell and professe it not at all For
of adoption and be a beleever that he know God in Christ being converted having repented Rom. 10.14 and is in that state of grace that he can call God Father Secondly Prou. 19 2 Ioh. 4.22 he must be indued with competent knowledge of those things which are required in an acceptable prayer A Catalogue whereof here followeth The discussing of all which or of most of them you shall finde scattered in this Tract as the Text of the Lords Prayer doth minister occasion 1 Prayer is to bee made to God onely Requisites in prayer 2 In prayer God is to be represented to the minde as an incomprehensible Spirit Majesty and Deity therefore without the use of any Image conceiving also to be omnipotent and gracious able and willing to reward them that come unto him 3 Prayer is to bee made to God in the name of Christ Iesus our onely Mediatour and Advocate 4. The matter of all Petitions must be lawfull according to Gods will warranted by precept president or promise 5 A man must pray with understanding he himself knowing what he doth aske 6 Prayer must bee made with a sincere and holy intention of the heart intending it as an holy worship of God as well as a meanes to procure good to a mans selfe from God 7 Prayer must be made with a sense of what we want and with a sensible desire of that which we pray for 8 In prayer there must be a diligent and in endeavour a constant attention first to God keeping the heart lift up towards him as also to the things uttered in prayer that the minde be upon them Likewise that hee attend and take heed to himselfe with what disposition and affection he doe pray He should looke to himselfe that his spirits be composed and his thoughts gathered in and as much as may bee kept in from wandring and distraction This is to be watchfull in prayer 9 There must bee an holy earnestnesse and fervency and importunatenesse in prayer more or lesse according as the matter of prayer doth more or lesse concerne Gods glory and mans good 10 Prayer must bee made with holy devotion and religious adoration expressed in humble and reverent gestures and carrying of the body beseeming the greatnesse and holinesse of God to whom wee pray 11 In prayer a man must propound a right end to himselfe namely that hee may of Gods free grace obtaine the thing desired that therewith he might honour God and doe him more service but not for vaine glory to be seene of men not for charmes not that hee may have wherewithall to spend upon his lusts nor yet to merit thereby as Hypocrites Wizards prophane persons and some Papists doe 12 Prayer must be void of superstition whether in respect of place or number as in needlesse and vaine repetitions upon Beades as Papists doe or any other waies 13 He that prayeth aright must pray in faith he must beleeve that God doth heare him and that for Christs sake he wil grant him all the petitions which he hath thus endeavoured to make according to his will waiting confidently untill God do fulfill them Lastly unto petitions must be joyned praise and thanksgiving This generall preparation must be alwaies readie through an habitual knowledge of those things which are required in an acceptable prayer A particular and immediate preparation is this When a man intendeth to pray he must sequester himselfe from all other businesse and thoughts that he may apply himselfe to meditation Wherein he entreth into consideration of what he is going about what is required in prayer how things stand betweene God and him what his sinnes are that are then to bee repented confessed and prayed against and how they are and may be aggravated also what speciall graces and good things he is now to pray for what evils to pray against likewise he is to consider what favours God hath shewed him what good things he hath bestowed upon him for which he is to praise God give him thanks also hee must consider the grounds and warrant which he hath to approach to the throne of grace in prayer These things prosecuted and well digested a man shall be much the fitter to pray To what prayers particular preparation belongeth Prayers are either continued or onely ejaculatory uttered in a secret and sudden lifting up of the desire to God Immediate and speciall preparation belongeth onely to continued prayer A mans occasions allow him sometimes more time sometimes lesse and he is better disposed to meditation at one time then at another he may accordingly be longer or shorter in preparation But in every continued and set prayer there must be at least this preparation A man must take himselfe off from all other businesse and thoughts and in that instant consider and set before the eye of his faith the majestie holinesse all-sufficiencie and goodnesse of God and so with an heart humble in the sense of his owne unworthinesse but lift up to God in hope of his mercie he is to powre out the desires of his soule unto him in the name of Christ Iesus according unto the requisites of prayer before mentioned Pray after this manner In that the Lord doth here exhort to the right manner of prayer and not to the dutie it selfe it was because he tooke it for a thing granted by all men that they must pray for not the Pharises onely but the heathen did pray wherefore it must bee granted of all that Doct. 3 It is the dutie of all men to pray There were never any but if they held there was a God they held also that he was to be prayed unto Aske seeke knocke saith Christ Mat. 7.7 Pray without ceassing in every thing give thanks 1. Thessal 5.17 18. In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made knowne unto God Phil. 4.6 Reason 1 For prayer is a most holy honorable service and a chiefe worship of God wherein man doth homage unto the Lord and doth glorifie him Psal â—0 23 For in prayer the Lord is acknowledged to be God to be good gracious merciful omnipotent omniscient Vnto whom any man prayeth in him he beleeveth on him hee trusteth In confession of sinne Gods law is acknowledged to bee holy and God to be just In praying aright in the name of Christ by the Spirit the distinction of persoÌ„s is acknowledged These and many other things concerning God are really professed in making requests and are particularly expressed to the honour of Gods name in praises and thanksgiving Prayer is very beneficiall unto Reason 2 man for it is a remedie against all evill and a meane to procure all good As for evill of punishment as paine povertie and the like Ion. 3.8.10 either it doth prevent it as in the case of the Ninivites or removeth it Psal 107. They cry to the Lord in their trouble and he saveth them out of their
it up nothing so high above us or so farre from us but with this hand wee may reach it to us Hee that wrastleth by the strength of prayer though hee wrastle with the strong God shall prevaile as did Iacob of whom it is said Hee had power over the Angell and prevailed hee wept and made supplication Hos 12.4 Of all helps prayer is readiest at hand in all places and at all times if wee be not without our hearts wee neede not be without helpe It is the most universall helpe it is good for all persons at all times in all things It is a most certain helpe no faithfull prayer was ever made in vaine It is a key to open heaven all that have skill to handle it may from thence fetch all things that may doe themselves or their neighbour good Moreover when wee have made our requests knowne to GOD and have commended our cause to him by prayer this will comfort quiet and rejoyce our hearts so that wee neede bee no more sad with Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 nor need we be carefull in any thing but may goe on in our calling in peace Phil. 4.6.7 and may lye downe in peace being assured that now God careth for us knowing that his wisedome truth and power are all set a worke for us And which is more then all which yet hath beene said Prayer is most pleasing to God hee delighteth to heare the voyce of his children It is a more sweet smelling sacrifice then that of incense It maketh way to thanksgiving It is a glorifying of his great name Sith it is the will of God that Vse 4 we should pray all feare of approaching to the throne of his grace may hence be remoued What though God be a God of majestie and thou bee an unworthy person in thy selfe It is no presumption to presse into his presence when hee commandeth this is instead of his scepter of acceptance of thee though no man might come uncalled unto that majesticall Ahashuereth yet any man might come being called nay the Queene was deposed from her place because she came not at his commandement So that it is not presumption to come but rebellion if you come not sith God every where in his word calleth you So that whatsoever thy case be thou maist come with good comfort to God and bee holpen as they say to the blinde man Marke 10.49 Be of good comfort hee calleth thee God calleth you to this duty feare not therefore to goe to God in prayer at any time Objections against prayer answered To this end you must bee able and willing to answer and resist all such objections and discouragements that Satan and your owne heart shall raise against it You may learne how to answer to those objections against the necessity of prayer namely God knoweth what we need and hee hath already decreed what we shall have and many that make no conscience of prayer have more then heart could wish by that which is written before in this doctrine in the third reason taken from the necessity of prayer And for your help I will propound and answer other objections as followeth I am not assured that I am converted Ob. and am the childe of God or that I have the Spirit of God wherefore I think that it belongeth not unto me to pray You are by profession a convert Answ and the childe of God and it may be you have the Spirit of God though yet you do not acknowledge it therefore it belongeth unto you to pray But suppose that you are not converted doth not God command you to convert Ier. 31.18 and turn unto him and finding your inability to turne you should with Ephraim pray saying Turne thou me and I shall bee turned And do you finde the want of the Spirit you should the rather pray for it that God according to his promise may give it Luk. 11.13 Do not say I cannot pray untill God have given me grace and abilitie to pray but having an expresse commandement of God to pray you must set about it assay to pray as well as you can desiring and expecting grace from him to enable you to pray For God doth not usually let us feele the strength of his grace requisite to the performance of a good dutie till that out of conscience of obeying of the command we craving his helpe do set about the doing of it Ob. My sinnes are so many and so great and I have relapsed into such grievous sinnes since I last prayed that I am ashamed and afraâ—d that I dare not come into the presence of God againe to pray unto him Answ The greater and more hainous your sinnes are the more need you have to come unto God whom by them you have offended to aske of him pardon of them And sith God is onely able to cure and heale your soule there is the more cause that by prayer you should seeke unto him to cleanse you of your sinnes and to give you power against them David doth not say because his sinne was great therefore I dare not pray but therefore prayeth thus Psal 25.11 For thy Names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great And is not forgivenesse of sins one of the petitions which Christ hath bid you to make daily when you pray To bee ashamed for your sinne when you come before God is good and argueth that you are the fitter for prayer Ier. 31.19.20 and that you are now a meet object of Gods mercie and compassion but to be ashamed to pray and not to dare to come into Gods presence being by him commanded is a great sinne to be repented of Indeed we should not sinne at all 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 but if any man sinne be his sinnes many or few small or great we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation who hath made satisfaction for and hath covered and done away all our sinnes When you come before God to pray in the name and mediation of Christ God looketh upon your sinnes which you confesse unto him as satisfied for done away in Christ Why then should you be afraid and ashamed to pray unto him Ob. When I should pray I feele my selfe so much straitened so dead and so much indisposed to prayer I want words and matter I can neither begin or at least hold out well in prayer to the end for that I am pestred with so many wandring impertinent and sometimes evill thoughts I cannot remember all the sinnes which I should confesse nor yet all the needfull good things which I should aske I cannot pray in faith but am so full of wavering and doubting that God is not well pleased with my prayer I oft feele my selfe worse rather then better after I have prayed I rise up oft times from prayers heavie and discomforted and I offend so many wayes in prayer that I oft times am readie
three things obseruable in all prayers First the person to whom onely we must pray concerning whom this is the rule That person onely who is God and Lord of heaven and earth is to be prayed unto thus much you learne both in the invocation in the beginning and in the forme of praise in the end of the Lords Prayer The second thing to be observed is what wee must aske the rule thereof is whatsoever may lawfully be asked may without wresting bee referred to one of the sixe petitions If they can referre their request to any petition they may be bold to make it It shall bee needfull therefore to observe the particulars under every petition both what is prayed for and what is prayed against the most whereof shall appeare in the handling of each severall petition to which I doe send you And when you have learned what you may lawfully pray ye may be longer or shorter in any one petition as your present need or the particular occasion doth require which libertie may bee obserued in those prayers of the Apostles which are recorded for our use in the holy Scriptures The third thing to be observed is with what disposition of heart and affection we must pray Which is fully expressed and implyed in that word Amen which requireth that prayer bee made with understanding in truth in fervencie and in faith as will manifestly appeare when wee come to treate of that word Here yet some question may be made touching the order here set down whether it must be precisely kept I answer in the generall it must that is Gods glory must be first in our aime but touching the particular manner of expressing it that is left to the libertie of him that prayeth whether hee begin with praise or with confession of sinnes and asking forgivenesse thereby making way to the other petitions with more confidence There is no rule to be given hereof because we see the Apostles after they were taught this forme did take this libertie Our Father c. Here beginneth the patterne of prayer which because Christ Iesus our Lord gave it to his Disciples is therefore called the Lords Prayer It consisteth of two parts The first is an expressing of a mans desire unto God The second is a manifestation of the assent and right disposition of his heart in putting up the aforesaid desires in the word Amen which though it be but one word yet is full of excellent matter The first part doth branch it selfe into three members 1 Invocation upon God Our Father which art in heaven 2 Petition Hallowed by thy Name Thy kingdome come c. 3 A forme of praise and thanâ—es containing reasons why the former petitions should be made unto God For thine is kingdome power and glory for ever Invocation or calling upon God is here taken in the proper and strictest sense not for the whole exercise of prayer but for appellation in which a man calleth upon him whom hee would have to heare him This invocation consisteth of a description of God who onely is to be called upon in prayer He is described by two arguments First by the relation that is betweene him and his elect in Christ Our Father Secondly by a signe of his soveraigntie and majestie that is by his being in heaven which is the Court of his majestie the place from whence hee sheweth his infinite power goodnesse and glory Which art in heaven The description of God by these two arguments the one arguing his graciousnesse and readinesse of will the other arguing his greatnesse fulnesse of power to helpe all that come unto him is placed of purpose in the very entrance into prayer to strengthen the petitioners faith that hee need not doubtingly say as he did If thou wilt thou canst helpe me Mat 8.2 For he is his father therefore will do whatsoever in his holy wisedome he judgeth fit to be done Neither need he say as that other If thou canst doe any thing helpe us Mark 9.22 For his God and father in the heavens is almighty and can doe whatsoever he pleaseth Psal 115.3 and would have to be done This description of God to whom prayer is made by his relation to them that are to pray consisteth of the appropriating possessive particle Our and of that gracious title of God Father In this one description two things are signified both the condition of them that pray and of him that is prayed unto These words as they looke toward the persons who may pray they intimate a double condition First that they have a right and interest in God they can call him theirs for they are the children of God Secondly Our importeth that common interest and fatherhood in God which the rest of the faithfull have in him from which there groweth a communion of one Christian with another so that they become brethren These two qualities therefore faith in God and love to our brethren are here required in every one that is qualified for prayer Our is not onely here a note of the joyning together of many in prayer when one man is the mouth of the rest because this forme of words is to be uttered by one in the closet Mat. 6.6 as well as by many in publike but it noteth that relation and respect of God to them which is common unto their brethren 2 King 19.19 Thus Hezekiah useth it saying O Lord our God I beseech thee c. Daniel praying alone Dan. 9.17.18 faith Now therefore O our God heare the prayer of thy servant Not but that when we would expresse our particular faith and dependance upon God Mat. 26.39 Ier. 3.19 1 Cor. 4.18 we may say My Father or My God But our Saviour maketh choise of this forme of speech because it is full of instruction and is best agreeing to all sorts of prayer both in private as well as publike Thus we see what this description of God intimateth as it looketh towards those that pray As it looketh towards him to whom prayer is made he is first called Father Father spoken of God is a word of relation to Christ the second person in Trinity Psal 2.7 Ioh. 1.14 and so is proper to the first person in Trinity Secondly in relation to the creature in a more common respect to all as he is the Author of their being and subsisting in nature thus all * Deut. 32.6 three persons are called Father God is also a Father in a speciall respect to his elect in Christ as he is the Author of their spirituall being and subsisting in state of grace * 1 Ioh. 5. â— Isa 9 6. Ioh 3.5 Thus in speciall sort the three persons are and may be called Father by all beleevers And as I conceive in this place this word Father directeth us to God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost yet so as it pointeth in an order to that person in the Deity
a master where is my feare It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good saith good Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 Reason 2 Gods will take it of things to be done or suffered besides that it is soveraigne and absolute Rom. 7.12 it is holy equall and good And good is the word which thou hast spoken saith Hezekiah Isa 39.8 Whereas on the contrarie the will of Satan and of the flesh is starke naught Great cause therefore why Gods will should be done and be preferred before all other wills Reason 3 The end why God doth make knowne his will unto the sonnes of men Deut 6.1 is that that they should do it and submit unto it Christ did therfore redeeme Reason 4 man that as Peter saith they should no longer live the rest of their time in the flesh according to the lusts or wil of men but according to the will of God 1. Pet. 4 2. The chiefe heads to which the will of God may bee reduced are these First that men should perfectly know his will Secondly that they should perfectly obey it thus much the Law of pure nature taught before the fall Thirdly sith all have sinned and even after conversion do in many things sinne it is the will of God that men should be convinced of their sinne Act. 2.38 be penitent for it confesse it and aske him forgivenesse through Christ Iesus Fourthly when men have done this his will is 1. Ioh. 3.23 that they should beleeve what Christ hath done and suffered for them beleeving in him and relying upon him for pardon for obtaining of grace and for everlasting salvation Fiftly his will is that all that beleeve in him and that endeavour to live holily and righteously should hope stedfastly and be assured that they through Christ shall be for ever glorified Sixthly that in the meane time they bee thankfull for Gods goodnesse towards them in everie condition and that they patiently fruitfully and comfortably beare whatsoever afflictions they shall meete with in the way waiting when God shall accomplish all his promises to them in Christ unto their everlasting glory Vse 1 The greater number of Christians in name come here to be reproved because they are willingly ignorant of Gods will and wilfully disobedient nay as if that were not bad enough they cannot abide any that strive to walke according unto the strict rule of Gods holy commandments but are all for following the course of this world the wil of Satan Eph. 2.2.3 and lusts of the flesh in all manner of disobedience of Law and Gospell These may see how contrarie they are to their profession which in word can say Disswasives from disobedience to Gods will Thy wil be done but indeed do the contrarie God cannot brooke this abhominable dissembling howsoever they thinke of themselves these remaine yet children of wrath Ephe. 2.3 Ephe. 5. â— because they remaine children of disobedience They are yet in the power of sinne Rom. 6.16 for his servants they are whom they obey These men cannot scape without punishment He that knoweth not his masters will is worthy of stripes saith our Saviour But he that knoweth his masters will Luk. 12.47.48 and yet prepareth not neither doth according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Disobedience is a dishonour to God so saith the Apostle to the hypocriticall boasters of the Law Rom 2.23.24 Through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God For the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you And it doth exasperate God exceedingly he could not else have beene so much provoked by Adams and Eve's transgressing his will by eating the forbidden fruit a thing for matter small as to curse the whole world in such sort that it groaneth under the burthen of it unto this day and also to damne all men in eternall flames had not the very Sonne of God by taking the curse upon himselfe saved a chosen number of them How did Sauls disobedience provoke the Lord against him who because he rejected the word of the Lord 1. Sam. 15.23 the Lord rejected him Yet his fact was such as carnall reason could and did say much in excuse of it but it was disobedience Yet who more readie to presume that the wrath of God shall be farre from them in the evill day than such as will not do the will of God but take pleasure in iniquitie and are workers thereof They will crie Lord Lord Luk. 13.26.27 hast thou not taught in our streets and Lord Lord open unto us The Lord abhorreth this scraping of acquaintance with him saying Mat. 25.11.12 Depart from me I know yea not ye workers of iniquitie there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherfore let no willing transgressour of Gods will deceive himselfe nor suffer any man to deceive him for Ephe. 5.6 for such things sake commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience For this is most certaine that Christ commeth in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thess 1.8 Vse 2 Let all that professe the Name of God study to know and endeavour to submit their will to Gods will in al things let them bewaile the ignorance and rebelliousnesse of their owne and other mens evill hearts that with David they may say Psal 119.136 Rivers of waters runne down their eyes because they keepe not Gods Law Motives unto obedience to Gods will 1 Nothing pleaseth God more than to see his children to order their conversation aright and to finish the works he giveth them to do he hath not so much delight in burnt-offerings as in obeying the voyce of the Lord Behold saith Samuel 1. Sam. 15.22 to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of rammes Secondly the Lord is much glorified when his servants and children submit themselves to his will both in doing and suffering Ioh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth saith Christ to his Father this he maketh to appeare thus I have finished the worke which thou hast given me to doe The Apostle having resolved to keepe a good conscience saith be knoweth Christ shall bee magnified in his body Phil. 1.20 whether by life or death Thirdly this is the way to gaine the reputation and honour of wise men Eph. 4 17. Be not unwise saith the Apostle but understand what the will of the Lord is Deut. 4.6 And this is your wisedome and understanding in the sight of the nations Fourthly by doing Gods will wee shall come to more knowledge of his will Ioh. 7.17 If any man will doe his will hee shall know of the doctrine saith Christ whether it be of God or no. Act. 13.22 To fulfill Gods will is to be a man according to Gods owne heart Fiftly it is to approve a mans selfe to bee
indevours for the things which are heavenly are much to be blamed and are to be admonished to overcome this their earthly mindednesse lest their end be damnation because they minde earthly things Phil. 3.19 Vse 2 Let the desires of Christians therefore be fewer and lesse vehement for the things of this life and let their principall care be how their sinnes may be forgiven and the strength thereof abated the particulars whereof come now to be handled in the two next petitions The fifth Petition And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters Here follow those petitions that concerne the soule and eternall life which as they doe properly tend to the exceeding great benefit of man so do they most excellently serve for the accomplishing the chiefest desire of every good man namely the attaining of the glory of God in the comming of his kingdome and doing of his will For no man is accepted to be a subject of Christs kingdome untill his sinnes be forgiven neither can any man doe the will of God untill he be sanctified and have power against sinne Now because sinne doth hinder Gods glory and mans happinesse our Saviour directeth his Disciples to deprecate sinne and that in two respects First in respect of the guilt and punishment from which they are to desire to be acquitted and justified This is the subject of the fifth petition Secondly in respect of the dominion and power of sinne which is prayed against and is the subject of the last petition These words Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debters containe a petition Forgive us our debts an argument to perswade him that asketh forgivenesse that he is capable of forgivenesse and that hee may be assured he shall be forgiven In the petition come to be cōsidered the subject of it Forgivenesse of debts the circūstāces which do set forth this forgivenesse In the subject of this petition there are to be considered the act of forgivenesse forgive and the object whereabout forgivenesse is exercised namely our debts Debts that is sinnes so Saint Luke saith Forgive us our sins And because it is set downe in the plurall number and indefinitely by debts or sinnes wee must understand all sinnes both originall and actuall veniall or smaller sinnes deadly or greater sinnes the smallest are not so little that they need no pardon and the greatest are not so hainous as that they cannot be pardoned Sinnes are called debts by similitude because man stood bound by the law first written in mans nature and after in tables of stone unto perfect obedience with this obligation Gen. 2.17 Deut. 27.26 that If he continued not in all things written in the Law the forfeiture was he should be accursed which curse comprehended in it all miseries in this world and eternall destruction in the world to come This forfeit Adam and Eve did make and in them all mankinde who daily adde unto this debt by their actuall sinnes the guilt punishment of these sinnes are the object of forgivenesse Forgive Forgivenesse is an act of grace whereby a man is acquitted from the whole guilt and is released of all the punishment of his sinne in such sort that nothing can be layed to his charge In this act of forgiving Rom. 8.33 allusion is made unto the acts of creditors to their debtors which stand bound to them in obligations to pay certaine summes of money or upon not payment to forfeit a far greater summe Now when the debter doth make this forfeit and is no way able of himselfe to discharge it if the creditor doth forbeare to sue the debtor and doth freely cancell the obligation and give to him an acquittance of that debt this act of his is To forgive It is likewise resembled by the act of a King and a judge towards such subjects as by transgressing the law had forfeited their lives into the hands of justice Now when the King of his meere grace doth remit the offence and punishment this is to pardon and forgive Such an act as this is that of Gods forgiving of a sinner Now because forgivenesse of sinnes is of the greatest consequence that can concerne man and because justification of a sinner and this act of forgivenesse is much mistaken by some wilfully by others ignorantly I will endeavour in opening the meaning of this word forgive as distinctly and as clearly as I can to shew what our desire extendeth unto when we say forgive shewing First what things do necessarily go before forgivenesse of our sinnes Secondly what it is to have them forgiven Thirdly what are those immediate effects of forgivenesse which are comprehended under it Before any man can have his sinnes forgiven two things are required First that satisfaction bee made unto the justice of God who is the partie offended by Sinne. Secondly that there bee a qualification of the partie to be forgiven by faith whereby he doth apply to himselfe the interest which he hath in the satisfaction before mentioned For although Gods forgiving of sins be in many things like mans forgiving of men their trespasses yet in this it differeth much Man by a meere single act of mercie forgiveth without satisfaction else it were no forgivenesse but in Gods forgiving there is an act of mercie mixed with justice For the Scripture saith that without shedding of bloud Heb. 9.22 that is without satisfaction and expiation for sinne there is no remission Not but that God by his absolute power and meere mercy could have forgiven mans sinne without any satisfaction of his justice Exod. 34.6 For mercie is as naturall to God as is justice and God was in himselfe free to either being no more tyed by his justice to punish sinners than by his mercie to forgive them God doth nothing out of himselfe by any naturall necessitie but doth all things freely according to the good pleasure of his will Ephes 1.9 And if he had so pleased he might as well out of his meere mercie have pardoned a sinner without any satisfaction as to account the guilt and inflict the punishment of mans sinne upon another upon Christ a suretie in himselfe innocent and to accept of that punishment for satisfaction But God intending to bring more glorie to his holy Name and to shew his more abundant love unto man in doing him a greater good he did in his holy wisdome make choice rather of saving man by a way of mercie tempered with justice whereby the glorie of more of his Attributes and Excellencies might shine forth and man being by this way incorporated into Christ his Saviour his salvation is made sure for ever Whereas if God had by a single act of mercie pardoned man and then have left him to stand upon his owne bottome he had remained in a great likelihood of falling againe into a like state of condemnation God intending thus to glorifie himselfe and to save man in a way of mercie but not without satisfaction
the person God is understood The third circumstance concerneth the persons prayed for us that is the same persons mentioned in the fourth Petition namely our selves and all our neighbours living upon the earth that belong to Gods election be they alreadie justified or not justified As we forgive These words containe an argument to encourage him that prayeth to aske forgivenesse The Evangelist Luke saith for we forgive which place in Luke doth interpret this in Matthew The particle as doth import a resemblance from an act of ours towards man of that which we would have God do for us but it doth not denote either the measure or manner how we would have God forgive us but onely a certaintie of the truth of their owne forgiving of others And although this as and for in Luke shew that these words are a reason and argument to move us to aske and expect forgivenesse from God yet it doth not imply that our forgiving of others is the cause why God should forgive us but arguing from the lesse to the greater argueth thus We do and can forgive therefore God can much more forgive us also This is but a proposing of their estate and condition unto God reasoning from a signe of Gods love and grace towards them that they have cause to expect forgivenesse In like manner for is used Luk. 7.48 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven for she loved much where the womans love was not a cause of great forgivenesse but a fruit and signe of Gods forgivenesse So that in these words he that prayeth doth represent to his owne thoughts and doth utter unto God thus much That sith he himself that hath but a drop of mercie yet could and did forgive and sith this power in them to forgive others proceeded from a reflexe of his mercy towards them and so was an argument that he already loved them therefore they are bold to aske and expect forgivenesse of him who is infinite in mercie and hath begun to shew mercie to them alreadie The sense of this whole Petition may be rendred thus O Lord God who art the onely forgiver of sinnes sith we cannot glorifie thy Name neither can our lives be pleasing to thee or comfortable to our selves so long as thou art unreconciled to us and so long as thou hidest thy loving countenance from us bee pleased therfore through Christ whom thou hast made to be our redemption to be reconciled to me and to all thine elect upon the earth impute not our sinnes to us but free and acquit us from the whole guilt and punishment of all sinnes small and great For this cause we confesse our sinnes and do beleeve thy promise of forgivenesse Lord helpe our unbeliefe Impute likewise the righteousnesse of Christ unto us and grant that thy Spirit of Adoption may daily make more and more application of forgivenesse to our hearts untto he fâ—â— assurance of hope that we may have peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost and in the end everlasting life Lord this thou canst easily and will readily do for even we that have but a small measure of compassion forgive those that wrong us And sith by this our forgiving of others we know thou hast begun to forgive us continue therefore thy grace and certifie daily to our hearts that thou art our salvation And forgive us our sinnes If it be observed how this Petition is joyned to the former intimating that natural life without forgivenesse of sinne will little availe a man and if it be considered that forgivenesse of sinnes in that sense as hath beene delivered is the subject of this Petition we may note It concerneth all men to desire Doct. 1 and endeavour after forgivenes of their sinnes through Christ with the application and assurance thereof to their hearts and consciences by the holy Ghost They must desire that God would not impute their sinnes but impute Christs righteousnesse unto them that they may be delivered from all guilt and punishment of sinne and may be heires of glorie and that he would daily passe the sentence hereof to their conscience Hoseah saith Hos 14.2 Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously The Prophet David to whom the Prophet Nathan had pronounced forgivenesse of his murder to his eares 2 Sam. 12.13 yet because God had not pronounced it to his heart but withdrew his countenance from him he is therefore earnest with the Lord saying Purge me with hysop Psal 51.7 to 13. make me heare joy and gladnesse Hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities Renew a right spirit within me Restore to me the joy of thy salvation Vntill sinnes be forgiven Reason 1 they separate betweene God and man whether hee be converted or unconverted Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have made him hide his face from you that hee will not heare And We have transgressed and have rebelled saith Ieremie thou hast not pardoned Thou hast covered thy selfe with a cloud Lam. 3.42.44 that our prayer should not passe through If a man be not in state of grace his prosperity in this life doth but fat him against his day of slaughter and increase of his dayes are but a multiplication of his sinnes against the day of account And he may looke for death to arrest him every day which if it doe before his sinnes be remitted hee shall be found in his sinnes at the day of judgement to his everlasting perdition If a man be in state of grace yet if by new sinnes the Lord be provoked to withdraw his loving countenance and to shew tokens of his displeasure against him his life becommeth unprofitable and uncomfortable untill God speake peace to his soule againe He cannot come boldly into Gods presence to pray heare or receive the Sacrament or if he doe come he is very heartlesse in the performance of them and all that a man hath though it be a kingdome can give him no comfort Psal 32. Psal 51. as it was in Davids case But when God forgiveth sins God of an enemy becommeth a friend and of a displeased Father beginneth to looke graciously upon his childe from this pardon it is that a man is freed from all miserie and by the assurance and sealing of pardon to the conscience doe follow peace of conscience freedome and libertie of heart to come before GOD at all times and in the end everlasting life Vntill sinnes past be pardoned Reason 2 and the sinner is justified he cannot doe Gods will nor glorifie his name For Luke 7.47 â—7 untill much be forgiven no man can love much for to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little saith Christ A man is not sanctified untill he be first justified he can never repent and live holily in time to come untill hee have hope that all his sinnes past are
all the guilt and punishment be satisfied in Christ it must not bee thought that God will at a punish any that are saved by Christ Reason 2 Forgivenesse is no forgivenesse if there be not remisseâ— of punishment Ob. God pardoned Davids adulterie and murther yet reserved for him temporal punishment and the like may be observed in Gods dealing with many others wherefore sinne may be pardoned yet as punishment not remitted Sol. It must be granted that temporall evils did befall David after his sinne was pardoned and the like doth befall other of Gods children but it must be knowne that those afflictions were not satisfactorie punishments or had any respect unto the justification of those that were therewith exercised but they onely had respect unto their further sanctification The same evils in different persons namely the godly and the reprobate are of different natures and are sent of God for different purposes in the wicked they are signes of his wrath but to his children they are signes of his love Heb. 12. they are to the wicked plagues and fore-runners of destruction but they are unto the godly corrections unto instructions they are onely Gods physicke to purge out the corruption and to abate the power of sinne and are meanes leading to sanctification as I said but have no respect of satisfaction in any degree unto justification Vse 1 This confuteth Popish doctrine of satisfactions of Gods justice by temporall punishments either in this life or in Purgatorie They will acknowledge that Christ satisfied for all eternall punishment but not for temporall Which distinction was not knowne in Christs time it was onely invented to lay a foundation for Purgatory and the appurtenances thereof which being razed by this and like truths of Scripture will when Antichrist shall bee revealed by the spirit of Gods mouth be discovered to be but a fable It were little for the honour of Christ that he should pay so great a price for the redemption of man from eternall punishment and yet should leave him to himselfe to satisfie for temporall The hearts of all that beleeve Vse 2 in Christ should rejoyce at this to consider that they are not onely freely redeemed but that they are also fully redeemed from all punishment temporall and eternall If temporall chastisements be inflicted God doth send them in love either as trials of his graces wherewith he hath endued them or as physicke to prevent or remove the corruption of sinne which yet remaineth in them they do onely serve to shew what grace they have or prepare and make way for that grace they shall have Crosses are not curses to them but blessings for Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth and teacheth him out of his Law Psal 94.12 Vs that is the Disciples as well as others The Disciples were alreadie justified yet by Christs direction even they must every day make this petition even as oft as for daily bread whence learne Doct. 5 The best of Gods children notwithstanding they be alreadie justified must everie day aske forgivenesse of their sinnes Daniel prayed every day Dan. 6.10 and in his prayer he confessed and asked forgivenesse for his owne sinnes and the sins of the people Dan. 9.19 Reas 1 The best men are clothed with infirmities Iam. 3.2 and in something or other do sinne daily therefore had need to aske forgivenesse daily Reas 2 If pardon of a sinne bee not asked that day in which it is committed the guilt lying upon the conscience it doth benumme the conscience and so it is forgotten altogether or else when it is put off till many sinnes be committed either the heart is discouraged with multitude of offences that it is afraid to present it selfe before God or if it doe come into Gods sight those many sinnes are confessed and prayed against but confusedly and in grosse for the most part In asking forgivenesse a man Reas 3 doth not aske onely that universall and absolute justification of his person before God but also continuance of that his gracious acceptance of him into favour also he asketh under that word forgive new applications to the conscience of pardon of the sinnes which daily he doth commit with a further ratification of assurance of salvation unto his heart It is not enough that the pardon of mans sinne be actually passed with God but this pardon must be sued out that the same may also be passed in a mans conscience and this must be renewed daily even as the conscience is blurred and stained with sins daily else a man shall have little fruit or comfort of that generall and originall pardon which standeth upon record for him in the heavens The Lord hath in most excellent wisedome ordered that the justification of a sinner should be in this manner namely though it be a perfect and absolute act of God whereby the person of every membere Christ in the very instant of actuall ingrafting into Christ standeth acquitted of all sinnes yet in respect of the application of it by the worke of the holy Ghost and in respect of the full execution of it hee will that it shall be made knowne to man by parts and degrees and that he shall waite for the full execution of it untill the day of the Lord. For this maketh a man conceive more hainously of sinne and to be more circumspect that hee doe not commit it it maketh him more earnest to pray that it may be forgiven and it maketh him more heartily thankefull when it is forgiven If any dreame of perfection Vse 1 in this life this doctrine may serve to awake them out of it for if the best men need forgivenesse daily then without question the best doe sinne daily By this it appeareth that sins Vse 2 committed after Baptisme and relapses and backesliding after conversion are pardonable else our Saviour would not have framed this petition of asking forgivenesse for the use of Peter and the rest of the Church in case of their failings And if God require that one man forgive another not onely every day but seven times in one day then God will much more forgive his children if they sinne oft in one day if they doe but confesse their sinnes and aske him forgivenesse Vse 3 This reproveth those that put off the seeking of forgivenesse of sinne either untill the hand of God be upon them Danger of deferring to obtaine forgivenesse of sinnes or untill some especiall cause of humiliation be offered then through disuse they are much to seeke for time hath caused many sinnes to be forgotten and custome of lying long in sinne doth harden the heart that it doth not distaste sinne as it might have done when it was first committed Hence for the most part commeth slight generall and confused confessions and prayers or if they set themselves more carefully to search out their sinnes it having beene long since they made their peace with God the multitude of their sinnes come so thicke
duty to pray for Reas 1 the dead as well as the living there would have beene some precept or it would have beene commended in some example in Scripture Wherefore wee may conclude in such a case as this from the silence of Scripture that onely the living not the dead are to be prayed for It is vaine and bootlesse to Reas 2 pray for the dead for either they be carried by the Angels into heaven where they need not our prayers Luk. 16. or else they are throwne into hell the Scripture knoweth no third place out of which our prayers cannot fetch them Eccles 9.10 And there is no repentance or forgivenesse in the grave Vse We are therefore to abhorre and avoid that point of Popery which teacheth praying for the dead yet as absurd and vain as it is that old Poperie which was bred in the bone will not out of the flesh of many Protestants For many will never speake of any departed but with this addition God be with him or Lord have mercie on his soule If ye tell them of this fault they say Better say so than worse and if we do them no good by our prayers wee are sure we do them no harme I answer what necessity is there of praying better or worse for them And grant that your prayers do them no harme I am sure they do them no good But in praying for them you do your selves harme in committing a sinne against God by making a prayer which cannot be a prayer of faith Now he is unwise that will do himselfe harme in any thing wherein he neither pleaseth God nor doth good to his neighbour Our implyeth a plaine acknowledgement and confession of sinne without hiding excusing or extenuating of sinnes Whence this is observable In asking pardon of sinne there Doct. 8 must alwayes be an heartie acknowledgement and confession of sinne When David gave over hiding his iniquitie and said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord then saith he Thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sin Psal 32.5 We have a large example of his confession of sin originall and actuall Psal 51.3 4 5. Daniel saith We have sinned against thee Dan. 9.8 Heartie confession of sinne Reas 1 giveth glory to God for thereby it is acknowledged that God should have been obeyed this giveth him the glory of his authoritie and soveraigntie Also thereby is acknowledged that Gods Law which is broken is equall holy and good else the act of sinne could not be acknowledged to be a fault Reas 2 A free confession sheweth that a man is ashamed of his sinne and that he is humble and sorie for it and he is hereby capable of forgivenesse whereas when a man hath committed a sinne if he will not confesse it it doth then stand God upon to seek out his proofes and bring him to his triall Reas 3 An unfained confession of sinne argueth a true desire of pardon yea it doth put an edge to desire for when the bed role of many damnable sinnes is laid open to the view of a man it will make him earnest with God as it did Daniel who after his confession is most fervent in prayer saying O Lord heare O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do deferre not for thine own sake O my God Dan. 9.19 God hath promised to forgive Reas 4 those that confesse their sinne If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.9 It is therefore a great fault Vse 1 not to confesse but to go about to hide sinne from God and a mans owne conscience this doth greatly aggravate sinne This sinne is one of the first sins and one of the commonest sinnes that are amongst the sonnes of men When the devill had drawne Adam and Eve into sinne he knew the best way to keepe them from forgivenesse was to teach them to excuse and extenuate their sinne the man layeth the fault on the woman yea upon God himself Gen. 3. the woman layeth it on the serpent neither of them will take it upon themselves Even so it is with all the children of Adam untill God endue them with a great measure of his grace either they will denie or excuse or extenuate or shift it off imputing their sinne either to their naturall disposition therefore they cannot chuse they must bee borne with or they impute their sinnes to the wickednesse of the times or to their companie or to the deuil when all this while the evill heart which is most in fault is not charged at all with any faultinesse whereas in touch whatsoever was the occasion or whosoever was the entise if the heart yeeld to commit sinnes the sinne is a mans own and must be called as it is in the petition Our debt or my dâ— It is the extreamest folly 〈◊〉 can be to go about to hide siâ— for it cannot be hidde from his eyes which seeth all things who will one day when all secrets shall bee made manifest fully discover it It is a fault to commit sinne but it is aggravated when it is not confessed If I covered my transgression as Adam or after the manner of man saith Iob Iob 31.33 and 2. By hiding my sinne in my bosome Then what portion of God is there and what inheritance of the Almightie from on high verse 2. For this is the generall evill which is to be applyed to all the particular sinnes mentioned in that Chapter The hiding of sinne therefore is dangerous according to that saying He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper Prou. 28.13 Would any man have his Vse 2 sinnes forgiven then let him uncover his sins and lay them open before God in confession that so God may hide and cover them in Christ who is the covering and true propitiation of all our sinnes that through him he may put them out of his remembrance as if they were cast into the bottome of the sea In confession it shall be needfull to observe these rules 1 Confession must be heartie not verball for this is meere hypocrisie 2 It must be voluntarie not constrained and forced as wâ— that of Pharoahs when Gods terrible judgement being upon him hee said I have sinned against the Lord c. Exod 1â— 16 3 It must bee mixed with faith and hope of pardon 〈◊〉 was that of Daniel Dan 9.9 saying 〈◊〉 the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against thee It must not be a desperate comâ—sion like that of Judas Mat. 27 4. sayiâ— I have sinned in betraying innâ—cent bloud 4 It must be with holy affections of griefe godly shame for sinne with contrition and brokennesse of heart with a lothing and detestation of the sinnes confessed and with true humiliation of heart Thus did Ezra confesse saying O God Ezra 9. I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our heads Thus did the
prodigall sonne saying Father Luk. 15.18.19 I have sinned against heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Such was the confession of the honest Publican who with a dejected countenance and humble gesture said Be mercifull unto me a sinner Luk. 18.13 5 It must be entire and unpartiall one particular must leade to the confession of originall sinne so did David Psal 51.5 And from originall sinne wee must ascend to particular actual sinnes and as neare as we are able unto all particulars be they secret or open among which bee sure that thou conceale not those sinnes to which thou art most inclined yea thy best beloved sinnes especially 6 Lastly confession of sinnes must be made with full purpose and resolution of heart to forsake them Whosoever shall in this sort confesse their sinnes shall assuredly be forgiven For he that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall have mercie Pro. 28.13 Debts Sins are called debts because of the resemblance they have to debts by forfeit for not keeping the condition of the obligation Whenâ— note Doct. 9 Sinnes do cast men into debt and into arrerages with God Those that are called sinnes 〈◊〉 Luk. 11.4 are here called debâ— by Matthew And sinne is likened unto the debt of ten thousand talents Mat. 8.24 Sinne is a breach and forfeiture Reas 1 of that bond of obedience wherein man doth stand bound to God by the Law The consequences of sinne Reas 2 do argue it for when sinne is committed either paiment and satisfaction must bee made by the suretie Christ Iesus or else a man is lyable to the arrest of his own conscience and in certaine danger to be cast into the prison of hell untill hee have payd the utmost farthing that is for ever and ever This serveth to discover unto Vse 1 all sinfuâ— men that they are much in debt and in the state of bankrupts they are more in debt than themselves and all their friends they can make in this world can satisfie yet foolish men if they be so wealthie and withall so civilly honest as to owe no man any thing they are then proud and insult over their neighbours when yet they make no bones of any sin that may make for their pleasure profit or credit This doctrine doth give these foolish ones to understand that there is a debt of love to be payd to their neighbour and a greater debt of love and obedience to God which debt they must pay or else if it be not answered for they do forfeit their bodies and soules to the wrath of God to be tormented in flames of brimstone for ever Wherefore I wish all such to consider they are farre in debt it may be not of money but in a debt which is ten thousand times worse they are in debt to Goâ— into whose hands of justice it is a most fearfull thing to fall Heb. 10.31 If they were in debt to man it may be they have or may have wherewith to pay it or might by bribes or favour or cunning de vices or by hiding themselves or by running away or lastly by death quit themselves of their adversaries But this debt of sinne no man can pay for what shall a man give for exchange for his soule Mat. 16.26 What is the whole world to it it cannot buy out one soule Here is no shifting of the arrest of conscience sooner or later it will serve them with a writ to appeare and answer at the great Assises before Gods judgment seat there is no hiding of themselves though they call to the mountaines to cover them there is no running away Rev 6.16 Luk 23.30 Psal 139.7 for whither can they runne from Gods presence And whereas death freeth other debters this debt into which sinne hath cast them is most called for and most terrible after death when within a little while they must come to judgement where Gods justice is so exact and infinite that every particular sin with every aggravation thereof must be put into the inditement and into the plea and be proved against them then hee must passe sentence against them and then except it can be pleaded for them that Christ Iesus hath satisfied for them and unlesse they can shew an acquittance sealed by the Spirit of God in their life time before their death which seale leaveth alwaies an impression of holinesse in him that is sealed if they cannot doe this the exeâ—tion of eternall damnation is served upon them Oh fearâ— execution and oh miserable men that are in continuall daâ—ger of it yet make no care 〈◊〉 prevent it Vse 2 This should stop the mouthâ— of those that scoffe at such 〈◊〉 feare God for being so 〈◊〉 and so nice as they will ca◠〈◊〉 because they tye themselves so strictly to heare every Sermon which they can with any convenience and because they will not let a day passe without prayer nor will eate a meale but with prayer before and thankes after meate they will not sweare an oath nor runne to Wakes and dancing on the Sabboth day they will not drinke with good company as they call themselves nor be familiar with those that are not so precise as themselves for this they count them fooles and call them Puritans and any thing that may disgrace them This Doctrine giveth these scoffers to know that if these should not doe the things for which they twit them they should runne into the debt before spoken of and what though the omission of some things they doe be but a small sinne as they will account it yet many of these will make a great debt besides the least debt without forgivenesse will damne a man These men therfore might be wiser and should forbeare their scoffes and it were much safer for them to doe as the strictest Christians doe Vse 3 This putteth an apology into the mouthes of those who are excepted against for their precisenesse Are those things ye doe commanded and are the things you forbeare forbidden in the word of God you must looke to that then you have to answer your conscience and all that shall except against you and may say sinne 〈◊〉 a debt you are loath nay you dare not come into that debt which may forfeit your right and comfort in God and may cost you the losse of your soules If this answer may not be taken it is because they want grace true wisedome But howsoever let this comfort and confirme your owne hearts in well doing Let this provoke all men to Vse 4 avoid sinne and if it were possible not to commit it at all But because in many things wee sinne all therefore when wee have sinned let us conceive of it as of the forfeiture of our soules that it may humble us and cause us to seeke in time to get this forfeit wiped out of Gods booke by such meanes as are appointed by God himselfe in his word which are by beleeving and resting
purpose of revenge must absolutely and utterly be laid downe by us and of this forgivenesse the petition speaketh of requiring of debts and of satisfaction for the second evill in the wrong done to us that is for the hurt and damage wee sustained by the wrong is that which the Scripture alloweth us to require Yet because requiring of debts and satisfactions may proceed from malice and revenge difference must bee put betweene one wrong and another some are small and they do us little damage and the consequence of them cannot bee to any great harme some other wrongs are great which do much hurt our names goods or lives and the consequent of them is great Againe satisfactions must be distinguished some are to be made to the Magistrate others unto the partie wronged Now all those smaller wrongs which are no great blemish to our name or any great empairing of our goods or quiet must be remitted even in respect of satisfaction 1. Pet. 4.8 because love should cover all such offences And if we seeke satisfactions in these cases it must needs proceed from want of love and from some degree of revenge except the Magistrate and common-wealth be interessed in the cause and do require us to prosecute such offenders for to make them examples to like offenders but then it must bee done in love and mercy to their persons But if the damage be greater than love is bound to passe by In what case a maÌ„ may go to Law and how because in our name life and goods we are much wronged or the consequent of not seeking satisfaction would be much to our damage or to the dishonour of God and religion as in some cases it falleth out where the matter of the wrong is not alwayes great in such cases the Scripture alloweth us to seeke satisfactions but with these and the like cautions and rules First be sure the cause of the complaint be good and just Secondly that as I said it be a matter of weight 1. Cor. 6.5.6 Thirdly that it be necessary for what may be well composed otherwise must not beâ— brought to the Magistrate Fourthly the prosecution oâ— a suit or complaint must not be in an ill manner as in splâ— and malice or by any indirect and unlawfull courses but 〈◊〉 love and in a legall way Fifthly the end of the proâ—â—cution must be good as to reâ—ver his right without whiâ— he cannot well live withâ— his owne or others great prejudice or it must ayme at the suppression of the wicked Psal 10.17.18 1 Cor. 5.5 Deut. 19.19.20 1. Tim. 2.2 or chiefly at their reformation or for the terrour of others or last of all that we may live in peace The objections being answered and the doctrine thereby explained the uses follow All malicious and revengefull Vse 1 persons who will yet say this petition are hereby condemned of grosse hypocrisie and lying to Gods face when in words they say they do forgive but in truth they do not And withall in saying these words they must know that they make an imprecation against themselves so that God may in justice according to their owne words not forgive them because they do not forgive others And if any leave out this clause out of the Lords Prayer because they hate their brethren they are guilty of no lesse sinne than he that uttereth it in hypocrisie They that revenge themselves upon their neighbours wrong God more than their neighbour could wrong them for they usurpe upon his divine prerogative Ro. 12.19 for vengeance is mine saith God I will repay Therefore they should not give place to wrath for if they would be patient God would right them Let all these unmercifull and revengefull spirits consider what is said in the parable of him that would not forgive his fellow-servant Mat 18.34 He was deliuered to the tormentors and let them also consider that thâ—â— shall be judgement mercilesse 〈◊〉 him that hath shewed no mercie Iam. 2.13 Let everie one that would have God forgive him his sins freely from his heart forgive all those that trespasse and wrong him Let us for this cause put 〈◊〉 bowels of mercie Colos 3.12.13 kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering forbearing one another and then this will follow forgiving one another No man can wrong us so much as we daily trespasse against God therefore if he forgive us the greater we must forgive the lesse No man can wrong us so much as our Saviour was wronged for us Luk. 23.34 yet he forgave his persecutours and hath left us his example that we should follow his steps And because no man shall have the like provocations that Gods children shall have they have need of much faith wherefore that wee may forgive our brethren untill seven times a day let us with the Disciples pray Lord increase our faith Luk. 17.4 5. If any man have a mercifull heart though sometimes his Vse 3 heart wil begin to rise and boile against his brother yet if he can and do keep it downe and doth put away al purpose of revenge freely forgiving his brother this man should herein take comfort because he may with boldnesse aske and expect of God that he will forgive him For mercy rejoyceth against judgement Iam. 2.13 The sixt Petition And leade us not into temptation but deliver us from evill When a man having beene wearied with the burden of the guilt of sinne and with the feare of Gods wrath hath at the length by earnest sute obtained forgivenesse of all his sinnes and also peace with God his next desire and care is how he may keepe this peace by endeavouring to spend the rest of his time in holinesse willing in all things to please God The thing contrary to this holinesse is the act of sinne which is here called evill The cause of this evill is temptation both which are deprecated in this petition and the contrary namely good motions unto holinesse with perseverance therein are prayed for The subject therefore of this petition is sanctification consisting of abstinence from evill and perseverance in doing that which is good The place and order of this petition is excellent for by obtaining what is here asked a man keepeth his peace with God and holdeth the assurance of pardon of his sinnes Secondly holines bringeth with it convenient meanes for this present life for it hath the promise thereof 1. Tim. 4.8 or contentment with want 1. Tim. 6.6 Thirdly it enableth a man to do the will of God on earth Fourthly it is a proofe that the kingdome of God is come unto him Lastly when grace is obtained and sinne beaten downe in the same measure Gods name shall be glorified Thus it appeareth how all the petitions in a perfect order are linked one to another all the five latter serving the first and principall namely the glory of God in hallowing his name This petition is propounded in two sentences joyned together
causeth the will so to incline to good that it will imbrace the motion therunto perform it if he can For true saving grace is goodnesse making the sinfull and evil will of man holy and good Now the goodnesse and holinesse of the will of man reformed doth not consist in a bare power to resist evill and to doe good if a man will but it is an habituall disposing of the will to that which is good onely Hence it is that although by reason of the dominion of the flesh before a man is regenerate and by reason of the remaines of the flesh after he is regenerate he is apt to resist for a time may actually resist exhortations and motions unto good actions also is apt to take part with a temptation to evill and for a time to yeeld unto it yet this saving grace of God is so powerfull that in the end it prevaileth against all opposition made against it For this gracious work of God doth so cleare change the judgement will and affections and doth so powerfully purge and convince the conscience of a man that it taketh away froÌ„ him a wil to resist a motion unto good and it taketh a-away from him a will to take part with a tentation to evill so that his former unwillingnes to good his former willingnesse to evill ceaseth and therefore hee hath no longer a will actually to resist that which is good though in respect of the nature of the will there doth remaine a possibility of resisting if the will were otherwise disposed The will of man which was ill disposed having formerly lost its freedome to good being in bondage to sinne and to Sathan is now by this grace of GOD rightly disposed being freed and set at liberty to bend it self from sinne towards holinesse and iâ— thereby inabled actually to refuse the evill and to choose the good This alteration and change in the will of man and the effectuall determination of it by Gods grace infused is not made by any constraint of the will for the will cannot be constrained And it is without any the least infringing of the liberty of mans will in a most free production of his acts For it is effected by a gentle by a sweet and by a gratious drawing forth the act of the will in a morall way by force of argument and perswasion For it causeth together with the propounding that divine truths are received with that clearenesse and evidence in mans judgement that in reason hee neither can nor will chuse but beleeve them Likewise this good grace causeth sinnes from which a man is dehorted to appeare to him so odious and abhorrent that he in reason neither can nor will chuse but refuse and shun them when in a temptation they are presented to him Also it maketh the good to which a man is exhorted and moved to appeare so lovely so desirable and so choise worthy that he in reason neither can nor will choose but to imbrace it and endeavour to performe it 2 Cor. 8.16.17 In this manner was the will of Titus drawn forth into act according as Saint Paul testifieth when he saith Thankes be to God which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you for indeed he accepted the exhortation This grace doth so strengthen the inner man with might by a plentifull and powerful shedding the love of God into mans heart that it causeth such an ardency of love unto God and causeth such an intension of will to please God and such a conviction of the conscience of his duty to God that the love of Christ 2 Cor. 5.14 to use the Apostles phrase constraineth him and prevaileth powerfully overcommeth his old contrary delight and concupiscence of the flesh so that the old man of sin cannot doe the evill nor yet hinder the good which it would Gal 5.17 For when God pleaseth to worke in man effectually to salvation hee doth by his grace first inlighten the minde and heale the will of its imbred aversenesse and adversenesse to good and of its pronesse to evill Isa 57.17.18 and this hee doth by his spirit ingenerating and infusing a spirituall principle of grace giving to man a divine new nature 2 Pet. 1.3.4 which is as the soule of the soul by which mans will is not left indifferent and indetermined to doe or not do but by which it is made apt Psa 119. â—0 and by which it doth bend and presse forward unto the performance of all such actions as doe tend to a supernaturall end such as tend to Gods glory and eternall life this hee doth by his prevenient grace then from this inward and vital principle God by his subsequent grace preoperating and setting man on worke the understanding will and affections do apply themselves according as they are occasioned by their objects and their God assisting the acts of faith hope and charity are drawne forth and perfected This grace therefore whereby a man is delivered from evil is not onely an habituall grace giving a power onely to the will leaving it in the pleasure of the will to suspend whether it will resist a temptation or no but it is an actuall grace improving the habituall power which God infused into the heart of man in the first act of true conversion which it doth by adding new strength whereby it assisteth and stirreth up the will and draweth forth its ability into the act both to nill and to shunne what is sinfull and to will and to doe what is honâ— and godly For as no man hath so much as a power to will to abstaine from sinne without habituall grace so neither can he actually abstaine from sinne without actuall grace The morall power of abstaining from sinne floweth from that good habit of grace which prevaileth over the naturall power of the will causing it to cease its indifferency to good or evill and to incline unto good onely and that not in generall as by the naturall power of the will it may doe but in speciall namely to the good of holinesse and honesty This good habit is by a speciall grace of God brought into act not onely to will but to doe that which is good Phil. 2.13 and acceptable in his sight For God not onely determines the will to the substance of the act by a way of determination naturall but also to the goodnesse of it by way of determination supernaturall This grace God giveth to one and not to another not because of his fore-sight of what one would doe and another would not or because one hath disposed himselfe for it by the readinesse of his will or by some other good worke and the other hath not but of his meere good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Therfore he that would have it must aske it of God by prayer That it is needfull to the producing of good workes of faith repentance new obedience and of
perseverance that GOD should afford first his prevenient superoperating grace to begin the good worke in the will of man whereby the will being an active power doth suboperate and actually will to beleeve will to repent and to resist a temptation to live godly and to persevere and also that it is needfull that God do afford a subsequent prevailing grace whereby a man under God by his helpe may indeed beleeve repent resist a temptation and doe what may be pleasing in Gods sight and also persevere this is evident both by the Scriptures namely Philip. 2.13 and elsewhere as also by the experience of the best children of God God hath given the Apostle grace to will for hee saith Rom. 7 1â— 18.19 to will was present with him when yet he wanted power to doe the good which he would for he saith also how to perform that which was good hee found not The Spouse had grace to wil to runne after Christ yet in the sense of her inability actually to runne she prayeth thus Cant. 1.4 Draw me and we will runne after thee Our Saviour saith Ioh. 6.44 none can come to him except the Father draw him That man commeth to Christ that is beleeveth in him this is the formal and proper act of man but that hee is wrought to this act this is of God by his grace as effectuall as if he were forcibly drawne Now if God should give onely a lesse measure of grace that is if he onely raise the will to an indifferency to will if a man will and shall suspend the concourse of his gracious power requisite to the act of willing and doing that which is good untill the will by its owne liberty now restored by grace shall determine whether it will choose or refuse to will or to doe man in this state shall never partake of that gracious concourse whereby a man should actually will or doe any thing that is truely morally good for man in this state will never determine to will or to doe that which is good but rather the contrary For since mans fall the remaines of inbred sinfulnesse even in the regenerate which doth so easily beset him Heb. 12.1 together with the addition of the weight of a temptation these will if God adde no more then a generall concourse of his power which hee affordeth to the substance of al mens actions good or bad or if hee onely be ready to yeeld a speciall gracious concourse to the doing of a good worke which hee is a like ready to yeeld unto all upon supposition that their will shall first determine to wil or to doe it the weight I say of the disposition of the flesh lusting against the spirit the weight of the temptation will cause that the wils indifferency to good shall cease and the will of man will actually determine for that which is evill Whence it must of necessity follow that every man will inevitably fall into sinne and will live and dye in it and so no man can possibly be saved for wee may well reason thus If our first father Adam who had not in his will two contrary principles flesh and spirit who had not two contrary dispositions and propensities fighting weighing one against the other as every man even he that is most regenerate now hath But if Adams will was habitually and perfectly well disposed to the choise of good only having not the least propensity to evill and had no weakenesse but what was common to him as a creature namely a possibility through freedome of his will to choose the evill and to refuse the good if he would it being possible that he might be deceived in judgement yet because when he was tempted though with no other temptation but such as by his habituall grace he might easily have resisted God left him to the liberty and power of his owne will and did not afford him a speciall helpe by his grace he was overcome of the temptation Let it now be considered if Adam in state of innocency and in a state of perfection if when he was left to the liberty and power of his will the temptation caused his will that was in equall balance to will and to make choise of that which was evill being overcome of the temptation is it possible that any man living who shall have onely grace to will and do well if he will who shall have no more grace of God till first he himselfe hath determined to will that which is good shal ever actually withstand daily temptations or being fallen shall ever rise out of his fall for hee never will will either to resist the temptation or by repentance to rise out of his sinne The matter of this petition and the words being explained they carry this sense O Lord God which lovest good and hatest evill thou which over-rulest and disposest all things by thy divine providence now that of thy mercy thou hast delivered me and all other of us that beleeve from the punishment of all our sinnes past in forgiving all our trespasses do not now we beseech thee expose us unto the temptations of the wicked world of the divell or of our owne evill hearts but that whensoever they assault us to entice us or enforce us to evill we may by the power of thy grace and might resist and overcome them And whereas through our frailty we are fallen and daily doe fall into sinne Lord give grace unto us to rise out of our sinne by hearty repentance For this cause vouchsafe unto us thy holy spirit that good motions may be put into us and may be strengthened in us that by the deeds thereof we may mortifie the deeds of the flesh Let the same good spirit also frame us unto and uphold us in an holy course of new obedience that we may serve thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life to the glory of thy most holy Name in doing thy will Lead us not c. It is evident that sanctification and holinesse of life is the principall thing aymed at in this petition whence if we observe with it the conjunction and which joyneth this to the other petition wee learne Jt ought to be the desire and Doct. 2 endeavour of all Christians as well to be holy in this life as to be happie in that which is to come As well to have power against sinne as pardon of it as well to be sanctified as justified Christ prayeth for all that did should beleeve saying J pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keepe them from evill Ioh. 17.15 and verse 17. Sanctifie them with thy truth David speaking of presumptuous sinnes saith to God Let them not have dominion over me Psal 19.13 The like prayer he maketh against all sinnes saying Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 119.133 The whole tenor of
came to passe that Rehoboam sinned the infatuating of Rehoboam who was of himselfe partially and corruptly affected towards his young Councellours and the not putting of wisedome into Rehoboams greene head was of God but that Rehoboam made choice of the worst counsel that was a most free act of his owne Now Gods hand was in the disposing of these things that the thing before prophesied might come to passe Thus much the word translated cause doth signifie scil the thing brought about or brought to passe was from God This act of not hearkening must be considered in divers respects First as an evill act of Rehoboam and his evill Councellours in this respect God did not cause it Secondly it must be considered as a meet punishment of that kingdome and as a means to bring to passe the prophesie of Ahijah in which respect that God in justice should leave Rehoboam and his young Councellours to their folly and to the pride of their owne hearts it was good and was caused of God Thus it may appeare as I hope that God hath an over-ruling and disposing hand in mens sinnes without being author of sinne and without any impeachment of his-holinesse The uses follow They are therefore to blame Vse 1 that alter the forme of this petition saying Suffer us not to be led in stead of Leade us not Their end may bee good but their alteration is naught and to no purpose for in truth this change of words doth not cleare Gods justice any more then Christs owne words Let the petition therefore remaine and stand holy as it is set down by Christ for it is presumption to teach Christ how to speake This our tenent is an apology Vse 2 against Papists or any other that shall slanderously affirme that we hold either directly or by consequent that God is the author of sinne although wee say as this petition teacheth us that God leadeth into temptation and hath more to do in the sinnes of men then a bare permission Vse 3 This should cause all men to admire and magnifie the infinit wisedome and perfection of Gods holinesse that can have so much to do with sinners and with their sinnes and yet there doth not so much as one dust or spot of defilement cleave unto him Vse 4 Hereby are condemned the blasphemies of very many who to excuse or lessen their sin will lay the fault on God because Gods determinate counsell hiâ— providence power permission and his giving men over is in their sin and because he might have hindered it if he would therefore they thinke they cannot chuse but sinne and why should fault bee found with them if God would it shouâ—â— be otherwise Such are brought in objecting Rom. 9. Who hath resisted his will Why doth he yet finde fault This they take from Adam who before his conversion would have laid the fault on God rather then take it on himselfe for he saith Gen. 3.12 The woman whom thou gavest to be wiih me she gave me of the tree and I did eate But take notice that although he thus extenuated his sinne by laying it on God yet God could Gen. 3.17 and did curse Adam and the earth the bitter fruits whereof we feele unto this day Know therefore thou that any way darest put off thy sin upon God if thou do not beleeve in Christ and forsake thy sinne the Lord will one day shew to thy cost that he can bring it about that thou through thine owne evill heart shalt sinne he giving thee over unto it and yet can in holy justice cast thee into hell for thy sinne For he can say he deceived the false Prophet and yet justly punish the said Prophet and all that are deceived by him Ezek. 14.9 10. Vse 5 May God if he please leade into temptation and can we not be overcome by temptation except the Lord permit This should teach all men to live so that God may be their friend and may not be provoked in his justice to give them over to the power of the devill and unto their owne lusts For which cause observe and keepe these directions following 1 First make your peace with God by faith in Christ repent of all sinnes past and having hereby obtained friendship with God then keepe it by being good before him which is then approved when you shall endevour to please him by doing his will in time to come which if ye do for this is to be good before God or to please God then you shall escape the snares and nets the hands and bands of the most enticing harlot in the world the like may be said of all other temptations but the sinner saith Solomon shall be taken by her Eccles 7. 2 As much as in you is abstaine from all sinne for since mans fall Gods giving over unto sinne is a punishment for some former sinne but especially shunne those particular sins for which God doth in speciall sort give men over the chiefe whereof are these following 1 First all refusing 2 Thess 2.10.11 or a slight and formall receiving of the truth For this causeth God to send men strong delusion to beleeve a lye 2 Abusing or not making right use of that knowledge a man hath Rom. 1 21.22 23 24 26 28. doth cause God to infatuate and give him over to vile affections 3 A willingnesse of heart to be ignorant of the truth and a wilfulnesse to practise evill for of such saith the Lord Ezek. 14.4 He that setteth up his idols in his heaâ—â— and cometh to the Prophet I the Lord will answer him that commeth according to the multitude of his idols 4 Presumption of a mans owne power of himselfe to resist temptations Matth. 26.33 34. for this cause the Apostle Peter was given over to fall so fearfully 5 All willing casting of ones selfe into the occasions of sinne for this cause Jehoshaphat's familiaritie with Ahab 1. Kin. 22. caused him to be given over to beleeve Ahabs false Prophets rather then good Micaiah 6 Idlenesse to live without a calling or negligently in a calling Ezek. 16.49 doth expose a man unto the Lords giving him over unto many abhominations for this he gave over Sodom to uncleannes 7 Allowance of secret sinnes this provoketh God many times to give men over unto some grosse open sinne that it may worke sense of sinne shame for sinne and true repentance in the elect may worke unto shame and eternall perdition of the reprobate Shun all sinnes therefore as much as in you lyeth if you would not have God leade you into temptation but especially take heed of those before mentioned Let all that beleeve in Christ and have thereby true interest Vse 5 in God draw comfort from this doctrine for God you see hath an overruling hand in the temptations and the sins of all men Satan therefore cannot winnow us nor buffet us no Luk. 2â— 31 he cannot touch us but as
keepe a good conscience holding it cause sufficient why they should speake evill of them and persecute them because they runne not with them to the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 5. which persons not only do evill themselves but desire that others may be as bad as themselves and doe delight in those which are most wicked Doth not God say that these shall give an account to him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead to which judgement if by no meanes they will bee reclaimed I doe leave them Vse 2 Whosoever would approve himselfe a lover of God of grace of his country of his neighbour and of himselfe and would approve himselfe to bee an hater of sin and would prove that he is an unfained Christian that hee is no hypocrite when he maketh this petition then let him bee earnest with God in hearty prayer that hee would sanctifie and give grace with the encrease thereof daily unto all his neighbours and brethren Also as God giveth unto any man a calling either by vertue of his place of authority or by that familiarity and speciall interest he may have in his neighbour or by any other good opportunity let him exhort admonish 1 Thes 5.11.14 and encourage his neighbour that hee may come out and keep out of the wayes of evill and may enter in and walk on in the wayes of godlinesse For whatsoever we must pray for we must do what in us lieth to procure it Wherefore except our neighbours shew themselves swine Mat. 7.6 by open and often trampling these pearles under their feet and except they shew themselves dogs by snarling at us and flying in our faces wee must never neglect this office of exhorting and instructing one another And let this bee remembred that even then when without breach of charity wee may count them as swine and dogs yet wee must never give over praying for them David did fast and pray for his enemies hee shed rivers of waters because men kept not Gods Law Ps 119.136 Samuel professeth 1 Sa. 12.23 hee will never cease to pray for Israel Ieremiah speaking of Gods judgements coming towards the Iewes saith But if ye will not heare it my soule shall mourne in secret for your pride Ier. 13.17 If a man shall first reforme his owne wayes by pulling the beame out of his owne eye Mat 7.5 if he be wise to observe the fit times and places wherein he doth admonish if when he doth endevour to restore his brother he do it with the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6 1◠hee may boldly and with hope of good successe instruct his neighbors If this duty were thus performed oh how should one neighbour enrich another with these holy pearles and there would not bee the thousandth part of that sinne committed that now is if every man would in wisedome and love be his neighbours remembrancer Set upon this duty therefore I confesse it is a thanklesse office amongst most men but it is most profitable to men and most praiseworthy with God and whatsoever effect it take with men thy work is with God and thou shalt shine in the end as a starre in the firmament Do Christians pray one for another Vse 3 that they may not be led into temptation but delivered from evill why then should any Christians discourage themselves because they cannot pray so earnestly aga nst the temptaons of sinne and Satan nor yet can resist them as they would Bee of good comfort notwithstanding onely persevere and never give over to pray and resist according to thy power for you must consider you have the benefit of other mens prayers yea of the prayer of Christ who did not only pray that Peters faith should not faile him when Satan should sift him but hee prayed that his Father would keepe from evill not only those which did then beleeve but those also which should beleeve Ioh. 17.15.20 of which number you are Vse 4 If it bee a Christian duty to desire and use all good meanes to preserve a neighbour from sinne then it is an unchristian part in any that shall take it ill when his neighbour doth exhort and admonish him which is the manner of most men who as if it were not fault enough to refuse good counsell returne him evill for his good giving him scornfull language saying Who made thee ruler over mee Looke to your owne selfe Exod 2.14 you shall not answer for me Who made you a controller You may meddle with your owne matters you take too much upon you and such like But know ye O ignorant unthankfull and foolish men God hath made every one a controller of another if to instruct and to admonish in love be to be a controller and tell me if the same man should acquaint you with your enemies purpose of taking away your life and should disswade you from going that way in which he lay in waite to kill you or should offer you his cōpany to assist you if he should tell you of your bodily disease and withall give you wherewith to cure you or should help quench the fire that is begun upon your house if he should but helpe your beast out of the ditch Exod. 23.45 or should but untangle your sheep caught in the brambles would you answer him with What is that to you or I need none of your helpe or Who sent for you or Who gave you authoritie to meddle with me or mine I presume you would not but meere common sense and civilitie would move you to hold these proffers to have proceeded from good neighbourhood and therefore you will accept his good will you will thanke him and will requite him with the like kindnesse if he need Grace and religion should teach you that Christian good counsel is a better fruit of Christian brotherhood and is a certaine evidence of a better love to you by as much as your soules are to be preferred before your body and your goodnesse before your goods He is a miserable foolish man who is wise in all things except in the case of his soule Let all men therefore be as readie to suffer wholesome words of instruction and admonition as any shall be willing to offer them It is their love to performe it but it shall be your benefit to accept and follow it Be of Davids minde he saith Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not breake my head And let us when any Abigal shall disswade us from sinne 1. Sam. 25.32 33. do as David did Blesse God first for sending them then blesse the advice and follow it and forget not in the last place to blesse the persons which advise us and labour to keepe us from sinning against God Whosoever shall receive instruction in this sort shall never want good counsellers nor good counsell nor
Whence we learne Whosoever would be preserved Doct. 6 from sinne must pray against and withstand the temptations thereof Hee that is not warie and carefull to resist temptations cannot live godly The divell did deceive Eve through his temptations Gen. 3. and Adam was likewise drawne into the transgression by the temptation of Eve Math. 4. whereas Christ Jesus the second Adam by resisting the divels temptations preserved himselfe from sinne The youth spoken of in the Proverbs was caught and insnared by the subtill temptations of the harlot Pro. 7.10.21 But Ioseph by resisting the temptations of his Mistrisse Gen. 39.9 kept himselfe chaste although her temptations were cunning and most importunate Christ saith again and againe Pray that ye enter not into temptation Luk. 22.40.46 Reas 1 For temptations and motions to sinne are the very seede and kernels of sinne which if they may be entertained so as they may but receive any warmth in a mans heart there is presently a conception of sin which will cause him to bee in labour and travaile of it untill he have brought it forth into act Iam. 1.14.15 There are no creatures so apt to beare issue nor ground so ranke to beare weeds no tinder or gunpowder so readie to take fire as the heart of man is to conceive sinne and be inflamed with lust by evill motions and temptations wherefore all that would avoid sinne have cause to resist it in the temptation To resist beginnings of the evill of sinne Obsta principijs is as needefull to be observed for a rule against diseases of the soule as to withstand evils of paine in their beginning is needefull in diseases of the body Hereby wee may judge what is the cause that sinnes doe abound Vse 1 and spread infinitely It is because temptations are not resisted which fault deserveth sharpe rebuke Yea many are so farre from praying against temptations that they willingly foster and nourish any that shall be offered and like him in the parable doe sweepe and garnish their hearts Mat. 22.44 opening the dores and making it ready prepared to entertaine any temptation They contrary to the Apostles command make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13.14 still thinking and plodding on wealth or feeding themselves with high thoughts or are alwaies hunting after unlawfull pleasure running alwaies into those actions places and companies which minister most occasions of temptations Insomuch that the divell and lust are not more ready to present evill motions then the minde is to plot and contrive how to compasse them Micah 2.1.2 or then the hand is to act them yet these men will mocke God and say Leade us not into temptation And if they be exhorted to avoid the occasions of temptations they set light by it and would make us beleeve they are not so simple as to be taken with idolatrie covetousnesse whoredome drunkennes pride revenge or any such like crime although they keepe company with idolatrous or covetous or voluptuous or vaineglorious persons Yea if we would beleeve them they can wallow in the midst of occasions of sinne and yet come forth undefiled Let a man husband his heart as well as he can and let him sow into it the best seed he can get yet he shall finde that too many lusts will of their owne accord spring up hinder the growth of godlinesse in him We count them ill husbands that will not weede their land but if wee should see men plowing and sowing nothing but all manner of weedes would wee not say they were out of their wits Such mad men are all those that nourish in them temptations unto evill But what men sow or suffer to be sowne that they shall reape Prov. 22.8 If they sow wickednesse they shall reape vanitie At harvest when others shall have corne they shall bee sent empty away When in the day of the Lord the good Wheate shall be saved the wicked with their lusts shall bee cast into a fornace of fire Mat. 13.41.42 Vse 2 Would any therefore not be the breeders and nurses to those evils which will like vipers kill all that doe bring them forth Let them take heed of temptations which beget them Wee must be carefull to shun all occasions of sinne for it is much easier to avoid the occasion then running into the occasion to avoid the sinne Occasions and tentations are snares it is much easier to avoid a snare then being intangled to get out of it Let us al therfore watch pray that we fall not into them But it is doubted by some that it is not lawfull to pray against being tempted thinking it lawfull onely to pray that they may not be overcome of the temptation I answer I doubt not but the very temptation it selfe as it is a motion and enticement unto sinne is to be prayed against also For the Apostle Paul did not onely pray to overcome the pricke of the flesh and buffettings of Satan 2 Cor. 22.7.8 but that it might depart from him And why may not a man desire not to meet at al with those his enemies which seeke his life as well as when they assault him desire to quit himselfe of them I confesse request must be made for the one and the other with some difference When we pray that wee may not be tempted it is always under correction not absolute but if it might stand with Gods will and pleasure wee desire to runne the race of Christianitie without meeting with stumbling blockes or any occasions of our stay or turning out of the way but if God will have us meete with these impediments we pray absolutely that we may passe over them and not be let or turned out of the way by them And if he will that wee must enter into the conflict we pray that we may overcome Now because resisting of temptations is of great consequent it wil be worth the pains to consider these foure things First what is a temptation Secondly who are the tempters Thirdly how they tempt Fourthly how a temptation may be resisted 1 Temptation is any and every motion unto the doing of any thing which God hath forbidden in his word or to the leaving undone any thing that God hath commanded or to do any thing otherwise then God hath commanded When a thought of any evill is presented to the minde to be done this is a temptation 2 The tempters are Satan called the tempter Matth. 4.3 Iam. 2 14. and men with whom we converse when they move others to sinne and also the lusts of our owne evill hearts 3 These tempters doe move a man to sinne by presenting unto the minde thoughts of sinne to be committed by him The divell by his suggestions as hee did to David putting him in minde to number the people 1 Chro 2.21.1 Man tempteth by speech or some outward signe whereby he giveth a man to thinke what evill
so well conceited of his Poperie as he looketh to winne heaven by it Ioh 16.2 The persecutour thinketh he doth God good service in molesting such as feare him The swearer thinketh his speech doth not sound well and is without all grace if it be not filled up with oathes The covetous the voluptuous the vaine-glorious all of them applaude themselves in their wayes as if they were good though as Solomon saith the issue there of is the way of death Pro. 14.12 It standeth sin upon that the devill and wicked men should transforme themselves and transforme sin and put some goodly painting upon it to make it seeme good else no reasonable man could be brought to commit it for the will of man doth by vertue of its meere nature so perfectly abhorre evill it being the proper object of detestation that it would alwayes shunne it therefore there is put an appearance of good upon it wherby it may deceive But woe be unto them that call evill good and good evill that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse Isa 5 2â— Vse 2 Doth Christ call sinne evill then let us beleeve him and not our owne lying hearts nor yet the father of lyes who would beare us in hand that sinne is not evil But let us alwayes conceive of every sinfull act as 〈◊〉 evil naughtie hurtfull act and let it be our greatest care to avoid sinne Oh if we could represent the acts of sinne under the name of an evill act unto our apprehensions our will would at the first motion loathe and detest it more then it doth a toad and a serpent and would either kill it or runne from it Whensoever therefore wee are tempted unto sinne let us see it as it is a most evill thing let us account of it as it is a most evill thing And whatsoever colours be set upon it or whatsoever good meanes it is called by if the thing so called be a transgression of Gods law let us call it a most evill and most abhominable thing Yea we must conceive of every sinfull action and must account it a greater evill then the eternall torments of hell For the least evill of sinne is greater then the greatest evill of punishment for the greatest punishment is an effect of Gods righteous hand but the least sin is contrary to God it is very enmitie unto his holinesse If sinne might appeare to everie reasonable soule to be as it is such an evill as hath beene said it would worke griefe and repentance of sinnes past and hatred and departing from sinne for ever afterward Vse 3 Lastly how thankfull should all Gods children be to him because he doth preserve and deliver us out of sinne out of the great evill every day and wee have his word that he will continue this grace untill we shall be presented to himselfe without any spot of this evill in the day of the Lord He doth not only pardon us and free us from the guilt and punishment of our sinnes but which is no lesse mercy he doth deliver us from the power of sin he delivereth us from evil We must therefore magnifie the Lord and say Who is a God like thee Mica 7.19 who doest not onely pardon but wilt subdue our iniquitie And with David let us call upon our soules to praise God because as he forgiveth all our iniquities so also he healeth all our diseases that is Psal 103.3 he doth sanctifie us delivering us from all evill For thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for ever These words containe the reason of all the petitions it is delivered in an exact forme of thanksgiving so that it doth excellently serve both to confirme the faith of him that prayeth and to give glory unto him that is prayed unto The Evangelist Saint Luke doth not mention this clause It is probable that when our Saviour did teach his disciples in private at the request of one of his disciples he did onely teach them how to make petitions but when hee taught them in publicke he did adde this clause to teach them as well how to praise him and give him thanks as to pray unto him and make requests It is sufficient for our learning that any one Evangelist hath recorded it In this clause wee have the note that sheweth that these words are a reason of the former requests in the word for Then wee have the arguments or grounds of the reason which are taken from certaine respeâ—â— in God which do minister matter of faith assuring them that they had cause to aske and expect of God all the former petitions and do also minister matter of praise shewing what cause there is why all glorie should be given unto him These respects of God are three Soveraigntie Power Glory which are set forth by the appropriating particle thine whereby these three Kingdome Power and Glory are ascribed as proper to God Thine is kingdome c. and also with the copulative and conjoyning the two latter respects or priviledges in God with the former and the power and the glory All which three are illustrated by their continuance for ever Kingdome signifieth Gods absolute soveraigntie over all things to whom onely it appertaineth of right to forgive and to give at his pleasure therefore they make their suite unto him Power signifieth that all-sufficiencie in God whereby he is able to do all things according to the good pleasure of his will Many have kingdome so that it pertaineth to them to help their subjects but want power as it was with the King of Israel who said in the famine 2 Kin. 2.27 If the Lord do not helpe whence shall I helpe But as it belongeth unto God to heare the petitions of his subjects so he hath power to grant whatsoever they shall have need of hence the petitioner gathereth assurance that he shall have his petitions granted Glory is that high estimation honour and praise which is due to any person for their worth and goodnesse this is originally in God as well as soveraigntie and power and in that respect is appropriated to him Wherefore when it is said Thine is the glory thus much is implied that as all glorie and praise is due to him so they do now give it to him And if he shall grant their requests it will be for his glory therefore they are bold to make these petitions and hope to speed in their suites whereas though it appertaineth unto God and he were able yet if the things asked were not for his honour and glory he would never grant them For ever is to be applied unto kingdome power and glorie namely it doth now and shall alwayes belong to his prerogative royall because kingdome is his to heare the petitions of his people He is now and shall for ever be able to helpe them he now hath and shall for evermore have glorie and praise ascribed unto him for granting their requests
Gods providence or grace usually bestowed else let no man looke to have his prayer granted He that doth aske daily bread he must labour and use the lawfull ordinarie meanes of maintenance else he may justly starve notwithstanding his prayer So likewise a man may pray for knowledge for faith repentance and for eternall life but if this bee but a sluggards wish and be not joyned with using the ordinarie meanes of knowledge faith and repentance as namely hearing reading and meditating of the Word of God and a right partaking of the Sacraments If a man do not heed the Word if he do not consider it and lay it to his heart If he do not withall improve the strength which hee hath gotten in the use of the meanes of grace considering what grounds and what cause he hath to beleeve and repent c. and if he do not assay and put himselfe on to the leaving the sinne he prayeth against or to the doing whereof he desired grace of God let him never thinke that he shall obtaine the things prayed for For God never intended to give them but in the use of those means which he hath prescribed If therefore your person bee not thus qualified If either you be not in state of grace or if you live in any grosse sinne unrepented or if you bee not in charity with your neighbour or if you have beene and are unthankfull for old favours or if you be failing in not using the lawfull meanes of having what you aske you may thanke your selfe if though you have prayed yet you have not your petitions Though your person may be in the maine fitly qualified in the former respects yet there may be such failing in the particular act of praying that it may hinder the granting of the praier As 1. If you pray not to God onely 2. If you conceive not of God aright 3. If you pray not in the name of Christ at least impliedly 4. If the matter of your prayer bee not good and warrantable 5. If you do not pray with understanding 6. If you do not intend your prayer as a worship of God and be sincere in it 7. If it be not with a sensible desire 8. If it bee not with attention of minde 9. If it be not with fervour 10. If it be not with holy devotion 11. If it be not to a right and warrantable end 12. And if it be not in faith beleeving that you shall have your request put up to God in manner as aforesaid and if it bee not such a faith which causeth you to waite patiently then if God have not heard you must blame your self and if you would be heard another time consider wherein you failed and amend it and particulary take heed that when you have endeavoured to pray as well as you can that your not beleeving you should be heard be not the chiefe cause why you have not your prayers granted It will further be objected Ob. If the before-mentioned failings may hinder the granting of our prayers then who can beleeve that ever his prayer shall be heard for who faileth not in some or other of them I answer first God is many times better to us than our praiers and if hee please hee may grant our petitions though made with some speciall failings if he do it is of his mercy if he do not the fault was in us But secondly difference must be put betweene a failing out of weaknesse and manifold temptations and that which is through wilfulnesse and customary negligence If a mans conscience can witnesse to himselfe that when he prayeth the intent and the bent of his heart is to pray aright and not to faile then God for Christs sake in whose name prayer is made doth passe by and forgive such failings and doth certainely heare Wherefore in such cases we ought when we pray to beleeve that God will grant our prayers notwithstanding such failings in prayer Secondly though we have not offended him in our prayers yet God may see cause why he will not grant them For the generall rule of his promise to heare our prayers doth admit of some exception As first when if the thing asked were granted it would crosse some acts of his eternall purpose not knowne to us which he hath intended for the setting forth of his glory in wayes unknowne to us whether it be in things concerning his Church or our owne selves in particular Moreover we are apt to desire things to come to passe in such or such a way and by such or such meanes and in such or such a manner as we thinke may stand well with Gods will when yet God hath some other way some other meanes of doing his Church or of doing us good in another manner then we expect Many times wee would have it our way but God holdeth it best to give it his way 2 King 5.11 Like Naaman the leper he would be cured one way but God cured him by another way Act. 27.24.30.44 God saved Paul and all with him not as they would by the safety of the ship but by the pieces of the ship after shipwracke We are apt to rest upon such and such meanes and to set the meanes above God then it is fit that he should choose other meanes yea hee doth many times choose weake meanes to confound the strong that all the praise may be given to God and that no flesh might glory in his presence Many want comfort and other things because they prescribe to God the meanes Mat. 26.39 In such cases wee should alwayes pray with a reservation namely if thou wilt let this thing be or let this thing passe yet not my will but thine be done A second exception is if the thing asked be not for our good We many times aske for things good in themselves and lawfull for us to aske but God who knoweth what is better for us than we do he knoweth that if we had them they would not be good for us In this case to be denyed our suite is a mercy and and a favour to us God promiseth that we shall want nothing that is good Psa 34.10 Psa 84 1â— Rom. 8.28 and that hee will with-hold nothing that is good and that all things shall worke together for good to them that love him Thirdly God doth heare and grant our prayers when wee thinke that he doth not God doth grant our requests divers wayes Sometimes he giveth the same thing that is asked even in the same kinde as when God gave unto Hannah a sonne at her request 1 Sa. 1.27 Psal 21.2 and gave unto David his hearts desire Sometimes God doth not give the same thing in kinde which is asked but the same in effect or that which is farre better When wee aske temporall blessings as health wealth liberty or the removall of such and such a crosse it may be God doth not hold it fit that those particulars
supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made knowne 〈◊〉 God Then the peace that wee have in God and in the conscience that at Gods command we have commended our cause to God should cause our hearts to rest quiet Thus it was with Hannah after that shee had prayed and by Elies speech had hope to speed it is said she went her way 1 Sa. 1.18 and did eat and drinke and her countenance was no more sad So likewise did David when he had prayed he saith I will both lay me downe Psal 4.8 and sleepe for thou Lord onely makest me to dwell in safety Secondly after wee have prayed we must bee diligent in using all good meanes which God hath appointed for the obtayning thereof We have a president for the using of means after prayer and that according to Gods direction in the example of a good Captaine Cornelius hee had fasted and prayed and as wee may judge by Gods answer hee prayed to be informed in the way of salvation God directed him to the ordinary meanes and he most diligently applyed himselfe unto them as we may read Acts the 10.5.9 and all with most happy successe Thirdly it shall bee good for us after wee have prayed from time to time to looke after our prayers and carefully to observe how they are answered and how God hath granted thē whether in the same particular or some other way either in giving us better things or giving patience and contentment without them or quickning us still to prayer and dependance on him causing as quietly to wait on him till he shall please to bestow them and accordingly wee must acknowledge Gods goodnesse to us with thankfulnesse as David did Psal 86.18.19 saying Verily God hath heard mee hee hath attended in the voyce of my prayer Blessed bee God which which hath in turned away my prayer not in mercy from me If upon observation we do not find our petitions granted then we must consider wherein wee fayled in prayer and amend it but we must not bee discouraged nor suffer our soules to bee too much disquieted we must pray againe and wait Ps 42.11 as David did on God assuring our selves that in his good time hee will heare us and that we shall praise him who is the health of our countenance and our God to whom be praise and glory for ever Amen FINIS A Table of the principall things contained in this Booke ASSurance of pardon of sinne to be desired 438. 442. How to be assured that our prayers are heard 753 What is to bee done if a man cannot assure himselfe that his prayer is heard 754 Of what things onely God is the Author 590 A large acquitting of God from being an Author of sinne though it be by his permission though he lead into temptation 576. c. All things are not common amongst Christians 388 In asking forgivenesse a man must confes his sins unto God 477 The properties of confessing sinnes aright 482 In what case a man may do contrary to scruple of conscience 71 Sinne doth cast men into the greatest debt 484 Difference betweene naturall and spirituall desires 5 After a man hath sought the things that concerne God he may desire those which concerne his owne good 327 Desires of temporall things are to be confined to the present day 363 The desires of the things of this life must be moderate 389 All divine properties in God are everlasting 710 What is meant by Evill in the last Petition 518 What it is to be delivered from Evill 521 Sinne is the Evill the worst of all evils 673 The best examples are to bee propounded for imitation 301 How far Christs example doth binde to imitation 8 Primary faith justifieth Secondary faith giveth assurance of Iustification 419. 420 All true Christians have the Lord of heaven and earth to their Father 138 What is meant by Forgive 403. c. Jt concerneth all to desire Forgivenesse 437 Motives inducing to aske Forgivenesse 446 It is God onely that forgiveth sinnes 447 Danger of deferring to aske forgivenesse 466 We must pray that others sins may be forgiven as well as our owne 470 Forgivenesse of sinne is to bee asked for the living not for the dead 475 Jn asking Forgivenesse it is good that a man expresse upon what grounds hee doth aske and expect forgivenesse 494 Who so would have God to forgive them they must forgive others 496 Cautions concerning gestures in prayer 161 Rules concerning gestures in prayer 162 God is an heavenly Majestie infinite in al holy excellēcies 146 God is not to be represented by an Image or under the likenesse of any creature 129. 151 The glory of Gods holy name must bee the chiefest of every christian mans desire and indeavour 196 Governours of Families must teach those that are of their charge the principles of religion 10 Motives to hallow Gods name 214 Jt must be every mans desire to be holy in this life 533 Reasons why we should be holy 540 Motives to holinesse 550 Meanes to be holy 556 We must desire that others may be holy as wel as our selves 621 Holinesse is of Gods free grace not of mans free will 557 Holinesse is the highest title of honour that can be given to any person 217 Justification freeth a man from the guilt and punishment of sin 457 Men already justified must yet aske forgivenesse every day 462 Who so is justified must be beholding to God for forgivenes of all his sins as well as of any 492 What is meant by Gods Kingdome in the second Petition 213. c. Of Christs Kingdome and the government thereof 228 Christs delivering up the kingdome to the Father and his being subject to him is no diminution of his glory 239. c. All Christians must unfainedly desire the comming of Gods Kingdome 248 In what cases man may goe to law and how 531 A man should desire to live upon his own maintenance 378 The enjoying things needfull for this life are of God 341. 342 What is to be held needfull 392 In heaven is all perfect obedience 298 Though Christians cannot be perfect in this life yet they must ayme at perfection 312 Meanes of growing towards perfection 314 What it is to pray 4 Preparation to prayer needful 30 A twofold preparation to prayer 32 What preparation is requisite 37 Requisites in prayer 33 Jt is every ones duty to pray 40 The use of Prayer though God have no need to be thereby informed 44 Causes of mens slacknesse in Prayer 51. 53 Motives to Prayer 55 c. Objections against Prayer answered 60 c. The Lords Prayer may be used and is to be used as a Prayer 72 Set Prayers are lawfull 73 All Prayers are to bee made according to the patterne of the Lords Prayer 79 He that would make a prayer every way acceptable must bee Gods childe 93 Though the Prayers of the wicked be abhominable yet they are not exempted from the dutie of