thy Pardon even a Right and Title to a Blessed and Glorious Inheritance Thy Pardon thou hast from the Passive Obedience of Christ in his Sufferings A Right to Heaven thou hast through the Active Obedience of Christ in fullfilling all Righteousness And through both hast thou obtained a compleat Justification God looking upon thee as Innocent through the Satisfaction of his Son and as Worthy through his Obedience both which are made thine by Faith Now this Pardon of sin is in Scripture set forth by very sweet and full Expressions It is called a blotting out of Transgression A Metaphor taken from a Creditors crossing the Debt-Book signifying thereby a discharge of the Debt And lest we might possibly fear God will implead us for them without Book the Prophet adds forgetting unto blotting out Esai 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for my Names sake and I will not remember thy sins It is called a covering of our sins Psal 32.1 Blessed is the Man whose Transgressions are forgiven and whose sin is covered Yea we have a further ground of Comfort for it is not only a covering of our sins but it is a covering of God's Face from them Psal 51.9 Hide thy Face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities It is a casting of them behind God's back as a thing that he will never more regard Is 38.17 Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back And lest we should suspect he should turn again to behold them it is called a casting of them into the bottom of Sea Mic. 7.19 as we do with things we would have irrecoverably lost and gone It is a scattering them as a thick Cloud Esai 44.22 When the Vapours of it are so dissipated that there shall not remain the least spot to obstruct the shining of God's Face and Favour upon our Souls Yea and so perfect an Abolition shall be made of all our Iniquities that though Divine Justice should enter into a strict search and scrutiny after them they shall not be found against us So the Prophet Jeremiah tells us Jerem. 50.20 In that day shall the iniquity of Israel be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found How hath God heaped up Expressions of his Grace and Mercy one upon another and studied words as it were to assure us of the Validity of our Pardon giving to us abounding Consolations as our sins have been abounding And thus much shall suffice to shew the Nature of Pardoning Grace and Mercy as expressed in these words Forgive us our Debts Secondly Let us consider unto whom this Petition for Pardon is directed and that is as all the rest are to our Father whose Laws we have violated whose Justice we have offended whose displeasure we have incurred and to whose vengeance we have made our selves liable and obnoxious to him we sue for Pardon and Remission Hence we may collect this note That it is the High Prerogative of God alone to forgive Sins God assumes this particularly to himself and seems to triumph in the Glory of this Attribute I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions And therefore when Christ cured the Paralytick the Scribes and Pharisees storm'd at him for a Blasphemer for saying Be of good chear thy Sins are forgiven thee Thou Blasphemest say they for who can forgive Sins but God alone Mark 2.7 And this Charge of Blasphemy which they laid against Christ had he not been the true God had been unanswerable And therefore our Saviour denies not their Principle which is most certain and infallible but to convince them that they themselves were Blasphemers in applying it to him proves his Deity by a Miracle and demonstrates his Authority to forgive Sins by his Power in healing Diseases But you will say if it be the incommunicable Prerogative of God only to forgive Sins How is it that we find this Privilege and Power ascribed unto Men also John 20.23 Whosoever Sins ye remit they are remitted It seems therefore that the Apostles and Ministers of Jesus Christ their Successors stand invested by Christ with a Power to forgive Sins I Answer Remission of Sins is two-fold either Authoritatively and Judicially or Secondly Ministerial and Declarative The former belongs only to God who by the meer Authority of his Grace and Mercy doth freely and fully acquit us of our Guilt without requiring any thing at our Hands by way of recompence or punishment Now for any Creature either in Heaven or Earth to assume this to himself is a most insolent and Blasphemous Pride which while the Pope of Rome doth he hath given us the strongest Argument that can be to assert and prove him to be the Antichrist and that Son of Perdition for among the many Characters that are given of Antichrist all of which do more than sufficiently belong unto him this is one that he exalteth himself above all that is called God 2. Thess 2.4 Not only above Titular Gods as Kings and Magistrates are for it is notoriously known what Power he arrogates unto himself in disposing Crowns and transferring States making Princes themselves far more inferiour to him than their Subjects are to them but also above the only Living and True God and the Lord Jesus Christ in pretending to a Judicial Authority to forgive Sins and Offences committed against God For it is clear and evident whosoever can Pardon the Offences of one Person against another must himself be Superiour to both and have Authority and Jurisdiction over both but chiefly over the Person offended to make him cease the Prosecution of his Right and sit down by the Wrong received For if a Prince should Pardon the Injury that one Subject doth the other he must command the Person grieved not to molest or prosecute him that hath done the Wrong and so disable him from taking revenge Now what a wretched and damnable Insolence is it for any vile sinful Man to pretend to such a Power of forgiving Sins committed against God as if by his Authority he could command God to surcease his Suit and to require no farther recompence but to rest himself contented that it is the Pope's Will and Pleasure to have it so What is this but to exalt himself above all that is called God not only on Earth but in Heavean it self A most horrid Blasphemy and so proper a Character of Antichrist that there needs no other to describe him by Secondly There is a Ministerial declarative Remission of Sins and this is either Internal in the Court of Conscience or External in the Court of the Church of Christ here upon Earth The former Remission is the Office or Ministery of the Holy Ghost sealing of us up unto the Day of Redemption by his silent and most comfortable Testimony witnessing unto us that our Sins are pardoned and our Persons accepted The External Declaration of Remission of Sins is an open publication to all
unto others that they may observe and admire them with us and give unto God that Holy Veneration which is due unto him Thus we see what the Name of God is and what it is to Sanctifie or Hallow this Name Thirdly Let us now consider what is contained in this Petition Hallowed be thy Name And here First In that Christ hath taught us to make this the first Petition in our Prayer to God we may learn that the Glory of God is to be preferred by us before all other things whatsoever And indeed that which God hath made the last and utmost of all his ends and hath appointed to be the highest and utmost of ours should be the First of all our Thoughts and Endeavours and preferred before whatsoever else is dearest unto us yea before our very Lives themselves This was our Saviour's Practice John 12.27 28. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Father Glorifie thy Name As if he had said Though Life be naturally dear and the Cup which I am to drink very bitter and the Wrath that I am to undergo heavy and infinite yet all these things are not so considerable to me as thy Glory and therefore though it be by Agonies by Death by the Cross yet Father Glorifie thy Name The same mind should dwell in us likewise and we should hereby be instructed to desire and pray for other things with limitations and restrictions but for the Glory of God absolutely and simply Father Glorifie thy Name and if in the Counsel of thy Will and the course of thy Providence it cannot be otherwise than by my Suffering or Sorrow yea or Death it self yet Father even in this Glorifie thy Name and out of my very Ruins erect thou a Trophy and Monument to thy Praise Be thou Hallowed and Sanctified although at my cost and with the loss of all Secondly In that this Petition is placed in the beginning of the Lord's Prayer it intimates to us that in the very beginning and entrance of our Prayers we ought to beg assistance from God so to perform Holy Duties that God may be Glorified and his Name Sanctified by us in it It is a good and needful request to beg of God the aid and help of his Spirit to enable us to Hallow his Name in the succeeding requests we are to make Thirdly Observe that when we present this Petition before God we beg Three things of him First Such Grace for our selves as may enable us to Sanctifie and Glorifie him Secondly Graces likewise for others to enable them thereunto Thirdly That God would by his Almighty Providence direct and over-rule all things both good and evil to the advancement of his own Glory First We beg of God that he would bestow upon us such Graces as are requisite to Glorifie him in the World We beg Knowledge and Understanding of him of his Nature of his Will and of his Works for we cannot Glorifie that God whom we are ignorant of We beg likewise Patience and Contentment in all Estates thankfulness for every Providence Graces that do highly tend to the Promoting of God's Honour and Glory We beg Faith likewise whereby we give the highest and greatest Glory to God that Mortal Men are able to ascribe for to trust upon his Word and to build upon his Promises is to Honour his Truth and Faithfulness And therefore we have that Expression Rom. 4.20 That Abraham was strong in Faith giving Glory to God We beg also that our Speech may be Savoury and such as may Minister Grace to the Hearers And lastly a humble blameless and exemplary life for by our good Works we are to Glorifie our Heavenly Father I cannot stand to insist upon these things particularly because my design is only to give you briefly and summarily an account of what is contained in this most Excellent Prayer that you may understand what you Pray for when you present these Petitions before God Secondly We herein beg of God That he would so over-rule all things whatsoever that his Glory may be secured nay promoted by them and therefore whatsoever falls out we ought to say Hallowed be thy Name by it Hereby we Pray that the Gifts and Eminent Graces of God's Children may redound unto his Glory that they may not be puffed up with them nor ascribe the credit of them to themselves That the Peace and Prosperity of the Church of Christ may turn to the Glory of God that outward Mercies may not make them careless and forgetful of his Service and Honour That the sins and failings of God's People may eventually turn to the Glory of God which seem directly to blot and stain it And that by their Repentance and Confessions they may give Glory to him whom they have offended and Satisfaction to them whom they have scandalized that all the Afflictions and Troubles of his People may in the end tend unto his Glory as well as their Good by declaring his Power in supporting them and his Goodness and Mercy in delivering them That all the Devices and Conspiracies the Rage and Fury of the Enemies of his Church may contrary to their intentions be overswayed to advance his Honour and that the Wrath of Man may praise him by shewing forth his Power Wisdom and Goodness either in restraining or overturning it And finally that all Creatures both in Heaven and in Earth yea all the Works of God's Hands should Glorifie God in the several Stations in which he hath set them Some by being the Manifestations of his Attributes and some the Manifesters of them Brutes and Senseless Creatures passively declaring the Glory of their great Creator and rational and intelligent Creatures shewing it forth actively and all concurring in this great Work for which all were made even the Glory and Praise of God Thus we see what a large and copious request we present before God when we pray that his Name should be Hallowed which that it may be let us our selves endeavour to be Holy for it is impossible that an unholy Heart or Life should Sanctifie a Holy God Whilst we persevere in our wicked Conversations we do but mock God and our selves when we desire to Sanctifie that Name of his which we daily prophane and pollute nay indeed we do but Pray for our own Destruction even that God would Sanctifie his Name part whereof is his just and dreadful severity upon all those and consequently upon our selves who defile and prophane it And thus I have finished the First Petition Hallowed be thy Name The Second Petition follows Thy Kingdom come This now very aptly succeeds upon the former because this is the best way and means to Hallow God's Name by enlarging his Kingdom and bringing in many to submit to his Scepter and Government For Praise waiteth for God in Sion Psal 65.1 And his Name is great in Israel Psal 76.1 Now here for our clearer proceeding we must distinguish of God's
former yet is it far more excellent and the Royalty of it is God's singular Delight Now this Kingdom of Grace is his Church and may be considered Two ways First In its Growth and Progress Secondly In its Perfection and Consummation In the former respect it is the Church Militant here upon Earth and in the latter it is the Church Triumphant in Heaven for both make up but one Kingdom under divers respects First Let us a little consider God's Kingdom here upon Earth or the Church Militant and that is Two-fold Visible and Invisible The Visible Kingdom of God upon Earth are a company of People openly professing the Fundamentals of Religion and those Truths necessary to Salvation which God hath made known unto the World and joyning together in the External Communion of Ordinances The Invisible Kingdom are a company of true Believers who have Internal and Invisible Communion with God by his Spirit and their Faith The Visible Church is of a much larger extent than the Invisible for it comprehends Hypocrites and Formalists and all those who have given up their Names to Christ and listed themselves under his Banner and make an outward profession of the Truth although by their Lives and Practices they contradict and deny what they own and profess with their Lips These belong to the Kingdom of God's Grace as to the External Dispensation and Regiment of it because they profess obedience to his Laws and live under the means of Grace by which many of them through the efficacious concurrence of the Spirit of God are translated into the Invisible Kingdom of his dear Son Now this Visible Kingdom of God upon Earth is but an imperfect State and Condition for though all that are Members of it are selected and taken out of the World yet there is a great deal of Mixture and Dross and many things that do offend For First There is in it a mixture of Wicked Persons with those that are really Holy Many are of this Kingdom only because their Consciences are convinced of the Truth of the Christian Religion although their Lives are not subject to the Power of it and these are taken out of the World only as they are brought into the Pale of the Church and profess the Name of Christ and his Religion as distinct from all other Religions in the World And therefore we find the Church or the Kingdom of Heaven in Scripture frequently compared to a Net cast into the Sea gathering every kind of Fish both good and bad Matth. 13.47 both sorts are embraced in the Bosom of this Net and no perfect Separation can be made until it be drawn to shore at the Day of Judgment and then the Good will be gathered into Vessels and the Bad cast away as it is there expressed Again it is compared to a Floor wherein is both Chaff and Wheat Luk. 3.17 and these will be mix'd together until the last discriminating Day and then shall the Wheat be gathered into the Garner and the Chaff burnt up with unquenchable Fire Again it is compared to a Field wherein there grows Tares as well as Corn Matth. 13.24 which must grow together until the Harvest and then shall the Tares be bound in Bundles to be burnt and the profitable Grain be gathered into the Barn This hath still been and will be the mix'd condition of God's Church on Earth wherein through Hypocrisie and gross Dissimilation many that are Enemies to the Cross of Christ will yet go under that Cognisance and keep up a Form of Godliness though they deny and hate the Power of it Secondly There is even in the Invisible Church here on Earth a great mixture too those who have a real and vital Union to Christ and maintain a Spiritual Communion with him yet even they have a sad mixture of Evil with all their Good of Sin with all their Grace and Holiness so that the Church is still imperfect not only from a mixture of Persons but from a mixture in Persons As we know but in part so we love but in part we fear we obey God but in part And with our Profession of Faith we had need also to prefer that humble Petition Mark 9.24 Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief Secondly The Kingdom of God may be considered in its Perfection and Consummation and so it is Triumphant in Heaven And this consists of such Glorious Angels as never Fell and of such Glorified Saints who are raised from their Fall and restored to a far better Condition than what they lost This is the most Glorious part of God's Kingdom here is his Throne especially established and here it is that he displays himself in the splendor of his Majesty being surrounded by innumerable Hosts of Holy Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect who continually Worship before him with a most prostrate Veneration and give Honour and Glory and Praise to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Now this Kingdom is altogether free from those former Imperfections and Mixtures There is no mixture of good and bad together neither is there any mixture of bad in the good but all are Holy and all as compleatly Holy as Creatures can be for into the New Jerusalem shall no unclean thing ever enter There are neither Temptations to try us nor Sins to defile us nor Sorrows to afflict us but perfect Joy and perfect Purity Where all Tears shall be wiped from our Eyes and all Sin the Cause of those Tears rooted out of our Hearts And yet if Heaven it self may be liable to any Defects or capable of any Additions there seems at present to be wanting in it these Two things First The Kingdom of Glory is not yet Full nor shall it be till the whole Number of the Elect shall be called and the whole Number of the Called Glorified Many as yet are conflicting here below and fitting themselves for their Eternal Reward many yet lie sleeping in their Causes unborn whom God hath Foreknown and Predestinated unto Eternal Life all of whom he will in his due time bring unto the Possession of his Heavenly Kingdom to compleat the Number of his Glorious Subjects And therefore it is said concerning the Saints that are already in Heaven that white Robes were given to every one of them and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season until their Fellow-Servants also and their Brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled Rev. 6.11 Secondly Those Glorified Saints that are now in Heaven though their Joys be perfect yet their Persons are not but one part of them their Bodies continue still under the arrest of Death and the Power of the Grave but yet they sleep in Hope and through that Mystical Vnion that there is between Jesus Christ and every scattered Dust of a Believer they shall obtain a Glorious and Joyful Resurrection and then shall this Heavenly Kingdom
comes from the Grace of God therefore much less can we do any thing to merit it Far be it from us to affirm as the Papists do that Good Works proceeding from Grace are Meritorious of Pardon and Salvation Alas what are our Prayers our Sighs our Tears yea our very Blood should we spend it for Christ They are but poor imperfect things and are so far from having in them any infinite worth and value to counterbalance our sins that the defects of them add to the number of our other Transgressions They cannot all of them make one blot in the Book of God's Remembrance but may well make more Items there against us Had it been possible for Men to have quitted scores with Divine Justice by what they could do or suffer Heaven would not have been so needlessly lavish as to send Christ into the World to lead an afflicted Life and to die an accursed Death only for our Redemption and Salvation Secondly The Pardoning Grace of God is not free in respect of Christ but it cost him the price of Blood It is the Blood of the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World that crosseth the Debt-Book Without shedding of Blood there is no remission says the Apostle Heb. 9.22 And this is my Blood which was shed for the Remission of sins Matth. 26.28 And although possibly God might according to his absolute Sovereignty have freely remitted all the sins of all the World without any kind of Satisfaction only by a Free and Gracious Act of Mercy Yet considering that he had otherwise declared in his unalterable Word of Truth that there must be a recompence made him for all our offences it had been a wrong to his Veracity if not to his Justice to have granted the Pardon of any one sin without the intervention of a full price and satisfaction No satisfaction could be made correspondent to the wrong done to an infinite God but by an infinite Person who was God himself for had the Person been finite the Sufferings must have been Eternal otherwise they could not have been proportionable to the offence which requires an infinite Satisfaction But if the Sufferings had been Eternal Satisfaction could never have been made but would for ever have bene making unto the Justice of God and consequently our sins could never have been Pardoned And therefore God appointed to this Work of reconciling himself to fallen Man his only begotten Son God Co-equal and Co-eternal with himself and every way infinite as himself that he might be able to bear the whole Wrath of God at once and at one bitter draught drink off the whole Cup of Fury which we should have been draining by little drops to all Eternity So that Justice being satisfied in the Sufferings of Christ for the sins of those whose Persons and whose guilt he sustained upon the Cross Mercy hath now a way opened to Glorifie its Riches in their Pardon and Salvation Thus in these two Positions it appears that though the remitting of our sins be an Act of God's Free Grace and Mercy in respect of us yet it is the effect of Purchace in respect of Christ God Pardons sins to them who committed them upon their Faith and Repentance but he Pardon 's not those very sins to Christ to whom they were imputed but exacted Satisfaction from him to the very utmost rigour of Justice Hence it follows Thirdly That the Pardon of sin is not only an Act of meer free Grace and Mercy but according to the Terms of the Covenant of Grace it is also an Act of Justice in God Indeed both Mercy and Justice are concurrent in it for since by the Union of Faith we are made one Mystical Body with Christ it could not consist with the Equity of God to punish the sins of Believers in their own Persons for this would be no other than to punish them twice for the same Offence once in their surety and again in themselves Now what abundant cause of Comfort may this be to all true Believers that God's Justice as well as his Mercy shall acquit them That that Attribute of God at the Apprehension of which they were wont to tremble should interpose on their behalf and plead for them Yet through the All-sufficient Expiation and Atonement that Christ hath made for our sins this Mystery is effected and Justice it self brought over from being a formidable Adversary to be of our Party and to Plead for us Therefore the Apostle tells us 1 John 1.9 That God is Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins And St. Paul 2 Thessal 1.6 7. It is a Righteous thing with God to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels Fourthly When God pardons he doth no longer account of us as sinners Indeed after Pardon we still retain sinful and corrupt Natures and there is that Original Pollution in us that can never be totally dislodged in this Life But yet when God pardons he looks not upon us as Sinners but as Just The Malefactor that is legally discharged either by satisfying the Law or by his Princes Grace and Favour towards him is no more reputed a Malefactor but as Just and Righteous as if he had never offended So is it with us we are both ways discharged of our guilt both by satisfying the penalty of the Law in Christ our Surety and by the Free Grace and Mercy of God who hath Sealed to us a Gracious Act of Pardon and therefore we are Just in the sight of God as if we had never sinned Fifthly Pardon of sin is one great part of our Justification Justification consists of these two parts Remission and Acceptance We have them both joyned together Ephes 1.6 7. He hath made us accepted in the Beloved in whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins Remission of sins takes away our liableness to Death Acceptation of our persons gives us a Title unto Life Now to be free from our obnoxiousness to Death and instated in a Right to Eternal Life these two Constitute a perfect Justification For to be accepted of God in Christ is no other than for God through the Righteousness and Obedience of Christ imputed to us to own and acknowledge us to have a Right to Heaven And therefore we have mention of Pardon and an Inheritance together in St. Paul's Commission to his Ministery Acts 26.18 That they may receive forgiveness of sins and an Inheritance among them that are Sanctified It is not therefore O Soul a bare negative Righteousness that God intends thee in the Pardon of thy sins it is not meerly to remove the Curse and Wrath thy sins have deserved though that alone can never sufficiently be admired but the same hand that plucks thee out of Hell by Pardon lifts thee up to Heaven by what he gives thee together with
thou hast wronged any Man in his Credit and Reputation either by raising or divulging false and slanderous Reports know that thou art his Debtor and Justice obligeth thee to make him satisfaction for that injury by wiping away those aspersions and licking away the dirt with the same Tongue with which thou didst bespatter him for if thou sufferest the same Reports to run on which thou hast set on foot all that shall relate them after thee multiply thy guilt and all the numerous Off-spring of Lyes which through a certain itch that Men have of speaking ill will be soon propagated shall all be charged upon thee for of them all thou and the Devil art the Father 2ly Art thou Conscious thou hast wronged thy Superiours as Magistrates Ministers Parents or Masters in that Authority and Power that God hath given them over thee by any disobedient demeanour towards them know that thou art their Debtor and it lies upon thy Conscience to give them due satisfaction which because it cannot be done by recalling the Offences past it must be done by an humble acknowledgment to them desiring their Pardon and promising and endeavouring more ready submission for the future So was the Case of Aaron and Miriam when they had affronted Moses and were convinced of the wrong they had done him Aaron makes his humble acknowledgment and begs forgiveness Numb 12.11 Alas my Lord I beseech thee lay not this sin upon us wherein we have done foolishly and wherein we have sinned And so the Prodigal when he returned to his Father confessed his disobedience Luke 15.21 Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son Which though it be a Parable yet teacheth us real and literal Duties in parallel cases Thirdly Art thou Conscious to thy self that thou hast wronged any one in their Right either in with-holding or taking from them what in Law and Equity belonged to them thou art their Debtor and as such art bound to make them satisfaction by making them a full and plenary Restitution and that though the thing wherein thou hast wronged them be great or small more or less yea though it should seemingly tend to the loss of thy Credit to acknowledge such a wrong or visibly tend to thy impoverishing and undoing to restore it Nor is it enough when thy Conscience checks thee for it that thou confess the sin to God and prayest for Pardon at his hands but it behooveth thee to render unto Man what is his and what thou unjustly keepest from him whether it be his by thy Promise and Engagement or by his former Title and Possession As thou lovest thy Soul and hopest for Pardon and Salvation thou must make Restitution and the reason is because as long as thou detainest it so long thou continuest in the Commission of the same sin for an unjust detainure and possession is a continued and prolonged Theft And certainly our Repentance be it what it will can never be true and sincere while we continue in the sin we seem to repent of and this Repentance not being true Pardon shall never be granted thee but as thou remainest a Debtor to Man so thy Debt to God remains uncancell'd and though Men may not sue thee to recover their Right because this sin sometimes is so secretly carried on that it may not come to their knowledge yet Divine Justice will sue thee for it and pursue thee to Eternal Condemnation But you may say What if those whom we have wronged be since dead how can any Restitution be made to them or any Recompence reach them I Answer In this case thou art bound to find out their Children or Relations in whom they still live and to whom it is to be supposed that which thou hast detained should have descended and to restore it unto them with ample satisfaction likewise for all the prejudice they have sustained in the mean time for want of it But in case none can be found to whom of Right it may belong then God's Right takes place as he is the Vniversal Proprietor of all things and thou oughtest besides what thou art obliged to give of thine own to bestow it in Works of Charity and Piety which may promote his Glory still bewailing that thou hast so long deferred the Restitution of it to the immediate Owners till thou hast made thy self now incapable of doing it This perhaps will seem a very hard Lesson to many and doubtless it is so to a World so full of Rapine and Injustice But I cannot I dare not make God's Commands lighter nor easier than he hath made them And let this seem as hard as it will yet this is the Rule of Christianity this is the inflexible Law of Justice and without observing it you keep your selves from all hopes of obtaining Pardon by continuing in your sin which is utterly inconsistent with Repentance and without Repentance there can be no Remission nor Salvation And thus much for the word Debtors and what it intimates to us namely that we are bound to make satisfaction for all the wrongs and injuries we have done to any others But then as there lies this Debt on the part of the Debtor so doth there likewise one great and important Duty on the part of the Creditor and that is forgiveness As we forgive our Debtors Now all pardon and forgiveness is a removing of the liableness unto punishment under which we formerly lay And therefore as when God pardons he frees us from the punishment due to our offences so when we pardon and forgive others it must be by a meek forbearing to punish others who have offended us And this consists in two things First In abstaining from the outward Acts of private and personal Revenge whether by word or by deed for both are expresly forbidden us If others have bent their Tongues against us and shot forth their Arrows even cruel words Christianity obligeth us not to return them back again much less as is the common but wicked practice of the most with double measure and advantage for if they have wronged us by their actions as well as by their speeches we may not assume to our selves a liberty of Retribution nor think that the iniquity of their proceeding will justifie the Equity of ours for both of these see what the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 3.9 Be pitiful be courteous not rendring evil for evil for railing for railing but contrarywise blessing knowing that you are thereunto called that you should inherit a blessing And indeed there is nothing that the Gospel and Laws of Christ do more instantly press upon us than that we would not requite injuries with injuries This prohibition is the proper Character of his Doctrine and this the practice of his Disciples Revenge is a wild untam'd passion that knows no bounds nor measures And if we were permitted to carve it out for our selves we should certainly exceed all limits and
What is the Vniversal Kingdom or Church of God A. It is a Company of true Believers who have Eternal and Invisible Communion with God by his Spirit and their Faith Q. What observe you of both A. Its Mixture and Imperfection for in the Visible Church there is a great Mixture of Persons the Bad with the Good in the Invisible there is a great Mixture in Persons of Evil with Good and Sin with Grace Q. You have formerly told us that the Church of Christ in its Progress is the Church Militant either Visible or Invisible and that the Church of Christ in its Consummation is the Church Triumphant What is this Church Triumphant A. The general Assembly of such glorious Angels as never fell and such glorified Saints as are raised from their Fall Q. What is that Kingdom which in this Petition we pray may come A. Not the Universal Kingdom of God which is the VVorld for his Dominion therein is always the same but onely the peculiar Kingdom which is his Church and more especially that part of it which is Militant on Earth Q. In what Respects may God's Kingdom be said to come A. In Three 1. First In respect of the Means of Grace and Salvation which are the VVord and Sacraments for where these are dispersed there God's Kingdom is erected 2. Secondly In respect of the Efficacy of this Means in the Conversion of Sinners whereby they are brought into the Invisible Kingdom of Christ 3. Thirdly In respect of the Perfection of this Kingdom for then God's Kingdom comes when the Saint's Graves are increased when their Souls are received into Heaven and when both Souls and Bodies are consummated in Glory Q. What do we pray for when we say Thy Kingdom come A. 1. First That God should plant his Church where it is not That all the Kingdoms of the Earth may become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ 2. Secondly That his Ordinances may be purely and powerfully administred his word truly preached which is the Law of his Kingdom and his Sacraments duely dispens'd which are the Seals of it 3. Thirdly That God would send into his Church able and faithfull Ministers to be faithfull Stewards of the Mysteries of the Gospel 4. Fourthly That the Ministery of the Word may be successfull to the Conversion of those that hear it 5. Fifthly That all the Churches of Christ may be kept from Errour Schism Superstition and Idolatry and that true Doctrine and due Discipline may be continued in them to the End of the World Q. But may we not pray also for the Church Triumphant in Heaven A. We may for the fulfilling of what is promised 1. First That the Number of them may be compleated 2. Secondly That their Persons may be compleated That the Bodies of those Saints which now sleep in the Dust may be raised united to their Souls and both made Eternally glorious in the Kingdom of Heaven Q. Is not this praying for the Dead so justly condemned of Popish Superstition A. No for we pray not for another State as the Papists do when they pray for Souls to be delivered out of Purgatory but we pray for the Perfection of the same State in which the Souls of the Faithful already are we pray not for their Release out of Torments but for a joyfull Resurrection which both they and we expect and whatsoever may be the Object of our Faith and Hope may well be the Subject of our Prayers Q. Which is the third Petition A. Thy VVill be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Q. How is the Will of God distinguisht A. Into the Will of his Purpose or the Will of his Precept or into his secret and revealed Will. Q. What is the Will of God's Purpose A. His Eternal Counsels and Decrees whereby he hath fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass Q. What is the Will of Gods Precept A. His holy Laws contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament wherein he hath revealed to us the Duties we ought to perform for the obtaining of Eternal Life Q. How do these two Wills differ A. 1. First In that there are many things which God wills by his VVill of Purpose that he hath not willed by his VVill of Precept For God commands nothing but what is Holy yet he purposeth to permit many things that are Evil. 2. Secondly In that we may effectually resist his Will of Precept so as to hinder the Accomplishment of it as we do whensoever we sin but we cannot resist the Will of God's Purpose though many times to endeavour it is our indispensible Duty Q. Ought not the Will of the Creature to be conformed to the Will of God in all things A. Yes to the Will of his Precept for that alone is the Rule of our Obedience But in all things to conform to the Will of his Purpose may involve us in the greatest Guilt Acts 2.23 Being delivered by the determinate Counsel and foreknowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Q. Is there not then a manifest repugnance between God's Will of Purpose and of Precept A. No for the Object of God's VVill of Purpose is Event but of his VVill of Precept Duty and it is no contradiction for God to will or permit that to be which he hath willed or commanded us not to do Q. Which of these do we pray may be done A. VVe especially and absolutely pray that the VVill of God's Precept may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Q. What considerations may excite us to be earnest in this Request A. First because there is a great reluctancy in our corrupt Nature against the holy VVill of God therefore we ought earnestly to pray that he by his Grace would subdue it Secondly because the Glory of God is deeply concern'd in doing his Will for by this we own his Sovereignty and our Subjection to his Laws and Kingdom Thirdly because our own Interest is deeply concern'd in it for it is onely by doing his Will we can inherit the Promises Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments Q. Ought we not absolutely to pray that God's Will of Purpose may be done A. No And that because many things are brought to pass by this Will which we ought to pray against as Temporal Evils and the Permission of Sin Q. How then do the Saints in Scripture pray for the Accomplishment of this Will of God as in 1 Sam. 3.18 And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him and he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 2 Sam. 15.26 But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Acts 21.14 And when he would not be perswaded we ceased saying The Will of the Lord be done And our Saviour Luke 22.42 Saying Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me nevertheless
trespass against us A. We ought to forgive them so far forth as they have wronged us but we cannot forgive the wrong they have done to God in wronging us but must leave them to his Mercy and their Repentance Q. Since it is God's Prerogative and Glory to pardon sins what Inferences may we collect from hence A. First That our pardon is free and gratuitous without respecting former Deserts or expecting future Recompence Secondly That our pardon is full and compleat because it is an Act of God within himself whereas what he works in us is in this Life imperfect Nothing of Guilt is left upon the Soul when God pardons it though still there is something of Filth left in it when he sanctifies it God does not pardon by halfs nor leaves any Guilt to be expiated by Purgatory Thirdly That upon our Faith and Repentance our sins whether greater or less fewer or more shall be forgiven for this makes no difference in infinite Grace and Mercy Q. But may not this incourage Men to continue in sin A. Many do so abuse it but their Damnation is sure and just Deut. 29.19 20. And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this Curse that he blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the Imagination of mine heart to add Drunkenness to Thirst Ver. 20. The Lord will not spare him Q. You have formerly observed that it is God alone who can forgive sins and from thence inferred both the freeness and fulness of pardoning Grace What observe you farther A. 1. That though God's pardoning Grace be altogether freely bestowed in respect of us Isaiah 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy Sins Yet in respect of Christ's Purchase it is not free but cost him the Price of his Blood Heb. 9.22 And almost all things are by the Law purged with Blood and without shedding of Blood is no remission Matt. 26.29 But I say unto you I will not drink hence-forth of this Fruit of the Vine untill that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom 2. That the obtaining of Pardon is not free from the Performance of Conditions on our Part. Q. What are the Conditions upon which Pardon is granted A. They are two Faith and Repentance Acts 10.43 That through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive Remission of Sins Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out Q. Is therefore a mere sorrow that we have sinned a sufficient qualification for obtaining Pardon A. No for so Judas is said to repent Matt. 27.3 Then Judas which had betrayed him when he saw that he was condemned repented himself and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief Priests and Elders But as true Repentance includes in it a Sorrow of Heart so Reformation of Life and Manners is always joined with a lively Faith Q. Is pardon of sin an Act onely of God's Mercy A. It is likewise an Act of God's Justice to pardon the Sins of those who perform the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace Q. How prove you this A. Both by express Scripture 1 Epistle of John 1.9 If we confess our Sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness And likewise by Scripture-Reason because Believers being made mystically one with Christ therefore their Sins being already punish'd in him their Surety and their Debts paid by him cannot be again justly punish'd in their own Persons nor demanded from them Q. Is pardon of sin our intire Justification A. No but it is one principal part of it For Justification consists both in Remission of Sins and Acceptation of our Persons the former depends upon Christ's Passive the other upon his Active Obedience his Satisfaction applied by Faith makes us accounted guiltless of Death and his Obedience worthy of Life both which compleat our Justification Ephes 1.6 7. To the Praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Ver. 7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sins according to the Riches of his Grace Q. We have thus considered the Petition Forgive us our Debts what remains further considerable A. The Condition upon which we ask it or the Plea we urge for obtaining it As we forgive our Debtors Q. Who are meant here by Debtors A. Other Men. Q. How are Men Debtors one to another A. Either 1. By owing them a Debt of Duty and thus all Men are mutually Debtors to one another Superiours to Inferiours and Inferiours to Superiours and Equals owe one another Love Respect and Kindness 2. By owing them a Debt of Satisfaction for Injuries and Wrongs done to others Q. Which of these Debts is here meant A. The latter onely for we are bound to forgive those who owe us Satisfaction and Reparation Q. What learn you from hence that those who have wronged others are called their Debtors A. That they who in any kind wrong others are obliged to make them satisfaction If in their good Names by acknowledging the Offence and stopping slanderous Reports If in their Goods and Estates by a full Restitution Q. Is Restitution necessary to the obtaining of Pardon A. It is For unjust Detainure is as Evil as unjust Seisure and it is a continued Theft And our Repentance can never be true while we continue in the Sin we seem to repent of and without true Repentance there can be no Pardon or Salvation Q. But what if those we have wronged be since dead A. We ought to make Restitution to those to whom it 's to be supposed what we have detained would have descended Q. If none such can be found what must we then do A. Then God's Right takes place as the Universal Lord of all and we are obliged to restore it to him that is to his Servants and to his Family and in the Works of Piety and Charity Q. We have already considered the Debtor's Duty which is to make Satisfaction and Restitution what is the Duty of the Creditor or Person wronged A. To forgive his Debtors For we pray that God would forgive us as we forgive them Q. Wherein doth this Forgiveness consist A. In two Things 1. First In abstaining from the outward Acts of Revenge upon them 2. Secondly In the inward Frame and Temper of our Hearts towards them bearing them no Grudge nor Ill-will but being as much in Charity with them as though they had never offended us Q. Must we then sit quiet under every petulant Wrong that is done us and so tempt others to the Sport of abusing us A. Private Revenge is in no Case whatsoever to be allowed Rom. 12.19 Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto Wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord. Revenge