the rest is resumed and more prest then the rest both in the affirmatiue and in the negatiue 1 In the affirmatiue for if ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly Father will also forgiue you 2 In the negatiue But if ye forgiue not men their trespasses neither will your father forgiue you your trespasses The reason is because this pardoning of wrongs done to vs is a supernaturall grace and doth testifie of vs that we haue the image of God in vs for naturally we returne euill for euill eye for eye tooth for tooth one euill word one euill worke for another Therefore to fixe this holy duty in vs our Sauiour bindes vs to it by this petition to looke for no more mercy in heauen then we doe shew to our brethren here on earth with whom we liue The parable of our Sauiour doth make this reasonable our debt to God is 10000. Talents our neighbours debt to vs 100. pence the oddes is great if wee would be forgiuen this great summe should not we forgiue that small debt We are apt to aggrauate the wrongs we suffer one from another and to extenuate the offence that wee doe to God But be it that from our neighbour we suffer in our good name let vs consider how much the glorious name doth suffer from vs in our swearing and blaspheming in our euill conuersation which causeth the name of God to bee euill spoken of amongst those that are without yet we would make God beleeue that nothing is so deare to vs as his holy name because we make it our first petition Hallowed be thy name Be it that our neighbour offend vs in our goods by taking vniustly from vs that which belongs to vs let vs consider that we haue nothing but from the hand of God and all that we possesse is his and wee can call no more ours then what hee giueth and we vse to his glory and the maintenance of our life in sobernesse and honesty In all that we spend from these vses wee our selues are not owners but vsurpers of all that we so misemploy and for 100. pence that we lose of our right by the iniury of men we mis-spend of Gods treasure 10000. Talents lewdly and dishonourably to him offensiuely to our owne soules and iniuriously to our brethren Compare all that pride and gluttony and drunkennesse and vanity and wantonnesse and contention spendeth prodigally all that couetousnesse congesteth and hideth from the vse of thy brother wretchedly with that which either thine owne necessities or thy christian charity doe demand of thee thou shalt finde that the wrong thou dost doth more exceed the wrong thou sufferest in thy goods then 10000. talents doe exceede 100. pence Be it that thy brother wrong thee in thy friends by seeking to distast them to thee dost not thou by euill conuersation corrupt the affections of thy brother to alienate his heart from the holy seruice of thy God If thy brother seeke thy life dost not thou in thy rebellion against God offend thy God in a more high degree vngodding of him and taking away his honour which is his life and destroying in thy selfe and in thy brother the image of God Therefore consider thy selfe maior parcas insane minori The God to whom thou prayest is the God of peace the Gospell which thou professest is the Gospell of peace the kingdome that thou seekest is the kingdome of peace the way to it is via pacis It was a good obseruation of King Henry 7. that the proclamation of Christ comming into the world was peace vpon earth and the legacie of Christs going out of the world was pacem meam do vobis and thence he concluded that the life of a Christian man should be a prosecution of peace The Apostle doth presse it earnestly If it be possible as much as lyeth in you liue peaceably with all men The soule of man doth not animate and quicken the members that are cut off from the body neither doth the holy Ghost quicken the members of the Church that are not vnited to the Church Therefore peace-makers are called the sonnes of God for so doth God loue peace that hee gaue his onely Sonne By him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both the things on earth and the things in heauen The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is one of the hardest lessons that is taught in the schoole of Christ to forgiue our enemies and most contrary it is to flesh and bloud Saint Peter thought hee had offered faire when hee asked Christ quoties how often he should doe it and then added vsque ad septies but Christ made nothing of it non dico vsque ad septies Therefore as when we haue a worke to doe that requireth force wee put our whole strength to it so the Apostle biddeth as much as in vs lyeth to striue for peace Our Sauiour by this petition doth tell vs plainely that his care in this precept is not all for our neighbour that he may be forgiuen his trespasse It concernes vs our selues so neare as the forgiuing of our owne sinnes doth import for if we cannot plead our actiue pardon we cannot desire this passiue pardon we must be pardoners if we will be pardoned It is true that in the parable the Master pardoned his seruant his debt to him first but when after he heard complaint that his seruant would not forgiue his fellow his small debt he reuoked the pardon and redemanded the debt Therefore our Sauiour would haue vs worke sure first to forgiue trespasses done to vs then to pray for forgiuenesse of our trespasses 2 Where we say forgiue vs as we forgiue wee doe make profession of our forgiuenesse of our debtors that is of such as haue trespassed vs. Which admonisheth vs to be sincere in our forgiuenesse as Christ saith if ye from your heart forgiue for we pray to him who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seer who seeth our hearts and knoweth whether we deale faithfully and sincerely with him or not therefore let vs consider how we would be forgiuen of God that we may so forgiue 1 We would be forgiuen presently 2 We would be forgiuen heartily 3 We would be forgiuen totally 4 We would be forgiuen so as there should remaine no roote of bitternesse in stocke to make a new quarrell which we call forgiuing and forgetting it is not forgiuenesse if all that meete not so 1 Some delay the pardon of their brethren and so liue in prosecution of reuenge and in retribution of euill for euill and when they haue either failed of their reuenge or effected it then they forgiue When God sent Nathan to reproue Dauid for his double sinne Dauid charged with this debt confessed it at the first voyce of reprehension and Nathan replyed to him The Lord also hath
enemies 1 Sathan takes vpon him to be the Prince of this world and maketh many beleeue that hee hath power to giue kingdomes where he listeth 2 The Pope vsurpeth dominion ouer all Princes and giues out that God hath set him in the world ouer the nations and ouer kingdomes to roote out and to pull downe and to destroy and to throw downe and to build and io plant Blasphemously applying to himselfe the power which God giueth to his Word in the Ministery of the Prophets 3 There is imperium peccati of which the Apostle saith When they knew God they glorified him not as God but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened professing themselues wise they became fooles and changed the glory of the vncorruptible God into an image made like to a corruptible man and to birdes and four-footed beastes and creeping things 4 There is imperium mortis Death reigned from Adam to Moses That is before the law was written much more hath death reigned since the law published for the strength of sinne is the law Death came in by sinne and hath dilated an empire ouer all the earth that we see daily what desolations it maketh in the same It is appointed to al men once to die 2 Concerning Sathan Christ saith The Prince of this world is cast out and Saint Paul saith The God of peace shall crush Sathan vnder your feete shortly And when we pray Let the kingdome of thy power come we pray that God would destroy the kingdome of Sathan and cast him out and tread him vnder our feete that God may reigne abroad gloriously in the world 2 Concerning the Pope hee is that Antichrist that man of sinne the sonne of perdition of which the Apostle speaketh who exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God But it followeth that The Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming Whose comming is after the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders Therfore when we pray that the kingdome of Gods power may come wee pray that God would be pleased to appeare in power against this vsurper and deluder of his subiects to destroy him that he may no longer infatuate and befoole the world with an opinion of his power or holinesse but that hee may be reuealed as hee is a man of sinne ful of subtilty and the child of the deuil as Simon Magus his predecessor and the true founder of his impostures was 3 Concerning sinne the Apostle hath aduised Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof He hath also comforted vs againe Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for yee are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace Wee pray therefore that God would exercise this his power against the kingdome of sinne that the body of sinne may be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue sinne For the Dominion of sinne doth teach men to resist the power of God and to say Nolumus hunc regnare super nos it teacheth man to be proud and cruell Dauid Lord how long shall the wicked how long shall the wicked triumph How long shall they vtter and speake hard things and all the workers of iniquity bâ—ast themselues They breake in peeces thy people O Lord and afflict thine heritage They slay the widow and the fatherlesse and murther the stranger Yet they say the Lord shall not see Sinne is a dominearing and daring tyrant so that wee haue cause with Dauid to awake the iustice of God against it O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth O God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy selfe Lift vp thy selfe thou iudge of the earth render a reward to the proud and that is our adveniat regnum tuum 4 Concerning death which maketh such hauocke in the workes of God God hath said O death I will be thy plagues O graue I will be thy destruction repentance shall be hid from mine eyes And this is that we pray for let thy kingdome of thy power destroy death for euer that we may insult ouer it saying O death where is thy sling O graue where is thy victory We pray God to take his rod of yron into his hand and to breake in peeces all the rebels to his kingdome of power here on earth 2 Concerning the kingdome of grace 1 We pray that that kingdome may come that is that God would declare his Sonne the king and Soueraigne Monarch of his Church and that he would rule therein by his Word and holy Spirit 2 That God would aduance the kingdome of his Sonne Iesus Christ in the hearts of all his elect people seuerally that they may liue in the knowledge loue faith and obedience of him 1 And this is a most necessarie petition to be put vp often to God in regard of those enemies which doe oppose this domination and seeke to dethrone the Sonne of God in vs. 2 And in regard of those necessarie graces which are wanting in vs and can by no other way be supplied but by the aduancement and establishment of that kingdom in vs. 1 For the enemies of this kingdome 1 The great enemie of the Church is Sathan the Prince of darkenesse that great red Dragon in the Reuelation that watched the woman with childe to deuoure the fruite of her wombe as soone as it should be borne this is the Deuil persecuting the Church of God the fruitfull mother of the elect whose issue we are This is he that corrupted our first parents in Paradice by his temptations and hauing sowed his seed of all iniquitie in them defiled the whole nature of mankind and made it obnoxious to the curse of the Law And when the second Adam came to accomplish the remedy of that fall hee persecuted him by Herod in his infancie that he was to be carried into Egypt for refuge and after his Baptisme hee tempted him in the wildernesse fortie dayes and this Prince of the world set many a worke to bring him to the Crosse he came himselfe to him with a new assault a little before his passion as Christ himselfe confest but he had nought in him of his to worke vpon This Lyon goeth about continually compassing the earth seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist saith Peter our way of resistance is to pray Adueniat regnum tuum 2 The world is an enemie to this kingdome of Christ for Christ saith The world hateth you because you are not of the world that is the wicked sonnes of disobedience who are called filij saeculi huius Vnder this title of the world I comprehend all the open and secret enemies of the Gospell The Pope here we will giue him the first place because his scarlet vesturs are died
reckonings make long friends The comfort is that where particular confession cannot perfect the account it be there supplied with a generall of all our sinnes both remembred and forgotten knowne and vnknowne This was Dauids course for hauing said who can tell how oft he hath offended he addeth cleanse me O Lord from my secret sinnes in which generall request there is ingrost a full confession of all If this generall confession auailed not to this purpose the rule could not hold that at what time so euer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart all his sinnes should be put out of remembrance The conuerted thiefe on the Crosse had many sinnes to repent euen after he was nailed to the Crosse hee reproached Christ and whilest he was blaspheming his heart smote him and he reproued his fellow and confessed that they suffered iustly therefore he sought and found grace It were most vnhappy for man and would make the way of saluation vnpossible vnpassable if a generall contrition for the whole body of sinne did not ease the conscience when the shortnesse of time and forgetfulnesse doe hinder a particular enumeration of all the seuerall prouocations of the wrath of God against sinne for ignorantly we offend often 3 A third duty ioyned with this confession of the mouth is confession of the heart vnfainedly touched with remorse of sinne for sinne must be first discerned and discouered before it can put vs into shame and feare and griefe for it This yeeldeth vs guilty into the power of iustice and saith like the sonnes of Iacob when the cup was found in Beniamins sacke What shall I say vnto my Lord what shall I speake or how shall I cleare my selfe God hath found out mine iniquity But the tender conscience feareth lest this compunction come short of the sorrow that is due and proportionable to the trespasse for we should haue as great a measure and proportion of hatred to the sinne wherein we offend as there hath beene in vs loue of euill But the delectation of the sinne remembred doth often take out the sting of fit remorse The comfort is that as a father hath compassion of his children so the Lord c. For he knoweth whereof we be made c. We cannot brush off this dust but it will still foule vs and make vs vncleane the law of our members during the vnion of our soule with our body cannot bee repealed therefore the most sanctified man that liues doth finde 1 That either he doth not finde the heinous condition of his sinne to fit it with proportionable remorse 2 Or he doth not sufficiently regard the due punishment to fit it with proportionable feare for according as a man feareth such is Gods displeasure 3 Or not enough consider the foulenesse of the fact to fit it with due shame and hatred of it Therefore considering our imperfections and knowing that our old man is not cannot be vtterly destroyed in vs let it be our comfort yet that wee doe the euill which we would not if we had a measure of grace sufficient to resist it and Dauid will tell vs that our God heareth the desires of the poore 4 A fourth dutie implied here is renouation of our life for when we aske God forgiuenesse of sinnes wee must take heed that we doe not turne it into a practise to doe euill and cry God mercy for it when we haue done as if that were al that we desired to haue leaue to sinne to wipe off the old score and to runne againe into Gods debt still pleading for pardon and still offending Therfore that which God requireth of this petitioner is that he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wee be renued in the spirits of our mindes to walke from henceforth in newnesse of life For neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature and as many as walke according to this rule peace is vpon them and vpon the Israel of God So that this petitioner must haue a care to his walke that it be secundum hanc regulam of holinesse and piety Here the tender conscience feareth much 1 Because we finde not the image of God repaired in vs for we are nothing like him Against this comfort thy selfe for that is not to be hoped for in this life Saint Iohn saith of vs all comprehending therein all the elect of God We are the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare wee shall be like him for we shall see him as he is So that till he appeare we cannot be like him But Saint Paul saith of the Thessalonians euen here ye are the children of the light and of the day and as peremptorily he saith not of the night nor of darkenesse But I say I doe not finde my life amended how then can I say dimitte mihi Indeed I confesse that our time is best spent in the reformation of our liues and here is worke enough to take vp all the time of our life and our whole measure of grace They that studie this well see so much weakenesse in themselues to vndergoe this worke that they cry out for helpe It is time for thee Lord to put to thine helping hand Our comfort against this griefe is Thou also hast wrought all our workes in vs we that are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shop in which God worketh cannot suddenly discerne the operations of God within vs for who knoweth his owne heart And the more wee striue toward perfection the more wee discerne the length of the voyage and the weakenesse and defects both in our skill and prouisions to accomplish the same wherefore we mistrust our selues and the better wee grow the worse estimation we still haue of our selues God worketh much good in vs that we are not aware of we are dust and ashes and in these ashes are many embers of grace raked vp the time will come when God will reueale vs to our selues himselfe to vs and then we shall finde our selues much better then our opinion This doth God a while conceale that we may both worke out our saluation with feare and trembling in a godly mortification of the deedes of the flesh passing the time of our dwelling here in feare God who bringeth good out of euill by miraculous extraction and who maketh light to arise out of darkenesse doth make two good vses euen of that remaine of sinne which suruiueth our repentance and of that propension which procliueth vs to euill 1 As the law is called the strength of sinne so these sinnes that remaine in vs and corruption which escapeth our repentance may bee called the strength of grace For the elect of God the more sensible they bee of their owne both pollution by sinne and weakenesse to resist it and impotencie to reforme it so much the more feruent is their zeale of the glory of
Gods mercy to vs for the foundation of God is sure and sealed with this seale Dominus novit qui sunt sui But we are admonished by the Apostle to make our calling and election sure not in the decree of God but in our owne perswasion And it cannot bee sure except we vse the meanes ordained to assure vs. But if wee haue truely discouered in our selues the body of sinne and haue opened into God in a contrite confession and haue bewailed them with teares of vnfeined contrition which S. Augustine calleth Sanguinē vulnerati cordis and haue asked God forgiuenesse and cried him mercy from them This is applicatio remedij that there is a ground for our saith to beleeue the pardon of them sealed to vs and not before God testified of Dauid that he was a man after his owne heart yet he sinned soulely and till he had made confession of his sinne and had deplored it penitentially he was not absolued from it Christ told Peter that Sathan desired to sift him but he had prayed that his faith should not faile him That did not make his threefold denyal of his Master no sinne he knew it and remembring himselfe he went forth from the place where hee had done the fault and wept bitterly The rule therefore is that All the promises of God and our faith in those promises haue reference to the holy vse of the meanes ordained by God for establishing our peace with him Therefore in the name of God goe the way that hee hath ordained for you to walke in follow the holy example of all the faithfull seruants of God who haue gone to Gilead for balme when they haue had any soarenes and haue humbly prostrated their diseases before the Physitian who came to comfort them that mourne and to binde vp the broken hearted and say Domine dimitte nobis debita nostra Another duty is to pray only to God for pardon of our sinnes When Christ said to the sick of the palsey Sonne bee of good cheare thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee The Scribes said within themselues This man blasphemeth Our Sauiour defendeth himselfe by lawfull authority The sonne of man hath power on earth to forgiue sinnes S. Marke is more expresse in this relation for these Scribes gaue a reason why they charged Christ with blasphemy saying Who can forgiue sinnes but God only They were in the right for that generall rule that none but God can forgiue sinnes but they mistooke Christ not knowing him to be God God laieth claime to this authority I euen I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And againe I haue blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sinnes returne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Sing O ye heauens for the Lord hath done it So by the Prophet Ezechiel he saith I will sprinckle cleane water vpon you and yee shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse A new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you Dauid stirreth vp himselfe to blesse the Lord for this Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Who forgiueth all thy iniquities Therefore our Sauiour sendeth his disciples to our father in heauen to forgiue them their sinnes Contrary to this doctrine is the precept of the Church of Rome which imposeth on the consciences of men a necessity of auricular confession of all mortall sinnes to the Priest for obteining pardon thereof For if only God must forgiue only to God must confession of sins be made The doctrine and practise of auricular confession in the Church howsoeuer pretended by the Councell of Trent to be the institution of Christ yet did it come in when partly humane policy partly superstition corrupted the Church in the doctrine and discipline thereof For in Saint Augustines time it was not heard of who protesteth against it as a thing vnreasonable and thus he disclaimeth it Quid mihi est cum hominibus vt audiant confessiones meas quasi ipsi sanaturi sint omnes languores meos Curiosum genus ad cognoscendam vitam alienam desidiosum ad corrigendam suam Quid a me quaerunt audire qui sim qui nolunt a te audire qui sint The power of forgiuing sinnes is onely in God but he hath left in his Church a ministeriall dispensation of that power by application to true penitents and they that presse it further inuade the rights of God Therefore to rectifie your iudgements in this point concerning men forgiuing of sinnes know that this belongeth to men two wayes 1 In Church discipline it belongeth to the Minister to absolue penitents for as God hath left in the Church the ministerie of exhortation of doctrine of conuiction and of reprehension so hath he left the ministerie of absolution to pronounce his pardon to them that truely repent them of their sinnes If you obiect that any priuate lay-man may assure him that truely repenteth that his sinnes are forgiuen from the certaine warrant of the word of God or a man may assure himselfe hereof by reading and meditation in holy Scriptures I answer that nothing is well done that hath not the warrant of a lawfull calling to authorize it for that is transgression of the ordinance of God The Apostle doth impose it on all sorts of men promiscuously to exhort and instruct one another but none may performe this duty publiquely but they who are called to it For how shall he preach except he be sent He that gaue his Apostles authoritie to goe into all nations to preach and baptize said also to them whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whosoeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained And though the Church of Rome doth reserue certaine cases of absolution onely to the Pope as in the right of Peter vnder colour of whose succession he vsurpeth yet the text is cleare that what Christ spake to Peter he spake to the rest and Saint Basil did so vnderstand him who saith Christus omnibus pastoribus doctoribus ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnes ex aequo soluunt et ligant And their owne Thomas of Aquine saith quilibet sacerdos quantum est ex virtute clauium habet potestatem indifferenter in omnes And the very phrase of Christ not saying to whomsoeuer you declare remission of sinnes they are remitted but whosoeuers sinnes ye remit shewing that Christ in our ministery doth this for nos legatione fungimur pro Iesu Christo euen as if Christ did beseech you by vs. Therefore as the waters of Damascus might bee as cleare and as sweet and as wholesome as the waters of Iordan yet not so effectuall to wash off the leprosie of Naaman because the word of the Lord sent Naaman to that Riuer So though any other man in respect of his knowledge and zeale and good
them And to him alone wee direct our praiers not vnto them for they know vs not so saith the praier of the true Church Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham bee ignorant of vs and Israel acknowledge vs not thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy name is from euerlasting If Abraham the father of the faithfull and the friend of God be ignorant of vs I know not how hee should heare or know our praiers 6 They alleadge Luke 15.10 Where Christ saith there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God ouer one sinner that repenteth a grosse non sequitur so Saints may be praied to 7 They alleadge Luk. 16.9 Make to your selues friends of the Mammon of vnrighteousnesse that when ye faile they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations How this may make to their purpose their owne Stella saith Nihil aliud Christus hisce verbis innuere voluit nisi vt bona nostra pauperibus impartiamur vt in aternis habitaculis recipiamur And there is nothing that soundeth at all to the iustification of inuocation of Saints But these are the false shewes that the Papists make to blinde the eyes of the ignorant and to benight the cleare light of the Gospell If they could but diuert vs from God that wee might seeke for helpe any where but from him they had their will of vs but our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made heauen and earth and we say with the holy Church O Lord our God other Lords beside thee haue had dominion ouer vs but by thee onely will we make mention of thy name They alleadge that they doe not pray to them as to the giuers of good things but as to Mediators to pray to God for these things for vs. And so they rob not God of his due worship but giue due honour to Angels and Saints So the Spalatine changeling doth excuse it in his Manifesto But we answere 1 That they teach so but practise the contrary as all their Missalls and Breuiaries and Rosaries doe demonstrate Their inuocation of Saint Roch. Tu qui Deo es tam charus Et in luce valde clarus Sana tuos famulos Et a peste nos defende Opem nobis ac impende Contra morbi stimulos It is their owne saying deum Rocho per angelum promisisse vt qui ipsum inuocarent a peste liberarentur You see they inuocate him not as the Procter a father whom wee doe solicite by our prayers for Christ saith Fathers doe know to giue good gifts vnto their children and it is good praying where there is good to be gotten by it The wicked and vngodly of the earth doe not beleeue any such supreame goodnesse in diuine prouidence You heare what they say in Zephan The Lord will doe no good neither will he doe euill A most vnhappy condition of men who cannot looke beyond and aboue earth for good things naturall light doth reueale this truth to men without the Church for the Apostle saith God left not himselfe without witnesse in that he did good and gaue vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse This is the worke of a father thus to prouide good things for his children and so we goe not beyond the Gentiles in this who are not yet come into the communion of the Church The booke of nature the great volume of Gods workes is written within and without with this name of a Father so that if the Councell of hell like the Councell of Trent would deuise an Index expurgatorius to put out the testimonie of Gods fatherhood the darkenesse of hell would not be darke enough to benight this light But wee who are the Disciples of Christ that learne Rea. 2 of him to call God Father doe plead a nearer interest in his loue then those that are without can pretend for he that is our warrant to call him by that name doth thereby inuite vs to pray and to call vpon him in all our necessities God hath many great and glorious titles which would rather discourage then inuite inuocation the terrour of his Maiestie is such that the Angels are said to couer their faces when they appeare before him If we heare him called the God strong and mightie how dare we the poore wormes and grashoppers of the earth approach him If we call him the holy one of Israel how dare we that are conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquity whose life is polluted with a daily infection of actuall transgressions draw neere to him If we call him Lord of heauen and earth how dare wee that haue not giuen him the honour due to his name that haue not obeyed his holy and iust commandements solicite him If we call him King of Kings how dare we that haue said nolumus hunc regnare super nos come in his sight rebels to his will vassailes to his enemie There is no name so fit for inuocation as the name of a Father that is a name of such louing coniunction that when we haue wasted our whole portion and dishonoured our parentage are come to the lowest ebbe of all worthinesse to the fullest sea of all indignity yet there is hope in that name of a Father as there is of the end of the root of a tree cut downe and whose very root is rotten in the earth for there is a scent of water that will keepe life in vs and giue vs vegetation from the iuyce of that name 1 A King offended with a Subiect may banish him his dominions for euer 2 An husband iustly prouoked by his false and disloyall wife may separate from her by diuorcement 3 A Master may reuenge the trespasses of his vnprofitable seruant by turning him out of his seruice and forbidding him his house 4 Fratrum quoque gratia rara the quarrels of brethren hardly reconciled like a Castle barricadoed 5 Friends may forget the louing interest that they haue exchanged one with another But the name of a Father is a name of such tendernesse as will carry a plea when all these doe faile Can a Father forget can a Mother forget as putting it for a kinde of impossibilitie Dauid cannot forget Absolon hee did him two the most incompatible iniuries that could be offered to iealousie in his wiues he defiled them in the sight of the sunne and of the people in his kingdome for hee attempted the dethroning of him and sought the Crowne in the bloud of his father yet Dauid forgat not that he was his father hee pardoned him liuing he deplored him dead would God I had dyed for thee c. So that one commeth to God touched with a conscionable remorse of all his sinnes saying Etsi ego amisi ingenuitatem filij tu non amisisti pietatem patris So that the name of Father here giuen to God doth denote these two gratious properties of complete loue where first
you may not present him with a dwindled withered heart weakned and infirmed with vntimely afflictions but strong and able for his seruice And make a conscience to bestow the strength of your heart vpon him that giues you bread to strengthen your hearts that he may thinke his bread well bestowed for hee loueth not the sacrifices of the leane and lame and blinde and impotent of your flock the best serues him best 2 From this name of bread giuen to the necessaries of life we are taught that we haue no warrant to pray to God for more then what is needfull The sonne of Iakeh doth pray against riches giue mee not riches yet many there be that sell heauen for riches and exchange God for Mammon whose damnation sleepeth not Many there be who study the back what shall I put on not now only what stuffe but in what fashion that I may out shine my equals my betters they make Idols of their bodies and bestow such painting guilding and iewelling of it as if it were immortall their back is their God Many study what they shall eat all the inquisitions of rarities and delicacies that the earth the ayre the sea can afford are congested into their catories and kitchins to please their various palates with change of viands epicuriously satiating themselues with the marrow and fatnesse of Gods good creatures cramming themselues for the Deuils shambles making their bellies their Gods and delighting in their shame I deny not but God doth open his hand and giueth great abundance of all good things crowning the yeare with his plenty and making the earth not onely to bring forth bread to strengthen the heart of man but wine also to make his heart glad and oyle to make him a chearefull countenance for who can controll him doing with his owne as he please and disposing of it where he will But still I say I finde no warrant to aske of him any more then the needfull support of life we may not pray beyond our proportion food necessary for life for therefore do we aske bread of God to shew our desires limited to the meanes ordained by him for our preseruation If any shall dare to passe these bounds let him remember the fearefull example of Israel in the way of their iourney toward Canaan They lusted exceedingly in the wildernesse and tempted God in the desart And he gaue them their request but sent leanesse into their soule These ouer dainty palates that are euer longing for delicacies may make fat bodies but they haue leane soules and when they pray beyond warrant God may heare them and may grant their request but they shall lose by it There was a rich man who liuing was richly and softly arraied delicately fed euery day but hee that heares him pitifully complaining out of hell for a little cold water will scarce desire to be in his coate or to bee of his messe 1 This teacheth vs to be content with bread and to thanke God for it for if wee haue but sufficient for life we haue as much as we aske and so much as Christ our Master who teacheth vs to pray thinkes fit to allow vs to aske of our father which art in heauen 2 Seeing we finde God so rich and plentifull as to open his hand so wide to giue vs more then we aske exceeding abundantly to some more to some lesse Let not vs like children when wee haue any thing giuen vs measure the worth of the gift by comparing it with that which is giuen to others but weigh the gift in and by it selfe and let vs admire and praise the open hand of God who ouer-doeth our demands and maketh our cup runne ouer But because this name of bread doth so limit vs to the demand onely of things necessarie let me admonish you that there is duplex necessitas 1 Necessitas rei which containes onely the supportation of life 2 Necessitas personae which containes the maintenance of vs in our estate of life I conceiue that this petition doth extend to both these for 1 We craue of God all those things without which we cannot liue 2 Wee aske all those things that are conuenient for our estate and ranke that we may not want the meanes to support our persons and estate with moderate decencie befitting our degree but so that if God who lifteth vs vp and casteth vs downe shall thinke it meete to abase vs and stoope vs below the port and state of our place that we now hold we may abate also of our desires and be content with such things as are of absolute necessitie for subsistence in life and therefore 3 We are taught to learne with the Apostle both how to abound and how to want and may not thinke much if there bee mutatio dexitae excelsi For in these things Iobs lesson is to be learnt The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away in both we must blesse the name of the Lord. 2 Giue Many duties are learnt from this word 1 Wee are taught to vnderstand and confesse our poore and miserable condition who in creation had all things put in subiection vnder our feete as Dauid saith all sheepe and oxen yea and the beasts of the field the fowles of the ayre the fishes of the sea c. and now by sinne haue lost that right to these things which the grace of creation inuested vs in and are now so poore and needy that we haue not bread of our owne to sustaine vs with God gaue man all these things vpon condition of obedience that failing hee hath cancelled that deed of gift and resumed into his owne hands the possession and power of distribution thereof to the sonnes of men Naked came I into the world naked shall I returne saith Iob we brought nothing with vs into the world saith the Apostle and here we finde nothing that we can call ours The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof they that feele the want of these things doe pray with appetite and feruour for them and therefore all of vs euen such as haue most must learne to know their miserable wants and necessities they all lye at the gates of God as Lazarus at the gates of the rich man desiring to be satisfied with the crums that fall from Gods table and except God doe both giue and blesse his gifts to vs wee must perish for want of bread euen they whose Barnes are fullest crammed whose Winepresses breake with plenty whose Tables are ouercharged with prouision whose stomacks are distent with their full feedings such is our misery that we all want both what we haue not and what we haue if God giue not our bread 2 When we say to our father giue which teacheth vs to know the right owner of these things euen hee whom Melchisedech calleth The most high God possessour of heauen and earth To whom else should wee say giue but to him of whom the Apostle saith euery good giuing
offence The name of debts doth well expresse in what case we are for all the seruice which God requireth from vs he exacteth as a due debt to him to which wee stand obliged by the law of our creation being made for it And this obligation of our duty hath annexed to it a counterband of all Gods fauours assured to the obedience of Gods lawes and it implyeth both a release of God from all his promised mercies and an engagement of vs to the whole wrath of God So debtors must either pay their debt or the iustice of the law sendeth them to prison I tell thee saith Christ thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payd the vtmost farthing Obedience then being due euery sinne that we doe euery good duty that we omit doth increase our debt call them therefore as they are sinnes or as they are like debts against these we pray Againe in the indefinite forgiue our debts or sinnes we comprehend all both of all sorts and of all times our originall and naturall sins our actuall our omissions of good duties our commissions of euill our sinnes of thoughts words and workes our secret our open sins knowne and vnknowne our sinnes which the Church of Rome calleth veniall as well as those that they call mortall we must leaue out none for the least sinne vnpardoned defileth and nothing vncleane shall enter into heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 errours Further seeing our sinnes make vs debters and thereby lyable to Gods iust punishment that obedience which we owe and cannot pay to God faciendo by performing what he doth command that ingageth vs to satisfaction patiendo by induring the punishment due to our sinne So that therein we are Gods debters owing to him the sufferance of his iust punishment It was the state of Gods owne Israel God gaue them the lands of the heathen and they inherited the labour of the people That they might obserue his statutes and keepe his lawes That was their debt But then if they payed not that debt they should owe God a suffering of all his iudgements the vndergoing of all the following curses whereby God should chasten their disobedience and pay himselfe in their iust punishment 2 What we request Forgiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as let them goe haue nothing to say to them There be diuers phrases vsed in holy scripture to expresse this forgiuenesse that is here desired Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiuen whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose speech there is no guile In which words of pardon and couering and not imputing sinne is intended such an abolition both of the fault and punishment as if neither the one had beene committed nor the other deserued Ezechiah finding God fauourable to him in this free pardon of his sinnes doth confesse it and hee expresseth it thus Thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy back Micah hath another phrase for it He will turne againe he will haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depth of the seas These phrases meet in one expression of a full forgiuenesse for what wee cast behinde vs as willing to see no more what we cast away into the sea as willing it should perish that we desire to quit from any further thought Therefore Dauid calleth this forgiuenesse a washing and purging and clensing from sinne blotting out of transgressions putting them out of the booke of Gods remembrance for euer This forgiuenesse of all our sinnes is an article of our Christian faith so that we may say with Dauid I beleeued therefore I did speake We must first beleeue then we must pray to God for the pardon of our sinnes Nehemiah putteth this petition full into a double request Remember me O Lord and spare me He desireth that God would take notice of all the good seruice hee had done to him and reward it that hee would spare him for all the euill that he had done to forgiue and forget it 3 Of whom this forgiuenesse is desired That is of our father which is in heauen of him only whose name must bee hallowed whose kingdome must rule all and whose will must bee obeied of him only who alone giueth vs bread to nourish vs in whom we liue and moue and haue our being No question but in a cast of so great danger as our sinne doth put vs into Christ would direct vs the right way out of them to him that only hath power to forgiue them 4 For whom this request is made Forgiue vs carrieth the same extent that giue vs doâ—h in the former petition to all that haue done or are now doing any euill wee pray for all that offend God any way that Gods gratious pardon may cancell all the obligations and forgiue all the debts for payment whereof we finde our selues vnable and vnsufficient But vnder this word vs wee doe not comprehend the dead vpon whom God hath past his sentence in their particular iudgement at their death which sentence is not to be reuersed or altered wee finde no warrant in Scripture to beare vs out in any such superstitious charity but vs includeth the liuing without respect of persons high or low bond or free Iew or Graecian Neither yet doe we so include all in this generall pardon as if we had opinion of vniuersall grace for when the Apostle saith The Lord knoweth who are his wee may probably suppose that all are not his therefore we forget not our former petition Fiat voluntas tua for so we desire God to forgiue and so farre to extend this his generall pardon as may stand with your fulfilling of the will of God yet because wee know not how to put difference we pray as the Apostle biddeth for all men declaring our charity to them and referring them to the will of our God 5 The condition of the request so S. Matthew repeateth it Forgiue as we forgiue Or the reason of the request Forgiue vs for we forgiue our debtors Wee must include both in our petition and that helpe we haue by comparing text with text for one giueth light to another and wee professing our forgiuenesse of our brethren trespassing vs are made the more capable of Gods pardon of all our sinnes When before we pray fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo that sicut importeth our imitation of the heauenly spirits in their obedience but we here say forgiue as wee forgiue this sicut doth not stoope God to an imitation of vs but implieth only a condition that God would forgiue vs if we forgiue our brethren For as one saith quilibet homo est debitor habens debitorem and so resembled by Christ in the parable of one that was a debtor to his Lord and a creditor to his fellow seruant in which parable the point is
cleared for as his Lord forgaue him so should he haue forgiuen his fellow seruant The oddes is great for that seruant did owe his Lord 10000 talents which in the margent of the Kings Bible is estimated in our accompt at 750 ounces of siluer to a talent which amounteth to a huge masse of wealth But his fellow seruant did owe him 100 pence and there euery Roman denarius is valued but at 7 d. ob which difference is put to expresse the great debt that we owe to our God and the small debts that our neighbours doe owe vs so that we who pray for the pardon of our great debts at the hand of God might not thinke much to forgiue the small debts owing vs. Though indeed there be nulla proportio finiti ad infinitum and our debt to our God for infinite sinnes is infinite and Christ would not haue vs seeke the pardon hereof but in the way of charity measuring the same measure to our brethren which wee desire for our selues 6 The duties required from hence 1 From the consideration of our sinnes against which we pray 1 Wee are taught before wee pray to search our hearts and our waies for sinne to examine our reines and to see if there bee any way of wickednesse in vs for so did Dauid I know mine owne wickednesse and my sinne is euer before me This generall confession of our sins in the lump will not serue without a particular recognition of so many as wee can call to our remembrance and therefore hee that would sollicite God for this gratious pardon it behooueth him to examine himselfe by euery commandement of the law and to see how much how often hee hath offended God in the breach of euery one of these commandements in thought word and deed Let him consider what amends he can make to his God for these sinnes that finding himselfe a debtor and knowing how much he oweth he may see that hee is no waies able to satisfie the debt and then he will pray heartily for forgiuenesse of it This is well exprest in the forementioned parable where the King tooke accompt of his seruants and there it is set downe how much one of them did owe him the whole debt was 10000 talents Let no man discourage him to doe this because all our sinnes laid by themselues doe swell to so great a bulke as when we take them into consideration we cannot take vp This was Dauids case Innumerable euils haue compassed mee about mine iniquities haue taken hold vpon me so that I am not able to looke vp they are more then the haires of my head therefore my heart faileth me Dauid doth well expresse these sinnes of ours in their burthen oppressing vs in their number not to bee reckoned He saith more then the hayres of our head S. Aug. saith Minima sunt sed multa sunt But our sinnes are multa magna wee cannot accompt them for who can tell how oft he hath offended These be those builders that set vp a wall of separation betweene God and vs these bee those mists which gather into thick clouds to eclipse the light of Gods countenance and to hinder the cheerefull shining thereof vpon vs. It is the Churches pitifull complaint Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayer should not passe through We haue made this thick cloud with the rising vapours of our many sins which hinder the passage of our prayers Therefore wee must peruse the booke of our conscience and heare the accusations of Sathan we must put our selues in our owne eyes and lay our whole life open like a rowle that is spred before the law of God and euery man must say quid feci In this accompt wee must examine our debitor and creditor as strictly as we vse to doe in the suruey of our estate And here wee shall finde our God a great creditor for what haue we that wee haue not receiued the life that quickens vs the cloathes that couer vs the bread that feeds vs the houses that harbour vs the fruit of the wombe of the earth of the seas health liberty peace and before all our religion these are all of him and through him and by him and from him We shall finde our selues debtors to him the full obedience of the whole law Let vs saue God a labour herein for if wee doe not search our waies our selues he will doe it for vs but a-against vs as he hath said But I will reproue thee and set them in order before thine eyes This searching of our wounds to the bottome is the way of our recouery this reuealeth vs to our selues and shewes vs what it is we pray against for when wee come to behold all our sinnes together and finde them innumerable and intolerable wee shall see cause for this petition to desire of God the pardon of them 2 Our second duty is confession of them which doth put them into the eye of God this is implyed in the petition forgiue vs our sinnes for therein we confesse our selues sinners So Dauid I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid Sathan the accuser of the brethren the great Promooter will informe against vs and make the worst of euery thing we haue said or done Our brethren whom wee haue wronged will complaine of vs our owne workes will ioyne with them in the information all these things are against vs therefore Dauid doth well to be his owne accuser saying peccaui stulte egi Iob doth well to cry peccaui quid faciam tibi custos hominum The Prodigall bethought him of the best course to goe to his father and say vnto him peccaui contra coelum contrate c. Saint Bernard directeth us in confession of sinnes 1 It must be humilis against all opinion of setting of some of our sinnes with some of our righteousnesse 2 It must be pura without concealing excusing or defending our sinnes 3 It must be fidelis with confidence in the healing mercies of God There must be confossio cordis the heart must ake for it There must be confusio facici the face must be ashamed of it There must then be confessio oris the tongue must tell the heauy tale of our abberrations But here ariseth a feare Dauid saith who can tell how oft he offendeth who then hath searched the neast of concupiscence within him so narrowly as to finde out all the young ones we haue committed many sinnes that we haue forgotten we haue done much euill that we are not aware of many secret sinnes secret to the world and to the eyes of others many also secret euen to our selues Against this feare let vs oppose 1 A counsaile 2 Comfort The counsaile is let no day escape thee wherein thou dost not suruey thy wayes and before thou sleepest euen the reckoning with thy God by a contrite confession of thy sinnes for often and euen
Dauid saith O thou that hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come Vpon which words Saint Augustine quare omnis caro quia carnem assumpsit Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same but Verily he tooke not on him the nature of Angels but he tooke on him the seed of Abraham The sinne of Angels for many reasons is an vnpardonable sinne a sinne vnto death and Saint Iohn saith I say not that thou pray for it 1 Because all men deriue themselues from one Adam he stood or fell for the whole species If God should haue beene extreame to marke and punish all that was amisse who could haue stood the Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the children of men and found not one that did good not one and if God had not in iudgement thought vpon mercy all mankinde must needs haue perished in their sinnes But God at once creating innumerable Angels euery one stood or fell to his owne proper good or euill 2 The euill Angels corrupted themselues but man was by their suggestion and temptation corrupted and sinnes selfe-growing selfe-sowne are more prouoking then such as come by iniection and insinuation from without 3 The Angels ambition was to bee like God in his omnipotencie which is an incommunicable propertie of diuine essence and cannot bee imparted to any creature but man desired onely to be like God in his omniscience which we knost was committed to the soule of Christ in our nature 4 The Angels being intellectuall spirits and dwelling in the presence of God and enioying the full light of glory next to God would not offend by errour or ignorance but their transgression must needs be damnable apostacie from God and malitious opposition against God which is the sin against the holy Ghost not to bee 〈…〉 The schoole saith there be three sorts of will 1 Of God who neuer turneth 2 Of Angels which may turne but cannot returne 3 Of men who turne and returne But the Angels obstinacie is without returne Therefore those Misericordes as Augustine doth call them who deeme a possibilitie of the recouery of deuils to the fauour of God and of their saluation doe deceiue themselues and abuse the patience and ouerweene the mercy of God But we ought to pray one for another so Saint Iames admonisheth pray one for another that you may be healed for the effectuall feruent prayer of the righteous man auaileth much It is not vnprobable that the prayer of Christ father forgiue them serued effectually to the conuersion of the Centurion and the prayer of Stephen for the conuersion of Saul who kept the garments of them that stoned him God himselfe declared to the friends of Iob that Iob should pray for them to him and he promised to accept his face Or if you will looke higher God in a dreame reproued Abimelech for Sarah Abrahams wife and hee said to him Now therefore restore the man his wife for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee and thou shalt liue There is great reason why wee should pray for the pardoning of one anothers sinnes 1 Out of the zeale of piety to God that his name may be hallowed that his kingdome may bee reuealed and established that his will may bee done Vnrighteousnesse and sinne doe hinder the glory of God in all these So that if it were possible to root out all sinne nothing were more to bee desired that God might not be eclipsed in any of his glory 2 Out of charity to them that sinne that we may so beare one anothers burthens and endeuour the healing of their soares they be deuils and not men that would haue their brethren perish in their sinnes 3 Out of charity to our selues that 1 We may adde to our owne glory in heauen and encrease our owne ioy in the full society of the communion of Saints 2 That we may make our owne liues on earth more happy liuing amongst such as doe feare the Lord and hauing our conuersation amongst such as are purified which remoueth the two dangerous infections of euill counsell and euill example which corrupt many 4 Out of an holy indignation against sinne as being a thing of it selfe hatefull and abominable and extremely dangerous to both liues 5 Out of a sanctified malice against Sathan who raigneth in all the sonnes of disobedience whose pardon if we could obtaine of God by our prayers hee should haue no subiects 6 Out of faith in the sufficient sacrifice of Christ for when all of vs pray for the forgiuenesse of all mens sins we shew that the fountaine which God hath opened to the house of Dauid and to the Inhabitants of Israel for sinne and for vncleanenesse can neuer be drawne dry that there is water enough therein to wash vs all throughly to wash vs all cleane and to purge vs all from all sinnes This including all men in our prayers for the pardon of sinnes doth blame all those who by their euill example or by their counsaile doe prouoke or intice others to sinne How canst thou say to God dimitte nobis when thou giuest thy neighbour strong drinke â—â—ll 〈…〉 When thou tellest him tales in the whisper of secrecie to enfire him against his brother When thou by secret detraction dost make him appeare worse then he is When thou reioycest in his sinnes that they are the occasion of his ruine When thou makest thy selfe sport with the sinnes of thy brother all such reioycing is contrary to this petition and God will tell thee that thou art not in good earnest with him when thou prayest to haue him pardoned with thee and in good earnest hee that heareth thy prayers will not pardon thee the sinne of this petition I conclude this point of our duty 1 Search thy wayes for sinne 2 Confesse 3 Be contrite 4 Amend thy life 5 Seeke this pardon onely from God 6 Pray in charity and the Lord giue thee thy hearts desire and fulfill all thy counsaile 2 From the condition annexed to this petition as we forgiue them that are our debters or if wee reade it as a reason or motiue to put home the petition for pardon for we forgiue 1 We are taught to take notice of our naturall corruption which is such as we cannot liue in society one with another but one way or other we shall be offensiue one to another Our Sauiour therefore teacheth vs in this petition not to seeke the pardon of our owne sinnes to God but in the way of peace If we finde continuall need of Gods mercy to vs we must be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull for that is his law proximum vt teipsum It is a great inducement to God to perswade our preuailing with him in this suite if wee see our hearts doe freely forgiue iniuries done to vs therefore when Christ taught vs this prayer this petition aboue all
put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye Be ye mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull to forgiue presently seeke peace much more giue and yeeld it to them that seeke it of thee the sooner the better Who will not stoppe a little leake in his ship and make his house theight although it be but a small drippe that drinkes in the raine Dauid saith I labour for peace The forgiuenesse that is put off to the death-bed when all hope of reuenge lies as sicke as the diseased person and as neare to deaths dore is feared to be rather the extortion of necessitie then the free worke of piety and charity As he that giueth so he that forgiueth doth it twise if he doe it quickly 2 Some forgiue but not heartily they make faire weather and heale the sores and binde vp the broken bones of friendship and peace with good countenances faire outward addresses and sweet words but their inward parts are all gall and wormewood their bowels are cruell Such hypocrites there be whose kisse of reconciliation is the seale of treason and their next imbracement is death they say as Ioab to Amasa Art thou well my brother when they meane them a present death Saint Cyprian comparing Caine and Abel in their seruice of godly sacrifice saith of them neque in sacrificijs quae Abel Cain primi obtulerunt munera eorum Deus sed corda intuebatur vt ille placeret in munere qui placebat in corde and therefore of Abel Meritò ille dum in sacrificio dei talis esset postmodum sacrificium deo factus est 3 Some forgiue but not totally there remaineth yet some roote of bitternesse for a day of requitall if it may come if God should forgiue vs all the sinnes of our whole life and should retaine but one euen the least of all for his iust reuenge that one were enough to shut the gates of mercy and glory against vs. Our Sauiour saith si quid habet aduersumte frater though it be neuer so little goe and be reconciled Long and sincere friendship doth follow euen reckonings The Master saith in the parable I forgiue thee all the debt 4 Some forgiue but they cannot forget Gods law is peremptorily against it Thou shalt not auenge nor beare any grudge the originall saith Thou shalt not auenge nor keepe that is remember for seruare intendeth seruare iram So Nahum saith The Lord reserueth wrath for his enemies so that not onely vltio but retentio is forbidden The Hebrewes haue thus exemplified it a man would borrow an Axe of his neighbour who will not lend him he commeth another time to his neighbour to borrow and hee answereth thou wouldest not lend mee ergo nor will I lend to thee this is vltio Reuben would borrow money of Simeon Simeon would not lend Simeon after would borrow of Reuben he answereth I will not I deny thee as thou didst me this is retentio both forbidden in the law Therefore as thou wouldest be forgiuen so forgiue for thou shalt be forgiuen as thou forgiuest Forgiue presently that peace may not be neglected Forgiue heartily that peace may not be falsehearted Forgiue totally that there be no after-reckonings Forgiue and forget that there may be an end of strife and then pray sicut nos You see in this petition how God hath put an hooke in our nosthrils and holdeth vs to it either wee must haue peace with men or we shall haue no peace with him The vncharitable man doth neuer pray this petition but he beggeth iudgement at the hands of God and desireth Gods anger I finde a complaint of Saint Chrysostome that multi nolentes dare veniam peccatoribus in se fugiunt istam orationem orare I remember that once I was asked this question by one troubled in his minde for this for hauing a desire as he profest to forgiue great iniuries done to him he yet suspected himselfe that his forgiuenesse was not so compleate as it is here required such as hee sought at the hands of God and he trembled to thinke of asking a iudgement against himselfe therefore hee demanded whether he might not omit that clause in this petition Sicut nos dimittimus I answered him with Saint Chrysostomes answer 1 Qui non sic orat vt Christus docuit non est Christi Discipulus 2 Non exaudit pater orationem nisi quam filius dictauerit And further I added that there is in flesh and bloud a reluctation against all good and therefore we may as well make question of the whole prayer as of that one clause For we pray that the name of God may be sanctified yet we doe not giue the honour due to that name We pray that the kingdome of God may come yet we liue out of the rule and awe of it We pray that the will of God may be done here as in heauen yet wee giue way continually to our owne wils We pray for bread yet wee are not contented with Gods allowance We pray for pardon of our sinnes and sinne on We would not be led into temptation yet euery one is tempted by his owne concupiscence We would be deliuered from euill yet the corruptions of our nature doe carry vs head-long into all sorts of euill Our comfort is that we send vp these our prayers to our Father who knoweth both our naturall infirmities and our good desires proceeding from his spirit and what measure of grace he hath giuen vs according to which he accepteth our prayers for Christ his sake And if I sinne against that corruption in my selfe which maketh my forgiuing of my neighbour defectiue and imperfect doing my best to performe this act of charity according to the law of peace though I come short of accomplishing the same I may safely desire that God to the vttermost of his perfect mercy would so forgiue me as I to the vttermost of that measure of grace which he hath giuen me doe the best to obey his law in forgiuing my brother Saint Augustine is comfortable and conformable in this Sed quoniam perfectorum sunt ista filiorum dei huc se debet omnis fidelis extendere humanum animum ad hunc affectum orando deum secumque agendo luctandoque perducere But I am not of his minde in that which followeth Procul dubio verba sponsionis huius implentur si homo rogatus vt dimittat dimittat ex corde sicut rogans a deo petit dimitti For I resolue that whether our enemie doe aske vs forgiuenesse or not we are bound by the law of charity vnasked to forgiue him I conclude this point pray as thou art taught and doe thy best to be like that which thou pretendest to affect euen in mercy and loue like thy heauenly father lege Ecclus 28. 3 We must haue respect in this petition to trespasses committed against vs for we must take heed that wee intermeddle not with any other forgiuenesse then