SERM. ours by God's gift. And when we pray, “Forgive us our XIV. debts," we learn that it is our duty to crave forgiveness for

others as for ourselves; for as the Apostle by these words, Rom. 15.3. "The rebukes of them that rebuked Thee, fell upon Me," sheweth that Christ was carried with the same zcal against sin committed against God as if it had been against Himself, so he teacheth that we must be moved with the like compassion towards others, when we consider their sins, that we find in ourselves for our own; and that we ought no less to pray for them than for ourselves, and to suffer others to pass over the bridge of God's mercy as well as we.

Lu. 5. 8.

15.

Jas. 3. 2.

In the word "debts" three things are to be noted: first, where Christ teacheth IIis Apostles, that were baptized and the most perfect Christians that ever were, to pray for remission of sins, it should work in our nature a humiliation, for they in making this prayer acknowledge themselves sinners; much more ought we.

The Apostle Peter confesseth of himself, "I am a sinful 1 Tim. 1. man." St. Paul saith of himself, Peccatorum primus sum ego, "I am the chief of sinners." St. James, including himself and the rest of the Apostles, saith, In multis offendimus omnes, “In 1 Joh. 1. 8. many things we sin all." St. John saith, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves:" he saith not, Exaltamus nos, as the Apostle spake of modesty, or Non humiliamus nos, 'we do not humble ourselves,' but Decipimus nos, and "if we deny it the truth is not in us." Seeing it is so, we must not say with Lu. 18. 11, the Pharisee, "I am not as this man," but with the Publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner."

13.

Secondly, we are not only sinners but daily sinners, as appeareth by this, that we are taught no less to pray daily for forgiveness of our sins than for bread. To confirm this Solomon Prov.24.16. saith, Septies in die cadit justus, "The just man falls seven times Job 15. 16. a day;" and as man eateth and drinketh every day, so "he drinks iniquity like water."

Thirdly, we run into such debts as we are not able to discharge; for if we were, we needed not to say, Dimitte Mat. 18.29. nobis, “Forgive us our debts;" but, "Have patience with me, and I will pay Thee all."

To signify to us the greatness and number of our sins, one Lu. 7. 41. was brought that owed "five hundred pence," and another that

owed "fifty," and another that owed to his master "ten thousand (Mat. 18. talents." By which we perceive that we cannot make satisfac- 24.]

tion to God: therefore He must remit them.

The consideration whereof ought to work in us humiliation: first that, as Job says, our hearts do not excuse us, and that we seek not to "justify" ourselves; that as God requireth, [Job 9. we "confess our misdeeds," that we acknowledge our sins to Levit. 26. God, and hide them not: for, "if we confess our sins, God

is faithful to forgive our sins."

20.]

40.
l's. 32. 5.

1 Joh. 1. 9.

Secondly, that we do not only confess, but "be sorry for” Ps. 38. 18. them; that while we are in danger to God for our sins, we go and humble ourselves, and entreat Him, and suffer not our eyes to sleep, till we be sure how we may obtain forgiveness. Prov. 6. 4. The consideration of sin made David "forget to eat his Ps. 102. 4. bread;" so greatly was he disquieted till he was assured of pardon.

For the second point, if our sins be "debts," they must be paid. "Owe nothing to any:" but we are not able to [Rom. 13. "answer one of a thousand," and for the penalty of maledic- Job 9. 3. tion we are not able to endure it. "Who knoweth the power Ps. 90. 11. of His wrath?" Therefore our prayer must be to God, that our misery may prevail more with God to move Him to compassion than our unworthiness to stir up His indignation, and that He will "cancel the hand-writing;" which thing, for Col. 2. 14. that He is full of the "bowels" of compassion, He is moved to Jer. 31. 20. do when He seeth us sorry for our sins. Howbeit His justice must be satisfied, else His mercy cannot take place: but Christ by His death having done that, God saith of the sinner, "Deliver him, for I have received a reconciliation." Job 33. 24. Qui circumcisus est, debitor est totius Legis: but Christ was Gal. 5. 3. circumcised, and therefore fulfilled the Law for us ad ultimum [Mat. 5. quadrantem, "to the utmost farthing;" and not only so, but He saith of Himself, Exsolvi quæ non rapui, "I restored that Ps. 69 4. which I took not." He not only perfectly fulfilled the Law, but suffered the curse of the Law, which He had not deserved, with this condition, Sinite istos abire, "Let these go," that is, Joh. 18. 8. He was content to be the reconciliation for us, that He might draw us out of the hands of God's justice.

26.]

The estate of our debts may be compared with the widow's state that was left in debt by her husband; for as the Lord 2 Kings

SERM. blessed her oil in such sort as she did not only pay her debts XIV but had enough to live on after, so Christ is our oleum effusum, [Cant. 1. 3.] "our oil poured out," that is of power not only to satisfy God's wrath for our sins, but also to give us an estate in the Kingdom of heaven; and for His sake it is that we may be bold to pray for remission of sins, and are taught to believe that for Iis merits our sins are forgiven; so that is true, Legem operandi et legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi, ‘The law of prayer stablished both the law of obeying and believing.'

Out of Dimitte arise three things for our comfort: first, that even these sins which we commit after baptism, after our calling, and when we are come to the knowledge of the truth, are remissible.

In teaching the Apostles to pray He assureth them of this favour, that the same party that saith peccata nostra, “our sins," is taught to say, Pater noster, “Our Father." Our comfort therefore is, that still we are the children of God, though great sinners; for though we lose the dutiful affection. of children, yet God cannot lose viscera Patris, 'the tender bowels of a Father.'

David, to a rebellious son, could not but shew a fatherly 2Sam.18.5. affection: "Do good to the young man Absalom." So though the prodigal son had offended heinously, yet the father is Lu. 15. 20. ready to receive him.

Secondly, another comfort, that albeit we commit sin daily, yet He will daily forgive us; for God should mock us, saith Augustine, if bidding us pray for forgiveness, He should for all that shut up the bowels of His mercy. He bids us pray for pardon of our sins, putting no difference whether they be penny debts, or talents; whether fifty, or a thousand; if we ask forgiveness, He tells us He is ready daily to remit them.

Thirdly, that be our sins never so great, so great as cannot be satisfied by us, yet He will forgive them propter Seipsum, Isa. 48. 11. "for His own sake." Christ hath made Himself "a satisfaction for the sins of the whole world."

1 Joh. 2. 2.

Levit. 26. 40, 42.

We must labour how we may soundly apply His satisfaction to ourselves; and among other means whereby we apply the satisfaction of Christ to ourselves, prayer is one: "They shall confess their iniquities; then I will remember My cove

nant." "He shall pray unto God, and He will be merciful Job 33. 26. unto him." "I confessed my sins unto the Lord, and Thou Ps. 32. 5,6. forgavest the wickedness of my sin.” Propter hoc orabit

omnis sanctus, "For this cause shall every one that is holy pray," &c.

49.

By virtue of this prayer Solomon saith, that the people having committed any sin, if they come into the house of the Lord and pray for pardon, God Who is in heaven will 1 Kings 8. hear them. But this is more plain in the New Testament: "Did I not forgive thee" quia rogasti Me? and to Simon Mat. 18.32. Magus, "Pray to God, if He will forgive thee the thoughts of Acts 8. 22. thy heart;" that is, if we confess and be sorry for our sins, and ask pardon, He will forgive us. "How long wilt Thou be Ps. 80, 4. angry with Thy people that prayeth to Thee?" But we must be of the number that is meant by Nobis, that is of the Apostles, that is, such as are "baptized into Christ's death." Rom. 6. 3. We must die unto sin, as He died for sin; ut, sicut Is dimisit peccata, so we must dimittere peccata, "He hath suffered 1 Pet. 4. 1. in the flesh and hath ceased from sin," so must we. We must

have a care that hereafter we fall not into sin, more than our infirmity compels us: for sins of infirmity, God's "grace is 2Cor. 12.9. sufficient." But "if we willingly sin" after remission, “there Heb.10.25. is no more sacrifice for sin." We are therefore "to crucify the Gal. 5. 24. flesh with the lusts and affections" thereof, if we will be "Christ's," and receive benefit by His satisfaction.

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

SERMON XV.

SERM.
XV.

17.

As we forgive them that trespass against us.

In this treatise it hath been noted, that there is a double sicut annexed to two several petitions: the one concerning God, and our duty we owe to Him, in the third petition; the other concerning our neighbour, and the charity that we ought to shew towards him, in this fifth petition; wherein we are to consider this, that as this law of prayer which our Saviour prescribeth to us doth establish the law of works and faith, so these two sicuts do comprehend the sum of the Law and Levit. 19. the Prophets. The Law saith, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart ;" and the same is confirmed by this petition, wherein we are taught that if we desire to have our sins forgiven of God, we must not only not hate our brother without cause, but if he offend we must likewise forgive him. Neither doth this petition concern our neighbour and brethren only but ourselves likewise, for hereby we have a pledge of remission of sins if we acknowledge that we have forgiven others; and as the taking away of our sins is the great fruit and benefit we desire of God, so the subordinate means that God hath appointed for the end is the forgiving others that offend us. Now God hath laid upon us this blessed necessity of forgiving one another, not only that He might establish peace in earth among men, but that by this means glory might redound to God on high.

In respect of ourselves, this is our estate before we become true Christians, To be "hateful, and to hate one another;" and Gal. 5. 15. that hath a sorrowful effect, for "if we bite and devour one

Tit. 3. 3.