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Q. WHy is this next?
A. From the placing of this in the next place, wee learne two things:
Q. Why, if we haue our daily bread, what neede we care for any more?
A. All the thinges of this worlde will doe vs no good, except our sinnes
be forgiuen vs.
Q. What is the forgiuenes of our sinnes such a great matter?
A. Yea, it is such a thing that without it, there is no comfort in the things of this life.
Q. How proue you that?
A. By the speech of the Lorde Iesus to the man that had a palsie: Sonne, be of good comfort, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. To teach vs, that nothing can giue good comfort, but the forgiuenes of sinnes.
Q. Why dooth he say, be of good com∣forte, rather then bee of comforte, any comforte is good, is it not?
A. No, this is to teach vs, that all com∣fort is not good comfort, for some is coun∣terfeite, and false, as that which ariseth from transitorie things, but onely that is true comfort which groweth vppon the fauour of God in pardoning of sinnes.
Q. What is the second thing wee learne from the order and placing of this next to the former?
A. Secondly, wee learne hereby, that if wee want our dayly bread, our sinnes are the cause, for when sinne entred into the
worlde, the curse entred. See these pla∣ces, Gen. 3. 17. 18. Deut. 28. 15. &c. Deut. 32. from the 13. verse to the 26.
Q. How shall wee doe to auoyde the curse of God?
A. Wee must desire the Lord in mercy to doe away our sinnes, and not to deale with vs in iudgement, for sinne is the stop of Gods blessings, and when our sinnes are remoued, then is there a way made for daily bread.
Q. What vse may wee make of this poynt?
A. This poynt serueth for our instruc∣tion two waies.
Q. How proue you that?
A. By the testimonie of the Scripture, in Iere. 5. 24. 25. For they say not in their hearts, let vs now feare the Lord our God, that giueth raine, both early and late in due season, hee reserueth vnto vs the appoynted weekes of the haruest, 25. Yet your iniquities haue turned away these things, & your sinnes haue hindred good things from you.
Againe, when Achan was vnknowne that plaied the theefe in taking away the cursed thing, Israel was plagued, but when search was made, and hee executed, the plague ceased.
So should wee also make search in our selues, when the hand of God is against vs, vntil we finde what sinne it is that hath moued God against vs.
Q. What doth this worde [Forgiue] teach vs?
A. It teacheth vs many things. 1. That before pardō can be obtained, our sinnes must bee truely and vnfainedly confessed to God, without couering, or excusing any at all.
Q. How proue you that?
A. Out of Psal. 32. 5. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee, neither hid I mine ini∣quitie,
for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lorde, and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne.
Prou. 28. Hee that hideth his sinne shall not prosper, but he that confesseth them, and forsaketh them shall haue mercie.
Q. Of how many sortes is the confes∣sion of sinnes?
A. It is of two sortes: either Ciuill, or Religious.
Q. What manner of confession is that which you call Ciuill?
A. That is a ciuill confession of sinne, which is made before a ciuill Iudge, or Magistrate, by malefactors.
Q. What example haue you thereof in the Scripture?
A. Such kinde of confession was that which Achan made when he was exami∣ned before Ioshua, Iosh. 7. 19. 20.
Q. When is it religious?
A. When it is made to God onely, as a part of his worship.
Q. Of how many sortes is this reli∣gious confession?
A. It is double: either priuat to God onely, or publique in the assemblies of the church of God.
Q. When must it be priuat?
A. When the sinne is priuat.
Q. Of how many sortes is publique confession?
A. It is of two sortes: either generally to bee made by the minister, with the whole congregation together: or parti∣cularly, by some one man before the con∣gregation.
Q. How many waies doe you consi∣der that which is made by the whole congregation?
A. Two waies: for it is either ordina∣rie, as at the vsuall, and common assem∣blies: or extraordinarie, as in time of some great, and generall calamitie. For the proofe of the former, see Leuit. 16. 20. 21. for the trueth of the latter, see Ioel. 2. 15. 16. 17.
And this confession of the sinnes of others, may bee made also to God by any godly man priuatly, in time of any great and generall affliction, as in Dan. 9. 4. 5. 6. &c.
Q. When must publique confession of sinne bee made by one man particu∣larly?
A. When any one hath committed
any offence that is publique and heinous.
Q. Why must it be publique?
A. That the Church of God may be sa∣tisfied, which by that sinne was offended.
Q. What meane you when you say the Church is offended?
A. That is to be vnderstood two maner of wayes.
Q. Why? euery man shall beare his owne sinne, we shall not answer for an other mans offence, what need we then care or be grieued at the matter?
A. Yes, wee ought to bee grieued in two respects:
Q. Why in respect of God?
A. Because he is,
Q. How are the godly gr••eued in re∣spect of others?
A. 1. In regard of the partie offending.
2. In respect of the parties offended.
Q. Why in regarde of the partie of∣fending?
A. Because hee is in danger of Gods displeasure, and of being cutte off from the bodie.
Q. Why in respect of the rest of the bodie are they grieued?
A. Because some are in danger of lear∣ning his waies, and to bee infected by his example. Some stand in doubt of his sal∣uation, which so publiquely offendeth: and some are in doubt of the trueth, while he so falleth that professeth the trueth.
Q. What doe you conclude vpon all this?
A. I conclude, that therefore it is very necessarie and requisite, that when a fault is publique, confession be publique, that the Church of God which was offended, may be satisfied.
Q. What meane you, when you say the Church is satisfied by his open con∣fession?
A. I meane that when hee hath pub∣liquely confessed his sinne with promise of amendment, and signes of hartie repen∣tance, then the rest which before were grieued, are eased of their griefe, as the bo∣dy is when a corrupt member is healed.
Q. And is that all?
A. No, then also those which were in doubt before, are now resolued and out of doubt.
Q. Whereof are they resolued?
A. Of many thinges:
Q. How I see howe necessary it is that publique confession of publique of∣fences bee made: but what say you to punishing by the purse? is not that a better way to reclaime offend••rs, then open confession of the fault?
A. No, that is rather a meanes to maintaine sinne: for who will not sinne when hee knoweth it is but a money mat∣ter? especially rich men which haue mo∣ney at will.
Q. What if the money bée giuen to the poore, or to the mending of some hie waie, or to some other good vse?
A. It is counted with the Lord, but as the price of a harlot, as the money that Iu∣das tooke, was the price of blood: and therefore is most abominable in the sight, of God what vse soeuer it be put vnto.
Q. What? is it not a good déede to relieue the poore?
A. Yes that is true, but yet wee must not doe euill that good may come there∣of, (for then as the Apostle sayth) Our damnation is iust.
Q. Why? what euill can there bée in helping the poore?
A. To relieue the poore is good, but to re∣lieue the poore by a meanes which main∣taineth others in sin is not good, & there∣fore by the Apostles rule is condemned.
Q. You speake of the money that Iu∣das tooke of the Iewes, which you say is called the price of blood, that maketh a∣gainst you, for it is said in the Gospell, that he cast it into the Temple, and the ••ie Priests did accept of it.
A. That is true indeed, but how? they also sayd it was not lawfull to put it into the treasurie, because it was the price of blood: and besides that, that money was not a satisfaction for Iudas his sinne, for to shew that his money did him no good, neither in the taking, nor in the restoring, he wēt & hāged himself to make amends.
Q. But when they had his money a∣gaine, they did not cast it away, but went and bought with it a field to bury
strangers in, and why may not the like be done with the money of publique of∣fenders now?
A. Your comparison holdeth not, for
Lastly, the fielde that they bought withall, is called the fielde of blood vnto this day: and so whatsoeuer vse that mo∣ney is put vnto (which is giuen to buy out their open punishment) should be called the worke of sinne.
Q. Shew your meaning more plainly this last poynt?
A. I meane this, that if a harlotte, or a whoremonger shuld with money buy out their open confession of their fault, in the Church, or the ciuill punishment to bee inflicted by the Magistrate; and if that money were giuen to the poore, it might be called the reward or almes of a harlot, and so in other thinges: the high way of adulterie, the colledge of fornication, the hospitall of whoredome, the Church of blasphemie, and all the reparations of ini∣quitie, which doe all cry for the curse of God to come vpon the founders, and au∣thors thereof. See Habak. 2. 11. 12. 14.
Q. What if any bee so obstinate that they will not be brought to an open ac∣knowledgement of their sinne?
A. Then by the censure and sword of excommunication, he is to be cut off from the body of Christs Church, as a rotten & infectious member, and to be cast out vn∣to Sathan, till God giue him repentance, according to the doctrine and rule of the Apostle.
Q. What if after that hee doe re∣pent,
and offer to satisfie the Church of God?
A. Then is hee to bee receiued againe as a brother, as the same Apostle tea∣cheth.
Q. What if then (after his publique repentance) hee will giue anie thing to the poore, or &c. is it not lawfull to take it?
A. Yes, for then it is taken as a fruite of fayth, which before was onely a fruite of sinne.
Q. I am satisfied for that matter of confession, what els doth this word for∣giue, teach vs?
A. It doth further teach vs the wonder∣full long suffering of God towards man∣kinde, which is not wearie in forgiuing of poore sinners when they aske forgiuenes at his handes.
Q. Why then wee may sin as much as we list, may we not?
A. God forbid, for this patience and goodnes of God is to leade vs to repen∣tance, and not to presumption, as the Apo∣stle teacheth in Rom. 6. 1. Rom. 2. 5. and therefore we ought not to abuse it.
Q. What else doe wee gather from this worde forgiue?
A. It dooth further teach vs, that there is no satisfaction to Gods iustice for sinne, by workes of our owne, no, not in tempo∣rall punishments, but the dooing away of four sinnes is of Gods mere fauour.
Q. How doe you gather that vpon this worde forgiue?
A. It dooth necessarily followe, for if God dooth freely forgiue vs our sinnes, then we do not satisfie for them, for to for∣giue and to satisfie be contraries.
Q. What is here ment by forgiuing of sinnes?
A. To forgiue sinnes, is to couer them, ••or not to impute them vnto vs. See Psalm. 32. 1.
Q. But may not wee make satis∣faction to GOD for our sinnes our selues?
A. No, it is not possible.
Q. How may that appeare?
A. It shall easilie appeare, if wee consi∣der against whome wee sinne, or whose commandements we transgresse.
Q. We sinne against God, I knowe
that, but what of that?
A. Yea, but that is not all, but we must consider that God is infinite, & therefore the offence is multiplied according to the worthines of the person against whom it is committed.
Q. And what doe you inferre vpon that?
A. I inferre that our offence against God cannot but bee infinite, and conse∣quently so must our punishment be too.
Q. And must that punishment be suf∣fered?
A. Yea, for Gods iustice requireth the same.
Q. How shall wee doe then to bee sa∣ued, for if we suffer it, we can neuer bee saued, because that which is infinite is without ende?
A. In deede it is true, and therefore we haue neede of a remedie, or else we can∣not be saued.
Q. But what shall that remedie be? Gods mercie?
A. No, for mercie must not be contra∣rie to iustice.
Q. What then? Gods iustice?
A. No, for wee haue neede of mer∣cie.
Q. By what meane may God exe∣cute his iustice with ••••sanulling his mercie? or exercise mercie without pre∣iudice of his iustice?
A. To appease his wrath, and to make way for his mercie, there must come some satisfaction betweene God and Man.
Q. What manner of satisfaction must that be?
A. Considering the faulte is infinite, and the punishment must bee proportio∣nable to the faulte, and the satisfaction likewise to the punishment, therefore it must be infinitely infinite.
Q. How shall that be made? cannot man helpe to make it?
A. No, hee can doe nothing that waie.
Q. No? What if hee shoulde doe the workes of the law of God, wil not that satisfie Gods iustice?
A. To satisfie by the workes of the law, we cannot for two causes:
Q. What if man offer himselfe to God?
A. If man should offer himselfe, he of∣fereth nothing but vnthankfulnes, and dis∣obedience, and wickednes, that is, he pro∣uoketh Gods wrath more and more.
Q. What if man shoulde offer the whole world vnto God?
A. If he should, what should he offer but that which hee hath first receiued of God, and lost againe by his disobedience?
Q. What if the Angels shoulde step in to satisfie for man?
A. If the creature should labour to pa∣cifie the Creator: a thing finite in good∣nes, to couer an infinite euill, the indebted to discharge one that is more indebted, what were that but a couering, that doth but halfe couer, and a plaster infinitly too little for the sore?
Q. How then shall this satisfaction be made?
A. God himselfe must be faine to step in betweene his iustice and his mercy, and
as he created vs at the first, so to create vs new againe, and this is it which the scrip∣ture calleth regeneration.
Q. Who then shall bee this media∣tor? God vnto God? infinite to infi∣nite? and able both to discharge the bond, and to asswage the infinite pu∣nishment?
A. That must needes be the second per∣son in the Trinitie, the son of God, who is also God equal with the father, and there∣fore infinite.
Q. Why must it be the second person?
A. For two causes:
Q. How did the sonne of God satisfie God for our sinnes hee being God him∣selfe?
A. Hee in his infinite Godhead recom∣penced
honour that great benefite, and call vpon the father in his name: and thus we come to the forgiuenes of our sins, which here we are taught to pray for.
Q. You haue wel satisfied me for this 〈…〉〈…〉 let vs come to the next word why doe wee say, forgiue vs, and not forgiue me?
A. Therein wee are taught, to beseech the Lord as heartely to forgiue the sinnes of our brethren, as our own. See Iam. 5. 17. Exod. 32. 21. Rom. 9. 1.
Q. What if we faile in this duetie?
A. Then we faile in the greatest duetie of brotherly loue, and Christian compas∣sion, neither can wee say that we loue the brethren, neither can we bee assured that we are the members of Christ.
Q. What? doe we not loue our bre∣thren except wee care for their soules? what if we with them riches, honours, and fauours in this life, is not this suf∣ficient?
A. No: the best loue of man to man, consisteth in wishing his spirituall good, the good of his soule, forgiuenes of his sinnes, true ioy in the holy Ghost, &c.
Q. Where reade you of any that were grieued for the sinnes of the people?
A. In Psalm. 119. 136. Dauid sayth his eyes gushed out with teares, because men kept not the law of God.
Q. What thinke you of those that laugh for ioy, when they see men br••ake the commandements of God, and yet say this prayer?
A. If they knowe what they say their sin is the greater, and they must needes be condēned of notable hypocrisie: but in∣deed it argueth that they neuer felt that in their harts which they vtter with their lips.
Q. What els doe you gather vpon these words, forgiue vs?
A. We learne further, that if wee must desire God to forgiue both them and vs, we must not allure them to sinne.
Q. How doe you gather that?
A. It must needes follow: for if we be mediatours and sutors for pardon, we may not in any case bee procurers to wicked∣nes: for shall he that sueth for the Princes pardon for a Traytor, or a murtherer, or &c. when he hath so done goe presently & stir vp the same partie to work treason
againe, or to murther againe? God forbid.
Q. But this is a thing most rise, espe∣cially amongst such as beare the name of good fellowes.
A. It is too true indeede, but it is wic∣ked good fellowship that tempteth vnto sinne, and draweth to hell: which such good fellowes shall one day feele to their cost, if God giue thē not great repentance.
Q. What sinnes doe wee pray the Lord to forgiue vs?
A. All our sinnes whatsoeuer, our sins committed in our ignorance, our sinnes of weakenes and of presumption, our sins committed priuatly and openly, & al the euill thoughts and motions of our heart.
Q. What say you to the Papists di∣stinction of sinnes, veniall, and mortall, and their 7. deadly sinnes?
A. It is most absurd and wicked: for all sinne in his owne nature is deadly, and e∣uery sinne in the merites of Christs bloud is veniall, to him that truely repenteth and beleeueth in Christ, and not els.
Q. Why be these words added?
A. They are added as a reason of the former, and serueth to perswade the Lord, or rather to confirme our faith in Gods fauour towards vs.
Q. How can you make them a rea∣son of the former?
A. It is a reason to proue that God will forgiue vs our sinnes, and is drawne from a comparison of the lesse to the greater, thus: If we that are voyd of all goodnesse doe forgiue others when they craue mer∣cie, then the Lord who is the fountaine of all mercie will forgiue vs.
Q. Where finde you that the scrip∣ture vseth to reason so, and to prooue Gods goodnes by mans goodnes?
A. Our Sauiour Christ doth so reason in Luk. 11. 13. If you which are euill (sayth he) can giue good things vnto your children, how much more will your heauenly father giue vnto his children, &c.
Q. But what if men would not for∣giue one another, could wee not then bee assured that GOD would forgiue vs?
A. If all mercie were dried vp in the bowels of men, yet it were to be found in
the Lord. See for the proofe hereof, Esai. 49. 15. Therefore, much more may we be assured hereof when men doe forgiue.
Q. What doth this clause teach vs?
A. It teacheth vs many things:
Q. How must we shew mercie?
A. 1. In giuing of almes, Deut. 15. 10.
2. In gathering our fruites, Leuit. 19. 9. 23. 22.
3. In taking vp of debts, Matth. 18. 23.
4. In pardoning of offences, Mat. 18. 21.
5. In punishing offences, Deut. 25. 2. 3.
Q. Our Sauiour Christ nameth here no degrées of persons, as parents, friends, &c. why is that?
A. To teach vs that our forgiuenes must not goe by affection of men, but in generall to al that haue offended vs, whe∣ther they be friends or foes, &c.
Q. Our Sauiour Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no manner of trespasses, as little ones, or great ones, old or new, &c. why is that?
A. To teach, that of what sort soeuer the offences be, we must forgiue them all: because the Lord doth forgiue all, both small and great, &c.
Q. But the matter may bee so grie∣uous, or preiudiciall to vs, that we may take exceptions vnto it, and not forgiue it, may it not?
A. No, for the Lord Iesus in this prayer makes no exceptions, and therefore bid∣deth vs to make none. Againe, there is no offence cōmitted against vs by man, but God forgiueth vs as great committed a∣gainst him by vs, & why then should not we forgiue, being so forgiuen?
Q. What if wee deserued better at his han••s that hath done vs the in••∣rie?
A. So doth God of vs.
Q. We ment him no harme.
A. No more doth God vnto vs.
Q. What if we be his superiours?
A. So is God our superiour.
Q. What if we liue not of him?
A. No more doth God liue of vs.
Q. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haue often warned him.
A. So hath God done vs.
Q. We haue often forgiuen him.
A. So hath God done to vs.
Q. Well then, I perceiue wee can finde no cause to retaine malice, if wee consider things well: but ••n long as I cannot finde in my heart to forgiue my ene••ie, what if I say not the Lordes prayer, but some other good prayer?
A. That is a notable shift to deceiue our selues, but not the Lord: for it is not the saying of the prayer that God onely regardeth, but our being in that estate that wee may say it. See Esai. 1. 14. 15. 1. Ioh. 3. 15.
Q. Then what if I pray not at all?
A. Not to pray at all is a manifest note of a wicked and a reprobate person. See Psalm. 14.
Q. Whether is a man bound to for∣giue all debts?
A. Ciuill debts which come by lawfull bargaining, may be exacted, so that it bee with shewing of mercie.
Q. Whether may a Christian pray this prayer aright, and yet sue another man at law?
A. Yea, he may in a holy manner sue another for an ini••rie, and bee free from malice, so that in doing thereof of these rules be obserued that follow.
Q. How may a man forgiue trespas∣ses, seeing as GOD onely forgiueth sinnes?
A. In euery 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which any doe to their neighbour, there be two offences:
Q. What vse may wee make of this clause?
A. The vse of it is very profitable: for it sheweth vs a liuely signe to assure our consciences that but sinnes bee pardo∣ned.
Q. How may that he?
A. Very well: for if we can finde our hearts as readily to forgiue, as wee are to desire forgiuenes at Gods hand, then wee may assure our selues of Gods loue to vs in this poynt.
Q. How proue you that?
A. In Matth. 5. 7. Blessed are the merci∣full, for they shall obtaine mercie.
Q. What, is our shewing of mercie the cause why God sheweth mercie to vs?
A. Not so: but a signe of Gods mercie to vs: for he that sheweth mercy to others, hath first receiued mercie from God.
Q. How proue you that?
A. By the wordes of the Apostle in ••. Cor. 1. 3. Blessed ••e God 〈…〉〈…〉 f••ther, &c. the father of mercies a••d God of all comfort, which comforteth vs in all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tri∣bulations▪ that wee may bee able to comfor•• them which▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 any afflictio••▪ by the com∣fort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God.
Math. 16. 26.
Iosh. 7.
Mat. 27. 6.
Rom. 3. 8.
Mat. 27. 8.
1. Cor. 5. 4. 5.
2. Cor. 2. 5. 7.
vs.
Another note.
Rom. 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉