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TO forgiue sinne, is to couer it, or not to impute it. Psal. 32. When our sinnes are imputed to Christ, and his righteousnesse to vs, then are wée fully cleared and discharged.
Forgiuenes is onely through Christ,
Rom. 3.24. Ephes. 1.7. Col. 1.14. Hebr. 9. Zech. 13.1.
Vnder this one benefit of remission of sinnes, all the rest of the same kinde are vnderstood: as namely, Iustificati∣on, Sanctification, Redemption, Rege∣neration, Glorification.
This word (forgiue) teacheth that all men are sinners, and haue néed of forgiuenesse, as 1 Kings 8.46. There is no man that sinneth not.
Surely, there is no man iust in the earth that doeth good and sinneth not, Eccles. 7.22.
Who can say, I haue purified my heart I am cleane from my sinne? Prouerbs.
Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for no man liuing shall be iusti∣fied in thy sight, Psal. 143.2.
If thou O God, marke our iniquities, who shall be able to stand? Psal. 130.3.
O cleanse me from my secret sinnes. Psal. 19.12.
Séeing we pray for frée forgiuenesse, wée are to hold that there is no satis∣faction made by vs to Gods iustice for sinne: for to forgiue, and to satisfie, be
contrarie: here falleth downe the do∣ctrine of satisfaction, taught in the Church of Rome.
Séeing we sinne daily, and therefore pray dayly for forgiuenesse, wée note the great patience and long suffering of God, that suffers and forbeares still, and doth not powre downe his wrath vpon vs, and it doth teach vs to vse the like patience towards our brethren that offend vs.
Againe, wée may obserue, that our sanctification in this life, is neuer per∣fect, because we craue pardon euery day for sinne, it is alwayes in perfecting, but neuer perfected here.
Where it is brought as a reason ta∣ken from the comparison of the lesse to the greater, thus: if we which haue but a sparke of mercy, doe forgiue others, then doe thou, which art the fountaine of mercy, forgiue vs: but we forgiue o∣thers, therefore doe thou forgiue vs.
The Papists make our forgiuing a cause, for the which God is mooued to forgiue vs: but it is no cause, but onely a signe or effect, that God doth forgiue
vs, for our readinesse and willingnesse in forgiuing others, is a liuely token of the pardon of our owne sinnes: wée must therefore be ready to forgiue o∣thers, that we may haue testimonie in our owne consciences that God forgi∣ueth vs: Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy.
If you forgiue men their trespasses, your heauenly Father will also forgiue you: but if you doe not forgiue men their trespasses, neither will your hea∣uenly Father forgiue you your trespas∣ses. Matth. 6.14.
A man doth neuer fréely, franckly, and from his heart forgiue others, till hée doe inwardly féele that God hath forgiuen him: but when hée once fée∣leth that, then doth hée easily and rea∣dily forgiue his brother, that thereby he may haue more and more testimony to his owne heart of Gods loue towards him: for a man is towards his neigh∣bour, as hée féeleth God to be towards himselfe: he reboundeth vpon his neigh∣bour that which he hath receiued from God, therefore hée which féeleth not
God to be mercifull to himselfe, will neuer be mercifull to his neighbour. A seale doth not set any print into the waxe, before it hath it in it selfe. A coale doth not warme others, till it be hot it selfe: so we doe not willingly forgiue, till we be forgiuen.
But after a seale hath receiued his impression, and is grauen, it doth im∣print the same vpon the waxe: and after the coales be hot, they heat others, so after we féele God to be good to vs, we are good to others.
Our Sauiour sayth, Matth. 18. that it must be from the heart: therefore wicked are they which say, I may for∣giue him, but I will not forget him: he may come into my Pater-noster, but he shall neuer come into my Créed: be∣hold the Diuels logick, which maketh Malice to be Charitie.
Blinde people play with the Lords Prayer, as the Flie doth with the Candle, till she be burnt: for the more
they pray these words, the more they call for vengeance against themselues.
For if we be so cruell, that we can∣not forgiue the offences which men commit against vs, which are but as the debt of one hundred pence, with what face can we require of God to be forgiuen the offences which wée haue committed against him, which are as the debt of tenne thousand talents?
Looke how often therefore a man doth vtter this petition with a mind de∣sirous of reuenge, so often doth he call vnto the Lord, to take vengeance vpon him for his sinnes.
How can any man forgiue trespasses, séeing God onely forgiues sinnes?
In euery trespasse which any man doth to his neighbour, there be two offences.
In the first respect, as it is against God and his Law, it is called a sinne, and that God onely forgiueth.
In the other respect, it is called an in∣iurie or damage, and so man may for∣giue it.
So in the case of these, as it is a sinne against God, God onely doth forgiue it: but as it is a wrong to our neigh∣bour, man doth forgiue it.
Whether a man may lawfully pray this petition, and yet sue him at the Law who hath done him wrong.
A man may in an holy manner sue an∣other for an iniurie, as a Souldier in lawfull warre may kill his enemie, and yet loue him: so a man may forgiue an iniurie, and yet séeke in a Christian manner the remedie.
But in doing of this, wée must ob∣serue fiue things.
First, we are to take héed of a pri∣uate reuenge & inward hatred, which if we doe not conceiue, we not forgiue.
Secondly, we must take héed of of∣fence, and haue care that our doings be not scandelous to the Church.
Thirdly, our sutes must be taken in hand to maintaine godly peace: for if all iniuries were put vp, there would be no ciuill state or gouernment.
Fourthly, that the parties offending may be chastised, and brought to repen∣tance for his fault: for if many were not repressed, they would grow worse.
Fiftly, law must be the last remedy, as Phisitions vse desperate remedies, when weaker will not serue, euen so must we vse law, as the last meanes, when all other fayle.