A godly and learned treatise of prayer which both conteineth in it the doctrine of prayer, and also sheweth the practice of it in the exposition of the Lords prayer: by that faithfull and painfull servant of God George Downame, Doctr of Divinity, and late L. Bishop of Dery in the realm of Ireland.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

As, signifieth not equalitie. For as the heavens* 1.1 are higher then the earth, so doth his mercy excell the greatest love amongst men: as the love of the father, Matth. 7. 11. and of the mother, Isai. 49. 15. And by how much his love is greater, by so much he is the slower to wrath or revenge, Hos. 11. 9. I will not exercise my fierce wrath in destroying. Ephraim: for I am God and not man. Had our Saviour been but a man, as his Apostles were but men, although good men, he would perhaps have been as ready to call down fire from heaven upon the Samaritanes as they, Luke 9. 54. Had the Lord, who was offended, been no more mercifull towards Niniveh then the Prophet Jonah, whom they had not offended, Ni∣niveh had been destroyed, Jonah 4. 1. Therefore* 1.2 equality is not here to be understood, but likenesse. For although we cannot be equall with the Lord, yet we must be like him. And as it is Matth. 5. 48.

•…•…e ye perfect as your heave•…•…ly Father i•…•… perfect. But our perfection consisteth in uprightnesse: And there∣fore although we cannot forgive and love in the like measure, yet we must in like quality, that is, in truth. So that the meaning is, We des•…•…e the Lord to forgive us; for even we also unfeig•…•…dly forgive our bre∣thren.

Whenas therefore we do professe that we do so* 1.3 forgive as we desire to be forgiven, and that we de∣sire so to be forgiven as we forgive, this teacheth us that our forgivenesse and reconciliation with our brethren should not be from the teeth outward, and by halves, but sincere & intire. Many men will speak friendly to their neighbour, when malice is in their hearts, Psal. 28. 3. and are contented that a skin should be drawn over their festred malice, making out wardly a shew of reconciliation and forgivenesse whenas inwardly they retein a secret grudge in their hearts. And again, others will say, Well, I may for∣give him, but I shall never forget him, &c. But these men rather call for vengeance then mercie at Gods hands, desiring so to be forgiven as they forgive. And therefore as we desire the Lord not onely in word but also in deed and in truth to forgive us, so must we forgive our brethren that have offended us even from our hearts, Matth. 18. 35. And as we de∣sire that the Lord would not onely forgive the pu∣nishment but also forget the fault it self and cast it into the bottom of the sea, Mich. 7. 19. so must we also forgive and forget the wrongs done unto us. So much of the words.

Vses.

The use which from hence ariseth is threefold,* 1.4 viz. of Instruction, Consolution, and Reproof.

For I. those who either desire to make this prayer aright, or hope to have their prayer heard, are here taught how to behave themselves towards their brethren, namely, that they be in charity with all men, and if it be possible and as much as in them lieth to be •…•…t peace (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) with all men, Rom. 12. 18. For whereas it cannot be avoided but that in this life we shall both sinne against God and offend one another, therefore our Saviour hath taught us to joyn these two together, the desiring of peace of conscience and reconciliation with God, and the seeking of outward pe•…•…ce and reconciliation with men.

And first, he that hath offended his brother, his* 1.5 duty is to seek reconciliation with him before he can look for reconciliation with God: as our Savi∣our teacheth, Matth. 5. 23. 24. If thou bring thy gift to the •…•…tar (seeking reconciliation with God) and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee, (that is, that thou hust offended thy brother, for which thou hast made him no satisfaction) leave there thine offering, &c. So in the Law the Lord or∣d•…•…ined that whosoever had offended his neighbour, and came to seek reconciliation with God by offer∣ing sacrifice, he should first make his brother amends whom he had offended, the same day that he offer∣ed for his trespasse, Lev. 6. 5. and then forgivenesse is promised of the Lord, v. 7. Out of our Saviours words, Luke 17. 3, 4. it may be gathered, that it is

the duty of him that hath offended to acknowledge his fault with promise of amendment to him that is offended. And this duty (though-very late) was performed by Josephs brethren, Gen. 50. 17. But many when they have offended a man, they do hate him so much the more (as Amnon did Thamar, 2. Sam. 13. 15.) and are further from reconciliation then the party offended: Because they having de∣served ill of him, as their conscience telleth them, therefore they expect ill from him, and consequent∣ly hate him. And of such the Italian proverb is true, He that offendeth will never forgive. But these men that will not forgive them whom they have of∣fended, of all others are farthest from pardon, be∣cause they be farthest from repentance.

Now let us consider how we are to behave our* 1.6 selves towards them that offend us. Our duty stand∣eth on foure degrees: First, if the offense be not no∣torious, to take no notice of it, but to dissemble it and to passe by it. For as Solomon saith, Prov. 10. 12. Hatred stirreth up contention: but love covereth the multitude of offenses: and Prov. 19. 11. The discre∣tion of a man maketh him slow to anger, and it is his glo∣ry to passe by an offense. Examples, in Saul, 1. Sam. 10. 27. and David, Psal. 38. 13, 14.

Our first duty therefore when we are wronged* 1.7 is, not to fret and fume, storm and chafe, and much lesse to proceed to brawling or blows: For, as Solo∣mon saith, Indignation resteth in the bosome of fools, Eccles 7. 10. but he that is slow to anger is wise, Prov. 14. 29.* 1.8

And to moderate our anger and desire of revenge,

let us consider these two things: 1. That thy brother which offendeth thee is the rod of God, &c. 2. That as thou forgivest so thou must look to be forgiven. If when thou art wronged, thou chafest, and storm∣est, and presently revengest thy self, when thou ma∣kest this prayer thou dost desire the Lord so to deal with thee, that is, when thou offendest presently to be revenged of thee.

The second duty is, when we have been offended* 1.9 not to retein anger, purpose or desire of revenge, but freely and from our hearts to forgive one another, Lev. 19. 18. Rom. 12. 19. Ephes. 4. 32. Col. 3. 13. And thus we are to forgive our brother openly, if he acknowledge his fault and repent; and that so oft as he seeketh reconciliation, though it be seven times a day, Luke 17. 3, 4. If he do not ask forgive∣nesse, but rather persist in hating and wronging us, yet are we in our hearts to forgive him, and to de∣sire his good, and to pray for his amendment, Matth. 5. 44.

Unto the performance of this duty we are to be* 1.10 moved by these arguments: First, if we will not forgive our neighbour, the Lord will not forgive us,* 1.11 Matth. 6. 15. Mark 11. 25, 26. 2. If we retein anger* 1.12 and desire of revenge, with what face can we pray unto the Lord to forgive us our great debts, that will not for his sake remit those pettie debts of our bro∣ther? And to this purpose notable is that saying of the sonne of Sirach, Ecclus 28. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sinnes in remembrance. Forgive thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done unto thee, so shall

thy sinnis also be forgiven when thou pr•…•…est. One man beareth hatred against another, and doth he seek p•…•…rdon from the Lord? He sheweth no mercy to a man which is like himself, and doth he ask forgivenesse of his own sinnes? If he that is but flesh nourish hatred, who will intreat for pardon of his sinnes? Therefore Paul exhorteth us to pray, lifting up pure hands without an∣ger, 1. Tim. 2. 8. and Peter signifieth that anger inter∣rupteth this exercise of prayer, 1. Pet. 3. 7. 3. If we* 1.13 do not forgive our brother, in making this prayer we desire that the Lord would execute his ven∣geance upon us rather then crave forgivenesse, &c. For this cause, as Augustine exhorteth, we are above all other sinnes to lay aside anger and hatred when we come to pray. For this prayer obteineth pardon for other sinnes; but for this sinne it doth not, but rather pulleth down vengeance upon him that desi∣reth revenge.

As for those reasons which we pretend for our* 1.14 anger, hatred, and desire of revenge, they are most vain, especially if we compare the debts of our bre∣thren to us with those which we desire to be for∣given of the Lord. For some will alledge, The of∣fenses which he hath committed against me are great, and I cannot put them up. But they are nothing to those sinnes which thou hast committed against God. 2. Yea, but he hath touched my good name. And thou by thy sinnes hast dishonoured God, and hast caused his holy name to be blasphemed. 3. Yea, but he is mine inferiour, &c. And what art thou to God? 4. Yea, but the offenses which he hath committed against me are ma•…•…y, and he never maketh an end of do∣ing

me wrong. But nothing so many as thy sinnes are against God: neither dost thou put an end to thy sinning. 5. Yea, but I have deserved well of him. But not so well as God hath deserved of thee. 6. Yea, but I have sought to win him with kindnesse. And hath not the Lord by his mercies invited thee to repentance? 7. Yea, but he hath been often admonished of his fault. Not fo oft as thou.

Furthermore, as thy brother offendeth against* 1.15 thee, so for the most part thou offendest against him, either by giving him occasion of evil, or by anger and impatience conceived against him: there∣fore the debt being mutuall, thou shouldst be rea∣dy to strike off thine own debt by pardoning of him. And although perhaps thou hast not deser∣ved so ill of him, yet thou hast deserved worse of the Lord, who by him as his instrument correcteth thee: and therefore must •…•…ay, as Mich. 7. 9. I have sinned, and therefore I will bear the anger of the Lord.

The third degree is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, forgetfulnesse;* 1.16 That we should not onely forgive but also forget the offenses done against us, as we desire that the Lord would forget the sinnes which we have com∣mitted against him. And therefore this art of obli∣vion, which Themistocles wished, we are to beg of the Lord.

The fourth is, by Christian •…•…harity to labour to* 1.17 win him, and to overcome evil with goodnesse, Rom. 12. 21. And this love must be exercised 1. by doing good to him that hath deserved ill, Psal. 25. 21, 22. for thereby also we shall resemble the

goodnesse of the Lord, who although he hath been diversly offended, yet first seeketh reconciliation with us. 2. in commending them to God in our prayers, Matth. 5. 44.

II. The second use is consolation to them who* 1.18 are ready to forgive the offenses of their brethren: For if we do forgive, we may be assured that we are forgiven, Matth. 6. 14. If ye forgive men their tres∣passes, your heavenly Father will forgive you. For which cause our Saviour. Christ pronounceth the mercifull to be blessed, because they shall obtein mercy, Matth. 5. 7. And undoubtedly the true love of our brother for Gods cause, which is especially to be seen in forgiving offenses, is an evident argument of the love of God. The love of God is a fruit of faith; for we love him because we are perswaded that he loved us first: and where faith is there is justification and remission of sinnes by imputation of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith.

III. The last use is a reproof of those which* 1.19 using this prayer notwithstanding retein hatred against their brother or purpose of revenge. And they are to be reproved both for their hypocrisie and folly: their hypocrisie; because they not for∣giving their neighbours but reteining malice against them, are not ashamed to lie unto the Lord, saying, For even we also forgive, &c. Their folly; because using this prayer, Forgive us as we forgive, not for∣giving but purposing and desiring revenge, in stead of craving pardon they desire God to be revenged on them for their sinnes, as they desire to be reven∣ged on their neighbour. Of both which hypocrisie

and folly our lustie gallants, especially our che∣valiers and hacksters, are guilty: who think it the greatest disparagement that may be (which the ho∣ly Ghost esteemeth to be the glory of a man) to put up an injury; and therefore will die upon a man rather then suffer the least offense unrevenged. But these men must know, that not onely they are car∣nall men and remain in their sinnes, but also that in seeking private revenge they are satanicall and de∣vilish. And therefore when Abishai stirred up Da∣vid to revenge himselfe upon Shimei, David an∣swered, What have I to do with you, ye sonnes of Zeruiah, that ye are this day to me 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in stead of Satan, 2. Sam. 19. 22. to teach us that they are in∣spired of Satan that breathe after revenge. Yea, but, saith one, I know how to avoid both this hypocri∣sie and folly, and yet I will be even with mine enemie too. For either I will leave out this petition, or use some other sorm of prayer where this clause is not, or else I will not pray at all. Yea, but the sentence of our Saviour, whether we use these words or no, stand∣eth sure; If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses, Matth. 6. 5. & 18. 33. and therefore those that use such shifts do but mock God and deceive them∣selves. Remember the parable, Matth. 18. and the saying of Tertullian, Quid est ad pacem Dei accedere sine pace? ad remissionem debitorum cum retentione in∣juriarum? Quomodo placabit patrem iratus in fratrem? &c. What is it to come unto God to seek peace without peace? for remission of our debts with re∣tention

of wrongs? How shall he please the Father that is angry with his brother?

Notes

• * 1.1

  What is meant by, As we.
• * 1.2

  Not equali∣ty but like∣nesse here to be under∣stood.
• * 1.3

  That our forgiving should be sincere and not feigned.
• * 1.4

  A threefold use of these words. Uses for in∣struction.
• * 1.5

  1. He that hath offend∣ed must soek for 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.6

  2. How we are to be∣have our selves to∣wards those who have of∣fended us.
• * 1.7

  Duty 1.
• * 1.8

  Means to moderate our anger.
• * 1.9

  Duty 2.
• * 1.10

  Reasons moving us to forgive.
• * 1.11

  1. Reason.
• * 1.12

  2. Reason.
• * 1.13

  3. Reason.
• * 1.14

  Pretenses of those who will not for∣give taken away.
• * 1.15

  4. Reason.
• * 1.16

  Duty 3.
• * 1.17

  4. We must labour to win him.
• * 1.18

  An use of consolation.
• * 1.19

  An use of reproof.