The fifth petition, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors: by the word debts he meaneth our sins, for that we owe the punishment of them unto God and this Christ himself hath borne for us, in his death upon the cross, and so hath obtained the pardon of sins for us. We beg that the heavenly father would impute unto us that satisfaction & obedience of Christ & work in us a sense & a feeling of this imputation, that so we may sweetly rest in his fatherly favour in Christ, and in his love purchased for us in and by the sufferings of Christ. To this petition is annexed an argument drawn from the like example: that is, the example of our remission in pardoning our neighbour his trespasses: The reason of which example doth not consist in the merit of our work, but in the promise of Christ, saying. For aif ye forgive men their offences, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if ye do not forgive men their trespasses, no more will your father forgive you your trespasses. By which words it doth ⟨p. 102⟩manifestly appear, that they only can be assured of the pardon of sins, that are assured and know in their consciences, that they have pardoned their neighbours. The reason whereof is this, it can not be, that any man pardon from his hart his brother,2 unless he first love him: now he can not love his brother, which first doth not love God; and no man can love God, which is not persuaded in his hart, that God of his mere grace hath pardoned him all his sins by and through Jesus Christ. And again he that is assured of this, he can not, but love God, and his neighbour in & for the Lord: from which love, it can not be, but the pardoning of all offences must proceed. Lastly this argument is also noted with these words as and also, 3Math. 6.12. and Luke. 12. For even we, &c. Wherefore this word also is not well omitted: for we say commonly, as we forgive them that trespass, &c. for, as we also forgive, &c.
The fift petition, Forgiue vs our debtes, as we also forgiue our debters: by the word debtes he meaneth our sinnes, for that we owe the punishment of them vnto God and this Christ himselfe hath borne for vs, in his death vpon the crosse, and so hath obtained the pardon of sinnes for vs. We begge that the heauenly father would impute vnto vs that satisfaction & obedience of Christ & worke in vs a sense & a feeling of this imputation, that so we may sweetly rest in his fatherly fauour in Christ, and in his loue purchased for vs in and by the sufferings of Christ. To this petition is annexed an argument drawen from the like example: that is, the example of our remission in pardoning our neighbour his trespasses: The reason of which exāple doth not consist in the merite of our worke, but in the promise of Christ, saying. For aif ye forgiue men their offences, your heauenly father will also forgiue you. But if ye doe not forgiue men their trespasses, no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses. By which wordes it doth ⟨p. 102⟩manifestly appeare, that they onely can be assured of the pardon of sinnes, that are assured and know in their consciences, that they haue pardoned their neighbours. The reason whereof is this, it can not be, that any man pardon from his hart his brother,2 vnlesse he first loue him: now he can not loue his brother, which first doth not loue God; and no man can loue God, which is not perswaded in his hart, that God of his meere grace hath pardoned him all his sinnes by and through Iesus Christ. And againe he that is assured of this, he can not, but loue God, and his neighbour in & for the Lord: from which loue, it can not be, but the pardoning of all offences must proceede. Lastly this argument is also noted with these wordes as and also, 3Math. 6.12. and Luke. 12. For euen we, &c. Wherefore this word also is not well omitted: for we say commonly, as we forgiue them that trespasse, &c. for, as we also forgiue, &c.
- aMath. 6.14.15.
- 2Gods love is cause of our love, & our love but a sign and effect of his love.Gods loue is cause of our loue, & our loue but a signe and effect of his loue.
- 3[Greek or Hebrew]. Forgive us, as we also forgive. [Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Forgiue vs, as we also forgiue. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
