A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

4. We beg the Increase of that Sense, for this Sense is given out in a different Latitude. Spiritual Sense is not in all alike quick and lively: many have only a probable Certainty, but have many Doubts: Some have Comfort, but never arrive to Peace. Comfort, you know, is that thing which holds up it self against Encounters, when we are confronted; so there may be many doubts, when the preponderating part of the Soul inclineth to Comfort. Some have Peace for the present, rest from Trouble of Conscience; others have Joy, which is a degree above Peace and Comfort.

4. We beg the Increase of that Sense, for this Sense is given out in a different Latitude. Spiritual Sense is not in all alike quick and lively: many have only a probable Certainty, but have many Doubts: Some have Comfort, but never arrive to Peace. Comfort, you know, is that thing which holds up it self against Encounters, when we are confronted; so there may be many doubts, when the preponderating part of the Soul inclineth to Comfort. Some have Peace for the present, rest from Trouble of Conscience; others have Ioy, which is a degree above Peace and Comfort.

5. We beg the Effects of Pardon, or Freedom from those penal Evils, which are continued upon God's Children, and are the Fruits of Sin. Clearly this is intended, for we beg of God to pardon us as we pardon others; (that is) fully, entirely to forgive, forget. We beg of God to forgive us our Sins; (that is) to mitigate those Troubles, ⟨p. 367⟩Evils, and Afflictions, which are the Fruits of Sin. It is true, when a Man is justified, the State of his Person is altered; yet Sin is the same in it self, it deserves all manner of Evils; therefore we beg not only a Release from Wrath to come, but from those other temporal Evils that dog us at the Heels: Sin is the same still, though the Person is not the same. It is still the Violation of a holy Law, an Affront done to an holy God, an Inconvenience upon the precious Soul; it brings a Blot upon us, an Inclination to sin again; nay, it brings eternal Death. Though it do not bring eternal Death upon pardoned Persons, yet it may occasion temporal Trouble. God hath still reserved this Liberty in the Covenant. That he will visit their Transgression with the Rod, and their Iniquity with Stripes; nevertheless, my loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him; nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail;