A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

1. The Congruency, it should be so. It is fit that he that beggeth Mercy, should show Mercy; it is exceedingly congruous: For this is a general Rule, That we should do as we would be done unto; and therefore if we need Mercy from God, we should show Mercy to others; and without it we can never pray in Faith. He that doth not exercise Love, can never pray in Faith; why? His own revengeful Disposition will still prejudice his Mind, and make him conclude against the Audience of his Prayers; for certainly we muse on others, as we use our selves. And that's one reason of our Unbelief, why we are so hardly brought to believe all that tender Mercy which is in God, because 'tis so irksome to us to forgive seven times a day; we are apt to frame our Conclusions according to the Dispositions of our own Heart. Can we think God will forgive, when we our selves will not forgive? A Man's own Prayers will be confuted. What is more equal, than to do as we would be done unto? And therefore it is but equal, if he entreat Mercy for himself, he should show it unto others. Look as the Centurion reasoned of God's Power, from the Command that he had over his Soldiers: Mat. 8. 9. I am a Man under Authority, and I say to one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh. Those things we are accustomed to, they are apt to run in our Minds, when we come to think of God. Now he that kept his Soldiers under Discipline, that if he said, Go, they go; he reasons thus of God: Surely God hath Power to chase away Diseases. So accordingly should we reason of God's Mercy, according to the Mercy that we find in our selves. Therefore it is very ⟨p. 382⟩notable, that when Christ had spoken of forgiving our Brethren, not only seven times, but seventy times seven, the Disciples said unto the Lord, Increase our Faith, Luke 17. 5. How dot• this come in? In the 4th Verse Christ had spoken, that they should forgive not only seven times, but seventy times seven; and they do not say, Lord, increase our Charity, but our Faith; implying, that we cannot have such large thoughts of God, when our own Hearts are so straitened by Revenge, and our private Passions.

1. The Congruency, it should be so. It is fit that he that beggeth Mercy, should shew Mercy; it is exceedingly congruous: For this is a general Rule, That we should do as we would be done unto; and therefore if we need Mercy from God, we should shew Mercy to others; and without it we can never pray in Faith. He that doth not exercise Love, can never pray in Faith; why? His own revengeful Disposition will still prejudice his Mind, and make him conclude against the Audience of his Prayers; for certainly we muse on others, as we use our selves. And that's one reason of our Unbelief, why we are so hardly brought to believe all that tender Mercy which is in God, because 'tis so irksom to us to forgive seven times a day; we are apt to frame our Conclusions according to the Dispositions of our own Heart. Can we think God will forgive, when we our selves will not forgive? A Man's own Prayers will be confuted. What is more equal, than to do as we would be done unto? And therefore it is but equal, if he entreat Mercy for himself, he should shew it unto others. Look as the Centurion reasoned of God's Power, from the Command that he had over his Souldiers: