A practical exposition of the Lord's-Prayer

1. Freely, and merely upon the Impulsions of his own Grace. Isa. 43. 25. I, even I am he that forgiveth your Iniquities for my Name sake. Nothing else could move him to it, but his own Mercy; and he could have chosen whether he would have done so yea or no: For he spared not the Angels; but offereth Pardon to Man, and all Men are not actually pardoned. And therefore, the only reason why he showeth us Mercy and not others, is merely his own Grace. The Intervention of Christ's Merit doth not hinder the Freedom of it; Tho dearly purchased by Christ, yet freely bestowed on us. For 'tis said, Rom. 3. 24. Justified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Christ. Why? partly because it was Mercy that he would not prosecute his Right against us. Partly, because he found out the way how to recompense the wrong done by Sin unto his Majesty, and out of his Love, sent his Son to make this Recompense for us. Joh. 3. 16. 'Twas Love set all a-work. And lastly, not excited hereunto by any worth on our parts, but the external moving cause was only our Misery, and the internal moving cause his own Grace. Nor is the Freedom of this Act infringed by requiring Faith and Repentance on our part: because that only showeth the way and order wherein this Grace is dispensed, not the cause why. 'Tis not for the worth of our Repentance, or as if there were any Merit in it. A Malefactor that beggeth his Pardon on his Knees, doth not deserve a Pardon; only the Majesty of the Prince requireth that it should be submissively asked. These are not Conditions of Merit, but Order; ⟨p. 400⟩not the Cause, but the way of Grace's working: And these Conditions are wrought in us by Grace, Acts 5. 31. not required only, but given. In all other Covenants, the Party contracting, is bound to perform what he promiseth by his own strength: But in the Covenant of Grace, God doth not only require that we should Believe and Repent, but causeth it in us. Conditions of the Covenant, are Conditions in the Covenant. God requireth Faith and Repentance, and giveth Faith and Repentance; compare Isa. 59. 20