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that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you ref. Ver. 30. for my Yoke is easy, and my Burden is light, John xv. 4, 5. Abide in me and I in you, as the Branch cannot bear Fruit of itfelf, except it abide in the Vine: no more can ye except ye abide in me. Iam the Vineye are the Branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much Fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.-Ver. 7. if ye abide in me and my Words abide in you, ye shall ask what je will, and it fall be done unto you, John ifi. ult. He that believeth on the Son bath everlasting Life: and he that believeth not the Son, fhall not fee Life; but the Wrath of God abideth on him.

Q. 4.. Why do we pray for Forgiveness, cannot we make amends for our Sins, and be freed from their Guilt without Pardon?

A. No, all that we can ever do or fuffer, can never expiate the Guilt of the leaft Sin, Pfal. xlix. 7, 8. None of them can by any Means redeem his Brother, nor give to God a RanJom for him: (For the Redemption of their Soul is precious, and it ceafeth for ever,) 1 Sam. ii. 25. If one Man fin against another, the Judge shall judge him; but if a Man fin against the Lord, who fhall entreat for him.

Q. 5. Does God then freely, and out of meer Grace forgive us?

A. Yes, without any Refpect had to any Thing we can do, or be, Ifa. xliii. 25. I, even I am he that blotteth our thy Trnafgreffions for my own fake, and will not remember thy Sins, Rom. ix. 15. I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy, and I will have Compafson on whom I will have Compaffion. Ver. 18. Therefore hath he Mercy, on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he will be bardneth.

Q6. How doth God forgive Sins?

A. (1.) Univerfally all Sins, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. And the Lord paffed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for Thousands, forgiving Iniquity, and Tranfgreffion, and Sin, Jer. xxxiii. 8. And I will change them from all their Iniquity, whereby they bave finned against me, and I will pardon all their Iniquities whereby they have finned, and whereby they have tranfgriffed against me, Hof. xiv. 2. Take away all Iniquity and receive us graciously. (2.) Compleatly and perfectly, Ifa. xliii. 25. I, even I am

He

be that blotteth out thy Tranfgreffions for my own fake, and will not remember thy Sins, Pfal. ciii. 12. As far as the Eaft is from the Weft: fo far hath be removed our Tranfgreffions from us, Mic. vii. 19. He will fubdue our Iniquities, and thou wilt caft all our Sins into the Depths of the Sea, Ifa. xxxviii. 17. For thou hast caft all my Sins behind thy Back. (3.) Everlastingly, Jer. xxxi. 34. For I will forgive their Iniquity, and I will remember their Sin no more, Heb. viii. 12. and their Sins and their Iniquities will I remember no more.

Q. 7. But doth not God punish them afterward whom he has juftified and forgiven?

A. No, not with a proper and vindictive Punishment; but he brings Evil upon them for their Sins, as a Father chaftifes his Child; and other Sorts of Afflictions for their fpiritual Good: He may be angry as a Father, with those he has pardoned, but never hate them as a condemnning Judge, Pfal. Ixxxix 28. My Mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my Covenant shall ftand fat with him. 34. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the Thing that is gone out of my Lips.

Ver.

Q. 8. How can God be faid freely to pardon all our Sins; when we pray it may be done for Chrift's fake; does not that imply that Chrift has fatisfied God for our Sins, and deferved our Remiffion?

A. Yes, it does fo; for the Lord Chrift by his Life and Death did fatisfy divine Juftice, and did merit our Forgivenefs; but if he did fo, we did not fo; our Sins coft him dear, but their Pardon coft us nothing; our Pardon is perfectly free to us; though due to Christ, for God gave Chrift freely for us; God accepts of his Merits, and applies them to us freely, Rom. iii. 24. Being juflified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jefus Chrift.

Q. 9. But is there nothing required from us as the Condition of Pardon, and if fo, how can it be abfolutely free? A. There are required Repentance from Sin, and Faith in the Lord Chrif, Luke xiii. 3. But except ye repent, ye fhoil all likewife perish, Joh. iii. ult. And be that believeth not the Son, fhall not fee Life; but the Wrath of God alid.tb on kim. This is required from us towards our Pardon; but yet it is free, (1) Because God freely ordains thus to pardon. (2) Because both thefe are the free Gifts of God, Acts xi. 18.

Then

Then bath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life, Eph. ii. 8. For by Grace are ye javed, through Faith; and that not of your felves; it is the Gift of God.

Q. 1o. When then are our Sins forgiven?

A. Just upon our Clofure with Chrift by Faith, in that very Moment, Rom. v. 1. Therefore being justified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus.

Q. 11. Why do we pray in the Anfwer for the Forgive

nefs of all our Sins ?

A. Because if the leaft Guilt should remain upon us, it would exclude us from God's Favour, and lodge us in everlasting Barnings, Rom. vi. ult. For the Wages of Sin is Death.. Q12. What are the Privileges and Blessings that accompany Pardon?

Á. Juftification is accompanied with Adoption, John i. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name. With the Spirit and Principle of all Grace and Holiness, 1 Cor. vi. 11. And fuch were fome of you: but ye are washed, but ye are fanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of our God. With an infallible Title to eternal Glory, John iii. 16. That whosoever believeth in bim, fhould not perish, but have everlafting Life, Rom. viii. 30. Whom he juflified, them be alfo glorified.

Q. 13. How may we know that we are pardoned and juftified?

A. Ordinarily by our Sanctification, by our loathing of Sin, our Contempt of the World, our valuing of Chrift, our Love and Thankfulness to God, &c. 1 Cor. vi. 11. But ye are fanctified, Rom. vii. 24. O wretched Man that I am, who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death? Gal. vi. 14. By whom the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World, 1 Pet. ii. 7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious, Luke vii. 47. Her Sins which are many are forgiven; for fhe loved much.

Q 14. What is meant by [Our] is it only fach Sins as we have perfonally and actually committed?

A. No; but alfo Adam's Sin, which is ours by Imputation, Rom. v. 19. By one Man's Difobedience many were

made:

made Sinners. And original Sin which is ours by Inhefion, Pfal. li. 5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did my Mother conceive me. And other Mens Sins which we have made ours, by exciting them to them, not hindering of them, filence at them, and other ways, 2 Sam. xii. 9. Thou haft killed Uriah the Hittite with the Sword, and haft taken his Wife to be thy Wife, and haft flain him with the Sword of the Children of Ammon, 1 Tim. v. 22. Neither be Partaker

of other Mens Sins.

Q. 15. Wherefore are Sins called Debts?

A. Because they are a Non-payment of God's Dues, a Non-performance of our Duty, which makes us liable to the Arrest of Death, and to the Prison of Hell.

Q. 16. Why do we plead our own Forgiveness of others? A. Not as any Merit of our own Pardon, but either as an Incouragement to our felves to beg Pardon; feeing fuch evil, envious and malignant Perfons are enabled to forgive others; much more may we hope the good and gracious God will forgive us: Or as a Condition, without which we can have no Pardon, and with which we fhall, Matt. vi. 14. For if ye forgive Men their Trespasses, your heavenly Father will alfo forgive you,

Q. 17. How do others trefpafs against us?

A. When they injure us either in our Perfons, or Names, or Families, or Eftates, or Souls, &c. 1 Sam. ii. 25. If one Man fin against another, the Fudge fhall judge him; but if a Man fin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him?

Q. 18. Can we forgive our Neighbours freely, fully, and perfectly, as God doth forgive us?

A. We cannot.

Q19. What then is the Meaning of God's forgiving us as we forgive others?

A. Not as to the Quantity and Perfection of Forgivenefs, but as to the Sincerity and Quality thereof, Matt. xviii. ult. So likewife shall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Tref palles.

Q. 20. Are we always bound to manifeft outwardly our Love and Forgiveness to all our Enemies; and to behave our felves towards them as Friends?

A. No,

A. No, if we have experienced them to be treacherous and falle, and fee no Change, we are not bound to trust them, if they be and remain wicked and profane, we must not affociate with them, Píal. xxvi. 5. I have hated the Congregation of evil Doers: and will not fit with the wicked. Ver. 4. I have not fate with vain Perfons, neither will I go in with Diffemblers.

Q 21. What then must we do to fuch?

A. We muit heartily forgive them all their Injuries; we muft love them with the Love of Benevolence, pray for them, and be ready and willing to do them all good both of Body and Soul, Matt. v. 44, 45. But I say unto you, love your Enemies, blefs them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully use you, and perfecute you. That you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven; for he maketh his Sun to rife on the evil, and on the good, and fendeth Rain on the juft, and on the unjust.

Q. 22. If we forgive others, fhall we be forgiven our felves?

A. We fhall, if out of Obedience to God, and love to Christ, we do it.

Q. 23. What is the firft Inference from hence ?

A. That except our Sins be forgiven, we are loft and undone Creatures, and therefore we must never be contented till we are pardoned.

Q24. What is a fecond Inference?

A. That God is a God of Love, Goodnefs, and Pardon; feeing he will not pardon us, if we do not pardon others; but will if we do so.

Q. 25. What is a third Inference?

A. That if we live in Hatred when we pray the Lord's Prayer, we pray for our Damnation, Matt. xviii. 22. Jesus Jaith unto him, I fay not unto thee, until feven times feven, but until feventy times feven. Ver. 35. So likewife fhall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if je from your Hearts forgive not everý ane his Brother their Trepaffes.

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