sake would freely pardon all our sins: which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.

Q. How is it that we find in the Lord's prayer but one petition for temporal things, and so many for spiritual?

A. To teach us to be far more careful about the precious immortal soul, than about the poor dying body.

Q. Why is this petition annexed, by the copulative and, to the former petition?

A. To teach us, that worldly enjoyments can give no comfort without pardon of sin; and therefore, when we ask for the one, we should with the same breath pray for the other: for, let a man have never so much of the world, he is a miserable creature if he want pardon. Q. What is meant by our debts here?

A. Our sins against God.

Q. How can sin be called a debt, seeing obedience is properly the the debt we owe unto God?

A. Sin is also called a debt, because, when we fail to pay the debt of obedience, we contract a new debt to the justice of God: by sin we become bound to satisfy justice for the wrong done thereto, by suffering eternal punishment, and God, as the creditor, hath right to insist for this satisfaction when he will.

Q. Have we not the properties of bad debtors?

A. Yes; for we are wholly insolvent, we are turned careless about paying our debts, we are unwilling to confess debt, we shift clearing of accounts, we keep out of our creditor's way, and love not to meet with him.

Q. Doth not the debt of sin expose us to greater misery than any other debt whatsoever?

A. Yes; for other debts but expose men's bodies to misery here, which death puts an end to; but the debt of sin exposeth both our souls and bodies to eternal miseries in hell, the worst of all prisons, out of which there is no hope of liberation.

Q. Is there any man able to pay his own debt?

A. No, not the least farthing of it.

Q. How then shall we be delivered from the burden of our debts? A. We must pray to God for a free pardon, as we are taught in this petition, Forgive us our debts?

Q. Will God forgive our debts without satisfaction to his justice? A. No; but he hath provided a Surety for us, who hath made full satisfaction, even the Lord Jesus Christ, for whose sake we must pray for pardon.

Q. If Christ hath satisfied for the debt, how is the pardon free? A. It is free to us, because God exacts no satisfaction from us; and as for the Surety from whom he exacts it, he gave him to us freely, without our deserving or desire: so that the pardon is still free to us, according to Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.

Q. What means must be used by us, for receiving of this free pardon?

A. We must with believing and penitent hearts go to the mercy of God in Jesus Christ, and plead for forgiveness for his sake: and at

the same time we must be careful, as Christ teacheth us, to be in a disposition to forgive our debtors.

Q. Who are these meant by our debtors here?

A. All these who have injured or wronged us in our persons, estates, names, relations, or in any thing else.

Q. What is it for us to forgive the faults of such debtors?

A. It is to pass them over without any hatred or desire of revenge against them, and to be ready to do them good when it is in our power.

A. No.

Q. Do these forgive others heartily, who wish them evil, or are secretly glad when evil befals them ? Q. What case are these in, who will not forgive others their trespasses?

A. Christ saith, that neither will God forgive them, Matt. vi. 15. Q. Do we any wise merit forgiveness from God, by our forgiving others?

A. No; it is only an encouragement to expect forgiveness from God, when we feel this testimony of God's grace in our hearts, inclining us to forgive others.

Q. Are we not able of ourselves to forgive others?

A. No; we must have the grace of God to enable us to do it, Luke xvii. 3, &c.

Q. Doth the particle as, in the petition, import an equality in our forgiving others with God's forgiving us?

A. No; for we cannot forgive as freely, perfectly, and finally as God doth: but it is a note of similitude, and of our desire to imitate God in his forgiving of us, and that we do it heartily and sincerely.

Q. Is it not highly dangerous to use the Lord's prayer with a'

malicious heart?

A. Yes; for such use a fearful imprecation against themselves, praying that God may deal with them as they do with others, which is, that he may not forgive them at all.

Q. How shall we attain to this forgiving temper of spirit?

A. By seeking it from God, and considering our Saviour's precept and example, and the promise of forgiveness annexed to it, Matt. vi. 14. And also by minding that we wrong God much more than any man doth wrong us: and, if God be willing to forgive us ten thou sand talents, we may well forgive our neighbour a few pence, Matt.

xvii. 32, 33.

Q. Must we forgive these who do not desire it of us, nor repent of what they have done to us?

A. Yes; for we find Christ and Stephen did so.

Q. Do they not still remain debtors to God for these sins if they repent not, though we have forgiven them?

A. Yes; and therefore these who injure their neighbours, should not be satisfied with a remission from them, but must cry to God for his forgiveness also, saying with David, Psalm li. 4. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, As if he had said, the wrong I have done to others is little, in comparison of what I have done against thee.

Quest. 106. What do we pray for in the sixth petition? Ans. In the sixth petition (which is, And lead us not into

f

temptation, but deliver us from evil) we pray, that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

Q. Why is this petition connected with the former by the copulative and?

A. To teach us two things; 1. That pardoned souls are the special objects of Satan's ma lice. 2. That, when past sins are forgiven, we should be very watchful against sin for the future, Psalm ixxxv. 8.

Q. What are these temptations we are liable to?

A. They are of two sorts, some to try us, others to seduce usi

Q. Whence come these temptations for trial?

A. From God: thus did he tempt Abraham, Gen, xxii. 1.

Q. Why doth God tempt his people?

A. For the trial of their faith, and their other graces, 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. 3.

Q. Seeing God knows perfectly what is in every man, what need is there for his trying of them?

A. God tries his people, not for his sake, but their own sakes, that they may know themselves the better; and also for the sake of others, who by seeing their graces may be quickened to imitate them, or by observing their weakness may learn to walk humbly before God.

sin

Q. How is it said, James 1. 13. that God tempteth no man?

A. The meaning there is, that God doth not tempt any man to seduce or entice him to

Q. Whence then come these temptations for seduction?

A. From the devil, the world, ard the flesh.

Q. Is not Satan called the tempter, Matth. iv. 3. And why?

A. Because he hath a main hand in our temptations to sin, and it is his constant work and business to seduce and cutice men to evil.

Q. Is not Satan a very subtle tempter?

A. Yes, as by his considering the conditions of men, and his choosing the fittest seasons and instruments, and the most suitable baits to prevail with them; and by his transforming himself sometimes into an angel of light. And hence the scriptures call him the okl ser pent, and speak of his devices, wiles, snares, &c. Job i. 8. Rev. xii. 9. 2 Cor. ii. 11. Eph. vi. 11. 2 Tim. ii. 26. 2 Cor. xi. 14.

Q. Is not the tempter very cruel, as well as subtile?

A. Yes, and therefore he is called a roaring lion, 1 Pet. v. 3. for he devours his prey withsut mercy, when once he is master of it. Although at first he cunningly tempts and enti ces men to commit sin, yet he afterwards cruelly accuses them of it, and torments them for it.

Q Doth not Saten prevail the more easily against us, by reason of the strong friends he hath within us? A. Yes, the lusts of the flesh are

Judges xvi.

ready always, like Delilah, to deliver us up to him,

Q. What is to be understood by these words, lead us not into temptation?

4. In these words we pray, that God may not expose us to temptations, nor deliver us up to the tempter's will: that, when we are exposed, God may not withhold his supporting grace, but strengthen us to resist the temptation

Doth God sometimes as a Judge desert men, and leave them to Satan's power?

A. Yes; and he doth justly, as being provoked to it by their sins, 1 Sam. xvi. 14. Job i 12. Psal. eix. 6. Rom. i. 24. 2 Thess. ii. 11.

Q. How doth God keep us from being tempted to sin?

A. Either by sanctifying our natures, or by binding up the tempter, or by keeping us from coming into the way of temptations. Sometimes the Lor doth hedge up his people's way with the thorns of affliction, to keep them from straying into dangerous by-paths, Hos.

li. 6.

Q. While we pray to God to keep us from being tempted to sin, should we not at the same time be diligent in watching over ourselves?

A. Yes; our Lord will have watching to go along with prayer, Matth. xxvi. 41. and pray, that ye enter not into temptation."

Q. Doth not God sometimes suffer his dear saints to be tempted by Satan?

Watch

A. Yes; he sees fit to do so for their good, to try their graces, to abate their pride, to excite their prayers, to shew then their need of living by faith on Christ, to make them wea ry of the land where Satan goes his circuit, and long for heaven where they shall be out of his reach for ever.

Q. Why doth Satan continue his assaults against God's people, seeing he cannot ruin them ? 4. Such is bis malice, if he cannot keep them out of heaven, he will make their passage to it as uneasy as possible.

Q. What grounds of comfort doth God afford his people under temptation?

A. It is comfortable to them to know that their Redeemer hath Satan in his chain, so that he can go no farther in tempting than Christ gives him leave; that he hath given them his sweet and faithful promises to support them; and that he himself was willing to be tempted of the devil, that he might be the more capable to sympathize with his people, and ready to succour them when tempted, Heb. íi. 18.

Q. What are these promises, which Christ has given his people to support them under temp

tation?

A. He hath promised them his gracious presence with them under their sharpest trials; and that he will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, Isa. xliii. 2. Heb. xiii. 5. 1 Cor. x. 13.

Q. How is it that Christ succours his people when they are tempted?

A. He sends his Spirit to fortify grace in them, and bring his promises to their remembrance; he intercedes for them that their faith fail not, and he seasonably takes off the tempter from them,

Q. Can no man preserve himself in the hour of temptation?

A. No; for it is God only that is able to keep us from falling, Jude 24.

Q. Doth not Satan sometimes throw in unbelieving and blasphemous thoughts into the minds of God's people? A. Yes.

Q. Will God charge his people with guilt upon account of these temptations?

A. No, if they hate them, grieve for them, and give no consent unto them.
Q. What is meant by the evil, in this petition we pray to be delivered from?

4. We here pray to be delivered from the evil one, the devil; from the evil of evils, sint from the evil of temptation here, and the evil of punishment in hell heraafter.

Q. Is there nothing else required of us, but to pray to be delivered from evil?

A. We must also watch, and carefully avoid all occasions of sin, such as idleness, evil company, and the like; for these who do not so, their prayers are but mocking of the Lord.

Quest. 107. What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach

us ?

Ans. The conclusion of the Lord's Prayer (which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever, Amen) teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him: and in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.

What are we taught by the particle for prefixed to the conclusion of this prayer?

A. We are taught thereby to enforce our petitions with arguments; as we find was the practice of the saints in scripture, Num. xiv. 13, &e. Josh. vii. 9. 2 Chron. xiv. 11. and xx. 6, &e.

Q. Why must we use arguments with God in prayer?

A. Not that we can thereby incline God to grant us any thing that he is averse to; but we ought to do it in order to strengthen our faith, and to excite our fervency in pleading with God.

Q. May we take our arguments or encouragement in prayer from any worthiness or good thing in ourselves? A. No.

Q. From whence then must we bring them?

A. Only from the infinite perfections of God, and merits of his Son.

Q. What are the arguments or grounds of encouragement mentioned in the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer?

A. They are the kingdom, the power and the glory of God, which last for ever.

Q. What is the design and meaning of this conclusion?

A. To shew us the reasons why we should pray to God, and the grounds we have to hope that he will hear us: and likewise to teach us, that the main end we ought to propose in our prayers is, that the kingdom, power, and glory of God may be declared and advanced more and more.

Q. What is meant by the kingdom of God here?

A. God's universal sovereignty, dominion and authority, which he hath over the world, and all things in heaven and earth.

Q. Hath God the disposal of all the kingdoms and governments in the world? A. Yes, he disposeth of human kingdoms and states; and he hath absolute right to do in the kingdoms of nature, of providence, of grace, and of glory, as seemeth good to him. Q. What encouragement may we draw from God's kingdom in prayer?

A. That seeing he is our king and governor, who hath right to dispose of all things, we have reason to expect he will be ready to give us what good things we need: for a king wisheth well to his subjects. Hence the people of God do often plead with him upon this relation, Psal. v. ii. and xx. 9, and lxxiv. 12.

Q. What is meant by the power of God here?

A. His infinite might and ability to do whatsoever be will.

Q. What encouragement may we take from God's power in prayer?

A. That seeing he is almighty, he is sufficiently able to give us all the good things we ask and this argument is often made use of in prayer, 1 Chron. xxix. 12. 2 Chron. xx. 7. Matth. viii. 2. Mark xiv. 36. Eph. iii. 20.

Q. But how doth it appear that God is willing to give, as well as able?

A. Because he assumes the character of a gracious king to his subjects, and of a loving facher to an his children.

Q. What is meant by the glory of God here?

A. The honour, dignity and praise which belong unto God, upon account, of his infinite excellencies.

Q. What is the argument we draw from the glory of God in our prayers?

A. That the granting of these our petitions will greatly redound to the glory of his holy name; and that this is the great end we aim at in all we ask, Psal. Ixxix. 9. and lxxxvi. 11, 12. and exv. 1, 2. Jer. xiv. 21. John xiv. 13.

Q. What encouragement may we take from these words, for ever?

A. It doth strengthen our faith to think, that God's sovereignty and perfections are ever lasting; that he shall never want power to help us, as earthly kings may

Q. Doth Christ by this conclusion teach us in prayer to extol and magnify the Lord, and te join praises to him always with our prayers?

A. Yes; for a thankful and praising disposition is highly pleasing to God, Psal. Ixix. 30, 31. and engageth him to grant our desires, Psal. Ixvii. 5, 6.

Q. What is meant by the word Amen?

A. It is a Hebrew word, which signifieth truth or certainty; and is as much as to say, Lord, so it is, or, so let it be: and thereby we express our fervent desires to be heard, and our humble confidence of obtaining what we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, who, with the Fa ther, and Holy Spirit, is the one supreme God, to whom be glory for ever, Amen.