Concerning forgiveness of fins,
An Expofition of the Affembly's Catechism.
Concerning Forgiveness ofSins.
Queſt. 105.W Hat do we pray for inthe fifth petition ?
A. In thefifthpetition, which is, [And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,] wepray, that God,for Christ'sfake, wouldfreely pardon all ourfins ; which we are the rather encouraged toask, becauseby his gracewe are enabledfromtheheart toforgive others .
Q. 1. Whydoth this petitionimmediatelyfollowthe former ?
A. To teach, thatall temporal and corporal goodthings, without ſpecial and ſpiritual ones, are little worth ;
Pfalm iv.
6. Therebemanythatſay,Whowillſhew usanygood ? Lord, lift thouupthe lightofthy countenance uponus. Pfalm xvii.
14, 15. From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of theworld, which have their portion inthis life, and whoſe bellythou filleſt with thy hid treasure. Theyare full ofchildren, and leave the rest oftheir ſubſtance to theirbabes. As forme, I willbeholdthy face inrighteouſneſs : I ſhallbe fatisfied,when I awake with thy likeneſs.
Q. 2. Why is itannexed tothe former with thecopulative and?
A. To teach, that to beone minute inthe confluence ofall earthlygood things, without thepardon offin,isa verydangerous and dreadful condition; Luke xii. 16, 20. Andhe ſpake a parable untothem, faying,The ground ofa certain rich man hrought forthplentifully: But Godfaid untohim, Thou fool, this night ſhall thyfoulbe required ofthee; then whoſe ſhall thoſethings be which thou hast provided ?
Q.3. Why is forgiveness of fins placed inthe front of fpiritualbleſſings?
A. Becauſe till finbe pardoned, we are under wrath, and canhave no ſpecial faving grace applied tous, till we are accepted; till we are in Chriſt, wehave no covenant-rightto the bleſſings ofChrift ; Mat. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I willgive you reſt. Ver. 30.
Formy yoke is eaſy, and my burden islight; John xv. 4, 5.
Abide in me, and I inyou ; as the branch cannot bear fruit ofitſelf, except it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye abide inme.
I am the vine,ye are thebranches.
He that abidethin me, andI inhim, the fame bringeth forthmuch fruit: forwithout me ye can do nothing. Ver. 7. If ye abideinme, and my words abide inyou ; ye ſhall afk what ye will, and it shall bedone unto you. John iii. ult. He thatbelieveth on the Son, hath everlasting life; and he that believeth
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechifm. not the Son, ſhall not ſee life; but the wrath of God abideth onhim.
Q. 4. Whydo we pray for forgiveness ? Cannot we make amends for our fins,andbe freedfrom their guilt, without pardon?
A. No, allthat we can everdo, or ſuffer, cannever expiate the guilt of the leaſt ſin ; Pfalm xlix. 7, 8. None ofthem can byany means redeem his brother, norgive toGoda ranſom for him; (for the redemption of their foul is precious, and it ceaſeth for ever.) 1 Sam. ii. 25. Ifoneman ſin against another, the judge ſhall judge him : but ifaman fin against the Lord, who ſhall intreat for him ?
Q.5. DoesGodthenfreely,andout ofmeregrace, forgive us?
$ A. Yes, without any reſpecthad toany thingwe cando, orbe; Ifa. xliii. 25. I, even Iamhethatblottethoutthytranfgreſſionsformineown fake, andwillnot rememberthy fins.
Rom ix. 15. I willhave mercy on whom I willhavemercy, and Iwill have compaſſion on whom Iwill have compaffion.
Ver. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, andwhom he will hehardeneth.
Q. 6. How doth God forgive fins ?
A. (1.) Univerſally, all fins ; Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. And the Lord paffed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord, the LordGod, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands ; forgiving iniquity, and tranfgreffion, and fin. Jer. xxxiii. 8.
AndIwill cleanſe them from alltheir iniquity, whereby they have finned againſtme : And I will pardon all theiriniquities, whereby they have ſinned, andwhereby they have tranfgreffed againſt me. Hoſeaxiv. 2. Take away alliniquity, and receive us gracioufly. (2.) Completely, and perfectly ; Ifa. xliii. 25.
I, evenIam he thatblotteth outthy tranfgreffions formineown fake, andwill not remember thy fins. Pfalm ciii. 12. As far astheeast is from the weſt, ſo far hath he removed ourtranfgreffions from us. Mic. vii. 19. He willfubdue ouriniquities; andthou wilt eaſt all our fins into thedepths of thefea. Ifa. xxxviii. 17. Forthouhast caſt all myfins behindthy back. (3.)
Everlastingly ; Jer. xxxi. 34. For Iwill forgivetheir iniquity, and I will remember their fin no more.
Heb. viii. 12. And their fins and their iniquities will Iremember no more.
Q. 7. But doth notGodpunish them afterward, whom he hasjuftified andforgiven?
A. No, not with aproperand vindictive punishment; but
An Exposition of the Affembly's Catechifm.
hebrings evils uponthem for their fins, as a father chaſtiſes his child;and other forts ofafflictions for their ſpiritual good:
He maybe angry, as a Father, with thoſe he has pardoned, but neverhate them as a condemning Judge ; Pfalm lxxxix.
28. My mercywill I keep forhim for evermore, and my covenant ſhall ſtand faſt with him. Ver. 34. My covenantwill I not break, nor alterthe thing that isgone out ofmy lips.
Q. 8. How can God be faid freely to pardon all our fins, whenwe pray it maybedone for Chriſt's fake; does not that imply thatChrift has fatisfiedGod for our fins, anddeſerved ourremiffion?
A. Yes, it does ſo; for the Lord Chriſt, by his life and death,did fatisfy divine juſtice, anddidmerit our forgiveneſs :
But ifhe did ſo, wedid not fo; our fins coſt him dear, but theirpardon coſtus nothing ; our pardon is perfectly free to us, though due to Chrift, for God gave Chrift freely for us;
Godaccepts ofhismerits, and applies themtousfreely ; Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemptionthat is in Jeſus Chrift.
Q. 9. But is there nothing required fromus as the conditionofpardon? and iffo, how can it be abſolutely free ?
A. There are required repentance from fin, and faith inthe Lord Chrift ; Luke xiii. 3. But except ye repent, ye ſhallall likewife perish ; John iii. ult. And he that believeth not the Son, ſhall not fee life; but the wrath ofGod abideth on him.
This is required from us towards ourpardon,butyet it is free, (1.) Becauſe God freelyordains thus topardon. (2.) Becauſe both theſeare the free gifts of God; Acts xi . 18. Then hath
Godalfo totheGentiles granted repentanceunto life. Eph. ii.
8. For by grace are ye fayed, through faith ; and that not of yourſelves, it isthe gift ofGod.
Q. 10. When then areour fins forgiven ?
A. Juſt upon our cloſure with Chriſt by faith, in thatvery moment ; Rom. v. 1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peacewith God, through our Lord Jesus Chriſt Rom. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Chrift Jefus .
Q. 11. Whydowe pray inthe anſwer, for the forgiveneſs. ofallour fins ?
A. Becauſe iftheleaft guilt ſhould ren.ainupon us, itwould exclude us from God's favour, and lodge us in everlasting burnings ; Rom. vi. ult. Forthewages offin is death .
Q. 12. Whataretheprivileges andbleffings that accompany pardon ?
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechifm.
A. Juſtification is accompanied with adoption; Johni. 12.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to becomethe fons ofGod, even to them that believe on his name.
With the Spirit and principle ofall grace and holiness ; 1Cor. vi. 11. And fuch were ſome ofyou ; but ye are washed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are justified inthe name of the Lord
Jeſus, andby the Spirit ofour God.
With an infallible title to eternal glory ; John iii. 16. That whosoever believeth in him ſhould not perish, but have everlasting life; Rom. viii. 30.
Whom he justified, them he alſo glorified.
2.13. How may we know that we are pardoned and juſtified?
A. Ordinarily, by our ſanctification,by our loathing of fin, our contempt ofthe world, our valuing of Chriſt, our love and thankfulneſs to God, &c. 1 Cor. vi. 11. But ye are ſanctified.
Rom. vii . 24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me fromthe bodyof this death ? Gal. vi. 14. Bywhomthe world is crucified unto me, andI untothe world. I Pet. ii. 7. Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious. Luke vii. 47.
Her fins, which are many, are forgiven; for ſhe loved much.
Q. 14 What is meantby (our ?
Is it only ſuch ſins as we haveperſonally and actually committed?
A. No, but alſoAdam's fin, which isoursby imputation ; Rom. v. 19. By one man's diſobedience, many were made finners. Andoriginal fin, which is ours by inheſion ; Pfalm li. 5. Behold, I was ſhapen iniquity, and in findid my mother conceive me. And other mens fins, which we have made ours,byexcitingthem tothem, nothinderingofthem, filence at them, and other ways ; 2 Sam. xii 9. Thou hast killed Uriah theHittitewith the ſword, and haft taken his wife tobe thy wife, and haſt ſlain him with the ſword of the children of Ammon.
I Tim. v. 22. Neither be partaker of other mens fins.
Q. 15. Whereforeare ſinscalled debts ?
A. Becauſe they are a non-payment of God's dues, anonperformance of our duty ; which makes us liable to the arreſt ofdeath, and to the prison ofhell.
Q. 16. Why dowe plead our own forgiveness ofothers ?
A. Not as any merit ofour own pardon; but eitheras an encouragementto ourſelves to beg pardon ; ſeeing ſuch evil, envious, and malignant perſons, are enabled to forgive others, muchmoremay we hope the goodand graciousGod will forgive us : or, as a condition, without which we can have no pardon, and with which we shall; Matth. vi. 14. For if ye
An Exposition of the Assembly's Catechifm.
forgive men their treſpaſſes, your heavenly Father will alſo forgive you.
Q. 17.Howdoothers treſpaſs againſt us ?
A. Whenthey injure us, either in ourperſons, or names, or families, or eftates, or fouls, &c. I Sam. ii. 25. If one man fin against another, the judge ſhalljudge him ; but ifaman finagainst theLord,who ſhall intreat for him ?
Q. 18. Canwe forgive our neighbourfreely, fully, andperfectly, asGod doth forgive us ?
A. We cannot.
Q. 19. Whatthenis the meaning ofGod's forgiving us, as we forgive others ?
A. Not as to the quantity and perfection offorgiveneſs, but 'as tothe fincerity and quality thereof, Matth. xviii. ult. So likewiſe ſhall my heavenlyFather do alſo unto you, ifye from your hearts forgive notevery one his brother their trefpaffes.
Q. 20. Arewe always boundtomanifeſt outwardly our love andforgiveneſs to all our enemies, and to behave ourſelves towards them as friends ?
A. No, ifwehave experiencedthem to be treacherous and falſe, and fee no change, we are not bound to trust them ; if they be, and remain, wicked andprofane,we mustnot aſſociate with them ; Pfal. xxvi. 5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and will not fit with the wicked. Ver. 4. I have not fatwithvain perſons,neither will I go inwith diffemblers.
Q. 21. What thenmuſtwe do tofuch?
A. We must heartilyforgive them all their injuries, we muſtlovethemwith the love ofbenevolence,prayforthem,and bereadyandwillingtodothem allgood,both ofbodyand foul ;
Matth. v. 44, 45. ButI say unto you, Love your enemies ; bleſs them that curſeyou,do good to them thathate hateyou, and pray forthem which deſpitefullyuſe you and perfecute you.
Thatyou maybe the children of your Father which is in heaven; forhemakethhisfun torife onthe evil,and on thegood, and ſendeth rain on thejuſt and onthe unjust.
Q. 22. If we forgive others, ſhall we be forgiven ourfelves?
A. We shall, if out ofobedience toGod, and love toChrift, wedo it.
Q. 23. What is the firſt inference fromhence ?
A. That except our fins be forgiven, we are loſt and undone creatures; and therefore we must neverbe contented, till we arepardoned.
Q.24. What is aſecond inference ?