Q1. Why is this petition connected with the former, by the copulative conjunction and?

A. To teach us, that we can have no outward comfort with God's blessing, unless our sins are pardoned, and our persons accepted in Christ, 1 Cor. 3:22, 23.

Q2. What are we to understand by debts in this petition?

A. By debts we are to understand our sins, whether original or actual, of omission or commission, Luke 11:4.

Q3. Why are these called debts?

A. Because of the debt of punishment we owe to the justice of God, on account of them, Rom. 6:23 - "The wages of sin is death."

Q4. Can we pay any part of this debt to the justice of God?

A. No; "neither we, nor any other creature, can make the least satisfaction for it, Psalm 130:3;"195 or pay the least farthing of it, Matt. 18:25.

Q5. What other debt are we naturally owing, besides the debt of punishment as transgressors?

A. We likewise owe a debt of obedience to the law as a covenant; in which we are also utterly insolvent; "being unto every good work reprobate," Titus 1:16.

Q6. What are we to pray for with reference to our sins or debts?

A. That God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon them all.

Q7. Whose prerogative is it to pardon?

A. It is God's only, Micah 7:18.

Q8. From what spring or fountain in God does pardon flow?

A. From his own gracious nature, Psalm 86:5, and sovereign will, Ex. 33:19.

Q9. What is it for God to pardon?

A. It is to "acquit us both from the guilt and punishment of sin, Rom. 3:26."196

Q10. For whose sake does he pardon?

A. Only for Christ's sake.

Q11. What is it for God to pardon for Christ's sake?

A. It is to vent his pardoning grace "through the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, apprehended and applied by faith, Rom. 3:25."197

Q12. Could God pardon sin, without any respect to the obedience and satisfaction of Christ?

A. No; because justice behoved to be satisfied; for, "without shedding of blood is no remission," Heb. 9:22.

Q13. What is the extent of pardoning grace?

A. It extends to all our sins, Psalm 103:3.

Q14. In what manner should we expect that God will pardon all our sins?

A. We should expect that he will do it freely, for his own name's sake, Psalm 25:11.

Q15. How can God be said to pardon our sins freely, when he does it on account of the surety-righteousness imputed to us?

A. God's accepting of Christ as our Surety, and his fulfilling all righteousness in our room, were both of them acts of rich, free, and sovereign grace, Psalm 89:19; Luke 12:50. Though the pardon of our sins be of debt to Christ, yet it is free to us, Eph. 1:7.

Q16. When a believer prays for the forgiveness of his daily sins, does he pray for a new and formal pardon of them?

A. Whatever may be the believer's practice as to this matter, at some times, through the prevalence of darkness and unbelief; yet it is certain, that the pardon of sin, in justification, is one perfect act, completed at once, and never needs to be repeated, Micah 7:19 - "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."

Q17. If daily sins are already forgiven in justification, in so far as the not imputing of them is secured in it; why is the believer here directed to pray for the pardon of them?

A. As the evidences of pardon may be frequently eclipsed, and fatherly displeasure incurred, by our daily failings; it is therefore our duty to pray, that God's fatherly displeasure may be removed, and the joy of his salvation restored, by his "giving us daily more and more assurance of forgiveness, Psalm 51:8-10, 12."198

Q18. Upon what ground may we be encouraged to ask and expect from God, the intimation of the pardon of our daily sins and failings?

A. Because, by his grace, we are enabled, from the heart, to forgive others.

Q19. What is it we are to forgive others?

A. Personal injuries; or injuries as committed against ourselves, Matt. 18:15.

Q20. Have personal injuries an offence done to God in them?

A. They certainly have; and it is our duty to pray that God would forgive it, Psalm 35:13.

Q21. In what manner should we forgive personal injuries?

A. We should do it from the heart.

Q22. What is it to forgive our fellow-creatures from the heart?

A. It is not only to lay aside all resentment against them; but to wish and do them all offices of kindness that lie in our power, as if they had never done us any injury, Matt. 5:44.

Q23. Have we naturally such a disposition in us?

A. No; God enables us to do it by his grace.

Q24. To what are we naturally inclined, with reference to personal injuries?

A. We are naturally inclined to harbour hatred and malice in our hearts on account of them, and to revenge them if we can; as was the case with Esau against his brother Jacob, Gen. 27:41.

Q25. What should excite us to the duty of forgiving personal injuries?

A. The examples of this disposition recorded in scripture for our imitation; such as, the example of Joseph, Gen. 50:17, 21; of Stephen, Acts 7:60; and of our Lord himself, Luke 23:34.

Q26. Can it ever be dishonourable to forgive a personal injury?

A. No; it is a man's glory to pass over a transgression, Proverbs 19:11.

Q27. Can forgiving the person infer an approbation of his crime?

A. No; we may forgive the person, and yet charge his sin close home upon his conscience, as Joseph did to his brethren, Gen. 45:4, and 50:20.

Q28. What if forgiveness imbolden the offender in the like injuries for the future?

A. The fear of this should not be an excuse for omitting the present duty of forgiving; because we should leave events to the Lord.

Q29. When we say, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;" do we mean to state a comparison between our forgiving others, and God's forgiving us?

A. No; there is an infinite disproportion between the one and the other; the injuries our fellow-creatures do us are but few and small, in comparison of the innumerable and aggravated crimes we are guilty of against God, Matt. 18 verses 24th and 28th compared.

Q30. Can we consistently with the scope of this petition, make our forgiveness of others, the ground and reason of God's forgiving us?

A. No; for this would be to put our forgiveness of others in the room of Christ's righteousness, on the account of which alone it is that God forgives us.

Q31. What then, is the true meaning of these words as we forgive our debtors?

A. The meaning is, that we take encouragement to hope, that God will forgive us the sins of our daily walk, from this evidence, or "testimony in ourselves, that we, from the heart, forgive others their offences, Matt. 6:14, 15, - 'If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses.'"199

Q32. What may we learn from the verses just now quoted, for illustrating the meaning of this petition?

A. We may learn this from them, as the meaning of it, that our forgiving others, may be an evidence of God's forgiving us: and that our being of an implacable and unrelenting disposition towards our fellow creatures, who have injured us, is a sad sign, that our own sins are not forgiven us of God, Matt. 18:35.

Q1. Why does this petition immediately follow the former?

A. To teach, that all temporal and corporal good things, without special and spiritual ones, are little worth; Psalm 4:6. There be many that say, who will show us any good? Lord, lift you up the light of your countenance upon us. Psalm 17:14, 15. From men which are your hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly you fill with your hidden treasure. They are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness? I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness.

Q2. Why is it annexed to the former with the copulative and?

A. To teach, that to be one minute in the confluence of all earthly good things, without the pardon of sin, is a very dangerous and dreadful condition; Luke 12:16, 20. And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: But God said unto him, You fool, this night shall your soul be required of you; then whose shall those things be which you have provided?

Q3. Why is forgiveness of sins placed in the front of spiritual blessings?

A. Because until sin be pardoned, we are under wrath, and can have no special saving grace applied to us, until we are accepted; until we are in Christ, we have no covenant-right to the blessings of Christ; Matthew 11:28. Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Verse 30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light; John 15:4, 5. Abide in me, and I in you; as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.-Verse 7. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you; you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. John 3 ult. He who believes on the Son, has everlasting life; and he who believes not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.

Q4. 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 suffer, can never expiate the guilt of the least sin; Psalm 49:7, 8. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him; (for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceases for ever) 1 Samuel 2:25. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?

Q5. Does God then freely, and out of mere grace, forgive us?

A. Yes, without any respect had to anything we can do, or be; Isaiah 43:25. I, even I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins. Romans 9:15. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. Verse 18. Therefore has he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens.

Q6. How does God forgive sins?

A. (1.) Universally, all sins; Exodus 34:6, 7. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands; forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin. Jeremiah 33:8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned against me; And I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. Hosea 14:2. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. (2.) Completely, and perfectly; Isaiah 43:25. I, even I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins. Psalm 103:12. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Micah 7:19. He will subdue our iniquities; and you will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Isaiah 38:17. For you have cast all my sins behind your back. (3.) Everlastingly; Jeremiah 31:34. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Hebrews 8:12. And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Q7. But does not God punish them afterward, whom he has justified and forgiven?

A. No, not with a proper and vindictive punishment; but he brings evils upon them for their sins, as a Father chastises his child; and other sorts of afflictions for their spiritual good: He may be angry, as a Father, with those he has pardoned, but never hate them as a condemning Judge; Psalm 89:28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. Verse 34. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

Q8. How can God be said freely to pardon all our sins, when we pray it may be done for Christ's sake; does not that imply that Christ has satisfied God for our sins, and deserved our remission?

A. Yes, it does so; for the Lord Christ, by his life and death, did satisfy Divine Justice, and did merit our forgiveness: But if he did so, we did not so; our sins cost him dear, but their pardon cost us nothing; our pardon is perfectly free to us, though due to Christ, for God gave Christ freely for us; God accepts of his merits, and applies them to us freely; Romans 3:24. Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.

Q9. But is there nothing required from us as the condition of pardon? and if so, how can it be absolutely free?

A. There are required repentance from sin, and faith in the Lord Christ; Luke 13:3. But except you repent, you shall all likewise perish; John 3 ult. And he who believes not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him. This is required from us towards our pardon, but yet it is free, (1.) Because God freely ordains thus to pardon. (2.) Because both these are the free gifts of God; Acts 11:18. Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Ephesians 2:8. For by grace are you saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Q10. When then are our sins forgiven?

A. Just upon our closure with Christ by faith, in that very moment; Romans 5:1. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

Q11. Why do we pray in the answer, for the forgiveness of all our sins?

A. Because if the least guilt should remain upon us, it would exclude us from God's favor, and lodge us in everlasting burnings; Romans 6 ult. For the wages of sin is death.

Q12. What are the privileges and blessings that accompany pardon?

A. Justification is accompanied with adoption; John 1:12. 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 Corinthians 6:11. And such were some of you; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. With an infallible title to eternal glory; John 3:16. That whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life; Romans 8:30. Whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Q13. How may we know that we are pardoned and justified?

A. Ordinarily, by our sanctification, by our loathing of sin, our contempt of the world, our valuing of Christ, our love and thankfulness to God, etc. 1 Corinthians 6:11. But you are sanctified. Romans 7:24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Galatians 6:14. By whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 1 Peter 2:7. Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious. Luke 7:47. Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much.

Q14. What is meant by [our?] Is it only such sins as we have personally and actually committed?

A. No, but also Adam's sin, which is ours by imputation; Romans 5:19. By one man's disobedience many were made sinners. And original sin, which is ours by inhesion; Psalm 51:5. Behold, I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. And other men's sins, which we have made ours, by exciting them to them, not hindering of them, silence at them, and other ways; 2 Samuel 12:9. You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 1 Timothy 5:22. Neither be partaker of other men's sins.

Q15. 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.

Q16. Why do we plead our own forgiveness of others?

A. Not as any merit of our own pardon; but either as an encouragement of ourselves to beg pardon; seeing such evil, envious, and malignant persons, 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 shall; Matthew 6:14. For if we forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Q17. How do others trespass against us?

A. When they injure us, either in our persons, or names, or families, or estates, or souls, etc. 1 Samuel 2:25. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?

Q18. Can we forgive our neighbor freely, fully, and perfectly, as God does 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 forgiveness, but as to the sincerity and quality thereof; Matthew 18 ult. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Q20. Are we always bound to manifest outwardly our love and forgiveness to all our enemies, and to behave ourselves towards them as friends?

A. No, if we have experienced them to be treacherous and false, and see no change, we are not bound to trust them; if they be, and remain wicked and profane, we must not associate with them; Psalm 26:5. I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and will not sit with the wicked. Verse 4. I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

Q21. What then must we do to such?

A. We must heartily forgive them all their injuries, we must 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; Matthew 5:44, 45. But I say unto you, Love your enemies; bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. That you may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven; for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Q22. If we forgive others, shall we be forgiven ourselves?

A. We shall, if out of obedience to God, and love to Christ, we do it.

Q23. What is the first inference from hence?

A. That except our sins be forgiven, we are lost and undone creatures; and therefore we must never be contented, until we are pardoned.

Q24. What is a second inference?

A. That God is a God of love, goodness, and pardon; seeing he will not pardon us, if we do not pardon others; but will, if we do so.

Q25. What is a third inference?

A. That if we live in hatred when we pray the Lord's prayer, we pray for our own damnation; Matthew 18:22. Jesus says unto him, I say not unto you, Until seven times, but until seventy times seven. Verse 35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Of God's leading us into temptation

Q1. Are our sins our debts to God?

A. Yes: There was a certain creditor that had two debtors, etc. Luke 7:41.

Q2. Are they great debts?

A. Yes: Ten thousand talents, Matt. 18:24.

Q3. Can we discharge these debts ourselves ?

A. No: We have nothing to pay, Luke 7:42.

Q4. Are we liable to the prison of hell then?

A. Yes: Not to depart thence till we have paid the last mite, Luke 12:58,59.

Q5. Is it possible to obtain the forgiveness of this debt?

A. Yes: There is forgiveness with thee, Ps. 130:4.

Q6. Are we to pray for the forgiveness of these debts?

A. Yes: Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord, Ps. 143:2.

Q7. And to pray earnestly for it?

A. Yes: For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity, Ps. 25:11.

Q8. Must we plead God's mercies?

A. Yes: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions, Ps. 51:1.

Q9. And Christ's merits?

A. Yes: Through the redemption that is in Jesus, Rom. 3:24.

Q10. Must we pray for it every day?

A. Yes: When we pray, Give us our daily bread, we must pray, Forgive us our debts.

Q11. Must we pray that God would ease us of the burden of sin?

A. Yes: Take away all iniquity, Hos. 14:2.

Q12. And that he would cleanse us from the filth of sin?

A. Yes: Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, Ps. 51:2.

Q13. And cure us of the wounds of sin?

A. Yes: Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee, Ps. 12:4.

Q14. And save us from the punishment of sin?

A. Yes: I will say unto God, do not condemn me, Job 10:2.

Q15. Must we pray to God to give us that grace which will qualify us for pardon?

A. Yes: For Christ is exalted to give repentance and remission, Acts 5:31.

Q16. And that he would give us the comfort of our pardon?

A. Yes: Make me to hear joy and gladness, Ps. 51:8.

Q17. And must we, in order hereunto, be particular in confessing sin?

A. Yes: Declare, that thou mayest be justified, Isa. 43:26.

Q18. Must we forgive those who have provoked us?

A. Yes: Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, Col. 3:13.

Q19. Must we bear them no malice?

A. No: Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye he condemned, Jam. 5:9.

Q20. Must we be ready to be reconciled to them?

A. Yes: When ye stand praying, forgive if ye have ought against any, Mark 11:25.

Q21. Should we be merciful to those that we have advantage against?

A. Yes: Thou shouldest have had compassion on thy fellow-servant as I had pity on thee, Matt. 18:33.

Q22. Is this required to qualify, us for the pardon of sin?

A. Yes: If Ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, Matt. 6:14.

Q23. Will God forgive those that do not forgive?

A. No: If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours, Matt. 6:15.