we forgive our debtors; we are thence indeed assured, that we shall not obtain what we ask for, with regard to our own offences, except we deal out the same measure to those who have offended us. We are accordingly told by our Lord and Saviour in words express, that "with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." And we may observe moreover in the gospel, that the servant who had all his debt forgiven him by his master, and afterwards would not forgive his fellow-servant, was cast into prison. And what Christ hath thus hinted to us in the way of figure and parable, he hath moreover confirmed by the weight and authority of express precept: "When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses: But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." There will be no excuse, and you will have nothing to complain of at the day of judgment, when the sentence you have passed upon others shall light upon your own head, and you suffer precisely in your own person, what you have determined to be just and equitable in the case of others. The will of God concerning us is, that we should be of one mind in his house, and live together in peace and unity; and such as our second birth hath made us, such he would have us continue; as we then commenced the children of God, he would therefore obtain of us to abide in his peace; and as we are united together by one Spirit, it is fit we should be like-minded, and agree together in one common sentiment. Thus we are admonished that God will not accept the offering of a man who is at enmity with his brother, but bids him "go his way, and be first reconciled to his brother," that God may favourably hear his prayer, when offered up to him with pacific dispositions. The sacrifice indeed which is most acceptable to God, is our mutual agreement and brotherly love, and such a union of christian people to each other, as may in some measure resemble that strict inseparable unity, of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. In those early examples of sacrifice offered to God by Cain and Abel, we do not find that their gifts were so much regarded, as their hearts ; and his oblations were best accepted, whose dispositions were best approved. The mild and righteous Abel came before God with a pure and perfect heart; and hath taught us therefore to bring our gifts to the altar, as he did, with a fear of God accompanying us, with upright hearts, like his; and with the strictest regard to righteousness and peace. He, who offered such a sacrifice to God, well deserved the subsequent honour which was conferred upon him, of being offered up himself a sacrifice to God; of leading the van in the glorious company of martyrs; and of being the first fruits of those who should afterwards follow our Lord in his passion, as having beforehand resembled him in his peaceable and righteous dispositions. Such as he, are the men to whom our Lord allows the privilege of the martyr's crown; these are they whose blood, as well as their Lord's and Master's, is to be avenged in the day of judgment. But he, who lives at enmity with his brethren, cannot atone for the guilt of his sin, as the apostle hath expressly declared, no not by suffering for the name of Christ; since it is also written, that "he who hateth his brother is a murderer;" and a murderer cannot live with God, or have any part in the kingdom of heaven. It is impossible he should dwell with Christ, who chooses rather to imitate Judas than his Master: And what sort of guilt must that be, which the baptism of blood cannot wash away! How heinous must be that crime, which even martyrdom itself is not allowed to expiate! 15. Our Lord hath farther taught us to add another very necessary petition to our prayer: "and suffer us not to be led into temptation." An intimation this! that our adversary hath no power to hurt us, but with God's permission; which is therefore a reason why all our fear, observance, and devotion, should centre in God; inasmuch as the evil one can do nothing against us in any of our temptations, but what he is expressly licensed to do from heaven. Thus the holy scrpture hath told us, that Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came against Jerusalem, and took it, and God gave it into his hand. And that the power of the tempter over us increases in proportion to our sins, we may fairly infer from that passage of holy writ, which puts the following question: "Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law: therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger." And when Solomon had sinned, and forsaken the commandments and the ways of God, it is said, that God "stirred up an adversary against Solomon." Now there is a two-fold power given to the tempter; either by way of punishment for our sins, or by way of test and proof, which when we abide, it contributes to the immortal honour of our virtue. Thus, we read, it fared with holy Job, whose case is thus represented to us by God himself, saying to Satan: "Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand." And our Lord just before his passion accosted Pilate to the same purpose : "Thou couldst have no power against me except it were given thee from above." Wherefore when we beg of God, that we may not enter into temptation, we are very powerfully thence reminded of our frailty and infirmity; and taught to assume nothing to ourselves with pride and sufficiency, not even the honour we have gained from confessing the name of Christ, or from suffering for it; since our Lord hath so strongly recommended to us a humble frame of mind, where he saith: "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation; the spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." Thus when a submissive acknowledgment of our weakness is the harbinger of our prayer, and whatever we have or are, is ascribed to God as its author and fountain, there is the more likelihood of our gaining, from his benignity and bounty, what we desire of him, with a religious fear, and with a becoming reverence and honour for his holy name. 16. We proceed, and subjoin, at the close of our prayer, a petition, which sums up the matter of all the foregoing ones in one brief sentence; and thus we add in the conclusion; "but deliver us from evil;" herein comprising all those kinds of mischief which our grand adversary devises against us in this world from which, if God deliver us, if our prayer and supplication derive upon us his powerful succour, we may hope for security and protection: Wherefore when we say, "but deliver us from evil," there is nothing farther which we need demand, after having implored the protection of God against our great enemy; which when once we have obtained, we may thenceforwards hold ourselves secure from every thing which either the world or the devil can do against us. For what can he have to fear from the world, who hath God for his guardian and protector in it? Or where, |