I 84 Prayer for the pardon of (in commanded. Ial.i 3 o. boldncfs ? But now when God himfelf than command us to come, and ask any thing from him, fo making it thereby our Duty, and that' the neglec` thereof should be our great fin and Rebellion againfl him ; to fuppofe he Filth not the thing in his Power to bellow on us, or that his Will is wholly averle from fo doing, is to reproach him with want of Truth, Fajthful- nefs and Holinefs, and not to be God. For what fincerity can be in fuch proceedings ? Is it confident with any Divine Ex- cellency ? Could it have any other end, but to deceive poor creatures ? either to delude than if they do pray according to his command, or to involve them in further guilt, if they do not ? God forbid any filch thoughts thould enter into our hearts. But, 3. To put this whole matter out of queIlion, God hath promifed to bear our prayers, and in particular thofe which we make unto him for the forgiveneß offin. So our Saviour hath affured us, that what we ask in his name, it fhall be done for us. And he bath, as we have (hewed, taught us to ask this very thing of God as our Heavenly Father; that is in his name. for in and through him alone is he a Father unto us. I need not infll on particular Promifes to this purpofe,they are as you knowmultiplyed in the Scriptures. What hath been fpoken may fuffice to effablith our prefent Argument, namely, that Gods prefcription of Religious íorfhip unto fingers, doth undeniably prove that with him there is forgïvenefs ; efpecially confidering that the principal parts of the Worthip fo prefcribed and appointcd by him, are peculiarlydefigned to confirm us in the faith thereof. And this is the detign ofthe words that we do infili upon ; 7bere is forgivenrß"with thee, that thou mart befeared. The fear ofGod, as we have (hewed in the Old Teflament , doth fre- quently exprefs not that gracious Al edion of our minds, which is di(tindly fo called ; but that whole Worfbip of God wherein that and all other Gracious Affe .bons towards God arc to be cxcrcifed. Now the Pfalmift tells us, that the foun- dation of this fear or Worthip, and the only motive añd en- couragement for finners to engage in it,and give up themfelves unto it' is this, that there is forgivenefl with God. Without this
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