22. After this we also entreat for our sins, saying, “And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” After the supply of food, pardon of sin is also asked for, that he who is fed by God may live in God, and that not only the present and temporal life may be provided for, but the eternal also, to which we may come if our sins are forgiven; and these the Lord calls debts, as He says in His Gospel, “I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me.”57    Matt. xviii. 32. And how necessarily, how providently and salutarily, are we admonished that we are sinners, since we are compelled to entreat for our sins, and while pardon is asked for from God, the soul recalls its own consciousness of sin! Lest any one should flatter himself that he is innocent,58    “Although none is innocent” is here added by some. and by exalting himself should more deeply perish, he is instructed and taught that he sins daily, in that he is bidden to entreat daily for his sins. Thus, moreover, John also in his epistle warns us, and says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”59    1 John i. 8. [Connect with this, Matt. vi. 15, and compare Freeman on the Principles of Divine Service, vol. i. p. 417.] In his epistle he has combined both, that we should entreat for our sins, and that we should obtain pardon when we ask. Therefore he said that the Lord was faithful to forgive sins, keeping the faith of His promise; because He who taught us to pray for our debts and sins, has promised that His fatherly mercy and pardon shall follow.

XXII. Post haec, et pro peccatis nostris deprecamur dicentes: ET REMITTE NOBIS DEBITA NOSTRA SICUT ET NOS REMITTIMUS DEBITORIBUS NOSTRIS. Post subsidium cibi petitur et venia delicti, ut qui a Deo pascitur in Deo vivat, nec tantum praesenti et temporali vitae sed et aeternae consulatur; ad quam veniri potest, si peccata donentur: quae debita Dominus appellat, sicut in Evangelio suo dicit: Dimisi tibi omne debitum, quia me rogasti (Matth. XVIII, 32). Quam necessarie autem, quam providenter et salutariter admonemur 0534C quod peccatores sumus, qui pro peccatis rogare compellimur! ut, dum indulgentia de Deo petitur, conscientiae suae animus recordetur. Ne quis sibi quasi innocens placeat et se extollendo plus pereat, instruitur et docetur peccare se quotidie, dum quotidie pro peccatis jubetur orare. Sic denique et Joannes in Epistola sua monet dicens: Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos decipimus , et veritas in nobis non est. Si autem confessi fuerimus peccata 0535A nostra, fidelis et justus est Dominus qui nobis peccata dimittat (I Joan. I, 8). In Epistola sua utrumque complexus est, quod et rogare pro peccatis debeamus, et impetremus indulgentiam cum rogamus. Ideo et fidelem dixit Dominum ad dimittenda peccata, fidem pollicitationis suae reservantem; quia qui orare nos pro debitis et peccatis docuit, paternam misericordiam promisit et veniam secuturam.