Scottish Text Society publications > Old series > Richt vay to the Kingdome of Heuine

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INTRODUCTION.
xxiii. c., and St Mark in his xii., and St Luke xi. c. The Jewish
priests, who then were, could not remit sins, because the law could
not remit them, as it stands in the whole epistle to the Hebrews.
Because God’s Son must in the end come to remit sins, who was the
true Lord and Priest, and He made all good Christian men to be
kings and priests with His holy blood, death, and passion, as St John
says in his Revelation, and St Peter in his first epistle, in the ii.
chapter. Our Lord Himself says to all Christian men, Ye are a
chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy people, and the heirs of
the eternal kingdom. Hereby it is clearly enough shown that all
good Christian men are priests, and must forgive and remit sins with
God’s Word as frequently and often as any one sins and deems it to
be evil from his heart, and has repentance and contrition therefore,
and will amend himself.”
Section in Pedersen’s book following immediately after that ending
with page 83, and before that beginning on p. 84 of Gau’s treatise:—
“ Here shall every one notice that the outward prayer happens in
three different ways—
“ First, from obedience, after which priests and monks sing and
read, and likewise virgins and nuns in cloisters, and in the same way
they who have received set reading as duty and penance, and read it
on that account. In such reading is obedience the best, and it is
almost equal to a second work or deed which happens from obedience
if it otherwise happens from a simple intention of dutifulness, and
not for the sake of reward, praise, or honour. Because there is so
unspeakably great grace in God’s Word that when any one prays with
the mouth without the intention of the heart for the sake of duty, then
it is pleasing to God, and makes the devil sorry.
“ In the second manner, outward prayer happens without obedience,
with unwillingness and with dislike, and for the sake of money,
reward, honour, commendation, praise, and recompense. Such
prayer were better let alone than made. Yet they receive here in the
world their reward therefor with temporal goods and money, reputa¬
tion and honour, like as God is wont to reward some of His servants
here in the world who serve Him for money, reputation, and honour,
and great recompense. But he rewards His true servants eternally
in the kingdom of heaven with everlasting pleasure and joy.
“ In the third manner, outward prayer happens with the heart’s
desire and intention. And the outward appearance (which is that the
mouth moves quickly and babbles) is changed to reality. And the
same outward prayer is changed to inward prayer, because the inward
reality is revealed with the outward appearance (which is that one
moves the mouth).”