make use of Texts and Sayings in the Old Testament in a different Sence from that which did belong to them there As in Mat. 2.15 and 23. 2 Cor. 8.15 and elsewhere frequently And this Answer I take to be sufficient for this first Objection against our Interpretation of St. Peters words 2. Objection But another main Objection and that which is most like to be insisted upon against this Interpretation is that it seems to favour the Popish Doctrines of Merit Satisfaction and Justification by Works and to be repugnant to the Evangelical Doctrine of the most full perfect and sufficient Expiation and Satisfaction for the sins of the whole World made only by the Sacrifice of Christs death and applied only by Faith The covering and pardon of sin is the Effect of Gods grace granted only upon the consideration of Christs death upon condition of a true Faith in him wrought by the Spirit of God through the hearing of the Gospel Answer To this Objection I answer 1. That although some Papists interpreting this Text as I do may be found to alledge it among other Texts for the confirmation of some of the Doctrines mentioned in the Objection yet neither is this Sense vouched by all Interpreters of their Profession nor can any of those Doctrines be further evinced or confirmed from this Text so understood then it may be from other Texts before alledged for the Confirmation of the Doctrine against which the Objection is made Nor is the free grace of God or the sufficiency of that Expiation or Satisfaction which was made by the death of Christ any more abated by this Doctrine than it is by that which all the forementioned Texts import 2. The words Merit and Satisfaction are known to have been familiarly used in reference to Good Works by the most ancient of the Latin Fathers and particularly by St. Cyprian one of the most Primitive in a Catholick Orthodox Sense Both the words are Innocent in the Sense of the Fathers though they have been perverted by the Schoolmen And Justification by Works is certainly as true in St. James's Sence as 't is false in St. Pauls The late Controversies that have been concerning these Points do not so much respect the words as the extravagant Sense that hath been put upon them by the Schoolmen who have intangled and corrupted a great part of Christian Doctrine by their misinterpreting the Fathers determining the simplicity of their Popular Expressions by their own Capricious and Litigious Conceits into such Dogmatical Sense as was never thought of by the Antients But in the particular Controversies about Merit Satisfaction and Justification by Works there hath been so much of Logomachy or word-bate as might in my opinion be fairly compromised or accorded by Judicious Arbitratours whose minds were free from all prejudice but that against Contention and Division and were more zealous for Unity and Concord than for disputable and opinionative Truth But for to undertake that task in this place would not be reasonable That all Pardon of sin is founded upon the Expiation or Propitiation made by the Bloud of Christ and granted or obtained only by the Free Grace of God is not denied by any Sect or Party of Christians that I know of Although some Differences have been about the Conditions of this Grant For to say that this Grace is granted without any Condition or Qualification of the Receiver is in my Judgment to deny a great part of the Scriptures as well of the New Testament as of the Old destructive as well of the New Covenant as of the Old no more Antinomian than Anti-evangelical Doubtless it is of Free Grace that God will pardon a sinner upon any Condition Nor is it possible for us to do any thing sufficient to make Satisfaction for our sins or to merit the Forgiveness of them in rigor of Justice because all that is in our Power to do is no more then our Duty if God requires it And all that we do is much less And as the duty of Well doing in the utmost Extent is a just Debt of Thankfulness at least if not of Preceptive Obligation to Almighty God to whom we owe our selves and all that we have or can do So the Punishment we are liable to for neglecting our Duty or acting contrary thereunto in our Evil doings is another Debt by our Saviours account signified to us in that Form of Prayer which he hath taught us to use Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors Mat. 6.12 But it is altogether unreasonable one Debt can be discharged by the Payment of another especially when the Payment falls so much short of the old Debt as it doth in any thing we do Besides that upon a due account Charity it self and every Good Work that can be done by us doth increase our debt to God because it cannot be done without his Grace Nevertheless God of his Free Grace hath promised the Remission of sin upon certain Conditions declared in his Word amongst which this of Charity is one that by a common Synechdoche of a Part for the Whole includes all the rest And whereas in the New Testament Faith in Christ is more commonly propounded as the Condition of Justification importing the Remission of sin it is to be considered that this Faith is so far from excluding Charity that it is expressly said to include it by St. Paul himself the supposed Author of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith without Works Gal. 5.6 For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be to be understood in a Passive sense as most commonly it is elsewhere in Scripture and in other Books and as it is here rendred by the Syriack Translator and so meaning that Faith is actuated perfected and made effectual by Love or in the Active sense as our English Translation gives it signifying the Efficacy Energy or Operation of Faith only The Meaning of the Apostle by the Addition of these Words can be no other then to limit and distinguish the nature of that Faith which is available to Justification from an hypocritical dead and ineffectual Faith which is altogether invalid availing nothing at all to the Effect of Justification The Active sense of the Word as well as the Passive serving to declare the true Nature and Notion of a Justifying Faith to be Energetical and Practical i. e. producing such effects of the Will as are agreeable to the entire Object of it that is to the Authority of Christ his Doctrine and Precepts as well as such as respect only the Effect of Redemption or Expiation of sin by his Death And such is the necessity of this Charity by the Doctrine of the same Apostle that he elsewhere saith Though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing 1 Cor. 13.3
Where by all Faith undoubtedly is meant all the Faith that can be had without Charity and needs not to be restrained to the particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or extraordinary Gift of the Faith of Miracles whereof he speaks in the former Chapter ver 12. To this Purpose St. James Chap. 2.22 saith Faith is made perfect by Works not excluding any sort of Good Works but specially treating of the works of Charity as appears by the Context from verse the 13. to the 18. And whereas he saith Faith is made perfect by Works he speaks not only of a Gradual Perfection or of the Consummation or Preservation of Faith or of the Ornament Demonstration or signal evidence of Faith as some would have it but of such an essential and formal Perfection as is necessary to the nature of Truth and sincerity of Faith as appears by that repeated Sentence both before and after these Words ver 17. Faith without Works is dead and ver 26. As the Body without the Spirit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also Whether by the Spirit he means the Breath as some take it because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus sometime signifies no more or rather the Soul which is the most usual Sense of the word in Scripture the Meaning comes all to one signifying that an idle or fruitless Faith hath no more of Spiritual Life or Reality in it than a Body can have without Breath or without a Soul and therefore is no more a true and unfeigned Faith than a dead Carcass is a human Body Indeed the true justifying saving Faith in the practical Notion which is the only true Notion of it includes Charity together with all other Good Works as I have elsewhere largely shewed So that if Faith be necessary to the Covering or Remission of sin Charity is so too But the common Answer to these and all other Texts produced to evince the Necessity of Charity and Good Works to the Salvation of a sinner is that they prove only a necessity of Presence and Concomitancy or at most a necessity of Consequence not of Efficacy that is that this Necessity doth not respect the End or Effect of Faith in the Justification or Salvation of the Believeer but proceeds only from the common nature and principle of that Faith which is an effect of the Spirit of God the necessary Fruits whereof do consist in Love Joy Peace Long-suffering c. which distinct Vertues with their proper Works do not contribute any thing to the Effect of our Justification but are meer Concomitants or at most but gratefull Effects of that Faith which justifieth us Which useth to be illustrated by a Similitude borrowed from the natural and animal Life wherein the particular faculties of Seeing or taking hold of a thing by the Touch do necessarily imply such a common Principle of sensitive Life as doth also comprehend the powers and faculties of Hearing Smelling and Tasting yet none of these Faculties or any act of them do or can contribute any thing efficiently to the effect of Seeing Apprehending or laying hold of an Object So the Grace of Charity or Love to God and Man together with all those other Fruits of the Spirit which are mentioned by the Apostle and all the Effects and Works which do proceed from them are indeed necessary Concomitants of such a Faith as justifies or saves a Man but do contribute no more nor have any more Efficacy to this effect of Justification and Salvation than the distinct Faculties of other Senses do to the effect of Seeing This I take to be a true Account of their Sense that assert the Doctrine of Justification and Pardon of sin by Faith only as that imports a habit or act really distinct though not separated from other Christian Vertues In opposition to this Opinion contradicting the Doctrine which I maintain to be the Sense of the Apostle in this Text confirmed as hath been seen by many others I am engaged to prove that Charity and Good Works are necessary to the Justification of a sinner that is to the Remission of his sin not only by way of Concomitancy or joint Presence with Faith or consequent to it but also by way of moral Efficacy as a Condition or Means to obtain that Effect This I hope will be sufficiently done by the following Arguments this one postulate or conclusion which I suppose will not be denied being first granted me viz. That if any thing else beside the habit or act of Faith considered as really distinct from other Christian Vertues or Acts be effectual or available to the Remission of sin then Charity is or may be so in as much as that is one of the most Excellent of Christian Vertues most agreeable to the Nature of God and consequently most pleasing to him So that if that be not available to this End nothing else besides Faith can be so This Proposition being granted I argue as followeth 1. Argument If it be certain from Scripture and we be bound to believe that nothing which can be done by us besides such a Faith as is supposed to be really distinct though not separate from all Good Works can be of any Efficacy towards the remission of our sins then ought nothing else to be done by us towards that end because every such other act done to this end would by this supposition be perfectly vain and unreasonable and not so only but also contrary to our obliged belief And then to pray for the forgiveness of our sins that being an act distinct from Faith would be not only needless and useless but unlawful especially if it should be acted with any opinion hope or belief that such a prayer could avail us any thing in order to this end or that this end could any way be promoted by our Prayers But this is directly contrary to our Saviours Precept in that Form of Prayer which he hath taught us to use wherein we are directed to pray that God will forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And contrary to the advice of St. Peter to Simon Magus Acts 8.22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee Where also it is to be noted that the Apostle adviseth him not only to pray for the forgiveness of his sin but also to repent of it in order to the same end The same advice is given by the same Apostle to the Jews in the first Sermon which he made unto them after the reception of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.37 38. Having convinced them of their hainous sin in the murder of the Lord Jesus and made them sensible of it Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptizid every one of you in the
be sufficiently avoided by alledging that although it be true that Faith is the only thing that is effectual to Justification or remission of sin and that no other Act or Vertue can contribute any thing to this end yet neither are the forementioned Promises nor the Exhortations void or useless in reference to this effect 1. Because there is a Necessity of presence though not of efficacy of those other Acts and Vertues which are mentioned in the Promises and Exhortations And so Charity amongst other things may be a causa sine quâ non of Salvation and remission of sin in respect of its necessary presence together with Faith 2. Because the same things are necessary to the verification of Faith i. e. to manifest the Truth of it though they have no concurrent efficacy with Faith to the Justification or Salvation of the Believer 3. Because the practice of these Vertues is necessary or at least usefull for the assurance of a mans Justification Pardon of sin and Salvation though it be no ways effectual to any of those ends considered in themselves Heb. 6.10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed towards his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister And 2 Pet. 1.5 10 11. And besides all this giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity i. e. an universal Charity extended to all men as well as Christian Brethren Wherefore ye rather give diligence to make your calling and election sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in some Greek Copies and though these words are left out in our own and other Translations because they are so in ordinary Greek Copies yet the Sense of them is confessedly included in all readings for so an entrance shall be given you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And 1 Joh. 3.18 19. My little children let us not love in word nor in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him So 1 Jo. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death unto Life because we love the brethren By these Texts and many more of like Sense it is evident that Charity is usefull to procure a mans assurance of those Benefits which are supposed to be obtained by Faith only Another verbal evasion of all the Arguments which are produced for the effectual concurrence of Charity and Good Works to the attainment of the great Benefits of final Justification and Salvation hath been vulgarly expressed by that trite saying of the Latin Father Bernard Bona opera sunt via ad regnum non causa regnandi Good Works are indeed the way to the kingdom of Heaven but not the cause of reigning Which words applied to the Doctrine by us grounded upon the words of the Apostle must have this Sense viz. That Charity is the way to obtain the covering or non-imputation of sin but no cause of it i. e a means but not a cause a very nice distinction to be considered further hereafter This I take to be a just account of the chief Answers that have been made to the premised Arguments from the Promises and exhortations of Scripture for the efficacy or validity of Charity and Good Works unto the remission of sin and the Salvation of a sinner Now in order to a sufficient reply to these Answers I think it necessary in this place to say something by way of explication of the Question tending to the clearing of the true Sense and meaning of the Doctrine what is meant by that Efficacy which any act that can be done by men may have towards the remission of their sins their Justification and Salvation It is evident that all these things are the proper and peculiar Acts and Effects of God himself who is the agent of efficient cause of them all And therefore 't is impossible that any Humane Act should have any direct or immediate influence or efficiency upon these Effects Who can forgive sins but God And 't is God that justifies and saves actively And therefore all the Efficacy that can be in Humane Acts towards these effects can be no more than preparative or passive And what can that signifie more than that they are certain Dispositions and Qualifications of the Patient or Subject to receive these Effects of Divine Grace Nor can Faith it self have any other influence or efficacy upon these Effects any more than Charity Faith it self doth neither pardon our sin or contribute any thing to that Divine Act by which we are pardoned Neither doth qualifie or save us any otherwise then by making such a Change or Qualification in us whereupon this Grace of Justification to Life is freely given us of God But against this Explication of the Efficacy of Faith to the Grace of Justification it hath been alledged that Faith in Christ doth not justifie as an act or qualification found in us but as it hath a peculiar Vertue not common to Charity or any other Act of ours and that is of apprehending and receiving Christ or uniting us to him and so making us Partakers of his Righteousness imputed to us by means whereof we come to be Justified our sins Covered and our Souls saved Whereunto I answer 1. By allowing an union of Believers with Christ the common Saviour to be indeed the true ground and foundation of the Benefits which we receive by him And that this Union is not barely Relative or Political such as is betwixt a King Lord or Husband and their respective Subjects Servants and Wives Nor only Pactional imputed and founded upon the Promise or Covenant of the Gospel to them that believe in him but a true and real Union effected by the Medium of the Holy Spirit communicated to them that believe and are baptized into the Faith of Christ 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body and 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit ver 11. of the same Chapter But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.12 If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his This Spirit of Christ is ordinarily called the Spirit of God abiding or dwelling in all true Believers whereby they are partakers of the Divine Nature as St. Peter speaketh as Christ also was 1 Cor. 3.16 1 Cor. 8.19 2 Pet. 1.4 though not in the same measure and manner Such a real Union there is between Christ the Head and all true Believers Members of his Body as there is between the head and members of a natural Body partaking of one and the
same natural Spirit Nor do we deny but that Faith is the first Act that disposeth a Man to the Receipt of this Divine Spirit dwelling in him whereby it may be said to effect or procure our Union with Christ whereby we partake both of the Nature and the Effects and Benefits of his Righteousness But the imputation of Christs Righteousness to us is no Scriptural Phrase but differs very much from that of St. Paul asserting not the Righteousness of Christ but Faith working by Charity to be imputed for Righteousness to them that believe Rom. 4.5 24. But if it be the act or habit of Faith which is imputed to us for Righteousness according to the express literal Sense of the Apostles words then 't is not the Personal Righteousness of Christ that is imputed to us for our Faith is no part of his Righteousness But because the Phrase of Christs Righteousness imputed to us hath been commonly used by Divines of very good Note amongst Protestants though no man can be obliged to admit it in a strict Sense it being not found in Scripture yet I think for Peace sake it should not be absolutely rejected much less with any reflections of Reproach or Disparagement to them that have used it but rather admitted in such a Candid Sense as it may fairly bear As if the Son of a Prince or some other Person of Great Merit and Favour with him should undertake to be Mediator for some Rebel that had justly incurred the Displeasure of his Prince and rendred himself obnoxious to the highest penalty of Law should of his own Good Will by the Appointment and Will of the Prince act or suffer something for and on the behalf of the Delinquent and thereby obtain by the Grace of the Prince a free Pardon for him under some equitable Conditions required of the Delinquent In this case the Merits Act and Sufferings of such a Mediator might in a reasonable Sense be said to be imputed to the Redeemed Person Such an Interpretation of this Phrase of Christs Righteousness imputed to us I think should not be quarrel'd but may fairly agree with the Scripture phrases of Propitiation Expiation and Attonement of Christ made for us and with the Discourse of the Apostle Rom. 5. from the 15 Verse to the end of the Chapter Other Senses there are of this Phrase insisted upon by some Divines which cannot be maintained without gross and absurd Consequences as hath been shewed by some that have lately written sharply concerning this Point This Explication of the Question what is meant by that Efficacy which any act that can be done by us towards the Remission of our sins or our Justification can have being premised and cleared from the most usual Objections against it I proceed in my Reply to the fore-mentioned Answer to the Arguments for the Confirmation of the Doctrine in hand drawn from the Promises and Exhortations of Scripture as followeth To the First part of that Answer alledging only the necessity of Presence of Charity and Good Works together with Faith in order to the obtainment of the Benefits propounded as a sufficient Account for the use of those Motives contained in the said Promises and Exhortations I reply by demanding whether the Charity and Good Works supposed to be necessary do concurr to the Qualification of the Person that is to receive these Benefits or not If they do concurr as any Part of the Qualification of the Person for the Receipt of those Benefits it cannot be denied by the Explication of the forementioned Question but that they are as truly available to the Obtainment of those Benefits as Faith or any thing else can be If they do not concurr as any Part of Qualification for these Benefits the bare necessity of their Presence upon any other account can be no reasonable ground of Exhortations to such Actions in order to the Advantages thereunto promised Nor can those Advantages or Benefits be any reasonable Motives to such Actions whiles they are supposed to contribute nothing at all to the Obtainment of them And consequently the only design of propounding those Motives to such Actions would be utterly frustrate For all Exhortations Counsels or Advices to any Act or Practice do include this general Supposition to common Understanding that the things advised or exhorted to are of some Use and Validity to the End that is propounded either by removing some Impediment or by some kind of Causality or other else the Advice is altogether vain and a Man should be never the nearer his End by following it And therefore it hath been said that although Charity and Good Works be in themselves of no Validity or Efficacy to the Covering of sin Justification or Salvation of a sinner nor do contribute any thing towards the Obtaining of these Benefits yet they have the nature of a Causa sine quâ non that is of something without which a thing is not to be effected or gained but if that Something hath no manner of Causality at all in it it cannot be called a Causa sine quâ non without a real Contradiction in the Terms For to be a Cause without which a thing cannot be and yet to have no manner of Causality in reference to the Effect is to be a Cause and no Cause But suppose the design of the Holy Ghost in the forementioned Promises and Exhortations had been as we really suppose it was to instruct men what they should do or what things possible to be done by them would be available to the ends propounded I demand how such a Design could have been expressed more significantly then it is by the Terms used in the Exhortations and Promises alledged And as for the bare necessity of presence of Charity and Good Works together with Faith in the Persons which are to be justified and saved that 's no more then is equally true of the faculties of Life Sense and Reason there being a perfect necessity of the presence of all these things to the act of Faith which is supposed to be the only thing that justifies a man But would it therefore be reasonable to exhort men to take care to preserve these faculties in order to their Justification or might the Promises of Pardon of Sin Life and Salvation be reasonably annexed to such a care of preserving these Faculties upon the bare account of their necessary presence or concomitancy with a justifiing Faith Now where it hath been said that Charity and Good Works are necessary to the verification of that Faith by which we are justified i. e. to declare and manifest the truth of it but have otherwise no concurrent Efficacy to the Justification of the Believer and that is a sufficient account of the reasonableness of all Promises made to the habit and exercise of this Vertue as also of the Exhortations before mentioned I answer that if indeed these things be necessary to the verification of that Faith that justifies us so
Good Works doth plainly suppose a negation of any antecedent necessity of Conversion and Repentance which are the two first things which he treats of under that Title of Thankfulness unto the Effect of our Justification and Salvation unless it be reasonable to say that a man is obliged to be thankfull for a Benefit before he hath it or to the end that he may receive it Conversion unto God and Repentance by this mans Doctrine must be looked upon as a thing not in it self necessary to our Justification or Remission of sin but as a Duty of Gratitude for this Grace given unto us either before or without respect to our Conversion And we are to repent and turn to God not that our sins may be forgiven but because they are so not that we may be saved but because we believe and are confident that we shall be saved So the whole practice of Christian Piety Holiness and Righteousness before God must proceed upon an account of Thankfulness to him for his free Grace that requires none of these things at our hands as conditions of our Pardon or Reconciliation with his offended Majesty Not but that some other Ends and Reasons and particularly those which we mentioned before are also named by the same Author as part of the necessity of Good Works But all are reduced unto the general account of Thankfulness and exclusive of any Moral causality or condition of Justification and Salvation How well this Doctrine agrees with Natural Religion the Scriptures of the Old Testament or even with the design of the Gospel I must leave to be judged by indifferent Readers Because I hold not my self obliged in this place to engage any further in the great Controversie about Justification by Faith alone or to take particular notice of the Texts of St. Paul commonly alledged for the Solifidian Doctrine which have been exactly considered by so many of our own Divines and my own Sense of them elsewhere delivered in brief Besides that the covering of sins attributed to Charity in the present Text though it extends to the Effect of Justification in the most Eminent Sense of the Phrase yet is not by our Interpretation limited to that signification but extended as hath been said to the removal of punishments in this life and to the abatement of them both in this Life and that which is to come which are the Benefits that may be obtained by Charity without any perfect Justification of a sinner Now if any Person that reads this Discourse having not been prepossessed with any Prejudice against this Doctrine or doubt of the Truth of it shall think that the Work is over-done by the Allegation of so many Texts and Arguments for the Confirmation of it and so much pains taken in answering Objections against it and shall therefore charge me with loading the Readers with a tedious Accumulation of superfluous Arguments thereby abating the Perspicuity of the Matter as Cicero speaks upon occasion of his long Discourse Perspicuitas enim argumentatione elevatur Remque meâ sententiâ minimè dubiam argumentando dubiam facis Tull. de Oratore Lib. 3. to prove the Existence of a Deity I must answer that this Objection can only be made by him that is ignorant of the contrary Doctrine commonly asserted and contended for not only by Lutherans and Calvinists abroad but by several of our English Divines till of late years going that way And 2. Although the bad Consequences of that Doctrine have been strongly averted by the Authors thereof in some of their Discourses yet the Event and Effect thereof hath to my own Knowledge in a multitude of Persons with whom I have had Occasion to converse notoriously abated the exercise of Charity and the Zeal or Conscience of Good Works supposed by this Doctrine to be neither absolutely necessary nor available to the Salvation of a Christian Many Persons I have known who upon this only Ground have neglected and slighted the practice of Charity not only in their Life time but also at their Death comforting themselves against all fear of Peril by this Neglect from a mistaken Notion and Confidence of Justification by Faith alone without Good Works The Sense of this dangerous Errour was one thing that moved me to the Pains of this Plain Discourse Having visited divers Persons in their Last sickness earnestly moving them according to the Injunction of our Church Liturgy in that Office to Liberality towards the Poor with little or no Success upon a Misperswasion of the no Necessity and as little Validity of such Works to the safety of their future State And though I have known Some and do believe there are many of that Perswasion that upon other Considerations and better Principles have been very Charitable and Forward to Good Works yet I have also had a particular Opportunity of observing Knowing something more than other Men concerning the Neglect of this Duty from the Place of my late Habitation for some Years belonging to an Office of Registry kept for the Probate and Custody of Wills and Testaments made within the Jurisdiction of the Arch-deacon of Norfolk wherein I have observed this last Record and Testimony of Charity which should have made up the Neglect and Defects of that Duty before to have been either wholly omitted or very penuriously and disproportionably expressed in many and indeed most Wills of Considerable Estates But to take off all appearance of Scandal to our Religion upon this Account it hath been or may be made Evident upon a just Reckoning that the Publick Good Works and Donations of Protestants to pious Uses in this Nation since the Reformation have been more than Equal to any that ever were done by Papists within the same Compass of Time in any precedent Age This personal Apology for the present Discourse might perhaps have been spared but was piously intended to the best Advantage and greatest Concern of all Persons in the time of their Life and at their Death There being certainly no possible Use to be made of Worldly Goods so Acceptable to God or so Advantagious to the Owners thereof both in their Lives and at their Death as that which I am labouring to promote from this Text. FINIS
healed Which seems to be the sence of another Phrase often used by our Saviour in like cases to them that came to him for the healing of their Diseases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 9.22 Thy faith hath saved thee i. e. hath made thee whole as 't is there rendred in our English Translation agreeable to the following words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the woman was made whole from that hour Not that I suppose this to be all the Benefit that he ever intended to any Person to whom he uttered those words thy sins are forgiven thee amongst whom it is more than probable there were some whose Faith did qualifie them for a better remission of their sin But it is not evident that every one of those Persons that were cured of their bodily Diseases by him were endued with such an unfeigned Faith as did render them capable of an absolute Remission of all their sins as to another Life For to think as some Divines have said that our Blessed Saviour never cured the body of any Patient but he cured their souls also seems to be but an improbable opinion But supposing this Remission of sin as relating only to Temporal Punishments in this Life to be granted as a Reward of an Insincere Charity the Question may be moved whether the like Charity or any works thereof may not be available also to some degree of Remission or covering of sin in the Life to come at the last Judgement To this Question I shall not presume to answer dogmatically as not remembring at present any particular Testimony of Scripture whereby that Question may be determined either in the Negative or Affirmative notwithstanding my Opinion inclines to the Affirmative viz. that although such an infincere Charity can avail nothing towards a total Remission at the last Judgement or the Salvation of the Person whereof no man can be capable whithout an unfeigned Repentance and such a true Faith as works by sincere Love to God and his Neighbour yet that even such Good Works as do indeed proceed from Charity and are not done hypocritically for self Interest Worldly ends or carnal Motives only may abate the Degrees of the future Punishment in another Life My reason for this Opinion is grounded upon that Fundamental Principle of all Religion That all men shall fare in the life to come 2 Cor. 5.10 according to the things done by them in this Life whether they be good or whether they be bad Which Rule is understood not only of the respective states of Salvation and Damnation but also of the degrees of Reward and Punishment in that state As for the state of Punishment no question hath been or can be made concerning the difference of its degrees expressly declared in Scripture signifying that it shall be more tolerable for some Mat. 10.15 chap. 11.22 Luke 12.47 48. than for others in that day wherein some shall be beaten with many stripes and some with fewer And the Question that is made about the degrees of Glory is but a novel one none of the Ancients that I know of and very few Modern Divines have embraced the Opinion that asserts the equality of that state The Catholick Doctrine founded upon Scripture supposes as much disparity of degrees of Glory and Happiness in Heaven as of Punishment in Hell and that the respective measures of each condition will be allotted and assigned according to such proportion of Good and Evil as upon an exact and infallible Evidence before an Impartial Judge shall be found in the Persons to be judged with Relation to the bodily Life past So is that Judgement described by St John Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead both small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works And that among all sorts of Good Works those of Charity to our Brethren will then have a special Confideration is sufficiently intimated by the words of our Saviour in his own Description of the last Judgement Mat. 25.31 to the end of the Chapter I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye clothed me c A Text which I shall have occasion to speak more largely of afterward in the Confirmation of this Doctrine And as by this Declaration of our Saviour himself who is to be Judge at that day it is evident that Works of Charity proceeding from an unfeigned Faith will then be specially considered as a qualification for the General Reward so that the Degrees and Measures of that Reward will be proportion'd to the Measures of Charity seems no less evident by the words of the Apostle speaking also of the same sort of works 2. Cor. 9.6 He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully And in the words of our Saviour in the forementioned Text it is likewise added as a Reason of the Sentence of Condemnation to be denounced against them on the left hand verse 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meit I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink c. Signifying that one just cause of that just Sentence will be the neglect of this great Duty of Charity whence it will follow upon a reasonable account that look how much that sin of neglect or omission shall be found to be abated by any thing done by the Person to be judged and condemned for that fault so much will be abated of the Punishment And though some Works of Charity bearing no proportion to the ability of him that doth them may be reckon'd as none in the Sense of our Saviours words and in reference to a mans discharge from the Substance of the Sentence yet it cannot be said that he that hath done some Works of Charity is altogether so guilty of the omission of that Duty as he that hath done none And consequently cannot be equally liable upon that account to the same degrees of Punishment And therefore his Charity how defective soever it was will save him from some degrees of Punishment in that state Besides all the validity it had to exempt him from Punishments and to procure any Temporal Reward in this Life What other Consideration may be had by the Judge at that day of Works of Charity done by any Person that then shall be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reprobate and so fall into condemnation towards any counterpoise of his other sins or of the abatement of the degrees of their Punishment I cannot tell But this is certain that what ever can be equitably plended for the abatement of Punishment will be considered by that Judge who is infinitely Wise and Just knowing
apt to fall into that not being guilty of doing any body any wrong or harm wherein also they judge very partially upon gross and false Accounts without any regard to the many and great Injuries of the Heart and Tongue they must needs be excused at the Last Day As if it were Charity enough to cover other sins not to have done any Wrong in matter of Fact to any Body and not to take the Meat out of another mans mouth were to Feed him not to strip him or take away his Garment were to Clothe him I know no Plea of Common People so frequently alledged as this nor any so Deceitfull or so contrary to the Express meaning of our Saviours Description of his own Judgment I have insisted something more largely upon this Testimony of our Saviour as one that alone is sufficient to confirm the Doctrine here treated of Nevertheless I shall proceed to the Allegation of a competent number of other Texts to the same purpose which I judge to be partly necessary for the Conviction of a strong Prejudice against this Doctrine in the minds of many Good People amongst us and partly usefull for the more effectual perswasion of all People to the study and practice of this Vertue which the Apostle recommends to us with such an Emphatical mark of Efficacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. before all things have fervent Charity For Charity c. And because the Texts already quoted have been taken out of the New Testament only and chiefly from the Mouth of our Saviour himself I shall proceed to add some others of the same Authority before I mention any out of the Old Testament But before I produce any particular Text I must demand the Concession of this undeniable Proposition viz. That all Promises of entrance into Everlasting Life or of Reward in Heaven made to the exercise of this Vertue do necessarily suppose and imply the Covering or Remission of sin because all sin uncovered i. e. unpardoned is an invincible Barr to a mans entrance into that State and renders him incapable of any place or reward in Heaven because a Man must first be justified from the Guilt of sin before he can be Glorified Rom. 8.30 Whom he hath justified them he hath glorified And it is no more possible for a Man to be Glorified without being Justified than it is to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven without being saved from Hell Whatever therefore is or can be available towards the Glorification of a sinner must needs be available towards his Salvation or Deliverance from Condemnation which imports such Remission or Non-imputation of sin as is specially signified by the Covering of it Therefore all Promises of Salvation Entrance into Heaven Heavenly Treasure Everlasting Life or Rewaid made by our Saviour himself or by his Apostles in his Name to the habit or exercise of Charity do necessarily imply the Covering of sin to be hoped for upon the same account For to say as some Divines do that Charity and Good Works are necessary to Salvation but not to Justification seems to me no less than a real Contradiction For so it must needs be if it be spoken concerning the Final and â—udicial Justification which certainly is the most compleat and perfect Signification of that Word Justification in Sâ—ripture phrase being generally though not always opposed to Condemnation in sensu forensi As Rom. 8.33 34. It is God that justifieth who shall condemn and Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the Wicked and he that condemneth the Just c. To be Justified is not to be Condemned and what is it to be Saved but not to be Condemed in the last Judgment But if to be Saved be not to be Condemned and not to be Condemned is to be Justified to say that Charity and Good Works are necessary to Salvation or not Condemnation and yet not necessary to Justification is a perfect Contradiction equal to the Saying that Charity is necessary and not necessary to Justification but this by the way only to answer a common Subtersuge from the Doctrine of the Text. Having thus premised this undeniable Postulate I shall now proceed to alledge the particular promises of Salvation Eternal Life and entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven with the Possession of Everlasting rewards in that State made to the habit and exercise of this Grace of Charity In the Sermon upon the Mount besides the Texts already cited from thence I shall instance in two others Mat. 6.3 4. But when thou doest thine Alms let not thy Left hand know what thy Right hand doth That thine Alms may be in Secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee Openly That this open Reward promised to the Alms-giver is to be understood of the Heavenly Reward I presume will not be questioned And ver 20. of the same Chapter Lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt Where that our Saviour speaks of the same practice of Alms giving is evident by comparing the Text with its Parallel Luke 12.33 Sell all that you have and give Alms providing your selves Baggs which wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not where no Thief approacheth neither Moth corrupteth Agreeable to the like words Mat. 19.21 Jesus said unto him if thou wile be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the Pope and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven To which Speech of our Saviour St. Paul doth undoubtedly allude 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. Charge them that are Rich in this world that they do Good that they be Rich in Good Works ready to Distribute willing to Communicate laying up for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life By which words the Apostle plainly signifies such Good Works as he speaks of to be a good Foundation of the Hope of Eternal Life but so they could not be unless they were also a Foundation of Hope of the Pardon of all sins because the want of this Pardon destroys the Foundation of all Hope of Eternal Life Another Text of the same importance is Luke 16.9 I say unto you make to your selves Friends of the Mammon of Vnrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into Everlasting Habitations Mammon is a Syriack word the Language used by our Saviour signifying Riches or worldly Wealth and of the Reason why they are called the Mammon of Vnrighteousness or the unrighteous Mammon ver 11. a double Account may be given from the Context antecedent and consequent The antecedent Context is a Parable of the Unjust Steward that provided for his future Maintenance when he was warn'd out of his Office by cheating his Master and making himself Friends of his Masters Debtors by Defaulking what he pleased from the just Accounts of their Debts and putting them upon his own Interest by such an unrighteous Obligation Now the Words of our Saviour in
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins Where 't is observable that whiles two other things are prescribed by the Apostle to be done in order to the remission of sin viz. to repent and to be baptized no mention is made of Faith other then is included in those words be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ which do indeed necessarily imply the act of Faith But besides this Baptism which is one thing required to be done for the remission of sins Repentance also which is another thing is expressly required as necessary to this end not in that Text only but in an hundred others of both Testaments from whence it is that this remission of sin is mentioned as the signal effect of Repentance Mark 1.4 Luke 3.3 John is said to have preached the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sin And in the Conjunction of these two things the Sum of the Gospel to be preached to all Nations is comprised by our Saviour in St. Luke chap. 24.47 That Repentance and Remission of sin should be preached in his Name to all Nations Hence also is the same called Repentance unto Life Acts. 11.18 and Repentance to Salvation 2 Cor. 7.9 From which Texts it doth sufficiently appear not only that Repentance is necessary unto the Remission of sin and to Life and Salvation as a Condition or Causa sine quâ non but that it is also effectual and really available to these Ends For to call that Repentance unto Life and Repentance to Salvation which contributes nothing at all nor hath any manner of Efficacy to these Ends is an absurd Form of words And if the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto doth not signifie some kind of Efficacy or Qualification for these Ends it signifies just nothing But if it doth signifie any manner of Efficacy to this End one of these Things must needs be true either that Repentance is the same thing with that Faith which abstracts from Works as an Act really distinct from them all which is a plain Contradiction or that something besides Faith and really distinct from it is effectual and available to the Remission of sins which is the thing that was to be demonstrated Thus I have named two Things besides Faith which are generally necessary to Remission of sin viz. Prayer and Repentance Whereunto might be added the practice of Fasting Mourning Humiliation and Confession of sin as things frequently mentioned in Scripture with prescription to their use in order to this end I forbear to cite the particular Texts wherein these things are prescribed because they are all but appendages or parts of the general duty of Repentance Nor are these things necessary to this effect barely and only by their antecedent presence as meet and convenient preparatives for this Grace of Pardon but also by and in respect of such a Moral Efficacy and Prevalency as they are justly presumed to have by their declared acceptance with God which is all the Efficacy that can be reasonably attributed to Faith it self And if upon the stress of this Argument it should be said that Faith in the practical Sense as a living energetical operative habit doth include Repentance with all the proper fruits thereof the whole Question is yielded For then to say that Faith is available for the remission or covering of sin is to say that Repentance Prayer Charity and Good Works are so too which is all we contend for It being far from our meaning to exclude Faith from any necessary concurrence to this effect of Charity that is to say that Charity without Faith can cover sin For neither can Christian Charity be without Faith nor if it could would it be any wise effectual to this end The only thing that we assert is that Charity together with Faith and as a proper and most Excellent Fruit of it is available to this end And the summ of the Argument which we have here urged to confirm this Assertion is this 1. That if nothing but Faith can be available to this end then ought nothing to be done in order to it but believing And Prayer Repentance Humiliation and Confession of sin notwithstanding that in Scripture they be all prescribed as means to be used to this end are not only useless or needless but unlawfull to be practised with respect to this end Or secondly that if any of these things be available to this purpose so also is Charity This is our first Argument 2. Argument If Charity and Good Works of any sort be not available towards the obtainment of remission of sin Eternal Life and Salvation then do all promises of these Benefits made to the use and exercise of these means signifie nothing or at least they must needs lose all power and signification of Motives to any of these Duties For how can that be considered as a reasonable Motive to any act which doth no way promote it Whereas the General Design and end of all conditional Promises is to encourage perswade and move the Persons to whom they are made to the performance of those Conditions and Acts which are recommended by the respective Promises upon the hope of obtaining the promised Benefits by those means But this hope can have no foundation without the believing that the performance of those Conditions will be some ways effectual to the obtainment of these Benefits But if the performance of such Acts and Conditions must be believed to contribute nothing at all to the obtainment of these Benefits the forementioned Faith in the Promises which is the only foundation of the hope is utterly destroyed And by consequence the said Promises are deprived of all Vertue or power of Motives to the practices whereunto they are annexed 3. Argument All Precepts Exhortations and Counsels such as that in our Text to the practice of Charity or any other Christian Vertue beside Faith urged by such Motives as are no ways promoted by the Acts whereunto we are exhorted are vain and delusory Were such Precepts and Exhortations delivered simply and absolutely as only declarative of our Duty or designed only to move Men to their Duties as Testimonies of Gratitude or Thankfulness for those Benefits which we receive only by Faith as some late Divines would have them they would indeed be reasonable upon that account But when they are expressly urged as in this Text and many others they are to move Men to the Practice of particular Duties as means to obtain the proposed Benefits what can they signifie but a plain imposing upon us or abusing our minds and perverting our Faith supposing that the doing of those things whereto we are exhorted can nothing avail us to those ends What can such Exhortations signifie more then if a man should be perswaded to stretch forth his hands to behold the Glory of the Heavens or to open his eyes to hear the sweet Melody of Musick But the force of these Arguments is by many late Divines thought to
as to constitute and make up the Truth and Validity thereof and thereby to declare the Efficacy thereof the Question is really yielded And these things must be acknowledged to have a concurrent Efficacy to the forementioned Effect which is all that is contended for But if by the verification of Faith no more be meant then a bare manifestation of the truth of it by the Signs and Fruits of it that is the same thing with the former allegation concerning the necessity or usefulness of these things for the Assurance of a mans Justification or Salvation But whether this be the true intent or only meaning of the Promises and Exhortations made to these Practices I appeal to the Judgment of any Unprejudiced Reader that shall review and consider the express Terms and Forms of Words used in them When we pray for the Forgiveness of our sins must this be the only Meaning â—r not that God will be pleased to forgive us upon any consideration of our Prayers but that he will give us an Assurance that he hath forgiven us I appeal to the Conscience of any of them that make this Allegation to serve an Hypothesis which they have unwarily espoused whether this hath been or is their own Sense in their Prayers for the Pardon of their sin Which is no other then if a Criminal petitioning a King for his Pardon should thereby intend not to obtain it but only to be assured that it was granted When our Saviour promiseth that if we will forgive Men their Trespasses our Heavenly Father will also forgive us our Trespasses is that his only Meaning that our Forgiving others shall be to us a sign and evidence that we are forgiven but no Means to obtain that Forgiveness When we are exhorted to Repentance for the Remission of our sins which was the common Doctrine of the Prophets of John Baptist our Blessed Saour and his Apostles and particularly of St. Peter in answer to the Question of the Jews what they should do to be saved Acts 2.30 was this their Meaning not to teach Men to repent to that end that they might be saved and their sins be forgiven them but that they might be assured that their sins were forgiven them I desire any Indifferent Reader that is not pertinaciously bent to maintain a Prejudice against all Appearance of Reason to apply this Meaning to the Promises Exhortations and Assertions of Scripture which have been before alledged to this Purpose and then to judge whether all or any of them be to be interpreted to this Sence And if they be I demand why the same promises of Justification Salvation c. made to the act of Faith may not or should not admit of the same Interpretation as some of the Antinomians have contended viz. that Faith it self contributes nothing at all to any of these Effects or Benefits that are thereunto promised or is any Means or Condition of obtaining them but only a sign or means to assure us of our Interest in them Lastly I demand whether any thing possible to be done by us doth serve to qualifie us for the Reception of those Benefits by the Grace of God or be of any Validity or moral Efficacy towards the Obtainment of these Ends If not then Faith can be of no more Efficacy to this purpose then Charity But if any Act or Condition that is possible to be performed by us be any ways effectual or available to these Ends why may not Charity especially as a fruit and effect of Faith be conceived to have a concurrent Efficacy with Faith or subordinate to it agreeable to the many promises of the same Benefits made to Charity and Good Works as well as to Faith And seeing that it is and must be ever acknowledged that it is only of the free Grace of God that Faith is accepted as any condition qualification or means of obtaining these Benefits Seeing also that Charity in the proper nature of it is the most Excellent and most Divine Vertue most conformable to the nature of God himself and therefore said to be the greatest of the three Christian Graces 1 Cor. 13.13 Is it not very reasonable to believe that such a quality most Divine expressing both the Nature and Image of God and being also the Effect of his own free Grace should be accepted as part of that disposition in us that qualifies us for his Favour and Reconciliation merited only by the Expiatory Sacrifice and Obedience of his Son always acknowledged by our Faith in him renouncing all confidence in any thing that we can do as acceptable upon any other account then of his Meritorious Meciation Other reasons are given by Modern Divines of the Protestant Party concerning the necessity of Charity and Good Works exclusive of this we contend for alledging that these things are necessary necessitate praecepti non medii i. e. necessary parts of our Duty in obedience to the Law or Will of God not necessary means of Salvation or obtaining the Benefit of remission of our sins necessary to be practised in order to the pleasing of God the Glorifying and Honouring of his Name to express our Thankfulness to him for all his Benefits especially for his Free Grace of Redemption and Justification procured by the merits of Christ As also necessary to adorn our Holy Profession the Honour of Christ and his Gospel to give Good Example and avoid Scandal c. All which are without Exception to be acknowledged for just Reasons of our Duty But do fignifie nothing to the Question in hand in as much as they do not severally or jointly make any reasonable account either of the promises of Pardon Eternal Life and Salvation to the performances of these Duties or of the Exhortations to the practice of them urged by such Promises These Reasons are indeed just Motives to the Duties of Piety and Charity and urged as such in other Texts of Scripture But of a different sort and nature from those which are propounded in the Promises and Exhortations alledged by us These Reasons with others of like import exclusive of that which is urged by us alledged as the only account of the necessity of Good Works do utterly destroy and make void the validity of the Motives in the forementioned Promises And here with as little disparagement as may be to the Author I think it lawfull for me to mention the great dissatisfaction not to say Scandal which I long since took from the common outlandish Catechism set forth first by Zachary Vrsin and afterward by David Paraeus Anno D. 1623. who intitles the third part of his Book wherein he undertakes to give an account of the necessity of Good Works and all the practical part of Christian Religion de Gratitudine of Gratitude or Thankfulness to God for our Deliverance from the misery of the Natural State and our Liberty recovered by Christ which are the titles of his two former parts This General Title and Account of
Concern Above all things have fervent Charity among your selves And then urged with a strong argument or motive drawn from a special Effect and Consequent thereof For Charity shall cover a multitude of sins The Design of my present Discourse is chiefly upon this particular Argument or Motive which being well understood and firmly believed may be enough to save me the labour of adding many more found in other Texts some of which have been briefly touched in the foregoing Chapter and all or most of them amply set forth by others Dr. Is Barrow especially by a late worthy Person in his excellent Sermon upon the Subject of Charity Whereas that particular Argument which is alledged in this Text though it may have been mentioned by others hath not to my knowledge been so distinctly and largely discussed as the Weight and Efficacy of it seems to deserve There being no argument or motive to the practice of this Vertue more like to prevail with persons sensible of the multitude and danger of their sins than this if it may be admitted in the Sense hereafter declared For this is most notoriously known to have been the greatest and most effectual Motive to that one common and eminent branch of this great Vertue that hath in vulgar Speech monopolized the name of Charity viz. that of Alms and Beneficence This one simple Motive specified in this Text hath I believe prevailed more to this effect in all parts of Christendom with all sorts of Persons in their life time and at their death than all the rest And this especially with such People as being much sensible of their sins have desired to verifie the truth of their Repentance by bringing forth fruits worthy of it Amongst which there is none to be compared to the works of Charity Though indeed there be many other Fruits worthy of repentance in a just sense but not equal to this Such are all acts and works of extraordinary Devotion all practices of Pennance and Mortification which the Apostle calls judging of our selves 1 Cor. 11.31 And Revenge proceeding from a Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 The Schoolmen from the Latine Fathers especially St. Cyprian express them by the word Satisfaction an innocent word if rightly interpreted These are such as do chiefly consist in Fasting Watching and Afflicting the body by abstinence from lawfull Injoyments with various expressions of penetential Sorrows for sin and Subjugation of carnal lusts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Apostle calls keeping under the Body and bringing it under subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 Not sparing the Body Col 2.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bodily Exercise he calls it elsewhere and acknowledges it to be profitable though but a little in comparison of true Godliness 1 Tim. 4.8 Hereunto belongs all that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hard usage of the Body practised by the Asceticks in the ancient Church especially in the East where the severities of Monastick Life began and most prevailed in their course Diet hard Lodging and Clothing of Sackcloth and Haircloth The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humicubation lying upon the ground c. which things have been over-acted and still are in the Greek and Roman Churches These things being cleared from that Superstition which they are liable to in the kinds and measures of them as also from such Hypocrisie as was practised by the Pharisees and is notorious in the later Ages of the Church are not to be rejected or denied to be proper and reasonable fruits and testimonies of Repentance as exercise of Self discipline and judging our selves that we may not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 There are a multitude of Texts in the Old Testament wherein such Afflicting of our selves in testimony of repentance are not only approved but expresly enjoyned by God himself Lev. 16.29 31. cap. 23.27 32. Numb 29.7 Ezr. 8.21 Isa 58.3 as may be seen in the Texts quoted in the Margin many others that might be added And that this was no point of meer Jewish and Ceremonial Discipline may be confirmed from the Examples before quoted particularly from St. Paul in his own practice and the approbation of it in the Corinthians 2 Cor. 7.17 and the express precept of St. James Cap. 4.9 Be afflicted and mourn and weep Such affliction as naturally agreeable to the affection of Sorrow whiles we are mixt Creatures consisting of Body as well as Soul may be either imposed for satisfaction of Scandal and testimony of Repentance or voluntarily undertaken and practised by true Penitents to express before God their Humiliation and Godly sorrow But none of these things are in their kind such worthy fruits of Repentance or so acceptable to God as the special exercises of Charity Because none of them have any such intrinsick Goodness in them as is opposite to the Evil repented of or can be reasonably presumed to balance it none so available as Charity for the remission or expiation of the sin pardon that Word for the present which I shall interpret afterward in such a Sense as will appear to be nothing prejudicial to the Expiation by the Blood of Christ Charity is â—herefore most acceptable to God because most beneficial to Men and most agreeable to his own natural and essential Goodness Therefore doth God prefer Mercy which â—s but a branch of Charity before Sacrifice and all manner of outward Worship not Ceremonial only but also Moral and Natural as of Prayers and Praises Vid. Isa 1. v. 11. to the 19. To relieve the oppressed to judge the fatherless and to plead for the widow are named for things so acceptable and prevalent with God that he promiseth an intire pardon of the grossest sins to all them that joyn these things with the Essential duties of Repentance expressed ver 16. Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek Judgment relieve the Oppressed judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow though they be like crimson they shall be as wooll that is the deepest dye and stain of them shall be quite taken out But of this more hereafter Come we now to the express Doctrine oâ— the Apostle in the words of the Text Charity doth will or shall cover a multitude of sins Such a variation of Lection iâ— found in the Greek Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alià s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the difference is not considerable Now concerning the nature of Charity with the Extent and various Effects thereof Though I might presume them to be so well known to any Reader that will be capable of understanding the future Discourse designed to be as plain as I am able to make it as makes it unnecessary to give any large Description thereof yet do I not judge it altogether needless to give any Account at all of it
Briefly then Charity or Love relating to our Neighbour as by the express words of the Text it doth is not to be confined to that one eminent Branch thereof which consists only in Alms or works of Beneficence because these are things which possibly may be done without any true Charity as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.8 Though I give all my goods to feed the Poor and have not Charity which Supposition were absurd if it were simply impossible it profiteth me nothing Vain-glory carnal and worldly Ends and Interest may utterly destroy the notion and vertue of Charity in such Works And 't is possible for a man to exercise some acts of pretended Charity to such ends as are utterly repugnant to the Nature of it as when they are done of purpose to corrupt the Minds and Manners of them upon whom they are bestowed to entice them to Iniquity and to serve the ends of the Donor to the prejudice of the Receiver And where none of these things are designed a man may yet be otherwise as destitute of true Charity as the Devil is and as much tainted with those Viciosities that are most contrary to it Malice Envy Pride Cruelty c. and yet seem to be Charitable in his Alms. On the contrary a true and acceptable Charity may exist without them I mean without the outward Works and that only in case of Inability to afford them or want of Objects to receive them for otherwise the Disposition and Preparation of mind to afford them according to Ability and opportunity is in separable from any true and real Charity This possible Mistake grounded upon a vulgar use of the Word being prevented I say That Charity in the due extent of its Notion comprehends all the Good and excludes all the Evil that our Neighbour is capable of receiving from us or that we are capable of intending or extending to him Charity signifies all the benefit that is reasonably desirable from one Man to another All that can profit or reasonably please him all that can any way better his Condition present or future The Acts of it are as various and numerous as are the needs or capacities of advantage and benefit by our Neighbour in any kind To conclude Rom. 13.10 Charity imports an aversion or declining of all manner of Evil to him in Thought Word or Deed all Mis-affection to him all Mispeaking of him or to him and all Misdoing And not only all sorts of Injuries but all Unkindnesses inward of will and affections and outward of words actions and gestures He that desires any more Particular Character of this Vertue may find it set forth in that known Chapter of St Pauls first Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 13. And all that most exactly abridged by that General Precept of our Saviour of doing to others as we would be done to only the word do is therein to be extended as well to thoughts and words as to any sort of outward actions agreeable to the common use of the same word in our Language applied to thoughts and words as well as deeds whilst we say we do think and we do Love and we do speak Col. 3.17 Whatever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus c. Indeed thoughts and words are the most Peculiar of Humane Acts. This Precept I say in the due extent of it rightly interpreted by the Rules and Measures of a reasonable will which only can be understood in the sentence is the most Perfect Rule of Humane Equity that can be given in words comprehending also the utmost Perfection of Christian Charity Having now premised this brief Description of the Vertue of Charity I come to the Particular Argument or Motive whereby it is urged by the Apostle in this Text. Charity shall cover a multitude of sins And here I am to speak by way of Explication and Confirmation By way of Explication I shall make these three Inquiries First Whose sins they are which the Apostle means will be covered by Charity Secondly What 's meant by the covering of sins Thirdly What sort of sins will be covered by Charity and under what Limitations After I shall have given a Competent Explication of the Proposition in the resolution of these Questions I shall Confirm the General Doctrine from other Texts of Scripture with some Allegations of Reason and then answer some Objections like to be made against that Interpretation of the Text which I shall pitch upon and against the General Doctrine thereby asserted CHAP II. § 1. I Am to begin with the first Question viz. Whose sins they are which will be covered by Charity And here I find Interpreters differing some understancing the sins of others to whom the Charity is extended which is the sense accepted by most Protestants and some Pontificians And some the sins of the Charitable Person which for the Reasons hereafter to be advanced seems to me most probable and specially intended by the Apostle in this Text. Some also taking in both senses not without reason because so the Sentence is undoubtedly true Charity especially if it be servent will cover a multitude of sins both in the Charitable Person as shall be afterward confirmed and in other men to whom it is exercised And so both Senses are but distinct Verifications of the same words taken in the greatest amplitude of signification and containing in each Sense a strong motive to enforce the preceding Exhortation Above all things have fervent charity for c. Wherefore although I do in my own judgement prefer the second Sense as most specially intended by the Apostle and that is the main Argument and Design of my Discourse yet I shall not wholly neglect the other Sense importing a special Effect and Branch o◠that Charity which is here recommende◠to all Christians with the promise o◠declaration of so great a Reward as the covering of a multitude of sins in him than hath it which is that Sense of the word◠that I insist upon not only as the stronges◠Motive to enforce the Exhortation but also as most agreeable to the Context i◠this place I. This Sense if it may be allowed in the matter of it to express a certain truth as I doubt not to prove past all doubt from other Texts affords a Motive to the inforcement of the Apostles Exhortation so much more strong and effectual than the other Sense as the covering of a multitude of a mans own fins is a greater Benefit to him than the covering of any multitude of other mens sins can be and therefore the hopes of it must needs be most prevalent with any man that hath not more Charity for his Neighbour than he hath for himself Whereas therefore the scope of the Apostle in these words as appears by that Causal Particle For is only to press the foregoing Exhortation it seems not reasonable to abate the strength of his Argument by excluding the most perswasive
exactly the Merits and Circumstances of every mans case that is to be tryed before him and who will be Advocate as well as Judge for every sinner as far as his case will bear And therefore as in humane Judicature or Exercise of distributive Justice amongst men when a Criminal is to be judged although his case be such as can neither admit of a Justification nor yet of a Plenary Pardon yet it is thought no more than reasonable that some consideration should be had of the rest of his Life especially if there be any Good Evidence of any Special Laudable Actions done by him they may be considered toward the abatement of utmost severity in the Penalty where any such abutement is possible as in Punishments which are not Capital So though I cannot assure any man that it shall be so in the case of any Persons falling under the necessary Sentence of Condemnation yet I think there is some Reason to hope that he that hath shewed Mercy to Men in this Life though he be not saved may find some Mercy in the degrees of his Punishment And that not only upon the account of such an abatement of his Guilt as was before signified respecting his sins of omission but also with respect to his sins of commission That there will be some kind of Counterpoise or Ballance of Good and Evil Works in the Divine Judgement and execution of Justice is not in my opinion to be rejected as a meer Rabinical or Platonical conceit Mal poâ—se qui ne contre poise Is the French Prov. though it be so too but seems to be in some measure probable as it is agreeable to the nature of Justice exercised amongst men privately and publickly The Summ of what I have said in the Explication of that Sense of the Apostles words which I here maintain is this That Charity if it be sincere as the Fruit of an unfeighed Faith and Repentance will be available towards a plenary Covering or Remission of a mans sins at the last Judgement If it be not so yet it will procure him some Remission at least if not Exemption from temporal Punishment in this Life besides other positive Rewards ordinarily given to the practice of this Vertue and may also be available towards the Abatement of the Degrees of positive Punishment in the Life to come I say of Positive Punishment commonly called Paena Sensûs Pain or Punishment of Sense because the Privative Punishment Poena Damni the Punishment of Loss can admit of no degrees of Abatement For the loss of Eternal Life will be equal to all that are not saved and can be no other from the Nature of the thing though the sense and affliction of that Loss may differ much according to the different capacities Men were in to obtain that Life and the inequality of the Means thereof received and rejected or neglected For in this respect the Loss of Eternal Life will be more tolerable as our Saviour saith for Sodom and Gomorrah for Tyre and Sidon that never had the like means of Salvation though they were not excluded from all means or possibility thereof then it will be for Bethsaida or Capernaum And so it will be proportionably for all People under like Inequality of the means of Life neither is it possible for any Person that never had any such Means as some other had and therefore cannot be guilty of Rejecting or Neglecting them I say it is not possible for any such Person to fall under the same Degrees of that necessary Punishment of the never-dying Worm as that is supposed to signifie the anguish and torment of the guilty Conscience This natural punishment of the Afflicted or afflicting Conscience for the same Reason must needs be abated also to him that hath done some Good works of Charity in this Life because his Conscience cannot charge him at the same rate as it must needs do him that hath totally neglected them under an equal or larger Ability Whether the substance of this Interpretation of the Text either necessary or most probable must be left to the judgment of the Reader but that it is neither Popish nor Singular as some may be ready to charge it I must take leave to challenge whiles I find that this Sense of the Words hath neither been received by all Papists nor rejected by all Protestants Some of the Pontificians baulking this Interpretation as Estius Tirinus and others which I insist upon do give the same which is given by most Protestants namely That Charity will cover the sins of other Men not the sins of the Charitable Person in such a Sense as is hereafter to be declared And some Eminent Protestants do admit that other Sense which I prefer as most probable And that not only in this Text but also in that of St. James wherein the same Phrase is used Jam. 5.20 He which converteth a sinner from the Errour of his ways shall save a Soul from Death and shall hide a Multitude of sins The origiginal Words are the same in both Texts and are thus Paraphrased by a Learned Doctor of our own Church Dr. Hammond It is a most excellent glorious Work which he hath wrought the Effect of which is that God will free him on whom this Change is wrought from Death eternal and perhaps from present temporal Death through Sickness fallen upon him for that sin vid. v. 15. And besides he will accept and reward the Charity of him that hath wrought that good Work with the free Discharge of whatsoever sins he hath formerly been guilty of but hath now repented of See the same Authors Annotation upon the Text. This Sense is agreeable to the words of the Prophet Daniel Dan. 12.3 They that turn many to Righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever viz. in Heavenly Glory which necessarily implyes a Remission of their sins And why the zealous Endeavouring to convert sinners from the Error i. e. evil of their Way should be available to procure the Covering of a multitude of sins in him that makes it his care and study so to do a very good Reason may be given from the nature of the Act which imports one of the best Testimonies of Repentance that can be In that Penetential Psalm wherein David sues to Almighty God for the Pardon of his gross sins of Murder and Adultery he urges this as a Motive towards the obtaining of his Request Psal 5.13 Then will I teach Transgressors thy Ways and sinners shall be converted unto Thee And surely no greater Reparation can be made by sinfull man to Almighty God for the dishonour done to his Majesty by his own sins than when the penitent sinner together with his own Hearty repentance and amendment of Life shall endeavour also as much as lies in his power the Conversion of other sinners unto God So did Abner design to make his peace with King David after his professed Enmity and Rebellion first by Promising
to serve him for the time to come in his own Person and then to bring over all Israel with him to the Obedience of the King 2 Sam. 3.10 And that the Practice of this great vertue of Charity in other Instances as well as this of endeavouring to Convert sinners from their evil Ways is the best Means of Satisfaction to God or appeasing his Wrath for sin may appear by these two Reasons 1. Because it is in it self most pleasing and acceptable to Him as most agreeable to his own Goodness 2. Because it tends to the procuring of much Glory to his Name as otherwise so by the Thanksgiving of many engaged by the Benefit of Charity extended to them redounding to the Glory of God 2 Cor. 1.11 4.15 If a Man hath incurred the just Displeasure of any Man what better means can be used to recover his Favour than by doing of such things as he knows to be most pleasing and acceptable to him or if he hath any way Dishonoured him what better Satisfaction can be done him towards the repairing of that Injury than by Endeavouring to promote his Honour effectually some other way CHAP. III. HAving thus sufficiently illustrated that Sense of the Text which seemeth to me most probable I am sensible of the Necessity of a further Confirmation thereof Wherein I think this Demand should not be denied me by any Indifferent Judge namely That if the Doctrine collected from this Interpretation be proved to be True and sufficiently Confirmable from other Scriptures this Interpretation hath a fair advantage of Preference before the other from the before noted Scope of the Context and the far greater Validity of the Argument thus understood to enforce the Exhortation that precedes it And therefore towards the better satisfaction of some prejudiced Readers whose Objections shall be considered in due place it will be necessary to shew the undeniable Truth of this Doctrine from other Texts of both Testaments which for their Number are far more than are absolutely necessary for the Confirmation of any Doctrine Nor should I think it reasonable to quote so many of them as I shall do were it not that by the same Labour I hope not only to demonstrate the Truth of this Doctrine but also to promote the Practice of the Apostles Exhortation upon this singular Motive added to many others which fall not within the compass of this Text. I say that by the many Texts by which I hope to make it appear that Charity to our Neighbours for Gods sake and with respect to his Will and good Pleasure is so much conducible to the Pardon of our sins the Practice of this Vertue will also appear more advisable to them that are least disposed to it than perhaps hath been formerly considered or understood by them And whereas most of the Texts which I shall alledge to this Purpose do seem to speak of a full and final Remission of all sins at the Day of Judgment I suppose it will be easily yielded by the Argument from the Greater to the Less that if Charity be available for Deliverance from the Eternal punishment of the Life to come it may well be concluded it may also avail for a Redemption from Temporal punishments in this Life which are justly to be feared or for an Abatement The first Argument which I shall produce for the Truth of this Doctrine shall be taken from those Texts which speak of such an Act of Charity as is more commonly understood in this Text namely That whereby we Cover the sins of others by Forgiving them their Trespasses against our selves And the express words of our Saviour Mat. 6.14 15. are that 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 you By which Text it appears plainly that the Truth of that Sense of St. Peters words which I plead for is no other then a just Consequence of the other more commonly received That if it be true that Charity will cover a Multitude of sins in other Men it will also procure the same Effect to the Charitable Person that is cover a Multitude of sins in him he that forgives shall be forgiven And in another Evangelist we find our Saviour expresly directing us to this Work of Charity for the same End namely that our sins may be forgiven Mar. 11.25 When ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any that your Father which is in Heaven may forgive you your Trespasses But if you do not forgive neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your Trespasses That which our Saviour himself directs us to do for this End may it not be done by us to that End And is it not confidently to be believed to be Effectual and Available thereunto And is not the same Effect as manifestly implyed in that Prayer which our Saviour hath taught us Forgive us our Debts i. e. our sins as we forgive our Debters i. e. them that trespass against us Luke 11.4 Where the Particles As in the one Evangelist and For in the other do signifie the same thing namely A Motive used by our Saviours direction to promote the Effect of our Petition confirmed by an express Promise Luke 6.37 Forgive and ye shall be forgiven Add to this from the beginning of the same Sermon of our Blessed Saviour Mat. 5.7 Blessed are the Mercifull for they shall obtain Mercy and as Mercy in us is a Branch of Charity so the Covering or Pardon of sins is an eminent Part of that Mercy that is to be obtained thereby These Sentences of our Blessed Saviour together with divers others to the same Purpose I suppose might be alluded to by St. James in that Saying Jam. 2.13 For he shall have Judgement without Mercy that hath shewed no Mercy and Mercy rejoyceth against Judgement Mercy in the Text comprehends all works of Charity as well in the latter as in the former Clause They that would have the latter Clause to be understood only of the Mercy of God triumphing over his Justice seem not to consider the Context before and after these Words which apparently speaks of such Mercy and Charity as is to be exercised by Men toward their Brethren which being also the undoubted Meaning of the Word in this Verse the plain sense of the whole Verse can be no other than this that the Unmercifull man shall find no Mercy in the day of Judgment On the contrary that Mercy or the Mercifull man shall have his Judgment so tempered with Mercy as to give him cause of Rejoycing in that Day for Deliverance or Salvation from the Judgment of Condemnation or the Fear of it This Goodness or Mercy found in Men if it be true and sincere being the Effect of Gods Grace doth dispose and fit Men for Divine Mercy Mercy in the Person to be judged qualifies him for the Mercy of the Judge
Not that any such Charity or Mercy can be found in a Sinner as is sufficient in it self to justifie him or expiate his sin in strictness of Justice or Merit but that by the Goodness and Mercy of God for Christs Sake it shall obtain this Effect in the last Judgment And as in this first Branch of the Text the word Mercy twice used doth plainly signifie the Mercy of God as well as the mercy of Man He shall have Judgment without Mercy i. e. from God that hath shewed no Mercy to men So in the second Branch the same word Mercy may have respect both to the Mercy of God as many Good Divines have interpreted it and to the Mercy of men It is Mercy in God rejoycing over Judgment or Justice that gives men Cause of Rejoycing and Mercy in men that by Divine Acceptance qualifies them for that Mercy of God This Sentence of St. James in both Parts of it stands fully confirmed by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Representation of the last Judgment which is given by our Saviour Matt. 25. from the 21 ver to the end of the 41 ver Then shall he say to them on the Left hand depart from me ye Cursed into Everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels There 's Judgment without Mercy and the Reason of it follows For I was an Hungred and ye Fed me not I was Thirsty and ye gave me no Drink Naked and ye Clothed me not c. In as much as ye did it not to these little ones ye did it not to me That is ye shewed no Mercy for my Sake to them that needed it So is the first Part of the Apostles Sentence confirmed and exemplified by the latter Part of our Saviours They shall have Judgment without Mercy that shewed no Mercy The second Part of the Apostolical Sentence is likewise abundantly confirmed by the first Part of our Saviours Then shall the King say unto them on the Right hand come ye Blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World For I was an Hungred and ye gave me Meat I was Thirsty and ye gave me Drink c. That is by his own Interpretation ver 40. In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of my Brethren being also your Brethren you have done it unto me Where 't is to be noted how the Mercifull Man hath not only his sins covered for which he might have been Condemned but is advanced to a state of Glory and Triumph in the Kingdom of Heaven So doth Mercy not only escape but triumph over Judgment In each part of this Description of the distributive Justice or Judgement of God in the latter day a common Synechdoche of the Part for the Whole must be understood that is in the Assignment of the respective Reasons of the contrary Judgements of Absolution and Condemnation For neither will Charity be respected as the only reason or condition of the Reward but therewith also all other Christian Vertues and Good Works especially that of an unfeigned Faith as the Root of them all Nor will the want of Charity or the Vices most contrary to it be the only reason of the Sentence of Condemnation but all other sins against the known will of God will be jointly respected in the awarded Punishment But since it hath pleased our Saviour who is himself to be Judge at that day to specifie these two opposite Practises as the only Instances of the reason of his future Judgement we have sufficient ground to conclude that they will be especially though not only considered by him in that Judgement The same Synechdoche of the Part for the Whole necessary to be understood in the words of our Saviour which we have last mentioned is no less necessary to be understood in all Promises of the same Reward to any particular Vertue or sort of Good Works of any kind Partly because no single Vertue that is sincere and genuine can exist without a Connexion of all other Vertues as hath been often notified in the Doctrine as well of Heathen as Christian Vertues And partly because no single Vertue in the want of the rest can be enough to qualifie a Man for the State of the Heavenly Life or render a Man so much as capable thereof Because that Life doth require as an Indispensible Preparative for it such a Principle of Divine Life or Holiness as comprehends the Habit and Disposition at least of all Goodness and as is perfectly inconsistent with a total privation of any Real Vertue So that if it were possible for a Man to have any such Vertue in him as Charity with a total privation of Sobriety Humility Temperance and Piety towards God he could not be capable of that Benefit or Reward which the Text speaks of that is of having all his sins covered or perfectly discharged from all Punishment at the last Judgement Although that single Vertue however imperfect and insincere might possibly abate the degrees of Punishment for the want of the rest as hath been intiâ—â—â—â—ed before But although in the promises of this reward to any particular Vertue or sort of Good Works there be a necessity of the foresaid Synechdoche yet in the Threatnings of Judgments to particular Vices there is no necessity of any such Figure Because as there is no such necessary Connexion of all sorts of Vices as there is of Vertues some of which are contrary and inconsistent with some others so it is certain that any one Vice notwithstanding any freedom from others is enough to reader a Man liable to the Sentence of Condemnation As in Humane Justice one Capital Crime renders a man liable to death notwithstanding any possible Plea of Innocence as to other Crimes And one Mortal Disease will kill a Man notwithstanding any freedom from other Diseases So in the last judgement if a Man be able to plead as many will be that they were no Idolaters Whoremasters Theeves or other sorts of Criminals And that they are not guilty of starving any body or depriving them of their bread robbing or oppressing or casting into Prison or other like breaches of Charity no such Plea will hold before the Righteous Judge which will never change any thing upon a Man that he is not guilty of nor doth he instance in any such practice in this Monitory Description of his last Judgement He saith not ye robbed me of my Meat Drink or Clothing or ye wronged me by Violence or Fraud but ye fed me not when I was hungry ye clothed me not when I was naked ye relieved me not in my Necessities neither did ye visit or comfort me in my Distresses Go therefore ye cursed c. not for your Injustice or Injuries but for your Uncharitableness What could our blessed Lord mean by this negative manner of describing his future Judgement but to warn all People of that vulgar Deceit which they are so