T. p. 296. a Christian is fupply'd by his Faith; Do but thy best, and Believe God in Heb. 10. 22. Chrift is fully satisfied for all the rest. Draw near with a true Heart 23. verf. 10. Deut. 30. 15, 19, 20. Rom. 2. 14. Mat. 19. 20. Luk. 10. 37. Jer. 17. 9. in full affurance of Faith, let your Will, your Defire, your Heart be right to do your very utmoft) and then hold fast, ouoroviar, the Confefsion of your Faith without wavering. (that God will accept thee, being fanctifi ed through the Offering of the Body of Jefus once for all) he is faithfull that promifed. Now any meer Man, much more a Chriftian, is capable of a Law, and of Judging what is morally Good and what is Evil; (it is what is his grand Prerogative above a Beaft) and by Confequence hath in him a Freedom and a Power to obey or difobey this Law; for otherwife it is an unjust and unreasonable Command to one that hath not this Power; and very Ridiculous, if it be given to one who can not but do it; neither Abfolute and Unavoidable necessity of doing, nor Abfolute Impossibility of doing any thing, can ever be the true Subject of a Command. To obey then or to difobey a Law is perfectly matter of Man's choice; and God hath plainly declared it fo to be. See, faith he, I have fet before thee this day Life and Good, Death and Evil, Bleffing and Curfing; Therefore choofe Life; Love the Lord thy God for he is thy Life. And as it is matter of Man's choice, fo it is plainly (as I have faid) in his Power. Every Man by Nature can do the things contain'd in the Law; either Chriftian, Jew, or Gentile; but all these in their feveral Degrees, left to themselves, do them very imperfectly, fo as none of them can be able to abide God's firict Inquifition. For did the most elevated Heathen ever exactly and conftantly manage all what they called, Ta'aurois, the things in their own Power? Had the young Jew in the Gofpel, (as he boasted) from his youth up most punctually oblerved every tittle of the Decalogue. Did ever any Christian yet at all times, on all occafions, in all Conditions, Love his God with all his Soul, all his Heart, T. P. 297 all his Strength, all his Mind; and his Neighbour, really and thoroughly, as himfel? It is prety Common indeed for Men to fay fo, nay, perhaps to think fo; But Man's heart is deceitful above all things, and God knows it to be fo. Now then if the best of Men fall very short in performing the Punctualities even of their Moral Duties, and much more of their Evangelical ones, can I think that any of their poor Deeds can enter in as any ways fharing or bearing part in Chrift's Propitiation and Satisfaction? Alas! He had made them for him long before whilst he was in his Trefpaffes and Sins; and by them alone thefe very Performances, if fincere, are acceptable. By one Offering, Chrift hath perfected for ever, them that are Sanctified (all true Believers,) their Sins and their Iniquities he will Remember no more. If fome good Man hath come up to fome great degree of Perfection in fome Point, yet have failed in others, we read his doom, he is guilty of all, All have Sinned and by it have come short of the Glory of God, being Juftified freely by his Grace through the Redemption in Chrift Jefus. Where is boating then? It is excluded. By what Law? Of Works? Nay, but by the Law of Faith. Where then are the pretended Works of Supererrogation? I would fain fee what things there are or can be, which are acceptable and wel-pleafing to God, which will not fall under fome branch of our Duty, either to God, to our Neighbour, or to our felf; if fo, the Deed is a Debt and not a free Offering. And in brief, what work foever the most meritorious Papift can pretend to in this cafe, I am fure doth to me, (and must to himself alfo,) appear to be his very Duty. To do Good, is always his Duty; to please God by any Deed, is to do Good; therefore to pleafe God by any Deed, is his Duty. What is more plain then thofe general Commands, truft in the Lord, and do Good. Depart from Evil and do Good. And what is more common in the new Teftament, then the fame general Precept, Efchew Evil and do Good; Follow that which is Good, 3. Joh. 11. for he that doth Good is of God. And in particular inftances it is Commanded again, and again, cleave to that which is Good. Hold fast that which is 1 Thef. 5. 21. Good, and the like. I would ask any one of thefe Supererrogaters, why do Heb. 10. 14, 17. Jam. 2. 10. Rom. 3. 23, 24, 27. Pf. 37. 3.37. Rom. 12. 9. you you think that this or that Deed will pleafe God? (Let it be a thing Com- T. p. 297. manded, Advifed or Counsel'd, or a private Thought;) He muft anfwer, becaufe it is good, for otherwise it cannot please him. When you did it, I ask, could you do it easily and well? Answer, Yes, I did it very willingly and conveniently. Then I fay, you did it as your Duty, (or elfe it was not accepted,) for we are exprefly Commanded, as agor exquer, as we have Time, Gal. 6. 10. Opportunity, Occafion, Convenience, to do good unto all Men. If I think that it is a very good thing to do this Deed; and I have it in my Power, at this Opportunity, to do it with Eafe and Conveniency; I say this Deed (be it what it will, provided it be Good,) is by this Command made my Debt; if I do it, I do but my Duty; if I do it not, I tranfgrefs the Command. And therefore (as I have faid) not only all Virtue and all moral Precepts, but all those things which are oruva, Venerable or worthy of Refpect; ayvà, T. p. 298. Pure or Chaft; goan, Lovely or Gratefull and Acceptable; vonua, of good Report or Commendable; saw, if they really deferve any Praise or Applaufe; all these things, I fay, by this Text alone, are our Duty; we are Commanded by St. Paul not only, Xoyílεday, to think of them, to meditate and ponder them in our Hearts; but, gάore, to practice them after his Example; and I would fain fee or hear of one Work, which our Supererrogators boast of or pretend to, which doth not fall under the compafs of this Command, and therefore is a Debt. I find in two of my Canonaria, that the Antient and Primitive Fathers did not enjoin as a Canon or Penance, either Fafting, or Watching, or Kneeling, or Proftration, or the like; but only kept Sinners (according to their crimes) for fuch or fuch a time from receiving the Communion; and these took up thofe Acts of Mortification freely of themselves; and according to their fincerity and their conftant and earnest Practice of them, the time of their depravation was fhortned. Bafil raised the cenfure of a Nun or devoted Virgin, if defiled, from one years Deprivation to fifteen; but I find nothing of these Penances peculiarly enjoin'd Her, and fo in many other cafes; and those Penances fixt and fettled in their Canons, were allowed (as I have faid) by publick Authority, and not left to the Capriciousness of a single Prieft. And this to me is no fmall Argument that the old Greeks did not make Forgiveness or Remission of Sins the Merit or Effect of, Opus operatum, the outward performance of their Canon, but of the inward grief only and forrow for them, and of the hatred of them and real forfaking of them; For according to the Sincerity and Degrees of this alone, the Canon or outward performance of Penance and its fixed time, and circumftances, could be Relaxed, Shortned, or quite Remitted by their Bishops or Confeffors, (as is above faid,) as being only faint fhadows of this living Subftance, a Broken and a Contrite Heart, which is abfolutely Indifpenfable. Phil. 4. 8, 9. 29. A. 48. ad Amph.c. 18 C. D. I will therefore here briefly confider the outward Acts of Penance, or those which are accounted, by Bellarmine and his Council, Opera Satisfactoria, works that are Satisfactory. We fhall find that purely in themselves they are mo- Ut fupr. c. 6. rally Indifferent, neither Good nor Bad; and they are altogether as Infignificant alfo, as any other common Action of meer Nature. First, Fafting in it felf is fo. A Soldier often lives only upon a little Ammunition Bread, and a Seaman (when provifions grow fcant) muft make fhift with a small Allowance of dry Bifcat; and a fup of Water when they can get it; and many a fhipwrackt poor Wretch hath been half Starved, before he could meet with any relief; May this Fafting be truly faid (barely confider'd in it self) either Righteous or Sinfull? Scourging (as we are told) may heighten, as well as extinguiflr bodily Luft; and Scarifying the Body is often used; But Whipping or Cutting or Slashing in themtelves, as purely fuch, have no more harm nor good in them, then feratching my Head or rubbing my Nofe. The fame must be faid of fimple Giving. Cloaths or Bread or Drink and the like are often given away to the Poor, when the owner knew not what elfe to do with them; and T. p. 299. and a Man coming out of one Territory into another (in Italy or elsewhere,) rather then load his Pocket with Brafs (which will not pafs where he goes next,) will throw all his Farthings amongst the poor; He may on the road Help another Man out of the Dirt; or help him to get his Horse or Coach or Ĉart out of the way, meerly that himself may get by more conveniently. Proftration, (or lying upon the cold ground with ones Face in the very Duft,) is common amongst Beggars and Labourers when they are weary, or would take a nap. Crying and Weeping happens often from a fierce cold Wind; from Smart, Anguish, and Bodily pain. I have seen a Dear weep bitterly and heard him Sigh and Groan when he was pulled down by the Hounds. Watching is the Cafe of many a Man, in Sickness, great Pain and Trouble. A Parrot may be taught to pray; and meer Atheists by Custom will say, O God, O Lord, Help me, Help us; Good Morrow; Good Night; a Good Journey; Farewell; and the like. Now if all these things purely taken as in themselves, have nothing of Moral or Evangelical Good or Evil in them; as all Actions and their Circumftances whatfoever till they are brought to fome Law, or Explain'd by fome Rule, can neither be Juftified nor Condemn'd; fo all thefe must take their Denomination from fomething elfe; either from the Principle from whence they spring; or from the Defign and Intent of the Actor; or from the end and purpose to which they tend; but most properly from all these join'd together. Now then how Empty, Vain, and Ridiculous, muft, Opus operatum, the meer doing of thefe things be in it Self, without thefe Qualifications, which only are able to fanctify and Recommend it; and much worfe will it be, if they proceed from a false or wrong inward Principle; it will be fo far from being any Satisfaction to God, or from fo much as obtaining any the leaft Acceptance from him, that it will Mat. 6. 2, 5, be a damnable Sin in the Actor of them. Alms and Fafting and Prayer to be feen of Men, or from any other wicked intent, are Abominable in the fight of the most High. Adiápoga, Things Indifferent or Innocent in themselves, from the wicked defign of the Actor may become most desperately Wicked. To put forth a Finger, or to wag the Head, have no harm in themselves that I Mat. 27. 39 know of, yet they are recorded in Scripture as horrid Crimes, from the Sinful inward Design and meaning of them. To fee a Man throw himself Naked upon a Bed of Thorns, or Nettles, or Thiftles, I must say still, that in it felf it would feem to me a very wild Frolick; but whether it was a piece of Foolhardy Oftentation, or fome real Fruit of true Repentance, I must leave that Judgment to the fearcher of all Hearts alone; yet this I will fay boldly, that if any of the abovefaid Acts be at any time Accepted by God, it is only as they fpring from a good Heart, and not as they are in themfelves, meer dead outward Deeds. 16. Ifai. 59. 9. Refp. 1. ad Tubing. The Greek Patriarch, Jeremiah, ufeth the word ixavonoiar, Satisfaction; but then he places it only in inward Repentance and the Spiritual part; and makes even this in its felf, not a Sinners fatisfaction to God's Justice, but T. p. 300. only a performance of that Condition which is required of him in the Covenant of Grace. God in Chrift being fully Satisfied before, a hearty Repentance, and a new Life, is all that is now Expected from him; All outward Deeds are no otherwife acceptable, then as they are true figns or fruits of this hearty Change, or of holiness of Life; which, (as I have faid,) is the Debt or Duty of every Chriftian, of the Righteous as well as of the Sinner, that is, to be fruitful in every good work. Thus Man, faith he, must Colof. 1.10.cleanfe himself, uɛTavola angice, by strict or exact Repentance, with Tears Ut fupr. c. 6. and Mourning, and fuch like, vianos xalagoas, Spiritual Purifications, which are, n annons inavonala, the true Satisfaction. And again, the power of good works is great, for thus God cleanfeth Sinners through Repentance; but we must not be proud of them, or trust in them, ¿Qáμagror vàg, for that is finfull; but they must be the Confequents, or Products, of our Faith, which we ought to make according to our utmoft Power or Ability. For they that Eph. 4. 1. 20. P. 74, 75. could κακοπά a. b. could even caft out Devils, and could Prophefy, were yet rejected by Chrift, T. p. 300. because their Life was not conformable to his Prescriptions. Now to caft out Devils out of Poor Men poffeft, and to Prophefy, or to Preach, to others, were furely, (at least feemingly,) great works of Mercy and Pity; yet because they were only, Opus operatum, meer outward Works, without the, vdov, inward Principle, they fignified nothing. Again, where the Divines Ut fupr. c. 12o had faid, that they who Sin after Baptifm obtain Forgiveness, if they shew P. 89. their Converfion and Repentance, by a contrite Heart and found Faith, he anfwers, all this is very true. As to the Penalties prescribed in the Grecks Canon, which he calls Canonical fatisfactions, he faith there, that if these were applied to wicked Sinners as Medicines, ὡς ὁι θεῖοι πατέρες προσετάξαντο κανονίζεται τὰς ἐπιστρεφομένες και μετανοῦντας, accordingly as the Divine Fathers ordered that thofe who were Converted and did Repent should be Canonized, or Disciplined, ovμbámorta Rontsow, they do fome Good and help them; but if they are not done ὀρθῷ καὶ ψυχωφελεῖ σκόπῳ, ἔτε ἐπὶ ἰάσει μιᾶς ἑκάτες ἁμαρτίας, with a true Intent, and Purpofe, of helping the Soul and for the Cure of every Sin, then we also reject them and fay and believe, that they are done, xnãs xy nevws, wickedly and in vain or to no purpose. Confidering this paffage we must first note, that he plainly here fpeaks of only fuch, who Voluntarily apply themselves to know and undergo the Canon; For he makes, Tv Exσiov xaxonalerav, voluntary Mortification or Afflicting of the Soul, the very first of the Caufes of Remiffion of Sins, (which there follows,) by Penance. And again his faying, that they are those who are Converted and Repent who are thus Difciplin'd, proves the fame thing; for I have told you before out of p. 262.Blastar. their prefent Difcipline, that he that Voluntarily comes to enquire after, and lit. M. p. 169. Jubmit to, the Canon, is fuppofed by them to be already Converted and Changed and to Repent; and this (I also told you) is the prefent cafe of all their Votaries. But how far is this from the Latin Church, where every one is forced to Confefs, and must submit to some Penance enjoin'd by the Pricft; whereas amongst the Greeks it was matter of Choice, and a voluntary Thing from the beginning to this very day. For under the old Difcipline, when Sinners were only fufpended from the Communion; every one Afflicted and Chastifed himself in the mean time as his own Heart moved him; and now every one may Voluntarily come to the Canon for his Sins, or let it alone; and he that taketh it upon him, may leffen. the particulars, and fhorten the time, by doubling his Diligence; by adding Voluntarily new particulars, or fome Spontaneous Obfervances beyond his Canon. There is a force upon none; for Monks and Votaries are not forced to be fuch; they chufe it, and chufe to receive the Canon that shall follow; all others are left at liberty to Confefs their fecret Sins, to their Ghostly Father for his Advice, or to amend and forfake them between God and their own Confciences. Next it is plain that the Patriarch own'd only the inward change of the Heart to be true Repentance, and allows no outward Acts of Penance, to fignify any thing, unless they spring from, or reach down to, the very Soul. Laftly, we clearly here fee, what the good Prelate thought of the Latin's, Opus operatum, their meer outward deeds of Penance; the Greeks were not then come up, fhall I fay, or rather, funk down, to that, xxxv xevor, wicked Vanity of the Latins, where now Nectarius places them. Again, he makes this a use or caufe of Penance, that by it (if it be done from the Heart) we, is dowμer, may be well affured that we perfectly hate Sin; that is, if our Deeds of Penance be, 'Arribera, as Bafil, and the antient Fathers, and he himself calls them) directly oppofite to our parti- U1 fupr. c.'11. cular Sins, as all Acts of Humility, to our Pride; Reftitution to Fraud p. 87. or taking away our Neighbours Goods; Watchfulness to immoderate Drouzinefs or Laziness; Labour to Sloath. Fafting and Abftinence to Gluttony and Excefs, and the like; and he there poffitively afferts, yoíav góleon & EπIT80qlu àgue, that a true Refolution and Converfion is fufficient to the Remission of Sins; and therefore when he immediately adds, that they give the Com munion T. p. 301 c. 12. p. 9o. P. 92. P. 93. T. p. 301. munion to Penitents, es exévyuor, as a pledge of the Remiffion of their Sins, he must mean that their Remiffion is only Conditional, fuppofing that their Refolution and their Conversion is fincere; and therefore he adds, to yàp Meτανοῆσαι γνησίως εἰς τὴν γνωμὸ κεῖται τὸ ἁμαρτήσατο, to Repent truly, is placed in the Mind of the Sinner, (he knows beft when he doth fo;) but whether he bath fulfilled his Penance or no, (that is, Practifed, ta arribera, the Virtues oppofite to his Sins,) is left to the Judgment of God. He moft highly and worthily Praife and recommend Alms, and faith, uórn wávia Suara μόνη πάντα διύαται Toe, that it alone can do all things; yet he makes the very Life of it to confift only in this, in Loving and fhewing Mercy and Pity to the Poor, Sia núgiov, for God fake; for all other by ends are Wicked and Abominable. I remember it is a laudable Custom in many Turks, when they give an Alms to a poor Man, they ufually look up and cry, Alloh Itchium, for God's fake. A little further on, the Patriarch faith, that Alms is a Medicine for our Sins, if as a Penance it be performed, Jews ỳ trevμatinâs, for God fake and Spiritually; for Remission and a true Cure may thus be obtained. You fee he all along makes the inward Devotion of the Heart alone, that which makes all these things acceptable to God. I confefs that concerning Confeffion, he faith, that he that Confeffeth ought to tell and Confefs all his Sins, xar' ad, especially or particularly; but this is plainly to this end only, that he might be particularly Informed, Inftructed, Advifed, Admonished, Taught, ComT. p. 302. forted, Directed how to leave them, by applying, 'Arribera, the oppofite Virtues, and the like; for he there tells us, that a spiritual Phyfitian, (a Confeffor,) ought to be, ἀκριβῶς ἐπιςάμενΘ τα πνευματικά, very accurately Skillfull in all spiritual Matters; which plainly fhews that Penitents went to them, only for Direction or Advice and Counsel; for if Abfolution had been the only end of their Confeffion, any ignorant ordinary Prieft (as I have faid) might (especially according to the Romanists,) have done that, as well as the most learned Prelate. c. 11. p. 87. Mat. 3. 6. Act. 19. 18. છે I know the Papalins will catch at that faying of the Patriarch, that ConfeЛion ought to be made, xar' ad, Specially. If he meant it Particularly, of every Sin, and of all its minute Circumstances; he did not answer the Tubingers objection. This, faid they, is Impoffible, according to that, who can tell how oft he offendeth? And he there owns, that many many Sins may be Pf. 19. 12. concealed (and not confeft) through Forgetfullness or Bashfulness and yet be Forgiven. Therefore he rather means by red, only, every fort or kind of their Sins in general, as Drunkenness, Murder, Fornication, Adul tery, and the like; without particularizing the feveral Circumstances of them. And this was certainly the Primitive way; John Baptift's numerous Profelites could make only a general Confeffion of their Sins; and the many many Jews and Greeks which were converted at Ephefus, could not particularly Confefs and fhew their Deeds; and there is no queftion but the three Thoufand, that were Act. 2. 37. 41. Baptized in one day at St. Peter's Sermon, Confeft themselves in general, to be Sinners; for the Text tells us that, they were pricked in their Heart, and faid, Men and Brethren, what shall we do. I am very apt to believe that the Common Form (Confiteor) of Confeffion prefcribed in the Roman Ritual; and that which a Priest muft ufe when he prepares to Jay Mafs, are Reliques of the old Primitive general Confeffion; which Rome (as it hath corrupted every thing else) hath new Model'd and fluft with a deal of Trumpery. The latter of thefe, ftript of their Forgeries, would run thus; I confess to Almighty God, and to you my Ghoftly Father, that I have Sinned too much in Thought, Word and Deed; It is my Fault, my Fault, my greatest Fault; Therefore I beseech you to pray for me to our Lord God. And the Confeffor then might pray for him, as the Ministers anfwer in the Miffal. May the Almighty God have Mercy upon you, and (your Sins being forgiven) bring you to ever. lafting Life, Amen. I have mention'd above out of my Canonaria, a piece of fuch a general Confession used by the Greeks, Bless me, &c. I have Sin ubric. de Saeram.Pænitent. p. m. 48. Missal. Ord. Miffe. p. m. 251. p. 259. ned |