them with Oyl having been, as is abovefaid, commonly used by the Jews to T. p. 337ftrengthen them; and furely they are as capable of the Prayers of the Congregation for their recovery; and therefore we pray for them that are Sick to this very day all over the Reformed World. But the Mystery of this is very plain, they would deftroy the nature of things, and changing the natural Senfe, as is faid, would reftrain this Anointing to only a Spiritual end, not for the Cure of the Body, but for the Purifying of the Soul, the Forgiveness of dying Sinners; and because Children before the ufe of Reafon are not fuppofed guilty of actual Sin, they are not to be Anointed at all; for Anointing being only to take away Sin, it would be absurd and vain to apply it to them. Befides if the Anointing be only as a Sacramental Pledge for the Forgiveness of Sin, I wonder why they except all dying Criminals, as well the Sick as the Sound; fome are very Penitent, and give manifeft Signs of their Faith, Contrition and hearty Repentance. 1 faw one fuffer at Rome, who was fo Weak and Wafted as he could not rife up or ftand in the Cart alone; two Friars, who went in the Cart with him holding the Virgin Maries Picture all the way before his Eyes, were forced to lift him and hold him up till the Rope was fixed; now St. James his order being Univerfal, If any be Sick, furely a Sick Penitent Criminal for the Forgiveness of his Sin, and all Innocent Chriftian Babes and Children, for their Recovery are included in it. And the fame reafon will hold against their excepting Warriors, and Seamen and Travellers from this Sacrament before they undertake their feveral enterprizes; for if their Anointing relates only, or chiefly, to the Cure of the Soul to fit Men for Death, and relates to the Body only by accident, I wonder why these Men are excepted, who are in danger every moment and want more then any, this Viaticum, this Salvo condotto, this Paft-port into the other World. Arcudius hath given us a Form or two which with a little alteration would fit all these conditions very well. And they may as well alter the Forms, as the A- Arcud. 464. a nointing in the Plague.

456.

Bellarmine urgeth very much God's Promife, he shall raise him up. This 1. ¡1. c. 3. p. is, faith he, an abfolute Promife; and cannot be chiefly refer'd to the Body, 485. A. for it is plain that all the Sick in the Apostles time were not raised up; therefore the Promife was not made good to them, but belongs chiefly and abfolutely to the Soul, where it never fails. Might not this Argument bec. 6. G. retorted? Were all the Sick Chriftian Sinners in the Apostles time faved? Did Done Perish? How this was, then, neither he nor any Man can fay; but I am afraid that all who receive Extream Unction, now, are not forgiven God's Promise both in relation to the Body and to the Soul is true and Faithfull; being only Conditional, as is abovefaid, and the Effect is referved wholly to his Wife and Mercifull difpofal.

And thus far they are directed in their Care for the Sick Man's Recovery; this being put as the general or common Cafe amongst them; in the beginning of their Christianity they were fincere and ftrict Livers, and not one notorious Offender accompanied with them. Yet though thefe Jewish Converts, to whom this inftruction here was particularly directed, (for they only are noted, by any amongst you that are Chriftians) were by their Profeffion now, new Creatures, and did moft of them abstain from all fort or appearance of Evil; and, Thef. 5. 22. though almost all that fell Sick, were indeed Pure and Innocent Chriftians, yet fome one of them, by the deceitfulness of Sin, might have had his failing and have fallen into a Sin, which might become Notorious either by the Obfervation of others, or by his own Confeffion and Acknowledgment; this is made here a particular Cafe quite different from the Former. If any one of you, perfectly good Chriftians (as all at their firft Converfion are fuppofed to be) fall Sick, let the Antienteft and chiefeft of the Neighbours meet and help him with ufual Medicines and Bodily Remedies, and with their earnest Prayers for his Recovery, κὰν ἁμαρτίας ἢ πεποιηκώς. But if it fo comes to pafs that he bath fallen into fome Sin, as well as Sickness, you must more particularly

pray

T. p. 338.

T. p. 338. pray for the Forgiveness of that, and for the Recovery of his Soul as well as of his Body. Thus Forgiveness is by no means to be attributed to the Anointing (which is prefcribed only in the first Cafe in order to the Cure of his Body) but to the particular Supplications and Prayers of the good People then prefent, join'd with the hearty Sorrow and Repentance of the believing Patient himself.

C. I. 21.

7, 13.

This in the Infancy and primitive Purity of the Church cannot be fuppofed to have been the Cafe of every one of thefe Jewish Chriftians. There were without doubt amongst that whole difperfed Nation, all forts of notorious Sinners, as is specified in all the foregoing part of this Epiftle Men full of all c. 2. 2, 3, 6, Filthiness and fuperfluity of Naughtiness. Full of the old Pharifaical Pride, refpecting the Rich, defpifing and oppreffing the Poor, Blafpheming the name of God, unmercifull. Bitterly Envying, Fighting and Killing one C. 4. 1, 2, 3 another. Given up to their Lufts and Uncleanness; Adulterers and Adul tereffes, (for now Adultery being no longer punished with Death, as it was before whilft Mofes his Law was in force, they might much more cafily fall into that foul Sin.) There were allo Covetous wretches amongst them heaping up Treafure by Fraud, and wronging the Labourer of his hire; others who lived in Wantonnefs and Pleafure.

3. 14.

4.

C. 5. 4, 5.

c. 3. 12, 14.

Now fuch as thefe, who were not Converted, but remain'd dead in Trespas fes and Sins, and under pofitive Infidelity and hardness of Heart are not thofe who are here to be thus Vifited, Anointed and Pray'd for. For I cannot think that Bishops, or Presbyters or other true Believers would count themselves obliged thus to Vifit thofe whom they knew to be fuch, left (as Christ fore warned them) cafting their Pearls before Swine, they should turn again and rent them; neither can I believe that every Sick Infidel Jew would thus call for them. Therefore St. James here Preaching against all fuch mifcreant wretches, cautions the believing Jews, his Brethren, all along against thefe evil ways and practices.

Therefore I am not apt to believe that any of the Sick Chriftian Brethren here mention'd, were after their Converfion fuch as liv'd in any of thefe Enormous Sins. It is highly probable that the Sins which the new Convert Jews might be most subject to, were quite of a different nature. It is plain from the Author to the Hebrews, that the Revolt of them was moft to be feared; and therefore we find them there often caution'd and fore-armed against backsliding. Take heed Brethren left there be in any of you an Evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. We are made partakers of Christ, c. 6. 4, 5, 6. if we hold the beginning of our Confidence ftedfaft unto the end. He fhews how hard, nay, he faith it is almost impoffible for thofe, convert Hebrews, who were once enlightened and have tafted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tafted the good word of God, and the Power of the World to come, if they shall fall away, and renounce their Christianity, to renew them again unto repentance; feeing they Crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame. And to firengthen their Faith and to keep them from drawing back, he fets before them the glorious Examples of their Fore-fathers from the righteous Abel even to that time; that by fuch a cloud of Witnesses he might establish them in their Faith, and that they might run with Patience the race that was fet before them. He hints at the Temptations which they might often have to Apoftatize, as in that admonition, be not carried away with divers Strange Doctrines. Without doubt the unbelieving Jews were continually Cavilling and Difputing against Christianity, and reproaching the new Profelites; perhaps pretending what a Shame it would be for them to depart from Mofes his Law, which they knew was given by God himself, and under which both they and their Fathers had lived all along. It certainly would be a very hard task, for one that had been a ftrict obferver of the Law, to part with the whole Ceremonial part of it at once; fome time would be required fully

c. 1o. 18, 19. C. II.

C. 12. I.

c. 13. 9.

verf. 13.

te

to perfwade him of the Christian Liberty; there must needs have been many T. p. 339. doubts arifing in his Mind, before he could be thoroughly enlighten'd, fo that his Luke warmness, or his Wavering in his Profeffion would be most to be feared; or he might be ready to blend and mix Judaism and Christianity together; for that I take to be the meaning of that faying, we have an Altar Heb. 13. 10. whereof they have no right to eat which ferve the Tabernacle; new Jewish Profelites who still hanker after the Ritual obfervances of the Tabernacle; that is, of Mofes his Law; who are still perhaps for eating the Pafchal Lamb, which was only the Shadow of the Chriftian Paffover, are not meet Communicants or partakers of Chrift's Table. And even from hence alone might fome be Weak and Sickly amongst them; as it is expreffly faid of those who there do Eat and Drink unworthily. Sickness and Distempers, as at first in Adam, are usually the juft Confequences of Sin. They were in the beginning of Christianity the common Companions of Church Cenfures, and that in Mercy, to reclaim them; this was the Cafe of the Incestuous Corinthian, he was delivered up unto Satan for the deftruction of the Flesh; that fome Sickness or Diseases might fall upon him and mortify him.

I Cor. 11. 29.

30.

1 Cor. 5. 5.

Mat. 5. 21, 22.

It is likely enough that many amongst thefe difperfed Jews might fall into, Ta Tán éπiduμías, the foul Lufts of Concupifcence, even as the Gentiles (a-, Thef. 4. 5° mongst whom they lived) who knew not God. But the Sins of the Converted here pointed at, I rather think were thofe dregs of Judaifm on which that Nation, before Chrift's Sermon on the Mount, were fettled by the corrupt Gloffes of their Doctors, and by the common Practices of the People. They thought Anger, Revenge, Malice, and Hatred, were venial and very pardonable (as they were very common) Practices amongst them; but Chrift told them that even the least of these without a Caufe, was as much in danger of the Judgment, as Murder it felf. If they abftain'd from the very beastly Act of Adultery, they thought all was well, but he told them that even im- verf. 28. pure and Luftfull Thoughts made them as guilty in their Hearts before God, as if they had committed the Deed. Instead of those barbarous and hardhearted Maxims as those, an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth; Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemy, He bid them cheerfully to bear the greatest injury, and to Love, Bless, and Pray for their Enemies, and to do good to thofe that hate them. To be hearty, pure, and fincere in their Alms, c. 6. Prayers and Faftings; that their Righteousness should exceed the hypocritical Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees.

verf. 38, 43.

verf. 44.

Joh. 1. 40, 47.

Now as amongst the first followers of Chrift, they were not all Nathaniels, Ifraelites indeed in whom their was no guile; fo amongst thefe Jewish Converts, who had lived and been bred up amongst the hypocritical Scribes and Pharifees, and had again and again heard their Doctrines and feen their Practices, which now amongst those who would appear Pure and Sanctified were become the only Fashions; I fay amongst these first Converts all were not Chriftians indeed; in whom there was not left the least Tincture of the old Leaven of the Pharifees; of their inward corrupt Notions, and of their outward Formalities; and God might in Mercy, according to his good Pleasure, vifit all these Sins in the Faithfull Jews by Sickness and bodily Infirmities, to Purify them and make them perfect in Christ Jesus. For whom the Lord Col. 1. 28. loveth he chafteneth. We have a fair example of this given us by David; Heb. 12. 6. Fools becaufe of their Tranfgreffions and Iniquities are afflicted (not only with Loffes and Croffes but with Difeafes,) their Soul abborreth all manner of Meat, and they draw near unto the gates of Death; this corrects them and makes them look up; then they cry unto the Lord, by Prayer, and he faveth them out of their Diftrefs. Thus Sickness and Infirmities may be alfo in T. p. 340. flicted only as tryals of Faith and Patience, to prove good Men, as it was in Job; and this is the common Cafe here fuppofed of the upright Convert Jews; but they are Admonitions and Corrections to those that fall, and that is the fecond particular Cafe here mention'd, which might happen to some of them;

Pf. 107. 17.

T. p. 340. them; as it was threatned in their old Law, as a Curfe and Punishment, to Deut. 28. 22. thofe that will not hearken.

Mat. 28. 17.

C. 3. 2.

verf. 13.

c. 4. 11, 12.

Now if any of thefe Profelites had been before their Converfion subject to Anger and Ill-nature, or to Lafcivioufness and carnal Thoughts, or to Cruelty and Revenge, or to the outward fhew of Piety, and the like, all which before Chrift's coming were grown to be in a manner the common Fashion of that Nation, as appears by his Sermon; or if they could not now entirely conquer and quite fhake off thefe evil Affections, or could not attain to fuch a perfect and steadfaft Faith, in all the Articles of the Chriftian belief, but that fometimes they doubted and might be wavering in their Profeffion; or if they might not rightly under ftand, or worthily come to, the Lord's Supper; or if they could not intirely caft off their former Mofaical obfervances; thefe I take to be moft properly, thofe who here are fuppofed fometimes to have committed Sin after their Converfion, and these, if they fell Sick would freely confess their Failings, and defire the prayers and Directions of their Bretheren then prefent. St. James all along in this Epiftle prepares them to this Duty of Confeffing their Faults one to another. In many things, faith he, we offend all, therefore why should any be uneafy, or afraid to confefs his Failings. Wife Christians bridle their Tongues, and out of a good Converfation fhew their Deeds, with meekness of Wisdom; they are Peaceable, Gentle, full of Mercy, and make the best use of the Patient's Confeffion for his good. Speak not Evil one of another, he that speaketh Evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother, Ufurps and arrogates to himself the Attribute of God, who is the only Judge of all the World, being alone able to fave and to deftroy. Who therefore art thou that Judgeth another.

The Primitive Chriftians were of this Temper, and did fafely and freely confer, and mutually confefs their Scruples, their Doubts, their Failings and Faults to one another, without Reviling or Reproach; and did Pity, and advise and help one another in their spiritual Infirmities, as well as in those of the Body. St. Paul speaking of those that were weak in the Faith, faith, Rom. 14. 1. we that are strong, the oldest and best grounded Christians, ought to bear the c. 15. 1,2, 17. Infirmities of the weak; every one ought to please his Neighbour for his 1 Thef. 5. 11.good to Edification; receive ye one another as Chrift received us. Comfort Heb. 3. 13. your felves together, and Edify one another. Exhort one another daily.

11. 65. 5.

What mutual Edification or Exhortation could their be without confessing and acquainting one another with their fpiritual Conditions and Wants? Chrift took notice of that old Fault amongst the Jews, their Cenforioufnefs and HypocriMat. 7. 3. ; their marking every Mote in their Brother's Eye, their fpying out and Carping at every little Fault in their Neighbour. But this uncharitableness was not to be fuffer'd amongst profeffed Chriftians. St. Paul incomparably tells us our mutual Duty in this Point. Let us not be defirous of Vain-glory, provokGal. 5. 26. ing one another, envying one another, (faying or thinking that we are better Gal. 6. 1,2,3. or holier then others,) but Brethren, if a Man, a Chriftian, be overtaken c. 5. 22. 23. in a Fault, (as who fometimes or other is not,) ye which are Spiritual, who have the Fruits of the Spirit, before mention'd, in you, as Love, Long fuffering, Gentleness, Meekness,) reftore fuch a one in the Spirit of Meekness. Confidering thy felf, left thou also be tempted, and fall; bear ye one anothers Burdens, (fympathize with the Penitent Sinner, be Weak with them that are Weak,) and fo fulfill the Law of Chrift; for if a Man think himself to be fomething (that is, not a Sinner,) when he is nothing (when every Man is one) be deceiveth himself; the Truth is not in him.

T. p. 341.

I Cor. 11. 29.

1 Joh. 1. 8.

This was the true ftate of Primitive Christians; if any amongst them fell Sick, who either were obferved by others, to have been overtaken in any of the aforefaid Faults, or who freely Confeffed what he found in himself amifs; (as who would not be ready in fuch Society to Confefs his Weakness and Failings?) The more to move Pity in his fpiritual Brethren then about him; and to enflame their Devotion in Praying for him; the Anticntcft, more experienced Spiritual

Brethren

Brethren (Priests or common People) which were in the Neighbourhood were T. p. 341. called, who presently join'd in Prayer for his Forgiveness and Recovery; for these two were then infeparable parts of their Petitions, as Chrift himself had made them all one in many of his mighty Deeds of Mercy; it was the fame with him to fay, thy Sins be forgiven thee, as to say, take up thy Bed and Joh. 8. 11. walk; go and Sin no more.

Publick Confeffion of Sins was common amongst the first Jewish Profelites.

γράμματα,

Mar. 9. 2, 50

John Baptift Preached Repentance, and all the Multitudes that went out to him, Mat. 3. 6. publickly Confeffed their Sins. And those who were Converted by St. Paul A. 19. 18. at Ephefus, came and publickly Confeffed and fhewed, or declared, their Deeds; particularly the Profeffors of, 'Epéra ygáμμara, Curious Arts and Learned in Magical Books. Plain hearted Men in those days told all that they remembred of what they had done amifs. St. John's words feem to me moft properly to Joh. 1. 9. be interpreted of this kind of publick Confeffion; If we Confefs our Sins, that is, if we publickly own to all the World of Chriftians, that we are and have been Sinners. I am fure it is St. Paul's Practice again and again in all his Epiftles; he Confeffeth that he hath been a Perfecutor of the Church and that he was therefore the leaft of all the Apoftles; that he had been a Blafphemer and Injurious, that he was the chief of Sinners. Thus we read of publick and mutual Confeffion, but not one word of a Whispering Popish Confession to only a Prieft is there, in That the Scripture is totally filent.

; as

I Cor. 15. 9.

1 Tim. 1.13.15

I

They were to pray over the Sick for the recovery of his Health; and if the Sick had committed a Fault, they were alternately to pray for one another as it might be one another's Cafe; and every Sick Man who had committed a Sin that was not known to others, was to Confefs it to them every one of them were obliged to do the fame when it was their Cafe; fo that this Publick Confeffion and Prayer was to be mutual, as it happen'd to be alternately every one's Cafe. St. John tells us that there is a Sin unto Death, Joh. 5. 16 and he doth not fay that he that feeth it in another shall pray for it. As if a Brother should quite Apoftatize and Renounce his Christianity; or should fall into fome publick or notorious Sin, and fhould become a very great Scandal to the Congregation, and for it should be Cenfur'd by them; if fuch a one be fo harden'd in his Sin as to laugh and fcoff at it, being perfectly Dead to all Admonition and Reproof; fuch as thefe cut themfelves off from all fuch Administration as is here appointed to be made to the Faithfull. Such Men perhaps would confefs their Sins, but it would be to Glory in them. The good Christians are no more obliged to visit fuch a one, then they are to visit a meer Infidel. And therefore I am the more confirm'd in my Opinion, that the Sins here noted by St. James to be pray'd for, were thofe most especially, which I have above mention'd as the remainders of Judaism; Scru- T. p. 342. ples, Doubts, Double-mindedness, Wavering, Lukewarmness, and the like, and not thofe gross and shamefull Works of the Flesh, Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Drunkenness, and the like. I can hardly believe that any of those Jewish Profelites who were pricked in their Hearts and convert- Act. 2. 27. ed by St. Peter's Doctrine, faying what shall we do, could now be fuch Enemies of God whom they fo folemnly profeffed, as willfully to commit, much Jam. 4. 4. lefs to live in, any of thofe deliberate Sins. It is true indeed that the best of Chriftians is ftill a Man; and the fame St. John faith truly that he is a 1 Joh. 1. 8, 9, Sinner. And therefore it might very well have been the Cafe of fome of thefe 10. Sick Profelites to have fallen into fome of thofe Failings first above named; but the fame Apostle tells us, that whosoever is born of God doth not commit deliberate Sin; for his Seed, the Principle of divine Life, remaineth in him; and he cannot, willfully, and deliberately Sin. By Sins therefore here, are meant Sins of Infirmities, Surprises, Imperfections, Indifcretions, and Failings of the Weak Chriftians; which if they humbly Confefs and with Sorrow publickly acknowledge to their Brethren, God is fo Faithfull and Just as to

I

Gal. 5. 19.

C. 3. 9.