Exposition on the Catholic Epistles, James · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
HAuing ſpoken againſt wrangling and quarrelling about worldly things in the former Chapter, perſwading to humility and to mortification to the world; conſidering how that we are in Gods hand from day to day, being of a moſt fraile and vncertaine life: Here by a new argument taken from the dangers hanging ouer their heads he terrifieth the rich worldlings, that by any oppreſſion and wronging of the poore ſeeke to inrich themſelues, regarding nothing, but like ſenſuall belly-gods, to liue in pleaſure and to pamper their bodies, vntounto verſ. 7. where he exhorteth the poore to patience, whatſoeuer they ſuffer in this world by the hands of oppreſſors, vntounto verſ. 1…. where becauſe men in miſery are wont to fall a curſing and ſwearing, he giueth a caueat againſt this, ſhewing the right way of comfort, verſ. 13. viz. to flie to prayer and confeſſion of our ſinnes to ſuch as be of great power in the Court of Heauen, vntounto verſ. 17. and to proue that there are ſuch, he inſtanceth in the example of Elias, and ſo concludeth with this notice giuing them, that if any were a meanes of the conuerſion of another that was our of the way, he ſhould be reputed the ſauiour of his ſoule, verſ. 20. that the Presbyters might the more earneſtly pray for ſinfull men in the time of their miſery, that they may be conuerted and forgiuen, when they ſhould craue their helpe herein, as before hee directed, verſ. 14.
All things here are eaſie to be vnderſtood, but only verſ. 9. where he biddeth them foreign, Grudge not, in our tranſlation, Ne ingemiſcatis, in the vulgar Latine; that is, ſigh not being ſtreightened by theſe oppreſſions, the meaning is,Th. Aquinas. doe not murmure as they that thinke themſelues vniuſtly dealt withall, neuer looking at the iuſt Iudge, who will ſoone rectifie all wrongs done, for the Iudge is at hand.Pareus. But ſome apply it rather to ſuch as doe wrong and ſo cauſe ſighings, but the firſt is more kindly, and agreeth better with the perſons here comforted, who are the oppreſſed by manifold iniuries.
IAMES Chapter 5. Verſe 14.
Is any man ſicke amongst you? let him ſend for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray for him, anointing him with oile in the Name of the Lord, &c.
VNtoUnto other afflictions by oppreſſions and perſecutions,Mayer. here is adioyned ſomething concerning afflictions by ſome great and grieuous ſickneſſe, for it is nto to be vnderſtood, that vponupon eueryevery affliction by ſickneſſe this courſe ſhould be taken. The doubts occurring here are; Firſt, who be the Elders of the Church here mentioned. Secondly, whether it be ſtill neceſſary to anoint the ſicke with oile. Thirdly, what confeſſion of ſinnes is required, and to whom it ought to be made.
Touching the firſt, Queſt. 1 Tho. Aquinas.Presbyters (ſaith Tho. Aquin. and Gorran, and other Papals) are ſuch as hauehave power to miniſter a Sacrament, as being in holy orders, and amongſt them the graueſt and holieſt, and therefore they are ſet forth by a name, ſignifying Elders; for ſuch as are young, and not ſo learned and ſufficient, are not to be ſent to, leſt the cauſe being opened vntounto them, the Patient receiue ſome hurtfull counſell: For the worthineſſe of the perſon, ſay they, auaileth much to make this Sacrament of anointing the more effectuall; ſeeing it is adminiſtred with Prayer, and ſo, the more worthy hee is that prayeth, of the more force ſhall his Prayers be to doe the ſicke Patient good.
Touching the ſecond, Queſt. 2 they teach likewiſe, that Extreme Vnction is a Sacrament neceſſary to bee applied vntounto the ſicke euen to this day, and therefore they hauehave their Oile conſecrated by the Biſhop, and herewith they anoint the Organs of the fiue ſenſes,Per iſtam ſanctiſ. vnctionem, & pijſſimam ſuam miſcricordiam indulgeat tibi Deus quicquid peccati per viſum, auditum, &c. Queſt. 3. vſing theſe words: By this moſt holy anointing, and by his moſt godly mercy, God forgiue thee whatſoeuer offence thou haſt committed by ſeeing, hearing, ſmelling, touching, or taſting. Then they anoint the reines, as the ſeat of luſt; and the feet, as hauing a progreſſiue force. And being thus vſed, they hold it effectuall to deliuer the ſoule from ſinne, and the body from ſickneſſe.
Touching the third, they likewiſe teach, that it is neceſſary to ſaluation for a man to confeſſe his ſinnes to the Prieſt, that at his hands he may receiue abſolution: and it was decreed in the Lateran Councell,Concil. Lateran. ca…. an. 1321. that this ſhould bee done once eueryevery yeere by all that hauehave attained to yeeres of diſcretion, and then they ought to confeſſe all their ſinnes, and eſpecially before the comming to the Euchariſt. Hitherto popiſh Writers.
Ours hold, that the name of Elders was giuen to ſome for their prudence and ability to gouerne: for in age there is wiſdome and experience that youth wanteth; wherefore Gouernours were in the old Teſtament commonly called by the name of Elders, as the 70. Elders that were appointed with Moſes to gouerne the people. And the ſame name is continued in the new Teſtament, of ſuch as were ſet vp to gouerne in Chriſtian Congregations, whereof there were diuers in eueryevery Congregation, who were ioyned to thoſe that had the diſpenſation of the Word and Sacraments committed vntounto them.Caluin. 1 Tim. 5.17. Flacius Illir. And this they gather from 1 Tim. 5.17. where it is ſaid, The Elders that rule well, are worthy of double honour, eſpecially ſuch as labour in the Word and Doctrine. Howſoeuer this order of gouerning by other Elders ioyned with Miniſters, was broken off long agoe through the pride of Prieſts, who deſired to hauehave all Church-gouernment in their hands onelyonly, as Caluin ſaith Ambroſe complaineth. But the word Presbyteri, Elders, and Prieſts, are promiſcuouſly vſed amongſt the Fathers eueryevery where in their writings; ſo that howſoeuer it was at the firſt, in the daies of the moſt ancient Fathers that hauehave written, there were no Elders of the Church known but Prieſts. As amongſt the Iewes the Gouernours were called Elders; ſo amongſt the Romans Senatours had their name à ſenectute, becauſe they were commonly wiſe and ancient men. By Elders here that muſt be ſent for in the time of ſickneſſe, I vnderſtand the Miniſters of Gods word, whereof there were commonly two in a congregation at the leaſt.
As for the anointing with oyle, the ground of this was the Apoſtles anointing of the ſicke, and ſo healing them, mentioned Mark. 6.13. neither was this a gift common to all Elders, but to ſome, for all had not the gift of healing.1 Cor. 12.30.
This anointing held as long as thoſe extraordinary gifts, but then it was not vſed any more till that Innocent 1. inſtituted it anew an. 402. as Sigebertus reporteth. After that it was againe vſed, not only by Prieſts vntounto the ſicke, but by all other Chriſtians, as the words of the ſame Innocent are; It is lawfull, Innocent. epiſt. 1. ad Decentium cap. 8.not onelyonly for the Prieſts, but for all Chriſtians, to anoint with the Chriſme made by the Biſhop. Alcuinus alſo teacheth the ſame, de diuin. officijs cap. 40. ann. 750. And Beda, who alſo thought that it was to be applied to the weake in faith,Beda in Luc. 9. as well as to the weake in body. If it be demanded then whether we by omitting this Ceremony about the ſicke do not tranſgreſſe againſt an Apoſtolical ordināce, or whether the practice of the Church of Rome is not rather herein to be commended? I anſwer, that ſeeing it was to heale the ſicke immediatly, as other ſignes and wonders were then done by an extraordinary power of the ſpirit, for the confirmation of the Goſpell amongſt vnbeleeuers, and this vertue ceaſed long agoe; it were but a vaine thing for vsus to vſe this anointing ſtill, being now but a bare Ceremony without operation. And for the practice of the Church of Rome at this day, their anointing is farre differing from that in the Apoſtles daies. For firſt, common oyle was then vſed, but now oyle conſecrated by the Biſhop, with breathing vponupon it, mumbling ouer it, and exorciſing, being ſaluted nine times with the bending of the knee, and with ſaying thrice, Aue ſanctum Oleum, thrice Aue ſanctum Chriſma, and thrice Aue ſanctum Balſamum. 2. Then the parts affected only were anointed, the dumbe had oyle put into his mouth, the deafe into his eares,Gregor. Turon. Franc. hiſt. lib. 6. cap. 7. &c. as Gregor. Turonenſis reporteth: but now the eyes, the eares, the noſtrils, the mouth, and the hands are anointed, &c. 3. Then anointing was vſed to cure the bodily diſeaſe, of which they that were ſicke, were preſently healed: but now it is vſed, when men are ready to depart out of this life, without any ſuch effect. 4. If anointing were anciently applied for a ſpirituall good, it was but for a ſigne onelyonly, it being held, that all the good came by prayer vntounto the ſick, as Victor aVictor Antioch. in Mark. 6. Oleum quod in ſancta vnctione adhibetur, & Dei miſericordiam, & m…rbi ſanationem, & cordis illuminationem denotat. Dici tamē poteſt, orationem hec omnia efficere, oleum autem corum omnium quae ſiunt externum tantum ſymbolum eſſe.Antiochenus ſpeaketh. The oyle that is vſed ſetteth forth both the mercy of God, the healing of the diſeaſe, and the illumination of the minde: yet it is prayer that doth all theſe, and the anointing is but an outward ſymbole hereof only.
But now anointing is vſed for the remiſſion of ſinnes, and to procure happineſſe to him that is ready to depart out of this life; yet there is ſome difference amongſt them that hold this. Lombard ſaith, that onelyonly veniall ſinnes are done away by Extreme Vnction. Bellarmine bBell. li. 1. de extrem. vnctione, cap. 8.that the remainders euen of mortall ſinnes, which are vnknowne, are hereby remitted. Now, although the forgiuing of ſinnes is here mentioned, yet it is not attributed to the anointing, but becauſe ſinne is the cauſe of all ſufferings, & ſin remaining, there is no hope of being healed, therefore as our Sauiour Chriſt, when he would comfort the palſie man, in reſpect of the healing of his diſeaſe, hee biddeth him, Be of good comfort, thy ſins are forgiuen thee; ſo here to ſhew that they ſhould be healed, he ſaith, If he hath committed ſin, it ſhall be forgiuen him. And this is obtained by hearty and penitent prayer, which now wee ought to make our refuge, without this vaine Ceremony ſo long agoe iuſtly left, but reſumed againe, as ſuperſtition began to inuade the Chriſtian world. Our onelyonly meanes of helpe now is with the leprous man to pray, Lord if thou wilt thou canſt make me cleane, though in S. Iames his time, whilſt a miraculous ſanation did follow anointing in the name of the Lord, it was well appointed to be vſed. And if any ſcruple ſhall ariſe, as Bellarmine obiecteth, then during that time no Chriſtians died of any ſickneſſe, if all were healed that were anointed, and this was vſed vntounto all according to the direction of this place: I anſwer, by the like reaſon none ſhould hauehave died all the time that Chriſt went about doing of miracles, and healing eueryevery diſeaſe. It is therefore to be vnderſtood, that God by his prouidence diſpoſed it ſo, as that all did not fly to theſe meanes, but ſuch onelyonly as hee had appointed to be healed; or ſuch Elders as had the gift of healing went not but onelyonly to them, and at ſuch times as by his ſpirit they were directed to goe.
Touching confeſſion of ſins to the Prieſt, we hold, that there is no ground for it here, to proue that it ought yeerely to be vſed, or vponupon neceſſity to the Prieſt in the time of ſickneſſe, but onelyonly that he being acquainted with the ſtate of the ſicke, may the better commend his caſe vntounto the Lord in prayer, and miniſter fitting inſtructions vntounto him: for ſo ſaith Perkins, Perk. de monſt. problem. ſub titulo Confeſ. ſacrament. Pareus in Iac. 5. Faber. Stapul.the Ancients counſelled confeſſing to the Prieſt, as a commodious and profitable meane to reape comfort. And Pareus comming to ſet downe the true meaning of this place, ſaith; The Apoſtle hauing commanded the ſicke to ſend for the Elders, and to poure out into their boſome their neceſſities and ſinnes, not that they might abſolue them, but pray for them, hee doth extend this doctrine now to all the faithfull, commanding them to confeſſe one vntounto another, and to pray for one another, as their preſent caſe and neceſſity did require. He granteth alſo, that it may be vnderſtood more reſtrainedly of confeſſing how we hauehave iniuried one another, for pacification, when offence hath beene giuen, but he preferreth rather the other. Lyra, and Beda, and others,Lyra. Beda. teach out of this place a neceſſity of confeſſing to the Prieſt, by whoſe hands as men were wont to offer their ſacrifices, ſo by them now they ſhould ſeeke to be commended in prayer. Tho. Aquinas ſaith,Tho. Aquinas. that vnderunder the old Teſtament it was ſufficient to confeſſe to God onelyonly; but now ſince God became man, confeſſion muſt bee made both to God, and to man, who is Gods Vicar in ſpirituall things. And this is intimated, when Chriſt biddeth the leprous man goe ſhew himſelfe to the Prieſt,Luke 17. becauſe ſinne is the leproſie of the ſoule; and when he gaue to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, and to the reſt of the Apoſtles, and ſaid, Whoſe ſinnes ye remit, they are remitted. But that neither this place, nor any other in all the holy Scriptures was thought anciently to impoſe any ſuch neceſſity of confeſſing to the Prieſt, is plaine, becauſe in the Greeke Church confeſſion hauing beene formerly in vſe,Hiſtor. tripart. lib. 9. cap. 35. was aboliſhed an. 396. for whoredome, which a certaine Deacon committed with a Noble woman, vnderunder the colour of this priuate confeſſion. And ſince that time it was neuer vſed againe in the Greeke Churches vntounto this day. Neither was it any where required, till about an. 800. at what time Alcuinus is the firſt that maketh mention of it, as neceſſary. And Cubilonenſe Concil. 2. cap. 32. And Concil. Moguntin. cap. 26. in the time of Gregory 4. the one requiring a full confeſſion, the other a pure confeſſion to be made by the ſicke. But it was firſt decreed Concil. Lateran. about an. 1200. in the time of Pope Innocent 3. And now confeſſions are made otherwiſe than in times paſt, viz. that the Prieſt hauing taken them may abſolue the offenders, & direct them to a courſe of ſatisfaction for their ſins. To conclude this point, it is certaine, that the Popiſh auricular confeſſion is not directed to here, and diuers of them confeſſe, that it is vncertain by what authority it is required that men ſhould thus confeſſe. In theaGloſ. de paenit. diſt. 5. c. 1. Melius dicitur, eam inſtitutam ſuiſſe à quadam vniuerſalis Eccleſiae traditione potius quàm ex noui vel vet. teſtamenti authoritate. Gloſſe it is ſaid, It is better to hold that it was inſtituted rather out of the tradition of the Church, than by the authority of the old or new Teſtament. Scotus in Sent. 4. diſtinct. 17. ſaith, that either it was ordained by Chriſt giuing order hereabout to the Apoſtles, or elſe it was appointed by the Apoſtles without all Scripture, onelyonly by word of mouth. Rhenanus bRhenan. in Tertull. de poenit. Clancularia confeſſio quantum con…cimus, nata eſt ex iſta exomologeſ. per vitroneam hominum pietatem. Nec cnim vſquam pr…ceptam olim legim….ſaith, that this priuate confeſſiō did ariſe (as farre as wee can coniecture) out of that voluntary confeſſion which godly men were wont to make of their owne accord, for it is no where preſcribed that we can reade of. Caietan likewiſe denieth it to be of Chriſt, and ſo to be neceſſary, Iohn 24. yet it ſeemeth to me, that in the time of ſickneſſe it is good and profitable for the ſicke to confeſſe his ſinnes freely to the Miniſter of Gods word, that by him, as by Gods inſtrument appointed to ſpeake comfort vntounto him, in reſpect of the remiſſion of his ſinnes, he may be comforted and confirmed in this regard, and that being well acquainted with his caſe, hee may the better ſtirre him vp to repentance, and the more effectually commend his caſe vntounto God in his prayers. For, confeſſe your ſinnes one vntounto another, me thinkes, may be better expounded thus, men vntounto men, that is, to the Elders, who are of your ſelues, and are appointed for your comfort both corporall and ſpirituall: for of ſuch he had ſpoken before, and it is moſt to the purpoſe to interpret this as ſpoken de iſſdem, as directing the ſicke not onelyonly to ſend for them, but to confeſſe vntounto them alſo, that knowing what ſinnes in particular trouble their conſciences, they may herein pray to God for them, and obtaine pardon. For, expound it of other common Chriſtians, and this abſurdity will follow, that they which are leſſe able to aduiſe and to comfort a diſtreſſed ſoule, ſhould hauehave the ſores thereof opened vntounto them, they to whom it properly belongeth to apply medicines being neglected.
Againe, they who are moſt ready to confeſſe their ſinnes to Gods Miniſters, are the moſt penitent, whoſe conſciences are troubled herewith. Others that are neuer preſſed with the burthen of their ſinnes, either ſay nothing in this kinde at all, or elſe their confeſſions be very generall and ſleighty; ſo that the practice of ſuch as are beſt affected, who no doubt are moued hereunto by the ſpirit of God, ſheweth, that it is of God to confeſſe a mans ſinnes to his ſeruants in the time of ſickneſſe, and therefore hee doth enable them accordingly to miniſter comfort to ſuch as from a true penitent heart doe thus, ſaying, Whoſe ſinnes ye remit, they are remitted.
Confeſſe thy ſinnes then firſt and chiefly to God, and confeſſe in time of ſickneſſe one vntounto another, that is, the priuate Chriſtian vntounto the faithfull Miniſter of God, and pray one for another, that is, the Miniſter for the priuate man, being in extremity through ſickneſſe, being aſſured, that as Eliah by prayer preuailed mightily for the common good, ſo a godly Miniſter ſhall preuaile for the releefe and comfort of him that is in diſtreſſe. One reckoneth vp nine effects of feruent prayer.Gorran in Iac. 5. 1. It diſſolueth bands, Act. 12. 2. It putteth to flight the deuill, Matth. 17. 3. It deliuereth from death, Dan. 13. Suſanna prayed, and was deliuered. 4. It preuenteth temptation, Matth. 26. Watch and pray, that ye enter not, &c. 5. It ouercommeth the aduerſe powers, Exod. 17. Moſes lifting vp his hands, Iſra… preuailed. 6. It purifieth the heart, Auguſt. Orationibus mundamur, lectionibus inſtruimur. 7. It pacifieth Gods anger, Exod. 32. 8. It preſenteth our deſires … God, Quaſi quaedam perſona ad Deum intrat, Auguſt. 9. Healeth the ſicke.
Note,Note. that the time of ſickneſſe is ſpecially a time of prayer, Pſal. 50.14. thou muſt pray much, and deſire the prayers of others for thee. All phyſicke, and diet, and warmth, is nothing without prayer, pray therefore continually, 1 Theſ. 5.17. but ſpecially in the time of ſickneſſe.
Note againe,Note. that the Miniſter is a principall man to be ſought to in ſickneſſe, he therefore is with all ſpeed to be ſent for, and if there be more neere, ſend for two or three, that together they may pray for thee.Matth. 18. For, when two of you ſhall conſent together about any thing vponupon earth, ſaith Chriſt to his Apoſtles, it ſhall be done in heauen. Conſider what wonders Elias did by praying, and doubt not but that the men of God ſhall preuaile as well for thee in thine extremity, if it may be for Gods glory, that thou maiſt be deliuered, otherwiſe thou muſt reſolue that to be ſicke ſtill, and to die too, if God will hauehave it ſo, is moſt for Gods glory, as that mans being blinde, Iohn 9. and Lazarus his dying, Iob. 11. and therefore reſt contented.
Note laſtly,Note. that ſinne is the cauſe of ſickneſſe, and confequently of all ſufferings, except they be meerely for trialls, as Iobs ſufferings were,Lament. 3.27. 1 King. 8. for when he would ſhew that healing ſhall follow vponupon faithfull prayer, hee doth it with this addition, and if he hath committed ſinne, it ſhall be forgiuen him, and till ſinne be done away, there is no expectation of being healed. Wherefore the chiefe thing to be intended in ſickneſſe, is to be deliuered from ſinne, which is not but by true repentance; to the furthering whereof it auaileth much to confeſſe to the Phyſitian of the ſoule. If any be healed of their ſickneſſe, but not of their ſinne, it is but a repriuing for a time, that they may come vnderunder ſome greater iudgement, according to that,Iohn 5.14. Goe thy way, ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing befall thee.
CHAP. 5. VERS. 19.
If any man hath erred from the truth, and one turneth him, let him that hath turned him know, that he ſaueth a ſoule from death, &c.
There is ſome queſtion about the cohering of theſe words with the former, and ſome about the ſenſe.Mayer. Touching the coherence: Some ſay,Tho. Aquin. Gorran. that hauing before exhorted to pray for others in the time of ſickneſſe, that they may be healed; here is intimated a further duty to be done, viz. not onelyonly to be ſollicitous for a brothers bodily ſafety, but chiefly for the ſafety of his ſoule, by endeuouring to conuert him.Pareus. Piſcator. Some without any coherence ſpeake of it, as a propoſition of a new duty. I ſubſcribe to the coherence, there being nothing in this Epiſtle, but deliuered in a method, as I hauehave ſhewed in my Analyſis.
Touching the ſenſe:Pareus. The. Aquinas. Faber. Occumen. Some by erring from the truth vnderſtand onelyonly erring in matter of doctrine, in points concerning the foundation, and ſome both in doctrine and manners; neither doe I ſee any reaſon why they ſhould be ſeuered, becauſe either way the ſoule is endangered. Any errour in manners, that is, walking in the way of any ſinne, in dangereth the ſoule; for the wages of ſinne is death, and he that faileth in one point, Rom. 6.23. Iames 2.10.is guilty of all the law. And to erre in matter of doctrine, if it be in the foundation is deadly. The Galathians erring thus,Gal. 1.6. are ſpoken of as departed to another Goſpell, when they erred onelyonly in the point of iuſtification by workes. If any man erred in the matter of circumciſion, vſing it now vnderunder the Goſpell,Gal 5.1. 2 Theſ. 2.11. he is pronounced to be ſuch as that Chriſt ſhall not profit him. And to beleeue lyes is ſet forth as the way of deſtruction, to which diſobedient perſons are in iudgement giuen ouer.Iohn 17.17. It is the truth that ſanctifieth and ſaueth, and therefore errout muſt needs corrupt and deſtroy. But eueryevery errour doth not bring a man into this danger: for hee that holdeth the foundation ſhall be ſaued, though he buildeth hay or ſtubble. 1 Cor. 3.12.And to erre in a point fundamentall deſtroyeth not, where there is a minde willing to learne the truth, but yet for want of meanes or time, the perfect knowledge hereof is not attained vntounto, as was the caſe of the Apoſtles,Acts 1.6. who thought, till the reſurrection of Chriſt, that by the exerciſing of outward regall power, hee would ſaue his people, and confound his enemies.
Touching the words following, Hee ſaueth a ſoule from death, Parens.and hideth a multitude of ſinnes: Some apply both theſe to the perſon conuerted; the firſt in reſpect of God, hee ſaueth him from death, to which God would hauehave adiudged him for euer, if he had continued ſtill in his ſinne: and the ſecond in reſpect of men, who now that he is turned, abſolue him from all his ſinnes, and make account of him, as if he had not erred at all. And all this he doth that conuerteth another, not by the merit of any thing that he can doe, but becauſe vnderunder God he is an inſtrument of bringing him into the right way, which is the way to eſcape death,Faber Stapul. and the danger of ſinne. Some apply the firſt of theſe to him that erred, and the other to him by whoſe meanes he is conuerted; or both alike vntounto him that is conuerted, or that conuerteth: for God doth ſo accept of this ſo excellent a worke, as that hee will therefore ſaue him that conuerteth alſo.Beda. And therefore ſome reade it, animam ſuam, his owne ſoule. I ſubſcribe vntounto the firſt, that by the ſoule ſaued, is to be vnderſtood, the ſoule of him that erred onelyonly, for this is moſt agreeable to the ſpeech, the ſubiect whereof (as being before in the way of death) is the ſinner whom one conuerteth, not the conuerter, who is commonly ſuppoſed to bee in the ſtate of ſaluation before. And hee hideth his ſinnes, according to the phraſe borrowed, Prou. 10.12. becauſe when a man is conuerted, all his former ſinnes are hidden vnderunder the couert of his new life,The. Aquinas. he is now before God, as if hee had no ſinne, Pſal. 32.1. And to this alſo Pareus aſſenteth, that the conuert hath no ſinne imputed vntounto him, now that by his conuerſion hee is in Chriſt. Before men I cannot ſee how it ſhould ſo much auaile to hauehave ones ſinnes hidden, as to mention that to ſet forth hereby the excellency of this worke of conuerſion.
Note,Note. that a man in errour, or in ſinne, is out of the way of life, and in the way of death: yea, he that is deceiued onelyonly with errour in fundamentals, is in a damnable eſtate, though his life be otherwiſe vnblamable, and full of good workes. Let the ſeduced Papiſt then conſider this, and tremble to goe on in his errours.
Note againe,Note. that although there be ſinne euen in thoſe that are conuerted, yet no ſinne appeareth, all is couered, and caſt behinde Gods backe, he looketh now only vponupon the ſtudie & care which they hauehave to doe his will, this comming betweene his ſight and their old ſinnes, whereas the impenitent and vnconuerted is full of ſinne, blemiſhing and deforming him in the ſight of God, ſo that he is all vgly and vile in his eyes, as any lothſome leaper is in ours; which ſhould make a wicked man out of louelove with himſelfe, and to turne from this eſtate, ſeeing howſoeuer he thinketh that he hath but ſuch or ſuch a ſin to anſwer for, the truth is, that he hath a multitude of ſins,Faber, pelagus peccatorum. yea, a ſea of ſinnes, as one ſpeaketh.
Note laſtly,Note. becauſe Prou. 10.12. from whence this is taken, it is ſaid, LoueLove couereth a multitude of ſinnes, that in louelove we ought to endeuour all that poſſibly we can, one to conuert another from ſinne. The excellency of the worke here mentioned ſhould pricke vsus forward to this moſt Chriſtian dutie, and the louelove of our brother ſhould conſtraine vsus vntounto it,1 Cor. 13. ſeeing if we be without louelove, we are without all ſubſtance.