Mans Active Obedience, Chapter 34

Mans Active Obedience · Chapter 34

p. 328CHAP. XXXIIII.

Of ſatisfaction, and the diuers kindes thereof: with the differences betweene true beleeuers and hyp…crits therein.

BEſides confeſſion of ſinne, there is anotherSatisfaction. 1. To God. thing that godly ſorrow will vrge vntounto, namely ſatisfaction; in al ſuch caſes wherin by our ſinning we hauehave wronged either Church, or Common-wealth, or any ſingular perſon or perſons, be they more or fewer. But as for making on our part any ſatisfaction vntounto God for our ſins committed againſt him, we wholly renounce the opinion of thē that hold it poſſible by any meere man to be done; and wee doe as much abhorre from the practice of euer endeuouring or going about the doing thereof; giuing eare to what is ſaid by the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 49. 7. 8, concerning that, namely that it is to be let alone for euer; for it coſt more to redeeme our ſoules, and the price is greater then we are able to pay, though we were able to giuegive the whole world, and offer it vntounto God in ſatisfaction for our ſinne. Wee know not of, neither will wee acknowledge any other meete ſatisfaction and ſufficient vntounto the iuſtice of God for our ſinnes, then that alone which our bleſſed Sauiour himſelfe hath offered; when hee gaue himſelfe a price of redemption for vsus, and offered vp his bodie vponupon the croſſe, a ſacrifice of a moſt ſweete ſmelling ſauour Epheſ. 5. 2.Eph 5:2vntounto God. The beſt ſatisfaction that we can offer vntounto God for our ſins is, with the renouncing of our ſelues, and all opinion of our owne merits, being caſt downe before him in the brokennes of our hearts for offending of him, that by the hands of our faith apprehending Chriſt Ieſus wee hold him vp, and all that hee hath done and ſuffered for vsus, deſiring that thereby his iuſtice may p. 329be ſatisfied, and we diſcharged. And in this we may and are to reſt, and that boldly too. Chriſt (ſaith Auguſtine)Auguſt. ſerm 37 de verbis Apoſtolorum. by taking vponupon him the puniſhment of our ſinnes, and not the fault, hath done away both the puniſhment and fault: and then on our parts what is it that wee ſhould feare, that wee ſhould goe about the ſatisfying of Gods iuſtice? Peters teares (ſaith Ambroſe) I read of; but I read of no ſatisfaction that was made by him. Neither euer was, nor euer ſhall be made by any, that can bee ſufficient or meritorious, but by Chriſt alone; and therein we reſt as touching ſuch kinde of ſatisfaction.

Satisfaction to the Church for faults committed to the2. To the Church. ſcandall and offence thereof, is when the offenders doe ſubmit themſelues to the diſcipline thereof, beare ſuch cenſures, endure ſuch corrections, and performe ſuch duties as ſhall be in iuſtice impoſed vponupon them, and enioyned vntounto them, after ſuch a faſhion as the Church ſhall appoynt or approue of; and ſo long a time as till the Church doe ſay it is enough, and thinke it is ſufficient that hath been done, and ſo reſt themſelues as fully ſatisfied therein.

This, hypocrites and counterfeit penitents will neuerDifference in hypocrites. be brought readily to yeeld vntounto, nor found willing to performe; though they make no daintie of ſinne to commit it, with how great offence ſoeuer that bee done, yet their ſtomackes are too weake to brooke the ſhame that they ought iuſtly to take for it, or the puniſhment that doth belong as due for the committing of it: they thinke that which ſhould be their gracing for euer, the repairing and recouering of their credit againe with them that are good; if any thing elſe be able to doe it, namely conſcionably and penitently to giuegive ſuch ſatisfaction to the Church, would be their ſhaming for euer, make to the vtter ouerthrow of their credit, and bring vponupon them ſo great a confuſion, as they ſhould neuer know how to looke any man in the face againe. Rather then they will ſtand in a white ſheete, come into the congregation there p. 330vponupon their knees with griefe to confeſſe their faults, and renounce them, publikely asking forgiuenes, they will either runne the countrey, or if it may be bought off with money, they will be as franke in offering liberally, euen to the full contenting of them that in that caſe hauehave to doe with them, if they will take money, ſo as thereby they may be diſcharged from further penance, as euer were thoſe hypocrites in their offers they made to God in the daies of Micah, ſo as there might be diſpenſationMicah. 6. 7.Mic 6:7 granted them for their ſinne. And yet theſe very perſons will make a ſhew of being very penitent; talke with them in priuate, and you ſhall finde them as though they were much humbled; you ſhall ſee them weep and ſhed teares in abundance, and crie out of themſelues for hauing done as they hauehave done; you ſhal heare them to ſob and ſigh, as if their hearts would breake within them: but where they refuſe to giuegive the Church due ſatisfaction; this declareth them to be but ranke hypocrites, hollow and vnſound, and no better then plaine counterfeits in all that they doe beſide. For this their way (as it is in the Pſalme 49. 13.) declareth their fooliſhnes. They are like vntounto ſtubborne Abſalom, who, though he had committed that flagitious fact, and moſt iniurious to his father, of murthering his fathers ſonne and his owne brother, yet rather then he would any longer abide to goe vnderunder that which was but too eaſie a cenſure for ſo great a crime, namely to endure his fathers frowning, and the hiding of his face from him for a time, he had rather dye, be knocked on the head, or hanged out of the way. So theſe, rather then they2. Sam. 14. 32.2 Sam 14:32 will endure this ſhame of making ſuch a ſatisfaction, they will giuegive ouer all, and will goe as farre as their legs will carrie them; they are vexed and confounded not for that they hauehave ſinned, but becauſe their ſinne is found out and knowne: for they are like to the people in Ieremiahs time, of whom the Lord by his Prophet asketh whether Iere. 8. 12.Jer 8:12they were aſhamed, when they had committed abomination; and anſwereth againe the queſtion, nay they were not aſhamed, p. 331neither could they bluſh or take ſhame. And Iere. 3. 3. it is directly ſaid, they refuſed to take ſhame: which is the very thing that theſe doe; and therfore the ſentence which the Lord in that place by his Prophet Ieremy, 8. 12. doth ſet downe againſt them, may be iuſtly feared of theſe; and that was, therefore ſhall they fall among them that do fall, in the time of their viſitation they ſhall be caſt downe, ſaith the Lord.

But they that are truly touched with godly ſorrow,In true penitents. and are vnfainedly penitent for their ſinnes indeed, as led by another ſpirit, are found to be of a cleane other practice; they willingly ſubmit themſelues to al the cenſures of the Church: they care not what they are appoynted to ſuffer, nor what is enioyned them for to do; they are readie to fulfill all, ſo as thereby they may giuegive that ſatisfaction to the Church and eueryevery good Chriſtian that is meete; ſo as none may any more remaine iuſtly offended, or further to thinke themſelues wronged by them. They ſtand not vponupon their credit with worldly men; and as for ſhame they refuſed not to bluſh and be aſhamed; for they know it is duly belonging vntounto them, both before God and men. They are readie to ſay with Daniel, To vsus Dan. 9. 8.Dan 9:8O Lord belongeth ſhame and confuſion of face: and when they make their prayers, to ſay with Ezrah, O my God I Ezrah. 9. 6.am aſhamed, and bluſh to lift vp my face to thee. And when their ſin is broke out to the offence of many, then ſhame doth alſo couer their faces before the ſonnes of men, eſpecially when they are ſhamed by rebukes, corrections and cenſures of the Church paſſed out againſt them; they refuſe not to take that deſerued ſhame, but ſo draw themſelues to a willingneſſe, ſince that muſt be their burthen, contentedly to beare the ſame; ſaying with the Prophet Micah, I will beare this indignation, becauſe I hauehave ſinned. Micah. 7. 9.Mic 7:9For as the Lord anſwered Moſes in the caſe of Miriam, If her father had but ſpit in her face, ought ſhe not to Numb 12. 14.Num 12:14hauehave been aſhamed ſeuen daies? So if the fathers of the Church, as abhorring ſuch foule courſes and groſſe ſins p. 332committed, ſhall ſhew how much they are offended by the hard cenſures they doe ſet downe, and ſharpe penance they doe enioyne; ſhould not the offenders be aſhamed ſeuen daies as it were? Yea doubtleſſe; and they that doe truly repent, though they had not ſuch outward ſhame put vponupon them, yet would they with repentant Ephraim, Ierem. 31. 19. hauing truly repented and being turned, ſmite their owne hands vponupon their thigh, and grow aſhamed of themſelues, yea euen confounded by bearing the reproch of their ſo doing amiſſe. And this their ſhame, howſoeuer for a time it may be their abaſing; yet being well carried, contentedly, conſcionably and meekly borne, it will afterward make to the lifting of them vp; to be had in better account with all that are good, and to hauehave the better credit and eſtimation among all them. Dauid committed a ſinne ſo groſſe in that kinde, as in many reſpects a groſſer could not lightly hauehave bin done; not a ſingle ſinne, but a compound ſinne, that had many other very grieuous and moſt hainous wickedneſſes folded vp in it, and inwrapped with it, yea tied & twiſted to it to ſtrengthen the euill of it, till it became hugely big, euen a very groſſe and grieuous ſin indeed; which could not bee but with great offence giuen to the Church of God, when it once became knowne. But who more penitentPſal. 51.Ps 51 then was Dauid? or who euer gaue the Church a better ſatisfaction then did hee? who ſpared not, beſides the confeſſing and acknowledging of it in words, though it were (as hee ſaid) againſt himſelfe, and to his owne ſhame, to publiſh it in writing, with his great ſorrow and repentance for the ſame; and ſuffered it to bee ſpread abroad, yea not only to be ſpoken of, but alſo to bee ſung out openly aloud in the middeſt of the ſolemne aſſemblies and Church-meetings throughout his whole land as it were, thereby gathering, and in a manner pulling vponupon himſelfe the ſhame belonging vntounto it from all the people of his whole land: and not only ſhaming himſelfe with it in his owne countrey, but alſo not refuſing to p. 333beare the ſhame of it in all other countries, and from all ſorts of people, among whom that which he had ſo written ſhould euer come to bee either read or heard: yea, as if it had not been enough to hauehave made it knowne to the people of that age alone, he hath ſo publiſhed it, as if it had been his meaning to tell all poſteritie of it, that we to this day, and all to the end of the world may know what was his fall, and how great his frailty was. Yet who doth not know that all this abaſing and caſting downe of himſelfe, and taking vponupon him the ſhame of that hee had done, that ſo he might remoue the offence that was thereby giuen, and render vntounto the Church the better and more full ſatisfaction, hath tended to the lifting vp of his honour higher in the Church of God; and hath cauſed him, and ſtill will cauſe him, not only to be as much reuerenced, but a great deale more admired for the abundance of rare grace, that by all this was manifeſted, then it is like he euer ſhould otherwiſe hauehave been, if happily that which hee ſo offended in, had neuer been by him done and ſo repented of?

There is another kinde of ſatisfaction, which is a ciuill3. To the Common wealth. 1. For violating good lawes. ſatisfaction, that is to be giuen and made to the Common-wealth, and ciuill ſtate, and ſocieties of men, when the wholeſome lawes that are conſtituted for the well ordering and gouerning of a countrey or kingdome, are violated and broken by any; then is the ciuill ſtate and ſocieties of men wronged, and Common-wealth it ſelfe impeached. For lawes are ſaid to be the bonds of a Common-wealth Cicero pro Clemente.to hold it together, and chaines whereby men are tyed one to another in the world, to liue ciuilly one by another; they are the foundations of libertie, the fountaines of equitie, they are the very ſinewes and ſpirit of cuery ſtate, by which they liue and moue. And therefore no marueile though the Epheſian Heraclitus ſaid, that citizens were to fight asLaertins. well for their lawes, as for their cities themſelues: for if they bee ſeene and ſuffered to bee violated and torne aſunder, all will ſoone be brought to ruine.

p. 334The ſatisfaction then which tranſgreſſors of lawes are to make vntounto ſocieties of men and Common-wealths thus wronged, is to beare and goe vnderunder, and contentedly to ſatisfie and pay the fines, mulcts, and penalties that are impoſed vponupon offenders; and patiently without reſiſtance to ſuffer impriſonments, chaſtiſements, & puniſhments; yea euen vntounto death it ſelfe, according to the nature and qualitie of the offence and crime that hath been committed, be it greater or leſſe.

And herein alſo a cleane differing carriage is found toDifference in impenitents. be by the delinquents on both ſides: vnſanctified perſons whoſe conſciences are neuer ſoundly touched with true remorſe for committing any ſinne, neither for violating wholeſome and good lawes, what wrong ſoeuer that way hath been done by them, they ſtand not vponupon making any recompence, or giuing ſatisfaction ſo farre as they are able to tender their goods, where they are found ſufficient to make it; or to yeeld their bodies where their goods cannot doe it; or patiently to lay downe their liues, in caſes; wherein nothing elſe can be found ſufficient fully to ſatisfie: but they ſeeke ſhifts how to auoid all; if they be great in the world, they ſtand vponupon their prerogatiues, their greatneſſe muſt allow them to bee lawleſſe; they are like the great flies which doe breake through the cobwebs, they will not bee taken, there is nothing can hold them. If they bee poore, and it be a pecuniarie mulct that is impoſed vponupon them for their treſpaſſe, they ſhift off the matter by their pouerty, by meanes whereof they promiſe to themſelues an immunity in ſuch caſes; ſtanding vponupon that maxime, where there is nothing to be had, there the King muſt looſe his right; and ſo they will be ſure by their ſhifting to pay nothing, whether then be able yea or no. If their bodies bee attached they their next courſe is, to ſpie out ſome aduantage how to ſcape away, and breake out of the hands of them that hauehave taken them. If ſeeing of the Sergeant, or bribing of the Bailiffe will not ſerue the turne; if they be clapt vp i… p. 335priſon, the priſon muſt be ſtrong if it can long hold them; they will hauehave many times files to get off their bolts; they hauehave deuices to open lockes, to breake barres, and find ſhifts to make a way for their ſcaping, where no way could hauehave been immagined might hauehave been made before. If they be put by all their muſes, and preuented of all their courſes, and no remedie but to the gallowes they muſt come, there men of this ſort are found to die either moſt deſperately, as thoſe who after all the wrongs they offered to others all their life time, ſticke not to wrong God and nature it ſelfe in the end, by careleſly, yea madly caſting away their life; (as though it were a thing but vile, which God hath made ſo precious, and nature teacheth all to be ſo charie of, to ſtand ſo much for, & to make ſo much of) as daily may bee ſeene. Or elſe to take their deaths moſt impatiently, as thoſe who would yeeld no obedience, nor giuegive any willing ſatisfaction, either to law, or to Magiſtrate, otherwiſe then it is thus extorted from them: but hold their rebellion to the end, and ſo die therein. Hereof we hauehave a pregnant example in that archenemie to the Goſpell, and moſt bloody perſecutor of Gods faithfull ſeruants, and traitor to the Prince and State, Doctor Storie, Doctor Story.who firſt brake priſon into which he was put; and then being caught againe, when he himſelfe was brought to ſuffer death, who had been the meanes of putting to death hundreds of others, that died Martyrs in Gods cauſe, in time of his moſt deſerued execution by quartering, was (as the ſtory doth report) ſo impatient, that he did not onelyonly roare and cry out, but alſo ſtrucke the executioner while he was doing his office, and reſiſted as long as ſtrength did ſerue him, and wasFulke in his confutation of Papiſts quarrels, pag. 14. faine to be kept downe by three or foure men vntill hee was dead.

But they whoſe hearts are throughly touched, and deeply pierced with ſorrow for the ſinnes they hauehave committed, and whom God doth giuegive grace vntounto, to conſider rightly their owne wayes in their hearts, after they (hauing p. 336been left to themſelues for a time) through ſtrengthIn true penitents. of tentation, and frailty of nature, hauehave not onelyonly been ouercome to tranſgreſſe the lawes by ſome leſſer crimes, fallen into, and faulted in; but alſo drawne to commit ſome hainous wickedneſſes, and enormious vices, greatly preiudiciall to the State and Common-wealth in which they doe liue; ſo as the wrong and hurt they hauehave done thereby cannot be recompenſed, nor the law ſatisfied, the vnpartiall executing of Iuſtice by the Magiſtrate, ſaued harmeleſſe without confiſcation of their goods, attaching of their bodies; yea and in ſome caſes, the taking away of their very liues; for ſo much as theſe knew there is no hope of obtaining any pardon of ſinne at the hands of God, if in the wrong done to a brother, and perſiſted in, the ſame be asked; much leſſe, hauing dong a wrong vntounto a whole ſociety of brethren; yea a whole ſtate of a kingdome, the parties delinquent ſhould come to the court of heauen to ſue for their pardon, would their petition he euer regarded or looked vponupon? but the anſwere would be made them as Chriſt taughr in his doctrine, If thou knoweſt thy brother hath ought againſt thee, leaue thy Mat. 5. 23.Matt 5:23gift at the Altar, and goe and bee reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer. And becauſe they can hauehave no comfort of their ſorrow, if their ſorrow cauſe not ſatiſfaction; nor proue that their repentance is vntounto life, if fruits worthy of repentance and amendment of life bee not borne out: they willingly doe not betake themſelues to any ſuch ſhifts, as are ordinarily to be found to bee taken by the other ſort of offenders: but they come in and ſubmit themſelues vntounto the law, and yeeld themſelues to the Magiſtrate, and that for conſcience ſake, to make what recompence they can for the fault that they hauehave done, and giuegive the beſt ſatisfaction that they are able: they offer their goods where they will ſerue the turne; they yeeld their bodies to priſon, where their goods cannot be taken; and where their bodies yeelded to priſon, or to other puniſhment, will not be taken for a ſufficient p. 337ſatisfaction, in regard of the hainouſneſſe of their tranſgreſſion; then their very liues themſelues are no longer held ſo deare vntounto them, but that euen they alſo ſhall be laid downe to make the paiment full. But all this is done of them with ſuch humble ſubmiſſion, and in ſo good a faſhion, as all that tooke themſelues to hauehave been wronged by them before, ſeeme now to reſt contented, and to be ſatisfied to the full. Yea ſome that are executed as malefactors, are many times found to take their deaths ſo patiently, and ſo penitently, with ſuch brokenneſſe of heart, with ſuch ſorrowing and mourning for their ſins, and abundant bewailing the miſ-leading of their liues, with ſhewing ſuch teſtimonies of their ſound repenting, and being found to beare out ſuch fruits of repentance vponupon the tree they doe hang on, that that tree ſeemeth now to be laden with good fruit, and that of the beſt kind; whileſt with the good theefe on the Croſſe, they condemne themſelues, they iuſtifie the Law, they reprooue Luk. 23. 40. 41.Luke 23:40Luke 23:41ſinne in others, they exhort to amendmeni of life, they warne all before them, they pray much and feruently, they looke to Chriſt, they commit themſelues to his mercy; and ſo taking their deaths patiently: all that ſee them thus dying, make no doubt at all of their ſaluation.

Beſides ſuch a kind of ſatiſ-faction giuen to a publike2. For not performing vniuſt lawes and wicked. ſtate by parties offending, for violating wholeſome and good lawes that hauehave been made, euen the innocent ſerſeruants of God, when they hauehave been taken and condemned for offenders againſt a State, becauſe they hauehave not yeelded ſimple and abſolute, whole and ready obedience to all lawes in force; thoug ſomtimes there hauehave, and may fall out to be, that there is an antinomie betweene the lawes of men, and the lawes of God: they alſo hauehave not refuſed, neither yet will refuſe, in caſes wherin they cannot ſatisfie the Law, or the Magiſtrate, by obeying the precept, there to make ſatisfaction by their ſuffering the penalties that are ſet downe; and that whether it be to the looſing of their goods, and the looſing p. 338of their liuings, they hauehave both learned and practiſed, to ſuffer with ioy the ſpoyling of their goods, becauſe they Heb. 10. 34.Heb 10:34looke to receiue in heauen a better and more enduring ſubſtance: or whether it be to bonds, or to impriſonment, they are ready with Paul to be bound; and refuſe not to goe to Act. 21. 13. Gen. 39. 20. Pſal. 105. 18.Acts 21:13Gen 39:20Ps 105:18priſon with Ioſeph, though the iron doe enter into their ſoules, when they are hurt in the ſtockes. Yea, they hauehave not refuſed to lay downe their liues, if nothing but that would goe for payment. As did the three children in Daniel, forDan. 3. 22.Dan 3:22 not obeying the Kings command, ſuffer themſelues to be throwne into the hot fierie furnace. And Daniel himſelfeDan. 6. 16.Dan 6:16 to be throwne into the den of Lions, for not obeying the decree of Darius, which as a law of Medes and Perſians might not be broken: whoſe examples the bleſſed Martyrs of God hauehave ſince worthily followed. And ſuch kind of tranſgreſſors of lawes as this ſecond ſort are, that hauehave been now mentioned, are not to bee ranked vp among rebels; neither are to bee eueryevery way counted as perſons that are diſobedient: for there muſt be a diſtinction made of obedience; there is an obedience in doing, and there is an obedience in ſuffering: now where that which the Law commandeth cannot ſo ſafely with a good conſcience, or readily be done; if that which the Law ſetteth downe as puniſhment to be inflicted for it, bee patiently borne, there is then another obedience ſhewed, and a ſatisfaction giuen for the want of the former, and for that which elſe could not be done. Daniel though he diſobeyed the commandement of the King, in the doing of that, (though it were a law of the Medes and Perſians, whichDan. 6. 22.Dan 6:22 being once made, might not be broken) that hee might obey God the better, yet iuſtified himſelfe in that he had done; and ſaid plainly to the King, that he had done him no wrong, he was no rebell, hee was no vndutifull ſubiect: which may be ſaid for others of Gods ſeruants in the like caſe and reſpect.

There is yet another kind of ſatisfaction, and that is4. Priuate and particular men. more particular and priuate betweene man and man, p. 339when wrong is offered to any man. And this is alſo requiſite to be made by eueryevery perſon that is truly penitent, if he would either giuegive teſtimony to others that his repentance is ſound, or take comfort to himſelfe that his ſinnes ſhall euer be pardoned. For Auguſtine hath well ſet thatNon remittitur peccatum niſi reſtituatur ablatum. Auguſt. downe, there is no looking for pardon for the ſinne, if that which was taken away be not reſtored againe. And this did Daniel giuegive in counſell to Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4. 27.Dan 4:27who had been a great ſpoyler, waſter and vndoer of the greateſt part of the world, he hauing vndone many, and made them poore, he counſelleth him to make ſome ſatisfaction vntounto them againe; and ſo breake off his ſinnes by exerciſing now more righteouſneſſe, and ſhewing mercy to the poore: whom in ſome ſort hee ſhall ſatisfie for the wrongs before hee had done them in ſpoyling of them, if now againe hee will ſuccour them, and helpe them in their need.

Hypocrites and worldly-minded perſons, they hauehaveDifference in hypocrites. no skill of this reſtitution, nor will, to make this kind of ſatisfaction: if they hauehave got any thing (that is no matter how) that they thinke to bee their owne; that they will hold faſt; and they will be ſure to part with nothing. They are of their religion that will neither doe right to others, nor take any wrong to themſelues. Wherin they goe not ſo farre as Iudas (that notable hypocrite) did; nor doe not ſo much as did he: the money that Iudas had gotten for ſelling his Maſter, was as iuſtly and as lawfully his, as the money of many is theirs that they come by: for it was his by buying and ſelling, and performing his bargaine: now it was as lawfully his, as the money that men ſell good corne for, and put chaffe and droſſe into it: and as the money that men get by oppreſſion and vſurie; who feeling the ſweetneſſe of gaining, care not how they come by money, though it were by ſucking out the very life-blood of the owners thereof, ſo they may hauehave it. But though theſe know and feele the ſweetneſſe of the comming of it in, they know not with p. 340what bitterneſſe it will goe out againe. Iudas might hauehave kept his money by any law of the land; he had ſold and performed his bargaine; and why might hee not hauehave kept the money that hee had therefore gotten? but his conſcience ſo pincht him and prickt him for his treaſon againſt his Maſter, whom he had ſold to get this money; it being the purchaſe of that his iniquitie, and knowing how vnlawfully he had got it, his hands could hold it no longer, he was neuer quiet till he had brought it againe, and giuen it to them of whom he had it, though that neither would quiet him; for nothing was done as it ſhould be ſoundly by him: his repentance was a falſe repentance; and this ſatisfaction a falſe fruit of the ſame. What then may be hoped for of them that goe not ſo farre in making ſatisfaction, and reſtoring againe that which they hauehave moſt vniuſtly taken, as this damned diuell Iudas did, who is now in hell??

But they that are truly penitent indeed for their ſinne, whatſoeuer wrong they either know themſelues, or can be ſhewed by others that they hauehave offered to any man, either in his perſon, in his name, or in his goods; they neuer can be quiet till they naue made the partie ſatiſfaction, and that to the full, if their ability will extend ſo farre, that ſo it may be performed by them. If meanes bee wanting that they cannot doe as they would, they ſhew themſelues more penitent; and by a greater ſubmiſſion they humble themſelues before the parties wronged; and aske them forgiueneſſe of that which they cannot make any better ſatisfaction for. And in ſuch kind of wrongs wherein others hauehave been wronged in their goods, either vniuſtly taken away, or wrongfully with-held by them, if the parties be dead to whom ſuch wrong hath been offered, then ſeeke they out who are left that did belong vntounto them, and were neereſt of their kinne, that to them they may make a full reſtitution and ſatisfaction for the wrong. If none ſuch can be found to bee liuing, they will rather bring it to the Church for holy vſe, and ſee p. 341the poore to hauehave it diſtributed among them, then they will keepe pennie or pennies-worth thereof: which as the plague, would infect all they had beſide, and fret as a canker, till it had conſumed whatſoeuer before had been iuſtly gotten, and which with good peace they might hauehave ſtill poſſeſſed well, and kept lawfully as their owne. This care to make reſtitution they hauehave learned from the practice of that bleſſed penitent, and ſaued-conuert, rich Zacheus, who hauing been a great piller and powler of the people, in the day that ſaluation by Chriſt was brought to his houſe, ſtood forth and ſaid, Lord, halfe of my goods I giuegive to the poore; and if I hauehave taken any thing from any man by forged accuſation, I reſtore him foure-fold. Thus much touching confeſſion and ſatisfaction; which two do neuer faile to accompany that ſorrow eſpecially which is godly, that cauſeth repentance neuer to be repented of, being repentance vntounto life.

FINIS.

Errata.

Page 1. line 24. read▪ heare. p. 74. l. 4. r. which. p 81. l. 21. r. good. p. 84. l. 22. r▪ Lydia. p 86. l. 22. r. the tongue. p. 92. l. 3. r. which. ibid. 18. r. for it. p. 94. l. 25. r. as if it. p. 97. l. 2. r. as if it. p. 97. l. 2. r. truth. p. 100. l. 14. r. ſo thirdly. p. 192. l. 2. r. deiected. ibid. 6. r. reuiue. p. 240. chap. r. permanent and enduring, p. 269. chap. r. conſidered; and firſt. p. 134. l. 6. r. rending. p. 140. l. 10. r. as. p. 145. l. 36. r. hurts. p. 154.▪ marg. r. foreign. p. 171. l. 14. r. himſelfe. p. 180. l. 3. r. hauehave. p. 182. l. 36. r. And as. p. 183. l. 31. r. much. p. 186. l. 16. …. l…fe. p. 189. l. 17▪ r. are ſuch. p. 192. l. 2. r. deiected. ibid. l. 6. r. reuiue. p. 199. l. 26. r. hauehave him. p. 212. l▪ 6. r. doe ſee. 213. l▪ 1…. r. is found. ibid. 26. r. which in. p. 224. l. 31. r. on. p. 231. l. 25. r. cruelly. p. 234. l. 20. r. beloued. p. 235. l. 1. r. father in law. p. 252. l. 25. r. ioy.

End of the text · William Negus, Mans Active Obedience (1619)