The Measures of Christian Obedience, Book 5 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of Reconciliation, and Restitution upon those Sins, whereby we have offended, or injured our Brethren.
The CONTENTS.
Of the Necessity of Reconciliation upon Sins whereby we have offended, and of Restitution upon others whereby we have injured our Brethren. In sin three things considerable, the offence against God, and the offence and injury against men. Sins whereby God alone is offended, are sufficiently repented of, and pardonable upon reformation and amendment. Those whereby we have also offended, or injured our brethren, are not sufficiently repented of, or pardonable upon that alone, unless moreover we seek to be reconciled, and make restitution. These two means of pardon, for affronts, and injuries against men, are necessary fruits of a sincere and sufficient repentance. Of sins whereby we have justly offended our Brethren. Their ill effects represented, which are to be redressed by penitential acknowledgments, and seeking to be reconciled. These penitential acknowledgements necessary only to appease those, whom by our sin we have offended; and so unnecessary, when they know nothing of our offence. Where they do, Reconciliation is necessary so far only as it can be had, and where we have an opportunity of seeking it. This discourse upon Reconciliation sum'd up. Of sins of injustice, whereby we have injured men. Reparation ordinarily necessary to a sincere, and always to a sufficient Repentance of them. 'Tis necessary moreover in it self, as an instance of strict justice. An account of particular injuries, how to be repaired where the injured persons can, and how where they cannot receive it. Restitution necessary whether our Brethren know themselves to be injured by us, or no. It is due only upon sins of injustice. Of the perfect right which we have to things of strict Iustice, and of the imperfect right which we have to things of Charity, whence the performance of them is sometimes called righteousness. In sins of injustice, reparation due so far only as we can, and according as we have opportunity to make it. In judging of a just opportunity, caution given that we be neither too strict, so as more than needs to prejudice our selves; nor too loose, so as to overcharge our Neighbours. This Discourse of reparation upon injuries summed up.
FROM what has been discoursed concerning the remedy of wilful sins in the foregoing Chapter, it plainly appears that they are not hopeless, but that at what time soever any of them have been committed by a Christian man, whether before Baptism, or after it, they are still pardonable upon his particular repentance of them.
This repentance, as has been shewn, implies amendment, so that we never shall be judged to have repented of them, till we have forsaken them, and are reformed from them. Amendment then is necessary to our repentance, and to the pardon of all voluntary offences whatsoever; and to the pardon of some, viz. those wherein God alone is concerned, it is not only necessary, but sufficient: but then to a right repentance, and to the pardon of others, which do not barely offend God, but are offensive also and injurious to our Brethren, there is more required. For although God will forgive his own share of any sin, viz. so far as it is an act of disobedience to him, and account us duly penitent upon our amendment and reformation; yet will he not judge so favourably, or so easily pass over the hurt which is thereby done to other men. And since in several sins, there is not only an offence to God, but withal an affront or injury to our Brethren; what ever God may do in some, 'tis plain that he will not pardon others, or look upon us to have sufficiently repented of them, upon a bare forsaking of the fault, without our seeking also to be reconciled to the offended persons, and making of due reparation.
And this being a thing which occasions much doubt and scruple in many honest minds, I will here endeavour to give a plain state of the Duty of reconciliation upon offences, and of restitution upon injuries against our neighbour, that so we may have no needless fears upon this account, or know how to put an end to them when we have just occasion for them.
In sin there are three things considerable, according as it may concern either God or men, or both; viz. the offence against God, and the offence and injury which it may include against men.
First, As for the offence against God, as it is a breach of his Law, and a going cross to his pleasure; it is atoned by reformation and amendment. Till we are reclaimed indeed from our former sins, and are become Gods dutiful Sons, and faithful Servants, for the present, and for the future; it is not consistent with the honour of his goodness and holiness, with the authority of his Laws, and with the ends of his Government, to bear any complacential love, or show any marks of favour and friendly affection towards us. But as soon as ever we are conscientiously reformed from them, he will be reconciled to us. He will never punish us for any disobedience against his Divine Majesty, after we have forsaken it; but whensoever we turn off from any evil way, so far as he himself was concerned in the dishonour of the offence, he will graciously pass it by, and as may plainly appear from what has hitherto been discoursed, return to have mercy upon us.
But then as for the offence, and also as for the injury which our sins may at any time imply towards men; he will not judge us savingly to have repented of them, nor pardon them upon amendment alone, unless, together with that, we expiate the first by seeking to be reconciled to the Party whom we have offended, and the latter by making amends for the damage done, and offering a due reparation.
These two means of pardon for our sins of affront or injury against men, viz. our seeking to be reconciled, and making all due restitution, are no less natural fruits and necessary effects of repentance for them, than reformation and amendment is for them, and for all others.
For the most natural effect of a sincere and sufficient repentance, is to undo the fault, and set things in the same place where they were before, It implies a change of mind from sin, that now our hearts and thoughts are set against it; which change is helped on and produced in us by our hatred of it, our grief and sorrow for it, and our being ashamed of it: And the natural effect of a change of mind, of hatred, shame, and grief, where they are in any just degrees and perfect measure, is to wish that the action which causes them had never been done, and, as much as it is possible, to undo it again. So that if our repentance for any sin is both true and perfect, if it implies an undissembled hatred, a deep shame, and a great and hearty grief and sorrow for it; it will make us cancel and undo it, and take away, as far as can be, all the footsteps which it had left behind it.
And because there are more effects remaining after some sins, than after others; the fruits of repentance are more for some, than they are for others. For in some only God is concerned, as it happens in the sins of impiety, and in several instances of unsoberness, when there is no scandal to our Brethren joined with them: and the breach in these being only in God's Authority and Honour, it is repaired by our beginning to owne his Laws, and the stain is wiped off by amendment and new obedience. But in others, our Brethren are concerned too, as it falls out in all those sins whereby we injure, or affront men: and since there remains after these sins, not only a dishonour of God, but also a lasting hurt and offence to our Neighbour. The breach made by these is not repaired barely by our beginning to obey God, unless we also seek to appease and satisfie men, by our penitential acknowledgments and restitution. And therefore if we are so far penitent, as to retract and undo our sins, without which we are not duly ashamed, or sorry, nor sufficiently changed, and reclaimed from them; we shall be ready, not only to repair the dishonour which they cast upon God, but the injury and offence which they gave to men too.
But in the account of these two instances of repentance, and means of pardon to be more particular.
2. In sin we are to consider the offence and just displeasure which it gives to our brethren, as it manifests our contempt of them, and our hostile inclination to insult over them, or to vex and disquiet them: and this is to be put away by our seeking to be reconciled with penitential confessions.
In all sins against Justice or Righteousness towards all men in general, or towards any in those particular relations wherein we may be concerned; there is not only an act of disobedience towards God, but also of affront or injury against our Brethren: And this, if they understand it, will beget an alienation of mind, and create hard thoughts and hostile inclinations. For when they have observed our contempt of them, or our ill will to them, from our mockery and contumelious usage, our whisperings and backbitings, our slanderings, false witness, fraud, cozenage, or any other trespass against them, whether to their damage, or only to their disparagement, or both; they will have great reason to be afraid of us, and offended with us. They will think our society unsafe, and either fly our company; or be jealous of us, and stand upon their guard when at any time they are so unhappy as to be ingaged in it. So that upon these sins against the Honour, Persons, and Estates of our Brethren, when once they come to understand how they are damnified by them, there is not only an act of disobedience towards God, but also a plain breach of that friendship, good will, and mutual confidence which ought to be among men.
And now to undo all these evils which ensue upon these sins, and to set things in the same state which they held before; there must not only be an act of reformation and amendment to appease God, but also some outward indications of a change to the parties offended, and such penitential acknowledgments as may repair the breach which they have made among men. We must let the persons grieved know that now we are ashamed, and sorry for our fault, that our temper is changed, and our mind is alter'd; so that they may safely venture to return again into favour with us, and never fear suffering the like indignities from us any more. And this now will reconcile mens minds, and reunite their hearts, and make them to become again kindly affectionate, secure, and confident, in the society and conversation of each other. And when this is done, and they have both by reformation and amendment made their peace with God, so far as his honour was concerned in it, and also by such penitential acknowledgments made their peace with men; they have undone, as much as is possible, all that was done amiss, and such repentance shall suffice, and prepare them for Gods pardon. And this is that which our Saviour expresly requires of us, Mat. 5. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar, saith he, and there, before thou offerest it, remembrest that thy brother hath taken just offence, and hath ought against thee, (whether upon account of thy causless anger in calling him Fool, and Racha, or using any other opprobrious language; or of any other affront or injury whatsoever;) presume not to think of appeasing God before thou hast appeased him, but leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift for thy reconciliation unto God, v. 22, 23, 24.
As for those sins then, whereby we have not only dishonoured God by disobedience, but also provoked and offended men by affront or injury; to procure the pardon of them, we must not only seek unto God by reformation and amendment, but to them too by such penitential acknowledgments as may repair the breach, and reconcile the difference, which our sins had made betwixt them and us.
But here we must observe, that as the necessity of superadding these penitential confessions to our amendment, arises only from the necessity of appeasing men, whom our sins had offended: So whensoever our trespasses against them have given them no offence, there is no need of these acknowledgments for a reconciliation. And therefore in all our sins against them, whereby we have either injured or disparaged them, which they know not of, there is no need of it at all. For if they understand not that we have wronged or abused them, they cannot be angry at us for so doing; and so there being no breach made by our offence, there is no place for a reconciliation.
Yea I add further, if they are come to understand our offence, and have accordingly resented it; there is not always still a necessity of having them actually reconciled, but then only when it can be had, and we have an opportunity of doing it.
There is then only a necessity of having them reconciled, when it can be had. For some men are unalterable in their resentments, and never lay them down; they are eternal in their hatred, and will not forgive an injury to their lives end. And with these, God doth not require that we should actually be reconciled, neither will he be angry at us, when at last we miss of it. He has not made impossibilities the means of pardon, nor will he make the unconquerable obstinacy of one mans sin, to be an article of anothers punishment and condemnation. And therefore when we have to do with such men, we shall be accepted, if we earnestly seek reconciliation, although we cannot find it. So that if in this case we seriously express our sorrow, and beg pardon for our fault, and promise never after to repeat it, and, by our obliging carriage and after-kindness, endeavour to atone for our past offence, and to show them how safely they may confide in our present engagements: if all this doth not melt them into a compliance, the sinful continuation of the breach is now their own; but as for us, we have done enough to mend what was amiss, and shall deliver our own souls.
And even with those men from whom it might be had, there is then only a necessity of an actual reconcilement when we have an opportunity of doing it. For in the infinite mixture of conversation, and variety of company which we meet with in this world, how universally are men, especially of an abusive sportful wit, and a proud petulant humor, guilty of these offences towards those persons whom they shall never see again, and whom they know not where to find, or when. Now here, by reason of absence of the persons whom they should make it to, an actual acknowledgment and reconciliation, is impossible, and all that can be done towards it, is only sincerely and firmly to resolve to seek it, whensoever an opportunity shall be offer'd. And this honest purpose of reconciliation, till such time as we have an opportunity to perform it, shall be every whit as available to our pardon, as if we were indeed reconciled. The will, as I have aBook 1. c. 3.shewn, shall be taken for the deed, where 'tis in our power to will only, but not to do, and where the deed would certainly follow, if there were but an opportunity to shew it in. For in this case the Apostles rule is sure; Where there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not, 2 Cor. 8.12.
As for the Duty of seeking Reconciliation then, where our sin has given offence to men, it is plainly this: If they know nothing of our fault, they are not angred, and so have need of no atonement. But if they do understand it, and are offended at it; we must seek a reconciliation, if it can be had, and where we have an opportunity to endeavour it. But if there be no opportunity of making our acknowledgments at present, we must firmly purpose it in our own minds, and resolve to make it when a fitting season shall be offer'd: and upon this honest purpose, which would prove effectual, were the persons present, we shall be pardoned, as if we had performed it.
3. In sin we are to consider the damage and injury which it implies towards our Neighbour, as it causes his unjust loss or hindrance, whether as to his Life, Liberty, Good Name, or Estate; and this is to be expiated by making amends for the wrong, and restoring what our injury took away, by a just and full reparation.
How often doth mens Envy and Revenge, their Covetousness and Ambition, render them not only offensive by indignities and affronts, but really hurtful and injurious to their brethren. They blast their Reputation by slanders and false reports; they spoil them of their Goods by theft or oppression, by fraud and cozenage; they rob them of their lives or liberties by murder and false witness; they inflame their enemies, estrange their friends, and stop or destroy their preferment, by their malicious suggestions, unjust suspicions, and spiteful representations of them. And when at any time we do thus by our Neighbour, he is really a loser by reason of our sin, and has just reason to complain of us, and to stand at a distance from us as dangerous and hurtful persons, till we do not only confess our fault, and seek a reconcilement, but moreover make him a just amends, and set him in the same state, if possibly we can, which he enjoyed before.
This we shall surely do, if we are truly and compleatly penitent; and till we have thus restored a spoil, and repaired a wrong, we cannot be thought truly, or at least perfectly to have repented of it.
We cannot ordinarily be thought, I say, to have repented of it truly, but only under a bSi res aliea, propter quam peccatum est, cum reddi possit non redditur, non agitur poenitentia, sed fingitur. Aug. ad Macedon. quae est Ep. 54.false disguise and vain hypocrisie. For that is ordinarily no true sorrow which doth not undo the fault, and set things, as much as may be, in the same state which they held before. We shall not be thought to be really angry at the crime, if still we hold fast the bait, and are pleased with the temptation. We shall not be esteemed to hate it, so long as we are in love with that which comes by it; for we did not love it for it self at first, but only for the unjust gains sake which led us on to it; and if we yet hold that fast, and will not restore it and let it go, 'tis plain we love it, and adhere to it for its sake still. So long then as men are pleased in the fruits of their injustice, and continue the damage which their brother suffered, or hold fast the unlawful gain which they themselves acquired by it; they cannot in reason be thought to renounce or to redress it, but to justifie and confirm it. They are resolved to have their end in it, and to enjoy that by it which led them on to it; and this is not to be punished and afflicted for a fault, but to be enriched by it; it is not repenting of it, but owning and avowing it.
But if the sense of Gods wrath, which they have incurr'd by their unjust dealings, should put these men, who will not repair them, into some real trouble of mind and grief of heart, as sometimes it doth; yet so long as they make no just amends, but suffer all the ill effects upon their brethren to remain, their repentance, such as it is, although it be real and sincere, is not yet perfect and entire, and able to work that reformation which it is designed for. Their mind is changed in part, but 'tis but half way; their sorrow for their sin is something, but not enough; it would not have strength sufficient to prevent the sin, because it cannot wean them from the temptation. For the unjust gain still keeps possession of their heart, and all their grief and change of mind is not able to remove it: their brothers loss is still their love and delight, and all their repentance cannot bring them to repair it. They still adhere to, and love the fruits of their offence, more than they do the rewards of amendment and obedience: so that if they should be tempted by these inducements again, they would have the same effect upon them which they had at first, and make them as unjust as they were before.
Thus necessary is restitution and reparation of a wrong, to evidence that men truly and perfectly repent of it.
But besides this way of its being necessary, viz. as a necessary effect of a compleat repentance; it is also necessary in i…self, as a piece of common justice and natural equity, without which no man, who has done wrong, can be an equal or a just man. For the great Rule of Justice is, That every man should have his own, and that no other mans force or fraud should spoil him of it, or any ways detain it from him. So that if any man has destroyed or wasted any thing belonging to another, he must make it up; if he has taken it to himself, he must restore it. For whatsoever Goods he has wrested wrongfully from his Neighbour, are not his Goods, but his Neighbours still. For that which transfers Propriety from one private person to another, is his own consent; this being the very nature of Dominion, that a man may dispose of a thing at his own will, and no other man may meddle with it, without he agree to it: so that it must be his own voluntary act, and not anothers force or fraud that can justly mak… an alienation. If then one man wrongfully possesse… anothers Goods, he is no Owner, but an Vsurper; he enjoys what belongs not to him, and cannot be a just man, till he has cleared his hands of the others Goods, and made restitution.
Thus necessary is restitution of unjust Possessions, and reparation of unjust damages, not only to evidence a sincere and sufficient repentance, but also as an instance of common Equity and natural Justice, and to maintain a mutual peace, security, and confidence in the World. And therefore God, that he might take away all temptation to sportful, or malicious injuries, and unjust gettings in some; and all enmity and strife, unsociable fears and jealousies, murmurings, and complaints by reason of them in others; has laid a great stress upon it, and made it plainly necessary to the obtaining of his cNon remittitur peccatum, nisi restituatur ablatum. Aug. ad Maced.pardon. Render to every man his due, saith the Apostle, and owe no man any thing, but to love one another, Rom. 13.7, 8. This is plainly necessary, and a duty that will not be dispensed with. For as Ezekiel says, it is not only, if the wicked man turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right: but if, together with that, he give again what he hath robbed, that he shall surely live, and not dye, Ezek. 33.14, 15.
If then we are guilty of any injury, and have at any time wrongfully damnified our Neighbour; we must not only seek to be reconciled, and remove the offence, but withal we must repair the loss, and make him in as good a state, if by any means we can, as he was in before. And therefore if we have spoiled him of his Goods by fraud, oppression, or robbery; we must in the fittest way, which our own prudence, or the wisdom of our friends, and spiritual Guides shall direct, restore them unto him again. If we have injured him in his Good name, and by slanders, false stories, and malicious representations put a blot upon his honour, advantaged his enemies, disingaged his friends, and stopt his promotion; we must confess our fault, and declare our miscarriage, we must endeavour to wipe off all the dirt which we have thrown upon him, and to set him right again in the apprehensions of all men, but of those most especially, who by our means were brought to think ill and hardly of him. If we have wrongfully deprived him of his liberty, or of any thing else, by false witness, or corrupt judgment, or any other way; we must take shame to our selves, and clear up his innocence, and take off all the undeserved reproach, and all the criminal disguise, wherein we had involved him.
As for some injuries, 'tis true, they never can be repaired, nor is it possible to make the persons whole again who suffered by them. Of which sort are Murder, Adultery, a customary constant fraud in traffick, and the like. But although the damage in these can never be intirely repaired, yet in part it may; and when we cannot do as much as we should, 'tis but just and necessary that we do as much as we can. And therefore in those injuries whereby many are made to suffer, as it ordinarily happens in murder and adultery, which damnifie not the persons injured alone, but their Families also and Dependants; we must make restitution to those that can, that we may be pardoned for neglecting those who cannot receive it. And if few of the injured persons are to be met with, as it happens through the infinity of Sufferers by a constant fraud in commerce; there cannot be a better commutation, than to put the poor into their place, and make the needy their Receivers. Which exchange was most commendably resolved on by a great offender in this kind, viz. Zaccheus, the Chief among the Publicans. For when he comes to repent of his Publican sins, at Christs calling of him, Luk. 19: he makes his penitential profession thus; If I have taken away any thing by … accusation, or unjust force, says he, from any …, whom I know and can repay again; according as the dExod. 22.1Law prescribes in that Point, I restore him it again fourfold. And as for all other exactions which can never be particularly repaid, whereof I, and generally eforeign. Dict. Zenon. Comoed.all in my employment are guilty without number; I endeavour to atone them, according to the fVid. Dr Light. Hor. Heb. in loc.Jewish custom, by giving as much, or more to the indigent and needy in their stead: for behold the half of my Goods I give unto the poor, ver. 8.
Thus is restitution to repair the damage, as necessary as confession is to atone the offence which our sins have given to our Brethren. And this it is, whether our Brethren know of the unjust loss or hindrance which we have caused to them, or no. As for the confession of our fault, to have the offended party reconciled; that, 'tis true, is necessary only to make peace where they have taken offence, and therefore it is of no necessity where they do not know our sin, because there they cannot be offended by it. But as for the reparation of unjust damages, that is necessary out of natural equity and strict Justice, so that we are bound to it wheresoever Justice is infringed, and any one is injured, whether he understands it, and be offended at it, or no. If then our Neighbour knows he has been injured by us, and is offended at it; we must not only make restitution to repair his loss, but also beg his pardon to atone the offence, and to procure a reconciliation. But if he is wronged and knows it not, we need make no acknowledgments, 'tis true, since he has no need to be reconciled; but still we must make a just amends, and repair the damage, be the way of doing it never so private, and managed with as much discretion as can be used about it.
But to prevent needless fears, as well as to press a necessary practice in this Point; I think it not amiss to add these limitations to the obligation of this Duty, viz. that we are bound to it only in …, not of Charity and Courtesy; and … far as we can, and as we have an opportunity to perform it.
First, We are bound to make amends and restitution only upon sins against strict Justice, not upon sins against Charity. All restitution must be of something, whereto another man has a full and compleat right, otherwise it is not restoring, but giving it. It is returning of a thing to its right Owner, and putting him into possession who has the just title and propriety. Now such right as this no man has to things of Charity, but only to things of strict Justice.
'Tis true indeed, there is a certain dueness in them, as well as there is in these; we ought to give Alms, as well as to perform Contracts; to be grateful, compassionate, courteous, and condescensive, as well as to restore a pledge, or fulfil a bargain. These Points of Charity, as well as those of Justice, are due from us, and ought to be performed by us: and since there is a Duty on our parts to bestow, there must be answerably some kind of right in others to rec…ive them. So that even the instances of kindness and Charity, are in some sence a matter of right and duty; and because those who receive them are not altogether void of title, but have some right to them, they are oft-times in Scripture called works of righteousness, and the persons who perform them, are called upon that account just, or righteous men. Thus where we read, Take heed that you do not your gforeign.Alms before men; it is read by several Copies, Take heed that you do not your foreign.righteousness before them, Matth. 6.1. The merciful men, Matth. 25, who are described by their Compassionateness, Alms, and Hospitality, ver. 35, 36: are called the righteous men in the next Verse, Then shall the righteous say, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred? &c. ver. 37. Thus the charitable Lender is called a righteous person, Psal. 37; the righteous is merciful, and lendeth, ver. 25, 26; and Joseph's being a pitiful, kind Husband, and unwilling publickly to expose his Wife Mary, whom he found with child before they came together, but resolving to put her away privily, is called his being a iforeign.just man, Matth. 1.19.
Some right then our Brethren have to our works of mercy, liberality, gratitude, candor, affability, courtesy, and other instances of common charity: So much dueness there is in them, and so much right and title they have to them, as can denominate them works of righteousness, and us who perform them just and righteous men.
But this right is much less than that which they have to all expressions of strict Justice; and is rather an imperfect draught and a beginning of right, than right it self. For all full and perfect right bestows a title, it invests a man in propriety; so that what he has a compleat right to, he may justly call his own. And such a right as this all men have to the safety of their persons, goods, and reputations, and all other things which are a matter of strict Justice. They have a full claim to them, and cannot, without their own consent, be deprived of them: and therefore if any private person like themselves damnifies them in these, they may justly complain he wrongs them, and demand satisfaction; and when they receive it, they do not thank him as for a free and charitable gift, but look on it as their own, and accept it as a debt and necessary restitution. Thus full and perfect is that right which men have to things of strict Justice, it invests them with propriety, and makes the things which they have a right to, to become their own; so that 'tis no gift, nor thank-worthy, when other men either perform at first, or after injury restore it to them.
But as for that right, which men have to all expressions of kindness and charity; it founds no full claim, nor invests a man with Lordship and Propriety; so that he must owne anothers kindness when he receives them, and cannot say he is deprived of his own, when they are withheld from him. This Right does not confer Propriety, but doth only something towards it; it makes it anothers duty to give, and his gift must compleat our Title, and bestow a perfect Claim to it. Thus, for instance, if any person has an opportunity put into his hands, to be helpful to a man in want or misery; when the needful persons ask an alms, they do not demand a debt, but intreat his charity; they do not exact what is their own, but beg what is his; so that he has an opportunity, not of doing justice, but of shewing kindness and charity when he gives; and they are under a duty of acknowledging his kindness, and being thankful when they receive it. And the case is the same in gratitude, candor, courtesie, and other instances of Love and Charity. The right which any man has to them is not so full, that he can say they are his own; there is a duty indeed on other men to give, and that gift may make them his in time; but till that is done, he cannot say he is injuriously deprived of any thing which of compleat right belongs to him, or require that they, who have taken nothing that is his from him, should repair the loss, and make a restitution.
Restitution then in transgressions against strict Justice is a duty, because there men are deprived of that which is really their own; and it is but justice, and not thank-worthy, that he who deprives them of that, should give it back again, and restore it to them. But in sins against meer Charity it is no duty; for there, since men have lost nothing that is their own, they can demand nothing to be restored to them. By these sins of uncharitableness indeed God is dishonoured, and by our amendment that must be repaired; our Brethren are sometimes justly offended, and when they are so, by our penitential acknowledgment they must be reconciled; but by a bare uncharitableness none of them is injured, so that there is no unjust loss which should be repaired, nor any thing taken from them which ought again to be restored to them.
2. We are bound to make amends for injuries, and to restore that which was taken away by them, so far only as we can, and as we have an opportunity of doing it.
We are bound, I say, to make restitution so far only as we kNon remittetur peccatum, nisi restituatur ablatum; sed cùm restitui potest. Aug. Ep. ad Maced. quae est Ep. 54.can. Some injuries in the nature of the thing can never wholly be repaired, as Murder and Adultery, for which satisfaction cannot be made to the persons principally concerned, but only to their families and dependants. Others cannot be compleatly recompensed, because of the number of persons that suffered by them, many whereof will never be seen again, or are forgotten; as it happens in a customary constant fraud in commerce, which cannot otherwise be perfectly requited than by putting the poor into their stead, or by some other pious and religious commutation. And others, lastly, cannot have a compleat amends, by reason of our inability compleatly to amend them. Some cross accidents of Providence, or some former vices or carelesness of our own, (which, though now we repent of, yet we cannot help,) have made us poor, and so unable to preserve all from being losers by us, and to restore to every man again what at any time we had injuriously spoiled, or taken from him. And now when by any of these ways restitution is impossible, and a thing which the truest penitent cannot perform, God will not exact it of him. If he doth what he is able, when he cannot do all; if he restores the damage to the injured persons dependants and relations, when he can make no restitution to himself; or if he restores it to charitable and religious uses, when he can do neither; or if, lastly, he confess his fault, and beg pardon, and be forward to return service and good offices, when he can make no other restitution at all; he has done what a tr…e penitent ought to do, and God will graciously accept him. His will shall be taken for the deed, since it is in his power to will only, but not to do; and through his honest readiness and endeavours to perform it, if he could, he shall be interpreted to have performed it.
We are bound, I say again, to make an actual restitution only when we have an opportunity of doing it. An honest purpose, as was said above, shall be accepted for all affirmative precepts, till there be a season offered for an actual performance. When there is an opportunity for it, we must not only will, but do and practise them: but till that happens, all that God expects, or that we can do, is to resolve to practise them, as we shall find occasion. And therefore if honestly we seek an opportunity to repair a wrong, but cannot find it: let us not disturb our souls with fears and scruples, but rest in peace; in confidence that our honest purpose shall bear us out, till Gods Providence affords us an opportune season wherein we may perform.
And in judging of this, when a fit season is come, and when such an opportunity is offered as we are bound to make our restitution in; we must neither be too strict and rigorous, nor too gentle and remiss.
We must not be too strict, and tye our selves up to so much quickness in restoring, as to run upon great inconveniencies that are of far more weight than the thing is worth, to prejudice considerably our own affairs, and neglect, it may be, some other as weighty duties, rather than delay a little longer; especially when it may be done at another time as well as then, and the damage, which the injured person sustains by such delay, is nothing in respect of that which we incur by a precipitate dispatch of it. Under such incommodious circumstances we may be allowed to put it off a while, and we need not fear lest our brother should be offended, or farther injured by such delay, since we have just reason to presume he willingly agrees to it. For thus far we may reasonably presume upon the free consent of all the conversable part of mankind, that, out of common humanity and compassion, they will be content to deny themselves in small things, to advantage us in great ones; and to want some slight conveniencies themselves, rather than put us, for the supplying of them, to deprive ourselves of such as are considerably weightier. And where we have so good a reason to presume of their consent to it, we shall not be trespassers against them, or any ways offensive to them, by our delaying of it.
But then, on the other hand, we must not be too remiss and partial to our selves, in judging of a fitting season for such a reparation, nor prone to press upon our brethrens wants and inconveniencies, but to spare our own. We must not refuse an offer, because it is joyned with some pains, and clog'd with some difficulties, and may occasion some loss and hindrance to us, or additional expence. Our slowness in returning a just amends at any time, but chiefly where the opportunities for it are more uncertain, must not be such as argues that we seek to excuse it, or are very indifferent to it, and easily put by it: it must not seem to intimate that we are in suspense about it, or have not perfectly resolved upon it, or, at least, that the performance of it is a forced, ungrateful thing, so that we would not come to it so long as we can find any pretence to turn it off, or are able to overlook it. For this shews evidently that our repentance is without zeal, that our sorrow is without life, and that, at best, we are acted only by an imperfect and insufficient, if not also by an unsincere purpose. And therefore to vindicate the honour, and perfect the degrees of our repentance and obedient purposes, which are absolutely necessary to our pardon and acceptance, we must shew such an overplus of affectionate haste to repair our injured brothers loss, as manifests that we are more concerned for him, than we are for our selves, and that we regard the pains and burden of our own part much less, than in all rational presumption, were he to judge of it, he himself would. This we shall do where the sorrow of our sin is great, where we have a high zeal against it, and have fully and compleatly repented of it: and when we are actuated and carried on by these, they will prevent all doubts, and never suffer any hard and uncertain question about the fitness of the opportunity, to come into a debate of Conscience. But if men have not so much love for the duty of Restitution, and so much zeal in their repentance as will make them overlook little things; if their repentance has no more warmth than is just necessary to make them do what is indispensably to be done, so that they come to weigh scruples, and nicely to debate whether some doubtful hindrances are sufficient to delay their restitution, or no: the best way that I can advise them, is to refer their brothers loss in wanting for some time, and theirs in making a present reparation, to the judgment of their spiritual Guides, or any other wise Advisers; and then peaceably to acquiesce in that course whereto those wise and good men shall direct them.
As for the duty of making reparation then where our sins have injured men, it is plainly this. In sins which are not only against Charity, but also against Justice, whereby we have wronged any man either in his Person, Goods, or Reputation; whether he knows that we have injured him or no, we must make a just amends and restitution. This must be made, where it can, to the injured man himself; and where that is not to be done, to his family and dependants; and, where that is impracticable too, to the poor, or to God himself, by some charitable or pious commutation. And this we are bound to do so far as it is in our power, and according as we can find an opportunity; being desirous of it, and fully resolved upon it when we want one; and doing as much as we can towards it, and asking pardon for that wherein we fail, when we are disabled from doing all. It is not enough after these sins to do so no more, unless, according to these rules, we make amendment for what we have done already. Reformation and forsaking of the fault will atone for any other wilful sin, whereby we have offended none but God: and that, and, penitential acknowledgments, will expiate those whereby we have offended both God and men; but if we have not only offended, but wronged also and injured them, we must not only amend our fault to please God, and penitently acknowledge it to appease them; but, as ever we would secure the pardon of it, we must restore the spoil, and repair the wrong, and set them, as far as may be, in as good a state as our sin took from them.