The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 42
For ſhe loved much.]
The Rhemiſts note upon this is, Not only Faith (as you may perceive, ſay they) but Love or Charity obtaineth Remiſſion of Sinne in the firſt act of Iuſtification.
But how may we perceive this? Why the Particle foreign proves it and ſhews that Love was the cauſe why her many ſins were forgiven her.foreign idem valet foreign, Aret. in loc.
But are they ignorant of this the For is oftentimes a note of Inference or Conſequence, and as well an argument of the Effect from the Cauſe, as of the Cauſe from the Effect: We ſay it is Spring-time; Why ſo? For, or Becauſe the Fig-tree puts forth and buds: The putting forth of the Figg-tree argues the Spring-time,Dilectio hic nō dicitur eſſe venia cauſa, ſed poſterius ſignum Calv. but the budding and putting forth of the Fig-tree is not the Cauſe of Spring-time. I ſay this child is alive, becauſe it cryes, or this man lives, becauſe he mooves; will any ſo underſtand me as if I meant the crying of the one and the mooving of the other is the Cauſe of life and motion in the one or in the other? Our Saviour himſelfe uſeth this kind of arguing, as we find Iohn 15.15. I have called you Friends, for all things I have heard of my Father, I have made knowne unto you, where declaring of thoſe things to them is the Effect not cauſe of his Love.
And that our Saviour here reaſoneth from the Effect to the Cauſe is evident enough from the whole diſcourſe, the ſcope wherof is to ſhew that the forgiveneſſe of the debt of ſinne is a juſt cauſe of Love according to the meaſure and rate of the ſins forgiven as is evident in ſuch debters from whom the ſimilitude is taken, who beare no ſpeciall love unto their creditours, untill they know how they ſhall bee dealt withall.
Now if it ſhould be as the Papiſts would have it, that Love and the Fruits therof ſhould be a cauſe of Remiſſion, our Saviours Application ſhould be directly contrary to that which in this Parable he had propounded, for then the greater Sinner ſhould have ſomewhat to ſatisfie, when the Parable ſaith that not ſo much as the leſſer can doe it: And that which in the Parable hee had made the Cauſe of the Love of the Forgiven Perſon, heere hee ſhould make the Effect of it.
Beſides, the other clauſe immediately following doth evidence it ſufficiently that our Saviour argueth from the Effect: For to whom little is forgiven, ſaith our Saviour, the ſame loveth little; ſo that according to the proportion of Forgiveneſſe, the proportion of Love followeth.
S. Ambroſe thus underſtands the plate,Bellar. depaenit lib. 2. c 14. reſp. ad object. and Bellarmine himſelfe ſaith, that theſe words of Chriſt, Many ſinnes are forgiven her, Confirmant abſolutionem inviſibiliter datam, doe confirme the Abſolution inviſibly before given: So then the Abſolution which was given before was confirmed by her Love, and by it ſhee might know and reſt aſſured that her ſins were remitted, according to that of St. Iohn 1 Epiſt. 3.14. Wee know that we have paſſed from death to life, becauſe we love the Brethren.
This Collection then of theirs you ſee is but grating upon a word and contrary to the ſence of the place, a meere foreign: A folly it is to follow them too far; we come to ſuch as the Text will naturally afford, as firſt
Doct. A Proofe (a poſteriore) from the Effect is a ſtrong Proofe, and very Demonſtrative. Thus the Truth of our Faith is to be prooved, Iames 2.18. And of Repentance, 2 Cor. 7.11. And of Charity, 1 Iohn 3.14 And ſo Saint Iames prooves Wiſedome from above by the Effects, Iames 3.17. Still Scripture puts us upon the Tryall of our Graces, by theſe kinde of Proofes.
Grace is inviſible in its Nature, it cannot be ſeene in habitu: Therefore as GOD was ſeene to Moſes, ſo is Grace to men, by its Backe-parts; and as the wind which no man can ſee in its proper Eſſence, by the full ſayles of the Ship is perceived which way it ſtands.
Vſe Let this be a Direction to us in our Examination and tryall of our ſelves. I deny not but a Proofe or Demonſtration, a priori, from the Cauſe to the Effect is better and more excellent in its owne nature then the other: But for us in the tryall of our ſpirituall eſtates it is ſafer and more demonſtrative to proceed from the Effect to the Cauſe. Would I know if the Sun ſhines? there is no climbing up to the Sky to be reſolved, nor examining what matter it is made off; I looke upon the beames ſhining on the Earth, I perceive it is up and ſhines by the light and heat it gives. Would I know if GOD hath elected me to life and to ſalvation? There is no climbing up into Heaven to know his Decrees and hidden Counſell (as too many would moſt audaciouſly) but ſtudy well the markes of it from the Effects. The head of Nilus cannot be found, but the ſweet Springs iſſuing from thence are well knowne. No ſurer way to the Sea, then by taking a River by the hand. Our Vocation and Sanctification will carry us to Election, Rom. 8.30. 2 Pet. 1.5-10.
Theſe are the meanes whereby our Election and Salvation is made certaine, not the efficient Cauſes wherby it comes to be decreed. The Sun not the ſhadow makes the Day, yet we know not how the Day goes by the Sunne, but by the ſhadow. In a word, as the Planets are knowne by their Influence, the Diamond by his Luſtre, and the Soule by her Ʋitall Operations, ſo Grace is moſt ſenſibly knowne to us by the Effects therof.
Doct. Secondly, we obſerve from hence,
That a true and unfeined love of Chriſt is a ſure ſigne that our ſins are remitted.
David thus reaſons, Pſal 18.1, 2. I will love thee O Lord my ſtrength, he got that leſſon by heart, yea in his heart; now preſently he takes forth, The Lord is my Rocke and my Fortreſſe and my deliverer, my God, my ſtrength in whom I will trust, my Buckler and the horne of my Salvation.
This Argument our Saviour uſeth to raiſe up and comfort Peter after his fall, who queſtionleſſe was much caſt downe under the ſight and ſenſe of his ſin. Simon thou ſonne of Jonah loveſt thou me? Ioh. 21.15. q. d. If this be in thee, be of good comfort, know thy ſins are remitted, and God reconciled to thee: So 1 Iohn 4.16. Hee that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in GOD and GOD in him: Now as the Prophet ſpeaks, Can two walke together except they be agreed? Queſtionleſſe God is reconciled to them who truly love him; els he would not bee an Inhabitant within them. Soe, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4, 8.
Reaſon And it cannot otherwiſe be, in that true Love ariſeth and ſpringeth from Faith. Therfore in the place of S. Peter before noted,1 Tim. 1.5. after he ſaid they loved the Lord, he inferreth preſently they alſo beleeved in him. Which (as we ſhall after ſee, verſ. 50.) is the inſtrumentall Cauſe of our Iuſtification. It is Faith that brings the holy Fire of Love into our frozen hearts, Gal. 5.6.or they would never be warmed with it. In Nature we ſee nothing can moove in deſire to this or that till firſt it hath apprehended it lovely; whilſt the debtor thinkes of the rigour of his Creditour he doth feare him not affect him truly, ſo our affections cannot in love and deſire move to God, and unite themſelves with God till by Faith we diſcerne him as reconciled to us, and an amiable object for us ſinners to imbrace: But when once it comes to ſee Gods love forgiving it many ſins, then it cannot but love much again.
Vſe. And this ſerves to the overthrowing of their opinion, who hold that Aſſurance of Pardon of Sin cannot in this life be attain'd unto. If the Aſſurance of our Love to God may be had, then may the Aſſurance of the Pardon of our Sins be attaind unto: but the former may be had, therfore the latter.
That the Aſſurance of our Love to God may be had is cleare. S. Peter was undoubtedly aſſured of it (and that even in the time of the great dejectedneſſe of his ſpirit) els he would never have ſaid as he did,Joh. 21.17. Lord thou knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee; So the faithfull in whoſe name the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 1 Iohn. 3.14. were undoubtedly aſſured that they loved the children of GOD, by which Love likewiſe they were aſſured that they were tranſlated from Death to Life, for that none can truely love the Children of God, but they muſt love the Father alſo.
Ob. But every Grace hath its counterfit, and the heart is deceitfull above all things?
Resp. This Grace can the hardlieſt be counterfetted of any other Grace: There is ſcarce any thing els that we can inſtance in, ſaith one, but a Hypocrite may go cheeke by jowle with a good Chriſtian: He may do all outward ſervices,D. Preſton his Treat. of Love p. 151. & on Effectuall faith page 72. he may abſtaine from ſinnes, a great change may be wrought in him, we know how farre the third ground went, Matth. 13. And thoſe, Hebr. 6. But this they cannot counterfeit to love the LORD. A Hypocrite may heare the Word, Pray, give Almes, but to doe theſe out of Love, that is a thing which no Hypocrite is able to reach unto.
Secondly, though ſaving Graces have their Counterfets, yet a man may be aſſured by the Word that he hath this and other Graces in him in Sincerity ſo as that he cannot be deceived in them: For as God gave Moſes in the Mount a Patterne, according to which he would have all things made in the Tabernacle, Hebr. 8.5. So that when he viewed the worke and ſaw all was done according to that Patterne, he was ſure he had done right, and bleſſed them, as we read, Exod. 39.43. So hath God given us a Patterne in his Word, according to which he would have every thing in his ſpirituall Tabernacle (as Faith, Repentance, Love, Obedience, &c) to be wrought: And if a man can find that the Grace he hath be according to the Patterne, as (if he take paines with himſelfe to view the work, as Moſes did) he may, then he may be ſure it is right, and ſhall have cauſe of rejoycing, as the Apoſtle ſaith Gal. 6.4.
Vſe 2 Secondly, Learne hence a notable way to eſtabliſh our hearts in the Aſſurance of the pardon of Sinne. Thou needeſt not climbe up into Heaven to ſearch Gods Books whither they be croſt or no, there to behold the Face of God whither he ſmile or frowne; but dive into thine owne ſoule, and there find out what love thou beareſt to thy Maker and bleſſed Saviour; if thou findeſt that thou loveſt him unfainedly, that is, that thou loveſt him more than theſe, loveſt him for himſelfe, for thoſe beauties and excellencies that are in him: It is the greateſt Comfort that thou canſt have in this life, for that thou mayeſt reſt aſſured hereupon that God is reconciled to thee, and that thy ſins (be they never ſo great or many) are forgiven thee. Finding this in thee, thou mayeſt be ſure, and never till than canſt thou be aſſured of it. For, we may eaſier carry Coales in our boſome without burning, than by Faith apprehend truly this Love of God in the pardoning of ſin without finding our hearts burne in Love to him anſwerably. But in finding that we have the giving hand of Love, giving to God as Mary here did, thoſe duties that are owing, we may aſſure our ſelves that we have likewiſe the receiving hand of Faith, wherby we have apprehended and laid hold of thoſe mercies which are peculiar to Gods elect in Chriſt, though for the preſent it may be thou maiſt have no feeling of it.
Only ſee that our Love be rightly qualified, that it hath theſe requiſites which Gods Word ſpeaks off that it be with all our hearts, with all our ſoules, with all our might, Deut. 6.5. Mark, 10.30. By which variety of words God would teach us that he muſt be loved with all whatſoever is in us and in our powers both intenſively and extenſively, as farre as is poſſible. All the affections and powers of the ſoule muſt be gathered together and united, like the Sunne-beames in a burning-Glaſſe to make our Love more hot and fervent. Our love to him muſt be greater then to our ſelves or to any other thing belonging to us, Pluſquam te, pluſquam tua, pluſquam tuos, as St. Bernard ſpeaketh; otherwiſe as Simon Peter ſaid to Simon Magus in another caſe, Thou haſt neither part nor portion in this buſineſſe.
In the third place we do obſerve,
Doct. That loving much argues much mercy received from the beloved party.
When men have bin extraordinarily kind unto us; you know how marvellouſly it works with us upon the apprehenſion of it, ſo was it here with Marie, and ſo with Peter, and ſo with other of the Saints, ſtill you ſhall find the deeper ſenſe they have had of their own ſin and wretchedneſſe, the more have their hearts bin inſtamed with love to G… …pon the apprehenſion of his MercieMercy in their R…ſſion; the more zealous have they bin for his Glory, the more thankefull for his Mercy, the more deſirous to pleaſe him, the more fearefull to offend him, and the more ready to turne unto him by Repentance, as hath bin before ſhewed, verſ. 43. Now becauſe the next part or member of this verſe is brought in as an Illuſtration of this Poſition, we will add only a word or two for Application.
Vſe Be informed hence of one Reaſon, why God is delighted in forgiving great offences, why he is ſo ready to forgive much; ſurely he would be loved much: And who deſerves to be loved much, if not this God who hath forgiven much. Let a man but conſider what God hath done for him in giving him his Son, &c. every other common mercy would be as bellowes to blow our Love to a greater flame, and till we enter upon that thought we ſhall not love with any great fervency of ſpirit, as follows in the oppoſite clauſe.