Sermons and Discourses Volume 8, Sermon 13
SERMON XIII.Ser. 13. The Nature and Neceſſity of Reſtitution. The Second Sermon on this Text.
LUKE XIX.8, 9.
And if I have taken any thing from any Man by falſe accuſation, I reſtore him fourfold. And Jeſus ſaid unto him, This day is Salvation come to this Houſe.
IN ſpeaking to theſe words, I propoſed to conſider,
Firſt, The Nature of this Duty of Reſtitution.
Secondly, To ſhew the Neceſſity of it.
Thirdly, To perſwade men to the diſcharge of it.
In treating of the Nature of Reſtitution,Vol. 8. I have conſider'd,
I. The Act.
II. The Extent of it.
III. The Manner how it is to be perform'd.
IV. The Meaſure of it.
V. The Perſons who are to make Reſtitution; and the Perſons to whom Reſtitution is to be made. I now proceed to conſider,
VI. The time when Reſtitution is to be made. In theſe Caſes a Man is not tyed up to an inſtant, not juſt to the preſent time, unleſs the Caſe be ſuch, that he can never do it, if he do not do it then. As if a Man lie upon his Death-Bed, that is a Caſe that admits of no delay, a Man ſhould haſten Reſtitution, as he would do the making of his Will, and the diſpoſal of his Eſtate; leſt if he do not do it preſently, he loſe his opportunity of doing it for ever: but ordinarily, a Man is not ſo ſtrictly tyed up to moments, and to the preſent time. It is, ſufficient that a Man be for the preſent reſolved to do it, ſo ſoon as morally he can, ſo ſoon as he would do other Actions of great moment and concernment. And to this purpoſe the Text gives us an excellent Pattern; Zacheus, the ſame day he repented, took up this Reſolution, and to oblige himſelf effectually to put it in Execution, he publickly declares it, and before all the People offers to make Reſtitution to all whom he had injur'd.
Therefore take heed of all unneceſſary delays in theſe matters: for tho' God would accept of a firm and ſincere Reſolution in this Caſe, if a Perſon thus reſolved ſhould, before he could bring his Reſolution to effect, happen to be cut off by Death, or be otherwiſe render'd incapable of doing it, I ſay, tho' God would accept ſuch a Reſolution as this; yet he will not interpret that to be a ſincere Reſolution, which a Man is negligent to put in Practice: for every neglect of putting our Reſolution in Practice, is a degree of quitting and altering it; and he who did not do what he was reſolved to do, when he had an opportunity and ability of doing it, is juſtly preſumed to have let fall his Reſolution.
Therefore let no Man preſume upon his good Intention and Reſolution in this kind; for they are only acceptable to God, ſo far as they are ſincere and real; and they are only ſo far ſincere and real, as the Man that makes them, is ready to put them in Execution, ſo ſoon as morally he can. And if thou careleſly and ſupinely trifle away thy opportunities in this kind, God may likewiſe deprive thee of an opportunity for ever. For all the while thou wilfully neglecteſt to make Reſtitution, thou art guilty of the injury; and there are hardly two Sins that cry louder to God for a quick and ſpeedy revenge, than Injuſtice and Oppreſſion, Deceit and Fraud. God many times takes ſuch Cauſes into his more immediate cognizance, 2 Theſſ. 4.4. Let no Man deceive or go beyond his Brother in any thing: for God is the revenger of ſuch. And David tells us, that God in a peculiar manner abhors the Blood-thirſty and deceitful Man; and threatens that he ſhall not live out half his days. And God by the Prophet, Mal. 3.5. tells us, that He will be a ſwift witneſs againſt the oppreſſors. And if God be ſo ſwift to take vengeance upon ſuch Perſons, ſurely then they are concerned to be very quick and ſpeedy in making Satisfaction for their injuries and oppreſſions, leſt Divine Vengeance prevent them, and inſtead of making Reparation to men, they be call'd upon to make Satisfaction to the Juſtice of God; and you know who hath ſaid it, that It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
You therefore that have hitherto neglected this Duty, delay it no longer; by all means diſcharge your Conſciences of this Burden, before you come to lie upon a Death-Bed. Then the Conſciences of the worſt of men begin to work, like a Stomach oppreſt and ſurcharged with meat; and then they are willing for their eaſe to vomit up thoſe Eſtates, which they have devoured by fraud and injuſtice; then they begin to conſider the difficulty of being ſaved, and to fear that it will be impoſſible for them ever to enter in at the ſtrait Gate, thus laden with the ſpoils of violence and deceit; even thoſe that have the hardeſt and moſt ſeared Conſciences, will be touched with the Senſe of ſuch great Sins at ſuch a time: but do not thou defer this work to that time, for theſe two Reaſons.
1. Becauſe it cannot be ſo acceptable to God, to make Reſtitution at ſuch a time, as when thou art in health and in hopes of longer life. To give a Man his own, when thou canſt enjoy it and uſe it no longer, this is next to detaining of it.
2. Becauſe in all probability the Reſtitution which is then made will not prove ſo effectual. What thou doſt thy ſelf, that thou art ſure is done: but what thou leaveſt to be done by thy Executors, and chargeſt upon them, thou art not ſure will be done; ten to one but if they can find out any trick and evaſion in Law, either to delay or avoid the doing of it, it ſhall either never be done, or very ſlowly. This is the ſixth thing, the time when Reſtitution is to be made.
But before I leave this Head, there is one Caſe very proper to be conſidered, which relates to this Circumſtance of Time, and that is concerning injuries of a very ancient date; that is, how far this Duty of Reſtitution is to look backward, and whether it doth not expire by tr…ct of time? For anſwer to this, I ſhall lay down theſe Proportions.
1. At what diſtance of time ſoever the Law would in the Caſe make Reparation and give Satisfaction, we are undoubtedly bound in Conſcience voluntarily to give it. I deliver this generally; becauſe, tho' it be poſſible ſome Civil Laws may be in ſome Caſes unreaſonable in this matter, yet they are our beſt Rule and Guide; and, ſpeaking generally and for the moſt part, they are as equitable as the Reaſon of Man could deviſe. Not that we are to tie our ſelves ſtrictly to the Law, ſo as not to go farther, if Reaſon and Equity require; for, as Seneca ſays, Parum eſt ad legem bonum eſſe, It is no great argument of goodneſs, to be juſt as good as the Law requires. Therefore I think it will very well become a good Man, in many Caſes, rather to be better than the Law, than to keep ſtrictly to it.
2. In Caſes where the Law hath not determined the time, we may do well to obſerve a proportion to what the Law hath determined in other Caſes, which come neareſt our own Caſe.
3. When the injury is ſo old, that the right which the injured Perſon had to Reparation is reaſonably preſumed to be quitted and forſaken, then the Obligation to Satisfaction ceaſeth and expires. The Reaſon is plain, becauſe every Man may recede from his own Right, and give it up to another; and where a Man may reaſonably be preſumed to have parted with his right to another, the Obligation to Reſtitution ceaſeth and the right of claiming it. Now when a thing begins, haberi pro derelicto, that is, when a right may reaſonably be preſumed to be quitted and forſaken, cannot in general be determined: but this muſt be eſtimated according to the importance of the right and thing in Controverſie, as whether it be more or leſs conſiderable; and according to the Reaſon and Determination of Laws about things of this Nature. To illuſtrate this Rule by inſtances. The Saxons, Danes, and Normans, did at ſeveral times invade and conquer this Nation, and conquer'd it we will ſuppoſe unjuſtly, and conſequently did hold and poſſeſs that which truly belonged to others, contrary to right; and ſeveral of the Poſterity of each of theſe do probably to this day hold what was then injuriouſly gotten; I ſay, in this Caſe, the Obligation to Satisfaction and Reſtitution is long ſince expired, and the Original Title, which thoſe who were diſpoſſeſt had, is reaſonably preſumed to be long ſince quitted and forſaken; and that for very wiſe Reaſons in Law and Government; becauſe it would confound and unſettle all Eſtates, if every thing, the Original Title whereof is naught, were to be reſtored; and it is but equal to preſume, that all Mankind are ſo reaſonable, as to quit their right in ſuch Caſes, rather than to cauſe endleſs diſturbances, and to have the guilt of Injuſtice everlaſtingly perpetuated. And tho' it be a rule in Civil Law, that Vitioſum initio, tractu temporis non convaleſcit, A Title originally bad can never by time be made juſt; it is only true thus far, that time in it ſelf doth not alter the Nature of things: but conſidering the neceſſities of the World, and the infinite difficulties of retrieving an ancient Right, and the inconveniences and diſturbances that would thereby redound to Humane Society, it is better that an injury ſhould be perpetuated, than that a great inconvenience ſhould come by endeavouring to redreſs it; ſo that altho' conſidering a thing ſimply in it ſelf, an injury is ſo far from being leſſened or null'd by tract of time, that it is increaſed, and the longer it continues, the greater it is; yet by accident, and in compliance with the neceſſity of things, length of time may give a right to that which was at firſt injuriouſly poſſeſt. Judg. 11.26. Thus Jephthah reaſons with the King of Ammon, who had made War for recovery of an ancient Right, as he ſuppos'd. And tho' the inſtances I have given of the unjuſt Conqueſt of a Nation be great and publick; yet the ſame is to be determined proportionably in leſs and particular Caſes. And thus I have done with the ſixth thing.
VII. And laſtly, As to the order of Reſtitution. When we have injur'd a great many, and are not able to make Reſtitution to all at once, our beſt Prudence and Diſcretion muſt govern us herein. Becauſe no certain Rule can be given, which will reach all Caſes, I will only ſay this in general, that it is reaſonable firſt to make Reparation for the oldeſt and greateſt injuries; and ceteris paribus, if all other Conſiderations be equal, to conſider thoſe firſt, who are moſt neceſſitous, and if there be any other ſpecial Reaſon and Obligation ariſing from the Nature of the injury, or the Circumſtances of the Perſon injur'd, to have regard to them. I come now in the
Second place, To confirm the truth of the Propoſition, That to make Reſtitution and Satisfaction to thoſe whom we have injured, is a proper and neceſſary Fruit of a true Repentance. And this will appear, if we conſider theſe two things.
I. Our Obligation to this Duty.
II. The Nature of Repentance.
I. Our Obligation to this Duty. Upon the ſame account that we are obliged to Repentance, we are obliged to Reſtitution; and both theſe Obligations ariſe from natural Equity and Juſtice. All Sin is an injury done; and tho' Repentance be not ſtrictly Satisfaction, yet it is the beſt we can make; and he is unjuſt, who having done an injury, does not make the beſt Reparation he can. But now there are ſome Sins, in which, beſides the injury that is done to God by them, upon the general account, as they are Sins and Violations of his Laws, there is likewiſe a particular injury done to men; and ſuch are all thoſe, the effect whereof redounds to the prejudice of other men: ſuch are fraud and oppreſſion, and all other Sins whereby others are injured. So that in theſe kinds of Sins, there are two things conſiderable, the irregularity and viciouſneſs of the Act, and the evil Effects of it upon other men: the former reſpects the Law, and calls for Sorrow and Repentance for our Violation of it; the latter reſpects the Perſon that is injured, and calls for Satisfaction and Reſtitution. So that our Obligation to Reſtitution is founded in the immutable and indiſpenſable Law of Nature, which is To do that to another, which we would have another do to us. We would have no Man be injurious to us, or if he have been ſo, we would have him make Satisfaction and Reparation to us of the injury he hath done; and we take it grievouſly from him, if he do not. Now nothing is more juſt and equitable, than that we ſhould do that to others, which we in the like Caſe would expect from them: for the very ſame obligation that lies upon others towards us, does lie upon us in regard to others.
II. This will yet further appear, if we conſider the Nature of Repentance, which is to be ſorry for what we have done, and not to do the like for the future. Now if thou be ſorry for what thou haſt done, thou wiſheſt with all thy heart thou hadſt not done it; and if thou doſt ſo, thou wilt undo, as much as in thee lieth, what thou haſt done. Now the beſt way to undo an injury, is to make Reparation for it; and till we do this, we continue in the Sin. For if it was a Sin, to do the injury at firſt, it is the ſame continued, not to make Satisfaction; and we do not ceaſe to commit the Sin, ſo long as we detain that, which is another's Right. Nothing but Reſtitution can ſtop the progreſs of Sin: for if it be a Sin to take that which is another Man's from him by fraud or violence, it is the ſame continued and virtually repeated, to detain and keep it from him; and nothing more contrary to Repentance, than to continue in the Sin thou pretendeſt to repent of. For how art thou ſorry for doing of it, if thou continueſt to do it; if thou wilt go on to do it and do it again? How doſt thou hate thy Sin, if thou enjoy the Benefit and reap the Advantage of it? If thou doſt this, it is an Argument thou loveſt the Sin ſtill: for thou didſt never love it for it ſelf, but for the Profit of it, and ſo long as thou retaineſt that, thou canſt not be quit of the Sin. Thou holdeſt faſt thy Sin, ſo long as thou refuſeſt to make Satisfaction for it; and Repentance without Reſtitution differs as much from true Repentance, as continuance in Sin does from the forſaking of it. Si res aliena non redditur, non agitur poenitentia, ſed fingitur; ſo St. Auguſtine; If we do not reſtore that, which we have injuriouſly detained from another, our Repentance is not real, but feigned and hypocritical, and will not be effectual to the obtaining of our Pardon. 'Tis a very common, but a true and terrible ſaying, Non dimittitur peccatum, niſi reſtituatur ablatum, No Remiſſion without Reſtitution. If we will inherit the Profit and Advantage of Sin, we cannot think it unreaſonable or unjuſt that we ſhould inherit the Puniſhment of it.
When the Scripture ſpeaks of Repentance, it frequently mentions Reſtitution as a proper Fruit and Effect of it, and as a neceſſary and indiſpenſable Condition of Pardon and Life. Ezek. 33.14, 15, 16. Again, when I ſay unto the wicked, Thou ſhalt ſurely die: if he turn from his ſin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked reſtore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, &c. As if he had ſaid, when I denounce Death and Deſtruction to the wicked, there is but this one way to eſcape it, and that is by Repentance; but then take notice, what a Repentance it is, that will avail to this end; it is not a bewailing our ſelves, and lamenting over our Sins, but a forſaking of them and returning to our Duty; If we turn from our ſin, and do that which is lawful and right. For inſtance, if he have been guilty of Injuſtice and Oppreſſion; if he leave his Courſe, and deal juſtly and righteouſly with his Neighbour, and not only ſo, but he alſo make Reſtitution for the injury he hath done, and reſtore what he hath unjuſtly detain and taken away; If he reſtore the pledge, and give again that he hath robbed, and do no Injuſtice for the future, but walk in the Statutes of Life, without committing iniquity, upon theſe Terms and no other he ſhall live, he ſhall not die. Yea the very light of Nature could ſuggeſt. thus much to the People of Nineveh, that there was no hope, without this Fruit of Repentance, of appeaſing God's wrath. Therefore the King and the Princes, after all the external ſolemnity of faſting, and ſackeloth, and crying mightily, they decree that Every one ſhould turn from the evil of his ways, and from the violence that was in their Hands, ut rapinâ manus vacuefaciat, & rapta reſtituat, ſine quo non eſt vera poenitentia; ſo Grot. upon the place, That he empty his hands of the ſpoils of rapine and oppreſſion, that is, that he make Reſtitution, without which there can be no Repentance: And upon their doing this, 'tis ſaid, that God ſpared them, Ver. 10. And God ſaw their works, that they turned from their evil ways. 'Tis not ſaid, that he ſaw their faſting and ſackcloth, but He ſaw their works, the real Fruits and Effects of their Repentance; and upon this it was that God repented of the evil he ſaid, he would do to them, and he did it not. And elſewhere we find, that God ſpeaks with great Indignation of the moſt ſolemn Repentance, which is not accompanied with this Fruit, Iſa. 58.3, 4, 5, 6. The People tell God how they had faſted and afflicted their Soul, and made their voice to be heard on high: but God deſpiſeth all this, becauſe it was not accompanied with this Fruit of Repentance, Is it ſuch a faſt as I have choſen? &c. There is ſo much of natural Juſtice and Equity in Reſtitution, and it is ſo proper a Fruit of Repentance, that as Grotius obſerves, it is not only the Doctrine of the Jews and Chriſtians, but of Heathens and Mahumetans, that the Repentance which doth not produce this Fruit is feigned, and will never avail with God for Pardon and Mercy. Thus much for Confirmation of this Doctrine.
The third and laſt thing I propos'd was to perſwade to the Practice of this Duty; and this may ſerve by way of Application of the Doctrine of Reſtitution. The uſe we ſhould make of it is.
Firſt, To perſwade men to the Practice of this difficult Duty. I doubt not but the Arguments I have uſed are ſufficient to convince us of the Equity and Neceſſity of Reſtitution; but what Arguments ſhall I uſe to perſwade to the Practice and Exerciſe of it? When we preſs men to their Duty, tho' we have ſome Advantages on our ſide, yet we have alſo great diſadvantages. We have this Advantage, that we have the Reaſon and Conſciences of men on our ſide: but then we have this diſadvantage, that we have to contend either with the Luſts or Intereſts of men, or both: now that theſe are uſually more powerful, is evident, in that the Luſts and Intereſts of men do ſo frequently byaſs and draw them to do things contrary to Reaſon and Conſcience. When we perſwade men to be juſt, and to make Reſtitution to thoſe whom they have injur'd, 'tis true we have not to contend with the Luſts of men, with any corrupt and vicious Inclination of Nature. There are ſome Sins that have their riſe from mens natural Tempers, as Paſſion and Luſt, and thoſe ſenſual vices that abound in the World: but there's nothing in any Man's natural Temper and Diſpoſition that inclines him to be unjuſt, no Man's Complexion doth particularly diſpoſe him to lie or ſteal, to defraud his Neighbour, or detain his Right from him; it is only the Intereſts of men that prompt them to theſe Sins; and they are upon this account the more inexcuſable, becauſe no Man is inclined to theſe Sins from particular Temper and Conſtitution; ſo that an unjuſt Man is in ordinary Caſes and circumſtances a greater Sinner, than a Drunkard or a Luſtful Man, becauſe no Man can pretend to be hurried away by the ſtrong Propenſion and Inclination of his Nature, to cheat his Brother: but altho' when we perſwade men to be juſt, we have not the Luſts of Men to contend withal, yet we have another powerful Adverſary, and that is the Intereſts of men, which is one of the Chief Rulers and Governours of this World; ſo that when we preſs men to Reſtitution, we touch them in their Intereſt, which is a very touchy and tender thing; when we tell them that without Reſtitution no Man can repent and be ſaved, they think this to be a very hard ſaying, and they know not how to bear it.
But certainly it hath all the Reaſon and Equity in the World on its ſide. If it be ſo hard for them to reſtore that which is another Man's, is it not much harder for him whom thou haſt injured, to loſe that which is his own? Make it thine own Caſe; wouldſt thou not think it much harder to have thy right detained from thee by another, than for another to part with that which is not his own?
But I am ſenſible how little it is, that Reaſon will ſway with men againſt their Intereſt; therefore the beſt Argument that I can uſe will be to ſatisfie men, that upon a true and juſt account, it is not ſo much their Intereſt, to retain what they have unjuſtly got, as to make Reſtitution. And this I ſhall do by ſhewing men, that to make Reſtitution is their true Intereſt, both in reſpect of themſelves, and of their Poſterity.
I. In reſpect of themſelves. It is better both in reſpect of our preſent Condition in this World, and of our future State.
1. In reſpect of our preſent Condition in this World, and that both in reſpect of our outward Eſtate, and our inward Peace and Tranquility.
(1.) In reſpect of our outward Eſtate. If we have any belief of the Providence of God, that his Bleſſing can proſper an Eſtate, and his Curſe conſume it and make it moulder away, we cannot but judge it highly our Intereſt, to clear our Eſtates of Injuſtice by Reſtitution; and by this means to free them from God's Curſe. For if any of our Eſtate be unjuſtly gotten, it is enough to draw down God's Curſe upon all that we have; it is like a moth in our Eſtate, which will inſenſibly conſume it; it is like a ſecret Poyſon, which will diffuſe it ſelf through the whole; like a little Land in Capite, which brings the whole Eſtate into Wardſhip.
Hear how God threatens to blaſt Eſtates unjuſtly gotten, Job 20.12, &c. concluding with theſe words, This is the portion of a wicked Man, that is, of an unjuſt Man, Jer. 17.11. As a Partridge ſitteth on Eggs, and hatcheth them not, ſo he that getteth Riches and not by right, ſhall leave them in the midſt of his days, and at his end ſhall be a fool. Men many times live to ſee the folly of their Injuſtice and Oppreſſion, and their Eſtates wither away before their Eyes, and by the juſt revenge of God, they are deprived of them in the midſt of their days. So that the beſt way to fix an Eſtate, and to ſecure it to our ſelves, is by Reſtitution to free it from God's Curſe; and when we have done that, how much ſoever we may diminiſh our Eſtate by it, we may look upon our ſelves as having a better Eſtate than we had; better, becauſe we have God's Bleſſing with that which remains. If we believe the Bible, we cannot doubt of this. The Spirit of God tells us this from the Obſervation of the wiſeſt men, Pſal. 37.16. A little that a righteous Man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked. Prov. 16.8. Better is a little with righteouſneſs, than great Revenues without Right.
(2.) In reſpect of inward Peace and Tranquillity, it is highly our Intereſt to make Reſtitution. No man can enjoy an Eſtate, that does not enjoy himſelf; and nothing puts a Man more out of the Poſſeſſion of himſelf, than an unquiet Conſcience; and there are no kind of Sins lie heavier upon a Man's Conſcience, than thoſe of Injuſtice; becauſe they are committed againſt the cleareſt natural Light, and there's the leaſt natural Temptation to them. They have theſe two great Aggravations, that they are Sins moſt againſt knowledge, and have moſt of Will in them. There needs no Revelation to convince men of Sins of Injuſtice and Oppreſſion; every Man hath thoſe Principles born with him, which will ſufficiently acquaint him, that he ought not to be Injurious to another. There's nothing that relates to our Duty, that a Man can know with greater certainty than this, that Injuſtice is a Sin. And as it is a Sin moſt againſt knowledge, ſo it hath moſt of Will in it. Men are hurried away to other Sins by the ſtrong and violent Propenſions of their Nature: but no Man is inclined by his Temper and Conſtitution, to Fraud and Oppreſſion; and the leſs there is of Nature in any Sin, there's the leſs of Neceſſity, and conſequently it is the more voluntary. Now the greater the Aggravations of any Sin are, the greater is the guilt; and the greater the guilt is, the more unquiet our Conſciences will be: ſo that if thou have any regard to the Intereſt of thine own Peace, if that be conſiderable to thee, which to wiſe men is the moſt valuable thing in the World, do not for a little wealth continue in thoſe Sins, which will create perpetual diſturbance to thee, and imbitter all the Pleaſures of thy Life. Hear how Job deſcribes the Condition of the wicked oppreſſors in the place before cited, Job. 20.12, &c. He ſhall not rejoyce in them, becauſe he hath oppreſſed, becauſe he hath violently taken away a Houſe which he builded not, ſurely he ſhall not feel quietneſs in his belly, that is, he ſhall have no inward Peace and Contentment in the midſt of all his outward Enjoyments; but his ill-gotten Eſtate will work in his Conſcience, and gripe him, as if a Man had taken down Poyſon into his Belly.
2. But chiefly, In reſpect of our future Eſtate in another World, it is every Man's Intereſt to make Reſtitution. Without Repentance we are ruined for ever, and without Reſtitution no Repentance. No unrighteous Man hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Chriſt. If thou continue in thy fraud and oppreſſion, and carry theſe Sins with thee into another World, they will hang as a Millſtone about thy Neck, and ſink thee into eternal Ruine. He that wrongeth his Brother hateth him, and he that hateth his Brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal Life abiding in him, 1 John 3.15. Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, againſt all ungoldlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men. So that if it be mens Intereſt to eſcape the wrath of God, it concerns us to make Reparation for thoſe Injuries which will expoſe us to it. That is a dreadful Text, James 5.1, 2, 3, 4. Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miſeries that ſhall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten: Your Gold and Silver is canker'd, and the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſs againſt you, and ſhall eat your fleſh as it were fire: ye have heaped treaſure together for the laſt days. Behold! the Hire of the labourers which have reaped down your Fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped, are enter'd into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth. Do not by detaining the treaſures of wickedneſs, treaſure up to your ſelves wrath againſt the day of wrath: do not make your ſelves Miſerable for ever, that you may be Rich for a little while: do not for a little Silver and Gold, forfeit the eternal inheritance, which was not purchaſed with corruptible things, but with the precious Blood of the Son of God: And if this Conſideration, which is the weightieſt in the World, will not prevail with men, I can only ſay with the Angel, Rev. 22.11. He that is unjuſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill, let him continue in his Injuſtice at his Peril, and remember what is added at the 12th verſe, Behold! I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every Man according as his work ſhall be.
II. In reſpect of our Children and Poſterity, it is greatly our intereſt to make Reſtitution. God many times ſuffers an Eſtate got by oppreſſion to proſper for a little while: but there is a curſe attends it, which deſcends upon the Eſtate like an incumbrance; and Parents many times, when they think they entail an Eſtate, they entail Poverty upon their Children. Job 20.10. ſpeaking of the Children of the Oppreſſor, he ſaith, His Children ſhall ſeek to pleaſe the Poor, and his hands ſhall reſtore their Goods. And Job 21.19. God layeth up his iniquity for his Children. Thou layeſt up Riches for thy Children; and God lays up thine iniquity and Injuſtice for them, the Curſe that belongs to them. Hab. 2.9, 10, 11. Wo to him that coveteth an evil covetouſneſs, or gaineth an evil gain to his Houſe, &c. Thou thoughteſt to raiſe thy Family by thoſe ways; but thou haſt conſulted ſhame to thy Houſe. No ſuch effectual way to Ruine thy Family, as Injuſtice and Oppreſſion. As then you would not tranſmit a Curſe to your Children, and devolve Miſery upon your Family, free your Eſtates from the burden and weight of what is other mens, leſt by God's juſt Judgment and ſecret Providence, that little which you injuriouſly detain from others, carry away your whole Eſtate to them and their Family. God's Providence many times makes abundant Reſtitution, when we will not.
Having now endeavoured to ſatisfie men, that it is their trueſt Intereſt, to make Reſtitution for the injuries they have done to others, it remains only that I ſhould anſwer an Objection or two, which men are apt to make againſt this Duty.
Firſt, Men ſay they are aſhamed to do it. Anſ. It is not matter of ſhame, but of Praiſe and Commendation. But it may be thou wilt ſay, It is matter of ſhame to have injured another, and this is the way to lay open thy ſhame. Indeed if the injury were publick, the Reſtitution ought to be ſo too, as the only way to take off the ſhame of the injury. For thy Reſtitution doth not in this Caſe publiſh thy ſhame, but thy honeſty: but if the injury was private, thou may'ſt preſerve thy own Credit, by concealing thy ſelf, and provided thou do the thing effectually, thou may'ſt be as prudent, as to the manner of doing it, as thou pleaſeſt.
Secondly, Another Objection is the prejudice it will be to mens Eſtates. But this I have anſwer'd already, by ſhewing that it is more their Intereſt to make Reſtitution, than to continue in the Sin. I ſhall only add, that, as our Saviour reaſons in another Caſe, It is profitable for thee, that one of thy members ſhould periſh, rather than that thy whole Body ſhould be caſt into Hell: 'tis true likewiſe here, it is profitable for thee, that thou ſhouldſt go a Beggar to Heaven, rather than that thou ſhouldſt go to Hell, laden with the ſpoils and Guilt of Rapine and Injuſtice.
Thirdly, The laſt Objection that I ſhall mention, is diſſability to make Reſtitution. This indeed is ſomething; where nothing is to be had, every Man muſt loſe his Right: but then remember, that there muſt be a hearty Repentance for the Sin; and thy Sorrow muſt be ſo much greater, by how much thy ability to make Reſtitution is leſs; and there muſt be a willing Mind, a firm Purpoſe and Reſolution of doing it, when God ſhall enable thee, and diligent endeavours to that purpoſe. Under the Law thoſe who were not able to make Reſtitutution, were ſold for ſix years, if their ſervice did not make Reparation in leſs time. 'Tis true indeed, the moderation of the Goſpel doth not ſuffer Chriſtians to deal ſo hardly with one another: but if the Goſpel remit of this rigor, and do not allow Chriſtians to challange it, we ſhould voluntarily do in effect that which they were forced to, that is, we ſhould uſe our beſt endeavours and diligence to put our ſelves into a Condition of making Satisfaction; and we ſhould not look upon any thing beyond the neceſſary conveniences of Life, as our own, till we have done it; unleſs the Party injured will recede from his Right, in whole or in part. For tho' the impoſſibility of the thing do diſcharge us for the preſent, yet the Obligation ſtill lies upon us to do it, ſo ſoon as we are able.
And here it will be proper to conſider the Caſe of thoſe, who have compounded with their Creditors for a ſmall part, whether they be in Conſcience and Equity releaſed from the whole debt. I am loth to lay unneceſſary Burdens upon mens Conſciences, therefore I am very tender in reſolving ſuch Caſes: but I ought to have a more tender care of the Souls of men, than of their Eſtates: therefore to deal plainly, and to diſcharge my Conſcience in this matter, I think ſuch Perſons do, notwithſtanding the Compoſition, ſtand obliged in Equity and Conſcience for the whole debt, and are bound to diſcharge it, ſo ſoon as they can with tolerable Convenience. My Reaſon is, becauſe, tho' they be diſcharged in Law, yet the Law does not intend to take off the Obligation of Conſcience or Equity, which they are under; but leaves that as it found it. Thus the Caſe ſtands; men who are in a way of Trade are engaged by the neceſſities of their calling, to venture a great part of their Eſtate in other mens Hands, and by this means become liable many times to be undone without their own fault; therefore it is uſual, when any Man in a way of Trade becomes diſabled, for the Creditors to make ſuch a Compoſition with him, as his Eſtate will bear, and upon this Compoſition to give him a full diſcharge, ſo as that they cannot afterwards by Law require of him the remainder of their debt. Now tho' this be a favour to the debtor, yet it is principally intended for the benefit of the Creditor; becauſe it being his Act, it is to be preſumed, that he intended it as much as may be, for his own Advantage; and ſo it is, for the Creditor hath as much Satisfaction at preſent as can be had, and the debtor is hereby left in a capacity of recovering himſelf again by his induſtry and diligence, which could not be, if he were not fully diſcharged; for if he were ſtill liable for the reſt, he would continually be obnoxious to Impriſonment, which would render him incapable of following his calling; or if he were at liberty, he could have no Credit to enable him to do any thing in his calling; for who would truſt a Man with any thing, who is liable every moment to have it taken from him? So that the Reaſon of this plenary diſcharge is this, that men, who are otherwiſe hopeful, and in a fair probability of recovering themſelves, may not be render'd incapable of getting an Eſtate afterwards, whereby they may ſupport themſelves, and diſcharge their debts. Now this diſcharge being given in order to theſe ends, it cannot be imagined that it ſhould be intended to defeat them; but it is in all Reaſon to be ſuppoſed, that the Creditors did not intend to take off the Obligation of Equity and Conſcience, only to put the Man into a Condition of doing ſomthing towards the enabling him to diſcharge his debt. So that unleſs it were expreſt at the Compoſition, that the Creditor would never expect more from him, upon account of Equity and Conſcience, but did freely forgive him the reſt, the contrary whereof is uſually done, I ſay, unleſs it were thus expreſt, there's no Reaſon, why the Creditor's favour in making a Compoſition ſhould be abuſed to his prejudice, and why a legal diſcharge, given him on purpoſe for this Reaſon among others, to put him into a capacity of recovering himſelf and giving full Satisfaction, ſhould be ſo interpreted, as to extinguiſh the equitable right of the Creditor to the remainder of his debt.
The Second Uſe of this Doctrine of Reſtitution ſhould be by way of prevention, that men would take heed of being injurious, and ſo take away the occaſion of Reſtitution, and free themſelves from the Temptation of not performing ſo difficult and ſo unwelcome a Duty. It is much eaſier of the two, not to cozen or oppreſs thy Neighbour, than after thou haſt done it, it will be to bring thy ſelf to make Reſtitution: therefore we ſhould be very careful, not to be injurious to any one in any kind; neither immediately by our ſelves, nor by aiding and aſſiſting others, by our Power and Intereſt, or skill in the Law, or by any other way, to do injuſtice.