Let him heartily, and unfeignedly ask them forgiveness for the wrong that he has done them.
2. Let him proffer them all, and the whole all that ever he has in the world; let him hide nothing, let him strip himself to his raiment for them; let him not keep a Ring, a Spoon, or any thing from them.
3. If none of these two will satisfy them, let him proffer them his Body, to be at their dispose, to wit, either to abide imprisonment their pleasure, or to be at their service, till by labour and travel he hath made them such amends as they in reason think fit, (only reserving something for the succour of his poor and distressed Family out of his labour, which in Reason, and Conscience, and Nature, he is bound also to take ⟨p. 182⟩care of:) Thus shall he make them what amends he is able, for the Wrong that he hath done them in wasting and spending of their Estates.
By thus doing, he submits himself to Gods rod, commits himself to the dispose of his Providence; yea, by thus doing, he casteth the lot of his present and future condition into the lap of his Creditors, and leaves the whole dispose thereof to the Lord,1 even as he shall order and incline their hearts to do with him. And let that be either to forgive him; or to take that which he hath for satisfaction; or to lay his body under affliction, this way or that, according to Law; can he, I say, thus leave the whole dispose to God, let the issue be what it will, that man shall have peace in his mind afterward. And the comforts of that state, (which will be comforts that attend Equity, Justice, and Duty,) will be more unto him, because more according to Godliness, than can be the comforts that are the fruits of Injustice, Fraudulency, and Deceit. Besides, this is the ⟨p. 183⟩way to engage God to favour him by the sentence of his Creditors; (for He can entreat them to use him kindly,)2 and he will do it when his ways are pleasing in his sight: When a mans ways please the Lord, 3his enemies shall be at peace with him; And surely, for a man to seek to make restitution for wrongs done, to the utmost of his power, by what he is, has, and enjoys in this world, is the best way, in that capacity, and with reference to that thing, that a man can at this time be found active in.
But he that doth otherwise, abides in his sin, refuses to be disposed of by the Providence of God, chooseth an high Estate, though not attained in Gods way;
Let him heartily, and unfeignedly ask them forgiveness for the wrong that he has done them.
2. Let him proffer them all, and the whole all that ever he has in the world; let him hide nothing, let him strip himself to his raiment for them; let him not keep a Ring, a Spoon, or any thing from them.
3. If none of these two will satisfie them, let him proffer them his Body, to be at their dispose, to wit, either to abide imprisonment their pleasure, or to be at their service, till by labour and travel he hath made them such amends as they in reason think fit, (only reserving something for the succour of his poor and distressed Family out of his labour, which in Reason, and Conscience, and Nature, he is bound also to take ⟨p. 182⟩care of:) Thus shall he make them what amends he is able, for the Wrong that he hath done them in wasting and spending of their Estates.
By thus doing, he submits himself to Gods rod, commits himself to the dispose of his Providence; yea, by thus doing, he casteth the lot of his present and future condition into the lap of his Creditors, and leaves the whole dispose thereof to the Lord,1 even as he shall order and incline their hearrs to do with him. And let that be either to forgive him; or to take that which he hath for satisfaction; or to lay his body under affliction, this way or that, according to Law; can he, I say, thus leave the whole dispose to God, let the issue be what it will, that man shall have peace in his mind afterward. And the comforts of that state, (which will be comforts that attend Equity, Justice, and Duty,) will be more unto him, because more according to Godliness, than can be the comforts that are the fruits of Injustice, Fraudulency, and Deceit. Besides, this is the ⟨p. 183⟩way to engage God to favour him by the sentence of his Creditors; (for He can intreat them to use him kindly,)2 and he will do it when his ways are pleasing in his sight: When a mans ways please the Lord, 3his enemies shall be at peace with him; And surely, for a man to seek to make restitution for wrongs done, to the utmost of his power, by what he is, has, and enjoys in this world, is the best way, in that capacity, and with reference to that thing, that a man can at this time be found active in.
But he that doth otherwise, abides in his sin, refuses to be disposed of by the Providence of God, chuseth an high Estate, though not attained in Gods way;
- 1Pro. 16. 33.
- 2Jer. 15. 10, 11.
- 3Pro. 16. 7.
