An Epo~tion, with Notes faved. So I Pet. I. 9· Ye fhall receive the end "f your Faith, the Salv ation ofyour Souls. So Jam. x.ar. Whichuab/etofave your Soulr. _ From death,] Eternal death, which hatb no power on the con– verted, Rev. 20. 6. and from many corrections in this 'life. In the . whole cl:mfe there is an Argument : This was Chrifis work, to fave Souls from death, he himfdf dyed to procure it ; and fuall not we contribute a few Endevors ?&c. Ana foal/ hide" multitude of fins.] Gods Act is again afcribed to the Infirument ; the fence is, He fuall be a means of hiding the finsof an erring Brother. I confefs there is fome difference about rendering the fence of this phrafe : Brugen(t.s applyeth it to the perfon converting, He /hall cover a multitude of hi& own /ins ; his Reafon is taken from aparallel place of Peter, I Pet. 4· S. where ' cis faid, Have ferveNt Charity tflmong 7our fe!ves, for Charity foall cover amultitude 9f fins : which place, together with this, he applyeth to the merit of Charity before God. But to this I re– ply, 1. That the Doelrine irs fdf is falfe; Charity is indeed a{tgn and 6/rgument of the forgivenefs of our Gns, but not 11 caufe : to pardon others giveth us the greater confidence and atfurance of our own pardon, Matth. 6. 14. 2. That 'tis uncertain whether th~t expreffion in Peter, and this in {ames, have the fame aym and tend– ency; yea, there are !l:rong Reafons to the contrary. 3· Suppofe - that chefe places are parallel, yet that·place in 'Peter doth not fpeak of covering fins befwe God, but amongfl men; and not of the co– vering of t.he fins of the charitable perfon, but of the perfon to whom Charity isexercifed: for that fentence is taken out of Prov. 1 o. l 2. Hatredftirr eth up [Irife 1, but lot'e coverethallfins; that is, concealeth and burieth the faults of aNeighbor, which cannot but redutl:ivtly, and by remote confequences, be applyed to the bu– finefsof Ju{hfication. I confefs fome apply.this paffage ofJamcs the fame way, fha/l cover 11 multitude of fins; that is, fay they, by Brotherly Admonitions fuall feek to prevent, or hide their infirmi– t ies; whereas thofe that hate their Brethren do not defire to'admo– ni!h hem, but to divulge their fins, to their difcredit and infamy. But to me the claufe fecmeth to be of another ufe; for ~tis ranked among.jj>iritual be-ne-fits. and urged, not byway of duty, but mo– ti.ve; firfi fha/tfave aSout, and th~n jha/1cover,&t. Therefore I fuppofe it implyeth.the·All ofJu/fification) whi~h is e~fewhere ex- .· pre!fed
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