96 The Nature and Néce Ity foes in another Cafe, It is profitable for thee, that one ofthy members fhould perifhh, rather them that thy whole Bodyfi.er:ld becafi into Hell : 'tistrue likewife here, it is profitable for thee, that thou fhouldit go a Beggar to Heaven, rather than that thou fhoutdit go to Hell, laden with the fpoils and guilt of Rapine and Inju(ice. Thirdly, The laft Objetion that' (hall mention, is difability to-make Refituti- on. This indeed is fomething 5 where nothingis to be had, every Man muff lofe his Right : but then remember, that theremuff be a hearty Repentance for the Sin; and thy Sorrow mutt be fo much greater, byhow much thyability to snake Refi- tution is lets; and there muff be a willing Mind, a firm Purpofe and Refolution of doing it, when God (hall enable thee, and diligent endeavours to that purpofe. Under the Law thofe who were not able tomike Relitution,-were fold for fix years, if their fervice did not make Reparation in lefs time. 'Tis true indeed, the moderation of the Gofpel doth not fuller Chrillians to deal fo hardly with ano- ther : but if theGofpel remit of this rigour; and do not allow Chriflians to chal- lenge it, we fhould voluntarily do in eiile& that which they were forced to, that is we fhould life our be( endeavours and diligence to put our'(-elves into a Condi- tion ofmakingSatisfa&ion; and we fhould not look upon any thing beyond the neceffary conveniences of Life as our own, till we have done it; unlefs the Par- ty injured will recede from his Right, in whole or in part. For tho the impofii- bility of the thing do difchargeus for the prefent, yet the Obligation fill lies up- on us to do it, fo foon as we are able. And here it will be proper to confider the Cafe ofthole, who havecompound- ed with their Creditors for a fmall part, whether they be in Confcience and E- quity releafed from thewhole Debt. I am loth to lay unneceffaryBurdens upon Mena Confcìences, therefore L am very tender in refolving filch Cafes : but I ought to have a moretender care of theSouls of Men, than of their Effates: there- fore to deal plainly, and to difcharge my Confcience in this matter, I think filch Perfons do, notwithfanding the Compofition, (land oblig'd in Equity and Con- fciencefor the whole Debt, and arebound todifchargeit, fo foon as they can with tolerable convenience. My reafon is, becaufe, tho they be difcharged in Law, yet the Law does not intend to takeoff the Obligation of Confcience or Equity, which they areunder; but leaves that as it found it. Thus the Cafe (ands; Men who are in a way of Trade are engag'd by the necefftties of their calling, toven- ture a great part of their Efatein other Mens hands, and by this means become liable many times to be undonewithout their own fault; therefore it is ufual, when any Man in a way of Trade becomes difabled, for the Creditors to make loch a Compofition with him, as his E(ate will bear, and upon this Compofition to give him a full difcharge, fo as that they cannot afterwards by Lawrequire 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; becaufe it being his A&, it is to be .prefumed, that he intended it as much as may be, for his own Advantage; and fo it -is; for the i. reditor has asmuch Satisfa&ion at prefent as can be had, and the Debtor is hereby left in a capacity of recovering himfelfagain by his indufiry and diligence, which could not be, ifhe were not fully difcharged ; for if he were fill liable for the re(, he would continually be obnoxious to Imprifonmene, which would render him incapable of following his calling; or if he were at liberty, be could have noCredit to enable him to do any thing in his calling-; fatwlua;would "tru( a Man with any thing, who is liable every moment to have it,takkilt:fvom him ? So that the Reafon of this plenary difcharge is this, that Meh, Who are otherwife hopeful, and in a fair probability of recovering them- fclves, may not be render'd incapable of getting an Efface afterwards whereby they may . fupport themfelves, and difcharge their Debts. Now this difcharge being given in order to theft ends, it cannot be imagined that it fhould he in- tendedto defeat them; but it is in all Reafon to be fuppofed, that the Creditors did P6tríntend to take off the. Obligation of Equity and Confcience, only to put the Man-into a Condition of doing fdmething towardsthe enabling him ro dif- chargeiktis,D bt. So that unlefs it were expie( at the Compofition, that the Cre- ditor would never expefAmore from hint, upon any account of&Egreity and Cone fcience
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