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Obfervation, which Voffius* produceth out of Caffander: "To Merit does in "Ecclefiaftical Authors, commonly fignify to Attain, or be difpofed and qua

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lified for Attaining. And this may <i appear, amongst other Inftances, from a Paffage in St. Cyprian: For, when "St. Paul fays, 1 Tim. i. I obtained Mercy, according to the Vulgar TranslatiCC on; St. Cyprian thus Translates that "Expreffion, I Merited mercy. And "there are many other Places in Ecclefi"aftical Offices and Prayers, where this "Word is used in the fame Senfe. And "this Obfervation may foften fome, o"therwise, Harsh Expreffions, and ren"der them agreeable.

This Remark, concerning St. Cyprian's Words, may be ftill carried a little farther: For in the Place refer'd to, it does not only appear, that he hath actually Tranflated the Apostle's Words differently from the other Verfions, and from the Apoftle's meaning, which poffibly might have been thought a Miftake; but 'tis

* Thef. Theol. & Hiftor. Difp. 4.

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likewise evident, that He himself, by Meriting mercy, did not fo much as Intend any thing more than the Attainment of mercy; for having observed, * that those who offend, out of Simplicity, or pure Ignorance, may be Forgiven, he immediately urgeth St. Paul's Words, as a Proof of that Obfervation. And therefore 'tis plain, that in his own Intention, to be actually forgiven, and to merit forgiveness, are here used as Terms of the fame Signification.

After these Obfervations, and efpecially concerning St. Cyprian, who is fo very full in expreffing the Purifying Power, and (in his Senfe of Merit) the Merit of Alms-deeds; it seems Rational to conclude, that the Strict acceptation of the Word Merit, when applied to Charitable Works, did not prevail in the Early Ages of the Church. But, though Works of Charity are not Meritorious, yet may we depend affuredly upon their Accep

Ignofci enim poteft fimpliciter erranti, ficut de fe ipfo dicit Apoftolus Paulus: Qui primò, inquit, fui blafphemus, & perfecutor, & injuriofus; fed mifericordiam merui quia ignorans feci. S. Cypr. Epift. ad Jubaianum.

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tance and Reward. For our hopes of their Acceptance is raised upon an immoveable Foundation, God's Faithfulnefs and Truth: Though they are not properly the Causes of Salvation; yet they are a Principal Condition, to which God's Promise hath annexed Eternal Life. And after all the Umbrage which St. Cyprian himself, in his many Warm expreffions concerning Works of Mercy, feemingly gives to the Merit of them; 'tis manifeft, that he did not imagine them to be Meritorious of a Reward, as of a Debt, in refpect of God's Justice: For he fixeth the hopes of Charitable Men in the Promife + of God, as the Encouragement to their Duty. After thefe Neceffary Cautions, the prefent Enquiry may eafily

* Fidelis Dominus, qui fe nobis debitorem fecit, non aliquid a nobis accipiendo fed tanta nobis promittendo.-Promifit enim hominibus Divinitatem, mortalibus Immortalitatem, peccatoribus Juftificationem, abjectis Glorificationem. Quicquid promifit, Indignis promifit, ut non quafi operibus merces promitteretur S. Aug. in Pfal. 109.

t In miferationibus pauperum Deum cogitat. Operatur enim ideo quia credit, quia fcit vera effe quæ Prædicta funt verbis Dei, nec Scripturam Sanctam poffe mentiri: arbores infructuofas, id eft, Steriles homines excidi, & in ignem mitti, mifericordes autem ad regnum vocari. S. Cypr. de Op. & Eleem.

be answer'd. For, though Charitable Works cannot reconcile Impenitent Sinners unto God, and though they are not, in any Cafe, the Meritorious Caufes of Salvation, yet are they Neceffary, and feem to be, in concurrence with Repentance, through the Merits of Chrift, highly Conducive towards preventing the Imputation and Punishment of fuch Known Sins as are repented of; highly Conducive to the rendring God Gracious and Indulgent in excufing Sins of Weakness and Inadvertency; to the reducing us to a State of perfect Favour with God, and to advancement unto Eminent Degrees of Future Glory. And indeed, under the Limitations already affigned, we cannot easily rise too high in our Notions, concerning the Efficacy of Works of Mercy; which will be Regarded and Approved, in fo peculiar a Manner, by our Bleffed Lord, when he comes to Judge the World, that, in his account of the General Judgment, * he mentions Them Alone, as the Matter of that Laft, De

* Matt. xxv. 35. &c.

cifive Enquiry; as if the Procefs of that Great Day fhall chiefly turn upon this one Particular.

Since then Charitable Works are fo Neceffary, fo Excellent, and fo Effectual to Salvation; Undoubtedly they cannot be neglected by any Sincere Christian; Efpecially, upon fuch Remarkable and Engaging occafions of Charity, as are now to be laid before you in the following Reports.

Here were read the feveral Reports of the prefent ftate of Christ's, St. Bartholomew's, St., Thomas's, Bridewell and Bethelem Hofpitals: As alfo a true Account of the Workhoufe in Bishopfgate-Street. These are Representations of Things, in their own nature fo apt to Move, that, in paffing through the feveral parts of them, I could not eafily avoid reflecting, That the Kindly fire of Divine Love did now begin to spread in your Breafts; That you now begun to feel, what the Scripture means by Bowels of mercies; That your Charitable Purposes did every moment rife Higher, and that, in the ConK 4 clufion,

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