Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A09400
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A discourse of conscience wherein is set downe the nature, properties, and differences thereof: as also the way to get and keepe good conscience.
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Perkins, William, 1558-1602.
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1596
(1596)
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STC 19696; ESTC S110415
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85,171
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182
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the Church hath but because they are the word of God The lawes then which the Church in proper speach is sâ—â—de to make are decrees concerning outward order and comelines in the administration of the word and sacramâ—â—s in the meetings of the coÌ„gregation c. such laws made according to the generall rules of Gods word which requires that all things be don to edificatioÌ„ in comelines for the auoiding of offence are cessarie to be obserued and the word of God binds all men to theÌ„ so farre forth as the keeping of them maintains decent order and pâ—…s open offence Yet if a law concerning some â—…nall riâ—e of thing indifferent be at some time vpon some occasion omitted no offence giuen not contempt shewed to Ecclestasticall â—â—â—horitie there is no bâ—each made in the conscience â—â—d that appeares by the example before hanâ—â—â—â— The Apostles guided by the holy Ghost made a decree for the auoiding of offence necessarie to be obserued namely that the Gentiles should abstaine from strangled and blood and idoâ—ithyâ—â—s and yet Paul out of the case of scandall and contempt permits the Corinthians to doe otherwise 1. Cor. 8. 9. which he would not hâ—â—â— done if to doe otherwise out of the case of scandall and contempt had bin sinne Againe lawes are either mixt or meerely penall Mixâ— are such lawes as are of weightie matters and are propounded in coÌ„manding or forbidding â—eaâ—â—es and they binde men first of all to obedience for the necessary good of humane societies and secondly to a punishment if they obay not that a supplie may be made of the â—indrance of the common good In the breach of this kind of laws though a man be neuer so willing to suffer the punishment yet that will not discharge his conscience before God when he ofâ—…ds If a man coin moâ—y with this minde to be willing to die when he is conâ—icted yet that will not free him from a sinne in the action because Gods law binds vs not onely to subiection iâ—â—earing of punishments but also to obedience of his â—…e commandement it beeing lawfull though â—e should set downe no punishment A law meerely peâ—â—ll is that which beeing mâ—… of matters of lesse importance and not vtâ—…d preâ—isely in commâ—…ding tearmes doeth onely declare and shewe what is to be done or conditionally require this or that with respect to the punishment on this manner If any person doe this or that then he shall forfeit thus or thus This kind of law kinds especially to the punishment that in the very intent of the lawgiuer and he that is readie in omitting the law to pay the fine or punishmet is not to be charged with sinne before God the penaltie being answerable to the losse that comes by the neglect of the law Thus we see how farre forth mens laws bind conscience The vse of this points is this I. hence wee learne that the immunitie of the Popish cleargie whereby they take themselues exempted from civill courts and from civill authoritie in criminall causes hath no warrant because Gods commandements binds euery man whatsoeuer to be subiect to the magistrate Râ—… 〈◊〉 Let euery soule be sâ—…ct to the higher powers II Hence we see also what notorioâ—â— rebeâ—… those are that beeing borne subiâ—cts of this land yet choose rather to die then to acknowledge as they are bound in conâ—… the Qâ—… Maâ—estie to be supreame gouernour vnder God in all causes ouer all persons III. Lastly we are taught hereby to be readie and willing to giue subiection obedience reuerence and all other duties to magistrates whether they be superiou or inferiour yea with chearefulnes to pay 〈◊〉 and subsidies and all such lawfull charges 〈◊〉 appointed by them Giue to Cesâ—â— that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cesars to God that which is Goâ—â— Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 Giue to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their dutie tribute to 〈◊〉 tribute 〈◊〉 to whome custome Now follows the Oath which is either assertorie or promissorie Assertorie by which a man auoucheth that a thing was done or not done Promisserie by which a man promiseth to doe a thing or not to doe it Of both these I mean to speak but specially of the second And here two points must be coÌ„sidered the first by what means an oath bindeth the second when it bindeth An oath bindeth by vertue of such particuâ—… coÌ„mandements as require the keeping of oathâ—â— lawfully taken Num. 30. 3. Who soeuer sâ—… an â—ath to binde his soule by a bond â—e shall not 〈◊〉 his word 〈◊〉 shall doe according to all that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 This being so â—questioÌ„ may be made whether the 〈◊〉 of insiâ—… biâ—d conscience by what vâ—… 〈◊〉 they â—â—ither know the Scriptâ—… noâ— the true God Aâ—s They doe bind in conscience For example Iacob Laban make a 〈◊〉 confirmed by oath Iacob sweares by the true God Laban by the god of Nâ—…or that i◠〈◊〉 his idols Now Iacob though he approoue not the forme of this oath yet he accepts it for a civil bond of the covenant no doubt though Laban beleeued not Gods word reuealed to the Pâ—…ks yet he was bound in coÌ„science to keep this â—th euen by the law of nature though he 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 God yet he 〈◊〉 the false god of Nacâ—â—r to be the true God Gen. 31. 53. Againe if a lawfull oath by vertue of Gods coÌ„mandements bind conscience then it must needâ— be that the Romane Church hath long erred in that â—…ee â—…th and maintaineth that gouernours as namely the Pope and other inferiour Bishops haue power to giue relaxations and dispensations not onely for oathes vnlawfull from which the word of God doth sufficiently free vs though they should neuer giue absolutioÌ„ but from a true lawfull oath made wittingly willingly without errour or deceit of a thing honest and possible as when the Pope frees the subiects of this land as occasion is offered from their sworne allegiance and loyaltie to which they are bound not onely by the law of nature but also by a solemne and particular oath to the Supremacie which none euer deemed vâ—…full but such as carrie traytors hearts Now this erronious divinitie would easily be revoked if men did bâ—â— consider the nature of an oath one part whereof is Invocation in which we prâ—â— vnto God first that he would become a witnes vnto vs that we speak the truth and purpose not to deceiue secondly if we faile break our promise that he would take â—…ge vpon vs and in both these petitions we bind our selues immediatly to God himselfe and God againe who is the ordainer of the oath accepts this bond and 〈◊〉 it by his commendement till it be accomplished Hence it follows that no creature caÌ„ haue power to vâ—â—ie the bood of an â—â—th that is truly and lawfully an â—â—th vnles we wil 〈◊〉 the creatures aboue God himselfe And our Sauiour Christ gaue better â—…ell when he commanded vs to performe our 〈◊〉 to