by the loss of the Common-wealth or of many § 6. Direct 6. Therefore have a special regard to the Laws of the Countrey where you live both Direct 6. as to your Trade it self and as to the price of what you sell or buy For the Law is made for the publick benefit which is to be preferred before any private mans And when the Law doth directly or indirectly set rates upon labours or commodities ordinarily they must be observed or else you will commit two sins at once Injury and Disobedience § 7. Direct 7. Also have special respect to the common estimate and to the Market-price Though Direct 7. it be not alwayes to be our Rule yet ordinarily it must be a considerable part of it and of great regard § 8. Direct 8. Let not imprudent tinking make you seem more covetous than you are Some imprudent Direct 8. persons cannot tell how to make their markets without so many words even about a penny or a trifle that it maketh others think them covetous when it is rather want of wit The appearance of evil must be avoided I have known some that are ready to give a pound to a charitable use at a word who will yet use so many words for a penny in their bargaining as maketh them deeply censured and misunderstood If you see cause to break for a penny or a small matter do it more handsomely in fewer words and be gone And do not tempt the seller to multiply words because you do so § 9. Direct 9. Have no more to do in bargaining with others especially with censorious persons Direct 9. than you needs must For in much dealing usually there will be much misunderstanding offence censure and complaint § 10. Direct 10. In doubtful cases when you are uncertain what is lawful choose that side Direct 10. which is safest to the peace of your consciences hereafter though it be against your commodity and may prove the losing of your right Tit. 2. Cases of Conscience about Iustice in Contracts § 1. Quest. 1. MUst I alwayes do as I would be done by Or hath this Rule any Exceptions Quest. 1. Answ. The Rule intendeth no more but that your just self-denyal and love to others be duly exercised in your dealings with all And 1. It supposeth that your own will or desires be honest and just and that Gods Law be their Rule For a sinful will may not be made the rule of your own actions or of other mens He that would have another make him drunk may not therefore make another drunk And he that would abuse another mans Wife may not therefore desire that another man would lust after or abuse his Wife He that would not be instructed reproved or reformed may not therefore forbear the instructing or reproving others And he that would kill himself may not therefore kill another But he that would have no hurt done to himself injuriously should do none to others And he that would have others do him good should be as willing to do good to them 2. It supposeth that the matter be to be varyed according to your various conditions A Parent that justly desireth his child to obey him is not bound therefore to obey his child nor the Prince to obey his subjects nor the Master to do all the work for his servants which he would have his servants do for him But you must deal by another as you would regularly have them deal by you if you were in their case and they in yours And on these terms it is a Rule of Righteousness § 2. Quest. 2. Is a Son bound by the contract which his Parents or Guardians made for him in his Quest. 2. infancy Answ. To some things he is bound and to some things not The Infant is capable of being obliged by another upon four accounts 1. As he is the Parents own or a Masters to whom he is in absolute servitude 2. As he is to be Ruled by the Parents 3. As he is a Debtor to his Parents for benefits received 4. As he is an expectant or capable of future benefits to be enjoyed upon conditions to be performed by him 1. No Parents or Lord have an Absolute Propriety in any rational creature but they have a propriety secundum quid ad hoc And a Parents propriety doth in part expire or abate as the Son groweth up to the full use of reason and so hath a greater propriety in himself Therefore he may oblige his Son only on this account so far as his propriety extendeth and to such acts and to no other For in those his Will is reputatively his Sons will As if a Parent sell his Son to servitude he is bound to such service as beseemeth one man to put another to 2. As he is Rector to his Child he may by contract with a third person promise that his child shall do such acts as he hath power to command and cause him to do As to read to hear Gods Word â—o labour as he is able But this no longer than while he is under his Parents Government And so long Obedience requireth him to perform their contracts in performing their commands 3. The child having received his Being and maintenance from his Parents remaineth obliged to them as his Benefactors in the debt of gratitude as long as he liveth And that so deeply that some have questioned whether ever he can requite them which quoad valorem beneficii he can do only by furthering their salvation as many a child hath been the cause of the Parents conversion And so far as the Son is thus a debtor to the Parents he is obliged to do that which the Parents by contract with a third person shall impose upon him As if the Parents could not be delivered out of captivity but by obliging the Son to pay a great summ of money or to live in servitude for their release Though they never gave him any money yet he is bound to pay the summ if he can get it or to perform the servitude Because he hath received more from them even his being 4. As the Parents are both Owners secundum quid and Rulers and Benefactors to their child in all three respects conjunct they may oblige him to a third person who is willing to be his Benefactor by a conditional obligation to perform such conditions that he may possess such or such benefits And thus a Guardian or any friend who is fit to interpose for him may oblige him As to take a lease in his name in which he shall be bound to pay such a rent or do such a service that he may receive such a commodity which is greater Thus Parents oblige their children under Civil Governments to the Laws of the Society or Kingdom that they may have the protection and benefits of subjects In these cases the child can complain of no injury for it is for his benefit that he is obliged And the
to draw another to waste his time in wantonness and foolish sports An ambitious or proud person is fit to kindle that fire in others A swearer is fittest to make a swearer â—nd so of many other sins § 33. 2. The Devil usually chooseth for his Instruments men that have no great tenderness of conscience or fear of sinning or of hurting souls He would have no such Cowards in his Army as men fearing God are as to his Ends It must be men that will venture upon hell themselves and fear not much the loss of their own souls and therefore must not be too tender or fearful of destroying others Butchers and Souldiers must not be chosen out of too tender or loving a sort of people such are not fit to go through his work § 34. 3. He usually chooseth Instruments that are most deeply engaged in his cause whose preferment and honour and gain and carnal interest shall be to them as Nature is to a dog or wolf or fox or other ravenous creature who think it a loss or danger or suffering to them if others be not hundered in good or made as bad as they Thus Demetrius and the other crafts-men that Act. 19. 24 38 39. lived upon the trade are the fittest to plead Diana's cause and stir up the people against the Apostles And the Iews were the fittest Instruments to persecute Christ who thought that if they let him alone all men would believe on him and the Romans would come and take away both their place and nation and that it was expedient for them that one man die for the people and that the whole nation perish not John 11. 48 49. And Pilate was the fittest Instrument to condemn him who feared that he should else be taken to be none of Caesars friend And Pharoah was the fittest Instrument to persecute the Israelites who was like to lose by their departure § 35. 4. when he can he chooseth such Instruments as are much about us and nearest to us who have opportunity to be oft speaking to us when others have no opportunity to help us The fire that is nearest to the wood or thatch is liker to burn it than that which is farr off Nearness and opportunity are very great advantages § 36. 5. If it be possible he will choose such Instruments as have the greatest Abilities to do him service One man of great wit and learning and elocution that is nimble in disputing and can make allmost any cause seem good which he defendeth or bad which he opposeth is able to do more service for the Devil than an hundred Ideots § 37. 6. If possible he will choose the Rulers of the World to be his Instruments that shall command men and threaten them with imprisonment banishment confiscation or death if they will not sin as the King of Babylon did by the three witnesses and Daniel Dan. 3. 6. and all persecutors have done in all ages against the holy seed For he knoweth that though not with a Iob yet with a carnal person skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life And therefore they that have the power of life and liberty and estate have carnal men by the handle that will rule them § 38. 7. He maketh the Rich his Instruments that having the wealth of the world are able to reward and hire evil doers and are able to oppress those that will not please them Landlords and Rich men can do the Devil more service than many of the poor They are the Iudas's that bear the bag As the Ox will follow him that carieth the hay and the Horse will follow him that carrieth the provender and the Dog will follow him that feedeth him and the Crow will be where the carrion is so carnal persons will follow and obey him that bears the purse § 39. 8. The Devil if he can will make those his Instruments whom he seeth we most Esteem and Reverence Persons whom we think most wise and fit to be our Counsellors we will take that from these which we would suspect from others § 40. 9. He will get our Relations and those that have our Hearts most to be his Instruments A Husband or a Wife or a Dalilah can do more than any others and so can a bosom friend whom we dearly love when all their Interest in our affections is made over for the Devils service it may do much Therefore we see that Husbands and Wives if they love entirely do usually close in the same Religion opinion or way though when they were first married they differed from each other § 41. 10. As oft as he can the Devil maketh the Multitude his Instrument that the crowd and noise may carry us on and make men valiant and put away their fear of punishment § 42. 11. He is very desirous to make the Embassadors of Christ his prisoners and to hire them to speak against their masters cause that in Christs name they may deceive the silly flock speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Acts 20. 30. Sometimes by pretence of his Authority and Commission making poor people believe that not to hear them and obey them in their errors is to be disobedient rejecters of Christ and thus the Romish party carry it Sometime by their parts and plausible perswasive speeches And sometime by their fervency frightning people into error And by these two ways most Hereticks prevail None so succesfully serveth Satan as a false or bribed Minister of Christ. § 43. 12. He is exceeding desirous to make Parents themselves his Instuments for their childrens sin and ruine And alas how commonly doth he succeed He knoweth that Parents have them under their hands in the most ductile malleable age and that they have a concurrence of allmost all advantages They have the purse and the portion of their children in their power They have the interest of Love and Reverence and estimation They are still with them and can be often in their sollicitings They have the rod and can compel them Many thousands are in Hell through the means of their own Parents such cruel monsters will they be to the souls of any others that are first so to their own If the Devil can get the Parents to be cursers swearers gamesters drunkards worldlings proud deriders or railers at a holy life what a snare is here for the poor children § 44. V. In the Method of Satan the next thing is to shew you how he labours to keep off all the forces of Christ which should resist him and destroy his work and to frustrate their endeavours and fortifie himself And among many others these means are notable § 45. 1. He would do what he can to weaken even natural Reason that men may be blockish and uncapable of good And it is lamentable to observe how hard it is to make some people either understand or regard And a beastly kind of education doth much to
holy things should be preferred as on the Lords day or at the time of publick worship or when the company occasion or opportunity call for holy speeches Worldlings are talking as Saul of their Asses when they should talk of a Kingdom 1 Sam. 9. 10. To speak about your Callings and common affairs is lawful so it be moderately and in season But when you talk all of the world and vanity and never have done and will scarce have any other talk in your mouths and even on Gods day will speak your own words Isa. 58. 13. this is prophane and sinful speaking § 23. 12. Another common sin of the Tongue is a tempting and perswading others to sin enticing them to gluttony drunkenness wantonness sornication or any other crime as men that not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1. 32. This is to be the instruments and servants of the Devil and most directly to do his work in the world The same I may say of unjust excusing extenuating or defending the sins of others or commanding alluring affrighting or encouraging them thereto § 24. 13. Another is a carnal manner of handling the sacred things of God as when it is done with lightness or with unsuitable curiosity of words or in a ludicrous toyish manner especially by the Preachers of the Gospel themselves and not with a style that 's grave and serious agreeable to the weight and majesty of the truth § 25. 14. Another is an imprudent rash and slovenly handling of holy things when they are spoken Didy 〈…〉 on 〈◊〉 3. of 〈◊〉 the Toâ—gue saith Non putandum est de peccato prolativi sermonis quae solaecismos barbatismos quidam vocant haec fuisse dicta of so ignorantly unskilfully disorderly or passionately as tendeth to dishonour them and frustrate the desired good success § 26. 15. Another sin of the tongue is the reviling or dishonouring of superiours When Children speak unreverently and dishonourably to or of their Parents or Subjects of their Governours or servants of their Masters either to their faces or behind their backs 2 Pet. 2. 10. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities Jud. 8. § 27. 16. Another is the imperious contempt of inferiours insulting over them provoking and discouraging them Ephes. 6. 4. Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath § 28. 17. Another sin of the Tongue is Idle talk and multitude of useless words a babling loquacity or unprofitableness of speech when it is speech that tendeth to no edification nor any good use for mind or body or affairs § 29. 18. Another sin is Foolish talk or jeasting in levity and folly which tendeth to possess the minds of the hearers with a disposition of levity and folly like the speakers Ephes. 5. 4. Foolish talking and jeasting are things not convenient Honest mirth is lawful and that is the best which is most sanctified as being from a holy principle and about a holy matter or to a holy end as Rejoycing in the Lord always Phil. 4. 4. If any be merry let him sing Psalms Jam. 5. 13. But such a light and frothy jeasting as is but the vent of habitual levity by idle words is not allowable But especially those persons do most odiously abuse their tongues and Reason who counterfeit ideots or fools and use their wit to cover their jeasts with a seeming folly to make them the more ridiculous and make it their very profession to be the jeasters of great men They make a trade of heynous sin § 30. 19. Another sin is Filthy speaking Ephes. 5. 4. Obscene and ribbald talk which the Apostle calls corrupt or rotten communication Ephes. 4. 29. when wanton filthy minds do make themselves merry with wanton filthy speeches This is the Devils preparative to whoredom and all abominable uncleanness For when the tongue is first taught to make a sport of such filthy sins and the ear to be delighted in it or be indifferent to it there remaineth but a small step to actual filthiness § 31. 20. Another sin of the tongue is cursing when men wish some mischief causlesly or unwarrantably to others If you speak but in passion or jeast and desire not to them in your hearts the hurt which you name it is nevertheless a sin of the tongue as it is to speak blasphemy or treason in a passion or in jeast The tongue must be ruled as well as the heart But if really you desire the hurt which you wish them it is so much the worse But it is worst of all when passionate factious men will turn their very prayers into cursings calling for fire from Heaven and praying for other mens destruction or hurt and pretending Scripture examples for it as if they might do it unwarrantably which others have done in other cases in a warrantable manner § 32. 21. Slandering is another sin of the tongue when out of malice and ill will men speak evil falsly of others to make them odious or do them hurt Or else through uncharitable credulity do easily believe a false report and so report it again to others or through rashness and unruliness of tongue divulge it before they try it or receive either just proof or any warrantable call to mention it 5. 33. 22. Another sin is Backbiting and venting ill reports behind mens backs without any warrant Be the matter true or false as long as you either know it not to be true or if you do yet vent it to make the person less respected or at least without a sufficient cause it is a sin against God and a wrong to men § 34. 23. Another sin is rash censuring when you speak that evil of another which you have but Existimant loquacitatem esse facundiam maledicere omnibus bonae conscientiae signum arbritrantur Hieron Cont. Helâ—id an uncharitable surmise of and take that to be probable which is but possible or that to be certain which is but probable against another § 35. 24. Another sin is Railing reviling or passionate provoking words which tend to the diminution of charity and the breach of peace and the stirring up of discord and of a return of railing words from others contrary to the Love and patience and meekness and gentleness which becometh Saints § 36. 25. Another sin is cheating deceiving over-reaching words when men use their tongues to defraud their Neighbours in bargaining for their own gain § 37. 26. Another sin of the tongue is false witness-bearing and false accusing a sin which crys to God for vengeance who is the justifier of the innocent § 38. 27. Another sin of the tongue is the passing an unrighteous sentence in judgement when Rulers absolve the guilty or condemn the just and call evil good and good evil and say to the Righteous Thou art wicked Prov. 24. 24. § 39. 28. Another sin of the Tongue is Flattery which is the more heynous by how much more hurtful And it
most pernicious confusion into the affairs of mankind Iâ— Truth be excluded men cannot buy and sell and trade and live together It would It was one of the Roman Lawâ— â—aâ— 12. Qui â—aâ—sâ—m tâ—stâ—monium dâ—â—â—â—se convictus erit e saâ—o Taâ—pâ—iâ— dejiciatur be sufficient to destroy their rational converse if they had no tongues But much more to have false tongues Silence openeth not the mind at all Lying openeth it not when it pretendeth to open it and falsly representeth it to be what it is not And therefore though you say that your Lyes do no such hurt yet seeing this is the nature and tendency of Lying as such it is just and merciful in the Righteous God to banish all Lying by the strictest Laws As the whole nature of Serpents is so far at enmity with the nature of man that we hate and kill them though they never did hurt us because it is in their nature to hurt us so God hath justly and mercifully condemned all lying because it 's nature tendeth to the desolation and confusion of the World and if any indulgence were given to it all iniquity and injustice would presently like an inundation overwhelm us all § 25. 7. Lying tendeth directly to perjury it self It is the same God that forbiddeth them both And when once the heart is hardened in the one it is but a step further to the other Cicero could observe that He that is used to lye will easily be perjured A sâ—ared Conscience that tollerateth one will easily be brought to bear the other § 26. 8. There is a partiality in the Lyar that condemneth himself and the sin in another which in himself he justifieth For there is no man that would have another lye to him As Austin saith Hic autem homâ—nes fallunâ— falluntur Misericres suâ—t cum mentiendo fallunt quam cum mentientibus credendo falluntur Uâ—que adeo tamen rationalis natura refugit falsitatem quantum potest devitat errorem ut falli nolint etiam quicunque amant fallere August Enchyrid c. 17. I have known many that would deceive but never any that would be deceived If it be good why should not all others lye to thee If it be bad why wilt thou lye to others Is not thy tongue under the same Law as theirs Dost thou like it in thy Children and in thy Servants If not it should seem much worse to thee in thy self as thou art most concerned in thy own actions § 27. 9. Iudge what lying is by thy own desire and expectation to be believed Wouldst thou not have men believe thee whether thou speak truth or not I know thou wouldst For the Lyar loseth his end if he be known to lye and be not believed And is it a reasonable desire or expectation in thee to have men to believe a Lye If thou wouldst be believed speak that which is to be believed § 28. 10. Lying maketh thee to be always incredible and so to be useless or dangerous to others For he that will lye doth leave men uncertain whether ever he speak truth unless there be better Evidence of it than his credibility As Aristotle saith A Lyar gets this by Lying that no body will believe him when he speaks the truth How shall I know that he speaketh true to day who lyed yesterday unless open Repentance recover his credibility Truth will defend it self and credit him that owneth it at last But falshood is indefensible and will shame its Patrons Saith Petrarch excellently Petrarâ—h l 1. de vit solit As Truth is immortal so a fiction and lye endureth not long Dissembled matters are quickly opened as the hair that is combed and set with great diligence is ruffled with a little blast of wind and the paint that is laid on the face with a deal of labour is washed off with a little sweat the craftyest lye cannot stand before the truth but is transparent to him that neerly looketh into it every thing that is covered is soon uncovered shadows pass away and the native colour of things remaineth It is a great labour to keep hidden long No man can long live under water he must needs come forth and shew the face which he concealed At the farthest God in the day of judgement will lay open all § 29. Direct 2. If you would avoid lying take heed of guilt Unclean bodies need a cover Direct 2. and are most ashamed to be seen Faultiness causeth Lying and Lying increaseth the fault When Sâ—epe delinquentibus promptissimum est mentiri Ciâ—â—r men have done that which they are afraid or ashamed to make known they think there is a necessity of using their art to keep it secret But wit and craft is no good substitute for honesty such patches make the rent much worse But because the corrupted heart of man will be thus working and flying to deceitful shifts prevent the cause and occasion of your lying Commit not the fault that needs a lye Avoiding it is much better than hiding it if you were sure to keep it never so close As indeed you are not for commonly truth will come to light It is the best way in the World to avoid lying to be innocent and do nothing which doth fear the light Truth and honesty do not blush nor desire to be hid Children and Servants are much addicted to this crime when their folly or wantonness or appetites or slothfulness or carelesness hath made them faulty they presently study a lye to hide it with which is to go to the Devil to intreat him to defend or cover his own works But wise and obedient and careful and diligent and conscionable Children and Servants have need of no such miserable shifts § 30. Direct 3. Fear God more than man if you would not be Lyars The excessive fear of man Direct 3. is a common cause of Lying This maketh Children so apt to lye to escape the rod and most persons Iâ—â—e veâ—â—tatâ—â— Defeâ—â—or esse debeâ— quâ— cum râ—cteâ—â—â—â—ntâ— loquâ— non metuâ—t nec erubeâ—â—â—â—t Ambâ— â—yarâ— are â—aliant against God cowardâ— against men Montaâ—â—a â—sâ— that are obnoxious to much hurt from others are in danger of Lying to avoid their displeasure But why fear you not God more whose displeasure is unspeakably more terrible Your Parents or Master will be angry and threaten to correct you But God threatneth to damn you and his wrath is a consuming fire No mans displeasure can reach your souls and extend to eternity will you run into Hell to escape punishment on Earth Remember whenever you are tempted to escape any danger by a lye that you run into a thousand fold greater danger and that no hurt that you escape by it can possibly be half so great as the hurt it bringeth It 's as foolish a course as to cure the tooth-ach by cutting off the head § 31. Direct 4. Get down your Pride and overmuch regard
infer ergo Bâ—shop be no Governours in those things meaning No dispensers guiders nor directors of those things your Conclusion is larger c. so p. 256. Ecclesiastical so far as coercive Government is required it belongeth not to Pope or Prelates under him but to the King and his Officers or Courts alone Or that the King is chief in Governing by the Sword in causes Ecclesiastical as well as Civil So that if you put spiritual instead of Ecclesiastical the word is taken materially and not formally not that the King is chief in the spiritual Government by the Keyes of Excommunication and Absolution but that he is chief in the coercive Government about spiritual matters as before explained § 51. Quest. 3. Is not this to confound the Church and State and to give the Pastors Power to the Magistrate Quest. 3. Answ. Not at all It is but to say that there may be need of the use both of the Word and Sword against the same persons for the same offence and the Magistrate only must use one and the Pastors the other An heretical Preacher may be silenced by the King upon pain of banishment and silenced by the Church upon pain of excommunication And what confusion is there in this § 52. Quest. 4. But hath not the King Power in Cases of Church Discipline and Excommunication it Quest. 4. self Answ. There is a Magistrates Discipline and a Pastoral Discipline Discipline by the Sword is It was somewhat far that Carolus Magnus went to be actual Guide of all in his Chappel in Reading even in all their stops as it is at large declared by Abbas Usperg Chroa p. 181. the Magistrates work Discipline by the Word is the Pastors work And there is a Coercive Excommunication and a Pastoral Excommunication To command upon pain of corporal punishment that a Heretick or Impenitent wicked man shall forbear the Sacred Ordinances and Priviledges a Magistrate may do But to command it only upon Divine and Spiritual penalties belongeth to the Pastors of the Church The Magistrate hath power over their very Pastoral work though he have not power in it so as to do it himself Suppose but all the Physicions of the Nation to be of Divine Institution with their Colledges and Hospitals and in the similitude you will see all the difficulties resolved and the next Question fully answered § 53. Quest. 5. Seeing the King and the Pastors of the Church may Command and Iudge to several Ends in the same cause suppose they should differ which of them should the Church obey Answ. Distinguish here 1. Between a right Judgement and a wrong 2. Between the matter in question Quest. 5. which is either 1. Proper in its primary state to the Magistrate 2. Or proper primarily to the Pastor 3. Or common to both though in several sorts of judgement And so I answer the question thus 1. If it be a matter wherein God himself hath first determined and his Officers do but judge in subordination to his Law and declare his Will then we must obey him that speaketh according to Bishop Bilson p. 313. We grant they must rather hazard their lives than Baptize Princes which believe not or distribute the Lords Mysteries to them that repâ—nt not but give wilful and open signification of impiety c Bâ—da Hist. Eccles. lib. 2. cap. 5. telleth us that Melitus Bishop of London with Iustus was banished by the heirs of King Sabereth because he would not give them the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which they would needs have before they were baptized the Word of God if we can truly discern it and not him that we know goeth contrary to God As if the Magistrate should forbid communion with Arrians as Hereticks and the Pastors command us to hold communion with them as no Hereticks here the Magistrate is to be obeyed because God is to be obeyed before the Pastors though it be in a matter of Faith and Worship If you say Thus you make all the people Judges I answer you and so you must make them such Private Iudges to discern their own duty and so must every man or else you must rule them as Beasts or mad men and prove that there is no Heaven or Hell for any in the world but Kings and Pastors or at least that the people shall be saved or damned for nothing but obeying or not obeying their Governours And if you could prove that you are never the nearer reconciling the contradictory commands of those Governours 2. But if the matter be not fore-determined by God but left to Man then 1. If it be the Magistrates proper work we must obey the Magistrate only 2. If it be about the Pastors proper work the Pastor is to be obeyed though the Magistrate gainsay it so be it he proceed according to the General Rules of his instructions and the matter be of weight As if the Magistrate and the Pastors of the Church do command different translations or expositions of the Bible to be used or one forbiddeth and another commandeth the same individual person to be baptized or receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper or to be esteemed a member of the Church if the people know not which of them judgeth right it seemeth to me they should first obey their Pastors because it is only in matters intimately pertaining to their office I speak only of formal obedience and that of the people only for materially Prudence may require us rather to do as the Magistrate commandeth quod non quia to avoid a greater evil And it s alwayes supposed that we patiently bear the Magistrates penalties when we obey not his Commands 3. But in points common to them both the case is more difficult But here you must further distinguish 1. Between points equally common and points unequally common 2. Between determinations of Good or Bad or Indifferent consequence as to the main End and Interest of God and souls 1. In points equally common to both the Magistrate is to be obeyed against the Pastors Because he is more properly a Commanding Governour and they are but the Guides or Governours of Volunteers And because in such cases the Pastors themselves should obey the Magistrate and therefore the people should first obey him 2. Much more in points unequally common which the Magistrate is more concerned in than the Pastors the Magistrate is undoubtedly to be first obeyed Of both there might instances be given about the Circumstantials or Adjuncts of Gods Worship As the Place of publick Worship the Scituation Form Bells Fonts Pulpits Seats precedency in Seats Tables Cups and other Utensils Church Bounds by Parishes Church Ornaments Gestures Habits some Councils and their Order with other such like in all which caeteris paribus Bish. Andrews in Tart. Tort. p. 383. Cohibeat Regem Diaconus si cum indignus sit idque palam constet accedat tamen ad Sacramentum Cohibeat Medicus si ad noxiam
blesseth those that furthered him 1 Sam. 23. 21. Blessed be ye of the Lord for ye have compassion on me He justifieth himself in murdering the Priests because he thought that they helped David against him and Doeg seemeth but a dutiful subject in executing his bloody command 1 Sam. 22. And Shimei thought he might boldly curse him 2 Sam. 16. 7 8. And he could scarce have charged him with more odious sin than to be a bloody man and a man of Belial If the Prophet speak against Ieroboams political Religion he will say Lay hold on him 1 King 13. 4. Even Asa will be rageing wrathful and imprison the Prophet that reprehendeth his sin 2 Chron. 16. 10. Ahab will feed Michaiah in a Prison with the Bread and Water of affliction if he contradict him 1 King 22. 27. And even Ierusalem killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent to gather them under the gracious wing of Christ Matth. 23. 37. Which of the Prophets did they not persecute Act. 7. 52. And if you consider but what streams of blood since the death of Christ and his Apostles have been shed for the sake of Christ and righteousness it will make you wonder that so much cruelty can consist with humanity and men and Devils should be so like The same man as Paul as soon as he ceaseth to shed the blood of others must look in the same way to lose his own How many thousands were murdered by Heathen Rome in the ten persecutions And how many by the Arian Emperours and Kings And how many by more Orthodox Princes in their particular distasts And yet how far hath the pretended Vicar of Christ out-done them all How many hundred thousands of the Albigenses Waldenses and Bohemians hath the Papal rage consumed Two hundred thousand the Irish murdered in a little space 〈…〉 o outgo the thirty or forty thousand which the French Massacre made an end of The sacrifices offered by their fury in the flames in the Marian persecution here in England were nothing to what one day hath done in other parts What Volumes can contain the particular Histories of them what a Shambles was their Inquisition in the Low-Countries and what is the employment of it still so that a doubting man would be inclined to think that Papal Rome is the murderous Babylon that doth but consider how drunken she is with the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Iesus and that the blood of Saints will be found in her in her day of tryal Rev. 17. 6. 18. 24. If we should look over all the rest of the World and reckon up the the torments and murders of the innocent in Iapan and most parts of the World where ever Christianity came it may increase your wonder that Devils and men are still so like Yea though there be as lowd a testimony in humane nature against this bloodiness as almost any sin whatsoever and though the names of persecutors alwayes stink to following Generations how proudly soever they carryed it for a time and though one would think a persecutor should need no cure but his own pride that his name may not be left as Pilates in the Creed to be odious in the mouths of the Ages that come after him Yet for all this so deep is the Enmity so potent is the Devil so blinding a thing is sin and interest and passion that still one Generation of persecuters doth succeed the others and they kill the present Saints while they honour the dead ones and build them Monuments and say If we had lived in the dayes of our fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the Prophets blood Read well Matth. 23. 29. to the end What a Sea of righteous blood hath malignity and persecuting zeal drawn out § 5. 4. Another cause of Murder is Rash and unrighteous judgement When Judges are ignorant or partial or perverted by passion or prejudice or respect of persons But though many an innocent hath suffered this way I hope among Christians this is one of the rarest Causes § 6. 5. Another way of murder is by oppression and uncharitableness when the poor are kept destitute of necessaries to preserve their lives Though few of them die directly of famine yet thousands of them dye of those sicknesses which they contract by unwholsome food And all those are guilty of their death either that cause it by oppression or that relieve them not when they are able and obliged to it Iam. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. § 7. 6. Another way and cause of murder is by Thieves and Robbers that do it to possess themselves of that which is another mans when riotousness or idleness hath consumed what they had themselves and sloath and pride will not suffer them to labour nor sensuality suffer them to endure want then they will have it by right or wrong what ever it cost them Gods Laws or mans the Gallows or Hell shall not deter them but have it they will though they rob and murder and are hang'd and damn'd for it Alas how dear a purchase do they make How much easier are their greatest wants than the wrath of God and the pains of Hell § 8. 7. Another cause of murder is Guilt and Shame When wicked people have done some great disgraceful sin which will utterly shame them or undo them if it be known they are tempted to murder them that know it to conceal the crime and save themselves Thus many a Whoremonger hath murdered her that he hath committed fornication with And many a Whore hath murdered her Child before the birth or after to prevent the shame But how madly do they forget the day when both the one and the other will be brought to light and the righteous judge will make them know that all their wicked shifts will be their confusion because there is no hiding them from him § 9. 8 Another cause is Furious anger which mastereth Reason and for the present makes them mad And Drunkenness which doth the same Many a one hath killed another in his fury or his drink So dangerous is it to suffer Reason to lose its power and to use our selves to a Bedlam course And so necessary is it to get a sober meek and quiet spirit and mortifie and master these turbulent and beastly vices § 10 9. Another cause of Murder is Malice and Revenge When mens own wrongs or sufferings are so great a matter to them and they have so little learnt to bear them that they hate that man that is the cause of them and boile with a revengeful desire of his ruine And this sin hath in it so so much of the Devil that those that are once addicted to it are almost wholly at his command He maketh witches of some and Murderers of others and wretches of all who set themselves in the place of God and will do Justice as they call it for themselves as if God were not just enough to
make any restitution and therefore must desire forgiveness you cannot well do it without confession 2. When you have wronged a man by a lye or by false witness or that he cannot be righted till you confess the truth 3. When you have wronged a man in his honour or frame where the natural remedy is to speak the contrary and confess the wrong 4. When it is necessary to cure the revengeful inclination of him whom you have wronged or to keep up his charity and so to enable him to love you and forgive you 5. Therefore all known wrongs to another must be confessed except when impossibility or some ill effect which is greater than the good be like to follow Because all men are apt to abate their Love to those that injure them and therefore all have need of this remedy And we must do our part to be forgiven by all whom we have wronged Quest. 2. What causes will excuse us from confessing wrongs to others Quest. 2. Answ. 1. When full recompence may be made without it and no forgiveness of the wrong is necessary from the injured nor any of the foresaid causes require it 2. When the wrong is secret and not known to the injured party and the confessing of it would but trouble his mind and do him more harm than good 3. When the injured party is so implacable and inhumane that he would make use of the confession to the ruine of the penitent or to bring upon him greater penalty than he deserveth 4. When it would injure a third person who is interessed in the business or bring them under oppression and undeserved misery 5. When it tendeth to the dishonour of Religion and to make it scorned because of the fault of the penitent confesser 6. When it tendeth to set people together by the ears and breed dissention or otherwise injure the Common-wealth or Government 7. In general it is no duty to confess our sin to him that we have wronged when all things considered it is like in the judgement of the truly wise to do more hurt than good For it is appointed as a means to good and not to do evil Quest. 3. If I have had a secret thought or purpose to wrong another am I bound to confess it Quest. 3. when it was never executed Answ. 1. You are not bound to confess it to the party whom you intended to wrong as any act of Justice to make him reparation nor to procure his forgiveness to your self Because it was no wrong to him indeed nor do thoughts and things secret come under his judgement and therefore need not his pardon 2. But it is a sin against God and to him you must confess it 3. And by accident finis gratia you must confess it to men in case it be necessary to be a warning to others or to the increase of their hatred of sin or their watchfulness or to exercise your own humiliation or prevent a relapse or to quiet your conscience or in a word when it is like to do more good than hurt Quest. 4. To whom and in what cases must I confess to men my sins against God and when not Quest. 4. Answ. The cases about that confession which belongeth to Church-discipline belongeth to the second Tome and therefore shall here be passed by But briefly and in general I may answer the question thus 1. There are conveniences and inconveniences to be compared together and you must make your choice accordingly The reasons which may move you to confess your sins to another are these 1. When another hath sinned with you or perswaded or drawn you to it and must be brought to repentance with you 2. When your conscience hath in vain tryed all other fit means for peace or comfort and cannot obtain it and there is any probability of such advice from others as may procure it 3. When you have need of advice to resolve your conscience whether it be sin or not or of what degree or what you are obliged to in order to forgiveness 4. When you have need of counsel to prevent the sin for the time to come and mortifie the habit of it The inconveniencies which may attend it are such as these 1. You are not certain of anothers secresie His mind may change or his understanding fail or he may fall out with you or some great necessiâ—y may befall him to drive him to open what you told him 2. Then whether your shame or loss will not make you repent it should be foreseen 3. And how far others may suffer in it 4. And how far it will reflect dishonour on Religion All things being considered on both sides the preponderating reasons must prevail Tit. 2. Directions about confessing sin to others Direct 1. DO nothing which you are not willing to confess or which may trouble you much if Direct 1. your confession should be opened Prevention is the easiest way And foresight of the consequents should make a wise man still take heed Direct 2. When you have sinned or wronged any weigh well the consequents on both sides before you Direct 2. make your confession that you may neither do that which you may wish undone again nor causelesly refuse your duty And that inconveniences foreseen may be the better undergone when they cannot be avoided Direct 3. When a well informed conscience telleth you that confession is your duty let not self-respects Direct 3. detain you from it but do it what ever it may cost you Be true to Conscience and do not wilfully put off your duty To live in the neglect of a known duty is to live in a known sin which will give you cause to question your sincerity and cause more terrible effects in your souls than the inconveniences of confession could ever have been Direct 4. Look to your Repentance that it be deep and absolute and free from hypocritical exceptions Direct 4. and reserves For half and hollow Repentance will not carry you through hard and costly duties But that which is sincere will break over all It will make you so angry with your selves and sins that you will be as inclined to take shame to your selves in an honest revenge as an angry man is to bring shame upon his adversary We are seldome over-tender of a mans reputation whom we fall out with And Repentance is a falling out with our selves We can bear sharp remedies when we feel the pain and perceive the mortal danger of the disease And Repentance is such a perception of our pain and danger We will not tenderly hide a mortal enemy but bring him to the most open shame And Repentance causeth us to hate sin as our mortal enemy It is want of Repentance that maketh men so unwilling to make a just confession Direct 5. Take heed of Pride which maketh men so tender of their reputation that they will Direct 5. venture their souls to save their honour Men call
that you sinned with must by all importunity be follicited to repentance and the sin must be confessed and pardon craved for tempting them to sin 2. Where it can be done without a greater evil than the benefit will amount to the Fornicators ought to joyn in marriage Exod. 22. 16. 3. Where that cannot be the man is to put the Woman into as good a case for outward livelyhood as she would have been in if she had not been corrupted by him by allowing her a proportionable dowry Exod. 22. 17. and the Parents injury to be recompensed Deut. 22. 28 29. 3. The Childs maintenance also is to be provided for by the fornicator That is 1. If the man by fraud or sollicitation induced the Woman to the sin he is obliged to all as aforesaid 2. If they sinned by mutual forwardness and consent then they must joyntly bear the burden yet so that the Man must bear the greater part because he is supposed to be the stronger and wiser to have resisted the temptation 3. If the Woman importuned the man she must bear the more but yet he is responsible to Parents and others for their damages and in part to the Woman her self because he was the stronger vessel and should have been more constant And volenti non fit injuria is a rule that hath some exceptions Quest. 12. In what case is a man excused from restitution and satisfaction Quest. 12. Answ. 1. He that is utterly disabled cannot restore or satisfie 2. He that is equally damnified by the person to whom he should restore is excused in point of real equity and Conscience so be it that the Reasons of external order and policy oblige him not For though it may be his sin of which he is to repent that he hath equally injured the other yet it requireth eonfession rather than restitution or satisfaction unless he may also expect satisfaction from the other Therefore if you owe a man an hundred pound and he owe you as much and will not pay you you are not bound to pay him unless for external order sake and the Law of the Land 3. If the debt or injury be forgiven the person is discharged 4. If Nature or common-custome do warrant a man to believe that no restitution or satisfaction is expected or that the injury is forgiven though it be not mentioned it will excuse him from restitution or satisfaction As if Children or friends have taken some trifle which they may presume the kindness of a Parent or friend will pass over though it be not justifiable Quest. 13. What if the Restitution will cost the restorer far more than the thing is worth Quest. 13. Answ. He is obliged to make Satisfaction instead of Restitution Quest. 14. What if the confessing of the fault may enrage him that I must restore to so that he will Quest. 14. turn it to my infamy or ruine Answ. You may then conceal the person and send him satisfaction by another hand or you may also conceal the wrong it self and cause satisfaction to be made him as by gift or other way of payment Tit. 2. Directions about Restitution and Satisfaction Direct 1. FOresee the trouble of restitution and prevent it Take heed of Covetousness which would Direct 1. draw you into such a snare What a perplexed case are some men in who have injured others so far as that all they have will scarce make them due satisfaction Especially publick oppressours who injure whole Nations Countreys or communities and unjust Judges who have done more wrong perhaps in one day or week than all their estates are worth and unjust Lawyers who plead against a righteous cause and false witnesses who contribute to the wrong and unjust Juries or any such like Also oppressing Landlords and Souldiers that take mens goods by violence and deceitful tradesmen who live by injuries In how sad a case are all these men Direct 2. Do nothing which is doubtful if you can avoid it lest it should put you upon the trouble of Direct 2. restitution As in case of any doubtful way of Usury or other gain consider that if it should hereafter appear to you to be unlawful and so you be obliged to restitution though you thought it lawful at the taking of it what a snare then would you be in when all that use must be repayed And so in other cases Direct 3. When really you are bound to restitution or satisfaction stick not at the Cost or Suffering be Direct 3. it never so great but be sure to deal faithfully with God and Conscience Else you will keep a thorn in your hearts which will smart and fâ—ster till it be out And the ease of your Consciences will bear the charge of your costlyest restitution Direct 4. If you be not able in your life time to make restitution leave it in your willâ— as a debt upon your Direct 4. Estates but never take it for your own Direct 5. If you are otherwise unable to satisfie offer your labour as a servant to him to whom you Direct 5. are indebted if at least by your service you can make him a compensation Direct 6. If you are that way unable also beg of your friends to help you that Charity may Direct 6. enable you to pay the debt Direct 7. But if you have no means at all of satisfying confess the injury and crave forgiveness Direct 7. and cast your self on the mercy of him whom you have injured CHAP. XXXIII Cases and Directions about our obtaining Pardon from God Tit. 1. Cases of Conscience about obtaining pardon of sin from God Quest. 1. IS there pardon to be had for all sin without exception or not Quest. 1. Answ. 1. There is no pardon procured nor offered for the final non-performance of the conditions of pardon that is for final impenitency unbelief and ungodliness 2. There is no pardon for any sin without the conditions of pardon that is without true faith and repentance which is our conversion from sin to God 3. And if there be any sin which certainly excludeth true Repentance to the last it excludeth pardon also which is commonly taken to be the case of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost of which I have written at large in my Treatise against Infidelity But 1. All sin except the final non-performance of the conditions of pardon is already conditionally pardoned in the Gospel that is If the sinner will repent and believe No sin is excepted from pardon to penitent believers 2. And all sin is actually pardoned to a true penitent believer Quest. 2. What if a man do frequently commit the same heynous sin may he be pardoned Quest. 2. Answ. Whilest he frequently committeth it being a mortal sin he doth not truly repent of it And while he is impenitent he is unpardoned But if he be truly penitent his heart being habitually and actually turned from the sin it will be forgiven