without Gods mercy the smallest will damne a man too But what will some reply In case two sins be propounded may I not do the lesser to avoid the greater otherwise must I not of necessity do the greater The answer is short and easie If two sins be propounded do neither E malis minimum holdeth as you heard and yet not alwaies neither in evils of Pain But that is no Rule for evils of sin Here the safer Rule is E malis nullum And the reason is sound from the Principle we have in hand If we may not do any evil to procure a positive good certainly much lesse may we do one evil to avoid or prevent another But what if both cannot be avoided but that one must needs be done In such a strait may I not choose the lesser To thee I say again as before Choose neither To the Case I answer It is no Case because as it is put it is a case impossible For Nemo angustiatur ad peccandum the Case cannot be supposed wherein a man should be so straitned as he could not come off fairely without sinning A man by rashness or feare or frailty may foully entangle himself and through the powerfull engagements of sin drive himself into very narrow straits or be so driven by the fault or injury of others yet there cannot be any such straits as should enforce a necessity of sinning but that still there is one path or other out of them without sin The perplexity that seemeth to be in the things is rather in the men who puzzle and lose themselves in the Labyrinths of sin because they care not to heed the clue that would lead them out if it were well followed Say a man through heat of blood make a wicked vow to kill his brother here he hath by his own rashnesse brought himself into a seeming strait that either he must commit a murther or break a vow either of which seemeth to be a great sin the one against the fifth the other against the third commandement But here is in very deed no strait or perplexity at all Here is a fair open course for him without sin He may break his vow and there an end Neither is this the choice of the lesser sinne but onely the loosening of the lesser bond the bond of charity being greater than the bond of a promise and there being good reason that in termes of inconsistencie when both cannot stand the lesser bond should yield to the greater But is it not a sin for a man to break a vow Yes where it may be kept salvis charitate justitia there the breach is a sin but in the case proposed it is no sin As Christ saith in the point of swearing so it may be said in the point of breach of vow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Never was any breach of vow but it was peccatum or ex peccato the breaking is either it self formally a sin or it argueth at least a former sin in the making So as the sin in the case alledged was before in making such an unlawfull vow and for that sin the party must repent but the breaking of it now it is made is no new sin Rather it is a necessary duty and a branch of that repentance which is due for the former rashnesse in making it because a hurtfull vow is and that virtute praecepti rather to be broken then kept The Aegyptian Midwives not by their own fault but by Pharaohs tyrannous command are driven into a narrow strait enforcing a seeming necessity of sin for either they must destroy the Hebrew children and so sin by Murther or else they must devise some hansome shift to carry it cleanly from the Kings knowledg and so sin by lying And so they did they chose rather to lye then to kill as indeed in the comparison it is by much the lesser sinne But the very truth is they should have done neither they should flatly have refused the Kings commandment though with hazard of their lives and have resolved rather to suffer any evil than to do any And so Lot should have done he should rather have adventured his own life and theirs too in protecting the chastity of his Daughters and the safety of his guests then have offered the exposall of his Daughters to the lusts of the beastly Sodomites though it were to redeeme his guests from the abuse of fouler and more abominable filthinesse Absolutely there cannot be a case imagined wherein it should be impossible to avoid one sin unlesse by the committing of another The case which of all other cometh nearest to a Perplexity is that of an erroneous conscience Because of a double bond the bond of Gods Law which to transgress is a sin and the bond of particular conscience which also to transgress is a sin Whereupon there seemeth to follow an inevitable necessity of sinning when Gods Law requireth one thing and particular conscience dictateth the flat contrary for in such a case a man must either obey Gods Law and so sin against his own conscience or obey his own conscience and so sin against Gods Law But neither in this case is there any perplexity at all in the things themselves that which there is is through the default of the man onely whose judgement being erroneous mis-leadeth his conscience and so casteth him upon a necessity of sinning But yet the necessity is no simple and absolute and unavoydable and perpetual necessity for it is onely a necessity ex hypothesi and for a time and continueth but stante tali errore And still there is a way out betwixt those sins and that without a third and that way is deponere erroneam conscientiam He must rectifie his judgement and reform the error of his Conscience and then all is well There is no perplexity no necessity no obligation no expediency which should either enforce or perswade us to any sin The resolution is damnable Let us do evil that good may come I must take leave before I pass from this point to make two instances and to measure out from the Rule of my Text an answer to them both They are such as I would desire you of this place to take due and special consideration of I desire to deal plainly and I hope it shall be by Gods blessing upon it effectually for your good and the Churches peace One instance shall be in a sin of Commission the other in a sin of Omission The sin of Commission wherein I would instance is indeed a sin beyond Commission it is the usurping of the Magistrates Office without a Commission The Question is whether the zealous intention of a good end may not warrant it good or at least excuse it from being evil and a sin I need not frame a Case for the illustration of this instance the inconsiderate forwardness of some hath made it to my hand You may read it
Scripture ascribeth one mans punishment to another mans sinne it pointeth us to Gods Wisedome and Providence who for good and just ends maketh choice of these occasions rather than other sometimes to inflict those punishments upon men which their own sinnes have otherwise abundantly deserved On the contrary wheresoever the Scripture giveth all punishments unto the personal sinnes of the sufferer it pointeth us to Gods Iustice which looketh still to the desert and doth not upon any occasion whatsoever inflict punishments but where there are personal sinnes to deserve them so that every man that is punished in any kind or upon any occasion may joyn with David in that confession of his Psalm 51. Against thee have I sinned and done evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and clear when thou judgest Say then an unconscionable great one by cruel oppression wring as Ahab did here his poorer neighbours Vineyard from him or by countenanced sacrilege gâ—ld a Bishoprick of a fair Lordship or Manor and when he hath done his prodigal heir run one end of it away in matches drown another end of it in Taverns and Tap-houses melt away the rest in lust and beastly sensuality who doth not here see both Gods Iustice in turning him out of that which was so foulely abused by his own sinnes and his Providence withall in fastening the Curse upon that portion which was so unjustly gotten by his fathers sinnes Every man is ready to say It was never like to prosper it was so ill gotten and so acknowledge the Covetous fathers sin as occasioning it and yet every man can say withall It was never likely to continue long it was so vainly lavished out and so acknowledge the Prodigal sons sin as sufficiently deserving it Thus have we heard the main doubt solved The summe of all is this God punisheth the son for the Fathers sin but with temporal punishments not eternal and with those perhaps so as to redound to the fathers punishment in the son Perhaps because the son treadeth in his fathers steps Perhaps because he possesseth that from his father to which Gods curse adhereth perhaps for other reasons best known to God himself wherewith he hath not thought meet to acquaint us but what ever the occasion be or the ends evermore for the sons own personal sinnes abundantly deserving them And the same resolution is to be given to the other two doubts proposed in the beginning to that Why GOD should punish any one man for another and to the third Why God should punish the lesser offender for the greater In which and all other doubts of like kind it is enough for the clearing of Gods Iustice to consider that when God doth so they are first only temporal punishments which he so inflicteth and those secondly no more than what the sufferer by his own sinnes hath most rightfully deserved All those other considerations as that the Prince and people are but one body and so each may feel the smart of others sinnes and stripes That oftentimes we have given way to other mens sins when we might have stopped them or consent when we should have withstood them or silent allowance when we should have checked them or perhaps furtherance when we should rather have hindered them That the punishments brought upon us for our fathers or other mens sins may turn to our great spiritual advantage in the humbling of our souls the subduing of our corruptions the encreasing of our care the exercising of our graces That where all have deserved the punishment it is left to the discretion of the Iudge whom he will pick out the Father or the Son the Governour or the Subject the Ring-Leader or the Follower the Greater or the Lesser offender to shew exemplary justice upon as he shall see expedient I say all these and other like considerations many though they are to be admitted as true and observed as usefull yet they are such as belong rather to GODS Providence and his Wisedome than to his Iustice. If therefore thou knowest not the very particular reason why God should punish thee in this or that manner or upon this or that occasion let it suffice thee that the Counsels and purposes of God are secret and thou art not to enquire with scrupulous curiosity into the dispensation and courses of his Providence farther than it hath pleased him either to reveal it in his word or by his manifest works to discover it unto thee But whatsoever thou doest never make question of his Iustice. Begin first to make inquiry into thine own self and if after unpartial search thou there findest not corruption enough to deserve all out as much as God hath layed upon thee then complain of injustice but not before And so much for the doubts Let us now from the premises raise some instructions for our use First Parents we think have reason to be carefull and so they have for their children and to desire and labour as much as in them lyeth their well-doing Here is a fair course then for you that are parents and have children to care for Doe you that which is good and honest and right and they are like to fare the better for it Wouldest thou then Brother leave thy lands and thy estate to thy child entire and free from encombrances It is an honest care but here is the way Abstineas igitur damnandis Leave them free from the guilt of thy sinnes which are able to comber them beyond any statute or morgage If not the bond of Gods Law if not the care of thine own soul if not the fear of hell if not the inward checks of thine own conscience At peccaturo obstet tibi filius infans at the least let the good of thy poor sweet infants restrain thee from doing that sinne which might pull down from heaven a plague upon them and theirs Goe too then doe not applaud thy self in thy witty villanies when thou hast circumvented and prospered when Ahab-like thou hast killed and taken possession when thou hast larded thy leaner revenues with fat collops sacrilegiously cut out of the sides or flanks of the Church and hast nayled all these with all the appurtenances by fines and vowchers and entayls as firm as Law can make them to thy child and his child and his childs child for ever After all this stirre cast up thy bills and see what a goodly bargain thou hast made thou hast damned thy self to undoe thy child thou hast brought a curse upon thine own soul to purchase that for thy child which shall bring a curse both upon it and him When thy Indentures were drawn and thy learned Counsel fee'd to peruse the Instrument and with exact severity to ponder with thee every clause and syllable therein could none of you spie a flaw in that clause with all and singular th' appurtenances neither observe that thereby thou diddest settle upon thy
this branch of our Christian liberty is the Church of Rome whom Saint Paul in this passage hath branded with an indeleble note of infamy in as much as those very doctrines wherein he giveth instance as in doctrines of Devils are the received Tenets and Conclusions of that Church Not to insist on other prejudices done to Christian liberty by the intolerable usurpation of the man of sin who exerciseth a spiritual Tyranny over mens Consciences as opposite to Evangelical liberty as Antichrist is to Christ let us but a little see how she hath fulfilled S. Pauls prediction in teaching lying and Devilish doctrines and that with seared consciences and in Hypocrisie in the two specialties mentioned in the next former Ver. viz. forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats Mariage the holy Ordinance of God instituted in the place and estate of innocency honoured by Christs presence at Cana in Galilee the seed-plot of the Church and the sole allowed remedy against incontinency and burning lusts by the Apostle commended as honourable in all men and commanded in case of ustion to all men is yet by this purple strumpet forbidden and that sub mortali to Bishops Priests Deacons Subdeacons Monks Friers Nuns in a word to the whole Clergy as they extend that title both Secular and Regular Wherein besides the Devilishness of the Doctrine in contrarying the Ordinance of God and in denying men subject to sinful lusts the lawfull remedy and so casting them upon a necessity of sinning see if they do not teach this lye with seared consciences For with what Conscience can they make the same thing a Sacrament in the Lay and Sacrilege in the Clergy With what conscience permit stewes and forbid Marriage With what conscience allege Scriptures for the single life of Priests and yet confesse it to be an ordinance only of Ecclesiastical and not of Divine right With what conscience confesse fornication to be against the Law of God and Priests marriage only against the Law of holy Church and yet make marriage in a Priest a farr fouler sinne than fornication or incest With what conscience exact a vow of continency from Clerks by those â—anons which defend their open incontinency With what conscience forbid lawful marriages to some and yet by dispensation allow unlawful marriages to others And is not the like also done in the other particular concerning Meats The laws of that Church forbidding some Orders of men some kinds of meats perpetually and all men some meats upon certain dayes and that not for Civil respects but with opinion of satisfaction yea merit yea and supererogation too In which also besides the Devilishness of the Doctrine in corrupting the profitable and religious exercise of fasting and turning it into a superstitious observation of Dayes and Meats judge if they doe not teach this lye also as the former with seared consciences For with what conscience can they allow an ordinary Confessour to absolve for Murder Adultery Perjury and such petty crimes but reserve the great sin of Eating flesh upon a Friday or Ember day to the censure of a Penitentiary as being a matter beyond the power of an ordinary Priest to grant absolution for With what Conscience make the tasting of the coarsest flesh a breach of the Lent fast and surfetting upon the delicatest fishes and confections none With what Conscience forbid they such and such meats for the taming of the flesh when they allow those that are farre more nutritive of the flesh and incentive of fleshly lusts With what conscience enjoyn such abstinence for a penance and then presently release it again for a peny Indeed the Gloss upon the Canon that doth so hath a right worthy and a right wholesom note Note saith the Glosse that he who giveth a peny to redeem his fast though he give mony for a spiritual thing yet he doth not commit Simonie because the contract is made with God If these men had not seared up their consciences would they not think you feel some check at the broaching of such ridiculous and inconsistent stuff as floweth from these two heads of Devilish Doctrines of forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats I deny not but the bawds of that strumpet the Doctors of that Church have their colourable pretences wherewith to blanch over these errours else the lyes would be palpable and they should not otherwise fill up the measure of their Apostacy according to the Apostles Prophecy in teaching these lyes in Hypocrisie But the colours though never so artificially tempered and never so handsomly laid on are yet so thinn that a steddy eye not bleered with prejudice may discern the lye through them for all the Hypocrisie As might easily be shewen if my intended course led me that way and did not rather direct me to matter of more profitable and universal use Having therefore done with them it were good for us in the third place that we might know our own free-hold with better certainty and keep our selves within our due bounds to enquire a little what is the just extent of our Christian liberty unto the Creatures and what restraints it may admit A point very needfull to be known for the resolution of many doubts in conscience and for the cutting off of many questions and disputes in the Church which are of very noysom consequence for want of right information herein I have other matter also to entreat of and therefore since I may not allow this enquiry so large a discourse as it well deserveth I shall desire you to take into your Christian consideration these Positions following The first Our Christian liberty extendeth to all the Creatures of God This ariseth clearly from what hath been already delivered and the testimonies of Scripture for it are expresse All things are pure All things are lawfull All are yours elsewhere and here Nothing to be refused The second Position Our Christian liberty equally respecteth the using and the not using of any of Gods creatures There is no Creature but a Christian man by vertue of his liberty as he may use it upon just occasion so he may also upon just cause refuse it All things are lawfull for me saith S. Paul but I will not be brought under the power of any thing Where he establisheth this liberty in both the parts of it liberty to use the Creatures or else they had not all been lawfull for him and yet liberty not to use them or else he had been under the power of some of them Whence it followeth that all the Creatures of God stand in the nature of things indifferent that is such as may indifferently be either used or not used according as the rules of godly discretion circumstances duely considered shall direct The third Position Our Christian liberty for the using or not using of the creature
restraint And if he justly censured them as men of abject mindes that would for any consideration in the world willingly forgo their civil and Roman liberty what flatness of spirit possesseth us if we wilfully betray our Christian and spiritual liberty Whereby besides the dishonour we do also which is the fifth reason and whereunto I will adde no more with our own hands pull upon our own heads a great deal of unnecessary cumber For whereas we might draw an easie yoak carry a light burden observe commandements that are not grievous and so live at much hearts ease in the service of God and of Christ by putting our selves into the service of men we thrust our necks into a hard yoak of bondage such as neither we nor any of our fathers were ever able to bear we lay upon our own shoulders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavy and importable burdens and subject our selves to ordinances which are both grievous and unprofitable and such are so far from preserving those that use them from perishing that themselves perish in the using Now against this liberty which if we will answer the trust reposed in us and neither wrong Christ nor dâ—shonour God nor yet dâ—base and encomber our selves where we should not we must with our utmost power maintain The offenders are of two sorts to wit such as either injuriously encroach upon the liberty of others or else unworthily betray away their own The most notorious of the former sort are the Bishops of Rome whose usurpations upon the consciences of men shew them to be the true successors of the Scribes and Pharisees in laying heavy burdens upon mens shoulders which they ought not and in rejecting the Word of God to establish their own traditions rather than the successors of S. Peter who forbiddeth dâ—minatum in Cleris in the last chapter of this Epistle at verse 3. To teach their own judgements to be infallible To make their definitions an universal and unerring rule of faith To stile their decrees and constitutions Oracles To assume to themselves all power in heaven and earth To require subjection both to their laws and persons as of necessity unto salvation To suffer themselves to be called by their parasites Dominus Deus noster Papa and Optimum maximum supremum in terris numen all which and much more is done and taught and professed by the Popes and in their behalf if all this will not reach to S. Pauls exaltari supra omne quod vocaâ—ur Deus yet certainly and no modest man can deny it it will amount to as much as S. Peters dominari in Cleris even to the exercising of such a Lordship over the Lords heritage the Christian Church as will become none but the Lord himself whose heritage the Church is Besides these that do it thus by open Assault I would there were not others also that did by secret underminings go about to deprive us of that liberty which we have in Christ Jesus even then when they most pretend the maintenance of it They inveigh against the Church Governours as if they Lorded it over Gods heritage and against the Church orders and constitutions as if they were contrary to Christian liberty Wherein besides that they do manifest wrong to the Church in both particulars they consider not that those very accusations which they thus irreverently dart at the face of their Mother to whom they owe better respect but miss it do recoil part upon themselves and cannot be avoided For whereas these constitutions of the Church are made for order decency and uniformity sake and to serve unto edification and not with any intention at all to lay a tye upon the consciences of men or to work their judgements to an opinion as if there were some necessity or inherent holiness in the things required thereby neither do our Governors neither ought they to press them any farther which is sufficient to acquit both the Governors from that Lording and the Constitutions from that trenching upon Christian liberty wherewith they are charged Alas that our brethren who thus accuse them should suffer themselves to be so far blinded with prejudices and partial affections as not see that themselves in the mean time do really exercise a spiritual Lordship over their disciples who depend in a manner wholly upon their judgements by imposing upon their consciences sundry Magisterial conclusions for which they have no sound warrant from the written Word of God Whereby besides the great injury done to their brethren in the impeachment of their Christian liberty and leading them into error they do withall exasperate against them the mindes of those that being in authority look to be obeyed and engage them in such sufferings as they can have no just cause of rejoycing in For beloved this we must know that as it is injustice to condemn the innocent as well as it is injustice to clear the guilty and both these are equal abominable to the Lord so it is superstition to forbid that as sinful which is in truth indifferent and therefore lawful as well as it is superstition to enjoyn that as necessary which is in truth indifferent and therefore arbitrary Doth that heavy woe in Esay 5. appertain think ye to them only that out of prophaneness call evil good and nothing at all concern them that out of preciseness call good evil Doth not he decline out of the way that turneth aside on the right hand as well as he that turneth on the left They that positively make that to be sin which the Law of God never made so to be how can they be excused from symbolizing with the Pharisees and the Papists in making the narrow waies of God yet narrower than they are in teaching for doctrines mens precepts and so casting a snare upon the consciences of their brethren If our Church should presse things as far and upon such grounds the one way as some forward spirits do the other way if as they say it is a sin to kneel at the Communion and therefore we charge you upon your consciences not to do it so the Church should say it is a sin not to kneel and therefore we require you upon your consciences to do it and so in all other lawful yet arbitrary ceremonies possibly then the Church could no more be able to acquit her self from encroaching upon Christian liberty than they are that accuse her for it Which since they have done and she hath not she is therefore free and themselves only guilty It is our duty for the better securing of our selves as well against those open impugners as against these secret underminers to look heedfully to our trenches and fortifications and to stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free lest by some device or other we be lifted out of it To those that seek to enthrall us we should
meant thereby Sect. 47 49 2. and what is meant thereby Sect. 50 52 3. The abiding therein with God what Sect. 53 The Conclusion Sermon V. Ad Populum on 1 Tim. 4.4 Sect. 1. THE Coherence of the TEXT Sect. 2 Scope of the TEXT and Sect. 3 Division of the TEXT Sect. 4 6 OBSERVATION I. Concerning the Goodness of the Creature Sect. 7 Inferences thence I. God not the Author of Evil. Sect. 8 II. The goodness of God seen in the glass of the Creatures Sect. 9-10 III. The Creatures not to be blamed Sect. 11 13 OBSERVATION II. Concerning the Liberty and Right we have to the Creatures Sect. 14 1. By Creation Sect. 15 2. By Redemption Sect. 16 Much impleaded 1. by Judaisme Sect. 17 19 2. by the Church of Rome Sect. 20 32 The Extent of this Liberty in Eight Positions Sect. 33 OBSERVATION III. The Creatures to be received with Thanks-giving Sect. 34 37 The Duty of Thanksgiving Explained and Sect. 38 Enforced 1. as an Act of Justice Sect. 39 42 2. as an Act of Religion Sect. 43 44 INFERENCES I. For Conviction of our unthankfulness to God Sect. 45 46 1. for want of Recognition with 2 degrees of each Sect. 47 48 2. for want of Estimation with 2 degrees of each Sect. 49 51 3. for want of Retribution with 2 degrees of each Sect. 52 II. Six Motives to Thankfulness taken from Sect. 53 1. The Excellency of the Duty Sect. 54 2. The Continual Effluence of Gods benefits Sect. 55 3. Our Future Necessities Sect. 5◠4. Our Misery in Wanting Sect. 57 5. Our Importunity in Asking Sect. 58 6. The Freedome of the gift Sect. 59 III. To avoid those things that hinder our Thankfulness which are chiefly Sect. 60 1. Pride Sect. 61 2. Envy Sect. 62 3. Ryotous living Sect. 63 4. Wordly Cares Sect. 64 5. Procrastination Sect. 65 IIII. To be thankful for Spiritual blessings Sermon VI. Ad Populum on Gen. 20.6 Sect. Sect. 1. THE Occasion of the TEXT Sect. 2 Scope of the TEXT and Sect. 3 Division of the TEXT Sect. 4 Of the Nature and Use of Dreams Sect. 5 6 The Former Part of the TEXT explained Sect. 7 OBSERVATION I. The grievousness of the sinne of Adultery Sect. 8 10 and of Fornication Compared Sect. 11 12 OBSERVATION II. How far Ignorance doth or doth not excuse from sin Sect. 13 16 instanced in this fact of Abimelech Sect. 17 Inferences thence I. Concerning the Salvation of our Forefathers Sect. 18 19 Two Doubts removed Sect. 20 II. Not to flatter our selves in our Ignorance Sect. 21 III. Of sins done with Knowledge Sect. 22 24 OBSERVATION III. Moral Integrity may be in the heart of an unbeliever Sect. 25 with the Reason thereof Sect. 26 Inferences thence I. A shame for Christians to fall short of Heathens in their Morals Sect. 27 II. Particular Actions no certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Sincerity Sect. 28 III. The acquital of Conscience no sufficient justification Sect. 29 The Later Part of the TEXT opened Sect. 30 OBSERVATION IV. Boncerning Gods Restraint of sin in men Sect. 31 with the different measure and means thereof Sect. 32 1. That there is such a Restraint Sect. 33 34 2. That it is from God Sect. 35 3. That it is from the Mercy of God and therefore called Grace Sect. 36 Inferences from the consideration of Gods Restraint Sect. 37 I. As it lyeth upon others 1. to bless God for our Preservation Sect. 38 2. not to trust wicked men too farre Sect. 39 3. nor to fear them too much Sect. 40 4. to endevour to restrain others from sinning Sect. 41 II. as it lyeth upon our selves 1. To be humble under it Sect. 42 2. to entertain the means of such restraint with Thankfulness Sect. 43 3. to pray that God would restrain our Corruptions Sect. 44 4. but especially to pray and labour for sanctifying grace Sermon VII Ad Populum on 1 Pet. 2.16 Sect. 1-2 THE Occasion Scope of the TEXT Sect. 3 5 Coherence of the TEXT and Sect. 6 Division of the TEXT Sect. 7 8 OBSERVATION I. Christian Liberty to be maintained Sect. 9 12 with the Explication Sect. 13 17 and Five Reasons thereof Sect. 18 20 Inferences I. Not to usurp upon the Liberty of others Sect. 21 24 II. Nor to betray our own Sect. 25 OBSERVATION II. Christian Liberty not to be abused Sect. 26 28 The words explained and thence Sect. 29 31 Three Reasons of the point Sect. 32 34 Foure abuses of Christian Liberty viz. I. by casting off the obligation of the moral Law Sect. 35 36 II. by exceeding the bounds of Sobriety Sect. 37 III. by giving Scandal to others Sect. 38 IIII. by disobeying Lawful Superiours Sect. 39 40 The grounds and Objections of the Anti-Ceremonians Sect. 41 46 propounded and particularly answered Sect. 47 50 How mens Lawes binde the Conscience Sect. 51 2 OBSERVATION III. We being the servants of God Which is of all other Sect. 53 4 1. the most Just Service Sect. 55 2. the most Necessary Service Sect. 56 57 3. the most Easy Service Sect. 58 4. the most Honourable Service Sect. 59 5. and the most Profitable Service Sect. 60 Ought to carry our selves as his servants with all Sect. 61 63 I. Reverence to his Person in 3 branches Sect. 62 64 II. Obedience to his Will both in Doing and Suffering Sect. 65 68 III. Faithfulness in his Business in 3 branches Sect. 69 The Conclusion AD CLERUM The First Sermon At a Visitation at Boston Lincoln 17. Apr. 1619. ROM 14.3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth ITt cannot be avoided so long as there is or Weaknesse on earth or Malice in hell but that scandals will arise and differences will grow in the Church of God What through want of judgement in some of Ingenuity in others Charity in almost all occasions GOD knoweth of offence are too soon both given and taken whilest men are apt to quarrel at trifles and to maintain differences even about indifferent things The Primitive Roman Church was not a little afflicted with this disease for the remedying whereof S. Paul spendeth this whole Chapter The occasion this In Rome there lived in the Apostles times many Iews of whom as well of the Gentiles divers were converted to the Christian Faith by the preaching of the Gospel Now of these new Converts some better instructed then others as touching the cessation of legall Ceremonies made no difference of Meats or of Dayes but used their lawfull Christian liberty in them both as things in their own nature meerly indifferent Whereas others not so throughly catechized as they still made difference for Conscience sake both of Meats accounting them Clean or Unclean and of Days accounting them Holy or Servile according as they stood under the Levitical Law These latter S. Paul calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Weak in the faith those former then
Glory and judgement As it is not safe for us then to encroach upon GODS Royalties in either of the other two Glory or Vengeance so neither in this of Judgement Dominus judicabit The Lord himself will judge his people Heb. 10. It is flat Usurpation in us to judge and therefore we must not judge Secondly it is rashnesse in us A Judge must understand the truth both for matter of fact and for point of Law and he must be sure he is in the right for both before he proceed to sentence or else he will give rash judgement How then dare any of us undertake to sit as Iudges upon other mens Consciences wherewith we are so little acquainted that we are indeed but too much unacquainted with our own We are not able to search the depth of our own wicked and deceitfull hearts and to ransack throughly the many secret windings and turnings therein how much lesse then are we able to fadome the bottomes of other mens hearts with any certainty to pronounce of them either good or evil We must then leave the judgements of other mens spirits and hearts and reines to him that is the Father of spirits and alone searcheth the hearts and reines before whose eyes all things are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word is most Emphaticall Hebrewes 4. Wherefore our Apostles precept elsewhere is good to this purpose 1 Cor. 4. Iudge nothing before the time untill the LORD come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts Unlesse we be able to bring these hidden things to light and to make manifest these counsels it is rashnessi in us to judge and therefore we must not judge Thirdly this judging is uncharitable Charity is not easily suspicious but upon just cause much lesse then censorious and peremptory Indeed when we are to judge of Things it is wisdome to judge of them secundùm quod sunt as neer as we can to judge of them just as they are without any sway or partiall inclination either to the right hand or to the left But when we are to judge of Men and their Actions it is not altogether so there the rule of Charity must take place Dubia in meliorem partem sunt interpretanda Unlesse we see manifest cause to the contrary we ought ever to interpret what is done by others with as much favour as may be To erre thus is better than to hit right the other way because this course is safe and secureth us as from injuring others so from endangering our selves whereas in judging ill though right we are still unjust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the event onely and not our choyce freeing us from wrong judgement True Charity is ingenious it thinketh no evil 1 Cor. 13. How far then are they from Charity that are ever suspicious and think nothing well For us let it be our care to maintain Charity and to avoid as far as humane frailty will give leave even sinister suspicions of our brethrens actions or if through frailty we cannot that yet let us not from light suspicions fall into uncharitable censures let us at leastwise suspend our definitive judgement and not determine too peremptorily against such as do not in every respect just as we do or as we would have them do or as we think they should do It is uncharitable for us to judge and therefore we must not judge Lastly there is Scandall in judging Possibly he that is judged may have that strength of Faith and Charity that though rash and uncharitable censures lie thick in his way he can lightly skip over all those stumbling-blocks and scape a fall Saint Paul had such a measure of strength With me it is a very small thing saith he that I should be judged of you or of humane judgement 1 Cor. 4. If our judging light upon such an object it is indeed no scandall to him but that 's no thanks to us We are to esteem things by their natures not events and therefore we give a scandall if we judge notwithstanding he that is judged take it not as a scandall For that judging is in it self a scandall is clear from ver 13. of this Chapter Let us not therefore saith S. Paul judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way And thus we see four main Reasons against this judging of our brethren 1. We have no right to judge and so our judging is usurpation 2. We may erre in our judgements and so our judging is rashnesse 3. We take things the worst way when we judge and so our judging is uncharitable 4. We offer occasion of offence by our judging and so our judging is scandalous Let not him therefore that eateth not judge him that eateth And so I have done with my Text in the general use of it wherein we have seen the two faults of despising and of judging our brethren laid open and the uglinesse of both discovered I now descend to make such Application as I promised both of the case and rules unto some differences and to some offences given and taken in our Church in point of Ceremony The Case ruled in my Text was of eating and not eating the Differences which some maintain in our Church are many in the particular as of kneeling and not kneeling wearing and not wearing crossing and not crossing c. But all these and most of the rest of them may be comprehended in grosse under the terms of conforming and not conforming Let us first compare the Cases that having found wherein they agree or disagree we may thereby judge how far S. Pauls advice in my Text ought to rule us for not despising for not judging one another There are four speciall things wherein if we compare this our Case with the Apostles in every of the four we shall find some agreement and some disparity also 1. The nature of the matter 2. The abilities of the persons 3. Their severall practise about the things and 4. Their mutuall carriage one towards another And first let us consider how the two Cases agree in each of these First the matter whereabout the eater and the not-eater differed in the case of the Romans was in the nature of it indifferent so it is between the conformer and not conformer in our Case As there fish and flesh and herbs were meerly indifferent such as might be eaten or not eaten without sin so here Cap and Surplis Crosse and Ring and the rest are things meerly indifferent such as in regard of their own nature may be used or not used without sin as being neither expresly commanded nor expresly forbidden in the Word of God Secondly the Persons agree For as there so here also some are strong in faith some weak
for the reasons already shewn to let it passe as a collection impertinent and that I suppose is the worst that can be made of it There is a second acception of the word Faith put either for the whole systeme of that truth which God hath been pleased to reveale to his Church in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament or some part thereof or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the assent of the mind thereunto In which signification some conceiving the words of this Text to be meant do hence inferre a false and dangerous conclusion which yet they would obtrude upon the Christian Church as an undoubted principle of truth that men are bound for every particular action they do to have direction and warrant from the written word of God or else they sinne in the doing of it For say they faith must be grounded upon the word of God Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. Where there is no Word then there can be no Faith and then by the Apostles doctrine that which is done without the Word to warrant it must needs be sin for whatsoever is not of faith is sin This is their opinion and thus they would inferre it I know not any piece of counterfeit doctrine that hath passed so currently in the world with so little suspicion of falshood and so little open contradiction as this hath done One chief cause whereof I conjecture to be for that it seemeth to make very much for the honour and perfection of Gods sacred Law the fulnesse and sufficiency whereof none in the Christian Church but Papists or Atheists will deny In which respect the very questioning of it now will perhaps seem a strange novelty to many and occasion their miscensures But as God himself so the Holy Word of God is so full of all requisite perfection that it needeth not to begge honour from an untruth Will you speak wickedly for God or talk deceitfully for him I hold it very needfull therefore both for the vindicating of my Text from a common abuse and for the arming of all my brethren as well of the Clergy as Laity against a common and plausible errour that neither they teach it nor these receive it briefly and clearly to shew that the aforesaid opinion in such sort as some have proposed it and many have understood it for it is capable of a good interpretation wherein it may be allowed first is utterly devoid of truth and secondly draweth after it many dangerous consequents and evil effects and Thirdly hath no good warrant from my present Text. The Opinion is that to do any thing at all without direction from the Scripture is unlawfull and sinfull Which if they would understand onely of the substantials of Gods worship and of the exercises of spirituall and supernaturall graces the assertion were true and sound but as they extend it to all the actions of common life whatsoever whether naturall or civil even so farre as to the taking up of a straw so it is altogether false and indefensible I marvell what warrant they that so teach have from the Scripture for that very doctrine or where they are commanded so to believe or teach One of their chiefest refuges is the Text we now have in hand but I shall anon drive them from this shelter The other places usually alleaged speak onely either of divine and supernaturall truths to be believed or else of workes of grace or worship to be performed as of necessity unto salvation which is not to the point in issue For it is freely confessed that in things of such nature the Holy Scripture is and so we are to account it a most absolute and sufficient direction Upon which ground we heartily reject all humane traditions devised and intended as supplements to the doctrine of faith contained in the Bible and annexed as Codicils to the holy Testament of Christ for to supply the defects thereof The question is wholly about things in their nature indifferent such as are the use of our food raiment and the like about which the common actions of life are chiefly conversant Whether in the choice and use of such things we may not be sometimes sufficiently guided by the light of reason and the common rules of discretion but that we must be able and are so bound to do or else we sinne for every thing we do in such matters to deduce our warrant from some place or other oâ— Scripture Before the Scriptures were written it pleased GOD by visions and dreames and other like revelations immediately to make known his good pleasure to the Patriarches and Prophets and by them unto the people which kind of Revelations served them to all the same intents and purposes whereto the sacred Scriptures now do us viz. to instruct them what they should believe and do for his better service and the furtherance of their own salvations Now as it were unreasonable for any may to think that they either had or did expect an immediate revelation from God every time they ate or drank or bought or sold or did any other of the common actions of life for the warranting of each of those particular actions to their consciences no lesse unreasonable it is to think that we should now expect the like warrant from the Scriptures for the doing of the like actions Without all doubt the Law of nature and the light of reason was the rule whereby they were guided for the most part in such matters which the wisdome of God would never have left in them or us as a principall relike of his decayed image in us if he had not meant that we should make use of it for the direction of our lives and actions thereby Certainly God never infused any power into any creature whereof he intended not some use Else what shall we say of the Indies and other barbarous nations to whom God never vouchsafed the lively oracles of his written word Must we think that they were left a lawlesse people without any Rule at all whereby to order their actions How then come they to be guilty of transgression for where there is no Law there can be no transgression Or how cometh it about that their consciâ—nces should at any time or in any case either accuse them or excuse them if they had no guide nor rule to walk by But if we must grant they had a Rule and there is no way you see but grant it we must then we must also of necessity grant that there is some other Rule for humane actions besides the written word for that we presupposed these nations to have wanted Which Rule what other could it be then the Law of Nature and of right reason imprinted in their hearts Which is as truly the Law and Word of God as is that which is printed in our Bibles So long as our actions are warranted either by the
one or the other we cannot be said to want the warrant of Gods Word Nec differet Scripturâ an ratione consistat saith Tertullian it mattereth not much from whether of both we have our direction so long as we have it from either You see then those men are in a great errour who make the holy Scriptures the sole rule of all humane actions whatsoever For the maintenance whereof there was never yet produced any piece of an argument either from reason or from authority of holy writ or from the testimony either of the ancient Fathers or of other classicall Divines of later times which may not be clearely and abundantly answered to the satisfaction of any rationall man not extremely fore-possessed with prejudice They who think to salve the matter by this mitigation that at least wise our actions ought to be framed according to those generall rules of the Law of Nature which are here and there in the Scriptures dispersedly contained as viz. That we should do as we would be done to That all things be done decently and orderly and unto edification That nothing be done against conscience and the like speak somewhat indeed to the truth but little to the purpose For they consider not First that these generall Rules are but occasionally and incidentally mentioned in Scripture rather to manifest unto us a former than to lay upon us a new obligation Secondly that those rules had been of force for the ordering of mens actions though the Scripture had never expressed them and were of such force before those Scriptures were written wherein they are now expressed For they bind not originally quà scripta but quà justa because they are righteous not because they are written Thirdly that an action conformable to these generall rules might not be condemned as sinfull although the doer thereof should look at those rules meerly as they are the dictates of the law of nature and should not be able to vouch his warrant for it from any place of Scripture neither should have at the time of the doing thereof any present thought or consideration of any such place The contrary whereunto I permit to any mans reasonable judgement if it be not desperately rash and uncharitable to affirm Lastly that if mens actions done agreeably to those rules are said to be of faith precisely for this reason because those rules are contained in the word then it will follow that before those particular Scriptures were written wherein any of those rules are first delivered every action done according to those rules had been done without faith there being as yet no Scripture for it and consequently had been a sin So that by this doctrine it had been a sin before the writing of S. Matthews Gospel for any man to have done to others as he would they should do to him and it had been a sin before the writing of the former Epistle to the Corinthians for any man to have done any thing decently and orderly supposing these two rules to be in those two places first mentioned because this supposed there could then have been no warrant brought from the Scriptures for so doing Well then we see the former Opinion will by no means hold neither in the rigour of it nor yet in the mitigation We are therefore to beware of it and that so much the more heedfully because of the evil consequents and effects that issue from it to wit a world of superstitions uncharitable censures bitter contentions contempt of superiours perplexities of conscience First it filleth mens heads with many superstitious conceits making them to cast impurity upon sundry things which yet are lawfull to as many as use them lawfully For the taking away of the indifferency of any thing that is indifferent is in truth Superstition whether either of the two wayes it be done either by requiring it as necessary or by forbidding it as unlawfull He that condemneth a thing as utterly unlawfull which yet indeed is indifferent and so lawfull is guilty of superstition as well as he that enjoyneth a thing as absolutely necessary which yet indeed is but indifferent and so arbitrary They of the Church of Rome and some in our Church as they go upon quite contrary grounds yet both false so they run into quite contrary errours and both superstitious They decline too much on the left hand denying to the holy Scripture that perfection which of right it ought to have of containing all things appertaining to that supernatural doctrine of faith and holinesse which God hath revealed to his Church for the attainment of everlasting salvation whereupon they would impose upon Christian people that with an opinion of necessity many things which the Scriptures require not and that is a Superstition These wry too much on the right hand ascribing to the holy Scripture such a kind of perfection as it cannot have of being the sole directour of all humane actions whatsoever whereupon they forbid unto Christian people and that under the name of sinne sundry things which the holy Scripture condemneth not and that is a superstition too From which Superstition proceedeth in the second place uncharitable censuring as evermore they that are the most superstitious are the most supercilious No such severe censurers of our blessed Saviours person and actions as the superstitious Scribes and Pharisees were In this Chapter the speciall fault which the Apostle blameth in the weak ones who were somewhat superstitiously affected was their rash and uncharitable judging of their brethren And common and daily experience among our selves sheweth how freely some men spend their censures upon so many of their brethren as without scruple do any of those things which they upon false grounds have superstitiously condemned as utterly unlawfull And then thirdly as unjust censures are commonly entertained with scorn and contumely they that so liberally condemn their brethren of prophaneness are by them again as freely flouted for their preciseness and so whiles both parties please themselves in their own wayes they cease not mutually to provoke and scandalize and exasperate the one the other pursuing their private spleens so far till they break out into open contentions oppositions Thus it stood in the Roman Church when this Epistle was written They judged one another and despised one another to the great disturbance of the Churches peace which gave occasion to our Apostles whole discourse in this Chapter And how far the like censurings and despisings have embittered the spirits and whetted both the tongues and pens of learned men one against another in our own Church the stirs that have been long since raised are still upheld by the factious opposers against our Ecclesiasticall constitutions government and ceremonies will not suffer us to be ignorant Most of which stirs I verily perswade my self had been long ere this either wholly buried in silence or at leastwise prettily well quieted if the weaknesse and danger of the errour
unclean of it self That is I stedfastly believe it is a most certain and undoubted truth Again at the two and twentieth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hast thou faith have it to thy self before God that is art thou in thy conscience perswaded that thou maist lawfully partake any of the good creatures of God Let that perswasion suffice thee for the approving of thine own heart in the sight of God but trouble not the Church nor offend thy weaker brother by a needlesse and unseasonable ostentation of that thy knowledge Lastly in this three and twentieth verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith that is he that is not yet fully perswaded in his own mind that it is lawfull for him to eat some kinds of meats as namely swines flesh or bloodings and yet is drawn against his own judgement to eat thereof because he seeth others so to do or because he would be loth to undergo the taunts and jears of scorners or out of any other poor respect such a man is cast and condemned by the judgement of his own heart as a transgressor because he adventureth to do that which he doth not believe to be lawfull And then the Apostle proceeding ab hypothesi ad thesin immediately reduceth that particular case into a generall rule in these words For whatsoever is not of faith is sin By the processe of which his discourse it may appear that by Faith no other thing is here meant than such a perswasion of the mind and conscience as we have now declared and that the true purport and intent of these words is but thus much in effect Whosoever shall enterprise the doing of any thing which he verily believeth to be unlawfull or at leastwise is not reasonably well perswaded of the lawfulnesse of it let the thing be otherwise and in it self what it can be lawfull or unlawfull indifferent or necessary convenient or inconvenient it mattereth not to him it is a sin howsoever Which being the plain evident and undeniable purpose of these words I shall not need to spend any more breath either in the farther refutation of such conclusions as are mis-inferred hence which fall of themselves or in the farther Explication of the meaning of the Text which already appeareth but addresse my self rather to the application of it Wherein because upon this great principle may depend the resolution of very many Cases of Conscience which may trouble us in our Christian and holy walking it will not be unprofitable to proceed by resolving some of the most material doubts and questions among those which have occurred unto my thoughts by occasion of this Text in my meditations thereon First it may be demanded What power the Conscience hath to make a thing otherwise good and lawfull to become unlawfull and sinfull and whence it hath that power I answer First that it is not in the power of any mans judgement or conscience to alter the naturall condition of any thing whatsoever either in respect of quality or degree but that still every thing that was good remaineth good and every thing that was evil remaineth evil and that in the very same degree of good or evil as it was before neither better nor worse any mans particular judgement or opinion thereof notwithstanding For the differences between good and evil and the severall degrees of both spring from such conditions as are intrinsecall to the things themselves which no Outward respects and much lesse then mens opinions can vary He that esteemeth any creature unclean may defile himself but he cannot bring impurity upon that creature by such his estimation Secondly that mens judgements may make that which is good in its own nature the naturall goodnesse still remaining become evil to them in the use essentially good and quoad rem but quoad hominem and accidentally evil It is our Apostles own distinction in the fourteenth verse of this Chapter Nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean unclean to him But then we must know withall that it holdeth not the other way Mens judgements or opinions although they may make that which is good in it self to become evil to them yet they cannot make that which is evill in it self to become good either in it self or to them If a man were verily perswaded that it were evil to ask his father blessing that mis-perswasion would make it become evil to him But if the same man should be as verily perswaded that it were good to curse his father or to deny him relief being an unbeliever that mis-perswasion could not make either of them become good to him Some that persecuted the Apostles were perswaded they did God good service in it It was Saint Pauls case before his conversion who verily thought in himself that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus But those their perswasions would not serve to justifie those their actions Saint Paul confesseth himself to have been a persecutor and blasphemer and injurious for so doing although he followed the guidance of his own conscience therein and to have stood in need of mercy for the remission of those wicked acts though he did them ignorantly and out of zeal to the Law The reason of which difference is that which I touched in the beginning even because any one defect is enough to render an action evill and consequently a defect in the agent may do it though the substance of the action remain still as it was good but all conditions must concur to make an action good and consequently a right intention in the agent will not suffice thereunto so long as the substance of the action remaineth still as it was evill Thirdly that the Conscience hath this power over mens wils and actions by virtue of that unchangeable Law of God which he establisheth by an ordinance of nature in our first creation that the will of every man which is the fountain whence all our actions immediately flow should conforme it self to the judgement of the practique understanding or conscience as to its proper and immediate rule and yield it self to be guided thereby So that if the understanding through Errour point out a wrong way and the will follow it the fault is chiefly in the understanding for mis-guiding the will But if the understanding shew the right way and the will take a wrong then the fault is meerly in the will for not following that guide which GOD hath set over it It may be demanded secondly Whether or no in every particular thing we do an actuall consideration of the lawfulnesse and expediency thereof be so requisite as that for want thereof we should sinne in doing it The reason of the doubt is because otherwise how should it appeare to be of faith and Whatsoever is not of faith is sin I answer First that in
multiply disputes without end but by direct and full evidence either of Scripture-text or Reason which for any thing I know was never yet done neither as I verily believe will ever be done But if it cannot be shown that these things are forbidden without any more adoe the use of them is by that sufficiently warranted He that will not allow of this doctrine besides that he cherisheth an errour which will hardly suffer him to have a quiet Conscience I yet see not how he can reconcile his opinion with those sundry passages of our Apostle Every creature of God is good To the pure all things are pure I know nothing is of it self unclean All things are lawfull c. From which passages we may with much safety conclude that it is lawfull for us to do all those things concerning which there can be nothing brought of moment to prove them unlawfull Upon which ground alone if we do them we do them upon such a perswasion of faith as is sufficient Provided that we have not neglected to inform our judgements the best we could for the time past and that we are ever ready withall to yield our selves to better information whensoever it shall be tendred unto us for the time to come It may be demanded fourthly Suppose a man would fain do something of the lawfulnesse whereof he is not in his conscience sufficiently resolved whether he may in any case do it notwithstanding the reluctancy of his Conscience yea or no As they write of Cyrus that to make passage for his Army he cut the great river Gyndes into many smaller chanels which in one entire stream was not passable so to make a clear and distinct answer to this great question I must divide it into some lesser ones For there are sundry things considerable in it whether we respect the conscience or the Person of the doer or the Action to be done As namely and especially in respect of the conscience whether the reluctancy thereof proceed from a setled and stedfast resolution or from some doubtfulnesse onely or but from some scruple And in respect of the person whether he be sui juris his own Master and have power to dispose of himself at his own choice in the things questioned or he be under the command and at the appointment of another And in respect of the Action or thing to be done whether it be a necessary thing or an unlawfull thing or a thing indifferent and arbitrary Any of which circumstances may quite alter the case and so beget new questions But I shall reduce all to three questions whereof the first shall concern a resolved Conscience the second a doubtfull conscience and the third a scrupulous conscience The First Question then is if the Conscience be firmly resolved that the thing proposed to be done is unlawfull whether it may then be done or no Whereunto I answer in these two conclusions The first conclusion If the Conscience be firmly so resolved and that upon a true ground that is to say if the thing be indeed unlawfull and judged so to be it may not in any case or for any respect in the world be done There cannot be imagined a higher contempt of God than for a man to despise the power of his own conscience which is the highest soveraignty under heaven as being Gods most immediate deputy for the ordering of his life and waies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a heathen man could say Wofull is the estate of those men unlesse they repent who for filthy lucre or vain pleasure or spitefull malice or tottering honour or lazy ease or any other reigning lust dare lye or sweare or cheat or oppresse or commit filthinesse or steal or kill or slander or flatter or betray or do any thing that may advance their base ends nothing at all regarding the secret whisperings or murmurings no nor yet the lowd roarings and bellowings of their own consciences there against Stat contra ratio secretam gannit in aurem It doth so but yet they turn a deaf eare to it and despise it Wonder not if when they out of the terrours of their troubled consciences shall houle and roare in the eares of the Almighty for mercy or for some mitigation at least of their torment he then turn a deafe eare against them and despise them To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin James 4. sin not to be excused by any plea or colour But how much more inexcusably then is it sinne to him that knoweth the evill he should not do and yet will do it There is not a proner way to Hell than to sinne against Conscience Happy is he which condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth but most wretched is he that alloweth himself to the practise of that which in his judgement he cannot but condemne Neither maketh it any difference at all here whether a man be otherwise sui juris or not For although there be a great respect due to the higher powers in doubtfull cases as I shall touch anon yet where the thing required is simply unlawfull and understood so to be inferiours must absolutely resolve to disobey whatsoever come of it Gods faithfull servants have ever been most resolute in such exigents We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter belike in a matter of another nature they would have taken care to have given the King a more satisfactory at least a more respective answer but in this matter Be known to thee O King that we will not serve thy gods Da veniam Imperator c. You know whose answers they were If we be sure God hath forbidden it we sinne against our own consciences if we do it at the command of any mortall man whosoever or upon any worldly inducement whatsoever That is the first Conclusion The second is this If a man be in his conscience fully perswaded that a thing is evil and unlawfull which yet in truth is not so but lawfull the thing by him so judged unlawfull cannot by him be done without sin Even an erroneous conscience bindeth thus far that a man cannot go against it and be guiltlesse because his practise should then run crosse to his judgement and so the thing done could not be of Faith For if his reason judge it to be evil and yet he will do it it argueth manifestly that he hath a will to do evil and so becometh a transgressour of that generall Law which bindeth all men to eschew all evil Yet in this case we must admit of some difference according to the different nature of the things and the different condition of the persons For if the things so judged unlawfull be in their own nature not necessary but indifferent so as they may either be done or left undone without sin and the person withall be sui juris in respect of such
things no superiour power having determined his liberty therein then although he may not do any of these things by reason of the contrary perswasion of his conscience without sin yet he may without sin leave them undone As for example Say a man should hold it utterly unlawfull as some erroneously do to play at cards or dice or to lay a wager or to cast lots in triviall matters if it be in truth lawfull to do every of these things as I make no question but it is so they be done with sobriety and with due circumstances yet he that is otherwise perswaded of them cannot by reason of that perswasion do any of them without sin Yet forsomuch as they are things no way necessary but indifferent both in their nature and for their use also no superiour power having enjoyned any man to use them therefore he that judgeth them unlawfull may abstain from them without sinne and so indeed he is in conscience bound to do so long as he continueth to be of that opinion But now on the other side if the things so mis-judged to be unlawfull be any way necessary either in respect of their own nature or by the injunction of authority then the person is by that his error brought into such a straite between two sinnes as he can by no possible meanes avoid both so long as he persisteth in that his errour For both if he do the thing he goeth against the perswasion of his conscience and that is a great sinne and if he do it not either he omitteth a necessary duty or else disobeyeth lawfull authority and to do either of both is a sinne too Out of which snare since there is no way of escape but one which is to rectifie his judgement and to quit his pernicious errour it concerneth every man therefore that unfeignedly desireth to do his duty in the fear of God and to keep a good conscience not to be too stiffe in his present apprehensions but to examine well the principles and grounds of his opinions strongly suspecting that winde that driveth him upon such rocks to be but a blast of his own fancy rather than a breathing of the holy Spirit of truth Once this is most certain that whosoever shall adventure to do any thing repugnant to the judgement of his own conscience be that judgement true or be it false shall commit a grievous sin in so doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it cannot be of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin That is now where the conscience apparently inclineth the one way But say the scales hang even so as a man cannot well resolve whether way he should rather take Now he is in one mind by and by in another but constant in neither right Saint Iames his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double minded man This is it we call a doubting conscience concerning which the second question is what a man ought to do in case of doubtfulnesse Perfect directions here as in most deliberatives would require a large discourse because there are so many considerable circumstances that may vary the case especially in respect of the cause from which that doubtfulnesse of mind may spring Many times it ariseth from meere ficklenesse of mind or weaknesse of judgement as the lightest things are soonest driven out of their place by the wind Even as St. Iames saith a double minded man is wavering in all his wayes and S. Paul speaketh of some that were like children off and on soon wherryed about with every blast of doctrine Sometimes it proceedeth from tendernesse of Conscience which is indeed a very blessed and gracious thing but yet as tender things may soon miscarry if they be not the more choisely handled very obnoxious through Sathans diligence and subtilty to be wrought upon to dangerous inconveniencies Sometimes it may proceed from the probability of those reasons that seem to stand on either side betwixt which it is not easie to judge which are strongest or from the differing judgements and opinions of learned and godly men thereabout and from many other causes But for some generall resolution of the Question what is to be done where the conscience is doubtfull I answer First that if the doubtfulnesse be not concerning the lawfulnesse of any of the things to be done considered simply and in themselves but of the expediency of them as they are compared one with another as when of two things proposed at once whereof one must and but one can be done I am sufficiently perswaded of the lawfulnesse of either but am doubtfull whether of the two rather to pitch upon in such a case the party ought first to weigh the conveniencies and inconveniencies of both as well and advisedly as he can by himself alone and to do that which then shall appeare to him to be subject to the fewer and lesser inconveniencies Or if the reasons seem so equally strong on both sides that he cannot of himselfe deside the doubt then secondly if the matter be of weight and worth the while he should doe well to make his doubts known to some prudent and pious man especially to his own spirituall Pastor if he be a man meetly qualified for it resolving to rest upon his judgement and to follow his direction Or if the matter be of small moment he may then thirdly do whether of both he hath best liking to as the Apostle saith in one particular case and it may be applied to many more Let him do what he will he sinneth not resting his conscience upon this perswasion that so long as he is unfeignedly desirous to do for the best and hath not been negligent to use all requisite diligence to inform himself aright God will accept of his good intention therein and pardon his errour if he shall be mistaken in his choice But secondly if the question be concerning the very lawfulnsse of the thing it self whether it may be lawfully done or no and the conscience stand in doubt because reasons seem to be probable both pro and contra there are learned men as wel of the one opinion as of the other c. as we see it is for instance in the question of Usury and of second marriage after divorce and in sundry other doubtfull cases in morall divinity in such a case the person if he be sui juris is certainly bound to forbear the doing of that thing of the lawfulnesse whereof he so doubteth and if he forbear it not he sinneth It is the very point the Apostle in this verse intendeth to teach and for the confirming whereof he voucheth this Rule of the Text He that doubteth saith he is damned if he eat he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of his own conscience because he doth that willingly whereof he doubteth when he hath free liberty to let it alone no necessity urging him thereunto And the reason why he ought rather to
forbear than to adventure the doing of that whereof he doubteth is because in doubtfull cases wisdome would that the safer part should be chosen And that part is safer which if we chuse we are sure we shall do well than that which if we chuse we know not but we may do ill As for example in the instances now proposed If I doubt of the lawfulnesse of Usury or of Marrying after divorce I am sure that if I marry not nor let out my money I shall not sin in so abstaining but if I shall do either of both doubtingly I cannot be without some fear lest I should sin in so doing and so those actions of mine being not done in faith must needs be sin even by the Rule of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For whatsoever is not of faith is sin But then thirdly if the liberty of the agent be determined by the command of some superiour power to whom he oweth obedience so as he is not now sui juris ad hoc to do or not to do at his own choice but to do what he is commanded this one circumstance quite altereth the whole case and now he is bound in conscience to do the thing commanded his doubtfulnsse of mind whether that thing be lawfull or no notwithstanding To do that whereof he doubteth where he hath free liberty to leave it undone bringeth upon him as we have already shewn the guilt of wilfull transgression but not so where he is not left to his own liberty And where lawfull authority prescribeth in alterutram partem there the liberty ad utramque partem contradictionis is taken away from so many as are under that authority If they that are over them have determined it one way it is not thenceforth any more at their choice whether they will take that way or the contrary but they must go the way that is appointed them without gainsaying or grudging And if in the deed done at the command of one that is endued with lawfull authority there be a sin it must go on his score that requireth it wrongfully not on his that doth but his duty in obeying A Prince commandeth his Subjects to serve in his Warres it may be the quarrel is unjust it may be there may appear to the understanding of the subject great likelihoods of such injustice yet may the subject for all that fight in the quarrell yea he is bound in conscience so to do nay he is deep in disloyalty and treason if he refuse the service whatsoever pretensions he may make of conscience for such refusall Neither need that fear trouble him lest he should bring upon himself the guilt of innocent blood for the blood that is unrighteously shed in that quarrel he must answer for that set him on work not he that spilt it And truly it is a great wonder to me that any man endued with understanding and that is able in any measure to weigh the force of those precepts and reasons which bind inferiours to yield obedience to their superiours should be otherwise minded in cases of like nature Whatsoever is commanded us by those whom God hath set over us either in Church Common-wealth or Family Quod tamen non sit certum displicere Deo saith S. Bern. which is not evidently contrary to the Law and will of God ought to be of us received obeyed no otherwise then as if God himself had commanded it because God himself hath commanded us to obey the higher powers and to submit our selves to their ordinances Say it be not well done of them to command it Sed enim quid hoc refert tuâ saith he What is that to thee Let them look to that whom it concerneth Tolle quod tuum est vade Do thou what is thine own part faithfully and never trouble thy self further Ipsum quem pro Deo habemus tanquam Deum in his quae apertè non sunt contra Deum audire debemus Bernard still Gods Vicegerents must be heard and obeyed in all things that are not manifestly contrary to the revealed will of God But the thing required is against my conscience may some say and I may not go against my conscience for any mans pleasure Judge I pray you what perversnesse is this when the blessed Apostle commandeth thee to obey for conscience sake that thou shouldest disobey and that for conscience sake too He chargeth thee upon thy conscience to be subject and thou pretendest thy conscience to free thee from subjection This by the way now to the point Thou sâ—yest it is against thy conscience I say again that in the case whereof we now speake the case of doubtfulnesse it is not against thy conscience For doubting properly is motus indifferens in utramque partem contradictionis when the mind is held in suspence between two wayes uncertain whether of both to take to When the scales hang even as I said before and in aequilibrio without any notable propension or inclination to the one side more than to the other And surely where things hang thus even if the weight of authority will not cast the scale either way we may well suppose that either the authority is made very light or else there is a great fault in the beame Know brethren the gainsaying conscience is one thing and the doubting conscience another That which is done repugnante conscientiâ the conscience of the doer flatly gainsaying it that is indeed against a mans conscience the conscience having already passed a definitive sentence the one way and no respect or circumstance whatsoever can free it from sin But that which is done dubitante conscientiâ the conscience of the doer onely doubting of it and no more that is in truth no more against a mans conscience than with it the conscience as yet not having passed a definitive sentence either way and such an action may either be a sinne or no sinne according to those qualifications which it may receive from other respects and circumstances If the conscience have already passed a judgement upon a thing and condemned it as simply unlawfull in that case it is true that a man ought not by any meanes to do that thing no not at the command of any Magistrate no not although his conscience have pronounced a wrong sentence and erred in that judgement for then he should do it repugnante conscientiâ he should go directly against his own conscience which he ought not to do whatsoever come of it In such a case certainly he may not obey the Magistrate yet let him know thus much withall that he sinneth too in disobeying the Magistrate from which sinne the following of the judgement of his own conscience cannot acquit him And this is that fearfull perplexity whereof I spake whereinto many a man casteth himself by his own errour and obstinacy that he can neither go with his conscience nor against it but he shall sinne And
rate them off and if that will not serve the turn well favouredly beat them off yea and if after all that they still continue mankeen knock out their teeth or break their legs to prevent a worse mischief Magistrates are petty Gods God hath lent them his name Dixi Dii I have said ye are Gods Ps. 82. and false Accusers are petty Devils the Devil hath borrowed their name Sathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the accuser of his brethren For a Ruler then or Magistrate to countenance a Sycophant what is it else but as it were to pervert the course of nature and to make God take the Devils part And then besides where such things are done what is the common cry People as they are suspicious will be talking parlously and after their manner Sure say they the Magistrates are sharers with these fellowes in the adventure these are but their setters to bring them in gain their instruments and Emissaries to toll grist to their mills for the increasing of their moulter He then that in the place of Magistracy would decline both the fault and suspition of such unworthy Collusion it standeth him upon with all his best endeavours by chaining and muzling these beasts to prevent them from biting where they should not and if they have fastned already then by delivering the oppressed with Iob To pluck the prey from between their teeth and by exercising just severity upon them to break their jaws for doing farther harm I am not able to prescribe nor is it meet I should to my betters by what means all this might best be done For I know not how far the subordinate Magistrates power which must be bounded by his Commission and by the Laws may extend this way Yet some few things there are which I cannot but propose as likely good helps in all reason and in themselves for the discountenancing of false Accusers and the lessening both of their number and insolency Let every good Magistrate take it into his proper consideration whether his Commission and the Laws give him power to use them all or no and how far And first for the avoiding of Malicious suites and that men should not be brought into trouble upon slight informations I find that a-among the Romans the Accuser in most cases might not be admitted to put in his libell untill he had first taken his corporall oath before the Praetor that he was free from all malicious and Calumnious intent Certain it is as dayly experience sheweth that many men who make no conscience of a lye do yet take some bog at an Oath And it cannot but open a wide gap to the raising and receiving of false reports and to many other abuses of very noysome consequence in the Common-weale if the Magistrate when he may help it to enrich himself or his officers or for any other indirect end shall suffer men to be impleaded and brought into trouble upon Bills and Presentments tendered without oath Secondly since Lawes cannot be so conceived but that through the infinite variety of humane occurrences they may sometimes fall heavy upon particular men and yet for the preventing of more generall inconveniencies it is necessary there should be Lawes for better a mischiefe sometimes then alwayes an Inconvenience there hath been left for any thing I find to the contrary in all well-governed policies a kind of latitude more or lesse and power in the Magistrates even in those Courts that were strictissimi juris upon fit occasion to qualifie and to mitigate something the rigour of the Lawes by the Rules of Equity For I know not any extremity of Wrong beyond the extremity of Right when Lawes intended for fences are made snares and are calumniously wrested to oppresse that innocency which they should protect And this is most properly Calumny in the prime notion of the word for a man upon a meere trick or quillet from the letters and syllables of the Law or other writing or evidence pressed with advantage to bring his action or lay his accusation against another man who yet bonâ fide and in Equity and Conscience hath done nothing worthy to bring him into such trouble Now if the Magistrate of Justice shall use his full power by interpreting the Law in rigour where he should not to second the boldnesse of a calumnious Accuser or if he shall not use his full power by affording his lawfull favour in due time and place to succour the innocency of the so accused he shall thereby but give encouragement to the Raisers and he must look to answer for it one day as the Receiver of a false Report Thirdly since that Iustice which especially supporteth the Common-weale consisteth in nothing more then in the right distribution of rewards and punishments many Law-givers have been carefull by proposing rewards to encourage men to give in true and needfull informations and on the contrary to suppresse those that are false or idle by proposing punishments For the Informers office though it be as we heard a necessary yet it is in truth a very thanklesse office and men would be loth without speciall grievance to undergoe the hatred and envie which commonly attendeth such as are officious that way unlesse there were some profit mixt withall to sweeten that hatred and to countervaile that envy For which cause in most Penall Statutes a moity or a third or fourth which was the usuall proportion in Rome whence the name of quadruplatores came or some other greater or lesser part of the fine penalty or forfeiture expressed in the Law is by the said Law allowed to the Informer by way of recompence for the service he hath done the State by his information And if he be faithfull and conscionable in his office good reason he should have it For he that hath an Office in any Lawfull calling and the Informers calling is such howsoever through the iniquity of those that have usually exercised it it hath long laboured of an ill name but he that hath such an office as it is meet he should attend it so it is meet it should maintain him for Who goeth to warfare at any time of his own cost But if such an Informer shall indict one man for an offence pretending it to be done to the great hurt of the Common-weale and yet for favour fear or a fee balk another man whom he knoweth to have committed the same offence or a greater or if having entred his complaint in the open Court he shall afterwards let the suite fall and take up the matter in a private Chamber this is Collusion and so far forth a false report as every thing may be called false when it is partiall and should be entire And the Magistrate if he have power to chastise such an Informer some semblance whereof there was in that Iudicium Praevaricationis in Rome he shall do the Common-wealth good
and Iudas were called the one to the Kingdom the other to the Apostleship of whom it is certain the one was not and it is not likely the other was endued with the holy Spirit of Sanctification And many Heathen men have been called to several imployments wherein they have also laboured with much profit to their own and succeeding times who in all probability never had any other inward motion than what might arise from some or all of these three things now specified viz. the Inclination of their nature their personal Abilities and the care of Education If it shall please GOD to afford any of us any farther gracious assurance than these can give us by some extraordinary work of his Spirit within us we are to embrace it with joy and thankfulness as a special favour but we are not to suspend our resolutions for the choice of a course in expectation of that extraordinary assurance since we may receive comfortable satisfaction to our souls without it by these ordinary means now mentioned For who need be scrupulous where all these concurre Thy Parents have from thy childhood destinated thee to some special course admit the Ministery and been at the care and charge to breed thee up in learning to make thee in some measure fit for it when thou art grown to some maturity of years and discretion thou findest in thy self a kind of desire to be doing someting that way in thy private study by way of tryal and withall some measure of knowledge discretion and utterance though perhaps not in such an eminent degree as thou couldest wish yet in such a competency as thou mayst reasonably perswade thy self thou mightest thereby be able with his blessing to doe some good to Gods people and not be altogether unprofitable in the Ministery In this so happy concurrence of Propension Abilities and Education make no farther enquiry doubt not of thine inward calling Tender thy self to those that have the power of Admission for thy outward calling which once obtained thou art certainly in thine own proper Course Up and be doing for the Lord hath called thee and no doubt the Lord will be with thee But say these three doe not concurre as oftentimes they doe not A man may be destinated by his friends and accordingly bred out of some covetous or ambitious or other corrupt respect to some Calling wherefrom he may be altogether averse and whereto altogether unfit as we see some Parents that have the donations or advocations of Church livings in their hands must needs have some of their Children and for the most part they set by the most untoward and mis-shapen chip of the whole block to make timber for the Pulpit but some of their children they will have thrust into the Ministery though they have neither a head nor a heart for it Again a man may have good sufficiency in him for a Calling and yet out of a sloathfull desire of ease and liberty if it seem painfull or austere or an ambitious desire of eminency and reputation if it seem base and contemptible or some other secret corruption cannot set his mind that way as Salomon saith there may be A price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom and yet the fool have no heart to it And divers other occurrents there may be and are to hinder his happy conjuncture of Nature Skill and Education Now in such Cases as these where our Education bendeth us one way our Inclination swayeth us another way and it may be our Gifts and Abilities lead us a third in this distraction what are we to doe which way to take what Calling to pitch upon In point of Conscience there can no more be given General Rules to meet with all Cases and regulate all difficulties than in point of Law there can be general Resolutions given to set an end to all sutes or provisions made to prevent all inconveniencies Particulars are infinite and various but Rules are not must not cannot be so He whose Case it is if he be not able to direct himself should doe well to take advice of his learned Counsel This we can readily doe in matters of Law for the quieting of our Estates why should we not doe it at least as readily in matter of Conscience for the quieting of our souls But yet for some light at least in the generality what if thou shouldest proceed thus First have an eye to thy Education and if it be possible to bring the rest that way do so rather than forsake it For besides that it would be some grief to thy Parents to whom thou shouldest be a comfort to have cast away so much charge as they have been at for thy education and some dishonour to them withall whom thou art bound by the law of God and Nature to honour to have their judgements so much slighted and their choice so little regarded by their child the very consideration of so much precious time as hath been spent in fitting thee to that course which would be almost all lost upon thy change should prevail with thee to try all possible means rather than forgoe it It were a thing indeed much to be wished that Parents and Friends and Guardians and all those other whatsoever that have the Education of young ones committed unto them all greedy desires to make their Children great all base penurious nigardnesse in saving their own purses all fond cherishing of their children in their humours all doting opinion of their forwardnesse and wit and towardlinesse all other corrupt partial affections whatsoever laid aside would out of the observation of their natural propensions and inclinations and of their particular abilities and defects frame them from the beginning to such courses as wherein they were likeliest to goe on with chearfulnesse and profit This indeed were to be wished but this is not alwaies done If it have not been so done to thee the fault is theirs that should have done it and not thine and thou art not able now to remedy that which is past and gone But as for thee and for the future if thy Parents have not done their part yet doe not thou forget thy duty if they have done one fault in making a bad choice doe not thou adde another in making a worse change disparage not their Iudgements by misliking neither gain-say their Wils by forsaking their choice upon every small incongruity with thine own Iudgement or Will If thine Inclination draw thee another way labour throughly to subdue thy nature therein Suspect thine own corruption Think this backwardness proceedeth not from true judgment in thee but issueth rather from the root of some carnal affection Consider thy years are green affections strong judgement unsetled Hope that this backwardnesse will grow off as years and stayednesse grow on Pray and endeavour that thou maist daily more and more wain thy affections from thine own bent and take liking to that
himself to continue and persist in any known ungodlinesse And thus much for our second Observation I adde but a Third and that taken from the very thing which Abimelech here pleadeth viz. the integrity of his heart considered together with his present personal estate and condition I dare not say he was a Cast-away for what knoweth any man how God might after this time and even from these beginnings deal with him in the riches of his mercy But at the time when the things storied in this chapter were done Abimelech doubtlesse was an unbeleever a stranger to the covenant of God made with Abraham and so in the state of a carnal and meer natural man And yet both he pleadeth and God approveth the innocency and integrity of his heart in this businesse Yea I know that thou diddest this in the integrity of thine heart Note hence That in an unbeleever and natural man and therefore also in a wicked person and a cast-away for as to the present state the unregenerate and the Reprobate are equally incapable of good things there may be truth and singlenesse and integrity of heart in some particular Actions We use to teach and that truly according to the plain evidence of Scripture and the judgement of the ancient Fathers against the contrary tenet of the later Church of Rome that all the works of unbeleevers and natural men are not only stained with sin for so are the best works of the faithful too but also are really and truly sins both in their own nature because they spring from a corrupt fountain for That which is born of the flesh is flesh and it is impossible that a corrupt tree should bring forth good fruit and also in Gods estimation because he beholdeth them as out of Christ in and through whom alone he is well pleased St. Augustines judgement concerning such mens works is well known who pronounceth of the best of them that they are but splendida peccata glorious sins and the best of them are indeed no better We may not say therefore that there was in Abimelechs heart as nor in the heart of any man a legal integrity as if his person or any of his actions were innocent and free from sin in that perfection which the Law requireth Neither yet can we say there was in his heart as nor in the heart of any unbeleever an Evangelical integrity as if his person were accepted and for the persons sake all or any of his actions approved with God accepting them as perfect through the supply of the abundant perfections of Christ then to come That first and legall integrity supposeth the righteousnesse of works which no man hath this latter and Evangelical integrity the righteousnesse of Faith which no unbeliever hath no mans heart being either legally perfect that is in Adam or Evangelically perfect that is out of Christ. But there is â— third kinde of integrity of heart inferiour to both these which God here acknowledgeth in Abimelech and of which only we affirm that it may be found in an unbeliever and a Reprobate and that is a Natural or Moral integrity when the heart of a meer natural man is careful to follow the direction and guidance of right reason according to that light of Nature or Revelation which is in him without hollownesse halting and hypocrisie Rectus usus Naturalium we might well call it the term were fit enough to expresse it had not the Papists and some other Sectaries by sowring it with the leaven of their Pelagianism rendred it suspicious The Philosophers and learned among the Heathen by that which they call a good conscience understand no other thing then this very Integrity whereof we now speak Not that an Unbeliever can have a good conscience taken in strict propriety of truth and in a spiritual sense For the whole man being corrupted through the fall of Adam the conscience also is wrapped in the common pollution so that to them that are defiled and unbeleeving nothing is pure but even their minde and conscience is defiled as speaketh S. Paul Tit. 1. and being so defiled can never be made good till their hearts be sprinkled from that pollution by the bloud of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God and till the Conscience be purged by the same bloud from dead works to serve the living God as speaketh the same Apostle Heb. 9. and 10. But yet a good Conscience in that sense as they meant it a Conscience morally good many of them had who never had Faith in Christ nor so much as the least inckling of the Doctrine of Salvation By which Not having the Law they were a Law unto themselves doing by nature many of the things contained in the Law and chusing rather to undergo the greatest miseries as shame torment exile yea death it self or any thing that could befall them than wilfully to transgresse those rules and notions and dictates of piety and equity which the God of Nature had imprinted in their Consciences Could heathen men and unbeleevers have taken so much comfort in the testimony of an excusing Conscience as it appeareth many of them did if such a Conscience were not in the kinde that is Morally Good Or how else could St. Paul have made that protestatâ—on he did in the Councel Men and Brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day At least if he meant to include as most of the learned conceive he did the whole time of his life as well before his conversion as after Balaam was but a cursed Hypocrite and therefore it was but a copy of his countenance and no better for his heart even then hankered after the wages of unrighteousnesse when he looked a squint upon Balaks liberal offer with this answer If Balak would give me his house full of gold and silver I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God to do lesse or more But I assure my self many thousands of unbeleevers in the world free from his hypocrisie would not for ten times as much as he there spake of have gone beyond the Rules of the Law of Nature written in their hearts to have done either lesse or more Abimelech seemeth to be so affected at least in this particular action and passage with Abraham wherein God thus approveth his integrity Yea I know that thou diddest this in the integrity of thy heart The Reason of which moral integrity in men unregenerate and meerly natural is that Imperium Rationis that power of natural Conscience and Reason which it hath and exerciseth over the whole man doing the office of a Law-giver and having the strength of a law They are a law unto themselves saith the Apostle Rom. 2. As a Law it prescribeth what is to be done as a Law it commandeth that what is prescribed be done as a Law it proposeth rewards and punishments accordingly
as what it prescribeth and commandeth is done or not done Abimelechs own Reason by the light of Nature informed him that to take another mans wife from him was injurious and enjoyneth him therefore as he will avoid the horrors and upbraidings of a condemning heart by no means to do it Resolved accordingly to do and to obey the law of Reason written in his heart before he durst take Sarah into his house he maketh inquiry first whether she were a single woman or a wife and therefore although upon mis-information he took another mans wife unwitting that she was so he pleadeth here and that justly the integrity of his heart And from obedience to the same Law especially spring those many rare examples of Iustice Temperance Gratitude Beneficence and other moral vertues which we read of in Heathen men not without admiration which were so many strong evidences also of this moral integrity of their hearts A point that would bear much enlargement if we intended to amplifie in by Instances and did not rather desire to draw it briefly into use by Inferences A just condemnation it may be first to many of us who call our selves Christians and Beleevers and have many blessed means of direction and instruction for the due ordering of our hearts and lives which those Heathens wanted yet come so many paces nay leagues short of them both in the detestation of vicious and grosse enormities and in the conscionable practise of many offices of vertue Among them what strictnesse of Iustice which we either slack or pervert What zeal of the common good which we put off each man to other as an unconcerning thing What remission of private injuries which we pursue with implacable revenge What contempt of honours and riches which we so pant after so adore What temperance and frugality in their provisions wherein no excesse satisfieth us What free beneficence to the poor and to pious uses whereto we contribute penuriously and with grudging What conscience of oathes and promises which we so slight What reverence of their Priests whom we count as the scum of the people What loathing of swinish drunkennesse wherein some of us glory What detestation of usury as a monster in nature whereof some of ours make a trade Particularities are infinite but what should I say more Certainly unlesse our righteousnesses exceed theirs we shall never come to heaven but how shall we escape the nethermost hell if our unrighteousnesses exceed theirs Shall not Vncircumcision which is by nature if it keep the law judge thee who by the Letter and Circumcision doest transgresse the law said S. Paul to the Iew make application to thy self thou that art Christian. Secondly if even in unbeleevers and Hypocrites and Cast-awaies there may be in particular Actions integrity and singlenesse of heart then it can be but an uncertain Rule for us to judge of the true state of our own or other mens hearts by what they are in some few particular actions Men are indeed that not which they shew themselves in some passages but what they are in the more general and constant tenor of their lives If we should compare Abimelech and David together by their different behaviour in the same kinde of temptation in two particulars of the sacred History and look no farther we could not but give sentence upon them quite contrary to right and truth We should see Abimelech on the one side though allured with Sarahs beauty yet free from the least injurious thought to her husband or adulterous intent in himself We should behold David on the other side enflamed with lust after Bathsheba whom he knew to be another mans Wife plotting first how to compasse his filthy desires with the Wife and then after how to conceal it from the Husband by many wicked and politick fetches and when none of those would take at last to have him murthered being one of his principal Worthies in a most base and unworthy fashion with the losse of the lives of a number of innocent persons more besides the betraying of Gods cause the dis-heartning of his people and the incouragement of his and their enemies When we should see and consider all this on both sides and lay the one against the other what could we think but that Abimelech were the Saint and David the Infidel Abimelech the man after Gods own heart and David a stranger from the Covenant of God Yet was David all this while within that Covenant and for any thing we know or is likely Abimelech not Particular actions then are not good evidences either way as wherein both an unbeleever awed sometimes by the law of natural Conscience may manifest much simplicity and integrity of heart and the true Childe of God swayed sometimes with the law of sinful concupiscence may bewray much foul Hypocrisie and infidelity But look into the more constant course of both their lives and then may you finde the Hypocrite and the unbeleever wholly distinguished from the godly by the want of those right marks of sincerity that are in the godly no zeal of Gods glory no sense of original corruption no bemoaning of his privy hypocrisie and secret Atheisme no suspicion of the deceitfulnesse of his own heart no tendernesse of Conscience in smaller duties no faithful dependence upon the providence or promises of God for outward things no self-denial or poverty of spirit no thirst after the salvation of his brethren and the like none of these I say to be found in any constant manner in the general course of his life although there may be some sudden light flashes of some of them now and then in some particular Actions Measure no mans heart then especially not thine own by those rarer discoveries of moral integrity in particular actions but by the powerful manifestations of habitual grace in the more constant tenor of life and practise We may learn hence thirdly not to flatter our selves too much upon every integrity of heart or to think our selves discharged from sin in the sight of God upon every acquital of our own Consciences when as all this may befall an Hypocrite an Unbeleever a Reprobate When men accuse us of hypocrisie or unfaithfulnesse or lay to our charge things we never did it is I confesse a very comfortable and a blessed thing if we can finde protection against their accusations in our own hearts and be able to plead the integrity thereof in barre against their calumniations Our integrity though it be but Moral and though but only in those actions wherein they charge us wrongfully and the testimony of our own consciences may be of very serviceable use to us thus farre to make us regardlesse of the accusations of unjust men that one testimony within shall relieve us more than a thousand false witnesses without can injure us With me it is a very small thing saith Saint Paul that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement
in the Scribes and Pharisees to tye heavy burdens upon other mens shoulders which they would not touch with one of their fingers but if they should without superstition and upon reasonable inducements have laid such burdens upon themselves and not imposed them upon others for any thing I know they had been blameless There are many things which in my conscience are not absolutely and in Thesi necessary to be done which yet in Hypothesi for some personal respects I think so fit for me to do that I should resolve to undergo some inconveniency rather than omit them still reserving to others their liberty to do as as they should see cause There are again many things which in my conscience are not absolutely and in Thesi unlawful to be done which yet in Hypothesi and for the like personal respects I think so unfit for me to do that I should resolve to undergo some inconvenience rather than do them yet still reserving to others the like liberty as before to do as they should see cause It belongeth to every sober Christian advisedly to consider not only what in it self may lawfully be done or left undone but also what in godly wisdom and discretion is fittest for him to do or not to do upon all occasions as the exigence of present circumstances shall require He that without such due consideration will do all he may do at all times under colour of Christian liberty he shall undoubtedly sometimes use his liberty for a cloak of maliciousness And that is the second way by using it excessively It may be done a third way and that is by using it uncharitably which is the case whereon I told you Saint Paul beateth so often When we use our liberty so as to stumble the weak consciences of our brethren thereby and will not remit in any thing the extremity of that right and power we have in things of indifferent nature to please our neighbour for his good unto edâ—fication at least so far as we may do it without greater inconvenience we walk not charitably and if not charitably then not Christianly Indeed the case may stand so that we cannot condescend to his infirmity without great prejudice either to our selves or to the interest of some third person As for instance when the Magistrate hath positively already determined our liberty in the use of it the one way we may not in such case redeem the offence of a private brother with our disobedience to superiour authority in using our liberty the other way and many other like cases there may be But this I say that where without great inconvenience we may do it it is not enough for us to please our selves and to satisfie our own consciences that we do but what we lawfully may but we ought also to bear one another burdens and to forbear for one anothers sakes what otherwise we might do and so to fulfil the Law of Christ. S. Paul who hath forbidden us in one place to make our selves the servants of any man 1 Cor. 7. hath yet biâ—dden us in another place by love to serve one another Gal. 5.13 And his practise therein consenteth with his doctrine as it should do in every teacher of truth for though he were h free from all and knew it and would not be brought under the power of any yet in love he became servant to all that by all means he might win some It was an excellent saying of Luther Omnia libera per fidem omnia serva per charitatem We should know and be fully perswaded with the perswasion of faith that all things are lawful and yet withal we should purpose and be fully resolved for charity sake to forbear the use of many things if we finde them inexpedient He that will have his own way in every thing he hath a liberty unto whosoever shall take offence at it maketh his liberty but a cloak of maliciousness by using it uncharitably The fourth and last way whereby we may use our liberty for a cloak of maliciousness is by using it undutifully pretending it unto our disobedience to lawful authority The Anabaptists that deny all subjection to Magistrates in indifferent things do it upon this ground that they imagine Christian liberty to be violated when by humane laws it is determined either the one way or the other And I cannot but wonder that many of our brethren in our own Church who in the question of Ceremonies must argue from their ground or else they talk of Christian liberty to no purpose should yet hold off before they grow to their conclusion which to my apprehension seemeth by the rules of good discourse to issue most naturally and necessarily from it It were a happy thing for the peace both of this Church and of their own consciences if they would in calm bloud review their own dictates in this kind and see whether their own principle which the cause they are ingaged in maketh them dote upon can be reasonably defended and yet the Anabaptists inference thence which the evidence of truth maketh them to abhor be fairly avoided Yet somewhat they have to say for the proof of that their ground which if it be â—ound it is good reason we should subscribe to it if it be not it is as good reason they should retract it Let us hear therefore what it is and put it to trial First say they Ecclesiastical Constitutions for there is the quarrel determine us precisely ad unum in the use of indifferent things which God and Christ have left free ad utrumlibet Secondly by inducing a necessity upon the thing they enjoyn they take upon them as if they could alter the nature of things and make that to become necessary which is indifferent which is not in the power of any man but of God only to do Thirdly these Constitutions are so far pressed as if men were bound in conscience to obey them which taketh away the freedom of the conscience for â—f the conscience be bound how is she free Nor so only but fourthly the things so enjoyned are by consequence imposed upon us as of absolute necessity unto salvation forasmuch as it is necessary unto salvation for every man to do that which he is bound in conscience to do by which device kneeling at the Communion standing at the Gospel bowing at the name of Jesus and the like become to be of necessity unto salvation Fifthly say they these Constitutions cannot be defended but by such arguments as the Papists use for the establishing of that their rotten Tenet that humane laws binde the conscience as well as divine Then all which premises what can be imagined more contraâ—ious to true Christian liberty In which Objections before I come to their particular answer I cannot but observe the unjust I would we might not say unconscionable partiality of the Objecters First in laying the accusation against the
Ecclesiastical laws only whereas their arguments if they had any strength in them would as well conclude against the Political laws in the civil State and against domestical orders in private Families as against the Laws Ecclesiastical yet must these only be guilty and they innocent which is not equal Let them either damn them all or quit them all or else let them shew wherein they are unlike which they have not yet done neither can do Secondly when they condemn the things enjoyned as simply and utterly unlawful upon quite other grounds and yet keep a stir about Christian liberty for which argument there can be no place without supposal of indifferency for Christ hath left us no liberty to unlawful things how can they answer this their manifest partiality Thirdly if they were put to speak upon their consciences whether or no if power were in their own hands and Church affairs left to their ordering they would not forbid those things they now dislike every way as strictly and with as much imposition of necessity as the Church presently enjoyneth them I doubt not but they would say Yea and what equity is there in this dealing to condemn that in others which they would allow in themselves Fourthly in some things they are content to submit to the Ecclesiastical Constitutions notwithstanding their Christian liberty which liberty they stiffely pretend for their refusal of other some whereas the case seemeth to be every way equal in both all being enjoyned by the same authority and for the same end and in the same manner If their liberty be impeached by these why not as much by those or if obedience to those may consist with Christian liberty why not as well obedience to these In allowing some rejecting others where there is the same reason of all are they not very partial And now I come to answer their arguments or rather flourishes for they are in truth no better That first allegation that the determining of any thing in unam partem taketh away a mans liberty to it is not true For the liberty of a Christian to any thing indifferent consisteth in this that his judgement is throughly perswaded of the indifferency of it and therefore it is the determination of the judgement in the opinion of the thing not in the use of it that taketh away Christian liberty Otherwise not only Laws Political and Ecclesiastical but also all Vows Promises Covenants Contracts and what not that pitcheth upon any certain resolution de futuro should be prejudicial to Christian Liberty because they do all determine something in unam partem which before was free and indifferent in utramque partem For example if my friend invite me to sup with him I may by no means promise him to come because the liberty I had before to go or not to go is now determined by making such a promise neither may a young man bind himself an Apprentice with any certain Master or to any certain trade because the liberty he had before of placing himself indifferently with that Master or with another and in that trade or in another is now determined by such a contract And so it might be instanced in a thousand other things For indeed to what purpose hath God left indifferent things determinable both ways by Christian liberty if they may never be actually determined either way without impeachment of that liberty It is a very vain power that may not be brought into act but God made no power in vain Our Brethren I hope will wave this first argument when they shall have well examined it unless they will frame to themselves under the name of Christian liberty a very Chimera a non ens a meer notional liberty whereof there can be no use That which was alleaged secondly that they that make such Laws take upon them to alter the nature of things by making indifferent things to become necessary being said gratis without either truth or proof is sufficiently answered by the bare denyal For they that make Laws concerning indifferent things have no intention at all to meddle with the nature of them they leave that in medio as they found it but only for some reasons of conveniency to order the use of them the indifferency of their nature still being where it was Nay so far is our Church from having any intention of taking away the indifferency of those things which for order and comeliness she enjoyneth that she hath by her publick declaration protested the contrary wherewith they ought to be satisfieed Especially since her sincerity in that declaration that none may cavil as if it were protestatio contraria facto appeareth by these two most clear evidences among many other in that she both alloweth different rites used in other Churches and also teacheth her own rites to be mutable neither of which she could do if she conceived the nature of the things themselves to be changed or their indifferency to be removed by her Constitutions Neither is that true which was thirdly alleaged that where men are bound in conscience to obey there the conscience is not left free or else there would be a contradiction For there is no contradiction where the affirmative negative are not ad idem as it is in this case For Obedience is one thing and the Thing commanded another The Thing is commanded by the Law of man and in regard thereof the conscience is free but Obedience to men is commanded by the Law of God and in regard thereof the conscience is bound So that we are bound in conscience to obedience in indifferent things lawfully commanded the conscience still remaining no less free in respect of the things themselves so commanded then it was before And you may know it by this In Laws properly humane such as are those that are made concerning indifferent things the Magistrate doth not nor can say This you are bound in conscienee to do and therefore I command you to do it as he might say if the bond of obedience did spring from the nature of the things commanded But now when the Magistrate beginneth at the other end as he must do and saith I command you to do this or that and therefore you are bound in conscience to do it this plainly sheweth that the bond of obedience ariseth from that power in the Magistrate and duty in the subject which is of divine Ordinance You may observe therefore that in humane Laws not meerly such that is such as are established concerning things simply necessary or meerly unlawful the Magistrate may there derive the bond of obedience from the nature of the things themselves As for example if he should make a Law to inhibite Sacriledge or Adultery he might then well say you are bound in conscience to abstain from these things and therefore I command you so to abstain which he could not so well say in the Lawes made to inhibit the eating of flesh or the transportation of grain
And the reason of the difference is evident because those former Laws are rather Divine than humane the substance of them being divine and but the sanction only humane and so binde by their immediate vertue and in respect of the things themselves therein commanded which the later being meerly humane both for substance and sanction do not The consideration of which difference and the reason of it will abundantly discover the vanity of the fourth allegation also wherein it was objected that the things enjoyned by the Ecclesiastical Lawes are imposed upon men as of necessity to salvation Which is most untrue Remember once again that obedience is one thing and the things commanded another Obedience to lawful authority is a duty commanded by God himself and in his Law and so is a part of that holinesse without which no man shall see God but the things themselves commanded by lawful authority are neither in truth necessary to salvation nor do they that are in authority impose them as such Only they are the object and that but by accident neither and contingently not necessarily about which that obedience is conversant and wherein it is to be exercised An example or two will make it plain We know every man is bound in conscience to imploy himself in the works of his particular calling with faithfulnesse and diligence and that faithfulnesse and diligence is a branch of that holinesse and righteousnesse which is necessary unto salvation Were it not now a very fond thing and ridiculous for a man from hence to conclude that therefore drawing of wine or making of shooes were necessary to salvation because these are the proper imployment of the Vintners and Shoomakers calling which they in conscience are bound to follow nor may without sin neglect them Again if a Master command his servant to go to the market to sell his corn and to buy in provision for his house or to wear a livery of such or such a colour and fashion in this case who can reasonably deny but that the servant is bound in conscience to do the very things his master biddeth him to do to go to sâ—ll to buy to wear and yet is there any man so forsaken of common sense as thence to conclude that going to market selling of corn buying of meat wearing a blue coat are necessary to salvation or that the Master imposeth those things upon the servant as of necessity unto salvation The obligation of the servants conscience to do the things commanded ariseth from the force of that divine Law which bindeth servants to obey their masters in lawful things The master in the things he so commandeth hath no particular actual respect to the conscience of his servant which perhaps all that while never came within his thoughts but meerly respecteth his own occasions and conveniences In this example as in a glasse let the Objectors behold the lineaments and feature of their own argument Because kneeling standing bowing are commanded by the Church and the people are bound in conscience to obey the Lawes of the Church therefore the Church imposeth upon the people kneeling standing and bowing as necessary to salvation If that which they object were indeed true and that the Church did impose these rites and ceremonies upon the people as of necessity to salvation and require to have them so accepted doubtlesse the imposition were so prejudicial to Christian liberty as that every faithful man were bound in conscience for the maintenance of that liberty to disobey her authority therein and to confesse against the imposition But our Church hath been so far from any intention of doing that her self that by her foresaid publick declaration she hath manifested her utter dislike of it in others What should I say more Denique te ipsum concute It would better become the Patriarchs of that party that thus deeply but untruly charge her to look unto their own cloaks dive into their own bosoms and survey their own positions and practise if happily they may be able to clear themselves of trenching upon Christian liberty and ensnaring the consciences of their brethren and imposing upon their Proselytes their own traditions of kneel not stand not bow not like those mentioned Col. 2. of touch not taste not handle not requiring to have them accepted of the people even as of necessity unto salvation If upon due examination they can acquit themselves in this matter their accounts will be the easier but if they cannot they shall finde when the burden lighteth upon them that it will be no light matter to have been themselves guilty of that very crime whereof they have unjustly accused others As for consent with the Papists in their doctrine concerning the power that mens lawes have over the conscience which is the last objection it ought not to move us We are not ashamed to consent with them or any others in any truth But in this point we differ from them so far as they differ from the truth which difference I conceive to be neither so great as some men nor yet so little as other some men would make it They teach that Humane lawes especially the Ecclesiastical binde the consciences of men not only in respect of the obedience but also in respect of the things themselves commanded and that by their own direct immediate and proper vertue In which doctrine of theirs 3. things are to be misliked First that they give a preheminence to the Ecclesiastical lawes above the Secular in this power of binding We may see it in them and in these objectors how men will run into extremities beyond all reason when they give themselves to be led by corrupt respects As he said of himself and his fellow-Philosophers Scurror ego ipse mihi populo tu so it is here They of Rome carried with a wretched desire to exalt the Papacy and indeed the whole Clergy as much as they may and to avile the secular powers as much as they dare they therefore ascribe this power over the conscience to the Ecclesiastical lawes especially but do not shew themselves all out so zealous for the secular Ours at home on the contrary out of an appetite they have to bring in a new platform of discipline into the Church and for that purpose to present the established government unto the eyes and the hearts of the people in as deformed a shape as they can quarrel the Ecclesiastical lawes especially for tyrannizing over the consciscience but do not shew themselves so much agrieved at the secular Whereas the very truth is whatsoever advantages the secular powers may have above the Ecclesiastical or the Ecclesiastical above the secular in other respects yet as to the power of binding the conscience all humane lawes in general are of like reason and stand upon equal termes It is to be misliked secondly in the Romish doctrine that they subject the conscience to the things themselves also and not only tye
it to the obedience whereby they assume unto themselves interpretativè the power of altering the nature of the things by removing of their indifferency and inducing a necessity for so long as they remain indifferent it is certain they cannot binde And thirdly and principally it is to be misliked in them that they would have this binding power to flow from the proper and inherent vertue of the Lawes themselves immediately and per se which is in effect to equal them with the divine Law for what can that do more whereas humane lawes in things not repugnant to the Law of God do binde the conscience indeed to obedience but it is by consequent and by vertue of a former Divine Law commanding us in all lawful things to obey the superiour powers But whether mediately or immediately may some say whether directly or by consequent whether by its own or by a borrowed vertue what is it material to be argued so long as the same effect will follow and that as intirely to all intents and purposes the one way as well as the other As if a debt be alike recoverable it skilleth not much whether it be due upon the original bond or upon an assignment If they may be sure to be obeyed the higher powers are satisfied Let Scholars wrangle about words and distinctions so they have the thing it is all they look after This Objection is in part true and for that reason the differences in this controversie are not altogether of so great consequence as they have seemed to some Yet they that think the difference either to be none at all or not of considerable moment judge not aright For albeit it be all one in respect of the governours whence the obligation of conscience springeth so long as they are conscionably obeyed as was truly alleaged Yet unto inferiours who are bound in conscience to yeeld obedience it is not all one but it much concerneth them to understand whence that obligation ariseth in respect of this very point whereof we now speak of Christian liberty and for two weighty and important considerations For first if the obligation spring as they would have it from the Constitution it self by the proper and immediate vertue thereof then the conscience of the subject is tyed to obey the Constitution in the rigour of it whatsoever occasions may occur and whatsoever other inconveniences may follow thereupon so as he sinneth mortally who at any time in any case though of never so great necessity doth otherwise than the very letter of the Constitution requireth yea though it be extra casum scandali contemptus Which were an heavie case and might prove to be of very pernicious consequence and is indeed repugnant to Christian liberty by enthralling the conscience where it ought to be free But if on the other side which is the truth the Constitution of the Magistrate binde the conscience of the subject not immediately and by its own vertue but by consequent only and by vertue of that law of God which commandeth all men to obey their superiours in lawful things then is there a liberty left to the subject in cases extraordinary and of some pressing necessity not otherwise well to be avoided to do otherwise sometimes than the Constitution requireth And he may so do with a free conscience So long as he is sure of these two things First that he be driven thereunto by a true and reall and not by a pretended necessity only and secondly that in the manner of doing he use such godly discretion as neither to shew the least contempt of the law in himself nor to give ill example to others to despise government or governors And this first difference is material And so is the second also if not much more which is this If the Magistrates Constitution did binde the conscience virtute propria and immediately then should the conscience of the subject be bound to obey the constitution of the Magistrate ex intuitu praecepti upon the bare knowledge and by the bare warrant thereof without farther enquiry and consequently should be bound to obey as well in unlawful things as lawful Which consequence though they that teach otherwise will not admit yet in truth they cannot avoid for the proper and immediate cause being supposed the effect must needs follow Neither do I yet see what sufficient reason they that think otherwise can shew why the conscience of the subject should be bound to obey the Lawes of the Magistrate in lawful things and not as well in unlawful things The true reason of it is well known to be this even because God hath commanded us to obey in lawful things but not in unlawful But for them to assign this reason were evidently to overthrow their own Tenent because it evidently deriveth the bond of conscience from a higher power than that of the Magistrate even the Commandement of God And so the Apostles indeed do both of them derive it S. Paul in Rom. 13. men must be subject to the higher powers why because the powers are commanded of God And that for conscience sake too why because the magistrates are the ministers of God Neither may they be resisted and why because to resist them is to resist the ordinance of God That is S. Pauls doctrine And S. Peter accordeth with him Submit your selves saith he to every ordinance of man What for the mans sake or for the ordinance sake No but propter Dominum for the Lords sake vers 13. And all this may very well stand with Christian liberty for the conscience all this while is subject to none but God By these answers to their Objections you may see what little reason some men have to make so much noise as they do about Christian liberty Whereupon if I have insisted far beyond both your expectations and my own first purpose I have now no other thing whereby to excuse it but the earnestnesse of my desire if it be possible to contain within some reasonable bounds of sobriety and duty those of my brethren who think they can never run far enough from superstition unlesse they run themselves quite out of their allegiance There are sundry other things which I am forced to passe by very needful to be rightly understood and very useful for the resolution of many cases of conscience which may arise from the joynt consideration of these two points of Christian Obedience and of Christian Liberty For the winding of our selves out of which perplexities when they may concern us I know not how to commend both to my own practise and yours a shorter and fuller rule of direction than to follow the clew of this Text Wherein the Apostle hath set just bounds both to our obedience and liberty Bounds to our obedience that we obey so far as we may without prejudice to our Christian liberty in all our acts of obedience to our superiours still keeping our consciences free by subjecting them