bond the bond of Gods Law which to f Sinne is the transgression of the Law 1. Ioh. 3 4. transgresse is a sinne and the bond of particular conscience which also to g Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Omne quod fit contra consciâ—â—tiam aedificat ad gehennam c. 28. q. 1. Omnes §. Ex his transgresse is a sinne Whereupon there seemeth to follow an ineuitable necessitie of sinning when Gods Law requireth one thing and particular conscience dictateth thâ— flat contrary For in such a case a man must either obey Gods Law and so sinne against his owne conscience or obey his owne conscience and so sinne against Gods Law But neither in this case is there any Perplexitie at all in the things themselues that which there is is through the default of the man onely whose iudgement being erroneous mis-leadeth his conscience and so casteth him vpon a necessitie of sinning But yet the necessitie is no simple and absolute and vnauoidable and perpetuall necessitie for it is onely a necessitie ex hypothesi and for a time and continueth but stante tali errore And still there is a way out betwixt those sinnes and that without a third and that way is depâ—nere erroneam conscientiam He must rectifie his iudgement and reforme the errour of his Conscience and then all is well There is no perplexitie no necessitie no obligation no expediencie which should either enforce or perswade vs to any sinne The resolution is damnable Let vs doe euill that good may come I must take leaue § 27. The Rule applyed in two instances before I passe from this point to make two instances and to measure out from the Rule of my Text an answere to them both They are such as I would desire you of this place to take due and speciall consideration of I desire to deale plainely and I hope it shall bee by Gods blessing vpon it effectually for your good and the Churches peace One instance shall bee in a sinne of Commission the other in a sinne of Omission The sinne of Commission wherein I would instance §. 28. The former instance is indeed a sinne beyond Commission it is the vsurping 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 euill and a sinne I need not frame a Case for the illustration of this instance the inconsiderate forwardnes of some hath made it to my hand You may reade it in the disfigured windowes and wals of this Church Pictures and Statua's and Images and for their sakes the windowes and walles wherein they stood haue been heretofore and of late pulled down and broken in pieces and defaced without the Command or so much as leaue of those who haue power to reforme things amisse in that kinde Charitie bindeth vs to thinke the best of those that haue done it that is that they did it out of a forward though mis-gouerned zeale intending therein Gods glory in the farther suppression of Idolatry by taking away these as they supposed likely occasions of it Now in such a case as this the Question is whether the intention of such an end can iustifie such a deed And the fact of a Numb 2â— 7 8. Phinehes Numb 25. who for a much like end for the staying of the people from Idolatry executed vengeance vpon Zâ—mri Cosbi beeing but a priuate man and no Magistrate seemeth to make for it § 29. Reserued from the rule of my Text. But my Text ruleth it otherwise If it bee euill it is not to bee done no not for the preuenting of Idolatry I passe by some considerations otherwise of good moment as namely first whether Statua's and Pictures may not be permitted in Christian Churches for the adorning of Gods House and for ciuill and historicall vses not onely lawfully and decently but euen profitably I must confesse I neuer yet heard substantiall reason giuen why they might not And secondly whether things either in their first erection or by succeeding abuse superstitious may not be profitably continued if the Superstition be abolished Otherwise not Pictures onely and Crosses and Images but most of our Hospitals and Schooles and Colledges and Churches too must downe and so the hatred of Idolatry should but Vsher in licentious Sacriledge contrary to that passage of our Apostle in the next Chapter before this a Rom. 2. 22. Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou Sacriledge And thirdly whether these forward ones haue not bewrayed somewhat their owne selfe guiltinesse in this Act at least for the manner of it in doing it secretly and in the darke A man should not dare to doe that which he would not willingly either bee seene when it is a doing or our owne being done To passe by these consider no more but this one thing onely into what dangerous and vnsufferable absurdities a man might runne if hee should but follow these mens grounds Erranti nullus terminus Errour knoweth no stay and a false Principle once receiued multiplyeth into a b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. l. 1. Phys. â—ec 22. thousand absurd conclusions It is good for men to goe vpon sure grounds else they may runne and wander in infinit A little errour at the first if there bee way giuen to it will increase beyond beliefe as a small sparke may fire a large Citie a c â— King 18. 44 45. cloud no bigger then a mans hand in short space ouerspread the face of the whole Heauens For grant for the suppression of Idolatry in case the Magistrate will not doe his office that it is lawfull for a priuate man to take vpon him to reforme what he thinketh amisse and to doe the part and Office of a Magistrate which must needs haue bin their ground if they had any for this action there can be no sufficient cause giuen why by the same reason and vpon the same grounds a priuate man may not take vpoÌ„ him to establish Lawes raise Powers administer Iustice execute malefactors or do any other thing the Magistrate should do in case the Magistrate slack to doe his duty in any of the premises Which if it were once granted as granted it must bee if these mens fact bee iustifyable euery wise man seeth the end could bee no other but vast Anarchy and confusion both in Church and Common-weale wherupon must vnauoidably follow the speedy subuersion both of Religion and State If things be amisse and the Magistrate helpe it not priuate men may lament it and as occasion serueth and their condition and calling permitteth soberly and discreetly put the Magistrate in minde of it But they may not make themselues Magistrates § 30. The example of Phinehes examined to reforme it And as to the act of Phinehes though I rather thinke he did yet what if he did not well in so doing It is
right so when an offence or prouocation is once giuen it is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et mox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Max. Tyrius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tossed to and fro the receiuer euer returning it pat vpon the giuer and that most times with aduantage and so betwixt them they make a shift to preserue a perpetuity of sinning of scandalizing one another It is hard to say who beginneth ostener the Strong or the Weake but whether euer beginneth he may be sure the other will follow If this iudge that will despise if that despise this will iudge either doth his endeuour to cry quittance with other and thinketh himselfe not to bee at all in fault because the other was first or more This Apostle willing to redresse faults in both beginneth first with the strong for very good reason Not that his fault simply considered in it selfe is greater for I take it a certaine truth that to Iudge one that is in the right is a farre greater fault considered absolutely without relation to the abilities of the persons then to despise one that is in the wrong But because the strong through the ability of his iudgement ought to yeeld so much to the infirmitie of his weake brother who through the weaknes of his iudgement is not so wel able to discern what is fit for him to doe what in most other contentions is expected should be done in this not hee that is most in fault but he that hath most wit should giue ouer first Iâ—deed in reason the more faulty is rather bound to yeeld but if hee will be vnreasonable as most times it falleth out and not doe it then in discretion the more able should do it as b Gen. 13. 9. 11. Abraham in discretion yeelded the choise to his Nephew Lot vpon the contention of their Herdsmen which in reason Lot should rather haue yeelded vnto him But where both are faulty as it is not good to stand debating who began first so it is not safe to straine courtesie who shall end and mend first In the case of my Text both were faulty and therefore our Apostle would haue both mend He hath school'd the Strong and taught him his lesson not to despise anothers infirmitie Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not Now the Weake must take out his lesson too not to iudge anothers liberty Let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth I will not trouble you with other significations of the word § 11. Wee must not iudge others to Iudge as it is heere taken is as much as to a Ne condemnato Beza Condemne and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often taken in the worser sence for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tropically by a b Piscator in Schol ad hunc locum Synecdoche gener is say Scholiasts and they say true But it is a Trope for which both in this and c Euill manners haue bin the spoiling of many good words as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tyrannus Sophista â—atro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venenum Magus and in our English tongue Knaue Villaine Churle c. See Minsheu Verstegan c. in diuers other words wee are not so much beholden to good Arts as to bad manners Things that are good or indifferent we commonly turn to ill by vsing them the worst way whence it groweth that words of good or indifferent signification in time degenerate so farre as to be commonly taken in the worst sence But this by the way The fault of these weake ones in the case in hand was that measuring other mens actions and consciences by the modell of their owne vnderstandings in their priuate censures they rashly passed their iudgements vpon and pronounced peremptory sentence against such as vsed their liberty in some things concerning the lawfulnesse whereof themselues were not satisfied as if they were loose Christians carnall professors nomine tenus Christiani men that would not sticke to doe any thing and such as made either none at all or else very little conscience of their actions This practice my Text disalloweth and forbiddeth and the rule hence for vs is plaine and short We must not iudge others The Scriptures are expresse d Math. 7. 1. Iudge not that yee be not iudged Math. 7. e 1. Cor. 4. 5. Iudge nothing before the time c. 1. Cor. 4. f Rom. 2. 1. Thou art inexcusable O man whosoeuer thou art that iudgest Rom. 2. And g Iom 4. 11. if thou iudgest thou art not a doer of the Law but a Iudge Iam. 4. Not that it is vnlawful to exercise ciuill iudgement § 12. This kinde of iudging being or to passe condemning sentence vpon persons orderly and legally conuicted for such as haue calling authoritie thereunto in Church or Commonwealth for this publique politique iudgement is commanded a Exod. 22. 9. 2. Chron. 19. 6. Rom. 13. 4. and elsewhere in the Word of God and reason sheweth it to bee of absolute necessitie for the preseruation of States and Commonwealthes Nor that it is vnlawfull secondly to passe euen our priuate censures vpon on the outward actions of men when the Law of God is directly transgressed and the transgression apparant from the euidence either of the fact it selfe or of some strong signes and presumptions of it For it is Stupiditie not Charitie to be credulous against sence Charitie is b 1. Cor. 13. verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ingenuous and will c Ibid. vers 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beleeue any thing though more then reason but charitie must not be d As Walter Mapes sometimes Archdeacon of Oxenford relating the grosse Simony of the Pope for confirming the election of Reginald bastard sonne to loceline Bishop of Sarum into the See of Bathe concludeth the narration thus Sit lamen domina materque nostra Roma baculus in aquâ fractus absit credere quae videmus Mahap de nugis Curialium distinct 1. cap. 22. seruile to beleeue anything against reason shall any charitie binde mee to thinke the Crow is white or the Blacke-Moore beautifull Nor yet thirdly that all sinister suspicions are vtterly vnlawfull euen there where there wanteth euidence either of fact or of great signes if our suspicions proceed not from any corrupt affections but onely from a e Cùm deâ—emus aliquibus malis adhibere remedium siue nostris siue alienis expedit ad hoc vt securius remedium apponatur quod supponatur id quod est deterius quia remedium quod est efficax contra maius malum multò magis est efficax contra minus malum Aquin. secundae secundae qu. 60. art 4. ad 3. charitable iealousie of those ouer whom we haue especiall charge or in whom wee haue speciall interest in such sort as that it may concerne vs to admonish reproue or correct them when they doe amisse so was Iob
them so vnreasonable as to thinke they haue sufficiently non-plus't any reprouer if being admonished of something ill done they haue but returned this poore reply Is it not better to do so then to do worse But alasse what necessitie of doing either so or worse when Gods law bindeth thee from both a Iam. 2. 10. 11. He that sayd Do not commit adultery said also Do not kill and he that said Doe not steale said also Doe not lie If then thou lie or kill or doe any other sinne though thou thinkest thereby to auoyd stealth or adultery or some other sinne yet thou art become a transgressour of the Lawe and by offending in one point of it guilty of all It is but a poore choyce when a man is desperately resolued to cast himselfe away whether hee should rather hang or drowne or stab or pine himselfe to death there may be more horror more paine more lingring in one then another but they all come to one period and determine in the same point death is the issue of them all And it can be but a slender comfort for a man that will needs thrust himselfe into the mouth of hell by sinning wilfully that he is damned rather for lying then for stealing or whoring or killing or some greater crime Damnation is the wages of them all Murther can but hang a man and without fauour Petty-Larceny will hang a man too The greatest sinnes can but damne a man and without Gods mercie the smallest will damne a man too But what wil some reply In case two sinnes be propounded may I not do the lesser to auoid the greater otherwise must I not of necessitie doe the greater The answere is short and easie If two sinnes bee propounded doe neither E malis minimum holdeth as you heard and yet not alwayes neither in euils of Paine But that is no Rule for euils of sinne Here the safer Rule is è malis nullum And the reason is sound from the Principle wee haue in hand If wee may not doe any euill to procure a positiue good certainly b Eâdem doctrinâ— qua horremus facere mala vt eueniant bona horrere debemâ—us facere mala vt euitemus peiora Euitare enim peiora multò minus bonum est quà m euenire bonum Caietan hic much lesse may wee doe one euill to auoid or preuent another But what if both cannot bee auoided § 26. The obiection from the seeming case of perplexitie remoued but that one must needs be done In such a strait may I not chuse the lesser To thee I say againe as before Chuse neither To the Case I answere it is no Case because as it is put it is a case impossible For Nemâ— angustiatur ad peccandum the Case cannot be supposed wherein a man should be so straiâ—ned as he could not come off fairly without sinning A man by rashnesse or feare or frailety may foulely entangle himselfe and through the powerfull engagements of sinne driue himselfe into very narrow straites or be so driuen by the fault or iniury of others yet there cannot be any such straits as should enforce a necessitie of sinning but that stil there is one path or other out of them without sinne The Perplexity that seemeth to bee in the things is rather in the a Non enim datur perplexio ex parte rerum sed contingere potest ex parte hominis nescieÌ„tis euadere nec videntis aditum euadendi absque aliquo peccato Caiet hîc See the glosse on dist 13. item aduersus where hee proueth against Gratian that there can bee no perplexitie men who puzzle and lose themselues in the Labyrinths of sinne because they care not to heed the clue that would lead them out if it were well followed Say a man through heate of bloud make a wicked vow to kill his brother heere hee hath by his owne rashnesse brought himselfe into a seeming strait that either he must commit a murther or breake a vow either of which seemeth to bee a great sinne the one against the fifth the other against the third commandement But here is in very deed no strait or perplexity at all Heere is a faire open course for him without sinne Hee may breake his vow and there an end Neither is this the choyce of the lesser sinne but onely the b Non dâ—cet eligere minur peccatum sed solutionem minoris nexus Caietanus hîc speaking of Councell of Toledo loosening of the lesser bond the bond of charitie beeing greater then the bond of a promise and there beeing good reason that in termes of inconsistency when both cannot stand the lesser bond should yeeld to the greater But is it not a sinne for a man to breake a vow Yes where it may be kept saluis charitate iustitia there the breach is a sinne but in the case proposed it is no sinne As Christ saith in the point of swearing so it may be said in the point of breach of vow c Math. â—37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neuer was any breach of vow but it was peccatum or expeccato the breaking is either it selfe formally a sinne or it argueth at least a former sinne in the making So as the sinne in the case alledged was before in making such an vnlawfull vow and for that sinne the party must repent but the breaking of it now it is made is no new sinne rather it is a necessarie dutie 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 d Exod 1. 16 c. Aegyptian Midwiues not by their owne fault but by Pharaohs tyrannous command are driuen into a narrow strait enforcing a seeming necessitie of sinne for either they must destroy the Hebrew children and so sinne by Murther or else they must deâ—ise some hansome shift to carry it cleanely from the Kings knowledge and so sinne 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 haue done neither they should flatly haue refused the Kings commandement though with hazzard of their liues and haue resolued rather to suffer any euill then to do any And so Lot should haue done hee should rather haue aduentured his owne life and theirs too in protecting the chastitie of his Daughters and the safety of his ghests then haue e Gen. 19. 8. offered the exposall of his Daughters to the lusts of the beastly Sodomites though it were to redeeme his ghests from the abuse of fouler and more abominable filthinesse Absolutely there cannot be a case imagined wherin it should be impossible to auoid one sin vnlesse by the committing of another The case which of all other commeth neerest to a Perplexity is that of an erroneous conscience because of a double