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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09365	The whole treatise of the cases of conscience distinguished into three bookes: the first whereof is revised and corrected in sundrie places, and the other two annexed. Taught and deliuered by M. W. Perkins in his holy-day lectures, carefully examined by his owne briefes, and now published together for the common good, by T. Pickering Bachelour of Diuinitie. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table: one of the heads and number of the questions propounded and resolued; another of the principall texts of Scripture vvhich are either explaned, or vindicated from corrupt interpretation.; Cases of conscience	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Pickering, Thomas, d. 1625.	1606 (1606)	STC 19669; ESTC S114066	314,224	686

vpon defect of memory and vtterance c. vse a set forme of prayer Sect. 2. The second Circumstance is the Gesture Concerning which it is demanded what kind of gesture is to be vsed in praier whether kneeling standing sitting or the holding vp the hands or head to heauen or bowing the body to the earth Answ. God in his word hath not prescribed any particular gesture of the body and therfore our consciences are not bound to any in particular Besides that Religion stands not properly in bodily actions and gestures Yet touching gesture the word of God giues certaine generall rules to be obserued in prayers both publicke and priuate In Publicke praier these rules of Gesture are prescribed First when publicke praier is made in the congregation our gesture must alwaies be comely modest decent Secōdly all gesture vsed publickely must serue to expresse as much as may be the inward humility of the hart without hypocrisie Now these kinds are manifold Some concern the whole body as the bowing thereof the casting of it downe vpon the ground some againe concerne the parts of the body as lifting vp of the head the eies the hands bowing the knees c. Touching these the scripture hath not bound vs to any particulars but in them all we must haue regard that they serue alway to expresse the humilitie of our hearts before God Thus haue the Holy men of God behaued themselues yea the Holy Angels standing before the Arke doe couer their faces in token of reuerēce of the maiestie of God Esay 6. 2. Thirdly we must in publicke praier content our selues to followe the laudable fashion and custome of that particular Church where we are For to decline from customes of particular Churches in such cases often causeth scisme and dissensions In priuate praier done in priuate and secret places there is more liberty For in it we may vse any gesture so it be comely and decent and serue to expresse the inward humility of our hearts An auncient writer is of opinion that it is an vnreuerent and vnlawfull thing to pray sitting But both the learned before in and after his time haue iudged his opinion superstitious specially considering that Religion stands not in the outward gesture of the body and it skills not much what that is so the inward humility of a syncere heart be expressed therby Sect. 3. The third Circumstance is the place Where Question is made In what place we must pray Answ. In regard of conscience holines and religion all places are equal and alike in the New Testament since the comming of Christ. The house or the field is as holy as the Church And if we pray in either of them our prayer is as acceptable to God as that which is made in the Church For now the daies are come that were foretold by the Prophet wherein a cleane offering should be offered to God in euery place Mal. 1. 11. which Paul expo●…ds 1. Tim. 2. 8. of pure and holy praier offened to God in euery place To this purpose Christ said to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 25. that the tyme should come when they 〈◊〉 not worship in Ierusalem or in Samaria but the true worshippers of God should worship him in spirit and in truth wheresoeuer it be Yet neuerthelesse for order decency and quietnes sake publicke prayer must be made in publicke places as Churches and Chappels appointed for that vse And priuate praier in priuate houses and clozets Mat. 6. 5. Now the opinion of the Papist is otherwise For he thinkes that in the new Testamēt hallowed Churches are more holy then other places are or can be and doe make the prayers offered to God in them more acceptable to him then in any other and herevpon they teach that priuate men must pray in Churches and priuate prayers must be made in Churches if they will haue them heard For proofe hereof they alleadge the practise of some particular persons in the Scriptures Of Anna who praied priuately in the temple Luk. 2. 37. Of Dauid who in his exile desired greatly to haue recourse vnto the temple And of Daniel who is saide to looke out at the window toward the temple and pray Dan. 6. 10. Answ. These places are abused by the Popish Church For there is great difference betweene the temple at Ierusalem in the old Testament and our Churches in the new That was built by particular commandemēt from God so were not our Churches That was a type of the very body and manhood of Christ. Heb. 9. 11. And of his misticall bodie Col. 2. 7. Againe the Arke in the temple was a pledge and signification of the couenant a signe of gods presence a pledge of his mercie and that by his owne appointment for it was his will there to answere his people but the like cannot be shewed of our Churches or Chappell 's It will be saide that the Sacrament is a signe of Gods presence for in it God is present after a sort Ans. It is true Christ is present in the Sacrament but when not alwaies but then onely when the Sacrament is administred And the Administration beeing once ended Christ is no more present in the Elements of bread and wine And in the very act of celebration he is not carnally but spiritually present Sect. 4. The fourth Circumstance is the Time Quest. What are the times in which men are to make prayers vnto God For answer to this question it is first to be considered that there is a twofold manner of praying and consequently two kindes of prayer The first is the secret and sudden lifting vp of the heart to God vpon the present occasion The second is set or solemne prayer The first sort of praiers haue of auncient time beene called Eiaculations or the darts of the heart And the time of this kind of prayer is not determined but is and may be vsed at any time without exception This point I make plaine by these reasons The first is the commandement of God 1. Thess. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing Eph. 6. 18. Pray alwaies with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance for all Saints In both these places by praier and supplications Paul vnderstandeth the sudden lifting vp of the heart vnto God Secondly whatsoeuer we speake thinke or doe we must doe all to the glorie of God Now God is glorified when we doe in all things from our hearts acknowledge his power wisdome iustice mercie prouidence and goodnes And these we doe acknowledge when we daily and howerly lift vp our hearts to him in petition for some blessings and in thanksgiuing for his mercies Thirdly we are subiect to innumerable infirmities frailties and wants so as we cannot of our selues so much as thinke one good thought therefore we are euery day and hower to lift vp our hearts to God partly in praier partly in giuing of thankes that he would

be chargeable to the Church and so there might be sufficient almes to them that are truly poore V. The fift Reason They bring in againe Iudaisme for Iewish religion by Gods appointment stood in bodily rites and outward ceremonies actions and gestures yea in outward things as garments meats drinks And their rule was Touch not tast not from all which we are wholly freed by Christ. VI. Sixtly these vowes are Idolatrous and superstitious for they are made and obserued with an opinion of Gods worship of merit and of the state of perfection whereas nothing can be made Gods worship but that which himselfe commandeth And bodily exercises are vnprofitable as Paul saith and therefore they can not be meritorious And further to dreame of a state of perfection beyond the Law of God is to make the Law it selfe imperfect whereas contrariwise the Law of the Lord is perfect righteous and pure Psal. 19. 7 8. VII Lastly these vowes are against the preseruation of Nature for by them specially that of perpetuall chastitie men are brought to destroy euen their owne bodies and liues which they are bound to preserue and maintaine Ephes. 5. 29. No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it The Apostle euen in his daies noted it as a fault in the voluntarie religion that was then taken vp by some that for the maintenance thereof they spared not their owne bodies Coloss. 2. 23. And like vnto that is the practise of Popish Votaries which tendeth to the ruine and ouerthrow of nature and life it selfe These be the Reasons In the next place we are to consider the Allegations that are commonly made in the fauour and defence of Popish vowes And first it is obiected In the Old Testament Vowes were a part of Gods worship therfore they are so to be holdē in the New Ans. There is great difference betweene them For first they had their warrant out of Gods word these haue not so nay there be expresse testimonies of scripture against these Vowes Secondly in their vowes there was alwaies right reserued to superiours to reuerse them if they liked them not But in Monasticall vowes all right is taken from superiours For children are permitted to vow and their promises must stand against parents consent And wiues according to Popish doctrine may vow against the expresse consent of their husbands Thirdly they were not perpetuall but ceased with the ceremoniall Law But these are supposed to haue a perpetuall equitie that must continue till the ende of the world Secondly they alleadge that which is written Matth. 19. 12. Some haue made themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen Ans. The meaning of the text is not that some haue vowed single life but that there are some who beeing assured that they haue the gift of continencie vpon that gift doe endeauour to maintaine their present estate that so they may the better serue God and aduance his kingdome both in themselues and others Thirdly they obiect 1. Tim. 5. 12. where Paul speakes of certaine young women which haue damnation because they haue broken their first faith that is as they interpret it their vow of single life Ans. The words are not to be vnderstood of the faith of the vowe but either of that faith and promise which was made to God in their Baptisme or the faith and promise of seruice and releefe to be performed to the poore and for the breach of either of these they may be said to incurre damnation Fourthly they say Christ himselfe was a begger and therefore why may not we also be beggers Ans. Though Christ was poore yet was he no begger For he kept a familie and had a treasure Iudas was the steward of his familie and bare the bagge Ioh. 13. 29. Againe there is mention made of 200 pence Ioh. 6. 7. which in likelihood was in the bagg that Iudas kept yea of the money which he had the Disciples are saide to buie meate Ioh. 4. 8. And though it were graunted that Christ was a begger yet it followes not that we should be so For his pouertie was expiatorie and part of his sufferings So saith the Apostle He beeing rich for our sakes became poore that we through his pouertie might be made rich 2. Cor. 8. 9. Fiftly they alledge that the Disciples forsooke all and liued in pouertie and their example is propounded for our imitation Ans. They forsooke all indeede yet how not for euer but for a time and that not by vowe but onely in affection and disposition of their hearts For after they had forsaken all we read that they came to their nets and boates againe Ioh. 21. 3. Againe the Apostle Paul speakes of himselfe and the rest when he saith Haue we not power to lead about a wife beeing a sister 1. Cor. 9. 5. By which it is plaine that they put not away their wiues Sixtly Mat. 19. 21. If thou wilt be perfite saith Christ to the young man goe sell all that thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and followe me Here saith the Papist our Sauiour prescribes perpetuall pouertie by expresse counsell Ans. The words are no counsell but a speciall Commandement of triall directed to this yoūg man And the ende of it was to discouer vnto him his secret pride and hypocrisie in that he boasted that he had kept all the commandements when as indeed he knew not what they meant Lastly they obiect the example of the Recabites who according to the commandement of their father Ion adab would drinke no wine nor dwell in houses nor build nor plant nor sowe Ierem. 35. and the Lord approoueth their practise Ans. They did obey their fathers command in these things as beeing things indifferent but not as parts of Gods worshippe in the doing where of they placed Religion And they obeyed it carefully for this ende that they might inure themselues vnto hardshippe Secondly this their obedience touching these things stood not by any vowe much lesse was it perpetuall For then they should haue obserued all the things which they vowed equally which they did not for they dispensed with their fathers voluntarie iniunction for dwelling in Tents and as we read vers 11. They came vp for feare of the Chaldeans that were in the land and dwelt at Ierusalem And so much touching Popish Vowes whereof to conclude this may be said That they are all but a meere will-worship standing vpon no ground or warrant of Gods word and therefore of no force to bind the consciences of men but are to be holden as they are in truth wicked and abhominable CHAP. XV. Of Fasting THe eight Head of the outward worship of God is Fasting By Fasting I vnderstand the Religious Fast which is ioyned with the duties of Religion and namely the exercises of Praier and Humiliation Touching it there are three principall Questions to be handled in their order I. Question What is a

that it be done with keeping of true religion and good conscience This Rule was practised by Paul Act. 28. 11. who liuing among the Heathen was constramed to speake as they and therefore he saies that he departed in a shippe to Rome whose badge was Castor and Pollux Act. 19. 10. Againe he was three yeares in Ephesus an idolatrous place where the great goddesse Diana was worshipped yet in all that time he contained himselfe and spake nothing in particular against Diana but onely in generall against false gods saying that they be no gods that are made with hands v. 26. Nay Alexander could not charge him with this that he had in all that while blasphemed their goddesse Diana Paul therefore was faine to yeeld to the sway of those times that so he might doe some good in Ephesus by his Ministerie Whereas if he had spoken against Diana directly it had not bin possible for him to haue done that good by preaching which otherwise he did Againe in the Primitiue Church the Apostles for the weaknes of the Iewes did yeelde to the vse of Circumcision and permitted abstinence from blood and that which was strangled c. so farre forth as it stood with pure religion and good conscience and if they had not so done they should not haue wonne the Iewes to the faith as they did IX Rule If we cannot doe the good things that we desire in that exquisite manner that we would we must content our selues with the meane and in things which are good and to be done it is the safest course to satisfie our selues in doing the lesse least in ventring to doe the more which cannot be we grow to the extremitie and so faile or offend in our action It is a good and wise counsell of the Preacher to this purpose Eccl. 7. 16. Be not iust ouermuch and his meaning may be this Be not too strict or curious in effecting that which thou intendest exactly when thou canst not but rest contented in this that thou hast done thine endeauour and take to the lesse when the greater cannot be effected In some countries Popish Images erected in Churches doe stand vndefaced The good desire of the people is that they may be pulled downe but this cannot be brought to passe What then are they to doe in this case they must not grow to extremitie and pull them down themselues but they must intreat the lawfull Magistrate for their remooueall and pray to God that he may be mooued so to doe and in the meane time rest content with that they haue done and waite the Magistrates pleasure In the Iudiciall law by reason of the hardnes of the Iewes hearts sundrie sinnes could not vtterly be taken away as diuorcements polygamie vsurie Hereupon the Lord makes a law of Toleration without approbation and did not remooue them quite away for that was not possible in regard of man for the time but restrained the euill that could not be quite off and abolished otherwise And herein appeared the great wisdome of God in making a Law not to allow of nor yet vtterly to take away but to moderate the practise of these sinnes in the Iewes for the hardnes of their hearts In like manner in this our land there is the practise of Vsurie a sinne that cannot nor euer shall be rooted out vtterly For this cause the States of this kingdome haue out of their wisdome prouided a Law for the toleration thereof after a sort and that vpon speciall cause For if the Magistrate should haue enacted a Law vtterly to abolish it it would before this in likelihood haue growne to great extremitie The same was the practise of the Apostles in their times who yeelded to beare with the vse of Circumcision for a time when they could not otherwise vtterly cut it off II. Question Whether a man may lawfully and with good conscience vse Pollicie in the affaires of this life Ans. There be foure principall Caueats which beeing obserued Policie may be vsed and is not against Christian religion I. Nothing must in policie be said done or intended to preiudice the truth specially the truth of the Gospell II. Nothing is to be said done or intended against the honour and glorie of God either in word in deede or in shew III. Nothing must be wrought or contriued against iustice that is due to man IV. All actions of policie must be such as pertain to our calling and be within the limits and bonds thereof For if any action whatsoeuer be done out of that calling wherein God hath placed vs or at least be not answerable thereunto though it be plotted and attempted in neuer so great wisedome and policie it is vnlawfull and not warrantable These Caueats obserued it is not vnlawful to vse that which we commonly call Policie And the reason is this when any busines is to be done we must make a twofold inquirie First into the thing to be done whether it be good or badde lawfull or not lawfull commanded or forbidden Secondly into our selues whether the worke in hand be agreable to the calling of the doer or answerable to that dutie which he oweth to God and man Now because both these are grounded vpon the former cautions therfore we conclude that whatsoeuer busines is taken in hand and not suted vnto them it hath not good warrant and so cannot be done with good conscience Yet for better clearing of this answer let vs a little consider the Scriptures and the examples there recorded touching this policie In Iosh. 8. 5. we shall finde that Ioshua vseth Martiall policie in the besieging of Ai placing one part of his armie in an ambush and causing the other part to flie for by that meanes the men of Ai comming out of the citie and pursuing those that fled the souldiors that lay in ambush tooke the citie and destroied it In 2. Sam. 5. 23. Dauid beeing to make warre against the Philistims asketh counsell of God and God teacheth him policie he therefore in his owne example allowes policie and more especially those wise and prudent shifts in warre which we call Stratag●ms or policies of the field We haue also the example of Paul for this purpose who Act. 21. 26. faines himselfe to haue made a vowe to be a Nazarite that he might yeelde somewhat to the weakenes of the Iewes who were not sufficiently informed in the doctrine of Christian libertie This practise was warrantable neither was it a sinne in Paul for he did it by the counsell of the Church at Ierusalem v. 20 24. And Paul himselfe neuer made mention of this as of a sinne which he would vndoubtedly haue done had it beene sinne Againe Act. 23. 6. when he was brought before Ananias the Priest and the councell at Ierusalem beeing in some danger he vseth policie for he pretended that he was a Pharisie and by that meanes raised a dissension between the Pharisies and the Sadduces And this was no sinne in Paul for

he spake no more but the truth onely he concealed part of the truth Now if it fall out otherwise that policie be vsed and any of these foure Caueats be not obserued then it looses both the name and nature of true Policie and becomes fraud craft and deceit and so is condemnable Example hereof we haue in Dauid 1. Sam. 21. 14. who when he came to the court of Achish king of Gath and saw himselfe in daunger he faines himselfe madde Which though he did to saue his owne life yet his poli●●e was not to be allowed of for it tended to his owne disgrace he beeing King of Israel and it was also dishonourable vnto God who had appointed him to be the king of Israel Againe that which is commonly called the policie of Machiavel is here to be condemned For it is not answerable to the Cauears before remembred Besides that it is not onely against the written law of God but euen against the law of Nature And the very foundation thereof standeth onely in the practise of lying swearing forswearing in fraud deceit and injustice CHAP. III. Of Questions concerning Clemencie CLemencie or meekenes is a vertue that serues to moderate wrath and reuenge Touching Clemency there be three Questions I. How a man is to carrie himselfe in respect of iniuries and offences done vnto him II. When Anger is a sinne and when not III. How a man should remedie his rash and vniust anger I. Question How may a man carrie himselfe in respect of iniuries and offences done vnto him Aus That a man may behaue himselfe so as becommeth a Christian in these cases he must in the first place inquire into the nature and qualitie of the wrong done Now Offences that are done to vs by others are of three sorts The first sort and the least are when some things are done to vs that do onely displease vs but bring no losse or hurt to vs. These be light offences and of this kind are common infirmities as hastinesse teastinesse frowardnesse slownesse and dulnesse of nature of this kind also are reproches of vnskilfulnesse ignorance basenes pouertie and such like The first degree then of Clemency is not so much as to take notice of these sleight offences but to let them passe and burie them in obliuion Salomon saith A mans vnderstanding deforreth his anger and it is his credit to passe by an offence Pro. 19. 11. his meaning is that when small offences are done which cannot be avoided then in discretion a man should with hold his anger and not take notice of them but passe by them and let them goe for this shall be a farre greater ornament vnto him then if vpon the deede done he should haue hastily proceeded to reuenge The second sort of Offences are small iniuries such as doc not onely displease vs but with all bring some little hurt to vs either in our goods life or good name Now the second degree of meekenes is to take notice of these but withall to forgiue them and put them vp The reason is because alwaies greater care must be had of peace and loue then of our owne priuate affaires Read the practise hereof Ioh. 8. 49. It was obiected to Christ wrongfully that he was a Samaritane and had a Deuill Christ takes knowledge of the wrong and saith you haue reproched me but withall he puts it vp onely denying that which they said and clearing himselfe I haue not a Deuill but I honour my father Dauid had receiued great wrong at the hands of Ioab and Shimei as appeares in the historie of his life but principally when he came first to be King of Israel a. Sam. 3. and yet he takes not a hastie course presently to be reuenged vpon his adversaries but proceedes in this order First he takes notice of the fact and commits his cause to God ver 39. and then afterward as opportunity serued gaue the parties their iust desert The reason was because beeing newely invested in the kingdome his adversaries were strong and himselfe weake euen by his owne confession therfore not able at the first to redresse the iniury done vnto him But when he had once established himselfe then he doth not onely beginne 2. Sam. 19. 14. but proceedes to full execution of punishment vpon them as we read 1. King 2. ver 5. 6. 34. 35. The third sort of Wrongs are greater iniuries such as are not onely offensiue to our persons but withall doe preiudice our liues and bring a ruine vpon our estates both in goods and good name These are the highest degree of Iniuties manifested in open and apparent wrongs And therefore answerable to them is required the third and highest degree of Clemencie which stands in three things First in taking notice secondly in forgiuing them thirdly in a iust and lawfull defending our selues against the wronging parties This is the summe and substance of the answer For the better conceiuing whereof sundry Questions are further to be propounded and resolued First in generall it is demanded how a man should and ought to forgiue an iniurie Ans. In forgiuenes there be foure things The first is forgiuenes of Reuenge that is of requiting euill for euill either by thought word or deede This must alwaies be practised For vengeance is not ours but the Lords and great reason then that we should euermore forgiue in regard of reuenge and hatred This the Apostle teacheth when he saith 1. Cor. 13. 5. Loue is not provoked it neuer thinketh much lesse speakes or does evill The second is forgiuenesse of priuate punishment which is when men returne punishment for iniuries done in way of requitall and this must alwaies take place with vs because as vengeance it selfe so also punishmēt in way of revenge is Gods alone The third is forgiuenesse of iudgement when we iudge an inurie done to be an iniurie This iudgement we are not bound to forgiue vnto men For we may with good conscience iudge a sinne and a wrong to be as they are And yet notwithstanding if a man make satisfaction for the wrong done then there ought to be forgiuenes even in regard of iudgemen The fourth is forgiuenesse of satisfaction This we are not alway bound to remitte but we may with good conscience alway require satisfaction where hurt is done Secondly for the further clearing of this generall Question we are to answer some particular Cases vsually propounded in the liues of men and namely fiue I. Whether a man may defend himselfe by law II. How he may defend himselfe by law III. Whether a man may defend himselfe by force IV. How V. Whether a man may defend himselfe by Combate I. Case Whether a man may with good conscience and a meeke Spirit defend himselfe by law for wrongs that are done vnto him I answer affirmatively A man may with good conscience defend himselfe against great iniuries by the benefite of lawe For Magistracie is Gods ordinance for the good of men Rom.