.com. r.. 1?ules of refirairlt for expoúridivgtheLaw. Cháp.3. his Souldicrs to feed Sheep,it is more than he ouget to do ; and they arc not bound to obey his Command. 3. There is a Maxim in our common Law, that 7ariie nterpretatiö non debetladere iu regiam , and if there be not a reftraint to obedite prepófitis veftris , Obey your Rulers, we shall prejudice GodsAuthority, and what is this but lædere jut regi on, all Rulers are only'""pwl and anon, Minifters or Servants and publique Officers .toGod, though they have none above them on Earth. Papinián an Heathen, yet one v ho for the defence of Juflice was content to lofe his life , ( this Example may befeem Chriftians to imitate) had a Rule whereby he interpreted all Laws. ratios. femper fit ea ratio, qua pro religion facia,. that is the belt reafon ever Which makes for Religion. Now follows theConfliCt ofthe Commandments among themlelves. r. In the finti Table three Commandments are moral and perpetuhl , the fourth' tçgtporary or pofitive and ceremonial in part: Ctdat temporale aurae ; a temporal äw mutt give way to`aneternal : therefore ifthe fourth come in cotrrpetition with any of the other, it may be violated ; the (eft of the Sabbath may be violated, than pods Name may be fanEtified. In the fecond Table , the Table of Juflice hinders not theCivil Magiftratee from doing Juflice according. to the fifth Commandment; for we know that the natureOf Juflice is , Vtcalque detur debitam, nulli indebitam , let every one have his due; and therefore though an innocent Perfon may not; yet an offender may beput to death. AMan is either to fulfill the Lawfaciendognoddebet," by doingthat which he is enjoyned , orpatiendo quad debet , by fuffering that which belongs to offenders, and the Magiftrate,in Gods right, is to punifh him, at, nonfidimittat voluntatempee= candi, amittat poteffatem, 3. Ifany of the. fecond Table come in competition with the fifth Command-. ment it is to give place, becaufe that is decommuai bono, the otherde privacy. Andit is an undeniable Rule , that commune privatopraferendrtm , that which concerns the common good is to be preferred before any Mans private, thegeneral before thepar. ticular. And for the five left Commandments, which forbid anywrong or damage to our Neighbour, that excellent Order , in which God hath ranked them , fheWs which are to giveplace to the oilier; for damage egainit Life, is greater than againft Chaftity; and againft Chaftity,greater than againft hisEffete; and againfthis Ethic or Goods,greaterthan againft hisFame : for Life is morepretious than Chaflity,Cha. ftity thanSubftance, Subftancethan Famc : and again, finful Altionsare greaterthan . Words, and words than Thoughts, which arc left. There can be no better Order than God hath set down for all; therefore the Schools refolve well, not only cháriras, but alfo,(web charitatis eadit fobprecepto. 4, There yet remaineth another cafe, which is, when a Commandment is doubt- ful, and that may be three ways. r. By Obfucrity, cumoeeultator feenfui. ByAmbiguity, cum vocabulum precipitant doplicem feral fenfum. 3. By Controvertir, camatrinque deceptatar nee convenir. St. Auguftiue faith , Innate debetopiate vacillare, our opinion mutt waverin no- thing. If this be tobe obferved , what fhall become of thofc that in words fecal very refolute, but inwardly arc very inconftant and wavering ; and no Man knows this but God, and fo none can reftrain them.' There is no other way then , faith Sr. Auguft. but tent cerium, dimitte incertum, hold that that's certain, and let go that which is uncertain. This counfel is good, but'how (hall we follow it2 Quicquidnon eft exfidepeceatum eft, whatfoever is not done with afull and retied perfwaliion,is fin. 13'. r' r. Obicurity is, when we know not what to make of fuiltìáword, or fuch aphrafe in a fentenoc, of fuch a place, as in thofe places that are miffical and allegorical. The fafcft way is not tobe too bold, but rather to take the lets than the more : for itis a Rule, In obfcurisminimum, that is, if we be not certain howmuch God meant, it is heft to take it with the leaft ; forifhe meantthe molt; then fure he meant theft aft.. We mutt be lober andwary in Myfteries. z. Ambiguity is, when there is a word that beareth two .retires ; Chrifiian witdom in this cafe will do bell to take them both, if neither be againft N the
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