.fij,ainjl Pe1jecutim. Virel/. 19 • 9· 40. Diner. 19· The fubflancr of faith, and the Prallict ofGodlinrfs mujl he 11alued above aU Jini· oni, and partiu and worldly inttrefts: AndG1dly mm accollnttd, a1 they art, ( crereris paribus tbe beft numf.er.r both of Church mrd Statr. If Rulers once knew the difference bttwecn a Saint and a fin[ua!ift, a vilrper{ott WftHid be COJ1tt:,mtd in their t) 1tl, and t!Jty n:ould honour thtm tb!Jt fiar the Lord Pfal. I 5· 4• And if they banourtd them as God comrnar.derh them, they would not ptrfecute them ; And if the promoting of praDicJl Godlinejj were their defign, there were little danger of their op– prdfing thofc that mull be the inllrumepts of propagating it, if ever it profper in the World. DirrlJ. 20 • 9· 41. Direct. 20. To this end, Remember the ltter and d;ar relation which every trl(e believer jl:md~ Exod. 19, r. ctb in, to God, the Fatber, Son, and Holy Ghrft: Theyare lall~rl by God, his peculiar treafitre, hH jewels, 1~)tt. ~.,. hi1 Chil~rt,l, the members of Chrijf, the 'lcmples of the H11ly Ghoft; God Jrvel/etb in them by Love, and T1r. l· 14· Chrijf by f.zith, and the Spirit hy all his fandif)'ing gifts; Jf.,his were wdl believed, men would more 2 Cor. ~~.'~8. reverence the.:m on Gods account, than CJ.uiCldly w perfccute them: zech. z, 8. He that touchcth yo 11 , ?lbl.J·'·,,,s. touchcth t,he apple of my cy('. Erh. J· 17. 9· 42 . Direct. 2 I· L:wk,_1wt fo mttch on nmu inprmitieJ, as to overl~ol(. nr mal(.e light of alJ that is 1 C_or. 3· !6. good in thou : But look <IS much at tht goodas at the £Vil: And then you will fee rcafon for lenity as 1 J'h' \'~6. well as for feverity; and fOr love and ttndernefs, rather than for hatred and perfecution : And you 1 0 ' 4 1 ' will difcern that thofe may be ferviceable to the Church, in whom blinded malice com fee nothing worthy o~ honour or refpect. Dircl1. :22• 9· 43· DireCt. 22· Ejlimale and ufe aU lilftr matters IH mi:anJ to fpiritu3l W/J'f'jhip anJ ;rallical ha~ /incfl: If there be any thing of worrh in Controverfi~s, and Ccrcmonifs, and fuch other matters of inferiour rank, it is as they are a means to th( power of Godlincfs, which is their end. And if once they be no oth<rwife dleemed, they will not be made ufe of againjl !he intcrd\ of Gddlinefs, to the fi!encing of the Preachers, and perfccuting the profdfours of it. DiretJ. 23. 9· f4• Direct. 23. R('member 1hat tht Vnderfl.rndi~tg is not Fret ( favc only participative, as it is fubjtcr to the will) : It achth of it felf per modum natur.e, and is neceffitattd by its object (further th•n as it is under the power of the will ). A man cannot hold what opinion he would himfelf., nor be againfi what he would not have to be true: much lefs can he believe as another man command– cth him. My underflanding is not at my own command: [ cannot be of every mans bdief that is uppermoil. Evidence and not force is the natural means to compcll the mind: even as Goodne{t and not force is the natural means to win mens Lovt. It is as wife a thing to (iy, Lwe me or I will kill thee; as to fay, [Believt meoriwiU kjUthte ]. Direl1. 21-· 9· 45· DireCt. 24· Confider that it iuffentiaL tO Religi011 to be above the authority of man, (unlefs as they lubferve the authority of God): He that worlhippeth a God thll is fubjecr to any m•n, mufi fubjc6t his Religion to that man : ( But this is no Religion becaufe it is no God whom he worlhip– pcth. ) But if the God whom I fcrve be above all men, my Religion or ftrvice of him, mufi needs be alfo above the will of men. Dirtt1. ! 5 . 9· 46. Direct. 2 5· Confider that an obediem diJPofiJioll towardJ Gods Laws, mJd a ttnder Confcimce n:hicb feartth in tiJt {mt~Utji matter tu offeHd him, Ua fubfiantial part of Holimji, and of great ne~ cc:ffity to falvation : It is part of the cx,ellcncy of thefoul ; aHd therefore to be greatly encourage., by Govc:rnours: To drive this out of the World, is ro drive out Godlinefs, aod make m(n rebclls againfi their maker: And nothing is more certain, than that the \>iolcnt irnpofing of unneceffary difpll'table things in the wmfhip of God, doch unavoidably tend either to dcbomch the Confcience, ~nd drive men from their obedience toGod) or to ddlroy them or undoe them in the World : For it is not p'ollible that all Confcionable perfons lhould difcern the lawfulncfs of all foch difputable things. Direll. 26. 9· 47· Direct. z6. Remember that fuch violence in doubtful ,naturs, if the w.1y to ftt up tbe moft Jeb:Juchtd Atbcifts, ~nd confcqut:ntly to Hndoe Church anc\ Cummon~-,ealth. For whatever oaths or fubicriptions you require, ht:that believeth not that there is a God or a Devil, a Heaven or a HeJJ, will yield to all, and make no more of perjury or a lye, than to eat a bit of bread ! If you cafi out all Minihers that will not fwear or fubfcribc this or that form about things doubtful, you will cafi out never an Atheill or debauched Infidel by it : All that have no Confcience will be kept in : and all that are true to God and their Confcicnce, if they think it is fin which you require of thmi will be cafi out : And whither this tendcth you may eafily forcfer. Virell. 27• 9· 48. Direct. 27· Remember that if by forceyou do prevail with a man to go againll his Confcience, you do but make him diffemble and lye. And if Hy"pocrites be not hateful to you, why do you cry out fo much againfi hypocrites (where you cannot prove your accufation ) ? But if they be fo hateful, why do you fo eagerly make men hypocrites? What ever their tongues may fay, yo11 can fcarce believe your fclves that prifonsor fire will change'mens judgements in matters of faith and duty to God? Dircll. 2 S. §. 49· Direct. 28. Confider not only wbtthtr tht thing r>hi<h you impo[e be~· in it {elf, but alfo what it Uto bim that think.._erh it a fin. His own doubting.Confcience may make that a fin to him, which is no fin to another. Andhe tb.t doubttth ( whether fuch or fuch a meat be lawful ) ;, condemned if he eat, hecaHfl he eautb not of faith: for JVbatfoever it not of faith is fin, Ram. If· 23· And is it like to bedamnati.oH to him that dorh it againfi his Confcience?' and will you drive on any man towards damnation l Dejfroy not him with thy meat for r11bom Chrift dytd, Rom. '14· I 5• I Cor. 8. I I· 9· 50. Jf it be objected, that 7'1mtthtrt wiU be no Government, if every man muff be ltji to his own Confcirnct; I anf1~cr, that the Holy Ghofidid not fear fuch objectm when he laid down this doctrine here
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