Againft Peifecutio1l. here tXprdl. J. lr is eafie todifiinguiCh between things neceffary and things unnecd~Lry. 2. A<~d betwe,n~rr4t ptnalties and fmaU: And I. It followeth not that a Mm mufi be left to his own Con~ fcu:nce in tviry tiJing, becau(e he mull: be fo in fome thini,J• In thi11gs ncceffary as it is a fin t.:> do them douhtingly, (pit may be a grtater fin to leave them undone: (As for a man to maintain his fa~ milv, or detend his King, Qr hear the Word of God, &c.); He thJt can fay, My Confcience is ag1infl: ir, ffiul\ noi be excufed from a necdfary duty : ~nd he that can fay, My Conki!.nce bids me do it, mull not be excufed in a fin : But yet the Apofi:le knew what he faid, when he ( that was agre<Jtc~ Ctmrch-Govcrnour than you) determined the cafe of mutual forbearance as in Rom. '4· and I 5· and 1 cor. 8. 2: And he is not wholly left to himfelf, who is punit1.ed with a fmall pcn<lty for a (mall offenCe: For if a min mufi bejHUpuni!hed more, as long as he obeyeth God and his Confcience be– fore mt:n, an bond\ man mufi not be fuffcred to live : 1-'or he will certainly do it to the death. 77 ~· 5 ,. Dire&. '9· Remember the wonderful variety ?f mens apprebenji.ms, which muft be[uppofed VirtU. 29· ; 11 oU LawJ! Mens facrJ are fcarcemore vanous and unhkc, than cht:tr underfbmdtngs are: 1-~or be~ (ide5 that naturt hath diverfitild intellects as well as faces, the diverfity and unlikenefs is much increafed, by variety of educations, company, reprefentations, accidents, cogitations, apd many other caufes. [t is wifer to make Laws that all men !hall take the fame Phyfick, or eat only the fame meat or that all lhoos !hall be of a fize, and all cloaths of the fame bigncfs ; upon fuppofition that all mens'health or appetite, or feet, or bodies, are alike; than to make Laws that all men tl11ll agree (or fay that they agn:e) in evuy opinion circumihnce or ceremony in matters of Religion. ·9· Sl· Direct. jo. Remember efpccially, that mofi Chrillians arc ignorant and ot weak underfland· Direl1. 30. ings, and not able to make ufe of all the diftindions and fubtihies which are needful, eo bring rhem over to yam mind in doubtful and unnecetTary things. Therefore rhe L1ws which will be che means oi Peace, muft fuppo[ this weaknefs and ignorance of mofi fubjeCh ! And how convenient it is, to fay to a poor ignonm Chrifiian, [Know this or proftjJ this or th.tt, which the ablefi Godly Pafiors themfclvc:s arc not agreed in, or c:l(e thou fhalt bt: imprifoued or banifbt:d J 1 leave to equal men to judge. 9· 53• Dire&. 3r•. Humane inJirmitirs muff be fuppofrd in the be(! and jlrongeft Chrijlians: All have Dire[/. 3'• their errours, and then faults; D1vmts :h~;rn{dvcs as well as others : T heretore eHher forne enours and faults mull: be accounted to/er,lhlc,or el[e no lWO perfons mu(t to!er ue one another in the world, bur kill on till the firongefi only fhall furvive: Gal. 6. I, 2· Brrthren, if a m.mbe overtak,tn in afault, ye which ore fpirituol, rejfort fuch aOJZe in the [pirit of metlzne{s; c,,ujideri-tg 1hy[elf le;t thvtt 1ll{o be tempted : Bear ye DJle anothcrJ burde;11, and fo fulfill the'. Law of Chrift. And it the Hrong mutt he born with thcmfelves) then 7hey that are (fro,zg ought to bear the i11fi1 mitieJ of tbe W2.Jft, ant/. n1t to pleafe tbem{elveJ: but every olfe to pleafe hi1 neighbour for gnnd to ed!jication.: For cvm Chri:f ple~fod not himfelf, &c. Rom. I 5· 1, 2 , 3· And him that. i1 weaJt in tiJe f.;itiJ we mu_,tt receh e ; but not tf) d~,~ubtful di[putotions, Rom. I 4· I • 9· 54• D·rect. 32· The Pajtor1 muft not be imp~tient r_mdtr tbe obujh which they recdvt from tJ"Ie:tJt Direll. 3 2, or dijt.,mpered brethrm. We muft cxcell othe:rs m pJttence and mcc::knefs and iorbcara.nce, as much as we do in knowledgt: and in other graces. If the N1.1rfe or Mother will rake t:vcry wad or a.Cf:on of the child, as if it were the injury of an enemy, there will be no prdf:rvarion of the f,.mily in peace ! If children cry, or fight) or chide, or make any fowle or troublefome work, themother will not therefore turn them out ot doors, or ufe them like ltrangers, but remember that it is her place and dury to bear with that weaknefs which fhe cannot cure. T heproud impJtience of the P•ftors hath frequently brought them into the guile of perfecution, to the alienating of the: peoples hearts, and the difiraCl::ion and divifionof the Churches: when poor difh:mpered perfons are nfftnded \.l'ich them, and ir m~ y be revile them, and call them feducers, or antichrill:ian, or fupcrllittous, or what their pride and pafiion (hall fuggdl; or if fome wc•k ones raifeup fome erroneous opmions ; alas many Pafiors have no more wit or grace or pity, than prefcmly to be rough with them and re~ vile them again) and feek to right themfelves by wayes of force,_ and dub down every errour and contention; when they 01ould overcome them by evidence of truth, and by mcekncfs, p.ttience and love. (Though there be pbeo: alfo for fcveriry, with turbulent, imphclble, unpenitcnt hereticks). sS· 55· DireCt 33· Time of learning and overcoming their mijlak,es, mujt be allowed to thofe that are Direa. 33· mifinformed. We mull not turn chafe of the lower torms out of Chriiis School, bt:caufe they le:un not as much as thofe of the higher forms in a fewweeks or years. The HolyGholl ceachetl:l thofG who f0r the time might have been Teachers of others, and yet had need to be taught the fir{\ Prin· ciples, Heb. S· 1 1l I2· He doth not turn them out of the Church for their non~protidency. Aod where there is ignorance, there will be errour. ~·j6· Djrt8:. 34· Some in•onveniences mNjt be expelled and tolerated; and nopcrfell Order or C1ncord Di.rea. 34 • t>tpeUuJ. here on earzh. his not good reafoning to fay, If we fuffcr theft men, tht.y will caufe this or that di(Or<ler or inconvenience: But you mufi: ...tfo confider whither you mufi drive it, if you fuffcr them not; and what will be theconfequems : He that will follow his Confcience to a prif0n will likely follow it to death. And if nothmg but duth or prifoHor banijhmwt can ttfhain them from what rhey take to bt: their duty, it mufr be r.:ontidt:tcd how many mutt be fo ufed ; and whether (if they were truly faulty ) I hey defnve fo much : and if they d~, yet whether the evils of 1he Tolt:ntion or of the Pun;fhmc:nt are like to be: the greater. Peace and Concord will never be per· feet, till K 1owledge and Holinefs be per!<ct. _ ~· S1• D.r.ct. 35• Tou may go fortber in reftraining tba11 in conftraining : in furb#Jding men to DircCJ. 35· Lllllll prwb
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