Rule. lbtle.; / f)ireElions for doi1~ good. fore forLke their t-.1.iniftry, but only lofc the Rulers Licenfe; for they refolvcd to preach in one p!ace or other till they were imprifoned ; and God can ferve himfclf by their imprifonment or dl':llh -:ts well as by their preaching: And while others took their placts that thought the Jn– tcTim lawful , the Churches were not wholy defiirute, and if God faw it meet, he could re– Hore their fuller libenies again; In the mean time to ferve him as all Paftors did for three hundred years aftr:r Chrill ( without the Licenfe of the Civil Magifirate } was not to cafi away their dfice. Ano1hcr inllancc: The zealous Papifls in the Reign of Hen. 3· in Frt:Jnce thought that thne was a Ntcdll1y of entring the League and warring againH the King, becaufe Re~ ·Iigion was in danger, the preferv.Hion whereof is an unquefiionable duty : The Learned and moderate Lawyers that were againft: them fJid , that there being no quetlion but the King had the total fovcraingty over them, they were ftm: it was a fin to refl}t the Higher powtri, and therefore no prdCrvation of Religion could be a duty or lawful to them which mult be done by fuch a ccrca.in fin ; Sin is nor the means to fave Religion or the Common wealth. 9. 59· Rule 5'· Wbtn a Jbinf!. i1 not probibi!ed and jinfuU ]imply in it [elf, but btcaufi of fome accidcmal or confequential tvil tbat it tendetb to, there a Greater accidental "r confequemi~Jl Good, may prfpm-tderare the evil, 11nd mak,.e tbe tbiitg become 1tc~ fin, but a Dut)'· It is a matter of ex– ceed in!', difficulty to difccrn oft times whether a thing be ]imply and abfolutely forbidden, or only by accidcnt and alterably:, and to difcern which Accident dmh preponderate. There are fo mJny Obfi. rvarions rhlt fhould here be taken in, and {o much of a mans life and peace is con– cerned in it, thlt it dcferveth a Treatife by it felf: And therefore I !hall not meddle with it any funher here, lcfi an infuflicient traCbte be worfe than none, in a cafe where error is fo eafte and perillons. · §. 6o. Rule r6. As to the dan~er of the ]inner himfel(, there i< a great deal of'diffmnce be– trucn an f!rtor ami fin of IJHmane frailty, when the [ervice of Gud, and true obedienct, and the com~ man good i4 jincmly inrmdtd , and an error and fin of falfihcarttdntf/ and j/olh , whtn ftlfifhnrfr is the Jccrtt Jprhtg of tht error and carnal intereji the real end, though God and hiJ fervice be prt– ttntkd. And u(UaJiy the concomitan'ts will fhew fomething of this to others. For inllance; Two Magiflrates and two Minillers fubmit to fame quefiioned impofition , all pretend that the Glory of God and his fervicc is it that prcvailerh with them to fubmit: The one of the Magitlrates faithfully ferveth God afterward with his authority, and !hewerh thereby that he meant fincerely : The other doth no good in his place, and !hewerh his hypocrifie,: One of the Minifiers preacheth zeal6ully and privately labourcth as one that thirtleth for the faving of fouls; The other preacheth formally and coldly and heartlcfly and never convertcth a foul, and neglc61:cth the work which he pretended was his end. ' DfRECT.
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