May 011e contribute to a11ot1Jerr ji11 !Vithot!t ji11 ! the man though a Miniflcr, of more than ordinary wit and fircngth, yet fain to endure all with?ut re– turns of violence till her death. They that never kriew fuch a cafe by tryal, can. tell how all m1ght t e cured eafily : but fo cannot they that are put upon the Cure. And there are fomc other women of the fame uncurable ftrcngth of [,xagination and I'lzf!io~t, who in other rcfpeCh are very pious and prudent too, and too wife and confciona?l~ to wrong ti_Jeir_Hus– bands with their hands or tongues, who yet are utterly un.able ro forbear an mJury of the h1ghefi na– nire to rhemfelves ; but are fo utterly impatient of being croifcd of their willr, that it would in all likelihood caO: them into Mdancholy·or Madncfs, or fomc mortal ficknefs ; And no reafon fignifieth any thing to abate fuch paffions. In cafe of Pride, or fome finful cuHome, they are not able to bear reproof, ~nd to be hindered in the fin, wi·rhout .apparent danger of difiradion or death. 1 fllppofe tht..fe cafes are but few: but what to do in fuch cafes when they come, is the prc ... fent ·quefiion. Nay, rhe ~efiidn is yet harder, JY!Jetbcr to avoid Jit,b inconvmiwce> one may contribute towardJ anothrrs fi;t, b)' affording them the ,mcpm of committing it l Anfw. 1 , No man may conrribute to fin as fin, formally confidere~. ~·No man may contribute to anoth~rs fin fOr tinful ends, nor in a manner "forbidden and finful 1t1 h1mfelf. 3· No man may con– tribute to ;nothcrs fin, when he is not naturally or morally neccOitated eo it 1 but might forbear ir. But as it is confifient wirh the holinefs ofGod to contribute thofo Natural and proviJential merCies, which he knowerh men will abufe-to fin, fo is it in forne cafes with us his crearures to one another. God giveth all men their Jiv-es and•tirne, their Reafon and .Free-will, which he knoweth they will abufe to fin: Hegiveth thern that mc:at, and drink,and riches, and health, and vigour of fenfes, which are rhe ufual means of the tin and undoing of the world. ObjtCl. Bur G(ld i1 not under any Law or obligation. as we are. Anfi"'·· Hiso_wn pcrfe:Cbon is abov·e all Law, and.will not confifi with a confent or aCting of any thing thJl is concrary to holinefs and perfeCli01-1. But this I coufcfs, that many things afe Contrary to the ordcl' ·and dttty of th!: creature, which- are not contrary ·to the P.lace and perfedio~ of the , Creu~ _ · 1 • When man doth generate man, .he knowingly"colltributeth to a finful nature and life: For he knoweth that it is unavoidable, and that which· Js bOrn of the fldh is flcf11. ~nd yet he finneth not l.;,lt. 3· 6. by [o doing, becaufc he is nor- bound to prevent fin by the forbearance of Generation. Ejlh. 1.. "2-, 3 1 2• whenoneadvanceth another to the office of M3.gHlracy, MinHhy, &c. knowing that he will fin in it, he contributeth accidentally to his fin .: But fo as he is not culpable for fo doing. 3. A Phyficion hath to do with a froward and intemperate Patient, who will pleafc his appetite, or dfe if he be denycd his paffion will increafe his difeafe and kill him. In this cafe he may lawfully fay, Let him take a little, tather_rhan kill him; though by fo doing he contribute to his f.in. Becau{C it is but a nQt-biNdering that which hecannot hinder without a greater evil. The fin is only his that 0', ·~~ . . . And it i< fpccially to be noted, that rhat which Phyfically is a ppfitive a[/ and contributing to tiJe Matter of the fin, yet Morally is but a not-hindering the fin by fuch 4 withb,lding of materialt as we art 1101 obliged to withhold (which is the cafe altOof Gods contributing to the matter of fin.). If the Phyficion in fuch a cafe, or the Parent of a fick and froward Child, do a<!tually give tpem that w,hich they fin in defiring, thatSiving is indeed fuch a furthering of' the fin as cannot be law– fully forborn let\ we do hurt, and thnefore is mora11y but a not hindering it, when we cannot hin- ~~ . 4• If a man have a Wife fo proud-that lhe will go mad, or diOutb him anJ his family by rage, if her pride be not gratified by fome !inful fa{hions, mriofi1ies or exccffcs, if he give her money or materials tO do it with, to prevent her diflra6tiou, it is but like the forefaid cafe of the Phyficion or Parents of a lick Child. ' In thefe cafes I will give you a Rule 'to walk by for your felves, and a caution how to judge of others. . I· Be fure that you leave nothing undone that you can lawfully do, for the cure and prevention ofothers fins; And .rhar i~ be not for wane of ~e~galntl fin, through indifference or fiorhfulnefs, that you forbear to hmder It, but meerly throu::;d~cl!tability. 2· See that in comparing the evil that is like to follow the Impedition, you do nor mifiake, but be fure that it be indeed a greater evil which ym\ avoid by not hindering that particular fin. 3· See therefore that your own caJnil .interefi weigh not with you more than there is caufe; and that you account not meer flefhly' fuf. fering a greater evil r~an fin. 4· But yet that difftonour which may be cafi npon Religion, and the Good of fouls whiCh may be hindered by a bodily fuffcring, may come into the comparifon. 5· And your own dzttits to mws bodies ( as to fave mens lives or health or peace) is to be numbrcd with fpiricual things, and the materials of a fin may in fome cafes be adrniniftred for the difcharge of fuch a duty. If you knew a man would die if you give him not hot water, and he will be drun!',_ if you do give it him, ln this cafe, you do bu.t your duty, and he commits the fin : You do that which is good a_nd_are not bound to forbear it, becaq~c he will turn it to fin, unlefsyou kethar the h~rt by that fin IS hke to be fa great ( befides the fin It felf) as to difcharge you from the duty of do:ng ;,ood. 2· As to others, I· Put them on to their duty and fpue not. 2. But cenfure them net for rhe fins of their families, till you are acquainted with all the cafr. lt~s ufual with ralh and carnal ccnfurers, to
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