(8) 'L. I,cannot deny it, proceed in your prefitppofitions. M. IV. That no men have power to command us to damnour Souls, or to any thing that tendeth to it. L. None will deny you that ; but perhaps force things may ceafe to be fin, anddangerous if commanded. M. None can difpenfe with the Laws of God, but we grant that force things that are uulawfitl by fame accident or circum- ftance may become a duty. when commanded, when the good of Obedience, Order and Concord therein, weighs down againft the accident : It may be a fin to go on Warfare before one is com- manded, and a duty when he is commanded. It is a fault in a Servant. togo before he is fent, and a duty after. V. We prefuppofe that deliberate Lying is a fin. L. Is there.any ene doubts of that ? M. If they do not, . our Cafe will foon be decided. But in- deed many deny it. The yanfnits name you many Jefuit Ca- fuifts : And Grotius de ;fure Belli, and I3ilhop 5er. Taylor, deny that Lying is any fin when it is profitable, and wrongethnone ; as in a Phyfician to tice down a Medicine. L. And what have you to fay to the contrary? M. I muff not flay to difpute all fuch matters with you : I have fully anfwered it in my Catechifme on the Ninth Command- ment. Briefly this may fatisfie you : No ones private good muff be fought by a means that would deftroy all Humane Truft and Converfe : But if you give men leave to.lye when they think it needful or harmlefs, it will deftroy all Humane Truft and Con- verfe : For almoíf all will think their lyes are profitable. And we have had Learned, Moderate Conformifts that have trufted to this Argument, and openlydefended it : If Knaves would take my Purfe, I may defend my íelf with my Hands : Ergo, If they would deprive meof my Maintenance andMiniftry, I may defend my ièlf with my Tongue. L. Andhow do you anfwer them ? M. That no man muff defend himfelf by means which will do more hurt than his Miniftry or Life is worth : But to let men boote fo to lying is fuch ; and more forbidden of God than hand- defence : And fin ever doth more hurt thangood, VI. Wemay fuppofe alto that Perjury is unlawful, and would muchmore deftroy all Mutual Truft, and confequently Humane Converfe. VII. And
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