(443) that will not he eyed only to fuch or fuch a difh, I would not be a Phyícian, ill mutt obey that command; what ifmy Patient have a weak flornack and cannot cat of that difh, or be peevifh, and will not i? muff. I therefore be guilty ofhis death by denying him my neceffary help, becaufe the Magiftrate forbiddeth me ;' He may as well forbid us all to vifit the fick, or relieve the poor, or cloath the naked, if he can but find the lean infirmity that they are guilty of. And I think that Cbrifl will not take it for an excufe in judgement if any tr an fay [Lord, I would have relieved them,cloathed them,healed them,but that the Magiftrate forbad me; and I thought it the parr ofa feditious rebel' not to obey my governors. ] Yet I fhouldmuch lefs defire tobe in that Minifters cafe (whole labours are neceffary to the Church) that had no better an excufe for his denying to preach the Gofpel, or to admit the fervants of Chrift to holy Communion, then that the Magiftrate forbade him : Our Miniftration is a work of Charity, to be exercifed upon voluntary receivers : And ifa Magiftrate havepower to forbid us to preach or grant the Sacraments andCommunion oftheChurch to any that wear not blackor blew, or white or red, or that kneel not at the Sa- crament, or fuch like, then may he as well or much better forbid us to givealms to any that wear not ahorn on their backs, and an iron ring about their armsas Bediams do : NoMagiftratecan difpence with Charity,cfpecially in fo great a cafe as mens falvati. on : no more then the Popecan difpence with Oaths and Coves nants. g.9. We have therefore the ufe of our Reafon left us to weigh the tendencyofaMagiftrates commands, even where the a& commanded is in it felf indifferent : For the Magilirates Power, and the Minifters, are from one Fountain, and arebut Means to one and the fame end : And neitherof them bath any power to deftroy that end : And therefore if by accident, through the weaknefs ofmy flock,the obfervationofa trivial cir- cumftance would undo them,I would not ufeit, no not inobedi ence to the Magiftrate: but would refolve with P4ss1never to eat flefh while I live rather then to offend or deftroy my brother. But if I find by the weighing ofall accidents, that my obedience will dono fuch hurt co the Church andSouls ofmen,but as much good-as my nor obeying,th:n (in fuch indiff,rentcafes) I would L112 readily
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