The Life of Faith, then (and not elfe) you may fay that negatives bind to all times. 39. Nothing which is certainly deflrucive to the end, and contrary to the nature of a Means, is to be taken for a Duty. For it is certain that Gods Commands are for edification, and not for deftru&ion, for good, and not for evil. 4o Yet that may tend to prefent inferiour hurt, which ul- timately tendeth to the greatefi good. Therefore it is not tome prefent or infcriour incommodity that muff cauCc us to rejed fuch a means of greater future good. 41, Whatfoever we are certain God cornnrandetb, we may , becertain is a proper Means, though we fee not the aptitude, or may think it to be dcftrudive ; becaufc God knowcth bet- ter than we : But then we muff indeed be lure that it is com- manded bic & nunc, in this cafe and place, and time, and cir- cumfìances. 42. It is one of the moti needful things to our innocency, to have Chriflian wifdom to compare the various accidentsof thofe duties andfins which are fuch by accident and to judge which accidents do preponderate. For indeed the actions arc very fewwhich are abfolutely and,Gtr,ply duties or fins in them- (dyes confidered, without thole accidents which qualifie thetia to be fuch : Accidental duties and fins are the molt numerous by far : And in many cafes the diifEculty of comparing theva rious accidents, and contrarymotives, is not (mall, 43. Therefore it is, that (as in Phylick andLaw CafesS&cc the common people have greateti need of theadvice ofskilful Artifts, to help them to judge of particular Cafes, taking in'all the circumfiances, which their narrow under ffand rgs cannot comprehend; which is more of the tale of Pì yfiçians and Lawyers, than to read a publick Lecture of Phyfick, or of Law, fo) the Office of the Church-Guides, or Bifhops, is of fig great neccflity to the people, in every particular Church : And that not only for publick Preaching , but alío to be at hand, to help the people, who have recourfe unto them in all loch cafes, toknow in particular what is duty, and what is fin. 44. And therefore it is (betides other reafons) that the Of- fice of the B:fhops or Pafiors of the Churches, mutt in all the proper parts ofit, be done only by themfclves, or ores Es add 3 , 397
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