(r95) 5. And this way compelleth men to lie and play the Hypocrites, when we may difcerne it is fo. Mr. Capri of Tempt: would perfwade us that a lie thus diffeY from molt other fins, that it is fo evil in it felf, as that it owing-in the very alt be lawful. When a man againíl all per - fwalìon, faith or iheweth you, that he cloth not believe in Chrifi, or loth not relent, to fay to that man, [Say thou believefi, or Repentefi, or thou 'halt be ccnfifcate and lie in jaile] is plainly to fay [Lie or Infer] I deny not but that in Come cafes a man may be examined when it is foreknown that he will lie. But itsone thing to force him to examination and an- ther, and another to force him tothat particular anfwer. 6. It is acompelling men to pretend to that whichwe cannot compel them to, that is, to have a Right to fo great a benefit as Abfolution and Church Communion. Force giveth no man Right to theBenefit, and their force fhould notcompel him falily to pretend a Right. 7. It confoundeth the Church and the world : Whileft every man is made a member of the Church that had but rather tell a lie and take bread and wine, than be undone, what wicked man on earth will not do the fame (uniefs hebe fo Confciencious that miltake and Confcience hindereth him ) Is there any Infidel , Heathen , Atheift,: Murderer , Traytor, cr Senfualift, in the world that will not do it ? What fhould hinder him that believeth there is no God, to do thus rather than be undone ? Is it fohard a word to fay in a Chancellours Court [I repent] and deride and curfe them when;he is goneout S or is a bit of Bread and a Supof lIine fo hard for a Glutton or Drunkard to get down, as that any of them would rather lie in jaile. t. So, that by this courfe the Church and the Infidel world are made equal, and no man can prove that any Mahometan Congregation is not as good, as to the perlons , as fueh n Chriftian Congregation : For what Mahometan would not fay and do this rather then be undone? unlefs he bea Confciencious one, who is not fo bad as thofe Chritlians that have no Confcience. 2. And by this meanes no conjeéture can be made of the real members of the Church. Thoufands may be driven in at the doors, but we have no means to perceive whither any of them indeed be Chrittians. 8. And hereby the Church and the Chriftian Religion are greatly dishonoured, while this odious fiigma is made the marke of a vifible member, [One that hadrather fayhe is aChrillian and repenteth, than lie in a jaile] ! Is this a laudabledefcription ? 9. And hereby Mahemetans , Pews and Heathens are hardened in their Infidelity and reproach of Chrift, while Chrittians are fuch as there. to. It putteth every confciencious Mini(ter into a fnare, and trou- bleth his Confcience , or turneth !anti out , when he mull put the Sacrament into the very hand ofeveryman that had rather take it than be imprifoned and muft read the Abfoltnion of every one that had . ratherfay, [I repent] than beundone. C II. If
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