682 Chap. 3 I. tin Expofition open let Books of J o s. Vet-1-.33, at all let look the bonds of duty;Todarewhich, confider there are two'things in which the dury ofaa inferior doth confit(. Firft, Subje ion to the power ofhis fuperior, Second! ; , Obedience to thecommand of his fuperior ; now in all things which are lawfuli and anfwerable to the mind of God, 6ervants ought both tobe fubjec$ to the power, and to o- bey the commands of chore that areover them ; but in unlawful! things they muttonly be fubjed to their power, not obey their commands. There is afreat difference between there two, we 5obic£Fh, pore t may ycild fubj: &ion, and yet refute obedience, asCafuifis deter- rife On non :/i mine ; or which is the fame, There may be pafiìve obedience to osed cntia. the full,where aetiveobedience is not at all;they who arealways- fobjeEt to the power of others, are not alwayes fubeét to their commands- The ApoftlePeter (i Ep: 2. 18, 20 ) bids fervants. be %hjo to their M41ers with allfeare, not only to the geed and gentle, but alto to thefrornard ; but heBoth not reach them to o- Peccat ferv;ss bey their Matters in all things , but rather to/r+f)rer fir confcience ebtemperando, fake towards God (v. 19 ) Servants are to fuffor not only when obi peccat do they have committeda fault, but they are to fuller rather then 'karat nnperon- commit a fault or finagainft God. We muff ferve men for Gods fake, we mutt not forfaite God to ferve raen ; confcience bids in- feriors to be obedient,but they mutt not be obedient againft con- fcience ; if it were not sometimes lawfuli ao refute obedience to the commands ofthofe whoare above us,the world might quick. ly be ruined induty. There !yes no duty to obey bydoing,when commands are againft duty, or of things unlawful! to be done. There is no difputing the commands ofGod, and there are no commands but his, u hieb may not be difputed ; nor can we be charged with difobeyingany commands ( thoughwe doe them not) but thofe which we are bound to obey bydoing them, and tholeare only the commands of God) and filch as fubferve hiscommands. Thirdly , Saith another, ifl had only a bare command I con. ft ffe that would not excufe me, but the truth is, I was not only commanded,but threatened,and greatly threatened ; ifI had not done it I mutt have fuffereddeeply;ánd furely,God will nothold a poore creature to fo hard a law, as to cordemne him for doing thatwhich hehad no mind todoe, but was threatened to doe it, and mud.needs be undone ifhe did it not ; it framesnot only un- rea-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=