Chap. 3i. fn .Expo{Lion upon the Book of J o a. Veri 33. 6 reafonable, but imcompetible, not only with the goodotffe of God, but with his Jhfsice, to put that fin upon any mans ícore, which he did,not as delighted but as terrified.Yet to thepreten- ders of this plea, 3 mutt fay as the Apoftte( 2 Car: 5. To.) Know- iag the terror cf the Lord the perfwade men. Remember the Lord threatens if you doe ill , and what are all the evills which man threatens or can infliEt,if you doe it nor. I.fthe wrath ofman ter- rt6eth you to doe evill,íhoudd not the wrath ofGod terrific you much more from doing evil! ? Oneof the Ancients brings in a perfon making this excufe, when urged toexceffved ; inking ; I did it indeed , but agreat man in the company compiled me Ferfna ¡:steno to it, a dagger was fet at voy breaff , with this word, drinks or die, n-e corgis ur, But the Anfwer given in that particular cafe may ferve for all ca. PtTtr ¡4 fes. Although ( faith he ) thematter be brought to thin bard ifue, ,:;nireruraä L,ac that it be fayd to thee, eyther drinks or die, it were letter for thee tot r>"fidireret that in prefervation and defence of thy owns temperance and f -brir. aide bihos act ty, thou fhouldeff die, then that eh.0 fboseld Pave thy lef e by thy in- ¡tt aril ut oree temperance ;or it were much more eligible that thy body 'bottle/ be rut r,r,itt: scci-. flaine fiber, then that thy foule fhereld be damn'd drunken. The de.rern r, quarts Apoftles were firaitly threatened ( Adis 4.17. ) not to fpeake ¡'a ebrietate any more, nor to teach in the name ofJefus, but did they fatisfie anima ¡nonce thernfelves and fitdowne in i;lance, becaufe threatened to fór- I Augrde beare fpeaking ?.read their anfwer (v. r9, 20.) Whether it be CI.2 right in thefight of god, to hearken untoyou more then unto God, judgeye; for we cannot but fpeake the things which we have faene and heard. Now if threatenings be no excufe to us for the for bearingof good dury,or obedienceto an affirmative command, ( which though it oblidge (femper) "alwayaes, yet not (ad fem- per) to all times, now, I fay, ifthey would not forbeare to doe good when men threáened ) much leffe "will mens threatnirgs ex- cufeuc, if we for feare ofthem doe evil{ or tranfgreffe a negstive command, -which asit isalwaves binding, fo it binds aiwayes or at times; There's tip moment much lette feafon for the doing ofevill, though there may be"a feafon offorbearing todoe that which is good. There is no necefliryoffinning, nor can any ex- treemity Excite for doingevil{ ; but there may be a receflìtie of our forbearanceat this or that time to doe this or that good du- ty, and that nectflitywill beadmitted by God as a pleadable ex.- cute of our forbearance. Elilru charged) 7eb ( Chap. 36 2I. ) S f f f 2 Thou
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