Too Supralapprians overthrowReli&ion Turks, or pagans, ofvvhat religion, or whether ofany religi onat all. Now 1,vhither tendeth this but to the cyetthrovv of religion ? H. BcauCe it taketh avvay (B) theconfcience of finne. Why Should men be afraid of any fnne that pleafeth or may profit them, if they muff needs finne ? or vvhat realen have they to weep and mourn when they have finned, fceing they have not finned truly, becaufe they finnedneceWarily i The Pat if}a Tragedian faith, k when aman fnneth, hisdefliny mull bear "IN et} : the bl.zme. Necefti' frieth himfrom all ini uitie Sinties are nemo fit fato raocens, either the faults ofthat irreGftib!e decree thatcsufeth theta or no faults at all. If either; then farrow, fear, or any other adof repentance whatfoever, may as well be (pared as (pent. This conceit being once drunk.in, religion cannot long continue : for the affections have been the fìroagefl planters and are the fureff upholdersof it in the world : mus in orbe Dcosfecit timer, IH. Becaufe it (C) taketh away thedefert and guilt of finne. Offences if fatal!, cannot be juftly punithed. The reafon is, becaufe thofe deeds for which men are punithed or rewarded, muff be their own, under their own power and fovereigntie : but fuch are no fatali aftionsor events. Neither temporally nor eternally can finne be punithed, if it be abfo- lutely neceffary. T. Not temporally ; as God himfelfhath givenus to un . derftand by that law which he prefceibed the Jewes, Dent. zz. z5. which was, That if a maid commit uncleannefiè by confiraint, the fhould not be punithed. His reafonwas, becaufe there was nocaufe ofdeath in her : vvhat the yielded to, was through compulfon, being overborn by power : as eman that is wounded to death by his neighbour, fo \vas a virgin in that cafe, a fufferer rather then a doer. This pare ticular law is of univerfall right t No juft puniík-arnent can be inflicted for finne where there is no power in the partie to avoid it. The fpeech of Liptìus is but a mere crotchet con- trary to reafon, Fatale culpe fttalis pceoa, Fatali faults muff have fatali punithnients. Did Magiltrates think mens ofFen- fes unavoydable, they would think it bootlefi'e and unrea- fonable to punifh them hay not onely fo, but we fee by dayly experience, that Judges following the dire&ionofrea. fon, have very remifiely punithed fuch faults as have been committed through the power of headflrong and exorbitant pallions ; yea, we may readof Come who have not thought it
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=