treatife ofConfcience. 155 I . When they command that which though in it fèlfit be not fimply and abf'olutely Cnfull and unlawfull, yet it doth put us upon a necefïty offinning : As for example, Ifa Magi- aratecommand tingle life to all Miniflers, this thing is not in it felt. fimply unlawful! ( for it is lawful! to marry, and it is lawfull not to marry ) yet this commandment is unlawfull, becaufe it would put Minif+ers upon a neceffìty of finning : The real-on is, becaufe all have not this power. And therefore fucha commandment as this would not bind confcience : For the confcience cannot be !found to impurity, or an apparent danger of impurity : and therefore though the thing be not fimplyunlawful!, yet the commandment is fimply unlawful!, anddoth not bindconfcience. The Apof}le maketh filch com- mandment to argue a feared confcience in the commander : and therefore none but a feared confcience can think it is bound by it, i. Tim. 4.2, 3, 2. The commandments of Magiftrates lofe their power of binding the confcience when they command things that are unlawful! in themfelves and contrary to the word of God. In this cafe theydo not bind confcience, becaufe Gods Peal is not on them. We have an example of this in the three blefléd children ; Who when the king commanded them to worfhip Dan. 3.1g. the Image that he had fet up, they didnot conceive thernfelves bound in confcience to obey : they 'would rather fuffer tor- ment then ':obey it. So alto Daniel, when he was commanded not to ask anypetition of God for thirty dayes fpace, but onely of the king, Daniel did not conceive hirnfèlf bound in confci- ence, nay he chofe rather to be cal+ into the den of Lions then Doe.8,x6 obey. In this cafe theaníver of the Apof{ les isneceffrry ; who when they were commanded not to preach any more in the name oftheLord Jefus. thus they anfwered, Whether it be right in thefight ofGod to obey men rather then God, judgeye. 3. When mens laws and commands overthrow the libertie ofChriaianitie, that Chrifi ian libertie which Chrifl bath pur- chafed for us then they lofe their powerof binding the con- fcience. taut here J. muff tell you of a caution ; viz,. That H h ; this
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