I 58 1 treatife o, f Confcience, 'cie myth 17 tribute though hee needed not to have done it : The children, 'i í ith he, are free ; ncvertheleffe, left he lhould offend che Ma- giffiratc, he did pay it. J will put an example of another na- ture; In a private wrong, though We4are not exprefly bound to it, yet rather then fcarzdaloufly to contend, confcience cloth bind us to yceld. Needed Abraham to have condifcended fo farre unto La- as to let him take his choice before him ? No ra- ther then fcandal ofReligion íhould arifè, ye may reade that he did it. Thus J have briefly made it znanifeti~ how farre the commands of the Magif; rate do not bind confcience, and how farro they do. ObjeLions. r_. But it may be objected ; Confciencebath onely relation to God. J anfwer, It istrue, as the fupreme and ablôlute binder of confcience : but-it hath a relation alto untomen in the fecond place, inafhiuch as God putteth upon men fùch terms as con- fcience hath relation to, As 24. 16. Herein 1 alwayes endea- vouredmyfel f, tohaveRlwayes a clear conference both towards Godand towardsmen. Mark ; Conlcience nath relation cry both : For though it have its main relation toGod and his word, yet in him it hath no relation unto men. 2. Again it maybe replied ; The Magi(Irares do not under- take, nor can they, to meddle with mens invilible 1pirits, for they are not able to fee whether the fpirit of-man be obedient er no : and therefore how do their laws bind us in confcience. The Magitirate onely looketh at the body : mens thoughts and a#fe&ions and confciences arc naked onely to God. It is true, the Magiflratedoll not undertake but only to bind the outwardman : nevertheleffe the confcience of the fubjeei feeleth it fell tobe bound to obedience under pain of (limit,g ag ,infl Gcd, who giveth this general! precept . Subno rt your fe'ves toevery ordinanceofmanfor the Lords fake. to the ring -&-c. The confcience feeleth this, and fo it cometh to be bound. 3. Again it may be replied ; The confcience isbound but onely Obj.t Anfw. Obi. 2. Anfw. Pet. a. II 3 Obj. 3.
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