eA Treatife ofConfcience. 531 that Gods law alone harhthis priuiledge, that A 'that they may in fame cafes be omitted withthe breach ofit !hould be a linne. S. IohnC.irh our finne againft God. r.epitt. 3 •4 .Sinneutheanomie,ortranfkr.Jlionof Neither muf! this feeme !lrange. F.or as ,the law,vnderltandingGods law.WhenDa•id there IS akcepmg~fa law , and aorcakm~of I by adnlterie and murther had offended many the fame; fa there Is a m1ddle or meane acbon . men,and that many waies,he faith, Pfol. 5 I+ betweene them both, which is todoe athing Againflthee,agamflthee I banefinned.!'nd Au. (a) befide the /4w,and that Without finne•. g•Jiinedefined fin to be fomethmg fa1d, done, .To proceedefurther, !liens !aweshee1th~r ·or defircd againfr the law ofGod. Some man C:!u!lor Eccleliafiica!·Cmd laws,are for their may fay,ifrhis be fo,belike the we may breake fub!lance dercrmmauons of nece!f:~ty & promens !awes without fin. I anfwer,that men in fitable circumf!ances , tendmg to vphold and breoking humane !awes both may & doe fin; maintaine the commandemeAts of the fecond but yetnot limply, beca~fe they breake them, table. More fpecially .' they prefcribe whatis but becaufcin breaking them, tl<ey doe alfo to be done, and what!sto belefrvndone,tou• breakethelawofGod. The breach of a law chingachons both ciuill and criminal!, tou, muftbeconlidered twowaies. Fidbs itisa B chingoffices& bargainesofailforts,&c. yea trefpaffc:,hindraoce,iniurie,damage; & inthis theyconc}L~de,inioyoe,and c<;>mmand not on~ refpect itis committedagainft mens lawes:fely fuch aliJites as be of final! Importance, but condly,the breach of a law mutt bec6fidered alfot~ing~ &actionsofgreatwaight, tending as itis afin,and fo it is only againll: 9od~ law, to mamtame common peace,ctutll foctety,and which appoiqts obedience to the Magillrate. the very !late of the common wealth. Now The fecond point, namely, How farre forth fuch lawes bind fo f•rre forth, that albeit they mcm Jawcs bind confcience,I explane on this be omitted without any apparant fcandall or manner. It is all thatthe lawesot'Goddoe or contempt, yet the breach of them i<a fin becan do, to bind confcience limply &abfolutefore God.Take this example.A fubiei:t in this Jy.Therefore humane!awesbiod notlimplyof land, vpon pouerty, or vpon acouetous mind, themfc:lue~,but fo tar forth as they are agrecaagain{\ the good lawof the land, coynes mo. ble toGods word,feruc for the c6mon good, ney,whichafterward by aOeight ofhis wit, is ftand withgood orders, and hinder not.the licunningly conueyed ,abroad intothe hands of ber.tieofconfcience. The necdsitie ofthelaw men, and is not efpied. Here is no euident arifeth ofthe necefsitic ofthe goo<) end thereoffencegiuen to any man, nor open contempt of. And as the end is good & profitable more C !hewed tothelaw-giuer:and yetin this action or lc!fe,fo is the law it felfe nece!farie more or he bath finned, in that clofely, otherwife then le!fe. Mens lawes arc like their te!Hmonies, he 011ght ro haue done, he bath hindred the which neither prooue nordifprooue ofthemgood ofthecommon-we~lth; androbbed the feloes,but bprrow all the!lrengrh which they (oueraigne Prin 0 eofhis right. haue to c0nllraine 1 &om the truth, wifedome, Ecclefiaf!icalllawes,are c~rcaine necdfal'ie and fidelil:ie of them that beare witne!fe. ond profitable determination• ofcirc~m!lanHcnce it followeth that a man may do any ces ofthe commandement~of the fir£! Table. tbingbefidehmnanela>res & cofHtutions withI fay herecir<Hmjlances, becaufe all doctrines out breach ofconfciencc. For ifwe!hall omit pertaining to the foundation and good eftate thedoing ofany law, I. without hindranceof of the Church, as alfothe whole wor!hip of the end & particularconfideratiii'; for which God , are fet downe and commanded in the the law was made:IJ.withoutoffencegiuing, written wordofGod,& cannot be prcfcribed as muchas invs lyeth 1 III. withoutcontempt and concluded othcrwife by all the Churc~<;S ofhim that made thelaw,we are ,.,ot to be acin the world. As for the Creedsand Confefsi. cufed offinne. Example. In timeofwarre,the ons ofparticular Churches , they are- in fubMagiftrateofthecitiecommandsthatnoman D !lance Gods Word, and they binde not in fhal openthe gates:the end is,that the citie & confcience by any power the Church bath, euerymemberthereofmay be infafetie. Now bntbccaufe they arc the Word ofGod. itfalles out that certaine citizens, beingvpon The Iawes then which the Church in prooccalion without the citie, arepurfi1ed by the per fpcech is faid t<> make,aredecreesconcetencmy,and in danger oftheir liu~s. Hereupon ning outward order and conleline!fein tbe adforne man without any more ado opencth the mini!lrationof.the word and Sacramems,,in gate toreskuethem. The queftion is,whcthet the meetings of the Congregation, &c. Anp he bath linned,or ~O· Andthe truth is,he bath I fuch laws made according to the generall rule nor I becaufe hed!d not hmder theend ofthe ofGods word, (whlchrequrresthatall things law,but rather further it,& that without fcanbe done to edification, in comcline!fe, for the dall to men; or contempt to theMagiftrate. ' auoydi11g of offence) are nece!farieto be pbAnd this lhnds euen by the eqnitie ofGods ferued, and the word ofGod binds all men ro word. God madea law,thatthe Prie!lsonely them, fofarre forth as. tbe keeping of them fhould eateoftheShew-bread:nowDauidbe· maintaines decent order, andpreuentsopen mg. nopriell, did vpon vrgemoccalion eate offence. Yet if~ Ia.w concerning fome exter~ of It Without fin. Iftlus betrue mGnds law, nal me or thmg 10d1fferent, be atfometime,or then it may alfo be true·inthe !awes of men, vpon fomeoccafionomitted;no.offencegiiieo, AFlccre 3l1quid pra:tcr Jege~J~, non con– tu. t:l.. --------------------------------------------------~--------------~no_r ______
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