74 CHAP ;I. An Expofàtion vpon the record V E tt.i i. our Confefíion puts on the nature of an Apologie, or ne- ceflary defenfe and iuflification of the Truth,exagita:ed by oppofitions and calumnies of the Aduerfary, or endan e. red to fuppreffion by violence of perfecution, then fay the Lord calls thee to coffee the Faith : Then thinke a woe belonging, l fay not onely to the denyer, but euen to the betrayer of the Faith. 3. Efpecially if there be ó ;417,2°,; one r. That of Autho- rity interrogates, or 2.Ofnecefli..y beggs of thee an ope -, ping of thine vnderfianding and credulity in the myfiery of Chrif}. 2.,e fim longior. May is not be lawful! to conceale our Faith in times of danger ? Lonke backe to what bath bin Paid tou- ching the manerofObligation to a ual.l confefion, thou wilt fee it lawfull at times to conceale thy Faith,as well as other truthes. Cyprianin his lafl Epif le written imme- diately before his Martyrdome,for direóion`of his people, thuso,floprehenfkm inquit.d tradidus locjui debet.Siquide magic in nobis dominos politic in 1/41 I-lorá loquitur, qui nos confterimagirvoluit,quamprofteri.Acutely, yet foundly diftinguif ung betwixt profeffon and confeflion. To pro_ feffe, that is,vltromeoufly to vtter a mans fecret credulity in times of danger, no man is fimplie bound: to conf ffe, that is, to make true anfwer to demands of Authority in that cafe made, is no doubt a duty.Yet there be judicious, who allow vs in this cafe, :: nulationem cautela, by exam- ple of Samuel,and Ieremie : prouided alwaies, it exceed not bounds of warrantable and honef}Cauteloufnefl'e : for then it degenerates to curfed diflimulation, and is inter - pretatiué a denyall. Saint Cyprian teils of fème, who loth to deny, but !other to die,procured or accepted from the Magiarates libels or fcrolles tefiimoniall of their abnega- tion : he calls them libelloscommaculatos.Thefe, though not dire011y denying Chriff, yet are put to their penance, for their willing feeming to denie him : .r merit Like is to be thought of all Complementings with Idolaters, or other Aliens in their fgnes of profefiion, or but outward fociety in their immolations, &c. yea, though the heart re- taine (
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