CHAP.I. z S , cí1Commentarie upon the X94 yet were they not tobe foffered in their error, becaufe they refufe in- firuetion, andare not weake,but wilful!. 3. Neither are they thus com- pelled tobeleeue, but tovfe the right meanes of faith. 4. Good Iofias made it cauenan. mtth theLard, and caufed all hispeopletoffand unto it, ;, Chron.34.32. Now aswe may not offend our private brethren , fo much leffe the publike Magiffrate,who bath power giuenhimofGod, to limit and re- ffraine ourouercommonvie of there things by wholefome lawes con- cerning things indifferent, which !awes we are not bound in confcience to obey: for then their indifferencie ceafethnot in regard ofthemfelues, but ofthat law retraining them. And 14 fundry aueffions may bee further demaunded. As, a. whether aman may witha fafè confcience Bate flefh at times prohibited by theMagifirate? Anfiv. In this one in_ fiance direction is giuen euen in all the other things of this kind, as concerning dayes, garments, &c. therefore I fay, that toBate or doe a- any other thing againft a law, is one thing ; and to doe otherwife Manifeliumeft then the law commands in there things,is another: the former common- vt in achaphoris extra carom ly- z. hindereth the endeof the law: 2. contemneth the authoritieofthe fcandali,effe ti. law-maker : 3. bathno iuil caufe in it felfe : 4. careth not for the of- bertatem tact. endi,vet omit. fence of others : this is alwaies a finne againft God , and a breach of tiu m fatten- el con- trarrariu the fifth Commaundement: but otherwife,the formercautions dulyob- di. chem.loc, ferued, I fee not how it is a finne in confcience to cate befides the controv.de o. !awe. ex Luther.p.pr. Quell. But can any Magifirate make a law to binde the confcience ? Anf. No, but yet we muff obey their wholfome !awes for confciencefare: which confcience is bound not by the law of the Magifirate, but by Gods law, which bindeth toobedience of the Magiftrates lawes in all lawful! and honell things; foPaul, Rom.r 3.5. fubic6eth not the confci- ence to the lawes of men, but toGods ordinance, inforcing obedience to fuch humane lawes as fight not with his owne. Qxeff. 3. But how Elandwe to the libertie, wherein Chrifl hath net vs free , if we fuller theMagifirate to curb vs of it ? Anfxn, Well inough, feeing the Magifiratemedleth not with the libertie in confcience pur- GaLfa. chafed by Chrill : for then we might not yeelda whit , but (land onour right : but referuing that aswhole and entire as he found it, he onely re- Elraineth the ouercommon vie of that libertie for example. The lawes which prohibit this or that meate, beeing ciuill, and made in refpea of ciuill andpolitike order , for the common good of then are external!, and the obferuationofthem is aciuill obedience, and in it felfe proper- ly no worfhip ofGod, vnto which the outward man is bound direly, andnot the inward, but byaccident. Which if we will plainly and in aword
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