<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2014-10-08</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>*Proofed title page(s).
*Reviewed structure.
*Checked division-marking material at heads and feet of divisions (HEADS, CLOSER, OPENER, ARGUMENT, EPIGRAPH, SIGNED, BYLINE, etc.).
*Added TYPEs to DIVs in order to validate.
*Checked for N=""s.
*Checked ^s.
*Checked placement and completeness of PBs.
*Checked for foreign, damage and missing-page GAPs, PROBLEMs, #, --.
*Checked for LBs, startqs / endqs, q;s, ABBRs, LETTERs and Qs.
*Checked for FIGUREs and decorated initials.
*Checked proofsheets and made corrections found there.
*Corrected <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s etc.
*Converted <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s to GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="[vendor name]".
*Revalidated.</ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B27450">
<STC T="W">N1224</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">[ocm]13085545</BIBNO>
<VID>199348</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE NON-CONFORMIST'S PLEA FOR UNIFORMITY.</P>
<P>Being the Judgment of Four&s;core and Four Mini&s;ters of the County Palatine of <HI>Lanca&s;ter.</HI> Of a whole Provincial A&s;|&s;embly of Mini&s;ters and Elders, in and about <HI>London.</HI> And of &s;everal other eminent Preachers, <HI>Engli&s;h, Scotti&s;h</HI> and <HI>New-Engli&s;h,</HI> concerning Toleration and Uniformity in matters of Religion.</P>
<P>Together with a Re&s;olution of this difficult Que&s;tion; Whether the Penalty of the Law ought to be inflicted on tho&s;e, who pretend and plead Con&s;cience, in oppo&s;ition to what the Law commands?</P>
<Q>Video meliora proboque, Deteriora &s;equor.</Q>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Mr.</HI> Ca&s;e <HI>Farewel-Serm. on</HI> Rev. <HI>2.5.</HI></BIBL> Time was, when the name of a Toleration would have made Chri&s;tians to have trembled.</Q>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>Henry Brome,</HI> at the Gun in St. <HI>Pauls</HI> Church-yard. 1674</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<HEAD>THE NON-CONFORMIST'S PLEA FOR UNIFORMITY.</HEAD>
<P>_IN the Book called <HI>The Harmonious con&s;ent of the Mini&s;ters of the Pro|vince, within the County Pa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">atine of Lanca&s;ter, with their Reverend Bre|thren, the Mini&s;ters of the Province of London in their late Te&s;timony to the Truth of Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> printed in the Year 1648, and &s;ub&s;cribed by 84 Mini&s;ters, who&s;e names are printed with the &s;aid book; we have the&s;e expre&s;&s;ions among &s;everal others to the like purpo&s;e. <HI>pag.</HI> 11, 12, 13.</P>
<Q><PB N="4" REF="3"><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 11.</NOTE><P>For our own parts, as we can never &s;ufficiently ad|mire and wonder, that any, that have taken the &s;o|lemn <HI>League</HI> and <HI>Covenant,</HI> could either have &s;o quick|ly forgotten it, or el&s;e imagin that the e&s;tabli&s;hing a <HI>Toleration</HI> of <HI>Here&s;y</HI> and <HI>Schi&s;m</HI> by a Law, &s;hould be the way to extirpate them; &s;o al&s;o here we &s;hall take oc|ca&s;ion to declare, what our apprehen&s;ions are concer|ning &s;uch a <HI>Toleration.</HI></P>
<P>We have &s;earched the <HI>Scriptures,</HI> looked as impar|tially as we could into tho&s;e <HI>authentick Records,</HI> and yet we cannot find, that ever &s;uch a thing was practi|&s;ed with approbation from God, from the time that <HI>Adam</HI> was created upon the Earth, unto the &s;ealing up of the &s;acred <HI>Volume:</HI> but on the contrary, that tho&s;e were blamed, reprehended and checked, that did but continue and wink at the practi&s;e of tho&s;e things that were di&s;plea&s;ing unto God; that the not taking away the high places is mentioned as a defect in their <HI>Reformation,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2.14, 15, 20. 1 King. 15.14. 2 Chron. 33.17. 2 Chron. 17.6.31.1.34.3, 4.</NOTE> of whom yet God gives te&s;timo|ny, that their hearts were upright, and that tho&s;e that quite took all away that was di&s;ta&s;tful to him, were by God him&s;elf highly honour'd, and much commen|ded. And therefore we cannot &s;ee how &s;uch a kind of <HI>Toleration</HI> as is endeavored after in the&s;e times, can any way con&s;i&s;t with a through <HI>Reformation</HI> accord|ing to the <HI>Word of God;</HI> there being nothing more contrary to <HI>Reformation</HI> th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n <HI>Toleration.</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g. 12.</NOTE>A <HI>Toleration</HI> would be the putting of a Sword into a <HI>Mad-man</HI>'s hand, a cup of <HI>poy&s;on</HI> into the hand of a <HI>child;</HI> a letting loo&s;e of <HI>Mad men</HI> with <HI>Fire-brands</HI> in their hands; an appointing a <HI>City</HI> of <HI>Refuge</HI> in mens <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> for the <HI>Devil</HI> to fly to; a laying of the <HI>&s;tumbling block</HI> before the blind; a proclaiming li|berty to the <HI>Wolves</HI> to come into <HI>Chri&s;t</HI>'s fold to prey
<PB N="5" REF="3"> upon the <HI>Lambs;</HI> A <HI>Toleration</HI> of Soul-murder (the greate&s;t murder of all) and for the e&s;tabli&s;hing whereof damned Souls in <HI>Hell</HI> would accur&s;e men on <HI>Earth.</HI> Neither would it be to provide for ten|der <HI>Con&s;ciences,</HI> but to take away all <HI>Con&s;cience.</HI> If <HI>evil</HI> be &s;uffered, it will not &s;uffer <HI>good;</HI> if <HI>error</HI> be not forcibly kept under, it will be &s;uperior.</P>
<P>The e&s;tabli&s;hing of a <HI>Toleration</HI> would make us become the abhorring and loathing of all nations;<NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 13.</NOTE> and being &s;o palpable a breach of our <HI>Covenant,</HI> would be the high road-way to lay <HI>Englands</HI> glory in the du&s;t, and awaken again&s;t us the <HI>Lord of Ho&s;ts</HI> to bring a Sword upon us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Qu. 26.25.</NOTE> to avenge the <HI>Quarrel</HI> of his <HI>Covenant.</HI> A <HI>Toleration</HI> added to our other &s;ins would make us to God an <HI>intolerable</HI> burthen; He would doubtle&s;s think of ea&s;ing him&s;elf, he would be weary of Repeating.</P></Q>
<P>In the Book called <HI>A Vindication of the Presbiterial Government and Mini&s;try; Publi&s;hed by the Mini&s;ters and Elders met together in a Provincial A&s;sembly,</HI> Novemb. 2. 1649. <HI>licen&s;ed, entred and printed accord|ing to order, in the year</HI> 1650, We have the&s;e expre&s;|&s;ions among &s;everal of the like nature. pag. 124, 140.</P>
<Q>That Doctrine that cryeth up <HI>Purity</HI> to the ruine of <HI>&V;nity</HI> is contra<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y to the Doctrine of the <HI>Go&s;pel;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 124. 1 Cor. 1.10. Phil. 2.1, 2. Eph. 4.3, 4, 5, 6. Joh. 17.21, 22. Jer. 32.29. Zeph. 3.9.</NOTE> for the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> calleth for <HI>&V;nity</HI> as well as <HI>Purity:</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> prayed for the <HI>&V;nity</HI> of the Church as well as the <HI>Holine&s;s.</HI> And it is prophe&s;ied of the times of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> That in tho&s;e days <HI>God will give his people one way to &s;erve him with one con&s;ent.</HI> This Rule will teach you what to judge of the <HI>Congregational</HI> way; for certainly that <HI>Religion</HI> that carrieth in the front of it a <HI>Toleration</HI> of different <HI>Religions,</HI> and is not
<PB N="6" REF="4"> &s;ufficient to keep the Body of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> in <HI>&V;nity</HI> and <HI>Pu|rity.</HI> is not the <HI>Government of Christ.</HI></Q>
<Q><NOTE PLACE="marg">p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g. 142.</NOTE>To make <HI>Ruptures</HI> in the body of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and to divide <HI>Church</HI> from <HI>Church,</HI> and to &s;et up <HI>Church</HI> a|gain&s;t <HI>Church,</HI> and to gather <HI>Churches</HI> out of true <HI>Churches;</HI> and becau&s;e we differ in &s;ome things, there|fore to hold <HI>Church-communion</HI> in nothing; this we think hath no warrant from the word of God, and will introduce all manner of <HI>Confu&s;ion</HI> into <HI>Churches</HI> and <HI>Families;</HI> and not only di&s;turb, but in a little time de&s;troy the power of <HI>Godline&s;s,</HI> purity of <HI>Re|ligion,</HI> peace of <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> and &s;et open a wide gap to bring in <HI>Athei&s;m, Popery, Here&s;y,</HI> and all manner of <HI>Wickedne&s;s.</HI></Q>
<P>Mr. <HI>Thomas Edwards</HI> in the fir&s;t part of his <HI>Gangrae|na,</HI> printed in the year 1646; who&s;e judgment in this particular has not only the Approbation and Recom|mendation of Mr. <HI>James Cranford,</HI> printed with the &s;aid Book; but of a huge number of Mini&s;ters from all parts of the Nation very largely expre&s;t in their &s;e|veral Letters, &s;ent to him the &s;aid Mr. <HI>Edwards,</HI> and &s;till remaining upon Record in the &s;econd and third Parts of his <HI>Gangraena:</HI> So that what He has written in this particular is not to be looked upon as his own &s;ingle judgment, but as the judgment of very many others, &s;ignified by his pen. He writes his judgment in the&s;e words. pag, 58, 59, 85.</P>
<Q><P><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 58.</NOTE>A <HI>Toleration</HI> is the grand de&s;ign of the <HI>Devil,</HI> his ma&s;ter-piece and chief engine he works by at this time to uphold his tottering Kingdom; it is the mo&s;t <HI>Compendious</HI> ready &s;ure way to de&s;troy all <HI>Re|ligion,</HI> lay all wa&s;te and bring in all <HI>Evil.</HI> It is a mo&s;t <HI>tran&s;cendent, catholick, fundamental evil,</HI> for this Kingdom of any that can be imagined. As <HI>ori|ginal</HI>
<PB N="7" REF="4"> &s;in is the mo&s;t <HI>fundamental</HI> &s;in, all &s;in, having the &s;eed and &s;pawn of all in it: So a <HI>Toleration</HI> hath all <HI>Errors</HI> in it, and all <HI>evils;</HI> it is again&s;t the whole &s;tream and current of <HI>Scripture</HI> both in the old and new <HI>Te&s;tament</HI> both in Matters of <HI>Faith,</HI> and <HI>Manners,</HI> both general and particular com|mands; it overthrows all <HI>Relations</HI> both <HI>Political, Eccle&s;ia&s;tical</HI> and <HI>Oeconomical;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 59.</NOTE> and whereas other evils, whether errors of judgment or practi&s;e, are but again&s;t &s;ome one or few places of <HI>Scripture</HI> or <HI>Relation,</HI> this is again&s;t <HI>All;</HI> this is the <HI>Abaddon, A|pollyon</HI> the de&s;troyer of all <HI>Religion,</HI> the <HI>Abomination</HI> of de&s;olation and a&s;toni&s;hment; the liberty of per|dition (as St. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> calls it) and therefore the <HI>Devil</HI> fol|lows it night and day, working mightily in many by writing books for it, and otherwayes, all the <HI>Devils</HI> in <HI>Hell</HI> and their In&s;truments being at work to pro|mote a <HI>Toleration.</HI></P>
<P>A <HI>Toleration</HI> will undo All. Fir&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 85.</NOTE> bring in <HI>Scepti&s;ci&s;m</HI> in doctrine and <HI>Loo&s;ene&s;s</HI> of Life, and afterwards all <HI>Athei&s;m.</HI> O let the Mini&s;ters therefore oppo&s;e <HI>Tole|ration,</HI> as being that by which the <HI>Devil</HI> would at once lay a foundation for his Kingdom to all genera|tions, witne&s;s again&s;t it in all places, po&s;&s;e&s;s the <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> of the evil of it, yea and the people too, &s;hewing them how if a <HI>Toleration</HI> were gran|ted, they would never have Peace in their <HI>Familys</HI> more, or ever after have command of Wives Children, Servants; but they and their po&s;teri|ties after them are like to live in di&s;content and unquietne&s;s of mind all their dayes.</P></Q>
<P>The &s;ame Mr. <HI>Edwards</HI> in the year 1641 printed a Book, entituled, <HI>Rea&s;ons again&s;t a Toleration,</HI> in which Book he gives ten <HI>Rea&s;ons</HI> again&s;t it, and an|&s;wer
<PB N="8" REF="5"> all tho&s;e <HI>Rea&s;ons</HI> that were brought for it. In the year 1644 the &s;aid Mr. <HI>Edwards</HI> printed another Book, called <HI>Antapologia;</HI> towards the clo&s;e of which Book, <HI>viz.</HI> from p. 280. to p. 307. he does give eight other <HI>Rea&s;ons</HI> again&s;t a <HI>Toleration.</HI> And in the year 1647 He printed a book con&s;i&s;ting of 218 pages concer|ning <HI>the &V;nlawfulne&s;s and Mi&s;chiefs both of an univer&s;al Toleration of all Religions and Con&s;ciences, and of a li|mited and bounded, of &s;ome Sects only;</HI> called, <HI>The ca&s;ting down of the la&s;t and &s;tronge&s;t hold of Satan, or a treati&s;e again&s;t Toleration, and pretended Liberty of Con&s;cience.</HI></P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Daniel Cawdry</HI> a member of the late <HI>A&s;&s;embly of Divines,</HI> in his book called <HI>Independency a great Schi&s;m,</HI> printed in the year 1657, u&s;eth the&s;e expre&s;&s;i|ons, pag. 13, 14, 15, 17.</P>
<Q><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 13.</NOTE>The Commonwealth of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> never pro&s;pered better then when it enforced <HI>&V;niformity</HI> in the way of <HI>Religion</HI> pre&s;cribed.</Q>
<P>To the objection that Uniformity enforced is the readie&s;t means in the world to root out all <HI>Religion</HI> from the hearts of men; He returns the&s;e &s;everal an|&s;wers.</P>
<Q><P N="1"><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 14</NOTE>1. That it was by God thought the be&s;t way to plant and pre&s;erve <HI>Religion</HI> in the hearts of the <HI>Jews.</HI> Tho&s;e great <HI>Reformers</HI> &s;o famous among them, <HI>Jo|&s;iah,</HI> &amp;c. are recommended for compelling of peo|ple, and binding them by Oath to &s;erve the Lord.</P>
<P N="2">2. The <HI>Parable</HI> of compelling men to come into the <HI>wedding</HI> &s;eems (in the judgment of no mean Di|vines) to allow a power to bring men to the publick ordinances of <HI>wor&s;hip.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><PB N="9" REF="5">3. <HI>Toleration</HI> (which is our pre&s;ent condition) hath done much more towards the rooting of <HI>Re|ligion</HI> out of the hearts of many men in &s;even years, then the enforcing of <HI>&V;niformity</HI> did in &s;eventy years.</P>
<P N="4">4.<NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 15.</NOTE> To compel <HI>&V;niformity</HI> (in a true or fal&s;e way) may by the corruptions of mens hearts breed <HI>Hipocri|&s;y, Formality, Athei&s;m</HI> and <HI>anxiety of Con&s;cience</HI> in &s;ome; but good and gracious Souls have been di&s;covered and purifyed by it, as the <HI>three Children</HI> and <HI>Martyrs</HI> have manife&s;ted.</P>
<P N="5">5. Many, at lea&s;t &s;ome that were enforced to <HI>con|formity</HI> in the <HI>Wor&s;hip</HI> of God, in <HI>Families</HI> or <HI>Con|gregations,</HI> have ble&s;&s;ed God for that compul&s;ion, who before were <HI>Athei&s;ts</HI> or <HI>Profane,</HI> while they had a cur&s;ed <HI>intolerable toleration</HI> to be of any or no <HI>Reli|gion.</HI></P>
<P>La&s;tly, the will indeed cannot be forced to be|lieve; but that profe&s;&s;ed <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> &s;hould be com|pelled to that external profe&s;&s;ion of that only way of <HI>wor&s;hip,</HI> which <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> has in&s;tituted, &s;eems as equal and rea&s;onable, as it is unrea&s;onable that men be left to their own choice, to wor&s;hip God either not at all, or after their own fancies. And he that denys this &s;eems to men to be, if not an <HI>Athei&s;t,</HI> a <HI>Sceptick</HI> in <HI>Religion.</HI></P>
<P>I would know why the enforcing <HI>&V;niformity</HI> is called by the name of <HI>bloody per&s;ecution.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 17.</NOTE> Surely to enforce <HI>conformity</HI> to the way of God is not <HI>per&s;ecu|tion</HI> much le&s;s <HI>bloody;</HI> but it is a ju&s;t <HI>per&s;ecution</HI> of
<PB N="10" REF="6"> evil and refractory rebels to the Kingdom of <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI></P></Q>
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <HI>Will<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">am A&s;hton</HI> in his book called <HI>Toleration di&s;ap<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">r<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">d co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mn<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d</HI> printed the &s;econd time in the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 1670 gives an acc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t of 20 eminent Di|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> not all of them members of the late <HI>A&s;&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mbly</HI>) d claring and by convincing arguments <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> gr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at evil of a <HI>Toleration</HI> in their <HI>S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rmon<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> before the Parliament on Solemn occa&s;i|o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Samuel Rutherford,</HI> Profe&s;&s;or of Divinity in the U<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">iver&s;ity of S. <HI>Andrews,</HI> in his Book called <HI>A Free Di<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">putation again&s;t pretended Liberty of Con&s;ci|ence,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 9<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eth the&s;e exp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;&s;ions, p. 98, 99. <Q>Such opi|nions and practices as make an evident <HI>Schi&s;m</HI> in a <HI>Church,</HI> and &s;et up two di&s;tinct <HI>Churches</HI> of different forms of Government, and pretending to different in&s;titutions of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> of which the one mu&s;t by the nature of their principles labour the de&s;truction of the other, cannot be <HI>tol<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rated.</HI> For each pretend|ing th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ir <HI>fellow Churches</HI> to be of man, and &s;o of the Devil, though they &s;hould both make one true in|vi&s;ible <HI>Church,</HI> agreeing in all <HI>Fundamentals</HI> and many other <HI>Truths,</HI> yet &s;ure the whole would be a kingdom divided again&s;t it &s;elf,<NOTE PLACE="marg">p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g. 99.</NOTE> and that de&s;troy|eth peace and unity. And if <HI>Paul</HI> could not endure the divi&s;ions of one and the &s;ame <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Corinth,</HI> though they pretended not to be different <HI>Churches,</HI> for tho&s;e that &s;aid they were of <HI>Paul,</HI> profe&s;&s;ed they could not be Di&s;ciples of <HI>Peter,</HI> but he &s;harply re|buked them as <HI>carnal,</HI> and &s;uch as divided <HI>Christ,</HI> and by con&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">quence mu&s;t &s;ay that <HI>Paul</HI> was crucified for them, and was their <HI>Redeemer,</HI> and &s;o if ob&s;ti|nately
<PB N="11" REF="6"> they had proceeded in that <HI>&s;eparation, Paul</HI> would have gone on to higher cen&s;ures of the <HI>Church;</HI> far more could he not endure the gather|ing of true <HI>Churches</HI> out of true <HI>Churches,</HI> which is the profe&s;&s;ed practice of the <HI>Independents.</HI></Q> From p. 145. to p. 236. of the &s;ame Book, the &s;aid Author does produce &s;ixteen &s;everal arguments again&s;t <HI>Tole|ration or pretended liberty of Con&s;cience,</HI> and does an|&s;wer &s;uch Objections as might be rai&s;ed again&s;t them.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Thomas Shephard, Pa&s;tor</HI> of the <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> at <HI>Cambridge</HI> in <HI>New-England,</HI> in his Book called <HI>The|&s;es Sabbaticae,</HI> or <HI>The Doctrine of the Sabbath,</HI> printed in the year 1655, thus declares his judgement, p. 311, 312.</P>
<Q>It's a thou&s;and times better to &s;uffer <HI>per&s;ecution</HI> for <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> &s;ake and for a good <HI>con&s;cience,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 111. pag. 112.</NOTE> then to de&s;ire and plead for <HI>Toleration</HI> of all Con&s;ciences, that &s;o by this cowardly device and lukewarm prin|ciple our own may be untouched. It was never heard of till now of late, that any of Gods <HI>Prophets, Apo&s;tles, Martyrs,</HI> faithful <HI>Witne&s;&s;es,</HI> &amp;c. that they ever pleaded for liberty in <HI>error,</HI> but only for the <HI>truth,</HI> which they preached and prayed for, and &s;uffered for unto the death, and their &s;ufferings for the <HI>Truth</HI> with zeal and patience, faith and con&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n|cy, have done more good then the way of univer|&s;al <HI>Toleration</HI> is like to do, which is purpo&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly invent|ed to avoid trouble. <HI>Truth</HI> hath <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ver &s;pread by op|po&s;ition, but <HI>error,</HI> being a child of <HI>Satan,</HI> hath fled by a zealous re&s;i&s;ting it.</Q>
<PB N="12" REF="7">
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Edwards</HI> Rea|&s;o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s again&s;t <HI>T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ra<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="3 letters">.</HI> 32. and <HI>A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">.</HI> p. 289.</NOTE>In the An&s;wer from <HI>New-England</HI> to the 32 Que&s;ti|ons, &s;ent by &s;ome <HI>Lanca&s;hire Ministers,</HI> who di&s;liking the C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">remonies of the <HI>Church,</HI> and having &s;ome thoughts of leaving their Countrey, did propo&s;e it to th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;e of <HI>New-England,</HI> whether they might have liberty according to their <HI>con&s;ciences</HI> to go into a <HI>Church way,</HI> &s;omething different from theirs, and not a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ogether after the <HI>Independent popular Govern|ment:</HI> 'Tis replyed, <Q>That they could not grant any other form of Government but one, &s;eeing there is but one way of <HI>Church-Government</HI> laid down in the Word, and that unchangeable, and therefore they cannot yield to it.</Q></P>
<P>Now as concerning this Que&s;tion, Whether the penalty of the Law ought to be i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">fl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">cted on tho&s;e who pretend con&s;cience, in oppo&s;ition to what the Law commands? Mr. <HI>John Humphrey</HI> in his Book cal|led <HI>The Authority of the Magi&s;trate about Religion di&s;|cu&s;&s;ed,</HI> printed in the year 1672, has re&s;olved it thus, p. 113, 114.</P>
<Q><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 113.</NOTE>When men pretend they make a <HI>con&s;cience</HI> of a thing, and indeed do not, I would have the <HI>Ma|gi&s;trate</HI> above all men to execute the Law upon &s;uch, (&s;uppo&s;ing they judge the Law righteous) and make them an example. If you will &s;ay, But how &s;hall the <HI>Magistrate</HI> know this, &s;eeing no man c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n judge of anothers heart? I acknowledge rea|dily that this is a difficulty, and the chief thing which requires the <HI>Magistrates</HI> prudence and faith|fulne&s;s: Y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t this I &s;ay, that every man for all that, bei<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g <HI>judge</HI> of his own acts, and the puni&s;hing or forbearing a per&s;on, being what the <HI>Magi&s;trate</HI>
<PB N="13" REF="7"> does,<NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 114.</NOTE> he mu&s;t and can but go according to his <HI>judg+ment.</HI> He u&s;es the <HI>mediums</HI> as a wi&s;e man does, and lawfully may take his conjecture, (the tree is known by his fruit) and it is not nece&s;&s;ary that it &s;hould be certain, but only that it be certain that he &s;o judges, and if he be convinced in his &s;oul, and indeed judges the mans profe&s;&s;ion only to be pre|tence, it is his own <HI>judgement,</HI> and nothing el&s;e can determine him. Although where the per&s;on is &s;e|rious in what he declares, and not under any pub|lick note of perfidiou&s;ne&s;s, the rule of Charity, <HI>which hopeth all things and thinketh no evil,</HI> mu&s;t in|cline him to the be&s;t con&s;truction.</Q>
<P>Mr. <HI>Jeremiah Burroughs</HI> had given the &s;ame <HI>Re&s;olu|tion</HI> in eff<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ct long before, in his Book called <HI>Irenicum,</HI> printed in the year 1646. p. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36.</P>
<P>The <HI>Devil</HI> mu&s;t not be let alone, though he be got into mens <HI>Con&s;ciences.</HI> God hath appointed no Ci|ty of R &s;uge for him; if he flyes to mens <HI>Con&s;ciences</HI> as <HI>Joab</HI> did to the <HI>Horns</HI> of the <HI>Altar,</HI> he mu&s;t be fetched f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">om thence, or fallen upon there. S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">me|thing may be done to keep them from evil, and to reduce th m, notwith&s;tanding the plea of their <HI>Con|&s;ciences.</HI> This &s;aid, he does proceed to &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">w what may be done to a man in &s;uch a ca&s;e. The&s;e things, he &s;ays, may be done.</P>
<Q><P N="1">1. Any man that pleads his <HI>Con&s;ci<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nce,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 30.</NOTE> may be required to give an account of his <HI>Con&s;cience.</HI> It is not enough for him to &s;ay his <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> puts him upon &s;uch a thing, or keeps him from &s;uch a thing,
<PB N="14" REF="8"> he mu&s;t give an account of the grounds on which <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> goes. It is again&s;t the light of nature that men in &s;ociety &s;hould do things of which they need give no account to any what&s;oever.</P>
<P N="2">2. Due enquiry is to be made whether the <HI>Devil</HI> be indeed in the <HI>Con&s;cience.</HI> It may be you will find him in &s;ome other room of the &s;oul, only he pretends to that as his <HI>Sanctuary,</HI> hoping to e&s;cape b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tter there then any where el&s;e. If he &s;hould be found in a mans <HI>Will,</HI> he thinks he &s;hould be hunted out with violence, he could not e&s;cape there, but he hopes men will deal more tenderly with Con&s;ci|ence; therefore either thither he will get, or at lea&s;t he will give it out that he is got in there, ho|ping you will enquire after him no further, when it is given out he has taken <HI>Refuge</HI> there. As a <HI>Male|factor</HI> &s;earched after, it may be he is lurking in &s;ome hou&s;e not far from you, but that you may either not &s;earch, or cea&s;e &s;earching, he cau&s;es it to be given out that he is got into &s;ome &s;trong <HI>Ca&s;tle,</HI> or &s;ome other <HI>Countrey,</HI> where there is little hope to come at him.</P></Q>
<P>Hereupon he puts the Que&s;tion, by what &s;igns it may be known whether the <HI>Devil</HI> be got into a mans <HI>Con&s;cience?</HI> It may be known he tells us by the&s;e &s;igns.</P>
<Q><P N="1">1. If a mans private <HI>Intere&s;t</HI> is much engaged in what he pretends <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> for, this may be enough to rai&s;e &s;u&s;picion, though it be no determining Rule, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="2"><PB N="15" REF="8">2. If in the Cour&s;e of a mans life,<NOTE PLACE="marg">pag 3<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> he appears not to be much under the command of his <HI>Con|&s;cience,</HI> but can take Liberty as he plea&s;es, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. When the account a man gives, cannot in any rational way be judged &s;uch, giving allow|ance to all his weakne&s;&s;es, as &s;hould probably mi&s;l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ad him &s;o gro&s;ly, as is apparent he is mi&s;led, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. If a man be proud and turbulent in his car|riage; by that you may know the <HI>Devil</HI> is ra|ther in the <HI>Will,</HI> then in the <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P N="5">5.<NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 32.</NOTE> When a man is not willing to make u&s;e of means to inform his <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P N="6">6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 33.</NOTE> When a man by rea&s;on of <HI>Scripture</HI> is &s;o put to it, as he mu&s;t either renounce his <HI>Error,</HI> or fly from &s;ome of his own <HI>Principles,</HI> he will ra|ther deny his <HI>Principles</HI> then yield him&s;elf con|vinced of his error; The man that does thus, is the man &s;poken of <HI>Tit.</HI> 3.11. that is <GAP DESC="foreign"> condemned of him&s;elf. <HI>A Heretick after the fir&s;t and &s;econd admonition reject, becau&s;e he is &s;elf con|demned.</HI> By this Scripture it is clear that a mans <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> may be &s;o far &s;een into, as there may be a judgment pa&s;&s;ed upon a man, that he is a <HI>&s;elf condemned</HI> man, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Having enlarged upon the&s;e &s;ignes he declares yet further what may be done to &s;uch a man.</P>
<PB N="16" REF="9">
<P>Notwith&s;tanding his <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> he is to be ca&s;t out of the <HI>Society of the Saints;</HI> and not only &s;o, but if his <HI>error</HI> with the profe&s;&s;ion of it be de|&s;tructive to the <HI>State,</HI> and he cannot be reclaim|ed, he may likewi&s;e be cut off from it; or at lea&s;t deprived of the priviledges of it, and bene|fits by it, notwith&s;tanding his Plea of <HI>Con&s;ci|ence.</HI></P></Q>
<P>And lea&s;t it &s;hould be thought that he herein &s;p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ke only of the re&s;traint of men from d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nge|rous gro&s;s evils and not from evils o f le&s;s mo|ment; He does add concerning &s;uch; That,</P>
<Q>A man may be put to &s;ome trouble in tho&s;e ways of evil, that his <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> puts him upon, &s;o far as to take off the wantonne&s;s of his &s;pirit and the neglect of means: In times of liberty there is very great wantonne&s;s in mens Spirits; they &s;tand as in an equal <HI>ballance</HI> to receive <HI>truth</HI> or <HI>error;</HI> e|very little thing ca&s;ts the <HI>ballance</HI> in many mens Spirits: as intere&s;t in a friend; e&s;teem from &s;uch men of repute in &s;ome; in others the credit they conceive there is in being able to &s;peak further in a bu&s;ine&s;s then other men, to have a further in&s;ight into it than others; and a thou&s;and the like: Now to help again&s;t &s;uch temptations, if there be &s;ome trouble layed in the way, of that which is apparently evil, &s;o as men &s;hall &s;ee there is &s;omething to be &s;uffered in that way; if there be no more grains of trouble then may help again&s;t the wantonne&s;s and neglect of means, I &s;ee no rea&s;on why any &s;hould be offended at this.</Q>
<PB N="17" REF="9">
<P>Mr. <HI>James Noyes,</HI> that <HI>judicious and faithful Mini|&s;ter of Christ;</HI> for &s;o the <HI>Publi&s;her</HI> of his book has been plea&s;ed to &s;tyle him; Collegue to Mr. <HI>Tho|mas Parker, Pa&s;tor</HI> of the <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Newbury</HI> in <HI>New-England,</HI> has in like &s;ort declared his judg|ment for the puni&s;hing of offenders, notwith|&s;tanding their Plea of <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> in his book cal|led <HI>Mo&s;es and Aaron;</HI> recommended by the &s;aid Mr. <HI>Thomas Parker,</HI> and here publi&s;hed in the year 1661. by Mr. <HI>Benjamin Woodbridg,</HI> who at that time thought fit to &s;tyle him&s;elf <HI>Rector</HI> of <HI>Newbu|ry</HI> in the <HI>County</HI> of <HI>Berks.</HI> The &s;aid Mr. <HI>James Noyes,</HI> pag. 69 and 70, di&s;cour&s;ing of the power of <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> over the <HI>Church,</HI> under <HI>Christ</HI> the <HI>Head,</HI> does affirm,</P>
<Q>That Magi&s;trates have a &s;upream power under <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> to &s;ee the whole Law of God kept without exception:<NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 69. Deut. 17.19. Numb. 27.21. E&s;. 1.25, 26. 2 Chron. 15.30.24.4.29.25. Neh. 13.13. Joh. 3.11. Ho&s;. 9.30.10.3. Ez. 6.8, 11. Dan. 6.23. Deut. 17.10, 11. Rom. 13.4. 2 Tim. 2.2.</NOTE> That it is the <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> duty to re|form all abu&s;es without exception: That it is the <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> end to puni&s;h and to put away all evil; to maintain all <HI>godline&s;s</HI> and <HI>peace</HI> among all per|&s;ons: That <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> receive power from <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> as <HI>Mediator:</HI> All power is given to him, and there|fore comes from him, and is given by him to others: And <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> receive power from <HI>Christ</HI> with|out exception in a <HI>politick</HI> way, therefore their power is corre&s;pondent to <HI>Chri&s;ts Mediatorial</HI> pow|er in a <HI>politick</HI> way; el&s;e the <HI>Church</HI> would be de|&s;olated with <HI>Here&s;ies, Idolatry, Prophanene&s;s.</HI> It is needfull that <HI>Magistrates</HI> &s;hould have power to pre&s;erve the Church from de&s;olation by taking a|way <HI>Foxes</HI> and <HI>Wolves,</HI> &amp;c. and their power is no where limited in this re&s;pect, and therefore they
<PB N="18" REF="10"> have &s;uch power, as to take away <HI>Foxes</HI> and <HI>Wolves,</HI> &amp;c.</Q>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">pag. 72.</NOTE>And in p. 72. to the Objection, That <HI>Magi&s;trate<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> may not puni&s;h &s;ins of <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> he returns this An|&s;wer, That <HI>they may;</HI> which he there proves at large by fourteen &s;everal Arguments, p. 72, 73, 74, 75. <HI>viz.</HI> thus:</P>
<Q><P>Sins committed by the mi&s;under&s;tanding of <HI>Gods Word</HI> may be puni&s;hed, therefore &s;ins of <HI>con&s;cience</HI> may be puni&s;hed. A plea from <HI>Gods Word</HI> is great|er then a plea of <HI>con&s;cience.</HI> The Jews might have been puni&s;hed for their killing of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> though they pleaded from <HI>Gods Word</HI> that he had de&s;erved it by <HI>bla&s;phemy.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Men may be puni&s;hed when they &s;in in <HI>Reli|igious zeal;</HI> &s;o <HI>Saul</HI> murdered the <HI>Gibeonites,</HI> and the <HI>Jews Chri&s;t.</HI> Zeal argues a love of duty, and an apprehen&s;ion of <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> in reference to Gods command.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.52.</NOTE> <HI>Peter</HI> was threatned with death by the &s;word, for u&s;ing the &s;word unlawfully, though <HI>con&s;cientiou&s;ly,</HI> in a way of <HI>Religious zeal. Paul</HI>'s <HI>mad zeal</HI> was <HI>con&s;cientions.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 26.6.</NOTE> <HI>A mad con&s;cience had need be re&s;trained.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> as well as Ma&s;ters and Fathers of Families may make, and therefore execute Laws again&s;t an erroneous <HI>con&s;cience.</HI> They may con|firm Gods judicial Laws,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 13.13.</NOTE> which puni&s;hed <HI>Idolatry,</HI> and therefore an erroneous <HI>con&s;cience.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Negligence is puni&s;hable without exception,
<PB N="19" REF="10"> and <HI>con&s;cience</HI> is negligent when a man &s;ins. <HI>Adam</HI> his <HI>con&s;cience</HI> was negligent in the act, though not in the habit, when he fir&s;t &s;inned, and accordingly puni&s;hed. A negligent and corrupt <HI>Judge</HI> is pu|ni&s;hed, though ignorant. A corrupt <HI>con&s;cience</HI> is a corrupt <HI>Judge. Con&s;cientia e&s;t te&s;tis, judex &amp; vindex.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 17.19. 2 Chron. 19.6.</NOTE> God does puni&s;h Sins of <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> and <HI>Magi|&s;trates</HI> are <HI>Gods Vicegerents</HI> and not re&s;trained in this re&s;pect.</P>
<P N="6">6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ex. 32 4. Deut. 13.13.</NOTE> <HI>Magi&s;trates</HI> under the Law did puni&s;h &s;ins of <HI>Con&s;cience;</HI> and Law is not changed in this re|&s;pect.</P>
<P N="7">7. Men may commit murders,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 16.2. Act. 26.9. Rom. 10.2.</NOTE> per&s;ecute and de&s;o|late the <HI>Church</HI> in a way of <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> therefore they may be puni&s;hed for Sins of <HI>con&s;cience.</HI> Men may be puni&s;hed in reference to &s;ins of the <HI>mind,</HI> and why not in reference to &s;ins of <HI>con&s;cience</HI> al&s;o? Mad men having not the u&s;e of a rational mind are not puni&s;hable. A <HI>con&s;cience</HI> is a power of the mind, whereby we di&s;cern the rule and judg of our actions and conformity thereunto. The <HI>Soul, mind</HI> and <HI>con&s;cience</HI> are puni&s;hed immediately by God, the body immediately by man. <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> is formally puni&s;hed, though mediately, as well as formally; the &s;ubjects of heat from fire, though mediately by the ayr. A murderous heretical <HI>con&s;cience</HI> had need be corrected, not directed only. <HI>Meliores ducit amor, plures tamen corrigit timor.</HI></P>
<P N="9">9. If <HI>Direction</HI> be not &s;ufficient,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3.16.</NOTE> then <HI>correcti|on</HI>
<PB N="20" REF="11"> is to be applyed to <HI>Con&s;cience</HI> to the whole man.</P>
<P N="10"><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 3.10, 11. 1 Tim. 1.9.</NOTE>10. All Di&s;obedience is to be corrected without exception.</P>
<P N="11"><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10.22. Tit. 1.15, 16.</NOTE>11. Con&s;cience is but a natural power of the Soul, and therefore corrigible, as other natural pow|ers offending as well as the affections and the will and the mind, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Men may <HI>con&s;cienciou&s;ly</HI> neglect to hear the <HI>Church,</HI> yea per&s;ecute the <HI>Church con|&s;cienciou&s;ly,</HI> which is wor&s;e. Men may be puni&s;h|ed as contemptuous and wilful, affecting igno|rance, morally mad. A ma&s;ter of a Family cor|rupted had need be corrected rather then others, becau&s;e &s;o many do depend on his integrity. A Drunkard that is wont to be mi&s;chievous, and yet follows the cups, de&s;erves <HI>Pythacus</HI> his Law, a dou|ble puni&s;hment.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 23.14.</NOTE> If the &s;worn <HI>Jews</HI> had kil'd <HI>Paul,</HI> they had murdered him in <HI>Con&s;cience. A rod is for the fools back,</HI> and <HI>con&s;cience</HI> is naturally <HI>fooli&s;h.</HI> A <HI>con&s;cience</HI> that &s;erveth lu&s;ts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 3.3. 2 Pet. 2.3.5. Tit. 3.2, 3.</NOTE> is contemptuous, wilfully ignorant, affecting ignorance, and natural|ly <HI>con&s;cience</HI> does &s;erve lu&s;ts. The <HI>Thief</HI> and the <HI>Adulterer</HI> may have &s;uch a <HI>con&s;cience</HI> as to <HI>think that God is like to them.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 5<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.29,</NOTE> <HI>Heathens</HI> have wor&s;hiped God by <HI>adulterous pro&s;titutions.</HI> Men are in a &s;en&s;e <HI>con&s;cienciou&s;ly</HI> criminal, when <HI>con&s;cience</HI> permitteth the perpetration of crimes, not only when it com|mands. If a corrupt <HI>con&s;cience</HI> maketh Gods Hou&s;e a den of thieves, it is meet it &s;hould be whipt out. If <HI>con&s;cience</HI> be a den for <HI>thieves</HI> and a &s;helter for <HI>murderers,</HI> it mu&s;t not be tollerated. Gods own <HI>Tem|ple</HI> mu&s;t not &s;ecure &s;uch.</P>
<P N="13"><PB N="21" REF="11">13. Mini&s;ters are to puni&s;h <HI>con&s;cience.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 10.5, 6.</NOTE></P>
<P N="14">14. If <HI>con&s;cience</HI> is not to be corrected, it is be|cau&s;e it is ignorant, or becau&s;e there is &s;ome good|ne&s;s in it, or for &s;ome other rea&s;on; But no &s;uch con&s;ideration does excu&s;e it; Not the fir&s;t, for there is greate&s;t ignorance in the greate&s;t &s;ins, yet they are the greate&s;t Sins. There is more ignorance of &s;ome high principles in &s;ins again&s;t known principles, then in &s;ins that are called &s;ins of ignorance. The more knowledg the le&s;s &s;in, therefore the more igno|rance the more &s;in. It appears that the will follows the intellect in mad-men. The Will doth not act like the Appetite of a brute. All lu&s;ts are lu&s;ts of ignorance. True Knowledg doth hinder Sin, be|cau&s;e it doth forbid Sin, and the Will cannot but follow the ultimate dictate of the intellect. <HI>Om|nis malus e&s;t &s;tultus omnis peccans e&s;t ignarus. Igno|rantia juris non excu&s;at.</HI> Ignorance de&s;erves pity, yet it doth not excu&s;e from puni&s;hment. Not the &s;econd, there is &s;ome goodne&s;s in a <HI>heathens con&s;ci|ence. Godline&s;s</HI> in truth according to the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> doth not exempt from puni&s;hment. Con&s;cience &s;o far as it argues a good man, renders one the more worthy of regard, but not free from puni&s;h|ment, <HI>Qui parit culpis prae&s;entibus, vitia tran&s;mittit ad po&s;teros.</HI></P></Q>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><PB N="22" REF="12" MS="y">
<BIBL><HI>Luk.</HI> 19.22.</BIBL> Out of thine own mouth will I judg thee, thou wicked Servant.</Q>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Rom.</HI> 2.1.</BIBL> Therefore thou art inexcu&s;able, oh Man who|&s;oever thou art that judge&s;t: for where|in thou judge&s;t another, thou condemne&s;t thy &s;elf, for thou that judge&s;t doe&s;t the &s;ame things.</Q>
<Q><BIBL><HI>Jer. Burroughs Iren. p.</HI> 215. <HI>l.</HI> 28.</BIBL> The Lord may ju&s;tly judg us out of our own mouths.</Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="12">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
