A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…

Concerning the first of these we will hear what Dr. Field ^esaith, Sect. II To bind the conscience saith he, is to bind the soul and spirit of man, with the fear of such punishments (to be inflicted by him that so bindeth) as the ⟨p. 8⟩conscience feareth, that is, as men fear, though none but God and themselves be privy to their doings, now these are only such as God alone inflicteth, &c. This description is too imperfect, and deserves to be corrected. To bind the conscience is illam auctoritatem habere, ut conscientia illi subjicer• sese debeat, it a ut peccatum sit, si contra illam quidquam fiat ^fsaith Ames. The binder ^gsaith Perkiness, is that thing whatsoever, which hath power and authority over conscience to order it. To bind, is to urge, cause, and constrain it in every action, either to accuse for sin, or to excuse for well doing, or to say, this may be done, or it may not be done. To bind the conscience ^hsaith Alsted, est illam urgere & adigere ut vel excuset & accuset, vel indicet quid fieri aut non fieri possit. Upon these descriptions which have more trueth and reason in them, I infer, that whatsoever urges, or forces conscience to assent to a thing as lawful, or a thing that ought to be done, or dissent from a thing as unlawful, or a thing which ought not to be done, that is a binder of conscience, though it did not bind the spirit of a man with the fear of such punishments as God alone inflicteth. For secluding all respect of punishment, and not considering what will follow the very obliging of the conscience for the time ⁱad assensum is a binding of it.

Concerning the first of these we will heare what Dr. Field ^esaith, Sect. II To bind the conscience saith he, is to bind the soule and spirit of man, with the feare of such punishments (to be inflicted by him that so bindeth) as the