The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

2. Make it certain, for till it be certain it cannot be a rule.

2. Make it certain, for till it bee certain it cannot bee a rule.

3. Make it practicable.

1. We must make it appear to be reasonable; The difficulty about the reasonableness of it is this; according to this rule I shall be obliged to do that many times, which is sinful, and to omit that which is a necessary duty; I will give two or three instances; Saul would have had his Armour-bearer, to have killed him, might he therefore have killed his Armour-bearer if he had been willing, and had desired it? I may not be an instrument, or furtherer of another mans sin, though I were so wicked as to desire that another would be so to me; If I were a Child, I would not have my Father correct me; or a malefactor, I would not have the Magistrate cut me off; must there therefore be no correction, or punishment? Now because of these, and the like instances which may be given, the rule is necessarily to be understood of things that may be done, or omitted, i. e. which are not unlawful or unreasonable; Saul might not kill his Armour-bearer, I may not further another mans sin, in the cases propounded, because these things may not be done, they are Morally impossible, that is, unlawful; A Parent or a Magistrate, may not wholly omit Correction or Punishment, because such omission would tend to the ruin of good manners and of humane Society.

1. Wee must make it appear to bee reasonable; The difficulty about the reasonableness of it is this; according to this rule I shall bee obliged to do that many times, which is sinful, and to omit that which is a necessary duty; I will give two or three instances; Saul would have had his Armor-bearer, to have kill'd him, might hee therefore have kill'd his Armor-bearer if hee had been willing, and had desired it? I may not bee an instrument, or furtherer of another mans sin, though I were so wicked as to desire that another would bee so to mee; If I were a Childe, I would not have my Father correct mee; or a malefactor, I would not have the Magistrate cut mee off; must there therefore bee no correction, or punishment? Now because of these, and the like instances which may bee given, the rule is necessarily to bee understood of things that may bee done, or omitted, i. e. which are not unlawful or unreasonable; Saul might not kill his Armor-bearer, I may not further another mans sin, in the cases propounded, because these things may not bee done, they are Morally impossible, that is, unlawful; A Parent or a Magistrate, may not wholly omit Correction or Punishment, because such omission would tend to the ruine of good manners and of humane Society.