A Christian Directory

10. And humane Laws while they bind us to or from an outward Act, do thereby bind us as Rational-free agents, knowingly to choose or refuse those acts: Nor can a Law which is a Moral Instrument any otherwise bind the hand, foot or tongue, but by first binding us to choose or refuse it ⟨p. 37⟩knowingly, that is, conscientiously, so that a humane bond is certainly laid on the mind, soul, or conscience taken in the larger sense.

11. Taking Conscience in the stricter sense, as including essentially a relation to Gods obligation, the full sense of the question plainly is but this, Whether it be a sin against God to break the Laws of man? And thus plain men might easily understand it. And to this it must be answered, that it is in two respects a sin against God to break such Laws or Commands as Rulers are authorized by God to make: 1. Because God commandeth us to obey our Rulers: Therefore he that (so) obeyeth them not, sinneth against a Law of God. God obligeth us in General to obey them in all things which they are authorized by him to command: But their Law determineth of the particular matter: Therefore God obligeth us (in Conscience of his Law) to obey them in that particular. 2. Because by making them his Officers, by his Commission he hath given them a certain beam of Authority, which is Divine as derived from God: Therefore they can command us by a power derived from God: Therefore to disobey is to sin against a power derived from God. And thus the General case is very plain and easy, How man sinneth against God in disobeying the Laws of man, and consequently how (in a tolerable sense of that phrase) it may be said, that mans Laws do or do not bind the conscience (or rather, bind us in point of Conscience;) or by a Divine obligation. Man is not God; and therefore as man, of himself can lay no Divine obligation on us. But Man being Gods Officer, 1. His own Law layeth on us an obligation derivatively Divine (For it is no Law which hath no obligation, and it is no authoritative obligation which is not derived from God). 2. And Gods own Law bindeth us to obey mans Laws.

11. Taking Conscience in the stricter sense, as including essentially a relation to Gods obligation, the full sense of the question plainly is but this, Whether it be a sin against God to break the Laws of man? And thus plain men might easily understand it. And to this it must be answered, that it is in two respects a sin against God to break such Laws or Commands as Rulers are authorized by God to make: 1. Because God commandeth us to obey our Rulers: Therefore he that (so) obeyeth them not, sinneth against a Law of God. God obligeth us in General to obey them in all things which they are authorized by him to command: But their Law determineth of the particular matter: Therefore God obligeth us (in Conscience of his Law) to obey them in that particular. 2. Because by making them his Officers, by his Commission he hath given them a certain beam of Authority, which is Divine as derived from God: Therefore they can command us by a power derived from God: Therefore to disobey is to sin against a power derived from God. And thus the General case is very plain and easie, How man sinneth against God in disobeying the Laws of man, and consequently how (in a tolerable sense of that phrase) it may be said, that mans Laws do or do not bind the conscience (or rather, bind us in point of Conscience;) or by a Divine obligation. Man is not God; and therefore as man, of himself can lay no Divine obligation on us. But Man being Gods Officer, 1. His own Law layeth on us an obligation derivatively Divine (For it is no Law which hath no obligation, and it is no authoritative obligation which is not derived from God). 2. And Gods own Law bindeth us to obey mans Laws.