A sermon preached Febr. 14, 1698, and now published, at the request of the…A sermon preach'd Febr. 14, 1698, and now publish'd, at the request of the…

BUT here if any Man ask me the Question (because what is to be done herein is to be done for Conscience sake) am I bound in Conscience to discover to a Magistrate all the Evil that I know by any Man that is justly punishable by Law?

TO this I shall only at present say, That Cases of Conscience can only be with Judgment resolved in Hypothesi, and with application to this or that Person, when material Circumstances, relating thereto, ⟨p. 39⟩are distinctly known. I must have clear grounds if I will conceal such a Man's punishable Fault, upon which I may judge, that more good is likely to be done to his Soul, that the Honour of God and the Public Good, will be more served by the Concealment, than by the Discovery, and the Government not hurt, or endangered.

TO this I shall only at present say, That Cases of Conscience can only be with Judgment resolv'd in Hypothesi, and with application to this or that Person, when material Circumstances, relating thereto, ⟨p. 39⟩are distinctly known. I must have clear grounds if I will conceal such a Man's punishable Fault, upon which I may judge, that more good is likely to be done to his Soul, that the Honour of God and the Publick Good, will be more served by the Concealment, than by the Discovery, and the Government not hurt, or endangered.

BUT if the Crime be such as is National, and imports Contempt of God and his Laws, and in reference whereto, the Offender expresses more shame of the Punishment than of the Fault, and I will yet, upon private Respects, to him or my self, conceal it, I shall herein while I pretend Conscience in the Case, cheat my Conscience and not satisfy it.