Wholesome severity reconciled with Christian liberty, or, The true resolution of a present controversy…Wholesome severity reconciled with Christian liberty, or, The true resolution of a present controversie…

But then you will say, I am brought into a necessity of sinning, for if I obey not, I refuse a duty; if I obey, I do it against my conscience. Answ. This necessity is not absolute, but hypothetical, is not pierce, but per accidens, so long as a man retaineth the error of his conscience, which he ought to cast away. You will say again, supposing that my conscience cannot be satisfied, nor made of another opinion then now I am of, whether in this case, and so long as it standeth thus with me, may authority compel me to obey against my conscience, and so to sin? or whether ought ⟨p. 25⟩they not rather permit me not to obey, because my conscience forbiddeth me. Answ. The thing being necessary, as hath been said, it is pars tutior, yea, tutissima, that a man be compelled to it, though it be against his erring and ill informed conscience. I know so long as he hath such an erring conscience he cannot but sin in obeying. But the sin of not obeying is greater and heavier: for this is a sin in the fact it self; that a sin in the manner of doing only, being not done in faith: this is a sin of it self, that is a sin only by accident: this is a sin materially; that is a sin only interpretatively to him, because he thinks so: this is a sin for the substance; that a sin for the circumstance: this cannot be made to be no sin, for the nature of the duty cannot be altered; that may cease to be a sin, for the mans conscience may through Gods mercy and blessing upon the means, be better informed. So that there can be no doubt but this is every way a greater sin then that, and consequently more to be avoided. And thus I have dispatched the Samaritan who did undertake to pour oil into the wounds of the Separation. Medice cura teipsum.

But then you will say, I am brought into a necessity of sinning, for if I obey not, I refuse a duty; if I obey, I doe it against my conscience. Answ. This necessity is not absolute, but hypotheticall, is not perse, but per accidens, so long as a man retaineth the error of his conscience, which he ought to cast away. You will say againe, supposing that my conscience cannot be satisfied, nor made of another opinion then now I am of, whether in this case, and so long as it standeth thus with me, may authority compell me to obey against my conscience, and so to sinne? or whether ought ⟨p. 25⟩they not rather permit me not to obey, because my conscience forbiddeth me. Answ. The thing being necessary, as hath been said, it is pars tutior, yea, tutissima, that a man be compelled to it, though it be against his erring and ill informed conscience. I know so long as he hath such an erring conscience he cannot but sin in obeying. But the sin of not obeying is greater and heavier: for this is a sin in the fact it self; that a sin in the manner of doing only, being not done in faith: this is a sin of it selfe, that is a sin only by accident: this is a sin materially; that is a sinne only interpretatively to him, because he thinks so: this is a sin for the substance; that a sin for the circumstance: this cannot be made to be no sin, for the nature of the duty cannot be altered; that may cease to be a sin, for the mans conscience may through Gods mercy and blessing upon the means, be better informed. So that there can be no doubt but this is every way a greater sin then that, and consequently more to be avoided. And thus I have dispatched the Samaritane who did undertake to pour oyl into the wounds of the Separation. Medice cura teipsum.