A Key to the Key of Scripture, Chapter 3 · Exposition of verse 8
Verſe 8. And (as wee are blamed, and as ſome affirme that we ſay) why doe we not euill, that good may come thereof? whoſe damnation is iust.
LEt vsus doe euill that good may come of it. This reſolution here reproued, affords vsus this inſtruction:
That euill may not be done, that good may come of it: no not the leaſt euill to procure the greateſt goodpIob. 13.7.: Will you ſpeake wickedly for Gods defence, and talke deceitfully for his cauſe? may I not lend God a lye for his glorie? much leſſe doe any other euill, for any other good whatſoeuer. Sauls pretended intention vvas good, yet his action cenſured of rebellion, and compared with the ſinne of witchcraftq1 Sam. 1….20.21.23; and how did Gods wrath burne againſt Ʋzzah, notwithſtanding his zealous intention, to preſerue the Arke from fallingr2 Sam. 6.7..
What Apologie therefore can Papiſts hauehave for their vvarranting rebellions and treaſons againſt Princes haereticall, as they tearme them, Ʋſe. and tyrannous? And how will the reference and ordering of ſuch foule actions in Deum, and good of the Church warrant ſuch attempts to conſpiratours? It is a good ſaying of Caietane, vponupon this place; ſecundum ſanam veram que doctrinam peccata non ſunt eligenda vt media ad quemcum que bonum finem. Heare his reaſon. Quia ſuapte naturâ repugnat peccato quod ſit eligibile; & propterea nec propter ſe nec propter aliud bonum est eligibile. And i… no ſinne, ſure then not the murther of the Lords annointed, howſoeuer hereticall; tyrannous, excommunicate.
I ſay nothing of the whole frame of their religion, that hath no other foundation in the world much of it, but good ends and intentions; ſuch as are ſtirring vp of deuotion alluring of the people, abating of corruptionsCol. 2.21.22.23., and ſee in what eſteeme ſuch wiſe ordinances are with the LordtMat. 15.19..
Now I could wiſh our people had this principle thoroughly faſtened in their vnderſtanding; that good intentions make not good actions, and that as well the meane, as the meaning muſt be good: if wee deſire to hauehave our actions pleaſing vntounto GoduMic. 6.8. Ioh. 26 2.. Sathans aduantages are many from hence; euils by this meanes being not onelyonly bouldly committed but ſtoutly defended.
I will paſſe from this place with a queſtion or two; firſt, what if two euils be propounded? may not the leſt be choſen to auoide the greater? Anſ. Euils are of two ſorts: firſt, euils of paine: ſecondly, euils of ſinne: If both be euils of paine, the olde rule is E malis minimum, though perhaps there are caſes,x2 Sam. 24.13.14. wherein it is not ſafe to be our owne caruers. If both be ſinnes, the rule is this; E malis nullum: no not the leaſt to auoide the greateſt. Caietane reaſons well, if no euill may be done that good may be procured, much leſſe that euill may be auoyded: ſeeing that to auoide an euill is a leſſe good, then to procure a thing truely good.
Secondly, what if euils of both natures offer themſelues; perhaps a little ſinne (if any may be little) and a great paine? as an officious lye or cruell death, may not the lye be aduentured, that death may be auoided? Anſ. If thou mayeſt not lye for Gods glorieyIoh. 13.7., much leſſe for thine owne life, that ſhould be as dung vntounto thee, compared with the glorie of God.
May ſinnes be tolerated to auoide inconueniences? as vſurie to maintaine traffique; Idolatry to preſerue peace of kingdomes, &c. Anſ. This rule well weighed ſufficiently aſſoyles theſe doubts; whatſoeuer ſinnes we hauehave power to hinder, and hinder not, become ours by iuſt imputationzNeh. 13.17.18. Ezech. 18.13.. And for toleration of ſtrange worſhip, if it hath been the blemiſh of good kings to tolerate inſtruments of Idolatrie, though not the vſe of them; if ſecondly, commendation of others to remoue them; if thirdly, Aſa did wel in not tolerating his mother to hauehave her Idola1 Reg. 15.13.: if fourthly, he & others be commended for commanding and compelling their people to ſerue the Lord, and to doe after the law and the commandementb2 Par. 14.4. & 34.31.32.33; mee thinkes they cannot ſcape blame that tolerate euils ſo odious: and I could wiſh all Chriſtian politiques to conſider, that righteouſneſſe is the beſt vpholder of ſtates, and tranſgreſſion in the iſſue proues their ouerthrowc2 Par. 15.2.. May a leſſe ſinne be tolerated, to preuent a greater. Anſ. where meanes are not to hinder bothdMat. 15.8.: though in Moſes perhaps there was ſomething extraordinarie: and that onelyonly till God giuegive meanes and opportunitie to reforme all.
Thus farre of theſe cauils by way of digreſſion; of purpoſe vſed by the Apoſtle, to preuent the ſcandall of weake, and ſtop the mouthes of prophane cauillers.
This wiſedome let it be imitated of vsus all in our miniſterie, in doctrines that may by miſtaking proue offenſiue; prudently preuent whatſoeuer a cauiller may obiect, though ſometimes wee be cenſured to ſhake hands with our Text.