Concerning the Indifference of Human Actions, Part 3
Former Edition.
If we are not, ſecondly, noſtri juris, but reſtrained; and determined by authority, we muſt not diſobey that, to ſatiſfiea Brother; tranſgreſſe duty, to expreſſe charity: So to pleaſe men, we ſhould diſpleaſe God. So we ſhould doe evill, that good might come thereof. When the Obligation of two precepts ſeemingly lyeth upon us at the ſame time, and impoſſible for both to be at once obeyed, in ſuch a caſe, becauſe there is no claſhing between Gods precepts, neither doth God by them impoſe upon his creatures any neceſſity of ſinning, therefore one of theſe precepts muſt give place unto the other; to wit, that which enjoyneth a leſſe duty, unto that which preſcribes a more weighty and preſſing one. Now the duties of Juſtice (as a learned Inconformitant, even Ameſius himſelfe, med: Theol. lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 62, 63, will tell us) are of ſtricter obligation then thoſe of charity. We are more bound to pay our debts then to diſtribute Almes. He that hath treſpaſſed againſt another, is more ſtrictly tyed to ſue for reconciliation, then the party who hath received the injury. Now to hinder the ſcandall of the weake, is a duty of Charity; to obey the lawfull commands of authority, a duty of juſtice; and therefore of the greater obligation and moment, unto it then the other muſt give place. I would have travelled farther in this argument, but that I am anticipated by the learned, and reverend Profeſſors of Aberdene in their Duplies to the ſecond anſwers of the Covenanting miniſters, who from pag. 65. unto 75. have purpoſely diſcuſſed this very queſtion, whether the precept of obedience to Superiors, or the precept of eſchewing ſcandall be more obligatory, and have there proved by many unanſwerable arguments, that the former precept, that of obedience to Superiours is of the twaine more Obligatory. Thoſe then that deſire larger ſatiſfaction concerning this matter, I ſhall referre unto the peruſall of them. How ever in the meane while let it not be thought troubleſome, if I inſert, what I judge in them, if not moſt, yet very r…markeable. 'Tis this, Debitum obedientiae, the debt of obedience, which we owe unto ſuperiours, is (ſay they pa: 74) not only debitum morale, a debt or duty unto which we are tyed by morall honeſty, and Gods Commandment: but alſo debitum legale, or debitum juſtitiae, (quod viz: fundatur in proprio jure alterius) a a debt grounded upon the true and proper right which our Superiours have to exact this duty of us, ſo that they may accuſe us of injury, and cenſure us, if we performe it not. There is a great difference b… twixt theſe two ſorts of debts, & the laſt is farr more obligatory than the firſt; as for example: A man oweth mon…y to the poore by a morall debt, but to his Creditour he oweth them by legall debt, or debt of juſtice: and therefore he is more ſtrictly obliged to pay his creditor, than to give almes. So by morall honeſty, and Gods precepts alſo, a man oweth to his neighbour a pious car…fulneſſe to hinder ſinne in him, by admonition, inſtruction, good example, and by omiſſion, even of things lawfull, when he foreſeeth that his neighbour, in reſpect of his weakneſſe will be ſcandalized by them. But his neighbour hath not ſuch a right to exact theſe things of him, neither can he have action againſt him for not performing of them, as our lawfull ſuperiours have, for our due ob…dience. Thus they.
Hence then may we ſhape an anſwer unto that ſame frequent clamour of ſome tumultuous ſpirits, that our conformity forſooth, is wondrous offenſive to many of our weake brethren.
Firſt, ſuppoſe it be ſo, better they without thy fault be offended, ſcandaliz…d at thee, than that the Magiſtrate be with thy fault diſobeyed by thee. It is no ſafe courſe to provide for the peace of thy brothers conſcience, by wounding thine own with the ſinne of diſobedi…nce againſt authority, to which for conſcience ſake thou art to yeild ſubjection: we muſt not, to comply with mens humours, reſiſt the ordinance of God, deſpiſe the voice of the Church, rather than a weake brother ſhould be offended, ſcandalized: we may, and ſometimes muſt part with our own right; but we ought not to rob the Church of hers, by b…reaving her of her power, by denying her our obedience. Nay farth…r, I confeſſe that rather than a weake brother ſhould be ſcandalized, we may pro hic & nunc in ſome particular times and places, pretermit what ſuperiours preſcribe, provided they take no diſtaſt thereat, and others by our example be not encouraged to contemn their perſons, callings, commands: for ſo a greater and more pernicious ſcandall will be incurred, than was declined. But we are not upon occurrence of any ſcandall whatſoever, taken by whomſoever, either abſolutely to deny, and utterly r… fuſe obedience to the lawfull injunctions of our publique governours, whether temporall, or eccleſiaſticall: or ſo much as contemptuouſly and ſcandalouſly for a while omit the practiſe of what they enjoine. And omiſſion of what they require, is than contemptuous, when they p…remptorily urge the practiſe of it, then ſcandalous when it heartens others to a contempt of their authority. To grant any of theſe lawfull, what were it, alaſſe! but to licence confuſion both in Church and Commonw…alth?
Secondly, I demand whether or no the offence given to, or taken by a Magiſtrate, who is a bro…her, and withall a magiſtrate, be not greater than that which is given to, or taken by one, who is only a brother? An impartiall Judg will ſoone determine, that the double relation of brother and magiſtrate, weigheth down the ſingle and naked relation of a brother. Howſoever I am ſure, that the whole exceeds the parts ſ… verally c…nſidered: the relation of mother exacts more at our hands than that of brother, and therefore, in warding a blow from my brother, I am to take care, that thereby the ſame ſtroake light not upon the head of my mother the Church. Whereupon, as Paul exhorts to give none offence, neither to Jew, nor Gentile, ſo he (r)Biſhop Morton.: adds in a furth…r ſpecialty nor to the Church of God, 1 Cor. 10.37. The Jewes and Gentiles were but parts, the Church of God the whole, they but brethren, ſhe the mother. (ſ)Si ne…as ſit vel puſillum quempiam ſcádalizare, & praeſtiterit alligata collo mola afinaria demergi quempiam in profundum, ma…is quamſcan dalizare unum ex pu…llis Chriſtianis: quam eſt horrendum fl…gitium & quam atroci ſupplicio vindi. candum ſcandalizare …os▪ quorum unius offenſio magis pe…iculoia quá aliorum multorum, &c. Forbefius I…enic. pag 405.If then it were better to be thrown into the bottome of the ſea, with a mill-ſtone about ones neck than to offend a little one, a poore and illiterate artizan, what expreſſion ſhall we then find anſwerable to the hainouſn…ſſe of a ſcandall given to a pious Magiſtrate, to a religious Prince, to a Parliament, and Convocation, to a whole Church and Common-wealth?