Selected quad for the lemma: evil_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
evil_n	good_a	know_v	knowledge_n	3,077	5	7.3450	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90660	The loyal non-conformist, or, The religious subject, yielding to God his due, and to Cæsar his right being a discourse from the pulpit touching true gospel worship and due subjection to magistrates / now printed, as it was preached (for the most part) in the month of August, 1662, by T.P.P---N-C.	T. P., P---N-C.	1644 (1644)	Wing P203B; ESTC R42780	86,090	259

for he did this against his Conscience as appeareth by his speech to David about it 1 Chron. 21.3 Why doth my Lord require this thing why he will be a cause of trespass unto Israel Thus we have seen wherein and how far we are to obey the Higher powers Soli Deo sine exceptione parendum humanae obedientiae pietas justitia metae sint Not in all things without exception so God onely is to be obeyed but so far forth as the matter of the Command hath not impiety or injustice in it 3. How in what manner must we obey the Higher Powers I shall speak to this Negatively and Affirmatively One word in the Negative It must not be constrained or grudged Obedience properly and truly Obedience is a willing free service a readiness to receive and do Commands Affirmatively 1. We must obey with that reverence and respect already spoken of 2. There must be submissive humble Obedience 1 Pet 2 13. in an acknowledgement of subjection Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King c. The word rendred Submit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a submitting of the neck to the yoke 3. We must obey in singleness of heart in the fear of the Lord for Conscience sake and not being led by our own interests and hopes of advantaging our selves in the world Where Self is the motive and end of obedience to superiours so that a man obeys the higher powers with respect mainly to his own temporal emolument or advancement there will be a readiness to obey men against God violating his Laws and violencing the Conscience but when we submit our selves to every Ordinance of man For the Lord's sake with respect to his Command as serving and honouring him in our submission and obedience to men then we shall make God's Word the Rule and his Will the ground of our Obedience and so shall have a conscientious respect to the due extent and the just limitation of our obedience obeying in all things in the Lord so far as men have God's warrant to command and we have the allowance of God his Word to act This is Christian Obedience to perform civil duties upon grounds of Religion within the bounds of Religion and Conscience and this is a main thing to be lookt to in our obedience to men to have a Conscience therein toward God and to serve the Lord Christ to whom we must give account and by whom we shall be rewarded for our obedience and service to men which is done as unto him Now here I shall take occasion briefly to discuss this Question Quest Whether Humane Laws or the Commands of men do bind the Conscience so that the Command of lawful Authority lays upon the Subject an Obligation to and necessity of Obedience Answ Divines reputed Orthodox have differed in their judgement about this some denying others asserting an Obligation laid upon the Conscience by the Laws of men Now for the reconciling of these seeming differences in judgment among the Orthodox I shall shew 1. What Conscience is 2. What it is to bind the Conscience or to be binding in Conscience 3. How many wayes this Obligation in Conscience is made or induced Then I shall conclude something positively concerning this matter 1. What is Conscience The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Latine word Consciencia of Con and Scire now Conscire is to know together so that Conscientia sounds as much as Scientia cum alio Well then Conscience is a knowledge and inward sense of our own judgement and of the judgement of another viz. of God either approving our actions as good or condemning them as evil Now Conscience is either good or evil A good Conscience is a knowledge and perswasion of the Legality and Regularity of our actions and of the approbation of God and of men that judge right An evil Conscience is a knowledge and apprehension of the Illegality and Irregularity of our actions for which our own hearts condemn us so that we fear the judgement of God or Man for our evil deeds Quest Now the Question is Whether Humane Laws do bind in Conscience so that the violation of them makes an evil Conscience Sol. In order to the Solution of this here is to be considered how Conscience refers to God and how to Men. Strictly Conscience is referred onely to God so that an evil Conscience is a sense of sin committed against God and a fear of God's judgement for it More largely Conscience bears respect also to men thus the Apostle saith that herein he did exercise himself Act. 24 16. to have a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men being careful to avoid offences against either Table of the Law both in general and particular so that an evil Conscience is a sense of sin as against God so against men and a fear as of being judged for it by God so of being censured by men or of falling under disgrace So much as to the first special enquiry in order to the Solution of the main Question I have shewed you what Conscience is a good Conscience and an evil Conscience 2. What is it to bind the Conscience or to be bound in Conscience This is to be understood either strictly or more largely Strictly and properly There is an Obligation to Obedience under a fear of offending God or under the danger of a moral sault More largely and improperly there is an obligation upon the Conscience under a fear of offending men or under the danger only of a civil offence which is a matter of ill report among men The Question is properly concerning the obligation of the Conscience as Conscience respecteth God So that the doing or not doing of a thing brings on a moral culpableness with which a man's heart may charge him a sin against God Well then 3. How many wayes is this obligation in Conscience induced with respect to the Laws of man 1. The Conscience is bound either onely in general i. e. by vertue of God's general Command to honour Superiours or also in special i. e. with respect to singular or positive Laws of Superiours 2. A special Law or Constitution of the civil Powers may be said to bind the Conscience either per se or per accidens A civil Constitution or Injunction is obligatory per se when it so binds the Conscience that it must necessarily be observed and cannot be crossed or neglected without offending God and that by reason of the special command of the Powers Again Sometimes such a Law or Sanction is obligatory binding the Conscience only by accident as when any thing is commanded with respect to good order and the keeping of a due decorum and the avoiding of scandal The Conscience is bound by this Command so far as the violation of it

he should give Commands from God and according to those Statutes and Ordinances which God hath appointed to them they would be ready to yield obedience This is not an absolute promise but a restipulation a Covenant upon considerations to perform Articles Now for demonstration of the point I shall bring no other reasons or arguments for the confirmation of this Truth That all men must be subject for the enforcing of this duty of Subjection to Magistrates but only such as I find in the Context 1. 1 Arg. ab honesto The first reason is taken ab honesto It is meet that all men should be subject to God and to the Divine Ordination Now Magistracy is from God it is his Ordinance and the powers that be are ordained of God therefore out of respect and reverence toward God the Author of Powers it is meet that we should be subject to them It is God that giveth to Man power and authority over others Gen. 3. he first gave a Marital power a power to the Husband over the Wise in the next place from this followed a Parental power the power of Parents over Children and hence sprang other powers as a Despotical power the power of Masters over Servants and a Regal power the power of Rulers over Subjects The Apostle here properly speaks of this last of Civil publick Powers Now these powers are ordained of God First appointed by him raised above and set over other men God challengeth this as proper and peculiar to himself to raise up and appoint Rulers over people By me Kings Reign Prov. 8.15 16. by me Princes Rule The most high hath power over the Kingdomes of men Dan. 4.14 and giveth it to whomsoever he will and God hath put his own Name upon Rulers upon the powers which he hath set up Psal 82.6 I have said ye are Gods therefore let us reverence this Ordinance of God and be subject to the powers ordained by him God will have us to honour them whom he thus honoureth and will have us to know that in our subjection and obedience to them we have to deal with him 2. 2 Arg. ab inhonesto A second argument from subjection is taken ab inhonesto from the dishonesty and shamefulness of the contrary as an humble conscientious subjection to Magistrate is an acknowledgment of God's Ordinance so a contempt or slighting of the powers ordained by God and disobedience to them as Powers is Rebellion against God and his Ordination He that resisteth resisteth the Ordinance of God and how great is this sin It is a practical denial of God his Soveraignty a refusing to be under his Government It is God's Will to set such Order among men that some shall Rule others shall be Subject some shall give Commands others shall yield Obedience Now to despise and wilfully to violate this Order of God is great iniquity therefore it is made a brand of Libertines 2 Pet. 2.10 Jude 8. and prophane persons to despise Government 3. 3 Arg. a periculo A third Argument to enforce obedience to Magistrates is a taken a periculo from the danger of disobedience the pernicious effect of it respecting disobedient persons They that resist sha●● receive to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 judgement From whom why from the Magistrate who hath Powe● in his hand and Commission from God to punish contumacious Offenders or they shall certainly be punished by God wh●● will vindicate his own Ordinance and will plead against the Violators of his Order so that the levelling humour and levellin● practices are dangerous to th● Authours Corah and his complices rose up against Moses and Aaron but they fell in such rising that they perished in the attempt the earth opened and swallowed up those Rebels Num. 16. And the Apostle Jude speaking of th●● Factious and Seditious practice of unruly and Antimagistratica● spirits in the latter times saith They perished in the gainsaying of Corah They that make head against Moses and Aaron against Magistrates and Ministers shal● be punished as sure as if the judgment were already Executed upon them But here is mainly intended punishment from the civil Magistrate that which is to be inflicted by the Powers disobeyed resisted They that disobey and resist shall receive condign punishment from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall receive judgment to themselves And this expression is by the way a little to be noted as hinting to us three things 1. The folly of those that are opposite to God's Order in his Constitution of humane powers refractory and disobedient to the good Laws and just Commands of Magistrates they run themselves upon mischeif they are enemies to themselves when they suffer the penalty of disobedience they have but their own seeking they do as it were reach out the hand for it to receive it Now will any wise man wilfully hurt himself 2. Here is hinted the Justice of the Laws in inflicting the penalty of Transgression upon wilful Offenders whatever the breakers of good Laws do suffer according to Law is to be imputed to their own wickedness they have nothing to lay to the charge o● Magistrates They that resist the powers receive judgment to themselves their due is paid them their punishment is but a just retribution the reward of their offence 3. Here is a hint of the vanity and bootlessness of such attempt of Rebellious people against God's Ordinance when they rise up against Authority against the Powers which God hath se● up They receive judgment to themselves They have the worst of it like a man that runs his head against a wall to beat down the wall he breaks his own head it may be beats out his own brains but cannot overthrow the wall nor do it any harm They that resist shall receive judgment And this pernicious effect or fruit of disobedience which is a denial of subjection to Magistrates is confirmed by one great end of the Institution of Magistracy of God his committing the power of the Sword to the Magistrate namely That he might be Ver. 3 a terrour to evil doers for Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil Here is the effect put for the cause evil works Metalepsis for evil workers And the Apostle expresseth himself in this manner because according to the course of Justice men are not to be punished but for evil works for something that is contrary to the Law of God and to the Laws of man consonant thereunto and grounded thereupon Note this Subjects are not to be threatened nor flattered into obedience to those Commands of the Powers which are sinful and repugnant to the Law of God and a good Conscience or to those that are arbitrary and illegal contrary to or beside the laudable constitution of the Government which is to be managed according to known Laws nor ought men to be punished for not obeying in such cases The Magistrate