3. You have your office to the church's edification. Preaching is made for man, and not man for preaching. But the church's edification requireth you rather to preach the gospel, than that opinion or point which you are required to forbear. Without this the hearers may be saved, but not without the gospel.
And what a man may do and must do, he may on good occasion promise to do.
He that thinketh diocesans, or liturgies, or ceremonies unlawful, and yet cannot have leave to preach the gospel (in time of need) unless he will forbear, and promise to forbear to preach against them, may and ought so to do and promise, rather than not to preach the gospel.
Object. But if men imprison or hinder me from preaching, that is their fault; but if I voluntarily forbear any duty, it is my own fault.
Answ. 1. It is to forbear a sin, and not a duty at that time; it is no more a duty than reading, or singing, or praying at sermon time. 2. When you are in prison, or know in all probability you shall be there, though by other men's fault, it is your own fault if you will deny a lawful means to avoid it: for your not preaching the gospel is then your own sin, as well as other men's; and theirs excuseth not yours.
Quest. LXXX. May or must a minister silenced, or forbid to preach the gospel, go on still to preach it, against the law?
Answ. Distinguish between, 1. Just silencing, and unjust. 2. Necessary preaching, and unnecessary.
1. Some men are justly forbidden to preach the gospel: as, 1. Those that are utterly unable, and do worse than nothing when they do it. 2. Those that are heretics and subvert the essentials of christianity or godliness. 3. Those that are so impious and malignant, that they turn all against the practice of that religion which they profess; in a word, all that do (directly) more hurt than good.
2. In some places there are so many able preachers, that some tolerable men may be spared, if not accounted supernumeraries; and the church will not suffer by their silence. But in other countries either the preachers are so few, or so bad, or the people so very ignorant, and hardened, and ungodly, or so great a number that are in deep necessity, that the need of preaching is undeniable. And so I conclude,
1. That he that is justly silenced, and is unfit to preach, is bound to forbear.