PROPOSITION XIV.
Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters purely Religious, and pertaining to the Conscience.
[135]Since God hath assumed to himself the Power and Dominion of the Conscience, who alone can rightly instruct and govern it, therefore it is not lawful for any whosoever, by Virtue of any Authority or Principality they bear in the Government of this World, to force the Consciences of others; and therefore all Killing, Banishing, Fining, Imprisoning, and other such Things which are inflicted upon Men for the alone Exercise of their Conscience, or Difference in Worship or Opinion, proceedeth from the Spirit of Cain the Murderer, and is contrary to the Truth; providing always, that no Man, under the Pretence of Conscience, prejudice his Neighbour in his Life or Estate, or do any Thing destructive to, or inconsistent with, Human Society; in which Case the Law is for the Transgressor, and Justice is to be administered upon all, without Respect of Persons.
[135] Luke 9. 55, 56. Matt. 7. 12, 13. 29. Tit. 3. 10.
§. I.
It will be fit in the first Place, for clearing of Mistakes, to say something of the State of the Controversy, that what follows may be the more clearly understood.
What Conscience is.By Conscience then, as in the Explanation of the fifth and sixth Propositions I have observed, is to be understood, That Persuasion of the Mind which arises from the Understanding’s being possessed with the Belief of the Truth or Falsity of any Thing; which though it may be false or evil upon the Matter, yet if a Man should go against his Persuasion or Conscience, he would commit a Sin; because what a Man doth contrary to his Faith, though his Faith be wrong, is no Ways acceptable to God. Hence the Apostle saith, [136]Whatsoever is not of Faith, is Sin; and he that doubteth is damned if he eat; though the Thing might have been lawful to another; and that this Doubting to eat some Kind of Meats (since all the Creatures of God are good, and for the Use of Man, if received with Thanksgiving) might be a Superstition, or at least a Weakness, which were better removed. Hence Ames. de Cas. Cons. saith, The Conscience, although erring, doth evermore bind, so as that he sinneth who doth contrary to his Conscience,[137] because he doth contrary to the Will of God, although not materially and truly, yet formally and interpretatively.
[136] Rom. 14. 23.
[137] i. e. As he supposeth.