OF THE PROVIDENCE OF ODD. 53
Ans. I answer : If a man be lawfully called to answer for himself, ho must know that he ought to tell the truth, and not to be ashamed thereof; for why do men live but to live honestly, and to keep a good conscience ? And it is more necessary that truth should flourish and be cleared than that thou shouldst live. Those that now are ashamed to confess the truth, the God of truth will be ashamed of them hereafter. And therefore a fourth question may arise.
4:th Quest. Whether a man may break prison to save himself?
Ajis. I answer: Thou oughtest not to do anything that may endanger another man to save thine own life ; and therefore mayest not, by break- ing of prison, endanger the jailor's life to save thyself. And the reasons are, /or that it shames the truth and equit;/ of thj cause; and therefore when the prison doors were open Paul would not fly. Acts xvi. 28, .s^^. Peter did it indeed, he came out of prison ; but it was an extraordinary and miraculous deliverance by the command of the angel. Acts xii. 11. Secondly, it is a contempt of mariistracy and laic ; for every man is to le governed by and to submit himself to the law.
bth Quest. Again, some have doubted u-hether a minister, being called to a place of unwholesome air, whether he may leave it.
Ans. I answer : Let them consider before they go whether they shall be able to endure or not ; but if they be once called, and are there, let them look to the salvation of God's people, and provide for themselves as they may. We see Epaphroditus neglects his own life for the service of God.
Qth Quest. A sixth question or doubt may hence be resolved, Whether, in case of persecution, a minister may fiij.
Ans. I answer: We may fly for our own safeties; and a minister may, if there be those left that being good shepherds will stand for the flock, that it be not scattered. Yet if God gives thee a spirit of courage to hold out, consult thou with God by earnest prayer for the direction of his Holy Spirit, and he will assuredly direct thee ; for if out of thine own confidence thou shouldst stand out, and afterward give back, it would weaken and discourage others, who else it may be would stand out. Yet if thou beest once taken, whether thou art a minister or not, thou art under the law, thou must obey.
7th Quest. And in the seventh place, ire may and ouyht to be ready to lay ~\ doum our lives for the commonwealth, iox common good is to be prefeiTed before private good. The hand doth endanger itself for the good of the head, and therefore a private man may venture himself to save a pubhc person ; and from hence is grounded the lawfulness of a Christian war.
Quest. But it will be asked, How shall we come to this resolution, to lay down our lives for the truth ? 't
Ans. I answer : First, thou must labour to have thy judgment enlightened, discern of the order of good things ; and this only a Christian can get to account of his life but slightly in comparison, knowing that it is ' but a vapour that soon vanisheth,' James iv. 14, and that the peace_ of con- science will never leave a man till it hath brought him to eternity.^ He knows also the terrors of conscience are above all terrors, and that it will never leave him. He knows the world cannot be worth a soul, that no- thing can redeem it being once lost ; and these things being truly learned, we shall be ready to deny father, mother, yea, our very life, if they once oppose Christ ; and thus shall we beforehand get a resolution by daily considering these things, and a mind truly prepared for all trials. And to that end put cases with thyself. Now, what thou wouldst do or suffer
54 OF THE PKOVIDENCE OF GOD.
ralbcr than be drawn to offoud God, if the time of trial were now to come. It' tiiy heart doth tell thee that thou canst forego all, and countcst them as nought in respect of Christ, surely God he accepts of this thy resolution. If thou canst not find this in thee, know for a certainty thy faith is but weak. And therefore consider with thyself, that if thou come to this, to lose all for Christ, thou shalt be no loser. The peace of conscience is above all good that can be desired ; and [consider] that thy life is not thine own, for both it, our estate, friends, are all of God's gift to us, who may take them when he will. But if they be lost for God's service, thou shalt be no loser. It cannot stand with God's justice to suffer it. Let this bring shame upon many that will do nothing for the church, lose no credit amongst the wicked men, part with no jot of their goods, take no pains nor labour. We see it that martyrs they will spend their blood. Esther counted not her life dear unto her : ' If I perish, I perish,' iv. 16. And yet these are loath to venture displeasure of some inferior, mean person. How can such ever think to get assurance of salvation ? In this case those that thus love their lives do hate them, and that which they fear shall fall suddenly on them ; as it was with those that, starting aside for fear, and denying their profession, thinking to save themselves from the fire, they fell into a worse fire, the hell of a guilty conscience, which cannot be quenched, nor they made insensible thereof.