Religion & morality > Last publick sermon, being a faithful and free one, preached by Mr. Hugh Mackaile ... upon the Sabbath immediately preceeding that 8th of September 1662, the day affixed for the removing of the ministers of Edinburgh from their kirks

qihly, Thefe Companions cannot be followed without
turning alide, efpecially in a Time of hot Perfccution ;
•who enflave their Confcienctes to the Commandments of Men,
that never inquire any further into their slttions, than how
they may ferve to purchafe them the Favour of Men. Souls
of Sale, I may call them, that by Hope or Fear, do with
their Confciencies as Servants or Slaves do with their Li¬
berty ; that have their Confciencies at every Beck of Men
for a little Hire. Certainly however complying with any finful
Courfe againft the Light of Confcience may fhrowd a Man
from the Indignation of Men, it (hall render him lb much
[ the more obnoxious to the Indignation of God. All law-
; ful Commands of created Power bind the Conlcience, u-
pon this Account alone, that the Power commanding is
■an Ordinance of God, as it hath a Stamp and Impreffion
of divine Authority -, if therefore any created Power (hall
command any thing by God difeharged, there cannot be
any Obligation upon the Confcience upon that account,
except we lay, divine Authority in one thing (hould con-
tradid itfelfin another ; therefore, in every Adion of a
Man’s Life, by whatever Authority it be commanded, he
is ever to inquire at his own Conlcience, whether it be
right in the Sight of God or not, elfe he doth it not in
Faith, and fo linneth. Let a Man be call; into the hotted
Tribulation, this will be a Comfort to him, which is to
Paul, Jcls xxiii. i. 1 have lived in all good Confcience
before God unto this Day. Whereas it will be a heavy
Challenge, which you have in Job, xxxvi. 21. Take
heed, regard not Iniquity, thefe haft thou choj’en rather than
Jftp Hi on,
The Second 77;/ȣymported in the firft general Propo-
fition, is this, That thele Companions here fpoken of may
be fo prevailing as to have many Followers; they go by
I locks, the Flocks of thy Companions. ’Tis natural to
all Men to love Pleafures more than God, and to refped
JS Chrift
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