Ductor dubitantium, or, The rule of conscience in all her generall measures serving as a great instrument for the determination of cases of conscience : in four books / by Jeremy Taylor ...

I. Question. In what sense the service of God is to be preferr'd before every thing else.

To this I answer,* 1.1 1. That if the service of God be taken in a sense oppos'd to any other thing which is not the service of God, there is no per∣adventure but it is to be preferred before every thing; for the question is no more then this, whether we ought to serve God, or not to serve him. For if that which is not Gods service comes in competition with that which is, if the first be preferr'd, God is directly despis'd.

2. If by the service of God is meant the vertue of religion express'd in externall action,* 1.2 as saying our Prayers, receiving the holy Sacrament, visiting Churches, sitting at the memorials of Martyrs, contemplation, fasting, silence, solitude, and the like, then it is as certain that the service of God in this sense is to be preferred before many things, but not before all things; not before many things of our ordinary life, not before many things of civil society. For to keep a holy-day is a part of the service of God, but not to be preferred before bodily labour in our trade, if that la∣bour be necessary for the feeding our family with daily bread. Contemplati∣on is an excellent part of the Divine service; but charitable actions are more useful. To heare a good Sermon is good; but to snatch even an oxe out of a pit is to be preferr'd before it. This our Blessed Saviour taught us in those excellent words, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For not onely the precise vertue of religion is the Divine service, though by propriety it hath obtain'd the name: but the doing all our duties, the works of our calling, all charitable ministeries, all useful trades, all the graces of the spirit ex∣pressed in actions and obedience, is the service of God, and of one it can∣not be said, it is better then another; for they shall all be requir'd in their season. For,

3. It is one thing to inquire which is in it self more excellent,* 1.3 and an∣other thing to ask which we are to chuse; one thing to say this is to be pre∣ferr'd in estimation, and another to say this is to be preferr'd in practice. Ec∣stasies and raptures and conversing with blessed spirits are certainly actions and passions respectively of greater eminency then dressing the sores of poor boyes in Hospitals; and yet he that does this, serves Christ and does good, while he that followes after the others may fall into the delusions of the Devil. That which is best in it self is not best for me: it is best for the best state, but not for the state of men who dwell in imperfection. Strong meat is better then milk, but this is best for babes; and therefore he would but ill consult to the good of his child who, because it is a princely boy, would feed him with bief and venison, wild boare and the juice of great fishes. Certainly a Jewel is better then a piece of frize; and Gold is a more noble and perfect substance then barly: and yet frize and barly doe in their season more good then gold and Jewels, and are therefore much more eligible. For every thing is to be accounted of in it's own place and scene of eminency: the eye loves one best, and the tongue and pa∣late, the throat and stomack love the other. But the understanding which considers both gives the value according to the degree of usefulnesse, and to the end of it's ministery. Now though our understanding can consider things in their own perfections, and proportion honour and value to them; yet that which is better then honour, love and desire, union and fruition are due to those things most, which it may be we honour least. And there∣fore there are some parts of the service of God which are like meat and cloths, and some which are like gold and Jewels; we value and admire these, but we are to chuse the other: that is, we preferre one in discourse, and the other in use; we give better words to one, and better usages to the other. And therefore those parts of the Divine service which are most necessary, and doe most good to mankind, are to be chosen before those that look more splendidly, and in themselves import more perfection. The foundation of a house is better then the roof, though the roof be gilded; and that part of the service of God which serves the needs of mankind

most, is to be chosen before those which adorn him better: so that actions of high and precise religion may be the excellencies and perfections of a humane soul; but the offices of civil governours, their keeping men in peace and justice, their affrighting them from vile impieties, may doe much more good to mankind, and more glory to God in the whole event of things.

4. But then if it be inquir'd whether is better,* 1.4 Prayers or Government, a Pulpit or a Court of Judicature; I am to answer that they are both best in their time. The Pulpit rules on Sundays, the Court of Judicature all the week after. The Pulpit guides the Court, and the Court gives laws to the Pulpit. The Pulpit gives counsel to this, and this gives commands to that. But there is this difference, if the Pulpit says amisse we are not bound by it: but if the Court judges ill, we may complain, but we must submit. But then to inquire which is better, when they are both the servants of God, is to make a faction in the house of Unity; and as there can be no good end served in it, so there can be no good ground of reason or revelation by which it can be determin'd.

5. If the question at last be,* 1.5 whether is to be preferr'd, the service of God, that is, an act of religion, or an act of civil life; I answer, that ordi∣narily religion is to be preferr'd, when there can be a question reasonably ask'd which is to be chosen. That is, if it be indifferent as to the person, there is no indifference in the thing: for the religious act does more honour to God and more good to us. But it is because that where our life and time is empty of other duties, then and there is the time and proper season of religion. But if it be not indifferent to the man, but an act of life or civil calling be in it's season and appointment, then this is to be preferr'd be∣fore that.

6. Lastly,* 1.6 it is to be observed, that there are seasons ordinary and ex∣traordinary in our services of God. Every thing in it's season is to be pre∣ferr'd: and therefore upon Festivals we are to goe to Church and to publick offices, upon other days to follow the works of our calling: and so prefer both in their time. But sometimes these ordinary seasons are invaded by extraordinary necessities, and then that must prevail which is most neces∣sary in it's season, and the other must give place. Now because this hap∣pens often in the needs of our life, and not very often in the needs of Re∣ligion, therefore in cases of Natural or Political necessities, the things of the Commonwealth are to be preferr'd before the things of the Church; that is, the service of God in charity before the service of God in the ver∣tue of external religion: and the reason is, because this can stay, and the o∣ther cannot; and this can be supplied with the internall, that is, the religion of the heart, but that cannot be supplied with the charity of the heart.

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