Quote: the law is the public conscience; people should not subvert the law to their private conscience and opinions

Quotation

Another doctrine repugnant to Civill Society, is, that whatsoever a man does against his Conscience, is Sinne; and it dependeth on the presumption of making himselfe judge of Good and Evill. For a mans Conscience, and his Judgement is the same thing; and as the Judgement, so also the Conscience may be erroneous. Therefore, though he that is subject to no Civill Law, sinneth in all he does against his Conscience, because he has no other rule to follow but his own reason; yet it is not so with him that lives in a Common-wealth; because the Law is the publique Conscience, by which he hath already undertaken to be guided. Otherwise in such diversity, as there is of private Consciences, which are but private opinions, the Common-wealth must needs be distracted, and no man dare to obey the Soveraign Power, farther than it shall seem good in his own eyes.   Google-1   Google-2

Published before 1923

Related Topics

Topic: legal issues (21 items)
Topic: ethics (43 items)