obliging of the conscience for the
time, _ad assensum_, is a binding of it.(94)

_Sect._ 3. Touching the second, it is certain that human laws, as they
come from men, and in respect of any force or authority which men can give
them, have no power to bind the conscience. _Neque enim cum hominibus, sed
cum uno Deo negotium est conscientis nostris_, saith Calvin.(95) Over our
souls and consciences, _nemini quicquam juris nisi Deo_, saith Tilen.(96)
From Jerome's distinction, that a king _praeest nolentibus_ but a bishop
_volentibus_, Marcus Antonius de Dominis well concludeth: _Volentibus
gregi praeesso, excludit omnem jurisdictionem et potestatem imperativam ac
coactivam et solam significat directivam, ubi, viz., in libertate subditi
est et parere et non parere, ita ut qui praeest nihil habeat quo nolentem
parere adigat ad parendum._(97) This point he proveth in that chapter at
length, where he disputeth both against temporal and spiritual coactive
jurisdiction in the church. If it be demanded to what purpose serveth then
the enacting of ecclesiastical laws, since they have not in them any power
to bind the conscience, I answer, The use and end for which ecclesiastical
laws do serve is, 1. For the plain discovery of such things as the law of
God or nature do require of us, so that law which of itself hath power to
bind, cometh from the priests and ministers of the Lord neither
{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA WITH PSILI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~} nor {~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}, but _declarative_, Mal. ii. 7. 2. For
declaring to us what is fittest in such things as are, in their own
nature, indifferent, and neither enforced by the law of God nor nature,
and which part should be followed in these things as most convenient. The
laws of the church, then, are appointed to let us see the necessity of