this tenet is received with them: That the negative precepts of the
law, do bind, not only at all times, but likewise to all times (whereupon
it followeth, that we may never do that which is inconvenient or
scandalous), and that the affirmative precepts though they bind at all
times, yet not to all times, but only _quando expedit_, whereupon it
followeth, that we are never bound to the practice of any duty commanded
in the law of God, except only when it is expedient to be done; but Mr
Sprint excepteth against this rule,(265) that it is not generally true;
for evidence whereof he allegeth many things, partly false, partly
impertinent, upon which I hold it not needful here to insist. As for such
examples, objected by him, as carry some show of making against this rule,
which he dare not admit, I will make some answer thereto. He saith, that
sometimes even negative precepts have been lawfully violated; for these
precepts were negative,--none but priests must eat shew-bread, yet David
did lawfully violate it; thou shalt do no work upon the Sabbath, yet the
priests brake this, and are blameless; let nothing of God's good creatures
be lost, yet Paul and his company did lawfully cast away their goods in
the ship, to save their lives, &c. _Ans._ Mr Sprint might easily have
understood, that when divines say, the affirmative precepts bind at all
times, but not to all times,--the negative precepts both at all times and
to all times, they ever mean, _specie actionis manente cadem_; so long as
an action forbidden in a negative precept ceaseth not to be evil, as long
the negative precept bindeth to all times: whereas even whilst an action
commanded in an affirmative precept, ceaseth not to be good, yet the
affirmative precept bindeth not to all times. So that the rule is not
crossed by the alleged examples; for David's eating of the shew-bread; the
priests' labour upon the Sabbath; and Paul's casting of the goods into the
sea, were not evil, but good actions (the kind of the action being changed
by the circumstances). In the meantime, the foresaid rule still crosseth
Mr Sprint's tenet; for he holdeth that even whilst certain ceremonies
remain evil in their use, and cease not to be scandalous and inconvenient,
yet we are not ever bound to abstain from them, but may in the case of
deprivation practice them, which directly contradicteth the rule.

_Sect._ 6. The position therefore which we maintain against Mr Sprint, and
from which we wi