Of PoJVing JVitb a Doubting [onfcimce. " promifed that in publick.. worjhip he would obforve aO the rites cornma1tdt3 in the J!-cclefiafiiclt La'll'r, "to wit, tiJe Surplice, the Sign of the Crofi at tiJe facred Font, k..,lfttliHg in the receivmg of the fymbo/s "in the holy Supper, and others tbt like; which yet oJtt offome light prejudice, be thought t~ be foper~ "{litious and Papijlica/. The ~tftion if~ Wh11t Ob/igatio11 tbert ir in this ca{t? For anfwer I fay three "thing!. I· I [ay that a1z Oath, while Jitch an trror lafleth, cannot be tak,_tn n•itbo~et grievous fin: For "he grfevoujly finneth, :rho (inneth againft hU confcience, although it be erronco:u. l'or when thejudge~ u rnent of the intelleli if tu every ma1t the tttarcft rule of aaion, it rrmft be that the wiU if carryed in– " to obliquity, if it follow not that j~tdgtmcnt, tJs [wervingfrom its rule: Its a common [aying, He thtJt u doth 4gainjf hir confcience, buildeth unto Hell: Verily he that [weareth to that w/Jich he thiMk,.eth ID be u 1 mlawful, Jt>oztld ncvtrthrlrfs [wear if it were indeed unlt:zwful. And fo tbe tbing, tbo~tgh lawful £~e befo~e "to another, U tohim unlawful, the Apo{llc p!lffin~ tht {tnttnce, Rom. If· 14, &c. 'z, I fay~ that fuch i,;~:;!: p~i,. n an Oatb biltdeth not, &c.---] Of the Obligatiol' I iliall {peak anon : but of the O~th or Pro- us, v!N. mife, I thir.k the truth lycth here as followeth. ~ 25· 1. The Qe<Hion derffe mu!\ fir!\ be rcfolved, before the Q!.efiion. of Kno,.ing or Opinion. Either the thing is rc:ally lawful which is doubtedof, or denyed, or it is not. If ir be not, then it is a fin to [wear or promi{t to it ; and here there is no cafe of error. But if it be really larrful, and thevowi11_g of itiJ.wful, then the obligations that lye upon this man arethe[e, and in this order, I· To have a humble fufpicion of his own undcrflaFiding: 2· To fearch, and 1earn and ufe all means to difcern it to be what it is. 3.In the ufe of thefe means to acknowledge the truth: 4· And thert to promife and obey accordingly. Now this being bi4 duty, and the order of his duty, you cannot fay that he is not obliged to any one part of it, though he be obliged to do it all in this order, and therefore not to do the lafl firfi without the former : For though you quefiion an hundred times, [ Wlw jhaU he do ar long a< he cannot [ce rhe 1ru1b ?] the Law of God is fiill the fame: and ·his error doth not difobligc him: Nemini debetur commodum ex fu:~ culp~t. So many of thefe aCts as he omittt:th, fo much he tlnneth: It is his fin if he obry nl)t the Magiftrate; a!'}d it is his fin that he mif.judgeth of the thing, and his fin that he doth not follow the ufe of the means till he be informed. So that his erring confcience entangleth him in a necrffi•y of finning : but difob– Jigeth him "flOt at a11 from his obedience. 2. But yet this is certain, that in fuch a cafe, he that wrll fweor becaufe man biddeth him, when he takerh it to be falfe, is a perjured prophane defpifer of God ; but he thar forbearetb to [wear for fear of finning againfi God, is guilty only of a pardonable involuntary weakncfS. 9· 2 6. Dirccr. 1 4· Tak_e lmd left the {ccret prev•lency of carnal end1 or lntereft, and of f/ejhly wif- Dlrell. l ~ dom do byaJ your jttdgemmt, and mt.Jk$ you flretcb yaur confciencer to 1ak..,e tho[e vowJ or promifer, which othtrwife yor< would judge unla,.ful and refufe. Never ~ood comcth by following the reafonings and intereft of the flefh; even in fmaHer matters: much lefs in cafes offuch great importance. Men think it firrerh them at the prefent , and cloth the bufinefs which they feel moft urgent; bur it payeth them home with troubles and perplexities at the !all: It is but like a draught ?f col~ water i~ a Fcavor: You have fome prefent charr to do, or fame firaight to pafs through, m wh1ch you thtnk that fuch an O.Jtb, or Promi{t, or Profiffiou would much accommodate you; and therefore you veq~uri: on it~ perhaps to your perdition : It is a foolilh courfe to cure the parrs ( yea, the more ignoble parts) with the negker and detriment of the whole : It is but like thofe that cure the Itch by anointing themfelves witb Quickfilver : which doth rhe charr for them, and fendc:th them after to their gra~eS, or cafteth them into fame far worfe Difcafc. Remember how deceitful a thing the he.art is, and how fubtiHy fuch poyfon of ca~"l tnds will infinuatc it feJf. 0 how many thoufands hath this undone! that before they are aware, have their WiU1 firft charmed and inclined to the forbidden thing, and fain would have ittobe lawful; and then have brought themfdves to believe it lawful, tnd fo to 1COmmit the fin; and next to defend it and next to bec0mt the champions of Satan, to tighr his battds, and vilific and abufe them, that b·' boly wi!dom and rcnderncfs, have kept chemfclves from tbe deceit. Tir. 1.
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