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hardly
a
worfe thing
than
an
erring
Confcience
;
becaufe,
whether the
man
that
hath ir,
forbear or
do,
to
him
it
is
fin;
only,
if
the
things
be
indifferent, it
obligeth
to
door
forbear
;
for,
when
the word
determineth
nor,
Con
-
fcience
(tho'
mifiuformed) cafteth the balance to
the
fide
which
it
judgeth
to
be neceffary
:
As
for Inftance,
if
a
man
think
it
a fm
to hear the
word with the
head
un-
covered,
he
is
obliged
to
cover
his
head,
and
contra-
rily
;
for
Confcience
there
cafteth
the
balance:
But,
when
the
thing
is
unlawful
on
the matter,
it may
bind
him
up,
while it
remains in
an
error,
fo
as
he
cannot without
fin
counteract
its
dictate
;
but it never
obligeth him to
fin.
2.
An
opinionative Confcience is
not
a
good guide,
that
is, when
a
man
bath
fome
fort
of
light,or
apprehenfion
of
a
thing
to
be
duty
;
yet feareth
that
it
may
not
be
a
duty,
and bath
fome hefitation
or doubt about
the
matter
:
For,
i.
This
is
not
faith, but
opinion
;
and
in
-matters
of
faith,
opinion cannot
be
a
ground
torelt upon;
therefore,
Roma.
14.
5.
Every
man
ought
to
be
fully
per_
(waded
in his
own mind.
Z.
In
matters
of
pratice,
the
impulfe
of
an
opinionating
Confcience, will
not
warrant
us
;
for,
when
a
man hefitates, he
cannot
do
in
faith
;
therefore
to
do, it
is fin
to
him,
becaufe he
hath
not
perfwafion
;
and
in
this refpe ±,
as
to
practice,
he
is
like
the
man
that
bath the
erring
Confcience,
he can
neither
do
nor
forbear,
but
he
finneth.
3.
If
it
be in
a
truth,
not fundamental, opinion
may
have
weight with
him,
and
fway
him
to
that
which
is
molt
probable,
and
hath
moti conveniencies with
it (tho'
in
matters
of
pra
&ice
it
be otherwife) and it giveth
Con,/cience
peace in
this
re-
fpe&,
when
that
which bath
molt
probability
in
it
(as
I
have
jutt
now
faid)
is
inclined to.
3.
A
doubting
Confcience
(of
fome
affinity
with
the
former)
which leaveth
a
man in
.an
hover
or
fufpence,
that
he knoweth
nor
whether
filch"
á
thing
be
duty, or
if
fuck
a thing;
be fin,
or
not
;
certainly here
a
man is
bound
not
to
do
doubtingly,
For
be
that
douyteth
is
dam-
ned,
if
he
do,
Rom.
14.
2.3.
And
yet
there
is
hazard
in
forbearing,
if
the thing
be
duty
;
yea, in this
cafe
there
is
a
necefty
of
fuming
(but
it'll'
of
the
man's
own
con-
trading)