í rxxii e j>z e not in the Ina incompatible with the fan& ification thereof; as if they themfelves had been more tender of the due obfervation of the fabbath, than either the dif- ciples, or their Lord and Mailer was ? 7thly, (to give no more inftances) When Confcience is pretended for keep - ing, and not breaking of finful engagements, vows and oaths wherewith men have rattily bound themfelves ; as fuppofe a man fhould rafhly vow and fwear, that he will be avenged at the higheft rate on another, becaufe of either an imagined or real, a leffer or greater injury done him ; and as Herod fware, very inconfiderately and rafhly, that he would give the dancing daughter of the inceftuous mother Herodias, whatever the íhould ask of him, even to the half of his kingdom ; who asking, at her mother's inftigation, the head of john the baptifi (which was of more worth than the whole, let be the half, of his kingdom) and he judging himfelf bound by his oath to grant her delire, accordingly gave order ('tie faid, for his oath's fake) to the executioner to behead him in the prifon, without any trial, or 'fo much as a hearing ; though it was indeed againft the light of his na- tural Confcience ; he having been convinced, that he was not only an innocent, but alfo a jufi man and holy, and accordingly obferved him, and did many things en- joined him by john, and heard him gladly : As if un- lawful and finful'.oaths, rafhly come under, could in con - fcience bind men to a& againft the plaineft and molt palpable ditates of their own Confcience ; whereas they ought rather to repent, and pray for the pardon of fuch engagements, vows and oaths, and forthwith to break them, lince `Tu.ramentum nunquam potefi efe vinculum ini- quitatis ; An oath can never be a bond of iniquity, or oblige men in Confcience to commit what is palpably a fm. tenthly, We would be aware, that we do not incon- fiderately, rafhly and precipitantly adventure upon any a &ion, or meddle with any bufinefs, efpecially of mo- ment, before deliberate and ferious confulting with our Confcience ; (endeavouring always to have it well in- formed by the word) which either makes many .uch aelin s and meddiings to be afterwards refle&ed ot
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