A14992:26
A care-cloth
A care-cloth: or a treatise of the cumbers and troubles of marriage intended to advise them that may, to shun them; that may not, well and patiently to bear them. By William Whately, preacher of the word of God in Banbury, in Oxfordshire.A care-cloth: or a treatise of the cumbers and troubles of marriage intended to aduise them that may, to shun them; that may not, well and patiently to beare them. By William Whately, preacher of the word of God in Banbury, in Oxfordshire.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man, 1624
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
that is, Do not this and that, for fear of offending God, and hurting your soul, though the Lord have never condemned it) as well as an affirmative superstition, standing in Do this, or do that, that you may please God, and benefit your soul. That we may be more careful to avoid the fault of coining faults, let us consider, what evils will ensue from such mistaking.
that is, Do not this and that, for feare of offending God, and hurting your soule, though the Lord haue neuer condemned it) as well as an affirmatiue superstition, standing in Doe this, or do that, that you may please God, and benefit your soule. That wee may be more careful to auoyd the fault of coyning faults, let vs consider, what euils will insue from such mistaking.
Reas. 1 First, by this means a man shall unnecessarily cumber himself, and by fretting his own conscience, make his life uncomfortable, and his soul more unable to serve God with joyfulness in a good conversation. If a servant put gives or irons upon his own legs, he cannot go forward nimbly in his Masters business: So if a Christian do shackle his own conscience, he cannot with cheerfulness perform the will of God in holiness of living: For to him that accounts a thing sinful, to him it is sin, as the Apostle faith, Rom. 14.14. And so it will often come to pass, that if he do it not, he shall sin in one regard; if he do it, he shall sin in another ⟨p. 6⟩regard, as being persuaded that it is sinful. Thus doth a man cast himself inevitably upon a necessity of sinning, and so upon unquietness, perplexity, and much inavoydable misery, to the great trouble, not of himself alone, but of others also, with whom he liveth, to whom his entangled conscience will not suffer him to perform his duty with love and readiness, as he ought to do.
Reas. 1 First, by this meanes a man shall vnnecessarily cumber himselfe, and by fretting his owne conscience, make his life vncomfortable, and his soule more vnable to serue God with ioyfulnes in a good conuersation. If a seruant put gyues or irons vpon his owne legs, he cannot goe forward nimbly in his Masters businesse: So if a Christian doe shackle his owne conscience, hee cannot with chearefulnesse performe the wil of God in holinesse of liuing: For to him that accounts a thing sinfull, to him it is sinne, as the Apostle faith,