A14992:38
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.
Fourthly, let nothing be counted a sin, which Scripture doth not condemn as a sin, and what the Word (the rule of truth and falsehood) doth not show us to be unlawful, that let us hold to be lawful. Safely may one conclude in all manner of actions, I will take that as warrantable, against which I find nothing written. Yea verily, it is more then a probable reason, the Word of God hath left a thing in such doubtful sort, that many godly, virtuous, and learned men do think it lawful, and therefore I will incline rather to think it lawful, then otherwise: for hardly would it stand with Gods goodness, to leave sins so doubtfully discovered, as that wise and godly men, when the matter cometh to discussing, should not be able to see the sinfulness thereof.
Fourthly, let nothing be counted a sin, which Scripture doth not condemne as a sinne, and what the Word (the rule of truth and falsehood) doth not shew vs to be vnlawfull, that let vs hold to be lawfull. Safely may one conclude in all manner of actions, I will take that as warrantable, against which I find nothing written. Yea verily, it is more then a probable reason, the Word of God hath left a thing in such doubtful sort, that many godly, vertuous, and learned men doe thinke it lawfull, and therefore I will incline rather to thinke it lawfull, then otherwise: for hardly would it stand with Gods goodnes, to leaue sinnes so doubtfully discouered, as that wise and godly men, when the matter commeth to discussing, should not be able to see the sinfulnesse thereof.
Fifthly, beware of suffering prejudice, example, humour, to sway you, in judging the lawfulness or unlawfulness of things. Be ready in ⟨p. 13⟩matters controverted, to change opinions, to think otherwise then thou hast thought, otherwise then thou hast been long known to think, otherwise then men of great esteem with thy self have thought; and beware that choler and melancholy do not dazzle thine eyes; and to that end, if thou beest inclined to either of these humours, be afraid of them, and yield less to thine authority because of them: for stiffness in opinions (a fruit commonly of the three forenamed things) is nothing praise-worthy. Constancy in express truths is a notable virtue; peremptoriness in matters not plainly revealed, is a vice, and not a virtue.