Repl. 1To your third Rule we add; It is first considerable, what the thing is? and then, how it is apprehended? if it be really lawful, and well commanded, and to be obeyed, it is no ignorance, doubt or error of the Subject, that can exempt him from the duty of obeying; But it may ensnare him in a certainty of sinning, whether he obey, or disobey: For as God commandeth him to obey, and also not to do that which man commandeth, when God forbiddeth it; So he obligeth the erroneous, first to lay down his errors, and so to obey. But if a thing be forbidden of God, and commanded of man, and one man erroneously thinks it lawful, and that he should obey, and another is in doubt between both, it is neither a duty, nor lawful for either of them here to obey: For mans error changeth not Gods Laws, nor disobligeth himself from obedience; But this mans duty is both, to lay by that error, and to refuse obedience: But if the question be only of the order of such a persons duty: We answer; If the thing be really lawful, and obedience a duty, then he that doubteth or erreth, should if possible suddenly lay by his errors or doubt, and so obey: But if that cannot be, he should first go about the fittest means, for his better information till he be resolved, and so obey. And so on the contrary, if really the thing commanded be unlawful, if he be sure of it, he must resolve against it; if he hesitate, he is not therefore allowed to do a thing forbidden, because he is ignorant: For his ignorance is supposed culpable it self; but he is first ⟨p. 73⟩to consult and use the best means, for his Instruction, till he know the truth, and in the mean time to suspend his Act. But yet because of humane frailty, between several faults, we must consider when we cannot avoid all as we would, in what order most safely to watch and to avoid them. And so when I have done my best, and cannot discern whether a Command be just, and the thing lawful or not; If it hath the face of Idolatry, Blasphemy, or some heinous Sin, that is commanded; and our disobedience have the appearance, but of an effect of involuntary Ignorance, it is more excusable in us to fear the greater sin, and so to suspend till we are better satisfied, than to do that which we suspect, to be so heinous a Sin, though indeed it prove no sin;
Repl. 1To your third Rule we adde; It is first considerable, what the thing is? and then, how it is apprehended? if it be really lawful, and well commanded, and to be obeyed, it is no ignorance, doubt or errour of the Subject, that can exempt him from the duty of obeying; But it may ensnare him in a certainty of sinning, whether he obey, or disobey: For as God commandeth him to obey, and also not to do that which man commandeth, when God forbiddeth it; So he obligeth the erronious, first to lay down his errors, and so to obey. But if a thing be forbidden of God, and commanded of man, and one man erroniously thinks it lawful, and that he should obey, and another is in doubt between both, it is neither a duty, nor lawful for either of them here to obey: For mans errour changeth not Gods Laws, nor disobligeth himself from obedience; But this mans duty is both, to lay by that errour, and to refuse obedience: But if the question be only of the order of such a persons duty: We answer; If the thing be really lawful, and obedience a duty, then he that doubteth or erreth, should if possible suddenly lay by his errours or doubt, and so obey: But if that cannot be, he should first goe about the fittest means, for his better information till he be resolved, and so obey. And so on the contrary, if really the thing commanded be unlawful, if he be sure of it, he must resolve against it; if he hesitate, he is not therefore allowed to do a thing forbidden, because he is ignorant: For his ignorance is supposed culpable it self; but he is first ⟨p. 73⟩to consult and use the best means, for his Instruction, till he know the truth, and in the mean time to suspend his Act. But yet because of humane frailty, between several faults, we must consider when we cannot avoid all as we would, in what order most safely to watch and to avoid them. And so when I have done my best, and cannot discern whether a Command be just, and the thing lawful or not; If it hath the face of Idolatry, Blasphemy, or some h•inous Sin, that is commanded; and our disobedience have the appearance, but of an effect of involuntary Ignorance, it is more excusable in us to fear the greater sin, and so to suspend till we are better satisfied, than to do that which we suspect, to be so hainous a Sin, though indeed it prove no sin;
- 1Repl.
