A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and…

4. And it is commonly agreed, that if we Vow a thing indifferent, it bindeth us not when the indifferency ceaseth: which may be by the Magistrate• command, or by another mans necessity, or ⟨p. 87⟩change of Cases: Else a man might before hand prev••t most of the Magistrates obligations, and his P•re•ts and Masters too, and escape obedience; and might say with the Pharisees, it is Corban, or a devoted thing.

5. It remaineth therefore that no man of us all hath need to go, or ought to go to the Covenant to know what is his duty in the worship of God, but only to the Scripture; seeing if Scripture make it no• a duty, the Magistrates Law will make the doing of it a sin; And if Scripture make it not a sin, the Magistrates command will make it a duty. But when we know what is duty or sin (in our case) we may go to our Vows next to prove that it is a double duty or a double or aggravated sin but no otherwise. Therefore let the Scripture only decide the first case, whether it be lawful or not.

5. It rem••neth therefore that no man of us all hath need to go, or ought to go to the Covenant to know what is his duty in the worship of God, but only to the Scripture; seeing if Scripture make it no• a duty, the Magistrates Law will make the doing of it a sin; And if Scripture make it not a sin, the Magistrates command will make it a duty. But when we know what is duty or sin (in our case) we may go to our Vows next to prove that it is a double duty or a double or aggravated sin but no otherwise. Therefore let the Scripture only decide the first case, whether it be lawful or not.