imprimatur_fw-la tho._n grigg_n r._n in_o christo_n p._n ac_fw-la domino_fw-la domino_fw-la humfr._fw-la episc_n lond._n à _fw-la sacris_fw-la two_o case_n of_o conscience_n resolve_v by_o the_o right_n reverend_a father_n in_o god_n robert_n sanderson_n late_a lord_n bishop_n of_o lincoln_z london_n print_v by_o e._n c._n for_o c._n wilkinson_n at_o the_o black-boy_n over_o against_o st._n dunstan_n church_n in_o fleetstreet_n 1668._o the_o case_n of_o the_o engagement_n sir_n i_o have_v hitherto_o be_v very_o spare_v in_o deliver_v my_o opinion_n concern_v the_o point_n now_o most_o in_o agitation_n viz._n of_o the_o lawfulness_n or_o unlawfulness_n of_o subscribe_v the_o engagement_n consider_v the_o mischief_n that_o must_v needs_o have_v follow_v if_o it_o shall_v be_v once_o noise_v abroad_o that_o i_o have_v give_v forth_o any_o determination_n in_o so_o tickle_v a_o point_n i_o can_v not_o but_o foresee_v on_o the_o one_o side_n if_o i_o shall_v condemn_v it_o as_o utter_o 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king_n ii_o this_o be_v clear_v the_o next_o enquiry_n must_v be_v whether_o or_o no_o the_o word_n of_o the_o engagement_n will_v reasonable_o bear_v such_o a_o construction_n as_o to_o the_o understanding_n of_o a_o rational_a and_o conscientious_a man_n may_v seem_v consistent_a with_o his_o bind_a duty_n and_o allegiance_n to_o his_o lawful_a sovereign_n whereof_o i_o think_v there_o need_v be_v no_o great_a question_n make_v if_o it_o be_v well_o consider_v 1._o that_o all_o expression_n by_o word_n be_v subject_a to_o such_o ambiguity_n that_o scarce_o any_o thing_n can_v be_v say_v or_o express_v in_o any_o word_n how_o cautelous_o soever_o choose_v which_o will_v not_o render_v the_o whole_a speech_n capable_a of_o more_o construction_n than_o one_o 2._o that_o very_o many_o man_n know_v to_o be_v well_o affect_v to_o the_o king_n and_o his_o party_n and_o repute_v otherways_o both_o learned_a and_o conscientious_a not_o to_o mention_v the_o presbyterian_o most_o of_o who_o 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the_o time_n i_o have_v to_o do_v it_o in_o will_v suffer_v 1._o first_o then_o for_o a_o man_n that_o be_v require_v of_o another_o to_o give_v faith_n by_o some_o oath_n promise_v or_o other_o engagement_n to_o take_v it_o in_o a_o sense_n of_o his_o own_o manifest_o different_a even_o in_o his_o own_o apprehension_n from_o the_o other_o meaning_n sufficient_o express_v by_o word_n according_a to_o the_o common_a custom_n of_o speech_n and_o the_o nature_n of_o the_o business_n which_o it_o concern_v be_v so_o gross_a a_o conceit_n that_o have_v not_o the_o impudence_n of_o the_o jesuit_n in_o maintain_v the_o lawfulness_n of_o their_o equivocation_n and_o the_o sad_a experience_n of_o these_o late_a time_n wherein_o thousand_o have_v cheat_v themselves_o in_o perjury_n by_o think_v to_o avoid_v it_o evidence_v the_o contrary_a it_o nâ—ght_v well_o have_v be_v think_v a_o thing_n incredible_a that_o any_o man_n of_o common_a understanding_n shall_v suffer_v his_o reason_n to_o be_v so_o infatuate_v by_o his_o affection_n as_o to_o be_v deceive_v thereby_o for_o if_o such_o latitude_n of_o construction_n shall_v be_v admit_v in_o promise_n and_o other_o obligation_n of_o that_o nature_n intend_v for_o the_o preservation_n of_o faith_n among_o mankind_n there_o will_v not_o remain_v any_o possible_a mean_n whereby_o for_o man_n to_o have_v assurance_n of_o one_o another_o meaning_n wherefore_o i_o take_v that_o for_o a_o clear_a truth_n that_o all_o promise_n and_o assurance_n wherein_o faith_n be_v require_v to_o be_v give_v to_o another_o aught_o to_o be_v understand_v ad_fw-la mentem_fw-la imponentis_fw-la according_a to_o the_o mind_n and_o meaning_n of_o he_o to_o who_o the_o faith_n be_v to_o be_v give_v so_o far_o forth_o as_o the_o meaning_n may_v reasonable_o appear_v by_o the_o nature_n of_o the_o matter_n about_o which_o it_o be_v conversant_a and_o such_o signification_n of_o the_o word_n whereby_o it_o be_v express_v as_o according_a to_o the_o 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one_o sense_n they_o shall_v bind_v to_o more_o and_o in_o another_o to_o lesle_n i_o conceive_v in_o such_o cafe_z it_o be_v not_o necessary_a nor_o always_o expedient_a but_o rather_o for_o the_o most_o part_n otherwise_o for_o the_o promiser_n before_o he_o give_v faith_n to_o demand_v of_o the_o imposer_n whether_o of_o the_o two_o be_v his_o meaning_n but_o he_o may_v by_o the_o rule_n of_o prudence_n and_o that_o for_o aught_o i_o see_v without_o the_o violation_n of_o any_o law_n of_o conscience_n make_v his_o just_a advantage_n of_o that_o ambiguity_n and_o take_v it_o in_o the_o same_o sense_n which_o shall_v bind_v to_o the_o less_o and_o this_o i_o ground_n upon_o the_o very_a same_o reason_n as_o before_o for_o since_o the_o faith_n to_o be_v give_v be_v intend_v to_o the_o behoof_n of_o he_o to_o who_o it_o be_v give_v it_o concern_v he_o to_o take_v care_n that_o his_o meaning_n be_v express_v in_o such_o word_n as_o will_v sufficient_o manifest_v the_o same_o to_o the_o 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