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A17385	A commentary upon the three first chapters of the first Epistle generall of St. Peter VVherin are most judiciously and profitably handled such points of doctrine as naturally flow from the text. Together with a very usefull application thereof: and many good rules for a godly life. By Nicholas Byfield preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex. To which is now newly added an alphabeticall table, not formerly published.	Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622.; Gouge, William, 1578-1653.; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Commentary: or, sermons upon the second chapter of the first epistle of Saint Peter. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Sermons upon the ten first verses of the third chapter of the first Epistle of S. Peter. aut; Byfield, Nicholas, 1579-1622. Sermons upon the first chapter of the first Epistle generall of Peter. aut	1637 (1637)	STC 4212; ESTC S107139	978,571	754

conjecture hope remember or affect It is to doe all that with affiance assent or perswasion and that is more plaine i● we note the phrase of speech in God for we may be said to beleeve foure waies 1. To beleeve that God is 2. To beleeve God 3. To beleeve of God 4. To beleeve in God for this latter doth import a casting of our selves upon God There are also foure things distinctly in faith 1. The understanding of the Doctrine of the promise of grace 2. The second is the ●●●ent unto the tender of grace signified 1. By earnest desire after the happinesse revealed in the Gospell 2. By a willing base estimation of all earthly things in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Gods love in Christ. 3. The third is the relying upon God or the resting of the heart upon the truth of Gods promises as having found the chiefe good in which wee will trust and beyond which we desire no more All this is imported in this phrase if we note it 4. The fourth is the resolution to acknowledge and avouch this confidence in God both by our cleaving to Gods promises in all estates and by our profession of the doctrine of Gods free grace herein The Use is a gaine for tryall If the Lord have enlightned thee to see the doctrine of his grace in Christ if he have gotten thy consent to his truth especially if he have wonne thy affections so as thou canst with love and ioy and affiance take his word and rest in his love to thee as perswaded of his mercies toward thee and that thou canst also vow thy selfe to the profession of it assuredly thou dost beleeve 2. This doctrine confutes the Papists and carnall Protestants that thinke faith is no more then to beleeve the story of Christ and to hope well for the rest whereas to beleeve in God doth evidently import more then to beleeve that God is and to beleeve God to say true The opinion of those that think that to beleeve that Christ is the Sonne of God is enough to salvation hath more charity then authority in it Many places of Scripture prove we must beleeve that Christ is the Son of God and it is a charectiristicall difference betweene the true Church and divers false assemblies but yet the Scripture shewes we must beleeve more then that or else we may perish For the condition Ioh. 3.16 is not to beleeve that he is the Son of God but to beleeve in him which is to receive and apply him Iohn 1.12 4. The fourth thing is the cause of faith By him It is by Christ that wee beleeve in God and that for divers reasons 1. As he is the expiatorie cause of Gods favour to us For did not he satisfie for on● sins we had no reason to beleeve that God should regard us Our faith is in his bloud Rom. 3.15 2. As by his intercession hee covers the weaknesse of our faith and appears before God for us 3. As he is the giver and worker of our faith Eph. 2.8 10. 4. As he is Protector of our faith and preserves it Heb. 12.3 he is called the author and finisher of our faith 5. As he crownes our faith it is he that gives power to every beleever to become the son of God Ioh. 1.12 It is he that gives them eternall life Ioh. 17.2 3. The Use is first for confutation of merit not onely of works but of faith we nei●her could obey the law nor yet beleeve the Gospell of our selves Eph. 2.8 therefore there is no boasting of our selves 2. It should teach us to keepe our faith with all diligence and to continue grounded and established in it seeing it is a treasure Christ hath intrusted us withall 3. Thirdly if wee finde any sicknesse or weaknesse in our faith at any time runne to Jesus Christ for succour he that is the author of it will be the finisher of it also The last thing is the time Doe beleeve It is to be observed that he speaks of faith in the present time which imports divers things 1. That there was a time wherein they did not beleeve 2. That a Christian hath continuall use of his faith the just live by faith Habac. 2.4 1. He cannot goe into Gods presence without it 2. He cannot heare the word without it Heb. 4.2 2 Tim. 3.15 3. He cannot use well his calling but must live by faith Mat. 6. 4. He cannot beare afflictions without faith 1 Pet. 1.7 3. That there is no time wherein a Christian beleeveth not this must be understood thus 1. There is a twofold man the old man and the new man In respect of the new man hee alwaies beleeves for faith is the life of the new man Gal. 2.20 2. That a distinction must be made betweene the act of faith and the habit of it the habit can never be lost the act may cease 3. We must distinguish betweene faith and the Concomitants of faith Actuall joy peace in beleeving may be intermitted but not beliefe it selfe 4. Distinguish betweene faith sick and faith found Faith sometimes in spirituall diseases may have a Lethargie a palsie a swone a traunce c. and so for the present is but not discerned The Use is therefore 1. First for consolation to such as are afflicted under the want of sense of faith it doth not follow thou hast not faith because thou feelest it not because there is no time wherein thou beleevest not Quest. But what should one doe for comfort when the sense of faith is gone Answ. First looke to time past thinke of the times wherein thou didst stand and rejoyce in the grace of God 2. Looke upon the present fruits of faith and by that thou maiest discerne that faith hath roots though they be under ground those fruits are 1. An unfained desire to forsake all sin 2. Griefe because we have not faith as we would have it 3. Love of such as feare God even the meanest of them 4. The hatred of such as by following foolish vanities forsake their owne mercy 5. Griefe for the evill of our best works though never so secret joyned with the abhorring of our selves so as we are confounded for our sins which seeme to us to be as so many abominations Ezech. 36. 6. By the desire of Gods favour above all things 3. Pray to God to help thy unbeliefe and make thee sound in the faith instead of froward complainings that thou hast not faith goe to God and make thy humble moanes unto him and hee will heare thy teares and give thee faith For it is his gift and he will be fought unto Psal. 143. the whole 142.3.7 4. Know that this will be but for a short time Faith will revive and be found unto praise and glory 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Psal 30.6 David said in his haste he was cast out of Gods sight yet hee found that God even then heard the voice of 〈◊〉 cry

For if in all these senses it be a marvellous light then First we should be marvellously affected with it and strive to be exceeding thankfull for it How have wee deserved to be cast againe into darknesse for our extream unthankfulnesse How have we given God cause to take away the Candlesticke from us Let us therefore strive after thankfulnesse and admiration and if the Lord doe worke it in us let us take heed wee lose not our first love Secondly we should arme our selves for the defence of the light we should preserve it as a singular treasure both in our hearts and in our Churches wee should with the more resolution resist the works of darknesse standing alwaies upon our guard Rom. 13.12 Thirdly we should strive after all the degrees of the assurance of faith Fourthly we should strive to make our light shine the more excellently both for the measure of good workes Malac. 5.16 and for the strict and precise respect of the exact doing of good duties Now we have the light so cleerly shining wee may doe every thing more exactly than if it were darke Ephes. 5.15 Our gifts must not be hid The light must not be put under a bushell Matth. 5.15 Phil. 2.15 Wee should now avoid not onely greater faults and falls but lesser stumblings 1 Ioh. 2.10 11. We should do all things to the life and power of them and shew discretion aswell as knowledge This doctrine also doth imply the grievous misery of wicked men for if it bee marvellous light into which the godly are called there is a marvellous darknesse in which wicked men live The whole creation of God had beene but a confused heape if God had not set in it the light of the Sunne such a confused Chaos is the world of men if the Gospel shine not into their hearts Finally this should much comfort the godly they are called into marvellous light in all the senses before named which should much enflame their hearts and they should rebuke their owne hearts for not valuing so rich treasure We may from hence take occasion to note how little wee should trust to the judgement of flesh and blood in valuing spirituall things when the very godly themselves doe not so much esteeme of them as they should Whatsoever we thinke yet in Gods account the light of the Gospel the light of faith and knowledge the light of Gods countenance c. is marvellous light But if the light of the godly be marvellous in this world what shall it be in the world to come when God and the Lambe shall be their immediate light Here God lights us by the meanes there God himselfe will bee our everlasting light Here our light may bee darkened with clouds of affliction and temptation there shall be an eternall light without all darknesse Here wee have no light but what is infused into us there we shall our selves shine as the Sunne in the firmament Hitherto of the description in Tropicall termes Now it followes in plaine words VERS 10. Which in times past were not a people yet are now the people of God which in times past were not under mercy but now have obtained mercy THe Apostle takes the words of this verse out of the Prophet Hosea chap. 1.11 where the Lord promiseth that the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea and in the place where was it said unto them Ye are not my people it shall be said unto them Ye are my people Now the Apostle applies that sentence to the people to whom he wrote shewing that it was accomplished in them Quest. The question is of whom the Prophet and Apostle spake Ans. Some say of the Israelites in the letter both because the same chapter shewes that they were cast off and called Loammi not Gods people as also because the Apostle is thought to write onely to the Jewes But the Apostle Paul Ro. 9.24 25 26. apparently expounds it of the Gentiles chiefly and therefore wee must rest in his sense which by the way shewes that this Epistle was written to the Elect amongst the Gentiles as they were strangers and pilgrims in the world and not to the provinciall Jewes onely The Apostle then to the singular comfort of Christians in those times shewes that now were the Prophesies accomplished concerning the calling of the Gentiles which was before a great mystery hidden from ages and generations Col. 1.26 admired by Angels Eph. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.12 Before I open the words of this verse in particular some use would be made of this great worke of calling the Gentiles and so from the consideration of their estate both before and after calling And first for the meditation of the estate of the world or the Nations of the world before Christ preached unto them note First the horrible infectiousnesse of sinne whole worlds of people are poysoned with it Secondly the dreadfull horrour of Gods Justice against sinne which as we may see plainly in the sufferings of Christ so also very lively in the desertion and forsaking of the Gentiles so many millions of men perishing without pardon or pity and therefore it was never safe to follow a multitude in evill nor to pleade the practice of fathers or forefathers with such like And for the meditation of their calling againe in Christ by the Gospel wee may gather matter First of information and so first that God is not tied to any place If Israel after the flesh will not serve him hee will raise up children unto Abraham from among the Gentiles Mat. 21.43 Secondly that the Church of Christ is now Catholicke of all Nations and therefore Christs Kingdome is the largest Kingdome in the world and the glory of it must not be restrained to Rome or any one place Secondly of consolation for here we may observe First the infallibility of Gods promises these promises concerne the calling of the Gentiles as being dead and were most unlikely and yet wee see them fulfilled which should teach us to trust upon God Secondly the wisdome and power of God working light out of darknesse The rebellion of the Jewes is so farre from laying Sion waste or dissolving Religion that it is an occasion of a greater worke of God among the Gentiles yea when profanenesse seemes to over-grow all and the whole world seemes to live in wickednesse yet wee know not what times may come for the glory of Religion among Jewes and Gentiles Thirdly Gods wonderfull love to his Elect hee will gather them from all the foure windes of heaven Though they be few in number in comparison and live dispersed in every Country yet God the great Husbandman will not want meanes to fetch them home into his garner A husbandman that had all his field growne over with weeds save here and there one graine of corne on a land would never be at the paines of gathering and separating yet God will Fourthly the great encouragement that

that the conscience is bound to obey Magistrates by the vertue of God's Commandement that requires this obedience of men not simply in respect of the lawes of men Secondly that we are bound to obey every ordinance of man that is all sorts of lawes made by men This needs explication for it is evident by divers examples in Scripture of godly men that have refused to obey in some cases and the Apostles have left a rule Acts 5. that in some cases it is better to obey God than man And therefore I would consider of it distinctly in what things they have no authority to command and in what things they have authority For the first In some cases Magistrates have not authority and if they doe command we are not bound to obey For every Magistrate stands bound himselfe to looke to it that he transgresse not in these cases He is bound to the law of nature as hee is a man and to the law of God as hee is a Christian and to the fundamentall lawes of the Kingdome as hee is a Prince or Magistrate so that hee must make no lawes or ordinances against any of these Lawes especially he may command nothing forbidden in God's Word nor forbid any thing that is commanded in God's Word some instances will be given afterwards For the second In what things they may make lawes there is no question in these cases I now maintaine as if they make lawes in meere civill things for the good of the Common-wealth there is no doubt but wee must obey the expresse words of the Text require our submission and so i● they make lawes to enjoyne their subjection to doe such things as are commanded by God in Scripture or to forbid the doing of such things as are expresly condemned in God's Word There are other cases that have been by men of diseased minds doubted of but yet subm●ssion is by the Word of God required in them as well as in other cases For instance Men ought to submit themselves in these cases following as first in civill things if mens lawes be in some sort injurious as in matter of mens goods A Prince makes lawes to lay too heavie taxations upon the subject yet the subject must submit and therefore the ten Tribes did sinfully to refuse Rehoboam and rebell against him for that reason If any object that Naboth did not yeeld to Ahab when hee desired his Vineyard I answer first that some difference must be put between the occasions of Princes I meane their desires and their lawes the inordinate desires of Princes are not alwayes necessarie to be fulfilled Secondly Naboth was tied by the Law of God to keepe his inheritance for God had tied every man to keepe his ancient inheritance and to marrie within his Tribe that so it might bee cleerely manifest of what stocke the Messias should come Lev. 25.23 Num. 36.7 9. But this was an ordinance peculiar to the Jewish government Secondly in Church-matters the Magistrate may command and the Subject must obey Now because many questions are moved about the Magistrates authority in Church-affaires and about Church-men therefore I will here proceed distinctly and shew first what they cannot doe about Religion and then what they may doe These things they cannot doe that is they have no power or authority to meddle in them as First the civill Magistrate hath no power nor authority to execute the office of the Church-Minister he may not preach in the Church or administer the Sacraments or execute the censures of the Church Heb. 5.5 1 Cor. 7.10 The presumption of Ieroboam and Uzziah herein was punished 1 Kings 13. 2 Chron. 26. Secondly hee hath no power to make lawes that shall binde men to beleeve his devices as matters of faith and doctrine for these things depend upon the will of God not of Princes Thirdly hee hath not power to bring in any idolatrous service into the Church as a part of Gods worship Esay 29.13 Mat. 15.19 And therefore Ieroboam was condemned for the Calves and Ahab for Baal and Ahaz for the Altar of Damascus and all the Kings for the high places Fourthly hee hath no power to set up a Ministery in the Church that for the substance of the calling was not instituted by Christ Ephes. 4.11 12. Heb. 5.5 All Ministers of the Gospell have their mission from Christ. Thus of what they cannot doe what they can and ought to doe followes For it is certaine that in many things the Magistrates authority may and ought to bee extended in spirituall things for the good of the subject and therefore in respect of Religion they are said to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers The Apostle saith Rom. 13.5 of the Magistrate He is the Minister of God for thy good Now the good of the Subject is not onely a civill good done civilly but done spiritually a spirituall good which is the greatest good of the Subject and therefore to bee most sought for by the Prince And as in respect of their civill good he must provide that justice may flourish in the Common-wealth so in respect of their spirituall good hee must provide that Religion may flourish in the Church and to this end First he may and ought by his lawes to enjoyne the profession of the true Religion and the confession of faith according to the Word of God Secondly he may and ought to provide to the uttermost of his power that the Churches may be furnished with able Ministers and that they likewise may have power to call and ordaine other Ministers and dispose or depose as may be best for the good of the Church Thirdly he may and ought to provide by his lawes and order that the Word of God may be sincerely and purely taught and the Sacraments rightly administred and the censures of the Church executed according to the Word Fourthly he may and ought by his lawes to forbid and accordingly to punish blasphemies heresies idolatrie sacriledge and the like Now that the godly Princes have had power in these and the like cases about Religion is plaine Moses by the appointment of God gave order to Aaron and the people in the businesse of Religion Iosua appoints circumcision Iosh. 5. proclaimes the law of God Iosh. 8. renewes the covenant with God Iosh. 24. David disposeth of the officers about the Tabernacle 1 Chro. 23. and brings home the Arke 2 King 6. Salomon dedicated the Temple Asa the King made such a law as this that whosoever would not seeke the God of Israel should die Ezechias brake downe the brazen Serpent 2 Kings 18. commanded the Priests to cleanse the Temple 2 Chron. 29. and to celebrate the Pas●over and commanded the Levites to help the Priests because the Priests were not then cleane 2 Chron. ●0 Iosias destroyed the Idols sent his Princes to see to the restoring of the House of God appointed the Priests to their Ministeries in the Temple c. 2 Chron.

34. and 35. And whatsoever power the Princes had in the Old Testament the same power Christian Princes have in the New Testament Many testimonies might more be added Salomon deposed Abiathar Iehosaphat sent his Princes to see that the Priests and Levites did teach the Law of God in their cities But these may suffice Quest. But may the Magistrate lawfully make or appoint any orders to binde the Subjects about the worship of God Ans. The Magistrate may and ought to determine the circumstances of Gods worship which are not determined in the Word hee may not appoint any more duties as a worship to God but as a keeper of the first Table Hee may give order for the circumstances in or about the doing of religious duties in the Church as hee may appoint the time place and outward forme of prayer administration of the Sacraments fasting almes or the like These things must not be done tumultuously or confusedly but in order and that order the Magistrate may prescribe All actions about Gods worship are of two sorts some differ not from the worship it selfe but are things that God especially looketh at in his worship such as is the purity and san●tity of the heart some belong to the worship of God as he●ps and instruments for the better pe●forming or declaring of that worship The first sort of actions must be prescribed onely by God who onely can give what he requires and of this sort whatsoever is not commanded is forbidden no man may adde or take away or change in these things The second sort are not all of a kinde neither For some are necessary in respect of the being of them as th●t there should be Churches marriages or that the Sacraments should be administred c. and these also must be instituted of God onely but some are contingents and belong to the manner how or when as may best agree to the condition of each particular Church Now these last God hath left to the Church and so to the Christian Magistrate to dispose of so as God's truth Christian simplicity or publike edification be not hindred or violated Quest. But here might some one say In these things the matter was appointed of God the Magistrate meddles onely with the manner or the circumstances But may Magistrates by their owne authority bring into the Church things that for matter or manner were never appointed by God and so enjoyne their owne inventions to be observed by the subject Ans. Inventions of men are of diverse sorts for First some are impious and contrarie to the Word of God in their owne nature such as are The invocation of Saints selling of Masses and Indulgences the forbidding of marriage and meats making of Images consecration of Altars the use of holy water prayer for the dead monasticall vowes worship of reliques the exalting of one Bishop to be over all the world and such like these may not be commanded they are the leaven of Pharisees and will spoile all and therefore may not be brought in by any authority Secondly other inventions of men there are that concerne onely things that in their owne nature are indifferent neither commanded nor forbidden of God in these the Magistrate hath power to command but yet not an absolute power for hee may offend in commanding and subjects may offend in obeying And therefore I distinguish thus If the Magistrate command things indifferent in their owne nature to bee used and professe that hee requires them with opinion of worship holinesse or merit or necessity to salvation then the Magistrate sinnes in so commanding and the subject sinnes in obeying but if the Magistrate command things to be used which in their owne nature are indifferent and professe to disclaime the opinion of holinesse worship merit or necessitie then it is lawfull to obey his commandements in such cases So then traditions brought in with an opinion of necessitie c. are unlawfull but traditions brought in for order and decorum are lawfull 1 Cor. 14.40 and this is apparent For if God have left the ordering of things indifferent to men why may not Magistrates appoint that order And if Christians may take in or bring up customes in the time of God's worship why may not the Magistrate doe it by his authoritie If Christians may make an order for what garments women should weare on their heads in the time of God's worship why may not the Magistrate make an order what garments Ministers should weare in the time of God's worship If subjects may of their owne heads appoint a feast of their owne making at the time of God's feast as they did their love-feasts in the Primitive Church and withall appointed the action or gesture of kiss●ng one another why may not the Magistrate by his authoritie bring in an action or gesture it being such a gesture as God hath neither commanded nor forbidden Finally if in things indifferent a private man may use things indifferent of his owne head why may hee not use them which the Magistrate commands and when hee commands him and if hee may refuse to use some things onely because of his owne will why may hee not refuse them when the Magistrate forbiddeth him But that this point may be more cleere I will set downe a Catalogue of inventions of men used for religious ends and uses without any commandement of God and that both before the Law and under the Law and under the Gospell First before the Law we read of these things The laying of the hand under the thigh in swearing Genes 24. c. Iacobs piller erected as a religious monument Genes 28.18 Secondly under the Law we read of these instances The Altar of the two Tribes and an halfe Ios. 22.10 and 27.30 Davids dancing and playing on all sorts of instruments and songs before the Arke 1 Chron. 13.8 and 15.16 and 2 Sam. 6.14 Davids wearing of a linnen Ephod the garment of the Levites 1 Chr. 15.27 Davids appointing of the offices of the Levites and his bringing in of the new order of singing men into the Temple 1 Chron. 24. and 25. The use of sack-cloth and ashes in fasting Salomon built another Altar besides the Altar of the Lord 2 Chron. 7.7 Hezekias kept the Passeover at a time not appointed by the Law and the people kept it seven dayes longer 2 Chron. 30.2 3 27. About the celebration of the Passeover it is manifest that the godly Iewes brought in of their owne heads 1. The gesture of sitting which Christ himselfe also used 2. The solemne use of the cup of which mention is made also that Christ used it Luke 22.17 The Rechabites abstinence not onely from wine according to the Law of the Nazarites but from husbandry and houses Ierem. 35. The Jewes had every where Synagogues which were not commanded by the Law Luk. 7.5 Mardocheus appointed the feasts of Pur or lots Iudas Maccabeus appointed the feast of Tabernacles which our Saviour graced

true God and yet it is manifest that the Gentiles have most idolatrously abused themselves in that course of erecting Pillars Lev. 26.1 For the fourth point Such ceremonies as had signification put upon them were notwithstanding lawfull as is manifest by the consideration of most of those ceremonies mentioned before the Altar by Jordan the Cup used at the Passover the Cover on the heads of women and the love-feasts with the holy kisse and so had all the Jewish ceremonies Now for the last thing which makes things indifferent with us scandadalous we are not left without witnesse from the Scriptures in such cases but that ceremonies knowne to be scandalous were notwithstanding used For it is manifest concerning the Jewish ceremonies that they were scandalous in the usage to the Gentiles and in the omitting to the Jewes Acts 21. 21 22 27 28. Gal. 2.3 9 12. But that this point of scandall may be distinctly understood divers rules are to be considered of First that the angring or bare displeasing of other men is not the offence or scandall condemned in Scripture as not onely the words in the Originall shew but all sound Divines grant A scandall is a stumbling blocke that occasions a man to fall from grace in the profession of it into sin or errour Secondly that to give offence by doing any thing which is simply evill in it selfe as David did by his adultery and murder this is out of all question abominable Thirdly that the offence of Aliens is to be regarded that is we must not doe any thing by which men that are not yet converted may bee hardened from the liking of Religion and so offence must not be given either to the Jew or to the Grecian 1 Cor. 10.31 Fourthly that when the authoritie of the Magistrate or Church hath determined concerning the use of things indifferent wee are not now left free nor are bound to looke at the scandall of particular persons but must make conscience of it that wee offend not the Church by working a greater hu●t or losse to the Church than the particular hurt of private persons can extend unto In such cases as this the Apostles rule holds If any man seeme to bee contentious we have no such custome nor the Church of God 1 Cor. 11.16 And we are bound in this Text of the Apostle Peter to obey the humane ordinances of men in authority from which obligation other mens offence cannot free us And the Apostle chargeth us to looke to it that wee offend not the Church in prescribed ordinances and that we be carefull not to offend private men in free ceremonies Fifthly that where ceremonies are left free and indifferent and have no commandement to restraine their use or enjoyne it there are men to redeeme the offence of their brethren with no other price than the losse of liberty in things indifferent The Apostle Paul faith rather than hee will offend his brother he will never eat flesh while he liveth 1 Cor. 10.8.13 Hee doth not say He will never preach the Gospell while hee liveth or never receive the Sacraments while hee liveth a necessitie lay upon him to preach the Gospell and to yeeld to the use of all lawfull things to get his libertie whosoever be offended Sixthly that where the person that takes offence is wilfully ignorant and by all meanes avoids instruction and will not have the patience to be taught such offence is not to be regarded Thus our Saviour Christ teacheth confidently his doctrine of eating his flesh though the Capernaites were offended and some of his Disciples turned Apostates about it being such persons as would not abide the exposition of his meaning Iohn 6.52 Seventhly the like is to be said of such persons as take offence out of envie or malice as the man in the Parable that envied Christs bountie or the Pharisees that out of malice were offended at Christ Mat. 20.15 Mat. 15.14 1 Pet. 2.8 Eighthly that in things that have proved scandalous yet we are not bound to lose our libertie till the weake brother declare his offence Meat sacrificed to idols was offensive to many in all countries yet the Apostles rule is Eat and make no question unlesse one say This is meat sacrificed to idols 1 Cor. 10.25 28. Thus of the five things that make things indifferent to become inconvenient and yet not unlawfull I might adde some other things as that a man may practice and use such ceremonies for the advancing of the substantiall part of Gods worship as hee himselfe hath everie where preached against Acts 22.21 and in some cases hath refused to doe Gal. 2.5 24. Againe that such inconvenient ceremonies may be imposed upon such persons and Churches as never received them before Acts 15.19 38. and 21.25 Quest. The last question is Whether wee must submit unto Magistrates when they command unlawfull things Ans. A great difference is to bee put betweene things commanded by Magistrates concerning the lawfulnesse of which was doubt and such things concerning which the Subject is assured that they are unlawfull It is cleare that if I know the Magistrate commands a thing unlawfull I must not doe it because in that case I am bound to obey God and not men but suspition or doubting of the lawfulnesse of things is no discharge for obedience It is true that in things indifferent which I may doe or not doe I must bee fully perswaded and whatsoever is not of faith is sinne but I suppose that the Inferiour is not discharged from his obedience in any case but when he knowes the Magistrate commands a sinne Infinite confusion would follow in the family and Common-wealth and Churches if the conjectures and suspitions of the Inferiours might warrant their refusall of subjection Secondly though I must in things unlawfull refuse to obey yet I must looke to the manner of refusall I must take heed that I be not guilty of that sinne of speaking evill of dignities 2 Pet. 2. Iude 8. Which prohibition was given them when the Magistrates were wicked men and did command unlawfull things Thus of the doctrine and explication of these things that concerne mans ordinances and their authority in the extent of them The uses follow Use. The use may be for reproofe and so both of those that offend in the excesse and of those that offend in the defect First some men attribute too much to the ordinances of men and that divers wayes as when they account mens ordinances in the observation of them to be a worship to God or to be meritorious or to bee necessary to salvation or in themselves simply to binde consciences and also when more care is had for the keeping of mens ordinances than of Gods Commandements or when Gods service is hindred or transgressed or neglected for mens traditions Secondly some men offend in the defect as 1. Such Christians as deny obedience to the ordinances of men in the indifferent or onely inconvenient things 2. Such