Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	apostle_n	deliver_v	tradition_n	2,968	5	9.1889	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79884	Of scandal together with a consideration of the nature of Christian liberty and things indifferent. Wherein these weighty questions are fully discussed: Whether things indifferent become necessary, when commanded by authority? Neg. Whether scandalous things, being enjoyned, may lawfully be done? Neg. Whether a restraint laid upon things indifferent, without a reasonable ground, be not an infringement of Christian liberty? Aff. Who is to be judge, whether there be a reasonable ground or no, in such cases? How far forth we are bound in conscience to obey humane laws.	Clark, Samuel, 1626-1701.; Alsop, Vincent, 1629 or 30-1703, attributed name.	1680 (1680)	Wing C4495; ESTC R231493	83,945	180

eo ipsorum authoritas elevari videretur qui jam Seniorum locum tenerent illorum successores institutorum propagatores saith Brugensis Hence Christ calls 'em your Traditions So then The Elders here meant were such as lived in former times who were persons of great Dignity and Authority to whose cognisance matters of Religion did appertain and to whom it belonged to form and frame these Constitutions or Traditions Where by the way you may take notice and that you may take the more and better notice of it know That it is the Observation of the prodigiously learned Dr. Stillingfleet That the word Elder or Presbyter according to the common use of it has a higher Character and is of more excellent import than the word Bishop the former noting Dignity and Authority as has been show'd the latter only matter of Duty Charge Trouble and Business His words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name importing Duty more than Honour and not a Title above Presbyter but rather used by way of diminution and qualification of the power implied in the name Presbyter Iren. p. 286. But this by the by Thus you see Who these Elders were 2. The next thing to be spoken unto is to show What the Traditions of these Elders were And here I shall consider 1 their Nature 2 Original 3 Validity or what stress they laid upon ' em Sect. 10. First What a Tradition is A Tradition in general is something delivered from one to another and it is twofold Divine and Humane 1 Divine which is either matters of Doctrine delivered either by God himself or some immediately inspired by him and so both the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Noun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used concerning the points of Christianity Thus the Apostle Paul received from God and delivered to the Church the Doctrine of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11.23 and of Christ's Death and Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.3 yea the whole Doctrine of the Gospel in general is a Tradition delivered or conveyed to us Rom. 6.17 2 Thes 2.15 Jude 3. Again Divine Traditions respect matters of Practice also and these are Constitutions or Ordinances appointed by God or some immediately inspired by him for the use of the Church as the word seems to be taken 1 Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you Brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances Margin Traditions as I have delivered them to you And more plainly 2 Thes 3.6 2 Humane called here Traditions of the Elders your Traditions v. 3 6. your own Traditions Mark 7.9 the Traditions of men Mark 7.8 Col. 2 8. and of the Fathers Gal. 1.14 And these likewise are either Doctrinal concerning some points of Doctrine as Matth. 5.21 c. and therefore are called expresly the Doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees Matth. 16.12 Concerning which Grotius observes That that which the Greek Philosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ here calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine Instruction Article or point of Faith or else they are Practical being customs and external observances invented by men and delivered from hand to hand from Father to Son and such Traditions were these here of the Elders and those Col. 2.20 21. And these are the Traditions under Consideration Now such a Tradition is an Ordinance * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 institutum hoc constitutionem vertere possumus Eras Institution Canon Constitution Resolution Decision or Determination of their Forefathers the Governours of the Church delivered down from one to another enjoyning the observation of such and such Rites Ceremonies or Practices The former of these sorts viz. Divine Traditions are the Rule and Ground of our Faith Worship and Obedience The latter Humane do naturally produce Superstition and Will-worship and of this sort there were multitudes upon all occasions so that the whole Talmud is little else than a Collection of ' em I 'le give you a taste and but a taste of ' em It was a Tradition that on a Festival-day it was not lawful to blow the fire with a pair of bellows because that had some resemblance of a Mechanick work but they might blow it through a hollow Cane Again On a Festival-day it was not lawful to lay wood on the fire in an artificial manner so as to resemble a building But enough of these Sect. 11. Secondly What was the ground they went upon or the occasion of their first broaching these Traditions In general it was as they express it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To make a hedg to the Law that men should not break in upon it to transgress it and this was a specious colour for all their Traditions for they pretending to make Constitutions to fence the Law from violation and to raise the observance of it the higher they multiplied inventions and fancies of their own brains and set 'em up for Laws and so made the Law indeed nothing worth I shall give you an instance but in one of ' em The written Law forbad Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his Mothers milk Exod. 23.19 Now to make sure as they pretended that this Law should not be violated they fenced it with this Tradition Thou shalt not seethe any flesh whatsoever in any milk whatsoever Thus we see how very apt men are to set their posts by God's Pillars to light up their Candles to his Sun to put their varnish upon his Gold and like Botchers to patch their inventions upon his Institutions The Jewish Rabbies under a specious pretence of Piety brought in whole loads of this kind of trash which they called Sepimenta legis but were indeed but impedimenta because God's Commands were thereby frustrated as our Saviour Christ shows here in the sequel of this discourse This is the general reason But As for the particular grounds of particular Traditions I shall have occasion to mention some afterwards Sect. 12. Thirdly What was their Validity Of what account they were among the Jews and what value they put upon 'em appears by many passages in their Authors It is a saying of the Talmudists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verba Cabalae aequiparantur verbis Legis Here they set them cheek by jole as we say with the Commands of God but this is not all they set 'em even above the Law of God it self and make that to lacquey behind for this is another saying in the Talmud as Grotius quotes it Plus est in verbis Scribarum quam in verbis Legis There 's more weight in the words of the Scribes than in the words of the Law And Dr. Lightfoot quotes another to the same purpose The words of the Elders are more lovely than the words of the Law and more weighty than the words of the Prophets Hence they say of this Tradition in particular That he that eats his bread with unwashen hands sins as grievously as if he lay with a Whore So saith R. Jose

life of faith and of justice But this resolution may seem to labour with the malady of obscurum per obscurius and therefore we will dismiss it Gregory saith That whatsoever may be forborn without sin must be forborn in case of Scandal Judicious and learned Ames limits it to that which is (a) Tum autem scandalum dicitur dari cum illud quod ex mandato Dei non est nobis necessarium temere committitur Medul l. 2. c. 16. sect 53. necessary by God's Command but that seems to straiten it too much for a thing may be necessary by a concurrence of circumstances as he himself speaks elsewhere Rutherford in his (b) Which is annexed to his Divine Right of Church-Government Dispute touching Scandal hath several distinctions about things necessary qu. 6. p. 61. and lays down several Rules for regulating our practice therein p. 82. which I think not necessary here to mention I think we may dispatch the business and solve the principal difficulty by a distinction or two formerly made use of There 's a twofold Necessity Intrinsecal imprinted upon the nature of things and so belonging to the whole kind as to hear pray c. Circumstantial which is not general but particular arising only from some circumstance which makes it necessary pro hic nunc in such a particular respect as to stand in a Pulpit or some such high place when I am Preaching that I may be the better heard to be uncovered when I am praying in the Congregation in token of reverence to come to the Church to partake of the publick Ordinances because that place is ordinarily more fit and convenient than another to eat meat offer'd to Idols when no other can be had Thus abstaining from blood and things strangled is called a necessary thing for the Gentiles Act. 15.28 viz. not intrinsecally from any general standing Law but circumstantially and in that particular case in respect of the Scandal the Jews did take at eating of them Now this kind of necessity admits of a very great latitude so that whatsoever hath but any tolerable considerable degree of convenience whether moral natural or civil comes within the compass of this necessity But then we must take another distinction along with us This circumstantial necessity is either Absolute or Comparative Absolute when a necessary end cannot be attain'd by other means So it 's absolutely necessary that but one at once should be speaking in the same Congregation 1 Cor. 14 28-33 because the contrary would breed disorder and confusion destructive of edification and likewise that he that speaks should speak in a known tongue Comparative when another means may serve as well and be as convenient for attaining the end or at least the end may be attain'd thereby in some tolerable manner though it may be not so readily and conveniently Thus a Cloak may be as fitting and decent to Preach in as a Gown a Divinity-School or some such like place as convenient as a Church a high Pew as a Pulpit Now to apply these distinctions to our present purpose I lay down these Positions 1. That which is necessary either intrinsecally or circumstantially with an absolute necessity is not matter of scandal given i. e. if scandal do follow upon the doing of it he is not culpable that does it In case one of the Christian Corinthians could have gotten no other meat but such as had been offer'd to Idols and must either have eaten that or starved the eating of this meat being absolutely necessary in this case for the preservation of his life and there being no other means in his power for the attaining this necessary end that would have excused him and rendred him innocent and blameless though Scandal had followed upon it but in case other meat might conveniently have been gotten and he might have eaten that then the eating of this particular meat in case of Scandal ought to have been forborn So Christ's Doctrine concerning the vain Traditions of the Elders being necessary to be delivered and that the people should be acquainted therewith excused him from blame Mat. 15.10 though the Pharisees were offended thereat and makes him regardless of their scandal and therefore he saith concerning it Let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind v. 14. So Churches being so necessary for the decent and orderly meeting of the Congregation and fitted for the several performances and in few places there being any other buildings that have any tolerable degree of convenience and because if these individual Churches should be pulled down there would not be others built in their rooms therefore though some have been scandalized at the use of them in regard they have formerly been abused with Idolatry it is not matter of scandal given nor does make us culpable by using them 2. That which has no degree of necessity neither in its own nature nor by reason of any circumstance or if it have it is but a comparative necessity which may be compassed and attained by other means must be forborn in case of scandal This is such a legible truth and so palpably evident that Papists themselves subscribe to it for both * Comment in 22 a. q. 43. a. 7. Cajetan and Domin Bannes say that we should abstain even à spiritualihus non-necessariis when scandal arises out of them and Maldonat in Mat. 17.27 tells us that Christ shunned a Scandal which would have been meerly passive the reason whereof is rendred by Paraeus in locum Debebant enim exactores non ignorare Christi immunitatem dignitatem quia tamen ignari ejus erant ne videretur scandalum dedisse cedere potius suâ libertate voluit Ideò non dicit tantum ne scandalizentur sed ne scandalizemus eos i. e. ne scandali materiam iis demus docens scandala cavenda esse etiam cum cessione nostri juris in rebus bus mediis Hence wearing a Surplice being scandalous and officiating in some other garment being as decent and every way tending as much to the gravity and solemnity of the Administration therefore it ought to be forborn where there is no more necessity for the using than for the forbearing So Christ's insisting upon his priviledge and making up of his liberty and freedom in case of paying tribute not being necessary he waves it when he saw scandal might have followed upon it Mat. 17 25-27 3. Though the end cannot be altogether so well and conveniently attain'd yet if it may be at all obtain'd without any considerable degree of inconvenience in case the other though more convenient means prove scandalous it renders culpable by the use of it Or more plainly thus We are bound to part with some conveniencies especially in civil matters for the avoiding offence This I gather both from Paul's Resolution 1 Cor. 8. ult If meat make my brother to offend c. Though possibly it might be inconvenient for him and prejudicial

unacquainted with or unsatisfied in thou wilt but bring a curse upon thy self 4 To the weak Be you careful rightly to inform your selves concerning the nature of Indifferencies that you may not be scandalized thereby and so deprive the strong of their liberty therein Liberty is a sweet thing and the very notion of restraint is irksome and grating upon the fancy as appears in the case of that old man who having lived all his life long in one place and never stirred from it when he came to be confined to that place and so deprived of his liberty to go elsewhere the very conceit of it killed him This restraint of liberty is a Moral kind of Imprisonment and therefore the strong may sue you for false imprisonment Nay thereby you may expose your Ministers to that tyranny and severity which otherwise they might be free from and deprive them of that liberty which otherwise they might enjoy And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this sense also Be not apt to take offence You can never have any just or blameless cause of being offended or taking offence 22ae q. 43. a. 2. Non solum scandalizare sed scandalizari peccatum est quià infirmitatis est saith Maldon in Mat. 18.7 as Aquinas shews As 't is the duty of the strong not to give offence so of the weak not to take offence 'T is the Apostle's Rule Rom. 14.3 Let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth * Infirmorum est ignoraentium firmioribus jus libertatem suam relinquere edentem gnarum suae libertatis non condemnare Rivet in Syn. pur Theol. Disp 35. Sect. 36. Every one should be left to his own liberty in these things Why should you any more desire to have all others shrunk up or cut shorter to your size and proportion than they should desire such dwarfs as you are to be extended and stretcht out to their proportion That 's an excellent Rule of Dr. Sanderson with which I shall conclude The best and safest way for us in all indifferent things is to be indulgent to others but strict to our selves in allowing them their liberty with the most but taking our own liberty ever with the least Serm. on 1 Pet. 2.16 sect 34. FINIS Good Sir HAving this safe way of conveyance I return you the Manuscript you were pleas'd to communicate to me some time since I have deliberately read it over and with much satisfaction I do concur with you in your notions in all things material and I think the controversie is clearly stated so as might satisfie those that are impartial and them that are not nothing will satisfie but their own interest and their own humour but I have lookt upon the Question about Indifferent Things and their Imposition as managed by all Church-men to be but a pretence to puzzle the Conscience with niceties while they maintain'd and increased among us Popish and carnal Ceremonies to hinder profitable Preaching and the power of Godliness and now we have liv'd to see the Mask pull'd off when many of them are not ashamed to profess that they are more afraid of Presbyterians than Papists and that they had rather Papists should prevail than Presbyterians but the times are coming that will lay all men open the Lord make us faithful and prudent Hearty thanks for the use of your Book from Your assured Friend and Brother in the Lord AN EXERCITATION ON THAT Historical Relation Matth. 15 1-9 Mark 7 1-13 CONCERNING Eating with unwashen hands By way of APPENDIX or SUPPLEMENT To the Discourse concerning IN DIFFERENCIES AND More particularly to Argument or Reason the Fourth to prove That Indifferencies enjoyn'd by Authority do not thereby become necessary or That the Command of Authority does not render indifferent things necessary LONDON Printed for Benj. Alsop at the Angel over against the Stocks-Market 1680. Matth. XV. 1. THen came to Jesus Scribes and Pharises which were of Jerusalem saying 2. Why do thy Disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread 3. But he answered and said unto them Why do you also transgress the Commandment of God by your tradition 4. For God commanded saying Honour thy Father and thy Mother and he that curseth Father or Mother let him dye the death 5. But ye say Whosoever shall say to his Father or his Mother It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me 6. And honour not his father or his mother he shall be free Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none effect by your tradition 7. Ye hypocrites well did Esaias prophesie of you saying 8. This people draws nigh unto me with their mouth and honours me with their lips but their heart is far from me 9. But in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the Commandments of men Mark VII 1. THen came together to him the Pharisees and certain of the Scribes which came from Jerusalem 2. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled that is to say with unwashen hands they found fault 3. For the Pharisees and all the Jews except they wash their hands oft eat not holding the tradition of the Elders 4. And when they come from the market except they wash they eat not And many other things there be which they have received to hold as the washing of cups and pots brazen vessels and of tables 5. Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him Why walk not thy Disciples according to the tradition of the Elders but eat bread with unwashen hands 6. He answered and said unto them Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honours me with their lips but their heart is far from me 7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrins the cōmandments of men 8. For laying aside the Commandment of God ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do 9. And he said unto them Full well ye reject the Commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition 10. For Moses said Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. AN EXERCITATION ON Mat. 15 1-9 Mark 7 1-13 Sect. 1. THE imposed use of Indifferencies has been like the Canaanites to the Israelites pricks in the eyes and thorns or goads in the sides of i. e. matter of much mischief and vexation to the Church of God almost in all ages Especially in the Jewish Church when it drew towards the dregs much of this sediment appeared How far the Papal Anti-Christian Church is over-run with this ill humour is notorious And it 's one great evil which our English Church now labours and groans under at this day 'T is this which has been the apple of contention and bone of division the stone of stumbling and rock of offence among us ever since the beginning of the Reformation in

in Talm. Sota c. 1. yea saith R. Akiba he deserves to dye for it and accordingly water being once brought to him both for drinking and washing and the greatest part of it being casually spilt the remainder he used for washing saying That it 's better to dye than to transgress the tradition of the Elders And this is a saying too among them Whosoever dwells in the land of Israel and eats his ordinary food after a cleanly manner and speaks in the holy language and saith over his Phylacteries morning and evening may be confident that he shall obtain happiness in the world to come But lest any should take these Traditions for matters of Counsel only or bare opinion which laid no manner of obligation upon them and because a passage of Grotius formerly quoted and animadverted upon may seem to look that way though what has been said already under this last head does abundantly prove what an high opinion they had of them in point of their obligatoriness Yet further as I show'd before that the word Elder denotes persons of a publick Character and such as were in places of power and authority and not only persons in a private capacity so I shall further prove by several Arguments that the Traditions of these Elders were not points of opinion only but matters of injunction and command Sect. 13. 1 This Tradition is expressy called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Precept of the wise men both by Maimonides in Hilchos Brachos c. 6. sect 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Washing the hands is a precept of the wise men to which we are absolutely bound to yield obedience according to what is written Deut. 17.11 According to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee thou shalt do And also by the Talmud Washing of hands is by reason of the command of the wise men And accordingly 2 These Traditions are called Commandments of men here by Christ Mark 7.7 and opposed to the Commandments of God v. 8. and what is called in one verse a Tradition is called in the other Commandments of men so that they seem to be convertible terms Mark 7.7 8. In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men For laying aside the Commandment of God ye hold the tradition of men c. 3 The word transgress Why do thy Disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders implies that they held them obligatory and that these Traditions laid an obligation upon them for why else do they tax the Disciples for the transgression thereof if they did not take 'em to have the nature of a law For Transgression properly belongs to a law or something that has a binding power in it 1 John 3.4 4 The drift and design of our Saviour's Answer and Vindication is to show that the people were not obliged thereby and that these Traditions were of no force or validity at all which shows that they look't upon 'em as obligatory 5 These Elders who were the Authors of these Traditions were members of the Senate and Rulers as was proved afore and consequently a Tradition or Decision of their's had the nature of a law and was of a binding power being the act of the whole body as we find it was in this particular case for the whole body of the Council espoused the quarrel of this Rite for they Excommunicated R. Eliezer because he slighted this Ceremony of washing of hands and then when he was dead they commanded a great stone to be laid on his Coffin in token of their detestation of him or to note That his Coffin was to be stoned saith the Talmud in Edajoth cap. 5. 6 The Hebrew Edition of Matthew by Munster renders traditions of the Elders by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by Buxtorf Pactum decretum statutum constitutio sententia from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decernere statuere definire And thus we have dispatch't the consideration of the General ground of their complaint viz. A transgression of the Tradition of the Elders by showing Who these Elders were What a Tradition of the Elders was both as to the Nature Ground and Validity thereof Come we now to the particular cause of their quarrel viz. Eating with unwashen hands And here many things offer themselves to our consideration As Sect. 14 1 This Washing is called by the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lifting up the hands viz. to wash for dinner because in washing they lifted them up in a formal ceremonious manner as we shall see anon or as St. Mark expresses it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligently 2 The Rabbins say it was to be used only before the eating of ordinary bread Thus Maimon in Hilchos Brachos c. 6. sect 1. Quicunque comedit panem super quo convenit recitare benedictionem istam Benedictus c. qui educit panem è terrâ opus habet lavare manus ab initio fine etiamsi sit panis communis The Reasons whereof the learned Reader may see in Buxtorf's Discourse De lotione manuum sect 11. And therefore you may observe that express mention is made of bread here several times Matth. 15.2 Mark 7.2 5. And therefore they allow'd a man to eat fruit cheese herbs or fish with unwashen hands 3 This washing was from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ends of the fingers wherewith they took their meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usque ad juncturam to the joyning which some understand of the joyning of the fingers to the hand but most generally of the joyning of the hands to the arm at the wrist and not of the joyning up at the elbow as Capellus contends for which Buxtorf produces many passages in his Vindic. Exercit. in hist Institut Coen Domin advers animad Lud. Capelli sect 55. Sect. 15. 4 For the Manner it was performed either by pouring the water upon the hands by another person or by one's self if none else were at hand to do it or else by dipping the hands in the water If it were done by pouring the water was to be poured upon the hands two or three times First If the hands be dirty to cleanse 'em from the dirt 2 To take away the moral uncleanness as they accounted it 3 To cleanse them from that second water which took the moral uncleanness to it self and therefore must all be washed off Several other Rules and Directions are given both as to the Quality and Quantity of the water as also concerning the Vessel that the water is to be put into which may be seen in the forementioned Author sect 24-28 5 They were to lift up their hands whence it was called Netilas jadajim as was said that the water might not run back from the hands to the fingers and so defile them again for they held that the water that was poured upon the hands did contract moral defilement thereby as was said 6 They were to pull off Rings Plaisters or any such

we implead your Disciples for is none of those but founded upon a particular law and therefore that stands firm and ought to be observed as not liable to this exception and so they are guilty for not observing it But now that Christ should argue thus loosely and incoherently is by no means to be admitted Shall He who gave to man the faculty of Reason be defective in any point of Reason himself As the Psalmist argues concerning God's Knowledge and Providence Psal 94.9 10. He that planted the ear shall not he hear He that formed the eye shall he not see He that teaches man knowledge shall not he know So may we say in this case True the Reason of Christ's discourses sometimes lies very deep that it 's hard for us to fathom it with our short understandings and to attain to a clear apprehension of it but however we cannot without blasphemy admit of any flaw in it or deny it to be firm valid and concluding But then if He did here argue against all such Traditions in general my Observation stands good and I have gained my Point And hence it will follow 3 That to observe such Traditions and Institutions is so far from being a Duty that it is a sin because thereby the Law of God is transgressed Sect. 18.2 Christ's Reply is by way of Reprehension and taxing their hypocrisie Matth. 15 7-9 Ye hypocrites c. The people indeed had a great veneration for them and lookt upon them as great Devoto's and Religionists but Christ puts off their vizor uncovers their nakedness and lays open their hypocrisie and that by applying to them that prophecie of Isaiah This people draws nigh c. i. e. they pretend a great deal of Religion in their outward carriage and seem to be very diligent in all external duties but all is but from the teeth outward their Religion is but a meer carkass without any life or soul or spirit in it the heart is wanting Here he opens the fountain of this evil which was The placing all Religion in outward ceremonies and superstitious observances V. 9. But in vain do they worship me i. e. They shall not only not get any good by such worship but shall bring upon themselves the wrath of God and consequently a great deal of evil and mischief by their thus teaching for Doctrines i. e. instead of Doctrines the commandments of men The word Doctrine is usually taken for those points either of Faith or Duty which are delivered in Preaching and here it must relate particularly to matters of worship as is evident both because that is the business in hand which Christ is here speaking of and also by comparing these words with those of Isaiah whence they are taken viz. Isa 29.13 where the words run thus and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men Their fear towards me i. e. their worship of me as fear is taken 2 King 17.32 33. And then by the commandments of men is meant those Traditions of the Elders before mentioned what he calls your traditions and your own traditions before here he calls the commandments of men i. e. All such humane inventions and institutions in God's worship which have no good ground nor warrant from the Word of God though they may pretend some Ea quae fundamentum habent in persuasione mere humanâ non divinitus tradita saith Grotius So that the sense of the whole clause is this Teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men i. e. By their thus preaching up and pressing the observation of their Traditions and humane Inventions in the worship of God instead of those things which are of divine Institution and Appointment they render their worship vain 'T is the property of Scripture alone to be profitable for Doctrine 2 Tim. 3.16 Hence Titus is required to show uncorruptness in doctrine Tit. 2.7 i. e. to deliver the pure truths of God not dashed with the water nor alloy'd with the lead of humane inventions whereby 't is corrupted as wine is with water and gold with lead So that as the matter of all our Teaching is laid down Positively in that Commission Matth. 28. ult Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you So here teaching and urging any thing in the worship of God not only contrary to but besides the Word is condemned in these words by Christ and they that take their measures in Worship from the Commandments of men their worship is vain bootless and unprofitable yea mischievous and abominable And such persons Christ pronounces to be Hypocrites and such we must take 'em for except we will contradict his judgement Your zealous assertors of and great sticklers for the observation of humane inventions in God's worship are great hypocrites in Christ's account and they that urge and impose such things as strictly or more strictly than the observation of divine Institutions are guilty of gross hypocrisie whatever they pretend as to Decency Uniformity Authority or the like For though a practice be really a matter of Decency and Conveniency and thereupon some Rules and Directions may be given by Authority about it yet it ought not to be enjoyn'd as strictly or as much stress laid upon it as upon the substantials and vitals of Worship as for example In point of Time or Place or Gesture or Habit 't is to be supposed and I think we may well take it for granted that generally neither Ministers nor People are such bruits and so void of understanding as to perform Duties with such undue Circumstances at such inconvenient Times in such inconvenient Places with such rude Postures in such undecent Habits as may render the service or worship notoriously undecent and wholly unprofitable and inconsistent with the Glory of God and the good of Souls or if any particulars should be guilty of such foul miscarriages then let Governours take notice thereof and censure offenders proportionably to the demerit of the crime and not perdere substantiam propter accidentia imbroil the whole Church by and silence hundreds or thousands of inoffensive Ministers for non-compliance with Impositions about such matters Certainly the greatest evil that can be imagin'd to follow upon some irregular undue circumstantial miscarriage in worship is not proportionable to the thousandth part of that mischief which we have always found has follow'd upon these Impositions Sect. 19. 3. The last method that Christ uses for the Vindication of his Disciples for their Non-conformity to this Imposition is by way of Instruction to inform the people What it is that really and properly does pollute a man Matth. 15 10-20 Mark 7 14-23 Where as before he undermin'd the foundation of all their Traditions in general so here he overthrows the ground-work of this Tradition in particular by teaching and proving that eating with unwashen hands defiles not a man Matth. 15.20 and if so then there 's no need to wash before meat But this being besides my present design I shall give it a discharge from any further attendance And Sect. 20. For a close of all I shall wind up the substance of all that has been said in a narrow compass Here was 1 A Law Precept Injunction Constitution or call it what you will it was something they look't upon as obligatory and that 2 made by lawful authority yea the Supreme authority of the Nation and this 3 about a lawful matter viz. that which was not anywhere forbidden by the Law of God nor contrary to any command yea 4 it was a matter of civil Decency and 5 that which they pretended some ground from Scripture for And yet for all this 6 this Law or Command did not oblige for then the neglect thereof would have been blame-worthy which yet it was not as appears by Christ's Vindication of his Disciples for it though they did not obey this Command nor observe this Custom yet he does not in the least blame 'em for it Nay 7 The Observation of it upon such an account was not only not necessary but unlawful as appears in that Christ blames and taxes the Pharisees for this and such like observances and therefore Lastly Nonconformity herein was so far from being a sin that it was their Duty and Conformity or Compliance had been a sin from all which I infer That A lawful practice enjoyn'd by lawful Authority is not thereby and purely on that account made necessary but there is something else required viz. That the matter of the law be necessary antecedently to the law either in its own Nature or in respect of some Circumstance as has been shewed in the foregoing discourse about Indifferencies or else it obliges not FINIS These Books following are Printed for Benjamin Alsop at the Angel and Bible over against the Stocks-Market MElius Inquirendum or an Inquiry into the Sober Inquiry c. The Non-conformists Plea for Peace the first Part by Rich. Baxter A Defence of the Non-conformists Plea for Peace against Mr. J. Cheyneys Answer called The Non-conforming Conformist c. To which is added a Letter written by the Author of Melius Inquirendum The Royal Charter of Confirmation Granted by King Charles the II. to the City of London Taken from the Records and Translated into English by S. G. A Seasonable Warning to Protestants Being an Exact History of the Parisian Massacre August the 24th 1672. With the Popes Bull to Encourage and Justifie the Massacre and Rebellion of Ireland A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints by Tho. Gouge Minister of the Gospel With any other Books of the same Author Jacob's Ladder or the Devout Souls Ascension to Heaven by Jo. Hall B. D. Young's English Scholar in Spelling Reading and Writing Enlarg'd the 4th Edition