or forbid every action in speciall which is not so as may appeare by induction in the particulars before mentioned and thousands of the like I have read of some that have gone about to maintaine that there is nothing indifferent but this opinion either hath beene retracted by the author or conceived so absurd that it hath had either none or very few followers In the manner that I have declared I take it as certain That there are indifferent things It is granted that all humane actions in individuo in the particular or singular that flowe from deliberate reason are either morally good or evill as agreeing to or disgreeing from Gods law I said signantèr to bee marked that flow from deliberate reason to exclude such particular actions of men as being naturall actions from naturall instinct or force of imagination are not of morall consideration such as are the handling of the beard rubbing the nose shaking the legge when a man thinks not of them talking or walking in sleepe These as not comming from reason nor having any end are accounted not as rationall actions but as animal only though they be done by men and therfore neither good nor bad But for all singular actions which are not of morall consideration that come under a law being clothed with circumstances specificating and singularizing them as they come from reason as Aquin. 2 a. 2ae q. 18. art 9. or as Paraeus in Rom. 14. dub 10. ratione principij hoc est ratione electionis intentionis quâ fiunt in regard of their principle that is the election and intention by which they are done are either good or bad agreeing or disagreeing from Gods law Thus every act of eating or wearing apparrell or going a journey with this or that intent in this or that manner is either good or bad right or sinfull But then it is as certaine that many actions of men in the generall or in specie in the kind of them considered without restraint of particularizing circumstances afore they are in actu exercito that is actually done are indifferent as I have declared And it is further to bee observed that in these indifferent or middle things as they are called the christian Church hath greater liberty then the Iewish Synagogue For many things were not indifferent to them which are indifferent to us It was not indifferent to them to eat swines flesh or not to weare a garment of linsey-woolsey or not with many more But it is to us indifferent to eate swines flesh or not to wear a garment of linsey-woolsey or not The ordinances whereby the Iews were restrained in their liberty were a yoake which they were not able to beare Acts. 15. 10. But it is removed from our necks by Christs death who hath abolished the law of Commandements contained in ordinances Ephes. 2. 15. And in this liberty wee are commanded to stand fast that wee bee not intangled again with the yoak of bondage Gal. 5. 1. A liberty then we have in things indifferent to renege and deny it is to put on our neckes that yoake that Christ hath freed us from Neverthelesse though God hath not made these indifferent things intrinsecally or in their own nature good or evill yet extrinsecally they may be made good or evill and that sundry wayes 1. By the command or prohibiting of the Magistrate For though the Magistrates authority cannot make for examples sake the eating of flesh or the wearing of a weapon unlawfull to me as a thing prohibited by God and thereby intrinsecally evill yet if hee forbid them who is the lawfull governour and hath power to make lawes or ordinances it is sin against God to doe these things because he contemnes the law of the Magistrate against the common good which is the ground of it and the authority concerning which God hath commanded Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule be subject to the higher powers For there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordināce of God they that resist shall receive to themselves damnatiō The same is to be conceived of the commands of Ecclesiasticall governors according to their authority of naturall parents of tutors teachers Masters according to the flesh to the which God hath commanded us to be subject Ephes. 6. And elsewhere Whence it was that the Rechabites would drinke no wine because of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab his command not to drinke wine Ierem. 35. 6. For though by such mandates they cannot take away our originall liberty yet they can restraine the use the liberty we have in things indifferent being the proper matter for the Magistrate or Governour to shew his authority of making lawes in 2. By a vow whereby a man bindes himselfe to doe or not to doe to use or not to use his liberty in such or such an indifferent thing For by vowes and promissory oathes a man may make that necessary or sinfull to himselfe which neither is intrinsecally good nor evil necessary nor sinful nor would be to him such but for the vow he made because God hath enjoyned Deuter. 23. 21. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not slack to pay it for the Lord thy God wil surely require it of thee it would be sinne in thee But if thou shalt forbeare to vow it shall be no sinne in thee And Psal. 15. 4. it is made a requisite condition of him that shall dwell in Gods Tabernacle that though hee sweare to his owne hurt he change not 3. Likewise a man may by his owne opiniō make that extrinsecally evill which is not so intrinsecally For though a mans opinion cannot make that to bee duty which is not so yet it may make that to be sin which otherwise would not bee so according to the Apostles resolution Rom. 14. 14. To him that esteemeth any thing to be uncleane to him it is uncleane ver 23. And hee that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith For whatsoever is not of faith is sinne 4. The good or evill of our neighbour binds us to use or not to use our liberty as it may further their good or be a scandall to them For though wee are called to liberty yet wee may not use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another Gal. 5. 13. Now it is to be observed that which is intrinsecally good by vertue of Gods command is intrinsecally good to all to whom that command is given who are the whole world and that which is intrinsecally evil is evil to all to whom Gods Commandement forbids it who are the whole world and therefore it is sin to any to doe that which hee forbids as to lye blaspheam c. But that which is extrinsecally good is not good to all but only to those to whom the obligation reacheth and for the
scandalized For as some are prone to lay stumbling blocks so others are as apt to stumble at them First Generally unmortified or prevalent corruptions dispose men to fall by scandals Silly women laden with sinne led away with divers lusts are easily deceived by those that have a forme of godlinesse but deny the power of it 2. Tim. 3. 6. And those that receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse are not onely by Gods just judgement but also by their owne propensitie ensnared by signes lying wonders deceaveablenesse of unrighteousnesse and strong delusions to believe lies 2. Thessal 2. 9. 10. 11. 12. Corrupt qualities make men like straw or tinder the least sparke of evill example or counsell will set them on fire Yea bare objects if seen or heard of will overthrow them A voluptuous man shall not need to be invited to sports merriments c. Sponte sua properat he runnes of his own accord he will smell them out himselfe as a vultur doth a Carcase Even as sores of the body will draw corrupt humors to them so will vitious hearts make scandals to themselves Secondly In speciall some particular sinnes make some accidents to become a stumbling block to them Enmity against our Lord Christ his person impatience to be rebuked false opinions from example of others common conceit weaknesse from ignorance dulnesse to conceive mistakes of his speeches caused the Pharises and others to stumble at Christ and his words Math. 13. 57. Mat. 15. 12. Ioh. 6. 61. Ioh. 7. 3. 48. spirituall pride made the Iewes Rom. 9. 32. to stumble at Christ ignorance of their brethrens liberty made those weake ones mentioned Rom. 14. to stumble at their brethrens lawfull practise fearfulnesse of heart caused Peter and the Disciples to be offended upon Christs apprehension Mat. 26. 31. Even as a mist afore the eyes mistake of the unevenesse of the way hasty going a sudden weaknesse and many more such accidents may cause the body to stumble that otherwise hath not any setled debilitating sicknesse so in the minde many scandals may arise from alienations of minde mis-reportes mistakes c. both of them that are habitually depraved by a corrupt lust and also of them that are otherwise right hearted 3 Nor may we forget the agency or working of Satan in assigning the causes of Scandalls For he is the primus motor the first mover the incendiary in all these mischievous things It is his imployment to walke about seeking whom he may overthrow and devoure He hath a trap for a Iudas a snare for a Simon Magus a gin for Ananias and Sapphira And he wants not a stumbling block for a David a Peter or any of the best of Gods Saints And these he laies thick with much art and cunning baiting each with his peculiar baite that were it not for the wonderfull care of the Almighty by his preventing and sustaining grace no man could escape overthrow by them so that if we consider the second causes we see reason enough of the multitude of Scandalls Let us raise our thoughts higher from earth to heaven from second to the first from the subordinate to the supreme Cause and from thence we shall see a reason of the necessity of Scandalls The prediction of them by God proves the necessity of them for Gods prescience cannot be deceived But these following texts of Scripture doe import more then a necessity by prescience to wit a necessity by appointment or ordinance of Gods will And voluntas Dei est rerum necessitas it 's an axiom in the Schooles Gods will is the necessity of things Christ is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they are appointed saith S. Peter 1. Ep. ch 2. 8. Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence Rom. 9. 33. God hath given them the spirit of slumber c. Rom. 11. 8. 9. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye 2. Thes. 2. 11. So that what ever be the way it is from God that Scandalls fall out and therefore there is a necessity of them But we may here aske with the Apostle Rom. 11. 11. Have they stumbled that they should fall Are scandals ordered by God onely for the ruine of men Doubtlesse no There are other ends aimed at by God in the event of scandals both in respect of him selfe of men In respect of himselfe he orders the happening of scandals to become subservient to the fulfilling of his owne counsell Pharoahs stumbling was made an occasion to shew Gods power Exod. 9. 16. and the disobedience of Hophni and Phinchas for the inflicting of Gods just vengeance 1. Sam. 2. 25. the unbeliefe of the Iewes the shewing mercy to the Gentiles Rom. 11. 31. 32. In all of them there is a depth of wisdome riches of knowledge in God who by unsearchable judgements and undiscernable paths brings his owne counsells to passe v. 33. Though wee know not how nor why God doth permit such pernicious evils as scandals in thēselves be yet the Almighty whose thoughts are above our thoughts whose waies are higher then our waies doth know This wee are to hold as certaine God lets nothing no not scandals to fall out without excellent though unsearchable wisdome for righteous and good though undiscernable ends And yet God doth not so conceale this matter but that wee so far know his minde that hee intends scandals as for the intrapping of false hearted disobedient persons so for the probation of thē that are sincere The wōders and signes of false Prophets and Dreamers of dreames were permitted sometimes to come to passe to try whether wee love the Lord our God with all our heart with all our soule Deut. 13. 3. And oportet esse haereses there must be also heresies that they which are approved may be made manifest 1. Cor. 11. 19. And in the businesse of the Embassadours of the Princes of Babylon who sent unto Hezekiah to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his heart 2. Chron. 32. 31. So that one while God discovers a secret Hypocrite another while manifests the hidden corruption or weaknesse that is evē in a godly person Here he lets a stumbling block be the destruction of an obdurate sinner there it becomes to bee the witnesse of the faith obedience patience aud constancy of an upright believer S. Augustines saying is received in schooles Nisi esset hoc bonum ut essent mala nullo modo esse sinerentur ab omnipotente bono unlesse this were good that there should be evills they would by no means be suffered to be by the omnipotent good Nor is the laying of scandals lesse evill in man because God permits
them to be for righteous good ends For however they bee ordered by good intendmēts in God yet they proceed from evill principles in men and therefore are no whit the lesse vitious in men because by accident to their intentions good is willed by God As when it is said of Iosephs brethren Gen. 50. 20. they thought evill against him though God meant it unto good their sin was not the lesse because Gods goodnesse was the greater For application of this truth 1. From hence we may frame some answer to those that accuse religion by reason of the Scandalls that are given by them that professe it If Scandals fall out among Protestants presently the Papists inferre that we are not the true Church the Separatist that we are but an Antichristian Synagogue the Libertine and Carnall worldling that those that professe more piety then themselves affect are but a sort of hypocrites As if where there fall out any dissentions between the Teachers any evill practises in the Schollers there could be no true doctrine nor good men nor holy society But these inferences are indeed nothing else but the unjust accusations of malitious minds For if malice did not blind them they might by the same medium conclude against themselves there being no sort of men among whom evill practises doe not happen Even among the disciples of Christ there was a theefe in the first Church of Christians there were a paire of Sacrilegious hypocrites in the best Churches there were dissentions variances and Corruptions The worst that can be hence inferred is that no Church on earth is pure without mixture of drosse that wheat and tares grow together untill the harvest They that imagine a Church on earth without Scandalls in life without corruption in discipline doe but fancy an Vtopia an Idea of a Church in their braines which neither is nor ever will be in rerum naturâ We have wherewith abundantly to justify our Religion and Church notwithstanding the accidents of Scandalls in that they are condemned in our doctrine punished in our governement disclaimed by most practised by few But that they are necessary by reason of mens corruptions and Satans working even where there is true religion true Church true Godlinesse it 's enough to answer them that from the event of Scandals would argue that our Religion is not true or our Church false or our piety hypocrisy 2 A better use of this point is to take occasion to acknowledge magnify the wise and gratious providence of God in ordering of Scandalls That there should be multitudes and multiplicities of Scandals in the world that every where Satan should I say not lay but sow and that thick too snares and gins to catch the Saints by the heeles that over and besides the world both good and bad should cast stumbling-blocks in our way either wittingly or by imprudence withall naturall corruption be so apt to be busy with them and yet the Saints escape hell get to heaven sometimes without any dangerous falls sometimes without any wounds this is the admirable and gratious providence of God alone It 's a thousand times more then to passe by the mouth of a hundred pieces of ordinance discharged against a man and yet be unhurte to break through the host of Philistins with safety to walk on high pinacles not to fall downe headlong to saile in the most rough and dangerous seas to shoote the most perilous gulfs and yet arrive in safety at the haven The Psalmist Psal. 107. extolles the immense goodnesse of God in his preservation of men from many dangers but none of them all is equall to this of the delivery of his people from Scandalls therefore none deserves greater thanks on the other side that the Almighty so orders it that the obdurate sinner is insnared by Scandalls to his perdition yet no injustice no fault in God this is the wonder of Gods providence to be entertained by us with the Apostles exclamation O altitudo O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God Rom. 11. 33. 3 But then though it be the ever-vigilant providence of God that preserves the saints from ruine by Scandalls and his just judgemēt that leaves the wicked to his own perdition to be caught by them yet this excludes not but requires care in the Godly to take heed of them and condemnes the impiety of the wicked in yeelding themselves to stumble at thē For it is the vitiousnesse of the one that makes scandalls to be actually such to him the holy wisdome of the other whereby God keeps him from being overthrown by them wherefore it behoves them to learne to walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise Ephe. 5. 15. And to this end 1. to get as much spirituall prudence as they can to discerne them to be acquainted with their own hearts by frequent examination by through-knowledge of their naturall corruption to be well seen in the wils and methods and artifices of Satan whereby he seekes to deceive and devoure to know the dispositions of wicked men and weaknesse of good men whom Satan may work by 2. To be ever sober and watchfull not laid a sleep by any lust of our hearts any pride selfe-confidence or the like as David Hezekiah Peter c. were when they were scandalized 3. That we study constantly in Gods law and cleave to it with upright hearts which is a sure antidote against this poison of scandalls For great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them Psal. 119. 165. 4 That as we have one eye still to our way that we stūble not so the other still on God in fervent praier to him who alone can and will keep us when we seek him 4 Lastly sith notwithstanding all the vigilancy and warinesse of a Christian scandals will be till the sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and them which doe iniquity Mat. 13. 41. The righteous must learne with patience and longing desire to expect the comming of the son of man Even as the husband-man waiteth for the pretious fruit of the earth so must they be patient unto the comming of the Lord. Iames 5. 7. Till then there will be cause for them to be exercised in humbling themselves and mourning for the dishonour of God by scandalls as Lot vexed his righteous soule with hearing and seeing the deeds of the Sodomites to possesse their soules in hope and assurance that Christ will come and bind up Satan remove all scandalls and perfect his Church that they may follow the Lambe whither soever he goeth CAP. 2. Of the woe belonging to Scandalizers in generall HAving handled the first proposition concerning the necessity of Scandalls the second followes concerning the woefull condition of Scandalizers which is delivered elleiptically by S. Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
of tender consciences and sinfull presumptions in some superstitious feares in others which beget no small evill which points neverthelesse I finde handled ex professo by few onely incidentally to other arguments here and there writers cleare some of the doubts belonging to this argument wherefore I have conceived it may be of good use to endeavour the clearing of such difficulties incident to this argument as I have either by reading meditation or conference met with not discouraged by the conscience of mine owne insufficience but trusting in gods assistance with all assureing my selfe that among readers there will bee some that conceive esse aliquid prodire tenus And that the order I use may appeare 1. I shall briefly say somewhat of things lawful and indifferent and our liberty in their use 2. Of the waies whereby a christians conscience may be restrained from using this liberty 3. because the fourteenth chapter of the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans and the eighth ninth and tenth of the first Epistle to the Corinthians are the seat of this argument I shall deliver as rightly as I can a summe or the Apostles resolutions concerning this point in those chapters 4. Out of these things premised and such other passages of holy scripture and reasons as I finde pertinent thereto I shall endeavour to resolve sundry questions or cases of this matter needfull to bee cleared yet not magisterially obtruding these resolutions on others but submitting them to examination as remembring that the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets 1. Cor. 14. 32. In answering the first of these points wee are to take notice that there are some things lawful which are in themselves duties and commanded by God to be done which yet are to bee omitted at sometimes for the avoyding of scandall As for instance reproving of our neighbour is a duty enjoyned by God yet to bee omitted at some times when the person to be reproved would bee likely rather hardened then amended by reproofe In like manner may it bee said also of excommunication when there is danger of schisme of punishing malefactors when the issue would bee the overthrow of the common wealth Pro vitando scandalo cessat rigor dissiplinae is an old rule and a good one To avoyde scandall the rigour of discipline ceaseth This truth is grounded 1. On that rule which is among Divines received that praecepta negativa obligant semper ad semper they alwaies binde and to alwaies that is what is forbidden by God may at no time bee done no man may sinne to avoyde scandall Their damnation is just saith the Apostle Rom. 3. 8. that say Let us doe evill that good may come But on the other side affirmative precepts obligant semper sed non ad semper They alwayes bind but not to alwaies that is though they stand in force alwaies yet not so as to tye us to doe the things required at all times As for instance though Gods command alwaies bindes a christian to pray to give almes c. yet not to doe these alwaies but when the glory of God and the good of our brethren require it The knowledge of which time is partly to bee taken from rules and examples in holy scripture partly from godly prudence and reason which every man should have as a light to guide him in discerning the circumstances which make such actions necessary 2. On this consideration that those actions of reproofe punishing vice and the like to them are commanded principally to this end that they may doe good to men for the curing of their evills the furthering of vertue in them Wherefore when prudence shewes that such actions would bee either fruitles in respect of their end or contrariwise harmfull they are to bee forborne in this case there is Libertas non faciendi a liberty not to doe them or rather hee ought not to doe them Concerning this sort of things lawfull wherein our liberty is to bee restrained to avoyde scandall there needs not much more to be said but that when according to true prudence they appeare to bee necessary for Gods glory our owne salvation or our brethrens good then they are to bee done without regard of scandall consequent if to the contrary to bee omitted Few scruples there are in men about these things and such as bee may find some satisfaction from the resolutions of the Cases concerning things indifferent The second sort of things in w ch we may abuse our liberty to the scandall of our brethren are things indifferēt Now by things indifferent I understand not according to the vulgar acception of actions indifferent such actions as are neither much praise worthy nor much to be reproved because there is no speciall matter of goodnesse or hurt in them as for a man to eat when he is hungry to drinke when he is thirsty to keepe due houres for meales or on the contrary to omit these which though they may bee in common acception called indifferent yet according to exact speaking they are not indifferent but either right or sinfull as they are clothed with circumstances But by things indifferent I mean such actions as in their nature in se of themselvs are neither right nor sinfull neither commanded nor forbidden as to eat or not to eat such meats to eat sweet meats or sowre to goe or not to goe on foot to goe on foot or to ride to weare such cloathes or not to wear them to wear linnen or woollen to expresse our mind by word of mouth or writing to write on paper or parchment to speake in Latin or English In which and a thousand such like a christian hath both the liberty which is called Libertas contradictionis liberty in contradictories to doe or not to doe as to eat egges or not to eat them to weare a cloake or not to weare one and also the liberty which is called libert as contrarietatis liberty in contraries as in eating sweet or bitter food in wearing white or black In which there is a greater liberty than there is about duties For though wee are not bound to doe all duties at all times yet wee may not at any time doe the contrary as though wee are not at all times bound to reprove yet at no time to flatter But in things indifferent there is Libertas ad utrumlibet liberty in either of which we like to doe this or not to doe it to doe this or the contrary to it That there are actions of men that are in se of themselves abstracted from particularizing circumstances in their nature indifferent as hath bin said I take it as a certaine truth grounded on the speech of the Apostle 1. Cor. 8. 8. Neither if wee eat are wee the better neither if we eat not are we the worse like unto which are those Rom. 14. 5. 6. 14. 20. and on plaine reason For the contrary assertion must needes suppose that Gods lawes doe command
may be whether there may be scandall by omission of the use of our liberty in a thing indifferent Ans. Omission I oppose here to positive action As for instance eating meats allowed by God is a positive action and the use of our liberty not eating that which we might is a privation and omission of the use of our liberty Now that a man may be guilty of sinfull scandall by the omission of a duty I determined before c. 3. § 3. To which I adde that sith the lawfull Magistrate hath power about indifferent things to restraine or require our use of our liberty for the publique good and we are bound to make conscience of obeying such cōmands not for the things sake so commanded for that is in it selfe indifferent but by reason of the authority to which God hath made us subject and the end for which such orders are established which all members of a common-wealth ought to seeke therefore the omission of doing such things commanded is an omission of a duty rebus sic positis and the scandall consequent upon it a scandall of the first sort to wit of sinfull example Moreover for a punctuall answer to the present question I conceive that there may be scandall by the forbearing the use of our liberty when that forbearing though otherwise lawfull occasions men to conceive some alienation of affection some evill intentions some superstition or the like evill in them who doe forbeare it our Saviour Math. 17. 27. would have tribute mony paid for himselfe Peter though he were free and that because the not-paying would offend them S. Peters not-eating with the Gentiles was a scandall to Barnabas Gal. 2. 13. Frequent experience confirmes it that the forbearing of some actions which are in their kind indifferent at some times doth grieve weak brethren and offend others when they are apt to conceive such forbearance to arise out of a malevolent minde superstitious opinion humour of singularity contempt of others or the like cause A tenth question may be whether a community a nation the publique Magistrate may be scandalized Ans. The use of excommunicatiō presupposeth that scandall may be of the whole Church by sinfull actions of one member Yea further it is determined art 34. of the Church of England Whosoever through his private judgement willingly and purposely doth openly breake the traditions and ceremonies of the Church which bee not repugnant to the word of God and be approved and ordained by common authority ought to be rebuked openly that other may feare to doe the like as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church and woundeth the conscienees of the weak brethren Moreover experience shewes that whole nations or societies are sometimes offended with those who observe not their customes or orders which are in their use indifferent and not confirmed by any publique ordinance but by use only received and that such varying from them occasions anger enmity and such like evills An eleventh question may be Whether sith the Magistrates authority is one way of restraining or requiring the use of our liberty and the danger of scandall another upon supposition that the lawfull Magistrate cōmands the doing or omitting of that which is indifferent on the other side there is danger of scandalizing the question is which of these respects I am to be ruled by Ans. There is no doubt but that a good and wise Magistrate will remit in many cases the rigour of discipline to avoide scandall as I said before § 4. As the love-feasts kisse of peace vigils at the tombes of Martyrs and other orders of the Church were in processe of time evacuated when they occasioned scandall But if the Magistrate doe not suspend his cōmands then it is a hard case For either on the one side there is danger of nullifying the power of the Magistrate or on the other side of wounding or destroying our brother Possibly it may so fall out that a mans cōscience may without much difficulty winde it selfe out of this streight by finding some circumstances prepōderating either one way or other As for ininstance if the Magistrats command bee about a matter of great consequence for the safety of the Common-wealth to avoid a present evill or if it be in a smaller matter if urged peremptorily vehemently on the other side the effect of the scandall be not likely to bee plain Apostacy or the like great sinne but some grievance of mind or discontent of the party scandalized it is without doubt that then the Magistrates command is to be performed On the contrary if the Magistrates command be in a smaller matter not bringing any great evil nor likely to infringe the power of authority though the command be not followed if it be not peremptorily and strictly but remissely urged on the other side the effect of scandall of the greatest sort of evills very probable and in a manner present giving no time to finde a way to redresse it then in this case the danger of scandall may prevaile for that time But if we make the scales even and propound the case thns what if the danger of scandall be great and manifest on the one side and the Magistrate peremptory in his command and the thing commanded of great moment on the other side the doubt is whether of these two is to bee regarded I determine that the Magistrates command should in this case sway our consciences and that for these reasons following 1. Because by the Magistrates command the thing required is made a necessary duty though in it selfe indifferent For the command that ties every soule to be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. requires obedience to them which is the chiefest part of subjection And this obligation of obedience is antecedent to the consideration of the scandall For the sanction of the law precedes the accident of scandall Now in things that are our duties wee must not omit them or neglect them for feare of scandals Therefore the Magistrates command in the case propounded is not to be neglected for feare of scandall Against this argument D r Ames lib. 5. de consci c. 11. § 16. seems to except in these words Nulla authorit as humana c. No authority of man can either take away the nature of scandall from that which otherwise should bee scandall or the nature of sinne from scandall given For no man can command our charity and consciences Vel periculum scandali dati praestare which I render thus or counter vaile or be preferred before the danger of scandall given Whereto I reply that it is not true that the lawfull authority of the Magistrate may not in things indifferēt make the doing of that action not to bee a scandall given which otherwise might bee For if it may make the thing commanded a duty by vertue of the command the scandall consequent will bee passive or taken not active or given As we determine
not using them as arguing the affectation of Novellisme and singularity Against reason For sith scandall ariseth from the opinion that is had of a thing indifferent when the action of him that offendeth dasheth against it and it is undoubted that even godly men may have opposite opinions of things indifferent one thinking them fit another unfit one thinking them needfull another evill it is plaine in reason that it may so fall out that the doing or not doing of somthing indifferent may crosse the one or the other of the opposite opinions and so scandalize either the one or the other The resolution of Calvin Epist. 379. is right and good that a scandall of a few must not sway us in a thing not repugnant to Gods word Vbi major numerus pervincit where the greater part is on the cōtrary no not though it draw an evil consequence after it And in like manner may it be said ubi potior numerus pervincit where the better part is on the contrary as the governor the most wise learned and faithfull Christians Likewise consideration should be had to offend those rather whose offence is easier remedied or the consequēce of their scandall lesse pernitious then those whose offence is more hardly redressed or the consequence of their scandall more pernitious For in such cases prudence must rule our consciences to respect primarily the more considerable par to avoyd the more dangerous consequence A thirteenth question may be It may so fall out that either by the frequent or incommodious forbearing of the use of our liberty at some time our lawfull liberty may be so indangered that an opinion may thereby be setled as if it were unlawfull simply which we forbeare onely by reason of the feare of scandall or as if it were necessary which wee onely doe to avoyde scandall what is a christian to doe in this case Answ. The example of S. Paul is commonly by Divines produced as a resolution of this question We read Acts. 16. 3. that Paul tooke and circumcised Timothy to avoyd the offence of the Iewes though the law of circumcision and other legall ceremonies were then abolished and hee had liberty to omit it But hee tells us Gal. 2. 3. 4. that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised and that because of false brethren unawares brought in who came in privily to spye out our liberty which we have in Christ Iesus that they might bring us into bondage To whom saith he v. 5. We gave place by subjection no not for an houre that the truth of the Gospell might continue with them While the liberty of uncircumcision was unchallenged he did with security circumcise Timothy to avoyde offence but when the truth of christian liberty was challenged and endangered he would not yeild to doe the same to Titus From which practise avouched by S. Paul and therefore propounded by the holy Ghost as imitable by us this rule may bee safely inferred that when by use or disuse of our liberty the truth of our liberty is in danger to be impeached wee are then rather to put our selves on the hazard of scandall then to loose our liberty it selfe For it is a more pretious thing not to have our consciences in bondage or the truth impaired then can be countervailed by the pleasing of some men Truth is an unvalluble Iewell which wee are not to forfeit to win mens affections Praestat ut scandalum admittatur quam veritas amittatur is the approved rule of S. Augustine Better admit scandall then loose truth A fourteenth question may be whether if on the one side our life should be indangered by forbearing the use of our liberty and on the other side there be likely-hood of scandall if we use it is our liberty to bee used to save our lives or to be forborn to avoyd scandall Answ. It is a rule received which Aqu. 2 a 2ae qu. 43. art 7. cites as out of S. Hierome that that which may be omitted Salvà triplici veritatescil vitae justitiae doctrinae a threefold truth of life righteousnesse and doctrine being preserved ought to be omitted to avoyde scandall According to which exception it followes that wee are not to omit our liberty when our life is endangered And there is plain reason for it from the precedency of our selves among the objects of charity before others wee are to love others as ourselves not afore our selves 2. In respect of the greatnesse of the danger of loosing our life above the danger of scandall For 1. the danger of loosing life may be more certain in forbearing our liberty when naturall necessity requires us to use it then the event of scandall can be depending on the changeable mind and will of man 2. The evill of loosing life is plainely remedilesse life lost cannot be recovered by man but the evill of scandall is not simpliciter irremediabile simply remedilesse but that instruction advise example prayers may by Gods blessing restore the person scandalized If it were so that it were revealed by God that by using my liberty to save my naturall life I should inevitably cast my brother into everlasting fire surely charity bindes mee to loose my life rather then to damne my brother But this no man doth by using his liberty at least God reveales no such thing But what means the Apostle then 1. Cor. 8. 13. when hee saith If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth least I make my brother to offend I answer The Apostles resolution is not to abandon all meat and dye to avoyd offence but to eat no flesh without which he might live And accordingly wee are to forbeare our conveniences and priviledges which serve us ad benè esse to our well-being but not our lives or lively-hood that is necessary ad esse simpliciter that wee may have a being A fifteenth question may be whether if there appear danger of scandal to some in using our liberty and likely-hood of opposite good to others by using it we are to forbeare it Ans. No For in this case the use of our liberty to that end is a duty as being a greater exercise of charity the scandall being not remedilesse unlesse by reason of a perverse mind which kind of scandall is not to be regarded A sixteenth question may be whether wee are bound to forbeare the use of our liberty to avoyde the scandall of our weake brother offended with our action as conceiving it evill without any probable ground Answ. I thinke not For there was probable ground of the evill of eating the Idolothytes 1. Cor. 8. and of the eating of the meates and neglect of dayes mentioned Rom. 14. And in reason if a mans conceit without shew of reason on meere fancy shall hinder me in the use of my liberty my liberty is no liberty in effect Besides if hee conceive ill of my action without some probable reasons