destroyed by the Builders or died of the Doctors My Dear Brethren let me breathe out my soul in St Augustines words Ut moneor ut doleo ut timeo procederem ad pedes vestros flerem quantum valerem rogarem quantum amarem nunc unumquemque pro seipso nunc utrumque pro altero pro aliis maximè infirmis pro quibus Christus mortuus est qui vos tanquam in Theatro vitae hujus cum magno sui periculo spectant ne de vobis ea conscribendo spargatis quae quandoque concordantes delere non poteritis qui nunc concordare nolitis 2. To my dissenting Brethren my humble and solemn Request is that if the case be like to be thus they would in season think it adviseable seriously to consider what they have to do to study that which is likely to be enjoyned with all severity and impartiality as they would do or suffer with knowledge and comfort The great Case will be Upon what grounds you may warrantably lay down your ministery and upon what Not or how farr you may lawfully obey the Imposition of Authority For your more ample satisfaction herein give me leave to say That after the Scriptures Bucer Calvin Melancthon Zanchy Polanus Beza c. are of undoubted credit in such a case as this and worthy to be conferred with as also St Augustine his 118 119. Epist ad Janu. If this poor Piece shall have the honour of your perusal I beseech you remember that by two Errours we are very apt to weigh things amiss 1. When we take up the scales weigh over-hastily 2. When one end of the ballance is heavier then the other perhaps by prejudice or something else that should not be there Do the Book no wrong do the Church no wrong do your selves no wrong For your own preservation your peoples edification the Churches peace prosperity and salvation be not averse to any just satisfaction Let no Society no Condition no Temptation with errour and suffering be more dear and pleasant with you then the Church of God the discharge of your trust the fulfilling of your Ministery with duty and liberty truth and felicity Farewell Twenty Four Necessary and Seasonable CASES of CONSCIENCE about things Indifferent in Matters of Religion CASE I. What are Things Indifferent Resol THINGS Indifferent have their place in the middle betwixt things Necessary and things Sinful things that ought and things that ought not to be done For as to their Simple and common Nature i. e. Considered nakedly without respect to such Circumstances as change their property and denominale them good or evil they are such things as may be done or left undone without sin They are of a Middle not a Mixt Nature not both good and bad that is Medium abnegationis a Contradiction not partly good and partly bad then the good can never expiate the bad for the least degree of evil renders the Action evil but neither good nor bad As they are Morally neither good nor bad so they are not made such by Scripture being neither commanded nor forbidden They are of an Indifferent Nature and may be Indifferently Used Yet very apt by reason of Circumstances to tend unto to swerve towards to become or appear either good or evil CASE II. Whether there is any thing Indifferent in the Exercise of Religion Resol FOR Our cleerer satisfaction herein let us consider Actions and Circumstances 1. Touching Actions I assert First That no one Action in Religious Exercises is of its own nature so Indifferent but that by its circumstances it easily becomes good or evil 2. No Action that is deliberate and hath an order to a certain end distinguished from Actions of fancy usually so called which are unobserved by the Agents Individually considered and as performed about the Worship of God can be truly Indifferent but by reason of its circumstances is good or evil 3. No Action considered as a part of Divine Worship can possibly be Indifferent for either it is such as God himself hath appointed and therefore necessary or invented by men and superstitious 4. Yet Fourthly There are divers Actions that are no part but circumstances of worship though Actions in themselves before they are exerted and clothed with their circumstances that are properly Indifferent both as to their Nature neither good nor bad as to the Scripture neither commanded or forbidden and consequently as to our use neither necessary nor unlawful and lastly in comparison with other Actions that might as lawfully serve in the same stead of neither more or less necessity as I might instance in lifting up or casting down our eyes in lifting up or spreading abroad our hands in prayer c. But thus much for Actions 2. As for Circumstances properly so called It is not doubted I think by any but there are some viz. time place habit that are purely indifferent I mean befoâ—e they are determined and in a generall consideration abstracted from conveniency and not complicated with other accidents that may vary the Case I shall not burden this unexceptionable Point with needless Authority which were very easie if not needless I shall only instance the reasonableness of it under one part of Divine Worship viz. the Sacrament in the judgment of Mr. Calvin So Calv. Iâ—sti lib 1. Sect. 43. much saith he as concerns the outward form of Ministring the Sacrament viz. Whether the faithful receive into their hand or not Whether they divide it or every one eat that which is given him Whether they put the Cup into the hand of the Deacon or deliver it to the hand of the next Whether the Bread be Leavened or unleavened Whether the Wine be red or white it maketh no matter these things be Indifferent and left to the liberty of the Church Thus he and we might adde almost so many more of the like nature about every other Ordinance if occasion required CASE III. Whether may things Indifferent be Imposed and required by Authority Resol DOubtless they may For 1. The Word of God hath not particularly taught us what that decency and order is that is required Yet the Ruling part of the Church ought not only to require but to take care and see according to the Apostles example that all things be done decently and in order 2. Then plain Reason demonstrates that if it be the duty of Rulers to see That all things be done decently and in order they must also by their own discretion or advice with others judge and prescribe what is such 3. The Great Apostle therefore took upon him not only to press the general command of decency 1. Cor. 14. 34. 11. 4. 17. 1 Tim. 2. 8. 9. 1 Tim. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 7. 10. and order but to reprove particular disorders and to direct unto and command particular parts of order and comelinesse in the Churches 4. Yea that Famous Synod and truly Apostolical in Acts 15. did by their
by the Apostle was chiefly if not as an eminent person asserts onely unto sin And the great reason the Apostle gives why we must not use our liberty to the offence of our weak brother is lest we lay a stumbling-block Rom. 14. 13 15 20 21. 1 Cor. 8. 9 10 11 12 13. before him whereat he may fall that is least he presume after our example to do something against his Conscience and so sin against Christ and be likely to perish or to be destroyed the danger therefore the Apostle tells us lies not so much in offending our brother in the English sense as in one making him by our evil example to offend Wherefore the Apostle concludes If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh c. 1 Cor. 8. 13. But now the offence that is most likely to ensue upon our conformity is quite of another nature there is litle fear of drawing our offended brethren to like the waies of Conformity by the practice of Conformists but rather they will like Conformity and the persons conforming so much the worse and grow the more bitter against them The reason of this difference I conceive lies thus In the time of the Apostle those were generaâ—ly looked upon as the strongest disciples that knew their liberty best and the others that were weak were aptest to be offended but now those that pretend offence are the strongest in their own opinion and they judge it a weakness in those that do conform and no doubt if any be likely to follow our examples in conformity out of an opinion of our ability to judg better then themselves they will as easily follow our Judgment too if we first use due means of satisfaction to them and then all the scruple is vanished and gone 2. Secondly let us weigh them one against another and compare the offence received by our weak brethren upon our obedience with that received by Authority upon our disobedience If we onely do that which we may lawfully do and which we are commanded to do we do not give our weak brother any offence though he take it there is not that perâ—se or naturally flowing out of the use of my liberty or the doing of my duty that would hurt my brother or tempt him to sin he takes occasion of himself not at all given by me But now by disobedience if the thing be lawfull that is injoined we give offence to Authority directly and properly so and as we have shewed we can hardly escape sin herein against the fifth Commandement which in every iota as well as all the rest our very liberty it self establisheth The sum is this by refusing to conform in such a lawfull case lest we should offend our weak brother seems directly to sin our selves to avoid an occasion of sin to him to offend God the King the Law the Church and conscience too by not doing our duty lest we should offend our brother by doing it Therefore we must distinguish betwixt things Indifferent that are not under the actual command of Authority and such as are before they are commanded things Indifferent are in our liberty and then the Apostles Rule holds we must not use our liberty to the offence of our brethren but what is required by Authority if it be no longer in our liberty we must minde our duty This Rule therefore greatly concerns Magistrates in thâ—ir Impositions who ought still to follow the weighty advice of Mr Calvin Let Charity submit to Faith and Liberty to Charity but Subjects must not sin that they may please their Prince much less their brother Besides we may distinguish of offence with respect to our brother offended if we offend him by doing our duty we oneâ—y tempt him to do his duty though against his conscience on the other side if we omit our duty lest we offend our brother do not we offend him more in the Apostles sence by tempting him to continue in sin and to embolden himself in sin with a worse conscience CASE The Apostle hath laid down a Rule how we are to use our liberty in things Indifferent towards our weak brother can Man by his commands alter this Rule or take off the force of it Resol THe Apostles Rule is absolutely unalterable where the reason of it holds and the object is the same that is where the matter is still indifferent 2. Man cannot make things Indifferent to become necessary in their nature yet lawful Authority may and ought to judge when the exigencies of the Church make any thing necessary as to its present use or forbearance These necessary things saith that Councel Act. 15. though v. 28. they were not all necessary in their nature yet the Councel judged them necessary as to the present good of the Church 3. In such Cases for the publick good of the Church Governours may and ought to determine the use of Indifferent things by their prudent impositions It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us 28. to lay upon you no other burthen then these necessary things And no less remarkably we finde St Pauls power put forth in 1 Cor. 11. and oâ—her places in determining many Indifferent things for order and decency in the Church of God 4. But what doth all this signifie if these Apostolical Injunctions have no force when a discontented person shall say he is offended Put case that after the decree of the Synod in Act. 15. a particular member should have been offended that his brother refused to eat meat offered to Idols pleading that it was superstition in him or a losing or betraying the Christian Liberty Or that others had been offended at those particulars of Decency and Order injoined by the Apostle to the Church of Corinth urging that they were not commanded of the Lord that therefore they were Humane Inventions New Ordinances Additions to Gods Word and Will-Worship Can any imagine that the rest of the people had been discharged of their duty either to that famous Synod or that excellent Governour the Apostle Paul or that they were bound to suspend their Obedience lest they should offend such scrapulous persons I cannot think it We must not oppose Liberty to Necessity Charity to Duty or the Offence of the Weak to the Higher Powers CASE I. But it is vehemently urged by my brethren in the Ministry that even their credit and reputation will not suffer them to conform they shall thus become vile to the people as men that will do any thing to save their Liveings and then their Ministry will be fruitless and do no good among them What is to be done in such a Case Resol 1. THis Case seems to arise from prudence and not conscience Herein we not pretend to fly from sin to suffering but from one sort of suffering to another that is judged rather to be chosen from suffering in our Reputation by Conformity to the Penalties of the Law for disobedience which when all
power also limit the use of Indifferent things which they concluded for the present necessary Both to be ordered and to be observed for the Peace of the Church 5 And that this power of ordering the Church in things indifferent was not peculiar to the times of the Apostles but resides in the Rulers of the Church to be exerted upon the same Moral and reasonable occasions might easily be made to appear to have the suffrage of the Learned of all ages if any need required 6. Ames himself having ventured to say That nothing ought to be commanded but that which is good or forbidden but which is Ames Gas de Adiaphoris evil seems presently to check and so to limit as almost to recant what he had said adding Quod Adiaphorum est non potest simpliciter absoluâ—è in perpetuum vel prohiberi vel imperari Whereby one would think he yielded that for some respects and for some time things indifferent in their own Nature may be commanded or forbidden 7. I shall conclude this also with Calvins Authority in 1 Cor. 11. 2. We know saith he that every Church is left free to appoint a form of politie and government fit and profitable for it self because the Lord hath prescribed nothing certain to whom we might adde the pertinent if alike weighty Testimony of Philip Melancton who tels us That because the Ministry divinely ordained ought to be publique and external there is need of some humane In Com. Loc. Ordinances Vid etiam Danae Judic c. CASE IV. Whether may things Indifferent conduce any thing to the order and decency of Gods Worship Resol THings indifferent absolutely so or considered as such cannot For things indifferent as such do equally respect the order and disorder of the Church or service thereof otherwise they were not media or indifferent things but partial So far true is that of Ames Those things which make for order in their own Nature are not indifferent However there are divers things in their own common nature indifferent that yet in some respects are of more expediency in the Worship of God then others which happens either from their better readiness and aptness for order as applyed or because they may have more repute or shew of goodness reflected from the temper of the place where they are used and consequently are more eligible then those that approach to vice or superstition or are blemish'd with appearance or repute of evil or are aliene and unapt for the present service Again divers Accidents that are equally indifferent in their nature and left so by the Scripture may also be equally accommodated so far as we may judge for order and decency and consequently both indifferent and expedient for although they all of them be decent and comely enough yet neither the worshippers nor the worship may be capable of admitting or using them all at least at one and the same service Lastly the Custome of the Churches is a standing Rule in these Matters according to which that which is decent in one Church as well as lawful in it self may be most uncomely and consequentâ—y most inexpedient in another which addes no little cleerness to the demonstration that things indifferent in themselves may as they are applied conduce something yea and very much to the order and comeliness of Divine worship CASE V. What are those things indifferent that are to be determined by the power of the Church Resol THese things indifferent are apparently reducible to that General 1 Cor. 14. ult Rule of the Apostle Let all things be done decently and in order this Calvin calls that general conclusion which briefly takes in not only the whole state but even all the particular parts of outward order Yea saith he 't is that Rule to which all things which respect external politie are to be reduced 1. The ruling part of the Church hath power to set things IN ORDER in the Church of Christ The rest will I set in order when I come which power may shew it self in three great Instances The forming of a Government of a Liturgy and the ordering of the Manner of publick Worship 1. I must though with all respect and condescention to any means of Conviction to the contrary I must yet acknowledge that I find so little of the form and frame of Church-Government delineated in Scripture and so much encouragement for my present opinion in judicious sober and learned Authors that I am very apt to think that much of the Modelling of the Government of the Church is left by God to the prudence and wisdom and power of the Church I most readily subscribe that there is a Government of the Church that this Government is fixed in the Officers of the Church that the General Rules of this Government are plainly revealed in Scripture yea that there was Episcopal Jurisdiction in the common acceptation of it exercis'd by the Apostles and Timothy and Titus upon such common and Moral Reason as may bear it up and commend its use to the end of the world Yet the Frame Fashion and special subjects of it are so obscure in Scripture and so little entitled to it that methinks even all of all perswasions amongst us are forced to prudence at last in the practice though in their disputes they fetch fire from Heaven Jure Divine Very many moderate Episcopal Divines are sufficiently known to content themselves with St. Hierom's Basis of Episcopal Government and to defend it only as a prudential and occasional though yet Apostolical Institution ad tollenda schismata whereon I think it may stand as Mount Sion and never be moved The Presbyterians if they well consider their subordination of classes they must needs appeal to prudence and reason for its defence while they find this at least as much a stranger to the Word of God as a subordination of persons Indeed this they of late seemed plainly to acknowledge when upon the same grounds with their moderate brethren of the Episcopal Concessions and Desires perswasion they conceded to a Regulate Episcopacy desiring also at the hands of the King that their grand grievance of too large Diocesses might be healed by Suffragan-Bishops which some think are not obscurely answered already in the jurisdiction of Arch-Deacons at least as to the assistance of the Bishop and the satisfying the desires and complaints of our brethren aforesaid Yea the very Congregation it self called Independents acknowledge their devolving the exercise of Government upon their Elders to be only for Orders sake and their Church-Covenant to be only necessary for its ends and at length their great Champion S. M. hath found no other foundation for the whole Fabrick of Congregational Discipline but Mutual Confederacy and Prudential Agreement among themselves 2. The second thing attributed to the Care and power of the Church is the forming and establishing of a publick Liturgy Though we find not any such form in Scripture
ought to be regarded both by the governing and governed parts of the Church according to the Rule of the Fathers 7. The last Rule is Gospel liberty this must not be invaded by any imposition though it must not be mistaken Gospel liberry can hardly be infringed if these Rules be heeded in the imposition of things indifferent 1. That nothing indifferent be imposed that any way checketh with the former Rules of expediency peace offence of the weak edification decency order and the custome of the Churches 2. That things indifferent be not imposed as if they were in themselves necessary which Divines assert to be Superstition 3. That things indifferent be not required with equal severity as things necessary 4. That such things when imposed be declared by the Imposers to be mutable in their nature and to be altered upon just occasion 5. That things indifferent be not imposed in so great a number as is really burthensome to the Church of God which was much in the care of our first Reformers Concerning the multitude of Ceremonies of idle and vain nature saith Bishop In Apol. Jewel we know that St Augustine did much complain of them in his time and therefore we have greatly diminished the number of them because we know that they were troublesome to good consciences and burthensome to the Church yet we retaine and have likeing not only of those Ceremonies which we are sure were delivered us from the Apostles but some others too besides which we thought might be suffered without hurt to the Church of God because we affected that all things in the Congregation might according to the will of the Apostle be done with comliness and good order But all such things which we perceived to lean to Superstition or to be of no use or bald or toyish or against the sacred Scriptures or else unmeet for sober and wise people whereof there is a confused Chaos in the Romish Synagogue all these we have utterly renounced and cast off because we would not have the Worship of God confounded and combred with such follies Thus that most excellent Man The summ of whose words here recited doth in effect contain and confirm all that I have said upon this Case viz. That the Ceremonies of the Church ought to be expedient decent and orderly not hurtfull to the Church not troublesome to good consciences not burdensome And he adds that our own Church in the first Reformation had regard to the said Rules Let me conclude with an humble Petition that I be not mis-interpreted to prescribe to Authority in what I have said I have onely marked the general Rules in Scripture leaving particulars to the liberty and wisedom of Superiors to whom I only take boldness to offer that they ought to walk by these Rules settle the Church and Worship of God in peace and order with all comliness and expediency CASE IX How are private persons to demean themselves under such impositions of Authority in religious Exercises Resol VVE have hitherto rather labored to discover the reason of Imposing and the due extent of Ecclesiastical Authority in things indifferent endeavouring also to draw that as narrow and straight and as much to Rule as may be yet I hope without just offence to the same We are now descending to take a view of the reason of obedience and to consider the extent of their duty who are under command Where that I may appear impartial and for peace indeed I must be consonant to my Designe and labour to dis-intangle and enlarge the consciences of private persons with as much freedom towards conformity as lawfully I may that having brought the Injunction as low and narrow and the Obedience as high and large as we may the commanders and the commanded may be happily found nearer together and in sweeter communion one with another Charity surely will not be displeased at this harmless project but will be ready with a pardon though I fail of success or too imprudently manage the Attempt especially while my Aime is levelled at so desireable an end the peace of the Church the common good and use no other Engine to draw down the one and raise the other but that from heaven the holy Scripture And to the Case in general which is this How are private persons to demean themselves under the commands of Authority or Ecclesiastical Laws in Religious Exercises I shall now the Lord assisting me betake my self with all conscience and fidelity to answer breaking it into several particular cases according as the Object of humane Injunctions may be distinguished The Object of humane Injunction or that which is injoyned or commanded may be proceeded upon by a gradation or descent of five stepps for that which is injoyned is either necessary expedient purely indifferent inexpedient or unlawfull Accordingly there may be offered five Cases viz. what a private person ought to do when things necessary or things expedient or things purely indifferent or things inexpedient or things unlawfull are required by Authority in the exercises of Religion to all which we addresse our selves to apply a several and particular satisfaction CASE X. What ought a private Christian to do when things necessary in themselves are required by Authority Resol BOth for the Intention of the present Discourse we treating properly about things indifferent as also for the very nature of the thing it self this need not be put to the Question For though some have thought they have seen reason enough not so farr to countenance an Usurpation as to do their duties when commanded thereunto by unlawfull powers from the liberty of that trite Rule Affirmative Precepts do not binde to every particular instance of time yet it were a strange perversness in any not to do that which God requires because his Vicegerent lawfull Authority requires it also even in the things of Gods Worship Optatus reckoned it a madness in Donatus that broke forth in that question of his Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesia What hath the KING to do with the Church But Optatus wisely answered The Common-wealth is not in the Church but the Church is in the Commonwealth and consequently he that is Governor of the Common-wealth is so of the Church and the Rule is The Gospel takes Non tollit praecepta naturae legis sed perficit Rom. 3. ult not away the Precepts of Nature and the Moral Law but establisheth and perfects them and rather enlargeth and confirms then any way weakens Obedience to Authority Therefore are we to pray for Kings that under their pious and religious governance we may not live in peace and honestly only but in godliness in all godliness as the Apostle directs us St Augustine upon those Contra Crescon lib. 3. cap. 51. words in the second Psalm saith Kings not onely as men but as they are Kings serve the Lord if in their Kingdomes they command that which is good and prohibite that which is evil not
only in those things which appertain to humane Society verùm etiam in iis quae ad divinam Religionem but also in matters concerning Religion and divine Worship Who dare offer to name the Time since the World began the Times of persecution which rendred it impossible only excepted wherein God did not allow Governours both Temporal and Ecclesiastical did not assume the power of governing giving Lawes to the Church for the discharge of their duties in matters of Religion As soon as the black and bloody cloud was dispell'd by the favour and power of glorious Constantine he assumed this Supremacy he put down Idolatry he establish'd the Truth he composed differences among Bishops suppressed Heresie and Schism called Councils and gave his suffrage in them he heard and judged Causes in Religion and made Ecclesiastical Laws and Edicts and all this as Eusebius saith tanquam communis Episcopus à Deo Euseb de vita Constan lib. ◠cap. 37. constitutus as a common Overseer or Bishop ordained of God and I may adde as an excellent Example to all Christian Princes to the end of the world Doubtless if he that resists a lawfull power shall receive to himself damnation he shall hardly escape that resists his command in lawfull yea in necessary things wherein if in any thing he ought to obey for the Lords sake and to submit in conscience of his duty to God as well as Man for as Augustine Hoc jubent Imperatores quod jubet Christus quia cum bonum jubent per illos non Christus nisi jubet so that when Kings command what Christ has first commanded Christ commands by them and we are called to obey not onely them but Christ in them CASE XI What private persons are to do when things expedient are required of them Resol THE second sort of things enjoyned in the exercise of Religion we have proposed to be things expedient for their present and special use though not necessary in their common nature or particularly comanded by God And the Question is When such things are required by lawfull Authority whether private persons are bound in duty to obey or not Some persons I believe like not that any such thing should be imposed upon them but would rather have the Decent ordering of Gods Worship left to their own private discretion yet I hope better of my Brethren then that they should refuse the exercise of any thing which themselves allow because it is also approved by others and commanded by Authority and therefore to be disorderly in the Church of God because they are enjoyned to do things in order Such things as we know to be fitted for the decency and order of Gods Worship if enjoyned by a lawfull Authority though they be not necessary in their common nature or particularly commanded by God and thus though they want a primary necessity yet they seem in the judgment of all sober men to contract a treble secundary necessity to oblige us to obedience viz. from the general commands of Scripture from the particular injunction of Authority and the urging direction of our own conscience where God indeed seems to speak thrice at once unto us by the Rule of the Apostle the Law of the Land and the voice of our own convicted Consciences Such Constitutions saith Bullinger as are expedient Dec. 2. Sect. 1. and drawn from general Scripture and are for edification I call not Humane Traditions Yea one of the Reformed Churches have put it Confes Suev in Harm Confes 8. 17. pag. 290. into their very Confession That they deserve to be esteemed Divine rather then Humane Constitutions For saith Mr Calvin such are not to be reckoned for Calv. in 1 Cor. 14. humane Traditions since they are founded in the general precept and have the Zanch. in com loc 16. liquid approbation as it were of Christs own mouth Beza therefore concludes Beza Epist 24. That things that make for order being commanded by Authority do so far binde the conscience that no man can wilfully transgress them without sin CASE XII What are private persons to do when things that are purely Indifferent are required in Religious Exercises Resol THat thing I here call purely Indifferent which impartially retaines a midd place betwixt things necessary and things sinfull and betwixt things inexpedient and things expedient more plainly we take a thing to be purely indifferent here that is neither necessary or sinfull in its nature or by the Word of God nor yet expedient or inexpedient as to the use for which it is appointed but in all regards purely Indifferent being neither necessary with a primary or with a secundary necessity as we lately distinguished nor yet respectively sinfull or unlawfull viz. either with a primary or secundary sinfulness Now the Question is not whether there be any such things or not but hoc supposito supposing there are and that they are commanded by lawfull Authority the Question is What private Christians are to do in such a case For my part though as I have said such things ought not to be enjoyned by Authority yet if the Scales be even before the command of Authority must I think of necessity turn them So that here we must observe a third kinde of Necessity where the two former are wanting so that where a thing is not necessary properly or occasionally as expedient yet it may become necessary by the addition of a humane Law which also circulates into the first necessity of a divine command Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake though it be but a meer humane Ordinance yet as such if not sinfull or forbidden by God you seem commanded to submit unto it Consequently we have discovered a third kinde of sinfulness where the primary and secundary is wanting so that where a thing is not sinfull in it self or by any inconvenience in its use yet it may become so by disobedience to lawfull Authority Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves 'T is necessary we observe a difference in the reason of imposing and of obeying For before a thing is imposed there is no obligation upon Authority to require it if it be not fit yea rather there is a pre-obligation to impose nothing but what is expedient in the Worship of God but now when a thing is once required though not expedient as we could desire we are under in obligation and we must not consult our liberty but our duty or if our liberty not so much our liberty to forbear as our liberty to obey and to enquire whether the thing be lawful or not whether God wil◠allow us to do it or not and if so Whether it be not our duty and whether though we would not do it for the things sake we must not do it for the commands sake the command of Man and the command of God Wherefore Beza to whom I might add the Learned
may be sinfull as to them which yet I doubt not may be lawfull and fit for us Whether Rulers exert their power in things Indifferent as they ought or not I judge more immediately concerns the conscience of Rulers rather then of us private persons with us the great and next and most concerning Case is this Not so much what Rulers may require as what we may do or rather not so much what it is fit for them to impose as what is fit for us to do 2. There is again a fitness or expediency quoad rem and quoad nos Or more plainly fitness is considerable in a more large and general sence as applied to its subject that is to the Service that is to be performed without any farther considering of any other circumstances of it as the fitness of kneeling standing or sitting at the Sacrament or in a more strict and qualified application to my particular action of kneeling standing or sitting c. as it is accompanied with all the circumstances and intanglements of my private Case And thus we discover two Cases more Whether in general quoadrem or according to the nature of the thing to do this or that e. g. to receive the Sacrament kneeling or sitting or standing or 2dly What is fittest for us to do aâ—l the circumstances and obligations of our private and particular Cases first duely pondered for I little doubt but that at length it will sufficiently appear that that which is not so fit in it self may yet be expedient for us to do And therefore give me leave once again to state you the Question thus CASE Whether if Authority require that which is lawfull in it self but not expedient all things considered it may not be both lawfull and expedient to obey and do it Resol THere is nothing more plain certain then that the same lawful things at divers times and to divers persons were judged by the Apostle to be both expedient and inexpedient both in his doctrine and practice who became a Jew to the Jews and a Grecian to the Grecians and even all things to all men that he might win some Upon the like ground Ambrose Augustine c. held that expedient for themselves and others to practise in one Church which they judged altogether unfit in another of a different usage Now what should be the reason of this mutability of Indifferent things This well pursued will carry us farr towards a solution of this great difficulty No doubt Polanus hit upon it whose words are weighty and justly worthy of all acceptation by such as desire satisfaction about the nature and use the fitness or unfitness of things Indifferent Adiaphorae res sunt licitae Polan tom 2. pag. 376. vel illicitae pro circumstantiarum ratione Things Indifferent saith he are lawfull or unlawfull by reason of their circumstances for which he cites Rom. 14. 20 21. 1 Cor. 8. 13. But put case that circumstances allow or disswade on both sides that there are either inconveniences to deterr or advantages to invite on both sides What is to be done in such a case Polanus therefore adds Hîc autem in Circumstantiarum pugnâ contrarietate minoris momenti iis quae major is momenti pauciores pluribus cedant i. e. Where there is a contest and contrariety of circumstances those that are less in weight and fewer in number must give way to those that are greater and more Rom. 14. 21. So that would you know whether it be fit to obey Authority in things that are lawfull be inexpedient bring the Case to the Test Where is the over-ballance of expedience and fitness Consider weigh the Circumstances on both sides and examine whether to follow our own judgment and disobey Authority in an inconvenience or to do that which is inconvenient in obedience to Authority be really attended with the more or fewer the greater or less inconveniences I speak as unto wise men judge ye what I say and answer your selves Yet that I may minister all my assistance to my Readers Conscience let us in earnest put the question Whether the Conveniences of Obedience in such a case may not greatly over-bear the expediency of the thing required Truely in my most serious pondering of this weighty matter there are three things of so great concern even indispensable conveniency if I may so undervalue them that offer their attendance to such an Obedience that the ordinary inconvenience of any lawfull thing injoined seems very light and inconsiderable to them the very mention of them one would think is of weight sufficient to sway the ballance they are Peace Duty Safety in the behalf of each of these we shall venture to engage a particular comparison Sect. 1. Of Peace VVHen we must either conform to an inexpedient indifferent thing or by our non-conformity break or but hazard the peace let such as have been scorch't in the flames of contention or carrie about them the skarrs of Warr or have any way learn'd to value peace judge what is to be done PEACE as the Naturalists say of the Radical Moisture is the Root of althings but by the heats of trouble and publique contention alas how soon does our glory and goodliness wither and all prosperity die away Who trembles not â—â—at the thought yea at the very motion towards a thought of being guilty of throwing the least brand into this fire lest as a Reverend Divine addes he should be made a firebrand in hell Say not Thy particular or thy partie is inconsiderable a spark unthought of unseen and almost invisible turns a City into ashes How great a matter a little fire kindles Therefore saith one Sicut vita in homine ita pax Aqui. in Mat. 12. in regno c. Peace in a Kingdom is as life in a man and as health is nothing but a temper of the humors so there is Peace where every thing keeps its own Order and as when health fails the man tends to death so when Peace departs a Kingdom tends to desolation whence the great and last intention is to keep the Peace O that men would a little consider what do they lose by doing that which they judge inexpedient if it be lawful Not Peace with God he hath not forbidden it not Peace of Conscience that allows it not Peace with Authority that commands it What then A little pleasing of our selves a small portion of private satisfaction and the enjoyment of our liberty in a thing indifferent because we judge it not to be expedient Again Oh that it were well considered what is lost with the Peace of the Church what we hazard when we hazard this Ah! what convenience is offered to ballance the necessity of Peace what can satisfie the loss of Peace where is our liberty when Peace is gone how dreadful are the fruits of Contentions who sails to the Indies in hopes of a people or would venture all in the hazard of so
necessary a thing as Peace for so small a matter as his private content in a bare expediency Can this expediency that we desire warrant us against all the Precepts perswasions beseechings of the God of Peace to pray for study seek pursue and follow after peace Can this defend us from the threatnings denounced against the troublers of Israel or make up the loss of all the comforts of the sons of Peace and the blessedness promised to peace-makers Yea let it be considered whether in things Indifferent if there be any hazard of the peace of the Church one way or other the question must not be so much What is expedient and what not but What makes for peace and what not And if this be the case indeed with us let that weighty advice of the blessed Apostle sink deep into our conscience and decide the Controversie which if sincerely heeded it being so throughly fitted to this very case I dare be bold to say must needs do it Let us follow after the things that make Rom. 14. 13 for peace q. d. in these indifferent things of which he was treating trouble not your selvs over-much some may think this expedient some that but in these things let me perswade you to make peace your Rule and while others with too much hea◠enflame their contentions about what is fittest to the breach of the peace and the trouble of the Church be you sure to mark those things that make for peace and follow them Flie contention and too much scrupilosity in such things and follow after things which make for peace Upon the like grounds no doubt St Augustine received that grave advice of St Ambrose as if it had been an Oracle To conform to the Usages of every Church where he came as he would neither take nor give offence St Augustine Epist 118. also gives the like advice upon somewhat the like reason for the sake of the Society of those with whom we live That which Beza reports of Calvin is very remarkable In Calvins Bez. in vi◠Calv. absence it seems the Wafer-cake was brought into the Sacrament at Geneva now though Calvin judged it very inconvenient yet he judged the peace more needfull and did earnestly admonish them not to be contentious about a thing indifferent And in so good a temper his words took them that they both Ministers and People so lowed his Counsel This was nothing but the Application of that General Rule which Calvin commended to Christians in his own writings with which we shall seal up this particular Though Calv. Epist 379. a thing saith he be imposed should bring offence and draw ill consequences with it that is be inexpedient yet if in it self it be not repugnant to Gods Word it may be yielded unto especially where the greater part prevaileth in which he is but a member of that body and can proceed no farther and by consequence non-conformity would hazard peace Sect. 2. Of Duty THe second thing that lies in scale against the Inexpediency of things imposed is that weighty thing called DVTY Here there seems to be so much odds that the Question is no longer what we may do or what is fit for us to do but what we must So that may is over-weighed by must fit by just liberty and expediency by duty and necessity with respect to God and to the Magistrate 1. There is a must from God a necessity laid upon us from heaven and wo be to Ministers if they preach not the Gospel and wo be to the people if they attend not the Ordinances besides the necessity of obedience to Magistrates on both But now there is no must not perform such Indifferent things as we scruple at for their inexpediency yet we fear that so it may happen that refusing to obey Authority in such indifferent things may incapacitate us for the discharge of those necessary duties necessà ry with respect to Gods command and the great salvation of immortal souls This very consideration turned the scale in that old but most Eminent Non-Conformist T. C. his judgment Third Book long agon about the Surplice The truth is faith he though in another Book of his before he had called the Surplice a Mark and Sacrament of Popish Abomination I dare not be Author to any to forsake his Pastoral Charge for the inconvenience and giveth this very Reason Because Preaching is the absolute command of God and therefore ought not to be laid aside for a simple inconvenience or uncomliness of a thing which in its nature is indifferent 2. There is a must also from man Our Rulers under God do also give us our Care of Souls which we accept from them they command us to Preach and feed the Flock they lastly injoyn us to dispense our duty with such and such circumstances which they judge most convenient God also adds his command that we should for conscience sake yea for his own sake Magistrates being his Vice-gerents submit our selves to every Ordinance of man that is not contrary to the Ordinance of God Now this is the very Case and surely it must be a very great inconvenience attending a circumstance of our duty that can out-weigh our duty our duty to God to our Prince to our Places to our Consciences and to the souls of the people Let me humbly enter this caveat take heed of resisting the Ordinance of God while you contemn a humane Institution The Ordinance of Man may be inconvenient but resisting the Ordinance of God is plainly sinful and sadly attended I shall therefore commend the fatherly Counsel of Augustine unto you and therewith also seal up this Particular In those Aug. Ep. 86. things saith he in which the holy Scripture hath made no certain appointment let the custom of the people of God or instituta majorum the injunctions of Governors be held for a Law Sect. 3. Of Safety THe last great conveniency that I shall leave in the ballance against the expediency desired and stuck upon is that of Safety and Preservation Besides our own which haply we little regard the safety of our party which we may too much value the safety of the people their great salvation yea the very concern of Religion and the power of Godliness these no doubt are things of weight with all prudent and good men But I humbly request my discontented Brethren May not such things as these these very things yea all these things be hazarded by checking at obedience in things inexpedient barely inexpedient Do not you fear do not you say that you certainly fore see that you already begin to feel the loss of your interest in a gracious KING in the Laws of the Land the laying down of the Ministry and the committing of the precious souls of your poor people to the care or rather neglect of a blind and sottish careless and scandalous Ministry Is there nothing in these in all of these can recompence the loss
3. If not to our selves to others that will be offended at our obedience CASE I. What are we to do when things of themselves and materially evil are commanded by Authority Resol ST Augustine delivered much in those few words There can be no Law that is not just St Bernard gives us a smart explication and account of it What man commands in such a case God forbids and so repeals and nuls it or rather by a pre-declaring his Will against it by whom Kings Reign it is void of it self ipso facto Hereupon the conclusion is drawn home to our present Case in the other words of Bernard Pura Ber. Ep. 7. mala ut nunquam juste juberi sic nec licite possunt feri Things of themselves and materially evil as they cannot be justly commanded so they may not be lawfully done Shall we be deaf to God as Bernard reasons and hear Men or with the Apostle shall we hearken to men rather then God We must not obey a Constable in opposition to the King nor the King in opposition to God the King of Kings as well as Subjects and the King of Subjects as well as Kings whose Soveraign Authority both Kings and Subjects and all must acknowledge lest he vindicate it with his power CASE II. What are we to do when such things ' are required as if not sinful in themselves yet we judge to be so Resol IT is past denial that as some things may seem lawful to one that seem sinful to another so some things may seem either lawful when they are sinful or sinful when they are lawful to persons misinformed Therefore where a thing seems lawful to our Rulers and fit to be imposed and yet we judge it sinful and not to be performed The advice I should tender in such a case is First Be not over-confident of the certainty of thine own opinion considering others especially men in Authority that with advice and assistances which private persons cannot obtain have judged it not only lawful but fit to be imposed and practised and perhaps if thou hast used any due diligence for the discovery of the truth herein thou hast seen reason to be more favourable in thy censure then formerly 2. Therefore with self-diffidence search farther search impartially read on both sides if any thing bias thee let it be thy mistrust of thy self thy esteeming of others thy inclination to peace thy love of the Church thy obedience to superiors ever remembring that ignorance and prejudice make snares sometimes and Zeal without Knowledge sets the Church on fire 3. When thou hast thorowly searched the matter must needs appear unto thee either lawful or doubtful or sinful still 1. If God shall bless thy endeavours with conviction and bring thee to see thine own errour and the lawfulness of that which before thou condemnedst the ground of the doubt is removed and consequently Obedience is justly expected from thee 2. If thy labours for satisfaction have only brought thee into some farther suspition of thy opinion so that now it doth not seem to be directly sinful which is required but of a doubtful nature so that thou art in a doubt whether thou maist obey or not I commend thee for thy further satisfaction to that excellent Casuist the Reverend Bishop of Lincoln his Lectures p. 216. 217. He concludes If because of some probable reasons appearing on both sides the subject cannot easily determine with himself whether the Law be right or not insomuch that his mind is in a great incertainty and knows not which way to incline he is bound in this case actually to obey it so that he sinneth if he obeyeth it not and doth not sin if he obeyeth For which he gives several Reasons In general the Reason seems to be this That whereof a man doubts holds the beam as it were even there is equal weight in each scale so we say A man doubting is one in bivio in aequilibrio but if the command of Authority be thrown into the scale it must needs turn it if even before this may not draw me to think it more lawful but yet more necessary not more lawful with respect to God yet more lawful with respect to us and more practicable upon that known rule In re dubia c. In a doubtful case the safer part is to be chosen 3. But if the thing required appear sinful to thee still thou art bound by the Law thou art bound to the peace of thine own conscience Gods Vice-gerent within thee and thou maist not obey Yet it may be worth thy pains to search again thou caâ—st not suffer upon too sure grounds and perchance yet thou maist be in an errour and God may at length reveal it to thee And that I may offer all my service both to thy conscience the peace of the Church let me beseech you thorowly to examine satisfy your selfe in these four Cases 1 Wherein Real Superstition or the shew and appearance of it lies 2 Whether such things are still to be reckoned Superstitious as have been formerly used to Superstition 3 Whether the significancy of things imposed render the things Superstâ—tious or sinful 4 Whether it be a sinful betraying the Christian Liberty to obey the Law in things indifferent in the Worship of God I know nothing that makes impositions of this kind seem sinful to any but it may be reduced to these four heads give me but a little liberty to speak my mind briefly upon each of them and I hasten to a Conclusion CASE I. Wherein doth Superstition or the appearance of it consist Resol THis Case hath visibly two Branches 1 Touching the reality 2 The appearance of Superstition 1 For the reality of Superstition all Divines conclude that it sticks not in the natures of the things used or required but in the persons that superstitiously require or use them Superstition therefore is rightly said by Divines to be grounded in that false Doctrine or superstitious opinion that superstitious persons have of them Polanus with many others of unquestionable credit in this particular hath reduced those errours that constitute circumstances of Worship truly and really superstitious to four heads 1 Meriti When wee think God is bound to reward our inventions and that by our purses or labours therein we purchase his favour This is Superstition 2 Cultus Dei When things are required as parts or of the essence of Divine Worship or so used This is Superstition 3 Perfectionis When we conceive that the true beauty and excellency of the Church and the perfection of Christianity consisteth in things of humane invention This is Superstition 4. Necessitatis When such things are required as simply necessary in their nature and so used when they are but things indifferent This is also Superstition Quest But when may a thing be said to appear Superstitious or to have the appearance of Superstition for that also must be avoided Answ We must
ipsi sicut par est suâ libertate But lastly Admit that our Rulers ought to abolish the thing that hath been so used to superstition but do not think fit to do it injoyn us by their commands to leave the superstitious use and to use it as we lawfully may it need not enter into a Question Whether we ought not to forsake the superstition and also to obey Authority in the lawful use of that thing without fear of superstition CASE III. Whether the imputing of significancy to things imposed render them Superstitious Resol TRuly some Reverend and Learned men seem so affrighted at the very mention of sacred mystical Ceremonies significant symbolical Rites of humane Institution that I cannot but fear rhat they have apprehended some very great danger in them Should we once grant that Ceremonies of humane Institution might be appointed to signifie the favour of God or the grace of the Sacraments or to be a means of receiving any blessing from God no doubt there is so much danger in it that if corrupt and superstitious men should at any time rule the Church we may quickly have not onely Seven but Seventy times seven if not intire yet Semi-Sacraments the Church and service of God being thereby obnoxious to all the antick and conceited crotchers that the vain imaginations of over-curious men can cumber them with untill they become stench in the nostrils of all sober and staid men and of God himself with the Church of Rome But if by Rites and Ceremonies we mean onely the Circumstances of Divine Worship by Scripture left to the liberty and prudence of the Church and by the significancy of them we intend nothing but that they are fitted to commend the exercise with order and decency to express the gravity and devotion of the Worshippers tending also as such things are capable to unity and edification if this be all truly I cannot discover so much danger Yea give me leave to add that to quarrel with them because they are such seems to be angry with these Ceremonies which are better and because they are better then others and to quarrel with their very fitness and their conformity to the general Rules of Scripture by which alone they ought to be measured Again if nothing that is so purely Indifferent as to be of no use or service and not to be more expedient then inexpedient ought to be imposed as all moderate men allow and according to the opinion in hand Nothing that hath its use or significancy may be required who sees not but the Church is crucified between two Opinions that openly rob her of all power about things indifferent Some very wise and unsuspected persons have freely declared themselves not to discover any such danger in the bare significancy of the Rites of the Church as others are affrighted with It is not lawfull saith Peter Martyr to Hooper to deprive the Church of that liberty that she should not by her actions and Rites of the Church aliquid significare signify something Yea further saith he the very Apostle himself used that liberty when he taught ut illis signis that with those signes they should be admonished of their duty Again Rerum significationes c. the significations of things call to our minds quid nos deceat what is expedient Ministri magis memores sint sui officii Vid. Aret. in 1 Cor. 10. 10. 16. 16. Pet. Mart. in 1 Cor. 16. 26. Geneva Annotations in 1 Cor. 16. 20. Perkins Case Consci cap. 3. Sect. 3. Calvin also is nothing Calv. Instit lib. 4. c. 10. 28 29. fearful to de iver his minde in the point There are saith he Rites which draw Veneration to holy things c. with such little helps we are provoked to piety They are adapted to the reverence of holy Mysteries thereby the exercise is suited to holinâ—ss They are not without fruit Thereby the faithfull are admonished with what modesty and religion they are to worship God Kneeling saith Beza when we receive the Signes hath a shew of Godly and Christian Veneration CASE IV. Whether it be a sinfull betraying our Christian liberty to obey the Law in things Indifferent in the Worship of God Resol THis Question seems to engage God and Cesar and to cause a quarrel betwixt Duty and Liberty which neither God or Cesar Duty or Liberâ—y will own or defend The doubt apparently results out of a too gross mistake of the nature of true Gospel-Liberty the Internal part whereof though it indeed free us from Inward Bondage yet binds us the faster in Service to God so the external part thereof doth also deliver us from outward slavery to the lusts of men yet it the more obligeth us in duty to Superiors Polanus placeth External Christian Liberty which indeed is properly Christian as it may be distinguished from Gospel-Liberty in two things A Liberty from the Law of Moses 2. A Liberty in the use of Indifferent things Now though the first branch may not be touched yet he doubts not in the least but that the latter may be determined upon just occasion of the Churches order by lawfull Authority Libertas Christiana est duplex à Legibus Mosis in Adiaphoris quales sunt Ceremoniae humanâ autoritate institutae boni ordinis causâ Christian liberty saith Polanus is twofold from the Laws of Moses and in things indifferent of which sort meaning things Indifferent are Ceremonies appointed by humane Authority for orders sake Now neither of these branches of Christian Liberty can be soberly thought to make void the Law as Moral or Natural in any one jot or tittle of it which our Saviour came to fulfill Matth. 5. and establish Rom. 3. ult but to assert that Rulers have no power in things Indifferent because of Christian liberty seems to weaken he arm of Authority Ecclesiastical Civil Political Oeconomical and even to raze out the fifth Commandement of the Moral Law yea what unnatural consequences of all disorder are like to ensue in Church in State in Families and all Societies in the world the beauty and comliness of all which lies not a litle in the due order of things Indifferent Yea how often is the Apostle himself the great Assert of Christian Libertie thus made an Invader of it how Injuriously did that famous Synod Act. 15. binde the Church to those indifferent things What Council Father Scholman Church nay what wise man was ever of this opinion or who is that solid Writer in any age almost that hath not declared the contrary Give me leave therefore to repeat it the nature of Christian Liberty is much mistaken It is not only consistent with but it even consisteth in the determination of things indifferent by lawful Authority It is one part of this liberty as Calvin asserts Libertas aufertur ablato Jure Legibus that the Church hath power to regulate the Circumstantes of Worship for peace and unity order and decency