complyance to the mind of others to neglect due reverence to God or Rules of order in the Church of God is not allowable And there lieth a much higher obligation upon us to please others where we are engaged thereto by the bond of justice subjection and obedience than where we are only enclined thereto by the influence of love and common kindness whence the Child or Servant who will provoke his Father or Master by acts of disobedience contrary to his duty meerly to please other persons acteth irregularly and sinfully and upon the same account he who will displease and disobey his Rulers and Governours whether Civil or Ecclesiastical to gratifie other persons of inferiour capacity acteth contrary to Christian duty 4. Secondly The Plea of scandal must then necessarily be ill used when what is undertaken under pretence of avoiding offence doth it self become the greater offence In the Case mentioned in the Epistles to the Romans and the Corinthians there was no giving offence to the Jews Gentiles or the Church of God by their present forbearance of any sort of meat under the circumstances in which they then were and therefore this forbearance out of charity to others became a duty But when S. Peter and Barnabas at Antioch did for a time forbear to eat with the Gentiles which seemingly encluded an urjust censure of the way of Christianity as it was embraced among the Gentiles and was like to be a great offence to the Gentiles this action though undertaken out of an appearance of charitable respect to the Jews that they might not be offended was sinful and contrary to the Gospel And upon the like account the disobeying Ecclesiastical Constitutions but of respect to some other persons while it encludeth an appearance of ungrounded censuring of our Rulers who appointed them and the Church who practiseth them and a want of care of its order Peace and Unity besides other ill consequents above expressed is not allowable nor can it be justified by the rules of Religion but by the bad example of neglect of duty it giveth the greatest occasion of offence 5. And if any persons shall in such a case take offence so far as to distast the Religious worship of God V. Tertullian de Virgin Vel. c. 3. because others observe established Orders this is an offence taken but not given For in matters indifferent and left altogether to our liberty he who without any care of his Brothers good acteth what he knoweth will occasion him to fall is guilty of a scandal against the rule of charity but he who acteth nothing but what is his duty lawfully commanded by his superiour or undertaken with respect to the greater good and order of the Church is guilty of no scandal nor breach of charity though others may take occasion to fall thereby 22 ae qu. 43. Art 2. It is well resolved by Aquinas that every scandal or offence encludeth sin that which is a scandal given or an active scandal is the sin of him who giveth the occasion but the scandal taken or the passive scandal is the sin of him only who taketh the occasion to fall Thus there were divers things which our Saviour spake and did at which the Pharisees were offended the sin of which must be charged upon themselves in being alienated thereby from the Doctrine of Christ 6. Thirdly The duty of forbearing the use of some things lawful and expedient because others account them sinful hath likewise peculiar respect to that case when the erring persons have not had sufficient opportunity of being fully instructed and stedfastly established in the truth Thus in the time of the Apostles when the Doctrine of the Gospel was first divulged the Jews could not be presently satisfied concerning the liberty and freedom of Christians from the rites of the law of Moses and many of the Gentiles were not so firmly established in all the Doctrines of Christianity that they might not be led aside by mistaking the practices of other Christians and in such cases the use of things lawful and indifferent must be restrained from the consideration of others weakness But where there hath been sufficient means and opportunity for better instruction if some still retain their erroneous opinions they who understand the truth are not obliged in this case to forbear their practising according to their true principles in matters of indifferency and Christian liberty because this practice is in this case a profession of truth against errour and the forbearance thereof may frequently be interpreted a complyance with errour Vrsin Loc. Theol in 3m. Prac. And it is truly observed by Vrsin that it is scandalum datum in rebus adiaphoris errores in animis infirmorum confirmare to add confirmation to erroneous opinions in the minds of the weak about indifferent things is a giving offence or being guilty of an active scandal Upon this account though our Saviour knew that his heating and commanding the man who was healed to take up his bed on the sabbath day his eating with Publicans and Sinners and his Disciples eating with unwashen hands were things in the highest manner offensive to some of the Jews he practised and allowed these things in opposition to the Scribes and Pharisees who in their censures of him proceeded upon erroneous and corrupt Doctrines vented by them for divine dictates 7. But it may deserve a more full enquiry whether Ecclesiastical Constitutions and legal Injunctions may be allowed concerning things which either are or may become matter of dispute and opposition Commis Papers passim because this is a thing which is in the substance of it much insisted upon In order to the resolution hereof I shall assert 1. The peace and Vnity of a Church which must both respect the Union of its members among themselves and with the Vniversal Church is of so great value that to that end it would be very desirable that any particular constitution about matters meerly indifferent should be altered where peace with a well ordered state of the Church can only by that means be firmly secured because the principal end of them is to promote Unity order and edification 8. Assert 2. Where minds are prone to raise disputes and entertain prejudices and jealousies about matters of Gods worship the most innocent things cannot be long secured from being opposed and scrupled For in this case when men of greater parts do without just cause propound doubts and arguments against a thing which may easily be done about any subject men of lesser understanding if they have also unsetled and unestablished minds are apt either out of weakness of judgment to take their fallacies to be solid reasons or from the earnestness of their affections to esteem such persons to be the ablest and faithfullest guides And he who observeth the World will discern that there is scarce any truth of Religion even in matters most Fundamental which hath not been disputed and opposed by men
of corrupt minds who have by this means drawn Disciples after them For besides the consideration of Papists and other Sectaries abroad where multitudes of their followers have really believed their errors and with a misguided zeal opposed the truth as S. Paul did while he continued in Judaism we have also sufficient evidence hereof at home in our former times of licentiousness Saints Rest Part. 1. Ch. 7. Sect. 14. Insomuch that Mr. Baxter then complained that professors of Religion did oppose and deride almost all that worship of God out of Conscience which must then be grolly depraved and corrupted which others did out of prophaneness And the provincial Assembly as it was called at London then declared That there was scarce any truth of Christ but was charged in those unhappy times Jus div Min. Evangel Pas 2. c. 3. so they called them as Antichristians and that the Doctrine of the Trinity of Christ being equal with the Father of the immortality of the Soul of repentance humilitation sanctification and good works out of obedience to Gods commands with other Doctrines were condemned as Antichristian and also that the places where they met together to worship God the worship they there performed their Church-Government and Ministry was also say they called Antichristian Now if amongst other things opposed and condemned the most essential Doctrines of Christian Religion have not escaped these vehement and unjust censures it cannot be expected that the best Constitutions of the Church should be generally entertained without all scruple and suspition especially so long as through the itch of of dispute things ordered in the Church are thought blameable for being significant that is useful for all insignificant things are here useless and for being enjoined that is recommended by the highest authority which God hath set in and over 〈◊〉 Church 9. Assert 3. As all Ecclesiastical Constitutions must be in themselves certainly lawful not needlesly burdensom and such as the Governours of the Church judge to be unquestionably useful and expedient so where they are such their lawfulness would not be so much contended against as it is by them who are concerned to obey provided they humbly and calmly made use of the best rules to direct their own practice which rules are here the same which must be received in other practical controversies of Religion viz. First That he who hath sufficient capacity of understanding to judge clearly and solidly of the things questioned and of the strength of the arguments produced should without any prejudice or passion embrace and entertain what appeareth manifestly allowable and such an understanding so proceeding can neither condemn the right way nor embrace the wrong because truth only can be clearly evidenced to an unbyassed and able judgment and for such a man to follow any authority whatsoever against this manifest evidence of truth is to put himself under the blind Leaders of the blind Secondly Men ought to be so humble as not to account their own judgments sufficient rationally to decide any matters of dispute or determine the force of any argument when they really are not and this will direct men of mean capacities not over-forwardly to engage in controversies above their reach nor violently to espouse what may be wrong or oppose what may be right but humbly to desire and seek for clearer apprehensions or the best directions and informations Thirdly That in these matters those whose own weakness of understanding is not able to conduct them through the mists of dispute ought to make use of the best and safest guides to direct and lead them and should follow their counsel and advice Aug. de Vtilit credendi c. 12. c. For it is manifestly the case of great multitudes of adult Christians in the World as hath been long observed that their judgments are not so strong and clear but that especially in divers matters of dispute which are no part of the Christian Creed they must and do follow the guidance of others and are led by their judgment direction and authority where themselves have not capacities to judge of the evidence of proofs But here as the man who chooseth an ill guide for his way or an ignorant Physician to advise for his health or an unskilful Lawyer for his Estate so he that followeth a bad Leader in matters concerning Religion must bear in some respects the consequents of his own bad choice 10. And whereas some would have persons to forbear practising in matters of dispute until themselves be able by the capacities of their own judgments throughly to solve the difficulties objected they ought to have considered that in most practical disputes as concerning Infant Baptism the observing rules of order and keeping Communion with a particular Church and obeying the commands of Rulers to forbear practising what ought to be performed is to yield to sin and with choice to act against a duty and to require this is also to proceed upon a principle which will leave such mens Consciences under inextricable difficulties For instance if men were taught that none ought to bring their Infant-Children to be baptized until they were able themselves judiciously to answer all that is urged to the contrary by the Anabaptists this if practised would tend to make considerable numbers of weak Christians whose heads are not capable of managing disputes to neglect their â—â—ry herein and in practice to close 〈…〉 â—abaptists But if again they were taught which must needs be as reasonable as the other that they may not safely chuse to forbear the bringing their Infants to Baptism because even that choice is a moral action unless they could clearly refute all those great arguments which prove this to be their duty it will be manifest that in this case there can be no way to disentangle the Consciences of such men of mean capacities but only by following the directions above given And the like may be said concerning other instances 11. But that such persons who cannot themselves search into disputes may not be dangerously misguided two rules are to be observed V. Aue. cont Crescon l. â— c. 33. First That for them to be directed by the general judgment principles and practices of the primitive Church where that can be evidently and without contradiction discovered by skilful and faithful relaters thereof is a more safe course in any matter of dispute which themselves cannot fathom than to be led meerly by the judgment and authority of any men or company of men who oppose the same because the greater authority is to be preferred before the less and by this rule many errours of Papists and Sectaries may be rejected Secondly That where such persons of weak judgments cannot clearly understand either the grounds of truth under present debate or the judgment and practice of the ancient Church whether through defect or diversity of information it is their best and surest way ordinarily to be directed and led by
Libertas Ecclesiastica OR A DISCOURSE Vindicating the lawfulness of those things which are chiefly excepted against in the Church of England especially in its LITVRGY and WORSHIP And manifesting their agreeableness with the Doctrine and practice both of Ancient and Modern Churches By WILLIAM FALKNER Preacher at St. Nicholas in Lyn Regis LONDON Printed by J. M. for Walter Kettilby at the Bishops-Head in St. Pauls Church-Yard 1674. IMPRIMATUR Jan. 23. 167â— â— Sam. Parker TO The most Reverend Father in God Gilbert by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitan and one of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council c. May it please your Grace YOur Grace being a Person of such singular Eminency in the Church of England I humbly crave leave to present to your hands this following Discourse which contains a Vindication of the Publick Worship of our Church from those Exceptions which by Dissenters have been made against it And the main Design of this Treatise being to promote Christian Vnity by representing the evil consequences of such unnecessary Discords and Schisms and the great unreasonableness of those pretences which have been alledged for their Justification it will nâ—t I hope be judged incongruous that it should address it self to your Grace whose high Office in the Church tendeth to advance the Vnity thereof and entitleth you to the publick Patronage of Peace and Truth I cannot doubt your Graces approbation of this design which is at all times useful but more especially in this present Juncture of Affairs if God please to grant success which is my earnest prayer For as all good men who prefer Truth and the sincere practice of Piety before their own prejudices wills and passions cannot but approve of such honest endeavours to rectifie mistakes and compose the minds of men to peace so all who are pious and wise cannot but discern a greater necessity and a more particular obligation at this time to silence all these little janglings and quarrels if they have any respect to the main interest and concerns of the Reformed Profession And I hope My Lord that the late Alarum we had from our common Enemies may open mens eyes to see the mischief of rending the Church into so many Factions and may dispose them to receive just and reasonable satisfaction And though what hath been excellently performed by former Writers upon this Subject be sufficiently satisfactory yet my labour herein may not be wholly useless considering the humour of this Age which is more apt to read new Books than to seek for old ones But though the cause I have undertaken deserves your Graces Patronage yet my own personal defects might justly have discouraged me from presenting this discourse to one of so high Dignity and so great a Judgment had not the cause it self been so good that it needed no Art and Colours to set it off but is sufficiently justified when it is rightly represented and understood and your Graces Candour and Clemency so well known as to encourage me to hope for a favourable Acceptance which is the only thing I beg in this humble Address unto your Grace favourably to accept of this small Present from him who unfeignedly prayeth for your Graces prosperity and is intirely devoted to the service and interest of Truth and Peace and Humbly honoureth your Grace with all due Observance W. Falkner THE PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader THE design of this discourse being to remove or at least to allay those fierce contentions about the external forms of worship to which we owe all those unhappy Schisms which good men so heartily bewail it was necessary in order to this end to rectifie those mistakes and prejudices which abuse well-minded men who have not throughly consider'd things and to correct those corrupt passions that quarrelsom and contentious humour which perverts others To these two causes we owe most of our present disorders it is too evident what hand the latter of these has had in them while divers Persons wanting a due sense of the evil and danger of these discords and a due regard to the Peace and Unity of the Church have been too zealous and forward to maintain and promote such dissensions thereby to serve the Interest of their own parties and to oppose the settlement of the Church upon sure and lasting principles now I had no other way of dealing with these men but to convince them of the great evil of such contentions and how much it is the duty of every Christian to study Peace and Unity For there is nothing more evident than that mens minds are strangely byassed by their affections and Interests and clouded by passion and therefore while they are so peremptorily resolved upon their way while they are so fond of their own Inventions while they are devoted to the service of a Party and account those men their Enemies who should rule and govern them and inform them better there is no expectation that reason and argument should prevail with them And if those arguments which I have made use of for this purpose should be effectual to calm the passions of men and to work in them a Christian and peaceable temper of mind I can easily foretel the success of my following discourse the design of which is to rectifie those mistakes and misapprehensions which some men labour under which either concern the particular Rites and offices of our Church or the General rule of duty or Ecclesiastical liberty by which the Church must be directed and guided in matters of order The first hath occasion'd various exceptions against some Rites and Ceremonies and particular passages in our forms of Prayer and I have spent great part of this Treatise in answering such objections by which I hope it will appear what little reason there is to disturb the Peace of the Church and to separate from our Communion upon such pretences Concerning the General Rule which ought ever to be observed in the Church about matters of order there are some who will allow nothing except some few circumstances to be determined by the Authority of the Church unless it be directly enjoined by a particular divine Institution and for a more plausible colour they reject all such rules of order or regular administration under the terms of unscriptural conditions of Communion But in answer to this I have made it appear to be an unjust and unreasonable exception against the establisht order of any Church that there are some things determined and appointed by the Authority of Superiours which have always been accounted of an Indifferent nature and are indeed the proper matters of Ecclesiastical Liberty And I hope I have abundantly proved to the satisfaction of all sober inquirers that prudent and well ordered Ecclesiastical Constitutions and appointments for the promoting order and decency and the advancement of Religion and Piety are very allowable and unblameable nay that it is impossible that
Script Angl. They who entred into the Ministry at Strasburgh after its first reformation did by Oath undertake to keep in the Communion and obedience of the Church and its Governours according to the law of God and their Canons Statutes and Ordinances And it is related from the laws of Geneva where an established Liturgy is one of their Constitutions that all they who were there received to the Ministry must oblige themselves by Oath to observe the Ecclesiastical Ordinances ordained by the Councils of that City In the Hungarian reformed Church they who enter the Ministry do by a very solemn Oath oblige themselves to the observations of the Ecclesiastical Canons Eccles Augl Vindic cap. 31. in fin and to the performing due obedience to the Bishop and other Superiours in the Church as may be seen in their Oath as it is fully exhibited by Mr. Durell from their Synodical Constitutions 5. The Subscriptions or Declarations required amongst us besides what for the present concerneth the Covenant are an acknowledgment of the Kings just authority to secure the Government of the Articles of Religion to preserve truth of Doctrine and of the Liturgy and Book of Ordination to maintain order and Uniformity to which end also tendeth the Oath of Canonical obedience wherein such obedience to the Bishop and his Successors is engaged in all lawful and honest things which must needs be blameless unless it could be accounted a sin to resolve to do good and honest things in a way of order Of these I shall in this discourse treat of what concerneth the Liturgy which is chiefly opugned and therefore requireth the principal consideration for the vindicating our Communion in the worship of God and the manifesting the unlawfulness of the breach thereof 6. Some declared allowance of the Liturgy hath since the reformation been ordinarily required in this Church Art 35. The Articles in the time of King Edward the Sixth contained an approbation both of the Book of Common Prayer and of Ordination In Queen Elizabeths time the allowance of the use and the Subscription to the Book of Common-Prayer was required by the Advertisements Advertism 7. Eliz Can. 1571. c. concionatores Tract 21. c. 1. and Canons and defended by Bishop Whitgift Since Queen Elizabeth the same hath been performed in the Subscription according to the 36th Canon and in the Declaration and Acknowledgment in the Act of Uniformity which in seense much agreeth therewith 7. The subscription required by the thirty sixth Canon is grounded upon the Constitutions of the Convocation confirmed by the authority of the Kings broad Seal according to his supream authority in causes Ecclesiastical and according to the Statute 25. Henr. 8. And so the Canons of the Church did of old frequently receive a confirmation by the Emperours sanction under his Sea which is a thing of so great antiquity that Eusebius relateth concerning Constantine the first Christian Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that by his Seal Eus de Vit. Const l. 4. c. 27. he ratisied the determinations made by the Bishops in their Synods 8. That Article in this Canon which referreth to the Book of Common-Prayer doth enclude an acknowledging three things First that that Book containeth nothing contrary to the word of God which is intended to be manifested in the following Chapters touching the things chiefly opposed The second will be consequent thereupon viz. that it may lawfully be so used The third and last clause is a promise to use the form prescribed in that Book in publick Prayer and administration of the Sacraments and none other the lawfulness of which promise doth evidently follow from the former clause and its sense is of the same import with those words of the acknowledgment required in the Act of Uniformity viz. I will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now established 9. But some especial doubts have been peculiarly entertained concerning the sense of the Declaration in the Act of Uniformity in giving unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in and by the Book of Common-Prayer c. But while our Government doth require the use of this form both the intended sense being the same with that of the two former clauses concerning the Liturgy in the Canon above-mentioned and the expression thereof may upon equitable and impartial consideration appear clearly and fairly justifiable To which purpose the true sense of assenting and consenting and the things to which this hath respect is to be enquired after 10. Wherefore it is first to be considered that as to assent when referred to things asserted is to owne the truth of them so when referred to things to be done ordered or used it is to allow that they should be put in practice in which latter sense assenting is one and the same with consenting Now the Act of Uniformity both immediately before this Declaration and in divers other places referreth this unfeigned assent and consent to the use of the things in that Book contained and prescribed and thereby directeth us to this ordinary sense of the word Assent as doth also the nature of the things to be assented to which for the main part are Prayers Thanksgivings and Rubricks which being no assertions or propositions are to be used but not properly to be believed This notion of assenting in the same signification with consenting is according to the frequent use of assensus in the Latin as when things are agreed unanimi assensu consensu and the marriage of Children is declared Littleton C. of Tenaunt in Dower that it should be de assensu consensu parentum and we read of dower de assensu patris in our English Law-Books and the same might be evidenced by various English Examples But this Declaration being required by our Statute Laws it may be sufficient to observe that this is a very common sense of the word assent in our English Statutes 11. 25. Ed. 1. c. 1 Pref. to 18. Ed. 3. to 2. Ric. 2. passim Thus from King Edw. I. will King Henry the seventh and sometimes after our Statute Laws are oft declared to be assented unto or to be made with the assent of the Lords c. But from Queen Elizabeths time downwards the Laws are oft expressed to be enacted by the King or Queen with the consent of the Lords c. and sometimes with their assent and consent as 1. Jac. 2. 21. Jac. 2. In the same sense par assent assensus and such like expressions are frequently used in our most ancient Statutes in their Latin and Frence Originals As in St. de Carl. Ordinat Forest c. 6. St. Lincoln Westm 4. Exilium Hug. le despenser Ordin pro ter Hib. And about common assaâ—s the word assent is three times in one paragraph used in this sense concerning the recovery of any land 14 Eliz. 8. by the assent and agreement of the persons to
8. whence the Targum mentioning the expedition against Antiochus speaketh of him under th ename of Alexander and the Prophet speaketh to the Jews under the stile of the Rulers of Sodom and the Elders of Gomorrha 2. And secondly the Objection is not sufficient to disprove the Historical truth of these Books if we consider 1. That the fixed time of the life of Job and the time to which divers Prophecies refer is not easily determined which yet is no good argument against the truth of either as it is a bad argument against the credit of ancient History either of our own or other Nations that it is hard to fix the scituation of divets ancient places mentioned by names now unknown 2. That both Josephus and other Historians do make no mention of divers considerable things which were certainly true as for Josephus some of the Prophets and the matter of divers Canonical Books and some remarkable Histories as particularly all that referred to the framing the Golden Calf are omitted by him 3. That the ancient Christians who had the use of divers ancient Jewish Writers and other Histonary now lost and had thereby greater opportunity of searching into the Historical truth of these things did esteem them to be true Relations Bel and the Dragon is cited as a true Narration containing an example for Martyrdom and an instance of the sureness of Gods provision for them that trust in him by Irenaeus Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus S. Cyprian and Gr. Nazianzen and divers others V. Lit. African in Crit. Sacr. Tom. 8. p. 46 47. And Origen particularly undertook the defence of the truth of the History of Susanna in answer to the Letter of Africanus which containeth the sum of all the Objections against it Eus Hist Eccl. l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were fully and manifestly satisfied by Origen saith Eusebius S. Hierome also wrote a Comment upon Susanna and upon Bel and declareth Origen to have written upon the same And S. Hierome calling these fabulaes useth that word here as he doth elsewhere V. Epist ad Castrutium for true Narrations which we also sometimes call stories and these very things he particularly acknowledgeth for truths Apol. 2. ad Ruff. Proleg in Habbacuc ad Chromatium And Judith is propounded as a true Narration and example of love to her people or courage by Hierome Origen Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Clem. Ep. ad Corinth p. 70. and even by Clemens Romanus the Companion of St. Paul in that his undoubted Epistle to the Corinthians And these testimonies are the more considerable because several of these Writers and particularly Tertullian Clemens Alexandrinus Origen and Hierome were men of great knowledge in all ancient learning Wherefore there is very considerable evidence that these relations are true Histories though it would be inconsiderable matter of Objection if they were acknowledged to be only Parables 3. Obj. 2. Judith approveth the fact of Simeon against the Sichemites by desiring the like assistance from God Ch. 9. and spake things untrue Ch. 10. v. 12 13 14. and Ch. 11. and yet she was commended highly and blessed by Joacim and the Elders Ans Both in these Books and even in the Canonical Scriptures we must distinguish between things Historically related which are many times evil and the matters of precept and command which are always good The main design of this Book of Judith being to shew Gods wonderful Providence in preserving his Church divers things are mentioned in the carriage of Judith which are neither to be allowed in her nor imitated by us And in the Canonical Scriptures we read of good men uttering expressions in Prayer which were unadvised and blamerble such were Elijahs intercession against Israel and both his and JOnah's passionate desire of Death We also read of Jacob by false speaches procuring his Fathers blessing which were allowed by Rebecca and of the contrivance of Jacobs other Sons against Joseph with their lying devices to paliate their own sin and of the like wiles which Jehu used to destroy the Worshippers of Baal and in some things both Jehu and Judith deserved commendation but in other things their practices as the other now mentioned and divers more are not examples for our imitation but rather warnings to us to take heed of the like miscarriages 4. Obj. 3. From Tobit there are divers things objected Of what is said against any thing contained in the fifth Chapter which is purposely left out of our Kalendar I shall take no notice But Ch. 6.9 10. The using the heart and liver of a Fish is declared as from an Angel to be a Cure for one vexed with an evil Spirit and the Gall thereof to be a remedy for the whiteness of the eyes Concerning which place two ways of interpretation are propounded by Drusius Drâ—â—â— Tob. theone that these words concern a Disease or distemper of body occasioned by the operation or influence of an evil spirit which yet may be healed by natural remedies which the Angel did direct and he sheweth that some parts of fishes are reputed to have medicinal vertue and it is ordinarily acknowledged that some distempers curable by Medicine may be promoted by evil spirits But the other which I chiefly embrace is to this purpose that it is no ways improbable that God who more frequently manifested himself by Angels before the coming of Christ should by the Ministry of one of them vouchsafe an extraordinary help and cure to one who religiously served him though by the use of means otherwise inconsiderable that his mercy and mighty power should be manifested by the effecting such a Cure By washing in Jordan according to the Prophets direction the Leprosie of Naaman was miraculously cleansed by washing in Siloam at our Saviours command the blind man obtained a wonderful Cure So small a thing as Moses his râ—d ordered by Gods power was an instrument of working divers miracles and by Elijah's Mantle smiting the Waters they were twice divided 2. Kin. 2.8 14. and in Egypt at the sprinkling of bloud the destroying Angel passed over Now can any man think it either impossible or altogether incredible that God should produce great effects by small appearances at the direction of an Angel who had oft done the like at the direction of a Prophet And this direction of the Angel is manifestly designed for a particular preservation to Tobit and a Cure to his Father and the following Chapters declare the effect of both nor ought it to be doubted but that our great and eternal God hath done many great things besides what was thought necessary to be expressed in the Canonical Scriptures 5. Obj. 4. In the sixth seventh and ninth Chapters of Tobit the Angel who is said to Accompany him is spoken to under the name of Azarias viz. the Son of Ananias and seemeth to owne that name whereas it could not be true that the Angel was this Azarias But here it must
of this Text will discover Divers other instances may be observed such as in the Syriack translation reading Ps 7.11 God is not angry every day to which the Greek agreeth and in the Syriack and Arabick which in the Historical Books translateth from the Syriack expressing 2. Kin. 18.27 That they may not eat their own dung Mr. Thorn Epil l. 1. c. 32. which sense is well allowed by a learned man of our own Nation and in the Septuagint with the vulgar Arabick and Aethiopick who are guided by it rendring Ps 35.20 They spake peace to me and also in the Samaritan translating Gen. 41.16 God will not give answer without me The difference of divers translations may be noted in such places as these Num. 11.25 where some have They did not cease and others They did not proceed and in Job 34.30 Dent. 20.19 and Deut. 21.12 Where some read She shall pare or cut off her nails others She shall nourish her nails or suffer them to grow and our last English Translation doth in the Text embrace the former and in the margent the latter but it would be a great folly thence to conlude that that Translation of the Bible is either useless or hurtful See the like 2. Kin. 19.25 Ps 121.11 Yet the various ways of rendring some particular expressions of Scripture where it may be difficult to determine that sense which must exclude all other is very far from acknowledging the sense of Scriptures ancertain in matters of Faith and Christian life which are frequently and manifestly therein expressed and to which the general consent of the purest times of Christianity and in matters of life the very principles of Reason and Conscience do agree All that can be hence concluded is that there is sufficient matter in divers passages of Scripture for the exercise of the learnedest Criticks and greatest Students as there is abundant plainness of instruction in the most necessary things for the meanest capacities SECT VIII Of Holy-days or Festival-days 1. These days are acknowledged to have no particular divine institution but have been allowed and appointed by the Church of God and are established by the civil Sanctions of our laws 5. 6. Edw. 6.3 The end of their appointment is for the promoting the service of God and Religious exercises Injunct n. 20. Can. 13. as is at large expressed in that Statute by which they were particularly confirmed and in the Queens Injunctions and in the Book of Canons which requireth them to be employed in hearing Gods word read and taught in private and publick Prayers in acknowledging our ofsences to God and amendment of the same in being reconciled to our neighbours where there hath been displeasure in oft receiveing the Communion in visiting the poor and sick persons and using all sober and godly conversation If such fruits of Christian Piety were more plentifully and abundantly brought forth they would by their pleasant sweetness both recommend themselves and those times and seasons the good use of which more especially contributed to their ripeness and maturity 2. Now these Duties being the principal business of the Christian life it must either be asserted that no particular time may be peculiarly set apart thereto unless it can be proved that God hath particularly instituted that time which is an evil Principle whereby men would be taught to reject daily Christian exercises and to live in disobedience to Gods commands and in much impiety and irreligion or else it must be granted which is truth that God having commanded these Duties doth both allow and expect that fit and seasonable times in the whole course of life be allotted to the practice thereof whence some portions of every day and some especial days may be profitably and advantagiously imployed in these Religious exercises And such times may allowably the called Holy hours and days from the holy actions of Gods Service and Religion for which they are reserved and to which they are appointed 2. Kin. 12.18 Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 2. For For that is properly holy which is set apart to God and also according to cl Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that is a holy time in which we receive the knowledge of God but the use of the word Holiday is no more but the ancient English and Saxon word for Church-festivals 3. But whereas many persons mispend these days in vanity and intemperance which by the direction of the Church and the prescription of the Law ought to be and by others are used piously and devoutly these mens miscarriage condemneth their abuse but not the appointment of these times to other good ends and purposes The Jews in Isaiahs time abused their fasting days in hypocrisie and to wicked ends fasting for strife and envy and to smite with the fist of wickedness Isa 58.4 and yet the appointing fasting days to a better end was not only allowed at other times but even in his time also in Isa 22.12 Indeed the corruptions of many men are prone to make a bad improvement of the best things The three solemn Feasts of the Jews Tract Kiddush in which all their Males must appear before the Lord were through their abuse of them acknowledged by their own Talmud to be become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vlcer of the year Buxtorf Lex Rab. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Feasis of Parâ—â—x were religiously appointed though amongst the debauched Spirits of the Jews they were turned into meer Baccanalia or voluptuousness and vanity And the want of care in many persons of the Service of god upon the Lords days hath administred just cause for that great complaint in our Homilies Hom. of time and place of Prayer Part. 1. That God is greatly dishonoured and the Devil served upon that day And in my apprehension it is not improbable that the oposition maintained against the observing these Holidays may have this forcible influence upon many who are easily withheld from good but hardly perswaded ot it to make them the more neglectful therein of Religious exercises 4. It was the practice of the Jewish Church and was in many instances allowed by the holy Scriptures to set apart voluntarily some days for Religious Service which God had not particularly enjoyned I might mention their usual Fasts of the first-born before the Passeover and their Fasts after the days of unleavened bread and after Pentecost The annual Fasts for many years of the fourth fifth seventh and tenth months are mentioned by the Prophet Zechariah Zech. 8.19 We read also of a particular Fast proclaimed by Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.3 and of another in Josiahs time Jer. 36.9 and another in Josiahs time Jer. 36.9 and another commanded by Ezar Ezr. 8.21 and of a three days Fast appointed by Esther which the Chaldee Paraphrast with some probability observeth to be kept within the days of unleavened bread See Esth 3.12 with Chap. 4.8 16. Chal. par in Est 4.17
their superiours who are over them in the Church in the things they command or the truths they recommend rather than by the opinions of any other persons whomsoever 1. Because God hath appointed them to be teachers leaders and guides to us and therefore it is against the duty of our relation to them and of the due submission we owe to them and inconsistent with the duty of honouring our Rulers to censure their appointments or instructions as evil meerly upon the credit of any other persons contrary opinion 2. Because they who disobey the Constitutions of their Superiours only out of respect to the contrary judgment of any other persons do not disobey out of Conscience but out of prejudice and disaffection because no principle of Conscience can ordinarily bind men who are not able to judge fully of the Case to conclude their superiours or Ecclesiastical Governours to be in the wrong and those who oppose them to be in the right and Gods command to obey them who have the rule over us cannot safely be overlooked out of respect to mens own prejudices and disaffections Disp of Cerem c. 15. Sect. 3. In this case it was well declared by Mr. Baxter that the duty of obeying being certain and the sinfulness of the thing commanded being uncertain and only suspected we must go on the surer side with much more to the same purpose Now the observing these rules abovementioned See Dr. Ferne's Considerations of concernment c. 1. will both preserve the true freedom of judgment and Conscience which when it proceedeth upon unerring evidence is to be preferred before any humane authority and it will also provide for the establishing of Truth Vnity and Peace in the Church and will be the best security to the Souls and Consciences of men because they who hold fast the Fundamentals of Christian Faith and Life though in matters of a lesser nature they should mistake where they sincerely design to practise their duty so far as they can understand of themselves or are instructed by their teachers without any willing neglect of duty towards God or Man such mistakes or errors are not destructive to Salvation 12. Indeed S. Paul telleth his Romans Rom. 14.23 that he that doubteth is domned or condemned which some expound self condemned if he eat and that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin But as the Rules above-expressed are means for the satisfying doubts so this Apostolical Rule requiring a full and well satisfied perswasion of a mans own judgment and knowledge in what he acteth must be applyed to the special case intended which is this That wheresoever the omitting any action is certainly free from sin and the practice of it appeareth to any person doubtful there to do that action is a very dangerous and evil practice because it containeth in it a chusing to run the hazard of sin which choice is always a sin in such a Case the Apostle alloweth no man to engage upon any such action until he be certainly perswaded by an undoubting knowledge of the lawfulness thereof And the same rule must take place when the practice of any thing is manifestly lawful and the omission doubtful But the Case is very much different when both acting and forhearing may be doubted of where the one of them is a duty and it is impossible that both should be forborn and such to some persons is the question above-mentioned concerning Infant Baptism obedience to Rulers c. Nor doth the Apostle in this place design in general that no Servant Child or Subject may eat any thing observe any time religiously obey any command or perform any other action till he hath obtained so much knowledge as to discern by an undoubting judgment how these actions in their particular circumstances are allowable by the rules of Christianity for then the ignorant person should be directed till he becometh knowing to be idle and do nothing and to be disobedient and under no command but would scarce be allowed to live so long as to obtain knowledge But God having commanded Superiours to rule and Inferiours to obey to suspend all action here is to perform an inward moral action of choice about a matter of duty which if it be not regularly managed is a sin And in this case so far as concerneth the obedience of a Child Servant or Subject they ought to account their superiours command to lay such an obligation upon them to duty that they must be guided thereby unless they be able to prove themselves bound to act the contrary 13. Assert 4. It is neither necessary nor possible that Ecclesiastical Constitutions should not be liable to be scrupled or suspected where those suspicions and scruples are admitted without sufficient evidence of evil in the things themselves Mr. H. Tract of Schism I know that some have asserted that the Church and its Officers are guilty of Schism if they appoint any thing not necessary or indifferent which is by others suspected But that things in themselves lawful and expedient may lawfully be commanded though they be groundlesly suspected or scrupled appeareth I. Because otherwise all rules of Ecclesiastical order would be unlawful where people are needlesly suspitious and scrupulous and a great part of the authority of Princes Parents and Masters would be abridged if it must be limited by all the unnecessary suspitions of inferiours 14. Arg. 2. From the Apostolical practice When S. Paul had directed his Corinthians that the men should pray uncovered and the women covered adding 1 Cor. 11.16 that if any man will be contentious we have no such Custom nor the Churches of God he doth plainly enough express that what is duly and orderly established in the Church must take place notwithstanding contentions and oppositions And when the Apostolical Synod required the Gentiles to abstain from bloud and things strangled even that constitution might have been scrupled and opposed especially considering that many Primitive Christians were not presently satisfied by the Declaration of the Apostles concerning Christian liberty as is manifest from Rom. 14.2 14 20. Had not Christians then been of another temper than many now are and made up more of Vnity humility meekness and peace than of heats parties and controversies they might have objected that this was an encroachment upon Christian liberty whereby they were free from the whole Yoke of Mosaical Ceremonies that it might seem to countenance the distinction of things clean and unclean and to give occasion to the Gentile Christians to Judaize as the Galatians did It might also have been said that that Decree had an appearance of establishing Christianity upon Judaism because the Jews had a sort of Proselytes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proselytes of converse Gemar Sanhedr c. 7. Sect. 5. Cocceius ibidem Buxt Lexic Rab. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were not circumcised but only enjoined to observe the seven Precepts of the Sons of Noah to whom bloud was prohibited And