Apology of Certain Christians, Chapter 10 – Chapter 11
CHAP. X. Of things indifferent.
VVE do so repute manie things as indifferent, or mean in themselvs and then own nature (& as houlding a middle place as it were, between the things simplie commaunded, and the things simplie forbidden of God, as that the same things being once drawn into use, and practise, do necessarily undergoe the respect and consideration of good or evill. This the Apostle teacheth 1 Corinth. 14. in his so diligent warning the Church of Corinth, that all things be done decently, in order, and to edification. The things then thus accounted indifferent, when they once come into use in the church, do either work the exercises of religion the more comely, orderly, and edificative, and are such as without which, the same exercises cannot be performed but confusedly, uncomelily, and un…iuitfully, at least in part, or els they swarve from the Apostolicall Canon. With this commaundement of the Apostle, yea of Christ the Lord, agrees the rule of the phylosophers, The accessorie fell…w…th the nature of the principall. For example. Let the principall, as they speak, be some naturall good thing, the verie least accessorie or circumstance, by which this principall is rightly, and orderly furthered, and promoted undergoes also the consideration of a naturall good. The same rule houlds in actions civill: much more in the things, which appertein to religion, and Gods worship. I therefore conclude, that the least …ite, or ceremonie serving rightly, and orderly to further the principall act, and exercise of religion, doth worthily obteyn, after a sort, the respect and denomination of a religious, and ecclesiasticall good thing: which principall act if it do not truely, and effectually promote and advance, it is a vain addition at the best, beseeming onelyonly vain purposes, and persons,Math. 15, 9. which worship God in vain, teaching for doctrines mens traditions: seeing whatsoever is to be done in the church, is also, and first to be taught, that so it may be done.
2. Whatsoever hath being in nature, is some certain thing first, and properly, and to be reduced to some certain, and distinct head. Now all things whatsoever in use, either in, or about Gods worship, may and must be referred necessarilie to some one of these three heads. Eyther they are things naturall, and simplie necessarie to the exercise; of which sort are the naturall circumstances of time, and place, without which no finite action can be performed: also for the administring of Baptism, either a fonte or other vessell to hould water: and so for other adjoints absolutely necessarie for the administring of the holy things of the Church: or secondly, they are things civill, and comely: as for example, A convenient place in which the church may conveniently, and comelily meet together, not a stable, or swynestye, also that habit of the minister, that coveting of the L. Table, those ministring vessels, and other accessories, and appurt…nances whatsoever, without which the holy things of God, cannot be dispensed so …villy, and comely, as is meet. Or lastly, they are properly things sacred, and holy, and by consequence, parts of externall divine worship: and the same either commaunded by God, and so lawfull, or of mans devise, & therefore superst…t…ous.
Now if any shall further ask me, what power then I ascribe eyther to the civill magistrate, or Church-governors for mak…ng lawes about things indifferent? I answer touching Church-governers first,Izec. 44. 11 Ma…. 20. 2…. 2 Cor. 4, 5. 1 Pet. 1, 3. being to treat by and by of the Magistrate, that no such power, to speak properly, belongs unto them; as being not Lords but servants of the church, under Christ the onelyonly Lord thereof: exercising, as saith Austin, from Christ, and the Apostles a m…mb…, not a Lordship: and who therefore are to learn, if ther will be c…ment with their …,August of the … of God l. 19. B…r…t. of Caus. …. 2. Which … them, that a … better becomes them, then as…pter, as Bernard speaketh, For to …ake lawes, by all mens graunt, belongs to them, and them onelyonly, who do swey …pters, … Lords ….
Moreover the holy scriptures everie where teach, that the highest Church-officers, and governers are but ambassadours of God, and interpreters, and proclaymers or cryers of his word. But neither … nor interpreter, nor cryer, no nor the herald, the most honourable of all proclaimers, … contr. 3. l. 5, c. 7,or publishers of Edicts, can commaund any thing … of the least matter by his own authoritie, as lunius sayth rightly. It is certain, that the governers of Churches do stand in need of wisdom and discretion for the applying, & determining of the common rules of order and comlynes taken from the Scripture, and common sense, to certain cases, and according to certain circumstances: But what makes this for the power of making lawes in the Church? which as M. Perkins makes account, is a part of Christs prerogative royall:… c. 18. considering withall, that neyther the Church, not the meanest member thereof is further bound unto these their determinations, then they apper to agree with order, and comlines: neither are the ministers in any thing at all, (as are the magistrates in manie things to be obeyed for the authoritie of the commaunder, … on 2 …. of ….but for the reason of the commaundment, which the ministers are also bound in duetie to manifest, & approve unto the consciences of h…m over whom they are set.
CHAP. XI. Of civill Magistrates.
VVE beleev the verie same touching the civill Magistrate with the Belgick reformed Churches, and willingly subscribe to their confession: and the more, because, what is by many restreyned to the Christian Magistrate, they extend indefinitely, and absolutely to the Magistrate whomsoever. And that surely upon good ground: seeing the magistracie is one, & the power the same, whether the person be christian or heathen: neither is there wanting in an heathen magistrate (that he might rule as he ought) authoritie of order, but will of person: neither is his power increased by the accession of christianitie, but onelyonly sanctified, as is first his person. The Prince rules over his subjects, as he is a Prince, and they subjects simply, not as faithfull or christian, he or they. OnelyOnly Christ the Lord of our faith hath the faithfull (as faithfull) for his subjects: neither are the subjects of Kings as subjects, …ame part of the church, but of the kingdom.…p of Ch…. to …citus …. 35.
Besides, there is one and the same christian faith of the Prince and subject, and all things common unto both, which spring from the same; seeing that in Christ Iesus there is neither servant, nor freeman, I ad neither magistrate, nor subject, but all are one in him. As therefore none, no not the least power of publique administrat on comes to the subjects by their christianitie; to neither is the Princes, thereby at all increased. And indeed how can it? The magistrate though…-Heathen hath power, as the minister of God for the good of his subjects to command and procure in and by good,R…n. 13, 4. and lawfull manner, and means, whatsoever apperteines either to their naturall, or spirituall life, so the same be not contrarie to Gods word: upon which word of God if it beat, God forbid, that the christian magistrate should take libertie to use or rather abuse his authoritie for the same: which yet if he do eyther the one, or other, whether by commanding what God forbids, or by forbidding what God commaunds, seeing it comes by the fault of the person, not of the office, the subject is not f…ed from the bond of allegiance, but as still tyed to obedience as active for the doing of the thing commanded if it be lawfull, so passive, if unlawfull, by suffering patiently the punishment though unjustly inflicted.
Lastly if anie civill, and coactive power in things whether civill, or ecclesiasticall, come to the magistrate, by his christianity, then if it so fall out that he make defection from the same, whether by idolatrie, or heresie, or profanes, it must follow, that thereupon his kingly power is dim…nished, and abridged: whereby how wide a window, or gate rather would be opened to sed…tions subjects under pretext (specially catholick) religion, to taise tumults in kingdoms, no man can be ignorant.