A Care Cloth, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Containing the vſe of the point.
Vſe. LEt vsus therefore be admoniſhed, to take heede to our ſelues that we offend not in this hand. Beloued, there are two extremities much to bee ſhunned, and happie (moſt happie) were wee all, if the Lord would vouchſafe to aſſiſt vsus with ſo much light and grace, that all of vsus might be able to ſhun both twaine of them. The one extreme is (out of a vaſt, wide, retching, and extending conſcience) to deeme any thing lawfull, vnleſſe it be as palpable (as the Prouerbe hath it) as the noſe in a mans face, and as manifeſt, as the Sunne ſhining in his brightneſſe. This looſeneſſe, this licentiouſneſſe, this ſtriuing to make all things ſeeme lawfull, that any way pleaſe affection, and may bring with them, eaſe, pleaſure, and cōmodity, is the much more dangerous extremitie, cauſing ſome men to defend, and practiſe they care not what, worſhipping of Images, common ſwearing, the vſe of Inchantments, trauelling and profane ſporting on the Lords day, and diuers more abominations againſt eueryevery Commandement. But there is alſo another extremitie, which clogs a man with ſcrupulouſnes, ſo as he ſtarts back almoſt from eueryevery thing, as if it were a ſinne, and becomes ſo timorous and doubting, that hee dares ſcarce aduenture vponupon any action, if it be not on the other ſide as cleare, as the Sunne in his Noone-height. The one of thoſe is like a careleſſe man, that beleeues eueryevery man who ſpeakes him faire, though bee a very coozener; the other is like a ſuſpicious and diſtruſtfull man, that will beleeue no man, be he neuer ſo plaine and vpright. Though this latter be the leſſe diſpraiſeable extreme, yet without doubt it is a great fault, the breeder of many wofull euils, being commonly the teſtimony of an vnſtayed, and inſufficient iudgement, ouer-ruled by preiudice and by paſſion. Therefore you are as well to bee dehorted from the one of theſe euils, as the other; which though you hauehave not, perhaps, ſo well conſidered of heretofore, yet now let the Apoſtles words make you take diligent heede vntounto it. It is an offence againſt God, a wrong to thy ſelfe, an hindrance to thy comfort and ſeruiceableneſſe, a gawling to thy conſcience, and a procurer of much vnhappines: to conceiue falſly within thy ſelf of any thing, This is not lawfull; If I do this, I ſhall ſin againſt God, when indeed thou ſhalt not ſinne; as to conceine falſely, This is lawfull for me; This I may do, when indeed thou mayeſt not do it. Know now, that both theſe are by-paths, both are out-ſtrayings, and that in the wilderneſſe of this World, thou mayeſt as quickly, and wel-neere as dangerouſly wander in the one of theſe wayes, as the other; and therfore be thou as carefull and deſirous, not to ſtep awry in the one, as in the other path. I preſſe this the rather, becauſe I hauehave obſerued in experience, that many men become irreclaimeable, in regard of this ſcrupulouſneſſe, out of a conceite they hauehave, that there is little or no danger in it. But they are deceiued; A man may hurt himſelfe, offend his brethren, diſhonour God, trouble the world, and caſt himſelfe to hell, by ſtrayning at Gnats, as well as by ſwallowing Camels. To doe a thing, in many caſes is no ſinne, neither is it a ſinne to forbeare; but to condemne a thing not worthy to be condemned, to ſtretch ones wits, to make a lawfull thing ſeeme wicked, and to be ſtiffe in ſuch a forbearance, this is alwaies naught, and alwaies dangerous. What miſchief hath come into the world, by making marriage a ſin to ſome men, to whom it was no ſinne? How hath the world bin peſtered with troubles and contentions about things of no moment, becauſe ſome men would not, or could not ſee, that lawfull things were lawfull? In a word, I know not whether the Church of God doe not as much ſmart and bleed, by the wounds that ſcrupulouſneſſe giues her, as by thoſe which vnconſcionableneſſe giues her. Oh that once ſhe might bee cured of both at once!
And that you may the better preſerue your ſelues from ſuch miſtaking,Directions to keepe our ſelues from making no ſinnes, ſinnes: firſt, generall. I will deliuer ſome few directions; firſt generall; then ſpeciall. In generall obſerue theſe fiue Rules:
Firſt, in iudging of points controuerted, let a man place his mind in a flat indifferencie, and make it meerely neutrall; for if a man ſhall bend his wil and affections one way, deſiring for ſome reſpect, to hauehave this part rather true, then that in a matter queſtioned; this deſire will carry him away, as the bias doth the bowle, many times againſt the truth. Vnequall ballances will doe wrong in weighing, though the weights bee equall.
Secondly, when the mind is brought to this perfect neutralitie, paſſe not ſentence haſtily, but vponupon ſerious deliberation, taking aduice (if by any meanes occaſion ſerue) whether by reading or cōference, as wel, as much, as often, with thoſe that hold on the one ſide, as on the other. He that ſpeaketh firſt, is commonly righteous, but his neighbour commeth after, and findeth him out: He ſhall neuer be an indifferent Iudge betwixt party and party, that is loth to heare the allegations of the one ſide, and willing to heare all that can be alleaged on the other; neither ſhall he euer diſcerne aright betwixt opinion and opinion, that is glad to bee acquainted with any reaſons that may make for the one opinion, but if diſcontented (at leaſt not very well pleaſed) if hee heare that contradicted, and the contrary maintained.
Thirdly, Hearken to all ſuch diſtinctions and limitations, as hauehave ground and warrant out of Scripture: for as the cauſe of licentiouſneſſe is, for the moſt part, a boldneſſe to frame diſtinctions or limitations, without ground from the written Word; ſo ſcrupulouſneſſe doth commonly ariſe from hence, that men either heed not, or will not yeeld vntounto thoſe diſtinctions and limitations, which God himſelfe hath led vsus vntounto in his Word.
Fourthly, let nothing be counted a ſin, which Scripture doth not condemne as a ſinne, and what the Word (the rule of truth and falſehood) doth not ſhew vsus to be vnlawfull, that let vsus hold to be lawfull. Safely may one conclude in all manner of actions, I will take that as warrantable, againſt which I find nothing written. Yea verily, it is more then a probable reaſon, the Word of God hath left a thing in ſuch doubtful ſort, that many godly, vertuous, and learned men doe thinke it lawfull, and therefore I will incline rather to thinke it lawfull, then otherwiſe: for hardly would it ſtand with Gods goodnes, to leaue ſinnes ſo doubtfully diſcouered, as that wiſe and godly men, when the matter commeth to diſcuſſing, ſhould not be able to ſee the ſinfulneſſe thereof.
Fifthly, beware of ſuffering preiudice, example, humour, to ſway you, in iudging the lawfulneſſe or vnlawfulneſſe of things. Bee ready in matters controuerted, to change opinions, to thinke otherwiſe then thou haſt thought, otherwiſe then thou haſt been long knowne to think, otherwiſe then men of great eſteeme with thy ſelfe hauehave thought; and beware that choller and melancholy doe not dazle thine eyes; and to that end, if thou beeſt inclined to either of theſe humours, bee afraid of them, and yeeld leſſe to thine authoritie becauſe of them: for ſtiffeneſſe in opinions (a fruit commonly of the three forenamed things) is nothing praiſe-worthy. Conſtancy in expreſſe truths is a notable vertue; peremptorineſſe in matters not plainely reuealed, is a vice, and not a vertue.
And theſe be fiue generall Rules, which will conduce much to the true freedome of the iudgement. I will adde as many more ſpeciall Rules, which are theſe.
Firt,2. Speciall. example of good men in Scripture doe not bind conſcience, but onelyonly (ſuppoſing them not contradictorie to precepts) warrant it; they doe not make a thing needfull, or ſinfull, but alone declare it indifferent and lawfull: ſo, what I can ſhew ſome godly man in Scripture to hauehave done before me (no precept being for, or againſt it) that (not I muſt doe, or elſe I ſinne, but) I may doe without ſinne. Abraham made a great feaſt at the weaning of Iſaac; yet is no father bound ſo to doe, though any wealthy father may doe ſo, if he pleaſe. Our Sauiour being inuited to a Wedding feaſt, did goe to it; yet is no man tyed to doe ſo, but alone allowed. When our Sauiour preached ſolemnely in the Synagogue at Nazareth, it is noted, that he ſtood vp to reade, opened the booke, read the portion of Scripture out of the booke which he minded to ſpeake of, then ſhut the booke againe, and ſate downe, and ſpake vntounto them: yet to theſe particularities is no mans conſcience bound in preaching, but hee may, if he will, ſit in reading his Text, or if hee will, he may ſay it without booke, and not reade it, and may ſtand vp and interpret, and apply it. So in many other particulars. In this caſe the Scriptures are cleare;Rom. 3.20, 4.15. By the Law commeth the knowledge of ſinne. And againe: Where there is no Law, there is no ſinne. Now the Law is a commandement of ſome perſon, that hath power to command, and not an action of any man vnderunder authority. This rule is of admirable vſe, in iudging of things: for many a man doth clog vp his conſcience, by binding himſelfe to meere examples,1. Cor. 15.56. whereas the ſtrength of ſinne is the Law.
Secondly, humane inuentions are not therefore vnlawfull in the formes, order, circumſtances, ſolemnitie of Diuine Seruice or worſhip, becauſe they are meere humane inuentions, vnleſſe in ſome other reſpect, ſome ſinfulneſſe bee found in them, no, nor though ſome kind of ſignification bee aimed at in them. For example, In ſome Churches I hauehave ſeene a Flowre ſet vp by the houre-glaſſe on the Pulpit, to expreſſe this conceite, that the preaching of the Word is euen the Flowre of the place, yet cannot thinke any man ſo ſcrupulous, as to thinke it vnlawfull. In other Churches, hath a Lanthorne been fairely ingrauen ouer the Pulpit, with this word aboue, Thy Word is a Lanthorne to my feete; yet I hope no ſinne committed. In moſt Churches of great Townes, you ſhall ſee the Bible held vp with an Eagle; (no queſtion, at the firſt this was done, to expreſſe ſome conceite of Gods carrying his Word vponupon Eagles wings) yet I neuer heard man that found fault with that Image in the ſeruice of God. So in ſwearing, wee vſe to lay our hands vponupon the Bible, and to kiſſe the Bible, in token of that reuerence we owe to him, by whom we ſweare according to the contents of that Booke; yet no man that I know, hath picked a quarrell with this vſage, although an oath be well knowne to be a worthy ſeruice of God, if it be duly performed. So you may note a ſolemnitie in ſwearing, vſed by Abraham and Iacob, of putting the hand vnderunder the thigh. So there was a ſolemnitie accuſtomed in reading the Law, Nehem. 8.5, 6. which the Law it ſelfe did neuer preſcribe. For when the Prieſt opened the booke, all the people ſtood vp, then did Ezra bleſſe God with a loud voyce, then did the people bow downe their heads and worſhip: ſurely ſuch ſtanding vp, ſuch bleſſing, ſuch bowing downe is no where commanded in the bookes of Moſes, neither any where elſe, yet no man will ſay, they were ſinfull. So had the Iewes Synagogues in their Cities, and portions to be read out of the Law and Prophets, ſome on ſuch a day, ſome on ſuch a day; yet for theſe the Law taketh none order at all, neither for all that did the Iewes ſinne in hauing Synagogues, and the Word in ſuch order read in them. So in the manner of celebrating the Paſſeouer, the Iewes had diuers orders, by name theſe; firſt, that they ſhould neither ſtand, nor ſit vpright, but lie along vponupon beds, to ſignifie their preſent ſecuritie, that eate it at leaſure, not in haſte, as at the firſt; ſecondly, that the Maſter of the feaſt in the end of the Supper, ſhould take a loafe and break it, and bleſſe, & them diſtribute to all thoſe that were preſent, and alſo ſhould take Wine, and bleſſe, and diſtribute to al that were preſent; thirdly, to waſh their feet in that ſupper; fourthly, to ſing an Hymne (with ſome others.) Now our Sauiour Chriſt did vſe all theſe rites, and from one of them, tooke occaſion to inſtitute his laſt Supper our holy Sacrament; and yet none of all theſe is preſcribed or mentioned in the Law, but rather the ſeeming contrary, an eating in haſte with ſtaues in their hands. So Neh. 5.13. when that holy man pronounced the curſe againſt exactors (in the making of a ſolemne couenant that they ſhould ceaſe their extortion) he ſhooke his lap, and ſaid; So let God ſhake him that doth not performe this couenant, out of his houſe and labour. No manner of precept for this ſigne and ſolemnitie in pronouncing a curſe: yet doubtles it was lawfull. So Nehem. 11.27. Hee ordained a ſolemne dedication of the wall of Ieruſalem, and performed it with ſolemne Proceſſiō, of two troopes of the holy Muſicians with their Inſtruments, going one troope one way, the other another, and meeting both in the Temple. Surely no ſuch thing was appointed in the Law, yet no man blamed this as a ſinne. So Dauid in remoouing the Arke, vſed diuers ſolemnities: for himſelfe followed, clothed in a linnen Ephod, all the Muſician attended alſo, clothed in linnen Ephods; and when the Liuites that bare the Arke, had gone ſixe paces, he offered Oxen and Fatlings, euen ſeuen Bullocks, and ſeuen Lambs, as appeareth, comparing 2. Sam. 13. with 1. Corinth. 15.27. the Law required no ſuch number, or order of offering, no ſuch garments, either for him or them. It is manifeſt then, that if humane inuentions of theſe kinds, bee not made parts of worſhip by any falſe doctrine, or falſe opinion about them, and neither bee ſuch as for multitude, or other conſideration, doe darken and obſcure the ſeruice of God, rather then adde any ſolemnity or celebritie to it, they are not to be accounted vnlawfull.
Thirdly, things in themſelues lawfull, but abuſed to ſuperſtition or Idolatry, are not by the ſuch abuſe of them, made vnlawfull to bee vſed (of thoſe that know the truth, and are free from ſuch abuſiue conceite of them) either in ciuill life, or in the ſolemnities of Diuine Seruice. For example: Churches built and dedicate to Idols, may lawfully be conuerted to the ſeruice of the true God, and there is no neceſſitie of pulling them down, and building other in their roomes. Lying along on beds, and feaſting in that manner, was greatly abuſed of the Romanes in their publike Idolatrie, called Lectiſternia, yet the Iewes did keepe that geſture in their Paſſeouer, and our Sauiour cōformed thereto, yea, though then, many of the Romanes liued among them, and they were vnderunder the gouernement of the Romanes. Meate offered to Idols, might be eaten at any feaſt (ſaue in the Idols Temple) yea, at their LoueLove-feaſts, which were accuſtomed to be made, when they met to receiue the Lords Supper: for now to the pure,Tit. 1.15. all things are pure, and now it is lawful to become all things to all men, yea, to him that is without Law,1. Cor. 9.21, 22 to bee made as without Law; which could not bee, if his abuſing of a lawfull thing to ſuperſtition, made it vnlawfull for me to conforme with him in that thing. For indeed, the ſtrict and preciſe commandement, whereby God did inioyne the Iewes to ſhun the cuſtomes of the Gentiles, euen in things otherwiſe lawfull, becauſe by them abuſed, was proper to the times of the Law, as being part of that partition wall which Chriſt hath broken downe, that hee might make of both one.
Fourthly, ſcandals, offences, inconuenient effects and conſequents, doe not proue any thing to be vnlawfull, but alone inexpedient, and cannot conclude, that ſuch and ſuch a thing may not lawfully be done, but alone; may not in ſuch a place, at ſuch a time, before ſuch a perſon, bee conueniently done: and ſo not the thing is vnlawfull, but the doer ſinneth in doing a lawfull thing vnexpediently. Eating meate offered to Idols, would ſcandalize ſome weake ones, yet the Apoſtle neuer condemnes it as a ſin to eate meate offered to Idols (yea, he allowes to eate whatſoeuer is ſet before a man,) but he ſaith, To him that eateth with offence, to him it is ſinne. Rom. 14.20.Therefore conſideration of ſuch ſcandals cannot beare a man out, in not doing what the Magiſtrate commandeth. Scandall ſhould cauſe me to forbeare alone, in things left to mine owne wil and choyce; but in things commanded by a Gouernor, I muſt not ſo farre heede ſcandals, as not to ſubmit my ſelfe; for this (at leaſt appearance of) diſobedience, is worſe then any ſcandall. A ſcandall is properly the abuſe of Chriſtian libertie, through vndiſcreete and vncharitable doing of a thing, in it ſelfe lawfull, without regard of my neighbours hurt that may come thence. Now, when I am commanded by authoritie of Gouernours, to doe a thing lawfull, then doe I not, either vndiſcreetly, or vncharitably, vſe my libertie, but according to the bond of conſcience laid vponupon me by God: wherefore to be offended at my ſo doing, is an vndiſcreete and vncharitable part of him that is offended.
Fifthly, things that hauehave a generall allowance by Gods Word, without reſtraint or limitation, may lawfully and warrantably bee applied by mens appointment to any particular time, place and action, that they ſhall ſee fit ſo to apply them. For example: To ſing a Pſalme, is ſufficiently warranted in Scripture: therefore it is lawfull to ordaine, that a Pſalme ſhall be vſually ſung before or after Sermon: neither can any man find fault with ſuch order, as if it were will-worſhip. So to pray, is warrantable by the Word; therefore to make an order, that Miniſters ſhal make a praier before or after their Sermons, or both, is not ſinfull, nor cannot bee blamed, as a matter of voluntarie Religion, though in all the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles, we neuer reade, to my remembrance, that either Chriſt himſelfe, or any Prophet or Apoſtle did ſo. So to adore Chriſt, by bowing of the knee vntounto him, is lawfull, and hath generall warrant out of the Word of God, as all yeeld (for to me ſhall eueryevery knee bow, is a thing that God hath ſworne;) therefore it cannot but follow, that to bow the knee to him, in the act of receiuing the Sacrament, is alſo lawfull; for generals not limited by God, doe giuegive our conſciences warrant to their vttermoſt generalitie, ſo farre as they may not daſh againſt ſome other Commandement.
Theſe directions (Brethren) I am bold to propound vntounto you, as vndoubted truths, ſo farre as my iudgement reacheth; and, O that God would pleaſe to ſettle you in your iuſt freedome of conſcience! the enioying whereof, would be no leſſe comfortable & profitable vntounto your ſoules, then the walking at large, without hauing chaines vponupon your legs, is delightfull and beneficiall to your bodies. And (Lord) now guide all our minds in ſuch ſort, by thy good Spirit, that we may know what chearefull liberty thou doſt vouchſafe vsus, and may not ſinne againſt thy ſoueraigntie, by falſe-impriſoning our conſciences, without thy warrant.