Twelve General Arguments, Argument 12
The 12 Argument
All actions, not required by the word of God (though commanded by humane authoritie) that are apparent meanes of the Damnation of the Soules of infinite numbers of men, are directly againſt the Lawe of charitie, and therefore Sin.
But theſe Ceremonies are ſuch Actions
Ergo
The Propoſition is without queſtion. For if without commandiment from God, I may vponupon the ſole will and pleaſure of the Magiſtrate, or governors of the Church, doe that by which I ſhalbe a means of the damnation of my brothers Soule, which is the greateſt breach of the lawe of charitie that can bee. Then may I do any ſinn at theyr Commaundement without ſinn, for what greater ſinne can there be againſt the 2 Table then this, to be a witting inſtrument of my Neighbours Damnation. Which though it be but a matter of Ieſt to our greate Doctors that hauehave many Cures, and no care of Soules, yet to them which know the price of a ſoul it is more then if vponupon the more will of the Magiſtrates they ſhould be forced to kill their owne Children and d…reſt b…loveds, with their owne hand.
OB. The Ma…are hauing authorit…e given him by God to commaund things Indifferent, he commaunding th… are to be done notwithſtanding … …candall of our Nighbour.
Anſw. 1 Though the Subiect ought to obey his Magiſtrate in all Indifrent actions impoſed vponupon him what ſoever, yet I deſier that it may be proved, that God in his word hath given to any Power or Potentate vponupon Earth, any ſuch abſolute authoritie. The Magiſtrate is Gods Leifetenaūt, and the glorie of the Magiſtrate conſiſts in this, in that vnderunder God hee beareth a ſword, to puniſh thoſe that tranſgreſſe his Lawes, but hee is by Gods Ordinaunce to be the procurer and protector of the chriſtian libertie, of his ſubiects, That therfore he hath power graunted him of God (vponupon his owne pleaſure) to take away the ſame, eſpecially inſuch a caſe requires profe out of the word of God.
2. If he have ſuch a power, yet thoſe things that God leaues to his will to commaund, or not to commaund, he cannot commaund vnderunder a greater penaltie then bodily death; for his ſword can cutt no deeper, and then in the caſe of Scandall a chriſtian ſubiect ought rather to ſuffer the Magiſtrate to take away his life, then to doe that which ſhall procure the Damnation of his Brothers Soule. And in thus doing, he is noe contem nor of the Magiſtrates Lawe, but a… fulfiller of the Lawe of Charitie, in not diſtroying his brothers Soule vponupon the mere… pleaſure of a mortall man.
OB. But the commaundiment of the Magiſtrate takes away the ſcandall. When the thing is done in obedience to him.
An. This is a nother deſperate ſhift As though the conſcience of the weake brother that iudgeth a thing indifferent to be a Sinne wilbe ever the more ſatiſfied and releeved in the matter by the authoritie of the Magiſtrate, nothing but the authoritie of God either can or ought to ſatiſfie a doubting conſcience. And as for them that put ſuperſtitiō in things Indiffrent, and are that way ſcandalized the authoritie of the Magiſtrate or church commaunding them, their ſcandall is increaſed, and not removed by the ſame.
OB: But wee muſt more reſpect Obedience to the Magiſtrate, then the ſcandall of inferiour perſons, the thing commaunded being indifferent, and not evell.
Anſ. 1 The thing commanded is not Indiffrent, then when it is a ſcandall, and ſtumbling block to our brother. 2: Wee muſt obay the Magiſtrate only in the Lord, but this is not to obay him in the Lord, onelyonly vponupon his pleaſur to deſtroy a ſoule for whō Chriſt died. 3. An obedience to the Magiſtrate ſo far as to the condemnation of our brothers ſoule, muſt be a ſpeciall obedience, in ſome ſpeciall good and iuſt commandiment which cannot be verified of a commaundiment that requireth onelyonly a thing indifferent, much les ſuch an indifferent, as is a ſcandall and meanes of diſtruction to mens ſoules
4 Such a forbeareing of obedience onelyonly in louelove to the ſalvation of our brothers Soule, being without apparent contempt of the Magiſtrate, and having adioined with it, a meeke ſubmiſſion to the merciemercy of the Magiſtrat…, cannot be called a diſſobedience. but is in deed a better obedienc then theirs, that doe contrarie, whoe in their obedience bring the bloud of the ſoules they deſtroy, both vponupon their owne heads and the Magiſtrate which is a ſinn in the eyes of God wors then rebellion.
OB. But by obedience to theſe Ceremonies many ſoules by meanes of preaching are ſaved, which ſhall want the meanes in the refuſall.
Anſ. 1 Wee muſt not diſtroy the ſoules of ſome, that we may ſaue the ſoules of other, wee muſt doe that which is iuſt, though the world goe to wreck for it.
2. The greateſt good that a man can doe, cannot counteervaile the leaſt evill, much les ſo great an evell as to bee a witting inſtrument of the damnation of a brothers ſoule.
3 Hee that preacheth cannot aſſure himſelf of the ſalvation of one ſoule by the ſame, for that is wrought by the worke of the ſpirite of God And he hath litle cauſe to hope for a bleſſing vponupon that preaching, which hee purchaſeth with the price of blood, yea of the blood of ſoules.
OB: But the K. the Magiſtrats & ſtate are ſcandalized alſo at the omiſſion of them, and their ſcandall is more to be reſpected then the ſcandall of inferiour parſons, for the vſeing of them.
Anſ. 1. For his Maieſtie, we doubt not but (if the prelates would) hee would eaſily yeald to the removall of them, and therfore he cannot be ſcandalized at the refuſall, when it is of meere conſcience, though of conſcience deceived. 2 The States and Inferiour Magiſtrates of the kingdome, have in all Parliaments ſhewed them ſelues willing, and ready, to ſet their handes to the removall of them. 3 If the King & State wilbe ſcandalized, becauſe upon their mere will & pleaſure, I will not doe that which I am perſwaded will be a meanes of the deſtruction of their ſoules for whom Chriſt died. They wilbe much more ſcandalized at me if I doe it, For ſuch an obeydience as this, muſt needs be a meanes of begetting or confirming ſtraing ſinns in their ſoules, for as it is a kind of deifiyng of themſelues, To require (even in the caſe of ſcandall) a thing indifferēt to be done; ſo they that ſhall in ſuch a caſe obey, cannot but nuriſh exceedingly that corruption from wh…ch ſuch a cōmaudement ſhall proceed. 4 The ſoule of the meaneſt and pooreſt in a kingdom coſt as great a price, and is as dear to Chriſt, as the ſoule of the Nobleſt, and in the matter of ſcandall as great heed is to be taken to them, as to any other: And it ſhewes of what ſpirit theſe men are of, that thinke they may betray the ſoules of Chriſts little ones. rather then diſpleaſe a mortall man.
Ob. What? Muſt the Magiſtrates lawes be chaunged, for every humour that will pretend ſcandall?
Aunſw. Yea, ſuch lawes as commaūd onelyonly thinges indifferent, in caſes of generall ſcandall are to be chaunged, of particular ſcandall, are (at the leaſt) to be diſpenced withall; For if laws that commaund things neceſſary are ſom times to be diſpenced with, and if of them it is ſaid. Extreeme right, is Extreme wrong. Much more then ſuch lawes as require onelyonly ſuch things as are indifferēt. 1 Such things that (but for the cōmaunders pleaſure) makes noe matter whether they be done or noe. Which are indeed vnworthy to be commaunded of worthies. 2 A pretended ſcandall in humor is eaſily diſcerned by thoſe that are wiſe and not malicious, for they that are ready to performe all obedience to the Magiſtrate in all other heavier & greater thinges, are ready in his ſervice to ſpend their goods & lyues, that think nothing to deare for the redeēyng of his ſafety, that are in all other things as obedient, and more obedient then any other of his ſubiects: It is not to be ſuppoſed of any, (that are not poſſeſt with the malicious ſpirit of Antichriſt.) That ſuch ſhould refuſe to obey the Kings pleaſure in a toye, and a trifle, (ſuch as are all things indifferēt) except that in obeying him, they were perſwaded that they ſhould ſin againſt their own conſcience, which next vntounto God, they hauehave cauſe to pleaſe, farr aboue all the Kings of the earth, for it hath greater power to torment them, then they hauehave.
But I proue the Aſſumption.
All apparent meanes of confirmyng mē in Sciſme, Superſtition, and Idolatry, by meanes wherof many hauehave profeſedly lived, and dyed therein, without repentaunce: are apparent meanes of the dā nation, and deſtruction of many ſoules amongſt us:
But Theſe Ceremonyes are ſuch.
Ergo.
The propoſition canot be denyed, for what action of man can be ſayde to be a meanes of the damnation and deſtruction of anothers ſoule: If thes actions be not that confirme men in ſuche foule Sinnes: So that either a man can doe nothinge that ſhall deſtroy his brothers ſoule (which is dyrectly againſt the expreſſe wordes of St. Paule,) Or els ſuch a conformitie, in ſuch actions as Confirme men in ſuch Damnable Sinnes, doth deſtroy his ſoule.
The Aſſumption is as evident as any ſuch matter can be. For
1. The Papiſts not onelyonly amongſt vsus (which are innumerable) but others alſo doe profeſſe, that by our vſe of thes Ceremonies) which are conſecrated myſteryes of their owne Religion) they are confirmed in the truth of their Religion, and the falſhood of ours. And good reaſon they hauehave ſo to iudge: For if the broth be good that the Divill is ſod in, ſure the Divill himſelf muſt needs be good alſo. 2 Thoſe chriſtians of the Seperation that are called Browniſts being many hundreds, profesſing the ſame faith that we doe, are by the retayning of Reliques, confirmed in their Sciſme, and Seperation from vsus; And liue & dye in this opinion: That our Churches are noe true Churches, and that a man cā not without ſinn communicate with them. And the maine ground of this is, for that we mingle with Divine worſhip theſe baſe & vile inventions of men, Yea, of the accurſſed Anti-chriſt. What? Is a linnen ragg, and a chriſts croſſe &c. to be reputed of ſo great value & price, that the fellowſhip & ſpirituall communion of ſo many chriſtians, (as ſound in religion as any prelate in the Realme) ſhould be contē ned and reiected for them?
3 Common experience teacheth us, that there are infinit numbers in this realme, ignorant & ſuperſtitious folk, that place as much, or more holynes in theſe thinges, then in the holy Ordinaunces of God; And how can it be otherwiſe, when they ſhall ſee the Rulers of the Church, mingle Heaven, Earth, and Hell together in this manner about them. Curſing and anathematizing all that ſhall not imbrace them. How can they but imagin, that the ſight of a ſurplice upon a preiſts back ſhall bring them to heaven, when they ſhall ſee thoſe that keep Heaven Keyes, ſend a man, for want of ſuch a wedding garment, ipſo facto, to Hell?
4 If it be but conſidered, that all other Proteſtant Churches hauehave reiected them as menſtrous clothes, that more then the greateſt number of Paſtors in our owne Land, that deſires the name of faithfull & painfull Teachers, either count them impious, or at leaſt the burdens, or reproches of our Churches: that the firſt appoynters of them, (after our ſeperation frō Rome) intended only a toleration of them, that the moſt ſcandalous and lewd perſons in our congregations, are the hotteſt for them, that every Parliament ſince hir Maieſties raigne hath been forward in the removing of them, that the defence of them hath driven men to runne into the broching of many groſſe and popiſh e…o… And that ſo many miniſters, (a catalogue of whoſe names and ſtates, I could wiſh were publiſhed to all poſterity, that it may ſee the wonderfull milde & moderate govermēt of prelates) hauehave indured and expected daylie to indure the greateſt extremityes for the ſame: I ſay, if theſe thinges be duely conſidered, a man ſhall eaſily ſee, that theſe ceremonyes are ſtumbling blocks, layd by the Devill and his Agents in the wayes of all the people of this Realme, to hinder the progreſſe of the Goſpell, and to make all men ſtumble in the wayes of Salvation.
How long Lord Ieſus.