Gods Holy Mind Touching Matters Moral, Tract 2 · Part 13
Now for the matter of Marriage with Idolatrous Gentiles.
Obiection. Some may alledge that Sampson married with a woman of the Philistims, Iudg. 14. Therefore it may seeme lawfull to marry with Idolaters.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Sampson did so marry by diuine instinct, and by the speciall appointment of the Lord, Judg. 14.4.
Quest. Is a true beleeuer being married to an Idolater, to doe the duties of marriage to that Idolater?
Answ. Yes: it is the rule of the Apostle, that Marriage, and the Marriage duties are to be preserued of the beleeuing partie with the Infidell,1 Cor. 7.12.13. if the Infidell bee content to dwell with the Beleeuer.
Quest. Doth not the Beleeuer by doing the duties of Marriage to the Idolater, become the member of an Idolater; as hee that couples himselfe with an Harlot, becomes the member of an Harlot?
Answ. No; the case is not alike: for he that couples himselfe with an Harlot, commits the same sinne the Harlot doth, and is an Adulterer as the Harlot is, and so is one with the Harlot: but the beleeuing party married to an Idolater, and doing the duties of Marriage to that Idolater, doth not therein partake with the Idolater in his Idolatry, no more then a wife that hath a Drunkard to her husband, partakes with her husband in his drunkennesse, in yeelding to him the dutie of Mariage.
Quest. Doth not Idolatry, being spirituall adultery, giuegive iust cause of Diuorce?
Ans. No, it doth not: for no sinne by it selfe, as it is a sin, giues iust cause of diuorce, but as it is a sinne breaking the knot and bond of Marriage. Now, no kinde of Idolatry breakes the knot of Marriage, therefore Diuorce may not be made for Idolatry.
Quest. What is contempt of the outward worship of God?
Ezech. 22.8. Math. 22.5. Luke 14.18, 19, 20.Answ. This; when men basely and lightly esteeme of the holy ordinances of God, and of the duties and parts of Gods worship, and thereupon either altogether reiect them, or abuse them.
Quest. How many wayes doe men contemne the holy ordinances of God, and the duties and parts of Gods worship?
Answ. Two wayes, either inwardly, or outwardly.
Quest. What is the inward contempt of Gods ordinances, and the duties and parts of his worship?
Ans. This; whē men in their hearts contemne them,Malac. 3.14. Iob 21.15. 1 Cor. 1.18, 21. & think basely of them, & hold thē to be foolish, vain, & vnprofitable.
Quest. What followes on this inward contempt of the ordinances of God, and the duties and parts of his worship?
Ans. Either the neglect of them altogether, as it is in Recusants, Brownists, and such like; or an intermission of the duties of Gods worship,2 Chron. 30.5. as in those that seldome came to the Word or Sacraments; or an hypocriticall and formall comming and performance of them, wherof the Lord complains, Isai. 29.13.Isai. 29.13. cited and explained, Mat. 15.7, 8.Math. 15.7, 8.
Quest. What is the outward contempt of Gods ordinances, and the duties and parts of his worship?
Answ. This; when men openly manifest their contempt of them, either by word or deed, as the people did of Manna, Num. 11.6.Num. 11.6. and as the Philosophers did, Act. 17.18.Actes 17.18. And wee reade of one Pope, that cast the Sacrament into the fire; and some Papists hauehave called our Communion-Table, an Oyster-table.
Quest. How farre forth doe men contemne the Ordinances of God, and the parts of his worship?
Ans. Either in part, as the preaching of the word, 1 Thes. 5.20.1 Thess. 5.20. or the Sacraments. 2 Chron. 30.10.2 Chron. 30.10. Hezekiah sent to call through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, euen vntounto Zebulun, And they laughed them to scorne, and mocked them.
Or in whole, when men contemne all the Ordinances of God, and all the holy duties of Religion, Psal. 14.4.Psal. 14.4. they call not vponupon the Lord: and this is properly called prophanenesse. Hebr. 12.16.Hebr. 12.16. Gen. 25.34,Gene. 25.34.
Quest. What is the highest degree of this contempt of the ordinances of God, and the parts of his worship?
Ans. When men loath and abhorre them, as 1 Sam. 2.17.1 Sam. 2.17.
Quest. VVhat are humane deuices, or Superstition in Gods worship?
Answ. Not an excesse of that worship of God that is warranted by his word, as the Papists say; but all such things in the worship of God, as are inuented and deuised by men: and are either contrary to, or diuers from the rule of Gods word, Isai. 29.13. Mat. 15.9.sai. 29.13 Math. 15.9.
Quest. May not men that are in place of gouernment, appoynt some things concerning the publike worship of God, which are not expressely set downe in the word of God?
Answ. Yes, they may; so as the things appoynted by them be according to the generall rules of the Word,1 Cor. 11.16 34. 1 Cor. 14.33, 40 which are these; That all things be done to edifying, and in order, and without offence.
Quest. How many wayes doe men deuise things in Gods worship, either contrary to, or diuers from the rule of Gods word?
Answ. Two wayes, either by adding something to the essentiall worship of God: or by detracting and taking away something from it, both forbidden, Deut. 12.31.
Quest. What are the things added to the worship of God?
Answ. Either things meerely deuised by men, and such as hauehave no warrant at all in the word of God but are contrary to it: of which sort are all Popish Superstitions, as their fiue Sacraments added to the two ordained by Christ; their Masses, Pilgrimages, Prayers on Beads, Processions with the Crosse, their crossing of the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Spittle, Salt, Creame, and the like added to Baptisme.
Or, things in themselues indifferent, made necessary parts of Gods worship; as to forbeare this or that kind of meate for Religions sake, to put holinesse in dayes and times, and such like, Mark. 7.3, 4. putting holinesse in them.
Quest. How doe men detract, and take away something from the worship of God?
Answ. Thus; when they mangle the worship of God, and take from it that which God hath appointed to be vsed in it, as the Papists doe, who in the administration of the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper, take away the Cup from the people, the Lord hauing appoynted both Bread and Wine to be receiued, 1 Cor. 11.26, 27, 28, 29.
Quest. What are the sorts of humane deuices in the worship of God?
Ans. These two: They are either such as men take vp of themselues, on a bare and naked good intent, without warrant from the word of God, & thinke thereby they worship God, which is properly called will-worship, 1 Sam. 13.9, 10, 13. Col. 2.23. Or they are such as hauehave been deuised by others their Ancestors, and receiued from them, properly called, the traditions of the Elders, Eze. 20 18. Mat. 15.2. Mark. 7.3.
Quest. Are all traditions of the Elders touching Gods worship, to be reiected and held vnlawfull?
Answ. Not all are not, but onelyonly those that are meerely humane, and are not agreeable to the general rules set downe in Scripture: for the Church may prescribe rules or traditions touching the time and place of Gods publike worship, and touching the order and comlinesse to be vsed in the same; and such Traditions being rightly prescribed, are to bee obserued. Paul commends the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 11.2.for remembring all the things, and keeping the Ordinances that he deliuered vntounto them. The Councel at Ierusalem decreed, that the churches of the Gentiles should abstaine from things offered to Idols,Actes 15.28. and blood, and that is strangled, and from fornication.
Quest. When are Traditions touching the time, and place, and order, and comelinesse, rightly prescribed?
Answ. When these foure things are obserued.
1. When the things appointed to be done, are not childish, or absurd.
2. When they bee not imposed as parts of Gods worship.
3. When they bee seuered from the opinion of merit.
4. When the Church is not burdened with the number of them.
Obiection. Luke 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me. Therefore say the Papists, The very commandement of the Pastors and spirituall gouernors of the Church, is sufficient, touching some things to be done in the worship of God.
Quest. How is this to bee answered?
Answ. Thus; First, that place is properly to be vnderstood, not of all Teachers, but of those that were immediately sent out by Christ, & had infallible assistance of the spirit of God.
Secondly, if it be spoken of all Teachers, it must be vnderstood with that limitation that is expressed,Math. 28.20. teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I hauehave commanded you.
Obiection. An intent to honor God, and to serue him, is somtimes accepted of the Lord: as in Dauid, 1 Kin. 8.18. therfore say they, Men may do things in the worship of God on a bare good intent, without warrant from the word of God.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; An intent to honor and serue God, grounded on the word of God, and agreeable to it, is indeed acceptable to God: as Dauids intent was; but an intent to worship God, not grounded on the word, is not pleasing to God.
Obiection. A woman powred on Christs head a boxe of Oyntment, Mat. 26.7. and she had no commandement so to doe; and yet Christ saith, verse 10. That shee had wrought a good worke: Therefore some things may be done pleasing to God, without warrant from the word of God.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Ans. Thus; though she had no particular commandement, yet had she a generall; for the worke she did, was a testifying of her faith; and that was commanded.
Obiection. Manoah offered sacrifice, who was of the Tribe of Dan, Iudg. 13.19. and none ought to offer sacrifice, but of the Tribe of Leui.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; Manoah did not sacrifice, but brought it to the Angell, whom he thought to be a Prophet; he presented it, and the Angell did wonderously, whiles Manoah and his wife looked on.
Obiection. 1 Sam. 7.17. Samuel sacrificed at Ramah, whereas the place appointed for sacrifice was before the Arke. Therefore men may doe something in the worship of God, without warrant from the Word.
Quest. How is this to be answered?
Answ. Thus; to sacrifice was a thing commanded but the place of offring sacrifice was indifferent, before the building of the Temple.
Againe, he was a Prophet, and had extraordinary direction of the Spirit.