Concerning the Indifference of Human Actions, Part 2
Anſwer.
This firſt limitation I borrowed from Dr Sclat…r upon the text: for the examination of it we muſt diſtinguiſh of humane Ceremonies; they are of two ſorts, Circumſtantiall, or Doctrinall.
Firſt, circumſtantiall, ſuch are the Circumſtances of time or place, matters of order, decency, and the like. Now theſe are neceſſary in the generall, and the particulars may be determined by the Magiſtrate, or Church-officers v. g. that the publique aſſemblies be at ſuch a convenient time of the day, in ſuch a place, and that they be convocated by tolling of bells; that the Miniſter officiate in a grave habit, gowne, cloake, or coate, &c. Now though ſome of theſe may be by ſome cauſeleſly imagined to be evill; yet they are not therefore to be forborne, if they be by lawfull command of the Magiſtrate, or Church, to be annexed with neceſſary duties; for neceſſary duties are not to be omitted for meere circumſtances connexed with their performance.
Thus we are not to forſake, or refraine our publick aſſemblies, becauſe ſome think there is ſome ſuperſtition in the places of them, our Churches, and the Convocation of them by bells, upon this ground, that both our Churches and bells have been abuſed by Papiſts. Dr Heylin [in a former edition of his Geography] relates this following ſtory of Peter Du Moulin; that hearing how diverſe Engliſh Miniſters ſcrupled to officiate in a Surplice, he ſaid, that he would willingly preach at Paris in a fooles coate, if leave could not be gotten of the King, upon any other condition. If this great light of France ever dropped ſuch words, he had in them doubtleſſe a very good, devout, and zealous meaning; but yet (under correction) I cannot ſee how his reſolution can be accorded with that rule of the Apoſtle; Let all things be done decently; for it cannot as yet ſink into my fooliſh head, how that a fooles coat is a decent garment to preach in. But this on the bie.
To proceed unto a ſecond ſort of Ceremonies, which we may call, for diſtinction ſake, humane, Doctrinall, Ceremonies; ſuch as men inſtitute, by their morall ſignification, to teach, v.g. the Croſſe, Surplice &c: if theſe might lawfully, by any humane authority whatſoever, be unavoidably annexed with neceſſary duties, we ſhould then ſoon reſolve, that we are not then to abſtaine from them; but the non-conformiſts ever held that no mortall wight whatſoever could lawfully urge, or preſſe the unavoidable connexion of ſuch Ceremonies with neceſſary duties: and indeed they have very good reaſon againſt the Command of ſuch a connexion; becauſe it would have been againſt religion, and againſt charity.
Firſt, againſt religion: they never granted them (as is ſtill ſuppoſed) to be indifferent, but alwaies arraigned them as guilty of ſuperſtition, and will-worſhip; and ſo, manifeſt tranſgreſſions againſt the ſecond commandement, preſumptuous additions unto the word, and ordinances of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, a ſetting of mans threſhold by Gods threſhold, and their poſts by Gods poſts, Ezek. 43.8. and the juſtice of their accuſation will be ſoon confeſſed by all learned, and unprejudiced men, that will with patience, and impartiality reade the reenforcement of their arguments by Parker, Didoclave, and Ames againſt all anſwers and replies whatſoever. The Prelates connexing of humane ſymbolicall ceremonies with duties and ordinances that are neceſſary, and commanded by the word of God, brings into my mind an artifice of Julian the Apoſtate: in the market places of Cities, he ſet up his own image, with the Effigies of the gods of the Heathen pictured round about, to the end, that whoſoever ſhould do civill reverence to the Emperours Image, might alſo ſeem to worſhip the gods of the Gentiles: and by the contrary, they who would not bow to the Gods of the Gentiles, might ſeeme alſo to refuſe all due reverence to the Emperour. — Thus the Prelates, of their own heads, moſt preſumptuouſly have ſet up in Gods worſhip, and ſervice, their own inventions, and have commanded them to be joined with the ordinances of Chriſt: ſo that hereby they drave many conſcientious Miniſters into a great ſtrait, if, out of a lothneſſe to looſe the exerciſe of their Miniſtry, they conformed unto their Ceremonies, this they interpreted to be an approbation of them; and, if to avoid their Ceremonies, they did forbeare to baptize, to adminiſter the Lords ſupper &c. then they accuſed them for neglect, and contempt of Gods Ordinances.
Secondly, it was againſt charity for the Prelates, ſo rigidly, and peremptorily to preſſe their paultry Ceremonies, as that unleſſe men obſerved them they would not ſuffer them, by their good wills, to enjoy the precious Ordinances of Chriſt Jeſus; and this can reaſonably be denied by none, who think, that the ſoules of men may be damnified by the want of ſuch ordinances: But to proceed unto a ſecond reſtriction in the former edition.