Works of Joseph Hall, Section 32
SECTION XXXII.
Our Synods determination of things indiffere t. Article 11.THERE was neuer a more idle and beggerly cauill than your next: your Chriſtian Reader muſt needs think you hard driuen for quarrels, when you are faine to fetch the Popes infallibility out of our Synod, whoſe flat Decree it was of olde: That euen generall Councels may erre, and hauehave erred. But wherein doth our ſacred Synod aſſume this infallibilitie, in her determinations? Wherefore is a Synod, if not to determine? But of things reputed indifferent? What elſe are ſubiect to the conſtitutions of men? Good and euill are either directly, or by neceſſarie ſequell ordred by God: theſe are aboue humane power: What hauehave men to doe, if not with things indifferent? All neceſſary things are determined by God, indifferent by men from God,Obligatio ſine… coertione nulla. Reg. Iur. Non iura dicenda ſunt, &c. de Ciuit. l. b. 19 Anſw. to the Admon. p. 279. cited alſo by D. Sparkes, p. 14 which are as ſo many particulars, extracts from the generals of God: Theſe things (ſaith learned Caluin) are indifferent, and in the power of the Church: Either you muſt allow the Church this, or nothing. But theſe decrees are abſolute, what lawes can be without a command? The Law that tyes not is no Law: No more than that (ſaith Auſten) which ties vsus to euill. But for all men, and all times? How for all? For none (I hope) but our owne. And why not for them? but without exception and limitation: Doe not thus wrong our Church: our late Arch-biſhop (if it were not piacular for you to read ought of his) could hauehave taught you in his publike writings, theſe fiue limitations of inioyned ceremonies: Firſt, that they be not againſt the Word of God: Secondly, that Iuſtification or Remiſſion of ſinnes be not attributed to them: Thirdly, That the Church bee not troubled with their multitude:Aug. Epiſt. 86. In his enim rebus, de quibus nihil cert… ſtatui… Scriptura Diuina, mos populi Dei vel inſtituta matorum pro lege tu…da ſunt. Liuius Dcca. l. 4 Nulla lex ſ…tis …moda omnibus eſt, id modo quaerit…, ſi mator… part… & in ſu…ma pro…eſt. Fourthly, that they be not decreed as neceſſarie, and not to be changed: And laſtly, that men be not ſo tied to them, but that by occaſion they may bee omitted, ſo it be without offence and contempt; you ſee our limits: but your feare is in this laſt, contrary to his. He ſtands vponupon offence in omitting, you in vſing: As if it were a iuſt offence to diſpleaſe a beholder, no offence to diſpleaſe and violate authoritie: What Law could euer be made to offend none? Wiſe Cato might hauehave taught you this, in Liuie, that no Law can bee commodious to all: Thoſe lips which preſerue knowledge, muſt impart ſo much of it to their hearers, as to preuent their offence: Neither muſt Law-giuers euer foreſee what conſtructions will be of their Lawes, but what ought to bee: Thoſe things which your Conſiſtory impoſes, may you keepe them if you liſt? Is not the willing neglect of your owne Parlour-Decrees puniſhed with Excommunication? And now what is all this to infallibility? The ſacred Synod determines theſe indifferent Rites, for decencie and comlineſſe to be vſed of thoſe whom it concernes, therefore it arrogates to it ſelfe infallibilitie: A concluſion fit for a Separatiſt.
Cum conſediſſent ſancti & …cligioſi Epiſcopi. …in. Tom. 1. p. 239. Sancta Synod. C…rthagi: 4. ſub Anaſtaſio, 553. Sancta & Pacifica Synod. Antiochen. 1. p. …20. Sancta Dei & Apoſtolica Synodus. 413. Peruenit ad Sanctam Synodum. Can. Nic. 18 309. Sancta Synod. Laod…cco…, 288.You ſtumble at the Title of Sacred: eueryevery ſtraw lies in your way; your Calepine could hauehave taught you, that Houſes, Caſtles, Religious buſineſſes, old age it ſelfe, hauehave this ſtile giuen them: And Virgil (vittaſque reſoluit Sacrati capitis:) no Epithere is more ordinary to Councells and Synods: The reaſon whereof may be fetched from that Inſcription of the Elibertine Synod; of thoſe nineteene Biſhops is ſaid: When the holy and Religious Biſhops were ſet: How few Councels hauehave not had this Title? To omit the late; The Holy Synod of Carthage, vnderunder Anaſtaſius: The Holy and peaceable Synod at Antioch: The Holy Synod of God, and Apoſtolicall, at Rome vnderunder Iulius. The Holy and great Synod at Nice: and not to bee endleſſe: The Holy Synod of Laodicea (though but prouinciall.) What doe theſe Idle exceptions argue but want of greater?
SEP.
To let paſſe your Eccleſiaſticall Conſiſtories, wherein ſinnes and abſolutions from them are as veniall and ſaleable as at Rome; Is it not a Law of the Eternall God, that the Miniſters of the Goſpell; the Biſhops or Elders ſhould bee apt and able to teach? 1 Timoth. 3.2. Titus 1.9. and is it not their grieuous ſinne to bee vnapt hereunto? Eſa. 56.10, 11. And yet who knoweth not that the Patrons amongſt you preſent, that the Biſhops inſtitute, the Archdeacons induct, the Churches receiue, and the Lawes both Ciuill and Eccleſiaſticall allow and iuſtifie Miniſters vnapt and vnable to teach? Is it not a Law of the Eternall God, that the Elders ſhould feed the ſtock ouer which they are ſet, labouring amongſt them in the Word and Doctrine? Acts 20.28. 1 Pet. 5.1, 2. And is it not ſin to omit this duty? Plead not for Baall. Your Diſpenſations for Non-reſidencie and Pluralities of Benefices, as for two, three, or more; yea tot quot, as many as a man will hauehave or can get, are ſo many Diſpenſations with the Lawes of God, and ſinnes of men. Theſe things are too impious to bee defended, and too manifeſt to bee denied.