The Nature and Use of Things Indifferent, Chapter 2 – Chapter 3
CHAP. II. Of the CAVSES of Things Indifferent. And first of the EFFICIENT Cauſe.
THe EFFICIENT Cauſe of Things Indifferent, The Efficient Cauſe of Things indifferent. 1. Principall.is two-fold, Principall, or Adiuuant.
2 The Principall Efficient Cauſe, is GOD (by whom Things Indifferent are GENERALLY inſtituted and commanded) who in his Word declareth vntounto the Biſhops and Gouernours of the Church, the fountaine, from whence they ought to be deduced and drawne, gouerning alſo their wittes, and directing their tongues in that buſines. For GOD will hauehave all things to be done in good order, ſo as they may ſerue both for the ſetting forth of his owne glory, and alſo for the edification of the Church (1. Cor. 14.40.) ſeeing he is the GOD of order, and not of confuſion.2. Adiuuant: and this is, either.
3 The Adiuuant Cauſe, is either the Whole Church together, or Certaine wiſe and intelligent Men, to whom the Church hath committed the inſtitution of Things indifferent.
4 The whole Church.The Whole Church, becauſe ſhe hath power to appoint and preſcribe rites and ceremonies in particular (for all things are the Churches, 1. Cor. 3.22.) which performeth this her Office, with a Free, and Godly will. Free, being no manner of way compelled; Godly, that is, fitted and accommodated to the will of God, which may only regard the glorie of God, and the edification of good and godly men; and no way ſeeke after humane or worldly commodities, by the inſtitution, or vſe of any Indifferent things.
5 Now the inſtitution and ordering of theſe rites and ceremonies, Or, Certaine Men.the Church ought to commit to the care of certaine godly, wiſe and circumspect Men, whom ſhe perceiueth to be endued with diuine gifts, and well able to iudge of ſuch matters. So the Apoſtles command the Church, to chuſe and ordaine ſuch Deacons (Act. 6.3.) And that choſen veſſell of God, writeth vntounto the Church of Corinth, that ſhe ought to ordaine Iudges, who might vnderſtand and decide the controuerſies and cauſes of the Chriſtians. 1. Cor. 6.7.
6 Concerning which Ceremonies notwithſtanding, the iudgement and cenſure thereof, is to be permitted vntounto the Church, as alſo of the whole Doctrine taught by the Miniſters and Paſtors, according vntounto that which the Apoſtle ſaith; Let two or three Prophets ſpeake, and let the other iudge. And if any thing be reuealed to another that ſitteth by, let the firſt hold his peace. The Spirit of the Prophets is ſubiect to the Prophets. (1. Cor. 14.29.30.32.) And the Doctors and Teachers of the Church, are not LORDS ouer the ſame; but Miniſters and Seruants vntounto it.
7 Out of theſe things which hauehave been ſpoken of the Efficient Cauſe, it is plainly gathered; Eccleſiaſticall Traditions are not meerly Humane, but alſo Diuine.that ſuch Indifferent things, as by the Church hauehave been lawfully and orderly inſtituted and approoued, are ſo farre Humane, as that they are alſo Diuine, and therefore hauehave more than Humane authoritie, yea plainly DIVINE.
8 The reaſon hereof is. Becauſe the Church is directed and gouerned by the Spirit of Chriſt, who is Truth: therefore the Precepts of the Church in THINGS INDIFFERENT, are both true and holy.
9 Moreouer, ſithence the Church of Chriſt doth alwaies depend on the Word of God; inſomuch that if it ſhould erre (which notwithſtanding is impoſſible) and fall from the ſame, it ſhould not bee the Church of Chriſt: Therefore the Traditions and Conſtitutions which are ordained by the Church, following the Word of God, are grounded vponupon the authoritie of GOD himſelfe, and drawne out of the holy Scriptures; and therefore conſequently DIVINE.
10 An example hereof we hauehave in the Surplice, which Miniſters vſe to put on, Queſtion.in the ſolemnizing of Diuine Seruice, or the adminiſtration of the Sacraments. It is demanded, Anſwere.Whether this be an HVMANE Tradition, or not? I anſwere: It is ſo an HVMANE Tradition, as that it is alſo DIVINE. It is DIVINE, ſo farre foorth, as it is a part of that Decencie, the care and obſeruation whereof is commended vntounto vsus by the Apoſtle (1. Cor. 14.37.40.) But it is HVMANE, as it doth particularly deſigne, what hath been generally pointed at, rather than plainly declared. Note.For it si our part, to determine in particular and preciſe forme and manner, that Decencie and Order, which in generall termes is deliuered in the holie Scriptures. By this one example may appeare what we are to thinke and iudge of all other of this kinde.
11 Theſe things repugne and are contrarie to the Efficient Cauſe, What things are contrarie vntounto the Efficient Cauſe.namely, I. To inſtitute and ordaine ſuch rites and ceremonies, as are contrarie vntounto the will and Word of GOD.
12 Of which ſort are in the Church of Antichriſt, the Popes Supremacie, the Sacraments of Penance, Confirmation, Order, Matrimonie, Extreame Vnction, the oblation of the ſacrifice of the Maſſe, the Communion vnderunder one kind, Crucifixes, Inuocation of Saints, Prayers for the dead, Purgatorie, Indulgences, Single life of Prieſts, Auricular confeſſion, Papiſticall ſatisfactions, &c.
13 II. To peruert, contrarie vntounto the Word of GOD, ſuch Ceremonies, as are lawfully and aduiſedly inſtituted by the Church.
14 III. To appoint and ordaine indifferent Ceremonies and rites to be obſerued, without the conſent and approbation of the Church.
15 IV. Wilfully or careleſly to neglect and omit thoſe indifferent ceremonies, which the Church hath lawfully commanded and receiued: to deſpiſe them, as meerely Humane, and to account them ſuperſtitious and Idolatrous.
16 V. The Church of Antichriſt, or the Papacie, falſe Prophets and Heretiques, who imitate the Church of GOD in outward rites and ceremonies.
Thus much of the Efficient Cauſe: Next followeth the Materiall.
CHAP. III. Of the MATERIALL Cauſe of Things indifferent.
THE MATTER of Things indifferent, The Matter of Things indifferent.may be conſidered two waies: 1. As Conſtituent. 2. As Concomitant.
2 The Conſtituent Matter, foreign, 1. Constituent.termed by the Schoolemen Materia exqua, whereof conſiſt Things indifferent; are Ceremonies, actions, things, workes or buſineſſes performed by certaine rites.
3 And they are, either Words, ſuch as are vſed in bleſſings; or Actions, ſuch as are practiſed in particular geſtures; or elſe they are, referred vntounto time, place or perſon.
4 The Concomitant Matter, 2. Cōcomitant; which is, eitheras it hath reſpect either vntounto the Subiect, or vntounto the Obiect, is two-fold, 1. Materia in qua, that wherein it ſtandeth. 2. Materia circa quam, that whereabout it is imployed.
5 The Matter in which, In which.as it is referred vntounto the Subiect, is the Church of Chriſt, wherein Things indifferent are handled and exerciſed aright, according vntounto her owne free will and pleaſure.
6 For GOD hath giuen abſolute power and authoritie vntounto the Church ouer all Indifferent actions, rites and outward ceremonies, to diſpoſe of them, for her owne conſeruation, vtilitie, decencie, order and diſcipline. Which appeareth manifeſtly out of the holy Scriptures to hauehave been vſed and practiſed in the Primitiue Church in the Apoſtles times. Neither can any man iuſtly denie the ſame power to be granted vntounto the Church, euen in theſe our daies.
7 For ſeeing that the ſefeſame SPIRIT gouerneth the Church in all ages; wherefore ſhould it not bee as lawfull for the Church of theſe latter times, to inſtitute lawes and orders concerning externall rites, as it was in times paſt?
8 The Matter about which Things indifferent are exerciſed, Or, whereabout.as it hath reference vntounto the Obiect, are theſe following; the Worſhip of God, pure Religion, and neceſſarie Confeſſion.
9 For theſe (as we hauehave ſaid before) are Determinations, neceſſarie or profitable, for keeping and obſeruing of the Precepts of the firſt Table of the Morall Law.
10 The things which repugne and are Contrarie to this doctrine, Things contrary vntounto the Matter of Things indifferent.of the Matter of Things indifferent, are either the Changing of the matter thereof, or elſe the ſubſtituting of forraine and ſtrange matter. Such as are,
11 I. Things commanded of GOD concerning Faith, or good Workes, which Epicures account among Things indifferent, with whom it is all one, whether they exerciſe the duties of Pietie and Charitie, or not.
12 II. Things forbidden by God; ſuch as are ſinnes againſt eueryevery of the Commandements of God, which prophane Men reckon amongſt Things indifferent; and namely Blaſphemie, drunkenneſſe, gluttonie, Vſurie, deceit in buying and ſelling, Simonie, riot, licentiouſnes, and ſuch like.
13 Moreouer, there are ſome who impudently account ſimple Fornication (as they terme it) amongſt Things indifferent. But ſeeing that theſe ſinnes and the like, are manifeſtly prohibited in the Morall Law, it is a ſigne of Epicurean profanitie, to goe about to place them amongſt the number of Things indifferent.
So much for the Matter of Things indifferent: Next of the Forme.