The Nature and Use of Things Indifferent, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Of the FORMALL Cauſe of Things indifferent.
THe FORME of things in different, The Forme of Things Indifferent. 1. Externall.is either Externall, or Internall.
2 The Externall Forme of Things indifferent, conſiſteth herein, namely, that they are ſuch Conſtitutions and Traditions, which hauehave bin wiſely and diſcreetly ordained, though without the expreſſe letter of the Scriptures, yet not without the foundation of the Scriptures.
3 The Internall Forme of Things indifferent, 2. Jnternall, which is twofold.ought to be conſidered two manner of waies; either Generally in regard of the whole; or Specially and particularly, as eueryevery ſuch Thing indifferent hath a proper conſideration in it ſelfe.
4 I. GENERALLY the Forme of Things indifferent, I. Generall.is Indifferencie it ſelfe; becauſe this properly and eſſentially belongeth to all & eueryevery Thing indifferēt, namely that they be free for eueryevery Church to vſe, or not to vſe, according to the circumſtances of times and perſons, and eueryevery occaſion that ſhal happen: for if they ſhould not be free, they ſhould no longer be foreign, Indifferent.
5 Our Lord God hath comprehended all the parts of his WORSHIP, and whatſoeuer is neceſſary for our ſaluation, in the holy Scriptures: and therefore nothing ought to be admitted in matters of fairh and religion, without the manifeſt teſtimonie thereof, as abſolutely and ſimplie neceſſarie either to be beleeued, or to be done.
6 But in the outward Diſcipline, The Diſcipline, Gouernment and Ceremonies, may be diuerſly fitted according vntounto the manners and nature of eueryevery nation and age.ceremonies and gouernment of the Church, he would not particularly preſcribe what we ought to follow; becauſe he did foreſee, that this depended vponupon the condition of the times; and that ONE FORME of Gouernment would not be conuenient for all ages.
7 Therefore herein we ought to hauehave recourſe to thoſe Rules, which he hath generally propounded in his Word, that whatſoeuer the neceſſity of the Church requireth to be commanded and ordained for Order and Decencie, it may be ordered and performed after the direction and line of the Scriptures.
8 Wherein alſo, thoſe things which ſeeme not profitable for the edification of the Church, may be changed and taken cleane away; and ſuch as ſeeme commodious therto may be retained, according as the diuerſitie and varietie of ſeueral Churches, nations, places, times, aduerſaries, and other circumſtances ſhall require. For it is not needful that the ſame Ceremonies and orders ſhould be obſerued in all Churches, at all times: but are to be vſed as they be moſt behouefull for the edification of the Church; therefore they are alwaies mutable, and moſt free.
9 But this Freedome is two-fold; How Things Indifferent are ſaid to be Free.for it may be conſidered either in Respect of the Whole Church; or in Respect of any Priuate perſon in the Church.
10 In Respect of the Whole Church (I meane a particular Church) eueryevery Thing indifferent is FREE: becauſe the Church hath power and authoritie, to change or to abrogate any thing that is preſently vſed, and to inſtitute new, where it ſhall ſeeme expedient ſo to do.
11 Wherefore, Note well.in regard of diuerſe obſeruation of Indifferent Ceremonies, no Church ought to condemne another, as an Apoſtatique, ſeditious or ſchiſmaticall Church, ſeparated from the people of God, or excluded from the Communion of Saints.
12 As with an hoſtile mind VICTOR Biſhop of Rome vniuſtly and tyrannically condemned and excommunicated the whole Eaſterne Church, becauſe they did not celebrate the Feaſt of Eaſter on the ſame day, that the Weſterne Church did. Euſeb. Hist. Eccleſiast. lib. 5. cap. 24.
13 This opinion, concerning NECESSITIE, ought chiefely and ſpecially to be taxed, leſt the Righteouſnes of the Goſpell may be thought to be any ſuch externall Policie; alſo, that there be no contentions by reaſon of the difference in the obſeruation of rites and ceremonies.
14 This Libertie is granted in the Goſpell; neither can the ſame be taken away by any Humane authoritie.
15 So Chriſt will hauehave vsus know, that Rites are not NECESSARIE, whether they be Moſaicall, or of Humane Traditions: as (Coloſſ. 2.16.) Let no man condemne you in meate or drinke, &c. that is, Let no man binde or iudge your conſcience for theſe rites.
16 Againe, If you be dead with Chriſt, free from the ordinances of the world; that is, from ſuch precepts and conſtitutions, whereby this humane life is gouerned, wherefore as though you liued in the world, are you burdened with traditions? As, Touch not, Taſte not, Handle not? Coloſſ. 2.20.21.
17 And (Galat. 5.1.) Stand faſt in the libertie, wherewith Chriſt hath made vsus free, and be not intangled againe with the yoke of bondage. He willeth them to retaine the doctrine of Libertie, leſt they be vexed with the fooliſh torment of conſcience; or ſhould moue contentions and diſcord, if there be any Church which obſerueth not the ſame rites and ceremonies with vsus.
18 In Reſpect of any Priuate perſon in the Church, It is not lawful for any priuate perſon, to violate, or to contemne the ordinances of the Church.that Libertie is not ſuch, that any man by careleſſe and wilfull negligence, pride, diſdaine or contempt, may without great ſinne violate the ordinances and conſtitutions of the Church.
19 Otherwiſe, what ſeedes of diſcord would the confuſion of thoſe things be, if it were lawfull, for eueryevery man at his pleaſure, to alter and change thoſe things, which belong vntounto the common ſtate and policie Eccleſiaſticall, ſeeing ONE and the SAME thing will neuer pleaſe all men? if all things, being as it were ſet in the middeſt, ſhould be left vntounto eueryevery mans particular diſcretion and choice?
20 Neither is it ſufficient to exclaime and crie out, The BISHOPS hauehave no power and authoritie to make Lawes, therfore we may LAVVFVLLY violate and tranſgreſſe their Traditions. For we OVGHT to obey; but yet ſo, as that they doe not ordaine thoſe Ceremonies, for the WOASHIP of God; or for things profitable for attaining Remiſſion of ſinnes; as we ſhall ſhew afterwards.
21 And as concerning the power and authoritie to make Lawes. The power of making Eccleſiaſticall Lawes, after what manner it ought to be.Such tyrannie ought not to be permitted in the Church; that the Lay ſort (as they are termed) ought to aſſent and applaud ALL, without choice, whatſoeuer the Biſhops ſhall decree.
22 Neither ought this power to bee Democraticall, whereby eueryevery man promiſcuouſly ſhould hauehave licenſe to crie out, to moue doubts, to propoſe doctrine, to ordaine ceremonies. But rather it ought to be Ariſtocraticall, wherin the chiefe Rulers and Magiſtrates, the Biſhops and Princes, ought orderly to communicate their counſels. For the Cognition both of the Doctrine, and Rites, belongeth VNTOUNTO THE CHVRCH, that is, to the Biſhops and Princes: who alſo, when the matter ſhall be decided and agreed vponupon, ought to be the Keepers, maintainers and defenders of the externall Diſcipline, and the putters in execution of the ſentence and decree of the Synode; ſo as they prohibite and forbid idolatrous worſhip, blaſphemies, peruerſe and wicked opinions, alſo the contempt of meere Indifferent and profitable rites; and puniſh the profeſſors thereof.
23 II. II. Speciall.SPECIALLY or particularly the Forme of Things Indifferent, is that whereby eueryevery Indifferent thing hath his peculiar and proper reaſon deliuered and determined by GOD and the Church: which verily ought not to bee changed or violated by the authoritie and will of any priuate Spirit.
24 Things Contrarie vntounto the Forme of Things indifferent, Things contrary vntounto the Forme of Things indifferent.are I. To change the forme of Rites ordained by the Church according vntounto the Rules of holy Scriptures; and that either through Hypocriſie, or through Impietie.
25 Hypocriſie offendeth herein two waies: 1. In the Exceſſe, by heaping together ouer many externall Ceremonies. 2. In the Defect, either by contemning ſuch Ceremonies as are lawfully ordained, or by reiecting ALL altogether.
26 Impietie ſubſtituteth other Ceremonies, the true and lawfull rites being aboliſhed; as Antichriſt hath done.
27 II. To obſerue Ceremonies ſuperſtitiouſly, and to neglect faith, not to heare and learne the Word of God: and ſo to perſwade himſelfe, that by the very worke wrought they are acceptable vntounto God.
And ſo much for the Formall Cauſe: Now followeth the Finall.