Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	canon_n	church_n	scripture_n	3,419	5	6.3842	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85048	Some necessary & seasonable cases of conscience about things indifferent in matters of religion, briefly, yet faithfully stated [a]nd resolved wherein the the [sic] just bounds of imposing on one hand, and of obeying on the other, are truly fixed, / by an indifferent hand.	Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.	1661 (1661)	Wing F2517; Thomason E2270_1; ESTC R209648	43,257	226

either imposed framed or directed yet the grounds and matter thereof are plainly there and seen and acknowledged to be there well nigh by all the Churches of Christ in the world I do not find but that at the Episcopal Divines plead the Necessity so most of the moderate Presbyterians allow the lawfulness and the usefulness yea and the Imposition of forms of publick Prayers of Administring the Sacraments of Catechism Confirmation and of reading of the Scriptures as also of reprehending offenders c. All which as Mart. Bucer enumerates them and concludes Vid. M. ● lib. 1. de reg Christ c. 13. are reserved for the care and power of the Church 3. Thirdly thereunto also belongs the Ordering and managing of the publick Worship as to the time manner and parts of it when to begin how to proceed when to end in the ordinary course of Divine Service as also to appoint extraordinary times of fasting and thanksgiving all which seeing Scripture hath left them to the Churches liberty in reason they ought to be ruled and fixed by prudent Authority as we would avoid Confusion and Ataxie in the Church of Christ 2. Secondly things serving to the Comeliness and Beauty of Worship are also to be put to the same account the decency of the place of Worship the gravity of the habit of Ministers the fitness of the Vessels for both Sacraments the kind of bread and wine the places and gestures of Administration and Communion and such like which the Scripture hath taken no notice of and yet all sober men are fully convinced that very high and almost indispensable convenience exacts a settlement and prudent Regulation of them and in all which methinks Vniformity with Decency should offend no body CASE VI. Whether may the Ruling part of the Church impose upon the Church things indifferent quatenus Indifferent or meerly because they are such Resol I Humbly conceive they have no such power no such Arbitrary strangely unlimited power which if exercised with any extent is not likely to edifie but to destroy the Church For 1. If we should grant that the Governours of the Church have power to impose things as they are indifferent or because they are indifferent we grant they have power to impose any thing indifferent and consequently what indifferent things they please upon the Church and thus we make the Will of Men the Principle and Rule of decency and order in the Service of God and not the Will of God or reason and prudence in the choice of things fittest according to his Word Then they have power to clog Gods Worship with things altogether incongruous to it provided they be indifferent in general as Dauncing Bowling c. and to render it instead of a reasonable Service absurd and ridiculous Then may they add Ceremony upon Ceremony until the number is so many and the weight so great that the work will be burdensome and indeed intolerable to God and Man Thus may they improve their Dominion over our Faith until they have worn out the beauty of holiness the power of Devotion and have rendred the Christian Liberty worse As Aug. complain'd then the Jewish or Popish Bondage This Power as God did never intrust them with it so I never heard of that man or sort of men that pretended unto it or to the exercise of it every one in Authority still granting that there ought to be Reason for their Impositions acting therein as Men as wel as Governors And though many are too apt to give Flattering Titles to men in Authority I have not met with any that Write highest for Conformity and obedience to Authority in things Indifferent that allowed such a Power to men in Authority to require what indifferent things they pleased without any respects to the fitness and usefulness of them in the Worship of God For as Thomas Rogers Against Seffray Obi. 4. that notable Adversary to Non-Conformity in this Case said Authority in making Laws must alwaies respect the Common Good And though Church-Governors saith Francis Mason Authority of the Church c. p. 8 9. of the same spirit with the former may make Church-Laws yet they may not establish what they list God hath inrailed their Authority with certain bounds and limits which they may not pass Agreeing with Calvin who hath also taught us That God hath not left us effraenem licentiam such an unbridled liberty Sed cancellos circundedit in Cor. 14. ult CASE VII What then doth render things indifferent fit to be imposed Resol INDIFFERENT things though they be not commanded or forbidden particularly but left undecided in Scripture yet must they be Reducible to and Agreeable with some general Rules in Scripture to make the Imposition of them fit or warrantable This Resolution becoms Christianity neither can it be inimicous to Christian Discipline it hath the suffrage of highest conformity which affords its liberty still to challenge great consideration in all impositions of things Indifferent Clapham an earnest and Learned Opposer of Non-Conformity hath thus stated it Such things saith Chronol Discourse of the Church cap. 9. he we say to be of an indifferent nature as for the doing or not doing thereof we have no express Word of God in particular only by some general Rule we are led to use our Christian Reason Francis Mason Authority of the Church p. 8. 9. also allows That all Ecclesiastical Canons must be framed according to the general Canons of the holy Scripture In a word I never read a denial of it CASE VIII What are those general Rules of Scripture that li●it the Imposition of things Ind●fferent Resol POlanus gives us a brief Syntag. Tom. 2. p. 70. and sound though a general satisfaction to this Case Things indifferent saith he ought to be reduced to that general equity which the Scriptures appoint to be the rule and measure of all our actions the Lex respicit ordinē ad bonum commune Aquinas good of our Neighbour Quatenus ad Dei Gloriam proximi salutem faciunt or the Common good as Rogers shortens it Marlorate doth more In 1 Cor. 14. ult fully explicate himself saying that the Apostle confirmeth his Traditions by the Word of God Reason Edification the Example of Churches Decency and Order and he adds With which same Arguments we ●●ght to examine our Ecclesiastical Traditions But let us a little consider some more special Rules as we easily find them in the surface of the Scripture 1. The first shall be that Catholique Rule of Expediency All things saith 1 Cor. 6. 12 the Apostle are Lawfull for me but all things are not expedient Some lawful things it seems are not expedient Things not expedient to be done ought not to be done and things not expedient to be commanded ought not to be commanded Thus there falls before us a double lawfulness a thing may be lawful and expedient a thing may be lawful and

ought to be regarded both by the governing and governed parts of the Church according to the Rule of the Fathers 7. The last Rule is Gospel liberty this must not be invaded by any imposition though it must not be mistaken Gospel liberry can hardly be infringed if these Rules be heeded in the imposition of things indifferent 1. That nothing indifferent be imposed that any way checketh with the former Rules of expediency peace offence of the weak edification decency order and the custome of the Churches 2. That things indifferent be not imposed as if they were in themselves necessary which Divines assert to be Superstition 3. That things indifferent be not required with equal severity as things necessary 4. That such things when imposed be declared by the Imposers to be mutable in their nature and to be altered upon just occasion 5. That things indifferent be not imposed in so great a number as is really burthensome to the Church of God which was much in the care of our first Reformers Concerning the multitude of Ceremonies of idle and vain nature saith Bishop In Apol. Jewel we know that St Augustine did much complain of them in his time and therefore we have greatly diminished the number of them because we know that they were troublesome to good consciences and burthensome to the Church yet we retaine and have likeing not only of those Ceremonies which we are sure were delivered us from the Apostles but some others too besides which we thought might be suffered without hurt to the Church of God because we affected that all things in the Congregation might according to the will of the Apostle be done with comliness and good order But all such things which we perceived to lean to Superstition or to be of no use or bald or toyish or against the sacred Scriptures or else unmeet for sober and wise people whereof there is a confused Chaos in the Romish Synagogue all these we have utterly renounced and cast off because we would not have the Worship of God confounded and combred with such follies Thus that most excellent Man The summ of whose words here recited doth in effect contain and confirm all that I have said upon this Case viz. That the Ceremonies of the Church ought to be expedient decent and orderly not hurtfull to the Church not troublesome to good consciences not burdensome And he adds that our own Church in the first Reformation had regard to the said Rules Let me conclude with an humble Petition that I be not mis-interpreted to prescribe to Authority in what I have said I have onely marked the general Rules in Scripture leaving particulars to the liberty and wisedom of Superiors to whom I only take boldness to offer that they ought to walk by these Rules settle the Church and Worship of God in peace and order with all comliness and expediency CASE IX How are private persons to demean themselves under such impositions of Authority in religious Exercises Resol VVE have hitherto rather labored to discover the reason of Imposing and the due extent of Ecclesiastical Authority in things indifferent endeavouring also to draw that as narrow and straight and as much to Rule as may be yet I hope without just offence to the same We are now descending to take a view of the reason of obedience and to consider the extent of their duty who are under command Where that I may appear impartial and for peace indeed I must be consonant to my Designe and labour to dis-intangle and enlarge the consciences of private persons with as much freedom towards conformity as lawfully I may that having brought the Injunction as low and narrow and the Obedience as high and large as we may the commanders and the commanded may be happily found nearer together and in sweeter communion one with another Charity surely will not be displeased at this harmless project but will be ready with a pardon though I fail of success or too imprudently manage the Attempt especially while my Aime is levelled at so desireable an end the peace of the Church the common good and use no other Engine to draw down the one and raise the other but that from heaven the holy Scripture And to the Case in general which is this How are private persons to demean themselves under the commands of Authority or Ecclesiastical Laws in Religious Exercises I shall now the Lord assisting me betake my self with all conscience and fidelity to answer breaking it into several particular cases according as the Object of humane Injunctions may be distinguished The Object of humane Injunction or that which is injoyned or commanded may be proceeded upon by a gradation or descent of five stepps for that which is injoyned is either necessary expedient purely indifferent inexpedient or unlawfull Accordingly there may be offered five Cases viz. what a private person ought to do when things necessary or things expedient or things purely indifferent or things inexpedient or things unlawfull are required by Authority in the exercises of Religion to all which we addresse our selves to apply a several and particular satisfaction CASE X. What ought a private Christian to do when things necessary in themselves are required by Authority Resol BOth for the Intention of the present Discourse we treating properly about things indifferent as also for the very nature of the thing it self this need not be put to the Question For though some have thought they have seen reason enough not so farr to countenance an Usurpation as to do their duties when commanded thereunto by unlawfull powers from the liberty of that trite Rule Affirmative Precepts do not binde to every particular instance of time yet it were a strange perversness in any not to do that which God requires because his Vicegerent lawfull Authority requires it also even in the things of Gods Worship Optatus reckoned it a madness in Donatus that broke forth in that question of his Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesia What hath the KING to do with the Church But Optatus wisely answered The Common-wealth is not in the Church but the Church is in the Commonwealth and consequently he that is Governor of the Common-wealth is so of the Church and the Rule is The Gospel takes Non tollit praecepta naturae legis sed perficit Rom. 3. ult not away the Precepts of Nature and the Moral Law but establisheth and perfects them and rather enlargeth and confirms then any way weakens Obedience to Authority Therefore are we to pray for Kings that under their pious and religious governance we may not live in peace and honestly only but in godliness in all godliness as the Apostle directs us St Augustine upon those Contra Crescon lib. 3. cap. 51. words in the second Psalm saith Kings not onely as men but as they are Kings serve the Lord if in their Kingdomes they command that which is good and prohibite that which is evil not

destroyed by the Builders or died of the Doctors My Dear Brethren let me breathe out my soul in St Augustines words Ut moneor ut doleo ut timeo procederem ad pedes vestros flerem quantum valerem rogarem quantum amarem nunc unumquemque pro seipso nunc utrumque pro altero pro aliis maximè infirmis pro quibus Christus mortuus est qui vos tanquam in Theatro vitae hujus cum magno sui periculo spectant ne de vobis ea conscribendo spargatis quae quandoque concordantes delere non poteritis qui nunc concordare nolitis 2. To my dissenting Brethren my humble and solemn Request is that if the case be like to be thus they would in season think it adviseable seriously to consider what they have to do to study that which is likely to be enjoyned with all severity and impartiality as they would do or suffer with knowledge and comfort The great Case will be Upon what grounds you may warrantably lay down your ministery and upon what Not or how farr you may lawfully obey the Imposition of Authority For your more ample satisfaction herein give me leave to say That after the Scriptures Bucer Calvin Melancthon Zanchy Polanus Beza c. are of undoubted credit in such a case as this and worthy to be conferred with as also St Augustine his 118 119. Epist ad Janu. If this poor Piece shall have the honour of your perusal I beseech you remember that by two Errours we are very apt to weigh things amiss 1. When we take up the scales weigh over-hastily 2. When one end of the ballance is heavier then the other perhaps by prejudice or something else that should not be there Do the Book no wrong do the Church no wrong do your selves no wrong For your own preservation your peoples edification the Churches peace prosperity and salvation be not averse to any just satisfaction Let no Society no Condition no Temptation with errour and suffering be more dear and pleasant with you then the Church of God the discharge of your trust the fulfilling of your Ministery with duty and liberty truth and felicity Farewell Twenty Four Necessary and Seasonable CASES of CONSCIENCE about things Indifferent in Matters of Religion CASE I. What are Things Indifferent Resol THINGS Indifferent have their place in the middle betwixt things Necessary and things Sinful things that ought and things that ought not to be done For as to their Simple and common Nature i. e. Considered nakedly without respect to such Circumstances as change their property and denominale them good or evil they are such things as may be done or left undone without sin They are of a Middle not a Mixt Nature not both good and bad that is Medium abnegationis a Contradiction not partly good and partly bad then the good can never expiate the bad for the least degree of evil renders the Action evil but neither good nor bad As they are Morally neither good nor bad so they are not made such by Scripture being neither commanded nor forbidden They are of an Indifferent Nature and may be Indifferently Used Yet very apt by reason of Circumstances to tend unto to swerve towards to become or appear either good or evil CASE II. Whether there is any thing Indifferent in the Exercise of Religion Resol FOR Our cleerer satisfaction herein let us consider Actions and Circumstances 1. Touching Actions I assert First That no one Action in Religious Exercises is of its own nature so Indifferent but that by its circumstances it easily becomes good or evil 2. No Action that is deliberate and hath an order to a certain end distinguished from Actions of fancy usually so called which are unobserved by the Agents Individually considered and as performed about the Worship of God can be truly Indifferent but by reason of its circumstances is good or evil 3. No Action considered as a part of Divine Worship can possibly be Indifferent for either it is such as God himself hath appointed and therefore necessary or invented by men and superstitious 4. Yet Fourthly There are divers Actions that are no part but circumstances of worship though Actions in themselves before they are exerted and clothed with their circumstances that are properly Indifferent both as to their Nature neither good nor bad as to the Scripture neither commanded or forbidden and consequently as to our use neither necessary nor unlawful and lastly in comparison with other Actions that might as lawfully serve in the same stead of neither more or less necessity as I might instance in lifting up or casting down our eyes in lifting up or spreading abroad our hands in prayer c. But thus much for Actions 2. As for Circumstances properly so called It is not doubted I think by any but there are some viz. time place habit that are purely indifferent I mean befo●e they are determined and in a generall consideration abstracted from conveniency and not complicated with other accidents that may vary the Case I shall not burden this unexceptionable Point with needless Authority which were very easie if not needless I shall only instance the reasonableness of it under one part of Divine Worship viz. the Sacrament in the judgment of Mr. Calvin So Calv. I●sti lib 1. Sect. 43. much saith he as concerns the outward form of Ministring the Sacrament viz. Whether the faithful receive into their hand or not Whether they divide it or every one eat that which is given him Whether they put the Cup into the hand of the Deacon or deliver it to the hand of the next Whether the Bread be Leavened or unleavened Whether the Wine be red or white it maketh no matter these things be Indifferent and left to the liberty of the Church Thus he and we might adde almost so many more of the like nature about every other Ordinance if occasion required CASE III. Whether may things Indifferent be Imposed and required by Authority Resol DOubtless they may For 1. The Word of God hath not particularly taught us what that decency and order is that is required Yet the Ruling part of the Church ought not only to require but to take care and see according to the Apostles example that all things be done decently and in order 2. Then plain Reason demonstrates that if it be the duty of Rulers to see That all things be done decently and in order they must also by their own discretion or advice with others judge and prescribe what is such 3. The Great Apostle therefore took upon him not only to press the general command of decency 1. Cor. 14. 34. 11. 4. 17. 1 Tim. 2. 8. 9. 1 Tim. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 7. 10. and order but to reprove particular disorders and to direct unto and command particular parts of order and comelinesse in the Churches 4. Yea that Famous Synod and truly Apostolical in Acts 15. did by their

only in those things which appertain to humane Society verùm etiam in iis quae ad divinam Religionem but also in matters concerning Religion and divine Worship Who dare offer to name the Time since the World began the Times of persecution which rendred it impossible only excepted wherein God did not allow Governours both Temporal and Ecclesiastical did not assume the power of governing giving Lawes to the Church for the discharge of their duties in matters of Religion As soon as the black and bloody cloud was dispell'd by the favour and power of glorious Constantine he assumed this Supremacy he put down Idolatry he establish'd the Truth he composed differences among Bishops suppressed Heresie and Schism called Councils and gave his suffrage in them he heard and judged Causes in Religion and made Ecclesiastical Laws and Edicts and all this as Eusebius saith tanquam communis Episcopus à Deo Euseb de vita Constan lib. ● cap. 37. constitutus as a common Overseer or Bishop ordained of God and I may adde as an excellent Example to all Christian Princes to the end of the world Doubtless if he that resists a lawfull power shall receive to himself damnation he shall hardly escape that resists his command in lawfull yea in necessary things wherein if in any thing he ought to obey for the Lords sake and to submit in conscience of his duty to God as well as Man for as Augustine Hoc jubent Imperatores quod jubet Christus quia cum bonum jubent per illos non Christus nisi jubet so that when Kings command what Christ has first commanded Christ commands by them and we are called to obey not onely them but Christ in them CASE XI What private persons are to do when things expedient are required of them Resol THE second sort of things enjoyned in the exercise of Religion we have proposed to be things expedient for their present and special use though not necessary in their common nature or particularly comanded by God And the Question is When such things are required by lawfull Authority whether private persons are bound in duty to obey or not Some persons I believe like not that any such thing should be imposed upon them but would rather have the Decent ordering of Gods Worship left to their own private discretion yet I hope better of my Brethren then that they should refuse the exercise of any thing which themselves allow because it is also approved by others and commanded by Authority and therefore to be disorderly in the Church of God because they are enjoyned to do things in order Such things as we know to be fitted for the decency and order of Gods Worship if enjoyned by a lawfull Authority though they be not necessary in their common nature or particularly commanded by God and thus though they want a primary necessity yet they seem in the judgment of all sober men to contract a treble secundary necessity to oblige us to obedience viz. from the general commands of Scripture from the particular injunction of Authority and the urging direction of our own conscience where God indeed seems to speak thrice at once unto us by the Rule of the Apostle the Law of the Land and the voice of our own convicted Consciences Such Constitutions saith Bullinger as are expedient Dec. 2. Sect. 1. and drawn from general Scripture and are for edification I call not Humane Traditions Yea one of the Reformed Churches have put it Confes Suev in Harm Confes 8. 17. pag. 290. into their very Confession That they deserve to be esteemed Divine rather then Humane Constitutions For saith Mr Calvin such are not to be reckoned for Calv. in 1 Cor. 14. humane Traditions since they are founded in the general precept and have the Zanch. in com loc 16. liquid approbation as it were of Christs own mouth Beza therefore concludes Beza Epist 24. That things that make for order being commanded by Authority do so far binde the conscience that no man can wilfully transgress them without sin CASE XII What are private persons to do when things that are purely Indifferent are required in Religious Exercises Resol THat thing I here call purely Indifferent which impartially retaines a midd place betwixt things necessary and things sinfull and betwixt things inexpedient and things expedient more plainly we take a thing to be purely indifferent here that is neither necessary or sinfull in its nature or by the Word of God nor yet expedient or inexpedient as to the use for which it is appointed but in all regards purely Indifferent being neither necessary with a primary or with a secundary necessity as we lately distinguished nor yet respectively sinfull or unlawfull viz. either with a primary or secundary sinfulness Now the Question is not whether there be any such things or not but hoc supposito supposing there are and that they are commanded by lawfull Authority the Question is What private Christians are to do in such a case For my part though as I have said such things ought not to be enjoyned by Authority yet if the Scales be even before the command of Authority must I think of necessity turn them So that here we must observe a third kinde of Necessity where the two former are wanting so that where a thing is not necessary properly or occasionally as expedient yet it may become necessary by the addition of a humane Law which also circulates into the first necessity of a divine command Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake though it be but a meer humane Ordinance yet as such if not sinfull or forbidden by God you seem commanded to submit unto it Consequently we have discovered a third kinde of sinfulness where the primary and secundary is wanting so that where a thing is not sinfull in it self or by any inconvenience in its use yet it may become so by disobedience to lawfull Authority Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves 'T is necessary we observe a difference in the reason of imposing and of obeying For before a thing is imposed there is no obligation upon Authority to require it if it be not fit yea rather there is a pre-obligation to impose nothing but what is expedient in the Worship of God but now when a thing is once required though not expedient as we could desire we are under in obligation and we must not consult our liberty but our duty or if our liberty not so much our liberty to forbear as our liberty to obey and to enquire whether the thing be lawful or not whether God wil● allow us to do it or not and if so Whether it be not our duty and whether though we would not do it for the things sake we must not do it for the commands sake the command of Man and the command of God Wherefore Beza to whom I might add the Learned