OUR Apostle directs us, in the Verse im­mediately prece­ding this Text, con­cerning Good, in this Text con­cerning Evill. Towards Good hee exacts a prudent warinesse▪ towards Evill, a scrupulous fearfulnesse: towards good, a prudent warinesse; Prove all things, and then, hold fast that which is good. Nothing, how colourable soever is to be recei­ved hand over head, before tri­all and examination by the bal­lance of the Sanctuarie: for, Vitia virtutes mentiuntur, (saith Gregory) vice is mask't under the skinne of vertue, falshood [Page 2]disguis'd under the face of truth: so that the one is often mistaken for the other. The grossest enormities have beene glast and coloured over with the names, and face of vertues; the most poysonous heresies have often gained the esteeme and applause of Orthodoxe Te­nents: and therefore as we must sted fastly retaine that which is truly true and good; so must we prudently discerne and carefully distinguish between that which is sown deed, and in truth, and that which is so only in shew, & colour; this we must reject, that keepe, and hold fast. Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. But he requires now to­wards evill a farre different car­riage: there hee lookes for a scrupulous fearfulnesse. Though we must not hold fast any thing that hath but the appearance of good, yet wee must abstaine from but the appearance of e­vill.

Abstaine from all appearance of evill; Cor. Ala­pide. or from every evill ap­pearance: the words are and may be rendred indifferently, either way, both rendrings be­ing equally consonant to the truth, and originall.

In the words our Apostle meetes with a cavill, rise among the Libertines of our and former times, who when their scanda­lous courses are charged upon them, baffle of all with this plea; that they are not intrin­secally sinfull. Could I (will the profanest Libertine say) but once fee such and such things proved in themselves to be un­lawfull: why, I would make no more words of the matter, but soone forbeate them. I, but have they the blush, the appea­rance of evill? that should be motive enough to shun them.

Abstaine from all, &c.

But are wee sure this is the A­postles meaning? are not the words capable of another inter­pretation? [Page 4]First, some mislike our translation of [...], species, by appearance, & rather thinke it should be meant logically, for sort or kinde, and so the words thus rendred: Abstaine from e­very sort, or kind of evill. That it may be so, Mat. Flac. Illiri­cus determines that it is soe, the Syriacke interpreter, and after him Faber, and Beza re­solve. But I would faine know upon what ground they are thus singular against the current of both Ancient, and Moderne Ex­positors. Setting aside this place, the word occurres (as I thinke) in the whole new Testament but foure times, In Luke 3.22.9.29. John 5.37.2 Cor. 5.7. and in none of these places is it, can it be taken in a Logicall no­tion. If not elsewhere, why here? especially seeing such an exception is not inforced by the scope, coherence, any other circumstance of the Text, or any absurditie otherwise unavoida­ble.

But some dreame of a foule absurditie, that would ensue upon translating [...], species, appearance. If every appearance of evill should be abstained from, then should good things, the best things be eschewed, for they commonly appeare to be evill unto sense, and carnall rea­son [...], that discerne not the things of the spirit of God. How easily may an acute wit set false faces upon them, & worke a bad conceit of them into ei­ther ill or weake apprehen­sions▪

This feare will quickly vanish and be discovered to be idle, and vaine, when anon we shall ex­plaine that distinction of appea­rance of evill, into reall and ima­ginarie; for the present there­fore, leaving these men, proceed we secondly, to others, who a­gree with us in interpreting [...] in a vulgar, familiar, and com­mon sense, for appearance: but then their exposition is not so [Page 6]generall, as ours; for they re­straine the place to matters of doctrine▪ and will not allow it to be extended to matters of practice; & countenance they thinke the context gives their glosse, for the Apostle having at the 19. verse exhorted not to quench the spirit, in verse 20. prescribes a meanes for cherish­ing the Spirit, viz: a reverent demeanour towards the Word of God. If ye will not quench the Spirit, despise not prophecy­ing: and next: least that some should except: are we thus re­verently to receive promiscu­ously all prophecyings, and do­ctrines preached unto us, Heming [...] ­ [...] in lo­cum. and not to beware of some, of false prophecying and doctrines, the Apostle, say they, more distinct­ly directs, how wee should de­meane our selves. First, towards all prophecying in generall: how, secondly, towards true; how, thirdly, towards false. First, all prophecyings, and do­ctrines [Page 7]whatsoever must be di­ligently examined. Prove all things. Secondly, all true pro­phecyings, sound, and or­thoxe doctrines are to be em­braced with a firme, and unre­moveable assent. Hold fast that which is good. Lastly, as for false prophecyings & doctrines even their very appearance is to be shunned. Thus they, &c.

But first, I propose unto the cō ­sideration of the learned, whe­ther or no an exact and accurate coherence be to be looked for in most of those precepts deli­vered by the Apostle, from verse 13. usque ad vers. 23. the loose and abrupt manner of heaping them together perswade, (mee thinks) that there is little depē ­dance of many of thē upon ei­ther the foregoing or following precepts, as is to be expected betweene Solomons Proverbs, or Bede's Axiomes. Hence is it that Estius Neque necesse▪ est hanc par­tem inter­preta [...] (ut qu [...]dam f [...] ­c [...]unt)▪ ut connexio­nem habe­at [...] tis, quae proxi­mè prece­dunt: nam po [...]ùs vi­detur A­postolus r [...] ­f [...]care me­moriam e­jus, quod pracepi [...] cap. sup [...] ­riors; ut h [...]nests ambulent ad eos, que foris sun [...] ▪ &c. Esti­us [...] ▪ holds it not neces­sarie to interpret the place so, as [Page 8]that it should have connexion with those duties that immedi­ately precede; rather (thinkes hee) the Apostle seemes to rub up the memorie of what hee commāded in the former chap­ter, at vers. 12. That ye may walke honestly towards them that are without.

Secondly, suppose a cohe­rence of the words with the former, must it needs be that which they obtrude. The words may sit under our inter­pretation, and yet the Analysis of the Context runne smoothly, as thus:

The Apostle having at vers. 19. dehorted from quenching the Spirit, next adviseth use of meanes, tending to the preser­vation of its gratious & glori­ous residence in the Soule: Which meanes are either nega­tive, or positive; hee assignes but one negative meanes, viz▪ a removall of a maine barre, & powerfull obstacle unto the [Page 9]presence of the Spirit, contempt of preaching. Despise not pro­phecying, verse 20. of the posi­tive means, two concerne good, one evill: the two concerning good, Aquinas in locum. are boni diligens examina­tio, constans electio: Prove all things, hold fast that which is good. This respecting evill, est universalissima ejus rejectio, an abstinence not onely from all kinds, but even from all appea­rance of evill.

Lastly, suppose the primarie scope and intention of the A­postle be limited unto matters of doctrine: yet because the maine reason, for which they themseves conceive appearan­ces of evill, even in matters of doctrine to be interdicted, is avoidance of Scandall, the pre­cept of which is juris Natura­lis, and not onely doctrines but also actions are scandalous; just­ly therefore unto these, as well as those, is the text appliable, and applyed too, by all Schoole­men, [Page 10]or others that ever I met with purposely treating on the point of Scandall. Should we then against the more gene­rally receiv'd opinion of either former or later times, admit of their narrow, and curtail'd in­terpretation for the cleare, and indubitate sense of the Apostle? Yet to make the wordes more instructive, their use more gene­rall, wee might warrantably put an enlargement Logicians call it an ampliation▪) upon them, and extend them ad mores, as well as ad dogmata; ad agenda, as well as ad credenda; to the decalogue, as well as creed, not onely to do­ctrinall truths, but morall duties also.

Use of a division here is none, but to bewray Logicke: and therefore without more adoe wee will roundly betake our selves to Limitation, Confirma­tion, and Application of the plaine point here commended to us: wee are to abstaine not [Page 11]onely from things intrinsecally sinfull, but from all shews, and appearances of sinne.

For limitation, Limita­tion. appearance of evill is either in positions, or a­ctions.

First then, 'tis questioned, whether or no wee are to ab­staine from all positions, which have an appearance of evill: of falshood.

For resolution wee must di­stinguish.

1 Concerning appearance of evill in positions.

2 Concerning abstinence frō such an appearance.

Appearance of Evill in Positi­ons is twofold,

1 Either in regard of their matter and substance.

2 Or else in the termes, and expressions used in their propo­sall.

That which is in regard of their matter and substance, is, either to our selves, or others.

Secondly, to distinguish con­cerning [Page 12]abstinence from the ap­pearance of Evill, or falshoud in Positions: we may be said to abstaine from doctrines false in appearance, two manner [...] of wayes: either

1 When wee abstaine from assenting to them.

2 Or when we abstaine from publishing of them▪

Wee abstaine from assenting to them, either Positively, or Negatively.

Positively, when by a positive and reall act of the understanding we dissent from, we reject them. Now dissent from them is twofold.

1 Either absolute and pe­remptorie.

2 Or else but conditionall, & cautionary.

Negatively, when we do not dissent from them, but only not assent unto them: when [...] suspend our assent.

To apply these distinctions.

Note first, that though the [Page 13]substance or matter of doctrines appeare to be false unto our selves, our owne judgements, yet are we not bound to abstain positively from assenting to them, to dissent from them, to reject them; for this appearance may not be true & reall, groun­ded upon the doctrines them­selves, which perhaps may not send forth the least colour or shadow for suspicion, but onely put and fastned upon them by means of the errour, ignorance, and darkenesse of our under­standings that perhaps not with due care and circumspection, but rather with much precipitancie have given their censure of them; and therefore however at first blush they seeme false, yet when once the light of our reason is cleared from mists, and clouds, they may upon due exa­mination prove true; and to dissent from, and reject a truth would be a foule errour of, and blemish to our understanding.

Oblig'd wee are then, to ab­staine, not positively, but nega­tively, from assenting to them; that is, not to dissent from them, but only not to assent unto thē, to stay our assent, to demurre a while, before wee give in our judgement least we receive any thing with a doubtfull, entan­gled, and perplexed consoience. Of this Calvin gives us an hint in his exposition on this place, Speci [...]m▪ mali interpretor, cùm nondum it a comperta est doctrinae falsitas, at meritò rejici quent, sed tamen aliqua haeret sinistra [...] suspicio, & timetur, we quid ve­neni lateat: ergò ab eo genere do­ctrinae, quod malum, etiamsinon sit, apparet, abstinere praecipit, non quod in totum rejici permit­tat, sed quia recipi, aut fidem ob­tinere non debet. Cur enim pri­ùs quod bonum est teneri jussit, nu [...]oabstinere vult, nō simpliciter à malo, sed à mali specie? quia ubi dijudicatione in lucē prod [...] ­cta fuerit veritas, tunc demùm [...]i [Page 15]fidē haberi decet; ubi autēsubest falsi metus, aut mens dubitatione est implicita, pedem referre, vel grad [...] ̄ suspendere cōvenit, ne quid dubiâ perplexâ (que) cōsc [...]ntiâ am­plectamur. By the appearance of evill I understand (faith he) when as the falshood of a do­ctrine is not yet so throughly detected, that it may be deser­vedly rejected, but yet there stickes some bad suspition of it, & 'tis feared, least poyson lurke under it: therefore he commāds us to abstaine from that hind of doctrine, which though it be not evill▪ yet appeares so▪ not as though it ought altogether to be rejected but because it ought not to be received, to be belie­ved. For why doth hee before command us to hold fast onely that which is good, and here he wills us to abstaine not barely from evill, but from its appea­rance? because when after a tho­rough sifting a truth is cleared, 'tis fitting it should forthwith [Page 16]be believed: but when as the falshood of it is feared, or the mind with doubting is entan­gled, we must for a while with­draw our assent, least wee em­brace any thing with a doubting and perplexed conscience.

But suppose I for mine owne part am firmly perswaded of the truth of such, or such a Te­nent, or at least unconvinced, un­perswaded of its falshood, and yet it appeare generally unto unto others to bee false the judgements, of the godly lear­ned, of most of the ancient Fathers, unto either generall or provinciall Councels: in such a case what course must I take, be­cause it hath appearance of fals­hood unto others understādings, must I therefore dissent from it, or stoppe mine assent unto it?

For answer, take these foure following rules.

First, wee owe so reverent & humble an esteeme of, and sub­mission unto the Spirits of the [Page 17]Prophets, to the judgement of learned, sober, & pious Divines, unto the writings of the aunci­ent godly Fathers, unto the Ca­nons, and decrees of Occumeni­call, and Provinciall Councels, at that whatsoever Tenents the whole Church representative, to wit, a generall Councell, or the greatest and cheefest part of the Church most of the Fathers and Divines too, of later and present times, have rejected, & condemned for false, and erro­neous, we should abstaine nega­tively from assenting to, that is, though not change, yet suspend our beleefe of them, and not ful­ly passe over our full and abso­lute assent unto them, untill by diligent inquisition, fervent prayer, imploring the guidance of Gods holy Spirit, and use of all other good meanes, either their consonancie with, or dis­sonancie from the truth, be cleerly discerned, fully confir­med, and manifested unto our consciences.

But Christian modestie stay­eth not here, but goeth one step further, and in a second place exacts of us a conditionall, pro­bable, Dr Jack­son and cautionary dissent frō all doctrines thus generally suspected, and censured: For upon generall dislike of a do­ctrine, as upon a prudentiall mo­tive, wee may ground a strong presumption, an high and pro­bable conjecture of the falshood of it; so that hereupon we may reject it, though not in an abso­lute and irrevocable way, yet with this limitation & caution; so the apparent veritie therein of it selfe do not force us to em­brace it. So sottish I am not, as to measure truth by multitude of voices: for errours I know that have grated upon the foun­dation, nay heresies, that have razed the foundation, have had their cloud of witnesses; yet I should so farre honor a publike testimonie, as to suspect mine owne and others private bare [Page 19]opinions, (not back't by plaine Scripture, with evident sense, or a full demonstrative argu­ment,) rather than a generall suffrage: For, n [...]mo omnes, ne­minem omnes fefellêre, improba­ble as for one to deceive all, so for all to deceive one: Nec du­bitamus, coeteris quidem pa­ribus, &c. Rivett: I­sag. ad Scrip. Sact. cap. 19. Rivet is a man bred up in such a Church, as it is not likely that he should ascribe overmuch to Church Councels, or Ministers, and yet he makes no doubt, but coeter is paribus, that is, if parts, prayer, diligence of studie after the truth, bee equall, that then a greater and fuller measure of the gift of expounding the Scripture, and deciding contro­versies thereabouts, is commu­nicated to the publicke Mini­sters of the Church, (whether they execute their function se­verally, and apart in some one particular Church, or else joint­ly conferre, and discourse a­mong themselves concerning the true and genuine sense of [Page 20]the Scriptures in some assem­blies call'd lawfully, and in the name of Christ) than unto seve­rall private men, who were nei­ther endowed with so many gifts, nor see with so many eyes, nor by their private and single meditation can equall the uni­ted consultations and enquiries after truth of many. And thus you see how farre Christian mo­desty requireth us to abstaine frō assenting to doctrines upon the appearance of evill, of fals­hood, which they carry unto those, who in interpreting Scripture, and deciding contro­versies, have committed to them the publicke office of di­rection, and instruction of o­thers: but yet it taketh not from us the judgement of pri­vate discretion; for Christian libertie alloweth us such a free­dome of dissenting unto what the Church, or her chiefe, and publicke Ministers say, as it is to be specified in the next two following rules.

In a third place therefore, al­though the Church, or the grea­test and chiefest part of her, charge errour & falshood upon such a doctrine; yet this bare and single testimonie, not secon­ded by any Scripture or rea­son, is not to gaine so farre upon our beliefe, as that there­upon wee should presently re­ject, and dissent from the do­ctrine thus generally censured with an absolute and peremp­torie dissent. This were to give unto the Churches decisions as high an over-ruling a suffrage in our harts, as is onely due to di­vine revelations: to receive them, not as they are indeed the word of men, but as if they were the word of God: to yeeld unto them an absolute divine faith, and credence. This were a meere Vassallage of our soules, understandings, faiths, unto the authority of an humaine testi­monie: a thing utterly unwor­thy the generositie & freedome [Page 22]of Christian Spirits. If God hath indulged to any the exer­cise of such dominion over mens faiths, and consciences: alas! then to what purpose hath hee placed that glorious lampe of reason in our bosomes? of what use are our intellectualls? what place is there left for S ^t Pauls proving of all things, S ^t John's triall of the Spirits? Joh. 4.1. but the truth is, that God is so farre from enslaving our understan­dings, or captivating our beliefe unto the judgement of any mor­tall, as that hee approves not onely of a forbearance from a flat, and absolute dissent from doubtfull doctrines thus pub­lickely, and generally disliked, but also of a full & peremptorie assent unto doctrines manifestly true, though condemned in a generall Councel, as is apparent from the fourth and last rule, which is:

If a doctrine bee as true in it selfe, so also clearely, and evi­dently [Page 23]by mee apprehended to be so, and yet appeare generally to be false unto others, of what degree, order, or condition soe­ver: neverthelesse it commands absolute subscription and assent of the minde without contradi­ction, without hesitancie, nay without so much as suspense of judgement. If the veritie then of a Doctrine bee apparent, it must over-rule the assent of the understanding against the te­stimonie of the whole world. For the testimony of men, of the wisest, holyest men consi­dered either apart, or as assem­bled in a Councell, admits as all­waies of examination, and triall by the ballance of the Sanctua­rie, and rules of right reason, so likewise of contradiction and denyall, when in it there is an expresse, and evident variation from either reason, or divine authoritie. In such a case wee may lawfully, & safely dissent frō it; alwaies provided, that it be [Page 24]not in an insolent manner, but with a reverent, child-like, and respectfull bashfulnesse.

But to goe on, if I am not to abstaine from assenting to a do­ctrine minifestly true, because it appeares generally to others to be false, must I not yet abstaine from publishing, from spreading of it, either by writing or prea­ching?

For answer, thou must consi­der the generall nature, and qua­litie of the doctrine, thus wrongly either accused, or su­spected of falshood, and also of what use and importance it is in regard of the present times and places, wherein thou livest, and if it prove to be a doctrine fun­damentall, of absolute necessitie to faith or manners, then that of Gregory may take place: Si de veritate scandalum sumatur. (saith Gregory) melius est, Sept. Hom. in Eze: ut scandalum oriatur, quàm ut ve­ritas relinquatur. As also that of Calvin: Quemadmodum enim [Page 25](faith Calvin) Charitati subjici­enda est nostra libertas, Cal. lib. 3. Inst. c. 12. sect. 13. ita sub fidei puritate subsidere vicissim charitas ipsa debet: as our liber­tie is to be subjected to charity, so also our very charitie it selfe to faiths puritie.

But now if it be a Doctrine, either not fundamentall, but of a lower rank & quality, where­in both orthodoxe writers, and preachers may vary and abound in their owne sense without prejudice to the foundation; or if it be of so small use, that upon its divulgement, it is not pro­bable there will arise so much honour to God, and edification of the Church, as may prepon­derate those mischiefes, that hurly-burly, those tumults, and contentions in the Church, which in all likelyhood will en­sue thereby, thou must then for­beare to vent it, either from Presse, or Pulpit; so shalt thou best consult for thine owne pri­vate quiet, and publicke peace. [Page 26]And wee must follow after things that make for peace, and edification: Rom. 14.19. About such matters to be contentious wee have no custome, nor the Churches of God: and indeed about them to be contentious were the right pranke of a Schismaticke; for not onely he is a Schismaticke (saith Non enìm schismati­cus eò ag­noscitur, quòd fovet perversum dogma, i­mò contin­git aliquā ­do, ut sen­tētia schis­matic [...] ho [...] minis ve­rissima si [...]; tamē quia eam neque loco, neque tēpore de­bit [...]s, nullà­que neces­sitate ur­get schis­maticus est, et scan­dalum ob­jecit Des populo; cū en [...]m non agatur sa­lus Eccle­sia, ostendit se non ad­ductū stu­dio gloria Christs, sed suae pottùs ex [...]st [...]ma­tionis Ec­clesiā tur­bâsse. Ca­meron in sel [...]ctiora quaedam N. T. loca Tom. 2. in Mat. c. 18. v. 7. Came­ron) who maintaines a perverse Tenent; a man may hold a very true opinion, and yet play the Schismaticke, and give scandall unto the people of God by de­livering it in a rash, unpeace­able, and unseasonable manner, neither in fit place, nor due time, no necessitie urging thereunto; for seeing in determining of his opinion the glory of God, and weale of the Church lye not at the stake, hee plainly shewes, that hee hath troubled the Church, lead with desire of not Christs glory, but his owne cre­dit. I confesse indeed, that a controverted, and suspected [Page 27]truth even of this low qualitie may be peaceably, and modestly professed, and debated too in private, but a publicke promul­gation thereof is at any hand to be forborne, non sub intuitu ma­li, sed minoris boni, not under the apprehension of any evill in the truth, but onely as a lesser good, which will not consist with a greater, the tranquilitie of the Church; or if you will, the publicke promulgation of such a truth is to be forborne, sub Intuitu Mali, etsi non Sim­pliciter, tamen per Accidens ta­lis: under the apprehension of evill, not in the controverted truth, but in the promulgation thereof, which though it be not simply evill, yet becomes acci­dentally so, to wit, by compari­son, in respect of a greater good then required, preservation of the generall quiet; with which for the present it cannot stand, unto the care of which it is op­posed though not primo & per [Page 28]se, yet ex consequenti conne xione virtutum, as Suarez upon ano­ther occasion acutely phraseth it. But I digresse.

To goe on to that appearance of evill in doctrines, which is in the expressions used in their pro­posall, a thing I could wish it were not too rife amongst ma­ny, who like no truth, unlesse delivered in hereticall teaermes; men wonderfully taken with the language of Ashdod, the Ro­mish dialect. In rebus fi­dei verba debent esse casta, & exacta, & quae rem ipsam pro­priè expri­mant, & haereticis non praestēt occasionem calumn [...] ­onds. Pet. Martinez: But let it be our care to refraine all words and phrases, which carry an appea­rāce of either heresie or schisme; for though they may, and are by us meant in an orthodoxe sense, yet carry they a shrewd shew of evill, make others jealous, and suspicious of our soundnesse. And therefore Lib. 12. de locis cap. 9. ad tertium. Canus although he will by no meanes assent, ab­solutely to that usuall saying; ex verbis inordinatè pro [...]atis fit ha­resis; yet hee is content to ap­prove of it, if it be moderated [Page 29]with this caution, secundn̄ pra­sumptionem audientium, & judi­cum, qui per exteriora signa de­bent judicare de haeresi: if it be understood according to the supposall of hearers, and judges, who ought & indeed can judge of heresie onely by outward signes. Betweene a Minister and Poperie let there bee a great Chasma, a distance as wide as betweene heaven, and earth, nay heaven and hell: yet if his phrase do but smell of Poperie, if his words, though not his meaning, trench neere upon it, men will presently exclaime that he hath a Pope in his belly, at least that he sounds for a Parley, & thinks upon conditions of peace with the Romish harlot. And besides, as this suspicious complying in phrase, and language with the knowne errours of Popelings, or other novellers and corrupt teachers grieves the setled and judicious, so farther it staggers weaklings, confirmes and har­dens [Page 30]aliens, and apostates, rather opens than stops the mouths of gaine-saying carpers, and sooner disadvantageth the truth, than converts an adversary. So farre is it from effecting the usually pretended end, reconciliation; as that to use the similitude of our Saviour, quis loquitur, suam, v. 16. like the putting of a new p [...]ece of cloth unto an old garment, it maketh the rent worse, and wi­der. There goeth a manuscript from hand to hand, said to bee penned by a learned D ^r of this Church, wherein (that amidst and notwithstanding all the va­riety of opinions there may be yet preserved in the Church the unitie both of faith, and charity) private men are advised in their own writings to observe formā sanorum verborum, and to ab­staine not onely from suspected opinions, but as much as may be also from phrases and speeches obnoxious to misconstruction, and exception.

For first, it is not enough, much lesse a thing to be gloried in, for a man to be able by subtil­tie of wit, to finde loop-holes, how to evade, & by colourable pretences, to make that, which through heat of passion, or vio­lence of opposition hath falne from him unadvisedly, to seeme howsoever defensible. But hee should have a care to suffer no­thing to passe from him whereat an ingenious, and dispassionate adversary (though dissenting from him in opinion,) might yet have cause to take distast, or ex­ception.

And besides it were a thing of dangerous consequence in the Church, if every man should be suffered to publish freely whatsoever might by some straine of wit be made capable of a good construction, if of it selfe it sounded ill or suspicious­ly. For so many erroneous, un­happy notions implicitly and vertually serving to the patro­nage [Page 32]and protection of schisme or heresie, might be cunningly conveighed into the mindes of men, and impressions thereof insensibly wrought in their hearts, to the great dammage and distraction of the Church.

This last reason for the sub­stance you may meete with in Aquinas 2.2 dae q. 11. a. 2. where (having told us out of Hierome, ex verbis inordinatè prolatis fit haeresis: that by unwary irregu­lar expressions, by words dis­orderly spoken, the most dan­gerous heresies have often ta­ken their first rise, & originall,) he afterward gives us the rea­son hereof: Similiter enim per verba quae quis loquitur, suam, fidem profitetur: est enim con­fessio actus fidei: & ideò si sit inordinata locutio circa ea quae sunt fidei sequi potest ex hoc cor­ruptio fidei: Ʋnde Leo Papa quâdam epistolâ ad Proterium Episcopum Alexandrinum, di­cit, quòd inimici crucis Christi [Page 33]omnibus & verbis nostris insidi­antur et syllabis, si ullam illis vel tenuē occasionē demus, quâ Ne­storiano sensuinos cōgruere men­tiantur. Likewise a man profes­seth his faith by words, which he speaketh, for confession is an outward act of faith, and there­fore, if there be but an inordi­nate speech about matters of faith, the corruptiō of faith may hereupō ensue. Whence Leo the Pope in a certain epistle unto Pro­terius bishop of Alexādria saith, that the enemies of Christs Crosse lye in wait for all our words and syllables, if in them wee give any the least occasion upon which they may faine that wee comply with Nestoria­nisme. Hence is it, that, Aquinas himselfe having proposed this question, whether or no this proposition be true, Christ is a creature, in his answer thereun­to tels us, first in generall, cum haereticis nec nomina debemus habere communia, ne corum er­rori [Page 34]favere videamur, then more particularly, unto the question that the Arrian heretickes have said that Christ is a creature, and lesse than the Father, in regard not only of the humane nature, but also divine person; and therefore resolves, that least we should seeme to countenance their errour, we must not say ab­solutely, that Christ is a Crea­ture, and lesse than his Father, but only with this limitatiō, ac­cording to the humane nature.

Ariani autem haeretici Chri­stum dixerunt esse creaturam, & minorem Patre, non solùm ratione humanae naturae, sed eti­am ratione divinae personae, & ideò non est absolutè dicendum, quòd Christus sit creatura, vel minor Patre, sed cum determi­natione, scilicet secundùm huma­nam naturam. Nay not only A­quinas, but generally all the Schoole-men, and Civilians too, are soe precise in this parti­cular, as that among the degrees [Page 35]of damnable propositions are ranked by them not onely pro­positions downerightly hereti­call, or erroneous, but also Propositio scandalosa qua etiam malè so­nans, seu piarum aurium offensiva, appellatur, quae praber occasionem ruina au­ditor. bus, hoc est, fa­cilitatem cadend [...] in haeresim, [...]t sunt multa propositiones, qualicet cum modificatione ad [...]n [...]a, sunt verae, per se tamen & abs [...]lutè sine modificatione prolata videntur favere propositionibus hareticalib [...]. Ʋt si quis assereret simpliciter Patrem majorem Filio, & Deum in incarnatione factum creaturam & simi­les, qua magis sunt exponenda, quam extendenda. Arnoldus Alb [...]tinus de agnoscendis assertionibus Catholicis & haeteticis, quaest. 60. Proposi [...]o ha­resin saptens, aut malè circaea, quae ad fidem per­tinent, sonans, est illa quae in prima significatione, quam verba prima fac [...]e os [...]endunt, sensum habet haereticum, quam [...]s p [...]e intellecta sensum aliquem habet verum. Alphonsus à Castrode just a haeretico­rum punitione: cap. 3. Pro­positio sapiens haeresin, Propositio malè sonans, every proposition, that doth but smel, that hath but a smacke of heresie, that sounds but ill or suspiciously; & such are all propositions, that in the first signification, which their words at first blush seeme to import, have an hereticall sence; all pro­positions, that of themselves, that is, uttered absolutly without any explanation, or qualification, [Page 36]seeme to favour or countenance hereticall propositions, although they be capable of a good con­struction, and with many cauti­ous limitations, and restrictions might passe for currant. And therefore was it, that the Coun­cell of Basil condemned this proposition, Christ sinnes dayly, because taken properly 'tis false, and against the faith, al­though perhaps it may be freed from errour, if expounded in an unproper sense, thus; Christ sin­neth dayly, not in himselfe, but his members, Expl [...]c [...] turoptimè, modosuprà tacto de propositio­ne aequivo­ca, quae in proprio ali­quo sensu potest esse haretica, & in alto ettam pro­priè Catho­lica, nam illa abso­lutè, et sine distinctione vel decla­ratione prolaetame­ri [...]ò dicitur malè sonans, in quo distinctio alia adhi­beripotest. Nam quadam propositio dicitur ab extrin­seco malè sonans, alia ab intrinseco. Ab extrinséco vocatur, quando suspitio, vel maliu sonu [...] non expro­positione nude sumpta, sed cum circumstantiis per­sonae, loci, aut temporis oritur. Suarez de triplic [...] vir­tute Theologica tract. de F.de. Disp. 19. Sect. 7. Dicendum igitur est, quòd propositio sapiens haeresin illa est, qua quam vis nō appareat haresis manifesta, quin potius aliquando poterit habere aliquem bonum sensum, tamen ex quibusdam circumstant [...]is, Vel ex parte asse entis, vel ex tempor [...]m calamitate saporem quendam habet haresis, & suspic [...]onis, judicio pruden­tum & sapientum, id est, suspicionem quandam ma­jorem vel minorem pro qualitate circumstantiarum. Bannes. Suarez saith, [Page 37]that if an equivocall propositi­on having two proper senses, one Catholicke, another Here­ticall bee delivered absolutely without any distinction or de­claration, in which sense 'tis meant, it is then deservedly said to be propositio malè sonans. The same author goeth on, and tells us, that a proposition is said to be malè sonans not onely ab in­trinseco, but also ab extrinse­co, when the suspition or ill sound thereof ariseth not from the proposition taken nakedly as it is in it selfe, but considered joyntly with the circumstances either of the person delivering, of the time or place, in which it is delivered. Omitting his in­stance, I will give you others more true, and savory. The word Sacrament with the aun­cient founded no other, than an holy significant rite: in those times, than to have called Ma­trimonie, Orders &c. Sacra­ments, had beene (it may be [Page 38]without all manner of offence. But now, since the Church of Rome hath peremptorily de­termined, that there be seaven Sacraments properly, and strictly soe called, seaven outward and sensible signes, which by divine institution have annexed unto them the promise of justifying grace. He that shall now terme any thing a Sacrament, besides Baptisme▪ and the Lords Supper, renders himselfe thereby some­what suspected.

In the writings of the Fathers the words of Satisfaction, and Merit have beene of large use. Satisfaction signified every bit­ter, afflictive acknowledgement, or penitentiall mortification of our sinnes, whereby wee pre­vent, & turne away Gods hand and punishments for them. Me­rit denoted onely obtaining pro­curement, impetration, and ac­cording to this acception of the words, a man might safely have heretofore affirmed, that our [Page 39]prayers, almes, and other good workes are satisfactorie and meritorious. But now since some of the Romanists have wrested these sayings of the Fathers unto a worse sense, than they were uttered in: and hereupon taught that workes are properly satisfactory, just compensations for our sinnes, wherein wee make recompence unto Gods wronged justice, and redeeme our selves at least from temporall punishments; that workes are strictly and properly meritorious of eternall life, de­serving and earning it ex c [...]n­digno, in the way of condigne wages; as if there were an e­qualitie of due proportion be­tweene it and them, without all regard unto Gods gracious acceptance of them; hee that shall now averre these proposi­tions, may without breach of charitie be justly thought to embrace them in that false, and erroneous sense, which our ad­versaries [Page 40]the Papists take them in.

Hitherto concerning doctri­nall appearance of evill in Do­ctrines. Practicall appearance of evill in manners, Dr Solater in locum. or matters of practice next followes; and that may againe be divided into Reall or Imaginary. The distin­ction is the same with that of others, Aliquid habet speciom mali, vel per se ex conditione ope­ris, Forbesius lien c. pag. 4 [...]8. vel per accidens ex aliorum interpretatione.

The difference between these must be well weighed, else we may as fowlely be mistaken, as once the Pontickes were, who as Florus tels us, fighting in a night with the Romans, per er­rorem longius cadentes umbras fuas quasi hostium corpora pete­bant: mistaking their owne sha­dowes projected long as at the going downe of the Moone, laid at them as at the very bo­dies of their enemies; or as the Romans themselves, were, unto [Page 41]whom when Tiberius Grac­chus touched his head with his hand to exliort the people as by a signe to stand upon their guard for their lives, it seemed as if he demanded a diademe. Cùm plebem ad defensionem salutis sua manu caput tangens, horta­retur, praebuit speciem regni sibi, & diadema poscentis. Flor. lib. 3. cap. 14.

To distinguish them then; a reall appearance of evill flowes per se ex natura operis, from the nature and condition of the fact it selfe; when that of it selfe, and in its owne nature is a very probable signe of evill, and so it is, although it be not intrinse­cally sinfull, when it is per se, an occasion of sinne in our selves, and of scandall unto others, it must bee occasio data, non ac­cepta.

First, when naturally, and not onely casually it may prove, and ordinarily doth prove an occa­sion of an incentive to sin in our selves.

Secondly, when it becomes an occasion of scandall or offence: of scandall tending unto sinne in the weake, of scandall tending unto sorrow and vexation in the strong and discreet.

Talis sc. materialis us [...] cir­cumcisio­nis semper hab [...]t spe­ciem mali non ex ac­cidenti ta [...] ­tùm, sed quasi per se, suppo­sito Eccle siae statu. Suar. de Legibus lib. 9. cap. 14. Such an appearance of Juda­isme, (than which few greater evils) is there in the Circumci­sion of those Aethiopian Chri­stians, that live under Prester John. Such was the appearance of evill in Christians sitting at meat in the Temples of Paga­nish Idols, in Naamans bowing himselfe in the house of Rim­mon; however Cajetan excuse him with a pretty distinction, inter genuflexionem imitati­vam, & genuflexionem obsequii. And such also is that appea­rance of evill in a good mans in­timate fellowship with bad ones, in a true and formall complian­cie with aliens in the signes of profession. As in a Protestants presence at the superstitious, and Idolatrous worship of Papists, [Page 43]or in any other complementings with them in the expression of that worship

Now no actions that have this reall appearance of evill, are upō any pretext whatsoever to be ventured upon, because in them there is alwaies a scandall gi­ven, an active scandall, as is plaine from Aquinas his defi­nition of scandall, 2. 2dae. qu. 43. art. 1. Scandalum (saith hee) understand it of an active Scan­dall) est dictum vel sactum mi­nùs rectum, praebens alter [...] occa­sionem ruinae. For first, a fact is minus rectum, some way, or o­ther irregular, not onely when it is a sin, but also when it hath a manifest shew of sinne: and secondly the bare, and naked shew of sin may praebere alteri occasionem ruinae; morally lead another to sinne, as well as sinne it selfe. For this I could muster up the suffrages of all the Schoolemen, a generation of divines that are none of the [Page 44]precisest, either in positions or practice. But I will not trouble my reader with the testimonies of above two of them. Opus malum (saith Suarez) vel ha­bens speciem mali, quod de se in­ductivum est ad peccandum, vi­tandum est, nam illud est verè scandalum activum, ut patet ex definitione ejus, moraliter enim inducit hominem ad malum. Quod verò non oporteat esse ve­rè malum, sed satis sit apparere, patet, 2 Thess. c. 5.22. 1 Cor. 12. Ratio est, quia tenemur rectè operari, non solùm coram Deo, sed etiam coram hominibus. Se­cundò, quia cum opus habet spe­ciem mali, inducitur proximus ad malum opus, non solum suâ malitiâ sed etiam ex vi mei ope­ris, & ex quadam fragilitate. Suarez, op. de triplici virtute tract. 2. disp. 10. sect. 3. Quoties­cunque datur occasio scandali (saith Vasquez) malo opere, aut habente speciem mali, semper im­putatur scandalum tribuenti oc­casionem, [Page 45]five scandalum sequa­tur ex malitia, five infirmitate, aut ignorantiâ. Tunc enim qui praebet occasionem scandali, pec­cat peccata scandali activi: quod nullâratione licet. Ratio verò est quia nullâ justâ aut rationa­bili causâ excusari potest aliquis à peccato, qui coram alio peccat, vel exercet opus habens speciem mali; & ideò jure optimo dicitur tribuere occasionem peccandi, quia tale opus ex se occasio est peccandi. Vasquez opusculis Moralibus, tract. de Scan­dalo.

That appearance of evill in an action which is but imagina­rie, is onely ascribed thereunto by extrinsecall denomination, from our owne or others mis­conceits and censures there­upon.

First, from our owne. And here, if a man be in his owne conscience stedfastly, fully, and firmely perswaded that such an [Page 46]action is evill and unlawfull, which yet in truth is not so, See Dr Sanderson on Rom. 14.23. but lawfull: what ought hee to doe?

Why, wee must take into our consideration the nature of the action, and the condition of the person, that harbours this mis­perswasion of the action.

If the action in its nature bee not necessary, but indifferent, and arbitrary, and the person mis­judging it, be in respect there­of sui juris, not determined therein by the command of any superiour power. Why then he is bound in conscience during this his opinion, to abstaine from the action. For wee suppose it indifferent, and a man may law­fully forbeare action where there is no necessitie of doing. Wee suppose it, although indif­ferent, yet against Conscience: and whatsoever is done repug­nante conscientiâ, with a settled reluctancie of a mans owne judgement, and conscience a­gainst [Page 47]it, cannot be of faith, and whatsoever is not of faith is sinne. Rom. 14.24. That is, whatsoe­ver action is done with a firme perswasion of the lawfulnesse thereof, let it be quoad rem, and essentially, in it▪ selfe lawfull, nay necessary, yet it becomes quoad hominem, and accidentally evill, unto him it is sinne. Now that action may lawfully, must ne­cessarily be forborne, that can be omitted, but cannot be commit­ted without sinne.

But now on the contrary, if either the action be in its nature necessary, or the person entertai­ning this misprision thereof be injoyned performance of it by some superiour power, that can lawfully challenge obedience from him, and so the action too, (though indifferent) for its na­ture, be yet in its use, and unto him become necessary. Why then this misperswasion of its unlawfulnesse cannot bind to abstaine from it, for so it should [Page 48]oblige unto either omission of a necessary dutie, or else disobe­dience unto lawfull autho­rity, both great sinnes. And nulla est obligatio ad illicita. There is no obligation unto things unlawfull can lye upon us.

But yet although this errone­ous conceit of the unlawful­nesse of this action, supposed to be necessary either in its nature, or at least in its use, because cō ­manded by authority, doth not obligaere, that is, so bind, as that I must follow it, yet it doth li­gare, so intangle and perplexe, as that I cannot without sinne oppose it, because whosoever goeth against his Conscience, (whether ill or well informed it matters not) goes against the will of God, although not for the thing he doth, yet for the manner of doing it, although not materially, Ames. de Conscien­tia. l. 1, c. 4. yet formally, and interpretatively, because what­soever the Conscience dictates [Page 49]a man takes for the will of God, each mans conscience be­ing a Deputy God to informe & direct him. Looke as, hee who reviles, wounds, kills a private man, mistaking him for the King, is guilty of high treason against the King himselfe: soe, he that thwarts the judgement of even an erroneous conscience, fights against God, warres against heaven, because what his con­science sayes, hee thinkes to be the voyce of heaven.

The only way then for a man to rescue himselfe out of these difficulties is to rectifie his con­science; to depose & correct the error thereof, so he shall escape contempt of the judgement of his owne conscience on the one hand, & breach of either Gods or mans lawes on the other.

An imaginary appearance of evill issues, secondly, from the supposalls of, not onely our selves, but others that censure it, whose judgments are either [Page 50] misled by ignorance and weake­nesse, or else blinded through pride and prejudice, such was that in the moving of Hannah's lips, not afforded by her fact, but onely fastned on it by old Eli his hasty censoriousnesse, nor o­ther appearance of evill was there in our Saviours healing the diseased, his Disciples pluck­ing and eating of the eares of corne on the Sabbaoth Day, 'twas not grounded on their actions, but onely fancied by the Pharisees swelling uncharita­blenesse▪ what other is that ap­pearance of evill with which some unjustly charge our cere­monies? 'tis onely conceived by their uncharitable pręjudice, not really given by them.

This imaginary appearance of evill proceeds from either sup­posalls of proud, or weake ones.

The censures or supposals of proud ones we may sleight, our warrant is our Sauiours Presi­dent, when his Disciples told [Page 51]him, that the Pharisees tooke offēce at his speech, he made no reckoning therof, but answered, Scandala Pharisaeo­rum pror­sus contē ­nenda, nā qui non ex ignor ant [...] aut infir­mitaete, sed ex malitia scandali­zatur: Non laborat ta­li altquà necessitate spirituali, cui non pos­sit ipse sine [...]pe alteri­ [...] proximi facile prospirere, mut andoprauam suam voluntatem: erg [...] alter non tenetur, tunccum aliquo suo detrimen­to pros [...]icere Gregor. de Valentia. Quoties scan­dalum pass [...]vum alterius futurum est, ex m [...]litia nu [...]l [...] debet omit [...]ere opus, quod nec est malum, nec habe [...] speciem malipropter malitiam alterius, quando opus illud utile est temporaliter, vel spiritualiter ope­rants, quia non postulat ratio, ut malitia alterius cum dam no nostro succurramus, alias quilibet malitia sua possit nobis nocere, ut omitteremus opus nobis utile: malitia autem alterius nobis nocerenon debet. Luis­sius Tunianus. let them alone. Mat. 12.13.14. and we warranted by his exam­ple, may then be secure and re­gardlesse of many calumnies & groundlesse exceptions against the government, discipline, and ceremonies of our Church: for there hath beene so much spo­ken & written concerning these subjects, as that the pretence of weaknesse may seeme to bee taken; away from those that are capable of information.

But what if this imaginary appearance of evill flow from [Page 52]the supposall of a weake one, yet an holy one.

Why then it must be omitted, but with this caution, so it may be without sinne, or as the ordi­nary glosse upon that 15. of Mathew v. 12.13.14 resolves it, Salvatriplici veritate vitae, justitiae, doctrinae, so the three­fold verity of life, justice, and doctrine be preserved safe: Nam per hanc triplicem veritatem (saith Gregory de Valentia) in­telligitur omnis rectitudo & im­munitas à peccato in actionibus humanis. Veritas namque vit [...] continetur in actionibus rectis, quas quis in seipso excrcet conve­nienter rectae rationi & appeti­tui recto atque adeò verè verita­te quadam practicâ: Veritas au­tem justitiae rectis actionibus quae exercentur erga alterum simili­ter, convenienter rectae rationi, prout verè & abs (que) peccato opor­tet: veritas denique doctrinae continetur fide verâ, & minimè erroneâ: By this triple verity [Page 53]is understood all the rectitude and freedome from sinne, that is in humaneactions, for the ve­rity of life is contained in those regular actions; which any one exerciseth in. and towards him­selfe agreeable to right reason, & a well governed appetite, &c. The veritie of justice consists in those regular actions, which are performed toward another, likewise sutably to right reason, as it behoveth, truly, and with­out sinne.

And to conclude, the veritie of dostrine consists in a true, re­gall, and unerring faith: if these three verities be kept inviolate, every thing must bee abstained from, upon which followes scandalum pusillorum, a scandall springing from either the igno­rance; or weaknesse of our bro­ther, but because this resolution may be thought both too gene­rall, and obscure the Schoole­men themselves, sumbling much about its explication, wee will [Page 54]therefore goe to worke more distinctly and particularly.

Consider whether or no the action, in which this appea­rance of evill is imagined to be, is necessary, or indifferent.

If it be necessary, & cōmanded by God, it must not be omitted though all the world should be offended: For evill must not bee done that good may come ther­of Cal. l. 3. Inst. c. 19. Sect. 13. Scandalū quod oritur ex rebus per se bonis, & necessa­riis, non li­cet evitare; qu [...]a non est facien­dum malū, ut eveniat bonum Bo­num enim est expetē dum, qua­tenus bonū est; non ex­petitur au­rem quate­n [...]s bonum est, si malū simul expe­titur. Nam qui expetit bonum, ab­horre [...] à malo: qui autē abhorret à malo, qua malū est, is nullo malo quodc [...]n (que) sit non potest allics. Jam verò nulla sunt resplanè necessariae pratereas qua sūt in se bonae, at (que) ejusmodi, ut nisi volunt as illas expe [...]at, à suo vero, & proprio objecto abhorret: it aq [...] ut maximē tumul tuetur mund [...], tamen omnia, etiam ex [...]rem a quaeque subeunda sunt, ut sie [...] illsbata De [...] gloria. Cameron in electiora quaedā N Test.loca, Tom. 2. in Mat. 18.7.; Calvin telling us, regard ought to be had of charity limits, how farre, us (que) ad aras, that is, so for our brothers sake we offend not God: I may adde, so for our brothers sake wee endanger not our owne soules. To prevent scandall and sin in our brethren, wee may not runne upon sinne our selves: for a well ordered Charitie, as Aquinas gives the reasō, 2, 2 ae. q. 43 a. 7. beginneth [Page 55]ever at home, making a man chiefly desire and endeavour the salvation of his owne soule, and consequently more sollici­tous to avoid sinne in himselfe, than to prevent it in other: I may not then omit or neglect necessary duties, because to some they seeme but needlesse niceties, I must not flie true holi­nesse, and the power of godlinesse, because unto the world it ap­peares but brainesicke peevish­nesse, and an irrationall precise­nesse: others errour may not be seconded, and countenanced with mine impiety, and disobe­dience.

Of this matter none speake so fully, and clearly as the Schoole­men in 2 dam, 2 da, q. 43. a. 7. where Thomas and all his inter­preters debate this question. An bona spiritualia sint propter scan­dalum dimittenda. Not to men­tion their rotten distinction be­tweene matters of Councell, and matters of precept, we will only [Page 56]out of them take notice, that there is a difference betweene transgression of a precept, and a temporary, partiall, or occasionall forbearance of the matter com­manded by a precept.

No precept whatsoever, whether of the law of na­ture, or else but positive, is for eschewing the scandall of any whether weake or malicious, to be truly broken and transgressed. And a precept is transgressed whensoever what is enjoyned in it is omitted at such a time, and in such a case, when all the particular circumstances which we ought to regard being con­sidered wee are tyed to perfor­mance of it.

Opera di­vin [...] praecepti affir­mativi, qd non pro semper ob­ligat, de­bent ali­quando de­ferri pro aliquo tempore quando causarent pusillis scandalum, don [...] illi sint meliùs instructi, sed circumstantia illi­us scandalisint mutatae, ita ut contingat praeceptum affirmativum etiam juris [...]uasi naturalis, aliquando hic, & nunc non obligare propter concursum nega­tivi praecepti de non ponendo offendiculo pusillis. Jo­hannes Wiggers. But yet however upon e­mergencie of scandall, that [Page 57]which is commanded by some precepts may pro hic & nunc, in some times▪ and at some places, be omitted, may for a while be forborne, untill the scandall taken thereby can bee removed by information, or instruction, or untill the circumstances of the scandall be some way or o­ther changed. Promulgation of a truth, and Christian reproofe are duties commanded by God, and yet are to be sometimes ab­stained from, for scandalls ta­ken by not onely the weake, but also malicious. Reproue not a scorner lest hee hate thee. Prov. 9.8. Speake not in the [...]ares of a foole for he will despise the wis­dome of thy words. Prov. 23.9. Give not that which is holy unto the dogges, neither cast yee your pearles before swine, lest they trample them under their feete, and turne againe, and rent you, Mat. 7.6.

To explaine this farther, re­course must bee had unto that [Page 58]old and golden rule, Affirmati­va praecepta semper obligant, non ad semper. Affirmative precepts doe alwaies bind, but not to al­waies: so that wee are not bound to perform alwaies what they enjoyne, but onely loco & tempore debitis, when wee have due time and place. Now as by the intercurrencie of other cir­cumstances, so especially by oc­currence of the scandall of weake brethren, there may not be opportunity and seasonable­nesse of doing what wee are ur­ged unto by some affirmative precepts▪ and so those precepts may pro hic & nunc cease to be obligatory: For when the obli­gations of two precepts seeme to meete together at the very same time, that which is of grea­ter obligation tieth us, and soe consequently wee are for the present freed from the obliga­tion of the other. Now the ne­gative precept of eschewing the scandall of the weake is more [Page 59] obligatory, than many affirma­tive precepts, and therefore to use the words of Malderus, Contingit aliquando praeceptum naturale affirmativum, hic & nunc non obligare, propter con­cursum negativi praecepti natu­ralis de vitando scandalo pusillo­rum: For example, vindicative justice binds a Magistrate to exe­cute wrath upon him that doth evill; Charity on the other side obligeth him to hinder as much as hee can the scandall of the weake; now Charity is a vertue, of an higher note and nature than vindicative justice: the precept belonging unto charity, [hinder as much as you can the scandall of the weake], doth more strictly tye us, than that appertaining unto vindicative justice, [punish the guilty.] And therefore, if it be probable that a great and spreading scandall will be taken at the punishing of delinquents: a Magistrate may not transgresse against ju­stice, [Page 60]and yet deferre the execu­tion thereof.

But so manifold & different are the degrees of obligation in af­firmative precepts: such is the varietie of circumstances apper­taining unto the matters com­manded by those precepts, and inconstancy of alterations about those circumstances, as that I do not see how any unvariable rules, or constant directions can be given for Christian carriage in this case. For particulars then, every man is to be left unto the guidance of his spirituall pru­dence, and wisedome, which is to direct him in a right apprehen­sion and discretion of circum­stances; to define the oportuni­tie and seasonablenesse of pra­ctising what is commanded by affirmative precepts: and to compare them, and the precept of eschewing the scandall of the weake together, and there­upon to determine which is Hic & Nunc most obligatory, [Page 61]or doth most strictly tye us to the obedience of it, as being of greater moment. Onely in the generall wee may safely say thus much; that where­as wee have said, that for shunning the scandall of the weake, wee may forbeare the practice of things commanded by affirmative precepts, Hic & Nunc, in some places, and at some times, it must alwaies be taken with this proviso, that there be not incurred a greater and more perilous scandall, by forbearance, than would proba­bly be occasioned by practise of the thing commanded, which is done, when either first, more are scandalized by the forbearance, than in all likelihood would be at the practice: or else secondly, when the body, in generall, the Church and Common wealth, or the greatest and chiefest part of either is justly scandalized at the forbearance, and onely some few particular private persons [Page 62]stumble at the practice: or else thirdly, when others take occa­sion by this partiall and tempo­rarie forbearance of what is commanded by affirmative pre­cepts, to contemne the precepts themselves, as being by this our carriage induced to believe, that we verily despise them, and do not so much, for a while for­beare, as utterly disclaime the practice of what they com­mand.

But now, if the action, in which this appearance of evill is supposed to be, be but indiffe­rent, then these two following things must be pondered. First, whether, or no it be annexed with a necessary duty, or not. Se­condly, whether or no it bee undetermined, left to our owne libertie, and choice, or else de­termined by authority either Oeconomicall, Politicall, or Ec­clesiasticall.

If it be annexed to a necessary duty, we must not omit this, to [Page 63]abstaine from that. So to flie the shadow of sinne, wee should embrace the body of sinne, a sin really, so a sinne of omission; for what is not good, if to omit a duty be not bad? Good must not be left undone, though evill per accidens come from it; much more, when only an appearance of evill is joyned to it. We must not then shun the Lords Table, because some weaker judge­ments have imagined in the act of kneeling, a shew of idolatry. So to avoid but an imaginary appearance of evill unto men, we shall appeare indeed unto God to be evill. A Minister must not neglect the discharge of his du­ty, because some have supposed a shew of superstition in some harmelesse ceremonies annexed to its performance. So, to avoid mens unjust censures, he should incurre a just woe and curse from God: Woe be to me (saith the A­postle) if I preach not the Gospel.

If we are not, secondly, nostri [Page 64]juris; but restrained, and deter­mined by authority, wee must not disobey that, to satisfie a Brother; transgresse duty, to ex­presse Charity: So to please men, we should displease God. So we should do evil, that good might come thereof. When the obligation of two preceps seeming­ly lyeth upon us at the same time, and impossible for both to bee at once obeyed, in such a case, because there is no clashing betweene Gods precepts, nei­ther doth God by them impose upon his creatures any necessi­tie of sinning, therefore one of these precepts must give place unto the other; to wit, that which enjoyneth a lesse duty, unto that which prescribes a more weightie, and pressing one. Now the duties of justice (as a learned Inconformitant, even Amesius himselfe, Med. Theol. lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 62, 63. will tell us) are of stricter obligation, than those of charity. Wee are [Page 65]more bound to pay our debts, than to distribute almes. Hee that hath trespassed against ano­ther, is more strictly tyed to sue for reconciliation, than the par­ty who hath received the inju­rie. Now to hinder the scan­dall of the weake is a duty of charity, to obey the lawfull cōmands of authority a dutie of justice, & therefore of the grea­ter obligation, and moment. Unto it then the other must give place. I would have tra­velled farther in this argument, but that I am anticipated by the learned, and reverend Profes­sours of Aberdene in their Du­plies to the second answers of the Covenanting Ministers, who from page 65. unto 75. have purposely discussed this very question, whether the precept of obedience to superiours, or the precept of eschewing scan­dall be more obligatory, and have there proved by many un­answerable arguments, that the [Page 66]former precept, that of obedi­ence to superiours is of the twaine more obligatory. Those thē that desire larger satisfactiō concerning this matter, I shall referre unto the perusall of thē. However in the meane while let it not bee thought trouble­some, if I insert, what I judge in them, if not most, yet very re­markeable. 'Tis this, Debitum obedientiae, the debt of obedi­ence, which we owe unto supe­riours, is (say they, page 74.) not onely debitum morale, a debt or duty, unto which wee are tyed by morall honesty, and Gods commandement, but also debi­tum legale, or debitum justitiae, (quod viz: fundatur in proprio jure alterius) a debt grounded upon the true, and proper right which our Superiours have to exact this dutie of us; so that they may accuse us of injury, and censure us, if wee performe it not. There is a great difference betwixt these two sorts of debts [Page 67]and the last is farre more obli­gatorie than the first: as for ex­ample: A man oweth money to the poore by a morall debt, but to his creditour he oweth them by legall debt, or debt of justice; and therefore he is more strictly obliged to pay his creditour, than to give almes. So by morall honesty, and Gods precept also, a man oweth to his neighbour a pious carefulnesse to hinder sinne in him, by admonition, in­struction, good example, and by omission, even of things law­full, when hee foreseeth that his neighbour, in respect of his weakenesse, will be scandalized by them. But his neighbour hath not such a right to exact these things of him, neither can hee have action against him for not performing of them, as our law­full superiours have, for our due obedience. Thus they.

Hence then may we shape an answer unto that same frequent clamour of some tumultuous [Page 68]spirits, that our conformity for­sooth, is wondrous offensive to many of our weake brethren.

First suppose it be so, better they without thy fault bee of­fended, scandalized at thee, than that the Magistrate be with thy fault disobeyed by thee. It is no safe course to provide for the peace of thy brothers consci­ence, by wounding thine owne with the sinne of disobedience against authority, to which for conscience sake thou art to yeeld subjection: wee must not to comply with mens humours resist the Ordinance of God, de­spise the voice of the Church, rather than a weake brother should be offended, scandalized, wee may, and sometimes must part with our owne right: but we ought not to rob the Church of hers by bereaving her of her power, by denying her our obe­dience. Nay farther, I con­fesse that rather than a weake brother should be scandalized, [Page 69]wee may pro Hic & Nunc, in some particular times & places, pretermit what superiours pre­scribe, provided they take no distast thereat, and others by our example bee not encouraged to contemne their persons, callings, cōmands; for so a greater, & more pernicious scandall will be in­curr'd, thā was declin'd. But we are not upon occurrence of any scandall whatsoever, taken by whomsoever, either absolutely to deny, and utterly refuse obe­dience to the lawfull in juncti­ons of our publike governours, whether temporall or ecclesia­sticall; or so much as contemp­tuously and scandalously for a while omit the practice of what they injoyne. And omission of what they require, is than con­temptuous, when they peremp­torily urge the practice of it, than scandalous when it hartens others to a contempt of their authority. To grant any of these lawfull, what were it? alasse! [Page 70]but to license confusion both in Church, and common-wealth.

Secondly, I demand whether or no, the offence given to, or taken by a Magistrate, who is a brother, and withall a Magi­strate, be not greater than that which is given to or taken by one, who is onely a brother? An impartiall judge will soone de­termine, that the double relati­on of brother and magistrate, weigheth downe the single and naked relation of a brother. Howsoever I am sure, that the whole exceeds the parts seve­rally considered: the relation of mother exacts more at our hands than that of brother, and there­fore, in warding a blow from my brother, I am to take care, that thereby the same stroake light not upon the head of my mother the Church. Where­upon, as Paul exhorts to give none offence, neither to Jew, nor Gentile, so he addes in a farther specialtie, more to the Church [Page 71]of God, 1. Cor. 10.37. B [...]shop Morton. The Jewes and Gentiles were but parts, the Church of God the whole, they but brethren, shee the mother. Si nefas sit vel pu­sillum qué piam Scan­dalizare, & praesti­terit alli­gata colla mola asina­ria demergi quempiam in profun­dum ma­ris, quam scandal [...] ­zare unum ex pusillis Christia­n [...]s: quam est horren­dum flagi­tium, & quam a­troci sup­pl [...]c [...]o vin­dicandum scandalizare [...]os, quorum un [...]us [...]ffensio [...]agis per [...]culo [...]a, quam al [...]orum mul [...]rum, &c. Forbesius Irenic. pag. 40 [...]. If then it were better to bee throwne into the bottome of the sea, with a mill­stone about ones necke, than to offend a little one, a poore and illiterate artizan, what expressi­on shall wee then finde answe­rable to the haynousnesse of a scandall, given to a pious ma­gistrate, to a religious Prince, to a Parliament, and Convocation, to a whole Church, and Com­mon wealth?

But suppose the action indif­ferent, not annexed to a necessa­ry duty, wee also left to the use of our libertie, what then?

Two things are here especi­ally to be considered. 1. The quality of the actiō excepted at. [Page 72]2. The difference of times and places.

To beginne with the first. The action so quarell'd at by thy bro­ther, is either of none, or great importance to thee.

If it be none importance, as affording thee either none, or but small pleasure and profit, offend not thy brother by an unseasonable exercise of thy li­berty. Know, that as authoritie, so charity should also restraine it, consider that by this undue use of thy libertie thou sinnest against thy brother, and by sin­ning against him thou sinnest against Christ, 1. Cor. 8.12.

But now, if it be of some weight and moment, as yeelding thee some great profit and pleasure, why thou must a while forbeare it, untill thy brother may bee better inform'd; and to informe him that the action is lawfull which offends him, thou must take care too; otherwise thou wilt prejudice the truth [Page 73]through thy regardlesse silence, as also continue his weaknesse, and foment in him a negative superstition. Let every one of us, saith the Apostle, Rom. 15.2. please his neighbour for his good unto edification, And for a man to humour his neighbour in an erroneous and superstitious opi­nion, however it may please him, yet not for his good unto aedification. Upon which ground I take it that the Apostle Paul, as hee refus'd maintenance at Corinth, to avoid appearance of a covetous intention, and mer­cenary affection in preaching; so also his just title and unquestio­nable right thereunto hee at large both professeth, and pro­veth. But now if thy brother refuse and contemne informati­on: Tunc desinit esse scandalum pusilli ex infirmitate, aut sim­plici ignorantia, & incipit esse scandalum. Pharisaei ex pura malitia, aut ignorantia affecta­ta, & crassa. The shelter of [Page 74]weakenesse is thereby taken from him, his judgement being now overshadowed no longer with a meere weakenesse ari­sing out of simple ignorance, but with a proud & wayward, if not envious, & malitious per­versnesse, that is accompanied with a grosse, wilfull, and affe­cted ignorance. He is no longer then to be accounted a weake one, but a proud and wilfull one, and for his peevishnesse thou maist choose whether thou wilt forgoe thy liberty. However yet information doth not al­wayes alter the nature of scan­dall. For the scandall of the weake, as Ʋb [...]dici­tur articu­lo 7. de scandalo pusillorum, si autem post reddi­tam ratio­nem hujus­modi scan­dalum du­ret, jam vi­detur ex mal [...]tia es­se; adverto quod au­thor non assertivo verbo uti­tur, sed opinativo, dic [...]ndo, jam videtur ex malitia esse. potest siquidem cont [...]ngere, quod [...]usill [...] non s [...]n [...] capa­ces rationis redd [...]ta, vel propter pr [...]stinam consu [...]tu­dinem, qua facit apparere dissonum, quod veritati consonat, vel propter rationem apud cos magis app [...] ­rentem, vel aliqu [...]d h [...]j [...]smodi [...] & tunc quia mal [...]tia non facit scandalum, sed [...]gnorantia, vel [...]nfirm [...]t [...], quam vis reddita sit ratio, cessandum est ab hujusmodi spir [...]tualibus non necessariis. Cajetan. in 2.2. [...].43. &c. Cajetan, and after him Petrus de Lorica observes, [Page 75]may sometimes last, Postquam reddita est ratio facti, after a reason of the fact, whereat they are scandalized, is rendred to them. For by reason of their extreame ignorance and slow­nesse of understanding, they may bee utterly incapable of information and instruction, or else some opinion, or pra­ctice whereunto they have beene long accustomed may cast such a mist before their weake judgements, as that they may not be able presently to appre­hend the reason that is given of the action, at which they stum­ble. And we should so farre pit­tie the simplicitie of such poore soules, as to abstaine from that which scandalizeth them, if by such abstinence there accrew not to us any great losse, or in­convenience. Petrus de Lori­ca doth roundly, and fully ex­presse this matter. Veru [...] est (saith hee) quod Cajetanus ad­vertit, scandalum pusillorum [Page 76]perseverare posse adhuc, post quam reddita est ratio facti, vel quia rationem non capiunt ob mentis tarditatem, vel ob consuetudi­nem diu firmatam: in quo casu docet Cajetanus omittendam esse actionem, ex qua scandalum ac­cipiunt; vel differendam, donec ad saniorem mentem venerint. Quod solùm verum, si actio o­mitti potest sine jactura nostrae utilitatis. Si enim magna uti. tilitas temporalis vel spiritualis interveniat, contemni potest scan­dalum pusillorum, post quam suf­ficienter admoniti sint.

I will but recite a limitation of Gregory de Valentia, that comes under this head, and pro­ceed. Having laid downe a rule, that for avoiding the scan­dall of our neighbour, which sp [...]ingeth either from his igno­rance, or weaknesse, it behoo­veth us, by the obligation of Charitie, to doe or omit that which may be done, or left un­done without sinne. hee after­wards [Page 77]puts this exception. Est autem animadvertendum han [...] regulam intelligi debere de omni [...]o, quod sine peccato fieri, aut o­mitti possit, non quomodo [...]unque, sed moraliter, attentâ suavitate, quae est in jugo legum, divina­rum: id est, quod sine pe [...]cato fie­ri aut omitti possit, sine maxima etiam aliqua, & penè intolera­bili difficultate, spectatâ quoque in hac conditione personae, &c. And indeed (mee thinkes) hee speakes reasonably. For im­probable seemes it, that the sweete moderation which is in the yoake of divine laws, should consist with so great a rigour, as in all matters whatsoever, not simply unlawfull to exact, not only a brotherly, but also a fervile compliancy with every suppo [...]'d weake one, whose weakenesse may be but pretended by those that are willing to speak favou­rably of thē. For the humouring & cōtenting of every supposed weakling in all matters at which [Page 78]he takes offence, I conceive not my selfe bound to endanger my life, to hazard my estate, and fortunes, or to incurre any o­ther great, or notable inconve­nience: for that would truely be durus sermo, an hard saying; who are able to beare it?

Secondly, we must put a dif­ference betweene times, and places; for however they bee but circumstances of actions, and therefore extrinsecall to them, so that they cannot cause any such essentiall variation in them, as to make those acti­ons materially good, or sin­full, which are of themselves, in their owne nature indiffe­rent; yet notwithstanding the publicke, and ordinary abuse of an action at such a time, or in such a place, may make it then and there, in that place and for that time appeare to be evill; although the same action at another time, and in the same place, or in another [Page 79]place at the same time, may not be obnoxious to any such cen­sure.

First then, time may alter this imaginary appearance of evill in an action. Reservation of the brazen serpent, as for other ends and purposes, soe for comme­moration of that miraculous de­liverance of the Israelites there­by, from the stings of fierie Ser­pents, was for a while free from all suspition, either of idolatrie, or superstition: but whē once it became the generall, ordinary, nay daily occasion, and object of idolatry, of the grossest, and most palpable kinde of idolatry that can be, when incense was offered to it: then if the publicke Magistrate had not demolished it, hee might justly have beene thought to favour that Idolatry wherewith it was polluted. And therefore commendable was Hezekiah his zeale in brea­king it in pieces. 2. Kings. c. 18. v. 4. and yet the same Hezekiah [Page 80]did not destroy the high places which Solomon had built for Ashtoreth, the abomination of the Sidonians; and for Chemosh, the abomination of the Moa­bites; and for Milchom, the a­bomination of the children of Ammon; and yet was never taxed for countenancing of ido­latry. For in his daies the Idolls there erected, were disregarded, no man worshipping them, and therefore might safely be suffe­red to stand; but when after­wards they were generally, and usually adored, then the good King Josiah justly demolished them; and indeed, should hee have permitted them then, when the Idolatrie, wherewith they were defiled, was flagrant at the height, he might justly be suspected to be a favourer of that Idolatry. Kings. c. 23. v. 13, 14. Some ceremonies used by us now, might have perhaps to the weaker sort an appea­rance of Idolatry, and supersti­tion before the reformation [...], [Page 81]when the publicke and profes­sed use of them was imployd in supersticious services: but now after the reformation, since all such use of them is by our Church disavowed, and ano­ther quite contrary professed, there is no colour for fastning any such imputation on them.

Secondly, we must distinguish of places. That which in some place carries a shew of evill, els­where perhaps is not suspected thereof. Of the custome of thrice dipping in baptisme, an hereticall constructiō was made in Spaine and Africa, but for ought we read, not any where else. The Saturday Fast in the Easterne Church, was severely forbidden, because thought to give countenance to the damna­ble and blasphemous opinion of some heretickes, who esteemed God who made the world, to be the author of evill, and there­fore in dishonour of the memo­ry of his creation, pressed fasting [Page 82]on Saturday, upon which the Jewes feasted, in memory of the Creation finished. But then the Saturday Fast was in the Westerne Church as strictly en­joyned, because there feasting on that day would have counte­nenced the Jewish Solemne ob­servation of the old Sabbath as Festivall. Bringing of Cakes and Wine into the Church was in Africa usuall, and inoffensive, but yet in Millaine by Ambrose prohibited Monica, because there it was esteemed to have much resemblance of the Pa­rentalia, offerings of the Pa­gans, which were made at the tombes of their Parents, Ad quam­cunque Ec­clesiam ve­neritis, in­quit, ejus morem ser­vate, sipa­ti scanda­lum non vultis, aut facere. Au­gust. e▪ .86. and to their Ghosts. According to pla­ces therefore, in indifferent mat­ters wee may vary our practice. It was the advise of Ambrose unto Austin, and Monica re­spected by Austin, as if it had beene the answer of an heaven­ly Oracle; into whatsoever Church yee shall come observe [Page 83]the manner, or custome thereof, if yee will neither give nor take scandall. And besides, we have Pauls precept, and president for it; his precept, 1. Cor. c. 10. v. 32. Give none offence neither to Jew nor Gentile, which could not be done, but by complying with them in indifferencies. His president also answereth his precept; to the Jewes hee be­came a Jew, to them that were under the law, as under the law; to them that were without the law, as without the law; to the weake, as weake, 1 Cor. c. 9. v. 20, 21, 22. Amongst the Jewes he shaved his head, made a vow, Acts. c. 18. v. 18. and circumcised Timothy, Acts. c. 16. v. 3. And yet amongst the Gentiles where these actions bore an appearance of Judaisme, [...]e withstood Peter for them even to his face. Galat. chap. 2. verse 11.

After these limitations of the dutie of abstinence from all ap­pearance [Page 84]of evill; I cannot but wonder at our irregulars mis­application of it. They hence eagerly cry downe the laudable discipline, and lawfull ceremo­nies of our Church. What fear­full outcries do they make con­cerning their appearance of idolatrie, superstition, will-wor­ship, and Popery? Tearmes you see by the exceptions put to this precept, as much too bigge for our innocent and harmelesse ce­remonies, as Hercules shooe for a childs foot. Indeed our cere­monies, for example, the Sur­plisse, Crosse in Baptisme, knee­ling at the Lords Supper, may have a materiall semblance with those that in Popery have been abused to idolatie, and supersti­tion, and so consequently taken materially, in respect of their materials may have an outward shew of Popish idolatry, or su­perstition; but consider them as imposed by our Church, and generally used by her members, [Page 85]so they are formally differen­ced from those which Papists have applied to idolatrous ends, and purposes. For our Church publickely professeth a quite contrary use, or application, end, or intention of them. And ex­ternall actions have their speci­fication, and consequently di­stinction from their end and in­tention, from it they take their species, or kinde, and according­ly are distinguished. Now since all Popish, whether superstiti­ous or idolatrous abuses of our ceremonies, are publickly discla­med, & their right use explain­ed; who can justly imagine any shew of Popery in them? An Israelite was not to be smitten for an Egiptian, because for a while hee once sojourned into Egypt, if afterward hee had his constant abode in Canaan. The garment spotted with the flesh was no longer to be hated, than spotted; being once washed, it might againe be used. Our cere­monies [Page 86]were defiled in Egypt, in Popery with superstition, and idolatrie; but our Church (God be praised,) hath washed them from both in her publicke, and professed use of them. And therefore now they stand above either calumnie, or supersti­tion.

But I passe on to the second thing I proposed, Confir­mation. the Confir­mation of the point. First see it backt by consonant places of Scripture. Solomon adviseth his young man to walke cautè, as well as castè, not to come nigh the doore of the strange-wo­mans house, Prov. c. 5. v. 8. This had not evilnesse reall, but onely the appearance of evill, as being in a corrupt minde, an in­centive to uncleanenesse, and in beholders an occasion of jealou­sies, and suspicions. Now from Solomons interdicting this appearance of evill in speciall, we may by way of Analogie & proportion inferre a fitnesse of [Page 87]forbearing all in generall. Unto this is analogically applyed the Nazarites precise abstinence frō wine, Num. c. 6. v. 3, 4. Gutier de Tr [...]io upon my Text. The Nazarite, as you may see there, was to abstaine from wine, from vineger of wine, from any liquor of grapes, from the materials of wine grapes, from moist grapes, from dryed grapes, from all that is made of the vine tree, from not onely the kernell, but even the huske of the grape. The Jewes have added, they were not to come nigh a vineyard. With a semblable strictnesse are we to separate from sinne, from all sinnes, small as well as great; from all of sinne, not onely from the kernell of sinne, from a sinne really so, but also from the husk, the appearance of sinne. The children of Israel were charged not to doe like the heathen that were round about them, 2 King. chap. 17. verse 15. where they are interdicted not onely same­nesse with, Exod. 23.13. but also likenesse un­to [Page 88]to their fashions; they were for­bidden the fashion of rounding their heads, & cutting their flesh, of marring the corners of their beards, of making any baldnesse upon their heads, or betweene their eyes. Levit. c. 19. verse 28. & chap. 21. verse 25. Deut. ch. 14. verse 1. Not because so to doe was simply in its owne na­ture a sinne, but for that it gave shew of a sinne, of inordinate sorrow for the departed; of which 'twas then an expressi­on much in use amongst the hea­then. H [...]o Cardinalis, upon the [...] [...]lleageth Hosea chap. 2 [...] 6. Thou shalt call mee [...] shalt call mee no more [...] ▪ The Gentiles gave the [...] of Baal, so also of Baalim, unto their great and common Idoll god, supposed to be the Sunne, and to all the severall i­mages & representations there­of. And therefore God prohi­bited application of that title unto himselfe: in worship and [Page 89]invocation, Thou shalt no more call me, O my Baal: for though there be no harme in the word, (it signif [...]ing in common use, husband, as well as Ishi,) yet by reason of the ordinary applica­tion thereof unto Idols, there would have beene an invocati­on of God by that name, a grosse, and palpable appearance of Idolatry.

But because it may be excep­ted, that most of these rigid, and severe prohibitions were given unto the Jewes under their pe­dagogie of ceremonies, and time of bondage, and therefore farther than in a morall admoni­tion lay noe restraint upon us Christians. See therefore all this seconded in the New Testament by S ^t Jude verse 23. Where in reference to that legall pol­lution, which came by touching the garment of one that was Levitically uncleane, he exhorts Christians to hate the garment spotted by the flesh, that is, saith [Page 90] Gualter, quicquid ingenium car nis sapit, whatsoever hath but a smacke or relish of the flesh, all preparations and accessaries of evill, Locus hic, qui obscu­rus alioqui vid tur, ni­hil habebit difficult at is met aphorâ benè expl [...] ­catâ; vult fideles, non tantum cavere à vitiorum cōtactu, sed ne qua ad eos cōtagio perting at, quicqu [...]d affine est, ac vic [...]num fugiendum esse admonet, quem admodum si de pudicitia sermo habetur d [...]cemus tol [...]enda esse omnta libid [...]nū irritamenta, [...]d etiamnum clar [...] fiet, si amplietur oratio, nempe ut oder [...]mus non carnem modo sed tunicam, qua ejus contactu infecta sit, Nam particula [...] ad ampliationem [...]alet, ergo adeo non permittit indulgen [...]a fovere, uti omnes praparatio­nes, omn [...]aque accessor [...]a (ut vocant) pot [...]us resecar [...] jubeat, Calv. in locum. any thing that is neere of kin unto, or but bordring up­on vice, thinkes* Calvin. Ob­serve here the emphaticall gra­dation of the Apostle, hate not onely the flesh, but the garment spotted by the flesh, not onely overspread, quite covered, but the garment that was but here and there a little spotted by the flesh. Out of Christs garment there issued vertue, which cured the woman that had the bloody fluxe, but contrariwise out of this garment, but spotted with [Page 91]the flesh, Exit vis quaedam ma­ligna, there goeth a poisonous kinde of infection which soone will staine a soule with the le­profie of sinne. But because (as the old saying [...]unnes) pra­xis sanctorum est interpres pr [...]ceptorum, I shall intreat you next to take notice how this precept hath beene exempli­fied.

And here in the times before Christ is very remarkable the couragious and undaunted reso­lution of Eleazar, against but the appearance of an evill. 2 Mac. c. [...] v. 18. usque ad [...]inem: when he was besought to bring flesh of his owne provision, such as was lawfull for him to use, and but make as if hee did eate of the flesh, taken from the sacri­fice commanded by the King v. 21. why? even this evill ap­pearance, this seeming, this ma­king as if he did eate of the flesh taken from the Sacrifice com­manded by the King, soe deeply [Page 92]disrelished him, as that hee chose death before it. For it be­commeth not our age (saith he) in any wise to dissemble, where­by many young persons might thinke that Eleazar being four­score yeares old and ten, was now gone to a strange religion; and so they through mine hy­pocrisie, and desire to live a little time, & a moment longer, should be deceived by mee, and I get a staine to my old age, and make it abominable, v. 24, 25. But why mention I Eleazar? Behold the example of one greater than Eleazar, the ex­ample of the rule and patterne of holinesse unto the Church, Christ Jesus, God blessed for ever! whose example in Morals & matters of ordinary obedi­ence amounts ever unto the au­thority of a command. How exemplarie he was in this parti­cular you may reade, Mat▪ c. 7. from v. 24. unto the end of the Chapter. There you have him [Page 93]performing an action, not for that omission of it would have beene evill, but because in opinion of the Jewes, it would have given shew of evill. For if first, you understand the words, as most Interpreters doe, of the tribute to be paid unto the secu­lar Magistrate, then sinfull it had not been in our Saviour to have refused payment of tribute unto Caesar. For how could the Son to the living God (who was King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, King of Heaven, and Earth, whose the earth, & all the fulnesse thereof was) be justly tributary unto any mortall? The Kings of the earth take tribute, or custome, not of their owne children, (however they expect obedience from them) but of strangers; because paying of tri­bute denoteth some degree, or kinde of servitude. The Chil­dren then are free. verse 25, 26. Therefore from all taxes, and impositions, justly was to be [Page 94]exempted Christ, the sonne of David, there was no reason hee should pay tribute unto Caesar, nay more reason (hee being of the blood royall) should receive tribute from the Jewes, than Caesar, a forrainer, having no title to the Crowne, but that which the sword gave him, not payment, constant deniall of payment had not been (you see) morally evill in our Saviour; and yet because it would have borne appearance of an evill, of disloi­altie, and disobedience, and so have drawn prejudices against, and scandall upon his unspotted person, holy, and heavenly of­fice, and doctrine, because seem­ingly it would have crossed a doctrine hee afterwards delive­red. Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars: there­fore hee stands not to plead his priviledge, but voluntarily par­ted with his right, payed the tribute, and to pay it wrought a miracle; notwithstanding, Peter, [Page 95]least wee should offend them, goe thou to the sea, and cast an hooke, and take up the fish that first com­meth up, and when thou hast o­pened his mouth, thou shalt finde a peece of money, that take, and give unto them for mee and thee. verse 27.

Or if secondly, with the lear­ned Cameron, you rather con­ceive to be here meant the halfe shekel, which by prescript of the Ceremoniall Law, Exod. 30, was by the Jewes to be paid for the use of the Sanctuary. Why yet so also sinfull it had not been in our Saviour to have refused paying of it: for first, it was a ceremony, and the Ceremoniall Law Christ was above. Lord he was of the Sabbath, Mat. c. 12. v. 8. Marke. c. 2. v. 28. where it is manifest (thinkes Cameron) the Sabbath should Synecdo­chically signifie the whole Ce­remoniall Law. Then secondly, this ceremony, together with Sacrifices and all other Legall, [Page 96]typicall ceremonies presuppo­sed sinne in the partie, to whom they were commanded, and were a note, or badge of the bondage contracted by sinne; and therefore reach not unto Christ, a man without sinne. Thirdly, as our Saviour well ar­gues, even as Kings of the Earth take not tribute of their owne Children, so neither the King of heaven of his sonne: therefore seeing this halfe shekel is a tri­bute to be paid to the King of Heaven, for the Tabernacle of Witnesse, 2 Chron. 24.6. Christ was certainly free, and so might lawfully have refused to pay it [...] yet because the Jewes would have taken offence, and at such his refusall, and charg'd it with appearance of a profane con­tempt of the Law of Moses, and the Sanctuary: therefore he vo­luntarily paid it, and so became a Jewe to the Jewes, as under the Law to them that were un­der the law. Notwithstanding, [Page 97] lest we should offend, &c. And if this be the sense of the place, what is said of this one ceremo­nie, may be applyed unto all, for one of the reasons & ends, why Christ observed the whole Ce­remoniall Law was, to prevent scandall, to abstaine from all ap­pearance of evill. In nature, saith Cameron, there is appetitu [...] quidem unionis, which causeth things to be moved, and to rest often besides the proper condi­tion of their particular nature, whence sometimes light things are moved downewards, heavie things upwards. Unto this ap­petite of union in nature, there is answerable in grace, the desire to promote Gods glory, which often inclineth, and carrieth the godly beyond and besides the ordinary obligations, arising out of their particular, and personall conditions and relations. And un­to the measure of grace is pro­portionable the degree of the desire of Gods glory, so that the [Page 98]holier any one is, the more ve­hemently hee desireth the pro­motion thereof, and if it require any thing to bee done of him, why he will doe it, although o­ther wise by vertue of his parti­cular, and personall condition, hee be not bound thereunto. Therefore although Christ, se­cundum specialem rationem per­sonae suae, if we eye the speciall consideration, and dignitie of his person, was not tied to keepe the Ceremoniall Law, yet hee kept it in as much as the glory of God required him so to doe. If you demand how the glorie of God exacted this at Christs hands, why Christ himselfe tels us, N [...] simus illis sca [...]dalo, lest wee should offend them; for if Christ had not observed the Ceremoniall Law, he had doubt­lesse wonderfully estranged the Jewes from him. In observing it then he did but as Kings often doe in stooping to many things, unto which they are no wayes [Page 99]obliged for to winne the hearts, and affections of their humo­rous subjects. This example of our Saviour was followed by the Apostles, and Elders in the first generall Councell at Jerusa­lem, where they imposed upon the Gentiles abstinence from meate offered to Idols, from things strangled, and from blood, Act. 15.29. Not for that these meates were in themselves un­cleane, and abominable, but be­cause they appeared to be so unto the froward, and peevish Jewes, who were kept off from Christs, because these meats, in which they supposed to be such abomination, and uncleanenesse, were usually eaten by the Chri­stians. But this was but a tempo­rary injunction they gave un­to others. Let us view their owne practice. Maintenance for preaching was due unto Paul [...] ▪ from both the Corinthians, and Thessalonians, and yet hee did forbeare exacting it, 1. Cor. 9.1. [Page 100] Thess. 2. that so hee might take away all colour for suspiti­on of any mercenary, or greedy appetite after gaine, to be in his preaching, and quite cut off all scandals thereby, which in that dawning of Christianitie upon them, would have put a rubbe unto the progresse of the Gos­pell, & have made his ministery to be evill spoken of. And of S ^t Paul, the Saints in succeeding ages were followers, as hee of Christ. Those Libellatici, so of­ten and sharply censured by S ^t Ciprian, Epist. 15.31.52. lib. de lapsis. lib. de exhortatione Mar­tyrum: though they did not sa­crifice, or directly denie Christ, were yet by the Church put to their penance, for seeming to denie him, because they either by themselves, or others, at least accepted from the Magistrate bills, or scroules testimoniall of their abnegation. Baronius out of Sui­das. Auxentius being commanded by Licinius to set a branch of a vine-tree [Page 101]loaden with clusters at the feete of Bacchus his image presently shaped him this round, and re­solute answer, God forbid, O Emperour, that I should doe it, for I am a Christian▪ The mat­ter was not great in it selfe, yet because it would have favoured Idolatry, or given manifest ap­pearance of it, rather than doe it hee chose banishment from the Court, and losse of the Empe­rours service. Theodo­ret lib. 3 cap. 15 Nicepho [...]us lib. 11. c. [...] S [...]o [...]en. [...]. 6. c. 6. As Valentinian, afterwards Emperour, went be­fore Julian the Apostate into a Temple of the Goddesse For­tune, one of the Priests be­sprinkled Julian with a kinde of purging or holy-water, a drop of which by chance fell on Valentinian, at which hee was so extreamely incensed, as that he stroake the Priest, tore, and rent in peeces that part of his garment on which it fell, with a great disdaine, and holy indignation, throwing it away from him, that so hee might [Page 102]avoid the least tincture of their superstitious, and idolatrous re­ligion. Theodo­ret lib. 4. c. 15. Ni­cephorus l. 11. c 21. But above all, very re­markeable is the zeale of the boyes of Samosatene, who be­cause a tennis-ball, with which they played, had but touched the foote of the Asse whereon Lucius rode, their Hereticall Bishop, they presently cryed out that it was defiled (although in­deed it was not capable of any morall pollution,) and therefore to purge or expiate it threw it into the fire in the midst of the market place. This may bee thought but a childish pranke, and therefore not imitable, however yet it aptly serves to demonstrate that their educati­on, framed them unto a hatred of whatsoever had any remote reference, unto either evill acti­ons or persons. Saint Ambrose forbad Monica the bringing of wine and cakes to the Cele­brities of the Martyrs, not for any unlawfulnesse of the cu­stome, [Page 103]but nè [...]ll [...] occasio se ingur­git an [...] daretur ebriosis, & qui [...] illa quasi parent alia superstitio­ni Gentilium essent simillima, as Saint Austin lib. 6. confess. c. 2. least occasion of excessive quas­sing should be given to drun­kards, and because those paren­talia, funerall feasts, were very like to heathenish superstition. A reverend Prelate of our Church, assignes another rea­son, because this custome, had some resemblance of those su­perstitious and idolatrous Colo­rydians mentioned by Epipha­nius, who offered cakes to the Virgin Mary in imitation of that heathenish custome con­demned by the Prophet Jeremy, chap. 7. v. 18. of such as did offer cakes unto the Moone, as unto the Queene of heaven. Now when Monica understood that Saint Ambrose had forbidden this tam piè, atque obedienter amplexa est, ut ipse mirarer, saith Saint Austin, in that forecited [Page 104]place. Quod tam facilè accusa­trix potius consuetudinis suae quam disceptatrix illius prohi­bitionis effecta sit: she so pious­ly, and obediently embraced this prohibition as that I my selfe, saith Austin, wondered to see her so easily rather accuse her owne custome, than dispute his command. The custome of thrice dipping or sprinkling in Baptisme was lawfull nay lau­dable, but when once it was used by Heretickes, to signifie a Trinitie not of persons, but na­tures in the Godhead, then Saint Gregory thought fitting that it should be left of, not because it was evill, but for that it might seeme to countenance their damnable Heresie: his words are these, de trina verò mersione baptismatis nihil responderi ve­rius potest, quam quod ipsi sensi­tis, quoà in una side nihil officit sanctae Ecclesiae consuetudo di­versa, &c. sed quia nunc huc­usque ab haereticis infans in bap­tismate [Page 105]tertiò mergebatur, faci­endum apud vos esse non censeo, Lib 1. c. 3. In ipso ti­tulo pon [...] ­tur Divi Paul [...] pro Beati Pau­li, ego enim nunquam proba [...] vo­cem Di­vus, vel Diva, cum de Sanctis agitur, t [...] quod eam vocē apud La [...]nos vetere Pa­tres non in­veniam, t [...] quod apud E [...]hn [...]cos Div [...] nomē D [...] tantū tr [...]bui so­lea [...]. ne dum mersiones numerant di­vinitatem dividant, dum (que) quod faciebant faciunt, se morem no­strum vicisse glorientur. lib. 1. Epist. 41. Gabriel Biel lectione 38. saith, that the Church of Rome thought it meete to use common leavened bread in the administration of the Eucharist, lest in using unleavened bread, they should be deemed to imi­tate Ebion the hereticke: Nay Bellarmine in his recognition of his booke de verbo Dei, admo­nisheth the reader, that in the title of the third Chapter of the first books Divi Pauli is put for Beati Pauli, for in making men­tion of the Saints, I never ap­proved (saith hee) the use of the word * divus or diva, & one of his reasons is, because a­mongst the heathens, 'twas usu­ally ascribed to their false or fained gods. But what meane I to alleage the examples of ei­ther [Page 106]the Chuch of Rome, or Bellarmine, for take wee but a view of our owne Church, the lives of her Worthies, will yeeld store of presidents in this kinde, but I will content my selfe with one, most especially deserving our notice, and imi­tation. And it is the religious care that King James of blessed memory had, to free, and cleare our booke of Common-prayer, not onely from faultinesse in it selfe, but also offensivenesse unto men, and by causing an explica­tion to be made of those things in it, which were excepted a­gainst: how carefull, and scru­pulous he was in this particular, you may read in his Proclama­tion prefixed to the booke of Common prayer, wee thought meete, faith hee there, that some small things might bee explai­ned, not that the same might not very well have beene borne with by men, who would have made a reasonable construction [Page 107]of them, but for that in a matter concerning the service of God, we were nice, or rather jealous, that the publicke forme thereof should be free, not onely from blame, but from suspicion, so as neither the common adversary should have advantage to wrest ought therein contained to o­ther sense, than the Church of England intendeth, nor any troublesome, or ignorant person of his Church, be able to take the least occasion of cavill a­gainst it, &c.

To heape up other, either te­stimonies, or instances, were to prejudice, if not the authoritie of those before mentioned, yet your esteeme of them, as if you were not by them sufficiently perswaded and convinced: my labour (I suppose) will be better spent in demonstrating unto you the expediencie of that which may seeme rigour in this doctrine, in discovering unto you what good reasons Saint [Page 108] Paul had to exact so great a measure, and so high a pitch of abstinence from sinne. Those that I will specifie shall bee drawne from God, from Satan, from our selves, from our Bre­thren. First from God, wee have these two, our Relations unto him, our Danger in offending of him.

First our Relations unto him, he is our Father, our Soveraigne; Christ Jesus is our spirituall Husband Now a dutifull child declines not only disobedience, but whatsoever hath the colour of it; an obedient, and loyall subject, startles at not onely treason, but also whatsoever may occasion suspicion thereof; a faithfull & chast wife abhorres not onely adultery, but whatso­ever may make her husband justly jealous, others but suspici­ous of her chastity. And shall not every child of God, every one that professeth subjection unto heaven, be fearfull of the appea­rance [Page 109]of disobedience, and un­dutifulnesse to so indulgent a Father as God, of the appea­rance of Treason and Rebellion against so Almightie a King as God? Doth it not befit the Spouse the Church, every mem­ber of Christ to dread all shews and signes of disloyalty, and un­faithfulnesse to soe loving a Spouse as Christ Jesus? Sueton, de Jul. Caesar. c. 74. Did Julius Caesar, but an earthly Po­tentate, thinke it not enough that his wife was without a fault, unlesse withall shee was without so much as the suspici­on of a fault? And will not Christ (thinke you?) who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, expect as great un­blameablenesse in his Spouse? Plutarch in the life Pompey. Theophanes Lesbian to diswade Pompey from flying into Parthia tels him that his wife would be liable to a great deale of danger amongst those barbarous peo­ple; and though (said hee) they proffer no villany unto her, yet [Page 110]it is an undecent thing to thinke that the wife of Pompey might have beene dishonoured: To di [...]wade us from the appearan­ces and occasions of sinne it should (me thinkes) be an effe­ctuall argument, that our soules which are married unto Christ in righteousnesse, judgement, and holinesse, will hereby bee obnoxious to danger of polluti­on; what though they be not actually defiled? yet it is an un­decent thing to thinke that the spouse, a member of Christ might have beene dishonoured, might have beene foyl'd with a lust, ravished, vanquished by Satan, defiled with sinne.

If from these appearances of evill, our Relations to God can­not draw us, yet (mee thinkes) in the second place, our danger in offending of him should drive us, for hee is a consuming fire unto, as the workes, so also the workers of impiety: and how can wee then but be afraid to [Page 111]venture on not onely what we know doth, but what we feare, others suspect may deserve the wrath of so sinne-revenging a God?

That we should abstaine from all appearance of evill, may se­condly be gathered from Satan, from the consideration, first, of his crueltie and malice against us, Secondly, of his temptations of us.

First, from the consideration of his cruelty and malice against us, which the Scripture sha­doweth out by terming him, Mat. 13.39. the Enemy, by way of excellen­cie, the Rev. 12.10. Rev. 9.11. Malach. 3.11. Joh 8.44. 1. Joh. 3.15. 1 Pet. 5.8. Rev. 12.9. envious man, the Ac­cusar, the Tempter, the Destroy­er, the Devourer, a Murtherer frō the beginning; as also by com­paring him unto a roaring Lyon, unto a great red Dragon, an old Serpent. Now me-thinkes we should feare to come, not onely under the power, but also into the sight of such an adversary: and yet by rushing upon the [Page 112]shewes, the occasions of evill, what do we but hazard the sur­prizall of our soules by him?

This will be more apparent, from the consideration, 2, of Sa­tans temptations of us: of his Temptations of us to sinne, of his Temptations of us to de­spaire, or at least discomfort, for sinne; because in both sorts of temptations hee goes about by these appearances of evill, to wreake his malice upon us.

For first, in his temptations of us to sinne, they are first the bate by which hee allures: Se­condly, an argument by which hee perswades us thereunto. Thirdly, an encouragement, whereby he is heart'ned to per­sist in tempting of us.

First then, the appearances of sinne, are a baite whereby Satan allures us unto sin, which if wee bite at, our consciences will soone be enlarged to swal­low sinne it selfe. Satan well knowing that Gods children [Page 113]would even startle at your grosse and more hideous sinnes, such as are Idolatry, Adultery, Drunken­nesse, and the like, therefore chiefly plyeth them with en­ticements to the signes, shewes, and occasions of them, for these will smooth the passage unto the sinnes themselves. Of this we have a remarkeable instance in Alippius, who, as Saint Au­stin relates Confess. lib. 6. cap. 8. being drawne by his friend's im­portunitie to accompany him unto the Roman Gladiatorie Games, yet resolved though he were present with his body, to be absent in his heart, and for that purpose to keepe his eyes shut, that hee might not defile them with so barbarous a sight; yet at last upon a great shout, that the people gave at the fall of one of the combatants, his curiositie made him behold the occasion, and thereupon hee presenly became an applausive spectator of that bloudy, & in­humane [Page 114]spectacle. An Italian, as Holerius writes, by his often smelling to the hearbe Basile, had a scorpion ingendred in his head: even so we, by our often dallying, and tampering with things that carry a shew of un­lawfulnesse, may have Satan, as I may so speake, even formed in us, for as then Saint Hierome saith upon Ecclesiastes the ninth, Diabolus Serpens est Lubricus, cujus si capiti, id est, primae sug­gestioni non resistitur, totus in­terna cordis, dum non sentitur illabitur, that is, the Divell is a slippery serpent, and if wee doe not keepe out his head, that is, his first suggestions, it is not to be doubted but that hee will steallingly slide into the most secret corners of the heart; and so wee actuated by him, shall at last proceed from things onely appearing sinfull, unto the pra­ctice of most horrid and ghastly crimes,

Secondly, the appearance of [Page 115]evill is an argument by which he perswades us unto what is in its owne nature evill: for if a man have but slipt into such a­ctions as the best minded judge, to have a reall appearance of evill. Satan forthwith will sug­gest unto him, that hee hath by this quite crackt his credit a­mongst those that are accounted religious; by them (will he say) thou art as much suspected, and as deepely consured for thy seeming evill, as for thy being so; wert thou not better there­fore, be as thou seemest, for they cannot think worse of thee than they doe, thy shame and dis­grace their jealousies, suspici­ons, and censures cannot be greater for sinne it selfe, than it is already for the show of it. Now this Temptation of Satan receives great advantage from our nature, for we naturally are addicted to society, and there­fore if wee finde that upon the signes and shewes of such and [Page 116]such sinnes in our practice, good men condemne us as guilty of the sinnes themselves, & there­upon begin to reserve and e­strange themselves frō us, refu­sing any lōger to reach out unto us the right hand of fellowship, why, then wee will presently have fellowship with the un­fruitfull workes of darkenesse, and couple in with loose, carnal, and formall men, whose con­versation will quickly infect us, so that it will not be long ere we runne with them to the same excesse of riot. And thus you see how Satan takes occasion from the appearance of sinne, to draw us on unto sinne it selfe, which me-thinkes should be sufficient to disswade us from them. For is Satan so backward in temp­ting, or is his invention growne so barren, as that our lives and practice must put argument into his mouth? is the purchase of hell and damnation so difficult, as that wee must needs furnish [Page 117]the Divell with baites to allure us, with reasons to perswade us unto our owne everlasting per­dition, this were folly and mad­nesse that would want a name.

But in the third place, the signes and appearances of sinne are not onely a baite, by which he enticeth us, an argument by which hee perswades unto sinne, but withall an encouragement, by which he is heart'ned to goe on in tempting of us, for they make him gather heart, & hope that wee are comming on to sin it selfe; and this hope will breed diligence, make him a more im­portunate solliciter, make him to double and strengthen his as­saults, to ply us even thicke & three-fold with temptations: A dog will not run from a man as long as he throwes bread unto him, and can any man suppose the divell will flye so long as he gives place unto him, as long as he throwes himselfe upon tem­ptations, by practising such [Page 118]things as have a manifest shew of evill, for though in them­selves they bee never so small, yet will they serve to usher in farther and greater matters: be­ing then preparatives unto sin, they cannot be (as some have imagined) good fences against sinne: seeming to be evill is not, cannot be a meanes to shield us from being so, no more than the opening the gates of a City can be the way to rayse the siege of it, or letting goe the sluces of a river can be the course to stop its current.

You have seene arguments from Satans temptation [...] of us to sinne: take next one from his temptations of us to despaire, or at least discomfort for sinne, a temptation of so hideous a na­ture, as that me-thinkes our actions should not lend it any the least advantage, his first la­bour is by the appearance of sinne to make us offend God, but when he cannot proceed so [Page 119]farre, his second endeavour will bee, to make us disquiet our selves, when hee cannot wound us by them, hee will vexe us for them, for he will wrest and mis­construe all that we have done unto the worst sense, hee will swell motes into beames, mole­hils into mountaines, appea­rances of evill into realities, and thunder unto us that there is not a pinne to choose betwixt those and these; unto which our soules being distracted by the violent importunitie of this temptation, will be over apt to give credence. And for a man to be thus tossed betweene Sa­tans powerfull suggestions, and his owne feares and suspicions, cannot but even crush his spi­rits, and quite ecclipse the peace and joy of his heart.

Abstinence from all appea­rance of evill is thirdly needfull in regard of our selves, for by them we may incurre a double danger, a danger of being infe­cted [Page 120]with, a danger of being pu­nished for sinne.

First, a danger of being infe­cted with sinne, what Bernard spake of Eves beholding the forbidden fruit, is true concer­ning every appearance of evill: Bren. Tract. de grad, hu­militatis. Et si culpa non est, culpae tameu indicium est, & si culpa non est, culpae tamen occasio est, indicium commissae, & causa est commit­tendae. Although it be not in it selfe a sinne, yet it is a token, yet it is an occasion of sinne, a token that sinne hath beene committed, a cause of commit­ting it for the future. Now our natures are strongly bent to evill, when this (then) our natu­rall inclination, is furthered by outward occasions, wee may soone bee led to the reali­ties of sinne, though the occasi­ons of themselves are weake, they working but as objects, and the objective causalitie be­ing of all most imperfect, yet Satan is strong, our lusts are [Page 121]strong, these occasions are su­table to our lusts: our soules therefore, by a little helpe from Satan will quickly catch infe­ction from them. For this reason were the Israelites, Exod. 12. in the time of the passeover prohibited, not onely the eating, but the very having of leavened bread in their houses. For this reason too were the Nazarites forbidden to eate so much as the huskes of the grapes, for if that had beene permitted, they would perhaps, have soone proceeded to eating of the grapes, and thence to drinking of the wine it selfe: hence also grew that precise resolution of David, Psal. 101. v. 3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: Well may the world, and divell set wicked things be­fore mine eyes, but for mine owne part I will not invite temptations, I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes, as much as I can I will decline the ob­jects, examples, and shewes of [Page 122]wickednesse: doe but put fire unto flaxe and it will presently be on a flame: so present wee unto our loose and corrupt na­tures the shows, (which (as you have heard) are also the occasi­ons of evill) and how sudden­ly will they take fire? this Joseph knew, and therefore when his Mistris sollicited him to that foule act of uncleannesse, hee hearkned not unto her to lye by her, or so much as to be with her, Gen: the 39. the 10. but fled, and got himselfe out of her pre­sence, v. 12. doubting lest the very sight of her might kindle lust. Nay to the shame of many secure and venterous Christians, of this even Scipio an heathen, & souldier too, was apprehen­sive and fearefull, and therefore would not suffer certaine cap­tive virgins, though of an ex­quisite beauty, to be brought so much as into his presence: Ne quid (saith Florus) de virgini­tatis integritate delibâsse, saltem [Page 123]vel oculis videretur. That hee might not seeme to have sipt or skimmed the honour of their chastitie, so much as with be­holding them. As Appelles then by drawing the picture of Cam­paspe fell in love with the pat­tern of his worke Campaspe her self, so we frō retaining, frō affe­cting the shew of sin, will soone proceed to a delight in fin it self.

Some indeed are so strangely confident of their abhorrencie from sinne, as they doubt not infection from appearance of it, they can venture into the loosest company, yet so bridle their ap­petite, as that they feare no ex­cesse; be present at an Idolatrous masse, and yet be in no danger of being affected with it, unlesse it be with dislike of it.

Surely these men are dropt from heaven, never borne in sinne, or conceiv'd in iniquity; for they, whose originall is from men, may possibly be drawne away by sinfull objects, and [Page 124]shews, but these men (forsooth) are above gun-shot, beyond the reach of temptation; Their professed hatred of sinne brings me in minde of Pigmalions a­versnesse from women; hee was a profest, almost a sworne ene­my to woman-kinde, yet draw­ing but the picture of a woman, hee fell in love with it, and hee hugg'd, and kiss'd it so long, till at last, by the power of Venus (as the Poët fables it) it became a woman: Their case is like, they professe detestation of sinne, and yet delight in some things that have the appearance, the resem­blance thereof, let them take heed they dote not so long upon these, at that at length by the power of Satan, & the strength of their owne lusts, they bee transformed into reall sinnes. I will end this reason with that of Chrysostome, in his fifteenth Homily unto the people of An­tioch. [...], [Page 125]&c.

It will be to us the occasion of greatest security, if wee do not onely flee sinnes, but such indif­ferent things also, which are meanes whereby they doe sup­plant us, for as hee who goeth upon the edge of a steepe, and craggie rocke, though he falleth not, yet with feare trembleth, and so falls through his trem­bling, so hee who leaveth not sinne aloofe, and a farre off, but approacheth close to the brinke of it, hath just cause to live in feare, seeing hee hath just cause to feare to fall into it.

Secondly, danger of being pu­nished for sin, not by God, for he is an omniscient Judge, & therefore cannot mistake the appearance of evill for evill it selfe: hee is a just Judge, and therefore will not punish the appearance of [Page 126]evill, for evill it selfe: but by man, by the secular Magistrate with temporall punishments, by the governours of the Church, with Ecclesiasticall censures, and by all men generally with shame and obloquie. Jehosaphat you know in the apparell of Ahab, was like to have beene kild for Ahab. Plutarch. Megaclis having on the cloake, and ar­mour of Pyrrhus, was slaine for Pyrrhus: even so many times some men, for the bare appea­rāce of some crimes are as hard­ly thought of, and as severely handled, as if they had commit­ted the crimes themselves. Florus, l. 3. c. 14. Ti­berius Gracchus, was butchered by the Romans, because it see­med unto them, that by touch­ing his head with his hand, hee had demanded a Diadem, when he thereby as a signe onely ex­horted them to stand upon their defence. Because the Island of Creete seemed to have favou­red Mithridates, for this see­mings [Page 127]sake, the people of Rome tooke revenge by the sword, Favisse Mithridati videbatur, Florus l. 3. c. 7. hoc placuit armis vindicare. In­deed the Lord seeth not as man seeth, hee looketh on the heart, and thereunto squareth his judgement, but man looketh on the outward appearance 1 Sam. 16.7. and according to it censu­reth, and so hee may doe, and yet oftentimes judge righteous judgement, for if when there is wanting sufficient evidence of fact, Judges and Juries should not sometimes proceed upon pregnant signes, and strong pre­sumptions, how many villanies would passe unpunished? and if Ecclesiasticall Governours, should not take the same course too, how could they possibly stop the spreading mischiefe of Scandals.

This abstinence from appea­rance of evill is lastly expedient in regard of our brethren, to a­void scandall unto them.

First as it is taken by Thomas and the Schole-men, for that which occasionally leads unto sinne, which puts a stumbling blocke, or an occasion to fall in the way of others, Rom. 14.13. for so doe all evill showes, and that both in the way of the weake, and in the way of the wicked.

First, in the way of the weake, for they are misguided, and drawne unto the practice of that evill, the appearance whereof they see in us.

Secondly, in the way of the wicked; for first, hereby the ob­durate are heartned, confirmed, and comforted: secondly, here­upon adversaries take occasion to speake reproachfully of that holy name, & profession which wee beare, to blaspheme the Crosse, Truth, and Gospell of Christ.

Secondly, as 'tis used vulgar­ly, and commonly for forrow, griefe, dislike, or displeasure at [Page 129]an action, for it matters not much whether our facts be evill or beare shew of evill, they equally would wound the hearts and vexe the righteous spirits of the godly, and there­fore are both violations of Saint Pauls precept. Rom. 15.2. Let every one of us please his neigh­bour for his good to edificati­on. Valerius Publicola (saith Florus,) ne specie arcis offende­ret, eminontes aedes suas in plano submisit: hee levell'd with the ground his high and loftie buil­dings lest hee should offend the people with the appearance of a cittadell, and wilt not thou throw aside a vanitie; an excre­ment, some idle if not monstrous fashion, rather than offend thy brother (for whom Christ died) with the appearance of an evill. A foule shame were it, that po­pularity should prevaile more with a Roman, than charity with thee who art a Christi­an.

But some will be ready to ob­ject, that this doctrine is preju­diciall to our Christian libertie, for that reacheth to the use of all things that are of an indiffe­rent nature, and such are these actions charged with the ap­pearance of evill, and therefore if ye streighten us in the use of them, you injuriously deprive us of that liberty which wee have in Christ Jesus unto the use of all indifferent things.

Unto this two things are to be answered: First, those facts that beare shew of evill, howe­ver they bee in Thesi, in their generall nature indifferent, doe yet in in cas [...] and in Hypothesi, become to be accidentally evill, because done against consci­ence, when they appeare to be evill unto our selves; against charity, when they appeare to bee evill unto others. Zuarez expresseth this though some­what obscurely, yet more fully; An action (saith he) only evill in [Page 131]appearance, transgresseth some vertue not prima per se primò, but onely ex consequenti, conne­xione virtutum, by reason of the mutuall connexion, & com­merce of one vertue with, and dependance upon another. Ad­vertendum est (inquit) duplici­ter contra aliquam virtutem peccari: uno modo per se primo, quia directè agitur contra obje­ctum ejus vel circumstantias illi ex se debitas, & hoc modo actio solum mala in apparentia nullam virtutem offendit. Alio modo peccari; potest ex consequenti & connexione virtutum. Nam (ut dictum est 1.2 ae: quia actus vir­tutum sunt undique boni, quando hic & nunc actus alicujus vir­tutis potest esse contrarius alteri virtuti (quamvis in objecto suo, vel circūstantiis quasi intrinsecis non habeat defectum) non potest prudenter fieri; Atque adeo ne (que) est actus virtutis simpliciter, & ideò participat malitiam contra­riā utri (que) virtuti, sed alteram per [Page 132]se, alteram quasi per accidens & consequenter. Sic etiam propria malitia scandali ferè semper fundatur in alia malitia, tamen ex consequenti & per accidens semper habet aliquo modo illam conjunctā ex defectu circumstan­tiae debitae, saltem propter aliam virtutem propter quam non lae­dendam prudenter cessandum es­set ab opere hic & nunc habente speciem mali, quamvis ex se esset aliàs honestum. Zuarez de tri­plici virtute Theologica, tract. de charitate.

Secondly, although our Chri­stian liberty extendeth to the use of all things indifferent, yet ought wee in godly wisdome, and discretion to abridge our selves of the outward exercise of this our liberty, whensoever 'tis very probable that it will become dāgerous to our selves, or scandalous to others. Ye have beene called unto liberty, onely use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve [Page 133]one another, Gal. 5.13. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloake of maliciousnesse, the 1 Pet. 2.16. Now wee use or rather abuse our liberty for an occasion to the flesh for a cloake of maliciousnesse, by practising such indifferences, as have shew of evill, for they, (as you have heard at large) are likely to prove as occasions of sinne unto our selves, so also active scan­dals to misguide our brethren, and therefore though they be not absolutely, and simply in their nature unlawfull to bee done, yet they are by accident unlawfull for mee to doe, as long as they carry shew of evill. All things (indeed) are pure (saith the Apostle) but it is evill for that man who eateth with of­fence: Infirmi­tas nomi­nat promp­titudinem ad scanda­lum, offen­sio autem nominat indignatio­nem, &c. scandalum autem im­portat ip­sam impa­ctionem ad ruinam. Aquin. 2 a 2 ae. q. 44. art. 1. It is good neither to eate flesh, nor drinke wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weake. Rom. 14.20, 21.

What remaineth then, Applica­tion. but that all be admonished in the Lord Jesus to take to heart a matter so deeply concerning them, both in conscience, as a duty expresly enjoyned by God, practised by Christ his Apostles, and Saints; and in consequence, as befitting us as the sonnes, sub­jects of God, as the Spouse, and members of Christ, as beeing needfull to defeat Satans ma­lice, to cut off his temptations unto sinne, and unto discomfort for sinne, to avoid sinne, &c: in our selves, scandalls unto others, unto the weake, obstinate, and strong. If therefore there be in in you any love of God, any care to walke worthy of those high relations you carry to him, any regard to the safety of your owne soules, any feare of Satan, sinne, or punishment, any com­passion over the consciences of your poore brethren, keepe a­loofe from whatsoever neigh­bours, and borders upon sinne, [Page 135]whatsoever hath the blush and shew thereof: hate as Ambr. l. 6 hexaem. Am­brose exhorts not onely sinne, but the coate of sinne, the gar­ment spotted by the flesh. Even an heathen will advise you hereunto. Quint. l. 2 c. 2. Carendum non so­lum crimine turpitudinis, verum etiam suspicione.

Want we inducements, take wee these three. It will be a course, first safe and secure: se­condly, comfortable: thirdly, honourable.

First, safe and secure, by it sin & Satan shall be stav'd off, kept out at daggers end, your owne soules secured, kept out of gun-shot either of infection or punishment, so that they shall not come nigh scarce so much as the confines either of sinne, or hell. Secondly, comfortable: For what an unspeakable comfort will it be unto thy drooping soule in the houre of death, or in the time of spirituall deser­tion, when thy conscience can [Page 136]truly suggest, that thou hast beene so abhorrent from sinne, as that thou hast shunn'd what­soever hath beene homogeneall thereunto, whatsoever hath looked but like unto it, it must needs stop Satans mouth, and make thine owne soule triumph in the calmenesse of a cleare, and good Conscience.

Thirdly, honourable, for 'twill gain thee esteeme amongst both good and bad ones, with those 'twill make thy name precious, 'twill muzzle the mouthes of these, when they behold such uprightnesse in thy life, as that thou shunnest not onely down­right irreligiousnesse to God, injustice to men, but even their very picture and resemblance, this cannot but extort from thē, though never so malicious, an ingenious acknowledgement, that thou art a true Israelite, a syncere Nathaniel in whom there is found no guile. Now though our maine and first en­deavour [Page 137]must bee to keepe a good conscience, yet is not the Jewel or precious oyntment of a good name, to be in the meane while neglected; our care should be to preserve that like­wise unspotted, S. Paul ( Acts. 24.16.) professeth that hee ex­ercised himselfe to have alwaies a conscience void of offence, as towards God, so towards men; and hee adviseth us to provide things honest in the sight of all men, Rom. 12.17. To walke ho­nestly towards them that are without 1 Thess. 4.12. To strive for a good report of them that are without, 1 Tim. 3.7.

I will but prescribe two cau­tions directing how wee are to abstaine from the appearance of evill, and then I shall have done with the generall application of the words. Wee are to ab­staine neither onely, nor chiefly from the appearance of evill.

First, not only, that were foule Hypocrisie, of which yet there [Page 138]are even a generation guilty, who ouely combate with the shadow of sinne, and in the meane while embrace the body of sinne, reall sinnes; who ab­staine from the shew of every evill worke, and yet remaine reprobate to every good work, who professe detestation of gaine by gaming, because they conceive it to be an appearance of theft, and yet make no con­science of fraud, deceit, and cou­senage in their dealings, who stand at defiance with all shews of uncleannesse, and yet make no scruple of the grossest acts thereof.

Secondly, not chiefly, that were a great incongruity, for so care of the meanes should, be greater than that of the end, be­cause abstinence from the ap­pearance of evill is enjoyned as a preservative against the evill it selfe; The evills themselves therefore should chiefly be a­voided, the body of sin should [Page 139]be opposed more than the sha­dow, than the shewes of sinne. The flesh should be abhorred in a higher degree, than the gar­ment spotted therewith.

You have seen the point prest generally, as it concernes all mens abstinence from the ap­pearance of all evills: I will on­ly crave your pardon to call more particularly:

First upon all men, for absti­nence from the appearance e­specially of some evill.

Secondly, upon some men e­specially for abstinence from the appearance of all evils, and then I will put a period to my meditations upon these words.

First wee must decline the shews of some evils above o­thers, of our master, our bosome evils. For from them is most danger to be feared, they having commonly most strength from our natures: and Satan besides knowes but too well how our tyde stands, hee quickly ac­quaints [Page 140]himselfe with our pre­dominant lusts, and most raging corruptions, and unto them e­specially fits, and accords his temptations; as Agrippina, when shee poysoned her husband Claudius, Tacitus Suetoni­us. mixed the poyson in the meat which he most lov'd.

Secondly some men above o­thers are especially to decline the appearance of all evills. All publike men should do so, but especially wee of the Clergie. The high Priests and Nazarites under the Law were not to come nigh a dead body, Levit. 21.11. Num. 6.6. And in imi­tation of them among the Ro­mans, the Priests might not touch the dead, nay they might not see the dead; for if a Priest pronounced a funerall oration, 'twas not without a veile drawne betwixt him and the corps. Nay a Flaminians Priest might not heare the sound of pipes used at Funerals, nor come into a place where there was a [Page 141]grave. Was there such rituall purity under the Law? Such ceremoniall strictnesse in hea­thenish priests? and shall there not be found an answerable de­gree of morall precisenesse in the Ministers of the Gospell? shall they bee willingly within sight, sent, and hearing of impie­tie, except to reprove it? Mr Rey­nold, Psal. 110. As a woman bigge with child, for feare and danger of miscarrying forbeareth Physicke, violent exercise, and many meates and drinkes, which otherwise shee might freely use: even so those who travell in birth with the children of Christ, are put to de­ny, and abridge themselves of many indifferences. I will eate no flesh, saith Saint Paul, while the world standeth, rather than make my brother to offend, 1 Cor. 8.13.

Reasons enforcing their ab­stinence after an especiall man­ner from the appearances of e­vill are two: Because in them [Page 142]they occasion, first greater loos­nesse in bad ones: Secondly, more heavinesse to good ones.

First greater loosenesse in bad ones. Strange it is how the low­er, and more ignorant ranke of men will be hereby strengthen­ed in their downeright sinfull courses: Nay if a Minister doe but wisely and lawfully use his Christian liberty, the rude vul­gar will thereupon open them­selves a gappe unto all licenti­ousnesse. If he be but innocently pleasant, thinke they wee may be mad, If hee but sip, wee may carouse. If hee spend but some few houres in his honest and harmelesse recreations, the com­mon gamester presenly con­cludes his mispense of both time & patrimony in gaming to be thence justifiable.

Secondly, more heavinesse to good ones: it grieves the spirits of the righteous to see them in any, it wounds their soules, it makes their bloods, their hearts [Page 143]rise to behold them in a man of God: it becomes not my weak­nesse to advise, onely in mine owne and others behalfe, I un­fainedly wish and pray, that this were feriously thought upon, and preached by us all, that all of us in a tender regard to the reputation and humour of our high calling would walke with great circumspection, make straight steps unto our feete, tread every step as nicely, as gin­gerly as if wee went among snares, walk'd upon ropes, or pinnacles.

I will conclude with that of Bernard to Eugenius, lib. 3. de consideratione, cap. 4. which though written particularly un­to him, may yet fittingly e­nough be applyed to every mi­nister, nay every Christian. In­terest tuae perfectionis malas res, & malas pariter species devita­re, in altero conscientiae in altero fame consulis. It becomes your holinesse to decline as evill [Page 144]things, so also evill appearances, in that thou consult'st for thy conscience, in this for thy same, nay (indeed) if it be not pre­sumption to adde unto the Fa­ther, in this thou providest both for conscience and fame: for conscience first; for the puritie, for the peace of thy conscience; for the purity of thy conscience, to keepe it void of offence both towards God, & towards men; for the peace of thy conscience, to preserve it from the violence of Satans temptations, from the vexations of thine owne feares, and jealousies. Secondly, for fame, so to hedge it in from scandall as that it shall be above the reach of suspition. There­fore to goe on in the words of the Father, Puta tibi non licere, etsi alias fortasse liceat, quidquid malè fuerit coloratum, non sit in fama navus malae speciei. Thinke not for thee lawfull, though perhaps otherwise lawfull, whatsoever shall be evill co­loured: [Page 145]In thy fame let there not be so much as a spot of evill appearance, so shalt thou fol­low things that are of good re­port, Phil. 4.8. and thereby quite take off all private preju­dices, all open calumnies against either thy person or profession. However thou shalt procure the testimony and approbation of God and thine owne consci­ence, and be presented unblame­able, cleare from offensivenesse before men, from faultinesse be­fore God, at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ; to whom with the Father, & holy Ghost, be ascribed by us, and the whole Church, the Kingdome, the Po­wer, and Glory, from this time forth for evermore.

Amen.