Part 25 (1/2)
The Apostle showeth that that measure of liberality whereunto he exhorted the Corinthians was not by any divine commandment necessary, yet he adviseth it as a thing expedient, 2 Cor. viii. 8, 10. And were not the Corinthians thereunto bound, because of this expediency of the matter, though it was not necessary? _Juxta verb.u.m_, &c.: ”According to G.o.d's word (saith the Bishop of Salisbury(1213)) we are obliged to glorify G.o.d by our good works, not only when necessity requireth, but also when ability furnisheth, and opportunity occurreth,” Gal. vi. 10; t.i.t. ii. 14.
_Sect._ 10. As touching the scope of all this dispute, which is the indifferency of the controverted ceremonies, we shall hear sundry reasons against it afterward. For the present, I say no more but this: As in every case, so most especially when we meddle with the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d, or any appurtenance thereof, the rules of the word tie us so straitly, that that which is in its own nature indifferent ought either to be done, or to be left undone, according as it is either agreeable or not agreeable to these rules; and so is never left free to us to be done or omitted at our pleasure: for if at all we be (as certainly we are) abridged of our liberty, chiefly it is in things pertaining to divine wors.h.i.+p.
But I marvel why Dr Forbesse discourseth so much for the indifferency of the ceremonies; for, lib. 1, cap. 7, he holdeth, that there were just reasons in the things themselves why the pretended a.s.sembly of Perth should enjoin the five articles; some of which he calleth very convenient and profitable, and others of them necessary in themselves. Sure, if he stand to that which he hath there written, he cannot choose but say that it is unlawful, both for us and for all Christians anywhere, to omit the controverted ceremonies; and that all such as have at any time omitted them, have thereby sinned, in leaving that undone which they ought to have done-for the conveniency and necessity of them which he pretendeth is perpetual and universal.
CHAPTER IV.
OF THE RULE BY WHICH WE ARE TO MEASURE AND TRY WHAT THINGS ARE INDIFFERENT.
_Sect._ 1. That the word of G.o.d is the only rule whereby we must judge of the indifferency of things, none of our opposites, we hope, will deny. ”Of things indifferent (saith Paybody(1214)) I lay down this ground, that they be such, and they only, which G.o.d's word hath left free unto us.”
Now these things which G.o.d's word leaveth free and indifferent (in respect of their nature and kind) are such things as it neither showeth to be good nor evil. Where we are further to consider, that the word of G.o.d showeth unto us the lawfulness or unlawfulness, goodness or badness of things, not only by precepts and prohibitions, but sometimes also, and more plainly, by examples. So that, not only from the precepts and prohibitions of the word, but likewise from the examples recorded in the same, we may find out that goodness or badness of human actions which taketh away the indifferency of them.
And as for those who will have such things called indifferent as are neither commanded nor forbidden in the word of G.o.d, I ask of them whether they speak of plain and particular precepts and prohibitions, or of general only? If they speak of particular precepts and prohibitions, then, by their rule, the baptising of young children, the taking of water for the element of baptism; a lecturer's public reading of Scripture in the church upon the Sabbath day; the a.s.sembling of synods for putting order to the confusions of the church; the writing and publication of the decrees of the same; and sundry other things which the word hath commended unto us by examples,-should all be things indifferent, because there are not in the word of G.o.d either particular precepts for them, or particular prohibitions against them. But if they speak of general precepts and prohibitions, then are those things commanded in the word of G.o.d for which we have the allowed and commended examples of such as we ought to follow (for, in the general, we are commanded to be followers of such examples, Phil. iv. 8, 9; 1 Cor. xi. 1; Eph. v. 1), though there be no particular precept for the things themselves thus exemplified.
_Sect._ 2. To come, therefore, to the ground which shall give us here some footing, and whereupon we mind to rear up certain superstructions, we hold, that not only we ought to obey the particular precepts of the word of G.o.d, but that also ”we are bound to imitate Christ, and the commendable example of his apostles, in all things wherein it is not evident they had special reasons moving them thereto, which do not concern us:” which ground, as it hath been of a long time holden and confirmed by them of our side, so never could, nor ever shall, our opposites subvert it. It is long since the _Abridgement_ confirmed and strengthened it, out of those places of Scripture: Eph. v. 1, ”Be ye therefore followers of G.o.d, as dear children;” 1 Cor. xi. 1, ”Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ;” 1 Thess. i. 6, ”And ye became followers of us and of the Lord;”
Phil. iii. 17, ”Brethren, be followers together of me.”
This ground is also at length pressed by Cyprian, who showeth(1215) that, in the holy supper of the Lord, Christ alone is to be followed by us; that we are to do what he did; and that we ought not to take heed what any man hath done before us, but what Christ did, who is before all.
_Sect._ 3. But Bishop Lindsey(1216) asketh of us, if we hold this rule, what is the cause why, at the celebration of the sacrament, we bless not the bread severally by itself, and the cup severally by itself, seeing Christ did so, yet having no cause to move him which concerns not us.
_Ans._ 1. Beside the common blessing of the elements, in the beginning of the action, we give thanks also in the several actions of distribution, saying after this or the like manner: ”The Lord Jesus, the same night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks (as we also give thanks to G.o.d who gave his Son to die for us) he brake it,” &c. ”In like manner also, after supper, he took the cup, and, when he had given thanks (as we also give thanks to G.o.d who gave his Son to shed his blood for us), he gave it,” &c. Which form (we conceive) may be construed to be an imitation of the example of Christ.
2. Though we did not observe such a form; yet there were two reasons to move Christ to give thanks severally, both at the giving of the bread, and at the giving of the cup, neither of which concerneth us: 1. The eucharistical supper was one continued action with the other supper which went before it; for it is said, ”That whilst they did eat, he took bread,”
&c. Wherefore, for more distinction of it from that supper which immediately proceeded, it was fit that he should give thanks severally at the giving of each element. 2. He had to do with the twelve apostles, whose hearts being so greatly troubled with sorrow, John xvi. 6, and whose minds not well comprehending that which they heard concerning the death of Christ, John xvi. 12, much less those mystical symbols of it, especially at the first hearing, seeing, and using of the same, it was needful for their cause distinctly and severally to bless those elements, thereby to help the weakness of their understanding, and to make them the more capable of so heavenly mysteries.
_Sect._ 4. Now, having heard that which the Bishop had to say against our rule, let us examine his own. He holdeth,(1217) That in the actions of Christ's apostles, or the customs of the church, there is nothing exemplary and left to be imitated of us, but that which either being moral, is generally commanded in the decalogue, or being ceremonial and circ.u.mstantial, is particularly commanded by some constant precept in the gospel.
_Ans._ 1. This rule is most false; for it followeth from it that the example of the apostles' making choice of the element of water in baptism, and requiring a confession of faith from the person who was to be baptised; the example also both of Christ and his apostles using the elements of bread and wine in the holy supper, a table at which they did communicate, and the breaking of the bread, are not left to be imitated of us; because these things are ceremonial, but not particularly commanded in the gospel. So that according to the rule which the Bishop holdeth, we sin in imitating Christ and his apostles in those things, forasmuch as they are not exemplary, nor left to be imitated of us.
2. His weapons fight against his own fellows, who allege (as we have showed elsewhere) the custom of the church(1218) is a sufficient warrant for certain ceremonies questioned betwixt them and us, which are not particularly commanded by any precept in the gospel. These the Bishop doth unwittingly strike at it whilst he holdeth that such customs of the church are not exemplary, nor left to be imitated of us.
_Sect._ 5. Wherefore we hold still our own rule for sure and certain.
Christ's actions are either _amanda_, as the works of redemption; or _admiranda_, as his miracles; or _notanda_, as many things done by him for some particular reason proper to that time and case, and not belonging to us, which things, notwithstanding, are well worthy of our observation; or _imitanda_, and such are all his actions which had no such special reason moving him thereto as do not concern us.
Calvin, upon 1 Cor. xi. 1, saith well, that the Apostle there calls back both himself and others to Christ, _Tanquam unic.u.m recte agendi exemplar_; and Polycarpus Lycerus, upon Matt. xvi. 24, under that command of following Christ, comprehendeth the imitations of Christ's actions.
Most certainly it is inexcusable presumption to leave the example of Christ, and to do that which seemeth right in our own eyes, as if we were wiser than he. And now, having laid down this ground, we are to build certain positions upon it, us follows.
CHAPTER V.
THE FIRST POSITION WHICH WE BUILD UPON THE GROUND CONFIRMED IN THE FORMER CHAPTER.
_Sect._ 1. From that which hath been said of following Christ, and the commendable example of his apostles, in all things wherein it is not evident that they had some such special reason moving them to do that which they did, as doth not concern us, our first inference is this: That it is not indifferent for a minister to give the sacramental elements of bread and wine out of his own hand to every communicant; forasmuch as our Lord commanded his apostles to divide the cup among them, that is, to reach it one to another, Luke xxii. 17. Some of the interpreters are of opinion, that the cup spoken of by the Evangelist in that place is not the same whereof he speaketh after, ver. 20; but they are greatly mistaken; for if it were as they think, then Christ did again drink before his death of that fruit of the vine whereof we read ver. 18, which is manifestly repugnant to his own words. Wherefore, as Maldonat observeth(1219) out of Augustine and Euthimius, there was but one cup; whereof Luke speaketh, first, by antic.i.p.ation, and, afterward, in its own proper place.