A01760:248
A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…
A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not only our own arguments [sic] against the same are strongly confirmed, but likewise the answers and defences of our opposites, such as Hooker, Morton ... Forbesse, &c. particularly confuted.A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not only our ovvne argumemts [sic] against the same are strongly confirmed, but likewise the ansvveres and defences of our opposites, such as Hooker, Mortoune ... Forbesse, &c. particularly confuted.
Leiden: printed by W. Christiaens, 1637
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. Whereas he demandeth, if the things be in themselves lawful; what is it that should offend them? I demand again; though adultery, murder &c. be in themselves unlawful, what is it that should offend us? should we offend or be scandalized for any thing? hay, then we should sin, for to be offended is a sin.
4. Whereas he demandeth, if the thinges be in themselves lawfull; what is it that should offend them? I demand againe; though adultery, murder &c. be in themselves unlawfull, what is it that should offend us? should we offend or be scandalized for any thing? hay, then we should sinne, for to be offended is a sinne.
5. He had said to better purpose; what is it that may offend them, or doth offend them, that it may be voided? whereunto I answer, ⟨p. 41⟩that there is a twofold Scandal which may be and hath been given by things lawful in themselves, (as I touched in my. 5. Proposition) Viz. the giving of occasion to the weak to condemn our lawful deeds, & the animating of them to follow our example against their own consciences: both ways we make them to sin. The Apostle 1. Cor. 10. 29. where he is speaking of a certain kind of Idolothyts which are in themselves lawful, and only evil in the case of Scandal, showeth, that if the weak in a private banquet, see the strong eating such meats as have been offered to Idols, notwith standing of warning given, then is the weak one scandalized; because would the Apostle say, tvelipse etiam edet tuo exemplo, vacillante conscientia, vel tacite factum tuum damnabit. Behold what Scandal may arise, even out of things which are in themselves lawful, which also ariseth out of the Ceremonies, (let them be as lawful as can be.) 1. We are provoked to disallow of lawful things, and to condemn the doers, as superstitious and popishly affected. 2. We are animated by the example of Formalists to practise Conformity, which in our consciences we condemn, and by consequence do sin, because he that doubteth is damned, and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.