A01760:997
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.
3. The doing of a thing in faith, inferreth the expediency and profit of doing it; and that is enough to take away the indifferency of doing it; for since every indifferent thing is either expedient to be done, or else unlawful to be done, (as hath been showed,) it followeth, that either it ought to be done, or else it ought to be left undone: therefore it is never indifferent nor free to us, to do it, or leave it undone, at our pleasure.
3. The doing of a thing in faith, inferreth the expediency and profit of doing it; and that is enough to take away the indifferency of doing it; for since every indifferent thing is either expedient to be done, or else unlawfull to be done, (as hath beene shewed,) it followeth, that either it ought to be done, or else it ought to be left undone: therefore it is never indifferent nor free to us, to doe it, or leave it undone, at our pleasure.
4. Because the D. (I perceive) sticketh upon the term of necessity; and will have every thing which is not necessary to be indifferent: therefore to remove this scruple, beside that Chrysostom, & the Author of the interlineary gloss upon Math. 18. 7. take the meaning of those words, It must needs be that offences come, to be this, It is profitable that offences come. Which gloss, though it be not to be received, yet as pCamero noteth, it is ordinary to call that necessary, which is very profitable and expedient. Beside this (I say,) we further maintain, that in the use of things indifferent, that which we deliberate upon to do, is never lawful to be done, except it be also necessary, though not necessitate absoluta seu consequentis, yet necessitate consequentiae seu ex suppositione. Pauls circumcising of Timothy was lawful: only because it was necessary, for qhe behooved by this means to win the good will of the people of Lystra who had once stoned him, otherwise he could not safely have preached the Gospel among them. Therefore he had done wrong, if he had not circumcised Timothy, since the circumcising of him was according to the rules of the Word, and it was expedient to circumcise him, and unexpedient to do otherwise. And (because de paribus idem est judicium) whensoever the use of any indifferent thing is according to the rules of the Word, that is, when it is profitable for Gods glory and mans edification, & the doer is persuaded of so much, I say, putting this case, then (for so much as not only it may, but ought to be done,) the use of it is not only lawful, but necessary: and (for so much as not only it needs not, but ought not to be omitted,) the omission of it is not only unnecessary, but also unlawful.