A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

But in our uniformity now excepted against, I know no such thing (and I am confident no man can give instance of any such thing in it) as a sacred Religious rite or thing which hath neither from Scripture nor nature any necessary use, and hath been notoriously abused to idolatry or superstition, if any such thing can be found, I shall confess it ought not to be continued.

But in our uniformity now excepted against, I know no such thing (and I am confident no man can give instance of any such thing in it) as a sacred Religious rite or thing which hath neither from Scripture nor nature any necessary use, and hath been notoriously abused to idolatry or superstition, if any such thing can be found, I shall confesse it ought not to be continued.

5. They imposed upon others and practised themselves ceremonies (acknowledged by themselves to be in their own nature merely indifferent, but looked upon by many thousands of godly people, as unlawful and contrary to the word) to the great scandal and offence of their brethren. Our principle is, that things indifferent ought not to be practised with the scandal and offence of the godly.

5. They imposed upon others and practised themselves ceremonies (acknowledged by themselves to be in their own nature meerly indifferent, but looked upon by many thousands of godly people, as unlawfull and contrary to the word) to the great scandall and offence of their brethren. Our principle is, that things indifferent ought not to be practised with the scandall and offence of the godly.

6. Their way was destructive to true Christian Liberty both of Conscience and practise, compelling the practise and conscience it self, by the mere will and authority of the Law-makers. Obedite praepositis was the great argument with them to satisfy consciences, Sic volo, sic jubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas. We say that no Canons nor constitutions of the Church can bind the conscience nisi per & propter verbum Dei, i.e. except in so far as they are grounded upon and warrantable by the word of God, at least by consequence, and by the General rules thereof. And that Canons concerning things indifferent bind not extra casum scandali & contemptus, i,e. when they may be omitted