Some necessary & seasonable cases of conscience about things indifferent in matters of religion, briefly, yet faithfully stated [a]nd resolved wherein the the [sic] just bounds of imposing on one hand, and of obeying on the other, are truly fixed, / by an indifferent hand.

CASE VI. Whether may the Ruling part of the Church impose upon the Church things in∣different, quatenus Indif∣ferent, or meerly because they are such?

Resol.

I Humbly conceive they have no such power, no

such Arbitrary & strange∣ly unlimited power, which, if exercised with any ex∣tent, is not likely to edifie, but to destroy the Church.

For,

1. If we should grant that the Governours of the Church have power to im∣pose things as they are in∣different, or because they are indifferent, we grant they have power to impose any thing indifferent, and consequently what indiffe∣rent things they please, up∣on the Church: and thus we make the Will of Men the Principle and Rule of decency and order in the Service of God, and not the Will of God, or reason and prudence in the choice of things fittest according

to his Word. Then they have power to clog Gods Worship with things altoge∣ther incongruous to it, pro∣vided they be indifferent in general, (as Dauncing, Bowling, &c.) and to ren∣der it instead of a reasonable Service, absurd and ridicu∣lous. Then may they add Ceremony upon Ceremo∣ny, until the number is so many, and the weight so great, that the work will be burdensome and indeed intolerable to God and Man. Thus may they im∣prove their Dominion over our Faith, until they have worn out the beauty of ho∣liness, the power of Devo∣tion, and have rendred the Christian Liberty worse then the Jewish or Popish Bondage.

This Power, as God did never intrust them with it, so I never heard of that man, or sort of men, that pretended unto it, or to the exercise of it; every one in Authority still granting that there ought to be Rea∣son for their Impositions, acting therein as Men, as wel as Governors.

And though many are too apt to give Flattering Titles to men in Authori∣ty, I have not met with any that Write highest for Con∣formity, and obedience to Authority in things Indif∣ferent, that allowed such a Power to men in Autho∣rity, to require what indif∣ferent things they pleased, without any respects to the fitness and usefulness

of them in the Worship of God.

For, as Thomas Rogers, (that notable Adversary to Non-Conformity) in this Case said, Authority in ma∣king Laws must alwaies re∣spect the Common Good. And though Church-Go∣vernors, saith Francis Ma∣son, (of the same spirit with the former) may make Church-Laws, yet they may not establish what they list. God hath inrailed their Authority with certain bounds and limits, which they may not pass: Agree∣ing with Calvin, who hath also taught us, That God hath not left us effraenem li∣centiam, such an unbridled liberty; Sed cancellos cir∣cundedit, in Cor. 14. ult.

Notes

• As Aug. complain'd
• Against Seffray: Obi. 4.
• Authority of the Church, &c. p. 8 9.