Series 5 > Religious Controversy in Scotland 1625-1639

RUTHERFORD & SYDSERFF/CANNONS AND CEREMONIES’
87
spiritualized, and considered as good, and conducing to edification; and so, if
good, not indifferent, that is neither good nor ill, and my reason is, rulers ruleth
for our good, Romans 13:4.Therfor, the means leading to this end must be
good, and the matter of the commandement good, as look natively to this end,
and so not indifferent.
Answer
But is it not enough for us, that the scandal comeing from our ceremonies, is
ignorantly taken.
Opponent
Then ye shall make no scandall in the world, for all scandall, where men are
actuallie scandalized, is ignorantlie taken. Were we all angells on earth, or glori¬
fied in heaven, there should be no scandall taken at all, and if that were enough,
then Rome and Corinth might have used things indifferent before the weak.
For their weaknes scandal was taken of ignorance; Paul taught sufficiendy rea¬
sons, that it was lawful! in itself to eat all things. He said first, every creature is
clean, 2) the earth is the Lord’s, etc., yet he saith, he that eateth before a weak
brother, destroyeth him for whom Christ died, and this sayeth all the reasons ye
can sett downe in your canons, howbeit ye could by scripture prove the lawfulnes,
will not frie your indifferent things from the lash of the sixt comaund,‘thou shalt
not murther’. [331]
Answer
If I comand my servant to goe to London, it is in my power to send him
either by sea or land. If he refuse to goe by sea, because his friends offendeth at
him that I send him by sea, he is dissobedient.
Opponent
But if your servant can bring a reason from God’s word that it is sinfull to
goe by sea, as we can doe in the matter of your ceremonies, then neither can you
comand, nor he lawfully obey, and the case is so here.
Answer
But I would know faine, how ye answer that argument yourself, for ye scan¬
dalize the king and counsell and lawfull authoritie, the Reformed churches, and
the papists by your denyal of obedience in things indifferent to lawfull authoritie.
Opponent
I perswad myself, if these ceremonies practised scandalize culpably, then, not