ffence given, nor contempt showed to ecclesiastical authority, there is
no breach made in the conscience." Alsted's rule is,(116) _Leges humanae
non obligant quando omitti possunt sine impedimento finis ob quem feruntur
sine scandalo aliorum, et sine contemptu legislatoris._ And Tilen teacheth
us,(117) that when the church hath determined the mutable circumstances,
in the worship of God, for public edification, _privatorum conscientiis
liberum est quandoque ista omittere, modo offendicula vitentur, nihil que
ex contemptu ecclesiae ac ministerii publici petulanti {~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} vel
{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER DELTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER XI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} facere videantur._

_Sect._ 6. We deny not, then, that the church's canons about rites, which
serve for public order and edification, do bind. We say only, that it is
not the authority of the church framing the canon that binds, but the
matter of the canon chiefly warranted by God's word.(118) _Scimus enim
quaecunque ad decorum et ordinem pertinent, non habenda esse pro humanis
placitas, quia divinitus approbantur._ Therefore we think concerning such
canons, "that they are necessary to be observed so far forth only, as the
keeping of them maintaineth decent order, and preventeth open
offence."(119)

_Sect._ 7. If any say that I derogate much from the authority of the
church when I do nothing which she prescribeth, except I see it lawful and
expedient, because I should do this much for the exhortation and
admonition of a brother. _Ans._ 1. I give far more reverence to the
direction of the church than to the admonition of a brother, because that
is ministerial, this fraternal, that comes from authority, this only from
charity, that is public, this private, that is given by many, this by one.
And, finally, the church hath a calling to direct me in some things
wherein a brother hath not. 2. If it be still instanced that, in the point
of obedience, I do no more for the church than for any brother, because I
am bound to do that which is made evident to