is not of this faith is sinne euen in things indifferent sinne I say to any that doubtingly and vnnecessary shall aduenture thereon Thirdly being in Christ and hauing knowledge of the lawfulnesse of the particular matters wee must trie whether the doing of them bee g 1 Cor. 6. 12 10. 23. expedient that is helpe to the maine end of the Law which is h 1 Tim. 1. 5. loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfaigned For God commanding i 1 Cor. 16. â—4 all our things to be done in loue k 1 Cor. 10. 3 all to his glory and l 1 Cor. 14. 26 all to edifying that is so as all may helpe and further our selues and our neighbours in holines and righteousnesse whatsoeuer choise or vse bee made of things indifferent â—f it bee not expedient to these ends m 1 Cor. 10. 23 24 expedient I say for our selues and n 1 Cor. 6. 12 expedient for our neighbors it must needes be sinne because it o 1 Ioh. 3. 4. transgresseth the Law in these respects howsoeuer the thing chosen vsed bee of it selfe lawfull So that that rule of our Sauiour p Mat. 12 30 he that is not with me is against mee must of necessity holde as well in the vse of things indifferent as of things necessary Fourthly when being in Christ wee know our warrant for the lawfulnesse of the matter and see the expediency of it to the foresaid ends then that which before was indifferent in nature become now * Roâ— 19. 21. good and * Acts 15. 18. necessary in vse and we must set about it as thus in the right manner and end so with obseruation of all due circumstances namely that we do it q Rom. 13. 4. 5. conscionably and r Eph. 6. 6 â—7 Col. 3. 22. 23 willingly as to the Lord who commandeth the doing of it as it is expedient Å¿ Eccl. 8. 5. 6 seasonably â— decently and t 1 Cor. 10. 30. circumspectly according to all other â— Eph. 5. 15 knowne rules of the Word not conformed to v. Rom. 12. 2 this world but transformed by the renewing of our minde that we may prooue what is that good â—â—at aâ—ceptable aâ—d perfect will â—f God And heere let no man say that 〈◊〉 destroy the whole nature of all indifferent things câ—â—ctions for schoolemâ—n themselues confesse that x Gâ—rsâ—â— in â—ogul mor. no action though it be indifferent as it is considered in it's naked nature can be indifferent as it is â—â—ad with it's particular circumstances in doing And y Tho. Aquisum paâ—t 1. q. 18. â— 9. no particular morall action or no action of the reasonable soule proceeding from reason can possibly be so indifferent but it must of necessity be good or euill and either conformable to the rules of Gods holy Word or disconformable thereunto Now if any man notwithstanding all that hath beene said shall loue to range where he list after the sight of his own eyes z Eccl. 11. 9. with the young man or to bee turned loose to the wayes of his owne heart with the a Luk. 15 12 13. prodigall Sonne and say the indifferent things wee meddle withall are for the most part sports and trifles or petty matters and in such light matters at least men haue sufficient warrant to make choise and vse according to their own discretion so that nothing bee done against the generall rules of Gods Word or else men shall be left in perpetual suspence and amazements First I answere that b Psal 119. 168. all our wayes being before God wee cannot play out of Gods presence no more then pray and if in play or other wayes any man draw backe sequestring himselfe from Gods presence as c Heb. 10. 38 Gods soule shall haue no pleasure in him so hee may looke to haue the diuell for his play-fellow And when God hath branded such for d Psal 106. 13 14 exceeding lust that waited not for his counsell must not we set God alwayes before vs as did e Psal 16. 7 8 Dauid that hee may giue vs counsell whereby we may be directed as well to play as to f 1 Cor. 10. â—0 eate and drinke and to doe whatsoeuer wee doe to the glory of God as hee commaundeth vs. And when we reade that g 1 Sam. 13. 14 23. rebellion in not obeying the voyce of the Lord is as the sinne of witchcraft though in a light matter as Saul esteemed it as the sparing of a few cattell Nay when we heare of such wrath reueiled from heauen against petty matters as mâ—n would deeme as h 2 Sam. 6. 6 â— touching and i 1 Sam 6. 19 looking into the Arke k Num. 15. 32 36. gathering a few sticks oâ— the Sabbath and l Gen. 3. 6. c. eating of an Apple alas what meane men yet thus to talk of things so fearefull as but of trifles and petty matters Wee know him who saith He that breaketh the least Commandement c. For the authority of the commander is violated in the wilfull breach of the least tittle as of the waightier matters and one m Iam. 2. 10. poynt wilfully offended makes a man guilty of the whole Law as one little leake let alone may sinke the whole shippe one little hole in a shooe may make the whole foote watershod and one little claw held fast in the sâ—are brings the whole bird into the Fowlers hands And why doth the Scripture tell vs of n 1 Tim. 1. 19 shipwracke of faith of o Eph. 6. 15. feet shâ—d with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and of p 2 Tim. 2. 22 men taken captiue in the snare of the diuell but that men should fore see if happily they might feele those spirituall dangers by such earthly similitudes Secondly concerning mens owne discretion iâ— choise and vse so that nothing bee done against the generall rules of the Word I answere that if herein they intend to lean to their owne wisedome and not to acknowledge God in all their ways they haue already broken the pale of the Lords q Pro. 3. 5. 6. direction r Hos 5 10. like them that remooue the bound and are Å¿ 1 Tim. 6. 9. fallen into temptation and a snare whereby they may fall into many foolish and noâ—some lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction But if herein they intend to take heed according to the Word as that which must be bound continually t Pro. 6. 21. vpon their heart to bee their u Psal 19. 1 1 admonitor their â— counseller and their w Psal 119. 24. â— leader Then they must x Pro. 6. 22. acknowledge with reueâ—â—nd â— Caluin that seeing the Calu. inst lib 3. cap. 10. sect 1. Scripture giues generall rules for the lawfull vse of actions and things indifferent
hay and stubble as the Apostle speaketh to gold siluer and precious stones b 1 〈…〉 2. If they had stood in my councell saith the Lord and had caused my people to heare my words then they should haue turned them from their euill way Take we heede therefore that we vse the right tooles wherewith we may edifie each other for some as well c Verse 32. by their lightnesse as by their lyes bring no profit at all to Gods people Arist We haue yet one main doubt that hath much perplexed vs wherein wee desire your full resolution and this it is How wee are to vse Gods word for edifying each other in things indifferent For in these things wee can no sooner admonish men to take heed according to the word but we are presently answered that in such things men haue liberty and are left to their owne discretion What say they must wee aske counsaile of the word of what dish at table we shall eate or what rayment wee shall put on or whether we shall ride or goe on foote Away with this peeuishnesse say they for whereto tendeth it but to cast snares on mens consciences and needlesse feares and to discourage from the narrow way of life such as are comming on Arch. You now put me to it indeede and in handling this point how would discretion and consciousnesse of mine owne weakenesse perswade mee for the resolution of this question to say with Moses d Exo. 4. 13. O my Lord send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send But seeing e Verse 14. Gods anger kindled therupon against Moses may schoole me to say with Samuel f 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should cease to shew you the right way I will keep nothing backe of that which I conceiue to be the consaile of God desiring the Prophets to iudge of what I shall say though I may seeme to speake as a g â— Cor. 4. 10. foole for Christs sake vnto some that are wise iâ— Christ Confessing therefore that there may bee fault as well in h Eccl. 7. 16 17. straightning as in widening the way of the Lord as we are apt to i Esa 30. â—2 erre on the right hand as well as on the left I pray God our eares may so heare that word behind vs that we may come forth out of all extreames and follow that good way wherein wee may finde rest for other soules as for our owne First therefore concerning things indifferent we are to know that k 1 Cor. â—0 29 30. by grace we are partakers of such a liberty that l Tit. 1. 15. to the pure all things are pure and m â— Cor. 10. 23. all things lawfull that is all things in different as wel as creatures and n Verse 25 no question to be made of them for conscience sake Wherefore as we ought with the o Rom. 14. 14 Apostle to be perswaded by the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe nothing of that which God simply forbids not so I beseech all beleeuers to stand fast in this liberty which is p Verse 16. your good as S. Paul saith a good wherby much peace may accrue to your consciences and much thankesgiuing vnto God Stand fast therefore I say againe and be not moued from it by any subtile iniection snarling obiection or idle scruple that diuels men or your owne hearts may disturbe you withall though for the present you cannot assoile them as you will hold fast the maine Articles of your faith though you cannot answere euery doubt that a subtill sophister may obiect against them For if here the conscience be once cast into a snare there is no end of doubting and superstition But as the doubting conscience soundeth heauily as a Shaulme q Rom. 14. 23. to him that doubteth it is sinne so the superstitious conscience cryeth as a captiue subiect to worldly ordinances and traditions of men r Col. 2. 20. 21. Eate not taste not handle not â—uer plunged deeper and deeper as wee see in the poore Papists whose consciences are so captiuated with those chaines of darkenesse wherewith the Councell of Trent hath fettered them that they shunne the omission of any rite or tradition which the Church imposeth on them as a damnable sinne And thus both conscience looseth that benefit peace which which is the sweet fruit of Christian liberty Christ looseth the thankes of his rich liberality Wee must therfore beware of superstition as of prophanenesse remember that it is a spice of superstition as well to doubt of things lawfull as to make a religion of things in different Secondly knowing and enioying this Christian liberty wee must not Å¿ 1 Pet. 2. 16 vse it for a cloke of maliciousnes t Iude ver â— turning as some doe the grace of God into laciuiousnesse but as the seruants of God Aske ye how u Psal 123. 2 As the eyes of seruants looke to the hands of their Masters so must our eyes be towards our master Christ whose name is w 〈◊〉 9. 6. wonderfull and Counseller and waite on him being our x Psal 84. 11 sunne and shield aswell for direction as protection For as this liberty is not our owne nor bought with siluer and gold but with the precious bloud of Gods owne sonne so therein must me liue y 2 Cor. 5. 15 vnto him that dyed for vs and not vnto our selues either formally or finally Not formally I say as though wee might z Prou. 3. 6. leane to our owne wisedome and a Eccl. 11. 9. walke in the sight of our owne eyes and b Esa 30. 1. take counsell but not of him c Eccl. 11. 9. For all which things God will bring men into iudgment howsoeuer mens hearts may cheare and blesse themselues in their owne discretion Nor finally as if in things indifferent wee might serue our owne credit pleasure or profit for * Mat. 6. 24 no man can serue two Masters so contrary as God and Mammon and d 1 Ioh. 2 15. 16. if any man loue the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes or pride of life the loue of the Father is not in him Wee must therefore e Pro. 3. 6. as acknowledge God in all our wayes taking councel of our great Councellor f Esa 59. 21. whose spirit and word are euer with vs to aduise vs g Esa 55. 1. without money without price and h 2 Tim. 4. 5. watch in all things i Psal 119. 9. taking heed there-to according to his word and therefore in things indifferent aswell as all things else so k Col. 3. 17. whatsoeuer wee doe in word or deede wee must doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus and l 1 Cor. 10. 30 whither we eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe be it neuer so much indifferent
because that is as the mother â— Pet. â— 8. of this For bâ—ing awakened out of the deaâ—â—y sleepe of sinne to liue in holinesse and righteousnes by watching taking heed to our waies according to the word wee keepe our selues waking that we may walke circumspectly soberly temper and keep our selues from q 1 Cor. 6. 12 being brought vnder the power of any lawful or indifferent thing wheÌ„ it is not expedient that wee may r 1 Cor. 7. 31 vse this world as not abusing it We must therefore be sober and watch as many as purpose to liue holily and righteously yea Å¿ Luk. 21. 36 watch alwaies saith our Sauiour in t 2 Tim. â— 5. all things saith S. Paul and why so watch For first the v 1 Pet. 3. 8. diuel your adueâ—sarie as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whoÌ„ he may deuoure as he is a Lyon for strength roaring for greedines and circuiting for diligence and seeking to deuoure not yours but you so he is a w 2 Cor. 11 3. serpent for subtilty an x Reu. 12. 9. old serpeÌ„t for experience for efficacy such a cheater that he y Verse the same deceiueth the whole world And no meruaile for to this end z 2 Cor. 11. 14. he is transformed into an Angel of light holding forth the present pleasure profit credit of sinne by a Gen. 3 6. which traines he first beguiled Eue as a false Draper sheweth forth the faire end of his cloath but keepee back out of sight the middle the other end inward remorce of conscience here eternal punishment hereafter Secondly there is the b Ioh. 15. 19 world that hates vs a world of vngodly men â— 2 Pet. 2. 5. that d 1 Ioh. 5. â—9 lyeth in wiâ—kednes whose e Eph. 2. 2. course is according to the prince of the power of the ayre whose office it is to be the diuels Factors in f 2 Tim. 3. 13 deceiuing others as themselues are deceiued who by their terrours and allurements customes and multitudes raise dust in our eyes that wee might not discerne things that differ but be inuolued and carried away with the sway and currant of the euill times Thirdly there is in our selues g Gal. 5. 17. the flesh lusting against the spirit and h 1 Pet. 2. 11 warring against the soule and the wisedome of the flesh is i Rom. 8. 6 death to vâ— as it is k Verse 7. enmity against God in respect whereof the l Ier. 17. 9. heart of man is said to be desperately wicked and deceitfull aboue all things that is of greater efficacy to deceiue our selues then all other men or deuils For m Mark 7. 21 c. from within out of the heart of man arise euill thoughts and all things that defile a man as naturally as sparks out of a furnace which of themselues without the diuell or the world are able to set on fire the course of nature whereas they both with all their temptations without this are but as fuell and bellowes that could neuer make sinne to flame â—ut of vs if they had not the sparke of n Iam. 1. 14. our owne concupiscence to kindle it Now hauing in all our wayes to deale with such crafty deadly enemies had wee not neede vnlesse it were good taking of our worst foes to bee our best guides had wee not need I say to stand vpon our watch and ward and o Pro. 4. 23. aboue all keepings keepe our hearts that we take not vp from them the choise or vse of any indifferent thing before wee trie it by the light of the Word examining both ends with the middle and circumstances of it Nay when in things indifferent most of all Satan sets his snares for Gods seruants knowing how p Psal 97. 10 they that loue the Lord abhorre euill and all things simply vnlawfull as hee met with q Gen 34. â— â— Dinah and r 2 Sam. 1â— 2 3. Dauid in their walking with Å¿ Gen. 9. 21. Noah and t Gen. 19. 33 Lot in their drinking of wine and with u Luk. 22. 25 Ioh. 18. 25. Peter in warming himselfe at the fire had we not neede watch and ward most in those things wherein the diuell most makes assault vnlesse it were wise watching to watch against enemies a farre off and to neglect such as are nearest at hand to cut our throats Now for directions how to take heed all that looke to doe any thing well and acceptably vnto God in the choise and vse of things indifferent must looke first of all to that which is the roote and foundation of all good actions since the fall of the first Adam namely to that w Ioh. 6. 29 worke of God that they beleeue on him whom he hath sent and be x Phil. â— 9. founâ— in Christ as y Iohn 15. 2. c branches in the Vine that so z Col. 3. â—7 whatsoeuer wee doe in word or deed may all bee done in the name of the Lord Iesus for hee is that u Reu. â— 3. Heb. 13. 10. 15. golden Altar on and by whom we must offer vnto God all our spirituall sacrifices 1 Pet. 2. 5. and seruices that being perâ—â—med with his lâ—cense they may w Phil. 4. 18 as odoâ—s â—â— a sweet smell bee acceptaâ—â—e and well-pleasing vnto God by him For hee being tâ—e onely begottâ—n and beloued Sonne in x Mat. 3 17. whom God is well-pleased and he being y Heb. 1. 2. appointed heire of all things through whom wee being his by faith â— things z 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. present things to come are all ours As wee a Ioh. 15. 5. Heb. 11. 6. can doe nothing without him to please God so without him we haue no more right in Gods sight to the vse of any thing then a thiefe hath to the vse of a true mans purse Secondly being in Christ we must know that as for al things necessarie simply good we haue warrant out of the Word by * Deut 6. 5. 25. expresse command or iust consequence so for things indifferent wee haue a warrant by Gods permission either directly expressed as in the particular matter of â—meats or thence necessarily b Deâ—t 12. 15. 20 21. collected as in all things of the like nature whence the Apostle concludeth that not onely meats but all things of like indifferent nature are c 1 Cor. 6. 12 10. 23. all lawfull d Rom. 14. 20 all pure and e Tit. 1. 15. all cleane to the cleane whose f Rom. 14. 22 23. consciences are purged from dead workes by the bloud of Christ to serue the liuing God And of this warrant of the Word wee must bee perswaded that the particular indifferent matters we meddle withall are not vncleane of themselues but pure else whatsoeuer