other things Ecclesiasticall and ciuill of this kinde the ignorance whereof hath much troubled the minds of many people Know also that the scope of the word isnot to set downe all particulars in things Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall but onely the generall rules of such things The principall office of the Gospell being to declare the way of iustification in the sight of God by Iesus Christ It is most sound which Tertullian affirmes about things of this nature Tertull. de Corona militis Consuetudo in ciuilibus rebus pro lege suscipitur cum desicit lex◠nec differt Scripturâ an ratione consistat quando et legem ratio commendet Porrò si lex ratione constat lex erit emne iam quod ratione constiterit That is Custome in ciuill things is taken for law where law failes neither skils it whether a thing of such nature viz. indifferent for he speaks of such things consist by Scripture or by reason in as much as the Law is grounded vpon reason If the law consist of reason then whatsoeuer so doth is Law He that denies these things can neuer haue a quiet conscience in that which he doth because the Scripture mentioneth not infinite particulars of our life and many profitable things haue beene since inuented and therefore could not be mentioned in the Bible See that thou be able to iustifie thy actions thy opinions Vse 3 It shewes but small reuerence to the word when wee are so ready to holde euery thing that comes into our head and to striue with others and presently to condemne them What warrant hath the vncleane person for his vncleannesse the drunkard for his drunkennesse No warrant to doe them but proofe enough that they which doe such things shall be damned if they repent not Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde Vse 4 Be carefull for thy selfe looke to thine owne conscience let other men alone Let it not trouble thee that another man doth thus or thus but looke thou that thy conscience bee well grounded vpon the Word Other mens opinions or doings are not to be the rule of thy walking Be certaine if thou desirest a quiet conscience to doubt of a thing and yet to doe it is a great sinne against the first commandement for it takes away Feare and Faith Feare for if thou thinkest it may bee to doe this will please God it may bee it will displease him doe it not If thou doest thou art an open contemner of God whom if thou hadst feared thou wouldest haue abstained Faith He that doubteth whether hee please God beleeueth not that God heares him therfore he hateth God and by little and little falles into despaire Who shall excuse them whom their owne consciences doe accuse Saue thy conscience To die in the peace of a good conscience an vnspeakable happinesse VERSE 6. Hee that regardeth a day regardeth it vnto the Lord and hee that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giueth God thanks and he that eateth not to the Lord hee eateth not and giueth God thanks IN these words beginnes the Direction how they should carry themselues each to other To omit many coacted expositions M. Caluin takes these words as a precept or exhortation rather then an affirmation and to this Pareus seemes also to encline but the reason alledged of Thanks noteth a thing done not a precept of a thing to be done Here therefore I take it the direction verse 3. and repeated verse 30. is to be vnderstood and here a reason thereof brought from the end which both the strong and weake propound to themselues in their different courses which is the glory of God and the pleasing of him which reason both the instances being here brought may be thus formed Hee that doth that which he doth to the Lord is not of his brother to be despised or iudged But he that eateth or eateth not obserueth a day or obserueth not doth it to the Lord Therefore c. To doe a thing or not to doe a thing to the Lord is so to doe or not to the honour of God or because you are perswaded that such doing or not doing pleaseth God or at least displeaseth him not The strong put no difference in meats or dayes because hee knew that God would no longer be worshipped by such ordinances and that his Christian liberty was not displeasing to God The weake made difference because he thought his conscience was still bound by the Law and that such obseruations pleased God The weake erred not of malice but of ignorance and infirmity his obseruation of such things was lawfull at that time but not his opinion His opinion was superstitious condemned vnder the name of weaknes Now that he which is holden in such superstition dare not violate the solemnity of the day this pleaseth God because hee dares not doe against his conscience That both parties respect the glory of God in those things is prooued by the signe which is Thankesgiuing The summe is that the Apostle would haue them cease from despising and iudging one another for meats or daies seeing neither part doth any thing out of any contempt of God but to please him they should therefore friendly take and construe one anothers doings In things indifferent in all things we are to propound to our selues to glorifie God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eate or drinke Doctr. or whatsoeuer you doe doe all things to the glory of God Col. 3.17 Whatsoeuer ye do in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thanks to God and the Father by him Cautions for the meaning of this verse 1 It fauours not Academicks that we should question euery thing for in the verse before he required full perswasion 2 Nor will-worship for he speaketh not of our inuentions but of things commanded of old 3 Neither doth hee commend the opinion of the weake but would not haue him despised for his fact His opinion was intolerable because he put religion in such things his fact or practice tolerable because he obeyed conscience 4 Neither is euery thing that is pretended to bee done to the Lord a good worke nor doth giuing of thanks prooue a thing to be done to the glory of God For the Iewes when they set vp the golden Calfe proclaimed a feast to the Lord Exod. 32.5 and if a theefe should giue God thankes that hee met with a rich booty he should do no other but blaspheme Therefore it is to bee remembred that Saint Paul here speakeh of a right intention and onely of things indifferent not in their nature only but also so left to vs in regard of their vse Out of this verse and the former Quest it is lawfull for Christians in the time of the New Testament to obserue holy dayes beside the Sabbath day It is lawfull Answ such indeed are neither commanded nor forbidden therefore their
the workes of darknesse The day is at hand therefore put on the armour of light In each of these are two things The Act the Obiect In the first branch the Act is Cast off the Obiect the workes of darknesse Darknesse is the priuation of light caused by the absence of the Sunne when the body of the Earth is interposed betweene vs and it here translated to signifie an vnregenerate estate when the cogitation is darkened and the soule destitute of the light of Grace and there is an excellent Analogie and similitude betweene bodily and spirituall darknesse and that in fiue things 1 Tenebra est visus impeditiua Jâ—â—an à S Geâ—â—â—â—ano lib. 1 de 〈◊〉 clâ—â— â—â—p 3â— darkenesse hindereth sight and therefore tenebrae à tenendo because our eyes are as holden that wee cannot see to reade to distinguish colours c. In the Night Coloromnthus vnus So an vnregenerate man is blinde he sees not the foulâ—nesse of sinne the danger of his soule c. 2 It is gressus prohibitiua it hinders a mans going and trauell when the plague of thicke darknesse was vpon Aegypt Exod. 10.23 it is said that no man rose from his place for three dayes they might haue candle and fire yet the darknesse was so thicke that the light of these could not pierce it it was a darknesse that might haue been felt So the vnregenerate in regard of their blindnesse lye and die in their sinnes if God mercifully enlighten them not 3 Darknesse is casus inductiua causeth a man dangerously to fall He that walkes in the night here runnes against a poste there tumbles into a ditch So the way of the wicked is as darknesse Pâ—â—â— â— 9 they know not at what they stumble as Salomon saith 4 It is timoris incussiua darknesse strikes a feare into a man In the darke night a little noyse any vnexpected thing in our way yea sometimes a mans owne imagination will make hâ—â— afraâ—d though otherwise of good courage So the darknesse â—f the vnregenerate makes them feare where no feare is as in the superstition of the Heathen is manifest So the Papists are afraid of eating an egge in Lent and thinke the Diuel would fetch them away if they should eate fresh vpon a fasting-fasting-day but it is their darknesse for if they had light they would discerne that not for these things but for theâ—r â—dolatries Act 10. cruelties blasphemies c. they had cause to feare Peter was afraid to eate out of the sheete but it was his ignorance 5 Darkenesse is Verecundiae diminutiua it diminisheth shamefastnesse and makes men bold to doe that then of which they would beâ— shamed in the day-light Nox Amor vinumque nihil moderabile suadent So the vnregenerate because of their darknesse are not ashamed of drunkennesse whoredome swearing lying c. they are impudent as an harlot they haue a whores forhead and reiuse to be ashamed But a regenerate man if hee bee by infirmitie ouertaken with a fault how is he ashamed of himselfe and to shew his head before God or men If a man doe ill and be not ashamed it is his darknesse Workâ—s of darknesse By workes are meant all such practices and courses which come from an vnregenerate estate which are called of darknesse in three respects 1 Because they issue from the darknesse of the minde for it is that which bringeth forth drunkennesse c. All sinnes come from our corruption and from Satan the Prince of darknesse 2 Because they are done in darknesse 1. Thess 5.5 3 Because they lead vs to darknesse for such workers are sentenced to vtter darknesse Cast off as a man when he begins to rise casteth off his blankets and bed-clothes but because a man that doth so at night returneth thither againe to bee couered with such things therefore rather so to cast off as a man that hath so long worne a suite that now it beginneth to doe him discredit to weare it or yet rather as a man comming out of prison hauing filthy ragges about him and full of vermine goeth aside putteth them off and hurleth them away on some dunghill or into some ditch and neuer purposeth to touch them more so are wee to cast off the workes of darknesse as whoredome drunkennesse c. these nastie ragges with indignation throwing them into Hell their proper place from whence they came And let vs put on the Armour of light The Action here is putting on the Obiect the Armour of light 1 Light in opposition to Darknesse implying a holy and sanctified estate being renued by the Spirit of God Grace of sanctification is called light because as the light Iames 1.17 Malachy 4.2 it comes from heauen from the Father of lights and from Iesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse An estate of Grace is a heauenly estate 2 Because as light manifesteth dangers and snares so the minde being renued and enlightned with grace discerneth betweene good and bad truth and falsehood and seeth that the end of euill wayes is assured destruction c. 3 Because as light is comfortable so the conscience is cheared by grace 4 Because he that liueth holily is a light to others who by the shine of his good workes glorifieth God Armour of light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bezâ— translateth with a circumstance of words Induamur habitu qui luci conucniat put on a habite sutable to the light but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth Armour and it is so proper to Paul to speake after this manner that I wonder M. Beza would not retaine the antient and proper translation herein Rom. 6.13 We reade of Instruments or weapons of vnrighteousnesse and righteousnesse and when Paul reckoneth vp the particular graces of Sanctification he doth it vnder the termes of such pareels of armour which are vsed in the war So Ephes 6.11 put on saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole armour of God the parcels whereof follow in that place So 1. Thess 5.8 faith and loue are called a brest plate and hope a helmet of saluation Workes of light are called Armour because of their defensiue and offensiue property they helpe to defend our consciences against Satan and they offend Satan nothing almost vexeth the foule spirit more then our conscionable and vpright proceeding in godlinesse Put on a metaphor from the putting on of apparell familiar with Paul of which more vers 14. M. Beza translateth it in the passiue Induamur let vs bee put on because this armour is bestowed vpon vs from aboue it is the holy Spirit which fashioneth it and girdeth it to vs. The consideration of our holy calling to the state of grace Doctr. ought to teach vs to hate and abhorre euill workes and to doe the good Ephes 5.8 Yee were sometimes darknesse but now yee are light in the Lord walke as children of light 1. Thess 5.8 Let vs who are of the day be sober Tit. 2.11.12
we immoderately desire that which is lawfull to bee desired when there is no measure of our study for riches meat and drinke house and land c. as indeed it is very hard to bound our concupiscence in such things 3 In regard of the end when wee desire such things to wrong ends and not to the glory of God in the preseruation of nature for the seruice of God and of our neighbour and the furthering of our owne saluation This exorbitant and inordinate concupiscence or lust is vnderstood in this place The meaning then is Prouide not so for the body that thereby the lusts thereof should be fulfilled and satisfied This is brought in by way of preuenting an Obiection Some might say from the prohibition of drunkennesse and wantonnesse c. What must we cast away the care of bodies is nothing to be granted to our fragility and infirmity may we not eate and drinke and be merry Paul answereth you may make prouision for the body but with limitation that you fulfill not the lusts of the body which will easily vpon a small occasion grow vnruly as wee may discerne in our selues how soone in the putting on of a new garment c. Corruption will discouer it selfe There ought to be a care had of health and state of wholsome meat competent medicines comely apparell but excesse is to be taken heed of Eate and drinke but not to enflame thy lusts A little is enough for nature but nothing for our lusts Make not prouision for the body If Paul had stayed here he had writ no good diuinity therefore he addeth to fulfill the lusts thereof warning vs to keep downe concupiscence and not to set her on cockhorse as they say The body is not so to bee tended and prouided for that the lusts thereof should be fulfilled or strengthned Mat. 6.25 Doctr. Take no thought for your life what you shall eate c. We must not haue an immoderate care for necessaries much lesse for superfluities to the fulfilling of our lusts Galathians 5.13 Vse not liberty for an occasion to the flesh Saint Paul there spake of Legall ceremonies and it is true in all matters of like nature God hath giuen vs liberty to eate and drinke c. this liberty is not to bee vsed to nourish lust 1 Peter 2.11 As Pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule Pilgrimes comber not themselues with vnnecessary things Here wee may discerne whether wee haue put on Christ or no Vse 1 namely if wee prouide not for the body so as to fulfill our lusts this is to follow Christs example Christ did eate and drinke but his fare was meane and moderate after forty dayes fast hee being hungry would not turne stones into bread the most ordinary refection to retaine nature but stayed for an ordinary prouision When he was weary how did he prouide for his body Iohn 4.6 7. did he take vp his Inne call for dainty cheere and a soft bed no but rested himselfe vpon a Well and asked a little water though there was a good towne hard by For his sleepe his body had need of it as well as ours and besides his nature was most pure and without the danger of inordinate lusting and yet he would not follow innocent nature herein but broke himself of his sleep to spend whole nights in prayer to his Father Luke 6.12 It may be thou wilt sleepe at a Sermon ordinarily and at prayer This is not to be like Christ to put him on It is not vnlawfull to prouide for the body Vse 2 Religion requireth not that a man should not giue nature her due or cleere his forehead as they say and be merry in which morosities hypocrites faine perfection Yea to neglect the body is a sinne if it bee not prouided for and nourished how shall it be a fit instrument of the soule for good To deny food and raiment conuenient to the necessity of nature to our callings and estate is ostentation and rigidity rather then true vertue Our Sauiour furnished the feast Ioh. 2 10. Psal 104.13 with excellent and neate wine which God created to make the heart of man glad and S. Paul reproues such neglecting of the body Coloss 2.23 Saint Augustine writing to Proba a rich Widow Aug. Probae ep 121. who had a great retinue and prouision for her body and for her table sutable willeth her not to cease to be so attended and serued as was fit for her estate and place but that shee should temper and moderate her selfe in the vse of them and to seeke nothing therein but integram valetudinem quae non contemnenda propter necessarios vsus huius vitae good health which is not to be contemned for the necessary vses of this life and he alledgeth this place Also hee alledgeth Pauls aduice to Timothy 1 Tim. 5.23 Drinke no longer water but vse a little wine It was so that Timothy to giue an example of sobriety to the riotous and dissolute Ephesians ouer whom hee was Bishop did so take downe his body with vnreasonable abstinence from wine and continuall drinking of water that Paul was faine to write to him and charge him for his stomacke sake and often infirmities to drinke wine For such abstaining Saint Augustine giueth the holy Bishop this censure that he was nimius corporis castigator too great a chastiser of his body for his very studying and contemplation with his continuall preaching were sufficient to weaken his body though hee had not vsed such abstinence and for this is wine necessary for Timothy for the preseruation of his health Philosophers affirme that there is but one soule in man which is both vegetatiue senfitiue and rationall which together intendeth to vegetation sensation and vnderstanding when therefore the soule is wholly busie in the braine about contemplation it must needs follow that shee cannot attend in the stomacke at the same time to concoction and so the stomack being destitute of conuenient heate and spirit and the influence of the soule must needs abound with crudities and for this cause Physitians giue this rule to be merry at meate that through such remission of study the soule may attend vnto necessary nutrition and hence also it commeth ordinarily that great students haue weake stomacks Hee therefore who is weary with labour or study the spirits languishing thereby may with a good conscience drinke wine and vse other comforts of Nature especially if he beleeue and repent for God hath created such good things principally for such That therefore which Saint Bernard saith of Timothy Serm. 30. in Cant. we may say of euery Saint Giue mee a Bishop or Preacher like to Timothy or a holy man like him and hee shall eate gold and drinke Ypocras Though we may serue the necessitie of the body Vse 3 yet wee may not the lusts Deus prudenter vult sibi seruiri An brosius God will haue vs prudent in
receiued the beginnings of grace Pareus or not of finall perseuerance but of standing in some particular thing The censure and iudgement of mens deeds and behauiour pertaineth to God Doctr. This is proued by the two parables Matth. 18.23 and Matth. 25.14.19 where the King or Lord is brought in taking account of his seruants for as it appeareth in that of the Talents the diligence or negligence of the seruants is to the Masters either benefit or losse This Doctrine taketh not away charitable reproofe of my brother if he offend doing that which is euidently contrary to Gods word but it taketh away rash iudgement concerning things indifferent which are not commanded or forbidden in Gods word Condemne no man for the lawfull vse of things indifferent Vse 1 for such shall be stablished but rather iudge charitably If thou seest thy brother standing wish his establishing if falling pray for him and despaire not of his rising againe considering not his Humane condition but the Diuine vertue It was an excellent speech of M. Caluin in locum Caluin Semper benè speremus de eo in quo cernimus aliquid Dei Let vs alwayes hope well of him in whom we see any grace of God though the least tokens of adoption It is our fault to require that euery man by and by should be as Paul or Abraham but God accepteth of the least grace if it be in truth Let vs therefore be charitable Our deeds belong to God Vse 2 not that hee receiueth either profit or damage by them but our selues Not as we are benefited or hindered by our seruants Plato in Euthyphrone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. de Gen. ad lit lib. 8. cap 11. Jrenaeus aduers Haereses l. 4. c. 31. so is God by vs godlinesse is gratefull to him but not profitable as on the contrary sinne is hatefull but not hurtfull to him Ille seruitute nostra non indiget nos vero dominatione illius indigemus saith Saint Augustine wee need such a Master he needeth not such seruants To this purpose also Irenaeus in a certaine chapter shewing that God commandeth that wee should loue him not that he wanteth our loue sed homini deest gloria Dei c. but wee want his glory which wee by no meanes can be partakers of but by louing and obeying him Ibid. ap 32. and a little after that God commanded sacrifices not for his gaine but to honour vs and to haue occasion to bestow his benefits vpon vs. So Eliphaz to Iob Can a man be profitable to God Iob 22.2 3. as he that is wise may be profitable to himselfe Is it any pleasure to the Almightie that thou art righteous or gaine to him that thou makest thy wayes perfect And thus Elihu also to him If thou sinnest Iob 35 6 7 8. what doest thou against him c. If thou be righteous what giuest thou him c. Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art c. but not God If thou doest well God will blesse thee if ill he will slay thee not as a King doth a traytor because he feareth him but to manifest his iustice Doe well because God acknowledgeth it Doe not ill because thou fallest to God Remember thou wretch when thou art drunke blasphemest c. to whom thou fallest euen to thine owne Master to whom thou art bound a thousand wayes to such a Master as is able to kill bodie and soule and throw them into hell to such an one as hath and is readie to offer grace if thou repentest seeking thy good thereby not his owne O how this wounded Dauids heart when he fell hee fell to God Against thee thee onely haue I sinned c. Psal 51.4 So this broke the Prodigals heart it was his Father whom hee had offended We haue a Lord who standeth not for a Cyphar but who will call vs to account Let vs so liue as remembring wee must giue vp an account and that to God Here is comfort he that standeth shall be stablished Vse 3 To him that hath shall be giuen We haue a louing and bountifull Master who is able and willing to promote vs in the grace he hath bestowed Hee is not so able but wee stand in as much need wee are weake wee cannot beare a crosse word euerie little temptation foyleth vs pray to him who is able and hath promised 2. Tim. 1.12 Hee is able to keepe that which thou hast committed vnto him vnto that day God is only able to make vs stand Vse 4 without whom we haue no more power then an infant of a day old Man falleth by his owne will and weaknesse but hee standeth by the will and power of God If God forsake they which stand must fall and they which fall must perish for euer If Christ had not held Peter hee had sunke to the bottome and if God had not raised Dauid he had layne in his sinne to this day Let him that thinketh he standeth 1 Cor. 10.12 take heed lest he fall It is fearefull to be without grace but to fall from grace much more What is then to be done Pray heare the Word come to the Lords Table and receiue his holy Supper for this especially was instituted for our establishing and confirmation If thou commest to the holy Communion with faith and repentance This was preached a few daies before a Communion thou shalt receiue strength against Satan against sinne against thy corruptions Feelest thou thy selfe weake come that thou mayest bee strengthened Cypr. l. 4. Epist epist 6. Art thou afraid of persecution consider Te calicem sanguinis Christi bibere vt possis et ipse propter Christum sanguinem fundere That thou drinkest of the Chalice of Christs blood that thou thy selfe mightest bee able to shed thy blood for Christ saith Cyprian Wouldest thou that the Diuell should be more afraid of thee then thou of him Come to that holy Sacrament in faith and repentance and it shall so come to passe For Quasi leones ignem spirantes ab illa mensa recedimus Daemonibus terribiles Chrysost hom 61 ad pop Antioch As lyons breathing fire we goe from that Table terrible euen to the Diuels themselues saith Chrysostome If the woman which touched the Hemme of Christs garment Matth. 9.21 was made whole of her infirmitie much more they which touch and eate the very body of Christ by faith shall be confirmed in spirituall health VERSE 5. One man esteemeth one day aboue another another esteemeth euery day alike Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde HEre is the second instance of Dayes where we haue the Case and the Remedy or Direction In the case wee haue two things First what daies are meant Second what was the opinion of each part concerning such dayes Concerning the first neither is here meant an obseruation of fasting dayes appoynted by the Church Nor the Ciuill difference of daies
necessity be soone dissolued 2 Whatsoeuer by the iudgement of the Church is appointed for order and decency we may with a good conscience nay we ought to obey the same For all things are pure and in the generall such constitutions of the Church are of diuine authority Hence come brawlings and confusion when matters of order are left to the will of euery particular man and when any such may change or alter that which belongs to the common state of the Church for it is neuer to bee hoped in the best ordered Church that one and the same thing should please all 2 Whatsoeuer by the iudgement of the Church is appointed for order and decency we may with a good conscience and must obey For all things are pure and in the Generall such constitutions of the Church are of diuine authority according to that before alledged 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order These Conclusions affoord two Admonitions 1 That we contemne nor nor with supine and grosse negligence forbeare much lesse with pride and arrogancy openly violate and breake the established orders of the Church wherein we liue It was the counsell which S. Ambrose gaue to S. Augustine in a question of the Saturdayes fast Nec disciplinavlla est in his melior graui prudentique Christiano quà m vt eo modo agat quo agere viderit Ecclesiam ad quamcunque forte deuenerit Neither is there any discipline better to bee obserued of a graue and wise Christian then to doe as he seeth the Church to doe vnto which he shall fortune to come This counsell gaue S. Aug Ianuario Epist 118. ca. 2. Austen to Ianuarius making some question of the different rites of diuers Churches and confirmes this his aduice with the authority of S. Ambrose who gaue aduice to S. Austen and to his Mother not to fast at Millaine but to fast on Saturdayes when they came to Rome according to the fashion of the Church there as hee himselfe was wont to doe Sic etiam tu ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris ius morem serua si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quemquam tibi So also thou saith Ambrose to Austen to what Church thou shalt fortune to come obserue the manner thereof if thou wilt not offend others nor haue others offend thee This counsell S. Austen confesseth that he esteemed and receiued as by heauenly Oracle The same counsell in another Epistle before he gaue to a certaine Priest called Casulanus Aug. Casulano Epist 86. repeating the story of S. Ambrose his counsell to him and his Mother and in the latter end of the same saith and counselleth farther that where some fast and some dine on the Saturday that order is to bee kept and followed which they obserue quibus corum populorum congregatio reganda commissa est to whom the congregation of such people is committed to gouerne and so in the last words of the Epistle he writeth thus Quapropter c. Wherefore if you will rest in my counsell Episcopo tuo in hac re noli resistere quod facit ipse sine vllo scrupulo aut desceptatione sectare Doe not resist your Bishop herein but follow that which he doth without any scruple or desceptation A point to be considered by all inferiour Ministers and by the people But in vaine doe they worship me Obiect teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Mat. 5.9 This Scripture toucheth not the ceremonies enioyned in the Church of England Answ For the commandements of men were appointed for parts of Gods worship and therefore it was superstition these for decency those were appointed as necessary to saluation these for common order Cal. Jnst l. 4. c. 10. sect 28. Zanch tom 8. loc 16. de trad Eccl. And when this shall bee published as it hath beene long agoe in our Church then by the iudgement of M. Caluin and M. Zanchy the Church is to bee freed from such imputation and hereof we haue an example in Scripture The children of Gad the children of Reuben and the halfe Tribe of Manasse whose portions were beyond Iordan built by Iordan a great Altar to see to when the children of Israel heard hereof they sent Phinees the Priest and the Princes of the Congregation supposing it had beene set vp for burnt offering and sacrifice but when they were enformed by their brethren that it was onely for a witnesse betweene them that they also were the people of God both the Priest the Princes and all the people were well pleased and the Altar stood and was called Ed. Iosh 22. But some of our ceremonies were vsed superstitiously Obiect and inuented by the Papists 1 It is an hard taske to proue that they were inuented first by Pope or papists But if so 2. Answ the euill of the inuentor makes not the thing inuented to be euill and vnlawfull for many lawfull and laudable sciences were inuented by the wicked posterity of Cain Gen. 4. Neither doth the superstitious vse of a thing make it to be vnlawfull in it selfe to be vsed the superstition remoued for all things are pure to the beleeuer and the earth is the Lords as hath beene declared before in the first Rule of the explication of the Doctrine It is as lawfull to vse the inuention of a Papist for matter of outward order in the seruice of God as to vse the prescriptions of popish Physitians or the plots inuented by popish Masons and Carpenters 2 The second admonition is that we put no religion or worship either in the vsing or forbearing and refusing of outward orders Hereby some deserue blame who account themselues the more pure and holy for not submitting themselues to the constitutions of the Church which hath a shew of wisedome and sanctity but indeed is nothing else but will-worship and a making void the Commandement of God for the inuention and deuice of man men being more zealous about these things then for true piety Vse not all thy liberty alwayes Vse 4 but know that thy liberty consists as well in abstaining as in vsing It is sufficient that thou know that it is all one before God whether thou eate or eate not c. and so when the conscience is freed from a false opinion of necessity one way then there is liberty Some thinke liberty is taken away if they may not eate flesh euery day But our Christian liberty is not in eating but in knowing that no meat is vncleane but that wee may eate of it If therefore we know that it skils not before God whether wee eate flesh or fish weare white or yellow or blacke it is enough for now the conscience is free though afterwards we perpetually abstaine from flesh or vse onely one colour in our garments yea because we are free wee doe with free conscience abstaine It is a sinne to vse all thy liberty to the offence of thy weake brother much more a sinne