The second rule is the rule of Charity: which teacheth us, not to use any thing indifferent, when scandal riseth out of it. Rom. 14. 21. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or made weak; yea, though it do not ⟨p. 9⟩weaken, if it be not expedient for edifying our brother, be it never so lawful or indifferent in it's own nature, the Law of Charity bindeth us to abstain from it. Rom. 14. 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and the things wherewith one may edify another, Rom. 15. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification, 1. Cor. 10. 23. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: All things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Where the Apostle teacheth zthat, In cibo, &c. In meat, drink, and the whole kind of things indifferent, it is not enough to look whether they be lawful: but that further, we are to look, whether to do or omit the same, be expedient and may edify. The Bishop of Winchester preaching upon Joh. 16. 7. I tell you the trueth, it is expedient for you that I go away, &c. marketh, that Christ would not go away, without acquainting his Disciples with the reason of it: and that reason was, because it was for their good. Whereupon he inferreth, 1. That we should avoide aHophni's non vult enim, and make our vult our enim: that is, that we should not give our will for a reason, but a reason for our will. 2. That we should not with the bCorinthians stand upon licet, it is lawful; but frame our rule by expedit, it is expedient. 3. That our rule should not be cCajaphas expedit nobis, but Christs expedit vobis: for you it is good; you, the disciples: and make that, the rule of our going out, and our coming in. The heathens themselves co•d say, that we are borne, partly for God, partly for our Country, partly for our friends, &c. How much more ought Christians to understand, that we are not borne for our selves, but for Christ and his Church? And as in the whole course of our life, so especially in the policy of the Church, we may do nothing (be it never so indifferent in it self) which is not profitable for edification, 1. Cor. 13. 26. Let all things be done to edifying.
The seconde rule is the rule of Charity: which teacheth us, not to use any thing indifferent, when scandall riseth out of it. Rom. 14. 21. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drinke wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or made weake; yea, though it doe not ⟨p. 9⟩weaken, if it be not expedient for edifying our brother, be it never so lawfull or indifferent in it's owne nature, the Law of Charity bindeth us to abstaine from it. Rom. 14. 19. Let us therefore followe after the things which make for peace, and the things wherewith one may edify another, Rom. 15. 2. Let every one of us please his nighbour for his good to edification, 1. Cor. 10. 23. All things are lawfull for me, but all things are not expedient: All things are lawfull for me, but all things edify not. Where the Apostle teacheth zthat, In cibo, &c. In meat, drinke, and the whole kind of things indifferent, it is not enough to looke whether they be lawfull: but that further, we are to looke, whether to doe or omit the same, be expedient and may edify. The Bishop of Winchester preaching upon Ioh. 16. 7. I tell you the trueth, it is expedient for you that I goe away, &c. marketh, that Christ would not goe away, without acquanting his Disciples with the reason of it: and that reason was, because it was for their good. Whereupon he inferreth, 1. That we should avoide aHophni's non vult enim, and make our vult our enim: that is, that we should not give our will for a reason, but a reason for our will. 2. That we should not with the bCorinthians stand upon licet, it is lawfull; but frame our rule by expedit, it is expedient. 3. That our rule should not be cCajaphas expedit nobis, but Christs expedit vobis: for you it is good; you, the disciples: and make that, the rule of our going out, and our comming in. The heathens themselves co•d say, that we are borne, partly for God, partly for our Country, partly for our friends, &c. How much more ought Christians to understand, that we are not borne for our selves, but for Christ and his Church? And as in the whole course of our life, so especially in the policy of the Church, we may doe nothing (be it never so indifferent in it self) which is not profitable for edification, 1. Cor. 13. 26. Let all things be done to edifying.
- zPareus come. in illum locum.Pareus com. in illum locum.
- a1. Sam. 2. 15.
- bCor. 6. 13. & 10. 23.
- c10. 1•. 50.
