Chap.2. e..4Cettintent¡pievpon middle time,that is, while theGo(pet was inpi:biding tothe world , and the Church ofthe newt Teriament was- vet in founding,it was a ceremonie free,or indifferent.It may geob- ieffed , that the whole Ceremonial' law vvas abolaed in the deathofariff : I anfwer, it was fo: and rircuincifionwas abo- lifilectiin refpeft offaith,andconfcience: yet (o,as thevfe ther . ofwas left to theBeakof thepeople ofGod for a while.Cir- cumcifion at this time was as a corps that is dead , yet vnburieet andend) laideta ; and fo it muff rernaine for a time, that ittnav be buried with honour. It mayagaine be obiefted, that bap. ifinewas come in the roamoforcuincifion : and that there- fore circumcifionwas butan idle and emptie cerernonie. I an. fwer, it was not vied as a Sacrament at thistime , or as a part of Gods wor(hip , or as a matter ofneceffitie , butonely as a free ceremonie , and that onely then, when it-tended to the edifica- tion ofmen. Beeing then a thingindifferent, it might as occafion fettled be vied, or not vied. Therefore Paul condefcending to. the weaknes of the belceuing Iewes ,circumcded Timothie : and that he might not offend the erodly, and hinder Chriffian li. bertie, he refuted to circumcifeaTitus. Here a great queflion is anfwered , whether we may vfe things indifferent,as of as we will,andhowewe will ? The an. fwer is,No.Things arenot called indifferent, becaufe we may Vie them indifferently,ornot vfe them when wewill, and how we will:but becaufe in themfelues,or in their ownenature,they are neither good nor euill,and we may vfe themwell , or ill,& we may againe notvfe themwell,or euill.Furthermore, there be two things which reftraine thevfe ofthings indifferent: the lawe ofcharitie,ancl the lawesofmen. The lawe of charitie is thisThings indifferent in the cafeofftandall , ceafe to be indiffi,- rent,and areas things rnerall, that is, either forbidden,or coml. snanded.Paulfaith,if to eate fiefh,be to theoffence ofhis bro. ther,hewill eateno flefh while the world (ands, 1 . Cor. 8. I 3. And though n I he circumcifedTimothic , yet would he not cir- N, e A t. cumcifeTitus,leaff he fhouldoffend the godly,and by his ex7 I ample,hurt Chriflian libertie. , Likewife, the good lawes ofmen, whether chid! or Beck- 'fiaflicall,tendingto thecommon good, and feruing for ea- ) cation,reffrainethevfeofthings indifferent,fo that they which guff S xc 2A2 2$ 30 35
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