570 An Expofition upon Chap.i4. rafh to judge and condemne others. e Ignorant perfòns cenfure others very hardly which do differ from them, and doe condemue every thing they cannot reach unto. As here the Jewes weake in judgement, accounted the beleeving Gentiles which ufed their liberty in meates and dayes,violaters of Motes, re- bels unto God, gluttons given to their belly, &c. Let this kindlle in us a great detefta- cionofignorance, not only becaufe it is a part of the devils image, a prop of his kingdome,atranfgreffión of the firft Commandement, requiring the know- ledge of the true God, without which we cannot love, or feare,or truft in him. Alfo it is a darkeneffe of the minde, lea- ving us to the darkeneffe of hell, being the roote and mother of error and ma- ny finnes : for the blind eats many a Fly, at it is written, le doe erre becaufe )e know not the Scriptures, Month. 22. 29. But even for this cauCe let us fo much themore hate it, for that it makes us hafty in condemning,uncharitable in judging,and precipitant in our cenfures touching men and matters, which is an iniquity very feverely taxed and threat - ned by our faviourChrift, Matth.7.I,2. Finally , feeing of contention there comes fuchevill fruits as mutual) con - tempt,and hard cenfures, let us beware how we entertaine any occafion of firife, efpecially in caufes of faith and religion. For whereas contention is lilie worm-wood, even a bitter thing, and bringetlt forth bitter fruits, yet di- ' vifion in matters ofdoarine is molt vi- olent and fharpe. Therefore, ere the flrifebemedled withal), it is good to ceafe and leave off, as Solomon in his Proverbescounfelleth upon this reafon, becaufe none knoweth what will be the end of it. This may not be forgot- ten, that for indifferent things the knot of Brotherhood, is not to be difiolved, nor communion forfaken : yea although force be fo tranfportcd with a strong affeaion to them, as to hold them neceffary. As thefe weak Jews ( which beleeved in Chrift ) did efteem of diffe- rence in meates and dayes,that a confci- nce was to be (till made of them; and that without contempt of Mofer, and finne againft God the Law- giver, they could not be omitted. Howbeit Paul would have Chriftian charity nouri- fhed,. and brotherly fociety between them and the beleeving Gentiles. How far then be the Churches of Lutherans in Germany deceived, which breake oft fociety with the Churches of Calvinifis (as they are termed for diftinétion fake) becaufe of diffenlion about the Bread in the Communion, whether it fhould be eaten whole or broken ? The Chur- ches of Corinth and Galatia ( through craft and feduaion of falfe Teachers ) held Come fundamental) errors, yet he honoureth them wilt with the Title of the Churches of Chrill, and ,faluteth themas brethren, becaufe they finned not obilinately and with an high hand, as Rome doth. D I A L O G U E I L Vertes 3,4,5. For God bath received them,who art thou that judgefl another mans fervant? be ftandeth or falleth to his owne Ma fter,yea he fball be eftablifbed, for Gad it able to make him Hand. This man efteemeth, ¿ev. Ti M O T á Ells. WPlat doe the third and fourth verfes contain ? S i L. The three Reafons before fpo- ken of. The firft whereof is in thefe words [For God bath received him.] T i M.What is meant by [Receiving,and by him ?] S k L. Receiving, lignifies the ta- king and adopting fome to be his peo- ple, which were not his people. By [Him] is meant the Gentiles,who being enemies and ftrangers from God, and Infidels and fervants of Idols: by the love and favour of God, were taken in- to the Family of the Church, to be members of Chrift through faith. Al- belt thefe words do belong alfo unto the Jew, weake in faith, for even Him alto hath God gracionfly adopted in Chrift;
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