Vert. 2 I. the Epiftle to the Romans. peace and truth, Zach. 8. 16. Peace and holineffe put together,Heb. t 2. :4. Peace and edification in this text. Thus the Scripture fets our bonds for peace which wemay not paffe : a neceffary and holy contention, is to be preferred to an im. pious peace. T i mr.What are we to learn out of the 20. ver fe ? S t L. Namely, that our brothers faith and falvation (which be the worke of God) ought to be fo dear to us as we ought not to overthrow it by our offen- five eating. For howfoever all meats be pure and lawfull in their own nature, and by Gods ordinance,yet our eating is evils if the peace of the Church be trote- bled, or edification hindered, or offence given to fuch as be weak. Where indiffe- rent things cannot be ufed, but with difturbance of Chriflian concord,with Joffe of peace amongfi brethren, with hurt and deflrultion to the infirme,with fcandall and offence,then they ceafe to be indifferent, and the ufe of them is evil!, as Illyricus and Parsue teach from this place. T t m. Whether are we to abffain from eating Jieflo, if we bein the prefence of afuper- ffttione Papiff, who makes confcience of it, left we o (fend him ? Si L. If fuch a Papifl be limply feduced by others, and hath had no meanes of knowledge by inftru&tionand doEtrine of the word, then there is the more re- gard to be had of him : he is fir(t to be (hewed in good fafhion, that all the creatures are good and lawfull at all times, and nothing in it felf unclean,but to them that thinketh it fo,or which eat - eth with offence againft his confcience , thefe make meats which be pure to be unpure for ufe to themfelves. Soondly,tif it be an underflanding Papift, then the cafe is altered : for there is great difference between a weak Jew, and an obflinate Romaniff. Firft, becaufe fuch an one is not to be held a Brother, as I have proved before, Chap, t 2. and we are commanded to avoid giving offence to fuch as be brethren. Secondly, thefe meats,asflefh of all kinds, and white meats, were never forbid by Mofe: Law, 593 as thofe were which the unskilfull Jews made confcience of Thirdly, the Papiffs havehad timeenough,and means enough alfo,to have learned Chriffian liberty ; it bath been demonllrativelÿ proved, that there is no religion in indifference of meats, but they wilfully Phut their eyes againft the light that ( hines in their face; and therefore offend not out of ignorance and infirmity as the Jews did, but out of malicious flubborneffe,which we are by no means to cherifh. T t M. But what Thall we fay, if a Prote- fiant well inftrstaed in his liberty, yet ready ti take offence to fee flrfb eaten of them which are healthful!, being done againft the Kings Lawes ? S i t. Better never to eat ffe(h, then to eat withfcandall of thy Brother. For if now he be moved to eat againff his confcience,by feeing thee to eat then he is deftroyed by the untimely ufe of thy liberty.Howfoever we have learned, that we need make no confcience of the thing it felf, being indifferent ; yet the Princes commandement in a thing of a middle nature,efpecïall y being given for good ends,profitable unto the Common- wealth, bindes the confcience by virtue of that generali precept , Honour the King : and, let every foul be fubjeít. Contempt of authority, breach of wholefome Lawes joyned with evill example to imbolden others to tranf. greffe , are faults which difpleafe God, and defile the confcience, and deferves puni(hment both temporali and eternal!. How humaneLawes, bind unto fin : í'et Dial. on Rom. 12. 5. DIAL oGua IX. Verfes 21, 22,23. It is good neither to eat fie/12, nor to drinks, nor any !thing whereby thy brother ftum- bleth, or is offended, or made weak. Haft thou faitb,(or thouheff faith) have it to thy Je lf before God,happy is he which con- demneth not himfel f in that which be allow - eth. And he that doubt eth, èmc. E e e 2 Trmto-
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