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, concer∣ning such dayes.

Concerning the first; neither is here meant an obseruation of fasting dayes appoynted by the Church.

Nor the Ciuill difference of daies, when some are set apart, for trading, proceeding in law, &c.

Nor naturall, obserued by the husbandman, for plowing and sowing his corne, planting, grafting.

Nor Medicall, for opening a veine, purging, &c.

Nor Astrologicall, whereby some are fained to be good and fortunate, some to be euill and vnfortunate.

But such an Obseruation is here meant, whose end is re∣puted to be the worship of God; yea where the very obserua∣tion of the Day is so esteemed.

For the second, some haue applied the first point of the case to the strong, vnderstanding it of our Sabbath, the pro∣per feast of Christians; One man, that is, say they, the strong, esteemeth the Lords day to be precisely kept aboue others. Others apply the same to the weake, concluding therefrom the abrogation of the Sabbath.

But the first, to esteeme one day aboue another, is the o∣pinion of the weake one, and to esteeme euery day alike, the opinion of the strong. And the dayes here spoken of are the Iewish ceremoniall holy dayes, appointed to be kept ouer and aboue the Sabbath prescribed in the 4. Commandement.

Now the Iewes, being trained vp in the obseruation of such solemne feasts, ordained of God, thought reuerently and holily of them: not vnderstanding that they were as shadowes now abrogated; and therefore they censured all them which did not obserue them.

But on the other side, the strong Christian knowing that such differences had an end in Christ for obseruation of them despised the Iewes.

The Ebionites both obserued the Iewish holy daies and our Sunday, * so also doe the Aethiopians at this day.

The same Doctrine ariseth from hence, which wee had, verse 2.

The direction followes, which is double; First, how each of them should carry themselues toward themselues in parti∣cular. Secondly, how each to other.

The first is in these words: Let euery man be fully perswaded in his owne minde: which is a caution to each seuerally, where∣in we haue the Thing, full perswasion; amplified, by the sub∣iect, in his owne mind. The Persons, euery one.

Bee fully perswaded in his owne minde: The vulgar reade it, abound in his owne sense; which a libertine might lay hold on, to be of any, or no religion. But neither are the words so ren∣dred, nor the sense: To abound in ones owne sense, is the part of one addicted to his own conceipt, or much affected to an vnlimited liberty. We may not abound in a false sense: it is not to be permitted in points of doctrine; though in things indifferent some such thing be implied in the next verse.

To be fully perswaded, is by good arguments out of the word to be assured, that that which we doe, is neither dis∣pleasing to God nor contrary to his Word: It is not enough, if the conscience doe not checke vs, but the conscience must be certainely grounded and informed by the Word, that a man may be able to say, as verse 14. I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus. This is the plerophory or full perswasion hee speaketh of; not I thinke, but I know, vpon certaine and infal∣lible arguments.

In his owne minde: not to walke by another mans conceit, but himselfe to vnderstand what he doth.

Let euery man be fully perswaded: the strong, and the weake.

But how can there bee a warrantable perswasion in both, that they please God, when their opinions are contrary?

In things commanded and forbidden, both cannot haue such perswasion; but in things indifferent they may.

And yet the Apostle saith not thus, as though the weake had a warrantable perswasion of his courses, but that hee might haue it. [Doctr.]

A Christian ought to be able to warrant his opinion and par∣ticular actions by the word. Esay 8.20. To the Law and to the Testimony; if they speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Rom. 14.23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne. [Ʋse 1]

Bee fully perswaded in his owne minde. Then good mea∣nings, if groundlesse, will not serue the turne; nor the implicit, and colliarike faith of the Papists, which beleeueth as the Church beleeueth, not knowing what the Church beleeues.

In things indifferent a man must haue full perswasion, much more in the point of his iustification before God.

To the welfare of a good conscience, [Vse 2] a full perswasion is ne∣cessary from the word, about our doing or leauing vndone things indifferent.

In deed herein differ things necessary from those of a mid∣dle nature; those are mentioned in the word, by precept or prohibition: these are not.

For these, it is enough to faith, if they be not forbidden, for then they are not reproued.

For the vnderstanding of the simple; A thing is lawfull: where the word hath not determined the manner and the circumstances, there it is lawfull for a Christian man to doe, and for the Magistrate to command that, which agrees with nature and reason, so that it contrary not the generall rules of that thing in the word: But where the word hath determined, there onely such determinations are lawfull.

For instance: It is lawfull to weare apparell: now for the stuffe, the colour, the fashion, because they are not determined in the word, a man hath liberty to vse any he likes, so be, they a∣gree with the generall rules of apparell in the word: Also the Magistrate hath power to prescribe lawes for apparell, and then the vse of our liberty is restrained and limited thereby.

So prayer is lawfull, nay commanded: but inasmuch, as the Scriptures determine not whether on a booke, or presently Page  132conceiued: a Christian hath liberty, & the magistrate authority.

So in gestures: we are commanded by our Sauior to receiue the Holy Sacrament: now because our Sauiour hath not de∣termined the gesture, sitting, or kneeling, the Christian hath li∣berty, and the Magistrate authority; who if hee determine the gesture, the vse of a mans liberty is also thereby determined.

So in all other indifferent things, Ciuill or Ecclesiastical; and then are such our actions according to the Scriptures, when they are not determined by the Scriptures, as aforesaid.

Whereas therefore many will say, where doe you read kneeling at the Communion, or the Surplisse, &c. commanded in the Bible; it is no good reasoning.

In matters of faith and of the substance of Gods worship, it is true which Tertullian saith, * Negat Scriptura quod non no∣tat. The Scripture denies that which it noteth not, and it followes well, to say: The Scripture mentioneth it not, there∣fore it is not a matter of faith. But in matters of fact not so. It is not mentioned, therefore it was not done; it followes not. Or, from a deniall of fact, to a deniall of right; As, Paul lead not about a sister a wife as did other Apostles: therefore it was vnlawfull for him so to haue done, it followes not: He tooke no maintenance of the Corinthians, therefore hee had no right so to haue done: It is no good consequence.

Wisely apply this to all other things Ecclesiasticall and ci∣uill 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 Go∣spell, 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: * Consuetudo in ciuilibus rebus, pro lege suscipitur, cum desicit lex• nec differt, Scripturâ an ratione consistat, quan∣do 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 whe∣ther a thing (of such nature, viz. indifferent, for he speaks of Page  133such things) consist by Scripture or by reason, in as much as the Law is grounded vpon reason: If the law consist of rea∣son, then whatsoeuer so doth, is Law.

He that denies these things can neuer haue a quiet con∣science in that which he doth, because the Scripture menti∣oneth 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: [Ʋse 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 vn∣cleannesse? the drunkard for his drunkennesse? No war∣rant 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. [Ʋse 4] Be care∣full 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, belee∣ueth 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.