A PIOUS SERMON, preached by that late painful and profitable Minister of God's word HUMPH. MUNNING, rector of BRETENHAM in the County of Suffolk.  
CAMBRIDGE, Printed by Roger Daniel, Printer to the University. 1641.   

To Mr WILLIAM COPINGER, Esquire; and Mris MARY COPINGER, his beloved wife. Worshipful, my loving and very good friends in the Lord:  
WHen I had preached this Sermon, some of ill will, I think, to draw me into the jealousy and danger of the time, reported that I had meddled (I know not how) with the ceremonies of the Church. A very strange thing, that meat, drink, apparel and pastime (for these are the indifferent things that I meddle withal) should sound in any wise man's ear, as the ceremonies of the Church. But such hearers we must sometimes meet withal, who will offer like violence to our words and meaning, as Cacus did to Hercules his oxen. Wherefore being provoked by this wrong, I took a little pains to look over my notes again, and setting my memory a work with them, I wrote out the Sermon wholly and at large as here it is. Which when I had done, I saw nothing to the contrary therein (though I confess no great matter is to be seen in it) but that to some good minds (especially if friendly and lovingly disposed towards the poor and contemptible author) it might be of some good use unto true godliness in this kind. And peradventure the presumption of putting it into the hands of some such persons, might be as little sin, as the casting of it aside into some dusty corner with other waste papers. Wherefore yourselves being of such deserving towards me, as if there were any thing of worth in me, I must of necessity owe it to you; I am bold to put these papers (such as they are) into your loving hands: where if they do no other good, yet they shall testify my thankfulness towards you, and be ready to clear my innocence in that supposed crime, when need requires.  
God give you both, with a happy and blessed new year, all renewments of his grace and holy Spirit, to his glory in you, and your endless comfort in him.  
Bretenham, January, 1. 1619. Yours, with his best and best deserved affections, HUM. MUNNING.   
1. COR. 10. Vers. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1. COR. 10. Vers. 32. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God: 1. COR. 10. Vers. 33. Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. 
TO discern things that differ (as the Apostle speaketh, Phil. 1.10.) is a necessary grace in a Christian, and requireth true wisdom indeed. But I am deceived, if the wisdom and perspiciency of a Christian be not of as necessary use, and as much to be required in indifferent things as in those that differ. For in these things of a middle and indifferent nature, where we have not direct nor express commandment of God to overrule us, but are left (after a sort) to the liberty of our will: here we do commonly 
* Aut haesitare, aut praecipitare.  either go too slow, or too fast: here zeal without knowledge, or knowledge without zeal, doth dangerously miscarry us: here Satan, taking advantage either of our ignorance or of some other corruption within us, doth set his traps for us; yea, here he makes one Christian set a trap for another: here, for the most part, we are 
* Jactatores libertatis.  boasters of our liberty, carrying ourselves too strongly upon it, and see not that we are snared in it, and how Satan makes nets of indifferent things, wherein we are easily taken, and hardly escape without some loss or hurt to ourselves or others. Into this net, or toil, the devil had got the Christian Corinthians, where with the overfree use of indifferent things, namely of meats sacrificed to idols, they did gore and wound the consciences one of another. The Apostle therefore seeing their danger, and in theirs foreseeing ours, doth take great pains to deliver them and us out of these briers; so great, as in no other point that I know, except the main of our justification by faith, he hath taken any greater: giving unto the Corinthians, and in them unto us, with other instructions of like nature, certain general rules, whereby a wise and good Christian may walk safely in these things: neither to scrupulously tying up himself and others from the use of them altogether; nor yet loosely and dissolutely abusing his liberty in them, as an occasion to the flesh.  
Of these general rules this that I have read unto you is one, and the principal: it is the conclusion of the whole discourse or disputation about indifferent things, from the beginning of the eighth chapter. And it seemeth to me that the Apostle setteth it down by way of anticipation, thus: The Christian Corinthians, upon occasion of that which the Apostle had urged before, might reply and say, Why, Sir, if there be such danger in eating and drinking, feasting and companie-keeping with our friends, and other things of this nature, that (as you say) God is provoked, and our souls endangered thereby; what shall we do? we had best utterly abstain, and throw away our liberty that we seem to have in these things, for ever. To this reply of theirs the Apostle rejoineth in these words. Nay, (saith he) I say not so unto you: but if you will take it, I will give you a safe and sure rule to walk by in these and all other like things. And that is this; Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, and to the edification of your brethren. You are wise men and full of knowledge; use your wisdom in the practice of this rule, consider the circumstances and especially the end of all your actions, and do thereafter.  
So we have here a Rule, or (as the Apostle calleth it Gal. 6.16.) a Canon for a Christian to walk by in all his actions. And indeed it should be the Rule of all rules, and the Canon of all canons, to rule and overrule all that a Christian doth in all things, and even in those wherein he may seem to himself to be most at liberty, even in things of a middle and indifferent nature.  
And here we have three things to consider of. First, the actions or things that are to be ruled. Secondly, the rule itself, whereby they are to be ruled. And thirdly an example.  
The actions or things to be ruled are set down by a distribution: Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do. The Apostle doth instance in eating and drinking, because they were the things in question at that time. And yet lest we should think the rule to appertain only to eating and drinking, he addeth the general, Whatsoever else; to teach us that all our actions must fall under a rule.  
The rule whereby these things are to be ruled, is the end. And that is double: first, the glory of God; secondly, the edification of our neighbour. The first is set down in plain and express terms; Do all to the glory of God. The second is set down by a remotion of the contrary; Give no offence, cause none to fall or to stumble, no Jew, no Grecian, much less any of the people and Church of God.  
The example is taken from himself: As in all things I please all men. In all things of this nature, in all indifferent things, I do not so much respect mine own liberty or commodity, as how the action will fall out to others; not using my liberty or power in any thing, but where I may further the salvation of others thereby.  
Now (to take these things as they lie in order) first concerning the actions or things to be ruled, they are (as we see) specially eating and drinking, but in general all things whatsoever. For so the Apostle, Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do. From which general words of the Apostle this general doctrine doth arise unto us, namely, That all things whatsoever a Christian man doth, must be done by a rule. And a Christian hath no such liberty, to do what he list, at least, to do as he list in any thing. Though God hath given us great liberty in many things; yet no such liberty, as to be irregular or out of rule in any thing.  
And the Scripture saith the same thing in other places, though in other terms. For that same integrity that God requireth of Abraham, to walk before him and be upright, the undefiledness in the ways of the Lord, that David speaketh of in the Psalms, the sincerity and unblameableness that the Apostles exhort unto otherwhere, Walking honestly and pleasing God in all things; what is all this, I say, but the observing of a rule in all things that we do, as the Apostle here requireth.  
And the best interpreters upon this place affirm so much.  

* Piscator.  One saith, This aught to be the scope of all our actions. 
* Hemming  Another saith, Let this rule be observed in all things. And 
* Marlorat.  a third saith, No part of man's life, no action TAM MINUTA, not such a minute, not such a minim of an action in a Christian, but must be referred to this end.  
The general will the better appear, if it be laid open in some particulars. And first in this wherein the Apostle instanceth; Whether ye eat or drink. What is more free, or wherein hath God given more liberty to man, then in eating and drinking? Every moving thing that liveth (saith God Gen. 9.3.) shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. And Deut. 12.20. If thou shalt say, I will eat flesh (because thy soul longeth to eat flesh) thou mayest eat flesh whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. And the Apostle telleth us, 1. Tim. 4.4. Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. And in this chapter, verse 25. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, ask no question for conscience sake.  
Behold here liberty enough! And blessed be God that (as Mr Calvin saith) we need not cat our meat with a doubtful and fearful conscience. And to teach otherwise, were a doctrine of devils.  
What then? For all this liberty, might a Jew therefore, during the time of the levitical law, have eaten of swine's flesh, or any other legally-unclean creature? No, you say, That was forbidden by the Law, and therefore not indifferent. But I say, The thing was indifferent still in its own nature, and the prohibition of the law was but a restriction in the use for a time.  
Or what shall we say to that temporary exception in the Apostles time? Might a believing Gentile during that time have eaten of things strangled or of blood? or may we now abuse our liberty in eating and drinking (I do not say to surfeiting and drunkenness, but) to the breach of any honest and Godly politic law amongst us? Nay, we see that notwithstanding this great liberty in this matter, yet the Apostle doubteth not to give rules to our eating and drinking, and such rules as do both restrain and limit the outward act, and also in some sort do bind the conscience, and make a man guilty of sin in the neglect of the same. So as notwithstanding our liberty in eating and drinking, yet we may not be libertines therein.  Let us see the like in apparel. 
The fair, or (as Tremellius translateth) the desirable garments of Esau, the particoloured coat that Jacob made for his son Joseph, the changes of raiment that Joseph gave to his brethren, and the vestures of divers colours that the king's daughters wore being virgins; all these do declare what liberty God hath given unto us in the use of apparel. 
Nolo ut de ornamentis auri, vel vestis, properam habeas in prohibendo sententiam.  A liberty that seemed so great to that learned Father Augustine, that he giveth this Item or Caveat to Possidonius about this matter, I will not (saith he) that you be very forward in censuring or judging any for their garments or ornaments of gold. And experience doth teach us every day, that as much grace is to be found under a gay coat, as under a grey one.  
And yet for all this, when the daughters and ladies of Jerusalem would keep no rule in their apparel, who knoweth not how sharply the Prophet rebuketh them? 
Isai. 3.  Yea the Princes themselves and the King's children are threatened that God will punish them for being clothed with strange apparel. 
Zeph. 1.8.  And the holy Apostles, giving rules of sobriety in apparel to Christian women, do teach us that all our actions and fashions in this matter must go by a rule. And I think all good minds do mourn, to see how out of all rule men and women are now adays in all callings and conditions. I say, in all; I except not that which should be an example of humility and Christian sobriety to all the rest. Surely our pride doth testify to our face, and we are too fare gone in affecting the mark of dignity in our habits and apparel: which, besides our sin against God and our Christian rule, is also, as one censureth it (and I think, truly) a note of pusillanimity and b●se debility in ourselves.  
And to touch that a little, wherein men are most irregular: even the recreation of a Christian (if any be at all) must be done by a rule. For if we must eat and drink by a rule, if we must apparel ourselves by a rule: why must not our recreation be by a rule also? 
Danaeus, de ludo alea, cap. 1.  Certainly, when the Apostle saith, WHATSOEVER ELSE YE DO, there is no remedy but play and pastime must be comprehended in this general, saith a great Divine.  
I know what wars men are at in their judgements about this matter of play and pastime: and I mean not to be a stickler between them at this time, further than my Text doth thrust me in whether I will or no; and that is thus fare. Certainly either play must not be used by a Christian at all: or if it be, it must be done by a rule, yea by this rule, as all other things ought to be. And if any man think his pastime an action not serious enough to hold proportion with the glory of God, let him take heed how he meddle with it: for how dare a Christian divert or turn from this end in any thing that he doth?  
And thus fare we have seen the generality of this doctrine laid open in certain particulars. Now one or two things for the use of it.  
Use 1 First, it condemneth the unruliness of these times, wherein men are become very libertines, though not in profession, yet in practice, and almost in profession too. The Apostle's Omnia licent every man taketh by the end: but his Non expediunt no man looketh after. Every man eateth, drinketh, playeth, apparelleth himself as he listeth, saith and doth what he listeth, without any regard of God or his weak brother. And that which me thinketh is strange, all this irregularity shrowdeth itself under the protection of Christian liberty.  
Why I, you say, is it not a part of our Christian liberty, to use without scruple of conscience indifferent things? I grant it is: but how? to use them as we list ourselves, without all regard to the glory of God, or the good of our brethren? God forbidden that any man should once dream, that Christ hath made such a purchase for us. To use them, there is our liberty; and this liberty is rather in the conscience, then in the outward act: but to use them as we list ourselves, without any regard to God and to our brethren; this is more than liberty, more than Christian, yea more than Civil. For even the Civilians themselves (if I be not deceived) do define their liberty thus, Liberty (say they) is a natural power, whereby a man doth what he will, so fare as the laws do permit. And so, Christian liberty is a supernatural power obtained by Christ, whereby a Christian doth what he will, according to his Christian rule, or, according to the rule of God's word. We must therefore, by this doctrine, learn to abhor that abuse of liberty, and unruliness, which we see to be afoot in these days, even amongst Christians themselves.  
On the other side, this doctrine must teach us, for Use 2 our part (whatsoever others do) to draw ourselves under a rule, and to submit and subject ourselves thereunto in all that we do. Every Christian is a builder: and every builder (we know) goeth by a rule: no mason, no carpenter works without his rule: and if he should, what manner of work would he make? The obedient and truly regular Rechabites did keep the rule of their father Jonadab: and not only they shall rise up in judgement against us, if we will not keep the rule of the Apostle; but even their apes and counterfeits, the observers of the rules of Dominick and Francis, and the rest of them. For shall an hypocrite in a cowl observe the rule of one like unto himself, and shall not we observe the rule of him that hath made and redeemed us? For the rule of the Apostle is Christ's rule: and we may not nor cannot, without great and damnable disobedience, refuse it.  
Well then, you say, if we must be tied to a rule, let us see what that rule is. That we shall see by and by. In the mean while understand that we must take heed of those crooked and perverse rules that most men do follow. The example of the multitude, a foolish rule: you know how God forbids it unto us. The fashion of the world, that is, of the time and age wherein we live; a dangerous rule: the Apostle gives us a great charge that we cut not out our conversation after the pattern thereof. 
Nè vos configurate seculo i●●i; Rom. 12.2.  The profits and pleasures of this life seem golden rules to some: but indeed they are naughty rules, and the latter of them fit for beasts then for men. 
Arbitria Judicum, Responsa prudentum  Nay, I go further, the decrees of civil Judges, and maxims of wisemen, which the Statesmen and Politicians tell us are the grounds of all laws, and must overrule all; yet even these are no sufficient rules for a Christian, no rules in conscience: for these rules may be bend, and are bend oftentimes to serve the wills and pleasures of men. But we must have such a rule as may be without all exception and variation: a rule that must be, as some learned speak in the terms of the Schools, inobliquabilis & indeviabilis: a rule that no good man dare, nor no wicked man can bend to his private affection.  
Well then, what is this rule? The Apostle tells us, it is this, even to do all to the glory of God, and the good of our neighbour. This must be the continual and perpetual end of all our actions. And as in shooting a man takes his aim and level from his mark: so a Christian in doing must be ruled by this end.  
Indeed not only from the end or object is an action always construed to be good; the integrity or rectitude of other circumstances must concur withal: but chief the end makes or mars all. And though a good end doth not wholly warrant an action to be good: yet an ill end doth ever vitiate and corrupt it. As for example; What action can be better than that which now we are in hand with, namely, the hearing and speaking of the word of God? and yet (God be merciful unto us) how foully doth an ill end ofttimes corrupt it? If then we will have our actions sound and good indeed, we must take heed we do them to a good end; be sure of this, that the end be good.  
This end, as the Apostle here propoundeth it, is double: one principal, and that is the glory of God; the other secondary or subordinate, and that is the edification of our brethren.  
First and principally do all to the glory of God. To this end our Saviour speaketh when he saith, 
Matth. 5.16.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. To this end David exhorteth the men of his time, 
Psal. 29.2.  to give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name. But I will not stand to heap up Scriptures to this purpose: let us see what the thing is which the Apostle calleth the glory of God.  
Glory is well defined by a heathen writer thus; 
Frequens de aliquo fama cum laude. Wilson dict.  It is (saith he) a frequent fame or good report of a man with praise: By a Christian writer thus; It is praise increased, and abundantly published. Then to do a thing to the glory of God, is to do it so, as from thence God may be much and honourably spoken of, the praise of God may be increased and abundantly published. When the wisdom, the mercy, the justice, the goodness of God do shine in our actions, and we do them to this end; then they are done to the glory of God. So by occasion of those works that our Saviour Christ did, 
Matth. 9.8.  the Evangelist saith, that the people did glorify God, that is, did speak great and glorious things of God. 
Gal. 1.24.  And Paul, after his conversion and calling into the Ministry, did all things so as the people did glorify God in him, or for him. So here, Do all things to the glory of God, that is, do all things so, as from every thing that you do men may take occasion to praise and magnify the name of God.  
This doing of things to the glory of God is the matter of the first petition in the Lord's prayer, and of the third commandment in the Decalogue: from which two places they that will may fetch matter enough to this argument.  
But forasmuch as our failing in this rule ariseth not so much from our ignorance in the rule, as from our want of affection to the rule: let us therefore consider a little of some good and weighty reasons that may stir and move us to the practice of it.  
And first, let me reason from the end of our creation. 
Prov. 16.4.  The Lord (saith the Scripture) hath made all things for himself: that is, for his own glory. From hence I reason thus: That end which God respected in making of man, ought man to respect in all his actions: But God in making of man respected his own glory: Therefore the glory of God ought to be the end of all our actions. Else we shall divert and turn, not only our own actions, but also the very workmanship of God in us, to another end than he that made us meant and intended. Which if a man himself will account a great wrong in the work of his hands: how much more shall it be a sin and presumption against the glorious and omnipotent Architect of all the world!  
A second reason may be taken from the merit and deserving of God in our creation and all that he hath done for us. Glory, that is fame and renown, always followeth merit and deserving; but all worthiness and true deserving is in God. 
Est fama multorum magnorúmque meritorum, Cic.  No man doth absolutely deserve any thing at the hands of another man; because every man is bound by some debt or duty one to another. Only God, who is the great and free-giving God, doth deserve at our hands: And therefore all glory is due unto him: and so due, that a learned and witty Divine saith, 
Ejus omnitatem, nostram nullitatem, Alsted.  we must acknowledge all to him, and nothing to ourselves. And this the four and twenty Elders (who are the common type of all the holy assemblies here upon earth) do teach us, when they fall down before him that sat on the throne, and cast their crowns before the throne, and give this reason thereof, Thou art worthy, O Lord, 
Rev. 4.11.  to receive glory:— for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. He that hath made all, and bestoweth freely and liberally all gifts of creation and preservation upon all: is he not worthy to have glory at the hands of all? It is the Apostle's reason in another place: 
1. Cor. 6.20.  Glorify God in your bodies and souls; for they are Gods. And indeed, is it much for us to eat and drink to his glory, of whose liberality we have every bit of bread and every drop of drink that we have? Or is it much for us to apparel ourselves to his glory, without whom we have not so much as a fig-leaf to hid our nakedness? It were infinite to follow this argument in all the particulars: I come therefore to a third reason, and that is this;  
The example of all the best and most excellent servants of God in all ages doth provoke us hereunto: whose hearts have been so fired with the zeal of God's glory, that, to the end they might promote that, they have utterly neglected themselves. David was even devoured and eaten up with it: Moses and Paul preferred it to their own salvation: the holy Martyrs gave their lives, and endured all torments, that God might be glorified by them. How miserable and wretched are we, and how nothing akin to those holy servants of God, if we will not so much as bridle an inordinate desire, not abstain from a liberty or commodity which we may spare well enough, not forgo a whit of our vain pleasures and delights of this life, for the honouring and glorifying of the name of our God Surely great reason there is, that we should admit of this rule, and willingly let the glory of God be the end of all our actions.  
But (beloved brethren) is it thus with us? Give me leave to deal plainly and roundly in a matter of so great respect. Yet will I say nothing of open and notorious wicked persons, Atheists, Epicures, Drunkards, Whores, Thiefs, Usurers, Cozeners, the Foxes and Wolves, 
Quibus anima data est prosale, nè putrescant. Cic.  the Horses and Mules, the Dogs and Swine of the time, who would rot and stink as they go, if they had not a reasonable soul in them, to keep them from putrefaction. The lives and actions of these are not in derogation of God's glory, but in a mere opposition and contradiction to it. I come to others who seem to have some fear of God in them, and I hope have so too; and yet are in nothing studious of the glory of God as they should be. For tell me I pray you, Our immoderate purchases and bottomless covetousness, our heaping of live and possessions one upon another, as the old giants are said to have heaped mountains one upon another; are these things to the glory of God? Is it glorious to God, that they who profess to be his children, should be shifters and carvers for themselves, lifting, heaving, and shoving for the world (as Mr Perkins saith) as if they had no Father in Heaven, nor no Divine providence to trust unto? and then for a cover of their worldliness do mock God, and say, O we must have a care, etc. Is it a glory to God that it shall be spoken and written of Turks, that they are honest, just, plaindealing men, and true of their word: and we, who are the servants not of Mahomet but of Jesus Christ and of him are called Christians, dare not trust one another? The proud and lofty carriage of the rich, gaping over the heads of the poor; (as the Prophet speaketh;) and, on the other side, the rude and insolent behaviour of the poor, the vile rising up oftentimes against the honourable: is it to the glory of God? Come we to our meetings and merriments, our carnal rejoicings, 
Deus bone, quae sunt nostra gaudia! quae sunt nostra prandia! Curios simulamus, & Bacchanalia vivimus, Musc.  our eating and drinking like Epicures, when we profess Christians: can God be glorified by such irreligious behaviour? Our babish and gaudy attire in our apparel, being sick of some fantastical fashion to day, and full and weary of it to morrow, putting all workmen to their wits end to follow the oft-turning weathercock of our restless and unchangeable fantasies: Our idle pastimes, not as a parenthesis to the period of our labours, but our labour a poor and short parenthesis to the large and long leaves of our pastimes: Our unbrotherly contentions, filling all the Courts and Consistories in the kingdom, and setting every day a work such swarms of attorneys and advocates as we do: are these things indeed, think you, to the glory of God? And not to be infinite, though in a subject that will scarcely suffer me to find any end: Is it to the glory of God, that his great and Divine majesty should be dallied withal in his most holy word: that men shall call for sermons and erect exercises, with great show of godliness; and when all comes to all, the Ministers and Preachers of the word shall be of no other use to a great many, but as minstrels and pipers are, for their delight and pleasure? as God saith to the Prophet, 
Ezek. 33.32.  Thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice—: for they hear thy words but they do them not. Alas, these words of the Apostle, willing us to do all to the glory of God, do even shame and confound us. Our own glory is aloft, but the glory of God is under foot everywhere: and, as if there were no danger to be competitors and corrivals with God in a thing so precious unto him, we divest him daily of his glory, to invest ourselves. Well, let this Scripture a little school us, let us remember that if we be as we should be, 
Plantatio Domini, ad glorificandum eum, Isai. 61.3.  we are his workmanship, form and planted by him to the praise of his glory. And he is worthy of all our labour and endeavour that can be employed that way.  
But I shall not reach my project, if I come not to the second part of the rule, namely the end of our actions in respect of our brethren. And that must be to edify them. As God must be glorified, so our brethren must be edified in all that we do.  
To edify, is to build up. And all men are bvilders, but some men do build the wrong way. For even he that gives an offence to his brother, doth build him up some way: he destroys him and pulls him down in goodness, 
Scandalum est aedificatio ad delictum; Tertull.  but he builds him up and sets him forward in evil. Take heed, saith the Apostle, that you do not so build up one another, Give no offence to any man.  
There be two words about this matter, differing in sound, but in sense and use, I think, all one. Scandal is one, and Offence is the other.  
Scandalum is properly and literally tigillum, the bridge of a trap, which is set for a mouse or such other creature: which as soon as the unhappy creature toucheth, the trap falls and the poor beast is taken. Spiritually and Metaphorically, a scandal is any word or act said or done by one man, which falls out to the hurt and destruction of another man in the case of conscience and religion.  
Offendiculum, the word that the Apostle useth here, is a block or stone in a man's way, whereupon he stumbleth: either out of ignorance, as a blind man doth; or of weakness, as aged and infirm persons do. In religious use it is every occasion of sin that one man gives to another, either by false doctrine or bad example. And this latter is often in the use of indifferent things. The poor, blind, ignorant, weak Christian goes on prettily well and cheerfully in the way of godliness, till he comes to such a block or trap: there he stumbles, there he is taken; either to his utter destruction, or to his great hindrance in the way to eternal life.  
Such a stumbling-block was the eating of meats sacrificed to idols among the Corinthians. By which act, indiscreetly and uncharitably done of some, three sorts of men were offended.  
First, the unbelieving Jews, seeing the Christians to eat of things offered to idols, which they justly and by the law of God detested; they by this thought the worse of Christian religion, and were set the further off from it: as the Turks and Jews at this day are offended and set off from our religion by the idols and images of the Papists.  
Secondly, the Grecians, that is, the unconverted Gentiles, these were offended likewise, though not grieved. For they thought the better of their own heathenish and idolatrous religion, because the Christians did partake with them in their sacrifices; and so were hardened in their superstition.  
Thirdly, weak Christians, ignorant as yet of the Christian liberty under the Gospel, and holding it in conscience a sin to eat of such things; yet were drawn on by example of others to eat against their conscience, and so were made guilty of sin.  
Thus it was amongst the Corinthians in this matter of idolothytes, or things sacrificed to idols: which, out of the case of scandal or offence might lawfully have been used of them; but, in the case of offence to a weak brother, was a sin and offence against God also. And the like evil (as I think) falleth out amongst us at this day, by the daily abuse of our Christian liberty in other things. For,  
First, the Papists seeing how lose and lawless we are in many things, they, though well enough pleased, yet are truly offended, thinking all our religion nothing but a carnal liberty; and are ready upon every occasion to blaspheme and say, Behold the fruits of your Gospel! So they are utterly set off by this block.  
Secondly, the carnal Protestants, usurers, proud and covetous persons, they are hardened in their sins by the example of our seeming best professors. Behold, say they, these that profess most are as deep in these things as we: they think to go to heaven for all this; and why should not we?  
Thirdly, weak and ignorant Christians, who for the most part do not inwardly consider the nature of things, nor examine the reasons of their actions, but are carried wholly by example; they stumble and fall everywhere, thinking they may safely do as others do, yea though they do things whereof their conscience doth accuse and condemn them.  
To remedy this great evil there is no way, but to listen to the counsel and look to this rule of the Apostle; Give no offence, set no traps, lay no blocks in any man's way. Let this be a part of your Christian rule, which God himself hath here conjoined, and therefore must be observed with the respect of his own glory.  
The doctrine of offences in this scandalising and scandalized age, were necessary to be better known than it is. But every man cannot sail through a sea of so many and such intricate questions. At this time it shall be enough for me, to deliver unto you one point of doctrine, which (as I think) doth naturally and necessarily arise out of this Scripture. And that is this, That how lawful soever a thing be in itself, yet if I see that my using of it at this time, and in this manner, is like to be a snare, a trap, or a stumbling-block to my brother: that is, there is danger lest by this means my brother either fall away utterly from religion, or if not so, yet fall into some sin for the present, which, for aught I know, may be deadly unto him: or if not so, yet the good opinion which he had of me, as of a Christian and fellow-member, is diminished; and so, whereas before he went the more cheerfully towards heaven for my company, he goeth now for this act of mine the more sadly and heavily: In this case, how lawful soever the act be in itself, by all other laws of God and men; yet now by the law of charity and by this rule of the Apostle, it becometh unlawful to me, and I ought not to do it. I say, in all indifferent things which are in our own power, where our liberty is not justly restrained and limited by a superior authority; there a Christian must walk by this rule, He must give no offence in any thing that he doth. But you will say, the action is lawful; why then may I not do it? The Apostle telleth thee, thou must first see how it will fall out to thy brother: the issue or event may be evil to some weak brother, though the action be not ill in itself. I, but I will use my liberty, whatsoever becometh of my brother. I, but now walkest thou not charitably, saith the Apostle: destroy not him with thy meat, with thy pleasure, with thy pastime, with thy apparel, for whom Christ hath died. Charity must ever overrule our liberty, 
Charitati subjicienda libertas.  according to that of the Apostle, Gal. 5.13. Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Upon which words that excellent servant of God Mr Calvin hath a saying worthy to be written in letters of gold, 
Ubicunque regnat charitas, illic mutua est servitus.  or rather in the heart of every Christian. Wheresoever (saith he) Charity beareth rule, there men are servants one to another.  
Now this doctrine being true as I make no question but it is; it doth first show us how uncharitable most men are, who look no further then to themselves in any thing. So they may have their profits, their pleasures; let other men stand or stumble, sink or swim, they care not. This is no less sin, then to destroy a brother. For though a brother perish not always in this case, yet no thank to him by whom the block was laid.  
Secondly, let this persuade good Christians to make conscience of this part of the rule, as well as of the former: to do all things, as to the glory of God, so to the edification of our brethren. And remember that that which was so dear and precious to Christ, cannot be vile to any true Christian. And to have a tender care of our brethren, especially of our weak brethren, who are Christ's little ones, is a sweet fruit of our love to Christ, and a sure token of his Spirit dwelling in us.  
Thus we see what our Christian rule is: 
Deum ignominiâ afficit, gratiâ excidit, & reus fit irae Divinae, donce resipuerit, Hemming. in locum.  and let him that refuseth to submit himself to this rule, hear how a learned man and a great Divine censureth him: He dishonoureth God, he falleth (in some sort) from grace, and is made subject to the wrath of God, till he repent.  
Now to this rule the Apostle adjoineth an example, even his own: Even as I do in all things. It were worth our time and attendance (if time would suffer us any longer to attend) to see how wise, how charitable, how conscionable the Apostle was ever in all his carriage and behaviour towards others in this respect: always binding himself to his own rule, and preferring the good of others before his own liberty or commodity in every thing. But to end with the time, to what purpose serve examples, but to be followed? And if neither rule nor example will hold us to our Christian duty; we must look for our reward with libertines and lawless hypocrites at the hands of a just and righteous God.  
FINIS.