Gospel Liberty, Sermon 4
1 CORINTHIANS 10.23.
All things are lawfull for me, but all things are not expedient, &c.
YOu may remember, I obſerved three leſſons from theſe words.
Firſt, that
There are divers things now lawfull to the Saints under the new Teſtament, that were not to the Saints under the Old.
Or
There is a greater latitude in externall things (for ſo I opened it) for the Saints in point of lawfulnes under the new Teſtament, than their was to the Saints under the Old-Teſtament. That Doctrine wee have finiſhed.
I come now to the ſecond Doctrine, which is this, That
Though divers things be LAWFULL to the Saints under the new Teſtament, Doct. Though many things be now lawfull: but few are expedient.yet there are but a few things EXPEDIENT.
All lawfull things are not expedient, nor fit for a Saint to doe under the new Teſtament; Though there be divers things that are lawfull, that God hath not commanded or forbidden, that God hath not determined in his word; yet of thoſe things there are not many expedient for a Chriſtian to doe, that is, at all times, in all places, &c. For our proceeding in this point I ſhall ſhew you two things:
Firſt, open it a little to you, (for that is the chiefe.)
Secondly, wee will prove it briefly for methods ſake; And then by the help of God bring in the third Doctrine fitly, I hope, as a Uſe, or Application.
All lawfull things I ſay, are not expedient: For the opening of it I ſhall ſhew theſe two thing;
Firſt,1. Whatmeāt by lawfull things. what is meant by lawfull things.
Secondly, what is here meant by expedient things.
I ſpake ſomewhat of it before: but that you may underſtand me concerning the firſt: there are three ſorts of things according to the Scripture that may be ſaid to be inexpedient, or inconvenient for a Saint to doe:
Firſt, it is inconvenient, inexpedient for a Saint to doe things that are purely, Things that are ſimply eviland ſimply evil, though it be not properly ſaid to be inexpedient, as unlawfull, yet in a ſort it is inexpedient alwayes, to all people, in all places, they are never ſit to be done, they are both unlawfull and inexpedient, as it is in Epheſ. 5.3. Fornication, and all uncleanneſs, or covetouſneſſe, let it not once be named among you, as becometh Saints: neither filthines, nor fooliſh talking, nor jeſting, which are not convenient. which are not expedient, not ſeemly; Fornication, and whoredome, and filthineſs, ſuch things are never expedient, or beſeeming a Chriſtian, to be a whoremonger, or a drunkard, or a cheater, (as I feare too many are) it is never expedient. So in Rom. 1.28. The Apoſtle ſaith that the people were Filled with all unrighteouſneſſe, they changed the naturall uſe to that which is againſt nature; and the men leaving the naturall uſe of the women, burned in their luſt one towards another, men with men working that which is UNSEEMLY. That is, they committed Sodomie man with man, and all ſorts of wickednes, and fornication, and covetouſneſs, and maliciouſneſs; being full of envie, murther, debate, deceite, &c. And what follows? The Lord gave them up to a reprobate minde, to do things that are not CONVENIENT; which were not ſeemly. That I may trouble you no farther with that; evill things, that are ſimply evil are never convenient at any time, for any man to doe.
Secondly,2. Things that are ſimply good in three caſes a thing may be inexpedient ſometimes that is ſimply good, hic et nunc at ſometime, in ſome place, and to ſome perſons it may be inexpedient in theſe three Caſes.
Firſt, when a greater good comes in,1. When a greater good comes in. a leſſer good ceaſeth, it is inexpedient. As for example, to read a chapter and expound to your families, it is expedient: but if my neighbours houſe be on fire, and his wife and children in it, it is inexpedient for me to expound, I am to leave that when a greater good comes in: as in Luke 13. to raiſe up a beaſt, or to waite upon ones parents being ſicke on the Sabbath day; when a greater good comes in, the leſſer good is inexpedient.
Secondly,2. When wee cannot come at the good without doing of evil. a thing ſimply good may be inexpedient, when I cannot come to the good unleſſe I will doe that that is evil; As if a man cannot preach in publicke except he will take the Caviliers oath, it is inexpedient, becauſe I cannot come at the good but by doing the evil.
Thirdly,3. When a greater evil will follow the good. a thing ſimply good may be ſometime inexpedient, when neceſſarily, and directly, and inevitably there will follow ſomething that is groſſely evil, that is a greater evil than the good, we doe, is good. I doe not ſay that evil by accident ſhould terrifie us from doing of good, for then wee ſhould never doe good. It may be you may ſtumble to heare me, and are the worſe. And a hundred things that fall by accident, theſe ſhould not terrifie me: but when evil appeares directly to follow, in ſome caſes it is not expedient to doe good. We are commanded to reprove the works of darkneſſe: but Mat. 6. if a man be a dogg or a ſwine, that is, in the height of darkneſſe, and wickedneſs, a man is not to reprove him, becauſe he will fall upon him, and rent him: for inſtance, I ſee a wicked man, and I have reproved him, and I am in danger of my life if I tell him of his evils; I am at my liberty whether I will reprove him, or no; So, God ſent Paul to preach to all Nations, yet he preached only to them of reputation, Gal. 2. That is, to wiſe underſtanding Chriſtians, and kept it from other people: he was bid to preach to all Nations; but becauſe he ſaw he ſhould run invaine, and undoe his miniſtery if he ſhould doe it at that time, by reaſon of that he did not doe that that was ſimply good in it ſelf.
But thirdly,3. Things indifferent things may be ſaid to be inexpedient, that are (as you call them) indifferent things, and by thoſe I mean, not only, nor chiefely, outward externall things, civill things, as eating, and drinking, and ſitting, and walking, and the like: but I mean in a generall ſenſe every thing; thoſe things whatſoever they be that God hath not abſolutely, and peremtorily determined in his will, and word in the new Teſtament, whether in Doctrine or Diſcipline in his Worſhip, (if I may ſo ſpeak, though improperly,) or whatſoever he hath not abſolutely determined; thoſe things I call indifferent. And though there be abundance of things that are not ſo determined that are lawfull for Chriſtians to doe, yet alway thoſe things are not expedient, and convenient for them to doe.
And before I proceed farther to open this (which is the greateſt thing) I deſire you to take two cautions.Cautions.
Firſt, in opening to you this expediency that I am to ſpeak of, and the reſt, I ſhall make uſe of many Scriptures, that ſometimes mingle things ſimplie evil with things undetermined; now take it not, as though every thing that I ſhall name in a text I call things indifferent.
Secondly, doe not conceive by what I have ſaid,2. Nor to weaken things determined. or by what I mean to ſay, that I goe about to innervate, or to weaken any thing that God hath determined in his word, God forbid: but my drift is to ſhew how you ſhould walk in reſpect of thoſe things (be they what they will) that God hath not determined: but left at liberty. So, obſerving that;
We come to the next thing, to ſhew what is expediency.
All things are lawfull: but all things are not EXPEDIENT.
That is, divers things are lawfull: for I ſpeak not properly of the two other, things ſimplie good, and ſimplie evil: but of things undetermined; and ſeeing every thing is not expedient; What is the meaning of that? what is the expediency of things?
By the word expedient in this text,Expediency what. I ſuppoſe the Lord takes one word that comprehends all thoſe rules that are to order and guide us in our converſations, in the uſe of things that are not abſolutely commanded, or forbidden. It is a large word, ALL things are not expedient; that is, all things are not fit, not meet, all things are not worthy the Goſpel, they are not decent, they are not comely, they do not edifie, they are not conveniēt, not lovely, not veērable, not of good report. I believe it comprehends all, & implies all, though it ſignifie ſome one thing more eſpecially in particular.
Now, becauſe the words are many, and it would be tedious to ſhew all the rules, or expreſſions in Scripture, that teach us how to carrie our ſelves in theſe things, and finding the rules coinſidere, and many of the expreſſions to ſignifie the ſame thing: Therefore I will reduce all to foure heads, or generall rules, or expreſſions, that the holy Ghoſt uſeth concerning things undeterminea by the Lord in Scripture.reduced to 4 heads
Firſt, I will take expediency in its own native ſignification, and look what light we can get there.
All things are not expedient.
The meaning of the word expediency.The meaning of the word wee ſhall ſee a little by that that follows, the Apoſtle explaines himſelfe, all things are lawfull: but all things edefie not. That is, that is not expedient, that doth not edifie, that doth not add any thing to one. The word ſumpertí ſignifies gaine, or profit, or wealth, and that in a compound manner, it ſignifies ſome commoditie that one gets. Every thing is not expedient, that is, it is not profitable, it doth not bring gaine, it doth not doe good; as the Apoſtle ſaith after, Let no man ſeek his own: but anothers wealth. So it is tranſlated in one place, profit 1 Cor. 12.7. The manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall. And as one obſerves it ſignifies not barely profit: but great gaine, as Piſcator ſaith, when men bring every one a ſtock of money to make a common bank, when one hath one gift, & another another, to make a common bank for the good of the Church: it ſignifies profit in a compound manner.
Concurrence of things to profit or expediency.But I thinke as properly, or rather more properly that the word may alſo ſignifie the reſpect of things, it ſignifies not only profit or commoditie, but a concurence of things to helpe on that profite, as thus. A thing is expedient when it brings gaine, and commoditie to ſome perſon, this is expediencie. As for inſtance, ſuppoſe a Collonell have a command to go to the Army, it is lawfull, but the queſtion is whether it be expedient; now if he have order to goe and not mony, or if he have a Commiſsion, and money, and have not Armes, or if he have Armes and not ſouldiers, it is not expedient for him to go, here is not a concurrence of all circumſtances to a profitable and good action: but when all come together, as when he hath inſtructions, and order, and armes, and ſouldiers, and mony, when all concur and come in, then it is wondrous expedient.
Neither miſtake mee, it is not neceſſarie to make a thing expedient, either civell, or ſpirituall circumſtances concur, as the proverbe is, there is no commoditie but there is a diſcomoditie, there is no ſuch buſines, but ſome thing may jarr: but a buſines is ſaid to be expedient when the generallitie, when the moſt, or the moſt materiall things concurre, though ſome bee a way, if ſome meet it may be expedient. As if a Captaine have ſouldiers, and monie, and armes, though hee have not faire weather, or want a Coat or ſuch a thing, yet it may be expedient for him to goe. So in ſpirituall things, a thing that is undetermined is inexpedient when the circumſtances are ſo thwart, and croſſe that it is like to bring no good, but hurt: but when the circumſtances or moſt of them meet, that it is like to bring profit, then it is expedient: for alwayes circumſtances doe jumpe ſo, to make the buſines profitable or gainefull, but hurtfull, and unprofitable.
But you will ſay, Queſt. what gaine or profit is that that you expect an action ſhould bring, before a chriſtian be allowed to doe it, and to determine on it?
Beloved, Anſw. it ſhould bring gaine foure wayes (as I may ſo ſpeak.) Our books tranſlate it well, though that be not proper, we have not words to expreſſe it; we muſt not take the word in the proper ſenſe, no more than the word wealth, in the next verſe after the text: for the word ſignifies gaine, or profit, or commoditie, or wealth, or advantage, &c. I ſay it ſhould bring gaine
To God.Expedient actions muſt bring gaine, or profit 4 wayes.
To My brother.
To Thoſe without.
To My own ſoule.
That action that is lawfull, that is undetermined, if it doe not profit theſe foure wayes, or either of the foure; If it doe not bring advancement to the glory of God, or ſomething to the good of my brother, or ſomething to win them that are without, or ſomething for the ſetling of the peace of my own conſcience, it is not for me to doe it, never let me talk it is lawfull, it is not expedient.
1. To advance the glory of God.Firſt, for the glory of God, you ſhall ſee 1 Cor. 10. the ſame Chapter where the text is, Every thing is lawfull, but every thing is not expedient; What is that expediency? Let no man ſeek his own, but anothers wealth. It is ſomewhat that brings gaine; what gaine? If any of them that believe not bid you to a feaſt, and yee be diſpoſed to goe, whatſoever is ſet before you, that eat, asking no queſtion for conſcience ſake: but if any man ſay unto you, this is offered in ſacrifice unto Idols; eat not for his ſake that ſhewed it, and for conſcience ſake, not thine own conſcience, but his. You may underſtand that when a Chriſtian was invited to a feaſt, and meat that was offered to an Idol was upon the Table, he might eat: but if an unbeliever did ſay, this was offered to an Idol, and will you that are a profeſſor eat of it? for conſcience ſake eat not: not for thine; but his conſcience that ſhewed thee: but mark the reaſon, for why is my liberty judged of another mans conſcience? and he expoſtulates, For if I by grace be a partaker; why am I evil ſpoken of for that, for which I give thanks? He ſeems to buſtle, never talk of it, is it not lawfull? And I give thanks, and it is ſanctified by the word, and prayer, ſaith the Apoſtle, whether yee eat or drink, or whatſoever you doe, doe all to the glory of God. You are ſo brisk, and it is lawfull, and every creature is ſanctified, it is true: but take this rule, ſee the action conduce ſomething to the glory of God, or elſe leave it there; whether ye eat, or drink, or whatſoever you doe, let it be ſomething whereby the name of God, and the wayes of God, and Religion may be honoured by your doing of it. It is not for the glory of God for thee to uſe meat offered to an Idol at an unbelievers Table, he having told thee of it, for hee will ſay, here is a ſweet profeſſion, this is their religion, he cares not what he doth. When a man doth things diſhonourable to religion, or to God, (for otherwiſe wee cannot glorifie, or unglorifie God, wee cannot reach him,) but when we diſhonour religion, or make God evil ſpoken of, we doe that which is inconvenient, and though the thing be lawfull, if it doe not honour God, we muſt not doe it; That is one thing.
The ſecond thing is,2. To the good of our brethren 3 wayes. you muſt ſee if it be an action that is expedient, as it muſt bring honour to God; ſo it muſt bring gaine and good to my brother alſo; next to God, I muſt looke to my brother, O! there is little looking to that: you muſt not only looke what is lawfull or unlawful, but have a care what iſſue this hath towards thy brother; ſeek not every man his owne: but one an others wealth; how is that? The good of our brethren is laid downe in ſcripture three wayes.
Either that it increaſe love betweene you and your brethren,
Or elſe that it helpe on the edification of your brethren
Or increaſe and nouriſh peace betweene you and your brethren.
Either at leaſt, or all theſe three muſt bee in it, or elſe you muſt not meddle with it.
For the firſt in 1 Cor. 8. when they propoſed the queſtion whether they might eat meat offred to Idols: 1. To increaſe love between us & them.ſaith the Apoſtle; yee all have knowledge, you are brisk, and ſay, wee know what is lawfull, and what is not, ſaith he, but love edifieth. As if he ſhould ſay, you looke not whether it tend to love or no, have a regard to that. So in Rom. 14.14.15. I know (ſaith the Apoſtle,) and am perſwaded by the Lord Ieſus that nothing is uncleane of it ſelfe: but to him that eſteemeth any thing uncleane, to him it is uncleane. I know every thing is lawfull to the ſaints; but if thy brother be grived with thy meate, thou walkeſt not charitably; that is thou doſt not walke in love. I know it is lawfull, but if it greive thy brother, thou walkeſt not in love, and thou ſhouldeſt regard that, or elſe thou wilt not walke wiſely. So in 1 Cor. 16.14. Let all your things be done in love; whatſoever thou doſt ſee that it conduce to nouriſh, & increaſe love among the people of God. If it be a thing that cooles the love of my brother to me, & be a thing that is not commanded nor forbidden. I muſt not do it.
Then ſecondly, ſee whether it conduce to bring any thing to the peace of the ſaints, and people of God;2. To the peace of the Sts. and if it bring love it will bring peace; for the fruit of the Spirit is, love, joy, peace; peace alway goes with love; and wee are taught Philip. 2.3. that wee ſhould doe nothing with ſtrife and contention; but though it be a thing that is lawfull, yet if I muſt ſtrive, and breed contention, I muſt leave that lawfull thing out. In the common-wealth with us it is one of the greateſt things to keep the peace. As for inſtance, if a man be in debt, and owe a man mony &c. if the other breake the peace & fight with him, the other ſhall anſwer at the Court day for his debt, but the magiſtrate will clap him up preſently. And ſo to break the peace among the ſaints, it is not a little thing; you may pleaſe your ſelves by it, but the Lord is wonderouſly offended with thoſe that break the peace.
We muſt fellow peace with all men,To avoid ſtrife & contention. proſecute it; that is get the ſame diſpoſition to peace as men have to perſecute Religion. We muſt have peace with all men much more with the brethren.
This is a time that we live in, when men take toyes in their heads right or wrong, indifferent or unlawfull, and they looke not to the iſſue of thoſe toyes: for ought thou knoweſt it may overthrow the Nation, and divide the Churches, and rend the Saints, and thou careſt not for peace. If I love Chriſt I muſt keep his commandements. Even in things commanded we muſt reſpect peace much more in things that are not abſolutely cōmanded: therfore we ſee in 1. Cor. 14.33. there was a great deale of ſtir and contention about propheſying and praying, and ſpeaking with ſtrange tongues; mark the counſell that the Apoſtle gives. The ſpirits of the prophets are ſubiect to the prophets: for God is not the author of confuſion, but of peace; as it is in all the Churches of the ſaints, you ſhall finde in the margine; God is not the author of tumults or unquiet, but of peace. One would ſay, I have Gods will, and command, and I doe that which is right, ſaith he that ſpake in an unknown tongue, and another propheſied, and another ſang, and every one thought he did well, you are miſtaken ſaith the Apoſtle God is not the author of unquiet, that is a diſpoſition that will hurrie you to the confuſion of the Churches, therfore it is not of God Compare it with 1. Cor. 11. where the Apoſtle ſpeaks concerning women being covered or uncovered, and he ſhewes what he thought was fit in thoſe countries: but (ſaith he) if any be contentious we have no ſuch cuſtome, nor the Churches of God That is, if you wrangle, and ſtrive, and keep a coile, I will not beare you out, we have no ſuch cuſtome, nor the Churches of God, to breake the peace, and to make ſtrife and contention. As in the outward common-wealth, ſo in the ſpirituall commonwealth of Iſrael, let him look to it that firſt breaks the peace. It muſt not be opinions and crotchets of yeſterdayes making, that muſt break the peace of the Churches day by day; it is a dangerous thing: therefore in 2 Theſ. 3.15. I beſeech God by all meanes to keep peace among you; the Lord of peace himſelf, give you peace alwayes, by all meanes. It is three times repeated; therefore ſurely you muſt eye that.
Thirdly, look whether it tend to edification:3. To edification. for all things edifie not; That is, doth this conduce to doe my brother good, will his ſoul be the better for it? As it muſt increaſe love between thee and him, or elſe do it not, if it break love, or break peace. So ſee if it edifie him, whether it build up his ſoule, or no; will his ſoule be the better for it? It may be thy brother is a weak Saint, and thou maieſt hinder his ſoule from growing in grace by doing a lawfull thing; for ſaith the Apoſtl, all things are not expedient, & all things edifie not; Therefore ſee that it tend to edification: But here is your religion, what doe I care let it trouble him or no, or better him or no; Is it not lawful to do this? Is it not lawfull to play at cards, and dice, and ſuch things? O, ſee if it edifie, or elſe abhorr it, as if it were forbidden as the tree in Eden; avoyd lawfull things if they edifie not.
Thirdly,3. To win thoſe without. ſee whether it conduce to the winning of the ſouls of others that are without. The Lord hath put us into the world, to win the Elect out of the world, and wee muſt have an eye to that; few Chriſtians obſerve that (the more is the miſerie) we onelyonly raile and ſpeak evil of them: but wee ſhould walk as lights in the middeſt of a crooked generation. As Paul ſaith concerning marrying, and taking money for his preaching, I could (ſaith he) marrie as well as Peter, and make you pay for every Sermon I preach, for thou ſhalt not muzzel the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne: but God forbid, though theſe things be lawfull I become all things to all men that I might win ſome, I caught you by guile ſaith he; What was Pauls guile? Not a ſinfull thing; it was no jeſting with them, nor it was not ſo much in neceſſarie duties: but in lawfull things, there being a latitude in the Goſpel; Paul did ſo walk and carrie himſelfe as that he might win poore ſinners to the Lord, Jews, or Gentiles. But you onelyonly looke if it be lawfull; O, you ſhould look whether you offend your brethren, whether you break the peace, whether you doe not harden others; you muſt walk decently to them that are without. In our walking we muſt do nothing that may harden others. There are a world more hardened by the indiſcreet doing of good, and the careleſs, indecent doing of lawfull things, than by the ſinfull actions of the Saints; as I ſhall ſhew after.
Fourthly, and laſtly, thou muſt look whether it bring any gaine, 4. To our own ſouls.or advantage to thy own peace, to thy conſcience, to thy ſelf, for though it be a lawfull thing yet if it trouble, and gravell thy conſcience, thou muſt not doe it, ſaith Paul, I have endeavoured to keep a good conſcience towards God, and towards men. And generally among the Saints they have more guilt in their conſciences, Why Chriſtians are moſt troubled about the uſe of lawful things.and more trouble in their ſoules about the uſe of lawfull things, than about ſinfull; it is partly from their ignorance not knowing their liberty, and partly indiſcretion, and the ſtrength of their luſts, that many times they eat, when they ſhould not, or they eat more than they ſhould, or they ſleep when they ſhould not: therefore you ſhall have poore people complaine, Sir, I am readie to ſtarve my ſelf, I am ſuch a glutton I eat ſo oft, and I eat ſo many bits, and of ſo many diſhes, and I cannot eat but my conſcience ſaith, it is too much whereas I ſhould eat but one diſh, and ſo many cuts; they make lawes, and they break them after, and make themſelves guilty, and then conſcience checks them.
I confeſſe there is much ignorance in weak Chriſtians not knowing their Chriſtian liberty, in meats, and drinks: but much is for want of diſcretion, and becauſe there is a great deale of unſanctifiedneſs in the heart, in the directing and managing of lawful things for the glory of God, and for their own peace, and quiet: for they follow their luſts, and abuſe lawful things that another man might doe without ſin. Therefore whatſoever it is, ſay not, the Miniſter ſaith it is lawfull, though it be, yet it may be poyſon to thee, for it may be inexpedient; doth it trouble thy conſcience, get knowledge to ſee the lawfulnes of it, or abſtaine from it; gall not thy conſcience. So then to end that, you ſee according to the ſignification of the word expedient, (taken in the proper ſignification,) the firſt rule, that all lawfull things are not expedient. Though many things be allowed, that God hath not reſtrained, nor determined: they are neither commanded, nor forbidden by the word of God; yet every thing is not expedient, that is, every thing doth not advance the glory of God, and love among the Saints, and peace, and edification. Every thing doth not conduce to win others out of the world, and every thing doth not help the peace of our own conſcience.