The other instance of the apostle’s I appeal to is that, where he says, it is good neither to eat “flesh, nor drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth and is offended. And again, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, that I may not offend my brother.” Hence it appears, that to abstain from things indifferent, as if they were in themselves sinful, is wrong; but to _abstain_ from them upon other motives, may be matter of necessary duty and edification. But since the Doctor has not looked at this matter in the twofold view in which only it can be justly apprehended, he cannot well be excused from that _half thinking_, which he so much reproaches in others.
19. But I must further observe, that there is yet more of _snare_ and _deception_, in what the Doctor has here said of this matter. For the reader may thereby be easily brought into a belief, that things in themselves indifferent, are not _proper subjects_ of religion, or means of advancing in piety; and that he need not bring himself under _any laws_ of religion, concerning such things.
Whereas nothing can be more contrary to truth, or more hurtful to piety than such a belief. “Eating, drinking, sleeping, dressing, resting, labour, conversation, trade, diversion, and money, are in themselves indifferent.”
But it is in the religious, or irreligious use of these that some people _live_ up to the spirit of the gospel, and others _wholly die_ to it. And it is from strict laws of religion, made concerning these indifferent things, that the spiritual life of every one is to be built up.
And it is for want of religious laws in the use of these things, that the spirit of the gospel cannot get possession of our hearts. For our souls may receive an infinite hurt, and be rendered incapable of all true virtue, merely by the use of innocent and lawful things.
* What is more innocent than rest and retirement? And yet what more dangerous than sloth and idleness? How lawful is the care of a family? And yet how are many people rendered incapable of all virtue, by a ♦worldly, sollicitous temper? How lawful is it for us, to eat and drink in such quantity and quality, as may render the body healthful, and useful to the soul? And yet what danger is there in eating and drinking if we are not under this strict law of religion, to seek _only_ health; and not the pleasure of various tastes in our food? What _sensuality_ of discourse shall we not every day fall into, unless it be a fixed law to us, to speak of no other joy in our food, but that which is expressed by our grace before, and after our meals?
♦ “wordly” replaced with “worldly”
How indifferent a thing, and innocent in itself, is _dress_? And yet what more hurtful and abounding with sin? It reaches and affects the heart and soul both of the wearer and beholder. Its evils are innumerable; it has destroyed, and does destroy like a pestilence.
Now how can all these evils, which arise from the use of these things indifferent and lawful in themselves be avoided, but by making every thing in our _common_ and _ordinary_ life to be matter of conscience, which is to have its _rule_ and _measure_ and _end_ from the spirit of religion? And indeed what other end is there in religion, but to govern every motion, and desire of our hearts? To make all the actions of our common life pure and holy, by being done in strict conformity to the will of God, and under the light and guidance of his Holy Spirit? So that the very outward _form_ of our lives, and the _whole manner_ of our living in the world, whether in estate, shops, or farms, whether in eating, drinking, or dressing, may make it known to all the world, that we do every thing in the name of Jesus Christ, suitably to that high vocation wherewith we are called.
20. No folly of life whatever can be rightly removed but by being thus wholly cut up by the roots, by making every thing subject to the spirit of religion.
That which is to direct our _prayers_, and govern us at church, must with the same strictness direct our conversation, and govern our dealings in common life. We must dress with the same spirit that we give _alms_, or go to _prayers_; that is, we must no more dress to be seen and admired by others, than we must give alms, or make prayers for the same reasons.
And when religion has its seat in our hearts, and is the work of God’s spirit in us, this acting according to its direction in _all things_, will be so far from seeming to be a hard lesson, that it would be a pain to act otherwise. It is no hardship to a _miser_ to do _every_ thing suitably to the greedy desires of his heart. The ambitious man is not troubled with acting always agreeable to his ambition. If these persons are in trouble or distress, or under any dejection, you can only comfort the one with honour and power, and the other with filthy lucre and gain.