lawful, but frame our rule by _expedit_,--it is expedient, 1
Cor. vi. 13; x. 23; 3. That our rule should not be Caiaphas' _expedit
nobis_, but Christ's _expedit vobis_,--for you it is good, you, the
disciples, John xi. 50; and make that the rule of our going out and our
coming in. The heathens themselves could say that we are born, partly for
God, partly for our country, partly for our friends, &c. How much more
ought Christians to understand that we are not born for ourselves, but for
Christ and his church. And as in the whole course of our life, so
especially in the policy of the church, we may do nothing (be it never so
indifferent in itself) which is not profitable for edification: 1 Cor.
xiii. 26, "Let all things be done to edifying." From which precept Pareus
inferreth, that nothing ought to be done in the church which doth not
manifestly make for the utility of all and every one; and that therefore
not only unknown tongues, but cold ceremonies and idle gestures should be
exploded out of the church.

The third rule is the rule of purity, which respecteth our peace and
plerophory of conscience, without which anything is unclean to us, though
it be clean and lawful in its own nature: Rom xiv. 14, "To him that
esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean," therefore _si
quis aliquam in cibo immunditiem imagineter, eo libere uti non
potest_.(1192) Whatsoever indifferent thing a man in his conscience
judgeth to be unlawful, he may not lawfully do it: Rom xiv. 5, "Let every
man be fully persuaded in his own mind;" and verse 23, "He that doubteth
is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatsoever is not
of faith is sin." _Nefas est omnino_, saith Calvin,(1193) _quippiam
aggredi quod putes illi (domino) displicere, imo quod non persuasus sis
illi placere_. Now if a thing indifferent be used according to these three
rules, the use of it is not only lawful but expedient also; but if it be
not used according to these rules, the use of it is altogether unlawful.

_Sect._ 3. And since a thing indifferent in the nature of it can never be
lawfully used, except according to these rules, hence it followeth, that
the use of a thing indifferent is never lawful to us when we have no other
warrant for using the same beside our own will and arbitrement.

Dr Forbesse speaks unadvisedly whilst he saith,(1194) _Evenit nonnunquam_,
&c.: "It falleth out sometimes that that which was expedient for thee to
do yest