In Book 2

2 Timothy 3:16. The whole Scripture is given — that the man of God may be absolute, being made perfect to all good works. He means all, and only those good works, which belong to us, as we are men of God, and which to salvation are necessary. Or, if we understand by men of God, God's ministers; there is not required in them a universal skill of every good work or way, but an ability to teach whatever men are bound to do, that they may be saved. And with this kind of knowledge the Scripture suffices to furnish them, as touching matter. S. 1.

1 Timothy 4. Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. The Gospel, by not making many things unclean, as the Law did, has sanctified those things generally to all, which particularly each man to himself must sanctify by a reverent and holy use. Which will not serve their purpose, who have imagined the word in such sort to sanctify all things, that neither food can be tasted, nor clothing put on, nor in the world anything done, but this deed must needs be sin in them, which do not first know it appointed to them by Scripture before they do it. S. 3.

Romans 14:23. Whatever is not of faith, is sin. So Paul means nothing else by faith here, but only a full persuasion that that which we do is well done: against which kind of faith or persuasion, as Saint Paul counts it sin to enterprise anything, so likewise some of the very heathen have taught, as Tully, that nothing ought to be done, about which you doubt whether it be right or wrong.

1 Corinthians 6:12. What things God does neither command nor forbid, the same he permits with approbation either to be done or left undone. All things are lawful to me, says the Apostle, speaking, as it seems, in the person of the Christian Gentile for maintenance of liberty in things indifferent, to which his answer is, that nevertheless all things are not expedient; in things indifferent there is a choice, they are not always equally expedient. What light shall show us the convenience which one has above another, but the judgment of discretion? ib.

1 Chronicles 17:4. You shall not build me a house to dwell in. To think that David did evil in determining to build God a temple, because there was in Scripture no commandment that he should build it, were very injurious: the purpose of his heart was religious and godly, the act most worthy of honor and renown, neither could Nathan choose but admire his virtuous intent, exhort him to go forward, and beseech God to prosper him therein. But God saw the endless troubles which David should be subject to, during the whole time of his reign, and therefore gave charge to defer so good a work till the days of tranquility and peace, where it might without interruption be performed. David supposed it could not stand with the duty which he owed to God, to set himself in a house of cedar trees, and to behold the Ark of the Lord's Covenant unsettled. This opinion the Lord abates, by causing Nathan to show him plainly, that it should be no more imputed to him for a fault, than it had been to the Judges of Israel before him, his case being the same which theirs was, their times not more unquiet than his, not more unfit for such an action. S. 6.