concerning christian liberty-第9章

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turn　it　into　an　occasion　of　licence。　They　think　that　everything　
is　now　lawful　for　them；　and　do　not　choose　to　show　themselves　free　
men　and　Christians　in　any　other　way　than　by　their　contempt　and　
reprehension　of　ceremonies；　of　traditions；　of　human　laws；　as　if　
they　were　Christians　merely　because　they　refuse　to　fast　on　stated　
days；　or　eat　flesh　when　others　fast；　or　omit　the　customary　
prayers；　scoffing　at　the　precepts　of　men；　but　utterly　passing　
over　all　the　rest　that　belongs　to　the　Christian　religion。　On　the　
other　hand；　they　are　most　pertinaciously　resisted　by　those　who　
strive　after　salvation　solely　by　their　observance　of　and　
reverence　for　ceremonies；　as　if　they　would　be　saved　merely　
because　they　fast　on　stated　days；　or　abstain　from　flesh；　or　make　
formal　prayers；　talking　loudly　of　the　precepts　of　the　Church　and　
of　the　Fathers；　and　not　caring　a　straw　about　those　things　which　
belong　to　our　genuine　faith。　Both　these　parties　are　plainly　
culpable；　in　that；　while　they　neglect　matters　which　are　of　weight　
and　necessary　for　salvation；　they　contend　noisily　about　such　as　
are　without　weight　and　not　necessary。

How　much　more　rightly　does　the　Apostle　Paul　teach　us　to　walk　in　
the　middle　path；　condemning　either　extreme　and　saying；　〃Let　not　
him　that　eateth　despise　him　that　eateth　not；　and　let　not　him　
which　eateth　not　judge　him　that　eateth〃　（Rom。　xiv。　3）！　You　see　
here　how　the　Apostle　blames　those　who；　not　from　religious　
feeling；　but　in　mere　contempt；　neglect　and　rail　at　ceremonial　
observances；　and　teaches　them　not　to　despise；　since　this　
〃knowledge　puffeth　up。〃　Again；　he　teaches　the　pertinacious　
upholders　of　these　things　not　to　judge　their　opponents。　For　
neither　party　observes　towards　the　other　that　charity　which　
edifieth。　In　this　matter　we　must　listen　to　Scripture；　which　
teaches　us　to　turn　aside　neither　to　the　right　hand　nor　to　the　
left；　but　to　follow　those　right　precepts　of　the　Lord　which　
rejoice　the　heart。　For　just　as　a　man　is　not　righteous　merely　
because　he　serves　and　is　devoted　to　works　and　ceremonial　rites；　
so　neither　will　he　be　accounted　righteous　merely　because　he　
neglects　and　despises　them。

It　is　not　from　works　that　we　are　set　free　by　the　faith　of　Christ；　
but　from　the　belief　in　works；　that　is　from　foolishly　presuming　to　
seek　justification　through　works。　Faith　redeems　our　consciences；　
makes　them　upright；　and　preserves　them；　since　by　it　we　recognise　
the　truth　that　justification　does　not　depend　on　our　works；　
although　good　works　neither　can　nor　ought　to　be　absent；　just　as　
we　cannot　exist　without　food　and　drink　and　all　the　functions　of　
this　mortal　body。　Still　it　is　not　on　them　that　our　justification　
is　based；　but　on　faith；　and　yet　they　ought　not　on　that　account　to　
be　despised　or　neglected。　Thus　in　this　world　we　are　compelled　by　
the　needs　of　this　bodily　life；　but　we　are　not　hereby　justified。　
〃My　kingdom　is　not　hence；　nor　of　this　world；〃　says　Christ；　but　He　
does　not　say；　〃My　kingdom　is　not　here；　nor　in　this　world。〃　Paul；　
too；　says；　〃Though　we　walk　in　the　flesh；　we　do　not　war　after　the　
flesh〃　（2　Cor。　x。　3）；　and　〃The　life　which　I　now　live　in　the　flesh　
I　live　by　the　faith　of　the　Son　of　God〃　（Gal。　ii。　20）。　Thus　our　
doings；　life；　and　being；　in　works　and　ceremonies；　are　done　from　
the　necessities　of　this　life；　and　with　the　motive　of　governing　
our　bodies；　but　yet　we　are　not　justified　by　these　things；　but　by　
the　faith　of　the　Son　of　God。

The　Christian　must　therefore　walk　in　the　middle　path；　and　set　
these　two　classes　of　men　before　his　eyes。　He　may　meet　with　
hardened　and　obstinate　ceremonialists；　who；　like　deaf　adders；　
refuse　to　listen　to　the　truth　of　liberty；　and　cry　up；　enjoin；　and　
urge　on　us　their　ceremonies；　as　if　they　could　justify　us　without　
faith。　Such　were　the　Jews　of　old；　who　would　not　understand；　that　
they　might　act　well。　These　men　we　must　resist；　do　just　the　
contrary　to　what　they　do；　and　be　bold　to　give　them　offence；　lest　
by　this　impious　notion　of　theirs　they　should　deceive　many　along　
with　themselves。　Before　the　eyes　of　these　men　it　is　expedient　to　
eat　flesh；　to　break　fasts；　and　to　do　in　behalf　of　the　liberty　of　
faith　things　which　they　hold　to　be　the　greatest　sins。　We　must　say　
of　them；　〃Let　them　alone；　they　be　blind　leaders　of　the　blind〃　
（Matt。　xv。　14）。　In　this　way　Paul　also　would　not　have　Titus　
circumcised；　though　these　men　urged　it；　and　Christ　defended　the　
Apostles；　who　had　plucked　ears　of　corn　on　the　Sabbath　day；　and　
many　like　instances。

Or　else　we　may　meet　with　simple…minded　and　ignorant　persons；　weak　
in　the　faith；　as　the　Apostle　calls　them；　who　are　as　yet　unable　to　
apprehend　that　liberty　of　faith；　even　if　willing　to　do　so。　These　
we　must　spare；　lest　they　should　be　offended。　We　must　bear　with　
their　infirmity；　till　they　shall　be　more　fully　instructed。　For　
since　these　men　do　not　act　thus　from　hardened　malice；　but　only　
from　weakness　of　faith；　therefore；　in　order　to　avoid　giving　them　
offence；　we　must　keep　fasts　and　do　other　things　which　they　
consider　necessary。　This　is　required　of　us　by　charity；　which　
injures　no　one；　but　serves　all　men。　It　is　not　the　fault　of　these　
persons　that　they　are　weak；　but　that　of　their　pastors；　who　by　the　
snares　and　weapons　of　their　own　traditions　have　brought　them　into　
bondage　and　wounded　their　souls　when　they　ought　to　have　been　set　
free　and　healed　by　the　teaching　of　faith　and　liberty。　Thus　the　
Apostle　says；　〃If　meat　make　my　brother　to　offend；　I　will　eat　no　
flesh　while　the　world　standeth〃　（1　Cor。　viii。　13）；　and　again；　〃I　
know；　and　am　persuaded　by　the　Lord　Jesus；　that　there　is　nothing　
unclean　of　itself；　but　to　him　that　esteemeth　anything　to　be　
unclean；　to　him　it　is　unclean。　It　is　evil　for　that　man　who　eateth　
with　offence〃　（Rom。　xiv。　14；　20）。

Thus；　though　we　ought　boldly　to　resist　those　teachers　of　
tradition；　and　though　the　laws　of　the　pontiffs；　by　which　they　
make　aggressions　on　the　people　of　God；　deserve　sharp　reproof；　yet　
we　must　spare　the　timid　crowd；　who　are　held　captive　by　the　laws　
of　those　impious　tyrants；　till　they　are　set　free。　Fight　
vigorously　against　the　wolves；　but　on　behalf　of　the　sheep；　not　
against　the　sheep。　And　this　you　may　do　by　inveighing　against　the　
laws　and　lawgivers；　and　yet　at　the　same　time　observing　these　laws　
with　the　weak；　lest　they　be　offended；　until　they　shall　themselves　
recognise　the　tyranny；　and　understand　their　own　liberty。　If　you　
wish　to　use　your　liberty；　do　it　secretly；　as　Paul　says；　〃Hast　
thou　faith？　have　it　to　thyself　before　God〃　（Rom。　xiv。　22）。　But　
take　care　not　to　use　it　in　the　presence　of　the　weak。　On　the　other　
hand；　in　the　presence　of　tyrants　and　obstinate　opposers；　use　your　
liberty　in　their　despite；　and　with　the　utmost　pertinacity；　that　
they　too　may　understand　that　they　are　tyrants；　and　their　laws　
useless　for　justification；　nay　that　they　had　no　right　to　
establish　such　laws。

Since　then　we　cannot　live　in　this　world　without　ceremonies　and　
works；　since　the　hot　and　inexperienced　period　of　youth　has　need　
of　being　restrained　and　protected　by　such　bonds；　and　since　every　
one　is　bound　to　keep　under　his　own　body　by　attention　to　these　
things；　therefore　the　minister　of　Christ　must　be　prudent　and　
faithful　in　so　ruling　and　teaching　the　people　of　Christ；　in　all　
these　matters；　that　no　root　of　bitterness　may　spring　up　among　
them；　and　so　many　be　defiled；　as　Paul　warned　the　Hebrews；　that　
is；　that　they　may　not　lose　the　faith；　and　begin　to　be　defiled　by　
a　belief　in　works　as　the　means　of　justification。　This　is　a　thing　
which　easily　happens；　and　defiles　very　many；　unless　faith　be　
constantly　inculcated　along　with　works。　It　is　impossible　to　avoid　
this　evil；　when　faith　is　passed　over　in　silence；　and　only　the　
ordinances　of　men　are　taught；　as　has　been　done　hitherto　by　the　
pestilent；　impious；　and　soul…destroying　traditions　of　our　
pontiffs　and　opinions　of　our　theologians。　An　infinite　number　of　
souls　have　been　drawn　down　to　hell　by　these　snares；　so　that　you　
may　recognise　the　work　of　antichrist。

In　brief；　as　poverty　is　imperilled　amid　riches；　honesty　amid　
business；　humility　amid　honours；　abstinence　amid　feasting；　purity　
amid　pleasures；　so　is　justification　by　faith　imperilled　among　
ceremonies。　Solomon　says；　〃Can　a　man　take　fire　in　his　bosom；　and　
his　clothes　not　be　burned？〃　（Prov。　vi。　27）。　And　yet　as　we　must　
live　among　riches；　business；　honours；　pleasures；　feastings；　so　
must　we　among　ceremonies；　that　is　among　perils。　Just　as　infant　
boys　have　the　greatest　need　of　being　cherished　in　the　bosoms　and　
by　the　care　of　girls；　that　they　may　not　die；　and　yet；　when　they　
are　grown；　there　is　peril　to　their　salvation　in　living　among　
girls；　so　inexperienced　and　fervid　young　men　require　to　be　kept　
in　and　restrained　by　the　barriers　of　ceremonies；　even　were　they　
of　iron；　lest　their　weak　minds　should　rush　headlong　into　vice。　
And　yet　it　would　be　death　to　them　to　persevere　in　believing　that　
they　can　be　justified　by　these　things。　They　must　rather　be　taught　
that　they　have　been　thus　imprisoned；　not　with　the　purpose　of　
their　being　justified　or　gaining　merit　in　this　way；　but　in　order　
that　they　might　avoid　wrong…doing；　and　be　more　easily　instructed　
in　that　righteousness　which　is　by　faith；　a　thing　which　the　
headlong　character　of　youth　would　not　bear　unless　it　were　put　
under　restraint。

Hence　in　the　Christian　life　ceremonies　are　to　be　no　otherwise　
looked　upon　than　as　builders　and　workmen　look　upon　those　
preparations　for　building　or　working　which　are　not　made　with　any　
view　of　being　permanent　or　anything　in　themselves；　but　only　
because　without　them　there　could　be　no　building　and　no　work。　When　
the　structure　is　completed；　they　are　laid　aside。　Here　you　see　
that　we　do　not　contemn　these　preparations；　but　set　the　highest　
value　on　them；　a　belief　in　them　we　do　contemn；　because　no　one　
thinks　that　they　constitute　a　real　and　permanent　structure。　If　
any　one　were　so　manifestly　out　of　his　senses　as　to　have　no　other　
object　in　life　but　that　of　setting　up　these　preparations　with　all　
possible　expense；　diligence；　and　perseverance；　while　he　never　
thought　of　the　structure　itself；　but　pleased　himself　and　made　his　
boast　of　these　useless　preparations　and　props；　should　we　not　all　
pity　his　madness　and　think　that；　at　the　cost　thus　thrown　away；　
some　great　building　might　have　been　raised？

Thus；　too；　we　do　not　contemn　works　and　ceremoniesnay；　we　set　
the　highest　value　on　them；　but　we　contemn　the　belief　in　works；　
which　no　one　should　consider　to　constitute　true　righteousness；　as　
do　those　hypocrites　who　employ　and　throw　away　their　whole　life　in　
the　pursuit　of　works；　and　yet　never　attain　to　that　for　the　sake　
of　which　the　works　are　done。　As　the　Apostle　says；　they　are　〃ever　
learning　and　never　able　to　come　to　the　knowledge　of　the　truth〃　（2　
Tim。　iii。　7）。　They　appear　to　wish　to　build；　they　make　
preparations；　and　yet　they　never　do　build；　and　thus　they　continue　
in　a　show　of　godliness；　but　never　attain　to　its　power。

Meanwhile　they　please　themselves　with　this　zealous　pursuit；　and　
even　dare　to　judge　all　others；　whom　they　do　not　see　adorned　with　
such　a　glittering　display　of　works；　while；　if　they　had　been　
imbued　with　faith；　they　might　have　done　great　things　for　the