avoided, and what are to be disregarded; whence we may afterwards determine what room there is for our liberty in our intercourse with mankind. I approve of the common distinction between an offence given and an offence taken, since it is plainly countenanced by Scripture, and is likewise sufficiently significant of the thing intended to be expressed. If you do any thing at a wrong time or place, or with an unseasonable levity, or wantonness, or temerity, by which the weak and inexperienced are offended, it must be termed an offence given by you; because it arises from your fault. And an offence is always said to be given in any action, the fault of which proceeds from the performer of that action. An offence taken is, when any transaction, not otherwise unseasonable or culpable, is through malevolence, or some perverse disposition, construed into an occasion of offence. For in this instance the offence is not given, but taken without reason by such perverseness of construction. The first species of offence affects none but the weak; the second is created by moroseness of temper, and pharisaical superciliousness. Wherefore we shall denominate the former, the offence of the weak, the latter, that of Pharisees; and we shall so temper the use of our liberty, that it ought to submit to the ignorance of weak brethren, but not at all to the austerity of Pharisees. For our duty to the weak, Paul fully shews in many places. "Him that is weak in the faith, receive ye." Again; "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way," (v) and much more to the same import, which were better examined in its proper connection than recited here. The sum of all is, that " we then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification." (u) In another place; "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak."(w) Again; "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat: asking no questions for conscience sake: conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the others." In short, "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the (w) 1 Cor. viii. 9.

(v) Rom. xiv. 1, 13.

(u) Rom. xv. 1, 2.

Gentiles, nor to the Church of God." (x) In another place also; "Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." (y) The meaning of this is, that our liberty is not given us to be used in opposition to our weak neighbours, to whom charity obliges us to do every possible service; but rather in order that, having peace with God in our minds, we may also live peaceably among men. But how much attention should be paid to an offence taken by Pharisees, we learn from our Lord's injunction; "Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind." (2) The disciples had informed him, that the Pharisees were offended with his discourse. He replies, that they are to be disregarded, and their offence treated with contempt.

XII. But the subject is still pending in uncertainty, unless we know, whom we are to account weak, and whom we are to consider as Pharisees: without which distinction, I see no use of liberty in the midst of offences, but such as must be attended with the greatest danger. But Paul appears to me to have very clearly decided, both by doctrine and examples, how far our liberty should be either moderated or asserted on the occurrence of offences. When he made Timothy his associate, he circumcised him: (a) but could not be induced to circumcise Titus. (6) Here was a difference in his proceedings, but no change of mind or of purpose. In the circumcision of Timothy, "though he was free from all men, yet he made himself servant unto all;" and, says he, "Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (c) Thus we have a proper moderation of liberty, if it may be indifferently restricted with any advantage. His reason for resolutely refraining from circumcising Titus, he declares in the following words; "But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who

(x) 1 Cor. x. 25, 29, 32.
(a) Acts xvi. 3.

(y) Gal. v. 13.

(b) Gal. ii. 3.

(z) Matt. xv. 14.
(c) 1 Cor. ix. 19, 20, 22.

came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you." (d) We also are under the necessity of vindicating our liberty, if it be endangered in weak consciences by the iniquitous requisitions of false apostles. We must at all times study charity, and keep in view the edification of our neighbour." All things (says Paul) are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another's." (e) Nothing can be plainer than this rule, that our liberty should be used, if it conduces to our neighbour's edification; but that if it be not beneficial to our neighbour, it should be abridged. There are some, who pretend to imitate the prudence of Paul in refraining from the exercise of liberty, while they are merely employing themselves in the duties of charity. For to promote their own tranquillity, they wish all mention of liberty to be buried; whereas it is no less advantageous to our neighbours sometimes to use our liberty to their benefit and edification, than at other times to moderate it for their accommodation. But a pious man considers this liberty in external things as granted him in order that he may be the better prepared for all the duties of charity.

XIII. But whatever I have advanced respecting the avoidance of offences, I wish to be referred to indifferent and unimportant things; for necessary duties must not be omitted through fear of any offence: as our liberty should be subject to charity; so charity itself ought to be subservient to the purity of faith. It becomes us, indeed, to have regard to charity; but we must not offend God for the love of our neighbour. We cannot approve the intemperance of those, who do nothing but in a tumultuous manner, and who prefer violent measures to lenient ones. Nor must we listen to those, who, while they shew themselves, the leaders in a thousand species of impiety, pretend that they are obliged to act in such a manner, as to give no offence to their neighbours; as though they are not at (e) 1 Cor. x. 23, 24.

(d) Gal. ii. 3-5.

the same time fortifying the consciences of their neighbours in sin; especially since they are always sticking in the same mire without any hope of deliverance. And whether their neighbour is to be instructed by doctrine or by example, they enviously maintain that he ought to be fed with milk, though they are infecting him with the worst and most pernicious notions. Paul tells the Corinthians, "I have fed you with milk;" (m) but if the Popish mass had been then introduced among them, would he have united in that pretended sacrifice in order to feed them with milk? Certainly not; for milk is not poison. They are guilty of falsehood, therefore, in saying that they feed those, whom they cruelly murder under the appearance of such flatteries. But admitting that such dissimulation is to be approved for a time, how long will they feed their children with milk? For if they never grow, so as to be able to bear even some light meat, it is a clear proof that they were never accustomed to milk. I am prevented from pushing this controversy with them any further at present, by two reasons: first, because their absurdities scarcely deserve a refutation, being justly despised by all men of sound understanding; secondly, having done this at large in particular treatises, I am unwilling to to travel the same ground over again. Only let the readers remember, that with whatever offences Satan and the world may endeavour to divert us from the ordinances of God, or to retard our pursuit of what he enjoins, yet we must nevertheless strenuously advance; and moreover, that whatever dangers threaten us, we are not at liberty to deviate even a hair's breadth from his command, and that it is not lawful under any pretext to attempt any thing but what he permits.

XIV. Now since the consciences of the faithful, being privileged with the liberty which we have described, have been delivered by the favour of Christ from all necessary obligation to the observance of those things in which the Lord hath been pleased they should be left free; we conclude that they are exempt from all human authority. For it is not right that Christ should lose the acknowledgments due to such kindness, or our consciences the benefit of it. Neither is that to be account

(m) 1 Cor. iii. 2.

ed a trivial thing, which we see cost Christ so much; which he estimated not with gold or silver, but with his own blood: (n) so that Paul hesitates not to assert, that his death is rendered vain, if we suffer our souls to be in subjection to men. (0) For his sole object in some chapters of his Epistle to the Galatians is to prove that Christ is obscured or rather abolished with respect to us, unless our consciences continue in their liberty; from which they are certainly fallen, if they can be ensnared in the bonds of laws and ordinances at the pleasure of men. (p) But as it is a subject highly worthy of being understood, so it needs a more diffuse and perspicuous explanation. For as soon as a word is mentioned concerning the abrogation of human establishments, great tumults are excited, partly by seditious persons, partly by cavillers; as though all obedience of men were at once subverted and destroyed.

XV. To prevent any one from falling into this error, let us therefore consider, in the first place, that man is under two kinds of government; one spiritual, by which the conscience is formed to piety and the service of God; the other political, by which a man is instructed in the duties of humanity and civility, which are to be observed in an intercourse with mankind. They are generally, and not improperly, denominated the Spiritual and the Temporal jurisdiction; indicating that the former species of government pertains to the life of the soul; and that the latter relates to the concerns of the present state; not only to the provision of food and clothing, but to the enactment of laws to regulate a man's life among his neighbours by the rules of holiness, integrity, and sobriety. For the former has its seat in the interior of the mind, whilst the latter only directs the external conduct: one may be termed a spiritual kingdom, and the other a political one. But these two, as we have distinguished them, always require to be considered separately; and while the one is under discussion, the mind must be abstracted from all consideration of the other. For man contains as it were two worlds, capable of being governed by various rulers and various laws. This distinction will prevent what the Gospel inculcates concerning spiritual liberty from being misap(0) Gal. v. 1, 4. (p) 1 Cor. vii. 23.

(n) 1 Peter i. 18, 19.