concerning christian liberty-第13章

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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　their　
own　and　others'　salvation；　at　the　same　cost　which　they　now　waste　
in　abuse　of　the　gifts　of　God。　But　since　human　nature　and　natural　
reason；　as　they　call　it；　are　naturally　superstitious；　and　quick　
to　believe　that　justification　can　be　attained　by　any　laws　or　
works　proposed　to　them；　and　since　nature　is　also　exercised　and　
confirmed　in　the　same　view　by　the　practice　of　all　earthly　
lawgivers；　she　can　never　of　her　own　power　free　herself　from　this　
bondage　to　works；　and　come　to　a　recognition　of　the　liberty　of　
faith。

We　have　therefore　need　to　pray　that　God　will　lead　us　and　make　us　
taught　of　God；　that　is；　ready　to　learn　from　God；　and　will　
Himself；　as　He　has　promised；　write　His　law　in　our　hearts；　
otherwise　there　is　no　hope　for　us。　For　unless　He　himself　teach　us　
inwardly　this　wisdom　hidden　in　a　mystery；　nature　cannot　but　
condemn　it　and　judge　it　to　be　heretical。　She　takes　offence　at　it；　
and　it　seems　folly　to　her；　just　as　we　see　that　it　happened　of　old　
in　the　case　of　the　prophets　and　Apostles；　and　just　as　blind　and　
impious　pontiffs；　with　their　flatterers；　do　now　in　my　case　and　
that　of　those　who　are　like　me；　upon　whom；　together　with　
ourselves；　may　God　at　length　have　mercy；　and　lift　up　the　light　of　
His　countenance　upon　them；　that　we　may　know　His　way　upon　earth　
and　His　saving　health　among　all　nations；　who　is　blessed　for　
evermore。　Amen。　In　the　year　of　the　Lord　MDXX。









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