our liberty is abused by an immoderate use of the gifts of
God. The use of them is immoderate three ways. First, in respect of
time, as when Dives fared deliciously and was arrayed in rich attire
every day. Thus many gentlemen and others offend when they turn
recreation into an occupation. Secondly, the gifts of God are
immoderately used in respect of themselves, as when men exceed in
eating and drinking, as the prophet says, "Adding drunkenness to
thirst" (Deut. 29:19). Thirdly, in respect of the callings and
conditions of men. For every man is to use the gifts of God according
to his place and condition. They then offend that being but mean
persons and living by trades, yet for their diet and apparel are as
great gentlemen and gentlewomen.
Thirdly, liberty is abused when the blessings of God are made
instruments and (as it were) flags and banner to display our riot,
vanity, ostentation, pride. For this cause sundry things, whereof
some are indifferent in themselves, are condemned (Isa. 3:16).
The second question is, where is this abuse? Answer. Even among us
in England. It is the fashion of men to take unto themselves a
toleration of sinning—some, upon the patience of God; others, upon
the doctrine of the gracious election of God, saying that they will live
as they list because if they be elected to salvation they shall certainly
be saved whatsoever they do. And some there be that take occasion
to continue in their sins upon the mercy of God in the death and
passion of Christ. A certain dweller in this town of Cambridge made
away himself. In his bosom was found a writing to this effect, that
God did show mercy on great grievous and desperate sinners. And
therefore he said that he hoped of mercy though he hanged himself.
Of this mind are many ignorant persons who persevering in their
sins yet persuade themselves of mercy because they have heard that
Christ died for mankind. And thus the death of Christ is as it were a
license or letters patent to commit sin. Again great is the abuse of
meat, drink, and apparel. To Elijah there came an angel and said,
"Arise and eat" (1 Kings 19:7), but to the men of our days there had
need come an angel and say, "Cease to eat, cease to drink, cease to
game."
The third question is, what is the right use of Christian liberty?
Answer. It stands in two things. First of all, we ourselves must be
renewed and sanctified. "To the pure all things are pure" (Titus 1:15).
The person must first please God before the action can please Him.
The second is that beside the lawful use of the creatures we must
have a spiritual and holy use of them. The lawful use of the creature I
call the politic use thereof commonly allowed and taken up among
men. The spiritual use is whereby we receive and use the creature as
from the hand of God the Father in Christ according to His will and
word. And the godly are not to separate the one use from the other,
but are bound by virtue of the third commandment to take up a holy
use of every gift of God. When Noah came out of the ark, so soon as
he set foot upon the earth he built an altar, offered sacrifice, and
called on the name of God, not only for this end to worship God but
also to sanctify the earth and all the creatures of God unto His use.
The like did Abraham when he came into the land of Canaan. And to
this end we must observe five rules. The first, that the creatures of
God must be sanctified by the word and prayer (1 Tim. 4). The word
must show us what we may do. And prayer obtains the doing of it.
The second rule: We must be circumspect lest we sin in the use of the
creatures. In this respect Job sends for his children after they had
feasted together, and he sanctifies them (Job 1:5). The third rule: We
must use the gifts of God with thanksgiving (Rom. 14:6). Commonly
in these days there is no feasting or rejoicing unless all memory of
God be buried. For that is said to breed melancholy. The fourth rule:
We must suffer ourselves to be limited and moderated in the use of
our liberty, partly by the law of the magistrate, and partly by the law
of charity in the case of offence. I say in the use because liberty itself
is inwardly in the conscience. And the use of it is often in the
outward action, and therefore under the order of human law. The
fifth rule: Our liberty must be used for right ends, as namely the
glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), the preservation of nature, and not the
pampering of the flesh (Rom. 13:14), and the good of our neighbor
(Rom. 12:13).
Make conscience to observe this rule, and the rather because the holy
and spiritual use of Christian liberty is a sign and token that thou art
in the kingdom of God and a true member thereof. As on the
contrary, the abuse of God's blessings shows you to be still in the
kingdom of darkness. When men sell things of great worth for a little
value, and then afterward give themselves to rioting and spending,
we commonly say that they are thieves and no right owners of the
goods which they sold. The like may be said of them that abuse
spiritual liberty, that they are but usurpers and no right owners of it.
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