CHRISTIAN Liberty Described in a SERMON PREACHED IN the Collegiate Church at Westminster, by a Minister of Suffolk.  
Non legem vereor nocens, sed fortunam innocens.  
A. C.  
LONDON. Printed. by I. W. for Matthew Law. 16●6.   

will prove unsavoury: for corrupt stomachs turn good meat into loathsome parbreakes. Their judgement is little worth, who like of nothing, but what they do themselves. When this Sermon was preached, applause ensued: the printing (I trust) will not diminish the preachers praise.  
De absentibus bona.   
GAL. 5.13. 
For Brethren ye have been called unto liberty, only use not your Liberty as an occasion to the flesh.  
IT is not misery so much as strangeness, if as some of our ancient Religious judged, it be man's best to live a kind of prisoner; or, if, as devout S. Bernard wished, to be always sickly; or, if obedience (which includeth subjection and restraint) be, as Plato writeth, man's not only choice, but alone virtue; as if his weakness were such, that he could not live but by rules and directions, or his frowardness of will so unruly, that he cannot have any liberty, but he will abuse it. It must be true, that without law there cannot be offence, and yet it is better and less offence, to suffer the laws transgression, then to be without the law; Praestat illic esse ubi nihil licet, quam ubi omnia. It is better to be there where nothing is lawful, then where all things; where there is no liberty than nothing but liberty; where a man may do evil, then where he can neither do good nor evil. Reason of this can there none be given, but a misdoubting fear, that man left free to the liberty of a boundless and infinite will, would act somewhat more at length, than man can define or say what; the practice of an endless, mad, and inconsiderate will, being far beyond the conceit of man's limited invention. Man is impatient & cannot bear restraint (a note, not of his natures; generousness & worth but untamed wildness, and insolent haughtiness) & yet he is not at all to be borne, if not restrained (a note again not of his infiniteness and power, but conntrary, of his imperfection & corruption) from the first, not able to do that is good; from this second, willing to do nothing but that is evil. Is not the frowardness of man strange, that he should, In vetitum ruere & negata cupere more desire an evil thing being forbidden, and not the more also affect a good thing, for being inhibited (which nothing else in the world doth, but man, restraint of itself, having equal effect in both; & yet the state so, that the evil upon necessity must be forbidden to man, or else it will be worse.) Upon these difficulties, is it not very odd? that a like course of the Roman lawgivers must be practised, who, to avoid sacrilege, held it their only means, to command that nothing should be given unto the Church. And that of Lycurgus, 
Decem Tab. opes amoue●to.  who to take away jealousy, held it his only way, to make adultery to be no sin; courses I cannot resolve whether in these particulars, good for a common wealth or no, but in a Christian Church intolerable, and yet wisdom natural cannot tell, how to give a better remedy. The good & wise God of nature, foreknowing the unruliness of Liberty hath so contrived the whole frame and composure of man, that there is not a power in him, that hath not (as it were) a proper limiter and confiner to it. The natural unsatiate appetite of the bodies nourishment, it is bounded with the straight compasses of the bodies instruments, with sense of pain from oppression, with delight from sufficiency; the minds passions and affections, some of them bounded by shame, some by fear, all by reason; Reason itself, by innated conclusions; the will and desire, by understanding; the understanding, by the will and desire, ut voluntas oculis, sic intellectus fertur carere pedibus; the will wanteth eyes, & seethe nothing, but by the understanding; so the understanding wanteth feet, and can follow nothing, but by the will; will & understanding limited by memories & imaginations imperfect presentments; imagination, by outward senses imbecilities & scarcity of object; senses & all the soul power & substance, boun led by the bodies terrene grossness; the body itself, confined by a short & slender skin & superficies; & that also by a proper place inferior here below, upon the basest element. And thus as man; God bounded man. And yet behold thus enchained (as it were) and imprisoned in himself, man, he will be free, nay he will be wild, and this his scanted liberty will break out lose, into an infinity of uncontrouls and freedoms of disorders. His natural appetite, for that it hath liberty to desire, will never but desire & will not be satisfied with sufficiency, his aff●ctions, will deny obedience unto Reason, and plead it their King: but at pleasure & by election, oftener is reason deposed by rebellious affections, than affections held obedient subjects by Reason; His desire, swells infinite & will have more than is, more than invention can form, & fancy & understanding, show his understanding will dream and prate, and tell of more than it can conceive and approve, from similitudes of sense; sense, scorneth almost nature's plains, and will have Arts more curious objects and repineth t● be tied to the bodies organs. The base body disdains to dwell below, & will build a Tower, tha● it may climb unto the heaven. Thus man, confined from vice (his whole compose and make being nothing (as it were) but a mystery of links, and chains of inhibition, one unto another) & scanted, almost, of all free liberty, yet see how, the small he hath, he doth abuse, as if he were alone to be compelled and governed. The God of wisdom, well discerning this manner of man's corruption, suited agreeably a course unto him, and gave him at length new laws Exod. 20. austere and strict, binding him to performance under severe penalties, restraints that would give but a shorted liberty, and burdens that he could not with ease disport him under. And thus God dealt with man. Is it not strange, it should be censured and found the better, for man to live under Law then Liberty? that man (the worthiest & noblest of God's creatures, by creation both good & wise) should rather do that he should, from the compulsion of a command, than liberty, and direction of his own abilities? that the writing of laws in tables, should more avail with him, then engraving them in his heart? Or is not the temper of man strangely miswrought, by corruption, that it should be easier for God (as I may so speak) to write his laws in stones, in hard tables of stone, then firmly enough to engrave them in his heart? Reverence of virtue is humanity's religion; civility is the goodness; and credit all the holiness & piety: and then shall man so far degenerate, as rather to practise that, which is made but good, by the force of a command, than reverence virtue his own proper object, & from itself good and excellent? Shame is the property of man, from which a true ingenuous spirit will more avoid disgrace then danger, and fear it more to take discredit, than a wound; and then, shall fear (that common quality with beasts) restrain man more from vice, & hold him better in obedience? shall he endure better to serve, then to obey, and to obey then to command? whose privilege & prerogatives were Liberty & rule, and to be subject unto neither of the two? yea thus disordered is corruption, which being, not a thing that was created and made, is not a subject to be discoursed of, thus, with Natures & Reason's grounds and principles. Man thus endured long, a servant to laws, commands both inferior and strict, they were burdens insupportable; names, the one of slavery, the other misery: the law it yoked man, a restraint both hard and base; it was a schoolmaster, that taught with whips and rods, & nothing but severity, man's chief encouragement in performance was fear & tenor; his uttermost diligence not toil enough; his desert, punishment; his reward future & but hopes of promise; his reverentest office of priesthood, but births gift (which is deserts prejudice) his worthiest duty, but in sacrificing beasts; for all his nobleness and honour, his chief performance was in types and figures; and for all his abilities and worth, his practice & action was but in inferior ceremonies. The God of love & mercy (the fullness of his time now come, & the prefixed period of his decree expired) came down from heaven, & left both the right hand and bosom of his father (places, the one of glory the other of love) and vouchsafed to descend (amoris & humilitatis progressus est descensus) nay to the inferiority & condition of a creature (a thing especially against the nature of a God and a creator) & being here amongst us, did not conqueror and triumpher-like, abrogate & disannul our former laws, to impose more strict & harder of his own, from glory and policy's severity; but first (and that for our sake) he fulfilled them, that his obedience might be righteousness to many; 
Rom. 5.19.  he freed us from the curse of the law, by being made himself a curse for us, 
Gal. 3.13.  Non authoritate Regis sed obedientia filii, not by the absolute authority of a King, but by the obedience of a son; not by canceling the bond, but by paying the debt, not alone by giving mercy, but by satisfying justice; not by being graced by favour; but by suffering punishment: He took those heavy burdens from our shoulders, & eased us of them (at least, 
Rom. 6.  much lightened them ●he took us from under the law, & placed us under grace, & called us, as my text doth speak to liberty. And this is, as I take it, the truest inference of my text. The method I will observe in handling, shallbe this. First, after a short Apology and reason for my Texts choice, I will premise somewhat of Christian liberty in general: Secondly, I will give the severals and particulars, wherein this liberty which Christ hath called us unto, consisteth, Thirdly, present upon every particular of our Liberty, I will add the peculiar and proper fleshly abuses of them. This text, it is so difficult, that Origen, even Origen himself (quem Christiani Prophetam, Philosophi magistrum dixerunt) saith Vincentius Lirinensis, 
(a) In comment. in 〈◊〉 locum● (a)  did judge it to be obscure; And S. Hierom, so abstruse, that he thought it his best to follow Origen, notwithstanding Origen had formerly judged it to be obscure, as if his judgement of it were this, that he gave the best judgement, whose judgement was not absolute. If this obscurity deterreth not the natural forwardness and boldness of youth, from meddling with it (as why should endeavours of difficulty be rather exempted from it; then adventures of dangers) yet may it unhappily breed the censure of arrogancy, or of an indecorum and indiscretion, which all, but scholars, do more avoid then arrogancy. Nay rather why should not the hardness of it, excuse me if I do it not well, then terrify me from attempting of it, for fear of doing it ill; and origen's censure of obscurity, be my just Apology? Caluin is censured to have been learned in Divinity by teaching others, not by being first taught himself: or, fullier to excuse myself; as S. Hierom (in his 1. poem upon this epistle) to Paula and Eustochium writeth, S. Paul did in this epistle to the Gallat. So will I; I do not purpose so much to teach as to reprehend, Non tam docere, quam reprehendere & increpare: And though it seemeth not so to you, Minus quiddam est increpare, quam docere, to teach requires maturity of judgement; to find fault with abuses, only a good intention is sufficient to do it truly, and a little common understanding to do it perfectly. And why should not Elder Paul exhort young Timothy to rebuke with freedom, except it be now feared, that then young Timothy would rebuke old Paul. But if from this my freedom, which I purpose, in reproving our Church abuses you shall misconceive my conscience by judging it inclinable to some other foreign Romish, and Papistical superstition, you shall not more against Charity then reason itself offend and injure me. I have read an ancient father defining Adultery, to be nothing else, but a Curiosity of an other man's pleasure; in which sense, I religiously promise for my Consciences Chastity, that she playeth not the adulteress in Curiosity of another pleasure, nor the faith and Opinion of any other Church, than this of ours which I am truly wedded unto. Nay should a man be touched, either by loves fear, or enmities suspicion, with such an odiousness as the Papacy amongst us; I would not wish him make that vulgar form of Apology, by running presently into an immoderate commendation of his Church's goodness (Speciem illud haberet & similitudinem adulationis, that would have the show and resemblance of flattery) nor would I wish him to conceal her faults; silence of faults, is a kind of base flattery, not wiser; and for mine own part, I had rather be nought myself, then flatter them that be so. Nor would I wish him run into an eager detestation and dispraise of the imposed scandal, for that would presently be censured, either falsehood, and dissimulation, or malignity, from the brain or spleen, not from the heart: but I should rather advise him, freely of himself to speak the uttermost, that wiser Auditors might discover the fallacies, that gave occasions of the unjust suspicion. And this premised, I come nearer to the matter. For the doctrine of Christian Liberty in general, Caluin (whom especially I purpose to follow.) In the 19 Chapter of his 3. book of Instit. urgeth the explication of this Christian Liberty, as a thing not to be omitted, by him, who will comprise in short, the sum of the whole Gospel; as if he meant it an Epitome of Christianity: and placeth it not only amongst things commendable, but commendeth it in the degree of necessity; that without it the consciences of Christians, can attempt nothing, without doubting wavering, varying, trembling, despairing, nor ever attain the doctrine of justification: as if Christian Liberty were the rule, for consciences, to square their actions by. This I deny not; the doctrine of this Liberty is good and necessary, but take heed you abuse it not as an occasion to the flesh. Christian Liberty, it is more necessary to be known, then commended or urged: who desires it not, if he do but know it; who useth it not, if he do not know it? I am afraid, men should make it their asylum, refuge, and comfort, in their looseness and disorders. This doubt is not mine; Caluin himself foresaw this easiness of abuse & therefore presently upon his commendation preventeth thus. Simulatque iniecta est aliqua mentio Christianae libertatis, ibi aut ser vent libidines, aut insani motus surgunt, nisi maturè obuiam eatur lascivis ingeniis istis: partim e●●m huius libertatis praetextu omnem Dei obedientiam excutiunt, & in effraenatan licentiam se proripiunt, partim indignantur putantes omnem moderationem ordinem, rerumque delectum tolli. If the particulars be well marked, had Calu●n been the author of our disorders, he could not better have described our times Caluin, in his wisdom forelawe these effects, before they came; Sic Sapientia, divinatio est (saith Pomponius Atticus) So wisdom is a divination; though contrary, with other Politicians, Divinatio sapientia suit, Divination hath been their wisdom, by foretelling of accidents which they intended to effect, though by divining, in the nature of giving warning, they so purchased the opinion of integrity and good meaning. The doctrine of Christian liberty it was more necessary when Paul did preach; when none of the Gentiles or jews received Christ; when a Church was to be established, then now in a full settled Christian Church, where no man doubts of it. judaisme and Christian liberty be properly opposite in some respects; and therefore where Atheism is more feared than judaisme there Christian liberty must be warily preached. This made antiquity rather clog the Church with superstition, and too much then too little, as the Philosopher adviseth in his Ethyckes, to bend mostly to one side, when nature is more propense unto the other. To urge liberty unto the multitude & then suppose an exhortation will restrain excess, is, as if one should put a strong bit and bridle, upon a fierce courser's head, but then turn him out lose into the champain, and suppose he will be guided well enough. The misunderstanding, nay misteaching, this Liberty amongst some foreign Disciplinarians have taken those effects, that one may almost say of them as Plutarch (amongst his Lacon. Apothe.) reporteth one to have said of Athens: One (saith he) travailing to Athens, and seeing the Athenians to revel & wanton it, in all lascivious and licentious delights nihilque in honestum ducere, and nothing to account dishonest, returning home again and asked how matters went at Athens, he answered that omnia pulchra, all there was well, all there good, per iocum innuens, omnia illic pulchra putari, turpe nihil; Ironically insinuating, that all things there were accounted good and nothing dishonest. In somewhat such like sort returning travailers from those licentious Reformers, may almost report as truly that Omnia illic pulchra, all things there be fair, all things there christian: that which once was vice is now with them no vice, that which once was virtue, is now none, as if vices & virtues had held their essences but by lease; which now expired, they cease to be that which they were before vices & virtues. somewhat like to that which was wrote of Petronius Arbiter (pardon the resemblance whatsoever Petronius was) may be said of these men. Illi dies per somnum, nox oblectamentis vitae transigebatur, utque alios industria, ita hunc ignavia ad famam protulerat; he spent the day in sleep, and the night in the pleasures of the life; & as Industry made famous other men, so did sloth him: habebaturque non ganeo & profligator, sed erudito luxu. So these, in the day and sight of men, as a sleep, they do no more but breath; but in the night and secret, than they play their pranks And as strictness and austerity of life, made famous and renowned our ancestors; so looseness and liberty these; and yet they must not be said to be Libertines, but of a learned & Zealous Luxury (freedom I shuold have said) & christian liberty. Thus slippery & easy, yea, almost necessary is the lapse unto these abuses; when Liberty is immoderately, inconsiderately and indiscreetly taught and commended. Men in their actions of pleasure, will not distinguish liberty and licence, in which, devotion also having a part, which never thinks it goeth far enough, will never judge they have used liberty aright, till they be at the furthest of licentiousness. Strange it is how far men will run possessed with belief that upon Conscience and God's law●, they ought to take a liberty. I will bestow but one note more upon this point: Allegation of oppression, is a note of faction in the common wealth; and pleading for liberty is always to be suspected & many times it is a mark of schism, in the Church. It is an odd observance which Pamelius maketh upon that of Tertullian, in his prescriptions of Apelles the heretic, seduced by Philumena. That there was never yet Heretic who pleaded not for his liberty. Qui suas non habuerit Philumenas', that hath not had his Philumena speaking in that particular Liberty for al. I therefore, in short will conclude this part with the advise of Galba to Piso adopting him Emperor (for that which he spoke of the Romans is true of us) That in teaching this doctrine we 
Tacit. lib. 1●  ought to be very wary, and to consider, that we are to deal with men, qui nec totam servitutem pati possunt, nec totam libertatem, who can neither bear only servitude, nor only Liberty. I come now to the particulars wherein Christian Liberty consisteth.  
Caluin (my guide in the forenamed place) thinketh it to consist in three things; 
Instit. 19 c.  Primae ut fidelium conscientiae dum fiducia suae Coram Deo instificationis etc. first that the Consciences of the faithful, whilst they seek a confidence of their justification before God, may lift themselves above the Law totamque legis institiam obliviscantur, and forget all the justice of the law for since the law leaveth no man just, either we are excluded from all hope of justification, aut ab illa nos solui oportet or we must be freed from it; Ac sic quidem, ut nulla prorsus operum ratio habeatur, and so freed that no regard that all be had of works Nam qui vel tantillum operum se afferre debere ad obtinendam justitiam cogitat, for he that thinketh he ought to bring never so little of works to obtain justice, he maketh himself the debtor of the whole law; sublata igitur legis mentione & omni operum cogitatione seposita the very mentioning therefore of the law being taken away, and all cogitation of works, he must in the matter of justification, only embrace the mercy of Christ. So Luther to this purpose is very much, in his books de libertate Christiana, and his Comment. upon the Epistle to the Gal. where, 
 Bellar. de justif. li. 4. cap. 1.  upon the 2. Chapter thus, Sola fides necessaria est, ut justi simus, caetera omnia liberrima, neque praecepta amplius neque prohibita. Again, Si conscientia dicat, peccasti; Respond, peccavi: ergo Deus puniet & damnabit; Non: at lex hoc dicit; sed nihil mihi cum lege: quare? quia habeo libertatem. Let all this be true, but take heed you abuse it not as an occasion to the flesh. The great Cardinal controversor of our days, Bellarmine, upon this or such like speeches passeth thus his censure; Ista, quomodocunque excusentur, certè magnam vim habent, ad persuadendum simplici populo, & ad malum propenso, non esse facienda opera bona: These how soever they may be excused, verily they have great force to persuade the people, being simple, and propense to evil, that good works are not to be done. May I say, without a kind of sin against this place, that there is moderation in this censure? yes, for an adversaries. Nay then think of it well, and tell me; do you yourselves judge it easy, for ignorance and corruption, the one to conceive, the other to believe, such hard doctrines and seeming repugnances as these be? namely, that we are freed from the moral Law, and yet to our power to perform it; that we have nothing to do with the Law (but with faith in Christ) and yet the Decalogue not to be neglected; that good works, are not so much as to be thought on for salvation, and yet to be performed? will not corruption (think you) be unwilling, and ignorance unable to distinguish these, & so betwixt them both let good works alone? whatsoever the sense be of them, what may be; nay the sound alone will be enough for unwillingness to omit them, and guiltiness to apology for them having omitted them already. I would to God I were not here constrained, to run into complaints (that unfitting subject for a young man's tongue) no man loving better than myself to speak that may please, though no man hating it more than to speak to please. All Stories have complained of their times, I know it well, and know not any, that have not cried out o tempora, o mores; but yet some have complained more than others, and every one (if well observed) of some particular vice or other: but none in general have complained more than this our age (the sense and sight of the present doth not deceive me) and none so much of uncharitableness, since Christ himself had not where to lay his head; it is our peculiar and times proper vice. Will ye in this particular, see the true distinction betwixt our ancestors and us; Illi vitiis laborabant, nos remediis; they laboured with vices, we with remedies; they were sick with diseases, we with Physic: the first is always pitied, this second (in smaller matters) is usually laughed at. Or if you will, thus. The Christian world is sick of a disordered Ague; the whole fit from unnatural and distempered heat; that now is past, and of it we have no fear, having had so strong purgations. And now the cold shivering fit of indevotion and uncharitableness is sore upon it. Had all things in the world decayed so much as charity, the Christian world, before this time, had been as small as a moat. Do I slander and scandalise our time? Why tell me then, come not good laws from evil manners? were not our forefathers constrained by Statutes, in one kind, to moderate devotions charity: and are not our Parliaments enforced to strengthen Laws, and enact new, for relief of poverty? and yet will not our new Laws, supply the place of old devotions charity. Wisdom in salomon's time, cried in the high streets, and amongst the press at the entering of the gates, and none would hear her; now wisdom (God be thanked) is heard reasonably well, but poverty lieth crying, not amongst the press at the enterings of the gates, but in the porches of the Temples of the Lord, creeping so near his house and altars as they can, the more to move compassion, but every one passeth by, and scarcely look upon the wounded man; Nay, the Levite (the Priest himself) cometh through the porch, and passeth up into his pulpit, and there speaketh so for Christian Liberty, that he little commendeth Christian Charity, or any whit helpeth the poor wounded man. Of this uncharitableness, may it be un-offensive to seek the cause? was it a religious hate of an old abuse, and a flight from that opinion of meriting by works, to the extreme opposite? No, that course is judged to be erroneous, and by the wisdom of our better writers, to have misled, 
Hooker.  and done some harm, in many particulars of Reformation. And the very Poet telleth us, 
Horat.  that In vitium ducit culpae fuga, si earet arte, the flying of a vice leadeth to a vice, if it wanteth Art; and let us be ashamed to allege it, we shall be accused of folly, Si in contraria curramus; Nay let us fear to allege it, Tertullian maketh it a prescription against worse than folly, to run rather from an opinion then to one; Opus hoc est habere non de proprio aedificio sed alterius destructione, suffodene non aedificare: As if our Religion should be, as Tacitus writeth, of the nature of Galba, to be rather extra vitia quam intra virtutes. What then is the cause? I dare not presume to give the cause of any thing, and less of evils, than benefits, but if I may conjecture it to be that which others of understanding, have plainly judged it to be; I then suppose it verily, that our abuses in neglect of charity, have come from those former named positions, not that they be erroneous doctrine, but erroneously understood and abused. And so in this sense, I will say with an adversary himself, who layeth it an imputation upon us, that uncharitableness and evil life, be not only from our corrupt natures, but also from our doctrine; not that these doctrines, be properly causes of them, but rather occasions taken from these and such like positions, our adversaries do take advantage to abuse us, by persuading their ignorants, that we do teach licentiousness: So Bellar. himself doth from those (as he saith) of the rigid Lutherians In Colloquio Altenburgensi, ad satanam spectare Christianos cum operibus bonis. 
Vbi supra.  Adeo non esse necessaria opera bona, ut etiam ad salutem incommodent, suntque perniciosa. Precari oportere ut in fide sine omnibus operibus bonis, usque in finem perseveremus; with divers like, which I confess in their sense may be true, but yet had need to meet with better interpreters, than adversaries or ignorants. And your understandings know; that if an adversary can take advantage, to abuse us from them, we ourselves will take occasion, to abuse them to our own advantage of liberty: love of liberty in ourselves, will work as strongly, as malice can in others. What should I recount particulars. From this part of christian liberty, I will not say, but inconsiderate urging of it, and misconceiving, have come a multitude, if not schismatical Paradoxes, yet of schismatical practices and manners; Equidem viri fratres, Mores nostri sunt scismatici, verily brethren, many of our manners, they be schismatical: there is no greater heresy of life, then is uncharitableness. Hence, first, there is a secret covert for Hypocrisy, which in the invisibility of sole faith (from hence misunderstood) may freely cousin and dissemble; hence stupid security, which under the opinion of certainty and sufficiency of belief alone, layeth sound and dead a sleep, (a sleep on both ears) reason and conscience. Laboriosa quondam res fuit esse christianum, nunc ingeniosa, It was once a matter of labour to be a Christian, now of dispute & talking; once of practice, now of doctrine only. Hence next what if I should observe to have come, that very Paradox of the Anabaptistes. That all things must be common: For, Church revenues taken away houses of maintenance suppressed, and charity (upon this doctrine) buried in their ruins, necessity invented this Paradox, to have itself maintained, a subtle policy of the Devil, under a false show of greater charity to take away all charity, by inducing a community. Hence also cometh injurious scandalising and traducing, the religious lives and courses of once renowned saints; to the prejudice of future charity, and injury of former. And hence ungraceful reproachings of Charity's liberality, and old devotions goodly monuments: which, as their abuses gave some cause, so the inconsiderate teaching this doctrine, gave occasion to lawful authority for to suppress. I cannot name them but I must speak a word or two. Fair portions of the Lord they were, which to bestow upon him, devotion disinherited her own dear children, fair Paradises (the fathers call them so) where innocency might best have kept itself entire, but subtle serpenty, enticing to a taste of forbidden fruit, both she and hers were straight disparadised; since when, in sweat and sorrow, have we their successors eat our bread, and the earth it brings forth many thorns and thistles for ou● portions. I think the suppression of those monuments (of that nature) that it was a punishment but just and first deserved. Pi●ty is not limited to a good cause, but in case of misery is common to al●: you may bewail the death of him that dieth justly, & therefore need not fear to lament their overthrow. ●ood it was for Cesar that Pompey should not live; yet when the head of worthy Pompey was showed unto Cesar, the story saith, he wept most bitterly: so, if we any where behold, the remaining relics of those goodly walls digged up with the bones of them that founded them; though so well done, me think we should not choose but weep most bitterly. I will say but a word more of them, The pulling of those buildings down, was of the nature of those things quae defendipossunt, sed & defleri. O use not then thus your liberty as an occasion to the flesh No, no, this christian liberty, it is not an immunity from mercy's compassions and charities good works, but it is a servitude unto them, as the words next unto my Text do speak, exhorting, that by love we serve one an other. Religion is not a brest-work, there is no such freedom from the law; it is not enough for charity to hold her hand on her bosom and feel how her heart worketh, but from her heart she must stretch it forth to help the distressed. A christian, as he hath a Creed to believe so hath he x commandments to observe: Christ came not to dissolve the law, but to fulfil it. In the Gospel, belonging to the Gospel, there be not only Consolations, but threats and Comminations. 
Mat 7.  The t●e● that bringeth not forth good fruits shallbe cut down and thrown into the fire. The Gospel preached as it should, will make Christians cry out, Men and Brethren what shall ●e do? 
Act. 2. james. 5.  and not only, I will go in peace, my faith hath saved me. james preached Gospel, when he bade the rich men hold. The evangelium, it is a joyful and good message; who doth deny it; for that it telleth of our saviour and reconciler; but it hath other offices; The promises of it, be free, liberal, and merciful; but many of them be conditional, Fac hoc & vives. Mat. 19 Si vis ad vitam ingredi, serva mandata: And obedience to the Law moral, is as well taught in the Gospel as in the Law: Christ he was a Lawgiver, as well as a Redeemer from the Law. The yoke of Christ it is sweet but yet a yoke; and his burden is light, but yet a burden. Why, but how then (will you say) are we freed from the Law? As I even now told you out of Caluin, for I do not contradict him, but you, that abuse his doctrine; yet if you will, in a word I will tell you whatsome others writ, we are freed, saith the Papist, from the burdens of the judicial and Ceremonial law; of which spoke Peter Act. 15. Quid tentatis imponere jugum super Ceruices Discipulorun, quod nec nos nec patres nostri portare potuimus; what but only so? are we not freed from the moral law? yes, thus some writ we are, a Dominio legis moralis; It ruleth not over us as slaves, but children, it is made more supportable and light unto us, for that the law came alone, but the Gospel with grace. They which received the Law in Mount Sinai by Moses, received only doctrine, that, instructed by the law, they might discern betwixt vices and virtues: but they which received the Gospel by Christ, received also grace with it; not only to distinguish good and evil, but to love goodness and hate iniquity. Before, it was the Law of servitude and fear, for that without grace, which Moses could not give; it placed men guilty and subject to the punishment; but now by Christ it is the Law of Liberty and Love, for that he giveth with it his Spirit, making us more able and willing to perform it, and addeth, by his performance, to our want and imperfection in it. It is Saint Augustine's Simile in Lib. de perfect. justitiae. That the Law now, it is like unto the wings of a bird, which do not so much depress as lighten up; the wings of themselves be heavy, but having given them a power to move, they be no burdens to the body, but an ease and lightning. In a word, Christ hath freed us from the Law, non adimendo tegi vim obligandi, sed addendo hominibus charitatem illam libenter implendi. Or thus, if you will, with Saint Augustine. That we are, in league, non sub lege. 
In 1. Psal.  In the Law, not under the Law. He is said to be under the law, Qui a lege agitur tanquam servus, who is driven and compelled by the law as a servant; he is in the law, Qui secundum legem agit ut liber, who worketh according to the law as a freeman. In a word, ubi Spiritus Domini, ibi libertas. 2. Cor. 3. And thus much for this first part of Christian Liberty. 
2. Pars libertatis.  The second followeth, which dependeth (as Caluin speaketh) of the former; and it is this:  conscientiae, non quasi legis necessitate coactae, legi obsequantur; sed legis ipsius iugo liberae, voluntati Dei ultrò obediant: That our consciences should obey the Law, not as compelled by the necessity of the Law, but free from the yoke of the Law, should of their own accord obey the will of God; Thus Caluin in his former cited place. His meaning, as I conceive, from that which followeth, it is this; man's greatest perfection is imperfection, his holiness is wickedness his will unwillingness, his endeavours vain, his pains unprofitable, & all his well-done works but well-doing evil, if examined by the rigour and strictness of the Law: and therefore now we are freed from that exactness which the law requireth, our actions are not to be judged by the letter and tenor of that; but we may like children, offer up our imperfect, Dimidiata opera, aliquid etiam vitij habentia. Our half works (saith he) yea having some fault or vice in them, trusting that our obedience and endeavour will be accepted by our merciful Father. And that such we ought now to be, who must assuredly believe, Obsequia patri probatum iri quantulacunque sint, & quantumuis rudia & imperfecta; that our performances will be allowed of our Father, whatsoever they be, and how rude and imperfect soever. Let this be true, but take heed you abuse not this liberty as an occasion to the flesh. If as Simonides in Plutarch, Rudiores dixit esse Thessalos, quàm qui ab ipso decipi possunt; So the vulgar they be too simple to misconceive from the former doctrine, and make collection, that good works (upon this Christian liberty) are not at all to be practised (for it is an unhappiness of wit to be caught with Paradoxes) yet here is a doctrine more fit to be abused by all conceits and conditions. As this position is true and religious, so is it wise and politic, giving and referring our actions and all of them to the glory alone, the will, mercy, love, savour and acceptance of God, and together assuming liberty unto ourselves secret and inclusively (if not warily understood) extending Gods will, favour, mercy and acceptance to the quality of our actions. Though to do nothing seemeth not to any sufficient, yet to do one's endeavour and uttermost, seemeth to all to be very reasonable, though one's endeavour be also of itself nothing. The doctrine of this latter (of doing one's endeavour) is better than the other (of doing nothing) & yet the effect of them both in practise all one, namely nothing. Hypocrisy may freely deceive others; & negligence, itself; when the sufficiency of men's actions, is referred to the censure of the secret will of God, and not the sentence of an outward written law. And therefore, as religion must teach the first words of my Text, of our calling to liberty; so must wisdom the latter that we abuse it not as an occasion to the flesh; you must not conceive (which is the usual abuse this doctrine worketh) that you have Liberty, freely to square your actions, not to a law but to the merciful acceptance of God's will; & then Gods will by your own insufficiencies endeavours; and then your endeavours sufficiency by your own reasons judgement, & your judgement by your desires; & your desires by your fancies, and your fancies by your pleasures, and your pleasures by yourself. No, this is the same which the Apostle here dehorteth from, & yet it is the circle (utitur Demon circulis non rectis lineis) wherewith the Devil deceiveth the weak eye of ignorance and corruption. But for that this second part of Christian Liberty dependeth (as Caluin speaketh) of the former, of which I have spoken more liberally, I thus leave it, with this light touch I have given it, and come to the third and last part of this Liberty.  

Tertia pars.  The third part of Christian Liberty (saith mine author Caluin lib. 3 instit: Cap: 19.7.) is this:  nulla rerum externarun (quae per se sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) religione coram Deo teneamur, quin eas nunc § usurpare nunc omittere indifferenter liceat, That we are not bound with any Religion before God, to the observance of outward things, which in themselves are indifferent, but that we may use them or omit them, indifferently, at our pleasures. And here be comprised (saith he) all free ceremonies, to the observance of which, our consciences be tied with no necessity. Let this be true to faction or devotion, but take heed you abuse it not as an occasion to the flesh; Gladius hic ille est, this is the sword first killed our enemies, but now hath wounded our own selves, with many festering cuts & gashes, upon the heart dangerously, upon the body pitifully, upon the face most deformedly. This got reformation the victory, and made it abuse it when it had it. Hannibal's triumphs in Italy, and braving of the walls of Rome, was the overthrow of Carthage; God grant it be not so with our Church victories in this particular. Can an argument be good against the validity of the laws of Rome, as laws, and not be as good against the laws of England in this kind. I will speak of this doctrine as Tacitus doth of the dealings of Tiberius, Quanto maiore libertatis imagine teguntur, tanto cruptura ad infensius seruitium, with how much the more flattering colour of Liberty they be covered, so much the more evil they appear at length, to lead to a more troublesome and slavish servitude. It is but a first thought for any man to imagine, Peace a necessary cause of controversies and divisions, especially in matter of discipline, where authority is monarchical and absolute, that may then the better suppress them. And cannot any man name countries in christendom quiet and at rest, that are not thus troubled with dissensions, nor accused of such liberty in disorders? No, the cause of our differences, schisms, Church factions, and half our ungodliness, hath come from the abuse of Christian liberty in general, and from this part of it especially in particular which indeed is no true part of it. As in the two former parts I only showed the abuses of them, so in this, it was my purpose (upon the first choice of this Text) to have showed it, itself to be an abuse, and no true part of Christian liberty but the necessity of the former parts carrying me thus far, I will only add a word or two of the abuses of the doctrine. Lentae adversum imperia aures, every man's care is soft for impression, and open and stretched out a length, against government. It was the conclusion of the Rebel Arminius his oration unto his faction; that they should rather follow him Gloriae & libertatis ducem, a Captain of glory and Liberty, than Segestes, flagitiosae servitutis ducem, a Captain of wicked servitude. But why and when wicked servitude? Non cum impiis Dominis seruiatur, Sed quod servire impium; not when wicked masters be served and obeyed, but that it is a wicked thing to serve, say our Arminii. This doctrine was a speedy means to free us from that insupportable burden of laws the Church had laid upon us; but was it the best? hath it more got us a freedom from them, than a freedom and licence to act what we list? In which it is ignorance to look for moderation, man not being contented (upon this liberty) to have it granted him, that he may do whatsoever he is able, but what he list and is willing unto. The necessity and yoke of obedience (upon conscience) once cast off, what creature like to man, in untamednes and disorder? There is not that looseness, that ryotte that luxury, that profuseness of life that fancy, that conceit that invention, that contradiction of opinion and behaviour and manners, that he will not run into and maintain. Do I slander corruption? Do I scandalise the perverseness of our nature, and pervert this doctrine? will we not, or have we not gone so far? Nay I will then turn this censure presently: It is calvin's own judgement and experiment (not my reproach) in the 19 of the 3. of his Instit: After he had given us this point of Christian Liberty, he presently in the section, speaketh against two kind of abuses of it. Some there be saith he, who interpret it a licence for their sensualities, appetites, and libidinous affections, freely without check, to use at pleasure, the gifts and aboundances of God's bounty: Others who think this licence not used as it should be, except the disorders be practised, in the sight and conspect of men. And in the first kind, saith Caluin, Maiorem in modum hoc saeculo peccatur. There is an exceeding offending in this our age. In those days when this doctrine was but new, Caluin saw the speedy effects of it, and that there were abuses of it most exorbitant, till it came to be marked for the age's blemish. There is scarce a man (saith Caluin) who is but able to effect it, whom a luxurious spender in the garnish of his table; the glutting of his belly; the decking of his body; the building of his houses; doth not delight; and who doth not in all kind of delicacies endeavour to exceed all others. But what of this, will you say to me? what maketh this against this Christian liberty? Why, mark the sequel of his words, & you shall know: where after Caluin had recounted, the infinite novelties of his times disorders, he addeth this conclusion to his liberties a commendation, & haec omnia (saith he) sub Christianae libertatis praetextu defenduntur, and all these things be not practised, but defended under the pretext of Christian liberty; alleging that they be res indifferentes, things indifferent and so to be used. O God shall we lease reason and religion in one thing both together? what meaneth this patronizing of the cause with Caluin, and condemning the effects? or shall we say that things indifferent, commanded or inhibited by authority, may be omitted or practised freely, shall we aver it falsely, & then find fault when men do so use them, unreasonably? I am not able to conceive the mystery of this teaching, and therefore am compelled to say with Tertullian, Nusquam facilius proficitur quam in castris rebellium, 
Chap. 41. Pres.  ubi ipsum esse illic, promereri est; So will I speak of this teaching; there is no better successful arguing then in this rebellious doctrine, in which to speak alone, is to prove, & to prove to overcome; nor can it be excused out of the forenamed father that de papavere fici gratissime & suavissime ventosa & vana capriscus exurgit; 
Chap. 56.  that it is but as a naughty ground, maketh a good seed a cause of bad fruit no, the practice of the second kind of men, which Caluin mentioned, as abusers of this doctrine, will convince it clearly, that this falsely given Christian liberty, is the natural & genuine cause of these offences, and that the disorders be not abuses, but effects of this liberty. Errand in hoc plerique, many err in this, saith he, that as if their liberty could not be safe and sound except they have witness of the practice of it do use it foolishly and promiscuously: Nay (saith he) videas hody quosdam, quibus sua libertas non videtur consistere nisi per esum carnium die veneris, in eius possessionem pervenerint. you may see some at this day, who think their liberty not to consist, nor to be, but by the eating of flesh on fridays; they think their liberty hath no consistence or essence but in these disorders, nor can they come into possession of it, but by committing of them, and so it enforceth them to do them and therefore must needs be the true and proper causer of them. To this see what Caluin opposeth, quod edunt non reprehendo etc. that they eat flesh on Fridays, I reprehend it not quod edunt non reprehendo. O God, is it not enough for man to offend in conceit, but he must be impudent in defence of his opinion? must sin have a witness of it, or is it not sin? & is it not enough for men to offend, but they must be commended for it; at least, told that they shall not be reprehended? O Liberty, thou art the cause of all, and we are all the worse for thee. This opinion seemeth to be strictly religious in maintaining, not a denial, but a scorn of obedience upon conscience, to any but to God immediate; when as (in deed) it is intolerable pride and arrogancy for that they do it not, so much, to give obedience to God only as for that they cannot be so humble, as to give any respect and reverence to man. Should the particulars of schisms be recounted, (consequents, all upon this doctrine) I know not whether you would more wonder at them, or detest them. First, from hence all obedience to magistracy, it is at one blow taken away and that very Paradox of the Anabaptistes (as Eckius setteth it down) plainly established, Nulli potestati obediend●m: For, if the magistrate, commanding things indifferent, be not upon conscience, to be obeyed, then can he command nothing, nor is he to be obeyed in any thing; all things being either commanded by God, and so the obedience to him; or inhibited by God, & so not to be commanded by man; or left indifferent by God, to be enjoyed or prohibited by man. Next from hence cometh confusion & dissension, which God is never author of, by the freedom of this choice in every thing: and yet I know, these men will much commend their unity, but I must say with Tertul: 
Praes. 43.  Confusio revera sive schismata apud huiusmodi fere non sunt, quia cum sint non apparent schismata, est enim unitas ipsa, confusion and schisms be never with such, for when they be they make no rents and schisms, for it is their very unity itself. 
Lib. 1  Their very form and order is to have no order nor form. As Tacitus speaketh in his Annals of a Tumult & conspiracy of the legions, so will I of these, Nil paucorum instinctu, pariter ardescunt pariter silent, there is not a dissension of one or two, they altogether ryotte it, but though altogether, yet they ryotte it, they altogether are unruled but though altogether, yet unruled, with such an universal concord in discord, tanta aequalitate & constantia ut regi crederes, with such an equality & constancy, that you would think they were governed & had a discipline. And this you see Tacitus maketh a note of faction in the common wealth, and Tertullian of schism or heresy in the Church. Barbaris quo quis audacior, saith Tacitus, tanto magis fidus, & rebus commotis potier. So will I say of these men, quo quis seditiosior tanto fidelior & rebus commotis potior; the more seditious and discomformable, the more faithful and sound and in disagreement, of the more esteem and reckoning. I know their answer to be usual; that their confused dissension (if any of them can be brought to acknowledge any) is but in outward rites and toys Et differentia rituum, commendat doctrinae unitatem; Alas, a simple commendation. Nay, but rather, though the censure be subject to censure, let me adventure to say with Tertullian, 
Pres. 43.  That Doctrinae index disciplina, the looseness of their discipline, is a bewrayer of what sort their doctrine is, Et quòd de genere conversationis, qualitas fidei aestimari potest, and that from the kind of their conversation, the quality of their faith may be judged. Hence further, from this impeachment and minution of authority, and establishment of every particular man's liberty of obedience, followeth with an easy and slippery pace that Paradox which Eckius (but falsely, as I hope) accuseth Luther of Lib: de seculari potestate; quod inter christianos, nulla debet aut potest esse superioritas sed unusquisque alteri aequaliter subiectus est, an opinion against the laws of God, man, reason, sense, and nature. Hence next, a particle of this general, and an experiment and practice, first, in the state ecclesiastical, by holding no superiority; no praelacy, no Hierarchy but equality in the ministry. A base kind of pride, not that, which contemneth inferiors (from a conceit of self-excellency) but that, which endureth not and maligneth a superior (from fear of punishment and privety of self insufficiency) a Paradox perchance well pleasing to the laity; unadvisedly not marking, that beginning in the Clergy it would at length, 
Many other observations of further abuses were here cut off by the time.  come creeping amongst themselves.  
I will now only bestow one further observation upon our own home-urgers of this Christian liberty and so conclude. When julius Agricola in his second expedition, had overcome a great part of this I'll of Britain, very cunningly with a pleasing Liberty and Licentiousness of life, enticed the ruder inhabitants, to a liking and imitation of their customs; the Britons presently taken, fell in love with all their practices, their actions, their habits, and their sports; paulatimque discessum ad delineamenta vitiorum, and at length they fell also to the imitating of their vices, their bathings their banquetings, and all their luxuries, Idque tandem (saith the story) apud imperitos, humanitas vocabatur, cum pars servitutis esset & that at length with the unskilful vulgar, was called humanity, which as a part of their servitude, and a badge of their overthrow, & he was accounted the most civil and ingenuous man, who imitated the Romans best, when as indeed he was the most slave, by imitating his politic subduing adversary. In some not unlike sort, we now enticed by the fair show of Liberty and Christian freedom, do fall in great love and liking with it, paulatimque discedimus ad delineamenta vitiorum, & at length we come also to the imitating and practising of the fair abuses & vices of it; and that is called with us Christianity, Christian Liberty, as that other was with them Humanity, cum pars servitutis sit, when as it is a part of servitude, and we slaves in it (if duly considered) to the invention of some one or two particular men, and to the practice of some beginning Church; and he would be accounted with us the best reformed Christian who doth imitate it best, when as he is indeed the most slave, by imitating his politic subduing adversary. To which purpose well observed a late writer, that the worthiness of one (he nameth Caluin) had wrought too much upon other men's weakness. To conclude I will say but that only of these precise schismatics, 
Hist. lib. 1.  which Tacitus doth of Astrologians, Genus hominum potentibus infidum, sperantibus fallax, they be a kind of people, treacherous & disloyal to great men deceitful & false to them that hope in them; and I pray God, I may not justly add that which followeth, Genus etiam hominum quod apud nos vetabitur semper & retinebitur; they be a kind of men, which always shall be forbidden, and yet always retained. No, let them go, in their removal pernitiosior quies quam temeritas, rest is more pernicious than rashness.  
The God of might and mercy, give us all ●he spirit of his holy Catholic Church, that is of Liberty, not licentiousness; of freedom not looseness, of obedience, not faction; of unity, not division; of wisdom & judgement, not fancy & singularity; that all combined in the one and single divine inspiration of it, we may understand our liberty rightly; practise it unabusively; in religious liberality to the poor charitably; in performance of the commandements (to our power) laboriously; in obedience to the Magistrate and his laws, most dutifully; In reverence to the Church-canons, Rites and Ceremonies most conscionably; and thus in love serving all one another most christianly. This grant, God the father, the son and the holy ghost; to whom be ascribed all power, might, majesty, and dominion now and for ever  
Amen.