"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.
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