"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.

Or else we may meet with simple-minded and ignorant persons, weak in
the faith, as the Apostle calls them, who are as yet unable to apprehend
that liberty of faith, even if willing to do so. These we must spare,
lest they should be offended. We must bear with their infirmity, till
they shall be more fully instructed. For since these men do not act thus
from hardened malice, but only from weakness of faith, therefore, in
order to avoid giving them offence, we must keep fasts and do other
things which they consider necessary. This is required of us by charity,
which injures no one, but serves all men. It is not the fault of these
persons that they are weak, but that of their pastors, who by the snares
and weapons of their own traditions have brought them into bondage and
wounded their souls when they ought to have been set free and healed by
the teaching of faith and liberty. Thus the Apostle says, "If meat make
my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth" (1
Cor. viii. 13); and again, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus,
that there is nothing unclean of itse