Meditations on the holy sacrament of the Lords last Supper Written many years sinceMeditations on the holy sacrament of the Lords last Supper Written many yeares since

But yet though we under the Gospel are thus set at liberty from all manner ordinances which are not of intrinsical, eternal, and unvariable necessity; yet may this liberty in regard of the nature of things indifferent be made a necessity in respect of the use of them. We may not think that our liberty is a licentious, and unbounded liberty, as if CHRIST had been the Author of confusion, to leave every man in the external carriages of his worship unto the conduct of his private fancy. This were to have our^a liberty for a cloak of naughtiness, and as^b an occasion to the flesh: but we must always limit it by those general, and moral rules of piety, loyalty, charity, and sobriety. Use all things we may indifferently without subjection or bondage unto the thing but not without subjection unto GOD, and superiors. Use them we may but with^* temperateness, and moderation, use them we may but with respect^c to Gods glory, use them we may, but with ^dsubmission to authority, use them we may, but with^e avoiding of scandal. Christian liberty consisteth in the inward freedom of the^f conscience, whose only bond is a necessity of Doctrine, not in outward ⟨p. 163⟩conformity or observances only, whose bond is a necessity of obedience, and subordination unto higher powers, which obeying, though we become thereby subject unto some humane, or Ecclesiastical ordinances, the conscience yet remains uncurbed and at liberty.

But yet though we under the Gospell are thus set at liberty from all manner ordinances which are not of intrinsecall, eternall, and unvariable necessity; yet may this liberty in regard of the nature of things indifferent bee made a necessity in respect of the use of them. We may not thinke that our liberty is a licentious, and unbounded liberty, as if CHRIST had been the Author of confusion, to leave every man in the externall carriages of his worship unto the conduct of his private fancy. This were to have our