The Institution of Christian Religion

Herein also many men do err, because as though their liberty should §10not be sound and safe unless it had men witnesses of it, they do un••scretly & unwisely use it. By which unseasonable using they many times offend the weak brethren. You may see at this day some, which think that their liberty can not stand, unless they take possession of it by eating of flesh on friday. I blame not that they eat: butte this false opinion must be driven out of their minds. For they ought to think that by their liberty they obtain no new thing in the sight of men but before God, and that it standeth as well in abstaining as in using. If they understand that it maketh no matter before God, whether they eat flesh or eggs, whether they wear read or black garments, that is enough. The conscience is now free, to which the benefit of such liberty was due. Therefore although they do afterward abstain all their life long from flesh, & wear alway but one colour, yet they are no less free. Yea therefore because they are free, they do with a free conscience abstain. But they do most hurtfully offend ⟨image 291⟩because they nothing regard the weakness of their brethren, which we ought so to bear with, that we rashly commit nothing with offence of them. But sometime also it behoveth that our liberty be set forth before men. And this I grant. But there is a measure most heedfully to be kept, that we cast not away the care of the weak of whom the Lord hath so earnestly given us charge.

Herin also many men do erre, bycause as though their libertie shold §10not bee sounde and safe vnlesse it had men witnesses of it, thei do vn••scretly & vnwisely vse it. By which vnseasonable vsing thei many times offend the weake brothren. You may see at this day some, whiche thinke that theyr libertie can not stande, vnlesse thei take possession of it by eating of fleshe on fryday. I blame not that they eate: butte this false opinion muste be dryuen out of their myndes. For thei oughte to thynke that by theyr lybertie they obteyne no newe thing in the sight of menne but before God, and that it standeth as well in absteinynge as in vsynge. If they vnderstande that yt maketh no matter before God, whether they eate fleshe or egges, whether thei weare redde or blacke garments, that is enough. The cōscience is nowe free, to whyche the benefite of suche lybertie was due. Therefore althoughe they do afterward absteine al theyr life long from flesh, & weare alway but one colore, yet thei are no lesse free. Yea therefore bicause thei are free, thei do with a free cōscience absteine. But thei do most hurtfully offend