Confidence towards God, explained. 365 pretence of charity. Methinks it fhould be S E x m. a ftrong prejudice againft the opinion I am XIV. now confidering, that it produceth fo much mifchief among men ; but at the fame time it is founded on a grofs error concerning God, and his way of proceeding in judging men, and concerning the nature of religion. What can induce men to impofe on the confciences of others, and puniti them fòr not complying with their religious decrees ? The molt charitable account is, that they think in thefe things religion confifteth, and by them men will be acceptable to God : But feeing human authority is ufed, and force, it is evident there is an oppofition of judgment, and the compliance of the per - fecuted muft be againft the light of their confciences, for which, according to the dotrine of this text, they are felf- condem- ned, and the only jut foundation of their confidence towards God is deftroyed. Thus it is apparent that perfecution, in all its kinds and degrees, and in the bet light in which it can be fet, inftead of promoting religion, it can only be defended and prac- tifed on the ruins of fincerity, in which true religion confiteth; and inftead of tend- ing charitably to render men acceptable to God, the natural tendency of it is to fubvert the I¡
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