g z Of Chriian Liberty. S E R nf. and that the didinEtion made by the law IV. yyas. taken away ; but through the whole a +oftolic age many others retained fuch a refpeft for their ancient rites and the tradi- tions of their fathers, that they would have the obfervance of them continued in the chriftian church together with the gofpel inftitutions, which was the principal fub- jef of contention among the primitive be. lievers. But the truth was, and it appeareth plainly from the main principles of the chri- lüan religion, and the whole ftrain of the New Teftament writings, that this obliga- tion ceafed, and y fus Chrifl made his fol- lowers free from that bondage. Indeed cha- rity diredted thofe who were inftruEted in chri, ftian liberty, to bear, for a time, with their weak jùdaizing brethren, even fo far as in fome inftances, to comply with them, by ob- ferving the antiquated ceremonies. St. Paul, than whom no man was a more zealous ad- vocate for liberty, was yet fo charitable as to become all things to all men ; particularly, to the yews he became as a yew, and under the law : To render Timothy the more ac- ceptable to the yews, and that he might more fuccefsfully minifter to their convert-ion, he circumcifed him ; and rather than offend weak brethren by eating what they account- ed
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