aio Of Chriflian Liberty. S F x M. be obfcure, and to have no determinate IV. meaning but fuch as is defined by the in- terpretation of popes or councils, to which all are bound implicitly to fubmit. Now, this is properly a legiflative authority ; for if the laws of a king fo called, are not other. wife to be underftood, and not otherwife a rule to his fubjeCts, than according to the fenfe given by others, thole others, not he, are truly fpeaking the lawgivers. See here an effential change made in the chriflian conflitution, which by the exprefs declara- tions, and obvious defign of the New Teflament, was originally founded on the principle of one only fupreme ruler, whole kingdom is not of this world, and on the fup- pofition of his long abfence, according to the plain intention of our Saviour's own pa- rable, Luke xix. from the 12th verfe, his abfence, I fay, even till the confummation of all things, when he is to return, and di- ftribute rewards and punifhments to his profeffed fubjefs, according to their works: During which abfence, there is no vifible interpofition on his part, to explain or en- force obedience, but every one of the fub- jefs is left to interpret the laws for himfelf in the bell manner he can, ufing fuch mi- nifterial helps as are afforded him to en- lighten
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=