Of Chrißian Liberty. 137 for the kingdom of God is not meat and S E x M. drink, and it is not forms of words, and V- bodily geflures, but righteozfnefs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Gh ; for he that in theft things frveth Chrifi, is acceptable tó God, and approved of men. What bath been faid on this fuhjet equally relateth to all human power in mat- ters purely of religion, whatever hands it is lodged in, or by whomfoever it is exercifed ; the temporal authority of civil magifirates, though a true and proper authority within its own fphere, no more than that of eccle- fiaftics, cannot ferve the ends of Chrift's kingdom, which is not of this world, that is, cannot promote true religion ; its inter- pofitions are equally unneceffary to mere decency and order, and equally hurtful to true chriftian peace. It is true, the civil magiftrate bath the peace and intereft of the civil fociety, as fuch, for the objet: of his care, and no pretence of religion can ex- empt any fubje& from his jurifdiftion, no pretence of religious liberty can fcreen any violation of the public peace from his cen- fure; but the queftion is, Whether chriftia- nity, as delivered in the fcriptures, and the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made its pro - feffors free, be in any refpea inconfiftent with
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