Of Chriffian Liberty. 153 by fame, and refilled by others ; but can it S E R M. be ever reconciled to their common avowed V. principle, againft all human impofitions, `. that they fhould break into parties upon fuch a queflion ? and whatever zeal of God for truth, charity may require us to believe, may be the fpring of impofition among our - felves, the fame charity requiring us to ac- knowledge an equal zeal for truth, order, and peace, in other impofers, can it be a temperate zeal, and according to know- ledge, which contendeth for a proper au- thority over confcience in fome hands, and reje leth it in others ; which pleadeth for fuch a fubmiflion to the arbitrary demands of fellow- fubjefts, as is refuted to lawful civil governors ? But, above all things, let us endeavour to juftify our principle of liberty by an uni- formly regular practice of true piety and virtue in our converfations. Moral liberty is the glorious privilege which God hath made our nature capable of, and which Chrift our Saviour came to reftore when it was greatly impaired, almoft wholly loft, by the depravity of mankind. Without this, all boafled freedom is but an empty infignifi- cant pretence, and to the dilhonour of reli- gious liberty, they claim it who are the (laves
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