Of Natural, Moral, and Civil Liberty. 65 for the body only can be fubjedt to human SE R M, power, and its fufferings end with this fhort III. uncertain life, but the fervants of corruption, as St. Peter calleth them, who are brought in bondage to their lulls, have fubjeded the fuperior powers of their nature, their reafon itfelf, the diftinguifhing glory of man, to the brutal part, and, without fpeedy and effectual repentance, funk themfelves into endlefs degradation and mifery by the righte- ous fentence of him who hath power to call into hell. This is the wretched Rate from which fefits Chi-ill came to refcue ners, and thefe are the captives to whom he proclaimeth liberty, a liberty of mind, of will, and confcience, whereby men are not under a foreign yoke, but reilored to them - felves, to rule over their own fpirits, the in- ferior affections being fubjeäed to the fo- vereignty of reafon and confcience. Agreeably to this do trine of our Saviour, the apoftle James giveth the chriflian infti tution that glorious character, the law of li- berty, James ii. 12. The. connection of which words ftandeth thus: The apoffle had cenfured the yews, to whom he writeth, for their partiality in making diflin'ions among their brethren according to their outward condition, treating the poor with contempt, V o L. IV. F and
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