74 Of Natural, Moral, and Civil Liberty. S ER M. and importance. He did not (as Mahomet M. did by his inftitution) appoint his followers J to fpread it, and fubdue the world to the profeflion of it by fire and fword; nor, like his own pretended vicar in later times, or- der the erroneous to be imprifoned and tor- tured till they fhould profefs the truth. Re- ligious impoftures very often betray their original, and Phew themfelves to be, not the produtions of human reafon, but human depravity and pafhon, of fenfuality, cove - toufnefs, and ambition, by the methods of violence wherewith they fupport themfelves, and by their politics ; for they are the maxims of the wifdom which defcendeth not from above, but is earthly, fenfual, devil - ifb : But the wifdom from above, the law of Jefus Chrift, recommendeth itfelf to the heft fentiments and affections of our minds, for it breatheth nothing but fincere and ra- tional piety towards God, benevolence to man, liberty, and peace. Hitherto I have confidered Iiberty as it relateth to the main ends of our exiftence, in which refpeft it is of the greateft conic- quence, and (hewed you that the gofpel concurreth with reafon in recommending it to our efteem, to be preferved as an inva- luable privilege, and improved to its proper, _which
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