Abernathy - Houston-Packer Collection BX9178.A33 S4 1748 v.4

Of Natural, Moral, and Civil Liberty. 79 private, are derived, and by it all obligations S E R M of juftice and humanity are eftablifhed. I1I. But the fame principle direeteth men to enter into civil aflociations, which is for the common good of mankind in this Bate of indigence, weaknefs, and efpecially moral imperfection, the force of the fociety being the fecurity of their rights againft the dan- gers arifing from their interfering lulls, gaf- fions, and vices. Hence arife various re- firaints upon liberty, but no other than fuch as men can be fuppofed, by voluntary con - fent to have fubmitted to, or which the ends of civil fociety require. Confcience muff be exempted from human jurifdiEtion, becaufe its ends, offices, and interefts, in our nature, are fuperior to all the ends of civil officiation, and fubje Ling it to the power of man is inconfiftent with the very being of religion; and for the exercife of the liberty of private perfons in purfuing their interefts in this world, it is, as every wife and good man would defire it fhould be, only fubordinated to the intereft of the whole community. When thefe limits are exceeded by civil government, it degenera- teth into ufurpation and tyranny ; and the right of felf- defence is, in the opprefl'ed, un- der no other regulation than that of pru- dence.

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