Mat. xv. 9. Col. ii. 18, 22, 23. Though formerly the scribes and pharisees sat in Moses' chair, yet God never gave them a power to load the conscience with new institutions, beyond and besides the law of God, to which all were equally bound-Deut. iv. 2. and xii. 34. All the authority of the doctors of the law tended to keep the people to the observance of the law of Moses; Christ justly rebuked them, when they went beyond that. Whatever man has devised from his own invention, in matters of religion, has ever been displeasing to God. Freedom from the obligation to things indifferent, which are neither good nor bad in themselves, and which God has neither commanded nor forbidden. When the knowledge and sense of this liberty is wanting, the conscience, in that case, is disquieted, and superstition has neither measure nor end-Rom. xiv. 5, 14, 23. The possession, however, is to be distinguished from the use; the right, from the exercise of it: the former ought ever to remain inviolable to the conscience, the latter to be circumscribed by the rules of prudence and charity, to avoid giving offence to weak brethren-1 Cor. vi. 12. 2 Cor. x. 12. Rom. xiv. 19." FINIS. age. line. 24 41 50 52 53 7.2 77 91 95 103 108 111 112 16 for as read or. 6 from the foot, for Babylon read Egypt. 15 for founded read confounded. 6 from the foot, for Varoni read Fanini. 5, 6 for stone read straw, 15 after was insert not. 2 for Hales read Hobbes. 23 for country read century. 9 and elsewhere, for Sicinius read Licinius. 9 from foot, for was read as. 2 for beloved read blessed. strike out one. 120 18 before but insert is. 149 16 from foot, for act read out. 153 15 before commandments insert ten. after conditions place a period, and a comma af ter parliament in the following line. 4 after faith insert as far. 6 after not insert on. 3 for misapproving read misimproving. 1 for mentioned read maintained. 3 from foot, after known add a period, and a comma in the 12 and elsewhere, for Naim read Nairn. 7 from foot, for or read as. |