A treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at KidderminsterA treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at Kederminster

And another part of this ungodly Liberty is, to be free from the exercise at least of this power of Magistrates and Ministers so far as not to be restrained from sin, though they be not free from the state of subjects. To swear, and be drunk, and live as most Ale-sellers on the damning sins of others, and make a trade of selling men their damnation, and to have no Magistrate punish them, no Officer trouble them, and no neighbour accuse them; this is their Liberty. To game, and roar, and revel, and have no body say to them, Why do you ⟨p. 222⟩so, is part of their Liberty. To have leave without Restraint to make all others as bad as themselves, and if they are Infidels or Heretics, to persuade other men to it: If they hold any opinion against the God that made them, against Christ, against the Spirit of God, against the Word and Laws of God, against his Ministers, his Church, his Ordinances, against any necessary point of Faith, or if they have any false conceit that leads straight to Hell, that they may have full power, license, and authority, to bring as many as they can to be of the same mind, that they may not be unprofitable servants to the Devil, nor go to Hell alone, this is a great part of their impious Liberty: And because the name of Conscience is become honourable, they call this by the name of Liberty of Conscience: when indeed it is Liberty of Practice that they mean, and not Liberty of Conscience: For their Conscience cannot be altered by force, nor touched by the Sword. It's they that deprive men of the Liberty of their Consciences, whilst by false teaching they put out the eye of conscience, & enslave it to sinful false conceits. And Conscience is science: and Error is not science but ignorance: And therefore as Error is not Conscience, but the destruction of Conscience; so Liberty to error, is no Liberty of Conscience, but a Liberty to destroy Conscience: Much less is it Liberty of Conscience to sin against God, and draw others from Conscience into error, and poison mens souls, and hinder the Gospel, and promote the work and Kingdom of the Devil.

And another part of this ungodly Liberty is, to be free from the exercise at least of this power of Magistrates and Ministers so far as not to be restrained from sin, though they be not free from the state of subjects. To swear, and be drunk, and live as most Ale-sellers on the damning sins of others, and make a trade of selling men their damnation, and to have no Magistrate punish them, no Officer trouble them, and no neighbour accuse them; this is their Liberty. To game, and roar, and revel, and have no body say to them, Why do you