Response to Quote- 9-23-2011

"It could never be more truly said than of the first remedy, that it was worse than the disease. Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an ailment without which it instantly expires. But it could not be less folly to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it imparts to fire its destructive agency." - James Madison.

What Madison is saying in this section is that the Articles of Confederation was not a solution to fix the up and coming United States government, but it was going to harm the government and causes more issues that politicians wanted to avoid when they signed the Articles. It did not seem that the U.S. was free from the policies that they wanted to avoid, like other states making their own currencies and placing tariffs on almost anything. It would have led to the fall of the United States before it got it's feet wet. With the constitution in place, it dramatically improves the condition of the United States, making the government more functional, with more liberty. 

Response to quote

"If you want to stand for your natural corrupt liberties, and you will not endure the least weight of authority, but will murmur, and oppose, and be always striving to shake off that yoke; but if you will be satisfied to enjoy, such civil and lawful liberties,  such as Christ allows you, then you quietly cheerfully submit unto that authority which is set over you in all the administrations of it, for your good Wherein, if we fail at any time, we hope we shall be willing (by God's assistance) to hearten to good advice from any of you, or in any other way of God; so shall your liberties be preserved in upholding the honor and power of authority amongst you"

According to this excerpt from John Winthrop's essay, liberty to do as you please will make you a corrupt being who is never able to listen to authority. If you give up your liberty, and shackle yourself, and listen to authority, will make you less corrupt. It will allow you not to be selfish and to be closer to God in the process, instead of acting as if you have your own set of rules.