x. 4, 5. But it would be highly abfurd, hence to infer, That magiftrates may not refrain men from robbing nations or Churhes of thofe divine truths, which God bath gracioufly entrusted to them, and which are inexpreffibly profitable to them,-or reArain them from propagating grofs herefies, blafphemies, idolatries, which undermine and exclude the true religion, provoke God to deftroy nations, and are the fruitful feeds of contention, confufion, and every evil work. No magiftrate can compel me to love my neighbour as myself, or can juftly compel me to divide mine inheritance with him; but he may lawfully punish me for calumniating or robbing

him.

It is, therefore, extremely uncandid in the advo cates for magiftratical tolerations of herefy, blafphemy, and idolatry, always to attempt blending or pla cing on an equal level, true and falfe religion,mere neglect of fome pofitive duties of religion, and shocking infults upon, and oppofition to the duties of religion,--leffer and fecret mistakes in religion, and the moft damnable herefies, blafphemies and idolatries, openly and obftinately profeffed and practised, as if thefe were equally objects of toleration, restraint, or punishment, or, to confound a mere forbearance to punish, with an authoritative licence, openly to profels and practife what is criminal respecting religion. The true religion ought never to need a toleration. It ought always to have an establishment. Whereas a falfe one ought never to be established, magiftrates having no power against the truth but for the truth, There are many mere neglects or leffer miflakes in religion, against which it would not be proper for magiftrates to enact civil laws, in this prefent ftate of imperfection. And, if there be no civil law against them, they cannot be punishable as crimes. "Where no law is, there can be no tranfgreffion."--Mere

forbearance to punith, what is plainly contrary to law, is, in fome cafes neceffary, and in imitation of God himself; and gives no pofitive encourage. ment to wickedness. Whereas a pofitive or authori tative toleration, proclaims to men, a liberty to fin, and promifeth them protection in fo doing. If the provider for an army deliver to them fine flour mixed with fome particles of bran, and a large quantity of arfenic, Is his delivery of the fine flour, or even of the mixture of bran, as criminal and punishable, as that of the mixture of arfenic? No man that is not mad will pretend it. For the fine flour he deferves the highest encouragement: for the bran he may be justly forborne, but for the arfenic he defeves to be hanged.

"

The toleration, which I mean to oppofe, if plainly and candidly expreffed, would run thus: "We, "the King and Parliament of,as powers or"dained of God,-minifters of God for good to men,"as the ordinance of God for the terror and penif"ment of evil doers, and the praise of them that do "well,-as nurfing fathers to the Church of Christ, "-in order that all our fubjects may come to the knowledge of the truth, and lead a quiet and peaceable "life in all godliness and honefty- -Do hereby, in "the name and authority of The Most High God, "from whom we have derived all that governing "power, which we poffefs, that we, ruling in his "fear, may exercife it wholly in obedience to his "law, and to promote his declarative glory in the "world-Grant to all and every one of you, our "said subjects, an authoritative toleration or legal li"cence, openly and obstinately to pervert, contradict, and revile the declarations of God contained, "in his word,—and in the most infolent and abu"five manner to blafpheme his nature, perfections, "purposes and works, particularly of the redemp

"tion of mankind, and to corrupt his worship, "represent him in it, in the most abfurd and abo"minable forms,-or rob him of it, giving it to de"vils, monfters of wickednefs, brutes, ftocks, or "ftones, in his ftead, and with all your might to, "exert yourselves in making your fellow subjects "do the like.And, we hereby do, In the fame "name and authority of God, the King of nations, "promise you every kind and degree of civil pro-. "tection in all fuch behaviour, as you can profess, "or pretend, your confciences do dictate or al"low-providing always, that you commit your outrage only againft God, your, and our maker "and fovereign,-but do not difturb the externalpeace of the nation, in reviling the civil charac-, "ter, feizing or hurting the civil property, or any "way abufing the body of any of your fellow fin"ners of mankind.". -The correfpondent warrant of confcience which we mean to impugn, if honeftly exprefied, would run thus: "I Confcience, "as the great deputy of The Most High GOD, "Lord, and Lawgiver of the world, implanted in <s every man's breaft, for his temporal, spiritual, "and eternal advantage, Do hereby, In God's name "and authority, and in the exercife of my power "which is wholly derived from him, and to be ex"ercifed for his glory, in trying all things by his « law, and approving and holding faft that which is good,--Warrant and authorize all and every one "of you, fons and daughters of men, to devife, be"lieve, openly and obftinately to profefs, and zeal. "oufly propagate every damnable herefy, and blaf"phemous opinion, and to practife and propagate "every abfurd and abominable form of idolatry, "which Satan, who deceiveth the world, and a

heart deceitful above all things and defperately "wicked, and given up of God to strong delufion,

"belief of lies, vile affections, and a reprobate "fense, can make you think innocent or proper.--. "And, I do hereby, In the fame name and authori"ty,-Grant you my facred claim of right to all man"ner of liberty and protection from the civil magi"ftrate in fo doing,-providing always, that you "commit fuch injury and outrage only against God, "your infinitely excellent, high, and gracious Pro"prietor and Superior, and do no civil injury to "the body, character, or property of your fellow "creatures." Such is indeed the toleration which mány praife or plead for; and this I proceed to impugn, by the following arguments.

I. Men's pleadings for it do, all of them, neceffarily proceed on their adopting fuch atheistical prin- ̧ ciples as the following,

1. Men's natural or civil rights to their property, liberty, profits and honours, are not originally de-. rived from God,-and ought to protect them in their moft outragious finning against him.

2. Men's confciences have a right and authority underived from, and independent of God, by which. it can warrant them to think and speak of, or act towards God, as infolently and blafphemously as they please.

3. That, if the law of God be any rule to men; it is not fo, in refpect of any intrinfic meaning af fixed to it by him, but merely as it is understood by every man, particularly in that which relates to their behaviour towards God.

4. All men being ready to mistake, we ought always to believe that our opponents may have as just a view of the Scriptures as ourfelves, and never to condemn them for that which they do not own to be blafphemy, idolatry, or herefy.

5. Magiftrates' right and authority_to_govern athers, doth not originate in God as the Creator,

91

Preferver, and King of nations, but in magiftrates themfelves, or in their fubjects; and fo may be exercifed as they pleafe, particularly in requiring or allowing their fubjects to belie, blafpheme, or rob God.

6. Magiftrates may be moral governors deputies or lieutenants, under God, without having any power or authority relating to religion, or his honour.

7. Not the law of God natural or revealed, but the laws of nations ought to be the supreme standard of all civil government.

8. Not the declarative glory of God, as the Moft. High over all the earth, but the civil peace and profperity of nations, ought to be the chief end of magiftrates in all their acts of government.

9. Men's natural rights of confcience, or their civil rights, or the authority of magiftrates, may or ought to empower, warrant, or protect them in grofs herefy, blafphemy, idolatry, or other outragious abufe and injury of God; but can by no means warrant or protect them in caluinny, theft, murder, or any other injuries against men.

10. There is no real difference between moral good and evil, at least in things pertaining to God; and fo true and falfe religion are equaly calculated to promote the welfare of civil fociety, and the virtues which render men good, peaceable, useful, and honourable rulers or fubjects,—and hence heretics, blafphemers, and idolaters may be good fubjects.

11. The favour or indignation of God is of no importance to civil fociety; and therefore magiftrates ought to use no means to procure- his favour. by the encouragement of true religion, or to avert his. indignation by the reftraint of grofs herefy, blafphemy, or idolatry, but only labour to procure the friendship of men, and prevent their injuring the character, property, or bodies of their fubjects.