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head, that as the natural expression of truth is charity, and as charity is very unnaturally expressed by persecution, it must be an obvious consequence, that between persecution and truth there can be no legitimate connection. And, indeed, the former is so extremely repugnant both to the spirit and precepts of christianity, as to afford a powerful argument against any doctrine or church by which it is taught or practised.

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That the true disciples of Christ," says Mr. Locke," must suffer persecution, the gospel frequently declares, but that the church of Christ should persecute others, and force them by fire and sword to embrace her faith and doctrines, I could never yet find in any of the books of the New Testament*."

4. The last argument I shall notice against the use of force in religion, is, that it makes hypocrites. For as force is not suited to produce conviction, and is suited to produce an external compliance, it must evidently tend to produce hypocrisy. This

*First Letter on Toleration.

tendency has indeed in many instances been counteracted and overcome, as appears from that cloud of witnesses, who have nobly sacrificed their ease, their estates, and even their lives for the sake of religion; but in too many other instances we have to lament, that the dread of suffering has prevailed against faith and a good conscience. Under the primitive persecutions there were numbers who disavowed or dissembled their real sentiments; and under similar trials, the same, doubtless, has happened in every subsequent period. This falshood and prevarication appears to have been frequent among the French protestants during the bigoted and cruel reign of Lewis the Fourteenth. And if we look back to the history of our own country, from the rejection of the Pope's supremacy by Henry the Eighth, to the establishment of the reformation by Elizabeth, we find, during this short period of about twenty-five years, four revolutions in religion, in each of which a great majority, both of the clergy and laity, complied with the requisition of the prince; which certainly many of them could not do

without the grossest dissimulation. These are historical facts which reflect disgrace on human nature; and should excite us all diligently to cherish and strengthen our religious principle, and to deprecate a season, which might put the most confirmed piety to a severe and dangerous trial.

Such are the general arguments we have thought fit to propose against the use of force in religion, and which may perhaps receive some further illustration, by considering the effects of intolerance in its three following stages and gradations.

1. First, when it is merely negative, or when it only prohibits any religious exercise or profession, unauthorized by the church established. In this case, as the rigid dissenter would be debarred from any public worship of God, his devotional exercises must be confined within the walls of his own house, where, if practised at all, it is not probable they would long continue without the aid and encouragement derived from social piety, and from that regular public instruction, on which the prosperity, and, in respect to the bulk of a

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people, the very existence of religion so much depends. And should he further be restrained from proposing his particular sentiments to his fellow-citizens, they would then be shut up within his own breast, which probably would produce either a sullen dissatisfaction, and a more confirmed dissent, or lead him to a disregard or rejection of all religion whatever.

2. The next stage of intolerance would be to use compulsory methods to enforce a public attendance on the teaching and offices of the church. Now suppose a congregation thus driven together under a sermon, would not the probable consequence be, that half of them would not listen at all, and that the other half would hear with prejudice and resentment? And though some of them should learn what they knew not before, it would be to no good purpose, unless they were brought to love the instruction; which would be as improbable, as that a boy at school should love his lesson, when he was taught it with the rod constantly suspended over him. And should people be driven in like manner to the

prayers of the church, or to her sacraments, especially if conceived or administered in a mode disagreeing (whether rightly or not) with their own judgment, no one will imagine that it would any better conduce to their edification. It is true indeed, and to be much lamented, that the same grievances exist in every congregation, though voluntarily assembled; some hearers are careless, some prejudiced, while others, though they receive the truth, yet they receive it not in love, or with practical effect; and no more is here meant than to note the probability, that by an application of force, these evils would be still more extended and aggravated.

3. The last stage of intolerance that remains to be remarked, is, when force is employed to extort a public approbation of some established form of doctrine, worship, or discipline. This is a degree of spiritual tyranny, for which no plea would be heard except by a Spanish inquisition. An injunction of silence might derive a kind of apology from considerations of the public peace, and the general interests of truth. Even

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