286 ESSAY V. FURTHER THOUGHTS CONCERNING PERSECUTION AN ACCOUNT OF RELIGION; AND SOME PROPOSALS for preventing it. Br SECTION I. Y the foregoing accounts of religious cruelty, particularly in Effay the third, it evidently appears, that ecclefiaftics have been the grand incendiaries, who constantly lighted up the flames of perfecution among chriftians: this truth is abundantly con firmed by history and experience. Many of those who pretended to devote themselves entirely to the service of religion, have made what they call the house of God, a den of robbers and murderers: they have pillaged and destroyed the people, laid wealthy cities wafte, and turned fruitful countries into frightful deferts. PRINCES and magiftrates have indeed, contrary to all rules of good fenfe, true policy, humanity, and religion, been frequently persuaded, and, with shame may it be spoken, compelled to affift in plaguing, tormenting, and destroying the fubjects of the former, the fellow-citizens of the latter, and the fellow-creatures and fellow-chriftians of both. What pity it is princes and magiftrates should not fee, that in this wicked, this diabolical work of perfecution, they are but the tools, the mere tools of vile; rapacious, and merciless priests WHAT motives have induced church-men to act fo barbarous a part; by what means they are become fo extremely numerous, and have gained such a great ascendency in the chriftian world; and what hath effectually enabled them to tyrannize and perfecute in the most outrageous manner, have in the foregoing Effay pretty clearly appeared: but we shall here take a more full and distinc view of thefe particulars, in hope that this may lead to a discovery of fome remedies for fo terrible and deftructive an evil, as perfecution on account of religion certainly is. BUT before we proceed, it may be proper to take notice, that as the Romish clergy have eminently distinguished themselves in this unchristian practice, what shall be further faid on that head will principally relate to them. RESPECTING thefe mens motives to perfecution, it is neceffary to diftinguifh the pretended from the real. THE pretended, are great good-will to mankind, manifefted by compelling all men, whom they cannot perfuade, to come into their church, and to think, believe, and practise alike in religion, (a hopeful project indeed!) and by this means to render them acceptable to God, and promote their falvation. 'Tis difficult to fay, whether this scheme is more foolish and abfurd, or tyrannical and wicked. CAN any thing be more foolish and abfurd, than to fuppofe it practicable that all men fhould be brought to think alike on points fo abftrufe and hard to be understood, as many of those relating to religion are industriously rendered, and generally acknowledged ledged to be? Or, if that were poffible, is force a likely method to effect it? Doth not compulfion, in almost all cafes, create aver- + fion? Violence may, and often does, make men hypocrites; but did it ever render one man a fincere convert? And are hypocrify and infincerity acceptable to God? บ BESIDES, are mens opinions and fentiments to be altered, and their minds informed by torturing their bodies? Let us fee how admirably well these means are adapted to the end. If a man doubts or difbelieves an article of faith which the church hath thought fit to establish, cast him into a horrid, dark, and noisome dungeon, that may enlighten his mind. But if this fhould not anfwer the purpofe, lay him upon a rack; and to improve his understanding, diflocate his joints; and to bring him to believe aright, ftrain every nerve, and make him feel the moft exquifite pain. If this doth not fucceed, and he still continues an unbeliever, in great compaffion to his body and foul, put him to the most cruel death, and by that means effectually prevent all poffibility of this converfion, and, as the contrivers of this -scheme, the murderers themselves fay will be his fate, precipitate him into everlasting torments. U A s As these pretended methods of convincing the understanding by tormenting the body, and propagating religion by the deftruction of mankind, are in the highest degree foolish and abfurd, so are they equally tyrannical and wicked. THERE are certain natural rights and privileges which it is impoffible to take from men without depriving them of their lives: two of the principal of these are, thinking for themselves in matters of religion, and inwardly on this fubject, whatever they may be obliged outwardly to do, following the dictates of their own consciences. If fome men think others are mistaken or erroneous in these points, it is a kind and charitable part to endeavour, by counsel, argument, and perfuafion, to set them right. But all attempts to force these privileges from men are abfurd, because impoffible,-tyrannical, because unjust. To put men in prifon merely on account of their religious belief or perfuafion is a great oppreffion, and, properly speaking, false imprifonment: to fine them, or take away their eftates for that caufe, is robbery: to put them to death for not acting against their confciences is murder. Can any thing be more wicked? Is it not then hard to determine, whether |