A third letter for toleration, to the author of the Third letter concerning toleration

CHAP. VI. Of the End for which Force is to be used. (Book 6)

HE that should read the beginning of your Argument consi∣dered, would think it in earnest to be your Design to have Force employed to make Men seriously consider, and nothing else: but he that shall look a little farther into it, and to that add also your defence of it, will find by the variety of Ends you design your Force for, that either you know not well what you would have it for, or else, whatever 'twas you aimed at, you called it still by that Name which best fitted the Occasi∣sion, and would serve best in that place to recommend the Use of it.

You ask me, Whether the Mildness and Gentleness of the Gospel * 1.1 destroys the coactive Power of the Magistrate? I answer, as you supposed, No: upon which you infer, Then it seems the Magi∣strate may use his coactive Power, without offending against the Mild∣ness and Gentleness of the Gospel. Yes, where he has Commission and Authority to use it. And so, say you, it will consist well e∣nough with the Mildness and Gentleness of the Gospel for the Magi∣strate to use his coactive Power to procure them [I suppose you mean the Ministers and Preachers of the National Religion] a hear∣ing where their Prayers and Intreaties will not do it. No, it will not consist with the gentle and mild Method of the Gospel, unless the Gospel has directed it, or something else to supply its want, till it could be had. As for Miracles, which you pretend to have supplied the want of Force in the first Ages of Christianity, you will find that considered in another place. But, Sir, shew me a Country where the Ministers and Teachers of the National and True Religion go about with Prayers and Intreaties to procure a Hearing, and cannot obtain it, and there I think I need not stand

with you for the Magistrate to use Force to procure it them; but that I fear will not serve your turn.

To shew the Inconsistency and Unpracticableness of your Method, I had said,

Let us now see to what end they must be * 1.2 punished: Sometimes it is, To bring them to consider those Reasons * 1.3 and Arguments which are proper and sufficient to convince them: Of what? That it is not easy to set Grant•…•…ani Steeple upon Paul's Church? Whatever it be you would have them convinced of, you are not willing to tell us; and so it may be any thing. Sometimes it is, To incline them to lend an Ear to those who tell * 1.4 them they have mistaken their Way, and offer to shew them the right. Which is, to lend an Ear to all who differ from them in Reli∣gion, as well crafty Seducers, as others. Whether this be for * 1.5 the procuring the Salvation of their Souls, the End for which you * 1.6 say this Force is to be used, judg you. But this I am sure, Whoever will lend an Ear to all who will tell them they are out of the Way, will not have much time for any other Business.

Sometimes it is, To recover Men to so much Sobriety and Re∣flection, * 1.7 as seriously to put the Question to themselves, Whether it be really worth their while to undergo such Inconveniences, for adhe∣ring to a Religion which, for any thing they know, may be false; or for rejecting another (if that be the case) which, for ought they know, may be true, till they have brought it to the Bar of Reason, and given it a fair Trial there. Which in short amounts to thus much, viz. To make them examine whether their Religion be true, and so worth the holding, under those Penalties that are annexed to it. Dissenters are indebted to you for your great care of their Souls. But what, I beseech you, shall become of those of the National Church, every where (which make far the greater part of Mankind) who have no such Punishments to make them consider; who have not this only Remedy provided for them, but are left in that deplorable Condition, you mention, of being suffered quietly, and without molestation, to take no care at * 1.8 all of their Souls, or in doing of it to follow their own Prejudices, Humours, or some crafty Seducers? Need not those of the Na∣tional Church, as well as others, bring their Religion to the Bar of Reason, and give it a fair Trial there? And if they need to do so, (as they must, if all National Religions cannot be suppo∣sed true) they will always need that which you say is the only * 1.9 Means to make them do so. So that if you are sure, as you tell

us, that there is need of your Method; I am sure, there is as much need of it in National Churches, as any other. And so, for ought I can see, you must either punish them, or let others alone; unless you think it reasonable that the far greater part of Mankind should constantly be without that Soveraign and only Remedy, which they stand in need of equally with other People.

Sometimes the End for which Men must be punished is, to * 1.10 dispose them to submit to Instruction, and to give a fair hearing to the Reasons are offer'd for the inlightning their Minds, and disco∣vering the Truth to them. If their own Words may be taken for it, there are as few Dissenters as Conformists, in any Country, who will not profess they have done, and do this. And if their own Words may not be taken; who, I pray must be Judg? you and your Magistrates? If so, then it is plain you punish them not to dispose them to submit to Instruction, but to your In∣struction; not to dispose them to give a fair hearing to Reasons offer'd for the inlightning their Minds, but to give an obedient hearing to your Reasons. If you mean this, it had been fairer and shorter to have spoken out plainly, than thus in fair Words, of indefinite Signification, to say that which amounts to nothing. For what Sense is it, to punish a Man to dispose him to submit to Instruction, and give a fair hearing to Reasons offer'd for the inlightning his Mind, and discovering Truth to him, who goes two or three times a Week several Miles on purpose to do it, and that with the Hazard of his Liberty or Purse; unless you mean your Instructions, your Reasons, your Truth? Which brings us but back to what you have disclaimed, plain Persecution for differing in Religion.

Sometimes this is to be done, To prevail with Men to weigh * 1.11 Matters of Religion carefully and impartially. Discountenance and Punishment put into one Scale, with Impunity and Hopes of Preferment put into the other, is as sure a way to make a Man weigh impartially, as it would be for a Prince to bribe and threaten a Judg to make him judg uprightly.

Sometimes it is, To make Men bethink themselves, and put it * 1.12 out of the Power of any foolish Humour, or unreasonable Prejudice, to alienate them from Truth and their own Happiness. Add but this, to put it out of the Power of any Humour or Prejudice of their own, or other Mens; and I grant the End is good, if

you can find the means to procure it. But why it should not be put out of the Power of other Mens Humour or Prejudice, as well as their own, wants (and will always want) a Reason to prove. Would it not, I beseech you, to an indifferent By∣stander, appear Humour or Prejudice, or something as bad; to see Men, who profess a Religion reveal'd from Heaven, and which they own contains all in it necessary to Salvation, exclude Men from their Communion, and persecute them with the Penalties of the Civil Law, for not joining in the Use of Ceremonies which are no where to be found in that re∣veal'd Religion? Would it not appear Humour or Prejudice, or some such thing, to a sober impartial Heathen; to see Chri∣stians exclude and persecute one of the same Faith, for things which they themselves confess to be indifferent, and not worth the contending for? Prejudice, Humour, Passion, Lusts, Impressions * 1.13 of Education, Reverence and Admiration of Persons, world∣ly Respects, Love of their own Choice, and the like, (to which you justly impute many Mens taking up and persisting in their Religion) are indeed good Words; and so, on the other side, are these following, Truth, the right Way, Inlightning, Reason, sound Judgment; but they signify nothing at all to your pur∣pose, till you can evidently and unquestionably shew the World that the latter (viz. Truth and the right way, &c.) are always, and in all Countries, to be found only in the Na∣tional Church; and the former (viz. Passion and Prejudice, &c.) only amongst the Dissenters. But to go on:

Sometimes it is, To bring Men to take such Care as they ought * 1.14 of their Salvation. What Care is such as Men ought to take, whilst they are out of your Church, will be hard for you to tell me. But you indeavour to explain your self, in the following words; that they may not blindly leave it to the choice neither of any other Person, nor yet of their own 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and Passions, to prescribe to them what Faith or Worship they shall imb•…•…ce. You do well to make use of Punishment to shut Passion out of the choice; be∣cause you know fear of suffering is no Passion. But let that pass. You would have Men punished, to bring them to take such Care of their Salvation, that they may not blindly leave it to the Choice of any other Person to prescribe to them. Are you sincere? Are you in earnest? Tell me then truly: Did the Magistrate or the National Church, any where, or yours in particular, ever

punish any Man, to bring him to have this Care, which you say, he ought to take of his Salvation? Did you ever punish any Man, that he might not blindly leave it to the choice of his Parish-Priest, or Bishop, or the Convocation, what Faith or Worship he should imbrace? 'Twill be suspected Care of a Party, or any thing else rather than Care of the Salvation of Mens Souls; if, having found out so useful, so necessary a Remedy, the only Method there is Room left for, you will apply it but partially, * 1.15 and make Trial of it only on those who you have truly least Kindness for. This will, unavoidably, give one Reason to imagine, you do not think so well of your Remedy as you pre∣tend, who are so sparing of it to your Friends; but are very free of it to Strangers, who in other things are used very much like Enemies. But your Remedy is like the Helleboraster, that grew in the Woman's Garden, for the Cure of Worms in her Neighbours Children: For truly it wrought too rough∣ly, to give it to any of her own. Methinks your Charity, in your present Persecution, is much-what as prudent, as justifiable, as that good Woman's. I hope I have done you no Injury, that I here suppose you of the Church of England: If I have, I beg your Pardon. It is no Offence of Malice, I assure you: For I suppose no worse of you, than I confess of my self.

Sometimes this Punishment that you contend for, is, to bring * 1.16 Men to act according to Reason and sound Judgment.

Tertius è Coelo cecidit Cato.

This is Reformation indeed. If you can help us to it, you will deserve Statues to be erected to you, as to the Restorer of decay'd Religion. But if all Men have not Reason and sound Judgment, will Punishment put it into them? Besides, concerning this matter Mankind is so divided, that he acts according to Reason and sound Judgment at Auspurg, who would be judged to do the quite contrary at Edinburgh. Will Pu∣nishment make Men know what is Reason and sound Judgment? If it will not, 'tis impossible it should make them act accord∣ing to it. Reason and sound Judgment are the Elixir it self, the universal Remedy: And you may as reasonably punish Men to bring them to have the Philosopher's Stone, as to bring them, to act according to Reason and sound Judgment.

Sometimes it is, To put Men upon a serious and impartial Exa∣mination of the Controversy between the Magistrate and them, which is the way sor them to come to the Knowledg of the Truth. * 1.17 But what if the Truth be on neither side (as I am apt to imagine you will think it is not, where neither the Magi∣strate nor the Dissenter is either of them of your Church) how will the examining the Controversy between the Magistrate and him be the way to come to the Knowledg of the Truth? Sup∣pose the Controversy between a Lutheran and a Papist; or, if you please, between a Presbyterian Magistrate and a Quaker Subject. Will the examining the Controversy between the Magi∣strate and the Dissenting Subject, in this case, bring him to the Knowledg of the Truth? If you say, Yes, then you grant one of these to have the Truth on his side. For the examining the Controversy between a Presbyterian and a Quaker, leaves the Controversy either of them has with the Church of Eng∣land, or any other Church, untouched. And so one, at least, of those being already come to the Knowledg of the Truth, ought not to be put under your Discipline of Punishment; which is only to bring him to the Truth. If you say, No, and that the examining the Controversy between the Magistrate and the Dis∣senter, in this case, will not bring him to the Knowledg of the Truth; you consess your Rule to be false, and your Method to no purpose.

To conclude, your System is, in short, this. You would have all Men (laying aside Prejudice, Humour, Passion, &c.) examine the Grounds of their Religion, and search for the Truth. This, I consess, is heartily to be wish'd. The means that you propose to make Men do this, is, that Dissenters should be punished, to make them do so. It is as if you had said, Men generally are guilty of a Fault; therefore let one Sect, who have the ill luck to be of an Opinion different from the Ma∣gistrate, be punished. This at first Sight shocks any one who has the least Spark of Sense, Reason, or Justice. But having spoken of this already, and concluding that upon second Thoughts, you your self will be ashamed of it; let us consider it put so as to be consistent with common Sense, and with all the Advantage it can bear; and then let us see what you can make of it. Men are negligent in examining the Religions they imbrace, refuse, or persist in; therefore it is fit they should be punished to make them

do it. This is a Consequence indeed which may, without Defi∣ance to common Sense, be drawn from it. This is the Use, the only Use, which you think Punishment can indirectly and at a di∣stance have in matters of Religion. You would have Men by Punishments driven to examine. What? Religion. To what end? To bring them to the Knowledg of the Truth. But I answer.

First, Every one has not the Ability to do this.

Secondly, Every one has not the Opportunity to do it.

Would you have every poor Protestant, for example, in the Pa∣latinate, examine throughly whether the Pope be infallible, or Head of the Church; whether there be a Purgatory; whether Saints are to be pray'd to, or the Dead pray'd for; whether the Scrip∣ture be the only Rule of Faith; whether there be no Salvation out of the Church; and whether there be no Church without Bishops; and an hundred other Questions in Controversy be∣tween the Papists and those Protestants: and when he had master'd these, go on to fortify himself against the Opinions and Objections of other Churches he differs from? This, which is no small Task, must be done, before a Man can have brought his Religion to the Bar of Reason, and given it fair Trial there. And if you will punish Men till this be done, the Country-man must leave off plowing and sowing, and betake himself to the Study of Greek and Latin; and the Artisan must sell his Tools, to buy Fathers and School-men, and leave his Family to starve. If something less than this will satisfy you, pray tell me what is enough. Have they considered and examined enough, if they are satisfied themselves where the Truth lies? If this be the Limits of their Examination, you will find few to punish; unless you will punish them to make them do what they have done already. For, however he came by his Religion, there is scarce any one to be found who does not own himself satisfied that he is in the right. Or else, must they be punished to make them consider and examine till they imbrace that which you chuse for Truth? If this be so, what do you but in effect chuse for them, when yet you would have Men punished, To bring them to such a * 1.18 Care of their Souls that no other Person might chuse for them? If it be Truth in general you would have them by Punishments driven to seek; that is to offer matter of Dispute, and not a Rule of Discipline. For to punish any one to make him

seek till he find Truth, without a Judg of Truth, is to punish for you know not what; and is all one as if you should whip a Scholar to make him find out the square Root of a Number you do not know. I wonder not therefore that you could not resolve with your self what degree of Severity you would have used, nor how long continued; when you dare not speak out directly whom you would have punished, and are far from be∣ing clear to what end they should be under Penalties.

Consonant to this Uncertainty, of whom, or what, to be punished; you tell us, That there is no Question of the Success of * 1.19 this Method. Force will certainly do, if duly proportioned to the Design of it.

What, I pray, is the Design of it? I challenge you, or any Man living, out of what you have said in your Book, to tell me directly what it is. In all other Punishments that ever I heard of yet, till now that you have taught the World a new Method, the Design of them has been to cure the Crime they are denounced against; and so I think it ought to be here. What I beseech you is the Crime here? Dissenting? That you say not, any where, is a Fault. Besides you tell us, That the Magistrate hath not an Authority to compel any one * 1.20 to his Religion: And that you do not require that Men should * 1.21 have no Rule but the Religion of the Country. And the Power you ascribe to the Magistrate is given him to bring Men, not to * 1.22 his own, but to the true Religion. If Dissenting be not the Fault; is it that a Man does not examine his own Religion, and the Grounds of it? Is that the Crime your Punishments are de∣signed to cure? Neither that dare you say, lest you displease more than you satisfy with your new Discipline. And then a∣gain, (as I said before) you must tell us how far you would have them examine, before you punish them for not doing it. And I imagine, if that were all we required of you, it would be long enough before you would trouble us with a Law, that should prescribe to every one how far he was to examine Matters of Religion; wherein if he fail'd and came short, he was to be punished; if he perform'd and went in his Examination to the Bounds set by the Law, he was acquitted and free. Sir, when you consider it again, you will perhaps think this a Case reserv'd to the Great Day, when the Secrets of all Hearts shall be laid open. For I imagine it is beyond the Power

or Judgment of Man, in that Variety of Circumstances, in re∣spect of Parts, Tempers, Opportunities, Helps, &c. Men are in, in this World, to determine what is every one's Duty in this great Business of Search, Inquiry, Examination, or to know when any one has done it. That which makes me believe you will be of this Mind, is, that where you undertake for the suc∣cess of this Method, if rightly used, it is with a Limitation, upon * 1.23 such as are not altogether incurable. So that when your Remedy is prepared according to Art, (which Art is yet unknown) and rightly apply'd, and given in a due Dose, (all which are Se∣crets) it will then infallibly cure. Whom? All that are not incurable by it. And so will a Pippin-Posset, eating Fish in Lent, or a Presbyterian Lecture, certainly cure all that are not incu∣rable by them. For I am sure you do not mean it will cure all, but those who are absolutely incurable; Because you your self allow one Means left of Cure, when yours will not do, viz. The Grace of God. Your Words are, What Means is there * 1.24 left (except the Grace of God) to reduce them, but to l•…•…y Thorns and Briars in their Way. And here also, in the Place we were considering, you tell us, The Incurable are to be lest to God. * 1.25 Whereby, if you mean they are to be left to those Means he has ordained for Mens Conversion and Salvation, yours must never be made use of: For he indeed has prescribed Preaching and Hearing of his Word; but as for those who will not hear, I do not find any where that he has commanded they should be compell'd or beaten to it.

I must beg my Reader's Pardon sor so long a Repetition, which I was forced to, that he might be Judg whether what I there said, either deserves no Answer, or be fully answered in that Paragraph, where you undertake to vindicate your Method * 1.26 from all Impracticableness and Inconsistency chargeable upon it, in reference to the End for which you would have Men punished. Your Words are. For what. By which, you say, you perceive I mean •…•…vo things: For sometimes I speak of the Fault, and sometimes of the End for which Men are to be punished, (and sometimes I plainly confound them.) Now if it be inquired, For what Fault Men are to be punished? you answer, For rejecting the true Religion after sufficient Evidence tender'd them of the Truth of it: Which certainly is a Fault, and deserves Punishment. But if I inquire for what End

such as do reject the True Religion, are to be punished; you say, To bring them to imbrace the True Religion; and in order to that to bring them to consider, and that carefully and impartially, the Evidence which is offered to convince them of the Truth of it: Which are unde∣niably just and excellent Ends; and which, through God's Blessing, have often been procured, and may yet be procured by convenient Pe∣nalties inflicted for that purpose. Nor do you know of any thing I say against any part of this, which is not already answered. Whe∣ther I in this confound two things distinct, or you distinguish where there is no difference, the Reader may judg by what I have said elsewhere. I shall here only consider the Ends of Pu∣nishing, you here again in your Reply to me assign; and those, as I find them scattered, are these.

Sometimes you speak of this End, as if it were barely to gain * 1.27 a hearing to those who by Prayers and Intreaty cannot: and those may be the Preachers of any Religion. But I suppose you mean the Preachers of the True Religion. And who I beseech you must be Judg of that?

Where the Law provides sufficient Means of Instruction for all, as * 1.28 well as Punishment for Dissenters, it is plain to all concerned, that the Punishment is intended to make them consider. What? The Means the Law provides for their Instruction. Who then is Judg of what they are to be instructed in, and the Means of Instruction; but the Law-maker?

It is to bring Men to hearken to Instruction. From whom? From * 1.29 any body? And to consider and examine Matters of Religion as they ought to do, and to bring those who are out of the right Way, to hear, consider and imbrace the Truth. When is this End attain∣ed, and the Penalties which are the Means to this End taken off? When a Man conforms to the National Church. And who then is Judg of what is the Truth to be imbraced, but the Magistrate?

It is to bring Men to consider those Reasons and Arguments which * 1.30 are proper and sufficient to convince them; but which, without being forced, they would not consider. And when have they done this? When they have once conformed: for after that there is no Force used to make them consider farther.

It is to make Men consider as they ought; and that you tell us, * 1.31 is so to consider, as to be moved heartily to imbrace, and not to re∣ject * 1.32 Truth necessary to Salvation. And when is the Magistrate,

that has the care of Mens Souls, and does all this for their Sal∣vation, satisfied that they have so considered? As soon as they outwardly join in Communion with the National Church.

It is to bring Men to consider and examine those Controversies * 1.33 which they are bound to consider and examine, i. e. those wherein they cannot err without dishonouring God, and indangering their own and other Mens Salvations. And to study the True Religion with such * 1.34 Care and Diligence as they might and ought to use, and with an honest Mind. And when, in your Opinion, is it presumable that any Man has done all this? Even when he is in the Communion of your Church.

It is to cure Mens unreasonable Prejudices and Refractoriness a∣gainst, * 1.35 and Aversion to the True Religion. Whereof none retain the least Tincture or Suspicion who are once got within the Pale of your Church.

It is to bring Men into the right Way, into the Way of Salvation, * 1.36 which Force does when it has conducted them within the Church-Porch, and there leaves them.

It is to bring Men to imbrace the Truth that must save them. And * 1.37 here, in the Paragraph wherein you pretend to tell us for what Force is to be used, you say, It is to bring Men to imbrace the * 1.38 true Religion, and in order to that to bring them to consider, and that carefully and impartially, the Evidence which is offered to convince them of the Truth of it, which, as you say, are undeniable, just and excellent Ends; but yet such as Force in your Method can never practically be made a Means to, without supposing what you say * 1.39 you have no need to suppose, viz. that your Religion is the true; unless you had rather every where to leave it to the Ma∣gistrate to judg which is the right Way, what is the true Reli∣gion; which Supposition I imagine will less accommodate you than the other. But take which of them you will, you must add this other Supposition to it, harder to be granted you than either of the former, viz. That those who conform to your Church here, (if you make your self the Judg) or to the Natio∣nal Church any where, (if you make the Magistrate Judg of the Truth that must save Men) and those only have attained these Ends.

The Magistrate, you say, is obliged to do what in him lies to bring all his Subjects to examine carefully and impartially Matters of Religion, and to consider them as they ought, i. e. so as to imbroce

the Truth that must save them. The proper and necessary Means, * 1.40 you say, to attain these Ends is Force. And your Method of u∣sing this Force is to punish all the Dissenters from the National Religion, and none of those who outwardly conform to it. Make this practicable now in any Country in the World, with∣out allowing the Magistrate to be Judg what is the Truth that must save them, and without supposing also, that whoever do imbrace the outward Profession of the National Religion, do in their Hearts imbrace, i. e. believe and obey the Truth that must save them; and then I think nothing in Government can be too hard for your undertaking.

You conclude this Paragraph in telling me, You do not know * 1.41 of any thing I say against any part of this, which is not already an∣swered. Pray tell me where 'tis you have answered those Ob∣jections I made to those several Ends which you assigned in your Argument considered, and for which you would have Force used, and which I have here reprinted again, because I do not find you so much as take notice of them: and therefore the Reader must judg whether they needed any Answer or no.

But to shew that you have not here, where you promise and pretend to do it, clearly and directly told us for what Force and Penalties are to be used, I shall in the next Chapter examine what you mean by bringing Men to imbrace the True Religion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  P. 27.
• * 1.2

  L. 2. p. 30.
• * 1.3

  A. p. 5.
• * 1.4

  A. p. 10.
• * 1.5

  A. p. 27.
• * 1.6

  A. p. 23.
• * 1.7

  A. p. 11.
• * 1.8

  A. p. 27.
• * 1.9

  A. p. 12.
• * 1.10

  A. p. 13.
• * 1.11

  A. p. 14.
• * 1.12

  A. p. 20.
• * 1.13

  A. p. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
• * 1.14

  A. p. 22.
• * 1.15

  A. p. 12.
• * 1.16

  A. p. 22.
• * 1.17

  A. p. 26.
• * 1.18

  A. p. 22.
• * 1.19

  A. p. 12.
• * 1.20

  A. p. 21.
• * 1.21

  A. p. 25.
• * 1.22

  A. p. 26.
• * 1.23

  A. p. 12.
• * 1.24

  A. p. 10.
• * 1.25

  A. p. 12.
• * 1.26

  P. 48.
• * 1.27

  P. 27.
• * 1.28

  P. 28.
• * 1.29

  P. 37.
• * 1.30

  P. 26:
• * 1.31

  P. 40.
• * 1.32

  P. 28.
• * 1.33

  P. 2.
• * 1.34

  P. 58.
• * 1.35

  P. 53.
• * 1.36

  P. 30, 58.
• * 1.37

  P. 26.
• * 1.38

  P. 49.
• * 1.39

  P. 47.
• * 1.40

  Chap. 7.
• * 1.41

  P. 49.