LIBERTY of CO N SC I E N C E. 
5S3 
property, upon earth. Among a number of different 
fefts of Chriftians, it is not the fuperior purity of the fyf- 
tem of faith profeffed by one of them that gives it a right 
to the immunities of an eflablifhment in preference to all 
its rivals; but, though the legiflature is authorized, in 
certain ciicumftaiices, to make a lefs pure fyltem the reli¬ 
gion of the ftate, it would be the height of ablurdity to 
fuppofe that any man, or body of men, can have authority 
to prevent a purer fyftem from being acknowledged as the 
religion of individuals. For propagating opinions and 
purfuing practices which necefl'arily create civil difturbancc, 
every man is anfwerable to the laws of his country; but 
for the foundnefs of his faith, and the purity of his wor- 
fliip, he is anfwerable to no tribunal but that which can 
fearch the heart. 
When churches are eftablifhed, and creeds drawn up 
as guides to the preaching of the national clergy, it is 
obvious that every clergyman who teaches any thing di¬ 
rectly contrary to the doctrine of fuch creeds, violates 
the condition on which he holds his living, and may be 
juftly deprived of that living, whether his obnoxious opi¬ 
nion be in itfclr true or falfe, important or unimportant; 
but his punifhment (liould be extended no farther. To 
expel a Chriftian from private communion for teaching 
any doCtrine which is neither injurious to the ftate nor 
contrary to the few fimple articles which comprife the 
fum of the Chriftian faith, is the groffeft tyranny ; and 
the governors of that church which is guilty of it, ufurp 
the prerogative of the bleffed Lord, who commanded the 
apofties themfelves not to be called mailers in this fenfe ; 
for one (fays he) h your mafer ; even Ckrijl. It is indeed a 
hard(liip to deprive a man of his living for confcienti- 
oufly illullrating what he believes to be a truth of the 
gofpel, only becaufe his illuftration may be different from 
that which had formerly been given by men fallible like 
himfelf; but, if the eftablilhment of human compilations 
of faith be neceffary, this liardfbip cannot be removed, 
but by making fuch compilations as fimple as polfibie, 
and drawing them up in feripture language. Such a re¬ 
formation, could it be effected peaceably, would ferve 
other good purpofes ; for, while it would fufficiently guard 
the purity of the faith, it would withdraw that temptation 
which too many eftablifnments throw in the way of men, 
to fubferibe to the truth of what they do not really be¬ 
lieve; and it .would effectually banifh from the Chriftian 
church every thing which can be called by the name of 
perfection. 
The fin of fchifm, as fuch, is by no means the object of 
temporal coercion and punifhment. If through weaknefs 
of intellect, through miftlireCted piety, through perverfe- 
nefs and acerbity of temper, or (which is often the cafe) 
through a profpeCt of fecular advantage in herding with 
a party, men quarrel with the ecclefiaftical eftablifhment, 
the civil magiitrate has nothing to do with it; unlefs their 
tenets and practice are fuch as threaten ruin or diltu'rb- 
'ance to the ftate. He is bound indeed to protect the efta¬ 
blifhed church ; and, if this can be better efteCted by ad- 
tnitting none but its genuine members to offices of truft 
and emolument, he is certainly at liberty fo to do; the 
difpof.il of offices being matter of favour and diferetion. 
But, this point being once fecured, all perfecution for di- 
verfity of opinions, however ridiculous or abfiurd they 
may be, is contrary to every principle of found policy and 
civil freedom. The names and fubordination of the clergy, 
the pofture of devotion, the materials and colour of the 
minifter’s garment, the joining in a known or unknown 
form of prayer, and other matters of the fame kind, muft 
be left to the option of every man’s private judgment. 
With regard therefore to proiejlant dijfenters , although 
the experience of their turbulent difpolition in former 
times occafioned feveral difabilities and reltriCtions to be 
laid upon them by abundance of ftatutes; yet at length 
the legiflature, with a true fpirit of magnanimity, extend¬ 
ed that indulgence to thefe feCtaries, which they them- 
■ftlves, when in power, had held to be countenancing 
i 
fchifm, and denied to the church of England. The pe¬ 
nalties are conditionally fufpended by the ftatute i W. & 
M. c. 18, “ for exempting their majelties proteftant fub- 
jects, diffentingfrorn the church of England, from the pe¬ 
nalties of certain laws,” commonly called the toleration - 
d£l ; which declares, that neither the laws above mention¬ 
ed, nor the ftatutes i Eliz. c. 2. § 14. 3 Jac. I. c. 4 and 5. 
nor any other penal laws made againft popifli recufants 
(except the tejls-acls), dial! extend to any difienters, other 
than papifts and fuch as deny the Trinity : provided, 1. 
That they take the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy, 
(or make a fimilaf affirmation, being Quakers), and fub¬ 
feribe the declaration againft popery. 2. That they re¬ 
pair to fome congregation certified to and regiftered in. 
the court of the bilhop or archdeacon, or at the county 
ieffions. 3. That the doors of fuch meeting-houfe ftiall 
be unlocked, unbarred, and unbolted ; in default of which, 
the perfons meeting there are /till liable to all the penal¬ 
ties of the former a£ts. Diflenting teachers, in order to 
be exempted from the penalties of the ftatutes 13 and 14 
Car. II. c. 4. 1 7 Car. II. c. 2. and 22 Car. II. c. 1. are 
alfo to fublcribe the articles of religion mentioned in the 
ftatute 13 Eliz. c. 12. (viz. thofe which only concern the 
confeffion of the true Chriftian faith, and the doctrine of 
the facraments,) with an exprefs exception of thofe relat¬ 
ing to the government and powers of the church, and to 
infant baptifm. And by ltat. 10 Ann. c. 2. this tolera¬ 
tion is ratified and confirmed; and it is declared, that the 
faid aft (hall at all times be inviolably obferved for the 
exempting luch proteftant difienters as are thereby in¬ 
tended from the pains and penalties therein mentioned. 
Thus, though the offence of non-conformity is by no 
means univerfally abrogated, it is fufpended, and ceafes 
to exift with regard to thefe proteftant difienters, during 
their compliance with the conditions impofed by the aft 
of toleration ; and, under thefe conditions, all perfons, 
who will approve themfelves no papifts or oppugners of 
the Trinity, are left at full liberty to aft as their con- 
fciences ftiall direft them in the matter of religious wor- 
ffiip. And, if any perfon ftiall wilfully, malicioufly, or 
contemptuoufly, dilturb any congregation, affembled in 
any church or permitted meeting-houfe, or ftiall mifufe any 
preacher or teacher there, he fhall (by virtue of the fame 
ftatute) be bound over to the feffions of the peace, and 
forfeit 20I. But, by ftatute 5 Geo. I. c. 4. no mayor or 
principal magiitrate mull appear at any diflenting meeting 
with the enfigns of his office, on pain of dilability to hold 
that or any other ofiice : the legiflature judging it a mat¬ 
ter of propriety, that a mode of worfnip, let up in oppo- 
fition to the national, when allowed to be exercifed in 
peace, ihotild be exercifed alio with decency, gratitude, 
and humility. 
Iu order .the better to fecure the Englifii eftablifhed 
church againft perils from nonconformilts of all denomi¬ 
nations, Infidels, Turks, Jews, Heretics, Papifts, and Sec¬ 
taries, there are, however, two bulwarks ereCted ; called 
the corporation and teflads: by the former of which, no 
perfon can be legally elefted to any office relating to the 
government of any city or corporation, unlefs, within a 
twelvemonth before, he has received the facrament of the 
Lord’s flipper according to the rites of the church of Eng¬ 
land ; and he is alfo enjoined to take the oaths of allegi¬ 
ance and fupremacy at the fame time that he takes the 
oath of office ; or, in default of either of thefe requifites, 
fuch election ftiall be void. The other, called the tejl-att, 
directs all officers civil and military to take the oaths and 
make the declaration againft tranfubftantiation, in any of 
the king’s courts at Weliminfter, or at the quarter-feflions, 
within fix calendar-months after their admiflion ; and alfo 
within the fame time to receive the facrament of the Lord’* 
flipper, according to the ufage of the church of England, 
in fome public church, immediately after divine lervice 
and fermon; and to deliver into court a certificate thereof 
figned by the minilter and church-warden, and alfo to 
prove the fame by two credible witneil'es; upon forfei- 
f ur« 
