RELIGION AND Reason UNITED By a Lover of his Country LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street and at the Bible in Leaden-Hall-street 1699. PREFACE Sober Reader THE Design of the following Discourse is an Essay to allay if possible the Heats and Animosities with which one Party or Religious Society treats another that if they cannot Vnite in Judgment they might for the Ease of the Government their own Interest and Benefit of Posterity Vnite in Affection For as we have not all alike outsides neither in Shape or Complexion no more are our Intellectual Conceptions And as it would be Madness to Quarrel about the first so it would be little less to Persecute about the last 'T is true the Primitive Christians were of one Heart and Mind but that which made them so was the Sword of the Spirit not of the Magistrate And where that Spirit rules it will produce the like Effects but without it 't is vanity to think of bringing People into such a Vnity but much more vain to think of Persecuting People into it Since 't is God that must Persuade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem and till by him Men are so Persuaded the Magistrate loseth his Labour to force into that Tent or Church that at best is but supposed to be the True One. One thing I intreat my Reader viz. That he would endeavour Rather to Re-examine his Conscience and Education to know whether his Faith and Practices are Reasonable than value himself upon Church Membership Religion and Reason UNITED HAD Mankind no Innate Notions of a Deity or of the Immortality of the Soul of a future State of Rewards and Punishments 'T is reasonable to suppose that the greatest part would avoid troubling either their Minds or Heads about what is called Religion But this Language would be as universally heard and believed as expressed viz. Let us eat and drink c. for to morrow there 's an end of us we must die But since the contrary is most certain and that all the Inventions of Men and Artifices of Satan are not able to suppress or totally silence those Dreadful Alarms we are made to hear in our own Consciences it becomes our Interest as well as Duty to apply our selves with all fervency of Spirit to such a Course of Life as may first free us from that Perturbation of Mind which infallibly is sooner or later entail'd on an Evil Conscience And secondly obtain the assurance of a Lot in that future Peace Kingdom and Glory that shall have no end Religion then is that Science which perfectly to Understand and Practise is the only means for accomplishing the aforesaid end viz. quiet the Conscience here and assure the Soul of Blessedness hereafter True it is the Word hath often been abused and the intent of it not seldom mistaken yea to that degree that what God designed in it who is Just and Reasonable in all his ways for an universal Advantage to Mankind hath been engross'd and made the property of a Party who have been so far from Converting and Curing of Souls by it that it hath not failed of being the greatest Stumbling to those that have taken reasonable ways to save their own And this hath chiefly sprung from two Roots The First is the Immorality of those pretended Doctors whose pernicious Example have had this effect either to make the Observer conclude there is no such thing as Religion in the World but that talking of it is only a Political Contrivance to subject the People that they may be the more unlike to give their Superiours trouble in Governing them Or else that this Doctor is but a meer Quack who prates about Religion no otherwise in earnest than to get Money by it which what a vast Prejudice that is to the Cause of Religion in general is not hard to determine For if he that seems devoted to Religion gives no better Proofs of the Power and Vertue of it than only to Talk of Curing others whilst his own Distemper is so notorious no Marvel if others that are Afflicted despise both the Man and the Means the last as defective as the first a meer fopp Thinking Men who have the use of their Senses and believe the Service of God to be Reasonable as well as Religious are of the Judgment That 't is impossible for the Design of Religion to be answered until by a Purge of the Law these Blasphemers of God and Religion and Profaners of all that is Sacred be totally ejected and a Bar set at the Church Doors to prohibit every such Person from taking the Name of the Holy God or his Religion in their Mouths under any such Character And that this seems to fall under the Magistrates Observation and Correction as well as Cure is not hard to prove For if God will not hold him guiltless that takes his Name in vain ought not the Magistrate who is God's Minister of Justice look to it that none pass his Stamp of Approbation that are so absolutely Excepted against in the Declared Law of him the Magistrate Represents For if God saith I will not hold him Guiltless that taketh my Name in vain And the Magistrate saith otherwise what account can he give of his Trust and Stewardship And if he that is an Immoral Ecclesiastick don't take the Name of God in vain in the worst sense pray what is the Sin and Guilt Indeed there is one case in which it is not in vain and that is the same with the common Beggars viz. To get Money whose Prayers and Blessings are the same Minute turn'd into Curses and their Light into Profound Darkness if no Oil appears to continue the Lamp But to proceed if Men of Immoral Conversations shall be admitted or connived at by the Magistrate to be Pastors over the People to feed them with Holy Food 't is certain that in a little time Religion will be wholly lost and the People starved instead of being fed and destroyed instead of being saved for how is it possible for him to feed a Flock that never had ought to feed them withal And that the Immoralist hath nothing to feed them withal that is good is evident since himself to all goodness is a Reprobate Again no Man can lead another farther than he goes himself but how far the Immoralist is gone in the Way of God is not to be disputed Again the Blind are fit to be leaders to none and none but those that are so with a witness can esteem them fit for it But if such will follow them our Saviour tells us where the end of their Journey will be But who is a Blinder Creature than the Immoralist However none but the reverse to him can see God Therefore they that would go to God must have better Leaders or else they can never come to him The Second is Ambition it is a Passion that like Pharaoh's lean Kine devours all that comes
take notice 1. That acknowledgments to unquestionable Truths such as calling him Lord that is the unquestionable Lord and God and praying to him as the only Lord and Saviour doth not entitle Men to the Kingdom 2. But doing the Will of God is not only prefer'd to the acknowledgment of him as Lord but made the only Condition upon which admittance into the Kingdom is granted And in the next verse he adds For many saith he will say to me have we not Prophesied in thy Name and cast out Devils and done mighty Works Perhaps Built Churches Hospitals c. in thy Name c. All which was not done by Infidels but by them whose Judgments and understandings as well as Opinions were strong concerning the verity of his Authority yet for all this Knowledge and Profession and at some times Enjoyment Depart from me c. was the Sentence grounded upon their evil works for tho' they knew much and professed much and enjoyed much too yet they were unholy hearers and not doers knowers of his Will but doers of their own and therefore shut out of the Kingdom Thus much from Christ himself in Vindication of the First Proposition Next let us hear what His Apostle as well as the Gentiles saith to the matter in hand see 1 Cor. 13. where he tells of Gifts as Prophesies Tongues Knowledge of all Mysteries Hospitality towards the Poor and Faith to Remove Mountains yea to lay down Life for Opinions sake yet all this he saith without Charity or Divine Love is but an empty Sound c. I hope my Authority is so far Unquestionable that I need seek for no farther Proof for my Assertion viz. That 't is not Opinion but Holiness was and is the design of Religion for without it Religion is no more than a Body without Breath or Spirit which will soon Putrifie to the anoyance of all that are near it Now if Holiness of Life was the universal Creed of all the Christian World and the Hearts and Heads of Men were as much taken up with thinking how they might Practise it as their Hearts and Heads are full of Matters of far less Moment I will not say what though all the Presses in Europe has been filled with it as well as many Goals crowded Goods spoiled and Lives lost about it it would be a happy day for us But that I may be plainly understood I add that by Holiness I mean such a Strict Aweful and Circumspect Life as with Detestation and Abhorrence shuns those Paths that leads to the Breach of Negative Precepts as well as with fervency of Spirit suitable to the Nobility of the cause is Studious to approve it self in the Performance of what is enjoyed to be done by the same Authority the other as above is forbidden and in short is no other than a Life conformed to the Will of God And that this is the great Design of Religion is reasonable to believe both from Reason it self Scripture and Divine Inspiration and he that so lives deserves the Protection of all Civil Governments being the best of Subjects for he never gives the Magistrate trouble Since he that bears the Sword is for a Praise to them that do well and is only a Terror to Evil Doers which such a Man is not From what hath hitherto been said these Considerations will naturally follow First That he that made us Holy and Good at first and put us in a Capacity so to continue and sent his Son to break our Bonds by his Death desires that out of our Laps'd State we may be Restored to Live in a perfect Union and Fellowship with him again to all Eternity Ezek. 18.32 and 33.11 Rom. 5.18 19. 1 Tim. 1.15 and 2.3 4 5 6. Titus 2.14 1 John 3.7 Secondly Nevertheless without doing his Will 't is impossible to injoy that Union and Peace c. Mat. 7.21 22. Thirdly That his Will is our Sanctification or Holiness Luke 1.74 75. 1 Thess 3.13 and 4.3 Rom. 6.19 22. 2 Cor. 7.1 Fourthly That he which hath ordained the End hath also provided the means Deut. 18.15 Ezek. 18.32 1 Tim. 1.15 Fifthly That that means is Primarily the Second Adam or Lord from Heaven by whom the universal Gift of Grace is bestowed on all Men prejudiced by the Fall of the First Adam Secondarily by the Holy Scripture and a Spiritual Ministry c. Rom. 5.18 19. Tit. 2.11 Ephes 4.11 12. Sixthly and Lastly This Gift so universally given is Grace for Grace Light for Light Spirit for Spirit to Spirit or Quicken us to Holiness and is as much the Common Privilege of all Men as all Men were damaged by Adam's Fall Luke 2.27 28 29 30 31 32. John 1.9 16. 1 Cor. 12.7 And if so there is no Reason for the Church of Rome or any other Church to impose Articles of Faith on others or Monopolize Religion or Truth to themselves since he that Lives conformable to this Gift is a Member of that Church that Jesus Christ is Head of And he that hath Faith herein hath the True Faith mentioned in the 10th of the Hebrews and is that Faith delivered to the Saints for which they are to contend but not Fight nor Persecute since the way of their contending for it was by Argument and Suffering and not Persecution according as the Apostle saith Gal. 5.14 The fulfilling of the whole Law is in Loving our Neighbour as our selves And vers 6. saith Circumcision nor Vncircumcision availeth nothing but Faith that worketh by Love But Creed making Works not by Love but Strife and Envy and is almost always followed by Persecution therefore not of the true Faith tho' made up of never so true words but is a Fruit of the Flesh vers 19 20 21. and such Persecute those Born of the Spirit Gal. 4.29 In short that Faith which works by Love is the Immediate Gift of God that enables Man wholly to trust or depend without any manner of doubt with respect to his Body as well as Soul on the Invisible God but such an intire Trust and Depending cannot be where Purity of Heart is not And a Thousand Articles of Faith will not make one Heart clean it being made so only by that Spirit or Gift abovesaid So that he which hath the true Faith is not without the true Love for they are inseparable which worketh like Leaven every Man into Humility Patience and all other Vertues and against such there is no legal Law But to bring forth contrary Fruit such as Immorality Ambition Envy Wrath Persecution c. as it is no part of the Christian Religion so it is very unreasonable to number any such among the Religious Thus I hope I have made it plainly appear That 't is not Opinion but Holiness that answers the design of Religion 2dly That the Principles which leads to Holiness are few plain and reasonable and consequently all that are not so or from unquestionable Authority such as is the Holy Scripture
in the way of it and is nevertheless as hungry and ill-favoured at last as at first That Kingdom or Common-Wealth that is infected with store of this sort of Cattle shall never be at rest long unless they have the liberty to Gore those themselves have voted Heterodox and to furnish them with Tools to do it Cum Privilegio Nothing like Interweaving themselves with the State So that the Civil Magistrate shall be made believe 't is his Duty and Interest always either to confer more Honours and Profits on them or else to suppress their more vertuous Neighbours under the Notion of their being Hereticks which is not the least Prejudice to Religion in general as well as it is not seldom the like to the State since the common People are more inclinable to favour and unite with the Sufferer than joyn with the Persecutor Suffering generally speaking rather making Proselytes than answering the end of the Persecutor especially where the Sufferer has the answer of a better Conscience than the Persecutor which not seldom is the privilege of Dissent But if Vertuous Living under a Dissent from a National Church Liturgy be interpreted Irreligious and renders the Professors Obnoxions to the Laws whilst Immorality goes unpunished How is it possible that the Interest of Religion can be advanced since the Sufferings that attend a vertuous Man is greater than what falls upon the Irreligious and Profane Which shews that whatever Pretences are made for Religion the Practice is unreasonable and therefore is no longer held for Truth than whilst the Rod obligeth the Fearful and Cowardly to say Amen contrary to the Perswasion of their own Minds But three things are the design of the Ambitious Clergy-Men viz. Wealth Honour and Power all which renders Religion the more doubtful and unreasonable Since neither was the mark that the best Example that ever was in the World aim'd at but his Doctrine and Practice the reverse to it all And that they can be his Followers and Disciples and thus apparently contradict both his Doctrine and Practice is unreasonable to believe And therefore that Church that will indulge Ambition in her Clergy is as remote from the Basis of true Religion as she that Connives at Immorality and both the reasonable part of Mankind must conclude to be a great way off from Truth and consequently Irreligious and Unreasonable Nor can it be thought reasonable that ever the Civil Magistrate should be able to allay those evil Spirits that such Ambitious Men are able to raise from the contrary Winds of Doctrine that will inevitably blow in a National Church which will make more work for the Magistrate to reconcile than he is capable of performing as many Instances might be brought for Proof Besides till they all speak one and the same thing at home 't is unreasonable to think that Dissenters should return to that Church which is not in Unity with it self But again an Ambitious Clergy cannot bear contradiction And therefore when what they have stamp'd with the Seal of Orthodox meets with a Non-reception the Sword of the Magistrate must be imployed to force its entrance which is so much the more Irreligious for that it is so unreasonable Since 't is reasonable Arguments and not Blows that must Convince the Understanding and till the Clergy can furnish themselves therewith they are never like to be free from Dissenters But if their Ambition will admit of no Competitor as most certain it will not nothing but Persecution can follow their Venemous Doctrine where the Magistrate is become more a Party than the common Father of the People Which that he may not is the humble Request of all his Dissenting Children that though he hath an Eldest Son he may not to Gratifie his Ambition destroy the rest from enjoying their Natural Birth-right In short to make an Image and then by the help of the Civil Magistrate oblige every body to fall down and Worship upon pain of Corporal and Pecuniary Punishment is what hath produced so much Irreligion c. in the World and frustrated the design of Religion in general as well as been a Stumbling Block in the way of those Seekers that would extreamly rejoyce to find the way that leads to Everlasting Blessedness obscured by the Dust the Immoral and Ambitious Clergy have raised which tho' they viz. the common People know but little yet know so much that Immorality and Ambition is never the way to it These things being premised the following Considerations are Candidly Offered to the Serious Thoughts of the Impartial for Cure of our present Maladies that the just and reasonable design of Religion may be answered that God may be glorified our Consciences eased and Souls saved That the Government may be freed from unnecessary Trouble and the People enjoy perfect Tranquility First That it 's not Opinion but Holiness is the design of Religion Secondly That the Principles that lead to it are few reasonable and plain Thirdly That making of Creeds not to be found in Holy Scripture is at best but Imaginary and therefore not to be bowed unto Fourthly That Liberty of Conscience is every Man's Birth-right and that it cannot be invaded without violating the Laws of the Land Fifthly That Morality may be encouraged since it is so great a part of Religion that without it none can be Religious 1st That it is not Opinion but Holiness is the design of Religion It was the Condition of the great Charter granted to him that was the Patriarch of the Church before the Law on Tables of Stone was given to his numerous Posterity see Gen. 15.1 compare with Gen. 17.1 Walk thou before me and be thou Perfect c. No written Law now consequently no Creeds yet the Law written in the Heart was Abraham's Rule by which he was to walk before God to Perfection Again If without Holiness no Man can see God Heb. 12.14 without Holiness no Man can walk with him But the first is true therefore the last For want of it the old World was destroyed because of it and not untelligible Creeds Noah was saved Gen. 6.9 The Tenor of the Covenant in Horeb centered in it viz. to Implant Love and Fear in the People to God-ward that thereby they might be kept from Sin Exod. 20.20 compare with Deut. 30. but what that Dispensation began the Gospel finisheth what that pointed out in Types and Shadows the Gospel Substantially and Radically compleateth Which is to give Power to do as well as Light to know what the good and acceptable Will of God is Since on the knowing and doing thereof our present and future Happiness depends and this is as it must be the only design of true Religion Again Let us consider what the Institutor of the Christian Religion saith hereupon Mat. 7.21 It is not every one that saith Lord Lord but he that doth the Will of my Father that shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven From which we are to
Civil Magistrate to make that the Creed of all Perswasions which all Perswasions agree is Sacred and of Divine Authority to wit the Holy Scriptures And where any Difference shall arise about the Interpretation thereof the Civil Authority should Interpose to Oblige all Parties to Vnite in Interest viz. the Peace and Prosperity of the Nation if he could not Oblige them to Unite in Charity the Christian and Religious Bottom The First the Magistrate hath Power to command The Latter if we are true Christians cannot be denied But where either Party which is uppermost for the Wheel goes round shall exercise their Power first to exalt themselves in Honour and Wealth upon the Credit of Religion and secondly abuse that Power to make Traps for their Neighbours by cramming Creeds down their Throats which cannot be understood by them and which the others have no Authority from Holy Scripture to impose Most certain it is As it is to turn Persecutors for Religion when Religion it self forbids it and is in it self both Unreasonable and Irreligious so it is of that Provoking Nature that will inevitably draw down God's Righteous Judgments to the Desolation of that Kingdom or Common-Wealth where such Methods are taken and finally prove the overthrow of that Church which promotes such a Work But without looking for a Stroke from the Hand of Heaven 't is no good Policy since 't is the first Foundation to Schism For had not the Church of Rome imposed more than she had Authority from Holy Scripture for the Protestants could have had no reasonable Colour for their Revolt but the first is true and so is the last Again had the Church of England imposed no more than the Holy Scripture had warranted Her in Matters of Faith nor any Discipline but what might reasonably be Collected from them Nor any other Practices by her Clergy than what was Honest Just and of Good Report as becomes Ministers of Jesus Christ the Dissenters Separation had been a Ridiculous Thing Whereas it appears now to be so Grounded that the Strength of the Church is not able to Convince nor Confute them In short if the 39 Articles were not half so many as they are and more clear than some of them appear to be And if the Creed commonly called Athanasius's were reduced to that of the Apostle's or Nicene-Creed which as they are less Perplexing so they are as Substantial and would engage more to unite in the Truth thereof who are now too often rather Stumbled than Excited to be Religious It would tend more to Peace if not Unity Again if the Presbyterians Assembly of Divinity had not made such a horrid Blunder in their Westminster Confession of Faith as they did by Asserting such and such Principles for Orthodox with pretended Authority from Holy Scripture which upon Examination no more answered their design than the first of Job proves the Divinity of Christ they might at that time have enlarged their Dominion and like the Jews made Proselytes of the Covenant in abundance But wherâ— People see first an Arbitrary Power to impose and secondly so much weakness in their Proofs no marvel if they were left also as they left others Nor had the Synod of Dort any better success especially in Holland where the Remedy prov'd worse than the Disease Nor was England free from the dire Effects thereof But as W. P's Address to Protestants pag. 62 and 63. saith The mournfullest part of that History is the ill Usage the Bishop oâ— Landaff and others had who werâ— acknowledged to be sound in the Faith of those Times viz. the Calvenist yet if at any time they appeared Moderate in Behaviour and Gentle in their Words desiring rather an Accommodation with the Remonstrators than to encrease the Difference to the Prejudice of Religion in general Gomarus and his Followers not observing the Rules of Debate in so grave an Assembly fell foul of the Bishop c. Reproaching their Tenderness and insinuating the Charge of Treachery c. against those more Vertuous but less Bitter and Stingy Persons than themselves But without Raking in the Ruins of time 't is evident that the several Councils Convocations Synods c. that have been called to settle Articles of Faith have rarely avoided Exercising such a Dogmatical Power to the straining the Principles of Religion beyond not only the Line of Holy Scripture but the Staple of Reason and common Sense And therefore no wonder if the World be filled with Schisms In days of old the Ancient Land-Marks were not to be removed without a severe Penalty and most certain it is neither wider nor streighteâ— must we set them than the Holy Meâ— of old did unless by the same Authority they had And how that was thâ— Holy Scripture plainly demonstrates And until That be our general Creeâ— without far-fetch'd Consequences wâ— cannot reasonably expect to be freâ— from the trouble that attends whaâ— is called Schism and where that is Persecution commonly follows foâ— Non-conformity though it be but tâ— an Image and not the true God Anâ— what a Prejudice that is to the State to be torn in pieces by Factions woful Experience hath taught us This with the Immorality and Ambition oâ— the Clergy in King James the First Time laid the Foundation for thâ— Ruin of his Son and with him Threâ— Kingdoms according to F. O. in hâ— Observations on K. J's Reign Ouâ— Divines saith he for the generality did Sacrifice more to Bacchus than Minerva Again nor did the notorious Debauchery of the Episcopal Clergy add a little to the Rent made by those called Puritans Nor did the sudden Translations of Bishops from less to greater Fees give time to visit sufficiently their respective Charges being more intent upon the Receipt of such Taxes as a long abused Custom had Estated them in than upon Reformation For from the Pulpit came all our future Miseries God not being served there as he ought c. I take the more notice of this because himself was no favourer of Puritanism but of the other side For the Security therefore of the Government Ease of the Magistrate and Peace of the People Creeds not to be found in Holy Scripture and an Ambitious and Immoral Clergy by the common Voice of Mankind should be totally Rejected Which leads me to my Fourth Proposition viz. That Liberty of Conscience is every Man's Birth-right 4thly By Liberty of Conscience is not meant a Liberty to Licentiousness for no Man that is Compos Mentis will pretend Matter of Conscience to commit Wickedness But by Liberty of Conscience I mean for every Man to go to what place he please to worship God in that way he is persuaded is the Right Way and to hear that Preacher that he likes best As for Instance I cannot see any Prejudice to the State to Indulge the Jews in the Exercise of their Religion which of all Perswasions has the least Reason to desire or expect it yet we find our
Superiours have thought fit to indulge them already as well as other States do for they rarely suffer for their Religion Perhaps 't is because the Blessing that attends Sufferers is none of their Portion However if they Sin against their own Knowledge but we cannot say they do they will suffer for it from his Hand that knows their Hearts But if they know no better 't is unreasonable to Punish Men for what they cannot help Therefore their Synagogues provided they do nothing against the State can be no Prejudice to the Government Nor can the Worshipping Images Praying to Saints Auricular Confession Pilgrimages c. hurt the State provided those that have the vanity to think such things their Duty may appear Publickly to perform it But if they are deprived thereof no opportunity will be neglected to get that by stealth the Omission of which they firmly believe cannot be forgiven them And when such Persons get together in that manner they are not only Incouraged to continue that Practice but are Warmed with a Belief that these Rugged Paths are the only Way to Glory and therefore in time will be so inured to it that they will bid Defiance even to Death it self which not seldom is the most effectual Way to increase and not suppress any Faction Add to this the Desperateness of those who are made so first upon the Score of their Suffering for Religion but now turn'd to Conspire the Destruction of that Power by which they are opprest Here it is Plots are laid the design of which is to render Vengeance on those that have not remembered Mercy and to ease themselves from Suffering But let Men have Ease and they will not Plot the destruction of that Power that they owe their Ease and Safety to But where they or any other shall abuse this Liberty which is their Right peaceably to enjoy to the Prejudice of another in Person or Estate the Magistrate as the common Father of the People hath Power to Interpose and give that Correction to the delinquent as is his just Demerit To which every Party except the Guilty will say Amen That the Episcopalian should be Persecuted because the first Reform from Popery was to Presbitery is so unreasonable that nothing of Religion is to be seen in it unless you will call a Mad Firy Zeal Religion The Dismal and Tragical Story we have upon Record of the Madness of that People since the last Revolution in Scotland as well as in the unhappy Civil Wars at home in England are so many and so black that it becomes highly necessary that the Episcopalian who is now the National Church in England lay a good Foundation for time to come Since what hath been may be For no Man in his Senses can think a Church governed by Bishops is such a Heresie as deserves that Evil Treatment they have had for that only Reason Nor are the 39 Articles so Remote from Christianity nor the Discipline of the Church of England so void of Defence that for believing the one and practising the other they should be exposed to Sufferings when the Government is in other Hands Let the Errors be what they will they hold or profess since no Body but themselves are the worse for them 't is Unreasonable and Irreligious for the Presbyterian to Persecute them as now in Scotland Nor can it be thought Reasonable or Religious that the Presbyterian and Independent c. should be obliged to go to hear Common-Prayer when themselves in their own Opinion have a more Lively Way of Worship And if the Elders of those Churches take the same Care that a Bishop in the Church of England is obliged to viz. See that the Ministers feed the Flock with good Doctrines tending to Holiness of Life and Peace amongst Men and good Examples What Reason hath the Church of England to be angry because they do not go all to one place since both aim at one thing viz. The Promotion of Religion in General and the Peace of the Common-Wealth Again What harm can the Anabaptist by his Water-Dispensation do He may by his zealous and strict Living and laborious Preaching Influence many to the reforming their Lives and Manners if not to the thorough Renovation of their Mind Nor can his recluse private Life be any Prejudice to the State since there are Hands enough besides to be imployed If he has any Principles that are either Inconsistent with Religion or Government so long as he keeps them to himself no Body is the worse for them besides himself But when it appears otherwise 't is time enough then to punish For 't is both Irreligious and Unreasonable to punish Men for what we only suppose they will do Nor can the Quaker be left as a Sacrifice to any other Party with Reason or Religion because of his Singularity since he pretends as much Conscience as any of the rest and ventures to come to the Text of Holy Scripture with the most Orthodox But let his Errors be what they will for 't is our Unhappiness that we are too apt to think too well of our own and too meanly of our Neighbours notwithstanding his Hat lies in the way we never found him to give the Magistrate any Trouble unless it was when forc'd before him about his Religion which he cannot help If he is mistaken none will suffer for that mistake but himself And he is assured also that one mistake is not like to be corrected by another But all those he hath separated from dare not pretend to be free from Mistakes even in the best part of their Religion And since the highest is upon Supposition and Conjecture 't is the more unreasonable to oblige Conformity But that the Quaker is for promotion of the design of Religion viz. Holiness is undeniable if he carries it too far 't is an Error of the Right Hand and his Zeal ought to be cherish'd by the common Father of the People since all his Proselytes ease the Magistrate of that trouble People of greater Liberty bring upon him Add to this his Industry for as upon the Principles of Religion he is prohibited the Diversions of Humane Life which others esteem Lawful so 't is certain the Mind of Man must be diverted with something And therefore he by turning Quaker turneth the Stream of his Diversion to good Husbandry as Planting Improving Land keeping the Poor at work c. And for Trade 't is demonstrable beyond Contradiction that he is not one of the least or most useless both in City and Country Nor is he one of the least Benefactors to the Government Let every Man then be encouraged to Sow to Plant to learn Trades to improve his Stock and Capacity for his Own for his Posterity's and for the Nation 's Good by an intire Liberty of Conscience that no Man may suffer in Body or Estate for the Errors or supposed Errors of his Mind and that only in things relating to another