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Show [443 [45] one no one can have any right to complain, according to the dictates of his own confeicnec, that he is depriv'd of liberty of confcience, recur Without any moleltation or difiurbance : A ing that he has a right to choofe and freely at- priviledge which I hope, we {hall ever keep up, tend that worlhip, that appears to him to be and ltrenuoully maintain. N0 principlesought ever to be diltountenaneed by civil autl'iority, but fuch as tend to the fubverfion of the hate. So long as a man is a good member of foeiety, he is accountable to Goo alone for his religious fentiments : But when men are found (lif- moll agreable to the will of Goo ; and it mutt be very unrealonable for him to object againtt being obliged to contribute his part towards the fupport of that woilhip, which he has cho- fen. Whether fome fueh method as this might not tend in a very eminent manner to promote the peace and welfare of fociety, I muft leave to the wifdom of our legillators to determine ; before it would take offfome of the molt po- turbers of the publiek peace, {lining up {edition, or prac‘tifmg againlt the llate, no pretence ofreligion or confcience, ought to fcreen them pular objefiions againlt being obliged by law from being brought to eonlign punilhment. But then as the end and deiign of puuilhment to lupport publicl; \xv'orlhip, while the law rc- is either to make rellitution to the injured, or iti'iels that fupport only to one denomination. to reftrain men from committing the like crimes for the future, to when thefe important 3UT for tlte civil authority to pretend to cilal)lilh particular modes ot'laitl', and forms of ends are anfwered, the punilhnrent ought to worthip, and to puniih all that deviate from the ilaudard which our luperiors ha\e let up, ceafe ; for whatever is inllit‘led upon a man under the notion of punilhment, after thefe impor- tant ends are anlwered, is not ajuft and l;\\\ tol is attended‘with the molt pernicious confe- queuces to foeiety : lt cramps all frte and rati- punifhment, but is properly cruelty, and bale revenge. 0 ml enquiry ;‘ fills the world with hypocrites and luperliitious bigots ; nay with iulidels and FROM this account of civil government we leeai‘ic‘ks : lt exliol'es men of religion and con- learm that the bui'inefs of magiltrai‘es is weight y ftienee to the rage and malice of fiery blind and important : It requires both wifdorn and in- fizeaiots ; mid dillolves every tender tye of hu- tegrity :' \Vhen either are wanting? govei nment will be poorly adminiltred; more efpecially if man nature: in ihort, it introduces eonfulion and evtry evil work. And Icannot but look upon it as :1 peculiar blefiing of heaven, that we live in a land where chry one can freely our gover'nours are men of loofe morals, and abandoned principles ; for if a man is not faith fall to COD and his own foul, how can we ex- «it lircr his leutimcnts upon religious lilbiCElS, pect, that he will be faithful to the publick. 1.1.} have . "there wasagreatdeal of proprietyin the ad rice, LALy or of"? \ H .L\‘.o«... "r" '- v. C ‘ 1501) uafi UAAJA lull?" ll o ' u n» t . l' «Lu/titulrl (1."w ' N‘A"~'4I‘vht n-v-Jur-mmvem «‘mul‘dl‘ . V . I {at |