any other Bonds but what proceed from the certain expectation of eternal Life A Church then is a Society of Members voluntarily uniting to this end It follows now that we consider what is the Power of this Church and unto what Laws it is subject Forasmuch as no Society how free soever or upon whatsoever slight occasion instituted whether of Philophers for Learning of Merchants for Commerce or of men of leisure for mutual Conversation and Discourse No Church or Company I say can in the least subsist and hold together but will presently dissolve and break to pieces unless it be regulated by some Laws and the Members all consent to observe some Order Place and time of meeting must be agreed on Rules for admitting and excluding Members must be establisht Distinction of Officers and putting things into a regular Course and such like cannot be omitted But since the joyning together of several Members into this Church-Society as has already been demonstrated is absolutely free and spontaneous it necessarily follows that the Right of making its Laws can belong to none but the Society it self or at least which is the same thing to those whom the Society by common consent has authorised thereunto Some perhaps may object that no such Society can be said to be a true Church unless it have in it a Bishop or Presbyter with Ruling Authority derived from the very Apostles and continued down unto the present times by an uninterrupted Succession To these I answer In the first place Let them shew me the Edict by which Christ has imposed that Law upon his Church And let not any man think me impertinent if in a thing of this consequence I require that the Terms of that Edict be very express and positive For the Promise he has made us that wheresoever two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst of them seems to imply the contrary Whether such an Assembly want any thing necessary to a true Church pray do you consider Certain I am that nothing can be there wanting unto the Salvation of Souls Which is sufficient to our purpose Next Pray observe how great have always been the Divisions amongst even those who lay so much stress upon the Divine Institution and continued Succession of a certain Order of Rulers in the Church Now their very Dissention unavoidably puts us upon a necessity of deliberating and consequently allows a liberty of choosing that which upon consideration we prefer And in the last place I consent that these men have a Ruler of their Church established by such a long Series of Succession as they judge necessary provided I may have liberty at the same time to join my self to that Society in which I am perswaded those things are to be found which are necessary to the Salvation of my Soul. In this manner Ecclesiastical Liberty will be preserved on all sides and no man will have a Legislator imposed upon him but whom himself has chosen But since men are so sollicitous about the true Church I would only ask them here by the way if it be not more agreeable to the Church of Christ to make the Conditions of her Communion consist in such things and such things only as the Holy Spirit has in the Holy Scriptures declared in express Words to be necessary to Salvation I ask I say whether this be not more agreeable to the Church of Christ than for men to impose their own Inventions and Interpretations upon others as if they were of Divine Authority and to establish by Ecclesiastical Laws as absolutely necessary to the Profession of Christianity such things as the Holy Scriptures do either not mention or at least not expresly command Whosoever requires those things in order to Ecclesiastical Communion which Christ does not require in order to Life Eternal he may perhaps indeed constitute a Society accommodated to his own Opinion and his own Advantage but how that can be called the Church of Christ which is established upon Laws that are not his and which excludes such Persons from its Communion as he will one day receive into the Kingdom of Heaven I understand not But this being not a proper place to enquire into the marks of the true Church I will only mind those that contend so earnestly for the Decrees of their own Society and that cry out continually the Church the Church with as much noise and perhaps upon the same Principle as the Ephesian Silversmiths did for their Diana this I say I desire to mind them of That the Gospel frequently declares that the true Disciples of Christ must suffer Persecution but that the Church of Christ should persecute others and force others by Fire and Sword to embrace her Faith and Doctrine I could never yet find in any of the Books of the New Testament The End of a Religious Society as has already been said is the Publick Worship of God and by means thereof the acquisition of Eternal Life All Discipline ought therefore to tend to that End and all Ecclesiastical Laws to be thereunto confined Nothing ought nor can be transacted in this Society relating to the Possession of Civil and Worldly Goods No Force is here to be made use of upon any occasion whatsoever For Force belongs wholly to the Civil Magistrate and the Possession of all outward Goods is subject to his Jurisdiction But it may be asked By what means then shall Ecclesiastical Laws be established if they must be thus destitute of all Compulsive Power I answer They must be established by Means suitable to the Nature of such Things whereof the external Profession and Observation if not proceeding from a thorow Conviction and Approbation of the Mind is altogether useless and unprofitable The Arms by which the Members of this Society are to be kept within their Duty are Exhortations Admonitions and Advices If by these means the Offenders will not be reclaimed and the Erroneous convinced there remains nothing farther to be done but that such stubborn and obstinate Persons who give no ground to hope for their Reformation should be cast out and separated from the Society This is the last and utmost Force of Ecclesiastical Authority No other Punishment can thereby be inflicted than that the Relation ceasing between the Body and the Member which is cut off the Person so condemned ceases to be a Part of that Church These things being thus determined let us inquire in the next place how far the Duty of Toleration extends and what is required from every one by it And first I hold That no Church is bound by the Duty of Toleration to retain any such Person in her Bosom as after Admonition continues obstinately to offend against the Laws of the Society For these being the Condition of Communion and the Bond of the Society if the Breach of them were permitted without any Animadversion the Society would immediately be thereby dissolved But nevertheless in all
such like things are certainly more contrary to the Glory of God to the Purity of the Church and to the Salvation of Souls than any conscientious Dissent from Ecclesiastical Decisions or Separation from Publick Worship whilst accompanied with Innocency of Life Why then does this burning Zeal for God for the Church and for the Salvation of Souls burning I say literally with Fire and Faggot pass by those moral Vices and Wickednesses without any Chastisement which are acknowledged by all Men to be diametrically opposite to the Profession of Christianity and bend all its Nerves either to the introducing of Ceremonies or to the establishment of Opinions which for the most part are about nice and intricate Matters that exceed the Capacity of ordinary Understandings Which of the Parties contending about these things is in the right which of them is guilty of Schism or Heresie whether those that domineer or those that suffer will then at last be manifest when the Cause of their Separation comes to be judged of He certainly that follows Christ embraces his Doctrine and bears his Yoke tho' he forsake both Father and Mother separate from the Publick Assemblies and Ceremonies of his Country or whomsoever or whatsoever else he relinquishes will not then be judged an Heretick Now tho' the Divisions that are amongst Sects should be allowed to be never so obstructive of the Salvation of Souls yet nevertheless Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry and such like things cannot be denied to be Works of the Flesh concerning which the Apostle has expresly declared that they who do them shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Whosoever therefore is sincerely sollicitous about the Kingdom of God and thinks it his Duty to endeavour the Enlargement of it amongst Men ought to apply himself with no less care and industry to the rooting out of these Immoralities than to the Extirpation of Sects But if any one do otherwise and whilst he is cruel and implacable towards those that differ from him in Opinion he be indulgent to such Iniquities and Immoralities as are unbecoming the Name of a Christian let such a one talk never so much of the Church he plainly demonstrates by his Actions that 't is another Kingdom he aims at and not the Advancement of the Kingdom of God. That any Man should think fit to cause another Man whose Salvation he heartily desires to expire in Torments and that even in an unconverted estate would I confess seem very strange to me and I think to any other also But no body surely will ever believe that such a Carriage can proceed from Charity Love or Good-will If any one maintain that Men ought to be compelled by Fire and Sword to profess certain Doctrines and conform to this or that exteriour Worship without any regard had unto their Morals if any one endeavour to convert those that are Erroneous unto the Faith by forcing them to profess things that they do not believe and allowing them to practise things that the Gospel does not permit it cannot be doubted indeed but such a one is desirous to have a numerous Assembly joyned in the same Profession with himself but that he principally intends by those means to compose a truly Christian Church is altogether incredible It is not therefore to be wondred at if those who do not really contend for the Advancement of the true Religion and of the Church of Christ make use of Arms that do not belong to the Christian Warfare If like the Captain of our Salvation they sincerely desired the Good of Souls they would tread in the Steps and follow the perfect Example of that Prince of Peace who sent out his Soldiers to the subduing of Nations and gathering them into his Church not armed with the Sword or other Instruments of Force but prepared with the Gospel of Peace and with the Exemplary Holiness of their Conversation This was his Method Tho' if Infidels were to be converted by force if those that are either blind or obstinate were to be drawn off from their Errors by Armed Soldiers we know very well that it was much more easie for Him to do it with Armies of Heavenly Legions than for any Son of the Church how potent soever with all his Dragoons The Toleration of those that differ from others in Matters of Religion is so agreeable to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to the genuine Reason of Mankind that it seems monstrous for Men to be so blind as not to perceive the Necessity and Advantage of it in so clear a Light. I will not here tax the Pride and Ambition of some the Passion and uncharitable Zeal of others These are Faults from which Humane Affairs can perhaps scarce ever be perfectly freed but yet such as no body will bear the plain Imputation of without covering them with some specious Colour and so pretend to Commendation whilst they are carried away by their own irregular Passions But however that some may not colour their Spirit of Persecution and unchristian Cruelty with a Pretence of Care of the Publick Weal and Observation of the Laws and that others under pretence of Religion may not seek Impunity for their Libertinism and Licentiousness in a word that none may impose either upon himself or others by the Pretences of Loyalty and Obedience to the Prince or of Tenderness and Sincerity in the Worship of God I esteem it above all things necessary to distinguish exactly the Business of Civil Government from that of Religion and to settle the just Bounds that lie between the one and the other If this be not done there can be no end put to the Controversies that will be always arising between those that have or at least pretend to have on the one side a Concernment for the Interest of Mens Souls and on the other side a Care of the Commonwealth The Commonwealth seems to me to be a Society of Men constituted only for the procuring preserving and advancing of their own Civil Interests Civil Interests I call Life Liberty Health and Indolency of Body and the Possession of outward things such as Money Lands Houses Furniture and the like It is the Duty of the Civil Magistrate by the impartial Execution of equal Laws to secure unto all the People in general and to every one of his Subjects in particular the just Possession of these things belonging to this Life If any one presume to violate the Laws of Publick Justice and Equity established for the Preservation of those things his Presumption is to be check'd by the fear of Punishment consisting of the Deprivation or Diminution of those Civil Interests or Goods which otherwise he might and ought to enjoy But seeing no Man does willingly suffer himself to be punished by the Deprivation of any part of his Goods and much less of his Liberty or Life therefore is the Magistrate armed with the Force and Strength of all his Subjects in order to the punishment
to come In the last place Let us now consider what is the Magistrate's Duty in the Business of Toleration which certainly is very considerable We have already proved That the Care of Souls does not belong to the Magistrate Not a Magisterial Care I mean if I may so call it which consists in prescribing by Laws and compelling by Punishments But a charitable Care which consists in teaching admonishing and persuading cannot be denied unto any man. The Care therefore of every man's Soul belongs unto himself and is to be left unto himself But what if he neglect the Care of his Soul I answer What if he neglect the Care of his Health or of his Estate which things are nearlier related to the Government of the Magistrate than the other Will the Magistrate provide by an express Law That such an one shall not become poor or sick Laws provide as much as is possible that the Goods and Health of Subjects be not injured by the Fraud or Violence of others they do not guard them from the Negligence or Ill-husbandry of the Possessors themselves No man can be forced to be Rich or Healthful whether he will or no. Nay God himself will not save men against their wills Let us suppose however that some Prince were desirous to force his Subjects to accumulate Riches or to preserve the Health and Strength of their Bodies Shall it be provided by Law that they must consult none but Roman Physicians and shall every one be bound to live according to their Prescriptions What shall no Potion no Broth be taken but what is prepared either in the Vatican suppose or in a Geneva Shop Or to make these Subjects rich shall they all be obliged by Law to become Merchants or Musicians Or shall every one turn Victualler or Smith because there are some that maintain their Families plentifully and grow rich in those Professions But it may be said There are a thousand ways to Wealth but one only way to Heaven 'T is well said indeed especially by those that plead for compelling men into this or the other Way For if there were several ways that lead thither there would not be so much as a pretence left for Compulsion But now if I be marching on with my utmost Vigour in that way which according to the Sacred Geography leads streight to Ierusalem Why am I beaten and ill used by others because perhaps I wear not Buskins because my Hair is not of the right Cut because perhaps I have not been dip't in the right Fashion because I eat Flesh upon the Road or some other Food which agrees with my Stomach because I avoid certain By-ways which seem unto me to lead into Briars or Precipices because amongst the several Paths that are in the same Road I choose that to walk in which seems to be the streightest and cleanest because I avoid to keep company with some Travellers that are less grave and others that are more sowre that they ought to be or in fine because I follow a Guide that either is or is not clothed in White and crowned with a Miter Certainly if we consider right we shall find that for the most part they are such frivolous things as these that without any prejudice to Religion or the Salvation of Souls if not accompanied with Superstition or Hypocrisie might either be observed or omitted I say they are such like things as as these which breed implacable Enmities amongst Christian Brethren who are all agreed in the Substantial and truly Fundamental part of Religion But let us grant unto these Zealots who condemn all things that are not of their Mode that from these Circumstances arise different Ends. What shall we conclude from thence There is only one of these which is the true way to Eternal Happiness But in this great variety of ways that men follow it is still doubted which is this right one Now neither the care of the Commonwealth nor the right of enacting Laws does discover this way that leads to Heaven more certainly to the Magistrate than every private mans Search and Study discovers it unto himself I have a weak Body sunk under a languishing Disease for which I suppose there is one only Remedy but that unknown Does it therefore belong unto the Magistrate to prescribe me a Remedy because there is but one and because it is unknown Because there is but one way for me to escape Death will it therefore be safe for me to do whatsoever the Magistrate ordains Those things that every man ought sincerely to enquire into himself and by Meditation Study Search and his own Endeavours attain the Knowledge of cannot be looked upon as the Peculiar Possession of any one sort of Men. Princes indeed are born Superior unto other men in Power but in Nature equal Neither the Right nor the Art of Ruling does necessarily carry along with it the certain Knowledge of other things and least of all of the true Religion For if it were so how could it come to pass that the Lords of the Earth should differ so vastly as they do in Religious Matters But let us grant that it is probable the way to Eternal Life may be better known by a Prince than by his Subjects or at least that in this incertitude of things the safest and most commodious way for private Persons is to follow his Dictates You will say what then If he should bid you follow Merchandise for your Livelihood would you decline that Course for fear it should not succeed I answer I would turn Merchant upon the Princes command because in case I should have ill Success in Trade he is abundantly able to make up my Loss some other way If it be true as he pretends that he desires I should thrive and grow rich he can set me up again when unsuccessful Voyages have broke me But this is not the Case in the things that regard the Life to come If there I take a wrong Course if in that respect I am once undone it is not in the Magistrates Power to repair my Loss to ease my Suffering nor to restore me in any measure much less entirely to a good Estate What Security can be given for the Kingdom of Heaven Perhaps some will say that they do not suppose this infallible Judgment that all men are bound to follow in the Affairs of Religion to be in the Civil Magistrate but in the Church What the Church has determined that the Civil Magistrate orders to be observed and he provides by his Authority that no body shall either act or believe in the business of Religion otherwise than the Church teaches So that the Judgment of those things is in the Church The Magistrate himself yields Obedience thereunto and requires the like Obedience from others I answer Who sees not how frequently the Name of the Church which was so venerable in the time of the Apostles has been made use of to throw Dust in Peoples Eyes
each other their Proprieties in the things that contribute to the Comfort and Happiness of this Life leaving in the mean while to every Man the care of his own Eternal Happiness the attainment whereof can neither be facilitated by another Mans Industry nor can the loss of it turn to another Mans Prejudice nor the hope of it be forced from him by any external Violence But forasmuch as Men thus entring into Societies grounded upon their mutual Compacts of Assistance for the Defence of their Temporal Goods may nevertheless be deprived of them either by the Rapine and Fraud of their Fellow-Citizens or by the hostile Violence of Forreigners the Remedy of this Evil consists in Arms Riches and Multitude of Citizens the Remedy of the other in Laws and the Care of all things relating both to the one and the other is committed by the Society to the Civil Magistrate This is the Original this is the Use and these are the Bounds of the Legislative which is the Supreme Power in every Commonwealth I mean that Provision may be made for the security of each Mans private Possessions for the Peace Riches and publick Commodities of the whole People and as much as possible for the Increase of their inward Strength against Forreign Invasions These things being thus explain'd it is easie to understand to what end the Legislative Power ought to be directed and by what Measures regulated and that is the Temporal Good and outward Prosperity of the Society which is the sole Reason of Mens entring into Society and the only thing they seek and aim at in it And it is also evident what Liberty remains to Men in reference to their eternal Salvation and that is that every one should do what he in his Conscience is perswaded to be acceptable to the Almighty on whose good pleasure and acceptance depends their eternal Happiness For Obedience is due in the first place to God and afterwards to the Laws But some may ask What if the Magistrate should enjoyn any thing by his Authority that appears unlawful to the Conscience of a private Person I answer That if Government be faithfully administred and the Counsels of the Magistrate be indeed directed to the publick Good this will seldom happen But if perhaps it do so fall out I say that such a private Person is to abstain from the Action that he judges unlawful and he is to undergo the Punishment which it is not unlawful for him to bear For the private Judgment of any Person concerning a Law enacted in Political Matters for the publick Good does not take away the Obligation of that Law nor deserve a Dispensation But if the Law indeed be concerning things that lie not within the Verge of the Magistrate's Authority as for Example that the People or any Party amongst them should be compell'd to embrace a strange Religion and join in the Worship and Ceremonies of another Church men are not in these cases obliged by that Law against their Consciences For the Political Society is instituted for no other end but only to secure every mans Possession of the things of this life The care of each mans Soul and of the things of Heaven which neither does belong to the Common-wealth nor can be subjected to it is left entirely to every mans self Thus the safeguard of mens lives and of the things that belong unto this life is the business of the Commonwealth and the preserving of those things unto their Owners is the Duty of the Magistrate And therefore the Magistrate cannot take away these worldly things from this man or party and give them to that nor change Propriety amongst Fellow-Subjects no not even by a Law for a cause that has no relation to the end of Civil Government I mean for their Religion which whether it be true or false does no prejudice to the worldly concerns of their Fellow-Subjects which are the things that only belong unto the care of the Commonwealth But what if the Magistrate believe such a Law as this to be for the publick Good I answer As the private Judgment of any particular Person if erroneous does not exempt him from the obligation of Law so the private Judgment as I may call it of the Magistrate does not give him any new Right of imposing Laws upon his jects which neither was in the Constitution of the Government granted him nor ever was in the power of the People to grant much less if he make it his business to enrich and advance his Followers and Fellow-sectaries with the Spoils of others But what if the Magistrate believe that he has a Right to make such Laws and that they are for the publick Good and his Subjects believe the contrary Who shall be Judge between them I answer God alone For there is no Judge upon earth between the Supreme Magistrate and the People God I say is the only Judge in this case who will retribute unto every one at the last day according to his Deserts that is according to his sincerity and uprightness in endeavouring to promote Piety and the publick Weal and Peace of Mankind But what shall be done in the mean while I answer The principal and chief care of every one ought to be of his own Soul first and in the next place of the publick Peace tho' yet there are very few will think 't is Peace there where they see all laid waste There are two sorts of Contests amongst men the one managed by Law the other by Force and these are of that nature that where the one ends the other always begins But it is not my business to inquire into the Power of the Magistrate in the different Constitutions of Nations I only know what usually happens where Controversies arise without a Judge to determine them You will say then the Magistrate being the stronger will have his Will and carry his point Without doubt But the Question is not here concerning the doubtfulness of the Event but the Rule of Right But to come to particulars I say First No Opinions contrary to human Society or to those moral Rules which are necessary to the preservation of Civil Society are to be tolerated by the Magistrate But of these indeed Examples in any Church are rare For no Sect can easily arrive to such a degree of madness as that it should think sit to teach for Doctrines of Religion such things as manifestly undermine the Foundations of Society and are therefore condemned by the Judgment of all Mankind because their own Interest Peace Reputation every Thing would be thereby endangered Another more secret Evil but more dangerous to the Commonwealth is when men arrogate to themselves and to those of their own Sect some peculiar Prerogative covered over with a specious shew of deceitful words but in effect opposite to the Civil Right of the Community For Example We cannot find any Sect that teaches expresly and openly that men are not obliged to keep
their Promise that Princes may be dethroned by those that differ from them in Religion or that the Dominion of all things belongs only to themselves For these things proposed thus nakedly and plainly would soon draw on them the Eye and Hand of the Magistrate and awaken all the care of the Commonwealth to a watchfulness against the spreading of so dangerous an Evil. But nevertheless we find those that say the same things in other words What else do they mean who teach that Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks Their meaning forsooth is that the priviledge of breaking Faith belongs unto themselves For they declare all that are not of their Communion to be Hereticks or at least may declare them so whensoever they think fit What can be the meaning of their asserting that Kings excommunicated forfeit their Crowns and Kingdoms It is evident that they thereby arrogate unto themselves the Power of deposing Kings because they challenge the Power of Excommunication as the peculiar Right of their Hierarchy That Dominion is founded in Grace is also an Assertion by which those that maintain it do plainly lay claim to the possession of all things For they are not so wanting to themselves as not to believe or at least as not to profess themselves to be the truly pious and faithful These therefore and the like who attribute unto the Faithful Religious and Orthodox that is in plain terms unto themselves any peculiar Priviledge or Power above other Mortals in Civil Concernments or who upon pretence of Religion do challenge any manner of Authority over such as are not associated with them in their Ecclesiastical Communion I say these have no right to be tolerated by the Magistrate as neither those that will not own and teach the Duty of tolerating All men in matters of meer Religion For what do all these and the like Doctrines signifie but that they may and are ready upon any occasion to seise the Government and possess themselves of the Estates and Fortunes of their Fellow-Subjects and that they only ask leave to be tolerated by the Magistrate so long until they find themselves strong enough to effect it Again That Church can have no right to be tolerated by the Magistrate which is constituted upon such a bottom that all those who enter into it do thereby ipso facto deliver themselves up to the Protection and Service of another Prince For by this means the Magistrate would give way to the settling of a forrein Jurisdiction in his own Country and suffer his own People to be listed as it were for Souldiers against his own Government Nor does the frivolous and fallacious distinction between the Court and the Church afford any remedy to this Inconvenience especially when both the one and the other are equally subject to the absolute Authority of the same person who has not only power to perswade the Members of his Church to whatsoever he lists either as purely Religious or in order thereunto but can also enjoyn it them on pain of Eternal Fire It is ridiculous for any one to profess himself to be a Mahumetan only in his Religion but in every thing else a faithful Subject to a Christian Magistrate whilst at the same time he acknowledges himself bound to yield blind obedience to the Mufti of Constantinople who himself is intirely obedient to the Ottoman Emperor and frames the feigned Oracles of that Religion according to his pleasure But this Mahumetan living amongst Christians would yet more apparently renounce their Government if he acknowledged the same Person to be Head of his Church who is the Supreme Magistrate in the State. Lastly Those are not at all to be tolerated who deny the Being of a God. Promises Covenants and Oaths which are the Bonds of Humane Society can have no hold upon an Atheist The taking away of God tho but even in thought dissolves all Besides also those that by their Atheism undermine and destroy all Religion can have no pretence of Religion whereupon to challenge the Privilege of a Toleration As for other Practical Opinions tho not absolutely free from all Error if they do not tend to establish Domination over others or Civil Impunity to the Church in which they are taught there can be no Reason why they should not be tolerated It remains that I say something concerning those Assemblies which being vulgarly called and perhaps having sometimes been Conventicles and Nurseries of Factions and Seditions are thought to afford the strongest matter of Objection against this Doctrine of Toleration But this has not hapned by any thing peculiar unto the Genius of such Assemblies but by the unhappy Circumstances of an oppressed or ill-setled Liberty These Accusations would soon cease if the Law of Toleration were once so setled that all Churches were obliged to lay down Toleration as the Foundation of their own Liberty and teach that Liberty of Conscience is every mans natural Right equally belonging to Dissenters as to themselves and that no body ought to be compelled in matters of Religion either by Law or Force The Establishment of this one thing would take away all ground of Complaints and Tumults upon account of Conscience And these Causes of Discontents and Animosities being once removed there would remain nothing in these Assemblies that were not more peaceable and less apt to produce Disturbance of State than in any other Meetings whatsoever But let us examine particularly the Heads of these Accusations You 'll say That Assemblies and Meetings endanger the Publick Peace and threaten the Commonwealth I answer If this be so Why are there daily such numerous Meetings in Markets and Courts of Judicature Why are Crowds upon the Exchange and a Concourse of People in Cities suffered You 'll reply Those are Civil Assemblies but These we object against are Ecclesiastical I answer 'T is a likely thing indeed that such Assemblies as are altogether remote from Civil Affairs should be most apt to embroyl them O but Civil Assemblies are composed of men that differ from one another in matters of Religion but these Ecclesiastical Meetings are of Persons that are all of one Opinion As if an Agreement in matters of Religion were in effect a Conspiracy against the Commonwealth or as if men would not be so much the more warmly unanimous in Religion the less liberty they had of Assembling But it will be urged still That Civil Assemblies are open and free for any one to enter into whereas Religious Conventicles are more private and thereby give opportunity to Clandestine Machinations I answer That this is not strictly true For many Civil Assemblies are not open to every one And if some Religious Meetings be private Who are they I beseech you that are to be blamed for it those that desire or those that forbid their being publick Again You 'll say That Religious Communion does exceedingly unite mens Minds and Affections to one another and is therefore the more