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that it cannot be inferred from the magistrate's being obliged to promote by force the true religion, that every magistrate is obliged to promote by force his own religion. And that for the same reason you had given before, more perplexed and obscurely, viz. "Because "there is this perpetual advantage on the side of the "true religion, that it may and ought to be believed "on clear and solid grounds, such as will appear the more so, the more they are examined: whereas no "other religion can be believed so, but upon such appearances only, as will not bear a just examina❝tion."

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This would be an answer to what I have said, if it were so that all magistrates saw the preponderancy of the grounds of belief, which are on the side of the true religion; but since it is not the grounds and reasons of a truth that are not seen, that do or can set the magistrate upon doing his duty in the case; but it is the persuasion of the mind, produced by such reasons and grounds as do affect it, that alone does, or is capable to determine the magistrate in the use of force, for performing of his duty; it necessarily follows, that if two magistrates have equally strong persuasions concerning the truth of their religions respectively, they must both be set on work thereby, or neither; for though one be of a false, and the other of the true religion; yet the principle of operation, that alone which they have to determine them, being equal in both, they must both be determined by it; unless it can be said, that one of them must act according to that principle, which alone can determine; and the other must act against it: that is, do what he cannot do; be determined to one thing, by what at the same time determines him to another. From which incapacity in magistrates to perform their duty by force to promote the true religion, I think it may justly be concluded, that to use force for the promoting any religion cannot be their duty.

You tell us, it is by the law of nature magistrates are obliged to promote the true religion by force. It must be owned, that if this be an obligation of the law of nature, very few magistrates overlook it; so forward

are they to promote that religion by force which they take to be true. This being the case, I beseech you tell me what was Huaina Capac, emperor of Peru, obliged to do? Who, being persuaded of his duty to promote the true religion, was not yet within distance of knowing or so much as hearing of the christian religion, which really is the true (so far was he from a possibility to have his belief grounded upon the solid and clear proofs of the true religion.) Was he to promote the true religion by force? That he neither did nor could know any thing of; so that was morally impossible for him to do. Was he to sit still in the neglect of his duty incumbent on him? That is in effect to suppose it a duty and no duty at the same time. If, upon his not knowing which is the true religion, you allow it not his duty to promote it by force, the question is at an end: you and I are agreed, that it is not the magistrate's duty by force to promote the true religion. If you hold it in that case to be his duty; what remains for him to do, but to use force to promote that religion which he himself is strongly, nay, perhaps to the highest degree of firmness, persuaded is the true? Which is the granting what I contend for, that, if the magistrate be obliged to promote by force the true religion, it will thence follow, that he is obliged to promote by force that religion which he is persuaded is the true; since, as you will have it, force was given him to that end, and it is his duty to use it; and he hath nothing else to determine it to that end but his own persuasion. So that one of these two things must follow, either that in that case it ceases to be his duty, or else he must promote his own religion; choose you which you please

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Commonwealth, no necessity to exclude jews, &c. from it, to prevent the seduction of christians, 235, &c. Conformity (in religion) and not conviction, is the end of penal laws, 73 men may be brought to it, without true religion, 339, 340 no ground to presume it is always upon conviction, 340 whether it be from reason and conviction, or not, cannot be certainly known, 339, 340 some things required to it, hard to be understood, 410, 411 Consideration, to force men to it impracticable, 242, 243

conformists may need punishment to bring them to it, as much as dissenters, 244 it is hard to understand, whether penal laws are designed to bring men to it, 389 Vid. Examination. Conscience, none can be saved by acting contrary to it, though it be erroneous,

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laws contrary to it, must be passively submitted to, by private men,

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punishment, for want of it, would fall heavy upon many churchmen,

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the absurdity of using force to promote it, 97, &c.

none but God can judge when 'tis sufficient, 299, &c. the duty of magistrates as well as others, 179, 180

F.

FAITH, articles of it not to be imposed by human laws,

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how it differs from knowledge properly so called, 144 Flood (of Noah) idolatry generally prevailed not soon after 470, 482

it,

the true religion continued above 2000 years after it, 472

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Force, unreasonably used to make
men judge more sincerely for
themselves,
177, 178
takes the care of men's souls
from themselves,

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196, 197

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303, &c.
it is equally just for one
church to use it as another, 333

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the spiritual gain which suf-
ferers may reap, though it be
misapplied, a vain pretence,
367, &c. 393
kings being "nursing fa-
thers," &c. no good argument
for using it,
370

its use, tho' designed to
bring men to truth, may bring
them to falsehood, 378, &c.399

is likely to lead far more
into errour than truth, 378,
399, 407
no proof that ever it has
done good,
380
using it to make men con-
sider impertinent,
386

the use of it cannot promote
real holiness,
390, 391
if it brings any to consi-
deration, it is only by accident,
392

it is most likely to prevail
on the loose and careless,
395

its unfitness to bring men to
true religion, argued from the
13th article of our church, 397

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