or for denying the Existence of their Plura lity of Gods. Moreover, it cannot be doubted, but that he will be ready to own to these feveral Parties, from whom he expects Liberty, that he ought to allow the like Liberty, in the like Circumftances, for the like Matters.

Here then is the Liberty, contended for, fettled from an obvious and common Cafe, and from the fundamental Principle of Mo rality, of doing as they would be done unto.

It is not to be fuppofed, that Men should in many Cafes make perfect Laws, much lefs in this Matter of Liberty, which the powerful Sects commonly think they have a Right to deftroy in the less powerful; yet our Statef men feem to have underftood the Matter in great Perfection, and to have establish'd a most excellent Conftitution in Carolina, one of our Plantations. There, driven by the Nature of Things, they acted according to the Rules of Equity and good Senfe, and have rivall'd the Dutch, and even the Chinese, in their political (a) Conftitutions.

(a) See Fundamental Conftitutions of Carolina, in a Collection of Pieces of Mr. Locke, printed for R. Francklin in Covent Garden. 16. Opi

16. Opinions, how erroneous foever, when the Effect of an impartial Examination, will never hurt Men in the Sight of God, but will recommend Men to his Favour. For impartial Examination in the Matter of Opinion is the beft, that a Man can do towards obtaining Truth; and God, who is a wife, good, and just Being, can require no more of Men than to do their best, and will reward them, when they do their beft; and he would be the most unjust Being imaginable, if he punish'd Men, who had done their best Endeavour to please him. Besides, if Men were to be punish'd by God for mistaken Opinions, all Men must be damn'd; for all Men abound in mistaken Opinions.

On the other Side, Opinions, how true foever, when the Effect of Education, or Tradition, or Intereft, or Paffion, or any Thing elfe befides impartial Examination, can never recommend a Man to God. For thofe Ways have no Merit in them, and are the worft a Man can take to obtain Truth; and therefore may be Objects of Forgiveness, but never of Reward, from God.

Let

Let not therefore

any Man deny Mr. WHISTON the Liberty of profeffing and propofing his Opinions on Account of the dangerousness of Error to his Soul; who, as far as we can judge, feems, by his Conduct, both to do his beft Endeavours to obtain Truth and to recommend himfelf to God, and to decline the worst Methods of obtaining Truth, and the most unacceptable to God.

17. If the Queftion of the Reasonableness of the open Profeffion and Defence of what Men take to be the Truth, in Oppofition to prevailing Opinions, was to be determined by Authority, I think Mr. WHISTON may lay Claim to the best Authority, and has only the worst against him.

He has the Authority of JESUS CHRIST, who oppofed the falfe Traditions received in the Jewish Church of his Time; of the Apoftles, who travell'd throughout the World, preaching down the received Notions both of Jews and Gentiles; of the Fathers of the Church before the Empire became Christian, who in their famous Apologies written to Em

perors

perors and Senates, and in their other Writtings in Behalf of Chriftianity, have, with the the utmost Freedom, attack'd all that the Heathens esteem'd facred; of the noble Army of Martyrs in all Ages; of the feveral Chriftian Countries, that fend Miffionaries abroad to convert Heathens, Jews, Hereticks, and Mahometans, and of thofe Countries, that hofpitably receive the faid Miffionaries; of all Countries, that allow Toleration; of all true Chriftians and Proteftants; of our first Reformers from Popery; of the greatest Philosophers and wifeft Men of all Times, who have either openly profefs'd their Sentiments, or elfe have, by their Moderation and Temper, or by their oppofing Perfecution, or by their Arts of Concealment, fufficiently fhown what Liberty they would have been glad to have taken themselves, and would have allow'd to others; of all Men, who judge for themselves; and in fine, of all Bigots, Impofers, Perfecutors, and Enemies of Liberty themfelves; for, as Archbishop TILLOTSON (b) fays, "there is one Season and Nick of Time, "wherein they will allow any of the People

(f) Tillotson's Serm. Vol. XIII. p. 333.)
d

to

"to examine and enquire into Matters of Re

ligion, and That is when they would gain "a Man to their Religion.

And who have been or are the Men, that make up the Authority on the other Side? The Interested, the Politicians, the Hypocrites, the Bigots, the Enthufiafts, and the Ignorant; who, all wanting Reafon to fupport their Opinions, either make Decifions themselves, or are govern'd by the Decifions of others.

1

18. I will conclude this Apology for Mr. WHISTON with a Paffage of a great Prelate of our Church.

Authority is the greatest and most irre"concileable Enemy to Truth, and Argument, "that this World ever furnish'd out, fince it "was in being. All the Sophistry, all the Co"lour of Plaufibility, all the Artifice and

Cunning of the fubtileft Difputer in the World, may be laid open, and turn'd to "the Advantage of Truth, which they are defign'd to hide, or to deprefs. Authority there is no Defenfe. thority alone, which keeps up

But against

It is Authe groffeft

"Errors