fuant thereto, there are ever fome. religious debates on foot, even in thofe countries, where agreement in doctrine and uniformity in worship are the chief objects of the care of the magiftrate, the church, and the inquisition, and of the zeal of the beggars; which four, when united in a common polity,make the ftrongeft band imaginable against the juft liberties of mankind. On the other fide the greatest contenders for liberty of debate in matters of religion do contend for fome restraints upon that liberty, and think, that there are certain propofitions, which ought not to be call'd in queftion, as being neceffary to be profess'd for the support of peace and order in society, or at least not deny'd. Both parties must therefore allow, that there is a juft medium between reftraint and liberty. This medium,from the great importance of the matters conftantly depending on it to society, should seem not not very difficult to fix and determine in most cases. And it seems to me fo plainly to discover itself, that almost any man, if plac'd in proper circumstances, would judge rightly and truely how far or in what particulars, men should have liberty in religion, and confequently wherein they should be restrain'd. Let, for example, a member of the church of England (whom I will fuppose perfwaded, that he himself is ōblig'd in confcience publickly to pro. fefs the doctrine of the church of England) go fucceffively into countries of Presbyterians, Papifts, Mahometans, and Heathens: and by finding out the reasonable liberty which he wants himself, he can hardly fail of finding out the reasonable liberty of men. He cannot but think: that he ought to be allow'd publickly to profefs his religion among the Presbyterians; tho' they may efteem him fuperftitious, or fanatical, or factions, for making a separation from their eftablish'd € 2 the blifh'd church about ceremonies and matters of difcipline that he ought to be allow'd to profefs his religion publickly among the Papists; tho' they may efteem him an heretick and Jcifmatick,and a destroyer of all order and uniformity, for pretending to make the fcriptures,interpreted by his own judgment, his rule of faith, and for denying the autority of the church: that he ought to be allow'd to profefs his religion publickly among Mahometans; tho they may deem him impious, for denying the divine infpiration of the Alcoran and the autority of MAHOMET, and an idolater for worshiping the Son and the Holy Ghoft, each as fupreme God, as well as the Father: and that he ought to be allow'd to profefs his religion publickly among the Heathens; tho they may call him atheist, as the heathens did the primitive chriftians, either for afferting the Unity of a deity, with whom they were unacquainted, or for denying the exi ftence stence of their plurality of gods. Moreover, it cannot be doubted, but that he will be ready to own to these se veral parties, from whom he expects liberty, that he ought to allow the like liberty, in the like circumstances, for the like matters. Here then is the liberty, contended for, fettled from an obvious and common cafe, and from the fundamental principle of morality, of doing as men would be done unto. It is not to be fuppos'd, that men fhould in many cafes make perfect laws much lefs in this matter of liberty, which the powerful fects commonly think they have a right to deftroy in the less powerful: yet our Statesmen feem to have understood the matter in great perfection, and to have establish'd a most excellent constitution in Carolina, one of our plantations. There, driven by the nature of things, they acted according to the rules of equity and good fenfe,and have rivall'd the Dutch, and c'3 even even the Chinese, in their political (a) Constitutions. 16. Opinions, how erroneous foever, when the effect of an impartial examination, will never hurt men in the fight of God, but will recommend men to his favour. For impartial examination in the matter of opinions is the best,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 dọ their best, and will reward them, when they do their best; and he would be the most unjust being imaginable, if he punish'd men who had done their belt 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 interest, or passion, (a) See Fundamental Conftitutions of Carolina, iz Collection of Pieces of Mr. Locke, |