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a Proteftant, and especially a Clergyman, a Scholar and a Philofopher.

1. In matters of opinion, it is every man's natural right and duty to think for himself, and to judge upon fuch evidence as he can procure to himself, after he has done his best endeavours to get information. Human decifions are of no weight in this matter. Another man has no more right to determine what Mr. WHISTON'S Opinions shall be, than Mr. WHISTON has to determine what another man's opinions shall be. It feems amazing to confider; how one man can presume he has such right over another; and how any man can be fo weak as to imagine another has such right over him. Suppofe, fays (a) STILLINGFLEET, a man living in the times of the prevalency of Arianifm, when almost all the guides of the Church

A 3

declar'd

(a) Stillingfleet's Answer to several Trearifes, &c. pt. A.

P. 152.

declar'd in favour of it, when feveral great Councils oppos'd and contradicted that of Nice, when Pope LIBERIUS did fubfcribe the Sirmian Confeffion, and communicated with the Arians, what advice would you give fuch a one if he must not exercife his own judgment? Must be follow the prefent guides? Then he must join with the Arians. Must be adhere to the Nicene Council. But there were more numerous Councils which condemn'd it. What remedy can be fuppos'd in fuch a cafe, but that every person must search and examine the feveral doctrines, according to his best ability, and judge what is beft for him to believe and praétife?

2. As it is every man's natural right and duty to think, and judge for himself in matters of opinion; so he should be allow'd freely to profefs his opinions, and to endeavour, when he judges proper, to convince others alfo of their truth; provided thofe opinions do not tend to the difturbance of fociety. For

of

For unless all men be allow'd freely to profefs their opinions; the means information in refpect to opinions, must in great measure be wanting, and just inquiries into the truth of opinions almost impracticable; and by confequence our natural right and duty to think and judge for ourfelves must be fubverted, for want of materials, whereon to employ our minds. A man, by himself, can make no great progress in knowledge. He is like to the (b) young manat Chartres in France, who, being deaf and dumb from his birth till the age of four and twenty, took in but few ideas; and who, tho' he had good natural parts, yet, for want of communication with others, did not even make fuch inferences from the comparison of those ideas, as were very obvious and might be expected from him. A fingle man

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(b) Hiftoire de l' Academie Royale des Sciences An.

1703. p. 22, 23. de l'Edition d' Holland.

is unable, by his own ftrength, to take in the compafs of things neceffary to understand his own opinions fully; and besides, a man is indispos'd to ufe his own ftrength, when an undisturb'd laziness, ignorance, and prejudice give him full fatisfaction as to the truth of his opinions. But if there be a free profeffion or communication of notions; every man will have an opportunity of acquainting himself with all that can be known from men; and many, for their own fatisfaction of mind, will make inquiries, and, in order to know the truth of opinions, will defire to know all that can be faid on any fide of a question.

Unless men are allow'd to endeavour to convince others of the truth of their opinions; all teaching must be laid afide, and men will be hinder'd from doing the greatest act of humanity and charity for one another. For no man can teach others, but by endeavouring to convince

them:

them: nor ought any one to teach another any thing, but that whereof he himself is perfwaded, nor can any man have any other rule of teaching truth, but his own fenti

ments.

If fuch liberty of profeffing and teaching be not allow'd, error, if autoriz'd, will keep its ground: and truth,if dormant,will never be brought to light; or, if autoriz'd, will be fupported on a falfe and abfur'd foundation, and fuch as would equally fupport error; and, if receiv'd on the foot of autority, will not be in the least meritorious to its professors.

Nor are these all the ill confequences flowing from the disallowance of this liberty: for nothing has been a greater fource of mischief among men, than the violent means, that have been us'd, and, indeed, are neceffàry to be us'd to destroy fuch original and fundamentalrights and duties of men as to think and judge for themselves, to profess what they believe true, and

to

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