CHAP XVIII.

The only CASES in which NON-TOLERATION makes Part of the Human Law.

F

OR a government not to have a right

to punish men for their errors, it is neceffary that thofe errors fhould not be crimes; and they are crimes only when they disturb the public tranquility; which they do whenever they infpire enthusiasm: it is neceflary therefore that that men fhould begin by laying afide enthufiafm, in order to deserve toleration.

If a number of young Jefuits, knowing that the church holds all reprobates and heretics in deteftation, and that the opinion of the Janfenifts having been condemned by a bull, this fect is confequently reprobate; thereupon go and fet fire to the house of the fathers of the oratory, because Quefuel one of that body was a Janfenift; it is clear, that the government would be obliged to punish those Jesuits.

In

In like manner, if thefe latter have been found to teach the moft reprehenfible doctrines, and if their inftitution appears contrary to the laws of the kingdom, it becomes neceffary to abolish their fociety, and of Jefuits to make them ufeful citizens: which, in fact, fo far from being an oppreffion, upon them, as has been pretended, is a real good done them; for where is the great oppreffion of being obliged to wear a short coat inftead of a long gown, or to be free instead of being a flave? In time of peace, whole regiments are broke without complaining why then should the Jefuits make fuch an outcry, when they are broke for the fake of peace?

Were the Francifcans in a tranfport of holy zeal for the Virgin Mary, to go and pull down the church of the Dominicans, who hold Mary to have been born in original fin, the government would then be obliged to treat the Francifcans much in the fame manner it has done the Jefuits.

The fame argument will hold good with regard to the Lutherans and Calvinifts; for let them fay, if they pleafe, we follow the dictates of our confciences, it is more profitable

to obey God than man; we are the only true flock, and therefore ought to cut off all the wolves. It is evident that in this cafe they themselves are the wolves.

One of the most astonishing examples of enthufiafm, was in a little fect of Denmark, founded on one of the best principles in the world; for these people endeavoured to procure the eternal happiness of all their brethren: but the confequences of this principle were very fingular. As they believed that all the young children who died without baptifm were damned, and that those who had the happiness to die immediately after the receiving that facrament, enter into eternal happiness, they went forth` and murdered all the young children of both fexes, lately baptized whom they could meet with; by this action, they doubtless procured the little innocents the greatest of all felicity, by preferving them at once from fin, the miseries of this life, and hell, and fending them infallibly to heaven. But these people, in the excess of their charitable zeal, did not confider that it is forbidden to do evil that good may come thereof; that they had no right over the lives of these infants; that the greatest part of fa

thers and mothers are fo carnal, as to defire rather to keep their children about them, than to fee their throats cut, though it was to fend them to heaven; and laftly, that it is the duty of the magiftrate to punish murder, though committed with a good intent.

It should seem that the Jews had the greatest right of any perfons to rob and murder us: for although the Old Teftament abounds with examples of toleration and indulgence, yet are ́ there feveral inftances of the contrary, and fome very fevere laws. God did at times command his people to kill all idolaters, referving only the young women fit for the nuptial state: they look upon us as idolaters; and notwithstanding that we at prefent tolerate them, they might certainly, had they the power in their hands, cut us all off, excepting our young

women.

Moreover, they would be under an indifpenfable obligation to exterminate the whole Turkish race; this fpeaks itself; for the Turks are at present in poffeffion of the countries of the Hittites, the Jebufites, the Amorites, the Girgafhites, &c. &c. All which people were laid under a curfe, and all their

country, which was about five and twenty leagues in extent, was given to the Jews by feral fucceffive covenants; confequently they ought to refume poffeffion of their own, which the Turks have ufurped from them for upwards of a thousand years. But if the Jews were to reafon in this manner now-a-days, it is pretty certain we should make them no other anfwer, but by impaling them alive.

These are the only cafes in which perfecution appears reasonable.

CHAP.