and exact inquiry into the actions of men, and of all. things that are done under the fun: Let us hear the conclufion, fays he, of the whole matter; Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is the WHOLE of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every fecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

SERMON XXIV.

Of Religious Perfecution.

[From Bishop TAYLOR's Liberty of Prophefying.]

LUKE IX. 54, 55, 56.

Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from Heaven, and confume them; even as Elias did?

But he turned, and rebuked them, and Jaid, Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of For the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives, but to fave them.

HE occafion of these words, ha

TH

turally conducts our thoughts to the confideration of that important inquiry, how far men are to be perfecuted upon account of their religious principles or perfuafions.

It is well known, that the Jews and Samaritans were at utter variance in respect to their religion; infomuch that they would

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have no kind of dealings or converfation one with the other. And we read in this chapter, that our Saviour fetting himself as if he would go to Jerufalem, fent meffengers before him; who went, and entred into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

But the Samaritans, in zeal to their profeffion, would not receive him; because his face was as though he would go to Jerufalem.

And when his difciples James and John faw this, in the true vindictive spirit of prejudice and oppofition, they said unto our Lord, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and confume them, even as Elias did?

But our Lord, whofe doctrine and inftitution was of the direct contrary influence and tendency, turned, and rebuked them, and faid, Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of: For the fon of man is not come to deftroy mens lives, but to fave them. And no other refentment was fhewed upon this occafion; but they turned away, and went unto another village: Exhibiting herein to us a great example, of the demeanor to be

ufed

ufed by us towards perfons differing from us in fpeculative opinions.

Now in order to treat more clearly and explicitely upon this fubject, I first of all lay down this propofition and distinction: That no chriftian ought to be put to death, or otherwife directly perfecuted for his opinion, which doth not teach wickedness or impiety. If it plainly and apparently brings in a crime, and he himself doth act it, or encourage it; then the matter of fact is punishable, according to its proportion or malignity. As, if he preaches treafon or fedition; his opinion is not his excufe, because it introduceth a crime. A man is nevertheless a traitor, for believing it lawful to cominit treafon; and a man is a murderer if he kills his brother unjustly, altho' he thinks he doth God good fervice in it. Matters of fact are equally judicable, whether the principle of them be from within or from without. And if a man could pretend to innocence, in being feditious, blafphemous, or perjured, by perfuading himself that it is lawful; there would be as great a gate opened to all iniquity, as would entertain Dd 2

all

all the pretences, the defigns, the impoftures, and disguises of the world.

And therefore God hath taken order, that all rules concerning matters of fact and good life fhall be fo clearly set forth, that without the crime of the man, he cannot be ignorant of all his practical duty. And therefore the apoftles and primitive teachers made no fcruple of condemning fuch perfons for hereticks, as did patronize a fin. He that teacheth others to fin, is worse than he that commits the crime; as much worfe, as the mischief is more univerfal, or as a fountain is greater than a drop of water taken from it.

He that writes treafon, or preaches fedition, and perfuades it to the people, is the greatest traytor and incendiary; and his opinion in that refpect is the fountain of a fin, and therefore could not be entertained in his understanding upon weakness, or innocent prejudice. He cannot, from Scripture or divine revelation, have any pretence, to colour that so fairly, as to feduce either a wife or an honeft man.

If it refts in the mind, and goes no further; it is not cognizable by human judica

ture: