no less an invasion upon the prerogative of Christ. To say the truth, this seems to be the most material part of the controversy: not only as it is of a more nice and intricate nature; but because the right it pleads for seems to have made the most sensible impression upon the spirits of those who have of late appeared against us with so much bitterness. For I can easily persuade myself that the church might have been let alone in her claims of spiritual powers, if, by the favour of the State, she had not been vested with civil privileges.

I shall not pretend, in this place, to give the reader an exact draught of this new scheme. If any one can want it after so much has been written upon the subject, he will be able to frame one for himself, when he has viewed it in its main branches, the consideration of which is the design of the following discourse. It needs only to be remarked, that the exception lies, not so much against any thing that is peculiar in our legal establishment, as against all such establishments in general; i. e. it lies against all right in the magistrate to support religion by his civil authority. I wonder not that those, who (if one might judge by their conduct) seem to be for making a full end of the church, should leave her as little support from without, as they have left her from within: but surely it must appear very unaccountable to any thinking man, that in a point of so much consequence, the whole world should so long have

been mistaken. For that it is the concern of every civil magistrate to promote God's true religion, is a maxim as old as religion and civil government. The methods of attempting it have indeed been different, in different ages, and in different countries but as to the thing in general, all nations. have agreed in it, and all *writers have justified it. But I do not expect that the point should be decided by authorities, which our modern schemists, as if they were raised up by Providence to be the great reformers of common sense, have long since learned to despise. I will bring the case to the bar of reason: and if this maxim can be made good, it is to be hoped that Christianity may come in for its share in the benefits of it, and our legislators may appear to have deserved another kind of treatment than they have lately met with, on account of the privileges allowed us. But if not, we ought to be as ready to give up these privileges, as others are desirous that they should be given up for Christianity must not be supported, nor does it indeed want to be supported, by any methods that are not justifiable.

* Omnes qui de republicâ aliquid lectu dignum scripsêre, jus in sacra non partem tantum summi imperii, sed etiam potissimam atque præcipuam vocant. Grotius, De Imp. Sum. Pot. cap. 1, sect. 8. Again: Nullâ in re magis elucescit vis summi imperii,

quàm quòd in ejus arbitrio est, quænam religio publicè exercea

tur; idque præcipuum inter majestatis jura, ponunt omnes qui politica scripserunt. Ibid. cap. 8, sect. 2.

CHAP. I.

WHETHER IT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE MAGISTRATE,

BY THE METHODS OF CIVIL ADMINISTRATION, TO PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF GOD'S TRUE RELIGION.

THE general point being now stated, it will be necessary, as a preliminary to the whole, to resolve one very material question: viz. Whether it be possible in the nature of the thing, for the magistrate by the methods of civil administration to promote the interest of God's true religion? It has of late been very strenuously maintained that it is not and if this be true, the dispute is at an end it being absurd to suppose that any thing should be a matter of right or duty in the civil magistrate, which in the nature of things is absolutely out of his power. Now the foundation of this notion is this; that the magistrate, * by all he can do, CAN only influence the outward behaviour and practice. Whereas, say they, true religion consists not merely in any external conformity to any particular way of worship, even though that way be of divine appointment; but it consists in a conformity to the law of God, upon a true inward principle, i. e. upon a principle of obedience to God, under * the influence of the motives of a

*See Answer to the Representation, p. 160, 167, 172, 173, 179.

* Ibid. p. 173, and in many other places.

every

material

life to come. Whether the being influenced by the motives of a life to come be essential to the notion of true religion, I shall not now stay to inquire; because which way soever this point be determined, it cannot alter the state of the question between us. That a true inward principle is essential to it there can be no doubt; and consequently it must be granted that if it be not in the magistrate's power to encourage and promote this inward principle, it is not in his power to promote true religion. This difference therefore, I say, must first of all be decided; in doing which I must beg the liberty of pursuing that method which appears to me to be most natural, promising my reader not to omit taking notice of objection as it falls in my way. Religion then, I say, in the sense in which it is now to be considered, must be founded, 1. In the knowledge of the divine will. And 2. In a due apprehension of the weight of those motives, by which it becomes reasonable that God should be obeyed in whatever he commands us. For he who understands his duty and practises it because it is so, i. e. because he judges it to be fitting and reasonable, is in the most complete and perfect sense a religious man. Now the immediate, adequate, cause of the former (in those cases where our own reason alone is not able to direct us) is instruction; for what we cannot learn of ourselves, we must be taught by the informa

tion of others. But to the latter, something more is required. For a man may know his duty well, and yet for want of due attention to what he understands, be very negligent in the performance of it. From hence therefore it follows; that if, by the methods of civil administration the magistrate may provide either that instruction in the knowledge of God's true religion be the better administered; or that when duly administered it may have the greater weight and influence upon the minds of men; it must then be possible for the magistrate to promote the interest of God's true religion. And that he may provide for both is as plain to me as any thing can be. For he may provide for the better administration of instruction in the true religion. 1. By providing a proper maintenance for the teachers of true religion. 2. By endowing public schools, and other seminaries of good learning, and religious education. Which ways will become yet more effectual, 3. By prohibiting the same methods, when they shall be made use of to support any false religion, in opposition to the true. I inquire not now, how far all this is right and fitting: this must be considered in another place. And it is a caution which I must desire the reader constantly to bear in his mind, that my business under this head is to shew, not what the magistrate may do in the notion of justice, but what he may do in the notion of natural possibility. In this sense then, I say,