not pay tribute to Cæfar; and moreover, called himfelf king of the Jews. It is therefore inconteftibly evident, that he was accused of a crime against the state.

Pilate being informed that he was a Gallilean, fent him immediately to Herod, the tetrarch of Gallilee. This latter thinking it impoffible that a person of Jesus's appearance fhould pretend to be the head of a party, or afpire to royalty, trea.ed him with great contempt, and fent him back again to Pilate, who had the infamous weakness to condemn him to death, as the only means to appease the tumult raised against himself; more especially as he had lately experienced the revolt of the Jews, as we are told by Jofephus. On this occafion Pilate did not fhow the fatne generofity which the governor Feftus did afterwards.

I now defire to know, whether toleration or non toleration appears to be of divine prefcription? Let thofe who would refemble Chrift, be martyrs, and not executioners.

CHA P. XV.

TESTIMONIES against PERSECUTION.

T is an impious act to deprive men of li

berty in matters of religion, or prevent them from making choice of a God. No God nor man would be pleased with a forced fervice. (Apologetic chap. xxiv.)

Was violence to be used in defence of the faith, the bishops would oppofe it. (St. Hilarius, lib. i.)

Religion when forced ceases to be religion; we should perfuade and not compel. Religion cannot be commanded. (Lactantius, lib. iii.)

It is deteftable herefy to endeavour to bring over by violence, bodily punishments, or imprifonments, those whom we cannot convince by reasoning. (St. Athanafius, lib. i.)

Nothing

Nothing is more contradictory to true religion than constraint. (St. Juftin, Martyr, lib. v.)

Is it for us to perfecute those whom God tolerates faid St. Auguftine, before his difpute with the Donatifts had foured his difpofition.

Let no violence be done to the Jews. (The 56th Canon of the 4th Council of Toledo.)

Advise but compel not. (St. Barnard's Letters.)

We do not pretend to overcome error by violence. (Speech of the Clergy of France to Lewis XIV.)

We have always difapproved of rigorous meafures. (Affembly of the Clergy, August 11, 1560.)

We know that faith may yield to perfuafion, but it never will be controuled. (Flechier bishop of Nime's, Letter, 19.)

We ought to abftain even from reproachful fpeeches. (Bishop of Balley's Paftoral Letters.)

Remember that the diseases of the foul are not to be cured by restraint and violence. Cardinal Camus' Paftoral Inftructions for the Year 1688.)

Indulge every one with civil toleration. (Archbishop Fenelon to the Duke of Burgundy.)

Compulfion in religion proves the spirit, which dictates it to be an enemy to truth.

(Dirois, a Doctor of the Sorbonne, b. vi. chap. iv)

Compulfion may make hypocrites, but never can perfuade. (Tellemont's Hift. Ecclef. tom. vi.)

We have thought it conformable to equity and right reafon, to walk in the paths of the antient church, which never used violence to establish or extend religion. (Remonstrance of the Parliament of Paris to Henry II.)

Experience teaches us, that violence is more likely to irritate, than to cure a diftemper which is feated in the mind.

dicatory to Henry IV.)

(De Thou's Epiftle De

Faith

Faith is not infpired by the edge of the fword. (Cerefter in the Reigns of Henry IV. and Lewis XIII.)

It is a barbarous zeal which pretends to force any religion upon the mind, as if perfuafion could be produced by constraint. (Boulainvillier's State of France.)

It is with religion as with love; command can do nothing, constraint ftill lefs; nothing is fo independent as love and belief. (Amelot de la Houffaie on Cardinal Offatt's Letters.)

If providence has been fo kind to you as to give you a knowledge of the truth, receive it as an inftance of his great goodness; but should those who enjoy the inheritance of their father, hate those who do not? (Spirit of Laws, book xxv.)

One might compofe an immenfe volume of fuch paffages. All our hiftories, discourses, fermons, moral treatifes, and catechifms of the prefent time, abound with, and inculcate this holy doctrine of indulgence. What fatality, what falfe reason, then leads us to contradict, by our practice, the theory we are every day teach

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