"rible cruelties upon others, only because they worship the Divine Being according to the dictates of their confciences? that is, as they firmly believe, obey the will of their Creator. Surely we may justly fay of every perfecutor on account of religion, as Tully faid of a pirate, that he is hoftis humani generis, and undoubtedly he ought fo to be treated. Indeed fuch a wretch is not only an enemy to mankind, but, by ufurping a power over the confciences of men, he becomes a rebel to the Almighty, and may, in fcripture language, be faid to fight against God.

As no particular perfons or focieties of men are anfwer able to the Deity for the manner in which others worship him, (" for every one

fhall give account of himself,") what pretence can any make for meddling in this matter, otherwife than by advice, inftruction, perfuafion, or the like? which are indeed the only justifiable means of establishing or propagating any religion; and true chriftianity abfolutely disclaims all violent and cruel methods.

But although the first promulgation of the gofpel was, peace on earth, and good will to"wards men;" yet the original defign of chrifianity hath been fo perverted, that this religion has occafioned the greatest hatred, and the most bloody perfecutions, wars, and maffacres, that ever appeared in the world.

That

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That all the feveral churches and fects of chriftians, when armed with fufficient power, bave at times, and more or less, perfecuted their brethren, is a melancholy truth; but none have done this fo conftantly and furiously, and with fuch a diabolical rage, as the church of Rome.

Who would think that so abfurd and cruel a religion as the popish should gain ground in this country, where it is difcouraged, and knowledge, learning, good fenfe, and humanity fo much abound? Yet that it does is certainly true.

Proteftants should be very careful not to receive, as part of their religious belief, any doctrine which contradicts reafon, or is not agreeable thereto; for by fo doing they would give great advantage to Papifts, and furnish them with an argument not easily answered. If, fay they, you believe this or the other doctrine or article, tho' contrary to reafon, what just objection can you make against believing fuch and fuch doctrines or articles likewife?

Indeed,when men give way to enthusiasm, and their religious belief is no longer regulated or bounded by reafon, they know not where they fhall flop: they may become Prophets, Me—s, Mos, or fall into that fink, that commonfewer of nonfenfe, delufion, and imposture, the church of Rome.

Whatever therefore enthufiafts or fanatics may pretend, there is no other fecurity againft

error

error and deceit than keeping clofe to this rule. And 'tis plain that the departing from it has opened a door to all the nonfenfical abfurdities and wicked impoftures which have been obtruded upon the world under the name of religion. But we need not wonder (as I think Mr. Hobbes has faid) that men should be against reason, when reafon is against them.

Les Juifs et les Payens, fays the learned and judicious Monf. Le Clerc, ne pouvoient fouf

frir que l'on examinât à la rigueur leur penfées. **** Ils croioient déja voir leurs temples et leurs autels abandonnez. **** Ils crioient les uns et les autres contre la raison, comme contre un guide infidele, qui ne pouvoit que conduire dans de grands égarements, en matière de religion. Quelques rabbins, (dit Buxtorf) qui ont fuivi fans doute les fentimens de leurs peres, nous difent qu'en matière de théologie, celui qui fuit fa raison et fes pensées, marche fans batons et fans foûtien, et qu'il eft femblable à un homme qui marcheroit feul la nuit dans un defert, ou dans un lieu tenebreux; qu'il va à fa perte, et qu'il tombe dans des foffes et dans plufieurs dangers: que dans le culte de Dieu, l'opinion, la raifon, et la fageffe n'ont aucun lieu . i. e. Jews and Pagans cannot bear that their no"tions fhould be ftrictly examined. **

Parrhafiana, &c. T. II. p. 33, 34.

They

They would expect to see their temples and "their altars forsaken. * * ** They exclaim. "the one and the other against reafon, as against

an uncertain guide, which could only lead them "into great mistakes on the fubject of religion.. "Some rabbies, (Jays Buxtorf) who doubtless "have followed the fentiments of their fathers, "tell us, that in matters of theology, he who

follows his reafon and his own thoughts walks "without a staff and without fupport, and that "he is like a man who travels alone by night in "a wilderness, or in a dark place; that he is "at a loss, and falls into pits and into many perils: that in the worship of God, opinion, "reason, and wisdom have no concern.”

That reafon and wisdom have no concern in thefe and many other peoples worship is undoubtedly true. Nevertheless we fee, that when men lay afide the use of reason in religion, they act just as wifely as mariners would do to lay afide the ufe of their compass in a fea voyage: as the latter would make wild fleerage, and could entertain no reasonable hopes of ever arriving at their defired port, but be toffed about by the winds and the waves; fo would the former “be toffed to and fro, and carried about with every "wind of doctrine, by the fleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait "to deceive""

Many

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Ephefians, ch. iv. 14.

Many of our English authors, divines efpecially, have written with great firength of argument against popery; but as numbers of people. are not capable of going through a long chain of reafoning, which oftentimes rather confounds. than inftructs them, authentic accounts of reli-. gious cruelties taught and practifed by Roman Catholics, feem perfectly well fuited to affect all thofe who are not totally void of understanding and humanity.

'Tis therefore much to be wished that books of this kind, efpecially fmall ones, which may be bought at low prices, and confequently fall into many hands, were more common than they are: fuch manuals of Romish cruelty might be excellent prefervatives against the contagion, or antidotes against the poison of popery.

If Limborch's Hiftory of the Inquifition, tranflated by Mr. Chandler, was judiciously abridged, and that worthy and learned gentleman's very valuable Introduction published with it, furely it could not fail of being greatly useful.

In order to raise an abhorrence of perfecution in general, and of popish perfecution in particular, and confequently of the popish religion, a few felect inftances of the most execrable cruelties, taken chiefly from that book, have been given in fome of the following Sheets.

For as the ancient Spartans expofed their Alaves when drunk to the young people, that they

Seeing