hypocrites; to fupport roguery and error all over the earth. Jefferson. GOVERNMENTS, no more than individual men, are infallible. The cabinets of princes, and the parliaments of kingdoms, are often lefs likely to be right in their conclufions than the theorift in his clofet. What fyftem of religion or government has not in its turn been patronized by national authority? The confequence therefore of admitting this autho rity is, not merely attributing to government a right to impose fome, but any or all opinions upon the community. Are Paganism and chriftianity, the religions of Mahomet, Zoroafter, and Confucius, are mon onarchy and aristocracy in all their forms, equally worthy to be perpetuated among mankind? Is it quite certain that the greatest of all human calamities is change? Has no revolution in government, and no reformation in religion, been productive of more benefit than difadvantage? There is no fpecies of reafoning in defence of the fuppreffion of herefy which may not be brought back to this monftrous. principle, that the knowledge of truth, and the introduction of right principles of policy, are circumftances altogether indifferent to the welfare of mankind.--Godwin. PENNSYLVANIA and New-York have long fubfifted without any religious establishment at all. The experiment was new and doubtful when they made it. It has anfwered beyond conception. They flourish infinitely. Religion is. well fupported; of various kinds, indeed, but all good enough;. all fufficient to preferve peace and order or if a fect arises, whofe tenets would fubvert morals, good fenfe has fair play, and reafons and laughs it out of doors, without fuffering the ftate to be troubled with it. They do not hang more male. factors than we do. They are not more difturbed with religious diffentions. On the contrary, their harmony is unparalleled, and can be afcribed to nothing but their unbounded tolerance, because there is no other circumftance in which. they differ from every nation on earth. They have made the happy difcovery, that the way to filence religious difputes, is to. take no notice of them. Let us too give this experiment fair play, and get rid, while we may, of thofe tyrannical laws. It is true, we are as yet fecured against them by the fpirit of the times. I doubt whether the people of this country would fuffer an execution for herefy, or a three years imprisonment. for not comprehending the myfteries of the Trinity. But is the fpirit of the people an infallible, a permanent reliance? Liberty of Confcunce. 163 Is it government? Is this the kind of protection we receive in return for the rights we gave up? Befides, "the fpirit of the times may alter, will alter. Our rulers will become corrupt, our people carelefs. A fingle zealot may commence perfecutor, and better men be his victims. It can never be too often repeated, that the time for fixing every effential right on a legal bafis, is, while our rulers are honeft, and ourselves united. From the conclufion of the war we fhall be going down hill. It will not then be neceflary to refort every moment to the people for fupport. They will be forgotten, therefore, and their rights difregarded. They will forget themselves, but in the fole faculty of making money, and will never think of uniting to effect a due refpect for their rights. The fhackles, therefore, which fhall not be knocked off at the conclufion of this war, will remain on us long, will be made heavier and heavier, till our rights fhall revive or expire in a convulfion.-Jefferfon. ALMIGHTY God being only Lord of confcience, author of all divine knowledge, faith, and worfhip, who can only enlighten the minds and convince the understanding of people; in due reverence to his fovereignty over the fouls of mankind, and the better to unite the Queen's Chriftian fubje&ts in interest and affection, BE IT ENACTED, by JOHN EVANS, Efq; by the Queen's royal approbation Lieutenant Governor under WILLIAM PENN, Efq; abfolute proprietary and Governor in chief of the province of Pennsylvania and territories, by and with the advice and confent of the freemen of the faid province in General Affembly met, and by the authority of the fame, that no perfon now, or at any time hereafter, dwelling or refiding within this province, who fhall profefs faith in GOD the Father, and in JESUS CHRIST his only Son, and in the HOLY SPIRIT, One God bleffed forevermore, and fhall acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New-Teftament to be given by divine infpiration, and, when lawfully required, fhall profefs and declare that they will live peaceably under the civil government, fhall in any cafe be molefted or prejudiced for his or her confcientious perfuafion,. nor fhall he or she be at any time compelled to frequent or maintain any religions worthip-place or miniftry whatfoever, contrary to his or her mind, but fhall freely and fully enjoy his or her Chriflian Liberty in all refpects, without moleftation or interruption *.-Laws of Pennfylvania. This law is inferted as a tribute of refpect to the moft illuftriouss Fann, the father of religious liberty in the western world. It was the AND it came to pafs, after these things, that Abraham fat in the door of his tent, about the going down of the fun. And, behold, a man bent with age, was coming from the way of the wildernefs, leaning on a ftaff. And Abraham arofe, and met him, and faid unto him, Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy feet, and tarry all night, and thou shalt arife early in the morning, and go on thy way. And the man faid, Nay, for I will abide under this tree. But Abraham preffed him greatly fo he turned, and they went into the tent; and Abraham baked unleavened bread, and they did eat. And when Abraham faw that he bleifed not God, he faid unto him, Wherefore deft thou not worship the moft high God, Creator of heaven and earth? And the man anfwered and faid, I do not worship thy God, neither do I call upon his name: for I have made myself a god, which abideth always in my houfe, and provideth me with all things. And Abraham's zeal was kindled against the man, and he arofe, and fell upon him, and drove him forth with blows into the wilderness. And God called unto Abraham, faying, Abraham, where is the ftranger? And Abraham anfwered ard faid, Lord, he would not worship thee,. neither would he call upon thy name; therefore have I driven him out from before my face into the wilderness. And God faid, have I borne with him these hundred and ninety and eight years, and nourished him, and clothed him, notwithfanding his rebellion against me: and could'ft not thou, who art thy felf a finner, bear with hin one night*?—Franklin. LIBERTY and PROPERTY. LIBERTY, that dearest of names, and property, that belt of chara&ers, give an additional, and inexpreffible charra to every delightful object.-See how the declining fun has beautified the wellern clouds; has arrayed them in crimson, and skirted them with gold. Such a refinement of our domestic first law puffed on the landing of the emigrants, but was repealed by Queen Anne in council. It was re-enacted in 1705. * The circumftance which gave rife to the above elegant and infiructive morceau, was, it is faid, as follows: Dr Franklin being once in companywhere the difcourfe turned on the wickednefs of intolerance and perfecution, he took up a bille, which was at hand, and opening at Genefis, he delivered this parable extempore. in confirmation of what he hadadvanced. The hearers, acknowledging it was extremely appofite, expreffed great furprife that fuch a remarkable paffage of fcripture hads fo long efcaped their notice. Liberty of Confcience.-Liberty and Property.--Liberty. 105 blifs, is property; fuch an improvement of our public privileges, is liberty.When the lamp of day fhall withdraw his beams, there will still remain the fame collection of floating vapours; but O! how changed! how gloomy! the carnation ftreaks are faded; the golden edgings are worn away, and all the lovely things are loft in a leaden-coloured louring fadnefs. Such would be the afpect of all thefe fcenes of beauty, and all thefe abodes of pleasure, if expofed continually to the caprice of arbitrary fway.-Hervey. LIBERTY. OH! give me liberty! Let abject cowards live; but in the brave How muit the glorious change tranfport us all, Then fhall we tafte the fweets of life and eafe, So long has boasted thro' a length of years.-Havard. O LIBERTY! heaven's choice prerogative! Leave courts, and pomps, and palaces to flaves, To liberty-their gift and their enjoyment; "Which, did they want,-they could not be immortal." Havard THE rich man that beholds the brave in chains And pants not for his freedom, is a flave.-Hill. O LIBERTY! thou goddefs heav'nly-bright! Profufe, of blifs, and pregnant with delight! Eternal pleafures in thy prefence reign, And fmiling plenty leads thy wanton train. Eas'd of her load, fubjection grows more light, And poverty looks chearful in thy fight: Thou mak'it the gloomy face of nature gay, Giv'ft beauty to the fun, and pleasure to the day.-Addifor. "TIS liberty alone that gives the flow'r Of fleeting life its luftre and perfume, And we are weeds without it. All constraint, Except what wisdom lays on evil men, Is evil; hurts the faculties, impedes Their progrefs in the road of fcience; blinds The eyefight of difcov'ry, and begets In thofe that fuffer it, a fordid mind Beftial, a meagre intellect, unfit To be the tenant of man's noble form--Cowper. IN a flate of liberty, every man learns to value himself as man; to confider himfelf as of importance in the fyftem which himfelf has approved and contributed to establish; and therefore refolves to regulate his own behaviour confiftently with |
