Read A Letter Concerning Toleration Online

First Letter Concerning Toleration/2 1 


do it by his own judgement, or by the ecclesiastical authority and advice 
of others. The decisions of churchmen, whose differences and disputes 
are sufficiently known, cannot be any sounder or safer than his; nor can 
all their suffrages joined together add a new strength to the civil power. 
Though this also must be taken notice of — that princes seldom have any 
regal'd to the suffrages of ecclesiastics that are not favourers of their 
own faith and way of worship. 

But, after all, the principal consideration, and which absolutely de- 
termines this controversy, is this: Although the magistrate’s opinion in 
religion be sound, and the way that he appoints be truly Evangelical, 
yet, if I be not thoroughly persuaded thereof in my own mind, there will 
be no safety for me in following it. No way whatsoever that I shall walk 
in against the dictates of my conscience will ever bring me to the man- 
sions of the blessed. I may grow rich by an art that I take not delight in; 
I may be cured of some disease by remedies that I have not faith in; but 
I cannot be saved by a religion that I distrust and by a worship that I 
abhor. It is in vain for an unbeliever to take up the outward show of 
another man’s profession. Faith only and inward sincerity are the things 
that procure acceptance with God. The most likely and most approved 
remedy can have no effect upon the patient, if his stomach reject it as 
soon as taken; and you will in vain cram a medicine down a sick man’s 
throat, which his particular constitution will be sure to turn into poison. 
In a word, whatsoever may be doubtful in religion, yet this at least is 
certain, that no religion which I believe not to be true can be either true 
or profitable unto me. In vain, therefore, do princes compel their sub- 
jects to come into their Church communion, under pretence of saving 
their souls. If they believe, they will come of their own accord, if they 
believe not, their coming will nothing avail them. How great soever, in 
fine, may be the pretence of good-will and charity, and concern for the 
salvation of men’s souls, men cannot be forced to be saved whether they 
will or no. And therefore, when all is done, they must be left to then - own 
consciences. 

Having thus at length freed men from all dominion over one another 
in matters of religion, let us now consider what they are to do. All men 
know and acknowledge that God ought to be publicly worshipped; why 
otherwise do they compel one another unto the public assemblies? Men, 
therefore, constituted in this liberty are to enter into some religious soci- 
ety, that they meet together, not only for mutual edification, but to own 
to the world that they worship God and offer unto His Divine Majesty