upon thy name, therefore I have driven him out from before my face into the wilderness.

11 And God said, Have I borne with him these hundred ninety and eight years, and clothed him, notwithstanding his rebellion against me; and couldst not thou, that art thyself a sinner, bear with him one night?

12 And Abraham said, Let not the anger of the Lord wax hot against his servant; lo, I have şinned; forgive me, I pray thee.

13 And Abraham arose, and went forth into the wilderness, and sought diligently for the man, and found him, and returned with him to the tent; and when he had entreated him kindly, he sent him away on the morrow with gifts.

14 And God spake again unto Abraham, saying, For this thy sin shall thy seed be afflicted four hundred years in a strange land:

15 But for thy repentance will I deliver them 3 and they shall come forth with power, and with gladness of heart, and with much substance.

ON PERSECUTION

IN FORMER AGES- -OF DIS

SENTERS, STATE OF TOLERATION, &c.

To the Printer of the London Packet, June 3, 1772.

SIR,

I understand from the public papers, that in the debates on the bill for relieving the dis

senters in the point of subscription to the church articles, sundry reflections were thrown out against that people, importing, "That they themselves are of a persecuting intolerant spirit, for that when they had the superiority, they persecuted the church, and still persecute it in America, where they compel its members to pay taxes for maintaining the presbyterian or independent worship, and at the same time, refuse them a toleration in the full exercise of their religion by the administrations of a bishop."

If we look back into history for the character of the present sects in Christianity, we shall find few that have not in their turns been persecutors, and complainers of persecution. The primitive Christians thought persecution extremely wrong in the Pagans, but practised it on one another. The first Protestants of the church of England blamed persecution in the Romish church, but practise it against the Puritans: these found it wrong in the bishops, but fell into the same practice themselves both here and in New England. To account for this we should remember, that the doctrine of toleration was not then known, or had not prevailed in the world. Persecution was therefore not so much the fault of the sect as of the times. It was not in those days deemed wrong in itself. The general opinion was only, that those who are in error ought not to persecute the truth: but the possessors of truth were in the right to persecute

error, in order to destroy it. Thus every sect believing itself possessed of all truth, and that every tenet differing from theirs was error, conceived that when the power was in their hands, persecution was a duty required of them by that God whom they supposed to be offended with heresy. By degrees more moderate, and more modest sentiments have taken place in the Christian world; and among Protestants particularly all disclaim persecution, none vindicate it, and but few practise it. We should then cease to reproach each other with what was done by our ancestors, but judge of the present character of sects or churches by their present conduct only.'

Now, to determine on the justice of this charge against the present dissenters, particularly those in America, let us consider the following facts. They went from England to establish a new country for themselves, at their own expense, where they might enjoy the free exercise of religion in their own way. When they had purchased the territory of the natives, they granted the lands out in town

"Toleration in religion, though obvious to common understanding, was not however the production of reason, but of commerce. The advantage of toleration for promoting commerce, was discovered long before by the Portuguese. They were too zealous Catholics to venture so bold a measure in Portugal; but it was permitted in Goa, and the inquisition in that town was confined to Roman Catholics." Lord Kaimes's Sketches of the History of Man, Vol. II. p. 474. .

ships, requiring for it neither purchase-money nor quit-rent, but this condition only to be complied with, that the freeholders should for ever support a gospel minister, (meaning probably one of the governing sects) and a free-school, within the township. Thus, what is commonly called Presbyterianism became the established religion of that country. All went on well in this while the way same religious opinions were general, the support of minister and school being raised by a proportionate tax on the lands. But in process of time some becoming Quakers,' some Baptists, and of late years, some returning to the church of England (through the laudable endeavors and a proper application, of their funds by the Society

2

No person appeared in New England who professed the opinion of the Quakers, until 1656; (i. e. about 36 years after the first settling of the colony;) when Mary Fisher and Ann Austin came from Barbadoes; and soon after, nine others ar rived in the ship Speedwell from London." They were suc cessful in their preaching: and the provincial government, wishing to keep the colony from them, attempted to send away such as they discovered, and prevent the arrival of others. Securities, fines, banishment, imprisonment, and corporal punishments were instituted for this purpose; but with so little effect, that at last "a law was made for punishing with death, all such as should return into the jurisdiction after banishment. A few were hanged!" (See the History of the British dominions, 4to. 1773, p. 1. 8. 120.) B. V.

2

They were to spread the gospel, and maintain a learned and orthodox clergy, where ministers were wanted or ill-pro

for Propagating the Gospel), objections were made to the payment of a tax appropriated to the support of a church they disapproved and had forsaken. The civil magistrates, however, continued for a time to collect and apply the tax according to the original laws which remained in force; and they did it more freely, as thinking it just and equitable, that the holders of lands should pay what was contracted to be paid when they were granted, as the only consideration for the grant, and what had been considered by all subsequent purchasers as a perpetual incumbrance on the estate, bought therefore at a proportionably cheaper rate; a payment which it was thought no honest man ought to avoid under the pretence of his having changed his religious persuasion. And this I suppose is one of the best grounds of demanding tithes of dissenters now in England. But the practice being clamored against by the episcopalians as persecution, the legislature of the province of Massachusetts Bay, near thirty years since, passed an act for their relief, requiring indeed the tax to be paid as usual, but directing that the several sums levied from members of the church of England, should be paid over to the minister of that church, with whom such members usually attended divine worship, which minister had power

vided; administering God's word and sacraments, and preventing atheism, infidelity, popery, and idolatry.

VOL. I.

B