A Letter Concerning Toleration.docx
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A Letter Concerning Toleration.docx
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ALetterConcerningToleration
Locke's"ALetterConcerningToleration"(InternetEncyclopediaofPhilosophy)ALetterConcerningTolerationbyJohnLockeHONOUREDSIR,SinceyouarepleasedtoinquirewhataremythoughtsaboutthemutualtolerationofChristiansintheirdifferentprofessionsofreligion,I
mustneedsansweryoufreelythatIesteemthattolerationtobethechiefcharacteristicmarkofthetrueChurch.Forwhatsoeversomepeopleboastoftheantiquityofplacesandnames,orofthepompoftheiroutwardworship;
others,ofthereformationoftheirdiscipline;all,oftheorthodoxyoftheirfaith-foreveryoneisorthodoxtohimself-thesethings,andallothersofthisnature,aremuchrathermarksofmenstrivingforpowerandempireoveroneanotherthanoftheChurchofChrist.Letanyonehaveneversotrueaclaimtoallthesethings,yetifhebedestituteofcharity,meekness,andgood-willingeneraltowardsallmankind,eventothosethatarenotChristians,heiscertainlyyetshortofbeingatrueChristianhimself."ThekingsoftheGentilesexerciseleadershipoverthem,"saidourSaviourtohisdisciples,"butyeshallnotbeso"(Luke22.25).Thebusinessoftruereligionisquiteanotherthing.Itisnotinstitutedinordertotheerectingofanexternalpomp,nortotheobtainingofecclesiasticaldominion,nortotheexercisingofcompulsiveforce,buttotheregulatingofmen'slives,accordingtotherulesofvirtueandpiety.WhosoeverwilllisthimselfunderthebannerofChrist,must,inthefirstplaceandaboveallthings,makewaruponhisownlustsandvices.ItisinvainforanymantounsurpthenameofChristian,withoutholinessoflife,purityofmanners,benignityandmeeknessofspirit."LeteveryonethatnameththenameofChrist,departfrominiquity"(IITim.2.19)."Thou,whenthouartconverted,strengthenthybrethren,"saidourLordtoPeter(Luke22.
32).Itwould,indeed,beveryhardforonethatappearscarelessabouthisownsalvationtopersuademethathewereextremelyconcernedformine.
ForitisimpossiblethatthoseshouldsincerelyandheartilyapplythemselvestomakeotherpeopleChristians,whohavenotreallyembracedtheChristianreligionintheirownhearts.IftheGospelandtheapostlesmaybecredited,nomancanbeaChristianwithoutcharityandwithoutthatfaithwhichworks,notbyforce,butbylove.Now,Iappealtotheconsciencesofthosethatpersecute,torment,destroy,andkillothermenuponpretenceofreligion,whethertheydoitoutoffriendshipandkindnesstowardsthemorno?
AndIshallthenindeed,andnotuntilthen,believetheydoso,whenIshallseethosefieryzealotscorrecting,inthesamemanner,theirfriendsandfamiliaracquaintanceforthemanifestsinstheycommitagainstthepreceptsoftheGospel;whenIshallseethempersecutewithfireandswordthemembersoftheirowncommunionthataretaintedwithenormousvicesandwithoutamendmentareindangerofeternalperdition;andwhenIshallseethemthusexpresstheirloveanddesireofthesalvationoftheirsoulsbytheinflictionoftormentsandexerciseofallmannerofcruelties.
Forifitbeoutofaprincipleofcharity,astheypretend,andlovetomen'ssoulsthattheydeprivethemoftheirestates,maimthemwithcorporalpunishments,starveandtormenttheminnoisomeprisons,andintheendeventakeawaytheirlives-Isay,ifallthisbedonemerelytomakemenChristiansandprocuretheirsalvation,whythendotheysufferwhoredom,fraud,malice,andsuch-likeenormities,which(accordingtotheapostle;
Rom.I).manifestlyrelishofheathenishcorruption,topredominatesomuchandaboundamongsttheirflocksandpeople?
These,andsuch-likethings,arecertainlymorecontrarytothegloryofGod,tothepurityoftheChurch,andtothesalvationofsouls,thananyconscientiousdissentfromecclesiasticaldecisions,orseparationfrompublicworship,whilstaccompaniedwithinnocenceoflife.Why,then,doesthisburningzealforGod,fortheChurch,andforthesalvationofsouls-burningIsay,literally,withfireandfaggot-
passbythosemoralvicesandwickednesses,withoutanychastisement,whichareacknowledgedbyallmentobediametricallyoppositetotheprofessionofChristianity,andbendallitsnerveseithertotheintroducingofceremonies,ortotheestablishmentofopinions,whichforthemostpartareaboutniceandintricatematters,thatexceedthecapacityofordinaryunderstandings?
Whichofthepartiescontendingaboutthesethingsisintheright,whichofthemisguiltyofschismorheresy,whetherthosethatdomineerorthosethatsuffer,willthenatlastbemanifestwhenthecausesoftheirseparationcomestobejudgedofHe,certainly,thatfollowsChrist,embracesHisdoctrine,andbearsHisyoke,thoughheforsakebothfatherandmother,separatefromthepublicassembliesan
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