AN ESSAY. 197 reason, why the people called quakers in our nation at home or abroad, refuse to pay the tithes to the clergy of the churchof England, or of other christian churches, because they preach and practise many things in religion which the quakers do not believe, which the light of nature and reason-does not dictate, and which are not necessary to the outward and civil welfare of mankind*. IV. But it may be further "enquired Itere, may not those . teachers or publishers of the civil laws, or the moral duties of natural religion, which are before allowed to be paid out of the . civil list, that is, by taxes on the people ; I say, may not these men take anopportunity, when the people are met to hear civil and moral lectures, at the same time to instruct the people in the knowledge of the peculiar religion of their governors, and ex- hort them to, comply with the rites and ceremonies thereof, and to join with them in their practice? To this I answer as before, V. Answer. That it does not appear plain to me that taxes of any kind should ever be imposed on the people, in order to encourage and maintain the peculiar ceremonies of sacrifices, preachings or ministrations of any supposed revealed religion beyond what is natural, or what is necessary for the state. Such taxes may perhaps, with as-much justice be imposed to main- tain, any other expensive or curious and capricious humours of a prince, which have no relation to the civil welfare or to religion. And besides, this imposition of such a tax might give a disgust to some of thepeople, who profess a very different religion, and hinder or discourage them from coming to hear the laws of the land, and lectures of moral virtue, which the state requires to be published and taught at that time and in that place. Would not achristian subject under a Pagan or Mahometan prince, think it hard to be required to hear lectures of the Alcoran, and of Ma- hornet's follies, or of the reveries of the heathen priests and poets, of Mars, Bacchus, Apollo, Diana, &c. from week to week, instead of moral or civil laws ? And perhaps their consci- ences might be much offended at it, and they might be tempted to neglect their attendance on, and acquaintance with the civil and moral laws, if they are mingled in the same lecture with * I do not by any means here pretend to vindicate the refusal of tithes and dues to the.eburch in our nation ; for they are to be considered as a civil or national tax or iocumbrance, belonging to every piece of land or house bought or rested, and so appointed by our laws ; and therefore every roan knowingly buys or hires his land or his house with this incumbrance fixed on it, andbelong- ing to those whom the state appoints to.receive and possess it. But in the first fixing or erecting a civil government of which I am speaking throughout this essay, one would not chase to have such laws made, or such taxes or incum- brances established at first, which would afford any colour and occasion, for such a refusal or disobedience in times tocome, as may arise from real scruples of coascience,
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