AN ESSAY. 201 them, who is of their own religion, or to bind down all the offi- éers, who must keep the people under due regulation and obser- vance of the laws, to a peculiar religion which the bulk of the people dislike, and perhaps abhor. Would not this universal separation and opposition of religions, probably beget such a strangeness and ill-will between the rulers and the ruled, as might in a great measure endanger those bonds of union and love, and mutual good offices, which should be always recipro- cally maintained between the rulers and the ruled ? Would it not tend to provoke the people to sedition, and can it be ever es- teemed true policy to follow such a conduct, as would bring such undesirable and dangerous consequences with it? I answer thirdly : V. Answer III. By wayofconcession. Whenthe supreme ruling powers and far the greatest part of the people are of one and the same religion, I think it cannot be unlawful, nor is it im- proper for them generally to chusethe subordinate rulingofficers out of those persons who are of the same religion with the prince and the people : And while things continue so, there may seem to be good reasons for this conduct in the present disposition of human affairs. It may help to secure and establish unionand love, and unanimity and mutual respect, between the rulers and ruled in any government : Which is of great importance to the welfare of the state. But if therebe a very considerable number of the people professing any other religion, I query whether it can be political wisdom to exclude them from every public office absolutely and universally withotit exception ? And it may be another query, whether it may be an instance of wise conduct in any such nation, to make a law which shall incapacitate a man to be an officer in the state, merely because he professes a differ- ent religion ; which difference in truth, bath nothing to do with civil government ? Orcan it be proper, to put such a man under a perpetual disability by the sentence of a law, who is wise and good, who is strictly faithful to the state, who is acceptable to the people, and 'bath great personal merit and fitness, to supply a vacant post of profit or honour ? And it may be said yet further, that in some constitutions of government, the towns and cities, and particular districts and divisions, may have a right to chuse their own officers; and must a man of such an excellent character as I have described, andwho is much desired by all the inhabitants, be rendered use- less in government, merely because his conscience obliges him to worship God in another manner than the prince does? And should the people be for ever deprived of their ancient right to chuse such a person into office, and enjoy the benefit of histalents and virtues ? However it is evident, that if a particular religion beprofessed by the people and their governors both supreme and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=