APPEND18. 219 their solemnities or common employments. Thus far shall suffice to shew the right of a Christian church, to be secured from injuries and impositions in common with any other innocent and voluntary societies.. XIII. Now let it be supposed, that some of the civil governors ofCorinth; should join themselves to any 'of these societies, whether philosophers, anti-. quaries, painters, deists, or christians, would there be any sufficient reason why they should be turned out of their posts in the government; because they are become Christians, or become antiquaries or philosophers, &c. supposing still that they fulfil the offices of their magistracywith honour? And much less reason is there, why there should be a law made to seclude them from theircivil of iées, and laya public brand or infamy upon them, becausethey join themselves toparticular societies which do notin the least interfere with civil government: Supposing'alivays that in thesesocieties, there is nothing dishonourable or 'scandalous, which would vilifyand debase the dignityof a ruler, and evidently endanger the welfareof the state. XIV. Yet nó ruler in the Corinthian state, who joins himself to any of these particular societies, has any authorityor pOwer to altertbespecial laws of that society, or to prescribe new rules or practices to it : For he is taken into the society but asa single member, and has but his single vote, and con- sequently has no further right nor authority to introduce any one' rule or mode, formor ceremony into the College of philosophers, the society of páin- térs,' of the christianchurch. All the civil power which he carries with him, reaches no further than to see that nothing be done inany of these societies inconsistentwith the good of the'state.' XV. When a chief civil ruler becomes a memberof any of these socie- ties, lie gains thereby an opportunity ofknowing thoroughly all the affairs of the society, and of Observing whether there can be any special benefit, da- mage or danger to the state, arising from all the Opinions and practices. thereof. So far it may be beneficial to thestate. And itis certain, this civil ruler maybe beuefi'Oial to the particular society Of which he is a member, if he be rich or great, by procuring for them; or bestowing upon them halis for lectures, mansions for the professors, orchapels'for their Christian worship, schools for philosophicalexperiments or painting, exercises; &c. and perhaps be mayprocure civipimmonities and advantages for them, that is, such as add no tax or burden, or inconvenience to the state: And lie may favour the chris- tian church -ier the Jewish synagogue if he pleases, so far as to appointno civil or military duties at the same hours, which wouldinterfere with christian or Jewish worshipin the city of Corinth. XVI. Thus there are some advantages which may accrue to the state, and some to the church, whereof the chief magistrates are members, ani that without any such alliance between church and state, as some have supposed necessary for thesecurity of both. Butif the advances in tem- poral things,' which the church receives from the state, benot well guarded and limited, the churchwill grow more earthly, but the state will not crow more holy or heavenly:'' The church will be in dangerof losing its humility, piety, and purity, and the state will runa great hazard of being made mere servants or slaves to thechurch. Frequent and long experience has taught the world this sad truth. Again, XVII.. Let us make a further supposition that both the people and the rulers should be so much in love with the sentiments and practices of the philosophers, the antiquaries, the deists, or the christians, as that the bulk df them should become members of their colleges, societies, or churches: Still the civil power would reach no further than the welfare of the state of Corinth. The churches and other societies must still de- termine for themselves the rules and circumstances of actions that relate to the design. of their assembly, whether the rulers of the state vote for it or no,; and every society may make such laws for itself and its own mem-
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