mate me against other people's belief; and I never entertain'd that indiscreet zeal which inspires a hatred for some persons, because they do not agree with us in opinion. This false Zeal is the result of Self-love; and a secret deceit represents to us an excess of complacency in our own Sentiments, under the form of Charity towards our Neighbours.
What we now call RELIGIONS, is indeed but a difference in Religion, and not a different Religion. I rejoice that my Faith is more sound than a Protestant's: yet instead of hating him for this difference of opinion, I love him because he agrees with me in the Fundamentals. The means at length to agree in the whole, is always to communicate in something. A desire of Re-union can never be inspir'd, till the enmity that arises from division be suppress'd. Men may seek one another as sociable, but they never re-unite with their Enemies. Dissimulation and Hypocrisy in Religion, are the only things that ought to be odious: for whoever believes sincerely, altho his Belief should be wrong, deserves Pity, and not Persecution. Blindness in the body bespeaks our Compassion; why then should that of the mind excite our Hatred? Under the severest Tyranny of former ages, the Understanding was allow'd its full liberty; but now a-days there are notions among Christians, wherein the persuasion of what one cannot believe is impos'd as a Law! In my opinion, every body ought to be free in his Belief, provided it does not tend to raise Factions that may endanger the publick Tranquillity. Churches do of right belong to Sovereigns; according to whose will and pleasure they are either open'd or shut up; but our own hearts are a private Church, wherein we are allow'd to worship their Master[1].
- ↑ The Emperor Constantius Chlorus, tho a Pagan, was con-
