to others, as he wou'd have others do to him_, and is
willing and able to serve the Publick) only because he thinks his Way to
Heaven surer or shorter than mine? No body can tell which of us is
mistaken, till the Day of Judgment, or whether any of us be so (for
there may be different Ways to the same End, and I am not for
circumscribing God Almighty's Mercy:) This I am sure of, one shall meet
with the same Positiveness in Opinion, in some of the Priests of all
these Sects; The same Want of Charity, engrossing Heaven by way of
_Monopoly_ to their own _Corporation_, and managing it by a joint Stock,
exclusive of all others (as pernicious in Divinity as in trade, and
perhaps more) The same Pretences to _Miracles, Martyrs, Inspirations,
Merits, Mortifications, Revelations, Austerity, Antiquity_, &c. (as all
Persons conversant with History, or that travel, know to be true) and
this _cui bono_? I think it the Honour of the Reformed Part of the
Christian Profession, and the Church of _England_ in particular, that it
pretends to fewer of these unusual and extraordinary Things, than any
other Religion we know of in the World; being convinced, that these are
not the distinguishing Marks of the Truth of any Religion (I mean, the
assuming obstinate Pretences to them are not;) and it were not amiss, if
we farther enlarg'd our Charity, when we can do it with Safety, or
Advantage to the State.
Let us but consider, how hard and how impolitick it is to condemn all
People, but such as think of the Divinity just as we do. May not the
Tables of Persecution be turn'd upon us? A _Mahometan_ in _Turky_ is in
the right, and I (if I carry my own Religion thither) am in the Wrong.
They will have it so. If the _Mahometan_ comes with me to _Christendom_,
I am in the right, and he in the wrong; and hate each other heartily for
differing in Speculations, which ought to have no Influence on Moral
Honesty. Nay, the _Mahometan_ is the more charitable of the two, and
does not push his Zeal so far; for the Christians have been more cruel
and severe in this Point than all the World besides. Surely Reprizals
may be made upon us; as _Calvin_ burnt _Servetus_ at _Geneva_, Queen
_Mary_ burnt _Cranmer_ at _London_. I am sorry I cannot readily find a
more exact Parallel. The Sword cuts with both Edges. Why, I pray you,
may we not all be Fellow-Citizens of the World? And provided it be not
the Principle of one or more Religions to extirpate all others, and to
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