Franco-Gallia | Page 5

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 turn
Persecutors when they get Power (for such are not to be endured;) I say,
why shou'd we offer to hinder any Man from doing with his own Soul
what he thinks fitting? Why shou'd we not make use of his Body, Estate,
and Understanding, for the publick Good? Let a Man's Life, Substance,
and Liberty be under the Protection of the Laws; and I dare answer for
him (whilst his Stake is among us) he will never be in a different
Interest, nor willing to quit this Protection, or to exchange it for Poverty,
Slavery, and Misery.
The thriving of any one single Person by honest Means, is the Thriving
of the Commonwealth wherein he resides. And in what Place soever of
the World such Encouragement is given, as that in it one may securely
and peaceably enjoy Property and Liberty both of Mind and Body; 'tis
impossible but that Place must flourish in Riches and in People, which

are the truest Riches of any Country.
But as, on the one hand, a true Whig thinks that all Opinions purely
spiritual and notional ought to be indulg'd; so on the other, he is for
severely punishing all Immoralities, Breach of Laws, Violence and
Injustice. A Minister's Tythes are as much his Right, as any Layman's
Estate can be his; and no Pretence of Religion or Conscience can
warrant the substracting of them, whilst the Law is in Being which
makes them payable: For a Whig is far from the Opinion, that they are
due by any other Title. It wou'd make a Man's Ears tingle, to hear the
_Divine Right insisted upon for any human Institutions_; and to find
God Almighty brought in as a Principal there, where there is no
Necessity for it. To affirm, that Monarchy, Episcopacy, Synods, Tythes,
the Hereditary Succession to the Crown, &c. are Jure Divino; is to
cram them down a Man's Throat; and tell him in plain Terms, that he
must submit to any of them under all Inconveniencies, whether the
Laws of his Country are for it or against it. Every Whig owns
Submission to Government to be an Ordinance of God. _Submit your
selves to every Ordinance of Man, for the Lord's Sake_, says the
Apostle. Where (by the way) pray take notice, he calls them
Ordinances of Man; and gives you the true Notion, how far any thing
can be said to be Jure Divino: which is far short of what your
high-flown Assertors of the _Jus Divinum wou'd carry it, and proves as
strongly for a Republican_ Government as a Monarchical; tho' in truth
it affects neither, where the very Ends of Government are destroyed.
A right Whig looks upon frequent Parliaments as such a fundamental
Part of the Constitution, that even no Parliament can part with this
Right. High Whiggism is for Annual Parliaments, and Low Whiggism
for Triennial, with annual Meetings. I leave it to every Man's Judgment,
which of these wou'd be the truest Representative; wou'd soonest ease
the House of that Number of Members that have Offices and
Employments, or take Pensions from the Court; is least liable to
Corruption; wou'd prevent exorbitant Expence, and soonest destroy the
pernicious Practice of drinking and bribing for Elections, or is most
conformable to ancient Custom. The Law that lately pass'd with so
much Struggle for Triennial Parliaments shall content me, till the

Legislative shall think fit to make them Annual.
But methinks (and this I write with great Submission and Deference)
that (since the passing that Act) it seems inconsistent with the Reason
of the thing, and preposterous, for the first Parliament after any Prince's
Accession to the Crown,