Toleration | Page 9

to the accustomed
ceremonies, or if he brings not his children to be initiated in the sacred
mysteries of this or the other congregation, this immediately causes an
uproar. The neighbourhood is filled with noise and clamour. Everyone
is ready to be the avenger of so great a crime, and the zealots hardly
have the patience to refrain from violence and rapine so long till the
cause be heard and the poor man be, according to form, condemned to
the loss of liberty, goods, or life. Oh, that our ecclesiastical orators of

every sect would apply themselves with all the strength of arguments
that they are able to the confounding of men's errors! But let them spare
their persons. Let them not supply their want of reasons with the
instruments of force, which belong to another jurisdiction and do ill
become a Churchman's hands. Let them not call in the magistrate's
authority to the aid of their eloquence or learning, lest perhaps, whilst
they pretend only love for the truth, this their intemperate zeal,
breathing nothing but fire and sword, betray their ambition and show
that what they desire is temporal dominion. For it will be very difficult
to persuade men of sense that he who with dry eyes and satisfaction of
mind can deliver his brother to the executioner to be burnt alive, does
sincerely and heartily concern himself to save that brother from the
flames of hell in the world to come.
In the last place, let us now consider what is the magistrate's duty in the
business of toleration, which certainly is very considerable.
We have already proved that the care of souls does not belong to the
magistrate. Not a magisterial care, I mean (if I may so call it), which
consists in prescribing by laws and compelling by punishments. But a
charitable care, which consists in teaching, admonishing, and
persuading, cannot be denied unto any man. The care, therefore, of
every man's soul belongs unto himself and is to be left unto himself.
But what if he neglect the care of his soul? I answer: What if he neglect
the care of his health or of his estate, which things are nearlier related
to the government of the magistrate than the other? Will the magistrate
provide by an express law that such a one shall not become poor or sick?
Laws provide, as much as is possible, that the goods and health of
subjects be not injured by the fraud and violence of others; they do not
guard them from the negligence or ill-husbandry of the possessors
themselves. No man can be forced to be rich or healthful whether he
will or no. Nay, God Himself will not save men against their wills. Let
us suppose, however, that some prince were desirous to force his
subjects to accumulate riches, or to preserve the health and strength of
their bodies. Shall it be provided by law that they must consult none but
Roman physicians, and shall everyone be bound to live according to
their prescriptions? What, shall no potion, no broth, be taken, but what

is prepared either in the Vatican, suppose, or in a Geneva shop? Or, to
make these subjects rich, shall they all be obliged by law to become
merchants or musicians? Or, shall everyone turn victualler, or smith,
because there are some that maintain their families plentifully and grow
rich in those professions? But, it may be said, there are a thousand
ways to wealth, but one only way to heaven. It is well said, indeed,
especially by those that plead for compelling men into this or the other
way. For if there were several ways that led thither, there would not be
so much as a pretence left for compulsion. But now, if I be marching on
with my utmost vigour in that way which, according to the sacred
geography, leads straight to Jerusalem, why am I beaten and ill-used by
others because, perhaps, I wear not buskins; because my hair is not of
the right cut; because, perhaps, I have not been dipped in the right
fashion; because I eat flesh upon the road, or some other food which
agrees with my stomach; because I avoid certain by-ways, which seem
unto me to lead into briars or precipices; because, amongst the several
paths that are in the same road, I choose that to walk in which seems to
be the straightest and cleanest; because I avoid to keep company with
some travellers that are less grave and others that are more sour than
they ought to be; or, in fine, because I follow a guide that either is, or is
not, clothed in white, or crowned with a mitre? Certainly, if we
consider right, we shall find that, for the most part,