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Α

LETTER

FROM THE

REV. JOHN WESLEY, M. A.

TO THE PRINTER.

SIR,

SOME time ago, a pamphlet was fent me, entitled, "An appeal from the Proteftant Affo"ciation to the people of Great Britain." A day or two fince, a kind of answer to this, was put into my hand, which pronounces," Its “ style contemptible, its reasoning futile, and "its object malicious." On the contrary, I

think the style of it is clear, easy, and natural; the reasoning, in general, ftrong and conclufive; the object, or defign, kind and benevolent. And, in pursuance of the fame kind and benevolent defign, namely, to preserve our happy conftitution, I fhall endeavour to con firm the fubftance of that tract, by a few plain arguments.

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With perfecution I have nothing to do: I perfecute no man for his religious principles. Let there be "as boundless a freedom in reli

gion," as any man can conceive: but this does not touch the point. I will fet religion, true or falfe, utterly out of the question : suppose the Bible if you please, to be a fable, and the Koran to be the word of God. I confider not, whether the Romish religion be true or false: I build nothing on one or the other fuppofition: therefore, away with all your common-place declamations about intolerance and perfecution for religion! Suppose every word of pope Pius's creed to be true,-fuppofe the council of Trent to have been infallible,-yet, I infift upon it, That no government, not Roman catholic, ought to tolerate men of the Roman catholic perfuafion.

'I'

I prove this by a plain argument: let him anfwer it that can:

That no Roman catholic does or can give fecurity for his allegiance or peaceable behaviour, I prove thus: It is a Roman catholic maxim, eftablifhed, not by private men, but by a public council, that, "No faith is to be

kept with heretics." This has been openly avowed by the council of Conftance: but it never was openly difclaimed. Whether private perfons avow or difavow it, it is a fixed

maxim

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maxim of the church of Rome: but as long as it is fo, nothing can be more plain, than that, the members of that church can give no reafonable fecurity to any government of their allegiance or peaceable behaviour: therefore, they ought not to be tolerated by any government, Proteftant, Mahometan, or Pagan.

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You may fay, Nay, but you will take an "oath of allegiance." True, five hundred oaths but the maxim, "No faith is to be kept "with heretics," fweeps them all away, as a fpider's web fo that ftill, no governors, that are not Roman catholics, can have any security of their allegiance.

Again, those who acknowledge the spiritual power of the pope, can give no fecurity of their allegiance to any government: but all Roman catholics acknowledge this; therefore, they can give no fecurity for their allegiance.

The power of granting pardons for all fins, past, present, and to come, is, and has been, for many centuries, one branch of his fpiritual power; but those who acknowledge him to have this fpiritual power, can give no fecurity for their allegiance; fince they believe the pope can pardon rebellions, high treafons, and all other fins whatsoever.

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The power of difpenfing with any promife, oath, or vow, is another branch of the spiritual power of the pope; and all who acknowledge his fpiritual power, must acknowledge this: but whoever acknowledges the difpenfing power of the pope, can give no fecurity of his allegiance to any government.

Oaths and promises are none: they are light as air a difpenfation makes them all null and void.

Nay, not only the pope, but even a priest, has power to pardon fins! this is an effential doctrine of the church of Rome: but they that acknowledge this, cannot poflibly give any fecurity for their allegiance to any government. Oaths are no fecurity at all; for the priest can pardon both perjury and high treason.

Setting, then, religion afide, it is plain, that upon principles of reason, no government ought to tolerate men, who cannot give any fecurity to that government for their allegiance and peaceable behaviour: but this no Romanift can do, not only while he holds, that "No

faith is to be kept with heretics," but fo long as he acknowledges either prieftly abfolution, or the fpiritual power of the pope.

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