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«« No man who loves and adores the gospel of Jesus Christ , but roust deplore iu the depth of his soul the greatest and worst of scandals which could possibly befal it , the intolerance , the unnatural intolerance , by professed Christians shewn
to one another . Even towards those , in affection our enemies , who hate and HI treat us , we are solemnly commanded to extend our forgiveness : towards those who in opinion only differ from us , what pretence can we have to be angry and unkind ?
" individuals , at least , in our personal relation , the case is perfectly clear . That privilege which every man assumes to worship God according to the sincere conviction of his own mind , he can assume on no possible ground on which his neighbour may be denied it . Christian equity allows to every mam the same right which it claims for itself . Christian
tharity prays for the salvation of those , supposing them to be in error , whom it cannot convert . And Christian forbearance when it sees brother even frowning on brother , by the mouth of St . Paul cries out , ' Who art thou that judgest another man ' s servant ? . To . his own master he standeth or falleth . '
" Nor is the claim which Christians have to perfect toleration from Christians , much if at all altered in a Christian church being established by a Christian state . The foundation must limit the superstructure . What Jesus Christ and his apostles . have laid down as ground * , work , must direct the outline of all that ?
man builds upon it . And in the great charter of our religion , ' to do unto others what we would they should do unto us / is the golden rule , the divine law itself , the unalterable right and duty of all Christian persons , in every concern of life , in every relation of society .
" From this plain statement we may deduce at once the nature of true and complete toleration . It supposes the establishment of one church , but it excludes the persecution or ill treatment of any other . It is the exact medium indeed betwixt persecution on the left
band and establishment on the right . True and complete toleration does not punish , does not degrade , does not disfranchise , the member of another religious body , because his conscience will not let him join in the worship of the religion established . Perfect toleration
insures to all Christians , * without consideration of sect or creed , the full enjoymeat , as good subjects , of all rights , civil and political . And whenever the Church
* We would say , " to all good subjects , whether they be Christians or no . "
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and State of England shall agree to grant the boon of such a toleration , in the very same proportion in which it shall be granted , the State will rest on a basis of adamaut , and the Church , even beyond its present excellence and glory , wil £ become the most benevolent and most apostolical Church in Christendom . "
These sentiments richly merit circulation . Amidst the wretched sophistry and most disgraceful bigotry that we are so often doomed to witness , on what , with some impropriety , is
termed the Catholic question , we feel ourselves animated by such reasoning as this from the pen of a scholar like Mr . Tate ;* and we rejoice that it comes before the world under the
sanction of the High Sheriff and the Grand Jury of Yorkshire—'" a circumstance extremely honourable to that large province , and indicative , we trust , of the extension of good feeling and of sound thought and knowledge !
The ground which this author has taken , is immoveable . A Christian and a Christian preacher , he proves that the Justice enjoined by the gospel requires the exercise , of perfect
toleration . In a country and age professing to be eminently religious , this is the correct way of considering the subject . Our remaining observations will be of the nature of a commentary on Mr . Tate's argument .
Man's " brief authority" is never so wantonly exercised as in matters of faith and conscience : and religious fortitude and wisdom are never so essential as in resisting this abuse of human power .
Were it asked of the great body of our countrymen , " Whether they do not reprobate persecution V * we believe that they would , to a man , reply , " We utterly detest , abjure and disclaim it ; inasmuch as it is a most formidable monster , alike hateful to God and to his rational creation . "
But were we to follow this question by another , and inquire , "Why . persecution yet lingers within these favoured islands ? " numbers around . us would deny the fact , and express , perhaps , indignation at the charge . Truth and Justice and Candour , will
* See 1 . Walton ' s Lives , &c , by Zoucii , 2 nd ed . pp . xxiii . xxv ., and Hippol . Coron . Eurip . ( Monk ) Prefat . p . x . ed . 2 .
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Review— ' Tate ' s Assize Sermon at York . 683
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Nov. 2, 1825, page 683, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2542/page/43/
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