execution is by the writ De Jmretico comhurendo. By our own ad of aflembly of 1705, c. 30. if a perfon brought up in the Chriftian reUgion denies the being of a God, or the Trinity, or aflerts there are more gods than one, or denies the Chriftian religion to be true, or the fcrip- tures to be of divine authority, he is punifhabie on the firft offence by incapacity to hold any office or employment ecclefiaf- tical, civil, or military; on the fecond by difability to fue, to take any gift or legacy, to be guardian, executor, or ad- miniftrator, and by three years imprifonment without bail. A father's right to the cuftody of his own children being founded in law on his right of guardian- fliip, this being taken away, they may of courfe be fevered from him, and put by the authority of a court, into more ortho- dox hands. This is a fummary view of that religious flavery, under which a peo- ple have been willing to remain, who have lavifhed their lives and fortunes for the eftabliniraent of their civil freedom. *The error feems not fufficientiy eradicated, that the operations of the mind, as Furneaux paflim.
well as the a6ls of the body, are fubjeft to the coercion of the laws. But our rulers can have no authority over fuch na- tural rights, only as we have fubmitted to them. The rights of confcience we never fubmitted, we could not fubmit. We are anfwerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to fuch a6ls only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to fay there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. If it be faid, his teftimony in a court of juftice cannot be relied on, rejeft it then, and be the ftigma on him. Conftraint may make him worfe by making him a hypocrite, but it will never make him a truer man.
It may fix him obftinately in his errors, but will not cure them. Reafon and free inquiry are the only eifeftual agents againft error. Give a loofe to them, they will fupport the true rehgion, by bringing every falfe one to their tribunal, to the teft of their inveftigation. They are the natural enemies of error, and of error only. Had not the Roman government