As, therefore, the truth of history obliges me to compliment the laity with the honour of this excellent invention, for the support and propagation of religion; and as its continuance in the world to this day is owing to the protection and authority of their laws, and to certain political ends and purposes they have to serve thereby; the loading the priesthood only, or principally, with the infamy and guilt of it, is a mean and groundless scandal; and to be perpetually objecting the cruelties that have been practised by some who have called themselves Christians, on others for conscience-sake, as an argument against the excellency of the Christian religion, or with a view to prejudice others against it, is an artifice unworthy a person of common understanding and honesty. Let all equally share the guilt, who are equally chargeable with it; and let principles be judged of by what they are in themselves, and not by the abuses which bad men may make of them. If any argument can be drawn from these, we may as well argue against the truth and excellency of philosophy, because Cicero espoused the principles of persecution, and Antoninus the philosopher authorized all the cruelties attending it. But the question in these cases is not, what one who calls himself a philosopher or a Christian doth, but what true philosophy and genuine Christianity lead to and teach; and if persecution be the natural effect of either of them, it is neither in my inclination or intention to defend them. [Illustration] SECT. VI. _Persecutions by the Mahometans._ It may be thought needless to bring the Mahometans into this reckoning, it being well known that their avowed method of propagating religion is by the sword; and that it was a maxim of Mahomet, “not to suffer two religions to be in Arabia.” But this is not all; as they are enemies to all other religions but their own, so they are against toleration of heretics amongst themselves, and have oftentimes punished them with death. [H]Hottinger[53] gives us an account of a famous dispute amongst them concerning the Coran, whether it was “the created” or “uncreated word of God?” Many of their califfs were of opinion that it was created, and issued their orders that the Musselmen should be compelled to believe it.[54] And as for those who denied it, many were whipped; others put in chains; and others murdered. Many, also, were slain, for not praying in a right posture towards the temple at Mecca.[55] The same author farther tells us, that there are some heretics, who, whenever they are found, are burnt to death. The enmity between the Persians and Turks,[56] upon account of their religious difference, is irreconcileable and mortal; so that they would, each of them, rather tolerate a Christian than one another. But I pass from these things to the history of Christian persecution. ----- Footnote H: See note [H] at the end of the volume. Footnote 53: