22 July 1810 1810 July 22 32

Ch. | | Authority worshipper

10

4 Churchman's Sinister interest

2. It is their interest that whatsoever course of insincerity they have been induced by the joint power of reward and punishment to engage and persevere in should be persevered in by all persons whom the like reward backed with the like punishment is or shall ever be received. For if /in proportion/ /in as much as/ other persons being free to choose their own declared opinion were to be known to choose /profit/ /entertain/ opinions different from those forced /compulsory/ ones, the imputation either of weakness or insincerity will be apt to fasten upon the professors of these compulsory ones. /[...?]/ Member of Clergy suppose for example 10,000: before the supposed charge all having subscribed and thence continuing to profess to believe a given set of articles. The obligation of subscribing bring taken away, the number professing to believe in these articles is now reduced suppose to 5,000: the inference will be that of the former 10,000 5,000 professed to believe what they did not believe.