ent protection in establishing our
Independence, whereby it is become necessary to agree upon and settle a
Constitution of federal government for ourselves_, and in order to form a
more perfect union &c., as it is expressed in the present introduction, do
ordain &c., and instead of none, that no other religious test should ever
be required &c., and that supposing, but not granting, this would _be no
security at all_, that it would make hypocrites, &c. yet this would not be
a sufficient reason against it; as it would be a public declaration
against, and disapprobation of men, who did not, even with sincerity, make
such a profession, and they must be left to the searcher of hearts; that
it would however, be the voice of the great body of the people, and an
acknowledgment proper and highly becoming them to express on this great
and only occasion, and according to the course of Providence, one mean of
obtaining blessings from the most high. But that since it was not, and so
difficult and dubious to get inserted, I would not wish to make it a
capital objection; that I had no more idea of a religious test, which
should restrain offices to any particular sect, class, or denomination of
men or Christians in the long list of diversity, than to regulate their
bestowments by the stature or dress of the candidate, nor did I believe
one sensible catholic man in the state wished for such a limitation; and
that therefore the News-Paper observations, and reasonings (I named no
author) against a test, in favour of any one denomination of Christians,
and the sacrilegious injunctions of the test laws of England &c.,
combatted objections which did not exist, and _was building up a man of
straw and knocking him down again_. These are the same and only ideas and
sentiments I endeavoured to communicate on that subject, tho' perhaps not
precisely in the same terms; as I had not written, nor preconceived them,
except the proposed test, and whether there is any reason in them or not,
I submit to the public.

I freely confess such a test and acknowledgment would have given me great
additional satisfaction; and I conceive the arguments against it, on the
score of hypocrisy, would apply with equal force against requiring an oath
from any officer of the united or individual states; and with little
abatement, to any oath in any case whatever; but divine and human wisdom,
with universal experience, have approved and established them as useful,
and a se