and gloating over their money-bags, but by those whom good education, sound
morality, and virtue have rendered more free. (46) Men, as generally
constituted, are most prone to resent the branding as criminal of opinions
which they believe to be true, and the proscription as wicked of that which
inspires them with piety towards God and man; hence they are ready to
forswear the laws and conspire against the authorities, thinking it not
shameful but honourable to stir up seditions and perpetuate any sort of
crime with this end in view. (47) Such being the constitution of human
nature, we see that laws directed against opinions affect the generous
minded rather than the wicked, and are adapted less for coercing criminals
than for irritating the upright; so that they cannot be maintained without
great peril to the state.

(20:48) Moreover, such laws are almost always useless, for those who hold
that the opinions proscribed are sound, cannot possibly obey the law;
whereas those who already reject them as false, accept the law as a kind of
privilege, and make such boast of it, that authority is powerless to repeal
it, even if such a course be subsequently desired.

(20:49) To these considerations may be added what we said in Chapter XVIII.
in treating of the history of the Hebrews. (50) And, lastly, how many
schisms have arisen in the Church from the attempt of the authorities to
decide by law the intricacies of theological controversy! (51) If men were
not allured by the hope of getting the law and the authorities on their
side, of triumphing over their adversaries in the sight of an applauding
multitude, and of acquiring honourable distinctions, they would not strive
so maliciously, nor would such fury sway their minds. (52) This is taught
not only by reason but by daily examples, for laws of this kind prescribing
what every man shall believe and forbidding anyone to speak or write to the
contrary, have often been passed, as sops or concessions to the anger of