Four Letters On Toleration (1870)

Four Letters On Toleration is a collection of four letters written by the famous philosopher and political theorist, John Locke, in 1685. The letters were written in response to the persecution of religious dissenters in England at the time, and argue for the importance of religious tolerance and freedom of conscience. In the first letter, Locke argues that the government has no authority over an individual's religious beliefs, and that it is not the government's role to force people to conform to a particular religion. In the second letter, he discusses the importance of separating the roles of church and state, and argues that the state should not have the power to dictate religious doctrine or practice. The third letter focuses on the idea of religious coercion, and argues that it is both ineffective and immoral. Locke contends that true religious belief must come from within, and that attempts to force people to believe something they do not truly believe are both futile and unjust. In the final letter, Locke addresses the issue of religious toleration in a diverse society, and argues that people of different faiths can coexist peacefully as long as they are willing to respect each other's beliefs and practices. He also discusses the importance of religious toleration for the stability and prosperity of a society.Overall, Four Letters On Toleration is a seminal work in the history of political philosophy, and remains relevant today as a defense of religious freedom and tolerance.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.