These essays reflect upon Pierre Bayle's Philosophical Commentary on the Words of the Gospel 'Compel them to come in' which appeared in parts in 1686-88, a classic statement of the case for toleration. The first two essays are concerned with controversies about religious toleration in the seventeenth century, and the rest discuss philosophical questions relating to toleration and to the broader liberal idea of an open society.

Three of the pieces originally appeared in Philosophy Research Archives and are reproduced here with alterations.