Confufion, till God brought the true Reli gion among them.

X. And on the other hand, if the Authority of every Civil Government extended to direct the Affairs of Religion, and that by God's Appointment; then every Government would have a right to determine what fhall be the Religion of that Society or Nation; and by this means, as the true Religion is profeft by very few Civil Governments in comparison of the Multitudes of falfe Religions, there would be an Obligation from God on the greatest part of Mankind to fubmit to their Governors, when they enjoin a falfe Religion, and receive, and practife it instead of the true, which is too abfurd a thing to be supposed.

The Neceffity of acknowledging a God, and the Religion of an Oath.

HO' Religion, fo far as it relates to

TH

the Salvation of our Souls and a fu

ture World of Happiness, doth not come within the Cognizance of Civil Government; yet as the Affairs of Men are fituated in this World

World under all Governments, there are feveral things relating to our Civil Welfare which feem to require the Knowledge and Profeffion of a God; as these Four for inftance: (i) Witneffing in Controverfies between two Parties. (2.) Information in criminal Cafes. (3.) Security against secret Plots and Mischiefs from the People. (4.) Guarding againft Oppreffion and Injustice of the Rulers. Let us confider each of these diftinctly. now I

(1) The Cafe of Witneffing in Controverfies between two contending Parties requires the Acknowledgment of a God. Partly thro' the Ignorance of Men, and partly thro' their evil Inclinations, there will be Controverfies frequently arifing among the People, which must be determin'd by the Magiftrate as a Judge of Right and Wrong. Now in order to fearch into the Truth of Things and the Right of particular Perfons, it is not thought proper for the Magiftrate ufually to give credit to any Perfons in their own Cause, when there is no concurrent Witness or Witneffes who declare the fame thing.

And whereas Witneffes in many Difputes about Property may juftly be fufpected to warp from the Truth thro' private Influences,

if there be no other Perfon who can detect and discover them, therefore it is neceffary they should have fome Knowledge, and make fome Profeffion of an invisible Power who made and governs the World, who fees and hears and knows every thing which is done among Men, and who is a Guardian of Juftice and Truth, and fome time or other will terribly punish Falfhood and Lying.

(2.) The Cafe of Information against Criminals requires fome Profeffion of a God. Let it be confidered, that what foever Injuries or Frauds, Crimes or Mischiefs, are practifed or committed in any Nation under these Governments, they cannot be punish'd till those Magiftrates who are Executors of the Laws, are inform'd of them; nor can fuch Informers at all times be fafely credited, because they may have no regard to Truth in themfelves, or they may be fway'd by some evil Byafs, unless they have some Knowledge or Belief and Reverence of an higher Power who knows all Truth, and who will avenge Falfhood.

(3.) To fecure a State against fecret Plots and mischievous Defigns of the People requires the Profeffion of a Divine Being. There are many Frauds and Plots, and fecret evil Prac

tices

tices which tend to the Injury of Mankind, to the Ruin of all Government and Peace in a Nation, and yet they cannot perhaps be found out by the Eyes of Men foon enough to prevent the Mischief intended. Therefore the Belief and awful Senfe of fome all-knowing and over-ruling Power is needful to guard the evil Minds of Men against contriving these secret mischievous Practices, and the Profeffion of this Belief is a neceffary Band of common Union and Safety.

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may

(4.) The Acknowledgment of a God is neceffary to guard Officers and Rulers from oppreffing the People. Magiftrates or Officers themselves may be eafily inclined or tempted to neglect their Duty to the People, they be bribed or frighten'd to pass wicked and unjuft Judgments on Men, or to commit grievous Outrages and Acts of Violence upon them, if they have no Knowledge nor Belief of any fuperior Power who rules the World, and will punish Unfaithfulness, Injuftice, Violence, Oppreffion and Falfhood in all Ranks of his Creatures, whether High or Low, Rich or Poor.

II. In order therefore to a peaceful and fuccefsful Government, and to the Prefervation of every Man in his Rights and Liber

ties, it is neceffary that both the Governors and the Subjects fhould acknowledge fome God, i. e. fome fuperior invifible Power who governs the World, who knows all fecret things, and will punish thofe Crimes or those Acts of Injustice or Falfhood, either in the Governor or the Governed, which violate the common Welfare of Mankind, and which are committed in fecret. ~

2.

Whatever fome witty Perfons have prétended, that a Kingdom or State of Atheists may be supported without any Regard to a God or Religion, it has huge and dreadful Inconveniencies attending it, confidering the wicked and perverfe Tempers and Manners of Men.

III. Now to fecure a Civil Government in the execution of its proper Designs, to fecure the mutual Fidelity of Subjects and their Governors, and to fecure the Truth of Witneffes in matters of Controversy and in Informations brought against any Criminals, the Bond of an Oath is the ultimate Refort of Men: for an Oath is a folemn Appeal to a God, concerning the Truth of what they declare; 'tis an Appeal to some superior and invisible Power, who will avenge Falfhood and Perjury wherefoever 'tis practis'd, tho' it fhould