AN ESSAY. 181 III. Now as there are laws which are or should be made in every society for the preservation of the peace, and for support- ing and carrying on the common welfare of the society; and as some of these laws should forbid those social- crimes, such as cheating, stealing, murder, adultery, &c. and these personal crimes, idleness, drunkenness, &c. so it is necessary in a well- constituted government, that there should be some common ap- pointed way of communicating the knowledge of these laws to thepeople, that they may be well apprized what is their duty and what they are forbid topractise. Surely the laws of a land should be made known to those who are to walk and live accord- ing to them, and who are to be punished for not keeping them. And by the way I wish I could give some sufficient reason why, when new laws are made in Great Britain by the three estates of the kingdom, there should not be as much care taken in a legal promulging them or the substance of them, so far as concerns all private persons at least, through every city and town in the nation, as there is of publishing the mere will of the prince by royal proclamations, which must be read in every market town. Multitudes of people are as ignorant of the laws, as they would be of proclamations, if not published in this manner. IV. And for the same reason, since the awful veneration of a superior invisible power that knows all things, and can punish falsehood and secret crimes, is necessary-to government, there should besome care taken by the governors that the knowledge of this superior invisible power should be some way proclaimed or propagated amongst all the subjects. V. And though it is possible, as was hinted before, that the belief-and acknowledgment of several gods, who are aven- gers of /falsehood and secret mischief, may be consistent with the tolerable welfare and conveniences of the state, yet it must be granted that polytheism, or the belief of many gods, hath so much absurdity in it, and is so contrary to the light of nature, that many inconveniences may arise from it; and therefore it is highly proper that the existence and perfections, the providence and natural and moral government of the one true God should be some way made known through the nation, together with the natural veneration or reverence that is due to him from all men. VI. Whether the belief and profession of the one true God should be imposed on all the nation under any penalty, I leave others to determine. I rather think it should not ; and for these three reasons: I. There maybe many heathens who worship several gods, who yet may be useful members of the state ; they mayheartily agree to an original- compact of government, and may seal it sa3
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