DISCOURSE I. 185 Cwsar a more particular account. Now king Agrippa being there upon a visit, Festus tells Agrippa the storyin this speech of which íny'text is a part, ver. 17, &c:' And from these words we may take occasion to make these three observations > I. ,Civil governors among the heathens, before they were taught to persecute thechristians, thought it strangeto have mat- ters of pure religion brought before them, where the state and the peace of it was not concerned. II. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is . the grand question in our debates about christianity, and which we are solicitous to maintain, in vindica- tion of our religion.-III. Paul would not have affirmed Jesus Christ, a deadman, to be alive, without very good proof of it; knowing that the whole religion whichhe taughtthe world de. pended on the truth of it. First observation. Civil governors among the heathens usually in ancient times, thought it strange tohave matters ofpure religion brought before them. Festus imagined some dreadful accusation of sedition or murder was brought against Paul, or some high crime against the state, when he waswith such fury brought before him ; but there was nothing ofthiskindappeared. St. Paul expressly says, he had walked uprightly before God and man, and exercised himself to keep a good conscience toward God and men ; a con- science void of offence ; and after many years, he came tobring alms to his own nation, to de his country a kindness, and theJews seized him,' upon pretence of his opinions being contrary to the religion of their nation. The great design of civil government, and the institution of magistracy among men, is to keep the peace, to secure the persons and properties of mankind who were innocent, from all , manner ofinjury ; and there is nothing more of religion comes within their province, than is absolutely necessary to secure the . public peace. Now, upon this account, and that with some ap- pearance of reason, it, bath been supposed that atheists, or those who deny God, or his providence, or his government of the world, may be justly punished by magistrates, so far at least as to be banished fromtheir dominions ; because they who deny the knowledge and justice of a God, a superior Governor, can give no security by oaths, of their allegiance or loyalty to any govern- ment whatsoever; and will break all manner of bonds when they can do it safely. But where some divine power is own- ed and acknowledged, who knows and will punish perjury and falsehood, the civil governor hath no farther power in affairs of pure religion, where the peace of mankind, the property of man,
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