AN ESSAY. '177 be punished till those magistrates who are executors of the laws, are informed of them; nor can such informers at all times be safelycredited, because they may have no regard to truth in themselves, or they may be swayed by some evil bias, unless they have some knowledge or belief and reverence of a higher power who knows all truth, and will avenge falsehood. 3. " To secure a state against sècret plots and mischievous' designs of the people requires the profession of a divine Being." There are many frauds and plots, and secret evil practices which tend to the injury of mankind, to the ruin of all govern- ment and peace in a nation, and yet they cannot perhaps be found out by the eyes, of men . soon enough to prevent the mis.. chief intended. Therefore the belief and awful sense of some all- knowing and over -ruling power is needful to guard. the evil minds of men against contriving these secret mischievous prac- tices, and the profession of this belief is a necessary band of common union and safety.. 4. " The acknowledgment of a God is necessary to guard officers and rulers from oppressing the people." Magistrates or officers themselves may be easily inclined or tempted to neglect their duty to the people, they may be bribed or frightened to pass wicked and unjust judgments on men, or to commit grievous outrages and acts of violence upon them, if they have no knowledge nor belief of any superior power who rules the world, and will punish unfaithfulness, injustice, violence, op- pression and falsehood in all ranks of his creatures, whether high, or low, rich or poor. II. In order therefore to a peaceful and successful govern. ment, and to the preservation of every man in his rights and liberties, it is necessary that both the governors and the subjects should acknowledge some God, that is, some superior invisi.. ble power who governs the world, who knows all secret things, and will punish those crimes or those acts of injustice or falsehood, either in the governoror the governed, which violate the common welfare of mankind, and which are committed in secret. Whatever some witty persons have pretended, that a kingdom or state ofatheists may be supported without any regard to a God or religion, it has huge and dreadful inconveniencesat- tending it, considering the wicked and perverse tempers and manners of men. III. Now to secure a civil government in the execution of its proper designs, to secure the mutual fidelity of subjects and their governors, and to secure,the truth of witnesses in matters of controversy, and in informations brought against any criminals, the bond of anoath is the ultimate resort of men For an oath is a solemn appeal to a God, concerning the truth of what they declare ; it is an appeal to some superior and invisible VOL. iv. M
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