e presence of our
God: that he is our witness every moment, and everywhere conscious, as
we are ourselves, of our words, acts, and thoughts; and will bring us
all to a strict account at last for whatever he has thus witnessed that
has been contrary to that rigid law of holy living which he has
established over us in Christ. Must not this act upon us most
beneficially? We believe that in himself he is perfect purity, and that
he demands of us that we be so in our degree also. We can impute to him
none of the acts, such as the believers in the Greek and Roman religions
freely ascribe to their Jove, and so have not, as others have, in such
divine example, a warrant and excuse for the like enormities. This one
God too we also regard as our judge, who will in the end sit upon our
conduct throughout the whole of our lives, and punish or reward
according to what we shall have been, just as the souls of men,
according to your belief, receive their sentence at the bar of Minos and
Rhadamanthus. And other similar truths are wrapt up with and make a part
of this great primary one. Wherefore it is most evident, that nothing
can be more false and absurd than to think and speak of us as atheists
and for that reason a nuisance in the state.

'But it is not only that we are atheists, but that, through our atheism,
we are to be looked upon as disorderly members of society, disturbers
of the peace, disaffected and rebellious citizens, that we hear on every
side. I do not believe that this charge has ever been true of any, much
less of all. Or if any Christian has at any time and for any reason
disobeyed the laws, withheld his taxes when they have been demanded, or
neglected any duties which, as a citizen of Rome, he has owed to the
Emperor, or any representative of him, then so far he has not been a
Christian. Christ's kingdom is not of this world--though, because we so
often and so much speak of a kingdom, we have been thought to aim at one
on earth--it is above; and he requires us while here below to be
obedient to the laws and the rulers that are set up over us, so far as
we deem them in accordance with the everlasting laws of God and of
right; to pay tribute to whomsoever it is due; here in Rome to Caesar;
and, wherever we are, to be loyal and quiet citizens of the state. And
the reception of his religion tends to make such of us all. Whoever
adopts the faith of the gospel of Jesus will be a virtuous, and holy,
and devout man, and th