to Repentance, remember they are
still stronger Calls on us, to _preach_ Repentance, and to discharge
the Duty we owe to God and his Church, and to the Flock of Christ, over
whom we are placed. May this Work of God prosper in our Hands!

I should be wanting to the Duty I owe to the highest as well as the
lowest, should I omit on this Occasion to remind those who are
entrusted by their Country, with the Government of these populous
Cities, how much the Welfare of the People depends upon the faithful
Execution of the Law. I pretend not to accuse _them particularly_ of
Neglect, a _general Neglect_ of this Kind is one of the worst Symptoms
of the Time; every Man is left to do what is right in his own Eyes, one
would think _there was no King in Israel_. Could the vile abominable
Pictures of Lewdness have been offered to Sale in the most frequented
Parts of the City; could Books for the Instruction of the Unexperienced
in all the Mysteries of Iniquity have been publickly cried in our
Streets; had not the Laws, and the Guardians of the Laws, been
asleep?--But surely it is high Time to awake; and to let People once
more know, (what seems to be almost forgotten) that Laws are made for
the _Punishment of Wickedness and Vice, and for the Maintenance of true
Religion_.

Government is a great Trust, and the Powers of it are not intended
merely to do Honour to those who have them, but must be used for the
Good of the Community. This is a Truth sufficiently known, it has been
founded in the Ears of the Nation, without Ceasing; but the Misfortune
is, that this Doctrine has been applied so constantly to the _Supreme_
Magistrate only, that those who have _subordinate_ Powers derived from
his Authority, forget, or are not accustomed, to make the Application
to themselves. And yet surely, there is not a Constable but has, in
Proportion to the Power the Law gives him, a Trust reposed in him in
Behalf of his King and his Country: Those who are in higher Offices,
have still greater Reason, as more depends upon the due Exercise of
their Authority, to be watchful for the Community. The Good of Society
must be influenced by their Conduct and Example, one Way or other.
Great Officers of Justice cannot be _useless_, without being
_pernicious_.

If a Regard for the Publick is not a Motive strong enough in this Case,
let every Magistrate consider that there is another of infinite
Importance to himself; for if all Power be the _Ordinance_ of God,