Rom. xiii. 4.

He is the Minister of God to thee for Good: but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the Sword in vain: for he is the Minifter of God, a Revenger to execute Wrath upon

him that doth evil.

NCONSISTENCY is the most palpable mark of Folly. Uniform Error may be more pernicious, but Inconfiftency, i. e. the maintaining an Error to

gether with the Truths that refute it, is more abfurd, and more notorious. And this evidently is the cafe of thofe, who approving the Laws now in force against Vice and Profanenefs, at the fame time blame

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blame those who promote their Execution, only for that reafon, because they endeavour to promote their Execution. Such Cenfurers are plainly inconfiftent: They contradict themfelves They allow, and difallow the fame thing: They need no reply, and give occafion only to admire, or pity their Weakness.

IN Reafon then Cenfure and Reproach cannot reach the generous and pious Design which you, Gentlemen, are engaged in, but they muft at the fame time impeach the Laws: and therefore to juftific the Laws, will be your fufficient Apology. If the Laws are evil, then those who are active to promote the Obfervation of them, fhare in the Guilt: but if the Laws are good, then they participate of the Merit with the Legiflature.

To juftific the Laws against Profaneness and Immorality (as to their Intent, I mean) may feem very needlefs; but the Abfurdity of your Adverfaries makes it neceffary. To prove the Juftice and the Expediency of fuch Laws is indeed a very cafie Work; yet nothing more is requifite to fhew the Goodnefs of the Caufe, which you are engaged in; and to animate your Zeal for the farther Profecution of it. To this End I fhall endeavour to fhew,

Firft, THAT the Magiftrate has Power to make Laws for the Good of Society; And,

Secondly, THAT the Laws in Question are of that Kind, viz. for the Good of Society.

AND First, Of the Power of the Magiftrate to make Laws. He is (faith our Apoftle) the Minifter of God to thee for GOOD: but if thou do that which is Evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the Sword in vain: for he is the Minifter of God, a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil.

GOD alone is the Supream Governour of Men; but in this World he has partly fufpended the Exercife of his Regal Power, till the appointed Day, when (as the Scripture fpeaks) Deut. xxxii. 41. His Hand hall take bold on Judgment, and he fhall manifeft Himfelf the Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil.

IN the mean Time, to keep the World in fome tolerable Order, he has conftituted Men to rule over Men; he has appointed Magiftrates, who are his Minifters, his Servants; and act by an exprefs Commiffion from Him.

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And he has put the Sword of Justice into their Hands; that they may more immediately enforce the Obfervation of his Laws, in all Matters, that concern the Peace and Welfare of Society.

He is the Minifter of God to thee for GOOD. The particular Members of a Community confult cach his own private Good. But befides this, there is a Publick Good, a common Intereft of the whole; and the Care of that, is the Province of the Magiftrate. The feveral Members of a Society have feveral Ends, as their Views and Interefts are various: The Office of a Governour is to reconcile thefe, and controul them too, where it shall be needful; fo as fo as to render them confiftent with each other, and fubfervient to the Welfare of the whole Body.

THUS is the Magiftrate GOD's Minifter: and this is the true Origin of Government, as the holy Scriptures teftifie. Reafon alfo concurs with irrefragable Evidence to confirm it. The Magifirate has Authority to make Laws for the Publick Good, becaufe the Publick Good requires that fuch Laws fhould be made: And the numberlefs Benefits of Civil Government are fo many Arguments to cftablish its Authority.

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'As a farther Confirmation therefore, it may not be amifs here briefly to mention them: And the rather, because, as great a Good as Civil Government is; yet, like most other Goods in Poffeffion, it is rarely valued as it deferves. 'Tis certainly the Chief of temporal Bleffings, because the Enjoyment of all other temporal Bleffings depends upon it: Yet very few (I fear) acknowledge it in their Thanksgivings to GOD, or reflect on it with Gratitude to his Minifters the Magiftrates, to whofe Protection, under GOD, we owe the fecure Fruition of Life it felf, as well as of its Comforts and Conveniencies. The Bulk of a Nation, with Regard to their Governours, are in the fame State as the Body is to the Soul, unconfcious of that by which it fubfifts. The Genius, which prefides to fecure their Tranquillity, is to them an invifible Power, whofe Benefits they enjoy without due Sentiments of Gratitude.

OUR Apostle therefore thought it neceffary that Men should be put in Mind of their own Happiness in being the Subjects of a well regulated Government: To have right Apprehenfions of that Happiness, we should confider, what would be our State, if we had no Protection from the Civil Power: For, to the Reproach of our Nature, we feldom know

how