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and the Common Welfare, nay the Common Salvation are fo nearly concerned, should be broken and neglected without a proper Animadverfion.

We all conclude that he wants Compaffion, and fins against the Law of Hu manity, who will fuffer the Poor to perish for want of Relieving, But if the perifhing of Souls be of greater Moment than the perifhing of Bodies, I am fure he has lefs Compaffion, and fins more against the Law of Humanity, who will fuffer Good Manners to be run down for want of Afferting. I do not say that every Good Chriftian fhould rife up like Phineas, and execute the Judgment of Zeal ( as the Rabbins call it ;) but this I say,

that

every Good Christian ought to have a conftant Regard to the Ends of Publick Juftice, which are the Restraint of Vice, and the Maintenance of Good Manners; and to these Ends he ought never to be wanting in any fort of Prudential Affist.

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And in this Point I humbly wifh that the Gentlemen would be pleased to hear me as their Particular Remembrancer. Whether they are Magistrates or no, let them always bear in mind, that an Aweful Example carries Magiftracy in it felf; and he that lives Chriftianly is the Best Jufticiary; he gives the Best Affiftance to publick Juftice, and cures moft Crimes among the people.

God has given this Precept among other Judicial Laws, Lev. 19. as that which has a moft direct Influence upon the Affairs of publick Justice, viz. Thou Shalt in any wife rebuke thy neighbour, and not fuffer fin upon him. The Charge is given to All, but it obliges the Gentleman most, whose Fortunes give him the Advantage of Executing it with the happiest fuccefs: For in Matters of Duty, Our Power is always the Measure of our Obligation.

It is an ill Crisis, when mens Religion comes to be so Modeft, that they will not Rebuke Sin, or keep Vertue in Countenance, for fear of invading the Preachers Office; as if it were pure Officiousness in others, and exceeding the Measures of their Obligation. But tell me, ye men of Quality and Power, fuperior to those that are about you! Tell me how God who is the Equal Father of All, came to diftinguish You from the Croud of Indigents, and to prefer You to such an Unequal Diftribution. Can you fay it is for Services already done? I must say it is for Services to be Done; It is not for Nought: God has put your Fortunes as a Tryal and Opportunity into your hands : Your Fortunes are the Means of your Influence upon men; and your Influence upon men is your Power of doing Good: and your Power of doing Good is your Debt to do it; And if you do it not, you run into Debt even for that which is your Own.

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It would trouble me to doubt of any of your Zeal for that Religion, which You and the Laws profefs: Look where you will, you will never find any Conftituted of a more faving Wifdom than that is: But be pleased to bear in mind, That to appear for Religion, and not to appear against Vice, is in effect a Contradiction; and he that will not affert his Religion better than fo, is in the nearest hazard of losing it.

III. The third Pofition was this, That the Ifue of Judgment is Gods End. And this Confideration does most Effectually discover the Great Iniquity of PerVerting Judgment. We know that Chriftianity permits no Evil to be done, though foftned with the Iffue of never fo Good a Confequence: But much more inexcufable is the Evil, whofe Product is likewise evil; this is a Double Sin: And fo is every Iniquity interposed in the Adminftration of Juftice; it is a folemn Evil in the Act, and yet a Worfe in the EfP 2

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fect it produces. Ex. Gr. All Corruption

Or Falfhood in Evidence is a Solemn EVil; it is a great Affront to the God of Truth; efpecially confidering that God himfelf is called in to be Witness to the Affront: All Partiality of Verdicts is a Solemn Evil; it is a breach both of Truth and Truft, and an implicit Defiance of the Chriftian Faith, which is there plighted and pawn'd as a Pledge of Integrity : All Prevarication in Pleadings is a Solemn Evil; wherein Parts and Learning are imployed to elude Right, and Colour Frauds; which is no other than a Profane proftituting the Talents of God to the fervice of Mammon: Torturing the Laws to make them speak Contrary to the Intention of the Makers, is a Solemn Evil; It is the Extremeft Violation and Contempt of the Governing and Legiflative Power, which if not held Sacred one Point, it has no fecurity of being fo in Any All these are Solemn Deliberate Iniquity in the Act; And yet the

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