The child's portion, or, The unseen glory of the children of God asserted and…

4. To the Honoured Magistrates, and all such as have an Executive power in their hands. It is an observation of one, that nothing is more dangerous and disgraceful than to suffer Laws to lie by unprofitable, for want of Execution. the best Laws, if only promulgated and not pursued, will not promote a Reformation. Some indeed are of the mind, that it is good to have Laws as a Testimony of your dislike of such & such practices though never prosecuted against the breakers of them: But, besides that the violating of one •aw with impunity, will naturally embolden to a like violation of others, under the same presumption; such Laws will indeed be a witness, not for, but against a People, that they thought, and were in conscience persuaded it was their duty, but had not courage or zeal enough to put it in execution. There are many sins, some very crying; profane and scandalous Sabbath breaking, beastly drunkenness, desperate cursing and swearing, woeful and miserable idleness: There are good and wholesome Laws against those sins, let there be such a check and restraint laid upon them, that our streets may not be witness of them: If these do prevail, God hath said that the Land shall mourn for them: Great industry and zeal is needful here when sin is grown impudent; the ⟨p. 194⟩exerting of it will be your honour, and by doing these things, you shall verify the title God hath dignified you withal, that you are Shields of the Earth.

4. To the Honoured Magistrates, and all such as have an Executive power in their hands. It is an observation of one, that nothing is more dangerous and disgraceful than to suffer Laws to ly by unprofitable, for want of Execution. the best Laws, if only promulgated and not pursued, will not promote a Reformation. Some indeed are of the mind, that it is good to have Laws as a Testimony of your dislike of such & such practices though never prosecuted against the breakers of them: But, besides that the violating of one •aw with impunity, will naturally embolden to a like violation of others, under the same presumption; such Laws will indeed be a witness, not for, but against a People, that they thought, and were in conscience perswaded it was their duty, but had not courage or zeal enough to put it in execution. There are many sins, some very crying; profane and scandalous Sabbath breaking, beastly drunkenness, desperate cursing and swearing, woeful and miserable idleness: There are good and wholsome Laws against those sins, let there be such a check and restraint laid upon them, that our streets may not be witness of them: If these do prevail, God hath said that the Land shall mourn for them: Great industry and zeal is needful here when sin is grown impudent; the