they had him they would not receiue him but many of them despised him And thus they dealt with the Lord many times before and after this They desire deliuerance out of Egypt and when they are deliuered they desire to returne thither againe They desire Manna from heauen when they were in the wildernesse when they had it being sweete and heauenly food they loathed it and made light account of it They desire to turne out of Babilon into their owne countrey when their returne is graunted a great part of them refuse to returne So in this place how importunate and eager are they with the Lord to haue a King but when hee was annoynted and chosen King some wicked men said How shall he saue vs so they despised him and brought him no presents How can such people be pleased being fickle wauering and changeable misliking the best gouernment that is yea such as the Lord himselfe alloweth and appointeth and such as they themselues sometimes haue liked and desired But yet it is sayd that many of those people shouted sayd God saue the King And when Saul went home to Gibiah there followed him a band of men whose heart God had touched Againe it may be obiected how is God the Author of the calling and authority of Kings how doe they sit in his throne When many of them are most wicked in life and vniust and corrupt in gouerning when all things are full of confusion and disorder but we are to looke to the good wee haue of gouernment And wee are to know that both bad Gouernours and corruptions in gouernement the sinnes are not of God but from themselues God doth neyther allow nor commaund them but forbid and detest them And yet there is some profit in bad Magistrates Many good lawes and some forme of iustice amongst them Wicked Gouernours are as plagues punishments for the sinnes of the people Because when they are good we receiue not that goodnesse at the hand of God thankefully submitting our selues to his lawes and ordinances but abuse the goodnesse of God to our sinfull and beastly lusts Therefore doeth God make a scourge of them and turne them to wilde beasts contrary to the nature of their names euen to Lions Beares Foxes and vncleane Swine to auenge himselfe of our vnnaturall blinde vnkindnesse and of our rebellious disobedience So he turneth the fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednes of them that dwell therein Let vs not take the staffe by the end to seeke to auenge our selues of his rod which is the euill rulers The childe as long as he seeketh to auenge himselfe of the rod hath an euill heart for he thinketh not that the correction is right or that hee hath deserued it neither repenteth but reioyceth in his wickednes and so long shall hee neuer bee without a rod yea so long shall the rod bee made sharper and sharper If he acknowledge his faulte and take the correction meekely and kisse the rod and amend with the learning and nurture of his father and mother then the rod is taken away So if we resist euill Rulers seeking to set our selues at libertie we shall no doubt bring our selues into more cruell bondage and wrappe our selues into much more miserie wretchednes For if the heads is ouercome they will make their yoakes sorer If the people ouercome the Rulers then make they away for a more cruell nation which hath no right to the Crowne If wee submit our selues to the chastening of God and meekely acknowledge our sins for the which we are scourged and kisse the rod amend our liues Then God will take the rod away that is he will giue the Rulers a better heart or if they continue their malice and persecute thee for well doing hee will deliuer thee out of their tyrannie When Israel sinned against GOD hee gaue them vp to one Tyrant or other when they repented hee sent them deliuerance A Christian man in respect of God is but a passiue thing a thing that suffereth onely and doeth nought as the sicke in respect of the Chirurgion or Phisition doth suffer onely The Chirurgion slancheth cutteth out the dead flesh searcheth the wounds thrusteth in tents burneth seweth stitcheth and putteth corasiues to draw out the corruption and last of all layeth too healing playsters and maketh whole The Phisition giueth purgations and drinks to driue out the disease and then with restoratiues bringeth health Now if the sicke resist the razor or searching yron doth he not resiste his owne health and is the cause of his owne death So likewise is it of vs if we resist euill rulers which are the rods and scourges wherewith God chastiseth vs the instruments wherewith God doth search our wounds and bitter drinkes to driue out sinne and corasiues to draw out by the roote the coare of the poxe of the soule that fretteth inward Thus a Christian receiueth all things at the hands of God both good and bad both sweete and sower both wealth and woe and he doth take good Princes as a speciall belssing and bad Princes as a iust iudgement sent for sinne But it will bee obiected That the Lord sayth of some Rulers that they raigned not by him They haue set vp a King saith hee but not by me they haue made Princes and I knew it not The meaning is that the people of Israel had set vp Ieroboam by whom they sought their owne liberty as many Tyrants do not respect Gods worde or will but their owne lusts and affections But wee must distinguish the office from the person and wee must know that men do abuse good things through their owne corruption And therfore whatsoeuer is good in gouernment is from God and hee doth vse the Diuell as plagues and punishments for the sinnes of the people It is sayd by Daniel that God changeth the times and seasons He taketh away Kings and setteth vp Kings And Daniel saith thus to the proud King Nebucadnezer O King thou art a King of Kings and the God of heauen hath giuen thee a Kingdome power strength and glorie And when Pilate sayde to Christ Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee haue power to loose thee Iesus answered Thou couldest not haue power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue But it may bee yet obiected That the authoritie and office of Kings is not of diuine institution Seeing Saint Peter calleth it an ordinance of man and that place is abused by the Pope to the disgracing of Christian Princes The meaning is not that the power of Princes and Magistrates is onely a deuise of man and onely from man But as one saith Est ordinatio diuina secundum substantium ordinatio humana secundum modum ac finum It is a diuine ordinance in respect of the substance and it is humane in respect of the manner and end The office and power of the King is from God The
age against the true ministers of the Gospell Againe this woman accounteth it the chiefe happinesse in earth to heare true wisedome we preferre euery profit before it wee speake and thinke basely of it we haue neither true desire nor delight to be exercised in it either publikely or priuately we esteeme too much of follie we haue no true resolution to hazard life or goods for this wisedome nay we deface and discredit it by our bad liues and therefore we doe not truely loue it nor make it our ioy or happines and therefore this woman shall rise in iudgement against vs and her example doth make much to our shame and condemnation Finally this woman was with Salomon but some short time she could not stay long hauing a kingdome it may be she stayed some fewe weekes or monethes and in so short time she is called and conuerted by the force and power of Salomons wisedome we haue had a long time a greater wisedome then Salomons and yet it hath had no such power for the good and conuersion of many and let vs here set downe our rest a little The word of the Lord is mightie through God to cast downe holdes casting downe the imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into Captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ It is able to conuert soules and to redresse the waies of young men be they neuer so leaude wilde or wanton This wisedome is of that power if it enter into thy heart and delight thy soule that it will preserue thee from the waies of wicked men and women It is a preseruatiue against all sinne It is compared to a hammer and to a fire which are of great force by the hammer and fire the smith buckles and bends the hard yron to his vse and purpose and is not the hammer of Gods word able to bruise and buckle breake our stonie and hard hearts the fire hath power to enflame to consume to purge and shall not the fire of Gods word be as powerfull to kindle zeale in our hearts to consume sinne and to purifie and clense vs within This word is compared to a shaft or an arrowe which striketh and entreth deepely and is not the word able to strike our hearts and to pearce them through It is compared to raine which sinketh and soaketh into the earth and softneth the hard ground and shall not so many sweet showers and deawes from heauen enter into our hearts soften them and make them fruitfull in grace finally it is the power of God to saluation and sharper then any two edged sword and can it not wound vs and cut downe out sinnes the enemies of our soule The Apostle saith That such is the power of prophecying that it is able to conuert an Infidell there hath beene great power of naturall philosophie in drawing men from the hatred of sinne to the loue of vertue A Philosopher could say when he saw a vitious man that he himselfe had beene as bad if he had not giuen himselfe to the studie of Philosophie And shall not the profession studie and preaching of heauenly wisedome be of greater power to vs there is an example of one Polemon of Athens a wild and Luxurious young man delighting and reioycing in infami◠like some of the swaggering youths of our daies this young man spending a whole night in drinking and wantonnes after the Sunne rising returning home from his riotousnes he entred into the schoole of Xenocrates the Philosopher not to learne but to laugh and deride him The Philosopher omitting the matter he was intreating of began to speake of modestie and temperance and he did it with such grauitie and authoritie that he so moued the young man that he shewed open signes of sorrowe and repentance and after forsooke his luxurious life A worthy example to the shame condemnation of many both old and young in our age which heare daily many worthy sermons full of grace and power and yet they are impudent desperate gracelesse and hard harted nothing can moue them to sorrowe and humiliation for their sinnes If such be the power of naturall Philosophie farre greater is the power of heauenly wisdome As one doth most soundly and truly describe it Onely the heauenly doctrine saith hee the which alone is wisedome bringeth to passe those things which the Philosophers were neuer able to doe The commandemēts of God because they are sincere and pure of how great force they are in the hearts of men daily experience doth shew it Bring me a man inclined to anger ill tongued vnruly and rash with a few of Gods words I wil make him as quiet as a lambe Bring me a couetous person a greedie scraper and a niggard hence forth will I make him liberall Bring me one that is fearefull of death and of paine straightway he will despise both gallous and fire and dangers yea the torments of the Brazen Bull Bring me him that is a leacher an adulterer a ruffion and a rioter henceforth shalt thou see him sober chaste and continent Bring me a cruell person one that thirsteth after blood soone shal that furie be changed into clemencie and mercy Bring me an vniust man vnwise sinfull he shall straitway be iust wise innocent harmelesse so great is the might of godly wisdome that being powred into the hart of men it will at once euen at one push expell and driue out foolishnes Hath euer yet hitherto any of the Philosophers performed these things Or if he were willing were he able to doe it who when they haue spent their whole time in the studie of Philosophie yet neuerthelesse are not able if nature doe a little withstand it to make themselues or any others the better therewith Their wisedome therefore how much soeuer it can doe yet doth it not roote out vices but hide them but a fewe of Gods commandements doe so throughly and wholy change man and so make him new that thou canst not knowe him to be the same man he was The meaning of this worthy man is that the wisedome of the word excelleth infinitely the wisedome of nature be it neuer so absolute And howsoeuer Philosophers sometimes might make some men ashamed of their vices and to forsake them yet they could neuer throughly conuert any because they could not teach them true religion and the feare of God which is the beginning of all true wisedome Many examples we haue of the power of Gods word in the calling and conuerting of mens soules By this both this woman and the Niniuites were conuerted Peter preaching euen to those Iewes that crucified Christ their hearts were pricked and they said Men and brethren what shall we doe And by that sermon he wonne three thousand soules to God Oh the mightie power of the word if the Lord lay his helping hand to it Paul preached to Lidea she gaue attendance to Pauls preaching the Lord
Preacher with compassion of minde He hath learned to speake truely that hath first learned to doe well And then doth the seede of the word bring forth fruite when the pietie of the Preacher doeth water it in the breast of the hearers Wee must first bee cleansed our selues and so cleanse others wee must first be wise and so make others wise we must first bee made lighte and so lighten others wee must first come to God our selues and so bring others to God wee must first be sanctified so sanctify others This law is layde vpon the Preachers that they lighten them by liuing which they are carefull to perswade by speaking For the authoritie and power of speaking is lost when the voyce is not helped by worke No man can stand in the valley and speake from the mount Where thou standest from thence speake and from whence thou speakest there stande If thy minde bee in the earth how doest thou speake from heauen be in heauen if thou speake from heauen If thou wilt not doe righteousnesse why doest thou make thy selfe a teacher of righteousnes why doest thou call thy selfe a maister of that whereof thy selfe will be no scholler nor Disciple Finally there be three kindes of negligent Prelates Some who liue well and suffer their people to liue ill Some who liue ill compell their people to liue well Some who liue ill will haue their people to liue ill Those which liue wel suffer their people to liue ill they goe before them in example but they doe sinne because they reproue not their errors Though they liue well yet they must of necessitie giue account of the flocke committed to them to the Lord of the flocke Those which liue ill and compell their people to liue well They do call those that goe astray but they kill those which are rightly strong They call by words they kill by examples Of the third sorte we are not to speak at all But though this be true that the sinnes of Preachers and professors bee thus offensiue to other and hurtfull to themselues yet neyther preaching nor profession is to be cast off or condemned Phisitions oftentimes liue contrary to their owne rules and Lawyers liue lawlesse And yet both Phisicke and Law is good A warrant from the King is not to bee despised though the Officer bee naught In all professions and callings some are good and some bad The callings are not to bee condemned because of the badnesse of them which are in them All fleshe is grasse and the glorie thereof like the flower of the fielde All men are subiect to sinne and error but the word of the Lord abideth for euer It is pure holy iuste and good though those which professe and teach it be neuer so bad Gold is not the worse though a Thiefe handle it no more is the word of the Lord which is more pure then gold being seuen times tried in the fire though wicked men professe and teach it This is the counsell of our Sauiour Christ saying The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses seate all therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes do not Excellently saith one vpon that place he that doth euill doth iniurie to the seate Sitting in iudgement if thou liue well and teach well thou shalt be iudge of all If thou liue ill and teach well thou shalt be iudge of thy selfe onely for by teaching well thou doest teach thy people how they ought to liue but by liuing ill thou dost teach God how he ought to condemne thee If they liue well meaning the preachers it is their gaine If they teach well it is your gaine speaking to the people Take that therefore which is yours and trouble not your selues about that which is an other mans for often there proceedeth good doctrine from an euill man euen as the vile earth bringeth forth precious gold Is that precious gold contemned because the earth is vile and base euen therefore as the gold is chosen and the earth is left so receiue you the doctrine and leaue the manners Let vs receiue the doctrine not the maners Hearbes are not necessarie for Bees but flowers so gather you the flowers of doctrine and leaue the conuersation Augustine speaking of this example of Salomon saith thus If Salomon be reiected of God why are his writings of such authoritie in the Church that wee may know saith he that the words of God are not therefore true because they were spoken by Salomon but because they proceeded from God by Salomon whatsoeuer therefore he wrote well it must be ascribed to God and as for his sin it must be left to himselfe The same may be said of Balaam who though he was an euill man yet he deliuered good and wholesome Oracles Dauid sinned grieuously yet his Psalmes are most blessed diuine sacred ful of sweet comforts and instructions to be imbraced beleeued reuerenced and practised of all good men Peter his fall was most greeuous in denying his maister yet his sermons his doctrine and writings are in no case to be reiected but to be receiued and followed of all Christians as holy and canonicall scripture inspired by the holy Ghost Thus the falls of the Saints are abused sundrie waies some men doe excuse all their faults some by them take occasion to disgrace and discredit the Saints and some take occasion thereby to practise the like sinnes in themselues but these are all deceiued and doe erre foulely For they are not written to any such purpose but rather that we may learne and see the corruption of all men by nature and that we may know the Saints were but men and therefore not to trust in them but in God And this vse doth one make of this example of Salomon that God suffered him to erre least we should erre Many things are written specially in the Psalmes of Christ in the person of Salomon Now we might take those things to be spoken altogether of Salomon himselfe but that we see he hath so grieuously fallen whereupon we are constrained to passe those excellent Oracles from Salomon to the Messias for seeing we are admonished in the scriptures that Christ knew no sinne and we see that Salomon sinned so hainously we may vnderstand thereby that Salomon was not the Messias And by such examples the mercy of God is made manifest to repenting sinners And they may gather comfort from thence that if they haue the like repentance they shall haue the like fauour mercy And therefore saith one I consider Peeter I cōsider the theefe vpon the crosse I looke vpon Zacheus and I see nothing else in them but examples set before our eies of hope and repentance By these examples also we are stirred vp to humilitie and watchfulnes to worke our saluation with feare and trembling and vpon view of these things let him that standeth take heed least he fall
maner of choosing and gouerning the common-wealth is in many things humane and the end is for the good and preseruation of man and so are lawfull Pastors though their calling be diuine yet they are chosen approued and ordeined for the benefite of men And thus the Apostle defineth a High Prieste To bee taken from among men and is ordeyned for men in things perteyning to God And so is a King taken from among men ordeyned for men in things pertayning both to God men That is for the good both of the Church and Common-wealth As for the Popes office and vsurped supremacie it is meerely humane nay it is diabolicall and against the examples and authoritie of holy Scripture Hee hath no true nor iust warrant from the Law Prophets Euangelists nor Apostolicall writings But of this it may be wee shall speake more hereafter It is sufficiently proued already and it shall appeare more plainely hereafter that the office and power of Princes is diuine sacred Now because some Kings are giuen of God to his people in loue and mercy and some in wrath iudgement Let them try themselues whether it may be sayd of them as it is sayde of Salomon in this place That God in loue to them and in loue to his people hath set them in his owne throne Let them know then that such a King as is giuen of God in loue is both qualified with gifts fit for his calling and will and must necessarily performe the duty of his place as this Queene testifieth of Salomon in the words following It is sayd of Dauid that as hee was chosen from the sheepe-folds to feede Gods people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel so hee fedde them according to the simplicitie of his heart and guided them by the discretion of his hands And it is sayde of him in another place that hee raigned ouer all ISRAEL and executed iudgement and iustice and hee himselfe protesteth that he gouerned his Court Church and Common-wealth according to the true rules of mercy and iudgement And it is sayde of Salomon that all Israel feared him for they saw that the wisedome of God was in him to doe iustice and to performe faithfully the duty of his place and calling A learned writer vpon that Psalme 78. sayeth God did choose Dauid to this end that hee should feed his people and therefore he fed them He chose Saul to afflict his people therefore he afflicted them For marke what the Lord sayd to the people that would needes haue a King hee threatneth them and giueth them that King in his wrath This sayth he shall be the manner of the King that shall raigne ouer you Hee will take your sonnes and appoynt them to his Chariots and to bee his horsemen and some shall runne before his Chariot Also hee will make them as Captaynes ouer thousands and Captaynes ouer fifties and to eare his ground and to reape his haruest and to make instruments of warre and the things that serue for his Chariots He will also take your daughters and make them Apothecaries and Cookes and Bakers And hee will take your fields and your vineyards and your best Oliue trees and giue them to his seruants And he will take the tenth of your seede and of your vineyards and giue it to his Eunuches and his seruants And he will take your men seruants and your maide seruants and the chiefe of your young men and your Asses and put them to his worke Hee will take the tenth of your sheepe and you shall be his seruants and you shall cry out at that day because of your King whom you haue chosen you and the Lord will not heare you at that day But it may be some will say May Kings thus oppresse the Common-wealth no they haue no such authoritie by their office But this King was sent in wrath from God to plague this people and therefore hee doth plague them Samuelthreatneth to that people the deminution of those liberties which the Israelites enioyed before vnder the Iudges He admonisheth them of the hard estate which was to ensue This was Gods doing in his iustice for the sinnes of the people For God is in heauen hee may doe whatsoeuer hee will his wayes are all iust and righteous But as for Kings they nâ—ay not doe what they list they are bound to the lawes of God to the lawes of charitie equitie and righteousnesse But those which are giuen in wrath they shall vexe and afflict the people Christ sayd to Peter Feede my sheepe It was sayd to Antichrist Deuoure destroy beate downe seduce the people because they receiue not the loue of truth that they might bee saued Therefore he destroyeth seduceth and deceiueth as many as hee can The Lord threatneth in Zacharie I will raise vp a shepheard in the Land which shall not looke for the thing which is lost nor seeke the tender lambes nor heale that which is hurt nor feede that which standeth vp he shall eate the flesh of the fat and teare their clawes in peeces Our Sauiour Christ sayth That a thiefe commeth to steale kill and destroy So that by their deedes practises and fruites both of Princes and Ministers it may bee easily gathered whether they bee sent to a people in loue or wrath But of the dutie of such Gouernours as are giuen in loue wee shall speake hereafter Now as the dignitie of Kings appeareth in that their calling is so diuine and from God himselfe so in this also that they are in his place and throne and haue so many honourable titles giuen vnto them in the Scripture They are called nurcing fathers and mothers shepheards of the people leaders keepers helpers Gouernours yea in some sense Sauiours and God doth giue them his owne name counting them gods not by nature for so they are men like other men borne and conceiued as other and shall dye like men But they are gods by office they are the Vicegerents and Images of God This is a great honour great excellencie and dignitie to be admired and reuerenced of all men Yet let mee admonish you that the same or the like titles and dignities may be applyed to the faithfull Ministers of God though they be accounted and taken by most men as vile base contemptible and the very off-scourings of the world And many which doe magnifie and almost adore great persons Gouernours and Magistrates it may bee for feare â—latterie fauour and lucer euen these doe vilâ—sie scorne contemne and disgrace the calling of the Ministers as much as they can But let them know that there is some likenes and affinitie betwixt the calling of a Magistrate and the calling of the Minister As good Princes are the blessings of God so are good ministers as we haue heard before when wee intreated of true wisedome As the calling of the Magistrate is sacred and diuine so is the calling of the Minister it is the holy Ghost that
all that iudge the world â—ong men maids old men children let them praise the Lord his Name is onely to bee exalted and his praise aboue the earth the heauens Dauid before his death chargeth his son Salomon to walke in the Waies of God and to keepe his Statutes that so he might prosper in that he tooke in hand Princes we heard are fathers of the Country of the Church Common-wealth Now the Apostle exhorts fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of the Lord. Dauid Prepared a place for the Arke of God and pitched for it a Tent and gathered all Israel together to Ierusalem to bring vp the Arke of Gâ—d to his place which he had ordained for it so he they brought it with great ioy Salomon after he had built a famous house for God Hee blessed the people hee praiseth the Lord hee prayeth to God for those that should pray in the Temple Asah destroyeth Idolatry and commandeth his people to serue the true God and they made a couenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soule and whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shall be slaine whether hee be great or small man or woman they sware vnto the Lord with a loud voyce and all Iuda reioyced at the oath Iehoshaphat he walked in the waies of his father Dauid sought the Lord God of his fathers and walked in his CoÌ„mandements and tooke away Idolatry and sent forth Teachers with the book of the Law of the Lord who went about through the Citties of Iudah taught the people In time of distresse he prayed vnto the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and humbled his soule and asked counsell of the Lord. Hezekiah repaireth the Temple aduertiseth the Leuits of the corruption of Religion the King and his Princes sacrifice ian the Temple he coÌ„mandeth the Passe-ouer to be kâ—pt exhorteth his people to returne to the Lord. Good Iosiah destroyeth Idâ—lâ— repaireth the Temple took away all the abhominationâ— out of all the countries that pertaine to the children of Israel compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God Nehemiah reproueth and reformeth the prophanation of the Sabboath The Lord stirred vp Cyrus King of Persia to build him an house in Ierusalem And see the zeale of that King in furthering the building of that house Nebuchadnezzar maketh a decree that euery People Nation and Language which speake any blasphemy against the God of Shadrach Meshech and Abednego should be drawne in â—â—eces their houses should bee mâ—de a Iâ—kes because there is no God that can delâ—â—â—r after this sort Darius maketh a Decree that in all the Deminions of his Kingdome men tremble and feare before the God of Daniel for hee is the liuing God and remaineth for euer The King of Niniue after hee heard the Preaching of Ionah hee beleeued God hee proclaimed a fast and commanded his Subiects to cry mightily vnto God and to turne from their euill way Thus wee see by all these examples that good Princes are to haue a care of Religion both in themselues and others And here is a further blessing of a good King that wee haue not onely by his meanes iustice peace and ciuill honesty protection of body and goods but also true Religion and the worship of the true God and the Gospell of Christ commanded and enioyned and established amongst vs by many good Lawes and Statutes Now for a conclusion of the duties of good Gouernours let them remember these counsels directions and examples A worthy King by his last will gaue this aduise to his son and successour saying Be deuout in the seriuce of God bee in heart pittifull charitable to the poore comfort theÌ„ with thy good deeds keep the good Lawes of the Realme take no Subsidies nor releise of thy Subiects but vpon vrgent necessity for to profite the Common-wealth vpon iust cause voluntarily Iulius Pollux Gouern or of the Emperour Commodus in his youth giueth him these titles calling him Father of the people Gentle Louing Merciful Wise Iust courteous Couragious despising Mony not subiect to Passion but commanding ouer himselfe ouercomming Lust vsing reason quick of coÌ„ceit Sober Religious carefull for his Subiects Constant no deceiuer adorned with Authority ready in his affaires prouided to doe well slow to reuenge Affable gracious in speech open-hearted a louer of the vertuous desirous of peace valiant in warre an example of good manners to his subiects a maker of good lawes and an obseruer of the same There was a worthy Table as is recorded found at Thebes by Marcus Aurelius and at his death giuen to his sonne as a precious Iewell conteining these protestations and sentences following I neuer exalted the proud rich man neither hated the poore that was iust I neuer denied iustice to the poore for his pouerty neither pardoned the wealthy for his riches I neuer benefited nor gaue reward for affection nor punished for passion onely I neuer suffered euill to escape vnpunished neither goodnesse vn-rewarded I neuer committed the execution of manifest iustice to another neither determined that which was difficult by my selfe alone I neuer denied Iustice to him that asked it neither Mercy to him that deserued it I neuer punished in anger nor promised benefite in mirth I was neuer carelesse in prosperity neither faint-hearted in aduersity I neuer did euill vpon mallice nor commited villany for couetousnesse I neuer opened my gate to the flatterer nor gaue care to the backe-biter I alwayes sought to be loued of the good and feared of the wicked Lastly I alwayes fauoured the poore that were able to doe little and God who was able to do much fauoured me A mirrour for Magistrates a patterne for Princes and happy are they that in the end of their gouernement can truely say thus at least let Gouernours striue and endeuour to the vtmost of their power to learne and practise these lessons and to performe all other duties of their callings And thus we haue heard the chiefe and principall doctrines concerning the Magistrate as the necessity authority and dignity and duty of their callings This doctrine is necessaâ—y and profitable often to bee vrged and serueth for many good vses By this the Magistrate may be encouraged and comforted in the execution of all the parts of his calling hauing his allowance and warrant from God By this hee is stirred vp and prouoked to zeale and religion and holinesse of life seeing hee carrieth vpon him the name the place and Image of God By this doctrine he may see the greatnesse the difficulty and the heauy burden of his calling which may bee a cause sufficient to humble him in the sight of God and men In consideration wherof he may say with the Apostle who is sufficient for these things And let him pray with