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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45330	The beauty of magistracy in an exposition of the 82 Psalm, where is set forth the necessity, utility, dignity, duty, and mortality of magistrates : here many other texts of Scripture occasionally are cleared, many quæries and cases of conscience about the magistrates power, are resolved, many anabaptistical cavils are confuted, and many seasonable observations containing many other heads of divinity, are raised : together with references to such authors as clear any point more fully / by Thomas Hall ... ; with an additional sermon on verse 6, by George Swinnock.	Hall, Thomas, 1610-1665.; Swinnock, George, 1627-1673. Men are gods.	1660 (1660)	Wing H427; ESTC R18061	228,882	316

you are dross or gold look that the rule by which you walk be right even the Word of God for by that you shall be judged for your eternal life or death Iohn 12. 36. Ah how exactly shouldst thou live that must be tryed for thine endless estate by so strict a law How diligently shouldst thou keep thy heart knowing that God will judge the secrets of thy heart Rom. 2. 16. How carefully shouldst thou keep the door of thy lips considering that of every not only swearing or cursing but idle word which thou shalt speak thou shalt give an account at the day of Christ Matth. 12. 35. How wary shouldst thou be in all thy deeds believing that thou shalt appear at the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account of every thing done in the body of flesh whether it be good or whether it be evil 2 Cor. 5. 10. So thi●k so speak so act as one that must be judged for all at the great day of Christ. This may likewise incite you to work as Gods amongst men because at that day Christ will come and his reward will be with him to give to every one according to his works Rev. 22. 12. Your actions now are seed if ye would reap liberally on that great harvest day ye must sow liberally in this see-time Christ will then demand how ye improved the many advantages and opportunities which he put into your hands for the magnifying his Name countenancing his people propagating his Gospel punishing his enemies and discouraging the workers of iniquitie He will ask you why at such a time when you knew his Name was blasphemed his Day was prophaned his Ministers and Ordinances were trampled upon you never stirred or were zealous for their vindication you thought it was good sleeping in a whole skin you were loth to offend your neighbours or you were unwilling to get the ill will of great ones that under pretence of love to all the people of God would have his blasphemous adversaries spared nay encouraged See whether that Jesuitical tenent That Magistrates must only be second-table men that they have nothing do in matters of Religion will hold water at that day O how exceedingly will such be ashamed of it then who now own it in their principles and practices possibly thou art one of that Heathen Gallio's Disciples that would meddle in matters of wrong but ●it still in matters of Religion Acts 18. 14 17. Gallio cared for none of those things I must tell thee thou art like then to find Hell hot for thy being so cold in the cause of the blessed and glorious God O think of that day and let it move thee to a faithful zealous discharge of thy duty Zaleucus Locrensis in his proeme to his laws hath these words Let this be often pressed upon men that there are Gods and that an account must be given to them of mens actions Consider the day of the Lord is coming and who may abide it In a word Hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man For God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be e●il Eccles. 12. 13 14. FINIS A TABLE Of the chiefest things contained in this Treatise of Psal. 82. ANabaptists enimies to Magistrates p. 18 19. 212 Antitrinitarians confuted p. 10 Anarchy dangerous p. 46 Arise God will for his people p. 174 B. Beasts wicked men are such p. 122 Bow to Magistrates p. 41 Bribery base p. 89 118 204 C. Clemency becomes Magistrates p. 73 74 Children of God their priviledges p. 158 Conscience good is a great blessing p. 167 Consideration how necessary p. 135 Consolation for Magistrates p. 33 34 35 Courage requisite in a Magistrate p. 115 D. Darkness how dismal p. 138 Death all liable to it p. 160 162. Great ones must oft think on it p. 165 Devil why called a God p. 9. E. Elohim what it signifies p. 6 7 Enemies to Magistrates punisht by God p. 20 35 209 Erastus condemned p. 71 Examples of great men powerfull p. 97. And Epist Dedicat. Mans Ex●remity Gods opportunity p. 174. 175 F. Fatherless must be pittied p. 109 110 Fifth-Monarch-men dangerous p. 17 18 Flatterer●s take heed of them p. 68 70 71 G. God how many ways that Title is used p. 6 7 God is present amongst Rulers p. 87. He 's Almighty p. 10 11. The most High p. 150 151. The Iudge of all p. 286. To be feared p. 156 Godly are not Rebellious p. 43 Good things need pressing on us p. 119 Great men seldom good p. 99 110 H. Hereti●ks must be punisht p. 80 I. Independency dangerous in Magistracy p. 11 Ignorance how vile p. 132 Injustice a crying sin p. 100 Inquiry must go before sentence p. 83 84 Iustice how great a blessing p. 111 138. A sevenfold manner of doing it aright p. 112 c. K. Kings must rule by Law 69 84. They must see to Religion 76 77 L. Lament the loss of good men p. 65 Laws how needful p. 84 85 198. How they binde the Conscience p. 41. Going to Law lawful p. 91 92. Liberty abused p. 21 Light pleasant p. 138 M. Magistrates why called Gods p. 7 8 142 192. Cavils against Magistrates answered p. 21 22 c. 214. 'T is a great mercy to have them p. 22 35 36 37 38. 〈◊〉 that in Gospel times p. 27. They must love their people p. 50 51 Magistracy is Gods Ordinance p. 12 13. Seven Reasons t● prove it 14 15 32. No man may assume that Office without a call p. 32 33. 'T is an honourable calling p. 49 5● Proved by one and twenty Titles of honour given to it p. 49 195. They must not dishonour their honourable calling p. 71 72. How they must imitate God in nine particulars p. 73. They have their Commission from God p. 148 149 193 194 205. They are the Sens of God p. 157. They must dye p. 160 Ministers and Magistrates must assist each other p. 55. 82. and in the Epistle Dedicatory Ministers may not be Magistrates p. 56 57 N. The Nations are Gods Inheritance p. 187 Necessity of Magistracy p. 213 O. Old T●stament Gods Word p. 148 P. Papists rob Magistrates of their power p. 16 17. Partiality cond●mned p 101 114 200 201 Patience required in Magistrates p. 75 Poor must be pitied p. 109 121 Perseverance in wickedness dangerous p. 137 Pr●y for Magistrates p. 40 Prayer awakens God p. 175. How it must be qualified that it may awaken him p. 176. Three sins to be shunned especially which mar our Prayers p. 177. It must be fervent p. 178. How excellent an Helper p. 182 c. It turns five K●ys p. 184 185. The misery of such as cannot pray 180 Prefaces when they may be used p. 9 Publique spirits become Magistrates p. 85 Pusillanimity condemned p. 116 Q. Qu●kers their baseness p. 19 20

hath no shadow to refresh but is full of prickles good for nothing but to stop gaps and after to be burnt which desires to Tyrannize over people Iudges 9. 8 to 16. Good men are modest they know Honours are Burdens and they will not meddle with them till they be called to them They that are worthy must be sued to they are sooner found in retirement then in Popularity as Moses following I●thro's Flock Gideon in the Barn David at the Fold Saul hid amongst the Stuff ● Sam. 10. 22. and ● Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus was called from the Plough to be Dictator 4. This is matter of singular Consolation to Magistrates that since their Office is Gods Ordinance he will defend it against all the rage of men and Devils he is the God of Order and he 'l preserve it in despight of all its enemies As he calls his to Dignity so he 'l keep them in it Psal. 132. 17 18. Isa. 42. 6. 45. 13. as the Judgement is not yours but Gods so he 'l assist you in it against all Opposers be they never so great Ioshua 1. 5. 2 Chron. 19. 6. He that hath set the Crown upon your heads will keep it there if you uphold his Kingdom he 'l uphold yours if you be mind●ull of Gods work he will not be unmindfull of your reward Nehem. 13. 22. Isa. 38. 3. Keep Gods way and he 'l keep you as he did Moses Ioshua Hezek ah ●●i●h David Constantin● 〈◊〉 and others Though you meet with many troubles run many hazards and pass through many dangers and d●fficulties by reason of Atheists Idolaters Libertines and all the rable of Hell yet in six troubles the Lord wi●l be with you and in the seventh he will not leave you he 'l be your assistant in your labours your comforter in tentations your director in straits and your Oedipus in doubts he will subdue your people under you and incline their hearts to obedience Psal. 47. 3. 144. 10. he 'l give you Peace of Conscience in the faithfull discharge of your duty and a Crown of glory hereafter T is very necessary in these Tumultuous times for Magistrates to be well assured that their calling is from God it will wonderfully uphold their spirits in a time of trial When Luther had writ a Book in defence of the Civil Magistrate and proved it to be Gods Ordinance and very pleasing to him when Freder●ck Duke of Saxo●y had read it t is ●aid that for joy he lifted up his hands to Heaven and gave thanks to God that now he knew out of the Holy Scriptures that his calling was ordained of God and that with a good conscience he might now perform the duties of it T is an act of Dignation and not of Indigence that God makes use of any to be Instruments of conveying his blessing to others ho● agens liberrimum he can do his own work without us he needs us not T is a great honour that he is pleased to imploy us either in Magi●tra●y or Ministry when he hath once invested us in those offices and we discharge them faithfully he takes the despight that is done to us as done to himself ● Thess. 4. 8. When the Israelites rejected Samuel God comforts him with this they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me who set thee as a Judge over them and have gifted thee with graces for the faithfull discharge of thy office ● Sam. 8. 7. You are Gods more immediate Servants Ier. 27. 6. Rom. 13. 2. the dishonour that is done to you reflects upon your Master and if David so sharply revenged the abuse that was done to his Embassadors by the Amonites ● Sam. 10. 45. let not the Levelling Ammonites of our time who vilifie both Magistracy and Ministry think to escape unpunished ● Sam. 26. 9. Prov. 17. 11. 24. 21 22. Rom. 13. 2. Magistrates are called Fathers and he that cursed his Father was to die for it Lev. 20. 9. 5. Bless God for Magistracy Every day we should be praising him for this Ordinance that we can rise in Peace and rest in Peace Travail in Peace and come to Gods house in Peace and sit every man under his own Vine and Fig-tree in Peace all this and a thousand times more we enjoy by the means of Magistracy ● Kings 4. 25 Micah4 4. T is these Mordecays that bring Wealth and Peace to a People Hester 10. 3. Magistrates are the greatest Servants in the world they wake that we may sleep they labour that we may rest in Peace by them violence is supprest Justice executed Religion maintained and humane Societies preserved Psa. 72. per●otum 85. 10 11 12 13. These are or should be eyes to the blind legs to the lame terrors to the wicked Towers to the Righteous Fathers to the Fatherless Widows and oppressed Take away Government and what would Nations be but Dens of Devils and Cages of unclean Birds We see how wickedness abounds though we have Magistrates to restrain it but Oh the abominations that would be in the world if there were no Government What Idolatry Witchcraft Blasphemy Heresie Murder Theft Atheism Barbarism Routs and Riots Cruelty and Villany would overflow in all places When there was no King in Israel then every mans lust was a Law and they fell to Idolatry uncleanness and much wickedness as appears Iudges 17. 6. and 18. ult and 19. 1. hence the taking away of the Judge and the Prophet is reckoned as a sore judgement and the very inlet to Oppression and Confusion Isa. 3. 1. 2 5. 24. 1 2. Amos 2. 3. Hosea 10. 3. 13. 11. Amongst all those heavy curses which David calls for against his malitious enemies this is the first Let a wicked man Rule over him Psal. 109. 6. What 's an Army without a General a School without a Master a Family without a Governour or a Nation without Rulers they need no forreign force to destroy them they would soon destroy themselves Hab. 1. 13. 14. S●obaeus tells us of a Persian Law that after the death of their King every man had five dayes liberty to do what he pleased that by beholding the wickedness and disorder of those few dayes they might prize Government the better all their dayes after When Moses was absent but forty dayes in the Mount the Israelites presently worship a Calf In the Book of Iudges we read of the death of Ehud Gideon and their Governour and presently the people change their Gods and did evil in the sight of the Lord to their own destruction Iudges 2. 19 20. 4. 2. 8. 33. Take Government out of the world and then take the Sun out of the Firmament and leave it no more a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beautiful structure but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a confused heap without this men would be like Ismael wild men every mans hand would be against his Brother

Judgement for one special end of that great day is Iudicare non judicata male judicata To punish those sinners wh●ch have escaped unpunisht here and to rectifie the unrighteous judgements of the world This made a wicked Judge on his death-bed to weep and being asked why To think said he that I who have Judged others am going now to be judged my self As Masters on earth must remember that they have a Master in Heaven Co●os 4. 1. so Judges on earth must remember that they also have a Judge in Heaven to whom they must shortly give an account Let Judges then remember that excellent counsel of I●hosoph 〈◊〉 to his Judges 2. Ch●● 19. 6 7 Take heed what ye do for ye judge not for men but for the Lord wh● is with you in the judgem●ent 1. Here is a duty enjoyned and that is Circum spection and accurate walking take heed what you do which is again repeated here is caution upon caution ver 7. to make the deeper impression in them q. d. the execution of Justice is curious work you had need therefore of open eyes steady hands and upright hearts 2. Here is the Means to attain this let the fear of God be upon you ver 7. He that fears not God will little regard the distresses of men Luke 18. 4. and will make but a sorry defender of such as do fear him whereas he that truly fears God dares not wrong man Gen. 42. 18. Nebem 5. 15. Piety advanceth Magistracy t is the Honour of their Honours as we see in Constantine the Great and therefore t is made a chief Qualification of a Magistrate that he be one that fears God Exod. 18. 21. 2 Sam 23. 3● and keeps his Commandments Ioshus 1. 8. Psal. 2. 10 11 12. The lives of Rulers are the Looking-glass by which Inferiors dress themselves and the Rule by which they walk they had need therefore to see how they walk for such Magistrates usually such people This fear of the Lord is the foundation of all other Graces and where this is wanting all is wanting all vertues without this are but empty shels shews shadows 2. They must not respect persons in judgement Prov. 18. 5. be they old or young Rich or Poor Citizens or Strangers Christians or Heathens friends or foes he must not look at the Greatness of their persons but the Goodness of their cause As God respects not any outward thing in man to move him to do so and so so Rulers must resemble him Partiality staineth Justice and cuts in pieces the very Nerves of a State 3. Take no Gifts Bribes blind the eyes of the wise and make them to pervert judgement Judges anciently were pictured without hands and without eyes 1. Without hands to note that Judges must not take gifts 2. Without eyes because they were to administer justice according to every mans cause without respect to any mans Relation whether friend or foe as Christ so those that rule under him must not judge by outward appearance but they must judge righteous judgement Isa. 11. 3. There are four great perverters of judgement viz. fear favour hatred Bribery this last is not the least of the four and therefore is so frequently condemned in Scripture Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 17. 16. 19. 27. 26. Iob 15. 34. Prov. 15. 27. 17. 23. 28. 21. 29. 4. Psal 26. 10. Isa. 5. 23. Amos 5. 12. Micah 3. 10. Acts 24. 26. They must imitate Moses and Samuel who cleared themselves from this sin Numb 16. 15. 1. Sam. 12. 3. For he that taketh a gift selleth himself and is bound to do somewhat for the bribe he hath received T is therefore made one note of a Citizen of Heaven that he despiseth bribes and takes no rewards to condemn the innocent Psal. 15. 5. Isa. 33. 15. There is no difference in Gods Dictionary between Bribery and Theevery Isa. 1. 23. There is little difference between Give ye and Deliver ye unless it be this that the one goes in chain of Gold when others lie in Fetters of Iron If any would see the Question stated how and when a man may take a gift let him peruse Rivet on Hosea 4. 19. p. 617. folio Brochmand C. Consc. 2. Vol. p. 5061. 4. Since we are backward to the best things Iehusaphat useth Motives to encourage and excite Judges to a careful and conscientious discharge of their duty 1. They Judge not for man i. e. not simply in the name and authority of men but for the Lord who is the Supream Ruler to whom they must account and therefore it greatly concerns them to take heed what they do Kings causes call for great care and consideration be that will manage them well must take ●eed what he doth 2. They must consider that God is with them which serves first for Caution if they do ill he is with them to punish them for though they be mighty yet God is Almighty and there is a greater then they Iob 33. 12. who stands in their Assemblies not as a bare Spectator but as a Witness Judge and Avenger of such as act unrighteously Iob 12. 18 19 21. 2. It serves for comfort he is with them to defend them if they do well The Devil throws his darts principally at them they destroy his Kingdom and therefore he useth all means to destroy them he saith to his Agents as Aram the King of Syria said to his followers 1 Kings 22. 32. Fight neither with small nor great but against the King of Israel for when the Commander is conquered the Souldiers fly 3. There is no iniquity in the Lord there is no injustice in him and therefore let there be none in you But of this see more Verse 2 3. of this Psalm How great then is the sin of those who are not afraid in the very eye of the Al-seeing God to favour wickedness and act unrighteously T is true they will formally and in words confess that they reign Dei gratiâ providentià Dei yet they are so blinded with their Pomp and infatuated with their Greatness that God is not in all their thoughts nor must He his Laws or People have any room amongst them These the Psalmist ●acitely reproves by telling them that God stands in their Assemblies and takes notice of all their ways Observation 9. The judgement of Iudges is the Lords judgement Deut. 1. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 6. they have their power from him Iohn 19. 11. and therefore such as stand before Judges are said to stand before the Lord because the judgement is his Deut. 19 17. yea though they be wicked men yet he judgeth amongst them though not always by consenting and approving of what they do for they oft err and do unjustly yet alwayes by observing and over-ruling their Counsels to his own praise and though they have Self-ends and Plots yet

1. They cannot help you 2. If they could yet they must die and then all their projects and purposes for themselves or for thee perish and come to nought and therefore trust not in them nor in any of the Sons of men for they are Vain yea Vanity yea lighter then Vanity Nothing yea if it be possible less then No●hing Psal. 62. 9. If you will trust in any trust in the Almighty for he never dies Psal. 18. 16 The Prophets they die and our Fathers do not live for ever I but the God of the Prophets and the God of our Fathers lives for ever Psal. 90. 1. When Father and Mother forsake thee he will take thee up when all thy friends are dead yet he is an everliving and an ever-loving friend who will guide thee with his Counsel till he bring thee to glory 3. This must teach great men who are in high places oft to think on death and judgement God no sooner tells us of their Maj●sty but he p●esently adds their Mortality to keep them humble in the midst of all their creature comforts The sight of this deaths head will damp all carnal delights and this Verse well thought on would make us look with a mortified eye on all earthly enjoyments Mortality is a very fit Meditation for Magistrates Francis Borgia a Spanish Courtier having been at the Funeral of the Empress and considering how little a grave had devoured all earthly greatness Totus mutatus est in melius He began to reform his life and became another man whereupon he told his friends Augustae mors mihi vitam attulir The death of the Empress hath brought me to life A serious consideration of Death will take off the scales from our eyes and make us see the vanity of all earthly glory how short and transitory it is and therefore when you find your hearts begin to be lifted up with the gay feathers of Honour Wit Wealth Beauty or any other fading excellency then cast your eyes upon the black feet of your mortality and it will humble you It is said of Hoshea the King of Sam●ria that he should vanish like a bubble the foam and froth of water Hos. 10. 7. we know bubble do soon arise and as soon vanish and as one bubble ariseth after another till all are gone so it is here How many Popes enjoyed not their Pomp a year Some were cut off at eleven moneths Some are at ten others at nine eight seven six five four three two one moneth Yea some enjoyed the Chair not moneths but dayes Leo the eleventh sate Pope but twenty seven dayes Pius the third twenty six dayes another twenty three a●other twenty yea Pope Vrbana the seventh was Pope but seven dayes and Pope Steven the second but four dayes Oh the madness of these Popes many of which gave their souls to the Devil for fading flying lying Vanities As Philip King of Macedon commanded his Page every morning when he arose to cry Philippe momento te esse mortalem Remember O King thou art but a mortal man So say I Memento te esse bullam Remember O ye great ones of the world that you are but bubbles which soon vanish I have read of Saint Austin that when he was at Rome and saw the rotten Carkass of Caesar in his Sepulchre he brake forth into this Pathetical exclamation Where O where is the famous body of Caesar where are his riches and delights where are his Troops of Lords and Barons where are his numerous Armies his Horses and his Hounds his Ivory Bed his Arras Hangings his Imperial Throne his change of Rayments his curious Hair his comely Face Where Oh where is He with all his Pomp that was once the Terror of the world The Answer was All these left him when his Breath left him they left him Captive in the Grave c. Commendable therefore was the practice of Maximilian the Emperor who some years before his death commanded his Coffin to be carried about with him that by the sight of it he might be put in mind of his mortality and of the account he must shortly give of the Empire and might be quickned in the mean time to a more diligent discharge of his duty This will be a corrosive to sin and a curb to keep you from exorbitant courses Great men many times are great Tyrants they make their lusts their Law and as the Donatists conceited that they could not erre though few erred more So there are State-Donatists that cry Quod statuimus justum est stat per ratione Voluntas What ever they decree must pass for just though it be never so unjust These forget their last ends as Ierusalem did before her ruine Lam. 1. 9. They remember not that they who sit on the Bench now must shortly come to the Bar. 2. Let it be a Spur to duty our time is short our work is great our Reward unspeakable Be active for God do much in a short time serve not nor seek your selves but serve God in your generation as David did Acts 13. 36. as you have your Places your Power your Gifts your Time and Talents from God so improve them all unto his praise Live the life of the righteous and you shall die their deaths Walk in their way and you shall attain their end Be Israelites indeed in whom there is no reigning guile and then when you come to die you may comforably say with Nehemiah and Hezekiah Remember me O my God for good and remember how I have walkt before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight Isa. 38. 3. Make it your daily exercise to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and man and then when you come to die this will be your rejoycing even the testimony of your consciences that in simplicity an godly sincerity you have had your conversation in the world Observation 3. Great men must certainly die as well as other ordinary men But doth any one question this it would seem so aud therefore the Lord who knows our hearts better then we know our selves hath set a Verily on it The Pomp Prosperity Peace and Pleasures of great men do so blind and harden them that they cannot awhile to think on death or if they do it is only sleightly and notionally they do not realize death and look on it as ready to arrest them if they did they would lead other lives then ●ow they do They are apt to put the evil day far from their soul ●nd 〈◊〉 it that they draw neer to the fea● of 〈◊〉 Amos 6. 3. They have made a 〈…〉 death and a bargain with hell hence 〈…〉 man eve●y man not only some of In●eriour rank but ●uperiors also Col Adam every Son of A●am and ●hat not only in his low condition but in the best and most prosperous condi●ion when in the heigth of