of a person in power making use of that present power to bring forth and establish the evil thoughts and base affections of his spirit which power if rightly administred would overthrow Tyrannie and oppression so that durante officio we owe obedience to him viz. his power though he act contrarie to the ends of it 3. We must examine whether that Tyrannie be not in the extravigant uses of a limited power bounded in by Oaths Laws Covenants and solemn Stipulatory acts contracted betwixt the Magistrate and the Subjects or no. If it be an abuse of such a power which he only hath received in trust and so liable to account for the mannagement of it he may be resisted by way of defence to prevent the utmost execution of his unguided will least he should destroy himself and them from whom and for whom he hath received his power so that they that act herein that examine and judge herein be men in just authoritie and if he prove incorrigible and irreducible to act according to his Legal and intrusted power he may be lyable to sentence and stripped of his power The conditions on which the Subject sets up a power and Authoritie over himself ought to be performed though to his slaverie and ruin as in the case of Saul but if the Subject doth faithfully perform his duty and the Magistrate fail and that wilfully in the performance of his conditionated dutie then the next subordinate Magistrates are bound by the Law of God and nature to defend those subjects from oppression and to require an account of the trust of the superiour Magistrates If the superiour Magistrate sin alone against God in the execution of his Office to God alone he is accountable but if he be a Magistrate entering upon his Government in trust and upon conditions he stands responsible to them to whom these conditions are made or to them whom they appoint to require examine and determine according to the trust reposed in him which must be by men noble and worthy invested with a true and rightfull power 4. A great cause of your rash condemnations and exclamations against this power as Tyrannical is from those unusual and extraordinarie impositions of Taxes But know that as a good Magistrate will not impose unnecessary burthens so the good subject will take heed of wronging his superior by calling that unjust and Tyrannicall unto which the common necessity compels him That which tends to the preservation of the whole is not Tyrannical though sometimes Irregular and that supream Authoritie cannot act illegally that hath power to alter abolish and constitute Laws When the Magistrate sees the whole in great danger nay when a subordinate Magistrat perceives a part in a desperate estate on a suddain it is then lawfull for him to proceed in the execution of his place against Law to use any means to that end and not to stay for the ordering of those means by Law till all be ruined so it is lawfull to infringe some of the Subjects Liberties to repair and maintain the rest of his Liberties I know such actions work much against the spirits of the wealthy and covetous Subject who mindes his own profit more then the publicks looks no further after the business of others then he can work into his own and therefore calls upon the Superiors for Justice Justice Protection Peace and the least Prevarication though it belongs not to him to censure will speedily open his mouth to cry out Oppression and Tyrannie But take heed while the Magistrate is Minister Dei pro tuo bono repine not at him seeking thy good condemn him not for such actions as Tyrannicall such acts living no longer then thy absolute necessity informs them 5. Admit that such actions have a relish of Tyrannie yet then a wiseman hath given advice That a dull humor in the Subject is better then a sharp and Patience better than a Sword To foster murmurings in the breast which are but preparations for Rebellion and a Civill Warre is very dangerous and our late experiences may teach and lead us to a patient suffering rather then an impatient repining which frequently precedes hazardous undertakings 6 And if the continuance of troubles be so great whether thorow the necessity of the publique or no that they become very difficult to bee born yet let us bear them as the servants of God did under those unreasonable and cruel Tyrants Nero Caligula c. and betake our selves to a solemn search and serious repentance for sinne the true cause of all those griefes in all relations and persons that so suffer and if we be sincere therein where in persons or estates we shall sinde plain and sufficient cause prevencing those troubles which in the best sence must be afflictions inflicted to prevent worse as we let blood to prevent bloody-fluxes Feavers and such more dangerous deseases as that faithfull Hystoriographer relates before that long and grievous perfecution of Dioclesian the failings of the Church were great Anno Christi 306. Cum nos prae nimia quadam licentiâ in mollitiem delicatam dissolutam segnitiem prolap si cum alij alijs invidere maledictis insectari prope nos ipsi inter nos petulantibus linguis tanquam mutuis armis impugnare c. Praesides ecclesiarum alter alterius vires infringere c. cumque ficta adumbrata pietatis species c. Then fell the Church into the sad time of travell under that cruell persecutor and hee by desolation put an end to the Churches divisions Our actions in Church affaires renders the English of it he that reads us will interpret that While then we groan under our calamities let us presse out some groans for sin let our complaints against Superiors be turned against our selvs let us water our chamber with teares for the divisions of the Church and for the Magistrates also that should resarcire Ecclesiam dilaceratam stand in the gap and make up our breaches To this penitence ad patience bear it because so justy deserved since wee have stretched forth the hand to fetch in and hasten these troubles upon our selves which carry upon them the legible characters of our sins Lam. 3.39 Wherfore doth a living man complayn a man for the punishment of his sins why complayn will that satisfy a provoked God or wil it affect the Magistrates Calumniando pejores fiunt Principes to wrong the Magistrates by our calumnies is to make the to wrong us to justify our calumnies Can vexatious and unquiet complaints affect God who delights to see us meek and our souls possest and kept with patience and to heare compassionate praiers poured forth for our oppressors instead of discontented repinings 7. Lastly Thou lookest upon such Tyrants and oppressors as thy very enemies thou art a private person hast no remedy left but to Petition for them to thy God and for thy self to them and this is thy holy duty For they
Malefactor All those exhortations of the Apostle to a patient running of the race to long suffering c. may be expunged as Apochryphal that cloud of witnesses may then vanish away as unneedfull to guide us All the Saints of God in the primitive daies when the Church was in her glorie as well as in her darkness understood not their Christian priviledges if this be true And the Gospell of Christ is yet imperfect which amongst the publications of all its glad tidings left unrecorded this immunitie purchased by his precious bloud And to what end should we have so rich a treasure of sacred promises of a Crown of glory Dominion Rest and Immortality of a Resurrection to Christ that shall judge the cause of his Saints and of pleasures at the right hand of God for ever made to the persecuted afflicted patient well-bearing Christian Why should we carve for our selves here on earth by resistance and victorie if we mean to enjoy our possessions and our losses returned a thousand fold over in heaven for enduring In a word if we had such a Gospel libertie or rather an Heathenish or Brutish licenciousness to resist under this notion all the Doctrine and Examples of Christ and his Apostles would be to none effect Object But it will be further enquired what if the Magistrate be Tyrannicall oppressive and unjust ought we then to obey him and pray for him Sol. To this we answer First If still this reflect on this present Government we shall answer by Negation Tyranny we know consists in the irregular illegal arbitrarie irrationall immoderate and by-ended exercise of power the end being to satisfie some private lust of his or their own that be in Authoritie as pride covetize luxurie revenge c. and not the common good Now both in the way of administration and in the portended ends of it rebus extantibus this supposed Tyranny to my apprehension breaks not out which appears upon these reasons which I submit to the ingenuous readers judgement 1 Because these I speak of them that sit at the Stern those underdeck may assume more liberty to themselves unknown to the chiefe-ruling Magistrate rule and govern by Law Tyrants love not inclosures to live and act in their Offices by prescript but to walk in Forrest paths themselves yet to have all things else submitted to their judgement regulated by their will their seales and countenances must determine cases dispose of lives and estates so that the subject must have no other Oracle then such a Magistrates mouth and the very Law lies locked up in his breast and if he stoope so farre as to ordain Lawes they are to be no boundary to a Tyrant but an hedg to his people in which there must be left such gapps and passages that he may act beyond beside them or else tread them downe at pleasure by vertue of a supereminent prerogative overtopping all Law and Reason Now this is apparent to any impartiall apprehension That such as chiefly rule in this present Government live not act not govern not thus they have embarqued themselves in the common Bottom with the subject yeeld up themselves and all theirs to the triall of the same Law by which the meanest subject is tried and if it be tyranny in this present exigence of time to tax onerate the subject with new Impositions I say if this be oppression they are then Tyrants and oppressors of themselves and their own friends and tenants being no wayes free themselves from them or any other burdens and how irrational this is to any wise man that men should advisedly oppresse themselves all may judge The conclusion is they act by Law live under that Law in equall capacity with the meanest which is no tyrannical Administracion And to this we may add that if any Law swel above the Liberty of the Subject or their priviledges they are ready to entertain any informacion or motion to correct or repeal where a correction will not suffice that Law and so likewise to enlarge any Law that may make for the happinesse and freedom of the subject in general this many can assure of them in power and all may know that this hath no shew of Tyranny 2 We must know that a Parliament being the Supream Authority of this Nation according to Mr. Pryn c. and including alone the Legislative power into whose hands by free and unanimous suffrage upon serious deliberation the people have committed their Liberties Lives and Estates I say they acting in Parliament upon the interest of the people and in reference to the common welfare according to their judgement to which all our National affaires are cōmitted cannot be said in reason or conscience to rule tyrannically over the people 3 As to their ENDS I am not able to reatch them but must leaue that to him for to judge whose nature and prerogatiue it is to search the hearts and try the reines to weigh mens actions to judg according to mens thoughts if their ends be evill corrupt GOD in time will finde them out blast their enterprises ouerthrow them in the makeing up their Ends When they have punished others God will take them into his own hands or create an unexpected scourge to punish them also But in the mean while this I can affirm of some chief Rulers that they minde the publique affaires more then their own and account it their being to be spent for the Common Good That they desire not revenge thirst not after bloud but could let tears fall upon the wounds of their enemies through patience and many speciall favours acted towards the Godly as yet dissenting from them they would therby make them their Debtors and if it were possible bring them into one Fellowship That they hate Bribes and in time it will be manifest that they will effectuallie promote and settle Religion in its puritie and unitie according to the word of God and religious policie according with the word of God and advance it likewise by all other externall means that may properly conduce to it And that through their means the multitude of Errors shall receive a total rout and Truth ride in triumph Of this we may assure our selves if we may credit their personal practises their affectionate and I hope sincere appeals to God both in private and publick their solemn promises and resolutions their appeales to man upon their appeals to God where in charitie I am bound to receive such thoughts of them that such are carried off from Tyrannical ends intentions Secondly But admit the worst subscribe to the clamour That they act Tyrannically endeavor to set up their own iuterests ends and factions yet that does not disoblige us from this our subjects dutie 1. If Heresie and Idolatrie are not sufficient grounds to dis-authorize and dis-office a Magistrate then Tyrannie and oppression me thinks should not De jure Disoblige a people from their Dutie 2. Tyrannie is an evill
hath an husdand is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth but if the husband be dead she is loosed from the law bond of her husband This is the nearest relation that can be in which there is a certain oneness and if on these terms the relations all the obligations are dissolvable then much more in relations more remote Again Secondly there is a change in man himself God is immutable he cannot he wil not disoblige any man from promises made to the stricter observance of his wil but man may if he that made the covenant or promise dissolve it it is dissolved I mean him to whom it was made and by whose power it was made the reason is good he sees no necessity of such an obligation to him and it being for his sake his safety honor c. and a but then to the obliged the one party may part with his own right to ease another Iuramentum promâ—ssorum quo aliquid promittitur homini tantum in ejus gratiam desinit obligare si ille cut factum est promissum vel remittat vel tâ—llat fundamentum illud quo nitebatur Ames Med. l. 2. c. 10. The stance of an Oath must be just and possible it is a sin to promise what is not good to be done or being promised cannot be done To promise any thing contrary to the minde of God is absolutely sinful from that God does immediatly disengage thee to promise that thou canst not do is by consequence a sin because thou dost it not Somtimes God disobliges us from the performance of our Promises when he blocks up our waies by his providence and will not let us perform them The Lord hath clearly appeared herein to us in his visions of providence wherein he hath not walked obscurely under second causes but above them and made his own armbare before us all and he himself stood in the way against the political ends of the Covenant litterally expressed in it though providences be not an assur'd justification of precedent actions yet the sucession of them that in a more then ordinarie way have a prophetical Declaration in them and in-minde us of the will of God de futuro that he will establish such a goverument whom he much owns and will make us that labors in it to understand that of Nebucadnezar Dan. 4.32 that the most c. To close this the main ends of the Covenant binds us more strongly to the performance of that which without a covenant we are bound to perform and to clear us before men c. and I hope I have great assurance as much as man can have in man hat the main principal ends thereof this present power wil bring hoâ—e unto us CHAP. XI THis truth that is the Duty of a Christian subject to pray for the Magistrate for that government under which he lives may have its application 1. To the subject whom it Corrects Directs Informs 1. It corrects the erroneous whereof the chiefe is Vid. Willer 7. gen cont in Synop. l. 1. p. 36 Ger. de Magist Poâ—â—t p. 164 c Iewel c. 1. The Jesuited Papist that would have a supream power in the Pope the universal Vicar of Christ over the whole world to depose and enthron what Magistrats he pleases to set up a Phocas c. as also to change government at his pleasure to cause the subject to withdraw his due obedience from the Magistrate instead of praying for him Excommunicates Curses him with Bel Book and Candle He likewise assumes to himself the power of Dijudication in all causes denying that any Clerk or Person in Orders shall appeal unto any Magistrate but his Ordinary As the Apostle excepts none from Magistrates so no subject from his duty pray for all men c. let Timothy c. all the Church at Ephesus Bern. ad Henr. Epist Minister people pray for him Siâ—omnis anima vestra quis vos excepit ab unive sitare si quos tentant excipere tentat decipere saith a Father if every soule must be subject to the higher powers then yours also who hath excepted you from this universality he that would except you would seduce you 2. The giddy Anabaptist that would have a parity amongst all Christians fellow creatures fellow Christians and fellows in all things and because free by Christ in their souls therefore free from all humane obedience What have I to do with civil Powers and Magistrates c saith he nay he would not have a civil Magistrate in a Christian Common wealth Alas man what wouldst thou do how wouldst thou defend thy self and gain redress for injuries acted by evill men The very unreasonable creature might argue thee out of this opinion but thou saist that thou wouldst have all men to live by that law which is in them alas what is the Law of the thief the Murtherer the dishonest person the man whose heart is hardened and conscience seared up and will there be no such in the best Common wealth But thou wouldst not have a Christian by any means take upon him the Office of a Magistrate There is more need of them then any Vid. Aquin. 22. q. 104. Art 6. Rutterford Woll Gor c. because there is not such able men and good Christians in that office it is that justice is refused judgeing mens causes by their persons and not their persons by their causes The Apostle checks the Christian Corinthians for this 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any c. sure it is that the Saints the Apostle spoke of so able to judge betwixt brother and brother are very precious in these our daies however it s to be wished there were more that might deserve fuller prayers and freer obedience from the subject Secondly It directs the truly pious and Christian Subject 1. In point of Conscience thou lookest upon many in Authority as really base and unworthy Persons of profane lives corrupt jâ—dgements easily byassed onely filling up a place nay dishonouring that place well thou sayest that thou darst not put up any request for them they and their practisâ—s are so abhominable in the eyes of God I am affraid to pray for them is a sinne at the least a vaine petition Truly that place is to be lamented that are served with such Magistrates but are they Magistrates and so bad and unable then they have the more need of thy prayers for want of them they are so bad it may be But however in the meane-while you must distinguish between the Person and the Office the Office adds to the Persons the Persons take not from the Office their personall iniquities or officiall corruptions lessons not their Authority Power Superiority Magistracy but because of this thou fearest least thou shouldest sinne in praying for them it is thy duty and thou sinnest in not praying for them Thou hast a bad Child a bad Father a bad
sinne in preheminence and eminent places he cannot be at peace while ungodlinesse and unholynesse is at peace and reconciled to Authority his peace is a broken peace his life a dying life Then peace indeed is sweet if not imbittered through ungodlinesse an unholy peace is ill and therefore he desires a quiet holy life a power protecting persons and goods a power advanceing holinesse and truth such a Magistrate he prayes for he prayes that every Magistrate might be such Heb. 12.14 Follow after peace and holyness c. and he would not have these two separated which God hath joyned together Protection from open enemies and Seditious risings encouragements to Piety and holy practices deliverances from aspersion and cruelty the least of the blessings is the last yet a very precious and an acceptable mercy If peace if holinesse yet if we could not enjoy our owne we were still unhappy if a peaceable if seemingly an holy Magistrate yet if not honest he would be a burthen to us though if we were really assured of the two first the last would undoubtedly follow honesty being the least part of a Christian the streame of his holy heart and that wherein a Hypocrite and ignorant person might equall him yet sure it is a Magistrate that sets a sure guard over his Subjects for a quiet and holy life will judge righteously and though Morality be a common vertue yet it s the desire and endeavour of the Christian Subject being the outward illustrating forme and credit to holinesse and truths profession and gives a sweet relish to and is the happy solemnization of outward peace Examine therefore the true frame of thy spiriâ— and thy earnest desires when thou prayest for the Magistrate is it really for the happy uniting of these three Peace Godlyness and Honesty dost thou set thy eye upon that promise made to the Church and put it into petitions Psalm 85.10 Mercy and Truth are met together c. if this be thy temper its according to the Apostles rule 2. This presents unto us the necessity of Magistrates in what need the Servants of God the Church of God stand of them since by the Apostles order and command they must be so seriously and earnestly prayed for for had not the Servants of Christ such to defend them they above all others should have the least quietnesse or honest dealing could not they suck the milke of righteousnesse and peace out of the brests of Magistrates the brests of Mammon and all the world besides would yeild them nothing but poison Nay amongst themselves their peace would soure into confusions Truth would be laid under Errors Profanenesse out-justling holynesse Ordinances made common and defiled instead of Honesty injurious and uncivill dealings had we not Magistrates many times to step in to heale Church-breaches as well as the Common-wealths What great paines that good Emperor Constantine tooke for the peace of the Church and removing differences occasioned by some erroneous persons he writs letters frequently to severall men of ability and to their Counsells he fights with his Armies against their Adversaries he comes in his own person to the generall Assemblies there woes beseeches them to peace as if he had as particular a charge as any of them he was a true Nurcing Father fed them with rich favours and hushed the wranglings of godly men he gave them the brests of the world Riches Honour Wealth and Peace to such to live on nay as if that was not deare enough he gives his blood for them and indures those miseries to conferre on them and preserve with them the contrary blessings And not onely in this respect have the people of God a Magistrate but in other respects to regulate their conversations they have corruptions as well as others which may breake out into as notorious acts as in the wicked somtimes they may fall out about the world estates c. fall into great civill differences many times these need not onely a brother to motion but a Magistrate to command peace and absolutely to determine the cases amongst them whence else are those exhortations 1 Thes 4.6 That no man goe beyond c. a caution 1 Pet. 4.15 But let none of you c. that a check Jam. 4.1 From whence come warres and fighting c. a good man hath the same roote-sin and the same temptations that same tinder and the same presented to it as ungodly men have that they may happen to fall into the same evill and condemnation with others therefore Gods people had need to pray for good and wise Magistrates that may play the part of a skilfull Phisitian to know how to search and judge of the sinnes of Persons in the nature of them and how to apply his remedie and in what degree and measure What a sad time was it in Israel when they wanted a Prophet in the Church a Judge and Governour in the Common-wealth Brave times might some unbounded Spirits say but see Judg. 17.6 In those dayes there was no King in Israel c. That is no Government for as yet they never had any King in their most happy and flourishing estate but every man did that which was good c. What a sad Nation should we have if every man might doe so if every party unjustly head themselves and every person follow his own way every man be his own Judge Law-maker Executioner Councellor and Interpreter Finde me a Nation without men of licentious spirits and irregular principles and could you finde a Common-wealth of Saints yet even then there might be need of a Magistrate both for the Politicall order and beauty of the Common-wealth and for the prevention of evills that may arise and the preservation of such happinesss which may be lost it being no lesse difficult and honourable to preserve then to acquire such blessings As he must cast out so he must keepe out that evill-doer and there is required no lesse wisdome and watchfulnesse in a Magistrate to make and maintaine a fence so strong as to keep out such persons that may insnare these happy Priviledges as to extirpate and suppresse them being rooted amongst his No marvill the Apostle requires us to pray for them in all manner of prayers which they themselves stands in such great need of the more thou observest the Common-wealth and the more thou enquirest out the reasons hereof the more wilt thou be convinced of the necessity of this Duty CHAP. XII NOw touching the Magistrate himselfe all lies not on the Subject himselfe when Servants and Children and Wives are exhorted to love reverence obedience c. It intimates a Relative duty owing from the Master the Father the Husband as it is in all relations there are mutuall conditions that both of them are bound unto Onely in generall let the Magistrate make this use of this Christian practice It s a proper Duty of a Subject to pray for his Magistrate 1. Here you have the
was his best subject and none deserved better of him and sure the Countrey may say as much of him as a Magistrate amongst them But what will Magistrates say when they see Christians walking like so many Justices keeping Court in their owne Consciences and were there no Law durst not offend nor breake the peace of common societie Sure such are to be had in honour that are so readie to every good worke I know that there are many in authoritie at this present to whom good men are deare to them as the apple of their eye yet againe I know them to be but men and may receive accusations privately suggested having many comming to their eares and such being received and the minde possessed of them it s an hard thing to unsettle them and remove them from the affection anger inveterated rurnes to malice and that to worse and some Rulers are too apt many times to spend their judgements according to a sudden apprehension or present information A Ruler ought to be very carefull herein against whomsoever he receives any thing or speakes especially of a good man whose heart is or shall be thus disposed presently to Peace Holinesse and Honestie in all things and in some particulars that obliquely seemes to oppose some of these gives him leave soberly solidly to come up unto them in the meane time let him not lose that esteeme and good affection that is due from thee to him which another day thou shalt be forced to acknowledge 3. This showes in what a perillous estate the Magistrate stands his foote is set upon a Hill which if either to wet or to dry may prove ill for him he therefore hath not onely need of his own prayers and watchings but of others of all good Subjects under them of whole Congregations Ministers and People that their prayers ascend with the greatest strength and force to the Throne of Grace God requires us thus to act and intercede to himselfe for them the great danger they are in appeares by the the necessity of their our prayers and the great care that God takes of them who can thus blesse and prosper from himselfe yet not without meanes this must not be forgotten above all things this doe first of all and this must be constantly at all times being a generall direction first of all slight not this God himselfe hath put up a Bill into thy hands every time thou goest into the Pulpit Pray for all that are in Authority and good reason their temptations are so many and so great Satan waiting on Ministers and Magistrates at all times to be a lying Word in the mouth of the Prophet and a false sentence in the mouth of the Ruler for if they erre many erre with them and in their ruines many perish Moreover they doe Judge and speake for the Lord and as in his stead and place and thence doe their sinnes much reflect upon the Lord and they doe judge the Lords people and his Inheritance which ought tenderly to be respected there be many extraordinary and occasionall employments that they need constantly to stand under the droppings of the Olive tree and we alwayes to be putting up our supplications for them for supplying influences of Courage Integrity clearnesse of Judgement and Wisdome And here againe is taught them that as the care of the people lies on them so good people beares much care for them they are affraid least they should slip or faile in the discharge of their places if they doe they mourn over them they seek to restore them being very sensible of their conditions knowing what losse the people of God may suffer by them And if such be the charge of others for them how great need have they in humility godly temperance and vigilancy to be overseers of themselves and frequently to examine their owne hearts and wayes and fall fully to attend the Lord in prayer and all other meanes for strength and direction CHAP. XIII HErein by way of reflection the Magistrate may take a view of his own duty to the Subject what the Subject is bound to seek for of God what they are bound in duty to endeavour to performe to him for the Subject prayes that he he might lead a quiet godly and honest life under him and to enable the Magistrate so to rule and governe that his Government may conduce hereunto which ought to be his study should he not pray for him and this calls upon me to handle the other part the Rulers duty and how just the expectations of the Subject are from him for their blessings but I must leave this for another opportunity which I hope God may cast into my lap onely in present receive these briefe Observations 1. Let the Magistrate endeavour a confluence of these three Peace Holinesse and Honesty let him not satisfie himselfe as a Politicall person with peace and Honesty but if it please God to blesse him with them strive by way of gratitude to returne the other for thy selfe upon the Subject you have a dutious interest in them all though somewhat different yet so greate as to promote the remotest from your power Truth and Holinesse you see how the Lord is pleased to joyne them in promise Jer. 33.6 Behold I will give unto them health c. What we have laid up in promise we ought to strive each of us in our calling which may conferre something to it to draw that forth those that establish a lasting Peace must build it upon these two Columnes without which it will inevitably ruine and those will be ruined that lie under it let it otherwise be laid upon the strongest Basis of Policy I never read otherwise in the History of any Church either Iewish or Christian but where either of them two perished either the Government it selfe or at least the Magistrate perished When God would in a Vision represent to Nebucadnezar and therein to every Magistrate his charge he adumbrates him by a Tree it was in it selfe great and strong though made so by the hand of God that for Beasts it might be both for food and shadow and for Fowle to build their nests in the spacious and loving armes of it The interptetation is cleare 2. That the Corruption of a Magistrate or his Tyranny as some terme it consists as much in the no-execution of his power as in the licentious exceedings of the bounds of his just power It s an hard thing to keepe in measue though he must exceedingly endeavour it that he neither two much slacken nor too much streighten his golden Reines For besides his own sinne and danger herein it s too subject to the unadvised Subject to murmure without just occasion Sloath and basenesse of spirit is as much detestable as ridgidness and pride there is partiality in both Loose not what you can doe where it is good or safe overact not what you may doe though to your owne profit yet there is lesse