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fire_n	great_a	heaven_n	lord_n	2,380	4	3.4763	3	false

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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

common observation should be so much verified in the practices of great men That Bells strike thick while they are rising but stand still and give no sound at all when they are at full pitch That Magistrates should like the Sun the higher in the Zodiack move the slower The more noble creatures are the more active they are Men more active then Beasts Angels then men One I remember observeth that God would not accept the first-born of an Ass because it was a a dull ●lothful creature The Spirit of God which is in all that are sanctified is compared to fire Acts 2. therefore they that would not grieve it must not be ●lothful in business but fiery fervent seething hot as the word signifieth in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Hence it was that the Church of Ephesus got letters testimonial from Heaven Revel 2. 2. I know thy works and thy labour how thou canst not bear them that are evil And indeed the more good a Justice hath in himself the less he will bear with evil in others Augustine hath a true saying Qui non zelat non amat He that is not zealous for God hath no true love to God For though love be a passion yet it delighteth to shew it self in acting for the party beloved When Calvin grew sickly some friends disswaded him from hard studying but he gave them this answer Vultisne Christum me invenire otiosum would you have Christ when he comes to me by death to find me idle So do ye think that when sinners Iehu-like drive furiously ye should not like Aegyptians go heavily least death find you idle Observe what became of the idle servant that hid his talent in a napkin Matth 25. 30. He was punished with an eternal long night who would not work in his short day 3. Consider the day of Judgement God will then search and sentence you discover and reward you according to your works Ye that examine and try others shall then be examined and tryed your selves and ye that acquit or condemn others shall then be acquitted or condemned your selves How should this thought move you to walk exactly since your hearts shall be anatomized and your lives manifested before God Angels and men Could ye but as Ierom hear the sound of the last trump always in your ears Arise ye dead and come to judgement surely ye would be holy Judges and Justices indeed Peter maketh this argument a strong enforcement to holiness 2 Pet. 3. 10 11. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt●p seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of p●rsons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Observe the certainty of it The day of the Lord will come If it were doubtful it would not be so dreadful but it will come surely though it come slowly therefore men had need to be holy Tertullian observed of all those that profest Christianity in his time none lived so loosely as those that did not believe the certainty of the day of judgement But observe 2. the suddenness of it The day of the Lord will come as a theif in the night when men at midnight are securely sleeping th●y dream not of nor prepare for a theif It is sometimes called a day Matth. 25. 13. propter revelationem secretorum things that are now dark and secret shall be then as clear and apparent as at noon day the fire of that day will make things legible which are written with the juyce of Lemons In that Spring time both wholsome roots and poysonous will be discovered which all the winter of this life were hid The books of Gods Omniscience and mans Conscience saith one shall be then opened and secret sins shall be then as legible as if it were written with the brightest star or the most glittering Sun-beams upon a wall of Chrystal Eccles. 12. ult And it is said to be at night propter improvisionem c. because of most mens unpreparedness for it The destruction of this new world by fire will find men generally in the same careless carnal secure sensual condition as did the destruction of the old world by water Luke 21. 35. as the snare on a sudden catcheth the bird so will that day of the Lord seise on such beasts Observe 3. the dreadfulness of it The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt With fervent heat and the earth and the works thereof shall be burnt up Well may it be called the great and terrible day of the Lord when the Judge will be a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. and shall come in flaming fire 1 Thes. 1. 6 7. try them by a fiery law Deut. 33. 2. before a tribunal of fire Ezek. 1. 27. plead with them in flames of fire Isa. 60. 15. and condemn ungodly ones to eternal fire O how dreadful is the voyce and noise of Fire Fire in the night how fearful and frightful then will such fires at the day of Judgement be As often as I think of that day my whole body trembleth saith Hierom. Observe 4. the Apostles inference from it What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness as if he had said We had need to have grace in truth that must undergo such a trial We that must meet with so strict and dreadful an examination had need to be holy to admiration What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Surely if any argument imaginable can perswade to purity this terrible day can do it The sound of the last Trump may well cause a retreat and call us off from an eager persuit of the flesh and world Eccles. 11. 9. and it may also stir you up to purity if ye would meet Christ at that day in peace The Throne of Christ is a white Throne Rev. 20. 11. and O with what trembling heart wilt thou O black sinner stand before this white Throne 1 Pet. 4. 18. If the righteous be scarcely saved not in regard of the uncertainty but difficulty Where shall the sinner and ungodly appear Surely the drunkards cup then will be Wormwood not Wine The sentence on the swearer then will be of cursing not blessing as he loved cursing now so then will it come to him the Adulterers pleasure now will then prove poyson and the prayerless man now will then pray hard work in prayer for some ease some end if not a pardon yet a reprieve for one hour at least one drop of water to cool his tongue but he shall work at the Labour in vain and be eternally denyed O look therefore and make sure of true holiness of the power of godliness for the fire of that day will discover whether

thee then God against thee He is the best friend and the saddest foe As he is great and grea●ly to be praised so he is great and greatly to be feared He is a consuming fire There is no abiding when he is angry The Lord most High is Terrible and it is dangerous provoking him Psal. 47. 2. 78. 56. Observation 6. Magistrates are the Sons of the most High If they are true believers then they are his Adopted Sons but if wicked yet in respect of their office they are Nuncupative and Nominal Sons Thus God is pleased to stile them 1. To mind them of their Duty to him 2. To mind us of our Duty to them 1. He calls them Sons to the end they might walk worthy of such a Father by loving fearing serving and obeying him M l. 1 6 A son honours his Father and a servant his Master but God is not only a Fa●her and a Master but he is a King a Creator a Counsellour a Protector and Assister of Magistrates and if one of these Relations call for respect and love what Reve●●nce and respect is due to that God in whom all these Relations coucenter and meet Let such then improve the Power which they have received from God unto his praise Uphold his Worship advance his Scepter promote his Interest defend his people pitty h●s poor do justice to all if you thus Honour God who hath honoured and exalted ●ou he will be a Father and a Friend to you he will be a Sun for Consolation and a Shield for Protection he will be your God and Guide unto death 2. Doth God call you Sons then wo them that call you Satans and Revile the Rulers of Gods people It becomes us to honour those whom God honours This shews what spirit leads the fifth Monarchy men and their adherents who have so grosly and that in Print reviled the Rulers of Gods people Objection But they are wicked men Answer Be it so yet if a wicked man be set in Power by God for the sins of a people even that wicked man must be honoured for his place but if a godly man rule he is to be honoured for his person Some kind of honour is due to a Magistrate as a Magistrate and Gods Vicegerent but all kind of honour and subjection is due from all sorts of men to good Rulers 3. As Magistrates are Sons by Office so all believers are Sons by Adoption which is a choycer Priviledge Iohn 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. 4. 5 6. So that now every true believer may say with David The Lord is my Shepherd yea the Lord is my Father and I shall not want Psal. 23. 2. Thou art now sure of 1. Dilection 2. Direction 3. Correction 4. Protection 5. Provision 1. All the children of God are sure of Dilection and love Fathers have a natural affection to their children and love them with a Paternal love How tender was David over Absalom Touch not the young man Absalom and when dead how doth he take on Oh Absalom my son my son that I had dyed for thee O Absolom my son If David were thus tender over a rebellious Absolom how tender is God over his obedient children and though thou hast many Infirmities yet God will pity thee and spare thee as a man that spareth his son that serveth him Psal. 103. 13. Mal. 3. 16 17. 2. Direction Fathers will teach their children the way which they should go so will the Lord do his Psal. 25. 9. It is a part of the New-Covenant That all believers shall be taught of God In all their doubts his Spirit shall be as a Voyce behind them saying This is the way 3. Correction Fathers that love their children will correct them God loves his and therefore he chastiseth them for their profit Heb. 12. 10. Revel 3. 19. 4. Protection Fathers will defend their children and God will defend his He is their shield and bu●kler Psal. 84. 11. Prov. 2. 7. In six troubles he will be with them and in the seventh he will not leave them Iob 5. 19 20 21 22. 5. Provision Fathers will provide for their children and if earthly parents who have but a drop of goodness will give good things to their children how much more will God give his Spirit to them that ask it the Lions natural the Lions Metaphorical may lack and suffer hunger but such as fea● the Lord shall lack nothing that may be for their good God hath prepared an Inheritance for them Luke 12. 32. he hath given them his Son and with him he hath given them all things Rom. 8. 32. Verse 7. Observation 1. Men in high places are apt to have high conceits of themselves It is an hard thing to be in Honour without Tumor and swelling thoughts The Lord who knows our frame better then we our selves foresaw this and therefore in the precedent Verse having told them of their Dignity in this Verse he tells them of their mise●y and mortality that they might not have the least ●ime to be puft up with Pride and high conceits of their high places he presently adds an Humbling and abasing But But ye shall die what is that Why Synecdochically it includes all those miseries with are Antecedent to Death as Sickness Weakness Pains Aches Old age and Death and also Subsequent miseries after death then must great ones as well as others be brought to Judgement stand at Gods bar and give an account as well as the poorest Son of Adam Those that now judge others must shortly be judged themselves Observation 2. Magistrates are mortal as well as others or those who live like Gods yet must die like men The most Potent Emperour must take his leave of this life as well as the poorest beggar No Titles of honour nor Places of honour can Priviledge men from the grave Their divine constitution cannot free them from their native condition Princes and great men must fall and that in Israe● 2 Sam. 3. 38. The truth of this is seen by daily experience It is so decreed in the High Court of Heaven rhe Statute is Universal and admits of no exception It is appointed for men for all men the indefinite is equivalent to an Universal once to die Heb. 9. 27. Death is the great Leveller of all the world it makel all equal Irus and Croesus Dives and L●zarus Princes and Peasants cannot be known asunder in the grave As at a game at Chess when it is ended not only Pawns but Kings Queens Knights are tumbled into the bag together so when the race of this life is finisht Noble as well as ●gnoble are tumbled into their graves together hence death is called the way of all the earth because all flesh on earth must go that way Iosh. 23. 14. It is the greatest road in all the world it is never without many Travellers of all sorts ranks and Degrees The grave is the house appointed for all the

righteous are debased the Vnrighteous exalted the nocent are countenanced and the innocent condemned the ri●h are favoured and the afflicted trod under foot therfore do thou Lord arise bring down the proud punish the nocent set free the innocent rescue the poor and fatherless from the jaws of Tyrannic●l ones that all the earth may know that thou only art Lord and Supreme Iudge of all the world Observation 1. God sometimes seems to sleep when his people are in trouble He seems to be careless and let all run into confusion as we have seen in this Psalm Not that God doth indeed sleep or disregard the affictions of his people for he that keepeth his Israel doth not so much as slumber much less sleep Psal. 121. 4 5. He hath a special eye upon his people for good he protects them so that the Sun shall not hurt them by day ●or the Moon by night i. e. no time no thing shall hurt them neither Sun nor Moon neither heat nor cold 2. No part of them shall be hurt thy soul shall be preserved thy going out and coming in shall be guided and guarded these include the whole person of man with all his just undertakings and affairs Thus are they kept who have the Lord for their keeper and as if this were not sufficient he adds Verse 3. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved i. e. he will not suffer thee or thine to be moved or violently cast down the power of oppressours shall not prevail over thee for the power of God sustains thee Lest any should hurt his Vineyard he keeps it night and day i. e. at all times Isai. 27. 3. So that to speak properly there is no passion in God there is neither rest nor motion in him but the Scripture speaks of him by an Anthropopathy according to our apprehension Thus the Lord is said sometimes to be slack slow and delay his coming and then by our Prayers we must quicken him Psal. 40. 17. Make no long tarrying O my God Psal. 74. 1. How long Lord how long wilt thou forget thy people Sometimes he seems to forget his Church and then his people must put him in remembrance Isai. 62. 7. Ye that are the Lords remembrancers give him no rest Sometimes he seems to sleep and then he expects that his people by their prayers should awaken him as in the Text Arise Lord. The Lord is a God of great patience and long suffering he bears long with the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9. 22. He bears so long with the wicked till they rage again and insult thinking that God approves of their wickedness Ps●l 50. 21. He seemed to sleep at Israels troubles 430 years but at last Pharach and his followers paid for all together in the Sea The Amorites one would think had been wicked enough to have been destroyed for they were gross Idolaters grand oppressors and notorious for lust yet God bare some hundred of years with them tell they were ripe for ruine Gen. 15. 16. Wo then to all the insulting blasphemous enemies of Gods people though God seem for a time to sit still and sleep letting the wicked oppress the righteous who is better then he Hab. 1. 13. Yet as a man after sleep is refresht so God will arise like a Gyant refresht with wine and then his enemies shall be scattered and those that hate him shall flee before him As smoke is driven away by a mighty wind though it seem black and formidable at first yet it soon vanisheth and the higher it ascends the sooner it is scattered and as wax melteth before the fire so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God Psal. 68. 1 2. If the Lord do once arise though his enemies be never so many or mighty yet they are soon scattered Let the Lord but look upon the Host of the Egyptians through the Pillar of fire and it troubles and torments them Exod. 14. 24. Let not then Gods people be despondent though the Lord make them wait yea and wait long though the Vision be yet for an appointed time yet at the end it shall speak comfort to those that Patiently wait Gods appointed time and to assure you of this the promise is doubled and trebled It shall speak it will come it will surely come it shall not lie it will not tarry Hab. 2. 3. Question But when will the L●rd Arise for his people the harv●st is past and the Summer is ended and yet we are not saved Answer Though God seldom comes at our time yet he never fails of his own time in his due time he will arise and save his people only do not ●imit the Holy One of Israel to your time for when he sees it is most for his own glory and his peoples good he will certainly Arise He only waits for a fit time to be gratious Isa. 30. 18. Yet for your better satisfaction know That there are two seasons more especially wherein the Lord loves appear to for his people 1. When the enemy is most high begins to insult and blaspheme crying Where is now their God he is asleep and cannot save then their fall is near Iob. 20 5. Psal. 94. 2 6. to 23. Violent things last not long 2. When Gods people are most low and all seems to make against them when the enemy seems to carry all before him and his peoples strength is gone Now Now Now will I arise saith God Isai. 33. 9 10. Deut. 32. 36. Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses God lets things come to the Mount and then he appears Gen. 22. 14. When his people lie as dry dead bones in an hopeless helpless fatherless forlorn condition then God loves to appear for their help and succour Ezek. 37. 11. Exod 3. 9. Psal. 12. 5. 10. 12. 102. 13. Hos. 14. 3. Observation 2. When Gods people are in distr●ss they must awaken God by their Prayers So doth the Psalmist here Arise Lord and Iudge the Earth When they can have no help on Earth they must go to Heaven When the Gods on earth will not right us we must appeal to the God of heaven It is matter of singular comfort that when Tyrants cruelly oppress us and we can have no relief below yet we have a God to go to who will Vindicate our wrongs and plead our cause against our enemies But then we must Awaken the Lord by fervent and importunate Prayer He seems to rest till he be disquieted by our Prayers Though he will help us yet he will be sought of us to do it for us hence his people so oft cry Arise Lord and save thy people and Awake why sleepest thou Psal. 3. 7. 7. 6. 9. 19. 17. 13. 68. 1. Hab. 1. 2 3. per totum Only remember it is not every kind of Prayer that will awaken God but it must be 1. The Prayer of a right●oous man such as Moses Iob Samuel

God to Rulers speak this to be their duty God commandeth him to write him a copy of the Law Deut. 17. 18. For what end but that he might keep it himself as he is a man and take care that others should not break it as he is a Magistrate It was an ancient Ceremony in Israel at the Kings Coronation that when the Crown was set on his head the Book of God should be given into his hand 2 Kings 11. 12. to shew that God committed the care of Religion principally to him that by his power and authority it might be established in his Dominions God commandeth Magistrates to be for the good of their subjects Rom. 13. 4. For good that is for thy natural good in preserving thy life in safety for thy civil good in securing thine estate for thy spiritual good in establishing the true worship of God as a keeper of the first Table Nay the way to promote the civil good of a people is by promoting their spiritual good That Common-wealth will certainly stand longest which hath not State-Policy but State-Piety for its foundation How many Nations have confirmed this truth Vbi non est sanctitas pietas fides instabile regnum est A Nation without Religion is like a City without walls naked and open to all enemies like a building without a foundation which will quickly be overthrown Religion to a people is as the Palladium to the Trojans as the Ancile to the Romans which kept them safe The want of this overthrew the great Monarchies of the world What besides this hath turned so Kingdoms into ruined heaps and Cities into solitary Deferts If a fruitful land be turned into barrenness is it not for the iniquity of them that dwell therein Psal. 107. 34. Tully observed that the glory of Greece quickly decay'd when the people were given to evil opinions and evill manners Those Rulers that tolerate heretical persons do but nourish a Snake in their bosoms and cherish a worm that in time will eat out their own bowels Besides God promiseth that Magistrates shall in the days of the Gospel be nursing Fathers nursing Mothers to his Church Isai. 49. 23. which surely was never meant of procuring only their corporal but chiefly of promoting their spiritual good O consider is it not reasonable as well as religious that you who rule by God should rule for God that that power which you have received from him should be improved mostly for him Remember your time is short your opportunities are many your work is great and your account will be heavy therefore work the work of him that sent you into the world It was a saying of Becket sometime Archbishop of Canterbury when he was perswaded to deal moderately with the King Clavum teneo ad somnum me vocas Do I sit at the stern and would you have me sleep Sirs you steer the rudder of the State you ●it at the Helm of the Common-wealth should you be sleepy or ●lothful I beseech you to be doing for the furthering Piety the Lord will be with you Now that Magistrates may be enabled and incited to walk and to work as Gods among men I shall deliver a few directions and two or three motives and then conclude First If you would walk and work as Gods then get divine principles According to your principles such will your practices be water riseth no higher then its Fountain If therefore you would walk as God and work for God you must both walk and work from God If ever the hand of the dial point and go right without the wheels and poises must be right within It is noted of true and sincere Saints that acted for God in the Regal Office That their hearts were perfect with the Lord 1 King 15. 14. Isai. 38. 3. This spiritnal life in their souls made them warm and zealous for their Saviour Caleb that followed the Lord fully had another spirit a different principle from the ten carnal Princes Numb 14. 24. Mens actions will then 〈◊〉 sacred when their affections are sanctified He that followeth God he knoweth not why will forsake God he knoweth not how A Magristrate that is zealous for God only because the times favour such may soon be brought to be as zealous against God He that is not knit to his service with the heart-strings of love spun out of a renewed nature will easily be parted from his service Such slavish spirits will serve God no longer then they can serve themselves of God When Iehu's interest Gods are conjoyned as in rooting out the idolatry of Baal how fiery is Iehu how furiously doth he drive He slayeth all the false Prophets he breaketh down the Images of Baal and the house of Baal and maketh it a draugh-house 2 King 10. 25 27. But when Gods Interest and Iehus are divided as in the Calves at Dan and Bethel there Iehu must be excused he will uphold them as some do by that Monster of Toleration out of State policy expecting that they should uphold him 2 King 10. 27 28. But what was the reason of this Surely the want of this divine principle the fire of Iehu's zeal was not lighted at the Altar for then it would have continued burning but kitchen fire kindled at a common hearth and therefore would burn no longer then it had such grols matter as his own credit or profit to feed it when this suel was taken away his fire went out look in vers 31. Iehu walked not in the law of the Lord with all his heart his heart was not perfect it was not cast into the fire of the Word and new-moulded by the Spirit of God The want of this foundation over-turned all that beautiful building which Iehu had set up It is a question in Politicks Whether a wicked man may be a good Magistrate It is I suppose possible for a wicked man when he is in authority to do some good but I conceive he will hardly do the good he ought or like C●leb stand for God when the times are against God when the people talked of stoning him but like the King of Navarre he will launch no further into the Ocean then he can be sure to get back safe Such a man is like an Horse with a thorn in his foot which may go fairly on in good wayes but if he come to hard wayes he will halt and discover himself He that hath not gone through the pangs of the new birth and heartily taken God in Christ for his All and thereby secured his eternal estate will scarce hazard his name or estate much less his limbs or life for God as he must do that will be faithful unto the death For with what heart can he look that danger in the face which for ought he knoweth may kill both body and soul Or if he be very bold and venturous for God yet being an evil man he can never do good by all his