JUSTICE JUSTIFIED OR THE Judges Commission Opened IN TWO ASSIZE SERMONS Preached before the JUDGES of ASSIZE The first at Chard on Prov. 14. 34. March 12. the other at Taunton on Rom. 13. 4. Aug. 3. 1657. By James Strong Master of Arts and Minister of the Gospel at Illmister in SOMMERSET Justitia immota res publica floret illa sublata flaccesset ac deficit Casper Sibelius Tom. 3. page 389. And I will restore thy Judges as at first and thy Councellors as at the beginning afterward shalt thou be called a City of Righteousnesse and a faithful City Isa. 1. 26. LONDON Printed for John Stafford and are to be sold at his house neer the George at FLEET-BRIDGE 1658. To the Right Honourable Robert Nicholas one of the Barons of the Exchequer and Richard Newdigate one of the Justices of the Vpper Bench Judges of the Western Circuit As also to the Right Worshipful William Hillyard Esq High-Sheriff of the County of Somerset together with the Gentlemen of the Grand Inquest and others at whose request these Sermons were made publike My Lords and Gentlemen T Was a sad presage of Israels ruine when the Lord in anger threatened to break these two Staves of his beauty and bonds if Religion be the one of these two Staves the Law shall be the other these are semper gemella nunquam singula in foetu two Twins mercies that live and die together Israel at once lost them both Hos. 3. 4. The Children of Israel shall be many dayes without a King without a Prince without an offering and without an Ephod c. corruption is the mother of confusion Dan and Bethel the place of Judgement and the house of God had been corrupted together and therefore 't was just they should be destroyed together wickednesse had usurped the seat of Justice at Dan and Bethel the house of God was become a Bethanes the house of lies What violent adventures have been made by many of this Nations own degenerate Sons to break the staffe of beauty I need not tell you I fear the next generation will scarce live to see Religion healed of some of these scars and wounds she hath received in our late unhappy wars of which oh may she not complain in the Prophets words that she hath been wounded in the house of her friends The quarrel begun with Religion but ended against policy Those that are burthened by the Gospel can live without the Law Sine Fide sine Rege sine Lege The staff of bonds hath of late had its turn and had not both been held in the hand of a strong God sure the issue ere this had been confusion My Lords That both Justice and Religion finds yet the countenance of so egregious Patrons as your selves is a Valley of Achor a door of hope to our Israel that we shall once more see Jerusalem in Jerusalem when truth buds out of the earth and righteousnesse looks down from heaven then have we ground to hope that our Land also shall give her encrease What evidence have you given the world not only of your integrity in doing Justice but also of your zeal to Religion This makes your name which you have left behind you like a sweet perfume Not to flatter you 't was but your duty how often to provoke others of quality to imitate your Religious practise have I mentioned that joy that possest me to see a Judge so constant and serious in writing Sermon notes like those Noble Berians Acts 17. The two short Sermons following however esteemed by your Honors and others had never seen more light then came into my Study window had I known how else to have satisfied the earnest importunities of many Gentlemen and others that were my Auditors but beyond all the joynt desire of your Lordships was of sufficient authority to make me consent this liberty only I must crave when there was one only desired to present you with two They are both of the same mould and like Ruth and Naomi they are resolved to go together What may be the censure of others though I am sure to have my back-burden doth very little trouble me The Smith's Dog they say doth not fear the fire it hath been my lot for some years beyond many of my place to be exercised by a generation whose inward parts is very wickednesse and their throat an open Sepulchre so that experience hath sufficiently steel'd me against reproaches What ever be the welcome that this weak Essay finds among others yet I am sure wisdome is still justified by all her children To your Honors then and the rest of the Gentlemen whose desire I have gratified by this impression I humbly inscribe these weak conceptions of mine And oh that God would once more make another impression of them upon their hearts and as he hath honoured you among his people and advanced you above others in place so may he make you all more eminent in piety that having served your generation in the several trusts committed to you awhile you may cheerfully resign your Offices together with your Souls and give up your accounts to him who shall come to judge quick and dead at that last and great day So doth he promise to pray that is Your most zealous and affectionate Servant in the Gospel Ja. Strong A Sermon Preached at the Assizes held for the County of Somerset at Chard March 12. 1657. Mr. William Hillyard of Sea Sheriffe PRO 14. VER. 34. Righteousnesse exalteth a Nation but sin is a shame to a people TO begin with God especially when the work hath been weighty hath been the practice of Antiquity among all Scipio went first to the Capitol and then to the Senate and thither as the Historian tells us the Consuls alwayes went to Sacrifice the day they received their Authority a Lesson that Nature hath taught even Heathens and Grace hath much more charged as a duty on Christians Of the Patriarchs it 's observed that where-ever they pitch'd their Tent there also they built an Altar Thus did Abraham Gen. 12. and Isaack Gen. 16. and Jacob Gen. 33. And good reason 'T is that which was their Duty Glory Security 1 Their duty especially where ever they came to set up God by a publike profession who had set up them in publike places 2. Their Glory hereby they read as it were their Commission from that great God who was pleased to own them in a special relation and gloried to be called the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Moses face was never seen shining until he convers'd with God on the Mount then God darted a beam of his own glory on the face of his Magistrate so that Israel trembled at Moses Majesty 3. Their Security Abraham called his Altar Jehovah Nissi Lord is my Banner under which a Christian marches with courage and confidence The Ark paid Obid-Edom well for its entertainment
were such murders rapes and robberies of all kinds committed by the headlesse multitude that before the five daies were expired they were exceeding glad to accept of a new Governour Justice is the very pulse of a State and as we know the man's dead when his pulse doth not beat so in a Commonwealth when Justice ceaseth The Prophet saw nothing but spoiling and violence and the wicked compassing about the righteous and why Defluit Lex the Law was dissolved no life any longer in the State its pulse had done beating Heb. 1. 4. 'T is an observation of learned Weems that so necessary is Justice to the very being of a Commonwealth that no society can subsist without it even Thieves and Robbers could not long subsist if every one had not his share the whole Society must needs be dissolved Miserable is that Nation where Justice is corrupted that looks for judgement and meet with oppression and for righteousnesse but behold a cry wrong judgement is worse then no judgement 'T is sad when judgement is turned into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlock where should a man look for justice but where men professe holinesse Yet this was the grievance of which the Preacher complains Eccles. 3. 16. I saw under the Sun the place of Judgement and behold wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse and iniquity was there Such corruptions gave Cato cause to complain of the Roman State that private robbers lay in chains of iron but publike thieves went in chains of gold In short a people is then at their last cast when God finds not a man to do Justice among them Jer. 5. 1. Run too and fro thorow the streets of Jerusalem and see and know and seek in the broad place thereof if there be any that executeth judgement and seeketh truth and I will spare it The want of Justice upon earth provokes God himself to do justice from heaven Learn we next to prize this grand blessing Justice executed by men is a mercy from God since sin entered into the world Justice is the remedy that God hath provided to purge corruption Nebuchadnezzar was none of the best Governours yet a Cedar under which the beasts of the field found shadow and the fowls of heaven dwelt under the boughs thereof if a bad Magistrate be so useful what 's the worth of a better When the Queen of Sheba came to hear Solomon she made it matter of her joy and blessed God that he had set Solomon on the throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore he made the King to do judgement and justice 1 Kings 10. 9. Sure 't is our happinesse had we hearts to acknowledge it that we have justice weighed to us by the balance when for sin we might justly have expected to have seen it carved out to us by the sword Addresses it self to you Right Honourable with the rest that are in authority you see what 's your duty and the Countryes expectation would you raise a poor Nation that 's almost in the dust you see the way and your duty lies somewhat more exactly described in Deut. 1. 16. I charged your Judges at that time saying Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously between every man and his brother Five things especially are requisite to make a compleat Magistrate and they are briefly these 1 Wisdome and Judgement to find out the truth Magistrates are the eyes of a State and if this light be darknesse how great would the darknesse be let us ever deprecate that curse that God justly once threatened Israel with shepherds they should have and the sword upon their right eye Job here deserved to be a pattern to posterity seldome at a losse in judgement but the cause that I knew not I searched out saith he Job 29. Guilt usually stands at the bar under a disguize and hath a design to carry away the blessing as Jacob from Esau under the pretence of innocency Of Alexander 't is reported that he was wont to sit in Judgement with one ear stopt and never heard with that till the party accused came to speak 'T is Gods own Law Exod. 22. 9. When there is a difference about an Oxe or an Asse Sheep or Rayment or any lost thing both the parties must come before the Judges that is must be heard by them The other four vertues to compleat a Magistrate are in one Scripture injoyned Exod. 18. 21. Provide you among all the people men of courage fearing God dealing truly and hating covetousnesse c. and let them judge the people I shall crave leave briefly to run them over And 1. They must be men of courage such as Cato of whom 't is said that no man ever durst petition him for a favour that was contrary to equity Solomon symbolized this courage by the steps of his Throne which were adorned with Lions to mind him alway of that courage that beseemeth him that sate thereon For this reason Constantine in Sc. is called the man-child Rev. 12 13. to to imitate his valour in venturing for the Churches weal this valour was eminent in Job who brake the jawes of the unrighteous and pluck'd the prey out of his teeth Job 29. 17. This holy boldnesse would be as a shield to fence us either against the frowns of superiours or the murmurings of inferiours who so well fences against the reproach of others as he whose heart doth not reproach him Bene agere male audire Regium est saith Seneca 2 They must be men fearing God and that as they are considered in a double capacity 1 As Christians in common with others this saith Solomon is both the beginning and the end of Christianity 't is the beginning of wisdome Prov. 1. 7. and 't is the end of all things Eccles. 12. 13. Yea 't is the all of Christian that one thing that is necessary and oh that we could chuse this better part 2 As Magistrates in place above others as unjust Judges one sayes is a solecisme A Magistrate saith Luther should be vivalex such whose life should be but a Comment on the Law of God and man the way to do righteousnesse is to be righteous How ill doth it become him to punish a drunkard swearer or sabbath-breaker that is such himself Religion and Justice uphold a Nation as those two Pillars Jachin and Boaz did Solomons Temple Now Religion must stand as Jachin on the right hand Luther long since told the Reformers of Germany it would never be well with the State till they first secured the peace of the Church yet alas how apt are we to begin at the wrong end do our own work first and then Gods Good Constantine kept Gods method first sought Gods Kingdome and then sayes one other things sought him adeo ut tanta terrena nullus auderet petere c. So
that none durst to desire so much of worldly happinesse as God freely gave him and this was the Isalmists order too who first tenders a Petition for Zion and after that for Jerusalem Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion and then build the walls of Jerusalem O then let me beg this one thing as upon my knees be as zealous that God hath his due as Caesar or his Subjects theirs shall blasphemy scape better than felony shall a Cut-purse die and a blasphemer a God-robber a Kill-Christ live Is sacriledge become a lesse sin than theft If ever rage beseems a Magistrate 't is when he comes to rescue the honour or revenge the dishonour of his God then if ever Moses might be excused for tearing the tables when Israel had turned the glory of God into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay Servetus the Heretique charging Melancton of harshnesse in a Dispute made this answer In aliis mitis sim cum blasphematur nomen Christi non ita Religion my Lord hath the greatest interest in us all All the Tents were pitch'd about the Tabernacle to teach us that the whole world is but a great Inn for the Church to lodge in the Vine is a Noble plant and the wine that 's prest from it hath noble qualitie yet they say if a mandrake be set neere the Vine the grape is farre the more generous Justice is a rare vertue in it self but if Religion be planted neere it it s farre the more admirable The Centurions servant commended his Master to the utmost when he told Christ Jesus that he loved the Nation and confirmed it by this that he had built them a Synagogue O bring back the Captive Ark build Gods house repaire the ruines of the Tabernacle of David This wil honour you indeed and prove you lovers of your Nation 3. They must be men of truth that is of Justice saith A Lap. for in all wrong wrong judgement there is a lie Delrio tells us that Justice was wont to be described by a Virgin and the Magistrate by an Eunuch armed To shew First that Magistrates must not violate the chastity of Justice themselves and secondly they must preserve her from others Two enemies especially justice is in danger of 1. The Lawyer who makes it a great part of his Art to raise a mist before the Judges eyes 't is a rule that where the discourse is general there 's no personal wrong to any 't is sad to see a cause prove good or bad according as 't is pleaded Methinks I cannot mention the employment but mind too that of poor Spira whoat once breathed out his soul his hopes and this sad lamentation together Good causes I pleaded coldly or else sold perfidiously Bad causes I followed zealously and pleaded with all my might O legitur historiam ne sitit historia Be not too wise or too learned to be saved by the foolishnesse of preaching 2. The second enemy is the false witnesse if truth and innocency escape the one how usually do they suffer by the other Though a faithful witnesse I must confesse as great a friend to truth as Jonathan to David yet that thorowly sifted I doubt not but too often they would deserve to be handled as Paul when he was examined with stripes Alas who knows not saith Luther that Steven died by witnesse and Christ himself died by witnesses though sometimes suborned Between these two enemies when truth is like to be torne in pieces as Paul by those contrary factions the Pharisees and the Sadduces Acts 23. What need of a compleat Magistrate like the Centuriont here to come and make a rescue 4. Hating Covetousnesse When the Prophet complaines of Jerusalems Officers Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of thieves he addes the cause they love gifts As Paul shook off the viper from his hand so should a Magistrate a bribe and say as he at another time if he meet with a temptation when he dealt with Simon Magus thy money perish with thee O honourable comfortable testimony when our hearts can witnesse as Samuels Here I am c. whose Oxe have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or of whom have I received a bribe and I will restore it And now to move you a little let me quicken this grand duty with these few Argumens 1. Consider those many honourable titles wherewith God hath dignified you wherefore are you called Princes Nobles Nursing-fathers Shepherds Mountaines Sons of the Almighty but that you should honour those titles by acting for his honor that hath conferr'd them on you 't is a saying of Salvians reatus impii est pium nomen Titles of honour do but greaten wicked mens guilt that do abuse them 2. Consider the influence that men of place have upon their inferiours Magnates Magnetes great mens lives are small mens Laws Magistrates are the countreys looking glasses in which other men look and dress themselves by them If a Magistrate will drink or sweare or slight the Sabbath who will not bear him company As an eclipse in the Sunne alwayes produceth some destructive effects upon inferiour bodies so 't is here let a man of place be either good or bad he is sure to be exemplary We read when Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved many of the Corinthians beside beleeved and were baptized with him Acts 18. 8. on the other side the Psalmist could imagine no heavier curse for his enemy then this set you an ungodly man to be Ruler over him 3. Meditate seriously whose work you are in Solomon tells you the weights of the bag are his work Prov. 16. 11. Et quae Dei sunt trimide tractanda Judges are Gods Lieutenants and you judge for him saith Jehoshaphat to his Judges Take heed what you do for you judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement and that 's the third 4. Consider that God himself is present with you and president over you Psal. 82. 1. God standeth in the Congregation of the Princes Loring on that Scripture tells us the Ethiopians were wont to set an empty chaire in the middest of their judicatories to minde them that God was there O think that God attends to heare what charges evidences pleas and sentences are there past Cave Cato videt was wont to be a watchword in Rome and this awed them from evil let our watchword be the Lord seeth 5. Lastly he is Judge of Judges all causes must once more be heard over and called again he judgeth among the gods when the preacher complains of wrong judgment upon earth he looks upward and relieves himself from heaven but God saith he shall judge the righteous and the wicked Eccl. 3. 17. Ciprian in his prayer before his martyrdome among many heart-wounding passages from the consideration of the last judgement this especially is one Ve peccatis nihil cum elevaneris
and no man sure can be a loser by Religion The service that those three Martyrs did to God made them boldly claim protection from him thus they argue Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve will deliver us out of thy hand O King The Temple hath ever been a good guard to the Town-hall and better secures the Ministers of Justice than swords and halberds O 't is sweet and safe too when our earthly affairs have a relish of Religion when we carry our selves on earth as Denisons of heaven when we can say as Paul {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} even our civil conversation is in heaven non cives respicit sed Magistratus saith one a duty doubtlesse that beseems none better than those that are in authority a mercy yet granted us amidst all those concussions and confusions both in Church and State when Religion is become a by-word and the Ordinances of God accounted but so many need-nots sith yet those that sit at Stern keep the Helm in their hand while our Princes and Rulers are as ready to hear what God hath to charge them in his Courts as to see and charge their own What cause have we to hope that though sinners be the shame of a Nation yet such Rulers will exalt it by righteousnesse The words are one of Solomons Axioms and have him for their Author who was both Judge and King in Israel one that better deserved to be stiled Master of the Sentences for those his Proverbs than ever Lumbard say our late Translators The Verse divides it self A Thesis And an Antithesis 1 A Thesis in those words Righteousnesse exalteth a Nation 2 An Antithesis in those words But sin is a reproach to a people Dedecus populis So Drusius Miserum facit populum So Hierom. In both we have Sin and Justice described by their contrary effects Altero corripimur altero corrumpimur the one cures us the other corrupts us Justice exalts us but Sin brings us to shame The Thesis needs no new mould 't is a Doctrine of it self I shall Briefly Explain Prove Apply it By Righteousnesse or Justice we are to understand distributive Justice or publike Justice especially which consists in giving every man his right either in punishing the nocent or justifying the innocent So we read the word used Psa. 119. 121. I have done Judgement and Justice where the latter explains the former I have done Judgement and Justice that is I have done Judgement justly or have been just in doing Judgement Well this Justice exalts a Nation 't is a special piece of Solomons Politiques and he layes down the assertion again Pro. 29. 4. The King by Judgement establisheth the Land but how a due administration of Justice exalts a Nation let us see in the next place This it doth these three wayes Ut Fundamentum Munimentum Ornamentum 1 Ut Fundamentum As the Foundation bears up the house so doth Justice a Nation {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is so called from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the foundation of the Temple If the foâ—ndations be destroyed what can the righteous do Positiones vel Statut aeverterunt So Luther renders the Orig They have imbroiled and destroyed the Law and when there 's no Law for loose men what can the righteous do What but glorifie God by suffering his will and relieve themselves in the words that presently follow the Lord is in his holy Temple the Lords Throne is in heaven 2 Ut Munimentum As Sampsons strength lay in his Locks so doth the strength of a State in government Justice was wont to be portraitured with a balance in one hand and a sword in the other as with that she weighs the case so with this she defends the guiltlesse and hate of the impious For this too Magistrates are called the shields of the earth fencing and securing their people as a shield doth the body Once more they are called the Corner-stone Zac. 10. 4. Out of Juda shall come the Corner Corner stones unite the walls draw out these and the house will fall without any more trouble Magistrates are the strength of a State as the walls gapes when the corner is out so a Nation without government must needs be devided and what follows a Kingdome devided cannot stand 3 Justice exalts a Nation ut Ornamentum Corner-stones do not only strengthen but also adorn the building they are more costly and curious then those that lie by them their Daughters shall be as corner-stones polish'd after the similitude of a Temple Psa. 144. 12. Besides they are called a Nail in Zac. 10. 4. Nailes do not only fasten and strengthen but they serve to hang things on Do not think it strange that the glory of a Nation should hang upon the nail of authority When God promised to fasten Eliakim as a Nail in a sure place that is to establish his government 't is added and they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house Isa. 22. 4. 'T is worth notice that when the Psalmist was in a vein of extolling the glory of Jerusalem he commends her among other things as glorious for this because there were the Thrones of Judgement Thus good Laws well executed are the bottom beauty and bullwork of a State and it briefly teaches us That Anabaptists and Libertines as they are enemies to the Church so they are bad friends to a State to ruine Lawes and to destroy a Nation are but the same thing in divers expressions Those satanized Monsters that despise government and speak evil of dignities are such as follow the flesh in the lusts of uncleannesse 2. Pet. 2. 10. Law is one of the greatest enemies to lust two Masters they are that cannot be served both but he that will leane to the one must despise the other A Lap. proposes the Query why Epicurus had more Disciples than the rest of the Phylosophers and he gives this answer Non quod Disciplina verum afferat sed quod voluptate invitet Liberty is a bait that lust loves to bite at and he that would catch the one must angle with the other Corruption could never endure to be bridled by Authority but loves to run in a loose rein Elies sons were first lustful and then disobedient and still do their impure off-spring decry Authority to foster their impurity every where voting down Lawes and Justice as they in the Psalm Who is Lord over us We may learn nezt the necessity both of Law and Justice and the misery of a Nation that is without them The Persians had a custome when their chief Ruler died there was among them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a lawlesse liberty for five daies after so that every one might do for that five daies what he pleased Now in this short interval of government there
confringere terram sub qua fissura petrarum me absconsurus sum cui monti dicam cade super me cui colli tege me c. Woe to me when thou O Lord shalt arise to shake terribly the earth In what rock shall I finde a clift to hide me To what mountain shall I say fall on me to what hill cover me c O if Martyrs tremble how will sinners stand If such as lose their lives for Christs dread that day what will become of such as venture their lives against him If this be done to the green tree what will be done to the dry Oh that we were wise to consider our latter end that we could provide by holinesse and prevent by repentance the sad issues that sin will in that day bring upon us God in Scripture is said to have a bag and a bottle a bag for our sinnes a bottle for our tears oh as we have fill'd the one with sin so le ts fill the other by repentence And oh blessed be that God that after we have made shipwrack by sin hath provided us such a plank as repentance upon which we may swim safe to heaven Let us then all take the shame of sin to our selves by repentance here in the day of grace that sin may never bring us to shame in the day of judgement A SERMON preached at the Assizes at Taunton in the County of Sommerset August 3. 1657. ROM. 13. Ver. 4. For he is the Minister of God to thee for good but if you do that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain GReat places and employments God never intended as priviledges to secure any from his service The King himselfe how great soever be his busines was with his own hand saith Philo to write two copies of the Bible out of the Original the one he was to use at home and if he went abroad the other he must use as a running library or hic vade mecum Deut. 17. 18. And the reason is added v. 20. that his heart be not lifted up O 't is a hard matter to keep our hearts down when our honours rise Vespasian is said to be the onely man that was ever the better by being Emperour self-love like a false glasse makes us see our selves bigger and others lesse then they are to prevent which we are never to be without that true glasse of Gods Law that will tell us that even Gods among men are but men with God and that the greatest Magistrate is but Gods Minister and that 's honour enough for he is the Minister of God to thee c. To be large in Prefacing were but to wrong my Text As though like the Prophets strait bed and his narrow covering it could not hold me an houre when rather indeed it 's like the great and the wide sea where there 's roome enough for the tallest ship to float and the great Leviathan may take his pastime therein To the words then briefly And here as by the portal we go into the inner roomes so let me give you by the coherence occasion and other circumstances to the text 'T is Aretius observation of the Jewes that they ever scorn'd subjection to any especially to the Romans and Alsted of the vain glory of their successours to this day sayes thus antiquum obtinent They are no changelings still fill up their fathers sinne by their present pride you may read their temper in that bragge of theirs John 8. 33. We were never in bondage to any man when yet they were scarce ever out of bondage to some or other and at that very time in bondage to the Romans Well Bondage being so burdensome to this people There was liberty by the Gospel preacht by Christ and his Apostles which doctrine of liberty was so misapplied and abused by divers that they thought themselves by their Christian liberty discharged from being any longer subject to secular authority Whence Julian Porphirius Proclus and other Heathens traduced the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles as that that was seditious and father'd the rebellious practises of the people upon the doctrine of their Teachers On this occasion saith Clemens Alexandrius did Christ and his Apostles studiously endeavour to vindicate the doctrine of the Gospel from this aspersion and did enough to convince the world that Gospel liberty was farre from countenancing rebellion against civil authority This Christ did when he paid tribute money himself and gave it in charge to others to give Caesar the things that were Caesars And Paul among the rest makes it his profest businesse in this chapter in which both his matter and method are exceeding plaine 1. He enjoynes subjection on all as a generall duty verse 1. Let every soule be subject to the higher powers 2. Draws up his Arguments in order to prove his doctrine and the first is this 1. The Authour of government that 's God for there is no power but of God True the constitution is from man the manner or mould of Government as Solon said of the Athenian Laws they were so good as the people could beare fitted he meant and accomodated to the state of the people but still the institution or ordination is from God {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they are ordained of God from which conclusion follows this fearful consequence he then that resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God v. 2. 2. He proves his position from the end of authority v. 3. for Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil Jeroboam then forgot his duty and proved a shame to Magistracy when instead of encouraging his people to serve the Lord he set a net on Mizpeh and spread a snare on Tabor to watch who would go from him to worship God in Judah Hosea 5. 1. 3. He argues from Magistrates relation to God whose person they represent and by whose authority they act vers. 4. for he is the Minister of God c. The words in short are a vindication of Magistracy drawn from Its Authour Its End 1. From its Authour that 's God for he is the Minister of God 2. From its End and that 's twofold 1. The protection of them that are good Gods Minister to thee for good 2. The punishing and suppressing of the wicked to such the Magistrate is intended for terrour and the reason is added for he beareth not the sword in vaine Doct. Observe then 1. That a lawful Magistrate is Gods Miinister {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Gods Vicar Deputy or Vicegerent Several wayes this may be evidenced 1. They are commissioned by him not only Kings but Judges also Prov. 8. 15 16. By me Kings reigne and Princes decree justice by me Princes rule and Nobles and all Judges of the earth God alone is the absolute Monarch and hath the sole sovereignty of Heaven and Earth and this power he delegates