that question Aq. 2. 2. q. 60. ar 5. utrunc sit semper secundum leges scriptas judicaudum Aquinas concludes positively nor that whether Judges bee alwaies bound to give sentence secundum Allegata probata Becan Sum. pag. 425. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very famous and by many debated Aq. 2. 2. Qu. 67. Lessius lib. 2. de jure cap 9. dub 10. both Schoolmen and Casuists many conclude positively that Judges may upon Allegations proofs and evidences of others adjudge a man to dye whom they themselves certainly know to bee innocent Aquinas his conclusion is harsh in my opinion I leave it for the judicious to weigh in the ballance Bp. Halls Decads Cum judicium ad Judices spectet non secundum privatam sed publicam potestatem oportet eos judicare non secundum Veritatem Juris naturalis est secundum ipsius rei veritatem judicare jus gentium derogare nihil potest juri naturali Pilatus secundum deposita testium quorum testimonium falsum esse dicebat judicans condemnans Christum ab omnibus pro injusto judice habetur Baldw. Cas Consc lib. 4. cap. 12. Cas 6. pag. 874. quam ipsi ut privatae personae noverunt sed secundum quod ipsis ut personis publicis per leges per testes per instrumenta per allegata probata res innotuit The law of God which must bee your rule and which neither is to bee avoided nor dispensed with requireth that the innocent and righteous dye not Exod. 23.7 false accusations make no man faulty they may make him to seem so but not to bee so Hee that shall knowingly condemn the innocent cannot himself in that bee innocent There is a saying amongst you mens legis est lex not the letter of the Law but the minde and intention of the Law is the Law Now the intention of the Law is to protect the innocent In such cases Cardinal Cajetan conceives it meet that Judges should in the presence and audience of all the people give their oathes that they know the party guiltlesse Dom. a Soto others would have the prisoner secretly slip out of the Gaol and by flight secure himself To omit what Azorius and others say Azor. lib. 2. Instit Moral cap. 17. Deut. 17.11 It is your duty My Lords to follow the prescript of the Law for this end were they established and promulged Deut. 17.11 According to the sentence of the Law shalt thou judge A verbo legis in criminibus paeni non est recedendum Ahasuerus though in rage and drink would not apparently transgresse the Law therefore this Heathen Prince calls unto the wise men who knew Law and Judgement and inquires What shall wee do to the Queen Vashti according to the Law Esther 1.15 In Courts of Judicature you are not jus dare sed jus dicere to make new Laws but to interpret and execute Laws already made Wee may not say what wee will in the Pulpit nor may you do what you will on the Bench Lord what wilt thou have mee to do I will do it is the language of a good Judge I will shew mercy to whom mercy belongs and I will give right to whom it belongs they shall dye whom thou hast appointed to dye Wee shall close up this Argument with that passage of holy Ambrose which I have met with in many Authors Aqu. ubi supra Gerard. de Mag. Pol. c. Bonus Judex nihil ex arbitrio suo facit domesticae voluntatis proposito sed juxta leges jura pronunciat statutis juris obtem perat sicut audit â—t a judicat sicut se habet negotii natura decernitur obsequitur legibus non adversatur examinat causae merita non audit This is the fourth reason The Rule is exact and therefore it concerns you to take heed what yee do Reason 5 Fifthly You must dye and give an exact account of what you have done and how you have judged and therefore it concerns you to take heed what you do By his leave it is that you live while you live and by his Law it is that you dye when you come to dye and then you must bee responsible Vain man seldome or never thinks of that which were hee truly wise hee would never have out of his thoughts Deut. 32.29 his latter end Templa saxea marmorea ferro plumboque consolidata tamen cadunt Aug. de Tempore Serm 113 homo se nunquam putat moriturum notable is that of Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Lords no sooner were you born but you were old enough to dye and now you are so old that probably you cannot live long Though you bee stiled gods yet you are mortal gods though Scuta terrae shields of the earth yet you are withal scuta terrea earthen shields or shields of earth I am telling you in your ears the Lord speak it home to all your hearts that you are dying men Psal 47.9 a solemn Knell may sound anon before the next morning to tell the world that there are two Princes 2 Sam. 3.38 or great men fallen this day in Israel And what shall attend your transmigration or remotion hence think you but Judgement you that now call to Judgement shall then come to Judgement though you could approve your selves to the Higher-Powers Aqu. Suppl qu. 89. Art 5 this will not serve the turn All the Lions of the world must bow before and give account to the Lamb of God Hee hath appointed a day Coruel A Lapide calls it Act. 17.31 Horizon temporis aeternitatis in which hee will judge the world in Righteousnesse Vide Gerard. Vossium de extremo Judicio Say the Borborians the Florians yea and the Manichees what they please to the contrary and shall you bee exempted when all the World shall bee judged surely no And how exactly and severely the Lord Jesus Christ shall exercise his power and authority at that great day the Ancients have writ so much that I have nothing to say but with that learned interpreter Ipse a Vobis rationem vel praestitae vel neglectae justitiae severam exiget ac pro meritis praemiabit A Lapide 2. merita vel puniet This brings mee to Reason 6 The sixth Argument According to your doings you must bee rewarded therefore it concerns you to take heed what you do Behold I come I come who have been so highly provoked and so long expected to come I come who was from eternity designed and deputed to come and am now preparing to come and my reward is with mee to give every man according as his work shall bee I cannot determine not do I remember the Scripture that decides the question and controversy whether every mans and all a mans doings Good and Evil shall bee
the gods and humbly implored their allowance of and assistance for the good successe of his enter prizes an hence it was that his expressions and transactions were so admirable and heroical Right Honourable the execution of Justice and Judgement which you are now going about is a work of highest concernment and choicest intendment Magnum est audire homines agrestes pauperes tantum devorare taedium audire causas juvare pios punire scelerates est munus Angelicum immo divinum P. M. in Saâ— p. 260. It is Angels work nay it is work for God himself as Peter Martyr hath well observed it is the work of the Lord and you have great need of the help of the Lord you are sure to meet with resistance from Hell but assistance from Heaven will so carry you thorough it that you shall not notoriously miscarry in it royal and religious therefore is your practise to enter first into the house of God here to seek direction from him and the benediction of him 'T is Augustines observation Mihi pag. 158 in his book de verâ religione that Matth. 6.19,20,21 v. Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth c. is the covetous mans Scripture Gal. 6.8 Hee that soweth to the flesh c. that is the Luxurious mans Scripture Luk. 18.14 Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased that is the ambitious the proud mans Scripture Luk. 17.21 The Kingdome of God is within you that 's the superstitious mans Scripture 1 Joh. 2.15,16 Love not the World c. that 's every mans Scripture and well may I say the words of my Text are the reverend Judges Scripture And if this bee the Scripture for Judges as this place is the proper place for Judges and this time the stated usual time for judgement then certainly it can in no place more properly at no time more seasonably bee handled than in this place and at this time it will bee a word upon the wheel a Sermon in season All that I shall say as to the Text the Teacher and this honourable Auditory is The Lord make it as serviceable to you as it is seasonable for you For my self in the words of Ludovicus Crocius Dissert 2d de peccat Sorig Dirige tu mentem Christe manumque meam To you Right Honourable shall I speak in the words of holy Augustin Intendite in haec Libro praedicto de V. R. quae sequuniur diligenter quantum potestis pie tales enim adjuvat Deus To the Text And I shall crave leave to say something of it by way 1 Of Resolution 2 Explication 3 Application For the first By way of Resolution True is that of Seneca to his Lucâ—ius Facilius per partes in cognitioxem totius adducimur Ep. 89. How the Angels know or come to learn I determine not some say Angeli discurt Analisi thus is a good way for men to learn Vide Vasqu Tom. 2. Disput 222. pag. 515. Texts of Scripture till methodically and logically resolved are like frozen pits how refreshing soever the water bee it will not refresh till the Ice bee broken This Text is like those trees of which Moses speaks Gen. 2.9 pleasant to the sight and good for food A Text which should bee writ in or with letters of gold and put in all those Halls set on all the benches in all Courts of Justice and places of Judicature where Justice is executed and Judgement administred Victor Strigel in locum as a learned interpreter notes upon it And although sayes hee there bee many excellent notions hinted and handed to us by Plato Aristotle and learned Jurisperit's concerning the excellency and necessity of Justice and Judges duties yet Si omnia humana dicta in unam massam conflata essent hanc tamen auream concionem aequare non possent c. In it four general parts you have 1 Officium Propositum A duty propounded 2 Modum Expositum The manner Expounded 3 Media Deposita Helps Expressed 4 Motiva Apposita Motives annexed Concerning the first The Duty is propounded three waies Implicitly Explicitly Ingeminatly First Implicitly Ver. 6. Take heed what yee do Aliquid praesupponitur agendum something is to be done this is implyed Secondly Explicitly Vers 7. Do it i.e. Execute Justice and Judgement Hic labor hoc opus est Thirdly Ingeminatly Take heed what yee do Again Take heed and do it his inculcating and duplicating the charge as Phavorinus in another matter of whom in A. Gellius admonitionem facit intentiorem impressionem firmiorem Et memoriam retentiorem Physitians say memoria primum se nescit Concerning the second viz. The Modification The manner expounded how Justice is and ought to bee executed Vers 6. Take heed c. From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Summa cum diligentia vigilantia prudentia c. do it exactly regularly deliberately Praevidit prospexit circumspexit Carthus in locum actus vestros verba sententias diligenter pensate ne devietis in aliquo saith Carthusian on it See or see to what yee do so the Original and the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithful Minister is oculus Ecclesiae Vide Calv. in Isa 3.2 a faithful Magistrate is oculus Reipublicae here and there blindness nec excusatione est digna nec venia It is curious work which you are now about and you have need of open eyes steady hands and honest hearts Officium geritis magni momenti multum potestis prodesse obesse causas itaque accurate perpendite Lavaret in locum Take heed c. Concerning the third the means or helps expressed in number three First Let the fear of God bee upon you vers 7. Let it never bee said of THIS Court as Abraham did of Abimelechs Gen. 20.11 Surely the fear of God is not in this place Remote repagulo pessulo Timoris Dei nullam non injustitiam exercebit Judex a quo nihil boni aequi c. Rivet well observes but such as fear God will take heed Explicat Decalogi pag. 421 if not of what others say yet what they themselves do of this more in the progress of this discourse Secondly Respect not persons or faces in judgement partiality staineth justice and cuts in peeces the very nerves and ligaments of any state There is no policy so great as to bee an honest Caussin impartial man Thirdly Take no gifts for they blinde the eyes of the wise of the Seer and pervert the words of the Righteous Ministers have lost their gifts in this Tenacious hide-bound age I mean not their parts qualifications c. it were well if you and others had so too Concerning the 4th The Motives annexed whereby these Judges are incouraged excited and animated to a careful conscientious discharge of their duties and they also are in number three 1 They Judge not for man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but for the Lord and therefore
cruci affigeretur saith Maldonate Audi quomodo amatus es O homo Aug. O quantum dilecta spousa prae qua filius ipse aut non dilectus aut sa'tem neglectus Incomparable was the love which Christ manifested to man in praying for us paying a great price for us dying for us and now making intercession for us his very life was the Jewel hee pawned for us Vide Bolducium in Job 2.4 precious it was to him and so is ours to us Skin for skin and All that a man hath will hee give for his life Now this is in your hands What Seneca said of Nero to Nero in that excellent book of Clemency Lib. 1. cap. 1 so highly prized by Queen Elizabeth Ego vitae necisque arbiter qualem quisque sortem statumque habeat in manu mea positum est quid cuique mortalium c. is true in part of you notable was the answer of Alexander Magnus to his Mother Olympia when shee had a design to take away the life of an innocent man shee remembred him how shee had carried him in her womb nourished him with her blood painfully laboured in his birth therefore hee must not deny her request but his return was grave and serious Life was precious Misera vis est valere ad nocendum there is lesse evil in sparing ten that bee nocent than in sentencing to death two that bee innocent For that there is a plea of mercy This is pure injustice Hee was none of the wisest Judges who solemnly professed as the Italian Oratour speaks to hang many was his Jubile Silesio and a great execution was his great recreation Hee had not the reason of a man but the rage of a Lion the venome of a Serpent the malice of a Daemon And How dear our Civil Interests Immunities Rights and Priviledges are I shall not speak Do not too many make their Gold their God their Bonds and Indentures their Scriptures The world their All in All They would rather part with their part in paradise than in Paris While gracious souls say What is a man profited if hee gain the whole world and lose his own soul The Cry is greater what is a man profited if hee save his own soul and lose his Riches his Rights his Honours his Flax and Wool the great things of this world The Application In which I shall study more brevity I cannot more perspicuity But one thing I must remember your Lordships of and my self of another before I can proceed on safe ground any further Remember you that of Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nisi fideliter dixetim vobis crit damno sum mihi periculosium Timeo itaque damnum vestrum damnationem meam si Tacuero The Church is not a Theater where mens ears are tickled but their hearts are touched nor are you come hither I presume to hear what will please but profit It may bee it should bee what is most profitable will bee most delectable and acceptable And I shall remember Bernards Nisi fideliter dixerim hee who hath advanced you to this Authority hath ingaged mee to fidelity The plaister which causeth most smart is most soveraign To proceed then 1 Use And First for Humiliation Is this so Must Justice bee executed and Judgement administred THUS with this deliberation c. Then let us Humble our souls this morning in the presence of the Eternal God for the Male administration of Justice in the Nation This is one burden which England hath too long groaned under it is our sin our shame our judgement a state desolating sinking sin it carries destruction in the very face of it when there is little or no Justice Truth or Knowledge of God in a Land God will enter into controversie with it Hos 4.1,2 Gualther might well call that Text sui an non nostri Temporis speculum It is Englands Looking-glasse who can say wee are free from injustice oppression Aqu. 2. 2. Qu. 57. Ar. 12 c. the Schools say Justice is the chief of Moral vertues sure then Injustice is chief of Mortal vices May it bee spoken My Lords May it bee spoken Nay is it not to bee spoken with tears of blood Judgement hath been turned backwards Justice hath stood afarre off Truth hath fallen in our streets the Widdow and the fatherlesse have been oppressed The Name of God blasphemed his holy day prophaned his Ordinances sleighted and his Laws violated while the Statutes of Omri are observed Quis talia fando Temperet a lachrymis Let Rivers of Waters run down our eyes because men keep not thy Laws O Lord. Seneca unmasking the face of their corrupt state hath this notable passage The news from Rome take thus the walls are ruined the Temples are not visited the Priests are fled the Treasuries rob'd Old men are dead young men are mad Vices are Lords over all The Dictator blames the Consul The Consul checks the Censor the Censor chides the Praetor the Praetor falls foul upon the Aedile and hee casts all the fault upon the Quaestor and because no man will acknowledge himself in fault wee have no hopes of better times I shall not take the boldnesse to apply It was a strange saying yet very true Nic. de Clemang There is more justice and equity in Hell than in France there the oppressor is oppressed there hee that would not give a crumb of bread is denyed a drop of Water there such as shed innocent blood have blood to drink there is no respect had to persons potentes potenter puniuntur Every man hath according to his deserts but in France c. let this never bee true of England Not to travel far In this County which is not the greatest there is too much of Rome and Hell You may behold the tears of such as are oppressed and crushed by Malignant Antichristian Lords but they have no comforters you may behold Seducers and Impostors Vain-talkers and idle persons whose mouthes are not muzled Wee fear the setting of our Sunne at Noon-day the removal of our bright-burning and shining lights out of our territories wee tremble O that wee could tremble to think of Gods striving with us no more by his Spirit and his Word Wee fear not the downfal of Tythes so much as of Truths unless that bee a fore-runner of this Herb. The Gospel upon tip-toe stands And 's ready for the American strands If Justice be not executed Errours suppressed faithful and painful Ministers encouraged and Gods Ordinances frequented and attended on Woe unto us if Judgement bee established Salvation shall come and his Righteousnesse shall be revealed Luther had never any great design on foot for Gods glory and the Churches good but hee was brought very low before by the afflicting hand of God My Lords the work you have in hand is of God and for God humble your selves this day before God the work will go better on Vis
is not and shall the hopes of these worthy Families go too all these things are against us Shall I call on you Worthy Gentlemen of his dear Relations to take notice of this sad providence this invaluable and almost irreparable losse it is your wisdome to study these dispensations and to bee sensible of the Lords displeasure weigh your losse in the ballance of the sanctuary Vide Pos in vita Aug. Weep O Weep yee Inhabitants of Atherton As Augustin did by Davids penitential Psalms even so do you by the words of my Text Hee caused them to bee drawn upon the walls of his chamber that hee might read them as hee lay in bed hee read and wept and wept and read it may bee our iniquities have provoked the most high in much displeasure to take him from us and put a period to his daies that so hee may bring upon us the judgements long since deserved and now much feared He was a Star of the most benigne influence that hath risen in our Horizon within the memory of any now alive the more therefore by us to bee lamented let not that bee our sin which was their Judgement Jer. 16.5 Ezek. 24.23 I remember Seneca reports of Senecio Cornelius that hee was a tenacious Ep. 10 covetous man care who would for their souls hee was only solicitous about his body and his mony when hee had all the day long waited on his dying friend and his friend was dead hee returns to his house sups merrily comforts himself quickly goes to bed chearfully his sorrows ended and time of mourning expired before his friend was interred Let none of us follow his example and practise Let us lay this Great mans Death close to and keep it long on our hearts let us lament over him saying Ah Lord Ah his glory let us fall down upon our faces as Ezekiel did when Pelatiah the son of Benajah died and deprecate the processe of his Judgements that no more breaches bee made upon us In wrath O Lord remember mercy 3 Observation It is a lawful and needful thing to speak honourably of Great men at their Falls and Funerals We may say good of when dead whose constant work and practise it was to do good while they lived It is lawful thus to do the practise of the Spirit of God is warrant enough it was the Holy Ghost who writ Jehoiadaies Epitaph They buried him in the City of David 2 Chron. 24.16 among the Kings because hee had done good in Israel both towards God and towards his house It is said of Josiah in his commendation like unto him there was no King 2 King 23.25 Moses and Mordecai Hezekiah Saul and Jonathan with Abner in the Text after their deaths have their due praises In Fest om Sanct. Serm. 5 It is useful thus to do plane quod eorum memoriam veneramur nostra interest non ipsorum as Bernard speaks Eâ— sanctorum commemoratione gestorum ad omnes provenit utilitas Use Cave ne lingua tua feriat collum tuum Scalig. Arab. Proverb Let this silence the detractours of our times and territories no sooner is dust cast upon the heads but they throw dirt in the faces of our Worthies Augustin fitly compares such to Dives his Dogs they lay licking and sucking Lazarus his sores his sounder parts they never medled with It was one of Solons Laws that none should dare to speak evil of the dead and Plutarch tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch in Poplic p. 102 it was highly commended and duly observed It is not so with us in this censorious age veterum mos fuit saith one neminem sepelire nisi prius laudatum c. The Tongues of many are like the Duke of Medina Sidonia's sword it knew no difference between a Catholick and an Heretick but that hee came to make way for his Master Qui regit signum est in quod Satan omnia jacula dirigit Luth. It was the custome of old to lay none in their graves till some Oratour had given the by standers a full account of the deceaseds virtues but tempora mutantur nos It is recorded to Vespatians honour that hee was more ready to conceal the vices than the virtues of his friends such commonly are best acquainted with others infirmities who are least observant of their own iniquities and irregularities To trample upon the reputation and stain the glory of the dead argues thee to bee a kin to Fleas who bite most when men are asleep or as the Poet speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectus ordo requirit saith Bernard in his Epistle to Bruâ—o ut prius propriam deinde alienas curare studeas conscientias The charge is Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise reprove him by no means reproach him Observable is that of our blessed Saviour Luk. 7.37 Vide Maldâ—naâ— in Luk. 7.37 Constans omnium vererum authorum opinio est fuisse meretricem si non vulgo prostitutam parum certe caste viventem There was a woman in the City which was a sinner no wonder what woman is not wee may guess both who the woman was and what the sin was and which City it was but hee neither names the City nor the sin nor the sinner seeing her reformation hee consults her reputation Go and do likewise Omit no opportunity of speaking well of others do not ever speak evil of others when you have opportunity and just occasion it is a greater commendation of your goodnesse that you might and would not Posse nolle nobile est For us to bee ill spoken of and not deservedly is neither our fault nor our case alone A pimpled face discovers a distempered Liver a stinking breath corrupted Lungs and a back-biting tongue a base rotten heart it is a comfort that ill tongues cannot make ill men Nemo est tantae faelicitatis qui dentes semper evadet malignitatis It was said Christ was a wine-bibber and Paul mad It is an ill property never to requite any courtesy ever to revenge an injury upon men living it is basest when dead but to conclude this Use let the Motto which was fixed upon the door of a certain Senate-house Drex Orbis Phaeton bee in every detractours eye Si quem laudare non potes ne vitupera It was matter of sharpest censure to the Grammarians that they were better acquainted with the evils of Ulysses than with their own Use 2 Let mee exhort you all high and low to know and do your duty Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Render to all their dues honour to whom honour belongs To practise my self what I presse on you is your expectation I shall do in this what I can though I cannot do what I would And not only at this time but when ever just occasion is offered I shall do it of others Foolish and sottish
2.3 In goodnesse Rom. 2.4 In Grace Ephes 1.7 In Glory Ephes 1.18 And in Mercy also Eph. 2.4 It is a main plain and a momentous Truth I am now to discourse of the execution of justice Justice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulcrum anchora civitatis saith the Philosopher in his Politiques It is conservatrix humanae conjunctionis quae ad beatitua tidem via est saith Scaliger I am easily convinced that mercy best becomes a Ministers mouth God loves mercy best and wee need mercy most hee is in Scripture stiled the Father of mercies for hee begets mercies as Fathers beget children and loves mercies as Fathers love children Hee is a Sea of mercy both bottomelesse and boundlesse an over-flowing and an ever flowing fountain of mercy and yet ever full Hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rich in mercy not rich in wrath hee delights in mercy not in judgements Isa 7.20 hee hires the raisor wherewith hee shaves his people Isa 7.20 Judgement is his work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but his strange work hee loves freely but corrects not willingly not from the heart though men do willingly grieve the children of God Lam 3.33 yet God doth not willingly grieve the children of men O Ephraim what what shall I do unto thee and how shall I give thee up O Ephraim Hos 11.8 how shall I deliver thee O Israel how doth the most High debate and project with himself to shew mercy Excellent is that of Vossius upon that Text De Extr. Judicio Thes 3 Go yee cursed it is said come yee blessed of my Father but not go yee cursed of my Father Benedictionis author pater est non item maledictionis c. But bee all this and more granted wee must sing this compound ditty of judgement and mercy Unisons make no good musick Such are his Attributes that hee will not cease to bee just that hee may bee merciful As hee is the Father of mercies so hee is a Lord of wrath Baal chemah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a possessor of wrath Nahum 1.2 As hee hath a time of reprieving so he hath a time of reproving a time of correcting man for sin as well as a time of conniving at mans sin his patience hath fixed bounds and limits None may leave sin unpunished who are thereto deputed upon pretence that God is merciful it is said that no attribute of God is so often iterated no act of God so often inculcated no work of God so often repeated in sacred story as Justice Judge Judgement c. Two Branches of the Observation 1 Justice must bee executed and Judgement administred 2 And that exactly conscionably deliberately c. First Of the first It is the more common observation and therefore I shall not injure this reverend Auditory by prolixity I come then to clear it by testimonies both divine and humane out of the inspired Prophets and Heathen Poets and Philosophers Consult Jer. 22. 2 2◠12 For Scripture proofs consult Deut. 16.19 Judges and Officers shalt thou make in all thy Gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee throughout the Tribes and they shall judge the people with just judgement Psal 82.3 Thou shalt not wrest Judgement thou shalt not respect persons Deut. 1.16 Et A Lapide in loc nor take a gift that which is altogether just shalt thou follow Deut. 19.21 In the Original it is more emphatical Justice Justice shalt thou follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all manner of Justice and nothing but Justice carefully constantly c. Micah 6.8 Calvin conceives that that Prophesy as wee now have it is but the Synopsis or Epitome of certain Sermons collected by him and recorded for the Churches benefit And Gualther thinks this is part of his fourth Sermon the marrow whereof you have in this eighth verse Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee To do justly Vide Guath in locum Kings and Princes Magistrates and Ministers Masters and Servants Judges especially must learn to do judgement justly though your dispositions may incline you to mercy yet his command must praeponderate and over-awe you to justice there can bee no mercie in injustice and nothing but injustice in disobeying the Lords command Exod. 23. Thou shalt not speak no not speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgement Thou shalt not wrest the Judgement of thy poor in his cause Keep thee farre from a false matter the innocent and the righteous slay thou not and verse 13. In all things which I have said unto you bee circumspect Take heed what you do Nor is that time the least considerable though last considered in Zachary 8.16 The Persians were so in love with Justice that this was the first of those five things which they taught their children from their fifth to their tenth year as Zenophon Hist lib. 1. de Institutione Cyri. Execute the Judgement of Truth and peace q. d. It is not sufficient to build the Temple and to have an eye to his ceremonial worship you should mainly minde the moral Law see that the main duties bee performed some particulars are mentioned under which the rest are comprized Execute the Judgement of Truth and Peace judge according to law and the rules thereof and according to true information in matters of fact It is the conclusion of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more just any person or action is Arist hic lib. 1. c. 1 lib. 5. c. 1 the more excellent and glorious it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as peace comprizeth all blessings so doth justice all vertues Ubi nec cura juris Senec. de Clem. lib. 1 cap. 2. 4 said Seneca where there is no care of equity and justice Kingdomes must needs bee in a tottering condition P. Parad. 4 this is Civitatum vinculum saith Tully the Ornament the Muniment the Cement that holds Cities and Kingdomes together no society can subsist without it Vide Valer. Maxim lib. 6. cap. 5. Amongst Thieves and Robbers were no justice observed but one take all the society would suddenly and happily dissolve It was Pythagoras his grave advice to his Scholars Aur. Carm. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. both in word and deed inure your selves to equity ever remembring you are mortal and Hipparchus his Motto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Think on Righteousnesse as thou goest along or practise Righteousnesse in thy life and conversation Vide Phocylidis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another of them hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first worship God then honour thy Parents in the next place do justice to all men Plato Plotinus Hesiod and others are very full in this who would not blush to hear Pagans pressing this so much and to see Christians practising this so little For Arguments to convince take nine or ten Justice must bee executed
offereth praise glorifies mee Psal 50. ult 4 By your Fruitfulness under the dews and droppings of his Word under the whippings of his Rod John 15.8 the more graces are multiplied the more God is glorified 5 By your Faithfulness in sufferings and in services 1 Pet. 4.14.16 To give up your names to Christ and afterwards to make defection and apostatize from Christ is matter of dishonour to him if any man draw back his soul hath no pleasure in him Christus ipse tacite accusatur quasi iniquus but not to stand on these 6 By your contentednesse with him alone and your unsatisfiednesse with any thing you have from him while you are without him This sets the Crown upon his head 7 By your forwardnesse to and uprightnesse in the Administration of Justice and Judgement when the Angels came with power to judge Babylon Vide Rib. in loc Rev. 18.1,2 It is said the earth was lightened with his glory There is so much beauty and brightnesse in works of Justice and Judgement that they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Glory of the Lord Numb 14.21 God was glorious as well in destroying the Egyptians as delivering the Israelites 8 God himself hath commanded it peruse the Text Do it vers 7. Here is his Sic volo sic jubeo his will is the rule of all reason It is disputed in the Schools whether God doth at any time give out a command which hee himself would not have obeyed and why hee doth so is queried as in Abrahams case Gen. 22. Estius in Sent. lib. 1. Distinct 47. Parag. 3. Lombard produceth another which Estius rejects as impertinent They conclude it with a non modo fatendum est non omnia fieri velle deum quae praecepit sed interdum cum velle non fieri quod praecepit atque ideo praecipere ne fiat Certainly what here concerns the execution of Justice ought conscionably to bee obeyed because by him commanded that was a prerogative command but this is not and his Will is reason sufficient why you should obey Authoritas praecipientis est ratio praecepti Hee said do it who hath authority to command you to do it and ability to consume you if it bee not done hee is resolved Justice shall bee done and highly provoked if Justice bee not done this is the Will of God Et sufficit pro universis rationibus Deus Vult Reason 9. 9 Justice must bee executed that your oathes may not bee violated To fear an oath is the character of a good man The violation of an oath is so hainous a transgression that some of the School-men peremptorily conclude Perjury a greater sin than Homicide Biel. lib. 3. Qu. 39. Dub. 4. or Murther though Biel doth not assent thereto yet hee confesseth it is a sin to bee punished by the Judges especially then in Judges Heathens dare not adventure to infringe or violate their oaths though guided only by the pur-blinde light of natural conscience Attillius Regulus preferred the obligation and observation of his Oath before the safety and preservation of his life hee made choice of that which was indeed more eligible to bee punished than to bee perjured The Carthaginians being ingaged to the Romans chose rather to entombe themselves in flames of fire which they had kindled in the Market-place than to break their sacred vows Notable is that of Pocylides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But once more and then wee shall let this branch passe Reason 10. 10 This is the end for which you are impowred and constituted The Queen of Sheba though an Heathen could tell that therefore God made Solomon King because hee loved Israel and that this was his work to do Justice and Judgement 2 Sam. 8.15 2 Chron. 9.8 shee was convinced that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him Kings raign and that for this very end Salomon was set on the Throne of Israel to dispose of the affairs of his Kingdome with Judgement wisely and in righteousnesse justly Judges that will not do judgement have nomen inane and are guilty of crimen immane Such sin against the very nature and end of their function Remember then my Lords that Instrumentum eatenus est Instrumentum quatenus est inusu And as the Philosophers speak Frustranea est ea potentia quae non reducitur in actum i.e. quando debet quando potest you have authority put into your hands to do judgement and you have one opportunity more to do judgement up then and bee doing receive not that power and authority in vain 2 Branchâ—… In the Administration of Justice you must TAKE HEED what yee do do it exactly This is the second Branch of the Observation 't is de modo how you are to dispose and dispatch manage and transact the affairs in hand Not to multiply Arguments Take these ten why you should Take heed what you do and do all exactly Reason 1. First Because you are the Deputies the Vice-gerents the Ministers of a most holy just jealous and exact God Hee is exact in all his wayes Vide Tirin in locum works promises as fearful in praises so faithful in promises both in making and in keeping them hee is ever as good as his word sometimes better exact in rewarding in punishing in all his understanding is infinite hee knows what to do when and how to do all things Now then my Lords A Lapide in locum you are his Ministers non tam mei quam Dei est is vicarii a Deo scilicet per me constituti Judices est is populi sui and therefore it highly concerns you to take heed what you do read the seventh verse There is no iniquity in the Lord your God All Righteousnesse is in him nothing at all of unrighteousnesse in him let there bee none in you All his officers shall bee peace and his exactors Righteousnesse it is in the abstract and you know Abstractum est forma concreti it hath more in it and carries more away with it It is his pleasure that all his should bee like him It is your duty to meditate frequently on and to conform your selves to that perfect pattern of your soveraign Lords exemplary Justice This should bee the first step of your care Vasquez disput 116. cap. 4 5. Suarez Metaph 30. Sect. 6. it will bee the last rise of your honour The divine Attributes are neither really distinct from the divine Essence nor one from another his mercy is the same with his Justice and both God himself A man may bee a man and yet bee unjust Justice is not quid constitutivum but should the most high bee unjust hee could not bee God Justice is no quality in him but the very nature of him There is a Maxime of state The King can do no wrong Certainly they may and in some respects did Thom. Bradw lib. 1. de causa dei God can
magnus esse saith the Father incipe ab imo would you be great and do great things for God begin low lay the foundation deep Wee have our Kingdome broken our Countries broken our comforts broken and all because our hearts are not yet broken This may be thought improper for this Auditory To proceed then 2 Vse Exhor The second Use is of Exhortation I shall look upon you under a double Notion or Consideration And First As Men as Christians and so it highly concerns you to Take heed what you do You have noble immortal souls to be saved as well as others 2 Argum. and therefore it concerns you to Take heed what you do 1 They have noble souls to bee saved Ergo If you consider the subtilty and enmity of Satan The miscarriages of so many who have been fair for Heaven and yet have fallen short if you consider that Temptations without you are many corruptions within you mighty and the exactnesse of the way to Heaven You 'l say with them who then can be saved or that there is great cause why yee should take heed what yee do Your souls are choice and precious things Deificatur anima saith one of the Ancients if the soul be considered in her essentiality it is enough to make a man heavenly proud to contemplate of how noble a nature quality and essence it is Coelum Dei sunt animae sanctae Aug. in Psa 97 of all losses in the world this is the saddest loss To thousands it is an unexpected loss and it is to many a wilful loss Nothing shall be had in lieu of this loss they who lose their souls shall have nothing of that for which they did adventure their souls In many it is a losse for a little matter a little pelf a little dross These once lost and you have no more to lose it was the opinion of the Manichees as the Schoolmen tell us that every man had two souls I shall not now stay to tell you what Zabarel and other Philosophers say of that subject This is sure if a man lose one hee loses all Are not your souls My Lords eternally and irrecoverably lost Blesse you God for Jesus Christ who shed his precious blood for the redemption of them and Take heed in the fear of God for the future what you do 2 There is a great God to be served Ergo Again There is a great God to bee feared loved served hee is so high and holy that hee far transcends the highest Titles wee can give to him the holiest conceptions wee can frame of him There is none of you too great or too good to serve God God is too good and too great rather to bee served by you if hee imploy you it is not because hee wants servants but because you want service Remember Pauls not many mighty not many noble are called The flesh of Kings and Counsellors of Magistrates and Ministers is venison in Heaven very rare Few Kings and great men come there as Bucanan told the King K. James of all miracles it will bee the greatest to see a great man past all the shelves and rocks here and safely lodged in the haven of Heaven When the fulnesse of time was come then God sent his Son and when God sent his Son the fulnesse of time was come to save his people not all from their sins not in their sins nor with their sins How few great ones especially take Christ for their Soveraign as well as for their Saviour Their Nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord Nehemiah 3.5 Did any of the Rulers beleeve in him Chrysostome propounds the Question who ever saw a bad Minister a repenting man Ezek. 22.30 It is very rare I sought for a man among Them but found None Is not this true of wicked Gentlemen Take heed then what you do Secondly Ad Polyb. cap. 26. As you are Christian Magistrates and in short I may now speak in Seneca's language Multa vobis non licent quae humillimis in angulo jacentibus licent An errour committed in Navigation is easily corrected by observing the Elevation of the Pole Many errours and mistakes in judging may bee prevented or amended if you bee observant of your high station and this Caution in the Text I am now to exhort you to close with your duties Inward principles will more sweetly work you to a due execution of the Law and administration of Justice than external Motives yet to discharge my trust I shall humbly offer these animating and encouraging Considerations To execute Justice exactly c. 1 It is a very glorious and honourable act no servile sordid work it is work for Princes yea for Angels they are this way imployed they execute the Judgements of God upon wicked men they fetched Geheunam de coelo Dan. 10.20 Psal 78.49 Act. 12.23 Isa 37.36 as Salvian phrased it Hell from Heaven and destroyed Sodome it was an Angel an holy Angel who smote Herod Though Lorinus thinks it was the Devil Zech. 1.8 Those red horses speckled and white which stood behinde the man riding on the red horse who was Christ were Angels the red were appointed for Judgement the white for Mercy the speckled for mixt actions It is Angels work to shield and deliver the Innocent Consult those Scriptures at more leisure Rev. 7.1,2,3 Psal 34.7 Gen. 32.1,2 2 King 6.14,15,16,17 Psal 91.11 Rev. 21.12 Act. 5.8,9 Rev. 12.7 c. Nothing can more conduce to the glory of God or your own eternal honour and renown than this which I am pressing your Lord-ships to Agesilaus hearing one calling the King of Persia a Great King asked wherein is hee Greater than I except in this that hee is more just than I. Nothing saith Plutarch makes men truly Great but Justice Solomon was never more glorious than when hee executed Justice between the two Harlots 1 King 3. ult calling for the sword to divide the childe and so decide the controversy When Phineas executed Justice on Prince Zimri and the Lady Cosby how glorious was hee in the eye of God and in the hearts of the godly that Heroick act was by God well rewarded by good men much admired You are now honourable Lords in your Scarlet Robes honourably attended and strongly guardded but it is not your rich attire or royal vestments that makes you so venerable and formidable as will the due execution of Justice those are shallow badges very empty marks and Ensignes of dignity This brings lasting honour and raises to your posterity Juris aequitatis quae virum principem ornant eram studiosissimus Vatab. in Job 29.14 monumentum are perennius Notable is that of Seneca Pietate Justitia Principes Dii fiunt My Judgement was as a Robe and Diadem saith Job There are many Ornaments for men Eloquence is an Ornament to an Oratour Humility is an Ornament to a Christian Magnanimity is
an Ornament to a souldier Clemency is an Ornament to a Prince Senec. de Clem. lib. 1. cap. 3. 5. 16 17. but Justice is the Judges Ornament Dispute who will those questions in the Politicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eurip. whether a wicked man may bee a good Magistrate and whether it bee better to have good Laws or good Magistrates In a word to the former When wicked men shall become good men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 1. c. 3 then and not till then will they become good Magistrates and to the other though good laws bee the walls of our Cities the ligaments of our body politick the glory of our Nation the Rule of our lives the Pillars of our state and that to the Nation which the soul is to the body as Demosthenes speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are in a word so useful that no Commonwealth under what form of Government soever could never bee without them yet what good will they do if they bee not executed I cannot commend Draco's laws which are said to bee writ in bloud because as A. Gellius saith whatsoever the offence was they were to die who offended nor yet Theano's laws which were writ in sand I take the law to bee the line execution to bee the life Good laws without execution are like golden swords in withered hands Good laws are our glory Good Magistrates the glory of our glories Arise Arise then Justice and Judgement are not things to bee talked of but done My Text tells you so The work is glorious such as are more zealous for the glory of God most faithful and active in this work of God they are most honourable in the eyes of God and most high in the favour of God God will honour them that thus honour him Secondly Heb. 6.10 Job 8.6 It is a very advantagious and profitable act This is the way to prosper Your labour shall not bee in vain in the Lord See the last verse of this Chapter The Lord shall bee with the good Aderit Vatab. in locum bonis judicibus favebit eosque mercede donabit If God bee with you all good is with you 1 Chron. 11.9 every thing prospers where God is Behold I give unto Phineas my Covenant of peace hee shall have it and his seed after him here is a plot laid for the good of posterity because hee was zealous for his God Numb 25.11,12.13 and made an atonement for the children of Israel It is worthy your observation which the Lord said to Jehoiakim concerning his Father Josiah Jer. 22.15,16 Did not thy Father eat and drink and do judgement and justice and then it was well with him hee judged the cause of the poor and needy then it was well with him diu vixit pacifice regnavit nihilque illi defuit hee lived long and much in a little time Maldon in loc hee lived chearfully and comfortably free from carking cares distrustful fears distracting thoughts hee raigned peaceably the Land flourished Remarkable is that also 2 King 10.30 because thou Jehu hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes therefore thy children of the fourth Generation shall sit on the Throne of Israel i.e. as Kings they shall raign over Israel Mark it God will not bee behinde with Jehu if hee do any act of Justice for him Hieron Etiam Ethnici si quid boni fecerint non absque mercede praetereuntur It was a sad time when Israel was without Rain for three years and six months How great a mercy is it to have the Rain falling in its season it is so promised by God Levit. 26.4 Jer. 14.3,4 and so prized by men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes God dries up the precious fruits and sometimes drowns the precious fruits of the earth and what tremblings are there then It it said in Ezra 10. Ezra 10.9 9. All the people sate in the street of the house of God trembling because of this matter and for the great Rain What would not the King of Israel have parted with for a shower of Rain and what course is taken for the porcuring of it it is not the Heavens of God but the God of Heaven that is the Father and giver of it they go to Elijah Elijah goes to God hee was a potent a prevalent man with God Prayer an appointed approved way and mean gracious hearts by this key open Heaven almost at pleasure hee praies as Daniel in the den Jonah in the Whales belly yet something else was done Baals Prophets must bee executed and then a sound of abundance of Rain is heard 1 King 18.40 41. The execution of Justice and Judgement brings down showres of blessings showres of blessings Thirdly Jer. 9.24 It is a very Pious and acceptable act Read at your leisure those pregnant passages 1 Sam. 15.22 Isa 1. The word in Prov. 21.3 is from Bachar Elegit Selegit 11. Micah 6.7,8 and that of Salomon Prov 21.3 To do Iustice and Judgement is more eligible more acceptable to the Lord than Sacrifice As that mercy may bee shewed so that Justice may bee administred the Lord is contented that the Acts of his immediate worship shall pro tempore bee intermittted and suspended Though the Lord delight himself in holy persons and in holy performances yet of Prayer as I remember it is only said It is the Lords delight O! it is prevalent with him and pleasant to him Let mee see thy face let mee hear thy voice yet when Joshua the Christian Hercules as some with the Elders of Israel were expostulating with God prostrating themselves before him deploring their misery and imploring his mercy rending their cloaths falling on their faces putting dust upon their heads and crying in prayer Lord what shall we say when Israel turns their back before their enemy Iosh 7.10 Lord what shall wee say or do Mark Gods reply Get thee up why lyest thou upon thy face something else is now to bee done Israel hath sinned I am highly provoked Achan must die Joshua is here called off his devotion to the execution of Justice Phineas executed Judgement and it was accounted to him for Righteousness though others censure him as a Murtherer his act as unjust his attempt as rash no matter if all the world snarle and frown so God smile hee approves it and accepts it but I shall not enlarge this unlesse I had lesse before mee in my meditations Fourthly This is a self-securing act See the close of this chapter The Lord shall bee with the good If the Lord bee with you who or what can harm you Esse Paulum cum Christo est magna faelicitas Bern. in Phil. 1.23 esse Christum cum Paulo magna securitas So may I say were you My Lords with Christ in Heaven this would be your bliss and faelicity if Christ bee with you on earth Otho
politick if you know not the diseases how can you remove them Picus Mirandula reports that among the Jews none came into the number of the Raebbins till they could speak seven languages None are fit for Magistrates who are not furnished with Wisdome to sift and search into the causes c. Tenthly Be men of courage A Judge that is timerous will soon bee treacherous if hee be fearful hee cannot be faithful Quis metuit offendere cum Judex metuit abscindere you have need of an Eagles Eye Act. 17.22 Deut. 1.17 Rom. 13.4.6 and a Lions Heart In Athens there was an Hill called Mars-Hill there Paul stood when hee rebuked the Athenians for their superstition and a street called Mars-street where their Judges sate to intimate that Magistrates and Ministers should have Martial and High-Spirits It is said of Aristides for his constancy and magnanimity You may as soon stay the Sun in the Heavens as put Aristides out of his way If courage be without knowledge the eye of Justice is blinde if Knowledge be without courage the sword of Justice is blunt It is Augustins observation God would have Moses to be a Magistrate Peter and Paul to be Apostles had Moses lived in our age he should have been no Magistrate hee killed the Egyptian Paul and Peter no Apostles the one had been a Persecutor the other had denyed Christ to be his Master himself to be a Christian had cut off Malchus his ear c. but saith Augustin such would God have imployed in Church and state affairs as will smite home resolute men of invincible undaunted courage The Lions on each side of Salomons glorious Throne and at each end of the steps signified his vigilancy and magnanimity 1 King 10. It is a joyful sight when they on the Bench be like the men Nahum speaks of the valiant men are in Scarlet Nahum 2.3 A Judge should neither be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without head nor without heart Judex cordatus quasi lapis quadratus a stout Judge like a four corned stone no winde no weather stirrs it you should be Luminosi Animosi But I proceed Eleventhly If possible Hear all causes put a period to those which have long depended It is not safe to ride Poste over matters it is confessed yet demurres are dangerous and disadvantagious as in matters which concern the soul so in those which concern your civil interests Say not of this or the other as Archias did in Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let these alone till to morrow referre them not as Foelix did Paul to a more convenient opportunity it may prove a more convenient inconveniency Hippocrates would permit none of his Scholars to practise till they had taken an oath before the Altar of Apollo to abbreviate diseases to the utmost of their power and skill A long Sute in a Court like a long sore under a Chirurgion may increase coyn but decreaseth credit Long delayed Justice may as much prejudice both parties as injustice either I remember no other fault mentioned in that Judge who neither feared God nor regarded man from whom the Widdow wrested Judgement by her importunity but Delay But once more Twelfthly Engage God by prayer to go with you to the Judgement seat Hee is the God of Judgement and will help in the execution and administration of Judgement but hee looks to be called in Ut recte judicent Principes Judices Muscul in Psal 72.1 ◠justitiam exerceant dei donum est c. It is the work of the Lord which you are now about It is only the help of the Lord can carry you on and out when men and means fail there is help to be had from God by prayer Notable is that in Exodus 3.6 The Lord proclaims himself to be The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob The God of Abraham Abraham was a man strong in Faith Isaac a holy man a man that meditated much of God Jacob a man of prayer be you such and hee will be your God as hee was their God and if hee be your God hee will if cal'd in ingage with you in this great work Weak men with assistance of a mighty God can do mighty things O pray pray and Brethren improve all the interest you have in the God of Heaven in the behalf of these reverend Judges Orate ut hos hic judicaturos dii sentiant Exhortation both to the Judges and Justices To You Right Worshipful and worthy Gentlemen you are met by the good hand of Providence this morning together give mee leave to exhort you together You are the Representatives the shields of our Country Help O help to defend it you are the Physitians O help to heal the breaches Our Fathers patres patriae do your indeavour to protect us and provide for us you are our Gods the immortal God so stiles you you bear the Name of Gods your persons are in the place and room of Gods your powers derived from God and the account you give must be to God Therefore in the fear of God appear for God in your several Orbs and Sphears as you have occasion and opportunity Appear for that God who hath so frequently and wonderfully appeared for you and with you and in you As in times of war with Zebulun and Naphtali you offered your selves willingly and hazarded your lifes unto the death in the high places of the field So now in times of peace stand up for Truth and Holinesse Let it appear what love you bear to the way the day the worship the word of Christ by your discountenancing such as contemn prophane pollute and undermine them As hee in the Gospel looked up to Christ with tears in his eyes and a prayer in his mouth Lord if thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us Even so I beseech you My Lords and Gentlemen if you can do any thing wee know you can and hope you will and pray you may have compassion on us and help us First Against the Impostors the Seducers I mean the Quakers now swarming amongst us and within the view of us with holy Polycarp may wee say Good God! 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. unto what times hast thou reserved us that we should live to see such separations divisions such cursed Heresies and horrid blasphemies Take heed what you do Do not countenance them Those false Prophets and dreamers of Dreams which indeavoured to turn away the Israelites from the Lord Deut. 13. per totum were to be put to death though they should plead to the civil Magistrate it is our conscience and therefore ought not to suffer There are many unruly and vain-talkers among you saith Paul to Titus and too many such loud and proud boasters with us their mouthes must be stopped muzled It is almost all one to deny the Truth the Faith Vide Luth.
of Sicely as hee lay upon his death bed Alas your lives like shuttle-cocks are kept up a while twixt two Battle-doors at last they fall to the earth for all your skill Let not this dis-spirit or dis-animate you but excite and quicken you to fall on with double diligence to dispatch the work cut out for you by your Lord and Master It is a great truth which Seneca writing to Paulinus hints at It is the complaint of all mortals saith hee and that because of natures malignity that gives to man so short a life but the truth is satis longa est vita in maximarum rerum consummationem large data est De brevitate vitae cap. 2 si tota bene collocaretur and vita si scias uti longa est non accepimus brevem vitam sed fecimus O squander not away your Haleyon seasons your golden opportunities as if you were not to bee responsible for time what rich and rare opportunities have you of doing good if the Lord gave you inlarged hearts The Persian King had one about him whose office it was to minde him every morning of his charge Arise O King and have an eye to those affairs for which the great God hath made you King and dispatch them Work O work out your salvation with fear and trembling with much accuratenesse and carefulness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 8. in cap. 2. ad Phil. Seek yee the Lord while hee may bee found Now you have tenders and offers of Christ and grace If you neglect the day of grace Know it may expire before your lives expire it cannot possibly last longer then you may weep with Esau and not bee pittied and pray with Dives and not bee heard It was Chrysostomes wish Tom 3. de praem Sanctorum mihi p. 830. that while men are supping and dyning eating and drinking washing and playing mention were made of Hell and Death and Judgement this would awaken idle wretches this would rouse and raise them Let no day pass without a line Know God will bring you to death and to the house appointed for all the living thence you cannot return to dispatch undone work to amend or reform your selves nor to advise and councel others Fourthly Learn hence to put your hearts and houses too in order Though Princes and Great men yet you must fall Distraction and confusion follows when persons die and have not put their houses and estates in order but infinite and unspeakable is the Terrour confusion and horrour which seizeth upon the soul at death which was not prepared for Heaven and glory Logicians that regard not their premises infer wild conclusions so Christians too Lord teach mee to know mine end and the measure of my dayes what it is was the Prayer of a Prince and great man exactly calculated for our Meridian The measure of my Daies not the measure of my months or years No No The life of man is not measured by the Yard of years nor by the Ell of Months but by the Inch of dayes This is a main end of your lives to make a good end of your lives which can never bee without preparation for it Unhappy man whose life is like the lake of which Plutarch speaks which runs pure in the morning but muddy in the evening sweet at first bitter at last If we prepare to dye before wee come to dye then when wee come to dye surely wee shall not dye Let not that deceiving and soul-destroying hope of living long make you secure and carelesse of living well I have read of one who deferring repentance till his old age and then going about it heard a voice from Heaven saying Des illi furfurem cui dedisti farinam It is your wisdome now to learn this Art of dying well this saith Bellarmin truly is the Art of Arts Ep. 82. in it all are comprized Mors interea est quae facile negligi non possunt said Seneca I shall close this with that of Augustin Quid in hac terra certum est nisi mors Considerate omnia omnino quid hic certum est nisi mors Speras pecuniam incertum est an proveniat Speras uxorem incertum est an accipias vel qualem accipias Ena◠ration in Psal 39. pauper es incertum est an ditescas imbecilis es incertum est an convalescas Natus es Certum est morieris or that of Bartholdus Omnes res hominis in dubium vocantur Barthold lib. 2. de morte p. 201 concipitur homo an nasciturus oportet ut responde as forte sic Forte non is a child conceived shall it bee born into the world it is answered perhaps it may Now it is born shall it come to manhood or dye in infancy perhaps it may Shall hee be famous in his Country a grave Senatour a great Scholar perhaps hee may But shall hee dye sic sic sic morietur nullum hic forte nullum hic dubium reperitur There is no peradventure to bee used here It is certain hee shall dye O then prepare for it Never did any repent themselves when they came to dye that they began so early to seek God to serve fear or love God or to prepare for death thousands have repented that they began no sooner Augustin did so sero te cognovi lumen verum sero te cognovi Solileq cap. 33 Job never cursed the day of his new birth that proverb was hatched in Hell a young Saint an old Devil if thou beest a young Devil thou wilt in time become an old Beelzebub O remember your Creatour in the dayes of your youth I speak chiefly unto the young gallants In diebus electionum tuarum Pagnin renders it so In the day of your chusings your younger daies are your golden daies your choice and chusing daies Quo semel 〈◊〉 c. You read of a young man Matth. 19.16.20 It is said Christ began to love him why or for what hee was but a young man and a great man Vide Herodian lib. 1. p. 5 hee was now in his youth inquisitive after the salvation of his precious soul and eternal life O it is a lovely thing in young gentlemen in any to minde the one thing necessary in their juvenility The Devil is very hardly cast out of such whom hee hath possessed in their youth Mark 9.20 But I proceed Fifthly Bee much in the praemeditation of your frailty mortality and dissolution It was Seneca's complaint of some in his time tanquam semper victuri vivitis De brev vitae cap. 4 nunquam vobis fragilitas vestra succurrit c. Moses is to ascend then hee should die would you so die that your souls may ascend then meditate much on death It is a strange saying in Lipsius Lips de Constantia lib. 2. cap. 25 the names of all good Princes may easily bee ingraven or written in a small ring A serious meditation of Death
had in his library five hundred thousand books or Xenophon that great scholar how hee conducted ten thousand Greeks over the Fords of fifty Rivers and through the midst of an hundred thousand enemies from Persia into Greece Solon was used to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melchior Adams relates of D. Chytraeus that as hee lay upon his death-bed Jucundiorem sibi decessum sore si moribundus etiam aliquid didicisset pag. 694. hearing some disputing by him with a low voice lest they should disturb him lifted up his head and desired them to speak up for hee should die the more chearfully if hee died learning somewhat Sigismund the Emperour at the Counsel of Constance lamented this that neither hee nor any of his great Courtiers and Counsellors were able to answer a forraign Embassador in the Latine Tongue and told his Nobles that had no learning that hee preferred before them some of obscure Parentage meerly for their polite learning saying that hee had good reason to honour scholars above all men as those that wer singularly graced and gifted of God Knights and Lords I can make in a day as many as I please but scholars God only can make Vide Corn. Agr. de vanit Sci. Calvin in 1 Cor. 13.8,9 It is not great estates and places but great parts and graces that makes truly noble Augustin Bishop of little Hippo by his learning became more famous infinitely than Cecilius Bishop of great Carthage Yet I make bold to minde you of a common saying of your grave Father it is better to bee an honest man without learning than learned without honesty As Agrippa the noble Counsellor and Favourite of Octavian told him Vertue makes men equal to the gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us not for the tree of Knowledge lose the tree of Life Surgunâ— indocti rapiunt coelum nos cum doctrina nostra detrudimur in Gehennam I cannot but tremble to read that of Augustin The unlearned arise and take Heaven by force when we with all our learning are turned into Hell Accomplished and accoutred with learning and grace you may serve your own Generation by the will of God before you fall asleep bee laid unto your Fathers and see corruption Non potest esse verus Christianus nec recitare orationem dominicam Ninthly Bee fitting and preparing your selves every day for your dissolution Looking for longing after and hastening to the comming of the day of God Hee cannot said Luther bee a sincere Christian Ioh. Gerard. Vossius de Extr. Jud. nor can hee pray over the Lords Prayer who with all his heart desires not this dayes approach It were very profitable could wee hear each hour what they say Jerome did though learned Vossius say's it is not found in his works Arise yee dead and come to judgement Death is strong it conquers all the grave is cruel it spaâ—…s none Hannibal never slept in the camp without his armour wee dwell in houses of clay our foundation is in the dust thrice happy are wee if wee bee ready for the grave Job 17.8 by that time the grave is ready for us I shall not praedict yet I humbly conceive if some of you live long I shall not My care shall bee as Seneca said his was now being young how to live well and if old age come then how to dye well Once more Psal 31.19 Heb. 11.2 2 Cor. 4.17 2 Tim. 4 8 Meditate frequently of the greatness of those good things and the goodness of those great things reserved for such as fear and love God Our Lord Jesus had them in his eye so had Moses Paul and others This will help you to walk more thankfully work more chearfully suffer more patiently fight more valiantly repulse temptations more strongly lay out your selves more freely live with what providence hath cut out more contentedly An mercedis intuitu Deo servire liceat Vide Estium in Sent. lib. 1. Dist 1. parag 3. lit D. E. F. to leave the world more willingly to imbrace death joyfully it is too large to dispute that question and weigh those school-distinctions Set some part of every day apart to admire the Lords graciousness not only in present protections of us but future provisions for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epict. Enchir. cap. 65. No more That of Isocrates shall bee my Apology for this boldnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Freedome of discovery what bee our thoughts is the greatest signe of true affection Vide Plut. in Cat. Uti I shall not transcribe Cato's grave advice to his son it may bee worth perusal you have it in Plutarch to whom I referre you When God bestowed on Abram a new name hee gave him a new blessing bee it so with you When the time of your Shrevalty is expired and your health perfectly restored if you shall bee reinvested with magisterial power and authority I humbly beseech you and the God of Heaven for you not to bear the sword in vain put on Righteousnesse let it cloath you Let judgement bee your Robe and Diadem bee eyes unto the blind legs unto the lame the blessing of him who is ready to perish shall come upon you The Lord who brought you together blesse you together and fit you for Heaven in life and admit you and your hopeful progeny after you to Heaven at death This shall bee the prayer and breathings of his soul whose all is but to serve you in the Gospel of Christ J. Livesey August 24. 1655. Jehosaphats Charge TO HIS JUDGES Opened in a Sermon preached ON 2 Chronicles 19. part of the 6. verse Take heed what yee do Take up and read verse 5 6. 7. And hee set Judges in the Land thorough the fenced Cities City by City And said to the Judges take heed what yee do for yee judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the Judgement Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord bee upon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts ZEnophon reports of Socrates Memorab lib. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hee was so pious that hee would do nothing till hee had asked counsel of the gods Zenoph Hist lib. 1. p. 19 20 and so just that hee never did wrong to any person no not in matters of trivial concernment the like hee relates of Cyrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. Gellius observes Zenoph de Institutione Cyri. that Publius Scipio Africanus was accustomed before hee set himself about any business of great consequence and importance before the dawning of the day to enter the Capitol and there to stay alone a season A. Gel. N. Attic lib. 7. cap. 1. pag. 187. Plin. Paneg. Trajano Augusto in principio consulting as it were with Jupiter there hee submitted his projects to the judgements of
revealed and at the last day come into the judgement of discovery or discussion Augustin and others of the Fathers Aquinas and others of the Schoolmen assert it Aq. Suppl qu. 87. Art 1. Est lib 4. Dist 47. Par. 2 Aug. C. D lib. 20 cap 14 Et Med. cap. 4 Vossius Disp Theol. Some of both deny it Rationabiliter hoc dici non potest said Lombard This is most certain When Christ shall come to judgement there will bee the greatest discovery of men that ever was in the world You shall then discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between the sealed ones and those that were not sealed between the Lambs and the Wolves Reve. 7 There shall bee the greatest alteration that ever was in the World there shall bee the greatest confusion to wicked wretches the greatest consolation to the ransomed ones that ever was in the world and there shall bee the greatest rewards dispensed that ever were in the world According to every mans works shall every soul bee rewarded If punishment bee not now inflicted on such who are appointed to inflict punishment but do it not or do it negligently Certainly they shall bee stript and whipt such Judges God will judge Hee will binde Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of Iron Hell was ordained of old for wicked unjust Judges as well as for other men with what face can any expect mercy from God then who will not do justice for him now Cursed is hee that doth the work of the Lord negligently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and cursed bee hee that keepeth back his sword from blood Execution of Justice you see my Lords is the work of The Lord and not only shall they bee cursed that do it not but they also that do it if it bee negligently deceitfully Jer. 48.10 carelesly done The Lord whose deputies you are doth mainly minde the Manner how this work is done The Adverb is in his Eye Not only do THIS but do it THUS considerately exactly it is of concernment then That you take heed what you do Seventhly And it is Jehosaphats Argument in the Text It is Argumentum palmarium God is with you in the Judgement therefore take heed what you do My Lords God is with you God is with you with you to counsel you what to do and how to do with you to comfort you in what you do with you to assist you in what you are to do what ever rubs remora's or obstructions bee cast in the way with you to observe you in all your expressions inquisitions determinations c. and will you not then Take heed what you do It was said of old that the King is Virtually in his ordinary Courts of Justice so long as they continue his Courts God is really present in these Courts of Justice precious is that promise Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my Name I will come unto them and I will blesse them There is no work in which hee imploies his servants of the Magistracy or Ministry but if sought in a due order and in a right manner hee will bee present and assistant In Ecclesiastes chap. 8.10 the Seat of Judicature is called the place of the Holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I saw the wicked buried who had come and gone from the place of the Holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pagnin renders it a loco sancto from the holy place Junius renders it E loco sancti out of the Place of the holy And why the Place of the holy 2 Sam. 23.3 because holinesse is required in them that sit there or because matters are to bee debated in a holy manner there I conceive this may bee said because hee who is Holinesse it self sits as chief Lord there the Rabbines as Buxtorf tells us put Makom which signifies place Apud Rabbinos deus dicitur Makom locus quia omnia in se comprehendit in nullo loco comprehenditur Bithner in Exod. 21.13 amongst the Names of God Bithner brings them expounding that Text in Esther 4.14 deliverance shall arise to the Jews from another place that is from God They called him place because hee is in every place in his solemn Assemblies more eminently and conspicuously When the Ethiopian Judges were set in their seats of Judicature certain empty chairs were placed about them into which they imagined the holy Angels came Angels are very frequent in and observant of such solemn conventions Hoc judicum animos ad vigilantiam reverentiam inflecteret saith Quintus Pius on my Text This they thought and so it ought would work an awe and fear in their Magistrates a resolution and care in them to Take heed what they did A greater than any of the Cherubims or Seraphims is this day with you attending on this Consistory hee whose center is every where and circumference no where Hee who fills the Empyreal Heaven with his glory the earth with his mercy and Hell with his fury hee is with you and this should quicken you to 1 A Lion-like courage as I was with Moses so will I bee with thee Be strong and of a good courage and to 2 Angel-like carriage Notable is that practise of the Egyptians Lib. 1. cap. 6. ni fallat mea me memoria Diadorus Siculus relates it When their Judges were set they caused the image of a divine Numen by them called Truth to be hung about his neck who sate next unto the Judges The God of Truth is now amongst you Take heed therefore what you do To proceed Reason 8 Eighthly Satan will certainly improve his power policy and his malice at this present opportunity for his advantage and your prejudice or dammage Therefore Take heed what you do Hee is a Spirit Vide Aug. in Psal 62.11 and therefore can act indiscernibly invisibly and imperceptibly hee is a Spirit and therefore can act very powerfully almost irresistibly It is true as Augustin speaks potestas est sed sub potestate Aug. in Psal 91 hee hath astutiam suadend non potentiam cogendi it is not in the power of his hand to force it is in the purpose of his heart A deo non potest cogi voluntas ergo non a daemone Vasquez Tom 1. qu. 8◠Art 3 and hee hath policy enough in his head to intice you to wrest Judgement Hee is a Spirit conclude thence the facility and easinesse of his approach and accesse to you Spirits fear no Penetration of Dimensions Omnis spiritus est alatus saith Tertullian Hee is a Spirit Non semper saeviunt Nerones sed nunquam cessat diabolu Cypr. Take notice then of his activity Eutia quo magis spiritualia eo magis activa beings the more spiritual the further remote from matter they bee the more dexterous and nimble they bee Hee hath no body naturally united to him Job 1.7 hee never tires his malice and nature