office of Magistracy God charges him no less then three times in a Josh 1. 6 7. 9. breath as it were to be very couragious A Magistrate that is timorous will quickly be treacherous A Magistrate that is fearful can never be faithful Solomons Throne was supported with Lyons to shew that Magistrates should be men of metal and courage The Athenian Judges sate in Mâ—rs Acts 17. 22. street to shew that they had Martial hearts and that they were men of courage and metal The Grecians placed justice betwixt Leo and Libra to signifie that as there must be indifferency in determining so there ought to be courage in executing Where there is courage without knowledge there the eye of justice is blind and where there is knowledge without courage there the Sword of justice is blunt A Magistrates heart a Judges heart and his Robes must be both dyed in grain else the colour of the one and the courage of the other will quickly fade Why should not the Standard be of steel and the chief posts of the house be heart of Oak It hath been long since said of Cato Fabricius and Aristides that it was as easie to remove the Sun out of the Firmament as to remove them from justice and equity they were men of such couragious and magnanimous spirits for justice and righteousness No Scarlet Robe doth so well become a Magistrate as holy courage and stoutness doth As bodily Physitians so State-Physitians should have an Eagles eye a Ladies hand and a Lyons heart Cowardly and timo râ—us Magistrates will never set up Monuments of their Victories over sin and prophaneness It is very sad when we may say of our Magistrates as the Heathen did of Magistrates in his time they were very good si audeant quae sentiunt if they Cic. de Mil. durst but do what they ought to do My Lord had not the Lord of Lords put a great spirit of courage boldness and resolution Rev. 1. 5 6. Chap. 1â— 14. upon you you had never been able to have managed your Government as you have done counting the various winds that have blown upon you and the several difficulties and discouragements that have risen up before you My Lord once more give me leave to say that in a Magistrate justice and mercy justice and clemency ought to go hand Truth in Scripture is frequently put for Justice in hand Prov. 20. 28. Mercy and truth preserve the King and his Throne is upholden by mercy All justice will not preserve the King nor all mercy will not preserve the King there must be a mixture both of justice and mercy to preserve the King and to uphold his Throne and to shew that mercy is more requisite then justice the word Mercy is doubled in the Text. Justice without mercy turns into rigour and so becomes hateful Mercy without justice turns into fond pity and so becomes contemptible Look as the Rod of Aaron and King John thought to strengthen himself by gathering a great deal of money together but neglecting the exercise of mercy and justice clemency and lenity he lost his peoples affections and so after many endless turmoyls he came to an unhappy end he Pot of Manna were by Gods own Command laid up in the same Ark so must mercy and justice be preserved intire in he bosom of the same Magistrate mercy and justice mildness and righteousness leniâ—y and fidelity are a safer and a stronger Guard to Princes and people then rich Mines Munitions of Rocks mighty Armies powerful Navies or any warlike Preparations It is very observable that Christ is called but once the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah in the Book of the Revelation and that is in Chap. 5. vers 5. But he is called a Lamb no less then nine and twenty times in that Book and what is this but to shew us the transcendent mercy clemency lenity mildness and sweetness that is in Jesus Christ and to shew that he is infinitely more inclined to the exercise of mercy then he is to the exercise of justice It is true Magistrates should be Lyons in the execution of justice and it is as true that â—hey should be Lambs in the exercise of mercy and clemency mildness and sweetness and the more ready and inclinable they are to the exercise of mercy where mâ—rcy is to be shewed the more like to Christ the Lamb they are God is slow to anger he abounds in pity though he be great in power Seneca hath long Psal 68. 18. Psal 103. 13 14. Hosea 11. 8. Vide Aug. de civit Dei l. 5. cap. 26. Orosius lib. 7. cap. 34. since observed that the Custom of anointing Kings was to shew that Kings above all other men should be men of the greatest sweetness and mildness their anointing being a sign of that Kingly sweetness and mildness that should be in them Theodosius the Emperour by his loveliness and clemency gained many Kingdoms The Goths after the death of their own King beholding his temperance patience and justice mixt with mercy and clemency gave themselves up to his Government When Cicero would claw Caesar he tells him that his Valour and Victories were common with the rest of his Souldiers but his clemency and goodness were wholly his own Neroes Speech hath great praise who in the beginning of his Reign when he was to subscribe to the death of any condemned person would say Uâ—inam nescirem literas I wish I did not know how to write I know there are a thousand thousand cases wherein severity is to be used But yet I must say that 't is much safer â—o account for mercy then for cruelty 't is best that the sword of justice should be always furbisht with the oyl of mercy My Lord in the management of your Government you have been so assisted and helpt from on high that stoutness and mildness justice and mercy justice and clemency hath like a silver thred run through all your Mayoralty and by this means you have very signally served the Interest of the Crown the Interest of the City the Interest of the Nation and that which is more then all the rest the Interest of your own Soul Rigour breeds rebellion Rehoboam by his severity by his cruelty lost ten Tribes in one day 1 Kings 12. 16. My Lord your prudence justice and moderation your burning zeal against the horrid hideous heady vices of this day your punishing of Oaths Drunkenness and the false Ballance your singular Sobriety and Temperance in the midst of all your high Entertainments your Fidelity and Activity your eminent Self-denial A self-seeking Magistrate is one of the worst of Plagues and Judgments that can befal a people he is a Gangrene in the head which brings both a more speedy and a more certain ruine then if it were in some inferior and less noble part of the body in respect of your Perquisites your unwearied Endeavours to see London raised out
13. know that have but read any thing of Scripture or History S. Austin plainly denies that ever the Româ—n Politie could be called properly a Common-wealâ—h upon this ground that Ubi nâ—n est Justitiâ— non est Râ—spublica he calls Common wealths without justice but magna Lâ—tâ—ociniâ— or in Lipsius his language Congeries Confusio Turba 't is but an abuse of the word Respublica Common-wealth where the publick Good is not consulted by an impartial justice and equity 't is but a confused heap a rout of men or if we will call it so at present it will not be so long without impartial justice partly because injustice 1 Kings 12. 1 Sam. 8. 3. and oppression makes the multitude tumultuous and fills the peoples heads with dangerous designs as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margine together and partly because it lays a Nation open and obuoxious to the wrath and vengeance of God as might easily be made good by scores of Scriptures Impartial justice is the best establâ—shment of Kingdoms and Common-wealths The King by judgment establisheth the See Numb 25. 11. 2 Sam. 21 14. land Prov. 29. 4. It is the best security against desolating judgments Run ye through the streets of Jerusalem and seek in the broad places thereof if ye can find a man iâ— there be any that executeth judgment and I will pardon it Jer. 5 1. My Lord 〈◊〉 the Honour of a Magistrate to do justice impartially so iâ—â—s the Honour and Glory of a Magistrate to do justice speedily Jer. 28 12. O house of David thâ—s sâ—iâ—h the Lord execute judgment in the morning and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hâ—nd of the opprâ—ssâ—r lest my God is very speedy and swift in the execution of Justice Joel 3. 4. Gen. 19. Numb 16. Ezra 7. 20. In this as in other things it becomes Magistrates to be like to God sury go out like fiâ—e â—nd burn that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings After examination execution is to be done with expedition When men cry out for justice justice Magistrates must not cry out crâ—s craâ— to morrow to morrow Magistrates must do justice in the morning neiâ—her noon-justice nor afternoon justice nor evening-justice nor night-justice is so acâ—eptable to God or so honourable to Magistrates or so advantagious to the people as morning-justice is to delay justice is worse sometimes than to deny justice 't is a very dangerous thing for Magistrates to be as long a bringing forth their Verdicts as the Elephant her young Delay of justice makes many more irreconcileable it makes many men go up and down this world with heavy hearts empty purses and thred bare coats I have read of a famous passage of Theodorick King of the Romans who when a Widow came to him with a sad complaint that she had a suit depending in the Court three years which might have been ended in a few days the King demands of her the Judges names she tells him he sends a special Command to them to give all the speedy dispatch that was possible to the Widows Cause which they did and in two days determined it to the Widows liking this being done the King calls for the Judges and they supposing that they should have both applause and reward for their expedition hastned to him full of joy but after the King had propounded several things to them about their former delayâ— he commanded both their heads to be struck off because they had spun out that Cause to a three years length which two days would have ended Here was Royal justice and speedy justice indeed Psal 101. 8. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land Summomane I will do morning-justice Festinanter so Genebrad I will hastily do it Justice should be on the wing delays are very dangerous and injurious Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick the Hebrew word Memushshacah that is here rendred deferred is from Mashâ—ch that signifies to draw out at length Men are short-breathed and short-spirited and Hopes hours are full of Eternity and when their hopes are drawn ouâ— at length this makes their hearts sick and Ah what a world of such sick souls lyes lâ—nguishing at Hopes Hospital all the world over Hope in the Text is put for the good things hoped for Now when the good things men hope for be it justice or a quick dispatch c. are deferred and delayed this makes the poor Client sick at heart A lingring hope always breeds in the heart a lingring Consumption Julius Caesars quick dispatch is noted in three words Veni vidi vici I came I saw I overcame the harder travel hope hath and the more strongly it labours to bring forth and yet is deferred and delayed the more deadly sick the Client grows The speedy execution of justice is the very life and soul of justice Amos 5. 24. Buâ— let judgment run down as waters and righteousâ—eâ—s as a mighty stream The Hebrew word Veiiggal that is here rendred run down is from Galal that signifies to rowl down freely plentifully vigorously constantly speedily as the greaâ— Billows of the Sea or as waves rowl speedily over the Rocks Judgment and Righteousness like a mighty stream should bear down all before it Fiat justitia tuat orbâ—s let justice be done whatever come of it Deut. 16. 20. That which is altogeâ—her just shalt thou follow or rather as the Hebrew hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedek Tsedek justice justice shalt thou follow that is all manner of justice thou shalt follow and nothing but â—ustice shalt thou follow and thou shalt follow justice sincerely out of love to justice and thou shalt follow justice exactly without turning to the right hand or the left and thou shalt follow justice resolutely in spite of the world the flesh and the Devil and thou shalt follow justice speedily without delays or excuses A Magistrate that has the sword of justice in his hand must never plead there is a Lyon in the way My Lord this will be your Honour while you live and your Comfort when you come to dye that whilst the Sword was in your hand you did justice speedily as well as impartially You did justice in the morning and justice at noon and justice in the afternoon and justice at night what has been your whole Mayoralty but one continued day of justice Who can sum up the many thousand Causes that you have heard and determined and the many thousand differences that you have sweetly and friendly composed and ended If the Lawyers please but to speak out they must ingenuously confess that your Lordship has eased them of a great deal of work My Lord as it is the Honour and Glory of a Magistrate to do justice speedily so it is the Honour and Glory of a Magistrate to do justice resolutely couragiously valiantly It is observable that as soon as ever Joshua came into the
Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours But how come they to be interested in this large Charâ—er the Apostle answers it in ver 23. Ye are Christs and Christ is Gods All comes to us by Jesus Christ All the Corn in Egypt came through Josephs Gen. 41. hands So all we have be it little or much we have iâ— through Christs hands upon the account of our marriage union with Christ We may say as Hamar and Sechem said to their people Shall not all their Cattel and substance and Gen. 34. 23. every beast of the field be ours So being married to Christ and become one with him all comes to be ours through him who is the heir of all By vertue of our marriage union with Christ our title to the creatures is not only restored but strengthened That little we have is entailed upon us by Christ in a more firm and bâ—tter way than ever In the first Adam our Tenure was lower and meaner and baser and uncertainer than now it is for our Title our Tenure by Christ is more honourable and stronger and sweeter and lastinger than ever it was before For now we hold all we have in Capite Christ is our head and husband and by him we hold all we have But now wicked men by the fall of Adam have lost their Original Patent and Charter which once they had to shew for the things of this life By Adams fall they have forfeited Gods primitive donation of all right in the creatures every wicked man in the world has forfeited his right to the creatures in Adam and lies under that forfeiture But to the glory of divine patience be it spoken God has not sued out his forfeiture God has not brought a Writ of ejection against him and by this means he comes to be lawfully possessed of those earthly blessings he dos enjoy As a Fellon though he hath forfeited his life and estate to the Kings Justice and is still subject to ejection at the Kings pleasure yet while the King forbears him his possession is good and lawful and no man may disturb him Wicked men are lawful owners and possessors of the good things God hath given them Numb 22. 30. Am not I thine Ass Whence you may observe 1. That the silliest and simplest being wronged may justly speak in their own defence 2. That they who have done many good Offices and fail in one are often not only unrewarded for former services but punished for that one offence 3. That when the creatures formerly officious to serve us start from their former obedience man ought to reflect upon his own sin as the sole cause thereof 4. That the worst men have good title to their own Consult these Scriptures Deut. 32. 8. Acts 17. 26. Luke 3. 14. goods For though Balaam was a Sorcerer yet the Ass confesseth twice that he was his Ass Luke 12. 33. Sell and give are words of propriety And God hath set the eighth Commandment as a hedge as a fence to every mans possession Dan. 4. 17. This matter is by the Decree of the Watchers and the demand by the word of the Holy Ones to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will and setteth up over it the basest of men He that gave Canaan to Jacob gave Mount-Seir to Esau and did not Jacob Gen. 23. 3. 4 5 9. Gen. 42. 3 5. buy a burying place of the Sons of Hâ—â—h and did he not buy Corn of the Egyptians by all which they did acknowledge that those wicked men and Idolaters had a lawful Title to those temporal blessings that they did enjoy Now mark God as he is the God of Nature by common Providence alloâ—s to wicked men their lawful possessions and this is the best Tenure they hold by O bâ—t now that little that a child of God has â—he holds it by a more glorâ—ous tenure and honourable Title and therâ—fore his mâ—te is bâ—â—ter than a wicked mans millions But Secondly That little a righteous man hath he hath thâ—ough the Covenant and through precious promises Now 2 Pet. 1. 4. a little mercy reacht out to a man through the Covenant and as a fruit of the promise is more worth than a world of blessings that flow in upon a man meerly by a genâ—râ—l Providence There are no mercies so sweet so sure so firm so lasting as those that flow in upon us through the Covenant of Grace O this sweetens every drop and sip and crust and crum of mercy that a godly man enjoyes All the paths Psalm 25. 10. of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his Covenant This is a sweet promise a precious promise a soul satisfying promise a promise more worth than all the riches of the Indies Mark all the paths of the Lord to his people are not only mercy but they are mercy and truth that Consult these Scriptures Josh 23. 14 15. 1 Tim. 4. 8. is they are sure mercies that strâ—am in upon them through the Covenant Well Sirs you must remember this viz. That the least mercy the least blessing flowing in upon us through the promise is more worth than a thousand blessings that flow in upon us from a general Providence the least blessing flowing in upon us through the Covâ—nâ—nt is better than ten thousand Talents that are the meer products of a general Providence For First Such as enjoy all they have only from a general Providence they enjoy their mercies from that common source or Psalm 145. 15 16. pring that feeds the Birds of the Air and the beasts of the Field The same common bounty of God that feeds and clothes the wicked feeds the Birds and Beasts that perish But Secondly There is no certainty of the continuance of such mercies that are only the product of a common Providence Isa 33. 16. But now the mercies that flow in upon the Saints through the Covenant of Grace they shall be sure to us so long as the Chap. 55. 3. continuance of them may be for our good and Gods glory Now the least mercies held by Covenant are infinitely better than the greatest riches in the world that only drop up on us out of the hand of a common Providence Thirdly The Righteous man hath his little from the special love and favour of God All his little flowes in upon Psal 146. 8. Prov. 15. 17. him from that very same love which moved the Lord to bestow Christ upon him All the righteous mans little is from the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush his little comes Deut. 33. 16. from a reconciled God as well as a bountiful God from a tender Father as well as a merciful Creator A Dinner of Dan. 1. 12. green Hearbs Daniels Pulse Barley Loaves