are carried down by rouling waters as well as lighter great loggs and trees as well as small chips may swim down a mighty stream A Judge should be Equanimous as well as Magnanimous There must be no respect of persons had in judgment Lev. 19. v. 15. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy Neighbour He that justifieth the wicked and that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord Prov. 17. 15. Exuit personam Judicis qui amici vel hostis induit Though Plato might be a Friend and Socrates a Friend yet Truth is the greatest Friend Qui pro Veritate est pro Rege est Henry the fourth King of England when his eldest Son the Prince of VVales was by the Lord Chief Justice committed to Prison for affronting him on the Bench gave God thanks for that he had a Judge so impartial in executing justice and a Son so obedient as to submit to such a punishment It was also a brave Princely saying of Rodulphus the Emperor when he understood that some of his Courtiers hindred poor men from applying themselves unto him for justice Sinite homines ad me venire non enim ideo Imperator sum ut in arcula includar And of Trajan it is reported that he neither seared nor hated any man but heard examined and judged the Causes of his Subjects without prejudice patiently and impartially These are noble and fit patterns for the imitation of Judges who ought not to regard the Man so much as the Matter who should hear Causes speak and not Persons and judge according to truth and equity and not according to opinion nor appearance for fear or favour Lastly Constancy and Perseverance are required in the performance of righteous judgment which must not be like a Land-stood that continueth for a short season and then drieth up because it had nothing to feed and maintain it but like Running-waters which flow from a springing Fountain and so never decay nor fall lower Psal. 106. v. 3. Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times Lewis King of France having granted a Pardon to a Murderer at the request of one of his Courtiers upon the reading of this Text presently withdrew it and said he would give no Pardon where the Law did not Pardon he also farther added it was a work of mercy and charity to punish an Offender and not to punish Crimes was as great an evil as to commit them There is a Passive Injustice and Magistrates may be unjust in neglecting as well as in perverting judgment Ausonius saith of the Emperour Claudius Non faciendo nocens sed patiendo fuit Not to do justice is injustice Sontibus nimis ignoscendo insontibus sit injuria Thus you have the Metaphor unveyled and the fence thereof presented to you in those eight Singularities Now to the Magistrate that sincerely endeavours to act according to these discoveries that shall make it his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Sparta his great business to administer judgment plentifully speedily purely willingly regularly impartially and constantly to this brave man it may be said as Samuel did to Saul when he first anointed him King Do as occasion shall serve thee for God is with thee I have done with the Explication of the Point the next thing to be handled is the Confirmation of it and for this there may be given several Reasons The first is couched in my Text It is the Command of God that judgement should be executed in truth and in righteousness Now were there no other Reason but this it would be abundantly sufficient of it self to confirm the Doctrine for we are not to dispute but to obey the Commandments of the Lord which are holy just and good the reason of all reason and not only right in themselves but the rule of reasonable actions unto his creatures 2. As this duty in Thesi hath the stamp of a great Command so in Hypothesi the grant of a gracious acceptance It is both commanded and commended of God Phine as executed judgment and it was counted unto him for righteousness unto all Generations for evermore q. d. The Lord highly approved of this fact of his as just and righteous and assigned to him and his posterity for their Reward the Priesthood for ever because he was zealous for his God Numb 25. 23. 3. This is a special remedy for the removall of the Judgments of God The Plague was stayed when Phineas had slain Zimri and Cozbi and after Achan was stoned to death Israel prevailed against their Enemies So when justice was done upon Sauls Sons for their bloudy cruelty against the Gibeonites the three years Famine ceased 2 Sam. 21. 14. 4. Hereby Blessings are procured and continued to posterity Jer. 22. 15 16. Did not thy Father eat and drink and do judgement and justice and then it was well with him It was King Davids exhortation to the people of Israel Keep and seek for all the Commandments of the Lord your God that ye may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your Children after you for ever Now if Magistrates will not for Conscience sake 't were well if they would for Posterity sake act justly and as they ought to do 5. The neglect and non performance of this duty is a mighty provocation to God and will certainly bring down some judgments upon an unrighteous Nation Jer. 21. 12. O house of David thus saith the Lord execute judgment in the morning and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the Oppressor least may fury go out like fire and burn that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings Lastly without a due and diligent execution of justice there can be no safe and quiet living in the world Self-preservation therefore calls for this Lex est hominibus quod aqua piscibus extra aquam non vivunt pisces nec extra legem homines as a learned Author hath well observed What would become of our Liberties Properties and Priviledges which are sacred and precious things if the current of Justice should be stopped and there be no Reprover in the gate All distinction of places and orders of men upon Earth would be quickly taken away and there would be nothing but raging discord and horrible confusion in the world mans power would degenerate into tyranny wisdom into craft and justice into cruelty No person should longer possess that which is his then he hath more then ordinary might and power to maintain his right or policy to keep himself out of the reach of every injurious claw The poor mans little Pasture would presently be impal'd in my Lords large Park because it
all high and low rich and poor just and unjust as God makes the rain to descend upon both that the one may be rewarded and the other punished for herein consists true judgment and justice according to Solon who said A State was held together by two things viz. Reward and Punishment In 2 Sam. 8. v. 15. we read that King David executed judgment and justice to all the people Let these fountains then be dispersed abroad and rivers of waters in the streets Prov. 5. 16. 2 A speedy execution of Judgment a mighty stream runs swiftly so Justice must be done without delays that men may not be wearied and quite tired out in tracing the Climax of your Court accesses There are some that turn judgment into Wormwood and others that turn it into Vinegar Injustice makes it bitter and delays make it sowr Protracting of justice doth very much take off the edge of justice It is storied of Sertorius the Roman that he fed his Creditors and Clients with fair words but did nothing for them It would be much better with many then now it is if there were none among us that followed the practice of this man Justice must be executed speedily that 's the second thing yet not rashly without mature deliberation till there be a right and full understanding of the Cause Job searcht out the cause which he knew not c. 29. v. 16. Judges had need keep one ear stopt and unprejudiced for the Defendant their Commission is of Oyer and Terminer they must first hear and then determine He that is first in his own cause seemeth just saith Solomon Pro. 18. v. 17. but his neighbour cometh after him and searcheth him or until his neighbour come after him and the Judge searcheth him as Junius hath rendred the words Both sides should be heard indifferently patience and gravity in hearing is an essential part of justice very much becoming the Ministers thereof who should do as the Levite said Consider take advice and then speak their minds 3. The Metaphor implys a pure administration of Justice Running waters are clear and pure not like puddles or standing Ponds that keep all manner of garbidge and filth and whatever trash is cast into them The stream of righteousness must not incorporate nor be mixed with the mud of injustice for that will hinder the current from sliding through the channels of Judicature so purely and speedily as the Judge of all the world commandeth and expecteth Our English Chronicles report the horrid wickedness of the Jews in poisoning Springs and Fountains in this Land for which they were deservedly banished It would be a great blessing to the Nation if all self-ended malicious mercenary perverters of Justice might follow these Jews and that there was an Ostracism upon those that cast filth into the fountains of Judgment whereby the waters thereof become mischievous and not medicinal 4. A willing and ready proceeding in acts of Justice without extraordinary importunity or artificial helps and provocations A chearfull and free spirit in duty is that which is most accepted in duty the Lord observes not so much what as from what affection a thing is done The Scriptures call him an unjust Judge that avenged the Widow of her Adversary meerly to free himself of the trouble of her frequent complaints Mighty streams run down readily so justice must be executed not with a great deal of difficulty and labour like waters fetcht out of a pump there must be no need of pumping or forcing it forth but willingly and with a ready mind It was a seasonable word spoken by the Old woman when complaining to the Emperor Adrian of some wrong she had sustained he told her he was not at leisure to hear her suit whereupon she presently reply'd That then he ought not to be at leisure to be Emperor which smart expression came so close unto him that ever after he was more facile and forward to entertain Suitors 5. A regular execution of Judgment mighty streams usually have a straight and even current the Channels wherein they run are not so intricate and crooked have not so many maeanders windings and turnings as your little narrow brooks have for then they would loose much of their strength and force So in acts of Justice there must be a straight and regular proceeding a proceeding by rule according to the Law of God and the established Laws of the Land Thus Queen Vasthi was to be punished for her disobedience according to Law Esth. 1. 15. What shall we do unto the Queen Vasthi according to Law because she hath not performed the Commandment of the King Lex est norma officii judicii from which Judges are ne latum unguem discedere not to swerve the breadth of a finger nail out of any squint-ey'd respects or sinister ends and aims they should alwayes have regard to their Rule and remember it is their Office jus dicere and not jus dare to interpret the Laws already constituted and not to make or give new Laws for this would be like the Authority of the Church of Rome which under pretext of expounding the holy Scriptures doth not stick to adde and alter where and what they please pronouncing what they do not find and by shew of antiquity produce novelty The ministers of Justice ought to abhorr such prevarications one foul sentence from them doth more hurt than many filthy sins from others for these do but corrupt the streams the other corrupts the fountain 6. It implys Magnanimity Zeal and Resoluion in the exercise of Judgement and Justice for Righteousness is to run down as a mighty stream that bears down all opposition and whatsoever stands in its way Thus Judges are to be men of truth and courage fearing God and hating coveteousness according to that mark Jethro gave of the Officers which he would have Moses set over the people Exod. 18. 21. And it was Jehosophats Counsel to his Judges 2 Chron. 19. 6 7 11. Take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be 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 Deal couragiously and the Lord shall be with the good Of this brave Heroick Spirit was John Duke of Saxony who stoutly defended the sincere Protestant Religion against the Pope and all his Adherents in three publique Imperial Assemblies and when it was told him that he should lose the savor of the Pope and of the Emperor if he stuck so fast to the Lutheran Cause His answer was Here are two wayes I must either serve God or the World and which of these do ye think is the better and so he put them off with this pleasant indignation 7. The Metaphor imports an impartial administration of justice Heavy things
TWO SERMONS Lately Preached at the ASSIZES IN St. Maries Church IN LEICESTER The former March 23. 1670. The latter July 27. 1671. By Robert Harrison M. A. late Student of Christ-Church Oxon. now Rector of Wyfordby in Leicester-shire Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Tho. Sawbridge at the three Fower de Luces in Little-Britain 1672. VIRO ORNATISSIMO D. Johanni Hartopp BARONETTO Vice-Comiti pro Tempore COMIT LEICESTER Patrono suo multis nominibus Colendissimo Hasce Conciones binas In quibus de Judicio Justitia disseritur Haud ita pridem In Templo S. MARIAE Leicestriae habitas Gratitudinis Observantiae Ergo D. D. D. ROBERTVS HARRISON Amos 5. vers 23 24. Take thou away from me the noise of thy Songs for I will not hear the melody of thy Viols But let judgment run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream IT is the unspeakable Folly of vain man when he lyes under the pressures or is within the sight of approaching Evils when he 's made sensible of the frowns of the Almighty and comes to feel the effects of his displeasure upon him for sin to conceit that any thing which looks like Duty though never so sleight and formal will serve the turn to smooth Gods brow to turn away his wrath and to take the sinner into favour again As if the holy God who is present every where and knoweth all things was either ignorant or unmindfull of inward dispositions and affections and had respect only to outward actions and deportments in Religious undertakings Men indeed look on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart Surely saith Elihu God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it To take the estimate of Divine mysteries according to the shallow scantling of common sence and opinion argues gross ignorance and blindness of mind and is a sad indication of a carnal and unconverted estate Thus many in a day of fears as did the sinning Israelites go on blindfold in Duty resting in their outside performances which are no better than the Sacrifices of fools the blind and the lame and that which cost them nought Yet in these vain Oblations they will securely confide and now conclude themselves sufficiently guarded against the loudest thunders of most terrible Comminations But how highly the great God is displeased with such empty insignificant Services we may clearly perceive from the Scripture now before us where he abominates and rejects them and severely prohibites the Formalists farther procedure and continuance in them Take thou away from me the noise of thy Songs for I will not hear the melody of thy Viols c. Which words contain a Prohibition and a Precept The Prohibition in the 23d v. is tempered with Indignation the Precept in the 24th calls for Reformation Or in the Text considered with its coherence we have reported and reproved the great Corruptions and Disorders in Church and State The Church was guilty of Will-worship and Superstition the State of Cruelty and Oppression both these must be removed before God will be intreated Reformation is first to begin at the Church but it is not to end there the stream thereof must run thorow the State in like manner that so it may refresh and make glad the whole City of God The waters of the Sanctuary which were first to the ankles afterward increased to be up to the knees and then to the loins and at the last they became a great River waters to swim in a River that could not be passed over which issued toward the East Country and ran down into the Desart Such should be the stream of Justice it should run thorow the whole Country that none may complain of the want of it but that every one may have a free and easie access unto it that so righteousness and judgment may be executed for all that are oppressed Ps. 103. v. 6. Thus you have the Division I shall now proceed to the Exposition of the Text. And first briefly of the Prohibition Take thou away from me the noise of thy Songs c. These words admit of divers readings which do nothing vary from the sence of our English Version wherefore I need not run out time to repeat them to you There 's a Meiosis in this verse Minus dicitur plus intelligitur for we are not only to understand the Lords dislike of their Ceremonies and Superstitious Services though that be sad enough seeing it is his approbation and acceptance that makes our performances of any worth or significancy but also his exceeding hatred and abhorrence of them as things which he could no longer endure nor would he any more be burdened with them and therefore he bids them take away these provocations from him viz. the noise of their Songs and the melody of their Viols Which expressions do figuratively include all the Israelites Festivals Incense Sacrifices and external Services spoken of in the foregoing verses where the Lord by his Prophet declarâ—h his great displeasure against them and in this verse his utter rejection of them But it may be Quaery'd Why would God cast off and forbid the offering up of those Sacrifices and the performance of that Service which he himself had commanded To this I answer 1 Negatively God doth not here simply and absolutely reject the Sacrifices and Service of his own institution but together with these he requires a due administration of Judgment and Justice and if either may be omitted and put off he had rather it be Sacrifice than Judgment according to Drusius upon the place who hath therefore rendred the following verse Potius volvatur ut aqua judicium rather let Judgment roul down as water q. d. rather then with the neglect of this you presume to draw nigh to God though in the wayes of his own appointment And in this sence is that Scripture to be understood Mat. 9. 13. I will have mercy and not Sacrifice i. e. mercy rather then Sacrifice The Lord preferrs justice mercy and peace before Sacrifices the substance of the second before the ceremonies of the first Table and is graciously pleased that his own immediate Service should stay for these as you may read Mat. 5. 23 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift Nor 2dly were all those external Rites and Ceremonies observed by the Israelites I mean the ten Tribes whom our Prophet here all along chiefly reproves complexly considered of Gods Institution and therefore the Lord calls them their Songs and the melody of their Viols
life and a Gospel conversation and whatsoever we do let us do it heartily as unto God and not unto men Knowing that of the Lord we shall receive the reward of the inheritance for we serve the Lora Christ. Let us offer unto God the pure Grapes of a pruned Vine loving him above all and our Neighbour as our selves for this is more then all whole Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices I 'll conclude this former part of my Text in the words of a Reverend and Learned Bishop Christians must not suffer either the meer form of Godliness to swallow up the power or the pretence of power to shut out the form but we must give the Lord both that inward and outward honour which is due unto his Holy name in all our solemn attendances upon him Now to pass from the Inhibition of sin committed to the Injunction of duty omitted And the good Lord help us all to leave off the pursuit of sin and to fall upon the practice of duty of the great duty in my Text that Magistrates especially who are chiefly concerned in it may endeavour earnestly to let judgment roul down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream In which Precept there are two things considerable as First An Antithesis the adversative particle but intimates an opposition to their Musical Instruments and Songs which though parts of Gods Service are rejected in the precedent verse because they were defiled with hypocrisie and impiety The ten Tribes put much stress upon Intervals Circumstantials and Ceremonials Now in this verse they are minded of the great and weighty matters of the Law viz judgment and righteousness which they are also commanded to execute and perform 2dly Here 's Locus a comparatis wherein judgment and running waters righteousness and mighty streams are compared together Judgment and righteousness imply righteous judgment or an administration of judgment righteously in a plentifull firm and invariable manner for it is to roul down as waters and as a mighty stream Which Scripture some Interpreters of good note as Lyra A Lapide and Tremelius understand of a torrent of Judgments threatned in righteousness against Israel for their crying sins whereby they should be carried away into Captivity as things are violently carried down by a strong and rapid stream I shall leave these learned Authors to abound in their own sence and take the words as they are commonly received by Expositors of great esteem also and more in number then the former these are Vatablus Castalio Livelius Gualter Drusius Grotius Piscator and Calvin All which Authors besides several others as the Dutch Annotations Diodat Mayer and Hutcheson it would be too tedious to cite them in their own words understand this Command according to the sence already hinted at viz. of a diligent impartial execution of judgment and an abounding in the fruits thereof that there be no unjust dealings among men but that all unrighteousness be born down and quite taken away as hay or stubble by swift running waters The words thus opened resolve themselves into this practical Observation viz. A vigorous and constant administration of true and righteous judgment is a duty of grand concernment to a people professing Religion Judgment as a learned Author hath well distinguished in a Book lately set forth is private or publique the Judicium privatum discretionis which is the guide of rational acts belongeth to every private man the Judicium publicum is either in foro Civili determining in order to corporal coaction and this belongeth only to the Magistrate or it is in foro Ecclesiae in order to Church Communion or Excommunication Thus far he Now it is the Judicium publicum in foro Civili that I am to discourse of at this time and this as you have heard is principally incumbent on Magistrates who are not to bear the sword in vain out of formality or for fashion sake but for the terrour of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for the keeping of the Laws of God and the Land and for the protection of the innocent that they may sit every man under his own Vine and Figg-tree and none may make them afraid according to that promise Micah 4. 4. The stream of Justice I say must flow from the lawfull Magistrates and be derived from them to the people as the precious oyntment that was poured on Aarons head trickled down to the skirts of his garments Holy Writ abounds in proof of the Observation so that 't is not only the Doctrine of my Text but of many other Scriptures also I shall be your Remembrancer of some few of them as os that parallel place Isa. 1. v. 16 17 18. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil Learn to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the widow The same injunction you have in Psal. 82. v. 3 4. How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Defend the poor and fatherless do justice to the afflicted and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Be pleased also to consider that Scripture Zech. 8. v. 16 17. These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates And let none of you imagine evil in your heart against his neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are the things that I hate saith the Lord. And in the 6th of Micah v. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God All these places are so many clear proofs of this great truth viz. that the Lord requireth especially of men professing piety that they should make conscience of justice and equity in their mutual dealings one with another that so they may prove the sincerity of their Profession and may adorn it by an answerable conversation that their whole life may be as one phraseth it Index Commentarius Evangelii an Index and Commentary of the Bible In the farther prosecution of this Observation I shall endeavour three things 1. The Explication 2. The Confirmation and 3. The Application of it In the Explication I shall pursue the Metaphor in these following singularities The rouling down of judgment as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream implys First Copiousness of judgment an abounding in acts of justice Thus according to Vatablus Sit multa justitia and Grotius Jus apud te ut aqua profluat benignitas ut torrens rapidus In broad running Rivers waters are very plentifull thus Justice must be administred not by halves in a drisling scantling manner here a little and there a little but plentifully yea abundantly that so it may reach
lyes convenient for his Honour as Naboths Vineyard did for King Ahab Men would be like devouring Fish in a Pond or ravenous Beasts in a Wilderness the great ones would eat up the little ones and the strong would prey upon the weak they would become Lions for rage cruelty and oppression Foxes for subtilty in evil Swine for filthiness and uncleanness Dogs for envy and malice Wolves for rapine yea as the wild Asses Colt for folly and stupidity It would neither be incivility nor calumny to describe men by such compellations were there no Law to restrain their exorbitancies and to correct their manners You have heard the Confirmation of the Doctrine with Reasons be pleased to put them together The great God commands the execution of Judgment he commends it also It is a remedy to remove curses a means to procure blessings for us and our Children after us the neglect of it is a mighty provocation to the Lord and without it there can be no peaceable living in the world And now consider whether a vigorous and constant execution of righteous judgment be not a duty of grand concernment to a people professing Religion I am now to Apply and the Uses of our Observation are only two which I shall briefly dispatch First This should stir up the people of England unto unfeigned thankfulness to Almighty God for the good and wholesome Laws we enjoy and for those Magistrates that are diligent and faithfull in the execution of them It is a mercy to have Judges modo audeant quae sentiunt as the Orator hath it So that they have courage and integrity to do what they think fit and equal to be done who will not be swayed by the gifts nor scared by the greatness of men to pass an unrighteous sentence Let us praise God for such The next Use is of Exhortation and here I shall endeavour in a few words to divide to every one his portion and to press home the Duty of my Text to persons especially concerned in it And in the first place I beseech you My Lord the venerable Judge of this Circuit to suffer the word of Exhortation I would not forget to whom I speak yet I must remember from whom I speak I have a message from the Great God the Judge of all the World unto You this day and it is to mind you of your Duty that you do Justice and execute right without respect of persons that you quit not the Guilty nor condemn the Innocent But let judgment run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream In this River there must be no ebbing nor flowing the banks at all times are to be full and the current mighty neither must the stream be stopped or turned another way for then iniquity will take place and whosoever drinks of this puddle it will be like the water of jealousie to him bitter water that causeth the curse I beseech you My Lord follow your pattern Job 29. 14. I put on righteousness and it cloathed me my judgment was as a robe and a diadem They who wear justice for a cloak need no cloak for injustice Justice is both a Cloak and an Helmet it will adorn you it will secure you God forbid that any should find you like the brooks of Teman that when they come for the waters of judgment they should find the brooks dry There is abundance of filth in this Nation for iniquity abounds every where and certainly there can be no better expedient used for the cleansing out these increased dunghils of impiety then by letting forth the river of justice to run down upon them as Hercules cleansed the Augaean Stable by letting the River Alphaeus into it 2. My next errand is to you the honourable and worshipfull Justices of this County I beseech you give no just cause of complaining in our streets through your neglect of Justice Take heed of being tainted with those sins which you are to punish in others if the Justice be a person of a lewd life himself it cannot be expected that he should use any just severity against those who are fly-blown with the like transgressions Allow not of sin in your selves nor in your Servants nor in any others but frown upon it wherever you meet with it a frown of yours may do more service to God then many Sermons of ours 3. I am to exhort you the learned Lawyers to put forth your utmost endeavours for the strengthning of the stream of justice by an honest and quick dispatch of your Clients Causes and not to weaken it by unnecessary delays and injurious defalcatious Be faithfull to your Engagements and do not seek to make a prey of those that seek to you for relief This would be Savage cruelty indeed even like to that of the Wolf which undertook to cure the Sheep of his Cough but 't was by sucking out his blood The remedy proved worse than the disease 4. Let me exhort you who are to be of the Grand Inquest to do your duty in making faithfull Presentments according to your Oath Take notice of the reigning fins of your Country and do not conceal any of them as Rachel did her Fathers Images by sitting upon them Spare neither great nor small rich nor poor but do you sincerely endeavour also That judgment may run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream Lastly To put a period to my discourse of the things which we have spoken this is the sum Vt ex parte sua agat unusquisque quod suum est that every one should perform the duty belonging to him that Magistrates rule justly and according to Law that Ministers preach faithfully according to the Scriptures that the people live peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty that all of us endeavour the good and welfare of the Nation and none among us be as a Wen or Wolf drawing away nourishment from the body without doing it any service Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things and the God of peace shall be with you Which God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS Prov. 14. ver 34. Righteousness exalteth a Nation but Sin is a reproach to any people IN a late discourse upon the like occasion I endeavoured from another Text to set forth the great duty of a pure and powerful administration of Righteous Judgment which is to run down as waters and as a
mighty stream Amos 5. 24. I shall now begin where I formerly ended and advance through divine assistance more vigorously to inculcate and press home the very same duty from these words of wise Solomon which may be considered as a twofold Argument taken from Reward and Punishment those great Incentives to duty exciting us thereunto From the due praise of righteousness and the manifest peril of sin we shall find sufficient cause to be enamoured with the one and to detest the other to abhor that which is evil and to cleave to that which is good What the Lord himself said to Rebecca when Twins lay strugling in her the same may be spoken of this Scripture Two Nations are in its Womb and two manner of people shall be separated from its bowels But it must not be so with these as it was with Jacob and Esau for the Elder is here the beloved and the Younger is hated of God Righteous ones are acceptable and pleasing in his fight and they shall be rewarded Sinners are an abomination to him and they shall not be unpunished Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him for the reward of his hands shall be given him So then not to multiply particulars because I would not fall into either of those Extreams of being too nice and curious or too negligent and careless in the division of my Text for as Seneca saith Idem vitii habet nimia quod nulla divisio you have here 1. The blessed fruit of Righteousness and 2. The cursed product of Sin Righteousness exalteh a Nation but Sin is a reproach to any people I shall speak to the parts as they lie before us after a brief explication of the termes And first to give you a taste of the fruit of Righteousness it will be expedient to enquire into two things as 1. VVhat is that Righteousness which exalteth a Nation 2. VVhat is meant by the exaltation of a Nation These two Quaeries being resolved I shall undertake the farther Illustration of the Assertion First then VVhat is that Righteousness that exalteth a Nation In answer thereunto we must distinguish of the word Righteousness There is a twofold Righteousness viz. of Imputation and of Implantation The Righteousness of Imputation is wrought by the merit of Christ for us the Righteousness of Implantation is wrought by the Spirit of Christ in us the one is the Righteousness of our justification the other is the Righteousness of our sanctification Now 't is the latter of these which is here said to exalt a Nation and Cajetan phraseth it an Vniversal Righteousness which is Influential into all the actions of a Christian and streams through the whole course of his life it is so very conspicuous and casts such a shine upon it as evidenceth him that hath it to be holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all manner of conversation as in 1 Pet. 1. 15. Righteousness is a word of great latitude Justitia latissime patet ac omnes complectitur virtutes saith Ludovicus Vives in his Commentary upon Austin de Civ Dei It includes not only all moral virtues but also all Divine and Spiritual Graces Aristotle calls it omnis virtus and saith it excels all other quantum Lucifer inter astra as the bright and Morning-Star excels the rest in beauty and splendor It is a virtue in a stricter sense that doth Suum cuique tribuere that renders to every one his due to God the things that are Gods as Faith Fear Love Thanksgiving and Obedience and to men the things that are mens as Honour Tribute and Subjection to Kings Reverence Respect and Service to Superiors Love Kindness and Justice to Inferiors Truth and Equity in our mutual dealings and negotiations in the world a doing to others as we our selves would be done by according to that sacred and standing Rule of our blessed Lord and Master Mat. 7. 12. This Righteousness is to be found in the several VValks of Gods Commandments it runs as one saith through every Precept as it were the veins of every Law in the second Table and calls for obedience due to parents Natural Ecclesiastical and Civil in the fifth Command our care to preserve our Neighbours life in the sixth Chastity in the seventh Estate in the eighth good name in the ninth our desires in their due bounds against coveting what is our neighbours in the tenth And take but the word in the most comprehensive sense and it is the obedience of the whole Law This is the Righteousness that exalteth a Nation not as a Cause producing an effect but as a means conducing to such an end The Lord doth not thus reward our Righteousness ex debito but ex bene placito not for our merits that plea will sail us but for his mercies sake This for the Answer of the first Quaery Secondly What is meant by the exaltation of a Nation when may a Nation be said to be exalted Then is a Nation any Nation exalted as well as the Jewish whose Doctors would have this former part of the Text speak them the only happy people in the world excluding all others when it is blessed made prosperous and flourishing in the enjoyment of Truth Peace and Plenty VVhen the Almighty for it is his doing enlargeth the borders of it strengtheneth the bars of her gates and blesseth her Children within her VVhen he maketh peace in her borders abundantly blesseth her provision and satisfieth her poor with bread VVhen there is no breaking in nor going out no leading into captivity nor complaining in the Streets And when the Lord with an higher hand yet blesseth a people with all spiritual and heavenly blessings when he placeth his Sanctuary in the midst of a Nation his Tabernacle is with a people and he sets up among them the glorious light of the Gospel in the golden Candle stick of his Ordinances VVhen he turns to the people a pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent or with one shoulder as it t s in that Gospel-promise Zech. 3. 9. Then may it be rightly said of such a Nation or People according to the Psalmists conclusion Psal. 144. 15. Happy is the People that is in such a case yea happy is that People whose God is the Lord. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God Now is a Nation exalted made honourable and renowned or born on high as judicious Cartwright understands the expression which he judgeth to be a metaphor taken from heavy bodies lifted up and carried aloft by joint force and united strength Thus a people brought low made vile and miserable because of their fins by the administration of justice and the exercise of righteousness are lifted up
shaketh Stand before the Lord to speak good for us and to turn away his wrath from us as the good Prophet did for a very wicked and ungratefull people Jer. 18. 20. Sin hath made many a wide gap for Divine vengeance to enter in and to lay us waste Oh! bring righteousness along with you to make up the hedge to repair our ruiues And first of all I humbly crave leave to direct this Exhortation to you my Lords who are to sit in Judgment You very well know that the place of Justice is an hallowed place and therefore is to be preserved from Scandal and Corruption no unrighteousness should come there if it do it will make strange work and horrible confusion like Elements when they are out of their proper places Injustice in Judges idleness in Ministers unfaithfulness in Stewards and â—mpiety in Professors are exceeding loath some and abominable transgressions I pray God the guilt of none of these sins may cleave to our souls I beseech you my Lords put forth your helping hands for the rouling away of our reproach You are called the Sheilds of the Earth be pleased to use your best care and diligence to safeguard and defend us from those that rise up against us that the wicked may not prevail nor the enemies of God any longer blaspheme his name You are called Fathers this minds you of incouraging and praising those that do well and of the just severity you are to shew yet in love that mercy may be in the heart when justice is in the hand against the stubborn and disobedient You are also termed Gods and Saviours the Lord hath honored you with his own Name and Titles and hath put some beams of his Authority upon you let this high dignity oblige you to the frequent exercise of Righteousness and Judgement in imitating of your great Exemplar For the Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright You are in a double capacity of doing us good vis as Christians and as Magistrates and you have a twofold Rule to walk by the Law of God and the established Laws of the Land you are to consult both and first of all let the Law of God be your Counsellor your chifest care should be for Religion for those Laws are preposterous which neglecting the right of God do provide only for men as learned Calvin hath well observed What an honour and glory will it be my Lords to those venerable hory hoary heads of yours if they be found in a way of Righteousness God grant they may Be instructed therefore ye Judges of the Earth to serve the Lord with fear in the concernments of his Church and your King and Country with saithfulness in State affairs Secondly I would commend Righteousness to you our honourable and worshipful Justices as a very choice Friend and Companion which will be hughly advantagious unto you and in you to us and will get you more honor in the Country then moroseness passion or partiality can do Be pleased therefore to think Righteousness worthy of your acquaintance as that wich will exalt you and the Nation also but Sin will be a reproach unto both Thirdly If Lawyers would be perswaded to observe this Rule of Righteousness and to do to others as they themselves would be done by they should find more comfort in being just and honest then in being politick and subtile and the Fees they receive in the defence of Truth will do them more good then then times as much in making a bad Cause seem good and a good Cause seem bad It was a wicked saying of a prosane spirited man He that will not venture his body shall never be a stout man and be that will not venture his soul shall never be rich Surely the wretched sinner would find this a desparate venture when he came to thrust his head into the other world For Riches profit not in the day of wrath but Righteousness delivereth from death Fourthly As for you that are to be of the Grand Inquest or of any other Jury or shall be brought in as Witness in any Cause Remember I pray you that you are to Swear in Truth in Judgment and in Righteousness and so to proceed according to your Oath 1. You Swear in Truth and therefore whatsoever is affirmed or denyed by you must truly and for a certainty be affirmed or denied You are to Swear such is the form of the Oath the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth 2. You Swear in Judgment i. e. well weighing and advisedly considering what it is you are to Swear and who it is by whom you are to Swear not taking an Oath hand over head vainly and rashly but so as you may have comfort in performing that great Duty aright in making known the Truth and putting an end to some great doubt and controversie 3. You are to Swear in Righteousness q. d. there must be a just cause of your Swearing and that which is agreeable to the will of God And be sure you conceal nothing which your Oath obligeth you to make known lest you bring upon you the flying roll of curses threatned Zech. 5. 4. I have read a notable passage of a meer moral man which is very well worth your imitation This person being desired by a Friend to testifie a Lye which he was to avouch by an Oath he returned this serious answer I am your Friend saith he to the Altar i. e. as far as Conscience Religion and honesty will permit but no farther Fifthly In the last place let us be exhorted Fathers and Brethren who are Ministers of the Gospel and Preachers of Righteousness to practice righteousness as well as preach it to be Ensamples to our Flocks and not only to shew them the way but also to walk before them in it that when the chief Shepherd shall appear we may receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away Thus we have all of us our duty laid down before us let us now be perswaded to take it up and to put it into speedy practice And for this end we may consider these following Motives 1. Righteousness is most congruous and suitable to our Profession What a Christian and an unrighteous man A Christian and a proud man A Christian and a Drunkard A Christian and a common Swearer A Christian and an Atheist What a reproachfull thing is this If sin be a reproach to any people much more to a Christian people It is better to be a just Heathen then an unrighteous Christian a sober Heathen then a drunken Christian a chast Heathen then an unclean Christian. 'T would be better posterity should never know such persons lived in the world then to know us by such reproachful names Virtutis stragulam pudefacis Thou puttest honesty to open shame said Diogenes to Antipater who being exceeding
Sam. 10. 7. Reas. 1. It is the command of God to execute judgement Divino intonante praecepto obedien dum est non disputandum Reas 2. This duty is commanded Ps. 106. 30 31. Reas. 3. To do justice is a means to remove judgements Reas. 4. Blessings are procured to posterity 1 Chr. 28. 8. Reas. 5. The neglect of justice us a great provocation to God Vid. Jer. 22. 3 4 5. Zech 7. 9. c. Reas. 6. Without the execution of justice there can be no safety in the world Drusius Nec pracepta patrum nec Christa degmata curant Jactant se dominos rerum sibi cuncta licere Cui vis est non metuit jus obruitur vi Quicquid jure possidetur injuria aufertur Quintil. Nullae tam infestae hominibus bestiae ut sunt sibi ferales plerique Christiani Applic. Vse 1. Of Thankfulness Cic. pro Milone Vse 2. Of Exhortation To the Judge Numb 5. 18. To the Justices Ecce quid valeant statuta legum ecce quid proficit definitio sanctionum quae illi spernunt maxime qui ministâ—ant Salv. To the Lawyers To the Grand Inquest To all in General Cajetan 1 Tâ—m 2. 2. Pâ—il 4. 8. 9. Heb. 13. 20 21 Rom. 12. 9. Gen. 25. 23. Is. 3. 10 11. Method propounded Qu. 1. Answ. Justitiam hic tum generalem accipe pro qualibet virtute tum specialem quae est virtus cuique jus suum tribuens c. Vide Corn. 2 Lapide in loc Vid. l. 19. c. 4. Justitiae titulo reliquae virtutes omnes complectuntur Tam ad deum quam ad homines extenditur Justitia est virtus quae suum cuique tribuit Deo quae sunt Dei hominibus quae sunt hominum Quid Deo debemus fidem timorem dilectionem Eli. vid. Lavat in loc Pietas aequitas quasi venae sunt justitiae his enim duâ—bus fontibus constat tota justitia Lactaâ— l. 5. Mr. Gurnall Sensus quidem universalis est c. v. d. Jansenium Salazar in loc Vid. Pâ—zelium in Gen. 18. 38. Qu. 2. Answ. Acts 10. 35. Exod 34. 24. Ps. 146. 13 14. 132. 15. 134 13 14. Justitia exaltat Reges Populos tum â—pibus celebritate gloria tum dilatando eorum regna finis terminos tum per omnia â—eos secundando tum denique ornandoeos omni virtute gratia in hac vita ac gloria in futura qui est finis omnis reipubâ— uimirum ut populos per virtutem dirigat ad felicitatem gloriam coelestem vid. a Lapid in loc Psal. 87. v. 3. Exaltat est Metaphora à rebus corporeis quae graves pondere vi tamen viribus adjunctis in altum attolluntur sic gens suâ naturâ ignominiâ deprimi nata justitiae tamen administratione exercitio honorata veluti supremo in loco collocata videtur Cartwright in loc Eatenus felix ac fortunata est Civitas quatenus Cives suos à terrena Civitate in coelestem transferre suis legibus studet Salazar in loc Scelus pro Sceleraâ—o Acts 24. 5. Vid. Reyner of hum learn Quicquid boni toti mundo accidit id fit propter Ecclesiam c sed mundus hoc non credit neque cognoscit propterea etiam malam refert piis gratiam Spaâ—genberg de Servit Joseph in Aegypt Eccles. 5. 19. Gods people are compared to Bulwarks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezâ—k 22. 31. To the Chariots and Horsmen of Israel 2 King 2. 12. Deut. 32 30. â—â—s Stakes to an hedge Ital. version Vid. Gataker Gods eye upon Israel Vid etiam Diodat Semen sanctum statio ejus i. e. multi in urbe viri pit causa erunt cur Deus non passurus sit urbem capt Grotius in loc As Pillars and Foundations Fundamentum saeculi 2 Pet. 3. 10. 2 Kings 3. 14. God continues the Truths of the Gospel for his peoples sake Act. 18. 9 10 11. Deut. 33. 3. Dicuntur fideles se ad junxisse pedibus Dei ut accipiant è sermonibus ejus hoc est in ejus doctrina proficiant Calv. in loc Mat. 13. 16. Psal. 89. 15. The blessing of peace Isa. 37. 35. The Blessing of Plenty Sic propier unum aliquem pium Deus solet benedicere etiam indiguis Victory over Enemies Antoninus philosophus Euseb Eccles. hist. l. 5. c. 5. Legio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicta fuit Eccles. 9. 11. Preservation from ruine and destruction Non solum ad preces tuas liberabit innocentem sed quid magis uimirum est etiam nocentem puritate manum tuarum i. e. propter preces tuas ex pura manu perfectas Piscator in loc Temperat Deus paenas ne electas plantas radicitus evellat Marlorat in loc Gen. 18. 32. Isa. 62. 6. 7. Qui memores estis i. e. qui predicatis Dominum Vatabl. Consider the wasting judgments which follow after the removal of the Godly Gen. 7. 11. Isa. 71. 1. Isa. 26. 21. Quaer Answ. Petulantissimae est insaniae paucorum malorum odio in bonos ownes debaccbaâ—i If the Romans did so highly value the word Quirites much more should we value the word Christian Bp. Hall pax terris Acts 24. 16. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Vid. Buxtorf Bibl. Polyglot Pietas natiâ—num vel in Deum vel in homines est peccatum quia omnis illorum pietas in Idola est Mercerus in loc Pietatem cum significat Chesed non vulgare sed praeclaram insignem excellentem pietatem significat Ita quoque quando in malam partem accipitur non vulgarem impietatem scelus significat sed insigne inorme Vid. Paul Fag in Levit. 20. 17. Psal. 11. 5. Contraria juxta se posita magis illuceÌ„scunt Zech. 5. 8. Psal. 147. 6. Psal. 62. 3. Job 1. 9. Accepit varias clades incidit in gravissimas calamitates Drus. Exitio addictus Grotius Jer. 25. 9. 1 Cor. 3. 3. James 4. 1. Applic. Vse 1. For Information Eccles 9. ult 1 Per. 2. 13 14. Hic videmus cos qui Sauli honorem exhibere noluerunt tributum vel munus recusarunt à Spiritu Sancto notari ac filios Behal i. e. nequam improbos ac nebulones vocari Calv. in loc 1 Tim. 6. 10. Vse 2. For Exhortation Eph. 5. 11. 3 Ep. John 11. The French have a Proverb He that hath no money in his purse let him have Honey in his mouth Heb. 4. ult â— Exod. 3. 2. Psal. 4. 5. Ezek. 20. 37. Psal. 21. 8. Jer. 18. 20. The Ehortation branched 1. To Judges Peccatum majus ubi specialis repugnaniia inter peccantem peccatum Psal. 74. 10. Psal. 82. 1. Psal. 11. 7â— Vid Polani â— Syntag. 2239. 2240. Praepâ—ster a sunt leges quae neglecto Det jure tantum hominibus consulunt Calv. Instit. l. 4. c. 20. Prov. 16. 31. Psal. 2. 10 11. 2. To the Justises of the Peace 3. To Lawyers Nevissan a Lawyer Peov. 11. 4. 4. To the Grand Inquest Jer 4. 2. Veritas haud dubiè hic accipitur prointegritate cordis Cal. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. To Ministers 1 Pet. 5. 4. 1. Mot. Righteousness is most congruous to our Profession Christianus in peccato vivens concupiscentiis suis inserviens horrendum spectrum imo monstrum censetur coram Dio. vid. Daven in Col. p. 206. Non credam jures Verpe per Anchialum Martial Rom. 2. 24. Quomodo bonus est magister cujus tam males videmus esse discipulos Salv. l. 4. p. 149 Vid. Whole Duty of Man p. 237. 2. Mot. The welfare of a Nation depends on righteousness â—lorenlissima Lacedaemoniorum respub quae legum severitate creverat mox ad ruinam inclinare capit ubi atrocissimas subditorum injurias Ephori surdis auribus neglexerunt Plutarch Vera justitia non est nisi in ea repub cujus conditor rectorque Christus est Aug. de Civit. Dei 3. Mot. Our particular happiness depends on righteousness Scalam erigito solus ascendito 4. Mot. All things are known to God Heb. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 139. 12. Prov. 15. 3. Jer. 16. 17. Prov. 11. 11. Eccles. 11. 9. 5. Mot. We must dye and come to judgment Veniet veniet dies quando malè judicata rejudicabit Deus The Conclusion Mat. 5. 16. Psal. 85. 9 10. 2 Cor. 1. 12.