thae resist the Magistrate shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.2 My second use will be by way of Exhortation First to Inferiours If the God of Heaven hath appointed Magistrates to be as Gods on earth it exhorteth us to honour them Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 saith the Holy Ghost Honour to whom honour belongeth Rom. 13.7 There is honour due to our civil as well as to our natural Parents so much is expressed in that standing Law of God the fifth Commandement Exod. 20. Though they are to be honoured as Gods yet not as the true God civil respect is due to them not divine Yet some Roman Emperours out of intolerable pride have affected to be called Gods and commanded others to sacrifice to them This civil honour is to be visible 1. In giving reverence to their persons 2. In yielding obedience to their righteous precepts First in reverencing their persons Magistrates are honoured by God and therefore may well be honoured by us Those who are dignified by God must not be debased by men We ought to honour them in our hearts by standing in aw of them by esteeming them as they resemble God Prov. 24.21 and are in his place to be higher and worthier then others Thou are worth ten thousand of us say they to David 2 Sam. 18.3 The godly people counted King Josiah The breath of their nostrils Lament 4.20 And the Holy Ghost brandeth them for sons of Belial that despised Saul in their hearts though he were a wicked King 1 Sam 10.27 In our carriage we must honour them by rising up to them Job 28.9 by bowing the body to them 2 Sam. 14.20 by silence when they speak Job 29.9 10. Honour is an outward signification of that inward reverend opinion which we have of them for their dignity and greatness They are honoured in our speeches The Patriarchs call Joseph their Lord Gen. 42.10 and themselves his servants vers. 19. Paul calleth Act. 26.25 Most Noble Festus Hester 5.8 If I have found favour in the fight of the King and if it please the King to grant my Petition and to perform my request saith holy Hester to the Heathen King It is reported of the great Grand-father of Fabius Maximus that though he had bean five times Consul and had obtained many triumphs for divers honourable victories yet when his own son was Consul be willingly submitted himself to him served under him as his Lieutenant followed on Horseback his son in his triumphing Chariot But such Heathen will rise up in judgement against many christians Secondly your honouring them must appear by your yielding obedience to their lawful precepts In the Kingdom of Christ this is wonderful saith Zanchy That he willeth and commandeth all Princes and Potentates to be subject to his Kingdom and yet he willeth and commandeth that his Kingdom be subject to Princes and Potentates Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates Subjection note their acknowledgement of obedience to be due and obedience notes the act it self of obeying or the practice answerable to the fore-mentioned principle By Principalities are meant those that have the Supreme power as Kings or chief Magistrates Powers signifie such as exercise delegated authority and hold from those higher Powers as Presidents of Provinces Lieutenants of Counties Judges Justices Maiors c. Now put them in remembrance Men are apt to be forgetful both of obedience to God and the Gods Naturally we are so proud and high that we are unwilling to stoop to those that are higher and therefore we had need to be put in mind of our duties to submit our selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supreme or unto Govenours as unto them that sent by him 1 Pet. 2.14 Good Rulers we must obey saith one as God bad for God But take notice I say Magistrates must be obeyed in their lawful commands If a King saith our Civil Law giveth laws out of his Territories he is not to be obeyed And it Magistrates command what God for biddeth they give laws out of their own Dominions and therefore saith the Divine law they are not to be obeyed God indeed is to be obeyed universally and unlimitedly intuitu voluntat is upon the bare sight of his will but I must examine the laws of men by the laws of God and if they dissonant and disagreeing to Gods laws I must be disobedient to their laws No meer mans Ipse dixit is sufficient Acts 6.29 We ought to obey God rather then men The men of Calicot say some will do whatsoever their Emperours command though it be to worship the Devil as some write they do but we must observe the order of commands Fear God is before Honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 And again My son fear the Lord and the King Prov. 24.21 And Eccles. 8.2 My son keep the Kings command and that because of the Outh of God which latter words And that because of the oath of God are not only a reason but as is excellently observed a limitation to the precedent Exhortation They are a reason or enforcement It is necessary to give obedience to Magistrates not only out of fear towards them because of their sword but out of conscience towards God because of his vows that are upon us Rom. 13.5 and so it seems to relate to some Covenant and Oath of fidelity which was taken by the people towards their Princes 1 Chron. 11.3 Isai. 19.18 And surely Oaths to Magistrates are to be kept though some slip Oaths as easily as the Monkies do their collars and like the man possessed with the Devil break all those bonds asunder God will have a time to make inquisition for perjury when his roll of curses ten yards long and five yards broad shall rest in the house of him that for sweareth himself and destroy it Zach. 5.2 But the words may be considered as a limitation Keep the Kings command but so that thou do not violate thine Oath and obedience due to God Thy fealty to the Gods must be such as will consist with thy fidelity to God for we are bound to God and his service by Oath and Covenant 1 Pet. 3.21 Psal. 119.106 And no subordinate obedience must make us forget our obedience to him who is Supreme We must obey Rulers usque ad aras as far as Religion will suffer us and no farther My obedience to man must be regulated by a good conscience towards God Dan 3.6 17 18. 1 Sam. 22.17 Act. 5.29 As a subordinate Officer is not to be obeyed when he useth his power against his Prince which he received from his Prince and should have improved for his Prince So neither is a Prince to be obeyed when he useth his power against God which he received from God and should have improved for God As we must give unto Caesar the things that
us 2. Objective As man is the object thereof about them it is exercised It is for the punishment of bad men and encouragement of good men for the deciding differences between man and man 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Finaliter As man is the end thereof He is the Minister of God for mans good But these things will not prove Magistracy to be a meer humane Ordinance for in these three respects the Ministry as well as the Magistracy may be said to be an humane Ordinance Man being both the subject object and end thereof yet what sober man ever denyed the ministry to be an Ordinance of God 4. It is Ordinance of man in regard of the kind of it Each Nation having a liberty to choose what form of Government they apprehend most commodious for them Magistracy is Ordained by God though this particular Magistrate or this form of Government be appointed by man The Genus of Magistracy is from God yet the Species whether Monarchy Democracy or Aristocracy may be at the choice of men Further though the Magistrate should be of the Devil a wicked ungodly person yet the Magistracy is of God There is a difference between the Office or Power it self and the manner of exercising it and the means of attaining it The first is alwayes of God but not alwayes the second and third The power of Nero was of God as the Holy Ghost speaketh fully Rom. 13. though he exercised it in a Devillish manner oppressing and killing the good encourageing and acquitting such as were evil The power of our Richard the third was of God though he attained it by ungodly and devillish means the murdering his own Soveraign and Nephew There are four particulars which will clearly demonstrate the truth of this assertion namely That Magistracy is of Divine Authority First Their Commission is from God By me Kings Rule saith God Prov. 8.15 Subordinate Magistrates may have their Commission from men but Supreme Magistrates have their Commissions from God only The Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 not simply ordained of God as other things saith a learned Interpreter but specially by precept and command from God There are other things of God saith he as Famine War Sickness Poverty but they are not ordained by Precept Daniel telleth Nebuchadnezzar that God had commissionated him to rule over men Dan. 2.37 38. Thou O King art a King of Kings for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom power and strength and glory And wheresoever the children of men dwell the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven hath he given into thy hand and hath made thee Ruler over them all thou art this head of Gold These higher Powers are so clearly from the highest Power that their Throne is called Gods Throne 1 Chron. 29.23 Then Solomon sate on the Throne of the Lord as King instead of David their Scepter is called Gods Scepter and their judgement Gods judgement Deut. 1.17 Ye shall not respect persons for the judgement is Gods Besides we find that several persons received their Regal Investiture from God himself as Saul David Jehu Cyrus which last was by God named and ordained to the government of the Persian Monarchy above sixty years before he was born Isai. 44.28 Isai. 45.1 2. Their command to govern is from God the several Precepts from God to men in high places doth fully speak their power to be of God Why should God command them to rule according to his laws who have no authority to rule at all Jer. 22.2 3. Hear the word of the Lord O King of Judah execute judgement and righteousness and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressed c. If the matter or substance of their rule were unlawful surely God would not own it so far as to prescribe rules for the manner of executing it Now God through the whole Scriptures scattereth many precepts for directions to Princes how they should govern and what they should practice Deut. 17. 3. Their protection is from God As a King defendeth his inferiour officers in the execution of their offices so the King of Kings defendeth Magistrates in the discharge of their trusts God standeth in the Congregation among the Gods Psal. 82.1 not only to observe whether they offer injuries to others but also to take care that they receive no injuries from others God is a stronger guard to the Judge then any Sheriff And were not he a wall of fire about some worthy zealous Justices many beastly persons who have been curb'd by them and hindered from leaping over the hedges of divine commands would have trampled them under feet if not torn them in pieces It is worthy our observation how exceedingly God manifesteth his power and zeal for the help of Magistrates against all opposition Korah and his company conspire against Moses and Aaron Magistracy and Ministery Numb. 16. and would have brought in Anarchy Indeed both those Ordinances have the same adversaries Those that would level the Ministery making Preachers Jeroboam-like of the lowest of the people and filling the Pulpit as Noahs Ark with creatures clean and unclean will at last level the Magistracy too and make the Throne as low and as common as the Pulpit But observe what God saith of these opposers of Magistracy and Ministery and what God doth to them for his saying That they are gathered together against the Lord vers. 11. They wounded God through the sides of Moses and Aaron They that murmur and conspire against Gods Delegated servants murmur and conspire against God himself And surely God will first or last be too hard for those that thus harden themselves against him For see what he doth to them The Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their houses and all the men that appertained unto Korah and all their goods they and all that belonged to them went down alive into the pit and the earth closed upon them vers. 32.33 God hath strange punishments for such strange principles and practices He will work miraculously but that he will make such as are against Magistrate and Minister exemplary Psa. 18. ult. Great deliverance giveth God to the King The Supreme Magistrate is in great dangers therefore God giveth him great deliverances as he is liable to more harm then others by reason of his place so he may expect if he be godly especially more help then others by reason of the divine promise Be strong and of a good courage be not affraid for the the Lord thy God is with thee whither soever thou goest Josh. 9. Josephus from the extraordinary escape of Titus at the view of the walls of Jerusalem observeth Imperatorum pericula Deum curare That God is the Magistrates guard 4. The subjection of their people to them is from God Every man is by nature a Quaker a Leveller like a Colt unwilling to be bridled like an untamed Heifer
a Magistrate that neglecteth his duty herein is like a Winters Sun glorious for Majesty but yielding no warming or refreshing influences to them that are under him or like the Kings head on a sign-post only for shew The God of heaven doth not cast away the perfect man nor help the evil doer Job 8.20 He beholdeth the righteous with favour he woundeth the heads of sinners Psal. 68.21 He cutteth off the workers of iniquity He killeth and maketh alive with him is the fountain of life Psal. 39.9 as waters flow from Fountain so doth life from God And he can easily slay men Job 4.9 By the blast of God they perish To save and kill is a God-like priviledge The power of life and death is in the hands of these earthly Gods they enliven with their smiles their favour or the light of a Kings countenance is life they kill with their frowns The wrath of a King is the messenger of death Prov. 16.14 15. Herein their dignity and civil God-ship appeareth that they can give by reprieve or pardon or take away a life which is forfeited to the Law Caesars speech was high when he was opposed by Metellus in his takeing away the mony out of the Romane Treasury Let me alone or I will kill thee presently and then to qualifie his threat and magnifie his strength he told him Young man thou knowest it is harder for me to speak it then to do it But this is certain Rulers are not for nothing called Powers Tit. 3.1 It is in their power though not to Tyrannize at their pleasure yet to execute the Laws even to the death of the offendor 2. Magistrates are called Gods not only in regard of ther dignity but also in regard of their duty They ought to resemble God in their execution of Justice amongst men God administreth Justice impartially and so should the Gods The Judge of all the earth doth right and the Judges that are on the earth should do right God doth judge the world in righteousness and ministreth judgement to the poor in uprightness Psal. 9.8 And they who rule over men must be just ruling in the fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 Justice and Judgement are the habitation of Gods Throne Psal. 89.14 The holy Ghost alludeth to the Thrones of earthly Princes which were under-propped with Pillars as Solomons Throne with Lions 1 Kings 19 20. that were both a support and an ornament to it Now saith the Psalmist Justice and Judgement are the Pillars upon which Gods Throne standeth or as Calvin expoundeth it the Robe and Diadem the Purple and Scepter the Regalia with which Gods Throne is adorned Thus Magistrates ought to make good their pattern and to take heed what they do because they judge not for man but for the Lord who is with them in the Judgement 2 Chron. 19.6 Magistrates are therefore called Gods because they should as God doth do impartial justice without respect of persons protecting the godly as being the Ministers of God for their good Rom. 13.4 and punishing the wicked which are malignant enemies to God and them Now the impartiality of the Gods as of God in executing justice appeareth in these three particulars First in not favouring any for their neerness Magistrates must imitate God in this who is no respecter of persons but judgeth every man according to his works 1 Pet. 1.17 Though Coniah be to me saith God as the Signet on my right hand yet I will pluck him thence Jer. 22.24 That is though he were as near and dear to me as a Kings sealing-ring which is most carefully kept and tenderly preserved worn commonly yea continually on some finger yet I would do justice in plucking him off and casting him from me Nay when Gods own Son who was the Son of his infinite love and choicest delight became liable to the lash of the Law as being a sinner by imputation God would not spare him in the least but made him bear the curse of the Law Rom. 8.32 Zaleucus the Law-giver having enacted that every person guilty of adultery should lose both his eyes did yet when his own Son was found guilty of that fault put out one of his own eyes and one of his Sons But the great God was more just when his Son was a Surety for sinners he caused him to pay the utmost farthing he suffered the law to have its full stroak at him O how just was God that rather then violate the least Tittle of his Law would sign a warrant with his own hand and confirm the Commission with his own Seal for his dearest Sons execution Thus should Magistrates hear and determine without any respect to friends or relations Prov. 24.23 To have respect of persons is not good yea it is very evil Magistrates must hear the cause not the person and mind not the man but the matter which is brought before them David was faulty and he smarted sharply for it in sparing Amnon guilty of Incest and Absolom guilty of Murder because they were his Sons But Levi did nobly who said to his Father and to his Mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children Deut. 33.9 Pompey aspiring to the Roman Empire and perceiving that Cato was against him sent his friend Minucius to Cato to demand his two Nieces One for himself the other for his Son But when the Messenger had delivered his errand Cato gave him this Answer Go tell Pompey Cato is not to be won by women as long as Pompey shall deal uprightly I shall be his friend and in a greater degree then any marriage can ever make me Surely this Moralist will condemn many Christian Rulers of whom it is said that the Sun might assoon be hindred from running his race as he from doing what was just and upright God will not upon any pretence whatsoever have his own person accepted Job 13.8 much less the persons of men Secondly In not sparing or fearing any for their greatness Rulers ought to be men of courage Exod 18.21 The fear of man bringeth a snare Prov. 29.25 and is often the cause why justice is perverted Pilate feared Caesar John 19.12 13. and therefore against his conscience condemned Christ The great God of heaven feareth none spareth none for their glory or greatness He putteth the mighty out of their Seats Luke 1.52 He bindeth Kings in chains and Princes in Fetters of Iron Psal. 149.8 The day of the Lord shall be upon all the Cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and upon all the Oaks of Bashan and upon all the high Mountains and upon every high Tower and upon every fenced Wall Isa. 2.12 13 14. He is the Almighty Al-powerfull God and therefore cares not for any might or power of man Thus the Gods on earth should do justice on all great as well as small fearing none but the God of heaven Deut. 1.17
you shall not be afraid of the face of man for the judgement is Gods Papiniaenus is worthy of eternal memory who chose rather to die then to justifie or excuse the fratricide of Bâ—ssianus the Emperour Holy Job as he was eminent for fearing God so likewise for not fearing men Job 29.17 I brake the jaw of the wicked and pulled the spoil out of his teeth Great men oftentimes are like Lions or ravenous Beasts that prey on others without fear or pitty Now the care of this pious Magistrate was to secure his people against such oppressors When David kept his Fathers sheep and there came a Lion and a Bear and took a Lamb out of the flock David rose after the Lion and smote him and took the Lamb out of his mouth 1 Sam. 17.34 Every Magistrate is or should be a Shepherd God saith of Cyrus He is my Shepherd Isa. 44. ult. The man after Gods own heart was called to feed his people Israel Psal. 78.70 71. Homer calleth Agamemnon {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the shepherd or the feeder of the people And when Lions or Bears men that are great and strong come to devour their flock they ought to protect or defend them He is a base hireling that hides his head when the Wolf cometh in the night though he endeavour to preserve his sheep from injury by the flies in the day For one Wolf will do more mischief in a night then a thousand flies in a year As the day of judgement will make no difference between great and small rich and poor noble and ignoble for then the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men will hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the Mountains and will say to the Mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6.15 16. so should not the day of executing justice in this world * The impartiality of God and also of the Gods consisteth in not taking gifts God is no taker of gifts 2 Chron. 19.7 Riches prevail not in the day of wrath Prov. 11.4 Neither silver nor gold can deliver them from his indignation Zeph. 1.18 Thus should Magistrates resemble his Majesty not perverting justice either for having or for hope of a reward A bribe received or expected clogs or obscures the course of Justice A golden pen must not write the discharge when the hand of a Judge is greased with gold it cannot hold the sword of justice but will let it slip at least strike very partially Thou shalt not wrest judgement thou shalt not respect persons neither take a gift for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous Deut. 16.19 The Roman story telleth us of two persons that were Competitors for some place of preferment and that a Senator being asked for which of the two he would give his voice answered For neither because saith he One hath nothing and the other hath never enough He knew that poverty and covetousness are both unmeet qualifications for a Ruler The former maketh Magistracy obnoxious to contempt and derision and the latter prompteth the Magistrate on to injustice and oppression A Ruler that is a bribe-taker is a Thief in Robes and is only differenced from those that are in rags by this that the height of his place doth increase his sin and aggravate his condemnation I come now from the Explication to the Application of the doctrine This truth will be usefull First by way of Information If the God of heaven hath appointed Magistrates to be Gods on earth it informeth us that Magistracy is of divine Authority Government is not an invention of some men who desire to Lord it over others but it it the Institution of God I have said ye are Gods The Schollars of Pythagoras counted his Ipse dixit to be sufficient Surely then Gods saying it must be an establishing it to us If where the word of a King is there be power Eccl. 8.4 then questionless where the word of a God is there is warrant enough for any Office Now this is the Word of God which cometh to the Magistrate as Christ saith John 10.35 authorizing him and appointing him to that Ordinance The Magistrate is therefore called the Minister of God Rom. 13.4 As Justices are called the Kings Justices because they act by Commission from him so Magistrates are called the Lords Ministers because they rule by authority derived from the Lord Coin is carryed to the Mint and there stamped with the Superscription and Image of the chief Magistrate and then called his Coin because currant by his authority Governours are not of the Devil as Satanical spirits have affirmed nor of men as others have asserted but of God Rom. 13.1 As in the waters there be some greater some smaller fish and in the earth there be Mountains and Hills as well as Plains and Valleys and in the Heavens there are Stars differing from each other in glory so amongst men there are some greater then others in power higher in place and excelling them in authority and glory As the natural body is distinguished by God himself into comely and uncomely parts 1 Cor. 12.23 24. so is the Political body into members Noble and Ignoble The Bees in their Common-wealth as is reported have a Commander in chief a Master Bee The Lyon claimeth a command and superiority among the Beasts of the field The Angels in heaven have a chief Michael the Archangel Jude 9. 1 Thes. 4.16 The School-men indeed being more bold then they ought do divide the Angels into three Hierarchies and each Hierarchie into three several orders The first Hierarchie they say comprehendeth Cherubims Seraphims and Thrones The second Dominions Principalities and Powers The third Mights Archangels and Angels As also they assert the reason of these several names But the more modest and learned Expositors who joyn not in the aforesaid presumptuous division do yet generally conclude an order distinction and preheminence amongst Angels from Ephes. 1.21 Col. 1.16 Dan. 10.13 Nay there is a government amongst the very Devils there is not only a Prince of Angels Dan. 10. but Beelzebub a Prince amongst Devils Matth. 12.24 They that cause so much disorder amongst others yet have some order among themselves We read of the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 There is a kind of government in Hell though some would turn all out of the earth The Apostle Peter indeed calleth Magistracy an ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2.13 though Paul assureth us it is of God The Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 And the Magistrate is the Minister of God vers. 4. Magistracy is an ordinance of man in a fourfold respect 1. Subjective As man is the subject thereof by them it is executed Our Princes as well as our Prophets are men of like passions with
the road to Hell How deep wilt thou sink into hell that shalt be pressed down under the weight of thy own and thine other mens sins I remember Luther mentioneth this to be one of the Papists tenents That if the Pope be so neglectful of his own and his Brethren salvation and so unprofitable and remiss in his place that he carries a long with himself innumerable people to be eternally tormented no mortal man ought to reprove him for this sin But sure I am the Immortal God will reprove both him and you for such crimes when ye shall meet in the other world where the weight of sin will be sufficiently felt and the worth of the soul which is destroyed by it shall be fully known Further It behoveth you the rather to walk as Gods because others do not only sin with you but suffer for you When King David numbred the people out of pride how did God number the people to the Pestilence 2 Sam. What bitter fruits doth God make Israel to feed on Jer. 15.2 Such as are for death to death such as are for famine to famine such as are for the sword to the sword But if you would know the root from which those swore fruits spring Because of Manasseh the King of Judah for that which he did in Jerusalem v. 4. Whether saith one a Gangreen begin at the head or the heel it will kill but a Gangreen in the head will kill sooner then one in the heel Even so will the sins of great ones overthrow a state sooner then the sins of small ones therefore the advice of Sigismund the Emperour when a motion was made for Reformation was Let us begin at the Minorities saith one No rather saith he Let us begin at the Majorities for if the great ones be good the meaner cannot easily be evill Secondly It exhorteth you to work as Gods I shall branch this Use into three Particulars 1. Executive Justice impartially 2. Excell in shewing Mercy 3. Promote Piety to the utmost of your power First Execute justice impartially God is a God of Justice judgement Isa. 30.18 The most just Job 34.17 Others may do justly he cannot but do justly Justice which is an accident in others and therefore may be separated from them is his very Essence his Being Be ye therefore like God Let Justice run down like water and Righteousness like a mighty stream Wear the same garments which he doth Isa. 59.17 He putteth on Righteousness for a Breast-plate and the Helmet of Salvation upon his head Such garments did holy Job wear I put on Righteousness and it cloathed me my Judgement was as a Robe and a Diadem Job 29.14 Kings and Princes wear Crowns and Diadems Judges and other Officers wear Robes and other Ornaments Now saith Job others place much of their glory and state in their Robes in their Purple vestments which strike a reverence in the Subject toward his Superior adding in the estimation of men Majesty to the person and solemnity to the action of the wearer but I place my honour in Justice and Judgement I think my self better cloathed with these real vertues then others with their empty marks ensigns of dignity I say Execute Justice impartially that is without fear or favour Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty Lev. 19.15 as if he had said ye cannot deal righteously if ye spare any because he is poor or because he is rich It is a principle in Moral Policy That an ill executor of the laws is worse in a State then a great breaker of them And the Egyptian Kings presented the Oath to their Judges not to swerve from their consciences though they received a command from themselves to the contrary Neither fear of greatness It is a mercy to have Judges saith Cicero modo audeant quae sentiunt nor favour of nearness should make Magistrates deviate from the Rule When Caricles the son in law of Phocion was accused for taking bribes he desired his Father to defend his cause but he answered him I took thee for my son in law in all honest matters only A Magistrate should be an heart without affection an eye without lust a mind without passion or otherwise his hand will do unrighteous actions He that goeth to the Seat of Judicature must leave his affections as Abram his servants when he went to the Mount behind him A Justice must like the earth cherish and nourish the low Violet as well as the tall Cedar The Graecians placed Justice betwixt Leo and Libra thereby signifying that there ought to be both magnanimity in executing and indifferency in determining But the impartiality of a Ruler is notably set out by the Throne of the house of David which was placed in the gate of the City towards the Sun rising as some observe In the gate to tell us that all who went in and came out at the gate might indifferently be heard and have free access to the Judgement Seat but towards the rising of the Sun to shew that their judgement should be as clear from corruption as the Sun is clear in his chiefest brightness It would be an ornament unto and tend to the settlement of Magistracy for the Throne is established by righteousness Prov. 16.12 if those two Verses which some say are written in letters of gold over the Tribunal in Zant were practised by every Court of Justice Hic locus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina jura bonos In the executing of Justice there are two things mainly to be minded 1. That you be terrors to evil doers this is expressed as one of your chief duties Rom. 13.3 If men be fearless in sinning surely you should not be fearful in sentencing them for their sins God hateth iniquity He is of purer eyes then to behold it the evill of sin never got a good look from God and why should it from the Gods Edward the Confessor was held a bad Prince not by doing but enduring evil God was angry with Eli and telleth him that he would judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knew because his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not 1 Sam. 3.13 Eli was a Magistrate and should have put forth his authority and punished those ungodly children but because he did not God punisht both him and them O it is dangerous to do the work of the Lord negligently Sir Do not you or might you not upon inquiry know of them that prophane Gods day blaspheme his name frequent Ale-houses and the like do you restrain them Do you fright such offenders with your frowns and shew your love to their souls by executing Justice on them for their sins If you do not look to your self for God hath Iron hands for Justices that have leaden heels and will one day strike them home
Word of God is in a special manner commanded and committed to the Magistrate as his Directory Josh. 1.8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth saith God to the chief Governour of Israel but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success And Deut. 17.18 19. The King that sitteth upon the Throne shall write him a copy of the Law And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord and to keep all the words of this Law It is a Maxim of the Law of England that the Law it self ought to be the rule by which all Judges must be regulated all controversies tryed and all cases decided It is good to keep close to the laws of men that are warrantable by Scriture but it is best to keep close to the Word of God There are the best precepts for justice the best patterns of just men nay and of the Infinitely righteous God You have the example of God himself how just how holy he is in all his doings how he walketh how he worketh Caesars ambition was to imitate Alexander Themistocles endeavoured to resemble Miltiades Do you labour to be like God to hate sin to love holiness to discourage the prophane to countenance the pious to be active and zealous both by your patterns and precepts for the glory of God In all your difficulties make the Word of God your Counsellor in all your doubts let Scripture resolve you You may look too much to the light within you which is imperfect and 1 Tit. defiled as Quakers make a Christ of it but you can never look too much to this light without you which is perfect and pure without the least blemish or defect The Jews say that if Printing had been found out in the time of Moses yet was the King bound to write out two copies of the Law with his own hand one to keep in the Treasury and the other to carry about with him as his Vade Mecum Alphonsus King of Arragon as some say read over the Bible fourteen times with Lyra's Notes upon it And that renowned Maiden Queen Elizabeth when she passed in triumphal state through the City of London after her Coronation when the Bible was presented to her at the little Conduit in Cheapside she received it with both her hands and kissing it laid it to her breasts saying that it had ever been her cheifest delight and should be the rule whereby she would frame her Government This was the delight the joy the counsellor of that Magistrate that was after Gods own heart Psal. 119.70.111 24. And this made him wiser then his Teachers then his Elders Psal. 119.97 to 100. And indeed this Book of Books only can make a wise and good Christian Captain Counsellor and Ruler Let therefore the ballance of the Sanctuary weigh all the Oracles of God decide all the rule of the Word square all and then nothing will be amiss Let the Bible be to you as the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day to the Israelites directing you through the Wilderness of this world till ye come to the true Canaan It was a memorable saying of King Edward the sixth when he was crowned and had three Swords put into his hands signifying his power over three Nations England France and Ireland Deest adhuc unus gladius viz. Sacrorum Bibliorum volumen Ille liber gladius spiritus est gladiis his omnibus longe anteferendus There is one Sword wanting namely the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God which excelleth them all Thirdly let your end be divine as well as your rule if ye would walk and work as Gods among men The Moralists tell us that actions are much specified from their ends If your actions are materially good yet if finally evil they are denominated wicked If they are according to Gods Word for the matter yet if ye make not Gods glory your end they are evil Therefore if ye would have the arrows of your actions to flie right let your eyes take right aim at this mark Do all for God Quicquid agas propter Deum agas saith Luther As ye are men ye were created to serve him as Magistrates doubly bound to honour your great Master Gods free grace is the fountain of your power and therefore Gods glory must be the end It is reported of Tamerlane that warlike Scythian that having overcome Bajazet the great Turk he asked him Whether he had ever given God thanks for making him so great an Emperour The great Turk confessed ingenuously that he never thought of it to whom Tamerlane replyed That it was no wonder so ungrateful a wretch was made a spectacle of misery For you saith he being blind of one eye and I lame of one leg was there any worth in us why God should set us over two great Empires of Turks and Tartars So truly may you think It was meer mercy which advanced you more then others and therefore it is your duty to advance God more then others If ye love your souls take heed of self O how many millions by seeking themselves have lost themselves by seeking their own glory pleasure and profit for a time have brought themselves to shame pain and loss to all eternity O Beware of this root of bitterness Self Do not like Demetrius pretend to be zealous for the Goddess when in truth it was for his gain Or like watermen row one way towards God and Christ and Heaven and look another way towards the world and the flesh but give up thy self wholly to him Lay out thy talents altogether for him esteem it thy felicity and priviledge that thou hast more advantages then others whereby thou mayst exceed others in serviceableness to thy Maker Preserver and Redeemer Let that Peerless Prince be thy pattern even the Lord Jesus Christ I seek not my own glory John 8.50 And when he came to die Father saith he I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do John 17. This was the Fathers end in your creation Prov. 16.4 Revel. 4. ult. The Sons end in your Redemption Luke 1.71 1 Cor. 6.20 The Spirits end in your Sanctification Ephes. 2.10 John 17.10 Therefore let this be your end Pray and read and hear and watch over your own souls walk inoffensively before God work industriously for God and do all that God may be glorified 1 Cor. 10.31 We call not those Kings happy saith Austin who raigned long but those who have raigned most for God Qui potestatem suam divinae Majestati famulam faciunt That have made their authority serviceable to the divine Majesty God can easily throw those Crowns from mens heads
thoughts of sin and holiness then now ye have Sin will not be so pleasant and lovely nor holiness so mean and unworthy as now it is in your eyes Probably you can hear of death by the reports of others and be little troubled ye can stand it out stiffly against such false fire with We must all die and Nothing so sure God knoweth who shall go next and the like all this while the heart not with seriousness considering of it so as to be preparing for it The soul as much neglected God as little regarded and the affections as much inslaved to fleshly lusts as before But when Death * climbs up to your own windows and entereth into your Chamber and comely with its pale save to your bed side and boldly arresteth you with a warrant from Heaven assuring you by its symptoms on your body that you must in good earnest into the other world and there have all your walkings and workings interpreted and examined by the infinitely pure and righteous God and your souls according to your deeds sentenced impartially and sent immediately to Heaven or Hell then surely your apprehensions of a new Nature and strict Conversation will change and you will wish with all your souls for a little of others oyl for your Lamps will go out The stoutest unregenerate heart alive will droop at last when God cometh to take away his soul then his crest falls and his plumes flag Now possibly thy Cup overfloweth thou hast a large portion of the good things of this world and they have so much of thy heart that thou art little troubled about the things of the other world the Table of thy life now is richly spread with honours pleasures relations possessions and these have the largest share in thy heart in these thou solacest thy self desiring no other Heaven But what wilt thou do when Death shall come with a Voider and take all away even all thy treasure on earth then thou wilt wish thou couldst find a treasure in Heaven that thou mightest die the death of the Righteous and have thy latter end like his But oh Friend thou shouldst then have lived their lives and have had thy conversation like theirs as the Crab in the Fable told the Serpent who when she had received her deaths wound for her crooked conditions stretched out her self straight At oportuit sic Vixisse that she should have been straight in her life time The way to make thy death comfortable is to make thy life serviceable to God and thy soul He that would enjoy true rest when he dyeth must labour faithfully and diligently whilst he liveth It will be like a dagger at the heart in an hour of death to reflect upon the talents misimployed and opportunities misimproved which free grace afforded you for the honouring of God and furthering of your own salvations Sins of omission will wound deeper at a dying hour then most are aware of God hath committed a great trust to you and the day of your lives is the only time of discharging it besides ye know not how few hours ye may have to your day whether it shall be a Winter or a Summer day the shadows of the evening may suddenly stretch themselves upon you and then it will be no longer day therefore work the work of him that sent you into the world while it is day for the night cometh wherein no man can work John 9.4 Is it not sad that our common observation should he so much verified in the practices of great men That Bells strike thick while they are rising but stand still and give no sound at all when they are at full pitch That Magistrates should like the Sun the higher in the Zodiack move the slower The more noble creatures are the more active they are Men more active then Beasts Angels then men One I remember observeth that God would not accept the first-born of an Ass because it was a a dull slothful creature The Spirit of God which is in all that are sanctified is compared to fire Acts 2. therefore they that would not grieve it must not be slothful in business but fiery fervent seething hot as the word signifieth in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Hence it was that the Church of Ephesus got letters testimonial from Heaven Revel. 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour how thou canst not bear them that are evil And indeed the more good a Justice hath in himself the less he will bear with evil in others Augustine hath a true saying Qui non zelat non amat He that is not zealous for God hath no true love to God For though love be a passion yet it delighteth to shew it self in acting for the party beloved When Calvin grew sickly some friends disswaded him from hard studying but he gave them this answer Vultisne Christum me invenire otiosum would you have Christ when he comes to me by death to find me idle So do ye think that when sinners Jehu-like drive furiously ye should not like Aegyptians go heavily least death find you idle Observe what became of the idle servant that hid his talent in a napkin Matth. 25.30 He was punished with an eternal long night who would not work in his short day 3. Consider the day of Judgement God will then search and sentence you discover and reward you according to your works Ye that examine and try others shall then be examined and tryed your selves and ye that acquit or condemn others shall then be acquitted or condemned your selves How should this thought move you to walk exactly since your hearts shall be anatomized and your lives manifested before God Angels and men Could ye but as Jerom hear the sound of the last trump always in your ears Arise ye dead and come to judgement surely ye would he holy Judges and Justices indeed Peter maketh this argument a strong enforcement to holiness 2 Pet. 3.10 11. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness Observe the certainty of it The day of the Lord will come If it were doubtful it would not be so dreadful but it will come surely though it come slowly therefore men had need to be holy Tertullian observed of all those that profest Christianity in his time none lived so loosely as those that did not believe the certainty of the day of judgement But observe 2. the suddenness of it The day of the Lord will come as a theif in the night when men at midnight are securely sleeping they dream not of nor prepare for a theif It is sometimes called a day Matth. 25.13 propter revelationem secretorum