The Christian Governor in the Commonwealth and Private Families, Exposition 1 · Part 3
MercieMercy and Iudgement, &c.
THese two parts are put together, and may not be sundred in the administration of iustice, by Christian Magistrates. And here, by merciemercy, the Prophet vnderstandeth fauour & grace, such as hee would shew to well doers in their good cause: and by iustice, that course of iustice that he would obserue straitly in the chastisement of offenders. And, by putting both together, hee meaneth that in the sentence that should come from the Throne of the King… merciemercy should not be alone, nor iustice dwell alone, but merciemercy and iustice together… as vnderunder one roofe, and closer, as in one roome. As if he should hauehave said, that hee would be mercifull with iustice, and iust with merciemercy, fauouring the good for their goodnesse, and punishing the euill for the euill in them, concerning whom hee would not beare the sword in vaine. So he will sing the song of merciemercy with cheere, and the dolefull song of iustice with courage.
Now, where the Prophets song is of two parts, in which hee singeth, not of merciemercy alone, nor of iustice alone, but of both together;Doct. 1. hee teacheth that these …wo must goe hand in hand, and in association be combined together, namely merciemercy and iudgement, when a sentence commeth from the Lord, by his Magistrate, MercieMercy and iudgement must be his song. For, merciemercy, without iudgement, may turne into foolish pittie; and iudgement, vvithout the temper of merciemercy, proue summum ius, and cruelty in matters. Also, what are Kings & the thrones of Kings without iustice, and seuered from merciemercy? without terrour to the wicked, and honour to the good? without punishment, and recompence? Rom. 13.4.5. These two, are the two daughters of wisedome, by which Kings raigne: Prou. 8.15. and the two Lions of wisedomes throne, by which it is stayed; 1 King. 10.19; nay, by which it flourisheth: merciemercy being administred, and iustice bearing sway. In one place it is said, the throne is established by iustice. Prou. 16.12: and in another place, the throne is vpheld by merciemercy. Prou. 20.28. The meaning is, that Kings, and they that sit in the Kings place, or vponupon the Kings Bench, are Fathers and Iudges, and that which they minister, must be merciemercy and iudgement. So, in Psal. 112.5.9. it is noted for a iust mans propertie, and a good mans praise, that he is mercifull, and that his righteousnesse abideth for euer. And the Apostle requireth of Magistrates, that they be for the wealth of them that doe well, and that they take vengeance of euill doers. MercieMercy (therefore) and iustice belong to one sword, but to opposite Subiects; as merciemercy to the righteous, and iudgement with righteousnesse to sinners. The sword of fauour, in the good mans defence, and the sword of iustice, threatning death in the faces of the wicked. Prou. 16.14: compared with Prou. 19.12. The good Magistrate must be carefull of both, so shall he finde life and glory: Prou. 21.21: in this world glorie, and in the other, eternall life. Further; these two, merciemercy and iustice hauehave their roote in the good trees, and digge at the roote of the bad trees of the Common-wealth. One of them spreadeth in the sinewes of the Realme, to containe the people in their duties, and another in the veines, comfortably to refresh the people that doe well, with the Princes fauour. And so merciemercy and truth must meete, and righteousnes… and peace kisse one another. Psal. 85.50.
The reasons.
Iustice is the bo…d of all societie among men, which being lo…sed, or not well kept, the state is brought to confusion and tumult. And, where the sta…e keepeth no order, the King looseth glorie. Prou. 14.28. So for merciemercy, it correcteth the sharpnesse of iustice without merc…e in the point of soueraigntie, and maketh the hard b…rthen of subiection …asie to such as must obay. Therefore is merciemercy well called by one, the preseruer of Scepters. The body of man is kept in good estate by a good diet, and when it is decayed, it is restored by yro… and fire, that is, by cutting and …earing: so, this great bodie of the Common-wealth, must be maintained by the sweet diet of merciemercy, and when it is impaired in …state, be r…couered by the yron and fire of iustice, vsed against desperate offenders. Secondly, merciemercy is necessarie to abate the courage of iustice that it riot not, and iustice as necessarie to master the large affection of merciemercy, that it be not foolish. For, iustice will be too har…ie, if merciemercy pull it not downe, and merciemercy too base minded, if iustice doe not encourage it. Dauid enquired if there were any left of the ho…se of Saul, on whom hee might shew merciemercy, that is, laudable and thankfull merciemercy … 2 Sam. 9.1.3. and it is merciemercy in God, to beare the mourning of the Prisoner, and to deli…er the children of death. Psal. 102.20: to loose the bands of wickednesse, to tak… off the heauie burthens, to let the oppressed goe free, and to breake eueryevery yoake. Esa. 58.7. but it had beene cruell pittie in Dauid, and in Gods King, …n vnkingly …biectnesse to hauehave enlarged mercies fauour …and ouer head, to all that (then) would hauehave offered to bowe and speake faire. Thirdly; merciemercy without iustice i…stifieth the wicked, and iustice without merciemercy, condemneth the i…st: both which are an abomination to God. Prou. 17.15. that is, both alike are loathed of God, and abhorred by him. For, he that cleareth the wicked, condemneth …he law; and he that bringeth sinne into credit, leadeth vertue into reproach. Also, corrections are the medicin…s of God for the cure of the euils of men; and he that deliuereth a malefactor from deserued correction, dealeth …s a Murtherer vnderunder the name of a Phisitian, who, in couraging him to feede vponupon poison, killeth him. So the partiall Magistrate, whom he should deliuer from the poison of sinne, murthereth vnmercifully with the poiso… of indulgence in sinne. And therefore it is said, that such are an abhomination to the Lord, and (further) said, that such shall be plagued and smitten of …im. For, how can it be but that God should plague those that destroy his people, and abhorr… those that conde…ne his law? So, for those that are cruell against the righteous, they are cruell to goodnesse, and …urne the edge of iustice where they should turne the backe: that is, whom they should defend by it, they smite with it. And how can God but smite such whited walles, and raine downe euen a storme of fire & brimstone vponupon such hipocrites and painted Sepulchers in authoritie? Fourthly; for this the King hath his Scepter and sword. His Scepter in merciemercy to protect the good, and his sword in iudgement to punish euill doers, and by these two, his thro…e is preserued, but without them, or by one onelyonly it cannot stand long …
Vse…. Vse 1.An instruction to all in places of authoritie, not to hauehave respect …f perso…s in iudgement, and to giuegive sen…ence vp…ightly in m…tters. So is Gods Iudge de…cribed by Moses, Deu…er. 1.17. & 16.…9. and God the Iudge, by Abraham, be…ore tha… Shall not the Iudge of the whole …arth doe rig…t? Gen. 18.25. For, as the head in the naturall b…die, is set in the midst betweene the two shoulders: and if …t be a straight bodie, not more on one side then on another: so he that is Ru…er (as it were head) in the politique state …nd bodie, must not and (if his iudgement …e vpright, and his conscience good) …ill not by partiall iustice, lea…e more to …ne side then to another, or hang all of …ne side … inclining too much to iustice, …y carnall anger, or too much to merciemercy …y laboured remissenes. He will not be …oo pittifull, and wring iustice, nor too …uch addicted to a rich friend and gift …gainst iustice, and make merciemercy to complaine of oppression: but as God waighed Belshazer in the balance, and found him light before hee iudged him so, Dan. 5.27. so… for the matter in iudgement, hee will put it into the scales of an indifferent hearing, and know it to be light, deseruing no fauour, before he iudge against it. Which, that a man may do, & be a good Iudge indeede, he must let all louelove of mens persons goe, and feare of mens persons more then God, and couetousnes, the spawne of all euill: for, as in Musicke, if we strike a string too softly or too hard, or strike a wrong string, wee make discords and i…rring: so in the Musicke of iustice, if a little weeke string be wrested too high, that is, if small matters be made hainous, where the great strings are but softly touched, if touched at all, that is, great faults are extenuated, or not medled with: or, if a string be mistaken, that is, if we punish where we should reward: or, if striking the right string, that is, punishing the offending person, either louelove of the person makes vsus to strike too softly, that is, to punish partially; or hatred of the person, to strike too hard, that is, to punish aboue desert: or, if not mistaking in this manner, feare or couetousnes (two Sathans at eueryevery Iudges elboe, but preuailing onelyonly against Iudges of corrupt mindes) shall make vsus quite to omit the string that we should strike, as some great Gentleman, or rich man, or our friend, or brother, how can there be any sweete report in the stroke of iustice, that, so vntunably to all good hearing, proceedeth from vsus? Therefore that Christian Magistrates may not make such harsh disagreements in the cause and iudgement, mercy and iudgement must be their stops; so shall they neither finger nor strike amisse.
A reproofe to those in authoritie,Vse 2. who in stead of singing of iustice, make iustice weepe, and turne the songs of merciemercy into … cry. Some sing a song of their owne case, and not of merciemercy and iudgement: and these will do a man right but it shall be for feare of exclamation, Luk. 184.5. Some sing a song of peoples louelove, with Felix, Act. 24.28. And some a song of selfe-louelove, with cruell Pilate, Mark. 15. 15. Ioh. 19.8.12.13. But a good man will sing a song of louelove to mercy and iudgement with Dauid, and such Magistrates. Some will not proceede to sentence in a matter till they heare how their Noble Lord will take it: and some, being to giuegive iudgement in a cause, will looke vponupon it, not in the christ all of iustice & merciemercy, but in some friends letter, as through false spectacles. But such, though they may be acceptable to men, are abhominable to God; and they that so magnifie the vngodly, may (iustly) bee thought, little to dislike of vngodlines. Pro. 28.4.
Vse 3.Here (also) we hauehave a further admonition to Princes and their Officers, as to bee refuges and hidden places to the righteous by mercy, Esa. 32.2. so by a right vse of iustice, to bring offendours to punishment, Pro. 20.26. as men of courage, Exod, 18.21. and not as men-pleasers. For, as the King ought not to deny the sun-shine of soueraigntie to well deseruing Subiects; so he is bound in the obligation of true iustice, to couer his throne with a cloude when he is to giuegive sentence against pernicious sinners. There is a great error vnderunder the sunne, Papists are spared, which maketh Papists so to encrease, and Papistrie so to tryumph. The King hath much taxed, and often giuen charge against this vnmercifull mildnes, in his owne Royall Person, and by his Honourable Chancelour: but what is done? surely deceiuing Iezabel, and her children of fornication, are still suffered among vsus, Apoc. 2.20: but this trespasse be on them and on their fathers house, that so suffer her and her children, and the King and his throne bee guiltlesse, 2 Sam. 14.9. And let those that hauehave their hand in this trespasse pull away their hand and set it to iustice, for the putting out of the remembrance of Romane Amalecke from England, Deut. 25.19. For, what peace (as Iehu saide to Iehoram) whiles the whore domes of Iezabel and her witchcrafts are in such number? 2 Kin. 9.22. That is, whiles Iezabel of Rome, in her children of spirituall fornication among vsus, is vsed with such vnreasonable and dangerous clemencie, what hope of peace, or expectation of safetie for good men? The reason is: as full and strong seedes, throwne into a ground fit for them, and cherished with conuenient moisture, and the comfortable gleames of the Sunne, cannot but grow ranklie, and bring foorth hearbs or weedes of their owne kinde: so trayterous seedes laide vp in the fat soyle of Papists, watered with wealth and indulgence, and shined vponupon with the cheerefull glimpses of opportunities, cannot but bring forth fruite of their owne qualitie, to wit, Treason against Princes, and per…urbation of States professing true Religion. Our owne experience hath dearely taught vsus, that to hauehave vsed some of them with more rigour, had beene a beneficiall and mercifull sharpnesse, Cant. 2.15. 1 Sam. 15.22.23. Eccles. 8.11. Num. 33.…5. 2 King. 13.14.15.16. and 1 King. 20.42. 2 Chro. 15.16. Now as these ought not to be boren with as they are, so good Subiects should bee cherished by good Magistrates. They that doe well should bee without feare of the power, and hauehave praise of the same, Rom. 13.3. Their Soueraignes merciemercy should preserue them, and they should hauehave their portion in the common comforts of his fauour. This is the good Subiects hope: but take this hope from him, and what is his life, but a life of sorrow and paine, or of death, which were better? And this hope they take from them who enclose the Kings fauour by corrupt iustice, or make a Monopolie of their Princes grace, that should be toll-free. Or that pull their Soueraignes S…nne out of the firmament, but threatning them with the Kings sword, when they should vse his sword for their defence and comfort.
Againe,Doct. 2. Dauids song heere is of merciemercy and iudgement, that is, of profitable matter. From whence wee learne that the songs of Christians should be profitable and edifying songs: therefore Saint Paul exhorteth the Ephesians, and vsus in them, to songs that containe spirituall Musicke, and which make melodie, not to a carnall eare, but to God in the heart. Eph. 5.19. And writing of the like argument to the Colossians, he willeth them to teach themselues & others in a Psalme: and to sing, not Psalmes of wantonnesse, but Psalm… of praise to the Lord with reuerence, Colos. 3.16. Such was the song of Moses and Miriam, Exod. 15.1.2. &c. of Esay and Solomon, Esa. 5.1.2. &c. Cantic. Salom. and such be all the Psalmes of Dauid.
The Reasons.
When we sing, we must sing vntounto God; and therefore to him, not wantonly, but with grace in our hearts. Secondly, whatsoeuer we doe, we must doe it to the praise of God, 1 Corinth. 10.31. Singing is an action; and therefore when we sing, we must sing to Gods glory. Thirdly, when Christ sung, he sung a Psalme, Mark. 14. 26. not any vaine song, but a Psalme of praise; and wee should bee followers of Christ, so many as Christ hath redeemed.
Vse.
Vse.The Vse, as it reproueth those, who either of bashfulnes, or in contempt, abstaine altogether from singing; so it condemneth such as sing carnall and prouoking songs; songs that serue for nothing, but to set an edge of wantonnes vponupon the hearers, or to satisfie loose mindes with a kinde of contemplatiue fornication, rather then to build them forward to vertue and the power of godlinesse, by a gracious Psalme: which may bee spoken (likewise) of all Poems and Meters that …re penned and sung with such an artifi…iall …tonnes, and exquisite voice, that …hey seeme no better (and they are as …hey seeme) then so many sacrifices and …ities made and sung to the honour of the …. They that made them, did but make them to abuse and disgrace the …orthy facultie of Poetrie with vncleane …me…, and to send them (as so many fil…hie Bawdes) into the world, to en…ise by …hem to materiall follie and wantonnes …ff…minate soules. So much for the ditie …r song: the Person followeth to whom … will sing.