Ten Sermons, Sermon 1

Ten Sermons · Sermon 1

p. 147THE FIRST SERMON.At a publike Sessions at Grantham Linc. 11. Iun 1623.

IOB. 29. VERS. 14, 15, 16, 17.

14. I put on righteousnesse, and it cloathed mee: my judgement was as a robe and diadem.

15. I was eyes to the blinde; and feet was I to the lame.

16. I was a father to the poore: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

17. And I brake the jawes of the wicked; and plucked the spoyle out of his teeth.

WHere silence against foule and false imputations may be interpreted a aaSi, cum mihi furta, largitiones— obijciuntur, ego respendere soleo meis — non tàm s…m existimandus …e rebus gestis gloriari quàm de obiectis non confiteri. Cic. pro domo sua.Confession;§. 1. The Occasion. there the protestation of a mans owne innocency is euer iust, and sometimes bbMihi de memetipso tam multa dicendi necessitas quaedam imposita est ob illo Cl…. pro Syll.necessarie. When others doe vsus open wrong; it is not now Vanity, but Charity, to doe our selues open right: and whatsoeuer appearance of folly or vaine boasting p. 148there is in so doing; they are chargeable with all that compell vsus thereunto, and not wee. (I am become a foole in glorying; but yee hauehave compelled mee, 2 Cor. 12.11.) It was neither pride, nor passion in Iob, but such a compulsion as this, that made him so often in this booke proclaime his owne righteousnesse. Amongst whose many and grieuous afflictions, as it is hard to say which was the greatest; so we are sure this was not the least, that hee was to wrestle with the vniust and bitter vpbraidings of vnreasonable and incompassionate men. They came to visit him as friends; and as friends they should hauehave comforted him. But sorry friends they were, and Iob 16.2.Job 16:2miserable comforters: indeed not comforters, but tormentours; and Accusers rather than Friends. Seeing Gods hand heauie vponupon him; for want of better or other proofe, they charge him with Hypocrisie. And because they would not seeme to deale all in generalities (for against this generall accusation of hypocrisie, it was sufficient for him as generally to pleade the truth and vprightnesse of his heart;) they therefore goe on more particularly, (but as falsly) and as it were by way of instance, to charge him with Oppression. Thus Eliphaz by name taxeth him: Chap. 22.6, &c. Thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for naught; and hast stripped the naked of their cloathing. Thou hast not giuen water to the weary to drinke, and thou hast with holden bread from the hungry. But as for the mighty man, hee had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. Thou p. 149hast sent widowes away empty, and the armes of the fatherlesse hast thou broken.

Being thus shamefully, indeed shamelesly, §. 2. Scope,vpbraided to his face, without any desert of his, by those men, aaEtsi ego dignus hac contumeliâ, At tu indignus qui faceres tamen. Terent.who (if he had deserued it) should least of all hauehave done it, his bbPsal. 55.12. —14.Ps 55:12neighbours and familiar friends: can you blame the good man, if to remoue such false aspersions, hee doe with more than ordinary freedome insist vponupon his owne integritie in this behalfe? And that hee doth in this Chapter something largely; wherein he declareth how he demeaned himselfe in the time of his prosperitie in the administration of his Magistracy, farre otherwise than was layed to his charge. [When the eare heard mee, then it blessed mee; and when the eye saw mee, it gaue witnesse to mee. Because I deliuered the poore that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and him that had none to helpe him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vponupon mee, and I caused the widowes heart to sing for ioy] in the next immediate verses before these. And then he goeth on in the words of my Text, I put on righteousnesse, and &c.

It seemeth Iob was a good man, as well as a great: and being good, hee was by so much the better,§. 3. Summe, by how much he was the greater. Nor was he only Bonus vir, a good man; and yet if but so, his friends had done him much wrong to make him an Hypocrite: but hee was Bonus Ciuis too, a good Common-wealths-man; and therefore his friends did him yet more wrong to make him an Oppressour. p. 150Indeed he was neither one, nor other. But it is not so vsefull for vsus to know what manner of man Iob was; as to learne from him what manner of men wee should bee. The grieued spirit of Iob indeed at first vttered these words for his owne iustification: but the blessed Spirit of God hath since written them for our instruction; to teach vsus from Iobs example how to vse that measure of greatnesse and power which hee hath giuen vsus, be it more bee it lesse, to his glory and the common good. So that in these words we hauehave to consider, as layed downe vntounto vsus vnderunder the person, and from the example of Iob, some of the maine and principall duties which concerne all those that liue in any degree of Eminencie or Authoritie either in Church or Common-wealth; and more specially those, that are in the Magistracie, or in any office appertaining to Iustice.

§. 4. and Diuision of the Text.And those Duties are foure. One, and the first, as a more transcendent and fundamentall dutie: the other three, as accessorie helpes thereto, or subordinate 1parts thereof. That first is, a Care and LoueLove, and Zeale of Iustice. A good Magistrate should so make account of the administration of Iustice, as of his chiefest businesse; making it his greatest glory and delight, Vers. 14. [I put on righteousnesse, and it cloathed mee: my iudgement was a robe, 2and a diadem.] The second is a forwardnesse vntounto the workes of Mercy, and Charity, and Compassion. A good Magistrate should hauehave compassion of those that stand need of his helpe, and be helpfull p. 151vntounto them, vers. 15. and part of 16. [I was eyes to the blinde, and feete was I to the lame, I was a father to the poore.] The Third is Diligence in Examination. 3A good Magistrate should not be hasty to credit the first tale, or bee carryed away with light informations: but he should heare, and examine, and scan, and sift matters as narrowly as may bee for the finding out of the truth, in the remainder of verse 16. [And the cause which I knew not I searched out.] The Fourth is, Courage and Resolution 4in Executing. A good Magistrate, when hee goeth vponupon sure grounds, should not feare the faces of men, bee they neuer so mighty or many, but without respect of persons execute that which is equall and right euen vponupon the greatest offender, Vers. 17. [And I brake the iawes of the wicked, and plucked the spoyle out of his teeth.] Of these foure in their order: of the first, first, in these words, I put on righteousnesse, &c.

This Metaphore of cloathing is much vsed in the Scriptures in this notion;§. 5. The Opening of as it is applyed to the soule, and things appertaining to the soule. In Psalme 109. Dauid vseth this imprecation against his enemies; [aaPsal. 109.29.Ps 109:29 Let mine aduersaries be cloathed with shame, and let them couer themselues with their owne confusion as with a cloake.] And the Prophet Esay, speaking of Christ and his kingdome, and the righteousnesse thereof, chap. 11. thus describeth it, [bbEsay 11.5.Isa 11:5 Righteousnesse shall bee the girdle of his loynes, and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reynes.] Likewise in the New Testament, St. Paul in one place p. 152biddeth vsus ccRom. 13.14.Rom 13:14put on the Lord Iesus Christ: in an other exhorteth women to dd1 Tim. 2.9, c.1 Tim 2:9adorne themselues instead of broydered haire and gould and pearles and costly aray, with shamefastnesse and sobriety, and (as becommeth women professing godlinesse) with good workes: in a third furnisheth the spirituall souldier with eeEph. 6.14. &c.Eph 6:14shoes, girdle, brestplate, helmet, and all necessary accontrements from top to toe. In all which and other places, where the like Metaphore is vsed; it is euer to bee vnderstood with allusion to one of the three speciall ends or vses of 1apparell. For we cloath our selues, either first, for necessitie and common decency, to couer our nakednesse; 2or secondly, for security and defence against 3enemies; or thirdly, for state and solemnitie, and for distinction of offices and degrees. Our cloakes, and coates, and ordinary suites, wee all weare to couer our nakednesse: and these are Indumenta, knowne by no other but by the generall name of Cloathing or Apparell. Souldiers in the warres weare Morions, and Cuiraces, and Targets, and other habiliments for defence: and these are called Arma, Armes or Armour. Kings and Princes weare Crowns and Diadems; inferiour Nobles, and Iudges, and Magistrates, and Officers, their Robes, and Furres, and Hoods, and other ornaments fitting to their seuerall degrees and offices, for solemnitie of state, and as ensignes or markes of those places and stations wherein God hath set them: and these are Infulae, Ornaments or Roabes. It is true; Iustice, and Iudgement, and eueryevery other p. 153good vertue and grace is all this vntounto the soule; seruing her both for couert, and for protection, and for ornament: and so stand both for the garments, and for the armour, and for the roabes of the soule. But here I take it, Iob alludeth especially to the third vse. The proprietie of the very words themselues giuegive it so: for he saith he put righteousnesse and iudgement vponupon him as a Robe and a Diadem; and such things as these are worne, not for necessitie, but state. Iob was certainely a Magistrate, a Iudge at the least; it is euident from the seuenth verse: and to mee it seemeth not improbable that he was a ffNon dubito, quin Iob fuerit Rex. Didac. Stun. in Iob 1.3Job 1:3King; though not likely such as the Kings of the earth now are (whose dominions are wider, and power more absolute,) yet possibly such as in those ancient times, and in those Easterne parts of the world were called Kings, viz. a kinde of petty Monarch, and supreme gouernour, within his owne territories, though perhaps but of one single City with the Suburbs, and some few neighbouring Villages. In the first Chapter it is said that hee was ggIob 1.3.Job 1:3the greatest man of all the East: and in this Chapter hee saith of himselfe, that hhIob 29.9.Job 29:9when hee came in presence, the Princes and the Nobles held their tongues; and, that iiIbid. ver. 25.hee sate as chiefe, and dwelt as a King in the Army; and in this verse he speaketh as one that wore a Diadem, an ornament kkforeign. Suid. in foreign.proper to Kings. Now Kings, wee know, and other Magistrates place much of their outward glory and state in their Diadems, and Robes, and peculiar Vestments: these things striking p. 154a kinde of llCultus magnificus addit hominibus authoritatem. Quintil. 8. Iustit. foreign. Homer. foreign. Odyss. 29. Hoc Priami gestamen erat, cum jura vocatis more dabat populis. Virgil. Aen. 7. See Franc. Pollet. 3. hist. fori. Rom. 6.Rom 6reuerence into the subiect towards their Superiour; and adding in the estimation of the people, both glory and honour, and Maiestie to the person, and withall pompe and state, and solemnity to the actions of the wearer. By this speech then of putting on Iustice and Iudgement as a Robe and a Diademe, Iob sheweth, that the glorie and pride which Kings and Potentates are wont to take in their Crownes, and Scepters, and royall Vestments is not more, than the glory and honour which hee placed in doing iustice and iudgement: hee thought that was true honour, not which reflected from these empty markes and ensignes of Dignitie, but which sprang from those vertues, wherof these are but dumbe remembrancers. If we desire yet more light into the Metaphore; wee may borrow some from Dauid, mmPsal. 109.16.17.Ps 109:16Ps 109:17Psalme 109. where speaking of the wicked, he saith Vers. 17. that hee cloathed himselfe with cursing like a garment: and by that hee meaneth no other than what hee had spoken in the next verse before, plainely and without a Metaphore, His delight was in cursing. By the Analogie of which place wee may not vnfitly vnderstand these words of Iob, as intimating the great louelove hee had vntounto Iustice, and the great pleasure and nnIt is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement. Prou. 21.15.Prov 21:15delight hee tooke therein. Ioyne this to the former; and they giuegive vsus a full meaning. Neuer ambitious vsurper tooke more pride in his new gotten Crowne or Scepter, neuer proud Minion tooke more pleasure in her new and gorgeous apparell: than Iob did true oojuris & aequitatis, quae virum principem ornant, studiocissimus eram. Vatabl. hîc.glory and delight p. 155in doing iustice and iudgement. He put on righteousnesse, and it cloathed him; and iudgement was to him, what to others a Robe and a Diademe is: honourable and delightfull.

Here then the Magistrate and euerie officer of Iustice may learne his first and principall,§. 6. the Magistrates first dutie; Zeale to Iustice. and (if I may so speake) his Master-duty, (and let that bee the first obseruation:) namely, to doe iustice and iudgement with delight, and zeale, and chearefulnesse. I call it his Master-duty; because where this is once rightly and soundly rooted in the conscience, the rest will come on easily, and of themselues. This must be his primum, and his vltimum; the formost of his desires, and the vtmost of his endeauours, to doe iustice and iudgement. Hee must make it his chiefest businesse; and yet count it his lightsomest recreation: make it the first and lowest step of his care; and yet withall count it the last and highest rise of his honour. The first thing we doe in the morning before we either eate or drinke, or buckle about any worldly businesse, is to put our cloathes about vsus: wee say, wee are not ready, till we hauehave done that. Euen thus should eueryevery good Magistrate doe: before his priuate, hee should thinke of the publike affaires; and not count himselfe ready to go about his owne profits, his shop, his ship, his lands, his reckonings, much lesse about his vaine pleasures, his iades, his curres, his kites, his any thing else, till first with Iob, hee had put on righteousnesse as a garment, and cloathed himselfe with iudgement as with a Robe and a Diademe.

p. 156§. 7. with some examples,Nor let any man thinke this affection to iustice to hauehave been singular in Iob: much lesse impute it to simplicitie in him. For behold another like affectioned; and he a greater, & I may say too a wiser than Iob: for God himselfe hath witnessed of him, that for aa3. King. 3.12wisedome there was neuer his like before him, nor should come after him, Salomon the King. Who so much manifested his louelove and affection to iustice and iudgement, that when God put him to his choyce to aske what he would, and he should hauehave it, he asked bb3. Kings 3.5—11.not long life, or riches, or victory, or any other thing, but onelyonly wisedome; and that in this kind, Prudentiam regitiuam, wisedome ccIbid vers. 9. to Discerne iudgement, vers. 11.to discerne betweene good and bad, that hee might goe in and out before the people with skill, and rule them prudently with all his might in righteousnesse and equitie. And the Text saith, ddIbid. vers. 10.The speech pleased the Lord, that Salomon had asked this thing. Magistrates should subscribe to Salomons iudgement, who is wiser than the wisest of them: and yet for farther conuiction, behold a wiser than Salomon is here; euen Iesus Christ the righteous, the God of Salomon, and the Sauiour of Salomon, eeCol. 2.3.Col 2:3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge. Of whom Dauid hauing said in Psal. 45. that the scepter of his kingdome is a righteous scepter, hee proceedeth immediately to shew wherein especially consisted the righteousnesse of the Scepter of his Kingdome: Not so much in doing righteousnesse and punishing iniquitie, (though that also;) as in louing righteousnesse, and hating iniquitie. ffPsal. 45.6, 7.Ps 45:6Ps 45:7The p. 157Scepter of thy kingdome is a righteous Scepter: Thou hast loued righteousnesse, and hated iniquitie; therefore God, &c. And you heard already out of the eleuenth of Esay, that ggEsay 11.5.Isa 11:5righteousnesse was the girdle of his loynes, and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines. Magistrates from the examples of Iob, of Salomon, of Iesus Christ himselfe, should learne to make iustice and iudgement their greatest both glory and delight.

To bad things examples will draw vsus on fast enough; without, yea, many times against reason:§. 8. and reasons thereof. but in good things, it is wel if examples and reasons together can any thing at all preuaile with vsus. And here if reason may rule vsus; surely good reason there is, we should be thus affectioned to iustice, as hath been said: whether wee respect the thing it selfe, or God, or our selues, or others. The thing it 1selfe, Iustice, both in the common consideration of it, as it is a vertue, is, as eueryevery other vertue is, honourable and louely, and to bee desired for its owne sake: and in the speciall nature of it, as it is iustice, is a vertue so necessarie and profitable to humane, societie, and withall so aaforeign. Aristot. 5. eth. Nicom. 3. ex Theog.comprehensiue of all other vertues, as that those men who labor to peruert it, doe yet honour it; and euen those men bbforeign. Philop. in 1. Pri.who themselues will not vse it, cannot yet but louelove it, at leastwise commend it in others. Iudgement, Mercy, and Faithfulnesse our Sauiour Christ, reckoneth as the ccMatth. 23.23Matt 23:23weightiest matters of the Law, Matth. 23. And ddProu. 24.26.Prov 24:26eueryevery man (saith Salomon, Prou. 24.) will kisse his lips, that giueth a right answer: that is; EueryEvery man p. 158will louelove and honour him, that loueth and honoureth Iustice. Ought you to delight in any thing more than vertue; or in any vertue more than the 2best? and such is Iustice. Againe, by due administration of iustice and iudgement God is much glorified. Glorified in the encouragement of his seruants, when for wel-doing they are rewarded: glorified in the destruction of the wicked, when for offending they are punished: glorified in the encrease, and in the peace and prosperitie of his Kingdome, which hereby is both preserued and enlarged: glorified in expression and imitation of his infinite perfections, when they who are his ministers and deputies for this very thing, for the execution of iustice, doe labour to resemble him whose ministers and deputies they are, in this very thing, in being iust, euen as he is iust. Ought you not to count it your greatest glory to seeke his? and can you doe that more readily or effectually, than by doing iustice 3and iudgement? And as for our selues; What eeQuid est suauius, quàm benè rem gerere bono publico? Plaut. in capt. 3.2.comfort will it bee to our soules, when they can witnesse with vsus, that we hauehave euen set our selues to doe good, in those callings wherein God hath set vsus? EueryEvery man that hath a Calling, must ffRom. 12.7.Rom 12:7waite thereon, and doe the duties belonging thereto, at his perill: and it will bee much for his ease to bee lightsome and chearefull therein. So shall he make of a ggFaxis vt sibeat, quod est necesse. Auson. in sent. Periand.necessitie a vertue; and doe that with pleasure, which he must doe howsoeuer, or answer for the neglect: whereas otherwise, his Calling will be a continuall burden and wearinesse vntounto him, and p. 159make his whole life no better nor other than a long and lasting affliction. And besides, we much deceiue our selues, if wee thinke our owne priuate good to bee seuered from the publike; and so neglect the publike employments to follow our owne priuate affaires. For the priuate is not distinguisht from the publike; but hhforeign Xenoph. de venatione; apud Stobeum▪included in it: and no man knoweth what mischiefes vnawares he prepareth for his priuate estate in the end; whilest thinking to prouide well enough for himselfe, hee cherisheth in the meane time, or suffereth abuses in the publike. Ought wee not by making iustice and iudgement our glory and delight, to reape the comfort of it in our consciences, to iiQuapropter edulcare conuenit vitam. C. Matius in Mimiambis, apud A. Gell. 15.25.sweeten the miseries and trauailes of our liues and callings, and to secure our priuate in the common safetie: rather than by, or not doing iustice, or doing it heauily and heartlesly, wound our owne consciences, make the afflictions of this life yet more afflictiue, and in the decay of the publike insensibly promote the ruine of our priuate state and prosperitie? And lastly, if we respect 4others; what can be more glorious for vsus, than by our zeale and forwardnesse first to shame, and then to quicken vp the backwardnesse of others; that with ioynt hearts and hands they and we together may aime at the peace and prosperitie, and good of the Common wealth? It is not easie to say what manifold benefits redound to the Commonwealth from the due execution of iustice: or from the slacking thereof, what a world of mischiefes. How honourable are we and glorious, if by our zeale we p. 160hauehave been the happy instruments of those so many, so great benefits? How inglorious and vile, if by our negligence wee hauehave made our selues guiltie of these so many, so great mischiefes! If wee neglect Iustice, we countenance disorders, which by iustice are repressed; we disarme innocency, which by iustice is protected; we banish peace, which by iustice is maintained; wee are traytors to the King and his Throne, which by iustice are kkProu. 16.12.Prov 16:12established; wee pull vponupon vsus Gods plagues and iudgements, which by iustice are auerted. Ought wee not much rather by our forwardnesse in doing iustice to represse disorders, protect innocency, maintaine peace, secure the King and State, and turne away Gods iudgements from our selues and others? See now if wee hauehave not reason to louelove iustice and iudgement, and to make it our delight; to put righteousnesse vponupon vsus, and to cloath vsus with Iudgement as with a Roabe and a Diademe: being a thing in it selfe so excellent; and being from it there redoundeth so much glory to God, to our selues so much comfort, and so much benefit vntounto others. The inferences of vse from this first Dutie, as also from the rest, I omit for the present; reseruing them all to the later end: partly, because I would handle them all together; partly also, and especially, for that I desire to leaue them fresh in your memorie when you depart the Congregation. And therefore without farther adoe I proceede forthwith to the next Dutie, contained in these words, [I was eyes to the blind, and feete was I to the lame; I was a father to the poore.]

p. 161Wherein Iob declareth his owne readinesse in his place and calling to bee helpefull to those that were any way distressed, §. 9. The Magistrates second duty; Compassion to the distressed.or stood need of him, by affording them such supply to his power as their seuerall necessities required. And like him should eueryevery Magistrate bee in this also; which I propose as the second Duty of the good Magistrate: hee must be forward to aaforeign. Sophocl.succour those that are distressed and oppressed; and to helpe and relieue them to his power. Mens necessities are many, and of great varietie: but most of them spring from one of these two defects, ignorance, or want of skill; and impotence, or want of power: here signified by Blindnesse, and Lamenesse. The blinde man perhaps hath his limbes, and strength to walke in the way, if hee could see it: but because hee wanteth his eyes, hee can neither finde the right way, nor spie the rubbes that are in it; and therefore hee must either sit still, or put himselfe vponupon the necessitie of a double hazard, of stumbling, and of going wrong. The lame man perhaps hath his eyes and sight perfect, and knoweth which way hee should goe, and seeth it well enough: but because hee wanteth his limbes, hee is not able to stirre a foote forward; and therefore he must hauehave patience perforce, and be content to fit still, because hee cannot doe withall. Both the one, and the other may perish, vnlesse some good body helpe them: and become a guide to the blinde, a staffe to the lame; leading the one, and supporting the other. Abroad in the world there are many, in eueryevery Societie, Corporation, p. 162and Congregation there are some, of both sorts: some Blinde, some Lame. Some that stand need of Counsell, and Aduice, and Direction; as the Blinde: others that stand need of Helpe, and Assistance, and supports; as the Lame. If there bee any other besides these, whose case deserueth pitie, in what kinde soeuer it bee; the word Poore comprehendeth him, & maketh him a fit obiect for the care and compassion of the Magistrate. To each of these the Magistrate must bee a succourer to his power. Hee must bee, as here Iob was, an eye to the blinde, bbLyra hic.ignorantem dirigendo; by giuing sound and honest counsell the best hee can to them that are simple, or might without his helpe bee easily ouerseene. And hee must be, as here Iob was, feete to the Lame, impotentem adiuvando; by giuing countenance and assistance in iust and honest causes the best hee can to them that are of meaner ability, or might without his helpe bee easily ouerborne. If there be either of these, or any other defect, which standeth need of a supply in any other man, hee must bee, as here Iob was, a ccSee Sirac. 4.10.father to the poore, indigentem subleuando; by giuing conuenient safetie and protection the best hee can to them that are destitute of helpe, and flye vntounto him as to a sanctuarie for shelter and for refuge in any miserie, grieuance, or distresse. VponUpon these hee must both hauehave compassion inwardly; and hee must shew it too outwardly: Affectu, and Effectu; pitying them in his heart, and helping them with his hand. It is not enough for him to see the Blinde, and the p. 163Lame, and the Poore; and to be sorry for them: but his compassion must be reall. Hee must lend his eyes to the blinde, to direct them; and he must lend his feet to the lame, to support them; and he must pitie the Poore as a father doth his children, so pitie them, that hee doe something for them.

Princes, and Iudges, and Magistrates were not aaNon mihi, sed populo, Ae l. Adrianus Imp. — foreign. Aristot. in Epist. ad Alexandr.ordained altogether,§. 10. with the Reasons nor yet so much for their owne sakes, that they might hauehave ouer whom to beare rule and to bbIta Magnae, vires gloriae, decori que sunt, si illis salutaris potentia est. Nam pestifera vis est, valere ad nocendum. Senec. 1. de clem. 3.dominiere at pleasure; as for the Peoples sakes, that the people might hauehave to whom to resort, and vponupon whom to depend for helpe and succour, and reliefe in their necessities: and they ought to remember, that for this end God hath endued them with that Power which others want; that they might by their power helpe them to right, who hauehave not power to right themselues. ccSenec. in Medeâ. 2.2.Hoc reges habent Magnificum, & ingens &c. Prodesse miseris, supplices fido lare Protegere, &c. This is the very thing, wherein the preeminence of Princes, and Magistrates, and great ones aboue the ordinarie sort …ingularly ddPsalm. 82.6. Hoc tecum commune Deis, quod otrique rogati supplicibus vestris ferre soletis opem. Ouid. 2. de Ponto. 9.Ps 82:6consisteth, and wherein specially they hauehave the aduantage, and whereby they hold the title of Gods, that they are able to doe good, and to helpe the distressed, more than others are. For which ability how they hauehave vsed it, they stand accountable to him from whom they hauehave receiued it: and woe vntounto them, if the accounts they bring in, be not in some reasonable proportion answerable to the receipts. eeWisd. 6.6.Wis 6:6Potentes potenter: into whose hands ffLuk. 12.48.Luke 12:48much hath beene giuen, from their hands much will bee required; and p. 164the mighty ones, if they hauehave not done a mightie deale of good withall, shall be mightily tormented. 2And as they hauehave receiued power from God; so they doe receiue honours, and seruices, and tributes from their people for the maintenance of that power: and these as wages by Gods righteous ordinance for their care and paines for the peoples good. God hath imprinted in the naturall conscience of eueryevery man notions of feare, and honour, and reuerence, and obedience, and subiection, and contribution, and other duties to bee performed towards Kings, and Magistrates, and other superiours, ggRom. 13.5.Rom 13:5not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake: and all this for the maintenance of that power in them, by the right vse whereof themselues are againe maintained. Now the same Conscience which bindeth vsus who are vnderunder authoritie, to the performance; bindeth you who are in authoritie to the requitall, of these duties. I say, the same Conscience; though not the same wrath: for here is the difference. Both Wrath and Conscience binde vsus to our duties; so that if wee withdraw our subiection, wee both wound our owne Consciences, and incurre your iust wrath: but only Conscience bindeth you to yours, and not Wrath; so that if yee withdraw your pelpe, we may not vse wrath, but must suffer it with patience, and permit all to the iudgement of your owne consciences, and of God the iudge of all mens Consciences. But yet still in Conscience the obligation lyeth equally vponupon you and vsus. As wee are bound to giuegive you honour, so are you to giuegive vsus safety; as wee to feare p. 165you, so you to helpe vsus; as wee to fight for you, so you to care for vsus; as wee to pay you tribute, so you to doe vsus right. For, hhRom. 13.6.Rom 13:6for this cause pay we tribute and other duties, vntounto you who are Gods ministers; euen because you ought to be attending continually vponupon this very thing, to approue your selues as iiRom. 13.4. foreign. Luk. 22.25.Rom 13:4Luke 22:25the ministers of God to vsus for good. Oh that wee could all, superiours and inferiours, both one and other, remember what wee owed each to other, and by mutually striuing to pay it to the vtmost, so endeauour our selues to kkRom. 13.8.Rom 13:8fulfill the Law of God! But in the meane time, wee are still iniurious, if either wee withdraw our subiection, or you your helpe; if either wee cast off the duty of children, or you the care of Fathers. Time was, when Iudges, and Nobles, and Princes delighted to bee called by the name of Fathers. The Philistims called their Kings by a peculiar appellatiue, llGen. 20.2; & 26.1. & Psal. 34. in titulo.Gen 20:2Gen 26:1Ps 34Abimeleob; as who say▪ the King my Father. In Rome the Senatours were of old time called Patres, Fathers: and it was afterwards accounted among the Romans the greatest title of honour that could bee bestowed vponupon their Consuls, Generalls, Emperours, or whosoeuer had deserued best of the Commonwealth, to hauehave this addition to the rest of his stile mm—sed Roma parentem, Roma patrem patriae Ciceronem libera dixit. Iuvenal. Satyr. 8. —patrem patriae appellauimus, vt sciret datam sibi potestatem patriam; quae est, temperatissima, liberis consulens, suaque post illos ponens. Senec. 1. de Clem. 14.Pater patriae, a Father to his Countrie. Naamans seruants in 4 Kings 5. call him Father, nn4 King. 5.13.My Father if the Prophet had commanded thee, &c. And on the other side Dauid the King speaketh vntounto his Subiects, as a father to his children in Psalme 34. ooPsalm. 34.11Ps 34:11Come yee children, &c. and Salomon in the Prouerbes eueryevery where, My sonne: euen as Iob here accounteth p. 166himselfe a father to the poore. Certainly to shew that some of these had, and that all good Kings and Gouernours should hauehave a ppVt eos quasi filios cernaret per amorem, quibus pater praeerat per protectionem. Gloss. interl. hîc. foreign, &c. Philo de creat. Principis.fatherly care ouer, and beare a fatherly affection vntounto those that are vnderunder them.

§. 11. and extent thereof.All which yet, seeing it is intended to be done in honum vniuersitutis, must bee so vnderstood as that it may stand cum bono vniuersitatis, stand with equity and iustice, and with the common good. For aaProu. 3.3. Math. 23.23. Non auferat veritas misericordiam, nec misericordia impediat veritatem. Augustin. sent. 110. apud Prosperum.Prov 3:3Matt 23:23Mercy and Iustice must goe together, and helpe to temper the one the other. The Magistrate and Gouernour must bee a father to the poore: to protect him from iniuries, and to relieue his necessities; but not to maintaine him in idlenesse. All that the Father oweth to the child is not louelove and maintenance: he oweth too Education; and he oweth him correction. A Father may louelove his childe too fondly, and make him a wanton; he may maintaine him too highly, and make him a Prodigall: But he must giuegive him Nurture too, as well as Maintenance, lest he be better fed than taught; and correct him too, as well as louelove him, lest hee bring him most griefe when hee should reape most comfort from him. Such a fatherly care ought the ciuill Magistrate to hauehave ouer the poore. Hee must carefully defend them from wrongs and oppressions; hee must prouidently take order for their conuenient reliefe and maintenance: But that is not all, hee must as well make prouision to set them on worke, and see p. 167that they follow it; and he must giuegive them sharpe correction, when they grow idle, stubborne, dissolute, or any way out of order. This he should do, and not leaue the other vndone. There is not any speech more frequent in the mouthes of beggars & wanderers, wherewith the Countrey now swarmeth, than that men would bee good to the poore: and yet scarce any thing so much mistaken as that speech in both the termes of it; most men neither vnderstanding aright who are the poore, nor yet what it is to be good to them. Not he only is good to the poor, that deliuereth him when he is oppressed; nor is hee onelyonly good to the poore, that relieueth him when he is distressed: but hee also is good to the poore, that punisheth him when he is idle. Hee is good to the poore that helpeth him, when hee wanteth: and he is no lesse good to the poore, that whippeth him, when he deserueth. This is indeed to bee good to the poore; to giuegive him that almes first, which he wanteth most: if hee be hungry, it is almes to feed him; but if he be idle and vntoward, it is bbNon solùm qui dat esurienti cibum, sitienti potum— verumetiam & qui emendat verbere in quē potestas datur, vel coercet aliquâ disciplinâ— in co quòd corripit, & aliquâ emendatoriâ poena plectit, eleemosynam dat, quia misericordiam praestat. Aug. in Enchirid. c. 72.almes to whip him. This is to be good to the poore: But who then are the poore, wee should be good too, as they interpret goodnesse? St. Paul would hauehave cc1. Tim. 5.3▪1 Tim 5:3widowes honoured; but yet those that are widowes indeed: so it is meete the poore should be relieued, but yet those that are poore indeede. Not eueryevery one that begs is poore; not eueryevery one that wanteth is poore, not eueryevery one that is poore, is poore indeede. They are the poore, whom wee priuate men in Charitie, and you that are Magistrates in Iustice stand bound to relieue, who are p. 168old, or impotent, and vnable to worke; or in these hard and depopulating times are willing, but cannot be set on worke; or hauehave a greater charge vponupon them than can bee maintained by their worke. These, and such as these, are the poore indeede: let vsus all bee good to such as these. Bee wee that are priuate men as Brethren to these poore ones, and shew them Mercy: be you that are Magistrates as Fathers to these poore ones, and doe them Iustice. But as for those idle stubborne professed wanderers, that can and may and will not worke, and vnderunder the name and habit of pouerty rob the poore indeed of our almes and their maintenance: let vsus harden our hearts against them, and not give them; doe you execute the seuerity of the Law vponupon them, and not spare them. It is St. Paules Order, nay it is the Ordinance of the Holy Ghost, and wee should all put to our helping hands to see it kept, dd2. Thess. 3.102 Thess 3:10He that will not labour, let him not eate. These vlcers and drones of the Common-wealth are ill worthy of any honest mans almes, of any good Magistrates protection. Hitherto of the Magistrates second Dutie, with the Reasons and extent therof, I was eyes to the blinde, and feete was I to the Lame: I was a Father to the poore. Followeth next the third Duty, in these words, The cause which I knew not I searched out.

§. 12. The opening of ▪Of which words some frame the Coherence with the former, as if Iob had meant to cleare his Mercy to the poore from suspition of Partiality and iniustice: and as if he had said; I was a father indeed to the poore; pitifull and mercifull to him, and p. 169ready to shew him any lawfull fauour: but yet not so, as aaNe crederetur quòd faueret eis nimis in preiudicium iustitiae; subditur [& …ausam.] Lyran. hîc.in pity to him, to forget or peruert Iustice. I was euer carefull before I would either speake or doe for him, to bee first assured his cause was right and good: and for that purpose, if it were doubtfull, bbNe fortè motupietatis in discretae condescenderem ei in praeiudicium iustitiae. Lyran. hîc.I searched it out, and examined it, before I would countenance either him or it. Certainely thus to do is agreeable to the rule of Iustice; yea and of Mercy too: for it is one Rule in shewing Mercy, that it be euer done salvis pietate & iustitiâ, without preiudice done to pietie and iustice. And as to this particular, the Commandement of God is expresse for it in Exod. 23. ccExod. 23.3.Exod 23:3Thou shalt not countenance no not a poore man in his cause. Now if we should thus vnderstand the coherence of the words; the speciall duty which Magistrates should hence learne, would be Indifferency: in the administration of Iustice not to make difference of rich or poore, far or neare, friend or foe, one or other; but to consider only and barely the equity and right of the cause, without any respect of persons, or partiall inclination this way or that way.

This is a very necessarie dutie indeed in a Magistrate of iustice;§. 13. The Magistrates third Duty; Diligence to search out the truth. and I denie not but it may bee gathered without any violence from these very words of my Text: though to my apprehension not so much by way of immediate obseruation from the necessitie of any such coherence; as by way of consequence from the words themselues otherwise. For what need all that care and paines and diligence in searching out the cause, if the condition of the person might ouerrule the cause after p. 170all that search, and were not the iudgement to bee giuen meerely according to the goodnesse or badnesse of the cause, without respect had to the person? But the speciall dutie, which these words seeme most naturally and immediately to impose vponupon the Magistrate, (and let that bee the third obseruation) is diligence, and patience; and care to heare, and examine, and enquire into the truth of things, and into the equitie of mens causes. As the Physitian before he prescribe receipt or diet to his patient, will first feele the pulse, and view the vrine, and obserue the temper and changes in the body, and bee inquisitiue how the disease began, and when, and what fits it hath, and where and in what manner it holdeth him, and enforme himselfe eueryevery other way as fully as he can in the true state of the body, that so he may proportion the remedies accordingly without errour: so ought eueryevery Magistrate in causes of Iustice before he pronounce sentence or giuegive his determination, whether in matters aaOmnia iudicia aut distrabendarum controuersiarum, aut puniendorum male ficiorum causâ reperta sunt. Cic. pro Cecinna.iudiciall or criminall; to heare both parties with equall patience, to examine witnesses and other euidences aduisedly and throughly, to consider and wisely lay together all allegations and circumstances, to put in quaeres and doubts vponupon the by, and vse all possible expedient meanes for the boulting out of the truth; that so he may do that which is equall and right without errour.

§. 14. with some instances,A dutie not without both Precept and President in holy Scripture. Moses prescribeth it in Deut. 17. in the case of Idolatrie, aaDeut. 17.2. &c. See also Deut. 13.14.Deut 17:2Deut 13:14If there be found among you one that hath done thus or thus, &c. and it bee p. 171told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and behold it bee true, and the thing certaine that such abomination is wrought in Israel, Then thou shalt bring forth that man, &c. The offender must be stoned to death, and no eye pitie him: but it must be done orderly, and in a legal course; not vponupon a bare hearesay, but vponupon diligent examination and inquisition, and vponupon such full euidence giuen in, as may render the fact certaine, so farre as such cases ordinarily are capable of bb—foreign. Arist. 1. ethic. 1.certaintie. And the like is againe ordered in Deut▪ 19. in the case of false witnesse, ccDeut. 19.17. &c.Deut 19:17Both the men between whom the controuersie is shall stand before the Iudges, and the Iudges shall make diligent inquisition, &c. And in Iudg. 19. in the wronged Leuites case, whose Concubine was abused vntounto death at Gibeah, the Tribes of Israel stirred vp one another to doe iustice vponupon the Inhabitants thereof; and the method they proposed was this, first to ddIudg. 19.30.Judg 19:30consider and consult of it, and then to giuegive their opinions. But the most famous example in this kind is that of King Salomon in 3. King. 3. in the difficult case of the ee3. King. 3.16. —28.two Mothers. Either of them challenged the liuing child with a like eagernesse; either of them accused other of the same wrong, and with the same allegations; neither was there witnesse or other euidence on either part to giuegive light into the matter: yet Salomon by that wisdome which he had obtained from God found a meanes to search out the truth in this difficultie, by making as if he would cut the child into halfes, and giuegive either of them one halfe; at the mentioning whereof the compassion of the right mother p. 172betrayed the falshood of her clamorous competitor. And wee reade in the Apocryphall Storie of Susanna, how Daniel by ffDan. 13.61.examining the two Elders seuerally and apart, found them to differ in one circumstance of their relation, and thereby discouered the whole accusation to be false. Iudges for this reason were anciently called Cognitores, and in approoued Authors ggSi iudicas, cognosce. Sen. in Med. 2.2Cognoscere is asmuch as to doe the office of a Iudge: to teach Iudges, that one chiefe point of their care should bee to know the truth. For if of priuate men, and in things of ordinarie discourse, that of Salomon be true, hhProu. 18.13. See Sirac. 11.7, 8.Prov 18:13He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame vntounto him; certainly much more is it true of publike Magistrates, and in matters of iustice and iudgement: by how much the men are of better note, and the things of greater moment. But in difficult and intricate businesses, couered with darknesse and obscuritie, and perplexed with many windings and turnings, and cunning and craftie conueiances, to find a faire issue out, and to spie light at a narrow hole, and by wisedome and diligence to rip vp a foule matter, and search a cause to the bottome, and make a discouerie of all: is a thing worthy the labour, and a thing that will adde to the honour, I say not onelyonly of inferiour Gouernours, but euen of the supreme Magistrate, the King. iiProu. 25.2.Prov 25:2It is the glory of God to conceale a thing: but the honour of Kings is to search out a matter.

§. 15. and reasons thereof.To vnderstand the necessitie of this dutie; consider. First, that as sometimes Democritus said, the p. 173truth lyeth aaCic. 1. Acad. quaest. in fine. Inuoluta veritas in alto latet. Sen. 7. de benefic. 1.in profundo, and in abdito, darke and deepe as in the bottome of a pit; and it will aske some time, yea and cunning too, to find it out and bring it to light. Secondly, that through fauour, faction, enuie, greedinesse, ambition, and otherwise, innocency it selfe is often laden with false accusations. You may obserue in the Scriptures how bb3. King. 21.13Naboth, ccIerem. 37.13.Jer 37:13Ieremie, ddAct. 24.5. & 25.7.Acts 24:5Acts 25:7Saint Paul, and others; and you may see by too much experience in these wretched times, how many men of faire and honest conuersation hauehave been accused and troubled without cause: which if the Magistrate by diligent inquisition doe not either preuent or helpe to the vtmost of his endeauour, hee may soone vnawares wrap himself in the guilt of innocent blood. Thirdly, that informations are for the most part partiall, eueryevery man making the best of his owne tale: and he cannot but often eeforeign. Menand. apud Stob. serm. 44.erre in iudgement, that is easily carried away with the first tale, and doth not suspend till he hauehave heard both parties alike. Herein ff2. Sam. 16.3.42 Sam 16:32 Sam 16:4Dauid failed, when vponupon Ziba's false information he passed a hastie and iniurious decree against Mephibosheth. Salomon saith, ggProv. 18.17.Prov 18:17He that is first in his owne tale seemeth righteous; but then his neighbour commeth, and searcheth him out. Prou. 18. as wee say commonly, One tale is good, till another bee told. Fourthly, that if in all other things hastinesse and precipitancy be hurtfull, then especially matters of iustice would not bee hudled vp hand ouerhead, but handled with mature hhTake heede what you doe. 2. Chron. 19.6,2 Chr 19:6deliberation, and iust and diligent disquisition. iiSenec. l. 2. de Ira c. 23.Cunctari iudicantem decet; imo oportet, saith Seneca: he that is to iudge, p. 174it is fitt he should, nay it is necessary he should proceed with conuenient leisure. Who iudgeth otherwise, and without this due search, hee doth not Iudge, but ghesse. The good Magistrate had need of patience to heare, and of diligence to search, & of prudence to search out whatsoeuer may make for the discouery of the truth in an intricate and difficult cause. The cause which I knew not I searched out. That is the Magistrates third Duty; there yet remaineth a fourth in these words, I brake the iawes of the wicked, and plucked the spoile out of his teeth.

§. 16. The opening ofWherein Iob alludeth to rauenous and saluage beasts; beasts of prey, that lye in waite for the smaler Cattell, and when they once catch them in their pawes, fasten their teeth vponupon them, and teare them in pieces and deuoure them. Such Lyons, and Wolfes, and Beares, and Tygers, are the greedy aaQui pote plus, vrget: pisces vt saepè minutos Magnu comest; vt aues enecat accipiter. Varro in Margopoli.—factus praeda maiori minor. Sen. in Hippol. act. 2.great ones of this world, who are euer rauening after the estates & the liuelihoods of their meaner neighbours, snatching, and biting, and deuouring, and at length eating them vp and consuming them. Iob here speaketh of Dentes & Molares; Teeth and Iawes: and hee meaneth the same thing by both, Power abused to oppression. But if any will be so curiously subtle, as to distinguish them; thus he may doe it. Dentes, they are the long aaforeign a cuert.sharpe teeth, the foreteeth; bbPsal. 57.4.Ps 57:4Dentes eorum arma & sagittae, saith Dauid, Their teeth are speares and arrowes: Molares, à molendo, so called from grinding; they are the great double teeth, the iaw-teeth. Those are the Biters; these the Grinders: these and those together, Oppressours of all sorts. Vsurers, and prouling p. 175officers, and sly Merchants, and arrant Informers, and such kinde of extortioners as sell time and trucke for expedition, and snatch and catch at petty aduantages; these vse their teeth most, these are Bìters. The first, and I know not whether or no the worst sort of them, in the holy Hebrew tongue hath his name from biting. foreign Naschak, that is to bite; and foreign Neschek, that is Vsury. Besides these Biters, there are Grinders too; men whose teeth are Lapides Molares, as the ouer and the nether mill-stone: Depopulators, and racking Landlords, and such great ones, as by heauie pressures and burdens and sore bargaines breake the backes of those they deale withall. These first by little and little ccEsay 3▪15.Isa 3:15grinde the faces of the poore, as small as dust and powder; and when they hauehave done, at length ddPsalm 14.4.Ps 14:4eate them vp one after another, as it were bread: as the Holy Ghost hath painted them out vnderunder those very phrases. Now how the Magistrate should deale with these grinders and biters, Iob here teacheth him: he should break their iawes, and plucke the spoyle out of their teeth; that is, quell and crush the mighty Oppressour, and eeEripite nos ex faucibus eo…ū, quorum crudelitas—Crass. apud Cic. 1. d… Oratore.deliuer the Oppressed from his iniuries. For to breake the iaw, or the cheeke bone, or the teeth, is in Scripture phrase as much as to abate the pride, and suppresse the power, and curbe the insolency of those, that vse their might to ouerbeare right. So Dauid saith in the third Psalme, that God had saued him by ffPsal. 3.7.Ps 3:7smiting his enemies vponupon the cheeke bone, and breaking the teeth of the vngodly. And in Psalme 58. he desireth God to ggPsalm 58.6. See also Prou. 30.14. Ioel 1.6.Ps 58:6Prov 30:14Joel 1:6breake the teeth of the wicked in their p. 176mouthes, and to breake out the great teeth of those young Lyons. In which place it is obseruable, that, as Iob here, he speaketh both of Dentes and Molares, teeth and great teeth: and those wicked great ones, according as Iob also here alludeth, hee expresly compareth vntounto young Lyons; lustie and strong, and greedy after the prey.

§. 17. The Magistrates fourth Duty; Courage in executing IusticeNow to the doing of this, to the breaking of the iawes of the wicked, and plucking the spoile out of his teeth; there is required a stout heart, and an vndaunted aaSee Syrac. 4.9.Courage, not fearing the faces of men, should their faces bee as the faces of Lyons, and …heir visages neuer so terrible. And this is the good Magistrates last Duty in my Text; without feare to execute iustice boldly vponupon the stoutest offender, and so to curbe the power of great & wicked men, that the poore may liue in peace and keepe their owne by them. It was one part of Iethro's Character of a good Magistrate in Exod. 18. that hee should be bbExod. 18.21.Exod 18:21a man of courage. And it was not for nothing that eueryevery cc3. Kin. 10.20.step vp Salomons Throne for iudgement was supported with Lyons: to teach Kings and all Magistrates, that a Lyon-like courage and resolution is necessary for all those set vponupon the Throne or Bench for iustice and for iudgement. When dd1. Sam. 17.34. &c.1 Sam 17:34Dauid kept his Fathers sheepe, and there came a Lyon, and a Beare, and tooke a Lambe out of the flocke; hee went out after the Lyon and smote him, and tooke the Lambe out of his Mouth, and when the Lyon rose against him hee tooke him by the beard, and smote him againe, and slew him: and so hee did with the Beare also. EueryEvery Magistrate p. 177is a kinde of eeEsa. 44.28. foreign, saepè apud Homer.Isa 44:28shepheard: and the people they are his flocke. He must doe that then in the behalfe of his flocke, that Dauid did. Those that beginne to make a spoyle though but of the poorest Lambe of the flocke, bee they as terrible as the Lyon and the Beare, he must after them, and smite them, and plucke the spoyle out of their teeth: and though they shew their spleene, and turne againe at it, yet he must not shrinke for that; but rather take fresh courage, and to them againe, and take them by the beard, and shake them, and neuer leaue them till hee hauehave brought them vnderunder, and broken their iawes, and in spite of their teeth made them past biting or grinding again in hast. He is a base ffIoh. 10.12.John 10:12hireling, and not worthy the name of a shepheard, who when he seeth the Wolfe comming thrusteth his head in a bush, and leaueth the poore Cattell to the spoile. The good Magistrate must put on this resolution: to go on in his course, and without feare of one or other to do iustice, vponupon whosoeuer dareth doe iniustice, & to suppresse oppression euen in the greatest.

A resolution necessary;§. 18. with reasons thereof, 1. in respect of the Lawes; whether wee consider the Law, the Magistrate, or the Offender. Necessary, First, in respect of the Lawes: which, as all experience sheweth, are farre better vnmade, than vnkept. aaHorat. 3. Od. 24.Quid vanae sine moribus Leges proficiunt? The life of the Law is the Execution; without which the Law is but a dead letter: of lesse vse and regard than scar-crowes are in the corne fields; whereof the birds are a little affraid at the first, but anon after a little vse they grow so bold with them, as to sit vponupon their heads and defile them. p. 178Wee see the experience hereof but too much, in the too much suffered insolency of two sorts of people, (than against whom neuer were lawes either better made, or worse executed;) Rogues, and Recusants. Now we know the Lawes are generall in their intents, and include as well the great as the small. The Magistrate therefore who is bbforeign. Arist. 5. Ethic. 7.Lex loquens, and whose duty it is to see the Lawes executed, must proceed as generally, and punish transgressours of the Lawes, the great as well as the small. It is an old complaint, yet groweth out of date but slowly; that Lawes are like ccAnacharsis, apud Plutarch. in Solone: nonnulli Zaleuco tribuunt.Cobwebbes, wherein the smaller flyes are caught, but great ones breake through. Surely Lawes should not bee such, good Lawes are not such, of themselues; they doe or should intend an ddInde latae leges, ne fortior omnia posset. Ouid. 3. Fast.vniuersall reformation: it is the abuse of bad men, together with the basenesse or cowardise of sordide or sluggish Magistrates, that maketh them such. And I verily perswade my selfe, there is no one thing, that maketh good lawes so much contemned, euen by meane ones too at the last; as the not executing them vponupon the great ones in the meane time. Let a Magistrate but take to himselfe that courage which he should doe, and now and then make a great man an example of Iustice: he shall finde that a few such examples wil breathe more life into the Lawes, and strike more awe into the people, than the punishment of an hundred vnderlings and inferiour persons.

§. 19. 2. of the Magistrate himselfe;Againe, in respect of the Magistrate himselfe this courage and resolution is necessary; for the maintenance p. 179of that dignity and respect which is due to him in his place and calling. Which hee cannot more shamefully betray, than by fearing the faces of men. Imagine you saw a goodly tall fellow, trick't vp with feathers and ribands, and a glittering sword in his hand, enter the lists like a Champion, and challenge all commers: by and by steppeth in another man perhaps much of his owne size, but without either sword or staffe, and doth but shew his teeth and stare vponupon him; whereat my gay champion first trembleth, and anon for very feare letteth his sword fall, and shrinketh himselfe into the croud. Thinke what a ridiculous sight this would bee: and iust such another thing as this, is a fearefull Magistrate. He is adorned with aaConsidera qualia de te praestes, qui tantâ authoritate subueheris. Cassiod. 6. Epist. 15.roabes, the markes and ensignes of his power. God hath armed him with a bbRom. 13.4.Rom 13:4sword; indeed as well to put courage into his heart, as awe into the peoples. And thus adorned and armed, hee standeth in the eye of the world, and as it were vponupon the stage; and rayseth an expectation of himselfe as if sure this man would doe something: his very appearance threateneth destruction to whosoeuer dareth come within his reach. Now if after all this brauing, hee should bee outdared with the bigge lookes and bug-words of those that could doe him no harme: how iustly should hee draw vponupon himselfe scorne and contempt, ccHorat. de art. Poet.Parturiunt montes? ddProu. 17.10.Prov 17:10Wherefore is there a price, saith Salomon of the sluggard, in the hands of a foole to buy wisedome, and hee hath no heart? So, wherefore is there a sword, may wee say of the fearefull Magistrate, in p. 180the hands of a Coward to doe iustice; and hee hath no heart? You that are Magistrates, remember the promise God hath made you, and the Title he hath giuen you. You hauehave an honourable Promise; [ee2 Chron. 19.6.2 Chr 19:6 God will bee with you in the cause and in the iudgement, 2. Chron. 19.] If God bee with you, what need you feare, who shall bee against you? You hauehave an honourable Title too [ffPsalm. 82.6.Ps 82:6 I hauehave said yee are Gods, Psalm. 82.] If you bee Gods, why should you feare the faces of men? This is Gods fashion: hee gg1 Pet. 5.5.1 Pet 5:5giueth grace to the humble, but hee resisteth the proud; hee hhLuke 1.52.Luke 1:52exalteth the meeke and lowly, but hee putteth the mighty out of their seates. If you will deale answerably to that high name he hath put vponupon you, and be indeed as Gods; follow the example of God: lift vp the poore oppressed out of the mire, and tumble downe the confidence of the mighty and proud oppressour; when you iiPsal. 75.2.4.Ps 75:2Ps 75:4receiue the Congregation, iudge vprightly, and feare not to say to the wicked, be they neuer so great, Lift not vp your horne. So shall you vindicate your selues from contempt: so shall you preserue your persons and places from being baffelled and blurted by eueryevery lewd companion.

§. 20. 3. of the Offenders.Courage in the Magistrate, against these great ones especially, is thirdly necessary in respect of the offendours. These wicked ones of whom Iob speaketh, the longer teeth they hauehave, the deeper they bite; and the stronger iawes they hauehave, the sorer they grinde; and the greater power they hauehave, the more mischiefe they doe. And therefore these great ones of all other would be well hampered; p. 181and hauehave their teeth filed, their iawes broken, their power curbed. I say not the poore and the small should be spared when they offend: good reason they should be punished with seuerity. But you must remember I now speake of Courage; and a little courage will serue to bring vnderunder those that are vnderunder already. So that, if meane men scape vnpunished when they transgresse, it is oftener for want of care or conscience in the Magistrate, than of courage. But here is the true triall of your Courage, when you are to deale with these great ones; men not much inferiour to your selues, perhaps your equalls, yea, and it may bee too, your Magistracie set aside, men much greater than your selues: men great in place, great in wealth, in great fauour, that hauehave great friends; but withall that doe great harme. Let it be your honour, that you dare be iust, when these dare be vniust, and when they dare smite others aaEsay 58.4.Isa 58:4with the fist of violence, that you dare smite them with bbRom. 13.4.Rom 13:4the sword of iustice; and that you dare vse your power, when they dare abuse theirs. All transgressours should bee looked vntounto; but more, the greater, and the greatest most: as a shepheard should watch his sheepe euen from Flyes and Maukes; but much more from Foxes, most of all from Wolues. Sure, hee is a sorry shepheard, that is busie to kill Flyes and Maukes in his sheepe, but letteth the Wolfe worry at pleasure: Why, one Wolfe will doe more mischiefe in a night, than a thousand of them in a twelue-monethmonth. And as sure, hee is a sorry Magistrate, that stocketh, and whippeth, and hangeth poore snakes p. 182when they offend (though that is to be done too) but letteth the great theeues doe what they list, and dareth not meddle with them: like Saul, who, when God commanded him to destroy all the Amalekites both man and beast, slew indeed the rascality of both, but spared the cc1 Sam. 15.3.—9.1 Sam 15:3greatest of the men, and the fattest of the cattell, and slew them not. The good Magistrate should rather, with Iob here, breake the iawes of the wicked, and in spight of his heart, plucke the spoyle out of his teeth.

§. 21. The Inferences of all.Thus hauehave you heard the foure duties or properties of a good Magistrate conteyned in this Scripture, with the grounds and reasons of most of them, opened. They are 1. a louelove and zeale to iustice; 2. Compassion to the poore and distressed; 3. Paines. and Patience in examination of causes; 4. Stoutnesse and Courage in execution of iustice. The vses and inferences of all these yet remaine to be handled now in the last place; and together. All which for order and breuities sake, wee will reduce vntounto three heads: accordingly as from each of the foure mentioned Duties, or Properties, or Rules (call them which you will) there arise Inferences of three sorts. First, of Direction; for the choyce and appointment of Magistrates according to these foure properties. Secondly, of Reproofe, for a iust rebuke of such Magistrates as faile in any of these foure Dutyes. Thirdly, of Exhortation; to those that are, or shall be Magistrates, to carry thēselues therin according to these foure Rules. Wherein what I shall speake of Magistrates, ought also to bee extended and applyed (the due p. 183proportion euer obserued) to all kindes of Officers whatsoeuer, any way appertaining vntounto iustice. And first for Direction.

S. Paul saith, aaRom. 13.1.Rom 13:1The powers that are, are ordained of God: §. 22. The First; of Direction for the choyce of Magistrates,& yet S. Peter calleth the Magistracie an bb1 Pet. 2.13.1 Pet 2:13humane ordinance. Certainly the holy Spirit of God, which speaketh in these two great Apostles, is not contrary to it selfe. The truth is; the substance of the power of eueryevery Magistrate is the ordinance of God; and that is S. Pauls meaning: but the Specification of the Circumstances thereto belonging, as in regard of places, persons, titles, continuance, iurisdiction, subordination, and the rest, is (as S. Peter tearmeth it) an humane ordinance, introduced by Custome, or positiue Law. And therefore some kindes of Magistracy are higher, some lower; some annuall or for a set time, some during life; some after one manner, some after another: according to the seuerall Lawes or Customes whereon they are grounded. As in other circumstances, so in this concerning the deputation of the Magistrates person, there is great difference: some hauing their Power by Succession, others by Nomination, and other some by Election. As amongst vsus, the supreme Magistrate, the King, hath his Power by succession: some inferiour Magistrates theirs, by Nomination, or speciall appointment, either immediately, or mediately from the King; as most of our Iudges, & Iustices: some againe by the elections and voyces of the multitude; as most Officers and Gouernours in our Cities, Corporations, or Colledges. The Directions which I would inferre from my Text, cannot p. 184reach the first kinde; because such Magistrates are borne to vsus, not chosen by vsus. They doe concerne in some sort, the second; but most neerely the third kinde, viz. those that are chosen by suffrages and voyces: and therefore vntounto this third kinde only I will apply them. We may not thinke, because our voyces are our owne, that therefore wee may bestow them as wee list: neither must wee suffer our selues in a matter of this nature to bee carryed by fauour, faction, spight, hope, feare, importunity, or any other corrupt and partiall respect, from those Rules, which ought to leuell our choyce. But wee must conferre our voyces, and our best furtherance otherwise, vponupon those, whom, all things duly considered, we conceiue to bee the fittest: and the greater the place is, and the more the power is wee giuegive vntounto them and from our selues; the greater ought our care in voycing to bee. It is true indeed, when wee hauehave vsed all our best care, and proceeded with the greatest caution wee can; wee may be deceiued, and make an vnworthy choyce. For wee cannot iudge of mens fitnesse by any demonstratiue certaintie: all we can doe is to goe vponupon probabilities, which can yeeld at the most but a coniecturall certainty, full of vncertainty. Men ferè maxima pars morem hunc homines habēt: quod sibi volunt Dum id impetrant, boni sunt; sed id vbi iam penes sese habent, Ex bonis pessimi, & fraudulentissimi sunt. Plaut. in Capt. 2.1. Omnes candidatos, bonos viros dicimus. Senec. Epist. 3.ambitious and in appetite, till they hauehave obtained their desires, vse to dissemble those vices which might make a stop in their preferments; which, hauing once gotten what they fished for, they bewray with greater freedome: and they vse likewise to make a shew of that zeale and forwardnesse in them to doe good, which afterwards p. 185commeth to iust nothing. Absolon to steale away the hearts of the people, (though hee were euen then most vnnaturally vniust in his purposes, against a father, and such a father; yet hee) made shew of much compassion to the iniured, and of a great desire to doe iustice. dd2 Sam. 15.4.2 Sam 15:4O, saith hee, that I were made a Iudge in the Land, that eueryevery man that hath any suite or cause might come vntounto mee, and I would doe him iustice. And yet I doubt not, but if things had so come to passe, he would hauehave beene as bad, as the worst. When the Roman Souldiers had in a tumult proclaimed Galba Emperour, they thought they had done a good dayes worke; eueryevery man promised himselfe so much good of the new Emperour: But when he was in, he proued no better than those that had beene before him. One giueth this censure of him, eeTacit. lib. 1. histor.Omnium consensu capax imperij, nisi imperasset: he had beene a man in eueryevery mans iudgement worthy to hauehave beene Emperour, if he had not beene Emperour, and so shewed himselfe vnworthy. ffforeign. dictum Biantis apud Aristot. 5. Ethic. 3.Magistratus indicat virum, is a common saying, and a true. Wee may ghesse vponupon likelihoods what they will bee, when wee choose them: but the thing it selfe after they are chosen foreign. Plutarch. in Cicerone.sheweth the certainty what they are. But this vncertainty should bee so farre from making vsus carelesse in our choyce; that it should rather adde so much the more to our care, to put things so hazzardous as neere as we can out of hazzard.

Now those very Rules, §. 23. according to the said foure Propertiesthat must direct them to gouerne, must direct vsus, also to choose. And namely p. 186an eye would be had to the foure Properties specified 1in my Text. The First, a Zeale of Iustice, and a Delight therein. Seest thou a man carelesse of the common good; one that palpably preferreth his owne before the publique weale; one that loueth his aa— nec vulgi cura tyranni, Dum sua sit modò tuta salus. Valer. Flace. 5. Argonant.ease so well, that hee careth not which way things goe, backward or forward, so hee may sit still, and not be troubled; one that would diuide honorem ab onere, bee proud of the honour and title, and yet loath to vndergoe the enuie and burthen that attendeth them? set him aside. Neuer thinke that mans roabes will doe well vponupon him. A Iusticeship, or other office would sit vponupon such a mans backe as handsomely as bb1 Sam. 17.39.1 Sam 17:39Sauls armour did vponupon Dauids: vnweildy, and sagging about his shoulders; so as he could not tell how to stirre and turne himselfe vnderunder it. Hee is a fit man to make a Magistrate of; that will put on righteousnesse as a garment, and cloath himselfe with iudgement as with 2a Robe and a Diadem. The second Property is Compassion on the poore. Seest thou a man destitute of counsell and vnderstanding; a man of forlorne hopes or estate, and in whom there is no helpe; or one that hauing either counsell or helpe in him, is yet a churle of either; but especially one that is sore in his bargaines, cruell in his dealings, hard to his Tenants, or an Oppressour in any kinde? Take none of him. Sooner commit a flocke of sheepe to a ccO praeclarum custodem, ouium, vt aiunt, lupum! custosue vrbis, an direptor & vexator esset Antonius. Cic. Philipp. 3.Phil 3Wolfe; than a Magistracie or office of iustice to an ddforeign. Iamblich. apud Stob. Serm. 41.Oppressour ▪ Such a man is more likely to p. 187put out the eyes of him that seeth, than to be eyes to the blinde; and to breake the bones of the strong, than to be legges to the lame; and to turne the fatherlesse a begging, than to be a father to the poore. The third Property is Diligence to search out the truth. Seest thou a man hasty, and rash, and heady 3in his owne businesses; a man impatient of delay or paines; one that cannot eeProu. 29, 11.Prov 29:11conceale what is meet, till it be seasonable to vtter it, but poureth out all his heart at once, and before the time; one that is easily possest with what is first told him, or being once possest will not with any reason bee perswaded to the contrary; one that lendeth eare so much to some particular friend or follower, as to belieue any information from him, not any but from him; one that, to be counted a man of dispatch, loueth to make an end of a businesse before it be ripe? suspect him. Hee will scarce hauehave the Conscience: or if that, yet not the wit, or not the patience, to search out the cause which hee knoweth not. The last Property is, Courage to execute. Seest 4thou a man first; of a ff— degeneres animos timor arguit. Virgil. 4. Aeneid.timorous nature, and cowardly disposition? or secondly, of a wauering and fickle minde: as we say of children; wonne with an apple, and lost with a nut? or thirdly, that is apt to be wrought vponupon, or moulded into any forme, with faire words, friendly inuitations, or complementall gloses? or fourthly; that dependeth vponupon some great man, whose vassall or creature hee is? or fiftly; a taker, and one that may bee dealt withall? (for that is now the periphrasis of bribery) or sixtly; guilty of the same transgressions hee p. 188should punish, or of other as foule? Neuer a man of these is for the turne: not one of these will venture to breake the iawes or tuskes of an oppressing Tygar or Boare, and to plucke the spoyle out of his teeth. The timorous man is affraid of eueryevery shadow, and if hee doe but heare of teeth, hee thinketh it is good sleeping in a whole skin, and so keepeth aloofe off for feare of biting. ggIam. 1.8.Jas 1:8The double minded man, as S. Iames saith, is vnstable in all his wayes: hee beginneth to doe something in a sudden heate, when the fit taketh him; but before one iawe can bee halfe broken, hee is not the man hee was, he is sorry for what is done, and instead of breaking the rest, falleth a binding vp that which he hath broken, and so seeketh to salue vp the matter as well as hee can, and no hurt done. The vaine man, that will be flattered, so hee get faire words himselfe, he careth not who getteth foule blowes; and so the beast will but now and then giuegive him a licke with the tongue; he letteth him vse his teeth vponupon others at his pleasure. The depending creature is charmed with a letter or a message from his Lord, or his honourable friend; which to him is as good as a Supersedeas, or Prohibition. The taker hath his fingers so oyled, that his hand slippeth off when he should plucke away the spoyle, and so he leaueth it vndone. The guilty man by no meanes liketh this breaking of iawes: he thinketh it may be his owne case another day.

§. 24. in some mediocrity.You see, when you are to choose Magistrates, here is refuse enough, to be cast by. But by that all these be discarded, and throwne out of the bunch; p. 189possibly the whole lumpe will be neere spent, and there will be little or no choyse left. Indeed if we should looke for absolute perfection, there would be absolutely no choise at all: aaPsal. 14.3.Ps 14:3there is none that doth good, no not one. We must not be so daintie in our choyse then, as to finde one in euerie respect such as hath beene charactered. We liue not bb—dicit enim tanquam in Platonis foreign, non tan quam in Romuli faece, sententiā. de Catone Cic. 2. ad Attic. 1.in Republica Platonis, but in faece saeculi; and it is well, if wee can finde one in some good mediocritie so qualified. Amid the common corruptions of mankinde, he is to be accounted a tolerably good man, that is not intolerably bad: and among so manie infirmities and defects, as I hauehave now reckoned, we may well voyce him for a Magistrate; not that is free from them all, but that hath the cc—vitiis nemo sine nascitur: optimus ille est, Qui minimis vrgetur. Hor. 1. serm. Sat. 3.fewest and least. And we make a happie choyse, if from among those we hauehave to chuse of, wee take such a one as is likely to proue in some reasonable mediocritie zealous of iustice, sensible of the wrongs of poore men, carefull to search out the truth of causes, and resolute to execute what he knoweth is iust.

That for Direction. I am next to inferre from the foure Duties in my Text, a iust reproofe, §. 25. The second Inference, of Reproofe.and withall a complaint of the common iniquitie of these times; wherein men in the Magistracie and in offices of Iustice are generally so faultie and delinquent in some, or all of these dueties. And first, as for zeale to iustice: alas that there were not too much cause to complaine. It is griefe to speake it (and yet we all see it and know it) there is growne among vsus of this land, within the space of not manie yeares, a generall and sensible declination in p. 190our Zeale both to Religion and Iustice; the two maine pillars and supporters of Church and State. And it seemeth to be with vsus in these regards, as with decaying Merchants almost become desperate; who when Creditours call fast vponupon them, being hopelesse of paying all grow carelesse of all and pay none: so abuses and disorders encrease so fast among vsus; that hopelesse to reforme all, our Magistrates begin to neglect all, and in a manner reforme nothing. How few are there of them that sit in the seate of iustice, whose consciences can prompt them a comfortable answer to that Question of Dauid, Psal. 58. aaPsalm. 58.1.Ps 58:1Are your mindes set vponupon righteousnes, ô ye congregation? Rather are they not almost all of Gallio's temper, Act. 18. who, though there were a foule outrage committed euen vnderunder his nose, & in the sight of the Bench, yet the Text saith bbActs 18.17.Acts 18:17he cared for none of those things? as if they had their names giuen them by an Antiphrasis: like Diogenes his man; Manes à manendo, because he would be now and then running away; so these Iustices à iustitia, because they neyther do nor care to doe iustice. Peraduenture here and there one or two in a whole side of a countrey to be found, that make a conscience of their duetie more than the rest, and are forward to doe the best good they can: Gods blessing rest vponupon their heads for it. But what commeth of it? The rest, glad of their forwardnesse, make onelyonly this vse of it to themselues; euen to slip their owne neckes out of the yoake, and leaue all the burden vponupon them: and so at length euen tyre out them too, by making common p. 191packhorses of them. A little it may be is done by the rest, for fashion, but to little purpose; sometimes more to shew their Iusticeship, than to doe justice: and a little more it may bee is wrung from them by importunitie; as the poore ddLuke 18.4.5.Luke 18:4Luke 18:5widow in the parable by her clamarousnesse wrung a piece of iustice with much adoe from the Iudge that neyther feared God nor regarded man. Alas, Beloued, if all were right within, if there were generally that zeale that should be in Magistrates: good Lawes would not thus languish as they doe for want of execution; there would not be that insolencie of Popish Recusants, that licence of Rogues and wanderers, that prouling of Officers, that enhaunsing of fees, that delay of suits, that countenancing of abuses, those carkases of depopulated townes, infinite other mischiefes; which are the sinnes shal I say or the plagues? it is hard to say whether more, they are indeed both, the sinnes and the plagues of this land. And as for Compassion to the distressed; is there not now iust cause, if euer, to complaine? If in these 2hard times, wherin nothing aboundeth but pouerty and sinne; when the great ones of the earth should most of all enlarge their bowels, and reach out the hand to relieue the extreme necessity of thousands that are ready to sterue: if (I say) in these times great men, yea and men of Iustice, are as throng as euer in pulling downe houses, and setting vp hedges; in vnpeopling townes, and creating beggars; in racking the backes, and grinding the faces of the poore; how dwelleth the louelove of God, how dwelleth the spirit of compassion in p. 192these men? Are these eyes to the blinde, feet to the lame, and fathers to the poore, as Iob was? I know your hearts cannot but rise in detestation of these things, at the verie mentioning of them. But what would you say, if as it was said to Ezechiel, so I should bid you ddEzech. 8.6.13.15.Ezek 8:6Ezek 8:13Ezek 8:15turne againe, and behold yet greater and yet greater abominations; of the lamentable oppressions of the poore by them and their instruments, who stand bound in all conscience, and in regard of their places, to protect them from the iniuries and oppressions of others? But I forbeare to doe that; and chuse rather out of one passage in the Prophet Amos, to giuegive you some short intimation both of the faults, and of the reason of my forbearance. It is in Amos 5.12, 13. I know your manifold transgressions, and your eeAmos 5.12, 13.Amos 5:12Amos 5:13mightie sinnes: they afflict the iust, they take a bribe, and they turne aside the poore in the gate from their right: Therefore the prudent shall keepe silence in that time;fortia peccata. vulg. ibi. for it is an euill time. And as for searching out the truth in mens causes, which is the third Duetie: first, those Sycophants deserue a rebuke, who by false accusations and cunningly deuised tales (ffPindar. Olymp. …. foreign) of purpose inuolue the truth of things to set a faire colour vponupon a bad matter, or to take away the righteousnesse of the innocent from him. And yet how manie are there such as these in most of our Courts of iustice? Informing, and promoting, and pettifogging make-bates. Now it were a lamentable thing if these men should be known, and yet suffered: but what if countenanced, and encouraged, and vnderhand maintained by the Magistrates p. 193of those Courts, of purpose to bring Moulter to their owne Mills? Secondly, since Magistrates must be content (for they are but men, and cannot be eueryevery where at once) in many things to see with other mens eyes, and to heare with other mens eares, and to proceed vponupon information: those men deserue a rebuke, who being by their office to ripen causes for iudgement, and to facilitate the Magistrates care and paines for inquisition; doe yet eyther for feare, or fauour, or negligence, or a fee, keepe backe true and necessarie informations, or else for spight or gaine clogge the Courts with false or trifling ones. But most of all the Magistrates themselues deserue a rebuke, if eyther they be hastie to acquite a man vponupon his owne bare deniall or protestation (for si inficiari sufficiet, ecquis erit nocens? as the ggDelphidius Orator contra Numerium; apud Ammian. Marcell. l. 18.Oratour pleaded before Iulian the Emperour; if a deniall may serue the turne, none shall be guiltie,) or if hastie to condemne a man vponupon anothers bare accusation (for si accusasse sufficiet, ecquis erit innocens? as the Emperour excellently replied vponupon that Oratour; if an accusation may serue the turne, none shall bee innocent,) or if they suffer themselues to bee possest with preiudice, and not keepe one eare open (as they write of Alexander the Great) for the contrarie partie, that they may stand indifferent till the truth be throughly canvassed; or if to keepe causes long in their hands, they eyther delay to search the truth out, that they may know it, or to decide the cause according to the truth, when they hauehave found it. And as for Courage to execute iustice, which p. 194is the last Duty: what need we trouble our selues to seeke out the causes, when wee see the effect so daily and plainly before our eyes? whether it be through his owne cowardise or inconstancy, that he keepeth off; or that a faire word whistleth him off; or that a great mans letter staveth him off; or that his owne guilty conscience doggeth him off; or that his hands are manacled with a bribe, that he cannot fasten; or whatsoeuer other matter there is in it: sure we are, the Magistrate too often letteth the wicked carry away the spoile, without, breaking a law of him, or so much as offering to picke his teeth. It was not wel in Dauids time, (and yet Dauid a Godly King); when complainingly he asked the Question, hhPsalm 94.16.Ps 94:16who will stand vp with me against the euill doers? It was not well in Salomons time, (and yet Salomon a peaceable King) when iiEccl. 4.1.Eccl 4:1considering the Oppressions that were done vnderunder the Sunne, hee saw that on the side of the oppressours there was power; but as for the oppressed, they had no comforter. Wee liue vnderunder the happy gouernment of a godly and peaceable King, Gods holy Name bee blessed for it: and yet God knoweth, and we all know, it is not much better now; nay God grant, it be not generally euen much worse!

§. 26. The third Inference, for Exhortatiō.Receiue now in the last place, and as the third and last inference, a word of Exhortation; and it shall be but a word. You whom God hath called to any honour or office appertaining to iustice; as you tender the glory of God and the good of the Commonwealth, as you tender the honour of the King and the prosperity of the Kingdome, as you p. 195tender the peace and tranquillity of your selues and neighbours, as you tender the comfort of your own consciences, and the saluation of your owne soules: set your selues throughly and cheerfully and constantly and conscionably, to discharge with faithfulnesse all those duties which belong vntounto you in your seuerall stations and callings, and to aduance to the vtmost of your power the due administration and execution of Iustice. Doe not decline those burdens, which cleaue to the honours you sustaine. Doe not poast off those businesses from your selues to others, which you should rather do than they, or at least may as well do as they. Stand vp with the Zeale of aaPsal. 106.30.Ps 106:30Phinees, & by executing iudgment, helpe to turne away those heauie plagues, which God hath already begun to bring vponupon vsus; and to preuent those yet heauier ones, which hauing so rightly deserued, wee hauehave all iust cause to feare. Breathe flesh life into the languishing lawes, by mature, and seuere, and discreete execution. Put on righteousnesse as a garment; and cloathe your selues with iudgement as with a robe and diademe. Among so many Oppressions, as in these euill daies 2are done vnderunder the Sunne; to whom should the fatherlesse, and the widow, and the wronged complain but to you, whence seek for reliefe but from you? Bee not you wanting to their necessities. Let your eyes be open vntounto their miseries, and your eares open vntounto their cryes, and your hands open vntounto their wants. GiueGive friendly Counsell to those that stand need of your Direction: affoord conuenient helpe to those, that stand need of your Assistance: p. 196carry a fatherly affection to all those that stand need of any comfort, protection, or reliefe from you. Be eyes to the blinde, and feete to the lame: and be you instead of fathers to the poore. But yet do not countenance, no not bbExod. 23.3.Exod 23:3a poore man, in his cause; farther than hee hath equity on his side. Remember one point of ccforeign. Neruus est sapientiae, non cito credere. dictum Epicharmi, apud Cic. 1. ad Attic. 16. foreign. Eurip. in Helena. The simple belieue eueryevery word. Prou. 14.15.Prov 14:15Wisedome, not to be too credulous of eueryevery suggestion and information. But doe your best to spie out the chinkes, and starting holes, and secret conueyances and packings of cunning and crafty companions: and when you hauehave found them out, bring them to light, and doe exemplary iustice vponupon them. Sell not your eares to your seruants: nor tye your selues to the informations of some one, or a few, or of him that commeth first; but let eueryevery party hauehave a faire & an equall hearing. Examine proofes: consider circumstances: bee content to heare simple men ddforeign Arist. 27. elench. 10.tell their tales in such language as they hauehave: thinke no paines, no patience too much to sift out the truth. Neither by inconsiderate hast preiudice any mans right: nor weary him out of it by torturing delayes. The Cause which you know not, vse all diligence, and conuenient both care and speede, to search it out. But euer withall remember your standing is slippery; and you shall hauehave many and sore assaults, and very shreud temptations: so that vnlesse you arme your selues with inuincible resolution, you are gone. The wicked ones of this world will coniure you by your old friendship and acquaintance, and by all the bonds of neighbourhood & kindenesse; bribe your wiues and children and seruants to corrupt p. 197you; procure great mens letters or fauourites as engines to moue you; conuey a bribe into your own bosomes, but vnderunder a handsomer name, and in some other shape, so cunningly and secretly sometimes, that your selues shall not know it to be a bribe when you receiue it. Harden your faces, and strengthen your resolutions with a holy obstinacy, against these and all other like temptations. Count him an enemy, that will alledge friendship to peruert iustice. When you sit in the place of Iustice, thinke you are not now eeQui induit personam iudicis, exuit amici. Cicero.husbands, or parents, or neighbours; but Iudges. Contemne the frownes, and the fauours, and the letters of great ones: in comparison of that trust, which greater ones than they, the King and State, and a yet greater than they, the great God of heauen and earth, hath reposed in you, and expecteth from you. Chastise him with seuere ffReiecit alto dona nocentiū vultu. Horat. 4. Od. 9.indignation, if he begin; and if hee continue, spit defiance in his face, who ere hee bee, that shall thinke you so base as to sell your ggLibertatè arguendi amittit, qui ab eo accipit, qui ideo dat ne corrigatur. Ambros. in 1. Cor. cap. 19.freedome for a bribe. Gird your sword vponupon your thigh; and (keeping your selues euer within the compasse of your Commissions and Callings, as the Sunne in the Zodiake) goe thorough stitch right on in the course of Iustice, as the Sunne in the firmament with vnresisted violence; and as a gyant that reioyceth to runne his race, and who can stop him▪ Beare not the hhRom. 13.4.Rom 13:4sword in vaine▪ but let your right hand teach you terrible things. Defend the poore, and fatherlesse, and deliuer the oppressed from them that are mightier than hee: Smite through the loynes of those that rise vp to p. 198doe wrong, that they rise not againe: Breake the iawes of the wicked, & pluck the spoyle out of his teeth. Thus if you doe, the wicked shall feare you, the good shall blesse you, the poore shall pray for you, posterity shall praise you, your owne hearts shall cheare you, and the great God of Heauen shall reward you. This that you may doe in some good measure, the same God of Heauen enable you: and giuegive you and eueryevery of vsus grace in our seuerall places and callings to seek his glory, and to endeauour the discharge of a good conscience. To which God blessed for euer, Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, three Persons and one eternall invisible and onelyonly wise God, bee ascribed all the Kingdome, Power, and Glory, for euer and euer. Amen.