Elohim, Sermon

Elohim · Sermon

p. 1PSAL. LXXXII. Verſe 6.

I have ſaid ye are Gods, &c.

DAVID, our holy Pſalmiſt, ſtands recorded both a King and a Prophet, both a Judge and a Preacher, both judging the Preachers, and preaching to the Judges. Hetelleth us Pſal. xl. 9. I have preached righteouſneſs, foreign in coetu magno, in the great Congregation, we read it; but Rab is qualitate, as well as quantitate magnum, as Shindler notes. The Septuagint reads it foreign, and foreign is of the ſame latitude too; foreign is Majeſty, and foreign are Princes or Great ones. So that David's preaching in coetu magno is but in coetu magnatum: and in the great Congregation, that is, in the Congregation of great ones. David is his own beſt Comment, and teſt, that he did it; Pſal. cxix. 46. I have preached righteouſneſs before Kings: and his own beſt inſtance, when he did it, Pſal. ii. Be wiſe, O ye Kings; and be ye instructed, ye Judges of the Earth.

But howſoever, here in the Text, the whole Pſalm is Concio ad Magiſtratum, and may be truly called, for ſo it is, a Iudges Sermon. And if Marlorat calculate right, and if not, he erreth not with a few of the Learned. p. 2who tell us, Pſalmum hunc ſingulari in uſu fuiſſe apud Iudaeos, & ad hoc compoſitum, ut vel novis Iudicibus, vel ſingulis ad Iudicandum conceſſuris, praecineretur, that this Pſalm was in ſingular uſe among the Jewes, and pen'd to this end, to ſing it before new Judges, or to every one when they came to ſit upon the ſeat of judgment. And if thus, then I think I have pitched right, it is a fit vein, whence to fetch …ater for this ſolemnity; and I might quit my ſelf well, if I took not the Verſe, but the Pſalm, not for my Text, but my Sermon, as to …; and make it my task, not ſo much to preach my repetition of David's Sermon. We find God often ſpeaking to man, but here find man ſpeaking to the Gods. And it's worth our obſervation, what's ſpoken, where Gods are the Auditory, and no leſſe the Orator. David, it's true did both judge and preach, his typical relation to Jeſus Chriſt, in whom there the ſacred Monopoly of thoſe Divine Offices, King, Prophet, and Prieſt, licenſed him for that double ſervice; but now both precept and preſcription divide them. The duty in the one by providence is mine, the dignity in the other (My Lords) by Patent is yours. Your Patent is written by David here, and ſealed by him, who is the fountain of honour, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, Ioh. x. 34. with an foreign, and the Scripture cannot be broken. your Commiſſion being thus writ and ſealed, I have a threefold Task. Firſt, to break it open. Secondly, to read it. Thirdly, to give a ſ…ort charge. The firſt in the Nomination. The ſecond in the Explication. The third in the Application of the Text. To the firſt I addreſſe my ſelf as to an eaſie work, ſoon done, in naming the Text, p. 3as the learned may find it, foreign, or as the loweſt may read it, I have ſaid Ye are Gods.

The Text is but a ſmall Cluſter; but, if well preſt, full of liquor; conciſe it is in ſentence, but very comprehenſive in Senſe; but four words in it, and yet four parts; every word ſtanding as an entire member in the ſucceeding diviſion.

1. The Judges Dignity, in the foreign.

2. The Judges Commiſſion, in the foreign.

3. The validity and force of that Commiſſion, in the foreign.

4. The particular application to Time and Perſon, that every one may take their ſhare both in the Dignity and Duty in the foreign.

1. The Judges dignity, they are Gods.

2. The Judges Commiſſion, they are ſaid to be ſo.

3. The validity of that Commiſſion, it's ſaid by one that may ſay it.

4. This is applicable to all Magiſtrates and Judges, wholly their Place and Office are ſo; and as to all, ſo to you (My Lords) he hath ſaid, Ye are Gods.

The Text being thus well ſpelled, if as well put together, as it ſhapes out work for a Judge, ſo it ſtirreth up a Judge to his work, in laying before him this Doctrinal Conſectary, which I intend, by the divine aſſiſtance, for the matter of my enſuing diſcourſe.

p. 8That "Magiſtrates and Judges are not leſs then Gods, "and God himſelf hath ſaid it.

Thus your Commiſſion is broke open, and my firſt task diſcharged with eaſe. The ſecond I am now come to, which is to read your Commiſſion, and ſo diſtinctly, that all may hear and fear, and the reading of your Commiſſion is the due underſtanding of the Text: and, that I may do it clearly, I muſt ſpeak a word firſt of the Ani, ſecondly of the Amarti, thirdly of the Elohim.

Firſt, for the Ani, I have ſaid, who is this I in the Text, that ſaith You are Gods. That Queſtion is appoſite here, that is put Acts viii. 34. Doth the Prophet ſpeak of himſelf, or ſome other man? Doth David ſpeak of himſelf, as if he ſaid it, who was but a man, and may ſpeak out of miſtaken thoughts, as Ahaz, who ſacrificed to the gods of Damaſcus that ſmote him, 2 Chr. 28.3. Thoſe would be low and imaginary Gods, which are of mans making. And here there may be as great a miſtake, as in the men of Lystra, who ſaid of the Apoſtles, who were but men, that Gods were come down in the likeneſs of men. The Magiſtrates authority is weak enough, untill we know who this I is in the Text. Suppoſe, that it be David, that here ſaith, yet the authority will be ſtrong enough, his inſpiration for a Penman of Holy Scripture licenceth him to call them in ſpirit Gods, as it did to call Chriſt in ſpirit Lord, Mat. xxii. 48. The foreign of David the Apoſtle owns, and gives us a reaſon why we ſhould do ſo, Acts ii. 30. He, being a Prophet, and knowing that God had ſworn with an oath, and ſeeing this before, he thus ſpake. David either ſpeaks it out of Scripture, or it is Scripture becauſe he ſpeaks it. Propheta eis in perſona ſacram Scripturam p. 5docentis ait, Ego dixi, ſaith Cajetan: that is, He ſaith, Cajetan. in Lo…. com.I have ſaid, in the perſon of one, who is dictating holy Writ. And Chriſt himſelf when he takes cognizance of it, John x. 34. brings it in with an foreign; Is it not written in your Law? Davids ſay, if it be his, muſt paſs for their Law. But yet we are ſhort in the Ani, it reacheth beyond a David; even to God himſelf: Poteſt hoc accipi in in Dei perſona, ſaith Marlorat; Marlorat in loc.It may be taken in the perſon of God himſelf. Propheta ducit Deum ipſum loquentem, ſaith Mollerus: Mollerus.The Prophet produceth God himſelf ſpeaking thus, I have ſaid. And ſo beſt anſwering to the words of Chriſt, John x. 34. If he called them Gods, to whom the Word of the Lord came. His word beſpeaketh them Gods, whoſe word ſanctifieth the Son, and ſent him into the world; and if ſo, the Magiſtrates authority is undoubted; for Gods word muſt ſtand: thongh every man be a liar, yet God muſt be true, and his word ſhall ſtand, when mans ſhall fall. Let Tyrus, though a mighty Prince, ſay it, nay with the Emphaſis of the Language, Ezek. xxviii. 9. foreign Numquid dicendo dices, In ſaying thou ſhalt ſay. In ſaying he ſaid it, that he was God, as if he would take no controll either from earth, or heaven; yet it did not ſtand, becauſe God did not ſay it, there was the foreign too for Herod, the people cried and ſaid, that Herod was God: ſaid it ſo, as not to whiſper him ſo in a corner, but as with drum and trumpet to proclaim him ſo by popular ſuffrage, and yet it did not ſtand, becauſe God ſaid it not, Acts xii. 22. But here in the Text this Ani I ſay it, and it ſhall ſtand, and the Scripture cannot be broken.

Secondly, The Amarti, I have ſaid; it may be demanded, p. 6Hath the Magiſtrate, and Judges, onelyonly the foreign of the Almighty for their Sanction? Titles of honour and dignities, eſpecial executive powers, are not looked upon as valid, without hand and ſeal, as well as word: their Commiſſion ſeems to be but ſlenderly fortified, that hath but his ſay for it. But its enough in this caſe. There needs no farther ſanction of any thing under the Sun, then, according to the known language of Scripture, The mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it. Jeſus Chriſt hath no more for his regal power, which he univerſally exerciſeth over the Church, or the whole world: and Supremacy is ſtrongly enough veſted in him by the foreign of his Father, Pſal. ii. The Lord hath ſaid, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Conſult the Linguiſts, and they will tell us, that foreign, the Verb in the Text, ſignifies his cogitavit, his dixit, his juſſit, his conſtituit; his purpoſe, his declaration, his precept, his inſtitution: ſo that by his Word he as well conſtituteth, as declareth. It was ſo in his firſt Creation, his dixit was his fecit, he ſpake the word and every thing was made. It is ſo alſo in the methods of his Government, he calls things that are not as if they were, and they are that thing they were not, it was ſo as to Jeſus Chriſt. So David our Pſalmiſt telleth us, Pſalm ii. His foreign in one verſe is his foreign in the next verſe. In one ver. it is I have ſaid; in the other constitui, I have ſet my King upon my holy hill of Sion: which telleth us, that the Fathers ſaying was an authoritative conſtitution of the Son as King. And thus the Apoſtles foreign in 1 Cor. viii. 5. is his foreign in Rom. xiii. 1. His calling them Gods in one Text, is his ordaining them Powers in the other Text: as if he would tell us, that his calling is their valid p. 7and authoritative ordination. Hence is it, that foreign the Subſtantive ſignifies autoritas, and poteſtas, as well as verbum; authority and power, as well as word: as if power and authority was truly derived from the Fathers word. And foreign ſignifies Princeps, or Judex, to tell us, that there needeth not farther a corroborandum to a Judges power and authority, then this in the Text, I have ſaid. Thus all is valid enough, both in the Ani, and in the Amarti.

Thirdly, but for the Magiſtrates Dignity in the Elohim: here we are more in the dark, then before in the other two; and it is not eaſie to apprehend, how Men ſhould be Gods.

Firſt, we know, that theſe Twins, God, and Man, are not born out of the ſame womb: theſe Notions of God and Man do deny ad invicem very vehemently in Scripture. God and not Man, ſaith God of himſelf, Hoſ. xi. 9. Man and not God, ſaith God of Tyrus, Ezek. xxviii. 9. Chriſt onelyonly excepted, who by virtue of his Hypoſtatical Union was privileged for both.

Secondly, a Deity and Immortality are inſeparable. 1 Tim. vi. 16. "who onelyonly hath Immortality. It is his own elegant Paraphraſe upon the name Jehovah, foreign, Who was, is, and is to come. And God himſelf immortalizeth his own Being in that comprehenſive term of duration, I am: from eternity to eternity, he ſaith, I am, Exod. iii.

Thirdly, the Scripture ſpeaketh but of one God. 1 Cor. viii. 4. no God but one, one Lord and one God to us, v. 6. And God himſelf bounds this Mount, leſt any ſhould dare to approach, and boldly invade a Deity, Iſa. xlv. p. 822. I am God, and beſide me there is none; I am God, and there is none elſe. Yet behold the teeming womb of the Text, big with Paradoxes, more then Twins.

Firſt, ſpeaking to the Magiſtrates, who indeed are but men, he telleth them, that they are Gods, contrary to the firſt. Hereby favouring the Anthropomorphite.

Secondly, when he hath aſſerted them Gods, he doth with the ſame breath tell them, they ſhall die like men, contrary to the ſecond. Herein falling into the Tents of the Theopaſchite.

Thirdly, here are mentioned Gods in the Plural, and ſo ratified by the Apoſtle, Gods many, and Lords many, contrary to the third. Hereby reviving the exploded Hereſie of the Polytheist.

Methinks, now I ſhould ſeem to have the Judges Commiſſion wrong end upwards; or, it to be like the handwriting upon the wall in Daniel, written in foreign and ſtrange Characters, ſo that the Wiſe-men could not read it; or, as Iſa. xxix. 11. The viſion is become like a book that is ſealed, one ſaith Read: and that's my preſent task. But I may anſwer, I cannot, becauſe its ſealed. But a due underſtanding of the Elohim, I hope, will be as the clavis or key to the Characters, and a clear ſolution to this ſeeming Riddle.

We ſhall find, that in Scripture God hath many names. St. Jerome, and the Rabbines, ſumm them up to ten. But our task is not to find out how many he hath, but which of them are attributed to the Creature, and which not. To clear this we muſt know, That the Names of God are of two ſorts; either ſuch, as flow from his eſſence; or ſuch, as flow from his influence; either from his incommunicable p. 9Being, or from his Communicable Attributes. Such, as flow from his Incommunicable Eſſence, or Being; as foreign Iehovah, Ehieh, Iah, Shaddai: are proper onelyonly to God, and attributed to the Creatures never. Thoſe Titles, by which God will be known, none elſe ſhall. Diſtinguiſhing Titles admit not of a Communication, leſt all things ſhould run into a parity betwixt the Creator and the Creature. This Name Iehovah, the Antient Jews, ſay is foreign, Gods Proper Name, and he doth no leſs himſelf, when he ſaith Iſa. xlii. 8. I am IEHOVAH, that is, My Name and my Glory will I not give to any other. The Learned obſerve, that this Name Iehovah hath many Grammatical Privileges: As not to admit of foreign Emphaticum, nor any affix Pronouns, nor any constructive Forms, nor any Deolenſion. The Reaſon is given by Buxtorſſe; Quia ſui exhibet notitiam, nec alio ſigno opus habet. It is ſo glorious a Name, that it carrieth its luſter in its own face, that it need not as the Diamond from the foil, borrow any thing from ſuch forrain helps. The Scripture calls it foreign, Lev. xxiv. 11. that Name, by way of Emphaſis; and God calls it himſelf Glorioſum & Terribile Nomen, Deut. xxviii. 58. My Glorious and Terrible Name. The Antient Jews, dwelling too much upon theſe hints, dandled up the Notion to too great a height of Superſtition, and it came to be amongſt them a Name (as our learned Gregory expreſſeth it) of ſuch immoderate reverence, that they imagined, that it was by that Name writ or engraven upon Moſes's Rod, that, as by an holy and divine Charm, he changed his Rod into a Serpent, divided the Sea, p. 10and commanded Water out of the Rock; and that by which Chriſt himſelf, having it engraven upon his foot, did heal the diſeaſed, and diſpoſſeſſed Devils. Upon theſe thoughts the Jewes were ſo far from attributing this Name to man, as they would not permit man to attribute it to God; but it muſt be foreign Sem hammphoraſh, or foreign, an inexpreſſible Name, to be ſeparated from mans diſcourſe, and not to be named, but expounded by other letters: and if any perſon, but the High Prieſt; or he in any other place, but the Holy of Holies; or there in any other caſe, then the Benediction, ſhould adventure to name this Name, it was death by their Law. But our preſent Caſe will not be cleared by ſhewing what was not, but what was, and is, and may be attributed to the Creature.

You muſt know therefore, that thoſe names, which flow from Gods Communicable Attributes (of which there are many, one of which is this of Elohim) are given to others beſides God himſelf; wherein he is pleaſed to communicate that Sovereignty and Power to the Creature, which is originally in himſelf, and herein doth as the Sun in the Firmament, reſerve himſelf to be the Fountain of Light and Heat, even then when he lendeth his Beams: for all thoſe Names and Titles, that he lendeth to men, they are but the Irradiations of Majeſtie, Power, and Authority upon them. But the next thing Conſiderable is to examine how theſe Titles and Names, particularly this of Elohim, is given to Man.

Amongſt the various waies of coming to the knowledge of God, mentioned in the Scriptures, this is one, p. 11per viam eminentiae, by way of eminence, that is, when we behold any excellency in the Creature, we trace it to God himſelf, and judge it eminently to be in him; and ſo we add the Name of God to that thing: as, the Cedars for their excellent height, becauſe God is high, are called foreign the Cedars of God; the Lion, becauſe of his ſtrength, and becauſe God is ſtrong,Pſal. lxxxx. 10. 2 Sam. xxiii. 20.Ps 90:102 Sam 23:20 is called foreign, the Lion of God; Mountains; becauſe of their inacceſſible height, and unvanquiſhable ſtrength, are called often the Mountains of God: and thus Princes, Magiſtrates, and Iudges, becauſe of the greatneſſe of their Place and Office, and excellency of their Endowments, had this honour, to quarter their Eſcutcheons with God himſelf. Upon this account Moſes firſt in Deut. xxxiii. 1. and David himſelf after, both as Princes, and David as Prince and Prophet; each of them had this dignifying Title foreign, the man of God: Nehem. xii. 24. But this ariſeth not to ſatisfaction in our preſent Caſe, becauſe here is not Elohim conjoyned, but Elohim ſingly: and the Judges not called Men of God; but they, being Men, are called Gods.

To ſatisfie this laſt and great ſcruple, we muſt know, that the Word and Name Elohim is attributed either properly or improperly in Scriptures. If properly, then its given to God himſelf. Thus ſaith an Antient Jew, Elohim eſt epitheton dominatoris aut judicis: & talis est vel univerſalis, dominium habens in mundum univerſum; vel particularis, ut Iudex inter homines. This Elohim is an Epithite or Name of Dominion and Judgement: and this either univerſal to one, that hath p. 12univerſal dominion over the whole World, or particular, as a Judge amongſt men. And thus it is given to God as the prime, ſole, abſolute, Moderator of Heaven and Earth, as one who is Judge himſelf, as Pſal. l. 6. and Judge of all, Gen. xix. And this Name properly belongs to him, or to any other, as Judge, paſſing Sentence and Execution. Upon which ground our Saviour Chriſt ſpeaking to him as a Iudge, executing the ſevereſt right upon his Son, cried not Iehovah, Iehovah, but Eli, Eli; or, as Mark hath it, Eloi, Eloi, Mark xv. 34. And, if we may take the received opinion of the Learned, when this word Elohim is given to God, there is a word of the Singular Number added to it, as Gen. i. 1. foreign Creavit Dii, The Gods created the Heaven and the Earth: that hereby they might hold forth the Unity of Eſſence, and the Trinity of Perſons. Lombard in Part. 1. and Quest. 2. is very expreſſe in it, and Galatinus in lib. 2. De arcanis Catholicae veritatis, cap. 9. is much more elaborate in it: though the learned Buxtorf. in his Philolog. Theolog. Diſſertation. De Nominibus Dei, brings againſt it nine cogent Reaſons, which I cannot now examine; becauſe, at the beſt, this will not ſerve our turn, as not being to the caſe in hand: Clear it is, that Elohim is Gods Title; but we are to examine, how its given to the Creatures. We muſt therefore conſider, that this word Elohim is uſed improperly in Scripture; and ſo it is uſed either foreign, or foreign, by an Irony, on by a Metaphor.

Ironically, and ſo it is attributed to the Idols, which either the Heathen, or the Iſraelites at any time ignorantly worſhipped; as Iudg. xvii. 6. it's ſaid of Micah, p. 13foreign, he had a houſe of Gods, of Elohim, the right name of them was foreign, as Pſal. xcvi. 5. all their Elohim are Elilim, ſome think ſo called from foreign, quaſi non dii, becauſe they are not Gods, but this is ſomething too ſhort, they may be ſomething, though they be not Gods. I think rather from foreign, and ſo the word foreign nihil, ſignifying nothing, coming up to the Apoſtles, foreign, 1 Cor. viii. 4. An Idol is nothing in the world, and if by a reverential miſtake Idolaters will have the Elilim turn'd into Elohim. God himſelf will by an Irony gratifie their deſire, and call them Elohim too, but to ſhew that they are Gods, but of a ſpurious extract. The Rabbins make them to bear the note of Baſtardy in their coat, and call them in contempt foreign in the feminine gender. But neither doth this relieve us in our preſent caſe.

Secondly, Elohim is attributed to the Creatures by a Metaphor, and ſo it is given either to Angels or Men. the Scripture ownes this diſtinction, foreign 1 Cor. viii. 5. called Gods in heaven and in earth: Thoſe that are called Gods in heaven are the bleſſed Angels; and that they are ſo, I ſhall not trouble you with many Scriptures; only compare two which will put it beyond all doubt, Pſal. viii. 5. David ſaith, Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him? thou hast made him little lower foreign then the Elohim. But let Paul be David's Commentator, and he will tell us, that he made him a little lower foreign then the Angels, Heb. 2.7.Heb 2:7becauſe they have a tutelary power veſted in them over the Saints, being the Ministers of God for good, to them that ſhall be Heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. ult. not ſo much p. 14out of Courteſie as Charge; for ſo he gives his Angels charge to keep them in their waies, as alſo to be the Inſtruments of his Vengeance upon his Enemies. They are called Gods, but yet this ſatisfies not; let us go but one ſtep further, and it will bring us thither where we ſhould be, and that is to the Apoſtles foreign, the Gods that are upon earth; and thus by a Metaphor it is.

Secondly, attributed to Men; and ſo to Princes, Magistrates, and Judges; thus they are called all over the Scriptures: In the Old Law it frequently occurreth to us; Exod. xxi. 6. If the Servant will not depart from his Master, he ſhall bring him foreign to read it well, to the Judges, though in the text it is to the Gods; and Exod. xxii. 9. If the Thief be not found, the Master of the Houſe ſhall be brought (el-Haelohim) to the Judges; and 1 Sam. ii. 25. If one man ſin against another foreign the Judge ſhall Judge him.

Rabbi Moſes Ben. Majmon indeed (as if he intended to blunder the Magiſtrates Commiſſion, that it might not be diſtinctly read) he aſſerts that this Name Elohim is properly attributed to man, and but improperly to God, whom A. Barbanel that Learned Jew, undertaketh, as well he may in this conteſt, ſave onelyonly that he drives his ſhafts too far; and in avoiding Scylla he falleth into Charibdis, and ſtriving to refel that Rabbin, who ſaid that Elohim was properly attributed to the Magiſtrate; he doth it by the other extream, and proves that Elohim is not either properly or improperly attributed to the Judges. And as for thoſe Texts before cited, Exod. xxi. 6. & Exod, xxii. 8, 9. where the man is p. 15to be brought we read before the Iudges. He likes not that, but thinks by an Ellipſis, ſome word being underſtood, muſt be added to make up the ſenſe, as in Exod. xxi. 6. his Maſter ſhall bring him: foreign, he would read it ad Iudicium Dei, to the judgement of God, not of the Gods; ſo the Elohim to denote not Man, but God. And he is confirmed in it, not onelyonly by the Septuagint, who reads it foreign, before the Tribunal of God; but alſo further by that Text, Deut. xix. 17. where he thinks there is the like expreſſion: and its ſaid there they ſhall ſtand, foreign, before the Lord; which he takes to be the ſame as if it had been ſaid before, the Elohim: and he argues as he thinks very ſtrongly, thus: Num enim hie quoque dicemus, quod Sacerdotes & Indices Scriptura vocet Nomine Dei proprio tetragrammato. Shall we think that the Scripture calls the Prieſts and Judges by that proper Name of God Iehovah: and if not by that, when they are ſaid to ſtand before Iehovah; why in the other, when they are ſaid to be brought before Elohim. And if this be truth, the Judges Commiſſion may be laid aſide, and we to ſeek in our Work, as to the Elohim in the Text.

Therefore I think I may anſwer that learned Jew thus, granting him his main end, that Elohim is not attributed to man properly. Yet all that he ſaith doth not refel this truth, that it is attributed to man improperly, and by a metaphor: as for that Text, Deut. xix. 17. where they are ſaid to ſtand before Jehovah, it excludes not the Magiſtrate, that Text includes them. They are ſaid to ſtand before the Lord, and before the Judge, and when before p. 16the Judge, then before the Lord alſo, becauſe the Judgement is his, Deu. i. 17. & he is with them in Judgement, 2 Ch. xix. 6. So that though God be Jehovah, yet the Magiſtrate may be Elohim; and though Jehovah cannot be given to man, yet Elohim may: let God have his Jehovah to himſelf, and man the Elohim. Or further, Pſal. lxxxii. 1. where the Text ſaith, foreign Elohim judicabit in medio Elohim. So that here is an Elohim for God, and yet an Elohim for the Judges: God he is, and yet Gods they are. So we read it in our Tranſlation, God judgeth among the gods, ſo that God may have his proper and connate, and the Magiſtrate his derived and borrowed Elohim. And for his Ellipſis that our Authour would have in thoſe Texts, Exod. xxi. 6. & Exod. xxii. 8. it is neither neceſſary, nor convenient: not neceſſary, becauſe the Chaldee Paraphrast, the Interlineary, the Haebreo-Samaritan, the Arabick, the Syriack Verſions all of them have coram Judicibus, ad Judicem, or ad Judices, as we read it before the Judges. Beſides, its not convenient; for though it may be admitted in thoſe two Texts before quoted, yet it will make us fall foul upon other Texts, where the Magiſtrates are called Gods, and where that ſuppoſed Ellipſis cannot be reduced to conſtructive ſenſe; as in Exod. xxii. 28. Thou ſhalt not revile the Gods, nor ſpeak evil of the Ruler of thy people, where there is a a manifeſt foreign, one tearm to explain the other, Revile, and ſpeak evil, one and the ſame: ſo the Gods, and the Ruler of thy people, both one; and there it is Elohim, as in the Text. So in Pſal. xxxii. 1. God judgeth among the gods. The later, Elohim muſt be taken for the Magiſtrate, 1 Cor. viii. 4, 5, 6. Gods many, and p. 17Lords many, and that on the Earth which muſt be the Magiſtrate, and Ioh. x. 34. if he called them Gods, to whom the Word of the Lord came: where there is a manifeſt diſtinction betwixt the Lord, who ſent his Word, and the Gods to whom that Word of the Lord came. So that I think we ſhall force this truth againſt all Cavil, that Magiſtrates are called Elohim, or Gods, in Scripture, according to that in the Apoſtle, There be many that are called Gods, which being thus cleared, will give life, and add much clearneſs to the Judges Commiſſion.

Yet one thing more is here conſiderable, that, when its ſpoken of and to Magiſtrates, it is as here in the Plural number, Elohim Gods. Some would have it becauſe of the greatneſs of their office and place: and ſo according to the uſe and cuſtome amongſt us, who ſpeak to Kings, and Princes, and Magiſtrates; and as they write Nos in the Plural number, its not onelyonly as matter of State, but upon good ground; datur id honori ejus qui ita appellatur, quaſi ob dignitatem instar multorum e…et, ſaith Crellins: as the people ſaid unto David, Thou art worth ten thouſand of us, 2 Sam. xviii. 3. or as others would. It is in the Plural number, becauſe the Magiſtrate is not ſingle, and alone, in Judgement. Its the ſword of the Lord, and the ſword of Gideon; Judgement is his, and he is with you in Judgement, 2 Chr. xix. 6. And we ſtand before the Lord and the Judge; and therefore it muſt be Elohim; but there is ſomething more in it. And I am of Mollerus his mind, who ſaith, Nunquam tribuitur uni abſolutè Elohim, Mollerus in Pſa. 45.Ps 45qui ſimul addatur restrictio ſive nota, The name Elohim is never attributed p. 18to one ſingle perſon, but there is ſome note of reſtriction; as Exod. iv. 16. God told Moſes he ſhould be to Aaron in ſtead of God, not Elohim abſolutely and ſimply, as in the Text, but foreign, for, or inſtead of a God. But when he ſpeaks it as here, abſolutely, that they are Gods, he means it not of any one ſingly, but of the whole body of Magiſtracy. And Magiſtrates teaching us, that it is not a perſonal, but official Dignity; its their Title, not ex dignitate humana, ſed ex dignatione divina; "Not of Mans deſert, but the Divine favour to conferre it. And Gods they are, Non natura, ſed participatione; "Not by nature, but by participation, borrowing their borrowed Deity from a higher perſon after this long and narrow diſcovery, That the Magiſtrates are called Gods. The next thing that deſerves our conſideration is, Why they are called Gods? the reſolution of which will help us yet farther in the reading the Judges Commiſſion, and will be as the ſalt to the whole diſcourſe, without which, the ambitious nature of man would tumify in the fond dreams of a Deity, the miſtake is too eaſy to mans ſwelling apprehenſions. This itch after a Deity above us, loſt us, and expoſed us to the Divine, but tart Irony, The man is become like one of us, Gen. iii. 22. Tyrus, arrogantly aſſumed it, and Herod ambitiouſly accepted it. But to both their Ruines, if we may believe the Learned, this was the firſt piece of Idolatry which crept into the world. So ſome read the Text, Gen. iv. laſt. foreign. Thus then did they begin to call men by the name of the Lord. And very great if not more then probabilities, that from the firſt, men did either aſſume a Deity to themſelves, or others did as impiouſly p. 19yield it. This deifying the Creature was the unhappy original of that ſacrilegious practice of ſwearing by their Princes and Rulers, as by ſo many real Deities: as Horace of Auguſtus.

—tibi maturos largimur honores,

Jurandasque tuum per nomen ponimus Aras.

Who was very ſhy of accepting the Title of Dominus, or Lord at firſt, but at laſt could ſwallow that of God alſo. Neither was this of ſo late a deſcent as Horace, and Auguſtus. For good Joſeph got a ſmack by dwelling in Egypt, when ſo frequently he ſwore by the life of Pharaoh. It is moſt impious flattery to court mortality into Gods Throne. And for man either to give, or take in this caſe. For the Samaritans to call Antiochus their God, though he acted more like a Devil; or as the Poet.

Edictum Domini Deique nostri.

To look at the Emperour as Lord and God: for Merentius to demand thoſe ſacrifices which were prepared for the Gods, to be offered up to him as God, or for the people to intend to offer ſacrifices to the Apoſtles, as ſo many Gods; though they rejected it with Why do you Sirs, ſince we are men of like paſſions with your ſelves?

My Lords, when I tell you, and that from the Lord, that you are Gods. I intend not to tell you that you can divide the Sea; Cauſe Jordan to ſtand up on heaps; The Sun to go backwards; Or the Moon to ſtand ſtill, hereby to incourage you to lay claim to thoſe unimitable footſteps of his power, if I ſhould, you would ſoon convince me: as Canutus once King in this Iſland,Cambden in his Remains. confuted his Sycophants that told him he was God, and could remand the aeſtuations of the Sea: He wrapt up his Cloak p. 20on an heap, laid it down upon the ſand, and ſitting upon it with his Scepter in his hand: Commanded the Sea; but it would not obey him. I muſt here ſay either with that good old Father:Tertullian. Imperatorem Deum non dicam quia vel mentiri neſcio, vel eum deridere "non Audeo I dare not call the Emperour a God, either becauſe I dare not lie, or becauſe I dare not deride and mock him: Or elſe I muſt apologize with Iob xxxii. 22. I am not to give flattering Titles to Man, for then my Maker would ſoon reprove me: and the next words doth it effectually, Ye ſhall die like men.

And yet Gods you are, Identitate

Potestatis

Titulis

Operis

Finis

by an oneneſs of

Power.

Title.

Work.

End.

The Magiſtrate is

1. Veſted with

2. Dignified with

3. Imployed in

4. Directed unto

the ſame

Power

Titles

Work

End

with God himſelf.

In the proſecution of which particulars: I would lay down this Rule: That what is ſpoken in Scripture of the Supreme Magiſtrate, holds alſo true of thoſe that are ſent of him: and what is ſpoken of inferiour Magiſtrates, holds more true eminently of the Supreme. Thus the Scripture joyns them together, 1 Tim. ii. 2. For Kings and for all that are in Authority; and 1 Pet. ii. p. 2113, 14. Whether to the King as ſupreme, or unto Governours, as unto them that are ſent by him: with the ſame ſubordination as all earthly power is into God himſelf. Now to proceed

1. The Magistrate is veſted with the ſame power that God himſelf is. Prejudge not the expreſſion, until I clear it. The power in God and in the Magiſtrate is the ſame; God rules by his own power, and a Magiſtrate ruleth by Gods Power; ſo that in both, the Power is Divine; onelyonly with this difference, in God the Power is Connate and Inherent, in a Magiſtrate but Derivative: yet their Power, becauſe their ſubſtitution is Divine, is of the ſame ſtamp and impreſſion: They are Dei Vicarii, his Deputy Lieutenants; they are the Fingers of that Hand which ruleth the World. The Apoſtle is very expreſſe for it, Rom. xiii. 1. All powers that be, are of God, foreign and foreign, of God, not onelyonly as all other Creatures, that are the Works of his hands: So of him are all things; take in the foreign in the Text; and that will tell us they are of him, not onelyonly as Men, but as Magiſtrates; not onelyonly by Creation, but Inſtitution; by Supreme Ordination over men, they are not oney foreign and foreign, but foreign too, in the ſtead of. As God told Moſes he ſhould be to Aaron, in stead of God. As Miniſters beſeech, Magiſtrates command, foreign, in Chriſts stead. They muſt needs be Gods before us, that are the Repreſentatives of God above us; in whoſe Tranſactions God himſelf is concern'd; as the Prince is in all the actions of his Miniſter of State; what they do in diſcharge of their duty, they do by him; and what they do, he is ſaid to do: The Judgement is p. 22Gods, Deut. i. 17. and David is ſaid upon this account to ſit upon Gods Throne, 2 Chron. ix. 8. And Solomon, although he ſat upon the Throne of his Father David, yet he is ſaid to ſit foreign, ſuper ſolium Iehovah, upon the Throne of Iehovah. They muſt be Gods, that ſit upon Gods Throne: Hence all the injuries that are done to them, devolve upon God himſelf; Ye murmur not againſt us, but against God, Numb. xvi. 11. Hence God and the Magiſtrate are joyned together in the ſame Law of Obligation and Obedience. He that obeyeth not the Law of God, and the Law of the King, let judgement be executed upon him, Ezra vii. 26. The Commands of Magiſtrates carry in them a God-like Soveraignty, not onelyonly over the bodies, but over the ſouls and conſciences of men; not onelyonly per concomitantiam, as the Schools ſpeak, but where their Commands croſſe and check not, the Law of God himſelf, either in the particular Commands, or in the general Rules: Of it St. Paul ſaith, Rom. xiii. 1. foreign, Lepevery Soul be ſubject to the Higher Powers. Some will ſay, Soul there, is taken for the Perſon, or Whole Man, be it ſo; then it takes in the Soul as well as the Body: but the Apoſtle further explains himſelf; as his own Comment, Col, 3.22. where he reading a Lecture of ſubjection and obedience to inferiours, ſaith, Not with eye-ſervice, as men-pleaſers, but in ſingleneſs of heart, fearing God, do it heartily, as unto the Lord; heartily, foreign, he tells us there what he meant by foreign, every ſoul be ſubject; that is, from the heart or ſoul; true it is, that none can bind the ſoul or conſcience, but God himſelf; but then we muſt take in p. 23God in the Magiſtrate. When the Magiſtrate commands, it's not man in the Magiſtrate, but God in the Magiſtrate that obligeth: he hath Gods power, and becauſe Gods power binds, a Magiſtrates doth alſo. So runs the Texts, Obey fearing God, and as to the Lord, and for the Lords ſake, and let St. Paul be Doctor in Cathedra, and he will ſoon determine the Caſe, Rom. 13.5. foreign, not for wrath meerly to ſecure the body from puniſhment, and to avoid mans diſpleaſure; but for conſcience ſake, out of the ſenſe of the divine obligation: and what's the Engliſh of all this but this, That the Commands of Magiſtrates that are lawful by virtue of Gods power, with which the powers on Earth are veſted, do bind the Conſcience for Gods ſake: Thus they are Gods, as acting by his Power.

2. Identitate tituli; They are dignified with the ſame Titles, as the reſult of an oneneſſe of Power, except before excepted. We muſt give God leave to ſay to them, as Pharaoh to Ioſeph; OnelyOnly in the Throne I will be greater then thou, Gen. xli. 40. He hath a Name and a Glory, which he gives to none other. But it's worth our obſervation, that all along in the Holy Writ, the ſame Titles that are given to God, are alſo given to the Magiſtrate; whereby they may be called Gods, to give you a taſte of ſome of many.

1. To begin with that which is magnale Dei, that uncontrollable power; that abſoluta potestas, by which he acteth, and is by reaſon of it ſaid foreign, Rom. 9.21.Rom 9:21as the potter hath power over the clay. And his Sovereignty is ſuch, that he hath foreign, Times and p. 24Seaſons in his own power, Acts i. 7. And David ſaith Pſa. lxii. 2. Twice have I heard that power belongs to God. The Aethiopick Verſion and Vulgar Latine hath it, Potestas Dei eſt; inſomuch, That God in Scripture is called Power, Mat. xxvi. 64. that voice that came from God in one Text, is ſaid to come from the right hand of power. If God be called power, the Magiſtrate is no leſs. They are foreign too, all powers that be are of God, Rom. xiii. 1. Be ſubject to powers, and obey Magiſtrates, Tit. iii. 1. God in reſpect of abſolute Dominion is called foreign, that men may know the heavens rule, and Chriſt is foreign, Prime of the Kings of the earth. And Magiſtrates are foreign, principalities, Tit. iii. 1. and foreign, Rom. xiii. 3. Rulers. God by reaſon of his ſtrength is called foreign. Magiſtrates are foreign. Thus we find it Acts xxiii. 26. foreign, ſaith Claudius to Felix. God is called in holy Writ, foreign, the only Potentate; the Magiſtrates no leſs, they are Potentates alſo. He hath put foreign, Potentates from their ſeats, Luke i. 52. God in Scripture is called foreign, the glory, not onelyonly God of glory, but glory it ſelf: as the Prophet, Jer. ii. 11. The nations change their God, but Iſrael change their glory. And that voice which came from God, is ſaid to come foreign, 2 Pef. i. 17. from the excellent glory. And Magiſtrates are ſo alſo,… Pet. 2.10. foreign, blaſpheming the glories. God is called foreign, Primas, one who hath the primacy not onelyonly in time, but order, and is as much as preheminence; as Chriſt is ſaid to have, Col. i. 18. Magiſtrates ſo alſo, they are Primates, and foreign, the chief of the people, Luke xix. 47. God is called foreign, Lord; its p. 25his frequent Title, as ſupreme Moderatour: and they are called foreign, 1 Cor. viii. 5. Lords many. God is called Pſal. xcii. 8. foreign the High One: they are called foreign the High Ones of the earth, Iſa. x. 33. God is called foreign, the Great One; and they are called foreign, the Great Ones, Jer. v. 5. God is called foreign, Medicus, a Phyſitian, to bind up wounds, and to give health and cure, Pſal. cxlvii. 3. and the Magiſtrate is ſo called, Iſa. iii. 7. a Healer, binding up the wounds of the body politick: as we ſee they come in their annual Circuits, Spring, and Fall, to give us phyſick. God is called foreign, a Saviour all the Scripture over, that ſaves his people by the greatneſs of his power: and the Judges and Rulers were called foreign, Saviours, Neh. ix. 27. God is the breath of our noſtrils, becauſe in him we live, and move: and he gives life and breath. And as Job xxxiii. 4. "The breath of the Almighty gives us life: and the Magiſtrate comes herein near God himſelf, in preſerving a politick life. He is called the breath of our noſtrils, Lam. iv. 20. The breath of our nostrils was taken in their pit. God in Scripture is called a Shield, Pſal. lxxxiv. and Magiſtrates no leſs, Pſal. xlvii. laſt, The ſhields of the earth belong unto God. God is called the Father, and Chriſt is called the everlasting Father, Iſa. ix. 6. the Magiſtrate is no leſs amongſt men, they are called nurſing Fathers, Iſa. xlix. 23. I will make Kings thy nurſing Fathers. God is called a Shepherd, Pſal. xxiii. 1. and Chriſt is called foreign, the chief Shepherd: the Magiſtrates are called Shepherds alſo, Iſa. xliv. 28. Ezek. xxxiv. 23. David and Cyrus as Princes and Rulers are called Gods, and the peoples Shepherds: Gods, as inſtituted by him; p. 26and the people as ſet over them, by their tutelage to defend them as a flock. God is called in Scripture, the Foundation that bears up the world, and the pillars of it: and Chriſt is called a Foundation, and a Corner-ſtone: and Magiſtrates are called Foundations alſo, Mie. vi. 2. Hear the Lords controverſie, ye strong Foundations of the earth; and in the Text, All the Foundations of the earth are out of courſe, Pſal. lxxxii. 5. And needs muſt they be Foundations, when in the next world he ſaith, They are Gods. But of this no more. But that received rule of Mollerus upon the Text,Wollerus. Hos vobis attribui titulos, ut propter muneris ſocietatem nominis mecum gereretis communitatem, bringing in God himſelf ſpeaking to the Magiſtrates. In this wiſe I have dignified you with all titles of Honour, that it may appear, becauſe of the aſſociation of Office and Power, you bold a community of names and titles with my ſelf, and ſo ye are Gods.

3. Identitate Operis, an oneneſs of work and imployment. The Magiſtrate here may ſay as Chriſt: Hitherto my Father worketh, and I work. They are Children of the moſt High in the Text, and they do their Fathers work. God doth his own work, where he undertaketh to judge; for Judgement is his: and the Magiſtrate doth Gods work in executing Judgement; Accurſed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently, Jer. xlviii. 10. Propriè de Magistratibus & Judicibus dicitur, ſaith à Lapid. Cornel. à Lapid. in loc.upon that Text. It is meant properly of Judges and Magiſtrates. The work of a Magiſtrate is Judgement and Juſtice, Ier. xxiii. 5. its ſpoken of Chriſt, its true; but as ſitting upon the Throne of David, as a Prince, he ſhall execute Judgement and Juſtice, p. 27And this is Gods work alſo, not onelyonly in his own hands, but in theirs. The work in his own hands we find Deut. x. 18. He executeth Judgement. And this work in their hands we find Deut. xxxiii. 21. He executeth the justice of the Lord. When God by the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. xii. 19. Avenge not, he meaneth, Non de Judiciis publicis, ſed de Praejudiciis privatis. And when he ſaith Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it; he means either by his own hand immediately, or by his Vice-gerents: for Ʋltio Magiſtratus eſt Dei ultio, & quum rependit Magiſtratus, rependit & ipſe Deus, Spanheus. in Rom. 12.19.Rom 12:19ſaith Spanhemius. The revenge of a Judge is Gods revenge, and when the Magiſtrate repayeth, it is God that repayeth by him. So ſaith the Apoſtle Rom. xiii. 4. The Miniſter of God a revenger to execute wrath. Jehoſhaphat ſet Judges over the people, foreign for the Judgement of the Lord. God as the Judge of the world hath his ſword in his hand, and Chriſt as that man by whom God ſhall judge the world, hath his ſword by his thigh, Pſal. xlv. and the Magiſtrate becauſe he bears a ſhare in the works of Judgement alſo, foreign, he beareth the ſword. And its the ſword of the Lord, and the ſword of Gideon, Whatever acts of Judgement are mentioned in Scripture as to deliver the poor, and him that hath no help: to make the Widows heart to ſing, to be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; to be a Father to the poor, to break the jawes of the wicked, to maintain right, to relieve the oppreſſed, to be encouragement to the good, and terrour to the bad, and to give every man according to his deeds, are mutually ſpoken of God and a Magiſtrate in Scripture. A Magiſtrates ſeat is the habitation p. 28of Juſtice, Ier. xxxi. 23. and Judgement the habitation of his Throne, Pſal. lxxxix. 14. Hence the Magiſtrate is foreign, Rom. xiii. 5. Minister of God, a ſervant employed about his Maſters Work. Are ye not afraid to ſpeak againſt my ſervant, againſt Moſes? The work is the ſame, and hence they are Gods.

4. Identitate finis, both directed to the ſame end. God is his own Center, and God is or ſhould be a Magiſtrates Center. Gods actions are all for himſelf, and all the actions of a Magiſtrates ſhould be for God: Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, is the Problem of Iehoſhaphat to his Judges, 2 Chron. xix. 6. The Queen of Sheba could tell Solomon, that God had ſet him up King for the Lord his God, 2 Chron. ix. 8. And God ſaith to David as a Magiſtrate, foreign, the Lord hath ſought a man for himſelf, after his own heart. And David ſaith concerning Solomon, in Type pointing at the end of all Government, That his glorious Name may be magnified, and the Earth may be filled with his glory, Pſal. lxxii. 19. that Solomon might be to Chriſt, as Chriſt to God; ſo a Magiſtrate to both; be their lively Effigies to perpetuate the memory of a God of Judgement: That in Solomon as a righteous Magiſtrate, his Name might continue for ever, verſe 17. but it is in the Text foreign, filiabitur nomen ejus, that as the Father liveth in his Son, the Son taking both Name and Thing from him; ſo the Magiſtrate might be to God; that God might live in them as in his own Children; they receiving both Name and Thing from him: which will lead us to the expreſſe foreign in the Text: which will in few words conclude the Judges Commiſſion, and p. 29clear it as in the Text, I have ſaid Ye are Gods, and Children of the Moſt High.

Thus My Lords I have been long in reading your Commiſſion, becauſe ſomething obſcure; but I hope I have done it ſo clearly, that no one can ſcruple one ſyllable of it; where I have diſcharg'd my ſecond Task. There remains a Third, which is to give a ſhort Charge from the Lord, who ſaith, You are Gods: For which I humbly beg your Honourable patience, and I ſhall leave you to God and your Work; and this in the Application of the Text.

I have ſaid Ye are Gods. My Lords, This Text tells us ſo, and it tells you ſo, That You are Gods. As it tells ſo, it preſents us with what we owe to you: As it telleth you ſo, it preſents you with what you owe both to God and us.

1. It telleth us ſo, and herein we are taught what we one the Magiſtrate, viz. To owne his power, and to yield obedience for the Lords ſake; notwithſtanding that Inhibition of the Apoſtle, Owe no man any thing, Rom. xiii. 8. his meaning is, owe not ſo, as not to pay, he is his own Interpreter, Render to every man his dues, honour to whom honour. Obedience to Magiſtrates is a debt that we muſt be always paying, and yet always owing. Goe unto Caeſar the things that are Caeſars. That dream of the degenerate Aeſſeans, who taught the people to own no Power or Ruler, but onelyonly God himſelf; muſt not paſſe either for Tradition, or Doctrine with Chriſtians; becauſe it gives ſo clear a Check to the Apoſtle: Who ſaith, Let every ſoul be ſubject to the higher powers, Rom. 13.1. They that cry no King p. 30but Caeſar, denying God his Supremacy over man, and they that cry no King but Ieſus, denying man his Supremacy under God, do both erre, not knowing the Scriptures, and the power of God. Unhappy Levellers, that would thus make plain thoſe Mountains, that ſhould bring forth Righteouſneſs, and the Hills that ſhould bring forth peace unto the people, Pſal. lxxii. 3. That man that can ſcruple mans power under God, will in time ſcruple Gods power overman. To ſpeak evil of Rulers is bad and forbidden, Exod. xxii. 28. but to ſpeak evil of Dignities, and deſpiſe Dominion, and ſo to ſtrike a blow at the root, is far worſe, Iude viii. and is that ſpirit that the Apoſtle told us ſhould actuate the laſt and the worſt of time. Subjection is every where commanded, and therein Dominion and Rule is founded. It is a weak miſtake, that becauſe the Apoſtle ſaith foreign, 1 Pet. 2.13. Obey every Ordinance of man; therefore Magiſtracy muſt be a humane Ordinance; and as it receives it riſe, ſo it may be laid aſide, according to mans pleaſure. A bad Comment upon ſo good a Text. The Apoſtle Paul being witneſſe, Rom. xiii. 2. who ſaith it is foreign, the Ordinance of God, and he that reſiſts, reſiſts the Ordinance of God. Particular Ordinances may be humane, but the Fundamental Ordinance, which gives life to the power, muſt be divine; or let Magiſtracy be Objectively, Subjectively, and Terminatively Humane; yet Originally it muſt be Divine: Dominion and Soveraignty is part of the Image of God; whence Man in reſpect to his power over the Woman, is called the Image of God, 1 Cor. 11.7. And certainly none p. 31can impart the Image of God, but God himſelf; and the clearer we ſee the lines of Dominion and Power drawn over any Perſon, the nearer he comes to the Deity. And it ſhould be a Noli me tangere to all tongues and hands of violence, Touch not mine anointed. It is ſtoried that Phydias a Painter at Athens, did ſo curiouſly intermix the Picture of Minerva the Goddeſſe and his own together, that no one could deface the one, but they muſt deface the other; hereby expecting that the Picture of the Goddeſſe ſhould be the dreadful Protectrix of his Effigies. But ſure we may be, that God hath ſo curiouſly enamel'd his Own and Mans Image together in a Magiſtrate, that none can deface the one, but they muſt deface the other; hereby expecting that his Image on a Magiſtrate, ſhould be the Dreadful Protector of his Perſon and Power. Let no bold hand invade or uſurp Chriſts Charter, which is to put down all Power, Authority, and Rule; as 1 Cor. xv. 24. for Chriſt himſelf is to do it: when all derivations muſt revert into their Original, and he will call in all his Commiſſions, and Chriſt himſelf muſt ſurrender. That will be to make God All in All; but for man to preoccupate Chriſt in that work, will make God Nothing at all.

Thoſe filthy dreamers the Apoſtle ſpeaks of Iude viii. who deſpiſe Dominions, dreamers they are, and filthy ones; alſo they do but dream; becauſe the Scripture cannot be broken. We read of two Rods the one of Moſes, the other of Aaron. The Rod of Moſes as a Prince, the Rod of Aaron as a Prieſt. The Rod of Moſes as a Prince, ſwallowed up all the Rods of the p. 32Magitians, Exod. vii. 12. and the Rod of Aaron bloſſom'd and brought forth ripe Almonds, without Earth, Numb. xvii. 8. to ſhew that theſe two, Moſes and Aaron; or as Zach. iii. and iv. Chapters, Zerubbabel and Joſhua, Magiſtracy and Miniſtry are thoſe two Sons of Oil, which as Zach. iv. 12. as two golden pipes, empty the Golden Oil out of themſelves, and are foreign, ſtanding Pillars, that ſhall ſtand before the Lord of the whole Earth. And men ſhall find it as eaſie to diſanul the Law, that the God of Nature hath made betwixt Day and Night, Summer and Winter, as to reverſe that Covenant that he hath made with David his ſervant as a Prince, and the Prieſts his Miniſters, Ier. xxxiii. 20, 21. and thus they are dreamers. But they are filthy ones alſo, thus the Apoſtle calls them; they defile the fleſh, Jude viii. and therefore deſpiſe dominion, that there might be no heir of reſtraint, to be a terrour to the evil; thus making proviſion for the luſts of the fleſh; that as when no King in Iſrael, they may do every one what is good in his own eyes: thus they are filthy dreamers. And it would do well for men to conſider that the Rod of Moſes, when it was thrown upon the ground, was turn'd into a Serpent, Exod. iv. 3, 4. Let us take a ſurvey of that Text, And heſaid, cast it on the ground, and it became a Serpent, and Moſes ſled from before it; and the Lord ſaid put forth thine hand and take it by the tail, and he put forth his hand and caught it, and it became a Rod in his hand. We have ſeen the lively Comment upon this Text. The Rod of our Moſes hath been thrown to the ground; our eys have ſeen it, and it then became a Serpent, and we have felt it; p. 33and our Moſes himſelf fled from before it, and we lamented it; but now God (through mercy) hath inabled him to take that Serpent by the tail; he hath caught it, and it became a Rod again, and a ſtrong Rod to rule, and our ſouls rejoyce in it. But hence let all know, that Moſes Rod caſt upon the ground, will become a Serpent, and that will carry a ſevere ſting in the tail of it, They that reſist, ſhall receive to themſelves damnation.

2. The ſecond Application will run ſomething more ſpecial to thoſe that are concern'd in matters of Judgement this day, whether they be to ſtand before, or to ſit upon the Seat of Judgement. And firſt to thoſe that are to ſtand before it, either as Plaintiſſe, Defendant, Witneſſes, Council, or Iury. I know the claims of Cuſtome, and the great Concerns in Judgement, call for a particular word to every one of theſe. I ſhall not be ſo prodigal of that little time I have left, as to expatiate too much upon every Topick or Common Place; onelyonly I ſhall make uſe of this one Director in the Text, unto them all ſucceſſively, which may help them in the matters of Judgement, and it's this. He hath ſaid they are Gods, act by his Power, are imployed in his Work, the Judgement is Gods, and God is with them in Judgement, 2 Chron. xix. 6. and God judgeth and ſtandeth in the Congregation of the Gods, Pſal. lxxxii. 1, 2. Therefore my advice to you all, in what relation ſoever you ſtand, as it's given to my hand, is this, Deut. xix. 17. foreign. As the Arabick verſion reads Sistent ſecoram Iehovah. Let them ſet themſelves before the Lord. So ſpeak, and ſo do, as before the p. 34Lord, and as 2 Chron. xix. 7. Let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed and do it.

1. To you who are Plaintiffs and Defendants, whom the Jewes call foreign Viri litis. I hope it is not according to the proper Idiom of the language, which intends the ſignification, that you will prove your ſelves litigious and contentious men, or men of contention. Yet you muſt know, that in all Law-contentions, there muſt be either an unjuſt complaint, or an unjuſt defence: and there lyes the contention; to you I ſpeak, who have any Cauſes to be heard before the Gods this day: Know that it is before the Lord you bring your controverſies. Let them then be worthy ſuch an inſpection, to whom it is iniquity and a grievance, to find men to be the raiſers of ſtrife and contention, Hab. i. 2. Indeed the ancient Jews have a ſaying, Cui eſt Judicium cauſa, ant lis accedat Judicem; and its but the tranſcript of the divine rule, and that gives the true Engliſh of it, Deut. xix. 17. Both the men between whom the controverſie is, ſhall stand before the Lord, and before the Judge. But then you muſt know, they muſt be neither the Apoſtles foreign, nor the Prophets foreign, neither the ſmalleſt matters, 1 Cor. vi. 2. nor unrighteous actions. Iſa. x. 1. neither trivial nor unjuſt; we ſhould not trouble Gods Tribunal with that which wants either weight or right, ſuch are better compounded then carried, the one being againſt the Majeſty, the other againſt the Juſtice of that righteous Judge who ſtandeth amongſt the Gods. Petty Suits are the ſcab, and unjuſt ones the leproſy of Judicature; we muſt not cut out work for the Judge that needs not, much leſs that which ought not. An ancient Complaint, or an unjuſt p. 35defence, are equally harſh in his eares who is a God of truth and equity. Carry therefore all thy Cauſes to the balance of the Sanctuary, and the Bar of thine own Conſcience, before thou bringeſt them to Gods Tribunal, let them be thy Grand Jury, and if they return Ignoramus, let them die. It is good advice that is given thee by the wiſeſt of men, Eccleſ. viii. 3. Stand not in an evil matter, ſtir not by complaint, ſtand not in it by defence; do but ask thy ſoul this Queſtion; Dare I commence this action before Gods dreadfull Tribunal, if not, what doth it here? If the pretended mother of the Child had thought that ſhe ſhould have had to do with a Solomon, a man of a large heart, ſhe would have deſiſted from her querulous falſities. But know that a greater then Solomon is here. Let a Spirit of Love and Peace, compound and take up. Let every man be willing to yield to right, though againſt himſelf. Man is not the Creature that God hath made to live in the fire, it is true of Humane, as it is ſaid of Divine Laws, good if uſed lawfully, 1 Tim. i. 8. There is a Curſe that attends them, that delight in War; it's true of the Wars at the Barre, as well as thoſe of the Field. Theſe are the foreign and the foreign which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, James iv. 1. Wars and Fightings which come of our luſts. Turn not our Rephidim into Meribah, our pleaſant Streams of Juſtice into the Waters of Strife; they will then be both Marah 05 and Maſſah, bitter to us, and we ſhall tempt the Lord, and ſay, Is the Lord with us, yea or no. We need not doubt it, for his is the Judgement, and he is with you in Judgement.

2. The Witneſſes may be directed here, and the p. 36Text ſpeaks a word to you. Set you your ſelves before the Lord, before whom you ſpeak, and who weighs both your ſpirits and your words; you ſtand before the Lord, and the Oath of the Lord is upon you: your Evidence is Cynoſura Cauſae, and directs to Judgement, as the Chard doth the Mariners to his Port. Prevaricate not before the Lord, who can detect your falſity, and will revenge the injury: God before whom you ſpeak, is a God of Truth, and you had need be men of Truth, that you may appeal to God and ſay, as 2 Cor. xi. 31. God knoweth I he not: he is a Witneſſe to thy Teſtimony. It is a dreadful thing to tell a lie at the Barre, and call God to be a Witneſſe to it. The Antient Jewes have a Saying, which will ſit us here foreign, Qui vult mentiri amoveat testes ſuos, He that will tell a lie, muſt firſt remove his Witneſſes. Tell not therefore a lie at the Barre, until thou beeſt ſure, thou haſt removed God himſelf from the Barre. Look to the form of thy Oath, it is very full and pertinent. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The truth without equivocation, the whole truth without mutilation, nothing but the truth without addition. For the Jews will tell thee, Tres veritatem dixerunt & tamen perierunt, Serpens, Doeg, & Exploratores. Three told truth, and yet periſhed, the Serpent, Doeg and the Spies, that went to ſearch out the Promiſed Land. The Serpent he told Eve that if they eat the fruit, God knew they ſhould be as Gods, knowing good and evil; it was truth, but not without equivocation: they underſtood him of notional, but the Devil meant it of experimental knowledge: and hence he p. 37is called a liar from the beginning, John viii. 44. Doeg told Saul that Ahimelech the Prieſt inquired of the Lord for David, gave him victuals, and the ſword of Goliah the Philiſtine, 1 Sam. xxii. 9. And this was truth, but not the whole truth, had he told Saul that David told Ahimelech that Saul ſent him about ſome important buſineſs, he had ſaved the lives of many of the Prieſts of the Lord: and therefore Doeg is marked with the brand of a lying and deceitfull tongue, Pſal. lii. 3, 4. The ſpies told the Iſraelites there were Gyants in the Land, and it was truth: but they did it with aggravation, and ſaid it was not poſſible to overcome them, and poſſeſs the Land; and ſo they told more then the truth. They are herein ſaid to bring foreign a lying report, or a ſlander upon the Land, and they periſhed, Numb. xiv. 36, 37. What thou ſpeakeſt before the Judge, thou ſpeakeſt before God. Let not this Teſtimony come out of deceitfull lips, leſt whilſt the Judge cannot detect thee, God comes to charge thee, (as he did by Peter to Ananias) Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost, Acts v. Tremble to think that God may by ſome amazing Judgement tell thee and the world, thou lyeſt. The Jewiſh Adage tells thee, Qui loquitur lingua mala, perinde est, ac ſi abnegaret Deum, & peccat & in coelum, & in terram, He that ſpeaks with an evil-lying, or deceitful Tongue, is as if he denied God himſelf, and ſins both againſt Heaven and Earth. Remember that command that chargeth thee not to bear falſe witneſs againſt thy neighbour. Let not fear, malice, hope of gain, draw a falſe Teſtimony from thee, to draw thee into a pernitious lye. Know that mendacii merces vilis eſt, the wages p. 38of a lye is very diſhonourable, a falſe witneſs being one of thoſe ſix things which God abhors, and he that telleth lyes is one of thoſe that ſhall not eſcape, Prov. vi. 19. and xix. 5.

3. The Text ſpeaks a word to you, Gentlemen, that are of the Counſel, you that are Magna Legis Oracula, the great Oracles of the Law, whom we conſult, as of old, with whom, when, and how we ſhould go to war. You are to the Judge in Civils, what John Baptist was to Chriſt in Spirituals, his fore-runner to prepare his way; and you do it well, if you make crooked things straight beforehand. You may do it in your Counſel-giving, and in your Pleading at the Bar: and in both conſider, that what you ſpeak to man, you ſpeak alſo before that God that knoweth well that the hand of Joab is in the cauſe, and can point out the very men that deviſe miſchiefs, and give wicked Counſel in the City, Ezek. xi. 2. Your work is honourable, Chriſt ſtiles himſelf the Counſellour, and its the greateſt truſt that you are capable of, for you to give Counſel, and we to follow it in our greateſt temporal concerns. Therefore give it liquidly and faithfully, as before the Lord; liquidly and clearly, not as the Oracles of old, of whom it was ſaid, Obſcuris ambagibus reſponſa dabant, gave their anſwers aenigmatically and darkly, that men knew not how to reſolve them; give no uncertain ſound to the battel, how ſhall men then prepare themſelves to it. Give it faithfully alſo as God himſelf would, let every man ſee his cauſe through right perſpectives, encourage no man to take up a bad cauſe, ſound not a March when you ſhould ſound a Retreat, let not your Counſel be as Zedekiah's to Ahab, Go up to p. 39Ramoth-Gilead and proſper, when its Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and fall. Do not as the Oracles of Apollo foreignſpeaks, as Philip would have it; let the Counſel of peace come from you, and if poſſible, let your advice be the period of every Cauſe, the end of Counſel is not ſtrife but ceſſation, 2 Sam. xx. 21. They asked Counſel at Abel, and ſo they ended the matter. Let us come to you as to the Oracles of God for truth and faithfulneſs. The Rabbinical Apophthegme is ſomething tart, Cave tibi ab co. foreign, Qui conſulit tibi ſecundum viam ſuam, Beware of him that gives thee Counſel rather for his Commodity, then out of Conſcience, then Abſalom his Counſel will be given, every mans Cauſe will be right, and his adverſaries wrong: and ſo a man ſhall ſeem juſt in his Cauſe, till his neighbour come and ſearch him out, Prov. xviii. 17.

In your pleading at the Bar, Conſider that the Advocate or Counſel, the Jewes called him foreign if from foreign dulceſcere, to ſweeten: then it tells you, you are by all your verbal ingredients to ſweeten the Law, & not to turn it into gall and wormwood. But if from foreign eludere, or deludere, then it tells you by an Antiphraſis, that you are not per verborū aucupia & tendiculas, as Tully ſpeaks, by cunning conſtructions & Artifices, to rack the Law, & wreak the Innocent. You ſpeak before that God that gives you in charge, Exod. xxiii. 1, 2. Put not thine hand to the wicked, neither ſhalt thou ſpeak in a Cauſe to wrest Judgement: not a word for a bad Cauſe, not a word againſt a good one; let neither the depth of an Achitophel, nor the flouriſhes of a Tertullus, neither Policy nor Oratory be employed againſt right and equity. Let not the Law which is the p. 40hedge of common intereſt appear to be made onelyonly of thorns to prick and wound; nor the cloud of Juſtice, which ſhould overſhadow and relieve us. Be like that which pluit ſuper eos laqueos is diſſolved into ſnares to involve us. Raiſe no duſt to darken a clear one, nor bring varniſh to help the paint of a foul Cauſe. The woman which ſits in the midſt of the Epha, which is wickedneſs, Zach. v. 8, 9. having conceived and grown big, and now ready to bring forth; lend not your hand to deliver the monſter, where your judgement and conſciences conclude the cauſe bad. Let your tongues cleave to the roof of your mouths with St. Pauls reſolve, 2 Cor. xiii. 8. I can do nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth. Your Barre conteſts are Status Cauſae, where, as in our bodies the Diſeaſe and Nature, ſo here Right and Injuſtice are ſtriving for predominance; do but thus conclude, that you are pleading before Gods Tribunal; and then you will leave a bad cauſe to ſpeak for its ſelf.

4. The Text directs a word to the …ury, you are veſted with a ſacred power, and your Oath is a ſacred Bond. You are Judices facti, Judges of the fact, and immediately lead ad judicium Cauſae, to the judgement of the Cauſe. You are the perſons to whom all perſons concerned in judgement look; you are to look upon the Priſoner at the Bar, to you one directs his Complaint, and to you the other his Defence, to you the Witneſs directs his Evidence, and the Counſel their Plea; and the Judge for his Sentence looks to you, and God in judgement looks upon you; you had need look to your ſelves. Let God and the Countrey go together in your p. 41Verdict, in truth, righteouſneſs, … your work to prepare an even way … your Sentence of the fact, to the Judg… … Law. Your Verdict is Criſis Cauſae … the Cauſe. Let not Juſtice have a b… indication in that Critical hour, when you go from the Bar to conſult and return to give your Judgement; God is with you in both. Be not led aſide by fear, favour, or feud; be not perſwaded, affrighted, or bribed into a falſe Verdict: let not God nor the Gods finde from you a lazy or idle Verdict, hudled up to ſave the labour of weighing the evidence and circumſtances: nor a ſordid and covetous Verdict to take the advantage of more Cauſes. Act by Conſcience, not Contagion; by reaſon, not an implicite ſaith, Non quâ itur, ſed quâ cundum, let Conſcience ſpeak before your Foreman. Let not errour in Judgement lye at your doors. The Talmudists have a ſaying for you, foreign, Nè Judices proximum tuum donee pertigeris ad locum ipſius. Judge not thy Brother until thou haſt ſet thy ſelf in his ſtead. Bring no other Verdict againſt him, then thou wouldſt be willing he ſhould bring againſt …ee, or thou bring againſt thy own ſoul. In a word, let all perſons concerned in Judgement ſo ſpeak, and ſo do, as they may not through inadvertency have cauſe to ſay, as Jacob did once, God is here, and I am not aware of it. The Text is your ſufficient Caution, he ſtands among the Gods, the Judgement is his; and therefore they are called Gods.

Laſtly, the Text ſpeaks by way of ſpecial application my Lords, to you; the Judge is called by the Ancient p. 42Jews foreign, the Lord of Judgement, or the Judge of the Law. They ſhall stand before the Lord, before the Judge, Deut. xix. 17. your power is from him; your work tends to him; your perſons repreſent him; you are Gods, and your Judgement is his; and this the Text tells you; and therein what you owe both to God and us; in which I ſhall not be your Magiſterial Dictator, but your humble remembrancer. The Text telleth us, 1 Kings x. 19. that Solomon had a Throne that had ſix ſteps to it, and the Jews tell us further, that upon thoſe ſix ſteps there were inſcriptions, and upon every ſtep a remembrancer, that he might have his duty both in his eyes and eares. That when the King aſcended up the firſt, the Officer cried foreign, Wreſt not Judgement. When he went up the ſecond, the Officer cried, foreign, Reſpect not perſons. When upon the third, he cried, foreign, Take no bribes. And thus every ſtep, until he came to ſit down upon his Throne: that as in the Temple they had their Canticae graduum, Songs of degrees; ſo they had upon the Steps of the Throne Admonitions of degrees alſo. And this is no more then the Perſian King was wont to have one to cry foreign. The Engliſh whereof I cannot give you in better terms, then in the words of Iehoſhaphat to the Judges, 2 Chron. 29.6. Take heed what ye do, ye judge not for man, but for the Lord. Let the fear of God be upon you, take heed and do it. You are Gods, then I have theſe two things to lay before you.

1. Becauſe you are Gods, let God be your end in Judgement, and his Glory the mark you aime at. His p. 43Glory is his own end, and his Glory ſhould be your end. God makes all things for himſelf, and all powers that are of him ſhould tend thither, as to their nobleſt end, 2 Chron. 19.6. Ye judge not for man, but for the Lord; and David was King for the Lord his God, 2 Chron. ix. 8. Non quae ſunt hominis ſed quae ſunt dei judicatis. As Iehoſhaphat told them, The matters of the Lord, as well as the Kings matters, 2 Chron. xix. 11. Power and Rule was not intended as a preſervative of Humane onelyonly, but chiefly of Divine Intereſt; not bounds onelyonly to mans Injuſtice, but to his Impiety alſo: Not onelyonly that men might not like fiſhes of the Sea, who have no Ruler, devour one another, Hab. i. 13, 14. but that they might not treſpaſſe againſt the Lord; 2 Chron. xix. 10. The Apoſtle gives us the reaſon why prayers and ſupplications are to be made for Kings, and all in Authority, 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. that we might lead not onelyonly foreign, but alſo foreign, not onelyonly quiet and peaceable lives, but in all godlineſs and honeſty; religione & ſanctimonia morum, in all religion and holineſſe of life; could you my Lords, ſo order it that we might ſit under our own Vines and Figtrees in Peace, it would be very unequal for us, to be refreſhed with the ſhadow of the Vine, and God to eat the ſowre grapes of it; he might ſay of your Judgement, as he did of Iſrael faſting, Zach. vii. 5. Have ye at all judged for me, even for me, O Houſe of Iſrael. The Magiſtrate is Custos utriuſque tabulae, and in Gods order and method too, who ſaith the firſt is the great Command to be obſerved and preſerved by man, God himſelf is moſt jealous for his own glory: So ſhould a p. 44Magiſtrate, Non tantum pacis Custos & Armentarius, ſed pietatis & Minister Dei, ſaith Melancthon. The Jews tell us that of the ſix Inſcriptions that were upon the Steps to Solomons Throne, the three loweſt concerned Juſtice towards man, and the three higheſt Religion towards God; to let him know that when he ſate in Judgement, Religion ſhould be the neareſt his heart, and firſt in his eye. Power and Rule ſhould be as Jacob's Ladder, whereof as one end ſtood upon the Earth, the other end reached up to Heaven; and it's a good obſervation that one makes of Magiſtracy, that their motion ſhould be as the motion of the Planets to the Primum Mobile. Philoſophers tell us they are ſwiſt in the motion of the Firſt Mover, and ſlow in their own. So they ſhould ſee that a Nation be not carried down a torrent of violence; but more, that it be not carried down the torrent of wickedneſſe. Then I hope I may tell you that all that Atheiſtical contempt of Gods holy Worſhip, all thoſe irreligious and horrid blaſphemies, oaths, and curſings of thoſe whoſe language is of Aſhdod, and their tongues ſwords and ſpears to God himſelf, all that impious prophanation of the Lords Day; That Torrent of Belial, and Inundation of Debauchery that comes in upon us as a Flood, and abounds in every corner, and well were it if it would content it ſelf with corners; whereby not onelyonly the power and heart, but the forme and face of Religion ſeems to be loſt: Such as theſe, are Iniquities to be puniſhed by the Iudges. David cries out in this caſe, It is time for the Lord to work, for men have made void thy Law, Pſal. cxix. 126. and if it be time for God to work. I am ſure p. 45it is no time for the Gods to ſleep; to whom ſhould we as the Lords Advocares fly, but to you who are the Gods, and ſo to judge for the Lord. Awake up to Judgement, that men may not ſay that God hath forſaken the Earth; becauſe the Gods ſeem to do ſo. It's obſervable that David and Solomon when they were imployed in the Civil Affairs of the Kingdome, they are ſaid to ſit upon their own Throne, and upon the Throne of their Father; but when they looked higher, to reforme Religion, to promote Godlineſſe, to make them forſake their ſtrange Wives, as well as their ſtrange Gods, then they are ſaid to ſit upon the Throne of the Lord, 2 Chron. ix. 8. 1 Chron. xxix. 23. The end of Magiſtracy is as Iſa. i. 26. to purge away our droſſe, and take away our Tinne, that we might be called the City of Righteouſneſs; and to that end he gives Judges as at firſt, and Counſellors as at the beginning. His promiſe is to make our Officers peace, and our Exactors righteouſneſſe, Iſa. lx. 17. that we might be a holy people, Iſa. lxii. 12. then may we expect a bleſſing when we are the Mountain of Holineſſe, as well as the Habitation of Iuſtice, Ier. xxxi. 23.

It is neither glory to God, nor honour to a Magiſtrate, when the people is Gomorrah, or they called the rulers of Sodom, as Iſa. 1.10. My Lords, you bear the ſword, and its the ſword of the Lood. Act by his example, who alluding from the ſword in his hand, to the ſword in his mouth, ſaith, Gen. vi. 3. foreign, Non erit tanquam gladius in vagina detentus, my ſpirit ſhall not be always as a ſword in its ſheath. Where God ſets his face againſt, you muſt not hide your eyes from: where God ſtretcheth p. 46out his arm, you muſt not have yours in your boſome: where God draws his ſword, you muſt not ſheath it. Gods ſword is drawn, and ſharpened, and furbiſhed againſt iniquity. Hold you it in your hand, that iniquity may be afraid; you bear it not in vain, but as the Miniſter of God for good, a terrour to the evil, and let it appear ſo. A Chriſtian Magiſtrate ſhould go as far as Gallio went, who told them when they complained of St. Paul, that if there was foreign, Any wrong or wicked lewdneſs; wrong to man, or lewdneſs againſt God: it was then reaſon he ſhould hear them, Acts xviii. 14. And David is their example, who ſaid, he would as Pater patriae, early deſtroy all the wicked doers out of the Land, Pſal. ci. 8. as the Wiſe-man ſaith, A King ſitting upon his Throne of Judgement, ſcattereth away all evil with his eyes. Let it not be as it was ſaid of Laiſh, Judg. xviii. 7. No Magiſtrate to put them to ſhame in any thing. The words are foreign, no heir of reſtraint. Power and rule ſhould be as its prime end, a restraint to evil, the Law being made for the ungodly, 1 Tim. i. 9. and that reſtraint beſt acted, which is done by an heir of reſtraint, who hath right as well as might: the word ſignifies both poſſidens regnum, and haeres interdicti; a poſſeſſion of the kingdome, and an heir of reſtraint. We have, bleſſed be God, poſſidens regnum, one that now poſſeſſeth the kingdome: and as a greater mercy, haeres interdicti alſo, whoſe right it is. Let not the reſtraint be wanting. My Lords, it will lye at your doors for our haeres interdicti. Our Gracious Sovereign, out of his pious and princely care, hath publickly and paſſionately declared his Royal diſpleaſure at, and diſlike p. 47of the prophaneneſs and debauchery which abounds in the Nation, and hath in Print charged us to ſtir up thoſe that are in Authority to put forth this reſtraint, by execution of thoſe good Laws in this caſe provided. I humbly therefore, being backed by the commands of God and Man, preſs this upon all that are in place and power, to give a curb to this growing wickedneſs. The well-temper'd Spring loſeth its virtue and ſtrength, if the leſſer wheels and balance, that ſhould regulate the motion be out of tune. Let Eli his Sentence caution you, 1 Sam. iii. 13. for the iniquity that he knoweth of: Qui non vetat, quum poteſt, jubet, He that reſtraineth not, commands, as Miniſters contract the guilt of thoſe ſins they do not reprove: So Magiſtrates of thoſe things they do not puniſh. They became vile, and thou reſtraineſt them not. "I ſaid thy houſe ſhould continue before me, here is the Amarti in the Text, I have ſaid. And though men and devils cannot diſannull his word, yet God himſelf can reverſe it. But now be it far from me, Thoſe that honour me I will honour, and they that deſpiſe me ſhall be lightly esteemed.

2. You are Gods; then let God be your Rule and Exemplar in Judgement, bee as he is, and do as he doth in Judgement. Baldaeus telleth us that there ought to be a double ſalt in a Magiſtrate, Sal Scientiae, and Conſcientiae, the Salt of Science and Conſcience: by the one he will know what to do, by the other he will do according to what he knoweth.

1. Sal Scientiae, the Salt of Knowledge; and that is either Juris, or Facti: Knowledge of the Law, or knowledge of the Fact. Firſt, for the knowledge of the Law. p. 48A Judge muſt be a man of knowledge; Provide able men, ſaith Jethro to Moſes, Exod. xviii. 21. they muſt be Viri virtutis, Men of inward ſtrength. As Apollos was ſaid to be foreign, mighty in the Scriptures, ſo muſt they be in the Law. God is ſtiled a God of Knowledge, and by him all actions are weighed, 1 Sam. ii. 3. The knowledge of a Magiſtrate is his ballance wherein he doth librare Iustitiam, weigh forth Juſtice to others, it is his Standard and Rule whereby he meaſureth the actions of men. But of this My Lords, when I ſpeak before you, I may without flattery apologize with St. Paul to Agrippa, Acts xxvi 2. I think my ſelf happy that I am to addreſſe my ſelf to you, who are expert in the Laws and Cuſtoms of our Nation.

Secondly, for the Scientia facti, the knowledge of the fact, it is as neceſſary. When a Magiſtrate walks on in darkneſſe, he muſt ſtumble, and the foundations of the Earth will be out of courſe, Quum judicas cognoſce, is the monition of a Heathen, When thou judgeſt know, what thou judgeſt. A Judge ſhould be to the people inſtead of eys, God himſelf will know and ſee before he ſtriketh, Gen. xviii. 21. I am come down to ſee whether ſins be according to their cry. Quanquam Deo aperta, tamen non punit Audita ſed viſa. They were well known to God, ſo that not out of his own neceſſity, but for our Imitation he puniſheth, not what he heareth, but what he ſeeth. Chriſt as Iudge, Iſa. xi. 3. Not according to hearing of his ears, or ſight of his own eyes, but with righteouſneſſe ſhall he judge. My Lords, your Sentence is Terminatio Cauſae, the termination and period of every Cauſe. One word from you in the Prophets p. 49phra…, deſtroyeth a man and his houſe, even a man and his heritage; and therefore your Sentence had need be well grounded, the Judges Sentence muſt be the …ſh…e of examination and deliberation. Let it be true, that he is to proceed ſecundum allegata & probata, it muſt be examinata alſo; as God himſelf came to examine whether Sodom's cry was true; and Deut. xix. 18. If a falſe witneſſe riſe up againſt a man, to teſtifie against him that which is wrong, the Iudge ſhall make diligent inquiſition: And Iob cleareth himſelf thus, The cauſe which I knew not I ſearched out, Iob xxix. 16. The Jews had a Saying to this purpoſe, In oſtio caulae verba, ſed intra ſepta ratio. Words may be in the door of the fold, but reaſon and underſtanding muſt be within the hedge. God himſelf doth librare Iuſtitiam, weigh his Juſtice. And Aſtraea you know, the Hieroglyphick of Iuſtice, as ſhe hath a Sword in one hand, ſo ſhe hath a pair of ballances in the other; to tell you that you muſt ponder and weigh before you ſtrike. The Rabbins have an elegant Saying here, foreign, Beatus eſt Iudex qui fermentat ſuvm judicium; drawn from the Iſraelites, who becauſe of their haſte, could not ſtay to leaven their bread: the meaning of it is, That Iudge doth well, who is not haſty in Iudgement. Deliberation and Conſultation is the fermentation of Iudgement; not as David in haſte gave Ziba Mephiboſheth's Land, and at the beſt, bad them divide it. Miſtake not the Hieroglyphicks of Iuſtice ſo, becauſe Iuſtice was pictured blind, therefore a Iudge muſt put out his eies; he muſt be quick ſighted in every thing, but what may tempt him to pervert Iuſtice.

p. 502. There is required Sal Conſcientia, the Salt of Conſcience, that he may do according to what he knoweth; this telleth you that you muſt do Juſtice Effectually and do it Impartially.

Firſt, Do it Effectually, God doth ſo, he is known by the Iudgement which he executeth, Pſal. ix. 16. and ſo ſhould you make it your buſineſſe to execute true Juſtice, as God prepares his Throne for Iudgement, Pſal. ix. 7. Will God pervert Iuſtice, is an Interrogatory that he vehemently denieth, Iob. viii. 3. it's far from God, it ſhould be far from a Magiſtrate, as one of the greateſt Soloeciſmes that can be committed. Injuſtice in a Judge, leaves injuſtice at Gods Door, and ſhall not the Iudge of all the World do right? One foul Sentence is of more dangerous import then many foul examples; the one corrupts but the ſtream, but the other the fountain; as Prov. xxv. 26. Fons turbatus & vena corrupta, est justus cadens in ſuâ cauſâ coram adverſario. A troubled Fountain, is a juſt man falling in his cauſe before the wicked. The Jews have a Saying, Qui pervertit judicim perinde est, acſi perverteret jus Dei & depelleret pedes Majestatis ipſius. For a Judge to pervert Judgement, is to pervert Gods right, and to thruſt away the feet of the Almighty: who walks in the paths of Judgement, hear Davids elegant Anthem, 2 Sam. xxiii. 1, 2, 3. David the ſon of Ieſſe ſaid, the man raiſed up on high, the anointed of God, the ſweet Pſalmist of Iſrael ſaid, the ſpirit of God ſpake, the God of Iſrael ſaid, the Rock of Iſrael ſpake. "A large Prologue "to uſher ſome matter of weight, it's but this, He that ruleth over men must be juſt, ruling in the fear of God. p. 51And Deut. xvi. 20. That which is altogether just, ſhalt thou follow, pure justice, foreign, as your margents read it Iuſtice, Iuſtice, Shalt thou follow, the Ingemination denotes the affection with which God ſpeakes it; and the ſtrictneſſe with which you ſhould execute it; hence Judges are called, Dan. iii. 2. foreign, quaſi, foreign, quorum jus purum eſt, whoſe Judgement is or ſhould be pure, and Chriſt as Judge ſets you a pattern, Iſa. xi. 5. Righteouſneſſe ſhall be the girdle of his loyns, and faithfulneſſe the girdle of his reins.

Secondly, Do it impartially, God doth ſo, and reſpects no mans perſon in Judgement. The Jews tell us that foreign, ſignifieth both Aures and Bilances, the ears and a ballance, upon this ground that a Judges ear ſhould be as the tongue of a ballance, ſtand in aequilibrio, equal to both parts, till the weight in the ſcale make it incline to either ſide; Cauſa non perſona, The Cauſe not the Perſon, ſhould be a Judges Motto, hence the Athenians, the Egyptians and the Thebans pictured Juſtice blind, and without hands; their Judges being appointed to ſit in the dark, that they might know no mans face but his cauſe. The Jews ſay, Qui aut amici aut inimici perſonam induit Iudicis exuit. "He that acts "either as a friend or as an enemy acts not like a Judge. He is not for fear as Pilate, nor for ſavour as Herod, nor for hatred, as Ahab, nor for hope as Felix, to paſſe any Sentence: Juſtice muſt run with an even courſe, without the weight of any ballancing intereſts, thus execute true Judgement in the Gate, and do no unrighteouſneſſe in Judgement, and you will prove your ſelves Gods, and Children of the Moſt High. Hear not mine, but Davids Suaſives to mind you:

p. 521. He tells you v. 1. God standeth in the Congregation of the Gods. He is Inſpector morum, your Dreadful Overſeer, and is privy to your Sentences: Let not Judgement (in the Prophets phraſe) be far off, when there ſtands a God of Judgement ſo near you. The Wiſeman tells you, Eccleſ. 5.8. When there is a violent perverting of Judgement and Juſtice in a City, a higher then the higheſt regardeth it; and Job xxxvi. 7. His eyes are with Kings upon the Throne: So with you upon the Seat of Judgement.

2. He tells you, you are foundations, v. 5. and upon you the whole fabrick leans, it is to you (as the people to Moſes) that we come for Juſtice. If the foundations be out of courſe, the fabrick muſt fall; you will be our happineſſe if you execute true Iudgement in the midſt of us. The Iudges uſed to ſit in the Gate, to ſhew us that Iuſtice and Iudgement is a ſtronger Palladium to the City, then all the tutelary gods; we may take the meaſure of our peace and happineſſe by the line of Iuſtice which you draw over us. Iuſtice is the pulſe of the Body Politick, Hab. i. 4. foreign, our Tranſlation reads it, the Law fails, or is ſlacked, and Iudgement goeth not forth; but debilitata eſt lex, reads the interlineary; and the word foreign it relates to the pulſe of a natural body. Ceſſabat motus vel pulſus cordis, ſaith Shindler, the motion or pulſe of the heart is ceaſed, to try the health, we feel the pulſe of the body; a weak or an intermitting pulſe is a bad indication of a declining ſtate.

3. He telleth you v. 6. you are Gods, and Children of the Moſt High…, it is your Honour, and brings you the p. 53nearer to God, if you execute true Iudgement in the Gate. You will endear both God and man by it: Men you will: Abſalom by but pretending to it, ſtole away the hearts of the people, 2 Sam. xv. 6. Job as a Prince and Iudge, put on Iudgement as a Robe and a Diadem, Iob. xxix. and the eye that ſaw him, witneſſed his honour, and the ear that heard him, bleſſed him, and waited for him as the latter rain, v. xi. 23. He that ruling over men is juſt, is as the morning when the Sun ariſeth, a morning without clouds, as clear Sun ſhine after rain, 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. and you will take God, being herein as David after his own heart, he will delight in you, as you delight in Iuſtice and Iudgement; who will be ready to ſay, Ier. xxxi. 23. The Lord bleſſe thee, O habitation of Iuſtice. The Rabinical Apothegme is to this purpoſe, Qui judicat veritatis judicium facit Majeſtatem divinam habitare ſuper Iſraelem. He that executes true Iudgement, makes the Divine Majeſty to dwel in Iſrael.

4. He telleth you, you muſt die like men. As the Magiſtrate is the breath of our Noſtrils, ſo his breath is in his Noſtrils. As the Apoſtle telleth us, Heb. 7. There are many Prieſts who are not ſuffered to continue by reaſon of death; ſo there are foreign, Many Lords that are not ſuffered to continue by reaſon of death; Chriſt alone is the Prince and Prieſt after the power of an endleſſe life. It is an obſervation of the Learned Verulam, That the ſumme of what may be ſaid to a Magiſtrate, lies in theſe two, Memento te eſſe hominem, and Memento te eſſe Deum. Remember thou art a God, and Remember thou art a Man: the one as Calcar, the other p. 54as Fraenum, the one a Spur, the other a Bridle; a Spur to act like God, and a Bridle to keep them from acting like Man. My Lords, this clauſe of Davids Sermon tells you, that there will be a time when you muſt ceaſe to judge us; execute therefore true judgement in the Gate, that when you come to lay aſide thoſe Scarlet Robes, and each of you to receive your W…t of Eaſe from the King of Kings, and to lie down in your earthen Beds, the fruit of your righteouſneſſe may be peace.

5. He tells you v. 8. God will judge the Earth, and be Judge himſelf, Pſal. l. 6. with a Selah for you, and us to mark, and after you ceaſe to judge us, God muſt then judge you. Paſſe no Sentence therefore here, but what may abide the teſt, when every mans work ſhall be tried by ſire: It was ſaid of Nerva, that he comforted himſelf in this. Se nihil feciſſe quo minus imperio depoſito privatus tutò vivere poſſit: That he did nothing during his Government, but his power being laid aſide, he could live ſafely a private life. It is well for men in power, ſo to act, as that they may freely look man in the face; but it is a great deal better, ſo to act, as that they may be able with cheerfulneſſe to look God in the face. The Jewes have a Saying, Quem admodum judicasti ad lancem Innocentiae, & imaginetur ſibi judex acſi gladius inter faemora, & ei gehenna aperta fuiſſet. "As thou haſt judged by the ballance of "Innocency, ſo the Supreme Judge ſhall judge thee. Therefore let the Judge upon the Bench imagine to himſelf, as if he had a Sword between his thighs, and as if Hell was open before him. So judge us here, whil'ſt p. 55we ſtand before you, that when you come to ſtand before God, you may change your Judgement Seat, for Thrones, there to ſit, and judge the Twelve Tribes of Iſrael.

Laſtly, one word of application general to us all, and I have done. Magiſtrates are Gods, as repreſenting him, and doing his work in judgement: Then God is Iudge himſelf, and he will judge the World, and there is a Iudgement to come, and theſe are but the Prologues to that dreadful Solemnity. And it cannot well be, that we being helped on, by ſuch Monitors, ſhould be unmindful of that day, theſe being ſo lively repreſentatives of it; and leaſt we ſhould, theſe are our Annual Remembrancers, all we who are but Spectators of others Iudgement, muſt be perſons concerned in that upon our own accompts, where we all ſhall have our Laſt Trial, not for Temporal Inheritances, but for Eternity. The true Notion of Iudgement to come well conſidered, made Felix tremble when he ſate upon the Iudgement Seat; much more will it have that effect upon us, when we come to ſtand before it. Can we hear of the coming of the Iudge, and not think of that, wherein it is ſaid, He cometh to judge the World in Righteouſneſſe, riding his laſt Circuit upon his Cloudy Chariot, Pſal. xcvi. 13. Can you behold the great Conflux of people from every Quarter to this Solemnity, and not think of that day, wherein he ſhall call to the heavens from above, and the earth beneath, to his judgement, Pſal. l. 1, 4. Can yee behold the perſon of the Judge, and not think of that man by whom God hath appointed to judge the World, Acts xvii. 31. Can p. 56ye hear the Trumpet ſound before the Judge, and not think of thoſe formidable Heralds of that Day; when he ſhall deſcend from Heaven with a ſhout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the Trumpet ſhall ſound, and the dead ſhall be raiſed, 1 Theſſ. iv. Latter End. Can ye behold theſe (as the Poet calls it Ignita purpurea,) ſo here upon better reaſon theſe flaming Scarlet Robes with which the Iudge ſits veſted, and not think of thoſe flaming Robes which that Iudge ſhall come cloathed with, when he ſhall come in flames to render vengeance upon all ungodlineſſe, 2 Theſſ. i. 8. Can ye behold the Iudge ſit down upon his Seat to take cogniſance of all Cauſes Criminal and Civil, and not behold as in a Viſion, Chriſt ſitting down upon his Seat, to take cogniſance of all things done in the body whether good or evil, 2 Cor. v. 10. Can ye behold the Iuſtices of the Peace upon the Bench, as Iudicis Coaſſeſſores, Coaſſeſſors with the Iudge by joynt ſuffrage, ratifying the ſenſe and proceedings at Law. And not think of thoſe Coaſſeſſors with the Great Iudge, who ſhall judge the World, and ſit upon Thrones, by joynt ſuffrage and aſſent, ratifying the proceedings of that Iudge, 1 Cor. vi. 2. Can ye behold the Gaol delivery, the priſoners conducted to the Bar by the Iaylor, and ſurrendred up to Iuſtice; and not think of that great Gaol Delivery, wherein Earth and Sea ſhall give up their dead, and ſmall and great ſhall stand before God, Rev. xx. 12, 13. Can you ſee the Books opened, every mans Caſe ſtated, Inditements read, Witneſſes produced, and circumſtances proved, and all fit for Sentence; and not think of thoſe Books which ſhall be opened, wherein p. 57all our actions are regiſtred, and we all ſhall be judged out of thoſe books, Rev. xx. at which time there will be impriſonment without Bail, Indictment without Ignoramus, Conviction without Plea, Sentence without Writ of Error, Execution without Reprieve, and Judgement without Mercy for all Sinners; all which though it be the leaſt in mens thoughts, yet it ſhall certainly come, and its prudence before-hand to ſet our ſelves before that Tribunal. And when we behold the guilty felons at the Bar, with pale face,, and akeing hearts, let us think every one of us, Iam mea res agitur, our part is now acting. And thus reaſon, Seeing we look for ſuch things, what manner of perſons ought we to be in all holineſſe of converſation; and knowing the terrour of the Lord, let me perſade you to paſſe the time of our ſojourning here in fear. Homo timet Regem qui forte cras morietur ne puniat eum, & non timet à Rege vero in cujus potestate est anima noſtra in hoc faeculo, & in venturo. Aben Ezra in Exod. xx. 3. We fear the Magistrate, who may die too morrow, leaſt he ſhould puniſh us; but fear not the great King, in whoſe hand our ſouls are in this life, and that which is to come. The Iews have left a good caution behind them. Haec tria conſideres & non incides in manus tranſgreſſionis: Ʋnde venis, quo tendis & coram quo tibi ratio reddenda ſit. Conſider theſe theſe three things, and thou ſhalt not fall into hands of tranſgreſſion: Whence thou comeſt, whither thou goeſt, and before whom thou muſt give an accompt. So ſpeak and ſo do, as thoſe that muſt be judged by the Royal Law, the ſtricteſt Rule, and ſtand at his Tribunal, who is the ſevereſt Iudge; p. 58that we may with freedome go to meet him in the air; not having the black ſtone of condemnation, and ſo to fall; but the white ſtone of Abſolution, and ſo to ſtand in Judgement, and be for ever with the Lord.

And thou O Father, who haſt appointed to judge the World by that Man Ieſus Chriſt, and wilſt convince the World of ſin by thy Holy Spirit: Send down thy Spirit into our hearts, and ſo bleſſe theſe thy ſervants who are now to judge in endowing them with a Spirit of Iudgement; that they may ſo execute the Iuſtice of the Lord in this their day, that they may not fear to ſtand before that Great Tribunal, in the Day of the Lord. And ſo bleſſe and direct us all in our paſſage through this Valley of Tears, that we living in thy fear, not to the will of the fleſh, but to the will of God; we may all, when we come to meet at that Great Aſſize, be found blameleſſe, and without ſpot at his appearing. And this we beg for the Sake and in the Name of Ieſus Chriſt our dear Redeemer, to whom with thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghoſt, be all Glory and Honour, now and ever. Amen.

…INIS.

End of the text · Obadiah Howe, Elohim (1663)