The Beautify of Magistracy, Part 2
VERSE 2.
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons …f the wicked? Selah.
THese words are a Prosopope…cal speech, where the Lord is brought in Reasoning, Reproving and Expostulating the case with the unrighteous Judges of those times. Such is the Pride of great ones,Ut majorem efficaciam habeat objurgatio, inducitur Deus summ…s Iudex in…repans judices mino…es. Bellarm. that they cannot bear a reproof from men: and therefore the Prophet to procure the more Authority to what should be spoken, brings in God himself reproving them: hence some Interpreters conceive that for explanation sake the word [saying] may fitly be added to the end of this first Verse: God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty, he judgeth amongst the Gods, Saying, How long will ye judge unjustly? q. d. Since I am present and President amongst you, how long will ye favour the wicked, and plead their cause against the innocent?
In this Verse we have 1. The sin reproved in general, and that is Vnjust judgement; a sin most proper and peculiar to Judges. To be covetous, envious, passionate and proud, is evil; but to judge Unjustly, to justifie the wicked, and condemn the just, is not only abominable, but an abomination in the*How Abstracts increase the Sense, See my Schools-Guard. Rule 36. Abstract, Prov. 17. 15. This is†G…avel (the word in the Text) which signifieth in…quity or perversness, comes from Gnaval, to deal perversly and wickedly. iniquity and perversness with a witness.
2. Here is the Duration of their sin, implyed in the Word Vsque quo, how long? it implies that they had for a long time persevered in this Practice;Us que qu… judicabitis iniquitatem? H…b. i. e. quamd…u perseverabitis in hoc peccato iniquè judicand…? Piscat. and therefore he doth not simply say, ye do Unjustly, But how long will ye do Unjustly? How long will ye favour the wicked in his wickedness, and condemn the just? The*See my Schools-Guard. Rule 30. Interrogation is a vehement Negation q. d. ye ought in no wise to continue so long in your injustice as you have done.
3. Here is the Generality of the sinners implyed in the word, Ye; how long w…lye, i. e. all of ye judge unjustly? There might be some few, some gleanings, as the Prophet speaks (Mica. 7. 1, 2.) of just Judges, but the generality was very corrupt.
4. Here is an Exegesis, an Illustration, or (if you will) an Aggravation of what went before. Ye judge unjustly;See this phrase more fully explained in … r. Caryll on Iob 13. 8. p. 377. what's that? why, ye accept the persons of the wicked. q. d. ye admire their persons, ye favour their faces,Nasha, …st personam respicere, honorare, adm…rari, & in gratiam alicuj… aliquid facere. Leigh. ye plead their causes; but the cause of the Poor and the Righteous man cannot be heard. In the Original tis, ye accept the face of the wicked. Now to accept the face of a man, is an Hebrew phrase,Non dicit impios suscipitis, sed facies impiorum suscipitis; at intelligas eum non de quibusvis impiis, sed de iis loqui qui spectabiles sunt vel propter generis praerogativam, vel proper opum splendorem, Musculus. and signifies a shewing favour and respect to a man. Gen. 19. 22. The Angel tells Lot, that he had respected his face. q. d. I have shewed favour to thee, and have given thee thy request. The words seem to be an Aggravation of their sin; they did not sin through weakness, but through wilfulness; not through simple ignorance, but presumptuously; they sought the faces and favour, not of poor men, or of friends; that might favour of some humanity (though it may not be practised in judgement) yea they sought the faces not simply of sinners, but of wicked, potent,*Reshagnaim, Improbi, inquieti, turbulenti. tur bulent, notorious sinners. To get the favour of these who could bribe them, or some way gratifie them, they perverted judgement, and instead of punishing the wicked they acquitted them; and instead of defending the poor, they contemned them, and trampled on them.
Selah.
Where we find this word (sometimes) there is in that Verse some remarkable thing; as in this Verse it signifies as much in English,Selah hic adscriptum monet malum hoc quo nihil magis execrandum, passim & apud eos quo que qui admodum justi videntur, planè regnare. Ut Scultetus è Bucero. as if David had said, O how great and greivous an offence is it before God, for favour and affection, for gifts and greatness, to pervert Justice and Judgement! It comes from Salal, which signifies to raise or elevate; and so it may signifie the elevation of the mind in marking, or of the voice in singing. It sometimes signifies an Asseveration of a thing so to be,Cantor ubi ad …anc vocem pervenerat, a…toll b…t vocem suam; & hoc signum erat gravem ibi sententiam contineri, in quam a…im…s intendendus erat; redditur à doctis per planè, summè, vehementer. Ravanellus. See more in such as Comment on Psal. 3. 2. & Rivet. in Psal. 24. 6. p. 170. folio and an admiration at it. It is used seventy four times in Scripture.
Observation 1.
Even great men when they go astray, must be sharply reproved. God doth not here barely say, Do not unjustly, do not respect persons, &c. but as one that is angry with them, he sharply and severely expostulates the case with them, saying, How long will ye judge unjustly, and respect the persons of the mighty? And as God, so his Embassadors according to their places must not fear the face of man: but as occasion requires, they must tell the greatest of their sins: yet with a*See Mr. Reyners Government of the Tongue. p. 178. Prudential consideration of all Circumstances; for if we must respect Elders for their age (1 Tim. 5. 1.) then much more Rulers who are set in publike place of dignity: and therefore as in the reprooving of all men, so especially of great men, great Wisdom and Prudence is required; as we see in Nathan who wisely catcheth David in a Parable, (2 Sam. 12. 1, &c.) and that Prophet which caught Ahab in his own words, and made him pass sentence upon himself, 1 Kings 20. 39, 40. Tis not for every one to say unto Kings, Ye are wicked, Iob 34. 18. Tis Ministers and such as are called to the work, that may with Elijah tell Ahab of his wickedness Tis a Samuel that must reprove a Saul, (1 Sam. 15. 19.) Isaiah reproves H…z…kiah, (Isa. 39. 6.) Ieremy King Zedekiah (Ier. 32. 4.) and Iohn Bap…ist Herod: If great men do amiss we must not stick to say to Kings and Queens, Humble your selves, Ier. 13. 19. We are set to watch not only for poor mens souls, but also for the souls of Rulers; yea rather for them then for others, because by their Example they do much hurt or good. Many think it no sin to do, what they see great one do. As like Priest, like people, (Ier. 50. 6. Hos. 4. 9.) so usually like Mastrate, like people; if they be good, the people will be the better, Iudges 2. 7. Iosh. 24. 24. Davids bounty in building the Temple encouraged the people to follow him, 1 Chron. 29. 6, 7. If the King of Niniveh humble himself,Great men should be good men. V Burroughs Gratious Spirit. p. 204. so will the people, Ionah 3. 6. Rulers are like Looking-glasses, by which most men dress themselves; if they be bad, like great Cedars when they fall they bring many branches down with them, and crush the shrubs that are under them. If Ieroboam sin, he'l quickly draw all Israel to sin with him, 1 Kings 14. 16. If a Ruler hearken to lyes, his servants will be like him,Mobile m…tatur semper cum Principe Vulgus. Claudian. Prov. 29. 12. This made the Pharisees to reject Christ because none of the Rulers believed in him, Iohn 7. 48. which made Luther to say, Principum delicta sunt planè Diabolica. Great mens sins are the greatest sins, because they sin against great means of grace, and by their example do much mischief. When the Head is unsou…d,A capite primum co…putrescunt Pisces. Prov. the body must needs miscarry: no error so dangerous as that which proceeds from the Ruler, Eccles. 10. 5. Ierusalem was full of abominations; whats the cause? why the Prophets were prophane, and the Princes were as roaring Lyons, and the Judges Wolves, Zeph. 3. 3. Subjects study the lives of their Princes more then their Laws; they should therefore be great Reformers (as Asa, Iosiah, and Hezekiah were, who drew the people with them,) 2 Chron. 15. & 31. 1, &c. Greatness accompanied with goodness is like a Ring with a rich Diamond which inhaunceth the price. Now the Prophets seeing that the publick enormities of Rulers have such an influence on people, have enveighed sharply against their sins, (Isa. 1. 23. & 10. 1, 2, 3. Hosea 5. 1. Micah 3. 1, 2.) and the command is general without any limitation to high or low (1 Tim. 5. 20.) such as sin before all, rebuke before all that others may fear; Indeed if their sins be Private and meer Infirmities, we must with the mantle of love cover them, least we exasperate instead of healing them.
Objection.
Such plain Preachers are counted the Troublers of Israel, Ier. 37. 13. 15. Amos 7. 12.
Answer.
Tis true, they have been so accounted, but it hath been by wicked men who have themselves been the Troublers of Israel, as Elijah told Ahab, 1 Kings 18. 18.
2. If great men would but hearken to the pious counsel of Gods faithfull Messengers, it would prevent Seditiors, Tumults and Troublers in their Territories.
Observation 2.
That continuance in evil is a great evil. How long (saith God) will ye judge unjustly? and when will you make an end of your unrighteous practises? To do an unjust act is ill, but to persevere for many years in acting Unrighteousness is the height of evil. As perseverance in goodness is the Crown of goodness, Iob 2. 3. so perseverance in sin is sin in grain,Humanum est errare, at Diabolicum perseverare in errore. Gerson. tis of a deep dye, tis hardly if ever set out again.
Observation 3.
Tis no wonder to see Iudges judge Vnjustly. They did so here, and God complains of such else-where, Isa. 1. 23. Ier. 5. 1. Mic. 3. 9. there are some such now, and there will be such to the end of the world, even till he who is Judge of Judges shall come to Judgement, and shall abolish all Rule and Dominion. Wicked men in all ages have the same corrupt Natures and Principles within them, and when Temptations come they discover themselves. Besides, the world ever did and ever will love her own; wicked Magistrates will favour wicked men; yea if there were no Bribery nor flattery in the world, yet wicked great ones would favour such as are like themselves.
Observation 4.
Few great men are good men. Some there are but they are thin sown. Not many wise men, not many mighty, not many Noble; i. e. some few are cal…ed; *See Mr. Rob. Bolton on that Text, and Mr. Fran. Tayl…r.1 Cor. 1. 26. They are subject to great Temptations, and so to great Corruptions. Such rank ground is fertile in weeds; hence wicked men are put in the Text for Rich men. How long will ye accept the persons of the wicked? That is, the persons of rich and potent men; that is the meaning; for Judges would never accept the persons of the wicked men if they were Poor and equal in respect of outward things. This the opposition implies, Defend the poor and fatherless, implying that the rich were defended by them, but the Poor had no Helper.
Observation 5.
That perverting of judgement is a great sin. Tis a crying sin, it cryes for Vengeance on such as practice it. This was one of those sins which caused the day of Ierusalems misery to draw nearer, Ezek. 22. 6, 7. and for which the Lord threatens to visit, Isa. 5. 6, 7. Ier. 5. 28, 29. Amos 2. 6. & 5, 6, 7, 11. M…l. 3. 5. If he be cursed that shall remove the Land-mark, what shall be done to him who takes away house, land and all? Deut 27. 17. Solomon tell us, he that justifieth the wicked, him shall the people curse, Prov. 24. 24. for Judges to turn aside in Judgement to the right hand or the left, is to abuse their Deputatior, and as much as in them lies to UnGod themselves and God too. An Vnjust Iudge (as one well observes) is a cold fire, a dark Sun, Quaenam potest perniciosior esse perversi…as quam si apud medicum invenias mortem, apud doctorem mendacium, apud Iudicem injustitiam? Musculus.a dry Sea, a mare mortuum, an Vn-good God, contradictio in adjecto, Monsters not men, much less Gods A false Teacher that poysons souls, and a corrupt Judge that pervers justice, are two pestilent evils: the one destroys the fountain of Piety, and the other the fountain of Righteousness. If a man be oppr…st, V. Comforts against Oppression. Mr. Ash his Ser. on Psal. 9. 9. preacht 1642. and Mr. Caryll S…r. on Psal. 119. 134. preacht 1651.he flies to the Law for refuge; but if the Law be wrested and abused where shall we find a remedy? Tis sad with the flock when the Shepheard is a Wolf. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Observation 6.
Magistrates must Iudge impartially. They must not respect persons but causes. They must look more on the face of the cause, then the face of the man. This respecting of persons is not good, Meiosis. V. Schools-Guard, on that figure.(saith Solomon) that is, tis very bad, Prov. 24. 23. Tis a fin oft forbidden, Deut. 1. 17. & 16. 19. Iob 13. 8. 10. 2 Chron 19. 6, 7. Prov. 18. 5. & 28. 21. Iames 2. 9. Iude 16. Men must not judge according to any outward appearance or quality of the person that appears before them, but according to the equity of the cause, (Iohn 7, 24.) As God respects not persons (Deut. 10. 17. Iob 34. 19. Acts 10. 34. Gal. 2. 6. Ephes. 6. 9. Colos. 3. ult. 1 Pet. 1. 17.) So Judges who are earthly Gods must imitate their Lord and Master whose person they represent, in whose seat they sit, and by whose command they act. So that if they will do any thing in favour of the mighty, let them do it in favour of the mighty God; and this they do, when they execute Justice and Judgement in the gate. As they must not respect the rich for his riches, so neither the poor for his poverty,Pressa est pauperlas, opulentia spl…ndida regnat; Dives ubi que valet, pauper ubi que jacet. so as in pitty to him to wrong the rich, nor out of fear or honour to the rich comply with them to oppress the poor, Exod. 23. 3. Lev. 19. 15. In charity we must have respect to a poor mans necessity; but in point of Justice neither the power of the rich, nor the Penury of the poor, but Right only must be regarded (Psal. 72. 7.) if a man might strain the Law for any, tis for the poor; and yet the Lord himself who is most tender over the poor, will not have their persons but their causes lookt upon. A respector of person is a kind of Idolater,Prosopolatria est Idololatria. the respect which he owes to God and Right, he gives to Riches. Petty Theeves shall wear chains of Iron, when grand Robbers and Murderers sit on the Bench with chains of Gold. As God knows no Honour, Royalty or Greatness in the matter of sin, so neither must his Deputies. I see no Reason (said the woman) why I should be punisht for breaking one commandment, when King Richard breaks all Ten and yet goes Unpunisht. The Judges in Aegypt were painted without hands and blind; and the Areopagites who were Judges in Athens passed their sentence in the night, and had their Judicatories in dark rooms that they might not be byassed by prejudice or affection to pass wrong Judgement upon the person. Out of Judgement to shew favour to our friends is not Unlawfull; but in point of Judgement they must be blind not knowing friend or foe, but look soberly on the cause which is before them. When publick right is in Question, the Poor person m…s… be …aid aside, and we must eye his cause; for th…u…h it be seldom seen that a poor man is preferred before a Rich man in his cause, yet sometimes it may so fall out that at the tears and cries of the Poor, and to get a Name for a merciful man amongst men, there may be offending on that hand. Tis true, we must shew mercy, but yet with Judgement and discretion. In other cases we may shew respect to men for their age, gifts, graces, affinity, dignity, calling, &c. but not in Judgement. The Court must know no Kinsmen. Judges must with David do justice to All the people without distinction of rich or poor (2 Sam. 8. 15.) they must dispense Justice with an equal hand and an even ballance. As the Law it self is equal to all, so should the Judge who is a living Law, be the same to all that fly unto him for succour. So that this makes nothing for the Sottish, Uncivil Quakers who cry down all outward respect and reverence to men in authority under pretence of respect to no man person: Whereas the Scripture doth not condemn civil but sinful respect of persons,See more on this Point in my Comment. on 2 Tim. 4. 19. p. 468. The Servant must reverence his Master, and the Child his Father, and the Subject his Soveraign. Besides there is a sacred respect of persons used both by God and man. Thus God had respect to Abel and his offernig, but not to Cain. He had respect to Lot and saved him out of Sodom, Gen. 19. 21. Thus the Saints may and must love the Saints with a spiritual and more intimate love, Psal. 16. 3.
Observation 7.
Wicked men are Turbulent men. They are the great Reshagnims of the world. They disquiet and trouble themselves; like the troubled Sea they are alwayes casting up the dirt and filth of sin, (Prov. 11. 17. Isa. 57. 20, 21.) They trouble their own houses, Prov. 15. 27. yea these Achans and Ahabs trouble all Israel; they are the Pests and Plagues, the Ulcers and Botches of the places where they live. As good men are a publick good, and make the places where they live the better for them. (Gen. 12. 2.) so wicked men are publick evils and make the places where they dwell the worse for them. As grace meekens men and makes them quiet, (Isa. 11. 6.) so sin where it raigns and is not subdued, disquiets men and makes them turbulent.