Judgments Removed Where Judgment is Executed, Title page – Dedication
IVDGEMENTS REMOVED, VVHERE JUDGEMENT IS EXECUTED.
OR A SERMON PREACHED to the Court Marſhall in Lawrence Iury, London, the 5th of Septemb. 1644. Being the day of their ſolemn ſeeking of the Lord for his bleſſing upon their Proceedings.
By ANTHONY BURGES, ſometimes Fellow of Emmanuell Colledge in Cambridge; Now Paſtor of Sutton-Coldfeild in Warwickſhire; a Member of the Aſſembly.
LONDON: Printed by M. Simmons for Thomas Underhill, at the Bible in Woodſtreet. 1644.
TO THE HONORABLE The Commiſſioners OF THE COUNCELL OF WARRE, now ſitting by an Ordinance of PARLIAMENT.
HONORABLE;
HOwſoever the feare of God be not thought neceſſary to human Judges by men of the world, yet the Scripture doth much preſſe it, Exod. 18.21. 2 Chron. 9.7. Yea, ſome Heathens have acknowledged the neceſſity of it, therefore amongſt the Ancients the court of Judgement was neare the Temple, that ſo the reverence of their gods might bend the minds of Judges to Juſtice. And they report that in Aethiopia, the Judges ſitting in their Court, leave twelve ſeats in the higheſt place empty, which (they ſay) are the Angels ſeats. Therefore he was the unjuſt Iudge in the Parable, that did not feare God, nor reſpect man; Such an one was Ageſilaus, who wrote to a Captain for a priſoner in theſe words; Releaſe Nicias the priſoner without faile; for if he have not offended, in Iuſtice you are to diſmiſſe him; but of he have hainouſly offended, and deſerved puniſhment, then diſmiſſe him for my ſake. Here he mingled private affections in publick adminiſtrations, which is very ſinfull. Therefore that you may avoid ſuch rocks, eſpecially conſider, that Argument of the Scripture, It is the Iudgement of the Lord; Iudicium Dei eſt, (ſaith a Schoolman) ideo Iudex in tribus Deo debei conformari, in poteſtate, in bonitate, & in veritate; It is the Iudgement of the Lord; therefore the Judge ought to reſemble God, while he judgeth in power, in goodneſſe, and in truth. All which if you doe, the Kingdome may be freed from guilt, truth and peace may kiſſe each other, and you deliver your own ſoules; Which is the earneſt prayer of him who deſires to ſerve you in the Lord;
ANTHONY BURGES.