Works, Dedication 2 – Sermon
TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVL Sir JAMES ALTHAM, Knight, one of the Barons of his Majeſties Court of Exchequor; AND Sir CHARLS MORRISON, Knight Baronet, TWO VVorthy Juſtices and Magiſtrates of the Town of Watfort in Hartfordſhire: Grace, Peace, and abundance of all Bleſſings accompanying Salvation.
Right Worſhipful,
LEt it ſtand with your pleaſures, whom one profeſſion of Religion towards God, and execution of Juſtice towards man, whom one neer Neighbourhood, and one neer affection combine, to bee conjoyned alſo in this Dedication: wherein, as my deſire is to manifeſt my dutiful reſpect of you both, ſo alſo to entreat your favourable conſtruction and acceptance of this my preſumption: whereof I want not juſt reaſons, whether I look upon you joyntly, or ſeverally. Your joynt government under which we the Inhabitants of this Town of Watford enjoy our publick peace, bindeth all of us, wherein wee may, to teſtifie our thankfulneſs for ſo great and publick a good. God might govern the World (if he pleaſed) by himſelf immediately, yet he committeth it to Magiſtrates and Rulers, both ſupream and delegates; whom he honoureth with an high ſtyle, calling them Aſsiſtants to him that ruleth the whole earth, Zach. 4.14. yea the ſhields of the earth, Pſal. 47.9. to bear off wrongs and evils from men. The boughes of this fair tree of Magiſtracy (as in that ſacred embleme) are ſhelter for all, and the fruit meat for all, Dan. 4.7.17. And the weilding of ſo ſtately an Ordinance, is not to be committed, but to fit and qualified perſons, as they are deſcribed by Jethro to Moſes, by four moſt worthy properties, Exod. 18.21.
Firſt, they muſt be men of courage, ſtout to undergoe all the parts of their calling. How fit a vertue this is for a Magiſtrate, will appear, if we conſider, 1 The good and godly in the hand, Rom. 13.3. who are to be incouraged and praiſed in well-doing by their Rulers: which will never be, if a man be afraid to be ſeen, or be timorous, as Nicodemus was, who would fain be with Chriſt, but caſt himſelf into the night, as though that had been a work of darkneſs. Moſes for his courage was called Pharaohs God, he told Pharaoh to his face, hee would not leave an hoof behind him, that Pharaoh himſelf ſtood in awe of him. 2 The wicked, who are ſtout in their wickedneſs; and ſin is with them as bold as an Harlot, as Salomon ſpeaketh. Now the Magiſtrate, with Job, muſt beſtirre himſelf, and cloath himſelf with zeal and courage, that the young men may hide themſelves, and the old riſe up at his preſence, Job 29.8. whereas an irreligious mildneſſe and remiſneſſe, ſtrengthneth the hands of the ungodly. 3 The wicked one, even Satan himſelf, who emboldneth offenders againſt the chiefeſt Ordinances of God, I mean Magiſtracy, and Miniſtry, to bring them into contempt, and ſo bring in all confuſion into the earth.
Secondly, they muſt be men fearing God, and they are ſpecially called upon to kiſſe the Son of God, Pſal 2. For, 1 Gods fear is the beginning of wiſdome, and who ſhould be wiſe, if not Magiſtrates, to judge and diſcern of the moſt difficult caſes amongſt men? 2 If hee fear not God, he will fear the face of man, and ſo accept of perſons condemned, Deut. 1.17. 3 He muſt herein aſſiſt the Lord himſelf in planting the fear of God in all his government. Cyrus muſt perform not his own, but all the Lords deſire: hee muſt ſay to Jeruſalem, thou ſhalt bee built, and to the Temple, thy foundations ſhall be ſurely laid, Iſa. 44.28. Every Chriſtian Magiſtrate muſt be a Nurſing Father to the Church▪ and here begin his government, as Moſes, with celebrating the Paſſeover, Exod. 12. Joſhua, with renewing Circumciſion, Joſhua 5.7. Gideon, with deſtroying Baal, Judg. 6. David, with eſtabliſhing the Ark; Salomon, with building Gods houſe, Aſa, with renewing the Lords Altar. And whereas many inferiour Magiſtrates look on, whilſt this care ſlippeth into other mens hands; yet muſt they all know, that they are Gods Vicegerents, and the judgement is Gods, that is, from God, and for God: and therefore they muſt not only cut off Thefts, Murders, Adulteries, and ſuch barbarous outrages, and ryots againſt publick peace and humane ſociety; but Blaſphemies, Hereſies, Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, and ſuch ſins as more directly oppoſe God and his Worſhip: and theſe will the fear of God, where it is, eſpecially hunt out. This was the grace that made Nehemiah ſeek the wealth of Iſrael, by making the Princes ſwear to Gods Covenant: this made him almoſt forget himſelf in zealous revenge againſt the Sabbath-breakers: all Jeruſalem could not maintain this one ſin againſt that one godly Magiſtrate.
Thirdly, Magiſtrates muſt be men dealing truly. 1 Affecting ſincerity, truth, and juſtice, which are the very ſinews of humane ſociety. 2 Effecting it, by taking true pains, that the truth of every cauſe may be ſifted out, Exod. 23.6. and receive a true ſentence, that the poor may not be born down with power and greatneſs, nor go away in a good cauſe diſappointed, Deut. 16.20. 3 Oppoſing with all their ſtrength, whatſoever is oppoſite unto truth: not ſuffering the truth to be clouded and veiled by flouriſhing pleas, or ſhews of truth: but reſembling God, whoſe Judgement-ſeat is ſaid to be a throne of whit… Ivory, Optima reſpub quae maxime leges minime …hetore… …ndiat.for the purity and innocency both of the Judge and Judgement, before which every ſecret ſhall one day be ſet in a clear light.
Fourthly, They muſt be men hating covetouſneſs. For, 1 a publick perſon muſt ſeek the publick good, and not be privately minded, or ſelf-ſeeing. 2 He will then hate gifts, which blind the wiſe, and pervert the words of righteouſneſs: Now what a fearful inverſion of Gods order were it, if he who is ſet up to execute judgement, ſhould pervert it? 3 He is in place, wherein (if he bee corrupt) hee may help himſelf by the damage of others: but who ſhould hinder the confuſion that would flow in as a deluge, if the means ordained by God to help the oppreſſed, ſhould be corrupted to help forward oppreſſion? Now ſuch a man thus qualified, Jethro thought ſit to bee ſet over thouſands, and over hundreds; over fifties, and over tens. To this ſerve thoſe ancient Ceremonies uſed among Gods own people, in the inſtalling of their governours: example whereof we have in Joaſh, 2 Kin. 11.12. whom when Jeho…adah had ſet into the right of his Kingdom, they did three things unto him.
1 They crowned him with a Crown of pure gold, ſet with Pearls and precious Stones: and theſe ſignified both the integrity of his Perſon, and the incorruption of his manners.
2 They gave him the book of the teſtimony: the book ſhewed that wiſdome is meet for a Ruler: and that it was the book of the Testimony, ſheweth, that 1 The moſt neceſſary wiſdome for a Magiſtrate, is the wiſdome of God: 2 That he muſt judge by Gods Book and directions, and therefore muſt be learned in Gods Laws, and skilful in the caſes of Gods Statute-book: and 3 The Book was given him, that he might keep and preſerve it, and ſee the contents of it obſerved in others: for he is a keeper of both the Tables.
3 They annointed him, to ſignifie the power and gifts of courage, magnanimity, and other ornaments ſit to attend Magiſtracy. And indeed it notably preſerveth the honour of this Ordinance, when the perſon executing it, is as eminent in gifts and graces, as in place, and preheminence. I take not upon me to teach your Worſhips how to govern, but only declare how the Lord would every way have this Ordinance of his, and the bearers of it honoured, and what be the ſpecial ornaments which draw the eyes, and reverent reſpect of inferiours upon you.
Now more ſeverally, your gravity (Reverend Judge) your humanity, your equity in the juſt and unpartial carriage of cauſes, your zeal againſt vice and vicious perſons, who gladly decline your cenſure, your diligent frequenting the houſe of God, your care of promoting the pure Worſhip of God, which you witneſſe by your new erection dedicated thereunto, have got you a worthy and due regard through all our Country, wherein though I bee but a ſtranger, yet muſt hee bee more ſtrange that meeteth not with the report of your vertues. And you noble Knight (whom I have known of longer time) will give me leave to conceal a great part of that I conceive of your worth. You do well to imitate your worthy Parents, one of whom hath left you with a fair inheritance, a pattern (as I have heard) of many vertues, from which you may not depart: the other, God hath yet left unto you, to follow you with motherly advice and counſel, to ſet before you ſtill the beſt Patterns: but above all, the glaſs of Gods word, the reverent obſervation whereof, if you adde to the other excellent endowments of your mind, perſon, and eſtate, you ſhall give a number of your years and rank leave to come behind you, and follow you …farre off, whilſt your Country ſhall be reaping the encreaſe, and your ſelf the comfort of thoſe hopeful ſeeds which every one that know you, acknowledge with gladneſs in you.
Thus humbly craving pardon for my boldneſs, I commend this Book to your Worſhips acceptance, which for the whole argument (containing a plain unfolding of the moſt grounds and main pillars of our Religion) is worthy your reſpect; and your ſelves, with your vertuous Ladies, and hopeful Children, together with all your ſtudies and endeavours for the Church or Common-wealth, to the rich bleſſing of God: who fill your hearts with heavenly wiſedome, and preſerve you both blameleſs till his appearing, Amen.
Your Worſhips to be commanded, THOMAS TAYLOR. Watford, July 20.