another Case names although they be given by Imposition yet are either unanswerable unto the end for which they were given which is to make things knowne and so to distinguish betweene one thing and another when they are Incongruous to the nature of such things as they should expresse or much more when they are given to things of contrary natures in such case they are either Titles of scorn or cloakes of errour and false hood as to Call evill good or light darkenesse against which the Prophet denounceth a fearefull woe Esay 4.20 Magistrates therefore must be answerable in their natures to that which they seeme to promise by their honourable Compellation whereby they are Commended unto men when they are called Gods a Title to which they must de Correspondent in three things First in their personall graces and dispositions Secondly in their abillities for their honourable and weighty Callings Thirdly in their Carriage answerable to them both of these three in erder a word or two And First for their personall graces the Seraphius Esay 6.3 when they proclanie the name of God in the Temple give him the Title of holy thrice repeated holy holy holy is the Lord of Hoasts and Moses tells Aaron Levit. 10.3 that the Lord will be sanctified in all those that come neere him so that Moses himself is warned to put off his shoes and the Isralises to wash their Cloaths when they stand before God therefore speaking of the Temple whether men usually resorted unto God the Prophet David tells us that holinesse becomes his house for ever Psalme 93.5 now then they that stand continually in Gods presence for God stands in the assembly of the Gods as in the first verse of this Psalme they that so often inquire at Gods mouth as good Rulers should doe receive directions from God and know his mind concerning every Law they make every cause they scan and every sentence they pronounce they that are set apart to handle the holy things of God among which his Judgements have not the lowest place they that must represent Gods person and be taken and accounted for Gods among his people they that must be a meanes of preserving purity by their Lawes and edicts to be Patternes and Presidents in Gods Church upon earth what a fountaine of holinesse ought to spring in their hearts what manner of persons ought they to be written within and without in their breasts and foreheads in their hearts and minde with holinesse to the Lord. For if the Lord will be sanctified in all that come neer him much more will he be hollowed in all that represents him there neither is nor can be any fouler monster in the world then an unholy God Secondly for the Abilities of their Callings are Magistrates Gods then must they be furnished with gifts and parts answerable to their Title wisdome truth courage constancy and goodnesse to begin with wisdome it was that Moses had especiall respect unto in the choice of his Judges Deut. 1.15 advising the people to looke out for themselves men of wisdome and understanding that is not only such as were wise but had approved themselves to be so and were known and reputed for such persons such a one was David a man chosen to that place by God himselfe of whom it is testified that he behaved himselfe wisely in all his wayes 1 Sam. 18.14 this wisedome was that which won Solomon feare and reverence from his owne people and reputation from strangers that they observed the wisdome of God was in him to doe Judgement 1 Kings 3.28 Indeed the Ruler had need of the wisdome of God First to understand Judgement and equity that is the rule of Judgement which being founded upon Gods will cannot be understood but by his spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 Secondly it reveales the hidden things of darkenesse as God doth 1 Cor. 4.5 even the secret paths of evill-Doers who Cover themselves and all their workes under the mantle of the night nay more then that not only to find out their wayes and workes but besides to dive into their secret Counsells which being hidden in their hearts are like deepe waters not to be drawue out but by a man of understanding Pro. 20.15 to discover such secrets is the Kings glory Pro. 25.2 it requires more then a humane spirit Thirdly Magistrates need the wisdome of God to inable them to proportion rewards and punishments to mens deserts and to measure out to every man his right the trying of exact portions of recompence to mens actions and chalking out the bounds of right between man and man requires a curious and piercing eye a steady hand and a perfect ballance of a discerning Judgement and the rather because things of so great Importance concerning mens estates and persons even as farre as their Lives and being are not only Judged and desided by the Rulers sentence but are so resolved and concluded that their Judgement stands for the most part as finall and Irrevocable determinations Lastly Magistrates need the wisdome of God in spresceing ordering and directing not the affaires of a private family which yet neede discretion to guide them aright Psalme 121.5 but the weighty businesses of whole States and Kingdomes which consisting of so many and almost Infinite parts and members and requiring for the mannaging of them Instruments of such various and different natures and being varied and altered by so many and divers and sometimes contrary occurrences necessarily requires the wisdome and spirit of God to observe and consider to prescribe and order to dispose and apply all these in such agreeing harmony and correspondency as is required for the establishing and conserving of publike peace and utility It is hard to determine whether the Magistrates wisdome be any way usefull to a State unlesse it be seconded with truth and with a vertuous habit which Jethro required in his Governours as a speciall grace needfull for all such as are elegible to that dignity Truth we know is of three sorts In things it is the answerablenesse of things to their appearance In thoughts or Judgements it is the answerablenesse of our Judgement or opinion to things In words it is the answerablenesse of words to the thought or conceit of the mind these two latter kinds of truth namely a right Judgement or opinion of all things and a true expression or manifestation of that Judgement in all the words of a Governour or Judge especially there wherein he pronounceth sentence in causes that comes before him are in a sort essentiall to a Governour so that without them he seemes to be a Judge which is a speciall branch of his power in name and not Indeed a Magistrate is the ballance of a State one man brings shew of right on his side and his adversary opposeth him with the appearance of right on the other side and both cast their evidences in the Magistrates breast like wares into a paire of scales and he by the standard of
Imperfect notes to the publique view but my obedience to your Command which I was the rather Inforced to yield to in this action by laying aside and renouncing mine owne will and Judgement that I might subscribe to the direction of so high authority lest I should be produced as an Instance against mine owne doctrine notwithstanding it lyes upon me to present both unto you and to all an account of my grounds and Intentions both in the choice and in the manner of prosecuting this subject concerning the dignity and power of men in authority I confesse I might for my Justification here in have recourse to the usuall plea of the Correspondency of the argument to the auditory and occasion but I must freely acknowledge unto you to whom I owe an account of all my action that besides this generall respect other Incident occasions have carried a great stroake in fixing my thoughts upon this Subject above any other You may be pleased therefore to understand that a good spare since the observation of some passages here at home among our neighbours begot in me a resolution in my ordinary course of Catechising among my owne people to handle and open at large this argument of the power and authority of Governours as to informe them more fully of that whereof too many of them seeme to be Ignorant as also to put them in mind of that which was too often forgotten while I expected to bring this resolution into act in my ordinary walke which mine owne bodily Infirmites Interrupted it fell not in so soone as I expected I was not only requested but in a sort Importuned to supply that roome in which I stood before your Lordships at the last assizes and by that meanes as I conceived hastened by Gods hand to the undertaking of this taske which had bin too long deserred and because withall some like occurrence in other parts discovered the errors of men in their Carriage towards Governours to be an Epidâ—micall disease I conceived it needfull not only for the instruction of my owne people but for the removing of scandall to proclaime unto the world that groundles Jealousies uncharitable Constructions harsh Censures unchristian Imprecations Insolent behaviour and uncivill Carriage towards such as are in place of authority are but the fruite of some distemperd passions of ill governed minds and not the effects or Issues of any godly dispositions which being governed by the Spirit are taught to yield unto all men the fruits of Love Peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes and meekenes and much more towards such as are in authority honour reverence subjection and fervent Prayers for the prosperity of their persons and estates It is easy to observe that that dangerous evill of swelling the heart against the higher powers being the Issue of pride and Atheisme is nursed up in our private families wherein undutifull Children and Servants being unacquainted with bearing the yoke of their owne Masters and Parents by use of Custome easily take heart to breake in sunder the bonds of Subjection to publike Governours Ignorance of God and his word must needs be a great occasion of this mischiefe and withall neglect of that private Discipline which was exercised in former ages of which we come so far short in these times that if the succeeding generation suffer a decay this way proportionable to that which wee find already it must needs be esteemed a sad presage of a fearfull Confusion to Insue as the Prophet gives it the symptoms of a state past hope of recovery that the Children shall presume against the antient and the vile against the honourable Esay 3.5 As for my manner of handling so weighty an argument if it be performed Crassa Minerva men may be pleased to consider that it was intended for a Sermon not for a Treatise a Sermon to be heard not one as Lisias said of his oration not to be passed over often with a curious eye a Sermon Confin'd in the limit of an hower in which when many things were to be delivered it cannot be wondred if that fell out which is observed to happen in the reedifying of Rome after the Gaules had burnt it festinatio ademit Curam viros dirigendi haste occasioned the neglect of art in ordering of the worke which also inforced the breaking off the very body of the worke it selfe in the middest as all that heard me know so that what is now presented to your view may be termed rather mince murorum as the Poet calls them then a compleate building wherein yet if the foundation be firmly laid I shall have no cause to repent my labour hoping that some skilfull Architect may be moved by this occasion to take in hand so weighty a worke and to raise it up to some larger proportion and to bring it on to perfection the same scantnes of time which hindred me both in digesting and delivering these abortive meditations a consideration which might have sufficiently warranted the carrying of them from their birth to the grave of oblivion will I trust pleade my excuse before all equall minds against such as may perhaps blame my large unfolding of the duties of obedience when I throng up the Correlative duties of Governours into a more narrow Roome seeing they falling into the last place must of necessity be handled not as was intended but as the time permitted If it be replyed that men usually take Impression of things as they are presented unto them and consequently that such a manner of pressing the duties of Subjects at large and of Rulers more slightly may probably breede in Governours minds a large expectation of reverence and obedience from Subjects and a slight reguard of their owne Correspondent obligations to them againe Let me crave leave to be so Charitable as to hope better things of them that great Law giver would not beleive that any would be so wicked as to Commit paracide and therefore thought it needlesse to make a Law against it God forbid that any mans eye should be evill because other mens are good and that good deserts should breed thoughts and purposes of evill in any heart much more in such excellent and divine Spirits It is the honour of Princes to resemble God that they hold all men obliged unto them and yet themselves lie in no mans debt If it be Regium benefacere male audire to doe good when they receive evill how much more doth it become Princes when they are provoked by Love observance and patience to cry out with David quid Retribuam or with God who hath given first and it shall be recompenced Rom. 11.30 to receive all and pay nothing backe againe which is the manner of Cheaters and banckrouts It is a thought that can as little enter into Princes hearts as it beseemes their person and places I have thus far indeavoured to satisfy your Lordships concerning the occaesion of the choice of the argument handled in this Sermon and the manner
2 Thess 2.4 that is above all authority and power even above Kings and Princes 2. Magistrates are graced with Gods ornaments Majesty and Glory wherein they are invested Dan. 5.28 Gods own Robes Psalme 104.1 3. Magistrates sit upon Gods owne Throne the Throne of Israel for so it is termed 2 Kings 9.25 it is Gods throne Jer. 3.17 they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord. 4. Magistrates execute Gods judgements as Jehosaphat calls them 2 Chron. 19.8 and Moses 1 Deut. 17. So that Magistrates are every way Gods representative and are therefore said to judge for him or in his steed 2 Chron. 19.6 Againe they are Gods in respect of those whom they governe they are their heads 1 Sam. 15.17 to guide and direct them and thus Moses was Arons God Exod. 4.16 Gods in respect of their provident care over them for their good whom they doe as it were beare in their bosomes as Moses speakes Num. 11.12 as God doth his people Exod. 19.4 Gods in observing and taking an account of their wayes and actions and Gods in rewarding and punishing their deserts Neither are all these vaine Titles to commend them to men and to make them glorious in outward pompe but they are accompanied with a divine spirit for the most part wherewith God furnisheth and assisteth them to discover secrets and to discerne and judge betweene Plea and Plea betweene Cause and Cause Deut. 17.8 this spirit came on Saul when he was set apart unto his sacred function 1 Sam. 10.9 and upon Solomon being yet a child and although it be not inseparably annexed to the seate of Justice yet it is rarely denyed to such Governours as seeke it as they ought where their owne or their peoples sinnes hinder not that mercy 2. These outward dignities are accompanied with an effectuall power by which the hearts of people are subdued unto them so that when he saith to one goe he goes Luke 7.8 nay nations and kingdomes are moved and quieted commanded and countermanded by their words trembling at their Indignation as the beasts at the Lyons roaring Prov. 19.12 So that Solomon had good cause to say that there was power in their word Ecclesiast 8.4 and that of death in their wrath and of Life in the light of their countenance Prov. 16.14.15 These are no small advancements unto mortall men to have power to dispose not only of the hearts and lives but in some sort of the hearts and wils of their Brethren many times their matches every way save in their place and dignity and for that honour which God hath put upon them and as Magistrates are called Gods so they be to be esteemed Gods and that for two weighty reasons First for the preserving of Gods honour amongst men of wicked men it is testified that God is not in all their thoughts Psalme 10.4 and that because he is not in their sight as his Judgements are not verse 5. wherefore as Kings make their power visible to all their subâ—ects even those who are removed from their presence in the persons of their deputies to whom they delegate their authority that their feare may be preserved and their power be acknowledged throughout all their dominions so God to preserve his feare and honour among men that cannot behold the presence of his invisible power and god-head stamps his Image upon mortall men his Deputies that they may be as it were visible Gods amongst his people And indeed as it argues a Princes power when his stamp and Proclamation can make base mettall passe for current coyne as well as gold and silver so it cannot but be acknowledged as a marke of Gods feare in the hearts of men when his Commission not onely procureth reverence from men who are of worth in themselves but acceptance and respect unto such who sometimes have nothing to honour them but the very stampe of authority that God hath put upon them Secondly if wee regard publicke peace and prosperity Governours and Magistrates must needs be acknowledged to be of absolute necessity as well for direction as correction seeing order which is the foundation of peace must needs proceed ab uno as well as it tends ad unum there must of necessity be one like the head in the body to command all the members and direct them in their severall offices and imployments and for Correction the necessity thereof is manifested by daily and lamentable experience the petulancy of untamed spirits impatient of rule and order which know no Law but their owne lusts is such that notwithstanding Lawes and Magistrates prisons and gallowes judgement and executions vix nunc obsistitur illis qui laniunt mundum we have much to doe to keepe the world in quiet what would be our condition if all these meanes of restraint were removed Solomon tels us that deferring sentence against an evill work sets the hearts of men on fully to doe mischiefe Ecclesiastes 8.11 what would be the effect of taking away the sentence altogether and the authority that decrees it thus it is not onely true but every way necessary that there should be Gods upon earth furnished with his spirit armed with his power and made awfull by his Majesty that God may enjoy his honour and men their peace and safety Before I can apply this point for the correcting of this generall evill custome in Sermon-hearers who oftentimes make use of the directions and reproofes received from the mouth of Gods Ministers to prescribe unto and censure others rather then to apply them to their own soules Let me crave leave to intimate that I have nothing to doe at present with small or great but only with every soule within these Walls which heare me this day To you therefore I say are Magistrates Gods and dare you deny them that service and observance which wee are to yield even to ordinary men how dare we deceive and beguile them will a man rob God Mal. 3.8 ☜ Are wee not ashamed to slight and despise them they are marked out for Sonnes of Beliall that despised Saul 1 Sam. 10.27 Doe wee not tremble to scandalize and traduce them either with whispering Insinuations with treacherous Absolon 2 Sa. 15.3 Or by open railing with wicked Simei chap. 16.5 Doe we not account it presumption to passe our censures upon their persons and actions more freely then we are warranted to doe upon our Bretheren of the lowest rancke Is it fit to say unto the King thou art wicked Or to the Princes â—e are ungodly Job 34.19 Who art thou that Judgest another mans Servant Saith St. Paul Rom. 14.4 Wee may more justly object who art thou that judgest thine own Lord Doe but weigh how farre the eminency of the person against whom we offend advanceth the sin to beguile the King is not only base robery but sacrilege to scandalize him is not a simple slander but a degree of blasphemy ☞ to violate his person is not an ordinary murther but treason
pretext of Joyning in the maintaining and preserving of State Liberties notwithstanding follow the wayes of their own private gaine as may be more then probably Conceived as well because we find not in them that faire shew of zeale for the publike good answered with sutable Indeavours in such other wayes as have no relation to private advantages as also because it is easy to observe that notwithstanding the shew of saving to the State Yet whatsoever is gained thereby is put the account of private Cash which gives great cause of suspition that it was from the beginning Intended that way to which it is Converted I had forborne to touch upon this Instance but that Religion suffers by this meanes and we particularly and above all men that are Ministers of the Gospell as being conceived to be abetters or Connivers at their Courses and all that is acted by them therein Concerning their wayes therefore without undertaking to set out the bounds of Right between the Prince and State which neither my Calling nor Commission warrant let me crave leave to speake as muchin this publike and solemne auditory as I have whispered into some private eares and delivered in part more then once in this place I say then and have alwayes thought that this Course of shifting away Custome by secret and by Conveyances which is the way that many use is unwarrantable and mixed with much Injustice and that in two respects First the manner of this Conveyance which is by Cunning and secret Interverting of that which they make shew of satisfying and allowing which they are forced also to blanch over many times with manifest untruths at least to say no more Cannot be maintained to be Just and Equall Seeing right Loves to be preserved by truth and open Justifications and not by any kind of fashood or secret shifts Secondly the Conversion of those summes of money which Merchants under the the stile of Custome allow themselves and demand of such as they trade withall unto their private gaine is as little or lesse Justifiable then the former as is evident For if Custome be due at all then must they be the Princes due to whom they were originally Intended and Consequently they neither can nor ought to be with-held from him ☜ by whom soever they be paid and received Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars Math. 22.21 If Customes be not due then are they unjustly cast up in the accounts of our Charges demanded in the prices of our waies and required and received of such as buy them of us Surely the valuing of our wares in the sale of them according to the Charge of paying Custome and the pursing up unto our selves that which is so gained Cannot but be acknowledged to be the wronging of the Prince or State Let men chuse which they please An Injury in it selfe and yet made worse by colouring it over with pretext of standing for the liberty of the State but of this unpleasing argument although by way of necessary Apology too much To come back then to that exhortation which we had in hand Do men in sincerity and truth desire to carry themselves towards such as are Called Gods as becomes them rendring to them their dues every way as the Apostle directs Rom. 13.10 Let them then in the feare of God lay neere to heart these Insuing Considerations First Consider not in Governours so much their parts or carriage as their places and dignitâ—es Such as rule well are worthy of double honour saith the Apostle 1 Tin 5.17 that is both the honour of their places and the honour of their worth in themselves by their deserts the one due to them for God and the other for their personall value as Coyne hath its estimation both by the mettal and stampe now then where we Cannot yield unto the Governour double Let us be Carefull to Conferre upon him at least single honour such as is appendent to his place and Title Secondly in their places Let Magistrates be honoured not with absolute but with respective honour not so much yielded unto them as to the Image of God Imprinted in them and Consequently referred to God by them So that the honour is not determined in them but in God as the rent of the tenant is not payd unto the Batlife but by his hand unto his Lord this observation is of especiall use for a man may wrangle with man but who dares Contend with God a man may thinke himselfe worthy of as good a place as another man but who dares deny God a roome above him a man may adventure to dissemble with man But it would or at least wise should make a man tremble to lye unto God that searcheth the heart one may presume to withhold his neighbours right but will a man adventure to Rob God saith the Prophet Malachi Mal. 3.8 nothing will make the spirit of a man stoope or tremble till he set God before his eyes and Consider the relation which he hath to God which both obligeth the man to the performance of his duty God to the rewarding of his obedience Thirdly seeing Magistrates be Gods Let them be allowed Gods measure in all the duties we performe unto them even the measure of the Sanctuary which was double to the Common measure Let our observance and Love unto them be in a double proportion to that which we allow to private persons and let it appeare in all those effects of Love mentioned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.3.4.5 Patience kindnesse meekenesse respective behaviour good Constructions of their actions and Intentions ☞ and to which we adde fervency of prayers desires of their prosperity zeale in defence of their Innocency of person and Courage against their opposers and detractors Fourthly observe Governors are not over us so much for their owne as for the common good Rom. 13.4 leaving their owne sweetnesse and fatnesse their ease pleasure and profit for the assuring of all these unto their subjects So that a good King is the greatest servant attending on a multitude for their good in cherishing the godly and scattering and crushing the wicked by distributing impartiall rewards and punishments according to mens deserts for the generall good to the body of the State they are the breath of the Common-wealth the life of the Law the soader of the publicke society and for the particular good of every severall Member of the State ☞ for they cast a comfortable influence into every private mans affaires by them we walke in peace buy sell eare sow and reape eate and drinke in assurance and safety sitting every man under his owne Vine and injoying and rejoycing in the fruit of his owne labours for these good things which God conveys unto us by their hands in well ordered governments or in some proportion in the worst let their feet be beautifull unto us their names honourable ☜ their service pleasant and their burthens light Let all men lay this
downe for a ground of infallible truth that every man by nature is impatient of government and subjection whether by the ungodlinesse which is naturally in all which as the Apostle affirmes carrieth us so farre that wee become haters of God Rom. 1.30 ☜ and consequently of his Image in such as represent his person or by our pride which is now become another nature to all men makes us desire to be above and not below or rather by both it is not easie to say this is cleare which the Apostle tels us that naturall men are so prone unto rebellion that they grow disobedient even unto their owne parents Rom. 1.30 and 2 Tim. 3.2 and consequently much more to other Governours to whom they seeme not to have so neere relation this consideration of all mens naturall Inclination to disobedience cannot but make us jealous of the counsels and thoughts of our owne hearts ☜ fearefull of our owne passions and affections and observant of our words and behaviour every way especially in Meetings and Conferences wherein commonly we take more liberty not only in censuring our equals but our betters then will well stand with Christian Charity a seasonable Item for this present time and occasion wherein authority and the actions thereof being represented as it were upon a stage in publicke view the persons and carriage of Magistrates are diversly censured and too often according to mens private Interests and dispositions so that we shall find just cause at the breaking up of this solemne meeting when our hearts shall smight us that instead of our prayers to God for the execution of Justice charitable Censures upon such passages in Judgement as are Capable of good Constructions and not bewayling of our own sins which is it that causeth the turning of Judgement into wormwood many times we take up swelling thoughts rash censures and bitter speeches against such as we ought to thinke and speak of with reverence we shall find Just cause I say after Jobs example in the feasts of his Children every man a part by himself to offer up a sin offering unto God for his own soul In the 6. place remember the heathen Philosophers maxime of singular use in all duties between man and man much more between man and his God there is more evill in doing then in receiving wrong the latter being at the worst but an outward and temporary evill the former Inwards and perpetuall In a cause therefore of such Importance Let every man offend in the safest part rather trespassing upon his own ease profit or liberty then upon the rights and services due unto Governours rather suffer his own losse then hazard the doing of them wrong rather limite and Crosse his own will then Crosse and withstand theirs so that in the meane time we swerve not from the will of God Seventhly remember that of reciprocall duties that passe between man and man some are founded upon an Ordinance of God and others upon agreement and mutuall stipulation between men themselves the duties of the latter sort are like the Couples of a house as they stand one by another so they fall one with another as if one party refuse to stand to the bargaine the other is at liberty But the duties established by an Ordinance of God cease not by the failing of reciprocall performances as for example I must Love mine enemy though he Love not me and doe him good though he doe me hurt So it is in all duties between Parents and Children Magistrate and Subject Husband and Wife Master and Servant the reason is plaine because the obligation to that duty is more to God that Commands it then to the person to whom it is injoyned to be performed in which respect the obligation to duty which these severall relations casts upon a man by Gods Ordinance may be termed a Covenant of God in some sort as Marriage is called Pro. 2.17 upon this ground Solomon gives a Caveat that if the spirit of the Rulers rise up against a man he must not leave his place Eccles ☞ 10.4 as if he had said although the Magistrate leave his place it is no warrant for thee to leave thine or to neglect thy duty because he hath neglected his it was an Ill speech or that Roman Senator ne ego quidem illum ut Consulam quando neque ille me ut Consularem I did not respect him according to his office because he reguarded not me according to my degree Lastly remember that though the Rulers duty in Governing cease not by the peoples neglect of duty in obeying notwithstanding thereby he ceaseth to be a debtor unto them though his Ingagement unto God continue still to this purpose we must know that reciprocall dutyes which God Injoynes may become due by a double Title First by Gods Command which makes the duty a debt unto God Secondly they may grow further due by the performance of some duty by the one partie which may deserve requitall to him that performes it from him to whom it is performed and so becomes a debt in equity and Justice unto man wherefore where one deserves nothing at anothers hand because he performe not unto him that office and service which he is bound unto there that man can challenge nothing of his neighbours to whom he neglects his duty as his owne debt by desert because nothing can in equity be demanded by him that hath not deserved that which he demands thus where the people fayle in obedience to Rulers there they cannot demand any duty to them from the Rulers hand as their debt though God may demand it as a duty and service of obedience to him and punish the neglect of it if it be not performed Hence it must needs follow that the Conscionable performance of our duty even to undeserving Governours is the only sure foundation of all our prayers and Complaints unto God ☜ as our sutes and requests unto men and of all our hopes and expectations of a better condition in time to come The observation of mens frequent failing in these duties towards such as are in anthority and the Ill consequence which follows thereupon hath occasioned the Inlarging of my meditations upon this argument beyond my Intended purpose a sew words of such reciprocall duties as these high honours and dignities unto which Magistrates are advanced that are called Gods bind them unto that Injoyes them as well by the condition of the places themselves which they possesse as by the will of them that sets him there In the opening whereof I must crave leave to renew my former Intimation that I Intend this exhortation only to this present auditory and therein as many as it may concerne from the reverent Judges that sit on the throne of Judgement even to the lowest Constable In the first place therefore are Magistrates Gods then what manner of persons ought they to be in all manner of Conversation as the Apostle speakes in