D. late Fellow of S. JOHNS Colledge in CAMBRIDGE Justitia non novit patrem non novit matrem veritatem novit personam non accipit Deum imitatur Cass in Psal CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the Universitie Anno Dom. MDCLVII To the right WORSHIPFULL SIR HENRY FELTON BARONET All increase of true Honour with God and man RIGHT WORSHIPFULL THere is store of Sermons extant the Pulpit scarce affordeth more then the Press neither know I which is more advantageous The sound of the Word pierceth more the letter written endureth longer the voice extendeth but to some few present the writing to many absent the Authour though dead yet speaketh Here are two added to the number and by the relict of the deceased presented to the publick view which I crave leave to honour with your name Why I do so I need not give account to the world which alreadie knoweth your worth and deserts and shall know by this that I acknowledge them besides my special obligations to you for your favour to me and my son unknown to the world Sir you were willing to have been his Patron whilest he lived be pleased now to vouchsafe the Patronage of this his Posthumous issue which I humbly commend to your care and you with your vertuous Ladie to the grace of the Almightie wishing you both all that little happiness the earth can afford you and fulness of glorie in heaven Your Worships most humbly devoted JOHN FROST COLOS. 3. 25. But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done and there is no respect of persons SOme of the ancients have charitably excused the Heathens Polytheisme by that probable conjecture that they worshipped not divers gods but one and the same according to those various benefits they received from him or those divers apprehensions they had of him As Lipsius speaking Lipsius dissert 9. of the gods of the Stoicks saith they were rather multitudo nominum then numinum a multitude of names rather Lib. 4. de Civit. Dei cap. 24. then of natures And Augustine in his book de civitate Dei brings in the Heathens pleading for themselves that they were not so ridiculously ignorant as to think virtue or fortune and the rest gods but onely divers expressions of the same deity Which opinion may gain further probabilitie if we consider what unworthy unsuitable apprehensions men are apt to entertain of God Most men like that Roman painter Arellius who was wont to draw the faces of all his images according to the likeness of that beautie which himself most affected framing a god to themselves suitable to their own carnal interests and corrupt affections not conceiving of him as he is and so truely making God an Idol Thus some fancie a god to themselves all of justice breathing out nothing but fire and brimstone against sin armed with nothing but vengeance and terrour and they can by no means frame to themselves one conception of his mercy and this is the misapprehension which the humbled despairing sinner lies under who can speak no other language of God then that of Job The arrows of the Almightie are within me the poison Job 6. 4. whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of the Lord do set themselves in array against me Others which indeed is the more frequent and the more dangerous mistake fancie to themselves a notion of God as all love and mercie all tenderness and compassion in the mean time either through unbelief not crediting or through inadvertencie not actually considering the justice of God and this is the misperswasion and errour of the presumptuous secure sinner and that which encourageth him to a constant and confident continuance in sin against God and wronging his neighbour this prompts and encourageth the superiour to oppress his inferiour and him to rebel against his superiour Therefore the Apostle here undertaking to press upon these Colossians a just and suitable deportment to every subordination God shall set them in which is the relative importance of the words having verse 24. allured them by the hopes of mercie or a reward he here perswades them by the terrours of the Lords justice against those who in any capacitie or rank whatsoever for so Zanchy extends the words wrongs or injures another But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done c. As if he had said Let none lay aside the belief of the justice of God or encourage themselves Paraphr in sin by hopes of impunitie let not the poor inferiour servant for the words are peculiarly spoken for the comfort of such by the general consent of expositours repine despairingly because here perhaps he suffers wrongfully nor yet the superiour triumph proudly because he can at present oppress securely for there will come a time though now the poor and inferiour are oppressed without relief and great ones Tyrannize without controle when he be he Prince or Peasant honourable or despised rich or poor be he what he will be these circumstances of the persons are not valued or considered by that impartial justice of God from which he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done c. The words you see are the description of Gods severitie against sin their terms may briefly be explained thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that doth wrong 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Budaeus Or if you will take the Philosophers account of it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to injure another knowingly contrarie Steph. ex Arist Rhet. to some law either the superiour law of God or the subordinate so far as just laws of men agreeing with the law natural and eternal so that every sin as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles phrase 1 John 3. 4. so it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too a wrong to God our neighbour our selves and in this latitude I shall here consider it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall receive The word properly signifies such a receiving as is by way of return or recompence that is He shall have the just reward of that injurie whereby he wrongs another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non personam significat sed personae attributa circumstantias Stephan Scripture speaks of God as having a gratious respect to some men more then to others Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Rom. 9. 13. Thus God had respect to Abel not to Cain Gen. 4. 4 5. But the persons here signifies the outward circumstances and qualifications of men those which make men glorious and valuable in the world such as Honour Riches Authoritie Greatness Learning Parentage Countrey which are the admiration and terrour of men yet can neither procure Gods favour for nor secure the sinner from the stroke of Divine justice Which interpretation is evident from the context and I shall further clear it anon
wheels moving one within another such unequal distributions of rewards and punishments the righteous oft suffering while the wicked flourish that some have from hence taken occasion to quarrel with the Justice and deny the Providence of God But be sure God's ways are alwaies just when most secret and it will become the modestie and humilitie of a creature though God's judgements are unsearchable and his ways past finding out yet Rom. 11. 23. to acknowledge with David that the Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works and where we cannot fathom to crie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oh the depth and at that last great day that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God as the Apostle calls it Rom. 2. 5. then God will unriddle all his mysterious providences vindicate all his proceedings from the imputation of injustice which here the ignorance or malice of men may charge them with Then we shal discern as the Prophet Malachy saith though here perhaps we cannot between the righteous Mal. 3. 18. and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not God lays not out equal punishments for unequal sins but at the last day there shall be a tolerabilius a more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon for some sinners then for others III. The universality of Gods justice both as to persons and sins We must all saith the Apostle stand before the judgement seat of Rom. 14. 10 12. Christ and every one shall give an account of himself to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch The most hardned proud stout-hearted Pharaoh cannot withstand the meanest instrument of Divine justice if armed with Gods Commission the guilty malefactour may many ways escape the stroke of civil justice perhaps he can conceal the fact from the knowledge of the Judge but no hiding any sin from the eyes of omniscience as the sinner oft desires and sometimes is so far deluded as to think he can do it and thereby is encouraged to sin more confidently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are anatomized and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do saith the Apostle Heb. 4. 13. and He sets our most secret sins in the light of his countenance saith the Psalmist Psal 90. 8. Well but if the malefactour be convinced of the fact he may break prison and flee but whither shall a guilty sinner flee to escape Gods justice If I go into heaven thou art there Psal 139. 8. but thither he is not like to come for there enters nothing that worketh abomination Rev. 21. 27. If he goesinto hell there justice finds him God is there also saith David yea there as a most severe Judge In earthly judicatories the person may be guilty yet may escape the censure of the law for want of witness to prove the fact but God when he judgeth summons in the sinners own conscience which is instead of a thousand witnesses so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly without excuse Here many though guilty enough yet by their power or greatness have out-grown civil justice and are too big to be meddled with such shall especially receive from the hands of God S. John saw in the Revelations the Rev. 20. 12. great as well as the small stand before Gods tribunal and judged according to their works The wrongs that Magistrates and great ones do to others here as being most exemplary directly contrary to the end of their office for which they must be accountable to God and forfeiting that trust God hath reposed in them to right others and as being such for which they seldome receive any punishment from the hands of men God will most certainly and severely punish Here it is possible the Judge may be terrified by greatness or corrupted by money or favour to be partial in the execution of justice but God nec terretur potentiâ nec flectitur gratiâ is neither scared by power nor prevailed with by favour but he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong c. And lastly here the sin may be such as the law takes no cognizance of de minutis non curat lex and cogitationis paenam in foro nostro nemo luit but the least sin shall fall under the Censure of Divine justice Every idle word must be accounted for every secret and vain Mat. 12. 36. thought God saith the Apostle shall judge the secrets of men according Rom. 2. 16. to my Gospel Our Saviour lays him who wrongs his brother by an immoderate passion unworthy language or the like open to and Mat. 5. 22. in danger of hell-fire God is especially a swift witness against those that oppress others that wrong and injure their brethren Scripture Mal. 3. 5. affords us many sad monuments and signal instances of Gods justice against such Ahab gets Naboths vineyard and the dogs lick his 1 Kings 22. 38. Acts 5. bloud How sudden and severe was Gods justice upon Ananias and Sapphira's sacriledge the consideration of which might justly make many in our days tremble How were Daniels false accusers made a prey to those lions to whose cruelty he by their false witness was condemned I wish all that are interessed in the employment of witnesses this day would consider this tremble for certainly the false witness shall not go unpunished Prov. 19. 5. So for bribery what got Gehazi by Naamans gifts but his leprosie to him and his 2 Kings 5. posterity IV. The impartiality of Gods proceedings God is no respecter of persons 1. Not in the communications of his mercy this the Apostle Peter affirms with much earnestness of a truth saith he Acts 10. 34 I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him and the Apostle sure spoke this experimentally who of a poor fisherman was accepted to be an Apostle Truth is there is nothing which God more hates or which Scripture more industriously frees God from then this accepting persons yet nothing which the proud corrupt reason of man which the Apostle justly calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enmitie Rom. 8. 7. against God more ordinarily chargeth God with If God from eternity chooseth one leaves another if in time he confers his grace on one which he denies to another gives one assistance to persevere leaves another to the apostasie of his own heart presently one English Arminius and others cry out he is a most shamefull accepter of persons unjust and what not I wish these men would give God that freedome which sure themselves would and every man may enjoy without imputation of injustice and partiality to wit to bestow when and where he will and upon whom he will what he hath an absolute interest in and right to so is it not lawful with God
In the words thus opened four particulars are considerable Division First The indispensable necessitie of justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall receive it cannot be otherwise Secondly The equitie of Divine justice it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is pro gravitate peccati sui saith Paraeus According to the nature and proportionably to the greatness of the injurie Thirdly The extent and universalitie of Divine justice And that is double I. Of the Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be what he will be II. Of the Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What ever his sin and injurie be Fourthly The impartialitie of Divine justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. There is no respect of persons To which four particulars if I may beg leave to speak First Absolutely in themselves Secondly Relatively as to the persons engaged in the affairs of this day I shall dismiss both the Text and Congregation And First Of the indispensableness of justice upon those who do wrong they shall receive I. They may lawfully from the hand of the civil Magistrate II. They shall certainly from the hand of God I. They may lawfully from the hand of the civil Magistrate The Apostle tells us he is Gods minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Rom. 13. 4. There are indeed a generation of men in the world who brand all justice with the name of crueltie and Magistracie with the titles of Tyrannie and usurpation some such there were in the Apostles time Peter tells us of some who despise government and speak evil of dignities 2 Pet. 2. 10. and Jude verse 8. of such whom he calls filthy dreamers who despise dominion The Manichees conceived that Magistracie was a constitution of their bâ—d god such were the Weigelians and Swenkfeldians of latter years and such are many amongst us at this day and if we observe them they are the very same men who would pull the sword of the Spirit the word of God out of the mouthes of Minâ—sters who would wrest the sword of justice out of the hand of the Magistrate the desâ—gn sure is that so their licentiousness might go unreproved by the one and unpunished by the other onely here is the difference though they have alreadie so far thrown off religion as not to regard the one yet they have not so far laid aside the natural principle of self-preservation and policie as not to fear the other Truth is they fear the Magistrates sword is too edged a tool for them to meddle withall they know that if they oppose it they are like to feel it It hath alwaies been so that the Magistrates and Ministrie have had the same opposers and the same principles of Pride Faction and Ambition carrie men out to contemn both as imagining themselves too knowing to be taught by the one or too good to be ruled by the other It was thus of old those leading famous rebels Corah Dathan and Abiram gainsay and oppose as well Moses the Magistrate as Aaron the Priest and think both of them take too much upon them to lift themselves above the congregation of the Lord Numb 16 3. and therefore they both envie Aaron his Priesthood and Moses his Authoritie they will neither hear the one nor obey the other v. 12. And it is so still those who now cast dirt in the face of the Ministers would most certainly if they had power and opportunitie lay the Magistrates honour in the dust and crie down them as Tyrannical as they now do these as Antichristian I question not my Honourable Lords but we shall finde you readie and zealous and the rest of the Magistracie of this Nation to assert the sword of the Spirit to us and I shall I am confident as the mouth of all the sound Ministrie of England vindicate and assert the power of the civil sword to you and that upon these grounds He that doth wrong must receive from the hand of the Magistrate 1. That the Magistrate may faithfully discharge that office which God hath entrusted him withall God hatâ— put a sword into the Magistrates hands and he expects he should not bear it vain Rom. 13. 4. not bear it for honour to himself onely but for terrour to offendours verse 3. Rulers are not a terrour to good works but for evil He is not to wear it as a badge and ensign of Honour but draw it as an instrument of Justice It is the very end of his office Governours saith the Apostle are sent by God there is their Commission if we 1 Pet. 2. 14 would know the end wherefore the next words resolve us they are sent by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the punishment of evil doers And it is this Divine Authoritie which makes that justice in the Magistrate which would be crueltie and murder in another The wise God hath not entrusted the sword of justice in the hands of every private man how soon then would the whole world become an Aceldama if every man might be the revenger of his own wrongs Therefore God who hath forbidden private Christians to avenge themselves Rom. 12. 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves c. yet Chap. 13. 4. hath authorized the Magistrate with his Commission to be the avenger of wrath upon those that do evil Et quis obedientiam in crimen vocet saith Austin in this case Quis obsequium pietatis Lib. 1. de civ Dei cap. 26. accuset 2. That he may acquit and clear himself of the guilt of other mens sins Those sins which the Magistrate either out of Cowardize or Partialitie punisheth not he makes his own and what men commit as encouraged by seeing others go unpunished for the same sinnes and sure no greater encouragement to a licentious corrupt heart to sin then hopes of impunitie the guilt certainly is devolved upon the Magistrate who by punishing it in some should have prevented it in others Camerarius tells us of a wise answer though Camerar pag. 469. made by a fool to a King of France who being solicited to give out a pardon for a murderer made this the ground of his denial that it was the third murder that man had committed No my Soveraign saith he it is but the first he hath committed you committed the second and the third Nam si primi veniam illi non dedisses unicum illud commisisset It was his first pardon which made him promise himself securitie and so encouraged him to commit the like sinne It is the charge God laies upon the Princes of Judah Isa 1. 23. that they were companions of thieves that is coercendis puniendis furt is operam non impendebant saith Calvin They did not endeavour to Calv. in loc restrain and punish them and therefore are interpreted as partners with them Famous is that storie of Ludovicus one of the Kings of Camer ibid. France to this purpose who being at
his devotions was solicited to pardon a Malefactour condemned to die he as willing to shake off such an unseasonable importunitie granted the request but Psal 106. 3. suddenly meeting with that passage of the Psalmist Blessed are they that keep judgement and be that doth righteousness at all times recalled the Malefactour and revoked his former grant of mercie upon this reason Principem qui punire potest crimen nec punit non minùs coram Deo reum esse quà m si id ipse perpetrâsset that Prince or Magistrate which can and will not punish sin is in the judgement and sight of God as guiltie of it as if he had commited it There are no men in the world more guiltie of other mens sins then Ministers and Magistrates the first by not reproving the other by not punishing 3. In faithfulness to the offendour to him that doth wrong the Magistrate by punishing him may do him a real courtesie as certainly they did the thief who condemned him to the same Cross with our Saviour and his receiving punishment by the hand of the Magistrate may be a means of his repentance for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch and so prevent his receiving it from the just hand of God Magistrates in Scripture are oft called Fathers as Pater patriae among the Romans and we know what Solomon saith of them Prov. 13. 24. He that spareth his rod hateth his son and severitie and justice against the sin may oft in the event prove mercie to the sinner but however He that doth wrong shall receive c. 4. In order to the common and publick securitie that by one mans punishment others may fear to sin Which is the account Moses gives of Gods appointment of capital punishments under the judicial law as the seducer from the true worship of God was by Gods command to be stoned Deut. 13. 10. and the end is expressed verse 11. that all Israel might hear and fear and do no more such wickedness And the false witness to be punished Deut. 19. 19 20. That those which remain may no more commit any such evil amongst you That which is a punishment to one becomes a terrour to all Besides punishments are necessarie for the protection of weak and unarmed innocencie to which Magistrates are or should be a refuge and shelter and which is chief for the securitie and defence of the Laws which would be every villains scorn and derision if they were not hedged in with thorns as I may say and secured by punishments For though the most ingenuous principle of obedience be love yet the most common principle is fear and those who will not for conscience sake as the Apostle commands Rom. 13. 5. conform to the Laws yet will for wraths sake for fear of punishment and many whom Religion will not Policie will oblige to obedience God sees it necessarie to secure his own Laws by annexing punishments to them mans corrupt nature is become now servile and with those in Psal 2. 3. would think of breaking all bands in sunder and casting away the cords of Gods commands from them did they not fear as it follows there v. 9. to be bruised with the rod of iron Many keep Gods Laws more out of fear of Hell then out of any love to Holiness and much more invalid will any humane Laws be without punishments annexed If men could promise themselves securitie from the punishment which the Law threatens they would quickly indulge themselves the libertie of violating what the Law commands I like not indeed Draco's Laws which were so cruel that they were said to be written in bloud not with ink nor approve of Caligula's decrees which were termed furores non judicia and surely capital punishments should then onely be inflicted when the Laws cannot be secured nor the publick safetie and peace preserved without them But without some punishment neither can be safe the Magistrates authoritie would be contemned and the Laws like Cobwebs swept down by every hand and therefore those same men I mean the Socinians and others who inveigh against all punishments especially if capital as a breach of charitie charge the Laws too as a violation of Christian libertie these are timely to be looked too Magistrates in Scripture are called Physitians it is a cruel pitie in a Physitian to Isa 3. 6 7. spare an ounce or two of corrupt bloud and thereby endanger the health of the whole bodie A Gangren'd member must be cut off that the whole be not corrupted immedicabile vulnus ense rescindendum est Nè pars sincera trahatur so must a corrupt member of the Common-wealth and however this may seem crueltie to the Offendour yet I am sure it is mercie and pitie to the Publick which can oft no otherwaies be secured and preserved from danger By this time I hope you see the Magistrates right to punish them who do wrong but lest the great Nimrods of the world might here take sanctuarie and because of their own power or policie or of the Magistrates cowardize or partialitie they may hope to escape the stroke of the civil sword and so be encouraged to tyrannize and wrong others let them know they shall certainly receive at the hand of God for what ever wrong they do c. that brings me to the II. The indispensabilitie of divine justice A truth very necessarie to be demonstrated because though the worst of Atheists fear it a clap of thunder strikes a Caligula under his bed as fearing the stroke of a revenging justice and a discourse of it strikes a cruel Felix into a fit of trembling yet many would go for Christians who do not believe it or at least do not express the power of such a perswasion in their lives Would there be so many mightie Nimrods hunters after their neighbours estates and lives so many unjust Ahabs and the like if they really believed they should receive for that wrong they do from the hand of an indispensable impartial justice Truth is men must offer violence to the principles of natural conscience in which there are strong impressions of this truth as being that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that judgement of God which the Apostle saith the Heathen though given over to a reprobate sense had a Rom. 1. 28 32. knowledge of before they can cast off all thoughts and jealousies of a revenging justice but few live under the actual belief of it the fear of it scares them but the belief of it doth not reclaim them Truth is most men have many carnal prejudices against it as to do thus is the mode of the world and I shall escape as well as others and not to do it will cross my gain and profit and that which indeed is the chief and makes most Atheists is present prosperitie they can do wrong and yet thrive and prosper and this makes many think God rather likes and approves of the sin then intends to punish
to do what he will with his own Is thy eye evil because God is good by these mens good will God should neither have the soveraignty of his councels nor the freedome of bestowing his graces I wish these men would consider the truth of that in gratuitis non datur acceptio personarum surely a man is unjustly charged with partiality for giving that to one which he is not bound to give to any for accepting of persons is a sin against distributive justice locum habet Aquin. in Rom. 2. 11. in iis quae dantur ex debito saith Aquinas Now God is no mans debtour and in giving his grace to some he doth no wrong to others because he might have denied it to all God may silence such reasonings as hee did the murmuring labourer who quarrel'd with him for giving the other a penny Matth. 20. 13. Friend I do thee no wrong God in the distribution of his graces acts not as a Judge but as a Lord and the motives of it are not any outward undue circumstances of the persons but merely his own will dividing to every 1 Cor. 12. 11 Ephes 1. 11. man severally as he pleaseth working all things after the counsel of his own will as a demonstration of which he oft bestowes his grace upon those who as to humane judgement seem most unlike and unqualified witness a persecuting blaspheming Saul a licentious Mary Magdalen an unjust injurious thief it will puzzle the sharpest wit to finde any other motive and ground of this then the soverainty and good pleasure of God unless they will say blasphemie and uncleanness be qualifications for grace Surely God doth this as thereby to reap the greater glory of his grace so to shew his freedome and Aquin. 2. 1. 2◠q. 63. art 3. absoluteness in communicating it Gods bestowing his grace saith Aquinas soundly and excellently is datio pertinens ad liberalitatem non ad justitiam a gift not of debt but of grace and liberality and in such there can be no respect of persons God in this regards not the outward qualities and circumstances of men not greatness or learning for not many wise after the flesh not many mighty or noble are called 1 Cor. 2. 26. but hath respect to his own counsel and purpose and that must stand I will have mercy on whom I will c. Rom. 9. 15. And if proud reason as it is usual charge this as arbritrariness and tyranny that in Job may silence it Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked and to Job 34. 18 19. princes ye are ungodly how much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes nor regardeth the rich more then the poor for they ane all the work of his hands And I shall say with S. Augustine scrutetur qui potest profundum veruntamen caveat praecipitium while he quarrels with and pries into the counsels and secrets of heaven let him beware he falls not into the depths of hell 2. Not in the executions of his justice but whom that finds under the same guilt it condemns to the same punishment This the Apostle asserts 1 Pet. 1. 17. Who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans works and the Apostle to the Romanes Rom. 2. 9 10 11. Tribulation and anguish to every soul that doth evil to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect c. Yet each of these had what to plead the Gentile his ignorance the Jew his priviledges as Gods peculiar but justice spares them not because they enjoyed them but punished them more severely because they contemned and abused them it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Jew first at the ninth verse of that second chapter to the Romanes The Gentiles punishment shall be less 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome Chrysost in loc on the place because they have not the law accusing them It is not the enjoyment of Ordinances and outward priviledges which the Jews rested in and which I fear is the rotten foundation which too many Christians build upon which will secure a sinner from the stroke of an impartial justice but if contemned and mis-improved will Hebr. 2. 3. make it heavier The Jews rested in their outward circumcision as their security but Moses bids them circumcise their hearts that upon Deut. 10. 16 17. this ground that God was a terrible God which regardeth not persons No outward circumstances of the person can over-ballance this impartial justice not a mans greatness honour these too oft aggravate his sin and increase his punishment Magistrates sins are of a deep die scarlet sins and will provoke a severer justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Rom. 2. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome In Gods judgement greatness of person is inconsiderable The Angelical excellency could not secure or exempt them from the severity of Gods justice they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day Jude 6. Nor will riches profit in the day of Gods wrath as God dislikes not holiness though under rags so he approves not sin under the gayest coat nor will patronize profaneness and wrong under Princes robes and crowns He accepteth not the person of princes nor the rich man more then the poor in the place of Job before cited Job 34. 19. Lazarus's rags make him ne're the less fit or welcome guest into Abrahams bosome nor can all Dives his pomp and wealth and delicious fare secure him from the sentence of justice dooming him to eternal flames God likes neither the one better for his riches nor the other the worse for his poverty All a wicked mans riches purchase for him onely a hotter place in hel at Rome indeed they Jam. 5. 2. may perhaps buy him a pardon and but treasure up wrath their Ezek. 17. 19. silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. Nor will a wicked Achitophels policy secure him you know it hastned his ruine here and will increase it hereafter Nor shall the great Scholars learning if without holiness and doing the will of God at the day of Gods judgement avayl him any more but to increase his stripes Surgunt indocti rapiunt coelum was an old and Luke 12. 47. a sad complaint of the Father Nay that best piece of learning to teach others will not stay the hand of justice if such be workers of iniquity Many will come at the last day with that plea We have Matth. 7. 23. prophesied in thy name who yet shall be dispatched with a Nescio vos I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquity All the fair shews and appearances the affected garbs and hypocritical personating Religion if without the power of godliness will not then be considerable any further then to bring upon
wrongs impious Thirdly The impartiality of divine justice there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with God nor ought to be with you nothing given so frequently in charge in Scripture that I know of as this not to respect persons And that in reference to God himself Deut. 1. 17. ye shall not respect persons in judgement for the judgement is Gods but hear the small as well as the greater And elsewhere Thou shalt not wrest judgement Deut. 16. 19. Lev. 19. 15. thou shalt not respect persons And in Leviticus Thou shalt not honour the person of the mighty nor respect the person of the poor neither cowardly fear the one nor foolishly pity the other though the poor be especially the Magistrates charge and it ought to be his care to defend him and pity him so far as may be sine laesione justitiae saith Aquin. 2. 2. Exod. 23. 3. Aquinas So in Exodus neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause that is with violation of justice and equitie And to name no more to have respect of persons is not good saith Solomon Prov. 28. 21. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we believe Zanchy is properly verbum Zanch. in Ephes 6. 9. forense a word of Assizes de judicibus propriè praedicatur Accepting persons is a sin incident to those who are employed in matters of judicature and transactions of Law and is as commonly I fear practised as it is little understood when Jurours are by assed more by love or hate to the person then by conscience of their oaths or insight into the cause when verdict is the language of their affection or praejudice not of their knowledge and conscience when the interest of some near relation or a suggestion from a friend swaies them more then the equity of the cause when witnesses swear home in one mans cause and wont in another though they know as much of it and the case depends on it when a lawyer pleads the poor mans cause faintly and coldly though perhaps the most just the rich mans with abundance of zeal and heat of passion all this is a vitious and sinfull respect of persons And suffer me Right honourable to be your remembrancer though I confidently believe you both know these things and abhor them when one mans cause is expedited and dispatched upon the bare consideration of some outward qualification as Riches Friendship Kindred Countrie or the like and in the mean time a poor mans case is deferred and protracted when one mans case upon the like consideration is sifted into another mans perfunctorily passed over or the Jurie better informed in one mans case then in another when one mans case is weighed in the ballance of equitie a second of prejudice a third of favour and affection when of two involved in the same guilt one meets with a milder sentence then the other as being a friend or rich or powerfull or because of some circumstantial opinion or the like when the person commends the case not the case the person in a word when any consideration besides the equity of the cause and justness of the law prevailes with the Judge in judgement this is an unjust and sinfull respect of persons God standeth in the congregation of the mighty he judgeth among the Gods saith David how long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the Psal 82. 1 2. wicked 'T is a great and crying sin certainly the very ruin of societies it overturnes and perverts the end of the Laws the protection of which the meanest may challenge as his right which as they were made so should be executed without respect of person 'T is a sin which robs the subject of his liberty and security and makes him slavish and servile whilest he fears if he cannot be assured of an Impartial execution of the Laws a lesser fault in him may feel a severer hand of justice then a greater in another Riches or Honour Diversitie of opinions or what ever other circumstances of the person alter not the nature of homicide or adulterie or theft God is equally dishonoured the common-wealth equally suffers the law is equally violated by these sins be the person what he will be therefore respecting these must needs be an overthrowing of the laws and a perverting of judgement Besides this sin disposeth a man to other sins to all kinde of iniquity to have respect of person saith Solomon is not good for a piece of bread that man will transgress Prov. 18. 21. Yea it lays him open to the curse of the people so the same Wiseman He that saith to the wicked Thou art righteous him shall the people Prov. 24. 24. curse nations shall abhor him And that which is worse and most aggravates the crime Judges on their tribunals personate and represent God and so by respecting persons make God a partner in Drusâ—us in difficil loc in Deut. 3. that sin which he most hates Drusius notes that the Ancients painted justice peplo oculis obducto with a veil drawn over her eyes to signifie that impartialitie which ought to be in the administrations of justice Judges should be seeing into the cause that 's the Judges honour and the peoples advantage and security as S. Paul accounted it his priviledge to answer before Agrippa because he Acts 26. 2. knew him expert in all customes and questions so I am confident others will finde this their advantage from you Right Honourable but blinde to the person knowing but not partial A Judge saith the Philosopher is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living breathing Arist Polit. lib. 5. cap. 7. justice The Judges in Egypt vvere painted vvithout hands and blinde And the Areopagites vvho vvere Judges at Athens passed their sentence in the night and had their judicatures in some dark rooms that so they might not be by assed by prejudice or affection to the person to give vvrong judgement and I question not but you vvill be found such in our Athens And by thus imitating the justice of God you may hereby I. Promote the end of the Laws and the end of your office which is the publick security which is no way better consulted then by justice and equity S. Austin plainly denies that ever the Romane politie Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 10. c. 21. lib. 4. cap. 4. Lipsius de const lib. 2. cap. 13. could be called properly a Common-wealth upon this ground that ubi non est justitia non est respublica he calls Common-wealths without justice but magna latrocinia or in Lipsius his language congeries confusio turba 't is but an abuse of the word Respublica Common-wealth where the publick good is not consulted by an impartial justice and equity 't is but a confused heap a rowt of men Or if we will call it so at present it will not be so long without justice for besides that injustice and oppression makes the
seriously consider the burthen of Magistracy and through the turbulency disquiet and unruliness of many spirits the difficulty of managing it and how much wisdome and prudence is required to it and withall that all the enablements and assistances to go through it come from above from God will easily see that prayer and devotion is necessary to a Magistrate Magistrates should be men of knowledge and understanding as it is said of David that he was wise as an Angel of God 2 Sam. 14. 20. Moses bid the people seek out men of knowledge and understanding to be Rulers over them Deut. 1. 13. The way to come by this wisdome is prayer which Solomon was sensible of when being put to his choise what to ask he prayed for wisdome 1 King 3. 9. The same his father David had prayed for for him before 1 Chron. 22. 12. The Lord give thee wisdome and understanding both to govern thy self and others And the Apostle bids expressely those who want wisdome to ask it of God Jam. 1. 5. And if ever this were needfull then now certainly in our days A skilfull Pilot and Mariner is most required in a storm when the boisterous tumultuous waves threaten a ship-wrack and wise and skilfull Magistrates to secure the Church from splitting upon the rock of errour and heresie or the State of Anarchy and confusion 4. His courage and resolution to undertake any service for God though upon the greatest improbabilities and most difficult disadvantages If he sends him against Jericho onely with Rams-horns he undertakes it This God oft urgeth upon Joshua Josh 1. 18. Onely be strong and of a good courage A good qualification of a Christian Magistrate Courage to stand up for God and Courage to appear against sin Courage to bear up against reproaches and calumnies of men for these you must look to meet with that you be not afraid of the face of man Deut. 1. 17. Alexander was wont to say that this was verè regium well becoming Authoritie to do well and to hear ill such a Courage and equal greatness and magnanimitie of spirit becomes a Magistrate as may neither be over-heightned by anger and passion which oft makes Magistracie degenerate into a cruel Tyrannie nor yet emasculated and weakned by timorous low fearfulness which may cause him to pervert justice whilest he fears either the Malefactours greatness or his own disgrace and inconvenience Solomon's Throne was upheld by Lions A Lions heart upholds the Magistrates power and authoritle whilest a base pusillanimous cowardize betraies his Government to contempt his person to reproach and encourageth the people whilest through his cowardize they promise themselves impunitie to confidence in sin prophaneness It was a brave resolution of David which if all Magistrates as it is their dutie should take up we should not see such an overflowing of open prophaneness Psal 101. 7 8. He that worketh deceit c. V. The milde and sweet tenderness of his Government He rather chose to lead the people then to drive them to perswade then to force them An instance of this you have Josh 1. 12 13 14. c. He might by his power have commanded and compelled them or else justly stript and deprived them of that possession which was allotted them by Moses which was onely upon condition of their obedience in passing Jordan Numb 32. 29 30. But see he chose rather friendly to admonish and intreat them and see the fruit of it it overcame the people into obedience Josh 1. 16 17. And no wonder Joshua was so tender and gentle being instructed and educated by Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth Num. 12. 3. A fit temper sure of a Christian Magistrate as being that by which these God's of the earth resemble the God of heaven This is it which preserves and secures Government Prov. 20. 28. The reason sure is because nothing doth so powerfully yet so sweetly command the peoples obedience Thus Absalom stole away the hearts of the people of Israel 2 Sam. 15. 5. Whilest a morose imperious cruelty exasperates mens minds and makes them tumultous and rebellious a sweet milde elemencie makes them facile and flexible Historians observe that the cruelty of Nero Vitellius Domitian Heliogabalus others betrayed them to hastie and violent deaths whilest the sweetness and clemencie of Trajan Augustus Adrianus and Titus Vespasian who was hence called deliciae humani generis caused their Bellarm. p. 95. longer life and more honourable and natural death Pliny tells us that the king of the Bees hath no sting a Magistrate should be of such an equal temper that neither by an overmuch facilitie he might encourage sin nor yet by a too severe crueltie oppress and tyrannize VI. His Vigilancie and watchfulness of which we have an instance Josh 3. 1. And Joshua rose early in the morning c. A duty which lies much upon Magistrates Continual dangers attend them difficulties offer themselves to them they must be watchfull lest whilest they sleep the enemie comes and sows tares the Tares of Mat. 13. 25. Heresie in the Church or Faction and Sedition in the State 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It becomes not a Magistrate to sleep a Hom. Iliad ◠whole night the Heathen could say The Apostle exhorts them who rule that they should do it with diligence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 8. Magistrates would do well to consider whose work they are imployed in viz. the work of God His Deputies they are and therefore may tremble to think of that Jer. 48. 10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully or negligently as it is in the Margent and this may provoke them to care and vigilancie in their duty VII His care in the execution of justice carefully enquiring into the cause before he passed sentence A pregnant instance of which we have Josh 7. in his dealing with Achan how he searched first into the Tribes then into the Families then into the housholds till at last he found the person Then he was as just and severe in punishing as he had been diligent and carefull in enquiring This becomes all Magistrates in the execution of justice not to pass a rash judgement through a precipitate hast or passion but to search out the truth of the cause by which means they may come neither to spare or countenance the sin nor yet to wrong the person God himself hath set Magistrates a pattern in this before he would pour fire and brimstone upon Sodom Gen. 18. 21. I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know Which is spoke after the manner of men This God commands Magistrates Deut. 1. 16. Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously c. And again Deut. 17. 4. And it be told thee and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently and