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A44610
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An exact model, or platform of good magistracy, or, A sermon preached before the governour, council and assembly at the first meeting at Saint Jago de la Vega in Jamaica, Feb. 1, 1671 by Henry Houser.
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Houser, Henry, d. 1683.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing H2946; ESTC R28697
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10,012
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30
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who give themselves to all Good Fellowship in the world to all excess of Riot and hate to be Reformed Stat pro ratione volunta Their Will is their Law and their Conscience too Such I mean as hold Religion a disparagement to Gallantry and Gentility who fear nothing more then to have a Name that they fear God who think when they have gotten an Office they may Swear by Authority Oppress by License Drink and Swill without Controul What shall I say of such Are these Gods or Children of the most High Devils they are rather than Deputies for him far better becoming a prophane and drunken Alehouse than a grave and sober Assembly Let me take up the words of the Prophet Jeremiah and say to such prophane Esaus Chap. 5.22 Fear ye not me Saith the Lord Will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the Sand for the bounds of the Sea by a perpetual Decree that it cannot pass If the wrath of a King be as the roaring of a Lion as Solomon affirms Prov. 20.2 O then how terrible is the wrath of God who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords He himself will be one day a swift witness against such Mal. 3.5 I will be a swift Witness against the Sorcerers and against the Adulterers and against false Swearers and against those that Oppress the Hireling in his Wages the Widdow and the Fatherless and that turn away the Stranger from his Right and fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts Men commonly are afraid of Goals and Dungeons and Gibbets and this makes them abstain from Murder Felony and the like And why then will ye not rather fear him who is able to cast both Soul and Body into the everlasting Dungeon of Hell-fire where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth Him I say Fear I conclude this Point in the words of the Psalmist Psal 2.10 11 12. Be Wise now O ye Kings be Instructed ye Judges of the Earth Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoyce with Trembling Kiss the Son lest he be Angry and ye Perish from the Way when his Wrath is kindled but a little III. III. Amer Veritatis And so I come to the third Character of good Superiours and Magistrates they must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri veritatis Men of Truth This is required in every Magistrate in all those that are imployed in the Commonwealth they must be good men and true they must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lovers of the Truth They must search out the truth out of the labyrinths of Errour and Falsehood and not suffer Justice to be perverted but bring Judgment to the Balance of Truth and Righteousness They must be of his Temper who said Amicus Plato Amicus Socrates magis autem amica Veritas Plato is my Friend Socrates is my Friend but Truth is my greatest Friend Oh that our Rulers and Magistrates might truly say with Job Chap. 29.14 15. I put on Righteousness and it Clothed me My Judgment was as a Robe and a Diadem I was Eyes to the Blind and Feet was I to the Lame I was a Father to the Poor and the Cause which I knew not I searched out Alas may not the Lord complain at this day as he did in the days of Jeremiah Chap. 5.1 Run ye to and fro through the Streets of Jerusalem and see now and know and seek in the Broad places thereof if ye can find a man if there be any that executeth Judgment that seeketh the Truth and I will pardon it And Isaiah 59.14 Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth a far off for Truth is fallen in the Street and Equity cannot enter Therefore O ye Rulers of the Earth study to be men of Truth suffer not your selves to be corrupted by flattering Tongues but maintain the Truth against all oppositions of the world Let this be your Resolution with the Prophet David Psal 101.7 He that worketh Deceit shall not dwell within my House he that telleth Lies shall not tarry in my sight Though you must undergo Hatred and crosses and Scorn and Reproach for a time for the Truths sake yet he that is Amen the true Witness yea Truth it self will certainly reward you in the end with Temporal and Spiritual Blessings While on the other side he will shut out with the Dogs all such as love and make Lies according to that fearful Threatning Apoc. 22.15 Without the Heavenly Jerusalem are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever makes a Lie I close up this Point with the Exhortation of Solomon Prov. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not IV. And this leads me to the Fourth and last Character required in Good Superiours and Magistrates they must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abhorzentes avaritiam hating Covetousness they must be such as hate Covetousness which is the root of all Evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Covetousness is an inordinate love of money and is compared to the Dropsie Quo plus sunt potae plus sitiuntur aquae The more they have the more they will have Oh! that we might not complain at this day of many Superiours and Magistrates Jer. 6. â—â— For the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to Covetousness Therefore O. ye Rulers of the world flee these things and hate Covetousness with a perfect Heart Follow the counsel of the Apostle Heb. 13.5 Let your Conve sation be without Covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Let the words of the Lord be written and engraven over your Doors Deut. 16.19 Thou shalt not wrest Judgment thou shalt not respect Persons neither take a Gift for a Gift doth blind the Eyes of the Wise and pervert the words of the Righteous Let all sordid and filthy Lucre be abominable all ill gotten Goods execrable Remember that the curse of God goeth along with unlawful and unrighteous Gains and is like moth and Rust to corrupt and canker them Malè parta malè dilabuntur Goods unjustly gotten thrive not a man shall not long enjoy them Vix gaudet tertius haeres It is a venture but some Unthrifty Heir will waste and melt it away as fast and as ill as ever his Father got it See the words of the Apostle James 5.2 3 4. Your Riches are corrupted and your Garments are moth eaten your Gold and Silver is cankered and the Rust of them shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh as it were Fire Ye have heaped Treasure together for the last days Behold the Hire of the Labourers which have Reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth and the Cries of them which have Reaped are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabboth These are the four cardinal virtues of good Superiours and Magistrates they ought to be men of Ability fearing God men
of the Text. In the second Membrum II. it followeth to be considered how this Counsel is described and particularized by sour essential Characters or Properties of good Magistrates Requisita ad pium Magistratum pertinentia They must be 1. Able Men. 2. Such as fear God 3. Men of Lruth 4. Hating Covetousness I. I. Virtus Potentia The prime and first Character then required in good Superiours and Magistrates is Ability they must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vire potentes Able men This Ability includeth strength of body whereby they are enabled to undergo and execute their Places and Offices with the more diligence and industry It includeth greatness of Estate and Descent of Riches and Wealth of Birth and Blood which oftentimes puts Spirit and Courage into the Souls of Superiours and Magistrates These are but accidental and complemental Ingredients belonging to Superiours and Magistrates The main and essential parts that are comprehended under the word Ability are following a. Understanding and Wisdom Therefore Solomon prayed to God for an understanding heart 1 Reg. 3.4 Give thy Servant an understanding heart to judge thy People that I may discern between good and bad b. Another substantial thing comprized under the word Ability is moderation of Mind which enables him to Rule and Govern his Passion and Affection A thing very necessary in a Magistrate who must not suffer his Judgment to be over-ruled and overswayed by his Passion Fortior qui sese quam qui fortissima vincit Moenia Such an one is stronger then he that subdues and conquers the strong Cittadel c. The last and principal Virtue comprehended under the word Ability is Courage and Fortitude as the Lord charged Joshua Chap. 1.9 Be strong and of good courage be not afraâ—d neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest Oh what Courage and Heroical Spirit and Resolution ought he to be endued withal that must Encounter and Oppose the violent Torrent of Wickedness and Vice You are Met and Assembled together to begin and to perform a great work among us to Advance the Glory of God to Countenance the Gospel and the true Professors thereof and to reform all that is amiss and therefore you have need of Courage You must confute the Sins of the mighty you must support the work of the Ministrie against all Opposers of Gods true Religion and Worship especially against those proud Phanatick Emissaries who under pretence of New Discoveries and New Revelations of the Spirit wander from place to place from one Quarter of this Island to another and in opposition to the true Light of the Gospel cry out New Light New Light whereby they Seduce Deceive and Delude the Hearts of the Poor Simple and Ignorant People and therefore you have need of Courage You must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living Law and be an Example to all Good and therefore you have need of Courage You must help the Poor to their right you must defend the Widdow and the Fathâ—rless against them that are too mighty for them and therefore you have need of courage Therefore awake and put on courage you that sit at the Helm and Covern the Ship of our Commonwealth steer a straight and right course without swarving to the Right or Left Hand for fear or favour Neglect and dispise the Displeasure and Frowns of Great men and Rescue the Poor out of the Hands of the Oppress our Therefore be strong in the Lord faint not be not weary of well doing but be couragious though in Rowing and Guiding the Ship of our Commonwealth the Winds blow and the Seas rage Christ Jesus by his Divine Providence and Protection will support and uphold it that it shall not Sink he will send a calm and bring it safely ashore Wherefore let me proclaim and speak as Gideon in the Ears of all the Faint-hearted Judg. 7.3 Whosoever is fearful and afraid let him return Home and depart On the other side I say unto you that are of Ability of Wisdom and Courage as the Angel did to Gideon Judg. 6. 12 14. The Lord is with thee thou mighty Man of Valour go on in this thy might to save Israel Prooceed and go on from stâ—eâ—gth to strength And so much of the first Character of good Superiours and Magistrates they ought to be men of Abilitie II. II. Tâ—â—â—r Domini The next Character of them from whence all the rest proceed is the Fear of God they must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Timentes Deum Fearing God They must be such as fear God not slavishly with a servile sear but truly sincerely with a filial fear wrought in them by Faith and the assurance of Gods Love and Favour He that hath this Virtue wants none and without this true fear of Justice a Receiver of False-Witnesses a Patron of Violence and Oppression The principal scope and intent why God hath appointed and ordained Superiours and Magistrates to Rule and Govern the World is that they may advance his Glory countenance the true Riligion and Worship of God and protect the Church and Commonwealth Now for these things what cares a prophane and uncircumcised Vice-god who fears not God who bears the Sword in vain and minds nothing else here on Earth but his own Profit and Pleasure As for the Church or Commonwealth Sink they Swim they all is one to him So that it is certain that the fear of God is the chiefest thing required in a good Magistrate who is the Ministâ—r of God and his Sword bearer nay it is the whose Duty of man as Solomon speaks Eccles 2.13 Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man Hence it was that the Lord commanded the King Deut. 17.18 19. To write a Copy of the Law in a Book and to Read therein all the dayes of his Life that he may Learn to Fear the Lord his God and to keep his commandments and to do them A Magistrate in whom God hath planted his holy Fear he will Judge others as one that remembers he must be Judged himself he will help the Orphans to their Right and defend the cause of the Widdow He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Respecter of Persons He will neither condemn the Innocent nor justifie the Wicked He will set a watch over his Eyes that they behold no wrong over his Ears that they hear no false Accusation over his Tongue that it pronounce no unjust Sentence over his Hands that they receive no Bribe When an unlawful Suit is commenced by Favour or Friendship by Power or Policy he answers with Job Chap. 31.14 What shall I do when God riseth up And when he visiteth what shall I answer him This this is the man that feareth the Lord. By this Character now it will appear what to think of those many prophane and wicked Vice-gods who sell themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord